Nano-rheological analysis of polymer cross-section films prepared by a mechanical cutting method

A cross-section film of a symmetric diblock copolymer, in which lamellar structure was formed, was successfully prepared by a mechanical cutting method using a sharp diamond knife. In this method, the knife was obliquely pushed into the sample from the surface side. The oblique angle was precisely controlled to be 0.57 deg. Thus, periodic lamellar structure was shown up at the surface of the cross-section film Then, scanning viscoelasticity microscopy (SVM), which can image viscoelastic information at the surface, was applied to the cross-section film. Finally, it was demonstrated that a combination of SVM and mechanical cutting method enabled one to gain direct insight into the depth information for structure and physical properties of the diblock copolymer film along the direction normal to the surface.