Fundamentals of Phase Patterning Polymer Films

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9803738 Kramer An experimental program is proposed to elucidate the processing fundamentals needed to produce films with three dimensionally patterned phase morphologies on micrometer to sub-micrometer length scales. The transfer of patterns from the confining interfaces into films of both phase separating polymer mixtures and ordering block copolymers will be realized by controlling the interaction between the polymer components and the surfaces of these patterns. The interfacial patterns will be produced principally using self assembled monolayers (SAMs) of alkane thiols on Au using a microcontact printing technique. Control of interfacial interaction will be exerted by using HO-terminated alkane thiols, HOOC-terminated alkane thiols, methyl-terminated alkane thiols and their mixtures to produce SAMs with controlled surface energy. These experiments will exploit the complementary depth profiling capabilities of dynamic secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and forward recoil spectrometry to provide depth information, transmission electron microscopy, low voltage scanning electron microscopy and scanning force microscopy to provide imaging of lateral and cross-sectional film phase structures and scanning Raman microscopy to provide lateral composition profiling. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the kinetics of ordering and island (hole) formation of block copolymer films through diffusional and flow processes as well as the effects of topological confinement of such films by solid interfaces that exert surface fields of various strengths on the two blocks. Similarly a major goal will be to understand how to control surface directed spinodal decomposition process in films of phase separating polymer mixtures to produce two phase structures with patterned morphologies so that the pattern extends in both the lateral and thickness directions. Here again topological confinement of these films by solid surfaces raises important questions that will be focused on. %%% These experiments have the potential to impact a range of new processing technologies, such as new lithographic techniques, new ways to produce selective membranes and new ways to form thin- film optical elements. ***