Thin Film Phase Separation on a Nanoscopically Patterned Substrate

We investigate phase separation in a thin film of a binary polymer blend A/C in the presence of a solid substrate covered with immobilized nanoscopic domains of the respective polymers. The patterned substrate is realized by physisorbing a microphase separated brush of an ABC triblock copolymer. We observe a marked suppression of phase separation in the blend on the pattern as compared to a laterally homogeneous substrate. The effect is studied as a function of blend film thickness. The results are compared to a simple estimate of the interfacial energies.