Self-assembled nanostructures as templates for patterned surfaces with non-microelectronic applications

This paper outlines alternative uses of block copolymer (BCP) patterning compared to their well-researched exploitation in defining silicon circuitry and interconnects. The challenge in these alternative applications is usually to define 'active' patterns of materials other than silicon and instead of using the self-assembled block copolymer pattern as a means to form an on-chip etch mask, to use it as a template for deposition of functional components. In this paper we briefly discuss progress in the field of block copolymer patterning and some potential applications. The paper will then outline two examples in the area of sensing and antimicrobial surfaces. Here, polystyrene-b-polyethylene oxide (PS-b-PEO) is used as a suitable template as it forms well-ordered arrangements on several substrate types. The PEO block can then be used as a host block towards precursor inclusion from solution because of its' selective chemistry. Onward processing then creates a pattern of included materials that mimics the original BCP arrangement. To demonstrate the potential of these methods we illustrate examples as sensors and antimicrobial surfaces which both take advantage of the small feature size, high surface area and coverage that can be attained by these techniques.