Erik W. Edwards

Graphoepitaxy of cylinder-forming block copolymers for use as templates to pattern magnetic metal dot arrays

We report a method to fabricate high-quality patterned magnetic dot arrays using block copolymer lithography, metal deposition, and a dry lift-off technique. Long-range order of cylindrical domains oriented perpendicular to the substrate and in hexagonal arrays was induced in the block copolymer films by prepatterning the substrate with topographic features and chemically modifying the surface to exhibit neutral wetting behaviour towards the blocks of the copolymer. The uniformity of the domain size and row spacing of block copolymer templates created in this way was improved compared to those reported in previous studies that used graphoepitaxy of sphere-forming block copolymers. The pattern of block copolymer domains was transferred to a pattern of magnetic metal dots, demonstrating the potential of this technology for the fabrication of patterned magnetic recording media.

Self-assembling resists for nanolithography

In this paper we present our approach for integrating block copolymers into the lithographic process so as to enable molecular-level control over the dimensions and shapes of nanoscale patterned resist features and simultaneously retain essential process attributes such as pattern perfection, registration, and the ability to create non-regular device-oriented structures. Combining self-assembling materials with advanced lithographic tools may allow current manufacturing techniques to be extended to the scale of 10 nm and below and meet the long-term requirements detailed in the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (2004)

Binary blends of diblock copolymers as an effective route to multiple length scales in perfect directed self-assembly of diblock copolymer thin films

The directed assembly of binary blends of diblock copolymers on chemically nanopatterned substrates was investigated as a means to pattern features of controlled dimensions at the nanoscale. The lamella-forming blends assembled without defects and in registration with underlying chemical surface patterns that had periods LS that were commensurate with the bulk lamellar period of the blends LB. LB was tuned between the bulk lamellar periods of the block copolymers LO1 and LO2.