SUSS Mask Aligner MA6 is designed for high resolution photolithography.
The 365nm exposure wavelength version is capable of 1.25 (1.0) um resolution in vacuum contact. All contact exposure programs (vacuum, hard, soft, proximity) are supplied.
Two alignment options are available: top side alignment (TSA) with a split field or a video microscope and back side alignment (BSA) with BSA microscope. It is also possible to make IR- light alignment.
Training videos: The training videos were made for MA6-2, but operation of MA6-1 is very similar as they are exactly the same model. Due to a different power supply, however, procedures for ignition and intensity control of the lamp is different for MA6-1. Please refer to the manual for the correct procedures.
Equipment performance and process related parameters
Purpose
Alignment and UV exposure
Performance
Exposure mode
vacuum contact, hard contact, soft contact, proximity, flood exposure
Exposure light/filters
365 nm (i-line)
broadband (i-, g-, h-line), requires tool change
(303 nm, requires tool change)
Minimum structure size
down to 1.25µm
Mask size
5x5 inch
Alignment modes
Top side (TSA)
Backside (BSA)
Substrates
Substrate size
Mask exposure and alignment:
100 mm wafers
Flood exposure:
samples up to 150 mm wafers
Allowed materials
All PolyFabLab materials
Batch
1
Aligner: MA6-2
The Aligner: MA6-2 is located in E-4.
The Süss MicroTek Mask Aligner MA6 is designed for high resolution photolithography.
The 365nm exposure wavelength version is capable of 1.25 (1.0) um resolution in vacuum contact. All contact exposure programs (vacuum, low vacuum, hard, soft, proximity) are supplied.
Two alignment options are available: top side alignment (TSA) with a split field or a video microscope and back side alignment (BSA) with BSA (video) microscope.
The aligner can also be used for bond alignment (for Wafer Bonder 02). Special training is required.
The Aligner: MA6-2 has an i-line notch filter installed. This results in an exposure light peak at 365nm. Compared to exposure on the KS Aligner, the optimal dose should be very similar. The 500W Hg-Xe lamp also enables exposure in the DUV range around 240nm. This functionality is not established yet, partly due to safety concerns.
Power supply and/or lamp will be adjusted if intensity is outside the limit.
Alignment
Top Side Alignment:
TSA microscope standard objectives: 5X, and 10X (20X available)
TSA microscope special objectives: 11.25X offset (for smaller separation)
Minimum distance between TSA microscope objectives: 33 mm (8 mm for special objectives)
Maximum distance between TSA microscope objectives: 160 mm
TSA microscope travel range: X +/- 25mm; Y +20mm / -75mm (towards flat)
BackSide Alignment:
Minimum distance between BSA microscope objectives: 15 mm
Maximum distance between BSA microscope objectives: 100 mm
BSA microscope travel range: X +50mm / -16mm; Y +50mm / -20mm (towards flat)
BSA chuck view ranges:
2": X +/- 8-22mm; Y +/- 0-6mm
4": X +/- 14-46mm; Y +/- 0-10mm
6": X +/- 14-69mm; Y +/- 0-10mm
Microscope field of view (W x H, splitfield):
TSA 5X
Oculars: 1.3mm x 2.6mm (Ø2.6mm full field)
Camera: 350µm x 500µm (700µm x 500µm full field)
TSA 10X
Oculars: 0.6mm x 1.3mm (Ø1.3mm full field)
Camera: 150µm x 250µm (350µm x 250µm full field)
TSA special
Oculars: 0.55mm x 1.1mm (Ø1.1mm full field)
Camera: 150µm x 200µm (300µm x 200µm full field)
BSA camera
Low: 1.5mm x 2mm (3mm x 2mm full field)
High: 450µm x 650µm (950µm x 650µm full field)
Equipment performance and process related parameters
Purpose
Mask alignment and UV exposure, potentially DUV exposure 1)
Bond alignment
Performance
Exposure mode
vacuum contact, hard contact, soft contact, proximity, flood exposure
Exposure light/filters
broadband (i-, g-, h-line)
365 nm (i-line)
"UV300" (280-350 nm)
DUV (240 nm) 1)
Minimum structure size
Typically 1.25 µm, possibly down to 0.8 µm 1)
Mask size
5x5 inch
7x7 inch
special holder for 4 x 2" designs on 5x5 inch
Alignment modes
Top side (TSA)
Backside (BSA)
Substrates
Substrate size
small pieces 1x1cm
50 mm wafers
100 mm wafers
150 mm wafers
Allowed materials
All cleanroom materials except copper and steel
Dedicated chuck for III-V materials
Batch
1
1) Not available yet. Requires tool change. Would require safety investigation (and a dedicated project) to become available.
