Well-Ordered Thin-Film Nanopore Arrays Formed Using a Block-Copolymer Template

A study was conducted to demonstrate a simple technique for fabricating thin films with well-ordered nanopores using self-assembled block-copolymer (BCP) lithography and pattern transfer processes. Long-range ordering of a sphere-forming block copolymer was accomplished using a brush-coated 1D topographic template and solvent annealing. The spheres were used to make nanoporous patterns through a pattern reversal process. Another image reversal process was used to form nickel (Ni) dot arrays and make a range of nanopatterned films that were used in applications, including via formation in integrated circuits, filters, plasmonic and photonic bandgap structures, catalysts, templates, sensors, and solar cells. The well-ordered dot patterns were also converted into a nanoporous metallic thin film and deposited on the oxidized poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) patterns with a topography similar to the buried BCP patterns.