Polymer Physics in Self-Assembled Nanopatterns: From Block Copolymers to Polymer Grafted Nanocrystals

Directed self-assembly of functional nanomaterials combines top-down techniques with bottom up self-organization to impart ordering by design to periodic structures in soft-matter. In particular block copolymers exhibit promising attributes to extend lithographic patterning well into the single-digit nanometer regime. Similarly, polymer-grafted nanocrystals may also find applications in nanopatterning or as functional templates for electronic, magnetic or optical devices. When searching for potential avenues to reach pattern perfection, polymer physics is the essential tool to unlock the knowledge needed to understand the mechanisms of pattern formation and defect control. In this talk, we review representative examples in which we used polymer physics to gain insights into the self-assembly behavior of block copolymer and polymer grafted nanocrystals that subsequently enabled higher quality patterns at nanometer scales over large areas