| AVS 63rd International Symposium & Exhibition | |
| Advanced Ion Microscopy Focus Topic | Thursday Sessions |
| Session HI+MI+NS-ThA |
| Session: | Ion Beam Based Imaging and Nanofabrication |
| Presenter: | Matthew Burch, Oak Ridge National Laboratory |
| Authors: | M.J. Burch, Oak Ridge National Laboratory A. Belianinov, Oak Ridge National Laboratory D. Chang, Oak Ridge National Laboratory Y. Luo, Oak Ridge National Laboratory K. Hong, Oak Ridge National Laboratory O.S. Ovchinikova, Oak Ridge National Laboratory |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
The ability to directly image and characterize nanoscale structures and features of soft materials is key to understanding the role growth, interfaces and extrinsic stimuli have on the functionality of these materials. In particular, the arrangement and architecture of bottlebrush block copolymer systems is of interest, as material properties depend greatly on the organization and interfaces of these polymers during growth. However, due to the insulating nature of these materials, directly imaging surface features at the nanoscale using traditional electron microscopy based techniques is challenging. Alternatively, He-ion beam microscopy (HIM) has been developed to the level where it can now characterize and directly image the nanoscale surface features of these soft materials directly.
In this work, He-Ion microscopy is utilized to investigate the nanoscale structures of copolymer systems. In particular, the ordered periodic structures of bottle brush copolymer thin film systems are investigated to understand how different substrates and growth conditions impact the final periodic lamella and domain structures. Of particular interest is how the interface driven separation leads to different short range molecular and long rage surface ordering. Furthermore, we will discuss how surface ordering of the copolymers effects the functionality of the material by correlating HIM imaging results with local probing of electromechanical and electrochemical using scanning probe microscopy.
Acknowledgements
This work was conducted at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, which is a Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science User Facility.