Southampton Nanofabrication Centre

Optical Lithography

Southampton Nanofabrication Centre’s optical lithography facilities use UV mask aligners for pattern resolutions of down to 0.5 µm. We also offer whole/partial mask designing and ordering. The mask aligners operate in contact or proximity modes and can handle a wide range of substrate sizes from 10 × 10 cm up to 200 mm wafers along with the alignment accuracy of 1 nm. The tools possess multiple exposure modes such as proximity, soft, hard and vacuum mode. We have three EVG 620T/TB and SUSS Microtech alignment systems that have the following capabilities:

  1. Double-sided mask aligner:capable of aligning both top and bottom side patterns on wafer sizes up to 150 mm.
  2. Single side mask aligner:providing straightforward mask alignment and patterning options. This aligner is used for topside aligned exposure of wafers.
  3. The permitted sizes are: 9 inch masks and 200 mm diameter substrates, 7 inch mask and 150 mm substrates, 5 inch mask and 100 mm substrates. The maximum thickness of substrates is 2 mm.