Technologies Available for License

2015-029: Block Copolymer Blends for Complex, High Resolution Lithographic Patterning

Invention: 2015-029

Patent Status: U.S. Patent Number 10,126,652 was issued on November 13, 2018

For technical and licensing related questions, email tcp@bnl.gov.

Summary

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Figure: Conventional (a) and selective (b) directed self-assembly.

Directed self-assembly (DSA) of block copolymers is an emergent technique for nano-lithography, but is limited in the range of structures possible in a single fabrication step. Brookhaven researchers here defined a new lithographic patterning approach that enforces coexistence of multiple, aligned block copolymer morphologies within a single patterning layer. A blend of lamellar and cylinder forming block copolymers assembled on specially designed surface chemical line gratings, leading to the simultaneous formation of coexisting ordered morphologies in separate areas of the substrate. This technique extends the conventional DSA approaches to furthering the role of the template guiding pattern in influencing the block copolymer assembly process, enabling formation of multiple nanoscale patterns from a single blended block copolymer thin film.

Description

A method for creating patterns on a surface of a substrate includes plasma cleaning a substrate, depositing a polymer brush onto a surface of the substrate, depositing a resist layer, optionally annealing the resist layer, forming grating patterns onto the resists, developing the grating patterns, etching to transfer the grating pattern to the polymer brush, depositing block copolymer films onto to the substrate. The resulting film may be annealed.

Journal Publication & Intellectual Property

• US 10,126,652 B2 (.pdf)
• Selective directed self-assembly of coexisting morphologies using block copolymer blends (.pdf)

Press Releases

• Smarter Self-assembly Opens New Pathways for Nanotechnology (.pdf)