Patent ID: 8822124

Claim:
A method of forming a pattern, comprising: diffusing an acid, generated in a photosensitive layer comprising a photoacid generator, by irradiating a portion of the photosensitive layer; into an adjacent portion of a underlayer comprising an acid sensitive copolymer comprising an acid decomposable group, an attachment group, and a functional group, the attachment group being covalently bonded to a hydrophilic surface of a substrate, crosslinked to form an interpolymer crosslink, or both covalently bonded to the surface of the substrate and crosslinked to form an interpolymer crosslink, where the functional group is operative to adjust the neutrality of the acid-sensitive copolymer; wherein the photosensitive layer is disposed on a surface of the underlayer, diffusing comprises heating the underlayer and photosensitive layer, and the acid sensitive group of the acid sensitive copolymer in the underlayer reacts with the diffused acid to form a polar region at the surface of the underlayer, the polar region having a shape of the pattern; removing the photosensitive layer; forming a self-assembling layer on the surface of the underlayer, the self-assembling layer comprising a block copolymer having a first block with an affinity for the polar region, and a second block having less affinity for the polar region than the first block, wherein first block forms a first domain aligned to the polar region, and the second block forms a second domain aligned adjacent to the first domain, and removing either the first or second domain to expose an underlying portion of the underlayer.