Wet Benches

In the lab we have a total of 16 wet benches. They are divided into the following 8 types as listed in the following table of contents.

General Information

• Abandoned glassware will be collected and no returned
• Containers MUST be labeled with Chemical and User/Group name at all times.
• Another warning about safety gear
• Built-in Hotplate calibrations done weekly

Documentation

Std. Operating Procedure (SOP)

• Wet Bench Training SOP 4 - this is the procedure taught during our Wet Bench Trainings.
  • Contains procedures for using benches safely, chemical safety
  • Additional capabilities at the benches (eg. N2 guns, aspirators etc)

Solvent Cleaning Benches

Solvent Cleaning Benches Location Bays 5, 6 & 7 Tool Type Wet Processing Manufacturer Pure Aire Corporation Description Custom Solvent Wet Bench Primary Supervisor Aidan Hopkins (805) 893-2343 hopkins@ece.ucsb.edu Secondary Supervisor Mike Day Recipes

About

The facility contains 4 stainless steel solvent benches for general processing using organic solvents. All solvent waste (except for certain chemicals that are collected) are poured into cups and centrally collected. The benches consist of 2 embedded variable power Crest-ultrasonic units, one kept at 80°C for heating resist strippers and the other kept at room temperature for general solvent work. Laminar flow fume hoods with HEPA filtration. Nitrogen guns are also on both sides of the bench for drying samples. Digital stirring hotplates are included for heating and stirring of resist strippers only (No solvent heating). POLOS spin dryers are included in the benches. All processes are done in user-supplied glassware. Solvents are stored in large steel flammable materials cabinets. Two people may use the bench at a time and protective gear such as proper gloves must be used. Solvents supplied by the laboratory are: Acetone, Methanol, Isopropanol, MIBK, MEK, Toluene, EBR100. PR strippers supplied by the lab are: 1165 (NMP), AZ300T (NMP + TMAH), PRX-127. Other chemicals should be OK'd by laboratory staff prior to use in the laboratory.

Detailed Specifications

• 2 7" x 10" Crest Ultrasonic Tanks with heating / variable power
• 2 Nitrogen guns for sample drying
• Solvent based processing; NO SOLVENT HEATING without staff approval.
  • NMP is ok to heat to 80°C
  • The following should never be heated: Acetone, Isopropanol, Methanol, Toluene, Ethanol
• Organic material removal up to 80°C
• Cyanide-based plating and etching (NO ACIDS at bench)
• Digital hot plate stirrers
• POLOS spin-rinse dryers

Develop Benches

Develop Benches Location Bays 6 & 7 Tool Type Wet Processing Manufacturer Pure Aire Corporation Description Custom Developer Bench Primary Supervisor Aidan Hopkins (805) 893-2343 hopkins@ece.ucsb.edu Secondary Supervisor Mike Day Recipes

About

The facility contains 3 polypropylene Developing Benches for photolithographic development using TMAH / TEAH / KOH based developers. All is actively neutralized. The benches consist of two sinks with DI water hook ups and industrial water plenum flushes. Laminar flow fume hoods with hepa filtration. Nitrogen guns are also on both sides of the bench for drying samples. Digital hotplates are included for resist post exposure bakes or post develop hard bakes. POLOS spray puddle develop etch systems are included in the benches. All processes are done in user-supplied glassware. Two people may use the bench at a time and protective gear such as proper gloves must be used. Developers supplied by the laboratory include: AZ300MIF (0.26N TMAH developer), MF701 (0.24N TMAH developer), AZ400K (KOH based developer), pre-diluted AZ400K:DI 1:4. Other developers should be OK'd by laboratory staff prior to use in the laboratory.

Detailed Specifications

• 2 Sinks, DI water
• 2 Nitrogen guns for sample drying
• NO SOLVENTS or STRIPPERS in bench
• Class 100
• Hot plates for post bakes
• POLOS Spray-Puddle-Develop-Rinse-Dry systems
• Megasonic ultrasonicating water sprayer wand (Bay 7)
  • Used for wafer surface cleaning
  • Installed on Bay 7 developer POLOS Spinner

Spin Coat Benches

Spin Coat Benches Location Bays 6 & 7 Tool Type Wet Processing Manufacturer Pure Aire Corporation Description Custom Photoresist Spin Coat Bench Primary Supervisor Aidan Hopkins (805) 893-2343 hopkins@ece.ucsb.edu Secondary Supervisor Mike Day Recipes

About

The facility contains 3 stainless steel solvent benches for photoresist spin coating.

