Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
8.0
4.7
Journals
Polymers
Special Issues
Self-Assembled Block Copolymer Thin Films and Their Applications
polymers-logo
Submit to Polymers Review for Polymers Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Self-Assembled Block Copolymer Thin Films and Their Applications

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Physics and Theory".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 April 2023) | Viewed by 13495

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Katharina Brassat

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Physics, Paderborn University, Warburgerstr. 100, 33098 Paderborn, Germany
Interests: block copolymers; self-assembly; nanolithography; nanoparticles; soft matter–solid interfaces
Prof. Dr. Jörg K. N. Lindner

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Physics, Paderborn University, Warburgerstr. 100, 33098 Paderborn, Germany
Interests: nanostructure physics; nanolithography; nanoheteroepitaxy; self-assembly; transmission electron microscopy; materials analysis

Special Issue Information

Dear colleagues,

Using self-assembled block copolymer (BCP) thin films for surface nanopatterning is a promising approach for next-generation nanolithography. Thus, the creation of precise nanostructures from self-organized polymer nanodomains is investigated by academic research groups as well as R&D units of global players in semiconductor and data storage industries. Recently, significant advances have been made in controlling the polymer self-assembly into nanodomains of a particular shape at pre-defined positions and with a long-range order. Such guiding and controlling of the BCP self-assembly process renders this bottom–up technique competitive to conventional top–down lithography techniques, while allowing for a faster processing of large areas at lower costs.

Currently, feature size minimization, nanodomain definition, as well as pattern transfer to inorganic materials are studied intensely to enable full compatibility to semiconductor processing at industrial scale and to pave the way toward innovative novel fields of BCP application.

In this Special Issue, we compile and present recent findings in advancing block copolymer self-assembly to a highest-precision nanolithography technique. The aim is to shine a light on the rapidly developing field of BCP-based lithography. State-of-the-art reviews as well as articles on original novel fundamental and applied research on aspects including, but not limited to, the topics below are welcome in this Special Issue.

Dr. Katharina Brassat
Prof. Dr. Jörg K. N. Lindner
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Block copolymer self-assembly
  • High-X block copolymers
  • Sub-10 nm lithography
  • Directed self-assembly of block copolymers
  • BCP thin film dewetting
  • BCP pattern transfer to substrates
  • BCP/Homopolymer blends
  • Simulation of block copolymer self-assembly
  • (Analytical) electron microscopy of polymer nanodomains
  • Sequential infiltration synthesis
  • Applications of BCP nanostructures
  • Metrology for large-area BCP patterned films and surfaces

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

14 pages, 5205 KiB  
Article
Dual Block Copolymer Morphologies in Ultrathin Films on Topographic Substrates: The Effect of Film Curvature
by Elisheva Michman, Meirav Oded and Roy Shenhar
Polymers 2022, 14(12), 2377; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14122377 - 12 Jun 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4516
Abstract
The ability to create mixed morphologies using easily controlled parameters is crucial for the integration of block copolymers in advanced technologies. We have previously shown that casting an ultrathin block copolymer film on a topographically patterned substrate results in different deposited thicknesses on [...] Read more.
The ability to create mixed morphologies using easily controlled parameters is crucial for the integration of block copolymers in advanced technologies. We have previously shown that casting an ultrathin block copolymer film on a topographically patterned substrate results in different deposited thicknesses on the plateaus and in the trenches, which leads to the co-existence of two patterns. In this work, we highlight the dependence of the dual patterns on the film profile. We suggest that the steepness of the film profile formed across the plateau edge affects the nucleation of microphase-separated domains near the plateau edges, which influences the morphology that develops on the plateau regions. An analysis of the local film thicknesses in multiple samples exhibiting various combinations of plateau and trench widths for different trench depths enabled the construction of phase diagrams, which unraveled the intricate dependence of the formed patterns not only on the curvature of the film profile but also on the fraction of the film that resides in the trenches. Our analysis facilitates the prediction of the patterns that would develop in the trenches and on the plateaus for a given block copolymer film of known thickness from the dimensions of the topographic features. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Self-Assembled Block Copolymer Thin Films and Their Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

