Surface characterization of poly-2-vinylpyridine—A polymer for area selective deposition techniques

Thin films of OH terminated poly-2-vinylpyridine (P2VP), a polymer with potential for infiltration mediated thin film deposition, area selective deposition (ASD), and small feature size development via block copolymer (BCP) self-assembly, have been studied with hard x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. From the N 1s and C 1s core level spectra, accurate values for the binding energy positions of the species present in the films were obtained, providing clear evidence for signals associated with pyridine bonds. The aromatic ring on the P2VP side chain is clearly identified in the studied core levels. These observations allow for a complete understanding of the chemical environment of the polymer and provide evidence of the potential reactions that can occur with metal diffusion into P2VP. Transmission electron microscopy, attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy measurements reveal high quality films, and this work provides a reference base for this functional material in terms of its utility for ASD, BCP, and subsequent atomic layer deposition based polymer infiltration processes.