Maskless laser lithography system for rapid prototyping

• Subject Area: Electrical Engineering and Information Technology
• Term: Funded in 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 535127221

The development and realization of functional devices in the main research areas of the University of Siegen require the definition of structures with resolution and accuracies in the sub-µm range. The research priority areas of the university relevant for this application, sensorics & visual computing, material sciences, micro- & nanochemistry, focus on the exploration of a wide range of devices (e.g. biochemical sensors, (opto-)electronic components) or fundamental research on novel physical phenomena e.g. in metamaterials or quantum structures. Nanostructuring enables the exploration of molecular or cellular interactions, explorations of the scaling potential of 2D materials for 3D cameras, or the realization of next-generation integrated optical circuits and communication technologies. The fast, flexible and precise laser lithography system applied for here, includes grayscale lithography and optical proximity correction for processing substrates up to 6" in size and will be centrally available to all researchers and cooperation partners at the University of Siegen. The equipment will be an essential part of the technology of the state-funded research center of the University of Siegen (INCYTE), which is currently under construction and will have a 600m2 clean room and will be operational in 2024. The university's strategy here, is to centralize the technological infrastructure for device and material development at the Center for Sensor Systems (ZESS), the Center for Innovative Materials (Cm), and the Center for Micro- and Nanochemistry and Engineering (Cµ) in order to make more effective use of research equipment. The applying research group will operate the INCYTE clean room and make it available to the interdisciplinary user community. Organizationally, the flexible facility use will be provided by a DFG-funded Core Facility following the successfully tested example of the Micro- and Nanoanalytics Center (MNaF). The immediate proximity to nanoanalytics will enable the systematic expansion of research on nanoscale structures and devices. In order to meet the requirements of all users, the lithography system will be equipped with a temperature-stabilized mini-environment (ISO-4) and a 375 nm laser diode, enabling the processing of broadband and special i-line photoresists. Furthermore, two write options shall be available to enable fast writing (rapid prototyping) and high resolution 300 nm patterning over 6" wafers with acceptable time consumption. Highest application flexibility is enabled by high precision alignment with accuracies of 1 µm on backside and 250 nm on topside structures. A high-resolution 3D digital microscope is used for calibration and process development. The goal is to operate the entire system sustainably and openly in order to achieve a significant impulse on the research at the University of Siegen.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Maskenloses Laserlithographiesystem für Rapid-Prototyping
• Instrumentation Group: 0910 Geräte für Ionenimplantation und Halbleiterdotierung
• Applicant Institution: Universität Siegen
• Leader: Professor Dr.-Ing. Peter Haring Bolívar