Specific Process Knowledge/Lithography/Development

Feedback to this page: click here

Developers: Comparison Table

Equipment		Developer-1 and 2	Developer: 6inch	SU8-Developer	Developer: TMAH Manual	Developer: TMAH UV-lithography
Purpose		Development of AZ 5214E AZ 4562	Development of AZ 5214E AZ 4562	Development of SU-8	Development of AZ nLOF AZ MiR 701 AZ 5214E AZ 4562 DUV resists	Development of AZ nLOF AZ MiR 701 AZ 5214E AZ 4562 DUV resists Post-exposure baking
Developer		AZ 351B diluted 1:5 in water (NaOH and sodium borate salt)	AZ 351B diluted 1:5 in water (NaOH and sodium borate salt)	mr-Dev 600 (PGMEA)	AZ 726 MIF (2.38% TMAH in water)	AZ 726 MIF (2.38% TMAH in water)
Method	Development	Submersion	Submersion	Submersion	Spray/Puddle	Puddle
	Handling	Cassette	Cassette	Single wafer holder	Edge handling chuck or chip "basket"	Vacuum chuck
Process parameters	Temperature	22°C	22°C	Room temperature	Room temperature	Room temperature
	Agitation	Manual	Circulation and mechanical	Magnetic stirrer	Rotation	Rotation
	Rinse	DI water	DI water	IPA	DI water	DI water
Substrates	Substrate size	100 mm wafers	100 mm wafers 150 mm wafers	100 mm wafers	Chips (5mm to 2") 100 mm wafers 150 mm wafers	100 mm wafers 150 mm wafers
	Allowed materials	Silicon, glass, and polymer substrates Film or pattern of all types	Silicon, glass, and polymer substrates Film or pattern of all types	Silicon and glass substrates Film or pattern of all but Type IV	Silicon, glass, and polymer substrates Film or pattern of all types	Silicon and glass substrates Film or pattern of all but Type IV
	Batch	1-8	1-25	1-6	1	1-25

Developer-1 and Developer-2

Developer-1 (right) and Developer-2 (left) are located in C-1

Feedback to this section: click here

Developer-1 and Developer-2 are manual developer baths for submersion development of AZ 5214E and AZ 4562 resists in AZ 351B developer. The developer is mixed 1:5 in water by the user prior to development start, and the wafer cassette is agitated manually by the user during development. The development time is controlled manually by the user. After development, the substrates are rinsed with water in the bench.

The user APV, and contact information can be found in LabManager: Developer-1 Developer-2

Process information

Standard development time using vigorous agitation:

AZ 5214E:

• 1.5µm resist: 60 sec
• 2.2µm resist: 70 sec
• 4.2µm resist: 3 min

AZ 4562:

• 10µm resist: 5 min

Standard development procedure:

• Before using one of developer baths, please check the "Litho4_Dev-7up-KOH" logbook to find out when they were last used. A fresh bath can be reused without problems.
• The main rule is a developer made yesterday must be changed.
• During development, agitate the substrates by moving the carrier up and down.
• Rinse substrates with water for 4-5 min. after development.
• Spin-dry substrates or dry with nitrogen gun after rinsing.

Procedure for making a new developer

1. Switch off the heater, and dump the old developer.

2. 800ml "Developer AZ 351B" is mixed with 4000ml water in a special container in the fume hood.

3. Fill the bath with the developer mixture, and heat it to 22°C before use.

Equipment performance and process related parameters

Purpose		Development of AZ 5214E AZ 4562
Developer		AZ 351B diluted 1:5 in water (NaOH and sodium borate salt)
Method	Development	Submersion
	Handling	Cassette
Process parameters	Temperature	22°C
	Agitation	Manual
	Rinse	DI water
Substrates	Substrate size	100 mm wafers
	Allowed materials	Silicon, glass, and polymer substrates Film or pattern of all types
	Batch	1-8

Developer-6inch

The Developer: 6inch bench is located in E-4

Feedback to this section: click here

The Developer: 6inch bench is an automated developer bath for submersion development of AZ 5214E and AZ 4562 resists in AZ 351B developer. The developer is mixed 1:5 in water by the equipment prior to development start. The developer is circulated during development, and the wafer cassette may be agitated by a mechanical elevator. The development time is controlled manually by the user. After development, the substrates are rinsed with water in the bench.

