Nanocrystals are an intriguing class of material in nanofabrication as they could function both as a lithographic mask, or as a tool for the direct placement of active elements or as a technique to build 2D or 3D architectures not achievable by any other conventional fabrication technique. However, their application is limited by challenges in controlling assembly due to the tendency to form kinetically trapped states. Polymer grafted nanocrystals (PGNC) have improved processibility, allowing spin coating to generate uniform films, annealing to improve order and potentially orientational control using directed self-assembly (DSA). Here, we demonstrate long-range orientational order and structural control of PGNCs can be achieved using a process analogous to the “LiNe flow” commonly used in DSA of block copolymers.
|