Optical Photolithography

Photolithography is the process used to transfer patterns of geometric shapes to a flat substrate. The substrates are first coated with a material called resist, then light (called optical photolithography) is used to catalyze reactions in the resist to create the shape of the pattern. The resist is then developed to separate the un-reacted and reacted portions, leaving a pattern on the substrate. The patterned resist can be used to pattern your material of choice with additional processes like etching or liftoff. 

The SNF has various types of equipment that use light to create patterns in the resist. There are other methods which use electron beams (called e-beam lithography) instead and those processes can be done in the SNSF. 

The subcategories list the equipment that perform the different steps of the lithography process.

• ​Exposure lists the tools that will use light to create a reaction in the resist. Different tools use different light wavelengths and have different resolution capabilities.
• Mask cleaning (Manual) is the equipment used to clean masks for use in exposure equipment which requires a physical mask.
• Resist bake lists the equipment that heats the resist after it is applied.
• Resist coat lists the equipment that is used to put resist on a sample.
• Resist develop lists the equipment that uses solvents to separate the non-reacted and reacted resist after exposure.
• Wafer preparation before resist lists the equipment that is used to treat your sample surface before the resist coat to help ensure adhesion and uniform coating.