Thickness-dependence of block copolymer coarsening kinetics
Abstract
In spite of active research, many fundamental aspects of block copolymer ordering remain unresolved. We studied the thickness-dependence of block copolymer grain coarsening kinetics, and find that thinner films order more rapidly than thicker films. Bilayer films, or monolayers with partial layers of islands, order more slowly than monolayers because of the greater amount of material that must rearrange in a coordinated fashion. Sub-monolayer films order much more rapidly than monolayers, exhibiting considerably smaller activation energies, as well as larger exponents for the time-growth power-law. Furthermore, by using molecular dynamics simulations, we directly study the motion of defects in these film regimes. Here, we attribute the enhanced grain growth in sub-monolayers to the film boundaries, where defects can be spontaneously eliminated. The boundaries thus act as efficient sinks for morphological defects, pointing towards methods for engineering rapid ordering of self-assembling thin films.
- Authors:
-
[1]
- Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). Center for Functional Nanomaterials
- US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA)., Silver Spring, MD (United States). Center for Devices and Radiological Health
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1372447
- Report Number(s):
- BNL-114045-2017-JA
Journal ID: ISSN 1744-683X; SMOABF; KC0403020
- Grant/Contract Number:
- SC00112704
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Soft Matter
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 13; Journal Issue: 18; Journal ID: ISSN 1744-683X
- Publisher:
- Royal Society of Chemistry
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY; block copolymer; Center for Functional Nanomaterials
Citation Formats
Black, Charles T., Forrey, Christopher, and Yager, Kevin G. Thickness-dependence of block copolymer coarsening kinetics. United States: N. p., 2017.
Web. doi:10.1039/C7SM00212B.
Black, Charles T., Forrey, Christopher, & Yager, Kevin G. Thickness-dependence of block copolymer coarsening kinetics. United States. https://doi.org/10.1039/C7SM00212B
Black, Charles T., Forrey, Christopher, and Yager, Kevin G. Fri .
"Thickness-dependence of block copolymer coarsening kinetics". United States. https://doi.org/10.1039/C7SM00212B. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1372447.
@article{osti_1372447,
title = {Thickness-dependence of block copolymer coarsening kinetics},
author = {Black, Charles T. and Forrey, Christopher and Yager, Kevin G.},
abstractNote = {In spite of active research, many fundamental aspects of block copolymer ordering remain unresolved. We studied the thickness-dependence of block copolymer grain coarsening kinetics, and find that thinner films order more rapidly than thicker films. Bilayer films, or monolayers with partial layers of islands, order more slowly than monolayers because of the greater amount of material that must rearrange in a coordinated fashion. Sub-monolayer films order much more rapidly than monolayers, exhibiting considerably smaller activation energies, as well as larger exponents for the time-growth power-law. Furthermore, by using molecular dynamics simulations, we directly study the motion of defects in these film regimes. Here, we attribute the enhanced grain growth in sub-monolayers to the film boundaries, where defects can be spontaneously eliminated. The boundaries thus act as efficient sinks for morphological defects, pointing towards methods for engineering rapid ordering of self-assembling thin films.},
doi = {10.1039/C7SM00212B},
journal = {Soft Matter},
number = 18,
volume = 13,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Mar 31 00:00:00 EDT 2017},
month = {Fri Mar 31 00:00:00 EDT 2017}
}
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