Microdomain ordering in laterally confined block copolymer thin films

We examine the effects of small-scale, hexagonal, lateral confinement on microdomain ordering in diblock copolymer thin films using self-consistent field theory simulations. Specifically, we examine a hexagonal confinement well with side length L approximately equal to five cylindrical microdomain lattice spacings. The commensurability constraints of the small-scale, lateral confinement, coupled with surface-induced effects allow the confining well to have a significant effect on the perfection of microdomain order. We identify commensurability; windows in L that depend on the segment-wall interaction and the temperature annealing rate (modeled as a Flory % similar to 1/T annealing rate). The effect of added majority-block homopolymer is also explored.