Eur. Phys. J. E 7, 273-289 (2002)
DOI: 10.1140/epje/i200101071

Confinement of columnar diblock copolymers: Simulations, theory and applications

G.G. Pereira

Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK and Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia

ggp@mech.eng.usyd.edu.au

(Received 22 May 2001 and Received in final form 14 February 2002)

Abstract
The inherent nanoscale morphologies of self-organizing diblock copolymer melts are now being investigated for a variety of technological applications. To obtain global, well-oriented, regular patterns requires suitably confining and aligning the melt between two flat plates. Here we consider such confinement for an asymmetrical diblock melt, which forms columns of the minority phase in a matrix of the majority phase. We investigate this system with a combination of numerical simulations and strong segregation theory and make suggestions as to when perpendicular orientation should prevail over parallel orientation of the columns.

PACS
61.30.-v - Liquid crystals.
68.03.Cd - Surface tension and related phenomena.
61.41.+e - Polymers, elastomers and plastics.


© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag 2002