Cylinder alignment in annular structures of microphase-separated polystyrene-b-poly(methyl methacrylate)

We present a novel and simple method for generating micron-scale annular st ructures formed from polystyrene-b-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) di block copolymer on a silicon oxide substrate. This method is based on prewe tting of the underlying substrate with a minor polar solvent before spin-ca sting of the diblock solution. When using this procedure, we also see, usin g atomic force microscopy, a unique alignment effect which occurs in the cy linder-forming microdomains of PS-b-PMMA annuli without the aid of an exter nal alignment field. These aligned microdomains, with controlled nanometer- scale spacing and coherence on the order of microns, facilitate the ongoing exploration of self-organizing nanofabricated surfaces.