Patternable block copolymers

This article is a review of the chemical and physical nature of patternable block copolymers and their use as templates for functional nanostructures. The patternability of block copolymers, that is, the ability to make complex, arbitrarily shaped submicron structures in block copolymer films, results from both their ability to self-assemble into microdomains, the "bottom-up" approach, and the manipulation of these patterns by a variety of physical and chemical means including "top-down" lithographic techniques. Procedures for achieving long-range control of microdomain pattern orientation as well as the combination of top-down and bottom-up patterning to give multilevel control of block copolymer films are extensively discussed. The level of control over patterning block copolymers that these strategies afford has enabled recent developments in nanofabrication including template nanolithography, template nanoparticle patterning, nanoporous as well as nanoreplicated materials.