Self‐assembly of block copolymers under non‐isothermal annealing conditions as revealed by grazing‐incidence small‐angle X‐ray scattering

An accurate knowledge of the parameters governing the kinetics of block copolymer self‐assembly is crucial to model the time‐ and temperature‐dependent evolution of pattern formation during annealing as well as to predict the most efficient conditions for the formation of defect‐free patterns. Here,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of synchrotron radiation 2020-09, Vol.27 (5), p.1278-1288
Main Authors: Fernández-Regúlez, Marta, Solano, Eduardo, Evangelio, Laura, Gottlieb, Steven, Pinto-Gómez, Christian, Rius, Gemma, Fraxedas, Jordi, Gutiérrez-Fernández, Edgar, Nogales, Aurora, García-Gutiérrez, Mari Cruz, Ezquerra, Tiberio A., Pérez-Murano, Francesc
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Annealing
Assembly
block copolymer
Block copolymers
correlation length
GISAXS
Grazing
Incidence
Isothermal annealing
kinetics
Mathematical models
Parameters
Reaction kinetics
Scattering
self‐assembly
Temperature dependence
Time dependence
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Summary:An accurate knowledge of the parameters governing the kinetics of block copolymer self‐assembly is crucial to model the time‐ and temperature‐dependent evolution of pattern formation during annealing as well as to predict the most efficient conditions for the formation of defect‐free patterns. Here, the self‐assembly kinetics of a lamellar PS‐b‐PMMA block copolymer under both isothermal and non‐isothermal annealing conditions are investigated by combining grazing‐incidence small‐angle X‐ray scattering (GISAXS) experiments with a novel modelling methodology that accounts for the annealing history of the block copolymer film before it reaches the isothermal regime. Such a model allows conventional studies in isothermal annealing conditions to be extended to the more realistic case of non‐isothermal annealing and prediction of the accuracy in the determination of the relevant parameters, namely the correlation length and the growth exponent, which define the kinetics of the self‐assembly. The self‐assembly kinetics of a lamellar block copolymer are accurately characterized in situ and in real time using grazing‐incidence small‐angle X‐ray scattering. A novel modelling methodology is implemented for the determination of self‐assembly kinetic parameters by properly considering the initial annealing conditions for both isothermal and non‐isothermal processes.
ISSN:1600-5775
0909-0495
1600-5775
DOI:10.1107/S1600577520009820