Structural Characterization of Asymmetric Block Copolymer Thin Films using Resonant Soft X-Ray Scattering

ORAL

Abstract

Resonant soft X-ray scattering (RSOXS) is a powerful tool for structural characterization of block copolymer thin films over very large areas ($\sim $9000 $\mu $m$^{2})$. We study a single layer of cylinders formed from an asymmetric poly(styrene-$b$-isoprene) (PS-PI) block copolymer thin film using X-rays tuned to the carbon $\pi $* resonance. These results are compared to bulk structural data obtained by conventional small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). We demonstrate that the cylinder-to-cylinder spacing is conserved between the bulk and thin film form. In sphere-forming PS-PI block copolymers, we observe a sphere-to-sphere spacing in thin films that is between the bulk nearest neighbor and bulk lattice spacing. RSOXS' capability in probing complex multi-block copolymers by tuning to different energy edges and also of probing a variety of film thickness effects will also be discussed.

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Authors

  • J. M. Virgili

    UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab

  • J. B. Kortright

    Lawrence Berkeley National Lab

  • Nitash Balsara

    University of California Berkeley, UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, University of California, Berkeley, U. C. Berkeley, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley

  • Rachel Segalman

    UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, University of California Berkeley, UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley Labs, University of California, Berkeley