Applications of Directed Self-Assembly Lithography in Advanced Semiconductor Devices

As semiconductor devices continue to scale down, conventional lithography technologies face increasingly severe challenges in resolution, stochastic defect control, and manufacturing cost. Block copolymer (BCP) directed self-assembly (DSA), which offers molecular-scale control over pattern formation and compatibility with existing lithographic processes, has emerged as a promising complementary nanopatterning technology for advanced semiconductor manufacturing. This review summarizes the microphase-separation mechanisms of DSA, major guiding strategies including graphoepitaxy and chemoepitaxy, and pattern-transfer techniques such as dry and wet etching and sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS). In terms of device applications, particular emphasis is placed on recent progress in DSA for Fin Field-Effect Transistor (FinFET) fin patterning, silicon nanostructures, high-density contact holes, memory devices, two-dimensional semiconductors, and Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor (CMOS) optoelectronic devices. Key challenges, including defect control, process-window optimization, pattern transfer, and wafer-scale manufacturing, are further discussed, together with future directions involving the integration of DSA with extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, advanced etching, and data-driven process optimization. This review aims to outline the technological evolution of DSA from nanoscale self-assembly toward integration into advanced semiconductor manufacturing and to provide a reference for high-resolution patterning at advanced technology nodes.