SUSS MicroTec spin coaters and spray coaters have become synonymous with premium performance, ease of use, flexibility and enhanced coating mastery. With a complete line of compact and user-friendly resist coating equipment from economic low-volume laboratory tools to high-end production systems up to 300 mm SUSS MicroTec spin coaters and spray coaters enable the formation of resist layers ranging from below 1 µm to over 500 µm.
Spin coating is the process of evenly coating a spinning substrate with a solution. The solution, for instance a photosensitive resist, is dispensed at the center of the wafer. Subsequent acceleration as well as the rotation speed and the time allotted to the individual steps ensure that a homogeneous layer thickness remains after excess resist is spun off. Alongside the process parameters, the physical properties of the solution or photoresist determine the thickness of the applied film.
SUSS MicroTec’s proprietary GYRSET technology provides cutting-edge advantages. The GYRSET principle entails synchronous rotation of the process chamber during coating, in this way effectively reducing air turbulence over the rotating substrate. The atmosphere within the closed chamber becomes more quickly saturated with solvents, so that the resist dries more slowly and is thus distributed more evenly over the substrate. This results in significant savings in terms of required material.
Spin coating is limited in use to structures without high topography.
Features and Benefits
Available for:
Automated Coater and Developer
Semi-Automated Coater and Developer
Spray coating involves spray application of the solution to the wafer through a nozzle. The path traveled by the nozzle over the wafer is optimized to ensure that the coating is applied evenly to the substrate. The solutions used in spray coating usually feature a very low viscosity, which guarantees that fine droplets form.
Spray coating ensures a uniform layer even with high topography substrates, making it the preferred technique for structures of this kind. Even square substrates can be easily coated using the spray technique.
Features and Benefits
Available for:
Automated Coater and Developer
Semi-Automated Coater
Puddle developing involves dispensing a defined quantity of developer to the exposed substrate, gently spinning it to spread the developer. Due to the surface tension of the developing agent, a convex puddle is formed on the wafer. Once developing time is completed, the wafer is rotated quickly to spin off the developer agent. The wafer is subsequently rinsed with deionized water and dried, once again at a high rotation speed. The main advantage of the technique is that only very little developing agent is required while maintaining excellent process results.
Puddle developing is no longer feasible when the developing agent becomes saturated, for example when a large quantity of photoresist needs to be removed or a high structural topography prevents exchange of the developer. In such cases, a multi-stage puddle developing process or spray developing is used.
Features and Benefits
Available for:
Automated Coater and Developer
Semi-Automated Coater and Developer
Spray developing involves low-speed rotation of the substrate as it is developed. The exposed areas are continuously nozzle-sprayed with fresh developing agent to prevent the developer from becoming saturated. This technique offers advantages over puddle developing in processes involving thick photoresists and large surfaces to be developed. At the end of the process, the substrate is rinsed with deionized water and then spun dried.
Features and Benefits
Available for:
Automated Coater and Developer
Semi-Automated Coater and Developer