(532f) Complex Morphologies in Symmetric Diblock Copolymer Thin Films

Nano-confinement can strongly affect the self-assembled morphology of block copolymers, and can thus be used to obtain desirable nanostructures that cannot be found in the bulk. Here we consider the simplest system of 1D lamellae-forming symmetric diblock copolymers A-B under 1D confinement, i.e., thin films between two homogeneous surfaces. By varying the surface preferences and separation, however, several novel, complex and stable morphologies can be obtained due to the delicate balance among surface energy, chain entropy and A-B repulsion. The structures and formation mechanisms of these morphologies are clearly revealed by our real-space self-consistent field calculations with high accuracy, which provide a powerful tool for exploring the self-assembly of block copolymers under nano-confinement.