Silicon oxy carbide nanorings from polystyrene-b-polydimethylsiloxane diblock copolymer thin films

A silicon-containing diblock copolymer, poly(styrene)-b-poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PS-PDMS), with PDMS cylinders in a PS matrix has been synthesized through sequential anionic polymerization. PS-PDMS thin film was prepared by spin coating on silicon wafer. Perpendicular PDMS cylinders in the PS-PDMS thin film can be obtained by solvent annealing. The PS-PDMS thin film was employed as template for the formation of core-shell cylinder thin films through surface reconstruction. By taking advantage of the silicon-containing character, silicon oxy carbide nanopattern can be fabricated due to the crosslinking of PDMS blocks and the degradation of PS blocks through one-step oxygen plasma treatment. As a result, the formation of silicon oxy carbide nanoring arrays can be achieved. This method provides a convenient way to create silicon oxy carbide nanoring arrays from diblock copolymers.