Block copolymer-based mask structures for the growth of nanopatterned polymer brushes

1. A method of forming a lithographic mask from a self-assembled block copolymer film, the method comprising:

forming a neutral layer on a substrate surface, the neutral layer comprising a crosslinked copolymer film comprising crosslinked random copolymer chains having pendant alkyl halide functional groups that are capable of acting as ATRP initiators;

depositing a block copolymer film over the neutral layer, and subjecting the block copolymer film to conditions that induce the block copolymer to self-assemble into patterned block copolymer domains; and

selectively removing one or more of the block copolymer domains, such that regions of the neutral layer previously underlying said domains are exposed.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

depositing an ATRP-inert material over the exposed regions of the neutral layer; and

subsequently removing one or more additional block copolymer domains, wherein additional regions of the neutral layer underlying said additional domains are exposed.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the ATRP-inert material is a noble metal.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the random copolymer is a copolymer of a first monomer comprising an alkyl halide functional group that is capable of acting as an ATRP initiator, a second monomer comprising a crosslinkable functional group, and a styrene monomer.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first monomer is selected from acrylate monomers having an alkyl halide functional group, methacrylate monomers having an alkyl halide functional group, styrene monomers having an alkyl halide functional group, or combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the crosslinkable functional groups comprise thermally self-crosslinking functional groups.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the crosslinkable functional groups comprise thermally crosslinkable epoxy groups.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the random copolymer comprises from about 15 to 35% of polymerized first monomers, from about 1 to about 4% of glycidyl methacrylate, and from about 60 to about 80% of polymerized styrene.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the block copolymer is a diblock copolymer of styrene and methylmethacrylate.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the block copolymer is a diblock copolymer of styrene and methyl methacrylate.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the block copolymer domains comprise vertically oriented cylindrical domains.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the block copolymer domains comprise vertically oriented lamellar domains.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the random copolymer is polymerized from (meth)acrylate monomers having an alkyl halide functional group, glycidyl methacrylate monomers and styrene monomers and the block copolymer is a cylinder-forming block copolymer of styrene and methylmethacrylate.

14. A method of making a polymer brush, the method comprising:

forming a lithographic mask from a self-assembled block copolymer film, according to the method of claim 1 ; and exposing the exposed regions of the neutral layer to a solution comprising polymerizable monomers and a transition metal complex under reaction conditions in which the alkyl halide functional groups initiate the polymerization of the polymerizable monomers into a polymer brush via atom transfer radical polymerization.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising removing the remainder of the block copolymer film.

16. A method of making a polymer brush, the method comprising:

forming a lithographic mask from a self-assembled block copolymer film, according to the method of claim 2 ;

exposing the exposed regions of the neutral layer to a solution comprising polymerizable monomers and a transition metal complex under reaction conditions in which the alkyl halide functional groups on the copolymer film initiate the polymerization of the polymerizable monomers into a polymer brush via atom transfer radical polymerization.