Directed Self-Assembly of Block copolymers: From Advanced Lithography to Funcional Nanostructures

Directed self-assembly (DSA) of block copolymers is widely recognized as a complementary nanopatterning strategy, capable of extending the capabilities of conventional lithography while enabling the fabrication of highly ordered structures at the nanoscale.

This lecture will provide an overview of block copolymer self-assembly for semiconductor nanofabrication, highlighting its application to density multiplication, pattern rectification and high-resolution pattern transfer. The ability of self-assembled polymers to generate periodic structures with dimensions and densities difficult to achieve by conventional top-down fabrication routes makes them attractive platforms for advanced nanoscale patterning.

Recent developments illustrate how block copolymers can be employed not only for lithographic applications, but also as templates for the fabrication of functional nanostructures. Applications in areas such as thermoelectric devices and quantum technologies will be discussed, highlighting how self-assembled patterns can be used to define complex nanoscale architectures. Emerging approaches based on the incorporation of inorganic materials into self-assembled polymer templates will also be discussed.