Specific Process Knowledge/Lithography/Development
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Development Comparison Table
| Manual beaker development | Developer: SU8 (Wet bench) | Developer: E-beam 02 | Developer: TMAH Manual 02 | Developer: TMAH UV-lithography | Developer: TMAH Stepper | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose |
Fall-back option if you have a process, which is not compatible with the automatic, or semi-automatic, tools Requires individual risk assessment for TMAH development! |
Development of:
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Development of:
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Development of:
|
Development of:
Post-exposure baking |
Development of:
Post-exposure baking |
| Developer | Process dependent | mr-Dev 600 (PGMEA) |
|
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 | Submersion | Submersion | Puddle | Puddle | Puddle | Puddle |
| Handling |
Manual handling in beakers
|
|
|
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Vacuum chuck | Vacuum chuck |
| Process temperature | Room temperature | Room temperature | Room temperature | Room temperature | Room temperature | Room temperature |
| Process agitation | No agitation allowed | Magnetic stirrer | Rotation | Rotation | Rotation | Rotation |
| Process rinse | Process dependent | IPA | IPA | DI water | DI water | DI water |
| Substrate size |
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|
|
|
|
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| Allowed materials | All cleanroom approved materials |
|
All cleanroom approved materials |
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| Batch size | 1 - 5 | 1 - 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 - 25 | 1 - 25 |
Manual beaker development in fumehood
Beaker development, in fume hood 09: UV development or fume hood 10: e-beam development, is a fall-back option if you have a process, which is not compatible with the automatic, or semi-automatic, tools. We always recommend using, or at least trying, the automatic and semi-automatic tools, instead of using manual beaker development.
Manual beaker development is necessary for some processes, but should be avoided if possible, due to the fact that it is notoriously difficult to get a stable repeatable process - especially when multiple users are sharing the same process; everybody simply does things a bit different from each other, which leads to changes in the process outcome. Some processes have a very narrow process window, which makes them inherently sensitive to small changes in the development. The manual development also has a much greater chance of producing particles, both from the operator and the environment.
Finally the safety of the operator is at a significantly higher risk, since any manual handling of chemicals carries the risk of accidental spills with it. This is especially problematic if the developer is TMAH based, where direct skin exposure of >1% TMAH on a few percent of the body must be treated as a life-threatening event.
Special rules for manual beaker development of TMAH
- Automatic agitation methods are not allowed - this includes magnetic stirring or sonication
- Manual agitation methods, which create large waves or turbulence in the development solution, are not allowed
- Users must submit a risk assessment for any process requiring manual beaker development of TMAH based developers
- Users requiring manual beaker development of TMAH based developers must additionally provide valid reasons for not using the already available automatic and semi-automatic tools
Standard manual beaker development procedure
1) Submerge exposed substrate into development solution
2) When timer ends, move substrate directly into Rinse 1
3) After a few seconds, move substrate into Rinse 2*
4) Remove developed substrate for drying
(*It is allowed to omit the Rinse 2 step)
The standard procedure for manual beaker development in a fume hood is as follows:
- Prepare development process
- Perform development
- Clean up
Prepare development process
- Write the chemical label, which must always be present in your chemical setup - your write your label before pouring the chemical
- Find the beakers required for your process
- Find the items required for holding/submerging your substrate during the process
- Find carriers or other storage units for placing your substrate after the process has finished
- Find a timer - make sure it works as you expect it to, before submerging your substrate into the development solution and discovering that the timer is in fact broken
- Get some cleanroom wipes and keep them nearby, for wiping any drops spilled during handling
- Do not cover too many of the exhaust holes in the fume hood table, as this will reduce the efficiency of the exhaust, which reduces safety
- Do not place your beakers too close to the fume hood sash, as this can make it difficult to efficiently extract the fumes escaping from the beakers, which reduces safety
Perform development
- Put on the appropriate personal protection gear
- Pour rinsing agent into Rinse 1 and Rinse 2 beakers - typically DI water or IPA
- Pour development solution into development beaker
- Place exposed substrate in the appropriate carrier
- Set timer
- Submerge substrate into development beaker
- Start timer immediately
- When timer is 5 seconds from ending, prepare to lift the substrate out of the development beaker
- Lift substrate out of development beaker - it can help to lift it at a slight angle, to allow liquids to drain more easily from large surfaces
- Submerge it immediately into Rinse 1
- Agitate up/down for at least a few seconds
- Move substrate into Rinse 2*
- Agitate slightly
- The developed substrate can now be removed and dried
(*It is allowed to omit the Rinse 2 step)
Clean up
- Pour Rinse 1 and Rinse 2 into appropriate waste: water goes into the sink, IPA goes into C-waste drain
- Rinse beakers with the DI-water gun
- Pour development solution into appropriate waste: solvent based developer goes into C-waste drain. NB! TMAH is an aqueous alkaline solution, which must never be mixed with solvents! TMAH waste goes into the dedicated TMAH waste container, stored in the chemical cabinet in E-4.
