Atomic Force Microscopy Imaging of Defect Evolution and Domain Motion in Ultrathin Films of PS-b-PMMA Diblock Copolymers

J. Hahm and S.J. Sibener

Collaborators: W.A. Lopes and H.M. Jaeger

We report the tracking of individual defects in the microdomain patterns of cylinder-forming polystyrene-block-polymethylmethacrylate (PS-b-PMMA) films. 50nm thick films, containing a single layer of cylinders aligned parallel to the film plane, were repeatedly and non-destructively probed with atomic force microscopy (AFM) in an attempt to elucidate the evolution of the diblock domain topology between annealing treatments. We show explicitly that this evolution takes place through relinking, joining, clustering and annihilation of defects.

Tracking of individual defects

Defect Evolution Mechanisms

Reorientation of Polymer Chains

Other AFM Studies in the Group

Electrochemistry and corrosion

Polymer defect evolution

Polymer alignment

Biological microscopy

Most recent revision: 13-Feb-01

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