VAMAS Strategic Activity (TWA 0 /Project 3)

Assessing self-assembling characteristics of DiBlock
Copolymers (DBC) nanostructures
Objectives
The aim of this international
interlaboratory comparison is to establish a
metrological framework for thedevelopment of sub 50 nm self-assembled
nanomaterials for electronic and opticalapplications.
This includes the periodicity assessment ofself-assembled block copolymers
measuring the lateral length (periodicity),
and correlate these to measurements oflateral length using alternative techniques.
This work is undertaken as part of theEMPIR project 20FUN06 MEMQuD.

Measurement Techniques•••

Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)
Grazing-Incidence Small-Angle X-ray
Scattering (GISAX)

Background
DBC are widely used in microelectronics
and in applications related tonanolithography on large area and surface
patterning. The periodicity of DBC
nanostructures is an important indicator of
the self-assembly process history and thefinal characteristics.
The currently available standards for lateral
length measurement are too large andtheir uncertainty level is not acceptable forthe increasing needs of metrology.

CALL FOR PARTICIPATIONFurthermore, no periodic structures are
currently available as a lateral length
standard with period below 50 nm but
above typical lattice spacing in the rangeof 1 nm.

Standardisation Needs
Industry and calibration laboratories needstep height and lateral length standards at
the nanometric level for resolution
certification of a variety of measuring
instruments, such as scanning probe
microscopes (SPM), optical phase shift
microscopes, and scanning electron
microscopes (SEM).
Commercially available standards in thisrange of length consist of a small chip
containing a single isolated line 4 mmlong. The width of the line is certified by
TEM analysis and used as a reference
standard. The smallest line width ranges
from 110 to 25 nm.

Work Programme• Develop a calibration procedure withtraceability, combining experimental
data from different characterization
techniques.
• Evaluate measurement uncertainty.
• Developmentofstandardized
procedures to define the geometry andmaterial
propertiesofthenanostructures.

Scanning Electron Microscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy microphotos and Grazing
Incidence Small Angle X ray analysis of DiBlock Copolymers nanostructures.

Deliverables and Dissemination

International Participation• Report will evaluate the varianceobservedoftheassociatedmeasurement protocol, to guide
further development.
• Results will be published in a peerreviewed journal.
• Any validated data generated will be
proposed to the relevant standards
committees to be considered fordevelopment of future international
standardisation.

INRiM (Italy) - Istituto Nazionale di ricerca
Metrologica
PTB Berlin (Germany)
Tubitak (Turkey)
DESY (Germany)
IMEC (Belgium)
IMDEA (Spain).

Funding

Current participants represent EU. Widerglobal participation would be greatlywelcomed.
For more information:Participants fund their own involvementin the project. Materials for theinterlaboratory comparison will besupplied by INRiM.

Dr Federico Ferrarese Lupi
INRiM, Italyf.ferrareselupi@inrim.it

References

Dr. G. Milano
INRiM, Italyg.milano@inrim.it

1. B. Beckhoff Nanomaterials 2022, 12(13), 2255
2. F. Ferrarese Lupi et al. ACS Appl.
Mater. Interfaces 2017, 9, 18, 15685–15697

www.vamas.org
February 2024