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Silicon crystallization in nanodot arrays organized by block copolymer lithography

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Abstract

Asymmetric polystyrene-b-polymethylmethacrylate (PS-b-PMMA) block copolymers are used to fabricate nanoporous PS templates with different pore diameter depending on the specific substrate neutralization protocol. The resulting polymeric templates are used as masks for the subsequent deposition of a thin (h = 5 nm) amorphous Si layer by electron beam evaporation. After removal of the polymeric film and of the silicon excess, well-defined hexagonally packed amorphous Si nanodots are formed on the substrate. Their average diameter (d < 20 nm), density (1.2 × 1011 cm−2), and lateral distribution closely mimic the original nanoporous template. Upon capping with SiO2 and high temperature annealing (1050 °C, N2), each amorphous Si nanodot rearranges in agglomerates of Si nanocrystals (d < 4 nm). The average diameter and shape of these Si nanocrystals strongly depend on the size of the initial Si nanodot.

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Acknowledgments

This research activity was financially supported by the ERANET PLUS “NanoSci-E+” consortium through the NANO-BLOCK (“NANO-device fabrication using BLOCK-copolymer based technology”) project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorio MDM, IMM-CNR, Via C. Olivetti 2, 20864, Agrate Brianza, Italy

    Michele Perego, Andrea Andreozzi & Gabriele Seguini

  2. nMat Group, CEMES-CNRS, Université de Toulouse, 29 Rue J. Marvig, 31055, Toulouse Cedex 4, France

    Sylvie Schamm-Chardon, Celia Castro & Gerard BenAssayag

Authors
  1. Michele Perego
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  2. Andrea Andreozzi
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  3. Gabriele Seguini
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  4. Sylvie Schamm-Chardon
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  5. Celia Castro
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  6. Gerard BenAssayag
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Correspondence to Michele Perego.

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Perego, M., Andreozzi, A., Seguini, G. et al. Silicon crystallization in nanodot arrays organized by block copolymer lithography. J Nanopart Res 16, 2775 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-014-2775-6

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