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Specific Process Knowledge/Lithography/Aligners/MAvsMLA

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Mask Aligner vs Maskless Aligner

In the first half of 2026, a rather thorough investigation of the differences between exposure using mask aligner and maskless aligner was conducted. The result was presented as an advanced lithography tutorial at the 2026 Nordic Nanolab User Meeting in Uppsala, Sweden.

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

Mask design used in the investigation: LithoTestAlign_2025_v10.gds

Data from the investigation


AZ 5214E


Resolution (AZ 5214E)


Resolution at optimal processing conditions for 1.5µm AZ 5214E using different exposure equipment:

Exposure equipment Dose [mJ/cm2] Contact/Defoc Resolution [µm] Comment
Aligner: MA6-2 100 Vacuum 1
Aligner: MA6-1 100 Vacuum 1.25 Probably over-exposed
Aligner: Maskless 02 (MLA2) 90 2 1.25


SEM images from different exposure equipment for 1.5µm AZ 5214E at optimal processing conditions:

2µm triplets Lines Trenches
Aligner: MA6-2

100mJ/cm2, vacuum contact

Aligner: MA6-1

100mJ/cm2, vacuum contact
(probably over-exposed)

Aligner: Maskless 02 (MLA2)

90mJ/cm2, defoc 2


SEM images of different size structures for 1.5µm AZ 5214E:

1µm triplets 2µm triplets 4µm triplets
Aligner: MA6-1

100mJ/cm2, vacuum contact
(probably over-exposed)


Yield (AZ 5214E)

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 for 1.5µm AZ 5214E 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 for 1.5µm AZ 5214E 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 for 1.5µm AZ 5214E 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 for 1.5µm AZ 5214E 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 (AZ 5214E)


Linewidth and sidewall angle vs exposure dose (AZ 5214E)


Result of image analysis of SEM images of 2µm triplets:

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).



SEM images of 1.5µm AZ 5214E as a function of exposure dose for Aligner: MA6-2 using vacuum contact:

85mJ/cm2 90mJ/cm2 95mJ/cm2 100mJ/cm2 105mJ/cm2
2µm triplets
Lines


SEM images of 1.5µm AZ 5214E as a function of exposure dose for Aligner: Maskless 02 (MLA2) using defoc 2:

80mJ/cm2 90mJ/cm2 100mJ/cm2 110mJ/cm2
2µm triplets
Trenches
and Lines


Linewidth and sidewall angle vs defocus parameter (AZ 5214E)


Result of image analysis of SEM images of 2µm triplets:

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.



SEM images of 1.5µm AZ 5214E as a function of defocus parameter for Aligner: Maskless 02 (MLA2) using dose 95mJ/cm2:

Defoc -8 Defoc -1 Defoc 2 Defoc 5 Defoc 12
2µm triplets
Lines


AZ MiR 701


Resolution (AZ MiR 701)


Resolution at optimal processing conditions for 1.5µm AZ MiR 701 using different exposure equipment:

Exposure equipment Dose [mJ/cm2] Contact/Defoc Resolution [µm] Comment
Aligner: MA6-2 220 Vacuum 1
Aligner: Maskless 02 (MLA2) 275 2 1


SEM images of 1.5µm AZ MiR 701 from different exposure equipment at optimal processing conditions:

2µm triplets Lines Trenches
Aligner: MA6-2

220mJ/cm2, vacuum contact

Aligner: Maskless 02 (MLA2)

275mJ/cm2, defoc 2


Resist profile (AZ MiR 701)


Linewidth and sidewall angle vs exposure dose (AZ MiR 701)


Result of image analysis of SEM images of 2µm triplets:

Width of 2µm line and 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).



