The MicroWriter – Powerful photolithography
Fig 1a: Mask Aligner
Fig. 1b: MicroWriter
For more than 10 years, Durham Magneto Optics have been developing budget-friendly and powerful direct-write lithography systems. The latest generation combines the fast speed of a typical Mask Aligner system and the flexibility of a direct-write photolithography system. Fig. 1 shows a schematic of the two systems. The core of our MicroWriter system is the Display Unit which works like the mask of a Mask Aligner. In this case, the patterns to be exposed are digitally created on a computer, which means they can be prepared flexibly and individually. In combination with varying resolutions (0.6 µm, 1 µm, 2 µm and 5 µm), we can realize speed and high resolution in one system.
Fig. 2: Edge roughness typically lies at 30 nm RMS
Applications:
- Microelectronics and semiconductor research
- Spintronics
- MEMS/NEMS
- Nanopositioning sensors
- Microfluidic and Lab-on-a-chip
- Nanotechnology
- Materials science
- Graphene research
Fig. 3: The Virtual Mask Aligner can be used to align the patterns to be written with the materials on the surface
Writing speed can reach 180 mm²/minute with an overlay accuracy of +/- 0.5 µm. The edge roughness of the pattern typically lies at 30 nm RMS (see fig. 2). Our system can automatically capture reference points on the substrate surface, and it features a Virtual Mask Aligner mode that is useful for applying contact points on the substrate surface materials. See figures 3 and 4 as examples.
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