Self-assembling polymer arrays improve data storage potential

Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Hitachi Global Storage Technologies have reported a way to improve the quality and resolution of patterned templates such as those used to manufacture hard drives and other data storage devices. When added to lithographically patterned surfaces such as those shown in the upper left panel of this composite image, specially designed materials called block copolymers self-assemble into structures, shown in the upper right panel, with improved quality and resolution over the original patterns. These structures can be used to make templates with nanoscale elements like the silicon pillars shown in the bottom panel, which may be useful for manufacturing higher capacity hard disk drives. Photo by: courtesy Paul Nealey