Practical approaches towards building nanoscale architechtures

纳米结构仍然是密集的研究的焦点，因为它们的迷人的性能，可以明显不同于他们的散装对应物，从而显示出一系列应用的巨大希望。例如，复杂的金属和有机架构正在成为纳米级电子、磁性、光子和生物传感器件中的芯片上互连和有源组件的重要构建块。 这些未来应用所需的关键成分之一是能够通过在技术相关的固体支持物（例如半导体表面）上组装、图案化和对准来整合许多可寻址的纳米结构。挑战在于以经济可行的方式制造大面积的高密度纳米结构，其特征尺寸远低于100 nm。 虽然光刻技术在半导体工业协会（SIA）的路线图中仍然是即将到来的45纳米以下一代的核心技术，但大规模制造的成本考虑将是一个关键的限制因素。 因此，人们对开发涉及大规模自组装的互补图案化策略感兴趣，以用作纳米结构开发的软有机模板。虽然SIA路线图建议嵌段共聚物模板是一种潜在的“创新技术”，用于亚45 nm特征图案化，但仍存在许多与硅和其他表面集成相关的挑战。

Nanostructures continue to be the focus of intense research because of their fascinating properties that can be distinctly different form their bulk counterparts, and thus show great promise for a range of applications. Complex metallic and organic architectures are emerging as important building blocks for on-chip interconnects and active components in nanoscale electronic, magnetic, photonic, and biosensing devices, for instance. One of the key ingredients required for these future applications is the ability to integrate numerous addressable nanostructures through assembly, patterning, and alignment on technologically relevant solid supports, such as semiconductor surfaces. The challenge lies in fabricating large areas of high density nanostructures, with feature sizes well below 100 nm, in an economically feasible manner. While photolithography will justifiably remain a core technology with respect to the upcoming sub-45 nm generations on the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) Roadmap, cost considerations for mass manufacturing will be one critical constraint. As a result, there is interest in the development of complementary patterning strategies that involve large scale self-assembly, for use as a soft organic template for nanostructure development. While block copolymer templating is suggested on the SIA Roadmap to be a potentially "innovative technology" for sub-45 nm feature patterning, there are still many challenges associated with their integration with silicon and other surfaces.