On-Chip Molecular Scale Patterning and Assemblies

该提案是应“纳米科学与工程”(NSF 00-119)的征集而提交的。这个纳米尺度跨学科研究团队(NIRT)将通过自组织嵌段共聚物的图案化来生产和表征包含从分子(1 Nm)到宏观(Mm)长度尺度上的有序元素的光子结构。自组装聚合物微光子学具有使用低成本材料和简单的加工步骤即可生产精密光学器件或元件的潜力。该团队将研究具有精细光学特性的1维、2维和3维周期光子材料。这种材料可能会对通信设备、传感器、集成设备和相关的电光技术产生影响。该团队将设计和制造所需的聚合物，实施拟议的加工，并对产生的纳米结构和预期的电光设备进行表征和测量。嵌段共聚物的图案化为尺寸控制提供了惊人的可能性，其长度比目前可能的要小得多，并且具有仅用常规光刻无法实现的复杂几何和功能。除了微光子学方面的进步，该项目的成功还有可能彻底革新所有常规光刻纳米刻蚀的进行方式，并开辟将软材料集成到硅设备平台上的新策略。团队成员包括四名康奈尔大学的教职员工：克里斯托弗·奥贝尔(团队负责人)、杰夫·科茨、索尔·格伦纳和乌利·维斯纳，以及麻省理工学院的埃德温·托马斯和加州大学伯克利分校的尼塔什·巴尔萨拉。巴尔萨拉和托马斯都是研究和控制嵌段共聚物微观结构的国际公认的专家。托马斯也是嵌段共聚微光子学领域的先驱。Coates、Ober和Wiesner以其合成独特聚合物的能力而闻名，Gruner以其表征专业知识而闻名。我们的合作伙伴(Rohm&amp；Haas和莱特材料实验室)分别是光刻和材料光学行为研究的中心，将为NIRT提供宝贵的专业知识。

This proposal was submitted in response to the solicitation "Nanoscale Science and Engineering' (NSF 00-119). This Nanoscale Interdisciplinary Research Team (NIRT) will produce and characterize photonic structures containing ordered elements on length scales ranging from the molecular ( 1 nm) to the macroscopic (mm) by the patterning of self-organizing block copolymers. Self-Assembled Polymer microphotonics has the potential for the ready production of precision optical devices or elements using low cost materials and simple processing steps. The team will study 1, 2, and 3 dimensionally periodic photonic materials with finely tuned optical properties. Such materials will have probable impact on technologies for communications devices, sensors, integrated devices and related electro-optic technologies. The team will design and create the required polymers, cany out the proposed processing and characterize and measure the resulting nanostructures and anticipated electro-optical devices. The patterning of block copolymers offers remarkable possibilities for size control on much smaller length scales than currently possible and with intricate geometries and functions not realizable with convcntional lithography alone. In addition to advances in microphotonics, the success of this project has the potential to completely revolutionize the way all routine lithographic nanopatterning is carried out and to open up new strategies for integrating soft materials onto a silicon device platform. Team members consist of four Cornell faculty, Christopher Ober, (team leader), Geoff Coates, Sol Gruner and Uli Wiesner plus Edwin Thomas of MIT and Nitash Balsara of UC Berkeley. Both Balsara and Thomas are internationally recognized experts in the study and control of block copolymer microstructure. Thomas is also a pioneer in the field of block copolymer microphotonics. Coates, Ober and Wiesner are known for their ability to synthesize unique polymers and Gruner for characterization expertise. Our partners (Rohm & Haas and Wright Materials Labs) are established centers for research in lithography and the optical behavior of materials, respectively and will provide valuable expertise to this NIRT.