Quenched degrees of freedom in symmetric diblock copolymer thin films

TL;DR

This study investigates how immobilizing monomers near the substrate influences lamellae orientation in symmetric diblock copolymer thin films, revealing that quenching promotes perpendicular orientation and affects phase transition behavior.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of monomer quenching near substrates and analyzes its impact on lamellae orientation in both weak and strong segregation regimes.

Findings

Quenching favors perpendicular lamellae orientation.

Quenching inhibits order-disorder transition more for parallel orientation.

Quenching doubles the inhibition of the transition for parallel compared to perpendicular.

Abstract

We study the effect of monomer immobilization (quenching) on the orientation of the lamellae in symmetric diblock copolymer thin films with neutrally wetting surfaces. A small fraction of the monomers immediately next to the solid substrate is presumed to be quenched. In both the weak segregation limit and the strong segregation limit, quenching favors the lamellae orienting perpendicular to the film. Quenching inhibits the order-disorder transition twice as much for the parallel orientation as for the perpendicular.