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%0 Thesis %A Stenbock-Fermor, Anja %T Controlled solvent vapor Annealing for Improved Processing of Thin Films of Block Copolymers - Revealing the Benefits of organic networks as supports for polymers in thin films %I RWTH Aachen University %V Dissertation %C Aachen %M RWTH-2017-00033 %P 1 Online-Ressource (IV, 135 Seiten) : Illustrationen, Diagramme %D 2016 %Z Veröffentlicht auf dem Publikationsserver der RWTH Aachen University 2017 %Z Dissertation, RWTH Aachen University, 2016 %X The aim of this work was to demonstrated the possibilities and advantages of the controlled solvent vapor annealing as an advanced technique for the processing of polymer films. Under investigation was the swelling behavior of polymer films and polymeric networks upon solvent vapor treatment under controlled and stable conditions as an advanced processing technique. The controlled parameters hereby are the temperature of the sample and the vapor as well as the vapor flow and partial vapor pressure dictating the solvent concentration inside the annealing chamber. Apart from the highly controlled and reproducible environment, this approach allows to utilize the advantages of polymeric networks as technology-compatible substrates. Investigated homopolymer films were used to access film stability. Thin films of block copolymers and the observation of their microphase separated structures allowed to draw conclusions about solvent uptake and ordering dynamics upon solvent vapor processing. The swelling behavior of a polymeric network (hardmask) and a bilayer system consisting of a network and a polymer layer were studied and the results were compared to the single layers arrangements. Additionally microwave annealing was employed as a novel and fast processing step. In chapter 4 the film preparation procedure and the film processing via controlled solvent vapor setup were established for employed systems and investigated in regards of reproducibility and stability throughout the process. The sensibility of the in-situ monitoring of the film thickness in the swollen state by spectroscopic ellipsometry was verified and the method was applied for the observation of a nanoscopic effect on the macroscopic swelling behavior. The film preparation conditions and preparation methods in combination with the setup for controlled solvent vapor annealing facilitate reproducible results regarding film thickness, film homogeneity, starting morphology, solvent uptake and target morphology. The solvent concentration was shown to be stable and the error of the adjustable partial vapor pressure was shown to be within 5 %F PUB:(DE-HGF)11 %9 Dissertation / PhD Thesis %R 10.18154/RWTH-2017-00033 %U https://publications.rwth-aachen.de/record/681161