In this project, new nanopatterning methods will be researched for manufacturing based on two self-assembly model systems: (1) block copolymers; and (2) collapsing nanopillars. For both of these technologies, analytical models will be developed explaining the interaction between topographic templates the self-assembling action of the system. Along with the analytical model, numerical simulation will be used to simulate the 3-D structures. A conceptual framework for pattern design based on computation and digital logic will then be developed. In the particular case of block copolymers, central to the technological development will be the implementation of localized annealing methods. In the case of collapsing nanopillars, processing methods for inducing localized and directed collapse will be developed. Based on the analytical model, numerical simulation, the new experimental methods, and the computational framework, a new approach for generating complex nanopatterns will be demonstrated using both of these approaches.
As the result of this work, new nanomanufacturing methods that can fabricate complex nanopatterns with throughput higher than that of conventional lithographic methods will be developed. The primary goal of this study is controlling the self-assembly process based on the understanding of the force or interaction governing the self-assembly process of two model systems. The control may include fabricating complex nanopatterns such as bends, jogs, or T-junctions that can be used for integrated circuit fabrication or for fabrication of large-scale nanopatterns for new applications in photonics, energy harvesting, and electronics. As a result of the control of self-assembly to be achieved in this study, the capabilities of nanomanufacturing methods will be expanded, while their costs are reduced.
