On-Chip Molecular Scale Patterning and Assemblies

该提案是应“纳米科学与工程”（NSF 00-119）的要求提交的。这个纳米级跨学科研究小组（NIRT）将通过自组织嵌段共聚物的图案化来产生和表征包含从分子（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加工步骤制备精密光学器件或元件的潜力。该团队将研究具有微调光学特性的1，2和3维周期性光子材料。这些材料将可能对通信设备、传感器、集成设备和相关电光技术产生影响。该团队将设计和创建所需的聚合物，进行拟议的处理，并表征和测量所得的纳米结构和预期的电光器件。嵌段共聚物的图案化提供了在比目前可能的小得多的长度尺度上进行尺寸控制的显著可能性，并且具有单独使用常规光刻法无法实现的复杂几何形状和功能。除了微光子学的进步，该项目的成功有可能彻底改变所有常规光刻纳米图案化的方式，并开辟将软材料集成到硅器件平台上的新策略。团队成员包括康奈尔大学的四名教师，克里斯托弗·奥伯（团队负责人）、杰夫·科茨、索尔·格鲁纳和乌利·威斯纳，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。Balsara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专家。托马斯也是嵌段共聚物微光子学领域的先驱。科茨、奥伯和威斯纳以合成独特聚合物的能力而闻名，格鲁纳以表征专业知识而闻名。我们的合作伙伴（Rohm哈斯和Wright材料实验室）分别是光刻和材料光学行为的研究中心，将为该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.