Maskless Aligner (Heidelberg MLA150)

Maskless Aligner (Heidelberg MLA150) Tool Type Lithography Location Bay 6 Supervisor Biljana Stamenic Supervisor Phone (805) 893-4002 Supervisor E-Mail biljana@ece.ucsb.edu Description Direct-Write (Maskless) I-Line Photolithography Manufacturer Heidelberg Instruments Model MLA150 Materials I-Line Photoresists Sign up for this tool

About

The MLA150 allows for arbitrary direct-write patterning of I-Line photoresists from an uploaded CAD drawing/file (GDS, DXF, CIF etc.). The system uses a digital micromirror device ("DMD", an array of MEMS mirrors) for patterning the exposure light-field, to programmatically expose digitized patterns directly onto the sample - no glass photomasks/reticles are required.

Depending on the exposure options and write area, the MLA is able to expose a 100mm wafer in about 30min, and achieves minimum features sizes around 0.5µm, with overlay/alignment accuracy better than 200nm.

The system has a continuous, automatic autofocus, using pneumatic and optical detection. This potentially enables lithography on non-planar or curved substrates.

The software allows for custom drawings and aligment marks to be exposed onto any feature located on the microscope.

Greyscale lithography allows for photoresist profiles with repeatable slanted or tapered structures, via an 8-bit greyscale bitmap or layer-structured DXF file.

The high-aspect ratio (variable/long focal length) option enables vertical sidewalls on very thick (~100µm) photoresists.

Detailed Specifications

• Maximum Writeable Area: 150 x 150mm
• Substrate size: 9-inch square or 200mm round down to 5-mm pieces
• Wafer / substrate thickness: Max. 9mm / Min. 0.1mm
• Exposure optics:
  • Digital micromirror device (DMD)
  • Laser #1: 375nm
  • Laser #2: 405nm
  • Lens NA = 0.95
• Alignment Accuracy: Global ≤ 500nm; Local ("Field") ≤ 250nm
• Linewidth variation: ≤100nm (relevant to stitched exposure fields)
• Write Grid (Address Unit):
  • High Quality Mode (std.): 40nm
  • Fast Mode: 100nm

• Additional manufacturer options:
  • High-resolution option (Write Mode 1)
  • Extended Focus Range
  • Variable Focal Depth
  • Optical (laser) Autofocus in addition to std. Pneumatic Autofocus
  • Greyscale Mode
  • (No backside alignment)

Documentation

Exposure method using a spatial light modulator and continuously moving stage. See HIMT for more info.

Operating Procedures

• MLA150 - Standard Operating Procedure - updated Nov 12th 2020
  • Includes File-upload procedure, CAD Conversion, Exposure and Alignment.
• Large Image Patterning - one way to generate a GDS file out of an arbitrary image (eg. JPG, BMP, PNG etc.)

Video Trainings

Important: You must be authorized by a supervisor to use the tool!  The video below is provided for reference only, and does not substitute training by NanoFab  staff.

• Heidelberg MLA150 Training Video (v2, on GauchoSpace/Panopto)

Troubleshooting & Known Bugs

• See the linked page for troubleshooting/recovery info and workarounds to known bugs.

Design Tools/Info

• MLA150 - Design Guidelines
• MLA150 - CAD Files and Templates

Recipes

• Recipes > Lithography > Maskless Aligner MLA150
  • Starting recipes for various I-Line photoresists