The benches consist each of 2 integrated Headway PWM32 series photoresist spinners. Overhead and foot controls are provided. 8 preprogrammed recipes and 2 user-programmable recipes are offered. Automatic wafer lifting and centering stations are offered for spinning large wafers up to 8” in diameter.

6” or 8” Cee ultra-flat hotplates with 0.1°C temperature stability are preset for standard resist bake temperatures (90, 95, 100, 105, 110, 115°C). Other user-changeable hot plates are also provided.

Nitrogen guns are also on both sides of the bench.

Large resist bottles are stored in a refrigerator amd small user bottles are stored by group in a ventilated steel cabinet. Waste pipets and resist soaked wipes are collected in containers on the fume-hood benches for disposal.

A list of stocked resists appears on the lithography processing web page. Other chemicals should be OK'd by laboratory staff prior to use in the laboratory.

Detailed Specifications

• Hepa filtered laminar flow for Class 100
• 2 Headway PWM32 spinners per bench, multi-step programming
  • 8 preset spin programs, 2 user defineable
  • Variety of user-removable wafer chucks for 5 mm x 5 mm pieces to 6” wafers
  • Lifters for large wafer centering
  • Manual dispense of resist with pipettes; particle filtering available
• Preset 0.1°C stable, ultra-flat hotplates
  • Bay 6: 90, 95, 105, 110, 115°C
  • Bay 7: 100, 135°C
  • Proximity and Vacuum baking possible, optional lid closure
  • Temperatures checked monthly, ±1°C. Please notify if temperature is out of spec.
• NO WAX on built-in hotplates
  • Use tin-foil to protect plate before using wax. Wax only allowed on user-variable hotplates.
• Other hotplates for user defined temperatures

Toxic Corrosive Benches

Toxic Corrosive Bench Location Bay 5 Tool Type Wet Processing Manufacturer Pure Aire Corporation Description Custom Acid Wet Bench Primary Supervisor Aidan Hopkins (805) 893-2343 hopkins@ece.ucsb.edu Secondary Supervisor Mike Day Recipes

About

The facility contains 2 polypropylene toxic corrosive benches for general wet processing using Acids and Bases. All waste (except for certain chemicals that are collected) are actively neutralized. The benches consist of two sinks with DI water hook ups and industrial water plenum flushes. Laminar flow fume hoods with hepa filtration. Nitrogen guns are also on both sides of the bench for drying samples. Digital stirring hotplates and/or small benchtop ultrasonic units are included for agitation and heating during the process on select benches. POLOS spin rinse dryers or spray puddle etch systems are included in the benches. Custom-built spray etchers (with bench supplied nitrogen) can also be used. Commonly used acids and bases such as H₂O₂, NH₄OH, HCl, H₂SO₄, and H₃PO₄ can be dispensed into glassware using pipets connected to small bottles in the process wells at the back of the bench. All processes are done in user-supplied glassware. Acids and Bases are stored in separate cabinets and collection/disposal policies are posted. Two people may use the bench at a time and protective gear such as proper gloves must be used. Acids supplied by the laboratory are: H₂SO₄, HNO₃, H₃PO₄, 1.0 M Citric Acid, Acetic Acid, HCl, Chrome mask etchant, Aluminum Etchants A and D, Gold Etchant (TFA), and Nickel Etchant (TFB). Bases supplied by the lab are: NH₄OH, NaOH, KOH, and H₂O₂. Other chemicals should be OK'd by laboratory staff prior to use in the laboratory.

Detailed Specifications

• 2 Sinks, DI water
• 2 Nitrogen guns for sample drying
• Digital hot-plate stirrers
• Ultrasonic Baths
• NO SOLVENTS
• HF & TMAH NOT permitted at these benches
• POLOS Spray-Spin-Rinse systems
• HEPA Filtered Laminar Flow Hoods

Wafer Toxic Corrosive Benches

Wafer Toxic Corrosive Bench Location Bay 4 Tool Type Wet Processing Manufacturer Pure Aire Corporation Description Custom Wafer-level Acid Bench Primary Supervisor Aidan Hopkins (805) 893-2343 hopkins@ece.ucsb.edu Secondary Supervisor Mike Day Materials HF, PureStrip, KOH, TMAH Recipes

NOTE: There is HF at this bench, so proper safety gear, including an apron and face shield must be worn during use. Failure to abide by this rule will result in immediate suspension from the lab.