- If your developer solution is not TMAH based:
- Rinse beaker 3 times, discard water into sink
- If your developer solution is TMAH based:
- Rinse beaker once with DI-water and discard this into the TMAH waste
- Rinse beaker two more times, discarding the water into the sink
- Hang all beakers to dry on the drying rack
- Erase the chemical label text
- Wipe any droplets on the fume hood surface
- Discard any napkins/other trash in the bin inside the fume hood
Developer: SU8 (Wet Bench)
Tool description
The Developer: SU-8 (wet bench) is a manually operated wet bench for submersion development of SU-8 photoresist in PGMEA (supplied in the cleanroom as the product mr-Dev 600).
The SU-8 development is a three-stage process:
- Submerge into "FIRST" bath to dissolve the bulk of the resist
- Submerge into "FINAL" bath to finish the development
- Submerge into "RINSE" bath to stop the development process and rinse the substrates
The development time is controlled manually by the user. After development the substrates are dried in the empty bath, which is dedicated for drying.
| Product: | Arias wet bench |
|---|---|
| Year of purchase: | 2023 |
| Location: | Cleanroom E-4 |
User manual
The user manual and contact information can be found in LabManager - requires login
Tool training
Training on the tool requires users to complete the lithography TPT followed by online tool training and hands-on authorization training.
| Tool purpose |
Development of:
|
|---|---|
| Developer | mr-Dev 600 (PGMEA) |
| Development method | Submersion |
| Handling method | Multi- or single wafer holder |
| Process temperature | Room temperature |
| Process agitaion | Magnetic stirrer |
| Process rinse | IPA |
| Substrate sizes |
|
| Substrate materials |
|
| Substrate batch size | 1-6 |
Process information
Several aspects of the SU-8 processing outcome 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 worse in a fresh developer bath. This effect of the developer quickly saturates after developing 5-10 wafers
- The stability of fine structures (high aspect ratio structures) is affected by the rinse after development, as the lower surface tension of IPA compared to PGMEA reduces pattern collapse during drying
Development time
Development time is strongly dependent on the SU-8 thickness:
- Minimum development time: 1 min per 20 µm in FIRST bath
- Maximum development time: SU-8 is not very sensitive to over-development
Recommendations for development time:
- ≤5 µm: 2 minutes in FIRST bath, followed by 2 minutes in FINAL bath
- ~40 µm: 5 minutes in FIRST bath, followed by 5 minutes in FINAL bath
- ≥180 µm: 15 minutes in FIRST bath, followed by 15 minutes in FINAL bath
Developer: E-beam 02
Tool description
The Developer: E-beam 02 is a semi-automatic and programmable single substrate developer system, which can be used for development of resists on chips, 50 mm, 100 mm, 150 mm and 200 mm substrates. The development is done using ZED-N50 or AR 600-50 developers and IPA for rinsing.
Single substrates are loaded manually into the tool, but the developer dispense, puddle time, agitation, rinse and drying is controlled by the tool.
| Product: | Laurell EDC-650Hz-8NPPB-IND |
|---|---|
| Year of purchase: | 2024 |
| Location: | Cleanroom E-4 |
User manual
The user manual and contact information can be found in LabManager - requires login
Tool training
Training on the tool requires users to complete the lithography TPT followed by the online tool training and a hands-on authorization training.
The tool training video is part of the online tool training, but can also be viewed here (the video is for Developer: TMAH Manual 02, but the two tools are almost identical).
| Tool purpose |
Development of:
|
|---|---|
| Developer |
|
| Development method | Puddle |
| Handling method |
|
| Process temperature | Room temperature |
| Process agitaion | 4 cycles per minute |
| Process rinse | IPA |
| Substrate sizes |
|
| Substrate materials |
|
| Substrate batch size | 1 |
Process information
All recipes use the following structure:
- Pressurize the developer canister
- Dispense puddle while rotating substrate slowly
- Puddle development with/without agitation of substrate
- Spin off developer
- Clean substrate with IPA
- Dry substrate and chamber with nitrogen
Multi puddle
Multi puddle recipes repeat steps 2-4 for the given number of puddles.
Process recipes
(Updated 2026-01-14, JEHEM)
N50 recipes have the letter "N" in them. AR-600-50 recipes have the letter "A" in them. The number is the development time in seconds:
- 01 Rinse
- 02 N 15
- 03 N 30
- 04 N 60
- 05 N 90
- 06 N 120
- 07 N 180
- 08 N 300
- 09 N 600
- 10 N 2x60
- 11 N 5x60
- 12 A 15
- 13 A 30
- 14 A 60
- 15 A 90
- 16 A 120
- 17 A 180
- 18 A 300
- 19 A 600
- 20 A 2x60
- 21 A 5x60
- 30 N 3x60s
- NILT AR
- NILT MOE
- NILT p30
- NILT p31
- NILT p32
Agitation
4 cycles per minute, 30 rpm, 30 rpm/s.
Developer: TMAH Manual 02
Tool description
The Developer: TMAH manual 02 is a semi-automatic and programmable single substrate developer system, which can be used for development of resists on chips, 50 mm, 100 mm and 150 mm substrates. The development is done using AZ 726 MIF, which is a 2.38% TMAH solution with wetting agent.