Light intensity and uniformity after lamp ignition
Light intensity and uniformity after lamp ignition. CP is constant power mode, CI is constant intensity mode. The accept limits for the CI mode is ±5%, the accept limit for the non-uniformity is 2%. CP mode has no accept limit.
The lamp requires about 15 minutes of on-time after lamp ignition, before the light output has stabilized, and users using the constant power mode should always wait for 15 minutes after ignition, before starting processing.
If users use the constant intensity mode, this waiting time is not necessary, since the internal light sensor automatically adjusts the output to match the setpoint value.
The non-uniformity of the light, in CI mode, is unaffected by the stabilization time.
Aligner: Maskless 01
Aligner: Maskless 01 is located in E-4.
The logon password for the PC is "mla" (without quotation marks).
The MLA 100 Maskless Aligner located in the E-4 cleanroom is a direct exposure lithography tool installed in 2017.
It is a UV LED exposure system, that exposes the patterns directly on photosensitive resists on chips, 2, 4, and 6 inch substrates, without prior fabrication of the mask.
The system offers top side alignment with high accuracy.
Expose an overlay design after automatic alignment to 4 alignment marks using the High Res camera and applying scaling and shearing.
Alignment accuracy in 9 points across a 100mm wafer is measured, the average alignment error is reported.
Backside alignment
Expose an overlay design after automatic alignment to 4 backside alignment marks and applying scaling and shearing. Rotate the wafer 180° and repeat.
Alignment accuracy in 9 points across a 100mm wafer is measured, half the average alignment error is reported.
QC limits
Aligner: Maskless 03 (MLA3)
Topside alignment error
>0.5µm
Backside alignment error
>1µm
Camera offsets will be adjusted if alignment error is outside the limit.
Equipment performance and process related parameters
Purpose
Alignment and UV exposure
Performance
Exposure mode
Projection
Exposure light
405nm (laser diode array)
Focusing method
Pneumatic
Minimum structure size
down to 1 µm
Design formats
GDS-II
CIF
DXF
Gerber
HIMT format
Alignment modes
Top side alignment
Backside alignment
Field alignment (chip-by-chip TSA)
Substrates
Substrate size
maximum writing area: 150x150 mm2
150 mm wafer
100 mm wafer
50 mm wafer
pieces down to 5x5 mm2
Allowed materials
All cleanroom materials
Total height variation across the substrate must be less than ±90 µm - including wafer bow
Batch
1
Aligner: Maskless 04
Aligner: Maskless 04 is located in PolyFabLab in building 347.
The logon password for the PC is "mla" (without quotation marks).
The µMLA Tabletop Maskless Aligner from Heidelberg, located in PolyFabLab in building 347, is a direct exposure lithography tool installed in 2024.
It is a UV exposure system, that exposes the patterns directly on photosensitive resists on chips, 2, 4, and 6 inch substrates, without prior fabrication of a mask.
The system offers top side alignment with good accuracy.
Equipment performance and process related parameters
Purpose
Alignment and UV exposure
Performance
Exposure mode
Projection (Raster mode)
Direct laser writing (Vector mode)
Exposure light
365nm (LED) for projection
405nm (diode laser) for direct laser writing
Focusing method
Pneumatic or Optical
Minimum structure size
Down to 1µm
Design formats
GDS-II
CIF
DXF
Gerber
HIMT format
Alignment modes
Top side only
Substrates
Substrate size
maximum writing area: 150x150 mm2
150 mm wafer
100 mm wafer
50 mm wafer
pieces down to 3x3 mm2 with optical autofocus
Allowed materials
All PolyFabLab materials with sufficient stiffness and flatness.
Total height variation across the substrate must be less than ±80 µm - including wafer bow
