Specific Process Knowledge/Lithography/Development

This section, including all images and pictures, is created by DTU Nanolab staff unless otherwise stated.

Feedback to this page: click here

Development Comparison Table

Equipment		Developer: SU8	Developer: E-beam	Developer: TMAH Manual	Developer: TMAH UV-lithography	Developer: TMAH Stepper
Purpose		Development of: SU-8	Development of: ZEP 520A AR-P 6200.xx (CSAR)	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	Development of: DUV resists Post-exposure baking
Developer		mr-Dev 600 (PGMEA)	ZED N-50 AR-600-546	AZ 726 MIF (2.38% TMAH in water)	AZ 726 MIF (2.38% TMAH in water)	AZ 726 MIF (2.38% TMAH in water)
Method	Development	Submersion	Spray/Puddle	Spray/Puddle	Puddle	Puddle
Method	Handling	Single wafer carrier	Vacuum chuck for 100 mm & 150 mm substrates Chip chuck for chips & 2" substrates	Vacuum chuck for 100 mm & 150 mm substrates Chip chuck for chips & 2" substrates	Vacuum chuck	Vacuum chuck
Process parameters	Temperature	Room temperature	Room temperature	Room temperature	Room temperature	Room temperature
	Agitation	Magnetic stirrer	Rotation	Rotation	Rotation	Rotation
	Rinse	IPA	IPA	DI water	DI water	DI water
Substrates	Substrate size	100 mm wafers	Chips (5mm to 2") 50 mm wafers 100 mm wafers 150 mm wafers	Chips (5mm to 2") 100 mm wafers 150 mm wafers	100 mm wafers 150 mm wafers 200 mm wafers (may require tool change)	100 mm wafers 150 mm wafers 200 mm wafers (may require tool change)
	Allowed materials	Silicon and glass substrates Film or pattern of all but Type IV	All cleanroom approved materials	All cleanroom approved materials Film or pattern of all types	Silicon and glass substrates Film or pattern of all but Type IV	Silicon, III-V, and glass substrates Film or pattern of all but Type IV
	Batch	1 - 6	1	1	1 - 25	1 - 25

Developer: SU8

The SU8-Developer bench is located in C-1

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 - requires login

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.

Minimum development time: 1 min per 20 µm in FIRST

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
Method	Handling	Single wafer holder
Process parameters	Temperature	Room temperature
	Agitation	Magnetic stirrer
	Rinse	IPA
Substrates	Substrate size	100 mm wafers 150 mm wafer is possible if the developer liquid level is high enough
	Allowed materials	Silicon and glass substrates Film, or pattern, of all materials except Type IV
	Batch	1-6

Developer: E-beam

Developer: E-beam is a manually operated, single substrate or chip spray-puddle developer. It uses the N50 or AR 600-546 developers and IPA for rinsing. The substrates or chips are loaded manually one by one into the developer. Developer dispense, puddle time, IPA rinse, and drying is performed automatically by the equipment.

The machine is setup to agitate and be stationary to enhance the development uniformity - this is a ongoing process.

Training video (for Developer: TMAH Manual, but it is the same model)

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

Process information

All recipes are single puddle. N50 and 546 denotes the developer used (546 is short for AR 600- 546). The first step is pressurizing the canister so nothing will happen visually. Please watch if the developer and rinsing starts. If not try to restart the machine by pressing the EMO and turning it on again. The spray is 8-10 s and will start the development process hence the short recipes (10s and 30s.) have been adjusted according to this.

Process recipes

546 10s: 10s. Development Rinse and dry.
546 30s: 60s. Development Rinse and dry.
546 60s: 60s. Development Rinse and dry.
546 180s: 180s. Development Rinse and dry.
N50 10s: 10s. Development Rinse and dry.
N50 30s: 30s. Development Rinse and dry.
N50 60s: 60s. Development Rinse and dry.
N50 90s: 90s. Development Rinse and dry.
N50 120s: 120s. Development Rinse and dry.
N50 180s: 180s. Development Rinse and dry.
N50 300s: 300s. Development Rinse and dry.
N50 180s6": Test for changing the agitation for 6" uniformity 180s. Development Rinse and dry.
Testdev: The time can be modified 60s. Development Rinse and dry on AR 600-546.
Rinse: Rinse and dry.

Utility recipes

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

Equipment performance and process related parameters

Purpose		Development of: CSAR ZEP520A
Developer		AR 600 - 546 (developer X AR 600-54/6) used for CSAR 6200 series resists ZED N-50 used for Zep520A resists
Method	Development	Spray/Puddle
Method	Handling	Vacuum chuck for 100 mm or 150 mm wafers Chip chick for chips and 2" wafers
Process parameters	Temperature	Room temperature
	Agitation	Rotational agitation at 15 rpm
	Rinse	IPA
Substrates	Substrate size	Chips (6-60 mm) 2" wafers 100 mm wafers 150 mm wafers
	Allowed materials	All cleanroom approved materials Film, or pattern, of all materials except Type IV
	Batch	1

Developer: TMAH Manual

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.

Training video

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

Process information

Process recipes

DP 2x60s: Double puddle, 2 times 60s. Rinse and dry.
MP 4x60s: Multiple puddle, 4 times 60s. Rinse and dry.
SP 120s: Single puddle, 120s. Rinse and dry.
SP 15s: Single puddle, 15s. Rinse and dry.
SP 30s: Single puddle, 30s. Rinse and dry.
SP 60s: Single puddle, 60s. Rinse and dry.

Utility recipes

UTIL-DR: Dome rinse.
UTIL-BE: Bottle empty. Nanolab 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
Method	Handling	Edge handling chuck for 100 mm and 150 mm wafers Vacuum chuck for 100 mm and 150 mm wafers Chip chuck for chips and 2" wafers
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	All cleanroom approved materials Film, or pattern, of all materials except Type IV
	Batch	1

Developer TMAH UV-lithography

Developer TMAH UV-lithography was released Q4 2014.

Training video

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

Process Information

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
Method	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