Single substrates are loaded manually into the tool, but the developer dispense, puddle time, agitation, rinse and drying is controlled by the tool.
| Product | Laurell EDC-650-HZB-23NP |
|---|---|
| Year of purchase | 2016 |
| Tool modification |
Converted from e-beam solvent developer to UV TMAH developer in 2024 |
| Location | Cleanroom E-4 |
User manual
The user manual and contact information can be found in LabManager - requires login
Tool training
Training on the tool requires users to complete the lithography TPT followed by the online tool training and a hands-on authorization training.
The tool training video is part of the online tool training, but can also be viewed here.
| Tool purpose |
Development of UV resists:
Development of DUV resists:
|
|---|---|
| Developer | AZ 726 MIF (2.38% TMAH) |
| Development method | Puddle |
| Handling method |
|
| Process temperature | Room temperature |
| Process agitaion | 15 cycles per minute |
| Process rinse | DI water |
| Substrate sizes |
|
| Substrate materials |
|
| Substrate batch size | 1 |
Process information
All recipes use the following structure:
- Pressurize the TMAH canister
- Dispense puddle while rotating substrate slowly
- Puddle development with agitation of substrate
- Spin off developer
- Clean substrate and chamber with DI water
- Dry substrate and chamber with nitrogen
Multi puddle
Multi puddle recipes repeat steps 2-4 for the given number of puddles.
Process recipes
(Updated 2026-01-12, JEHEM)
- -Rinse-
- 1x015s
- 1x030s
- 1x060s
- 1x120s
- 2x060s
- 5x060s
Agitation
Testing showed that adding agitation to the puddle step gave better uniformity in the development rate over the entire area of the substrate as well as increased development rate.
Tests were performed on under-exposed resist, specifically for showing the difference between the agitation and non-agitation puddle development - the measured results cannot necessarily be transferred directly to a working process, only the vague general behavior of the two process setups; faster/slower development speed and better/worse uniformity across substrate.
| Non-agitation | Agitation | |
|---|---|---|
| Test results |
|
|
| Normalized development rate | 1 | 1.20 |
| Non-uniformity | 21% | 11% |
| Agitation | None | 15 cycles per minute, 20 rpm, 500 rpm/s |
| Substrate | 100 mm SSP silicon | |
| Resist film | 1.5 µm AZ 5214E | |
| Exposure dose | 50 mJ/cm2 (~50% of normal dose) | |
| Development | Single puddle for 60 seconds | |
| Developer | AZ 726 MIF (2.38% TMAH) | |
Developer TMAH UV-lithography
Developer TMAH UV-lithography was released Q4 2014.
Link to information about developer chuck size and hotplate pin positions.
The user manual, user APV, and contact information can be found in LabManager - requires login
Process Information
| Purpose |
Development of
| |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
|
| Allowed materials |
Silicon and glass substrates Film or pattern of all except Type IV | |
| Batch |
1-25 |
Developer: TMAH Stepper
This developer is dedicated for development of DUV resists. The developer is fully automatic and can run up to 25 substrates in a batch 4", 6", and 8" size (8" requires tool change). The machine is equipped with 1 developer line, in our case 2,38% TMAH in water (AZ 726 MIF), 1 topside rinse line with water, 1 backside rinse line with water and 1 N2 line for drying.
The user manual and contact information can be found in LabManager - requires login
Process information
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The development process will be performed by the customer together with the Photolith group of DTU Nanolab. In case you would like to do DUV lithography please contact Lithography team, who will consult you and run your wafers together with you.
Here you can find a chart demonstrating a dependence between 250 nm line width/pillars diameter and exposure dose.
Standard processes
Post-exposure bake sequences:
- (1000) DCH PEB 130C 60s 60s baking at 130°C; 20s cooling
- (1001) DCH PEB 130C 90s 90s baking at 130°C; 20s cooling
Development sequences:
- (1004) DCH DEV 60s 60s single puddle development
Combined PEB and development sequences:
- (1002) DCH PEB_60s and DEV_60s 60s baking at 130°C followed by 60s single puddle development
- (1003) DCH PEB_90s and DEV_60s 90s baking at 130°C followed by 60s single puddle development
The standard developer process consists of:
- pre-wetting with water (2.5s @ 1000rpm)
- developer dispense (2.5s @ 40rpm, corresponding to ~9ml)
- development (60s @ 0rpm)
- water rinse with BSR (5s @ 3000rpm)
- nitrogen drying (7s @ 4000rpm)
and has a cycle time of ~2 minutes
| Purpose |
Development of DUV resist: KRF M230Y and KRF M35G | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Developer |
2,38% water based TMAH | ||
| Process parameters | Spin speed |
10 - 5000 rpm | |
| Spin acceleration |
100 - 10000 rpm/s | ||
| Hotplate temperature |
130°C for post exposure baking | ||
| Substrates | Substrate size |
| |
| Allowed materials |
| ||
| Batch |
1 - 25 | ||
Decommisioned tools
Developer 1 & 2 were decommissioned 2017-01. Information about decommissioned tool can be found here.
Developer 6 inch was decommissioned 2019-12. Information about decommissioned tool can be found here.