12 pages, 7978 KiB  
Article
Sequential Infiltration Synthesis into Maltoheptaose and Poly(styrene): Implications for Sub-10 nm Pattern Transfer
by Anette Löfstrand, Alexei Vorobiev, Muhammad Mumtaz, Redouane Borsali and Ivan Maximov
Polymers 2022, 14(4), 654; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14040654 - 10 Feb 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2252
Abstract
Vapor phase infiltration into a self-assembled block copolymer (BCP) to create a hybrid material in one of the constituent blocks can enhance the etch selectivity for pattern transfer. Multiple pulse infiltration into carbohydrate-based high-χ BCP has previously been shown to enable sub-10 [...] Read more.
Vapor phase infiltration into a self-assembled block copolymer (BCP) to create a hybrid material in one of the constituent blocks can enhance the etch selectivity for pattern transfer. Multiple pulse infiltration into carbohydrate-based high-χ BCP has previously been shown to enable sub-10 nm feature pattern transfer. By optimizing the amount of infiltrated material, the etch selectivity should be further improved. Here, an investigation of semi-static sequential infiltration synthesis of trimethyl aluminum (TMA) and water into maltoheptaose (MH) films, and into hydroxyl-terminated poly(styrene) (PS-OH) films, was performed, by varying the process parameters temperature, precursor pulse duration, and precursor exposure length. It was found that, by decreasing the exposure time from 100 to 20 s, the volumetric percentage on included pure Al2O3 in MH could be increased from 2 to 40 vol% at the expense of a decreased infiltration depth. Furthermore, the degree of infiltration was minimally affected by temperature between 64 and 100 °C. Shorter precursor pulse durations of 10 ms TMA and 5 ms water, as well as longer precursor pulses of 75 ms TMA and 45 ms water, were both shown to promote a higher degree, 40 vol%, of infiltrated alumina in MH. As proof of concept, 12 nm pitch pattern transfer into silicon was demonstrated using the method and can be concluded to be one of few studies showing pattern transfer at such small pitch. These results are expected to be of use for further understanding of the mechanisms involved in sequential infiltration synthesis of TMA/water into MH, and for further optimization of carbohydrate-based etch masks for sub-10 nm pattern transfer. Enabling techniques for high aspect ratio pattern transfer at the single nanometer scale could be of high interest, e.g., in the high-end transistor industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Self-Assembled Block Copolymer Thin Films and Their Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

19 pages, 5386 KiB  
Review
Liquid Phase Infiltration of Block Copolymers
by Irdi Murataj, Eleonora Cara, Nicoletta Baglieri, Candido Fabrizio Pirri, Natascia De Leo and Federico Ferrarese Lupi
Polymers 2022, 14(20), 4317; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14204317 - 14 Oct 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2240
Abstract
Novel materials with defined composition and structures at the nanoscale are increasingly desired in several research fields spanning a wide range of applications. The development of new approaches of synthesis that provide such control is therefore required in order to relate the material [...] Read more.
Novel materials with defined composition and structures at the nanoscale are increasingly desired in several research fields spanning a wide range of applications. The development of new approaches of synthesis that provide such control is therefore required in order to relate the material properties to its functionalities. Self-assembling materials such as block copolymers (BCPs), in combination with liquid phase infiltration (LPI) processes, represent an ideal strategy for the synthesis of inorganic materials into even more complex and functional features. This review provides an overview of the mechanism involved in the LPI, outlining the role of the different polymer infiltration parameters on the resulting material properties. We report newly developed methodologies that extend the LPI to the realisation of multicomponent and 3D inorganic nanostructures. Finally, the recently reported implementation of LPI into different applications such as photonics, plasmonics and electronics are highlighted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Self-Assembled Block Copolymer Thin Films and Their Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

19 pages, 5100 KiB  
Review
Polymer Vesicles for Antimicrobial Applications
by Hui Sun, Yin Wang and Jiahui Song
Polymers 2021, 13(17), 2903; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13172903 - 28 Aug 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3064
Abstract
Polymer vesicles, hollow nanostructures with hydrophilic cavity and hydrophobic membrane, have shown significant potentials in biomedical applications including drug delivery, gene therapy, cancer theranostics, and so forth, due to their unique cell membrane-like structure. Incorporation with antibacterial active components like antimicrobial peptides, etc., [...] Read more.
Polymer vesicles, hollow nanostructures with hydrophilic cavity and hydrophobic membrane, have shown significant potentials in biomedical applications including drug delivery, gene therapy, cancer theranostics, and so forth, due to their unique cell membrane-like structure. Incorporation with antibacterial active components like antimicrobial peptides, etc., polymer vesicles exhibited enhanced antimicrobial activity, extended circulation time, and reduced cell toxicity. Furthermore, antibacterial, and anticancer can be achieved simultaneously, opening a new avenue of the antimicrobial applications of polymer vesicles. This review seeks to highlight the state-of-the-art of antimicrobial polymer vesicles, including the design strategies and potential applications in the field of antibacterial. The structural features of polymer vesicles, preparation methods, and the combination principles with antimicrobial active components, as well as the advantages of antimicrobial polymer vesicles, will be discussed. Then, the diverse applications of antimicrobial polymer vesicles such as wide spectrum antibacterial, anti-biofilm, wound healing, and tissue engineering associated with their structure features are presented. Finally, future perspectives of polymer vesicles in the field of antibacterial is also proposed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Self-Assembled Block Copolymer Thin Films and Their Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop