Highly oriented and ordered arrays from block copolymers via solvent evaporation

A simple process of solvent evaporation is shown to produce highly ordered arrays of cylindrical microdomains in block copolymers with long-range lateral order (see Figure). Solvent evaporation in thin films is unidirectional, producing a self-assembly directed normal to the film surface, akin to a zone refinement. Further control over the size and separation distance of the domains can be achieved with cosolvents.