University of Texas System

Christopher M Bates

Christopher John Ellison

Julia Cushen

C Grant Willson

Logan J Santos

Leon Dean

Erica L Rausch

Carlton Grant Willson

Takehiro Seshimo

Michael Maher

Dustin Janes

William J Durand

C Grant Wilson

Takehiro Sleshimo

Jeffrey Strahan

Vacuum deposited thin films of material are used to create an interface that non-preferentially interacts with different domains of an underlying block copolymer film. The non-preferential interface prevents formation of a wetting layer and influences the orientation of domains in the block copolymer. The purpose of the deposited polymer is to produce nano structured features in a block copolymer film that can serve as lithographic patterns.

Using chemical vapor deposited films to control domain orientation in block copolymer thin films

The concepts described herein involve the use of random copolymer top coats that can be spin coated onto block copolymer thin films and used to control the interfacial energy of the top coat-block copolymer interface. The top coats are soluble in aqueous weak base and can change surface energy once they are deposited onto the block copolymer thin film. The use of self-assembled block copolymers to produce advanced lithographic patterns relies on their orientation control in thin films. Top coats potentially allow for the facile orientation control of block copolymers which would otherwise be quite challenging.

Anhydride copolymer top coats for orientation control of thin film block copolymers

The present invention includes a diblock copolymer system that self-assembles at very low molecular weights to form very small features. In one embodiment, one polymer in the block copolymer contains silicon, and the other polymer is a polylactide. In one embodiment, the block copolymer is synthesized by a combination of anionic and ring opening polymerization reactions. In one embodiment, the purpose of this block copolymer is to form nanoporous materials that can be used as etch masks in lithographic patterning.

Polylactide/silicon-containing block copolymers for nanolithography

A method for ordering block copolymers including forming a first layer having a first preference mode; and providing a reactive agent in selected regions of the first layer that modifies the selected regions to a second preference mode, wherein the selected regions define other regions of the first layer retaining the first preference mode thereby forming an alignment layer for block copolymers.

Ordering block copolymers

The use of self-assembled block copolymer structures to produce advanced lithographic patterns relies on control of the orientation of these structures in thin films. In particular, orientation of cylinders and lamellae perpendicular to the plane of the block copolymer film is required for most applications. The preferred method to achieve orientation is by heating. The present invention involves the use of polarity-switching top coats to control block copolymer thin film orientation by heating. The top coats can be spin coated onto block copolymer thin films from polar casting solvents and they change composition upon thermal annealing to become 'neutral'. Top coats allow for the facile orientation control of block copolymers which would otherwise not be possible by heating alone.

Random copolymer top coats are described that can be spin coated onto block copolymer thin films and used to control the interfacial energy of the top coat-block copolymer interface. The top coats are soluble in aqueous weak base and can change surface energy once they are deposited onto the block copolymer thin film. The use of self-assembled block copolymers to produce advanced lithographic patterns relies on their orientation control in thin films.

A diblock copolymer system that self-assembles at very low molecular weights to form very small features is described. One polymer in the block copolymer contains silicon, and the other polymer is a polylactide. The block copolymer may be synthesized by a combination of anionic and ring opening polymerization reactions. This block copolymer may form nanoporous materials that can be used as etch masks in lithographic patterning.

The present invention relates to a method the synthesis and utilization of random, cross-linked, substituted polystyrene copolymers as polymeric cross-linked surface treatments (PXSTs) to control the orientation of physical features of a block copolymer deposited over the first copolymer. Such methods have many uses including multiple applications in the semiconductor industry including production of templates for nanoimprint lithography.

Surface treatments for alignment of block copolymers

Vacuum deposited thin films of material are described to create an interface that non-preferentially interacts with different domains of an underlying block copolymer film. The non-preferential interface prevents formation of a wetting layer and influences the orientation of domains in the block copolymer. The purpose of the deposited polymer is to produce nanostructured features in a block copolymer film that can serve as lithographic patterns.

Growing community of inventors

Austin, TX, United States of America

Christopher M Bates