Synchrotron radiation for the understanding of block copolymer self-assembly

Abstract

Synchrotron radiation offers great opportunities to improve the understanding of block copolymer morphology and self-assembly processes. In particular, GISAXS characterization is an interesting complementary method to analyze with sub-nanometer resolution the patterns that block copolymer thin films form, in addition to chemical composition. Most of the synchrotron radiation techniques are compatible with block copolymer processes, allowing for an in-situ and real time analysis of the self-assembly processes, what is very important for the analysis of process kinetics. In this contribution, we present the analysis of the self-assembly process of lamellar PS-b-PMMA block copolymer submitted to thermal annealing. The analysis of the 2D-GISAXS patterns allows the evaluation of the block copolymer morphology on formed nanopatterns and about the block copolymer kinetics.