Granted Patent B2

US 9,012,545 · App. 13/601,183 · Granted Apr 21, 2015

Abstract

Claims (94)

1. A copolymer composition, comprising:

a poly(styrene)-b-poly(acrylate) block copolymer, component; and,

an antioxidant;

wherein the poly(styrene)-b-poly(acrylate) block copolymer component is a blend, comprising:

>50 wt % to 99 wt % (on a solids basis) of an ordered poly(styrene)-b-poly(acrylate) block copolymer, BCP1, having a polystyrene volume fraction, Vf BCP1-PSt , of 0.40 to 0.60; and, wherein the following expression is true

χ

⁢

⁢

N

BCP

⁢

⁢

1

>

[

1.6

Vf

BCP

⁢

⁢

1

-

PSt

*

(

1

-

Vf

BCP

⁢

⁢

1

-

PSt

)

-

0.098

]

wherein χN BCP1 is the product the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter, χ BCP1 , of BCP1 at 225° C. and the degree of polymerization, N BCP1 , of BCP1; and,

1 to <50 wt % (on a solids basis) of a disordered poly(styrene)-b-poly acrylate) diblock copolymer, BCP2, having a polystyrene volume fraction, Vf BCP2-PSt , of 0.5 to 0.99; and, wherein the following expression is true

χ

⁢

⁢

N

BCP

⁢

⁢

2

<

[

2.6

Vf

BCP

⁢

⁢

2

-

PSt

*

(

1

-

Vf

BCP

⁢

⁢

2

-

PSt

)

]

wherein χN BCP2 is the product of the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter, χ BCP2 of BCP2 at 225° C. and the degree of polymerization, N BCP2 , of BCP2;

wherein the number average molecular weight of BCP1, M N-BCP1 , is 30 to 500 kg/mol;

wherein the number average molecular weight of BCP2, M N-BCP2 is 0.1 to <500 kg/mol; and,

wherein M N-BCP1 >M N-BCP2 .

2. The copolymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the copolymer composition is 15 to 25 wt % antioxidant (based on the weight of the copolymer component).

3. The copolymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the antioxidant is selected from the group consisting of:

an antioxidant containing at least one 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol moiety;

an antioxidant containing at least one moiety according to the formula

an antioxidant containing at least one moiety according to the formula

an antioxidants containing at least one moiety according to the formula

mixtures thereof.

4. The copolymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the antioxidant component is an antioxidant selected from the group consisting of

mixtures thereof.

5. The copolymer composition of claim 1 , further comprising a solvent; wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate (PGMEA), ethoxyethyl propionate, anisole, ethyl lactate, 2-heptanone, cyclohexanone, amyl acetate, γ-butyrolactone (GBL), n-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) and toluene.

6. The copolymer composition of claim 1 , further comprising an additive; wherein the additive is selected from the group consisting of homopolymers; random copolymers; surfactants; photoacid generators; thermal acid generators, quenchers; hardeners; adhesion promoters; dissolution rate modifiers; photocuring agents; photosensitizers; amplifiers; plasticizers; orientation control agents and cross linking agents.

7. A method of processing a substrate to form line space feature on a surface of a substrate, comprising:

providing a substrate having a surface;

providing a copolymer composition according to claim 1 ;

applying a film of the copolymer composition to the surface of the substrate;

optionally, baking the film;

annealing the film by heating the film at 150 to 350° C. under a gaseous atmosphere for a period of 1 second to 4 hours; and,

treating the annealed film to remove the poly(acrylate) block from the annealed film leaving a line space pattern on the surface of the substrate having a pitch, L 0 , of 10 to 50 nm.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the copolymer composition provided contains 10 to 25 wt % antioxidant (based on the weight of the copolymer component).

Assignments (6)