MLA 150 Anniversary
– A Decade of Discovery

The Most Important Tool in Cleanrooms. Since 2015.

Ten years ago we introduced a tool designed to solve a fundamental challenge: to make high-resolution lithography accessible, flexible, and free from the constraints of photomasks. Today, the MLA 150 is not just a product; it’s the trusted heart of hundreds of leading university cleanrooms and production facilities worldwide.

As we celebrate this milestone, we also celebrate the community of users, engineers, and partners who made this journey possible.

Here’s to the past ten years of innovation—and to the many patterns yet to be written.

Join us in celebrating a decade of innovation, enabled by the tool that has empowered a generation of scientists.

2015 | Release of MLA 150

2018 | 50th System Sold

2021 | 100th System Sold

2023 - 01 | 150th System Sold

2023 - 12 | 200th System Sold

2025 - 07 | 250th System Sold

Are you next? 300th System Sold

The Day We Took the Mask Off

Remember 2015? For many labs, lithography meant expensive masks, long lead times, complex training, and the constant risk of breakage. This bottleneck stifled the fast-paced, iterative nature of research.

The MLA 150 was our answer. By creating a direct-write system with the soul of an aligner, we offered a new path forward:

From Weeks to Minutes: Designs could be implemented instantly from a CAD file.
From High Cost to High Value: The immense recurring cost of photomasks was eliminated.
From Complex to Intuitive: Operation became so simple, it set a new standard for accessibility.

This wasn’t just an upgrade; it was a revolution in how research gets done.

Powering a Decade of Scientific Breakthroughs

The true story of the MLA 150 is written in the labs, the research papers, and the innovations it has enabled. With over 250 systems installed globally, its impact is immeasurable.

Installed Systems Worldwide

> 150

From foundational research in quantum materials to the development of life-saving biosensors, the MLA 150 has been the silent partner to countless discoveries.

But don’t just take our word for it. Hear directly from the community that made it all possible.

From Vision to Legacy: The People Behind the MLA 150

Voices from Heidelberg Instruments

Benedikt Stender – Strategic Product Manager

Steffen Diez – Former Product Manager, now COO

Gregg Moore – Sales Manager

Description

Benedikt Stender – Strategic Product Manager

Benedikt Stender, strategic product manager of the MLA 150 since 2024, reflects on what makes the system unique even after a decade, why he’s proud to lead it, and what’s next for its future.

How Direct Writing Works

Mask aligner lithography uses a photomask to transfer a fixed pattern onto a photoresist-coated substrate in a single exposure step. Any design modifications require the production of a new mask, which can be time-consuming and costly.

Direct writing, or maskless lithography, replaces the photomask with a computer-controlled laser that writes the pattern directly onto the substrate. This makes it possible to implement design changes instantly, produce unique patterns without mask fabrication, and work efficiently on small batches or prototypes, while still achieving high resolution and precision.

Voices from Our Users

"The MLA 150 is a very good compromise between flexibility, throughput, and performance. In our multiuser facilities, it is highly appreciated for fast prototyping on substrates of various dimensions and shapes. Because the acquisition of the MLA 150 has been a game changer in our lithography department, we decided to get a second one."

"The speed, ease of use and accuracy of the MLA 150 made us choose it instead of a mask aligner.
It is one of our key tools for photolithography works in MCN. Users use it for direct-write on various sample types (silicon, glass, quartz, diamond, lithium niobate, etc.) and sizes (ranging from 3 mm x 3 mm up to 7 in x 7 in mask plates) as well as photo mask fabrication.
Exposing a full 6-in wafer with 2 µm diameter circles and 2 µm spacings wouldn’t have been possible without it."

"We work largely in a pilot line and development environment and find that the flexibility of the MLA 150 is extremely useful in trying out new design concepts. This is particularly the case with the numerous research users that we support in the cleanroom. We also find that the MLA 150 has great value for our work in wafer-scale-up where we are able to test different device designs on smaller tiles before committing to a large wafer mask based processes.
The MLA 150 is one of the most consistently utilised pieces of equipment that we have in our cleanroom. Users find the ability to jump straight from concept to design to sample exposure extremely appealing."

"With its shorter-wavelength light source, the MLA 150 delivers sub-100 nm resolution and <20 nm overlay accuracy. This high performance, combined with its robust autofocus function, makes it a compelling alternative to KrF scanners for labs replacing i-line steppers or considering new purchases."

User Interview with Julien Dorsaz at EPFL

The beta version of the MLA 150 was installed in August 2014 at the Center of MicroNanoTechnology (CMi) of the renowned École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland. From the very beginning, the first users played a key role in shaping the system by providing valuable feedback that helped us refine its performance and usability.

In 2022, CMi confirmed its trust in the platform by adding a second MLA 150 to its facility.

To gain deeper insights into the work at CMi and hear firsthand about their experience with the MLA 150, we sat down for a 30-minute interview with Julien Dorsaz.

Why the MLA 150 is the Standard for R&D in Academic and Industrial Environments

A decade of leadership isn’t an accident. The enduring success of the MLA 150 stands on three core pillars that are more relevant today than ever.

Radical Accessibility

We believe powerful technology should be usable by everyone. With an intuitive workflow that allows a new user to be fully trained in less than an hour, the MLA 150 has democratized high-resolution lithography for students, startups, and experts alike.

Unmatched Flexibility

Research is unpredictable. That’s why the MLA 150 is the “Swiss Army knife” of the cleanroom. With options for dual laser wavelengths, specialized chucks for any substrate, and grayscale lithography, it’s a single tool that can handle virtually any challenge you can imagine.

Performance without Compromise

Ease-of-use shouldn’t come at the expense of power. The MLA 150 delivers the performance required for cutting-edge research, including sub-micron resolution down to 0.45 µm, automated alignment accuracy of 250 nm, and the throughput to keep your entire facility productive.

The Next Decade of Innovation Starts Today

While we celebrate our history, our eyes are fixed on the future. The challenges in quantum computing, sustainable technologies, and personalized medicine demand even faster and more precise fabrication tools. Our commitment, born and bred here in Heidelberg, is to ensure that the MLA platform continues to evolve, meeting the needs of researchers for the next decade and beyond.

Key Features of the MLA150

Flexible maskless technology across multiple resolutions

High-power lasers with multiple wavelengths combined in a single system

Both frontside and backside alignment capabilities

Faster time-to-market for prototypes and low volume production use

Allows mix and match between different tool sets,
e.g., e-beam or thermal scanning probe lithography and laser lithography

Less than 1 hour training to fully qualify as a user

Applications of the MLA 150

Become a Part of the Next Chapter

Whether you are looking to retire an old mask aligner, equip a new facility, or simply join the world’s most successful maskless community, now is the time.

DISCOVER THE MLA 150

Share Your MLA Story on LinkedIn with #MLA150.

MLA 150 Anniversary
– A Decade of Discovery