The user manual, user APV, and contact information can be found in LabManager

Process information

Standard development time:

AZ 5214E:

• 1.5µm resist: 60 sec
• 2.2µm resist: 70 sec
• 4.2µm resist: 3 min

AZ 4562:

• 10µm resist: 5 min

Equipment performance and process related parameters

Purpose		Development of AZ 5214E AZ 4562
Developer		AZ 351B diluted 1:5 in water (NaOH and sodium borate salt)
Method	Development	Submersion
	Handling	Cassette
Process parameters	Temperature	22°C
	Agitation	Circulation and mechanical
	Rinse	DI water
Substrates	Substrate size	100 mm wafers 150 mm wafers
	Allowed materials	Silicon, glass, and polymer substrates Film or pattern of all types
	Batch	1-25

SU8-Developer

The SU8-Developer bench is located in C-1

Feedback to this section: click here

The SU8-Developer bench is a manually operated chemical bench for submersion development of SU-8 photoresist in PGMEA (supplied in the cleanroom as mr-Dev 600). The development process is in two stages; one bath (FIRST) to dissolve the bulk of the resist, and a second, cleaner bath (FINAL) to finish the development. The development time is controlled manually by the user. After development, the substrates are rinsed with IPA and dried in the bench.

The user manual, user APV, and contact information can be found in LabManager

Process information

Several aspects of the outcome of SU-8 processing are affected by the development process. The lithographic resolution is affected by the time between PEB (post-exposure bake) and development, as the cross-linking process continues in the interface between exposed and unexposed regions even at room temperature. Cracks in the structures is affected by two things; the development time, and how much has previously been developed in the developer bath. Cracking is worse with longer development time, and worst in a new developer bath. The effect of the developer use quickly saturates (5-10 wafers). Finally, the stability of fine structures (high aspect ratio) is affected by the rinse after development, as the lower surface tension of IPA compared to PGMEA reduces pattern collapse during drying.

Development time is strongly dependent on the SU-8 thickness. Here are some suggestions:

• 2-5µm: 2 min. in FIRST; 2 min. in FINAL
• 40µm: 5 min. in FIRST; 5 min. in FINAL (however, 3 min. in FIRST and 2 min. in FINAL is sufficient)
• 180-250µm: 15 min. in FIRST; 15 min. in FINAL

Equipment performance and process related parameters

Purpose		Development of SU-8
Developer		mr-Dev 600 (PGMEA)
Method	Development	Submersion
	Handling	Single wafer holder
Process parameters	Temperature	Room temperature
	Agitation	Magnetic stirrer
	Rinse	IPA
Substrates	Substrate size	100 mm wafers
	Allowed materials	Silicon and glass substrates Film or pattern of all but Type IV
	Batch	1-6

Developer: TMAH Manual

Developer: TMAH Manual is located in E-4

Feedback to this section: click here

Developer: TMAH Manual is a manually operated, single substrate or chip spray-puddle developer. It uses the TMAH based AZ 726 MIF developer (2.38 % TMAH in water with a small amount of wetting agent). The substrates or chips are loaded manually one by one into the developer. Developer dispense, puddle time, water rinse, and drying is performed automatically by the equipment.

The spray nozzle makes it difficult to build up a perfect puddle on 4" or 6" substrates which affects the effectiveness and uniformity of the development. Pre-wetting during dispense or agitation during development may give better results.

The user manual, user APV, and contact information can be found in LabManager

Process information

Process recipes

• SP 60s: Single puddle, 60s. Rinse and dry.
• SP 60s agi: Single puddle, 60s. 15 cycles per minute agitation during development. Rinse and dry.
• SP 60s prw: Single puddle, 60s. Pre-wetting step during developer dispense. Rinse and dry.

Utility recipes

• UTIL-DR: Dome rinse.
• UTIL-BE: Bottle empty. Danchip use only.

Equipment performance and process related parameters

Purpose		Development of AZ nLOF AZ MiR 701 AZ 5214E AZ 4562 DUV resists
Developer		AZ 726 MIF (2.38% TMAH in water)
Method	Development	Spray/Puddle
	Handling	Edge handling chuck or chip "basket"
Process parameters	Temperature	Room temperature
	Agitation	none
	Rinse	DI water
Substrates	Substrate size	Chips (6-60 mm) 100 mm wafers 150 mm wafers
	Allowed materials	Silicon, glass, and polymer substrates Film or pattern of all types
	Batch	1

Developer TMAH UV-lithography

Developer: TMAH UV-lithography is located in E-4

Feedback to this section: click here

Developer TMAH UV-lithography was released Q4 2014.

The user manual, user APV, and contact information can be found in LabManager

Process information

• General process information
• Process recommendations
• Standard processes

Equipment performance and process related parameters

Purpose		Development of AZ nLOF AZ MiR 701 AZ 5214E AZ 4562 DUV resists
Developer		AZ 726 MIF (2.38% TMAH in water)
Method	Development	Puddle
	Handling	Vacuum chuck
Process parameters	Temperature	Room temperature
	Agitation	Rotation
	Rinse	DI water
Substrates	Substrate size	100 mm wafers 150 mm wafers
	Allowed materials	Silicon and glass substrates Film or pattern of all except Type IV
	Batch	1-25