SEM images of 1.5µm AZ MiR 701 as a function of exposure dose for Aligner: MA6-2 using vacuum contact:

160mJ/cm2 190mJ/cm2 220mJ/cm2 250mJ/cm2 280mJ/cm2
2µm triplets
Lines


SEM images of 1.5µm AZ MiR 701 as a function of exposure dose for Aligner: Maskless 02 (MLA2) using defoc 2:

225mJ/cm2 275mJ/cm2 325mJ/cm2 375mJ/cm2
2µm triplets
Lines


Linewidth and sidewall angle vs defocus parameter (AZ MiR 701)


Result of image analysis of SEM images of 2µm triplets:

Linewidth and sidewall angle vs. defocus value for 1.5µm AZ MiR 701 exposed in Aligner: Maskless 02 (MLA2) using dose 95mJ/cm2.
Blue circles: Width of 2µm line.
Orange Squares: Sidewall angle.



SEM images of 1.5µm AZ MiR 701 as a function of defocus parameter for Aligner: Maskless 02 (MLA2) using dose 275mJ/cm2:

Defoc -1 Defoc 1 Defoc 2 Defoc 3 Defoc 5
2µm triplets
Lines


AZ nLOF 2020


Resolution (AZ nLOF 2020)


Resolution at optimal processing conditions for 2µm AZ nLOF 2020 using different exposure equipment:

Exposure equipment Dose [mJ/cm2] Contact/Defoc Resolution [µm] Comment
Aligner: MA6-2 154 Vacuum 1
Aligner: Maskless 01 (MLA1) 220 -4 2
Aligner: Maskless 02 (MLA2) 450 0 1.25


SEM images of 2µm AZ nLOF 2020 from different exposure equipment at optimal processing conditions:

2µm triplets Lines Trenches
Aligner: MA6-2

154mJ/cm2, vacuum contact

Aligner: Maskless 01 (MLA1)

220mJ/cm2, Defoc -4

Aligner: Maskless 02 (MLA2)

450mJ/cm2, defoc 0


SEM images of different size structures for 2µm AZ nLOF 2020:

1µm triplets 2µm triplets 4µm triplets
Aligner: MA6-2

154mJ/cm2, vacuum contact

Aligner: Maskless 01 (MLA1)

220mJ/cm2, Defoc -4


Cross-sectional SEM images of 2µm AZ nLOF 2020 at optimal processing conditions:

2µm lines 2µm trenches Lines Trenches
Aligner: Maskless 01 (MLA1)

220mJ/cm2, Defoc -4


Resist profile (AZ nLOF 2020)


Linewidth and sidewall angle vs exposure dose (AZ nLOF 2020)


Result of image analysis of SEM images of 2µm triplets:

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).



SEM images of 2µm AZ nLOF 2020 as a function of exposure dose for Aligner: MA6-2 using vacuum contact:

100mJ/cm2 120mJ/cm2 140mJ/cm2 160mJ/cm2
2µm triplets



SEM images of 2µm AZ nLOF 2020 as a function of exposure dose for Aligner: Maskless 01 (MLA1) using defoc -4:

200mJ/cm2 220mJ/cm2 240mJ/cm2
2µm triplets



SEM images of 2µm AZ nLOF 2020 as a function of exposure dose for Aligner: Maskless 02 (MLA2) using defoc 0:

400mJ/cm2 450mJ/cm2 500mJ/cm2
2µm triplets


Linewidth and sidewall angle vs defocus parameter (AZ nLOF 2020)


Result of image analysis of SEM images of 2µm triplets:

Linewidth and sidewall angle vs. defocus value for 2µm AZ nLOF
exposed in Aligner: Maskless 01 (MLA1) using dose 220mJ/cm2 and Aligner: Maskless 02 (MLA2) using dose 450mJ/cm2, respectively.
Blue circles: Width of 2µm line. Orange Squares: Sidewall angle.



SEM images of 2µm AZ nLOF 2020 as a function of defocus parameter for Aligner: Maskless 01 (MLA1) using dose 220mJ/cm2:

Defoc -14 Defoc -7 Defoc -4 Defoc -1 Defoc -6
2µm triplets
Lines



SEM images of 2µm AZ nLOF 2020 as a function of defocus parameter for Aligner: Maskless 02 (MLA2) using dose 450mJ/cm2:

Defoc 0 Defoc 2 Defoc 4
2µm triplets
Lines


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