Directed Self-Oriented Self-Assembly of Block Copolymers: Bottom-up Meeting Top-Down

As the size scale of device features becomes increasingly smaller, conventional lithographic processes are limited. Alternative routes need to be developed to circumvent this hard stop. Ideally, if existing technological processes can be used with novel materials, significant advances can be made. Block copolymers (BCP), two polymer chains covalently linked together at one end, provide one solution. BCP self-assemble into a range of highly-ordered morphologies and by controlling the orientation and lateral ordering of the nanoscopic microdomains, numerous applications will emerge. By combining the “bottom-up” self-assembly of BCPs with “top-down” micro-fabrication processes faster, better and cheaper devices can be generated in very simple, yet robust, ways.