Directed Self-Assembly of Block Copolymer Thin Films into Useful Organized Patterns for Microelectronics and Nanofabrication.

将嵌段共聚物薄膜定向自组装成微电子和纳米制造有用的组织图案。

• 批准号: 2011254
• 负责人: Michael Arnold
• 金额: $ 34.59万
• 依托单位: University of Wisconsin-Madison
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-09-01 至 2024-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2011254&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Directed; Self; Assembly; Block; Copolymer

This grant supports research that creates new understanding and capabilities regarding a manufacturing process enabling the fabrication of patterns and features on surfaces that are extremely small -- only a few billionths of a meter (a few nanometers) in extent. Precision fabrication at these lengths is driving manufacturing advances in areas of national importance including microelectronics, optical materials, sensors, chemical purification membranes, and quantum materials. This award supports fundamental research on block copolymer-based nanofabrication. When two different conventional polymers that do not “like” each other are mixed, the two polymers separate – like oil and water. However, when these two polymers are bonded to each other – to form a block copolymer – macroscopic separation is inhibited, and nanoscale segregation occurs instead. Features smaller than hundred (100), ten (10), and even five (5) nanometers are generated automatically, that cannot be easily created otherwise. This project focuses on spatially directing this nanoscale segregation on surfaces so that rationally organized and useful (as opposed to random) patterns can be formed. An example is nanopatterning the surfaces of semiconductors for computer chips so that they perform faster, are more energy efficient, and can be more complex. The research integrates advanced concepts from materials science and engineering, chemistry, and nanomanufacturing. The interdisciplinary research helps widen the involvement of diverse groups in fundamental research and constructively influences science and engineering education.This research specifically addresses the challenge of registering and directing the self-assembly of vertically oriented block copolymer lamellar domains into rationally controlled sub-lithographic patterns through the exploitation of boundary-directed epitaxy. Boundary-directed epitaxy uses the abrupt chemical contrast that is inherent at spatial boundaries between regions on a substrate with different surface composition to direct the registration, alignment, and self-assembly of block copolymers. The advantages are substantial: the boundaries can be defined between features that are planar and relatively large – circumventing the need for trenches or high-resolution chemical patterns. The mechanisms that drive self-assembly are highly unexplored. The project determines the chemical composition / preferentiality window for boundary-directed epitaxy; quantifies the impact of boundary-roughness on assembly; characterizes how defects arise; and understands how the assembly evolves over time. The project studies and demonstrates boundary-directed epitaxy for nanofabrication, materials synthesis, and nanolithography; investigates assembly on templates with curved boundaries and complex shapes – essential for many applications; and, broadens the library of template materials that can be exploited to advance the generality of the phenomenon.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

这笔赠款支持对制造过程产生新的理解和能力的研究，使之能够在极小的表面上制造图案和特征--仅有几十亿分之一米(几纳米)的范围。这些长度的精密制造正在推动具有国家重要性的领域的制造业进步，包括微电子、光学材料、传感器、化学净化膜和量子材料。该奖项支持基于嵌段共聚物的纳米制造的基础研究。当两种不同的传统聚合物混合在一起时，这两种聚合物就会分离--就像油和水一样。然而，当这两种聚合物相互粘合-形成嵌段共聚物-宏观分离被抑制，而纳米级分离发生。小于一百(100)、十(10)甚至五(5)纳米的特征是自动生成的，否则无法轻松创建。这个项目的重点是在空间上引导表面上的这种纳米级分离，以便形成合理组织和有用的(相对于随机的)图案。一个例子是对计算机芯片的半导体表面进行纳米处理，以便它们运行得更快、更节能，也可以更复杂。这项研究融合了材料科学与工程、化学和纳米制造的先进概念。跨学科的研究有助于扩大不同群体对基础研究的参与，并对科学和工程教育产生建设性的影响。这项研究专门解决了通过边界定向外延将垂直取向的嵌段共聚物层状域的自组装注册和引导到合理控制的亚光刻图案的挑战。边界定向外延利用衬底上具有不同表面组成的区域之间的空间边界上固有的突然化学对比来指导嵌段共聚物的配准、排列和自组装。其优点是：可以在平面和相对较大的特征之间定义边界--避免了对战壕或高分辨率化学图案的需要。驱动自组装的机制还非常未被探索。该项目确定了边界定向外延的化学成分/优先窗口；量化了边界粗糙度对组装的影响；表征了缺陷是如何产生的；并了解了组装如何随着时间的推移而演变。该项目研究和演示用于纳米制造、材料合成和纳米光刻的边界定向外延；研究具有弯曲边界和复杂形状的模板上的组装-对于许多应用来说是必不可少的；并扩大可用于促进该现象的一般性的模板材料库。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

项目成果

Boundary-Directed Epitaxy of Block Copolymers Toward Sub-10 nm Fabrication

面向亚 10 nm 制造的嵌段共聚物的边界定向外延

• DOI: 10.1149/11101.0011ecst
• 发表时间: 2023
• 期刊: ECS Transactions
• 作者: Su, Katherine Anna;Jacobberger, Robert;Stan, Liliana;Arnold, Michael Scott
• 通讯作者: Arnold, Michael Scott