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Mask Aligner vs Maskless Aligner

Slides presented at NNUM in Uppsala 2026: MA6 vs MLA 2026_v09

Mask design used in the investigation: LithoTestAlign_2025_v10.gds

Additional data

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AZ 5214E

Resolution

Table with optimal parameters and resolution for different aligners
SEM pictures

	1µm triplets	2µm triplets	4µm triplets	Lines	Trenches
Aligner: MA6-2 100mJ/cm², vacuum contact		File:W14 MA62 5214E vac D100 B4T 01.tif		File:W14 MA62 5214E vac D100 B4T 02.tif	File:W14 MA62 5214E vac D100 B4T 03.tif
Aligner: MA6-1 100mJ/cm², vacuum contact (probably over-exposed)	File:W32 PFL 5214 D100 vac C6B 02.tif	File:W32 PFL 5214 D100 vac C6B 01.tif	File:W32 PFL 5214 D100 vac C6B 03.tif	File:W32 PFL 5214 D100 vac C6B 04.tif	File:W32 PFL 5214 D100 vac C6B 05.tif
Aligner: Maskless 02 (MLA2) 90mJ/cm², defoc 2		File:W13 mla2 5214E D90 F2 05.tif		File:W13 mla2 5214E D90 F2 01.tif	File:W13 mla2 5214E D90 F2 02.tif

Yield

The yield is measured by inspecting all 116 lithographic resolution test structures in an optical microscope and recording the smallest resolved dots and lines.

**Wafer maps at optimal processing conditions for different aligners**


Aligner: Maskless 02 (MLA2) (Dose 90mJ/cm²; defoc 2). Resolution: 1.22µm average; 0.1µm standard deviation. Yield at 1.25µm: 99%	Aligner: MA6-2 (Dose 100mJ/cm²; vacuum contact). Resolution: 1.02µm average; 0.1µm standard deviation. Yield at 1.25µm: 100%	Aligner: MA6-1 (Dose 100mJ/cm²; vacuum contact). Probably over-exposed. Resolution: 1.30µm average; 0.2µm standard deviation. Yield at 1.25µm: 59%

Effect of exposure mode for mask aligner

**Wafer maps at different exposure modes for Aligner: MA6-2 (Dose 100mJ/cm²)**


Hard contact. Resolution: 1.17µm average; 0.2µm standard deviation. Yield at 1.25µm: 89%	Soft contact. Resolution: 3.77µm average; 0.7µm standard deviation. Yield at 2.5µm: 4%	10µm proximity. Resolution: 4.19µm average; 0.7µm standard deviation. Yield at 2.5µm: 3%

**Wafer maps at different exposure modes for Aligner: MA6-1 (Dose 100mJ/cm², probably over-exposed)**


Hard contact. Resolution: 1.58µm average; 0.5µm standard deviation. Yield at 1.25µm: 48%	Soft contact. Resolution: 2.36µm average; 0.4µm standard deviation. Yield at 2.5µm: 80% At dose 92mJ/cm², the average resolution decreases to 1.91µm and the yield at 2.5µm increases to 100%	10µm proximity. Resolution: 2.73µm average; 0.6µm standard deviation. Yield at 2.5µm: 53%

Effect of WEC pressure for mask aligner (after WEC head service)

**Wafer maps at different WEC pressure for Aligner: MA6-2 (Dose 100mJ/cm²)**


Soft contact, 0.15bar WEC pressure. Resolution: 3.92µm average; 0.9µm standard deviation. Yield at 2.5µm: 8%	Soft contact, 0.40bar WEC pressure. Resolution: 2.19µm average; 0.5µm standard deviation. Yield at 2.5µm: 86%

10µm proximity, 0.15bar WEC pressure. Resolution: 3.22µm average; 0.8µm standard deviation. Yield at 2.5µm: 34%	10µm proximity, 0.40bar WEC pressure. Resolution: 2.83µm average; 0.6µm standard deviation. Yield at 2.5µm: 66%

Resist profile (linewidth and sidewall angle)

SEM pictures to support graphs?

**Width of 2µm line and sidewall angle vs. exposure dose for 1.5µm AZ 5214E.**


Blue circles: Exposed on Aligner: MA6-2 in vacuum contact. Orange Squares: Exposed on Aligner: Maskless 02 (MLA2) using defoc 2 (QC defoc=2).

**Linewidth and sidewall angle vs. defocus value for 1.5µm AZ 5214E exposed in Aligner: Maskless 02 (MLA2) using dose 95mJ/cm².**


Blue circles: Width of 2µm line. Orange Squares: Sidewall angle.

AZ MiR 701

Resolution

Table with optimal parameters and resolution for different aligners
SEM pictures

Resist profile (sidewall angle and linewidth)

SEM pictures to support graphs?

Width of 2µm line vs. exposure dose for 1.5µm AZ MiR 701.
Blue circles: Exposed on Aligner: MA6-2 in vacuum contact.
Orange Squares: Exposed on Aligner: Maskless 02 (MLA2) using defoc 2 (QC defoc=2).

Sidewall angle vs. exposure dose for 1.5µm AZ MiR 701.
Blue circles: Exposed on Aligner: MA6-2 in vacuum contact.
Orange Squares: Exposed on Aligner: Maskless 02 (MLA2) using defoc 2 (QC defoc=2).

Linewidth and sidewall angle vs. defocus value for 1.5µm AZ MiR 701 exposed in Aligner: Maskless 02 (MLA2) using dose 275mJ/cm².
Blue circles: Width of 2µm line. Orange Squares: Sidewall angle.

AZ nLOF 2020

Resolution

Table with optimal parameters and resolution for different aligners
SEM pictures

Resist profile (sidewall angle and linewidth)

SEM pictures to support graphs?

Width of 2µm line vs. exposure dose for 2µm AZ nLOF 2020.
Blue circles: Exposed on Aligner: MA6-2 in vacuum contact.
Orange Squares: Exposed on Aligner: Maskless 01 (MLA1) using defoc -4 (QC defoc=-2).
Grey triangles: Exposed on Aligner: Maskless 02 (MLA2) using defoc 0 (QC defoc=2).

Sidewall angle vs. exposure dose for 2µm AZ nLOF 2020.
Blue circles: Exposed on Aligner: MA6-2 in vacuum contact.
Orange Squares: Exposed on Aligner: Maskless 01 (MLA1) using defoc -4 (QC defoc=-2).
Grey triangles: Exposed on Aligner: Maskless 02 (MLA2) using defoc 0 (QC defoc=2).

Linewidth and sidewall angle vs. defocus value for 2µm AZ nLOF exposed in Aligner: Maskless 01 (MLA1) using dose 220mJ/cm².
Blue circles: Width of 2µm line. Orange Squares: Sidewall angle.

Linewidth and sidewall angle vs. defocus value for 2µm AZ nLOF exposed in Aligner: Maskless 02 (MLA2) using dose 450mJ/cm².
Blue circles: Width of 2µm line. Orange Squares: Sidewall angle.