Specific Process Knowledge/Polymer Processing/Polymer Processing/Coating/Slot Die Coater
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A slot die coater is a precision coating device used to apply a thin, uniform layer of liquid material onto a moving substrate. It is widely used in industries such as electronics, batteries, solar cells, flexible displays, pharmaceuticals, and packaging because it provides accurate control over coating thickness with minimal material waste. In PolyFabLab, we have an AlphaSC Sot die coater from FOM technologies.
Working Principle
A slot-die coater operates by delivering a controlled flow of coating solution from a syringe pump into a precision-engineered slot-die head. The liquid exits through a narrow slit and is deposited as a uniform thin film onto a moving substrate (sheet). The coated substrate is subsequently dried or cured using an integrated hot-air or substrate heater.
Main Component
- Precision slot-die head (available in different coating widths- 25 mm, 50 mm, and 100 mm) with/without heating
- Syringe with/without heating
- Motorized X-Y-Z coating bridge for accurate positioning
- Heated vacuum chuck (sheet-based systems)with/without heating
- Drying/curing modules (hot air)
- Computer-controlled software for process control and recipe storage
- Safety enclosure and process monitoring system
Key Features
- Laser gap height alignment system for precise height measurement
- High coating precision with micrometre-level positioning
- Uniform thin-film deposition with excellent repeatability
- Compatible with multiple slot-die head sizes
- Software-controlled process parameters with recipe storage
Factors Affecting Coating Quality
The quality and thickness of the coating depend on several processing parameters:
- Coating solution viscosity
- Flow rate of the coating liquid
- Slot gap (distance between die and substrate)
- Substrate speed
- Coating width
- Drying temperature and rate
- Surface tension and wettability of the substrate