Self assembly of polyelectrolytes for photonic crystal applications

Description

The use of polymers in microelectronics and photonics is continuously developing along two main streams: the preparation of polymer structures spanning from nano- to meso-scale and the improvement of semiconducting/conducting functions into the macromolecule thus making their electronic and optical properties suitable to specific goals (charge transport or generation, light emission, optical non linearities …). In order to step forward these topics, the exploitation of bottom-up self-organization properties of polymers, which work through quasi-equilibrium steps enabling the self-repulsion of defects, is a powerful approach. Indeed, suitable structures ranging from the nano- to the meso-scale might provide the required property or functionality either from the optical or the electronic point of view. Moreover, the use of self-organizing processes is often a need for soft matter since usual techniques used in the top-down approach like UV- or X-ray-lithography could be expensive, energy consuming and, in particular, potentially destructive for organic materials. The length scales of ordered structures obtained by the self-organization process discriminates their possible application either to optoelectronics or to photonic. Polymer structures of few nanometers might have two different functions: to be a template or to impart a specific electronic/optical role. Block copolymers have a phase behaviour of considerable scientific and technological interest due to the formation of different ordered structures. When the composing blocks do not have electronic functionalities, i.e. are insulating polymers, the nanostructures can be used as an efficient and low-cost mask for the semiconductor industry. Indeed, by using suitable molecular masses, critical dimensions below current lithographic resolution limits can be achieved.

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