A Simple Route for Preparation of Nanoporous Templates

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have developed simple and environmentally friendly methods for fabricating nanopatterned templates and substrates with highly oriented and ordered nanodomains or nanostructures. Metal-coated block copolymer films with highly ordered nanoscale cylindrical pores oriented normal to the film surface can be fabricated by using simple solvent vapor annealing, film reconstruction, and glancing angle metal evaporation processes. By controlling the thickness of the metal layer and the thermal annealing conditions, two other types of metal-decorated, nanopatterned films with nanodots or nanoring-shaped voids can be generated. These metal-decorated films can be used as masks or templates for subsequent pattern transfer into underlying substrates with high fidelity via etching, or as scaffolds for the fabrication of arrays of nanoscopic elements from any material that can be evaporated, sputtered or electrochemically deposited into the voids of the nanopatterned films.

DESCRIPTION

ADVANTAGES

• Highly precisely oriented and ordered nanodomains or nanostructures
• Simple, robust, rapid non-disruptive, and economic fabrication processes
• Environmentally friendly solvents (THF; toluene; ethanol)
• High-contrast etching into underlying substrates enabled with the etch-resistant metal layer/phase
• Multiple metal-decorated template structures for flexible design and generation of a variety of nanopatterned materials

APPLICATIONS

• Magnetic Storage, Micro-Electronics, and Optoelectronics
• Molecular Separation

ABOUT THE INVENTOR

Dr. Thomas P. Russell is the Silvio O. Conte Distinguished Professor of Polymer Science and Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a member of the National Academy of Engineering. His research interests span the areas of polymers as scaffolds and templates for the generation of nanoscopic structures, surface and interfacial properties of polymers, phase transitions in polymers, directed self-assembly processes, interfacial assembly of nanoparticles, and the structure and morphology of polymer-based photovoltaic materials. Dr. Russell has received numerous awards for his scientific achievements and is a prolific inventor. He directs the Energy Frontier Research Center on Polymer-Based Materials for Harvesting Solar Energy at UMass Amherst, which carries out fundamental photovoltaic-oriented research using organic-based polymers and related materials.

AVAILABILITY:

Available for Licensing or Sponsored Research

DOCKET:

UMA 07-27 and UMA 09-08

PATENT STATUS:

US Patent 8,361,337 and 8,518,837 issued

NON-CONFIDENTIAL INVENTION DISCLOSURE

LEAD INVENTOR:

Thomas P. Russell, Ph.D.

CONTACT:

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have developed simple and environmentally friendly methods for fabricating nanopatterned templates and substrates with highly oriented and ordered nanodomains or nanostructures. Metal-coated block copolymer films with highly ordered nanoscale cylindrical pores oriented normal to the film surface can be fabricated by using simple solvent vapor annealing, film reconstruction, and glancing angle metal evaporation processes. By controlling the thickness of the metal layer and the thermal annealing conditions, two other types of metal-decorated, nanopatterned films with nanodots or nanoring-shaped voids can be generated. These metal-decorated films can be used as masks or templates for subsequent pattern transfer into underlying substrates with high fidelity via etching, or as scaffolds for the fabrication of arrays of nanoscopic elements from any material that can be evaporated, sputtered or electrochemically deposited into the voids of the nanopatterned films.