About

This bench has vertical baths for processing multiple wafers at a time, and is situated opposite the Tystar Thermal Oxidation furnaces in order to perform the necessary cleaning of Silicon wafers prior to oxidation.

Up to 6-inch wafers can be accommodated. 4-inch is typical. Various holders are provided.

Please contact the supervisor for training on this bench, which includes use of the heater controllers, bubblers etc.

Spin-Rinse Dryers for automated DI water rinse and N2 Dry of full cassettes are located adjacent to this bench.

The various wafer holders available at the wafer toxic corrosive bench, for dipping into vertical baths.

Detailed Specifications

• HF Bath, vertical
• PureStrip bath, Vertical
  • Heated Bath, typically 70°C during use.
• Quick-Dump-Rinse (QDR) bath, vertical
  • Rapid DI water rinse of multiple wafers
• KOH bath, vertical
  • Signups Required on SignupMonkey
    • Heated, Typically ~80-90°C during Silicon etching.
    • Covered for water recapture
    • N2 Bubbler for improved etch uniformity
    • Up to 9 wafers at a time
• TMAH Bath, Vertical
• Numerous wafer holders and custom cassette sizes stored at the bench for general use.
  

HF/TMAH Processing Bench

HF/TMAH Processing Bench Location Bay 5 Tool Type Wet Processing Manufacturer Pure Aire Corporation Description ? Primary Supervisor Aidan Hopkins (805) 893-2343 hopkins@ece.ucsb.edu Secondary Supervisor Mike Day Recipes

NOTE: Proper safety gear must be worn at all times when using the Acid Benches. For the HF benches this includes an apron and face shield. Failure to abide by this rule will result in immediate suspension from the lab. NO WARNINGS. PERIOD.

Detailed Specifications

• 2 Sinks, DI water
• 2 Nitrogen guns for sample drying
• Digital hot-plate stirrers
• Ultrasonic Baths
• NO SOLVENTS
• HF Processing limited to these two benches
• POLOS Spray-Spin-Rinse systems
• Hepa Filtered Laminar Flow Hoods

Plating Bench

Plating Bench Location Bay 5 Tool Type Wet Processing Manufacturer Pure Aire Corporation Description Electroplating chemical bench Primary Supervisor Aidan Hopkins (805) 893-2343 hopkins@ece.ucsb.edu Secondary Supervisor Mike Day Recipes

About

Custom plating may be performed at this bench. Gold electroplating can be performed with our automated SEMCON Gold Plating system, whereas other electroplating solutions should be used on this acid bench.

Detailed Specifications

The following equipment is provided at this bench for various types of electroplating.

• DC/Pulsed Power supply
• Hotplate / Stirrer
• Cables/electrodes
• Chemistry hardware for suspending thermocouples, electrodes and samples in beakers.

Users must provide the following:

• Beakers for chemicals
• Chemistry for performing the electroplating. See this FAQ page for info on supplied chemicals and bringing new chemicals.
• Other ancillary hardware (tweezers, cases etc.)
  

Automated Wet-processing Spinners (POLOS)

General Information

The POLOS spinners, installed on various Solvent, Acid/Base and Develop benches, allow for wafer spinning while applying wet chemistry. Users may program the spinners with custom programs.

Develop Bench POLOS Spinners

These POLOS spinners are hooked up to pressurized vessels for developer chemicals, and have closed lids with nozzles for fluid/nitrogen delivery. This enables automated spray/puddle developing. In addition, users can spin-drying after manual development. - especially helpful for larger wafers (eg. 100mm) which are more difficult to dry by hand.

Solvent Bench POLOS Spinners

These spinners are uncovered, allowing users to use our solvent squirt bottles & nitrogen guns for cleaning samples while spinning, which improves wafer cleanliness considerably. Several non-contact chucks for 100mm and 150mm wafers are available, which makes solvent cleaning the underside of these wafers especially useful and effective, without affecting any top-side photoresist, lithography or patterning.

Acid/Base/HF Bench POLOS Spinners

To be Added