The present work combines science and arts in an innovative and intriguing way. Using Electron Beam Lithography (EBL) and Directed Self-Assembly (DSA) of Block Co-Polymers (BCP) in conjunction with the shortest poetic form, haiku, the paper attractively demonstrate the capabilities of these nanofabrication techniques and explores the interaction between the
top-down EBL process and the bottom-up DSA approach. Silicon (Si) substrates and EBL with the hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) negative tone resist were used for capturing examples of the tiniest haiku poems written and translated into six languages having four different character styles. Subsequently, the haiku nanostructures
(“nanohaiku”) were used as guiding features between which the poly(styrene)-blockpoly(ethylene oxide) (PS-b-PEO) diblock copolymer is spin coated to create self-organised nanopatterns. The annealing was done in toluene solvent vapours at 50°C for 1.5 hours and then the samples were immersed in ethanol for 15 hours at 40°C to dissolve the PEO copolymer.
In areas within and in-between the individual characters and syllables of the poems, unusual patterns were observed. We interpret them as self-assembled “nanohaiga” directed by the
morphology and the linguistic geometry of the nanohaiku. Moreover, we demonstrate how the BCP pattern changes when interacting with the same verse translated into different languages. Thus we add to the haiku poem's own nanostructure and meaning a new visual identity, nanohaiga, combining for the first time poetry, visual art and advanced nanofabrication
technologies.