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Photoresist processing recipe
(updated 2022)
(I) Spin-coating -For bilayer processing (metal deposition) complete all steps below -For single layer processing (graphene) skip steps 3 – 5
(1) Place chip on hotplate at 115 C for about 3 minutes to remove any residual water. Cool chip on cooling plate for 1 minute.
(2) Set spinner to 4000 RPM (ramp rate = 1000 R/s).
(3) Cleanly pipette P20 and drop onto chip; wait about 30 s. for solution to spread. Spin for 45 s. NOTE: According to the manufacturer, adhesion promoter is not required for LOR. Skip this step if you're using LOR.
(4) Cleanly pipette LOR onto center of chip. Immediately spin for 45 s.
(5) Place chip on hotplate at 190 C for 4 minutes (hard bake). Cool for 1 minute. (Note that this affects the undercut: higher bake temp leads to lower undercut etch rate.)
(6) Cleanly pipette S1813 onto center of chip. Immediately spin for 30 s.
(7) Place chip on hotplate at 115 C for 90 s (hard bake). Cool for 1 minute.
(8) Edge bead removal: The edges of the chip will have built-up photoresist that is many times thicker than the rest of the chip. Edge bead removal is particularly important for fine features on small substrates, as edge beads prevent the chip from fully contacting the mask.
Try putting a tiny amount of Remover PG on the tip of a swab and wiping it on a betawipe, then swab your edges at a 45 deg. angle to remove edge beads.
(II) Exposure
-Using Aligner in Owen 433 (The ECE-418 aligner broke)
(1) Check N2 and compressed air pressure (gauges near door; expect about 40 psi and 80 psi, respectively).
(2) Turn on N2, compressed air, and bulb. Set power to 350 W, constant power. Let bulb warm up for 15 minutes. Note: warning light will blink for about 1 minute. If it blinks longer the bulb needs to be replaced.
(3) Carefully insert mask, with purple side facing sample. Add chip and align properly. Exposure time is 10-12 s.
~~Update Dublin 2022: ECE 418 aligner is no longer in use. The other aligner has less than half the light power, around 6 mW/cm^2, requiring over twice the exposure time (ECE418: 3-4 s. New aligner, 10-12 s.)
(4) After all exposures, remove mask. Turn off bulb but leave N2 on until system is cool (30 minutes). If necessary, clean mask with acetone/IPA.
(III) Development
-Note S1813 is a positive photo-resist so exposure breaks bonds, allowing it to be washed away with developer (1) Place chip in AZ300 bath for 80-120 s., constantly agitating. (Update Dublin 2023: Note that with LOR, you need to modify development time to fine_tuning your undercut thickness.)
(2) Remove from developer bath and put into water for 60 s while agitating. This stops the development so the exact time isn't imperative. (3) Dry with N2.
(updated 04-08-2010)
- 5 min dehydration bake 190°C
- spin LOR3B photoresist at 4000 rpm for 45 sec (bilayer process only)
- Deposits ~250 nm of photoresist (according to LOR3B documentation)
- ideal LOR3B thickness = 1.25*metal thickness
- Skip this step for single layer process
- 4 min softbake 190°C (bilayer process only)
- Skip this step for single layer process
- spin S1813 photoresist at 4000 rpm for 30 sec
- 2 min softbake 115°C
- 6 sec exposure
- 45 sec develop
- Developing solution: 4 parts DI H20, 1 part Shipley Mircoposit MF-351
- Gently agitate substrate in developer bath. Afterward, gently spray rinse DI H2O followed by a quick dunk in a DI H20 bath with some agitation.
- deposit 35nm metal
- remove underlayer with mircoposit 1165 (located in Weniger 306 lab)
- Put chips in 60°C remover for 30 min
- Transfer to fresh 60°C remover for 30 min
- rinse DI H20 then blow dry
- Never rinse chip with acetone while LOR3B or it's residue is still on the chip! The LOR3B combines with acetone to form a sludge that can only be removed by scraping!