MLA 150

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The fastest maskless tool for R&D, rapid prototyping and small production volumes, designed for binary lithography

Maskless Aligner MLA 150 is a state-of-the-art maskless lithography tool. Areas of application include nanofabrication of quantum devices (2D materials, semiconductor materials, nanowires, etc) MEMS, micro-optic elements, sensors, actuators, MOEMS and other devices for materials and life sciences. Depending on the application, MLA 150 patterns high-resolution, high aspect ratio, and even simple grayscale structures.

Our Maskless Aligner series, first introduced in 2015, is now firmly established as an alternative to the traditional Mask Aligner, fully eliminating the need for masks. The maskless approach leads to significantly reduced cycle times. Any design modifications can be quickly implemented by simply changing the CAD layout. The system also features fast automated front- and backside alignment procedures and outstanding speed: Exposing an area of 100 x 100 mm² with structures as small as 1 micron takes less than 10 minutes.

Perfect for Multiuser Facilities

Training <1 h to fully qualify as a user

Fast and Accurate Alignment

250 nm front alignment, backside alignment, alignment error compensation

Flexible

2 lasers can be installed simultaneously on the same system to expose the whole range of photoresists

Low Operation Costs and Easy Maintenance

10-20 years of laser lifetime

Direct-write Lithography

No mask-related costs, effort, or security risks

Grayscale Mode

For simple 2.5D structures

Exposure Quality

Edge roughness 60 nm; CD uniformity 100 nm; 40 nm address grid; autofocus compensation for warped/corrugated substrates

User-friendly

Specifically designed software and workflow make the tool operation fast and easy

Exposure Speed

150 mm wafer in <16 min with 405 nm laser

Exposure Wavelength

Diode laser sources at 375 and/or 405 nm can be mounted together and used interchangeably to expose different photoresists

Exchangeable Chucks

Custom vacuum layouts

Draw Mode

Import and overlay of .bmp files on top of the real-time microscope image — as in a virtual mask aligner; simple lines and shapes can be drawn into the real-time camera image for immediate exposure

Autofocus

Air-gauge or optical autofocus for perfect exposure of small samples (less than 10 mm)

Variable Substrate Sizes

3-6”, up to 8” upon request

Advanced Field Alignment

Automatic field-by-field alignment on individual dies on the wafer for superior alignment accuracy
I had been using the MLA 150 for almost 5 years. It was definitely one of the most popular tools in our cleanroom. Once people got to know the MLA – no one wanted to go back to a mask aligner or stepper. The best thing about the MLA150 is its flexibility – the tool can work with samples of different shapes and sizes, and new designs can be added very easily. The software is very intuitive and easy to learn. Moreover, the service team had always provided us with exceptional support, all issues were quickly resolved. I highly recommend Heidelberg Instruments and their products.

Anna Mukhortova, Pritzker Nanofabrication Facility

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University of Chicago

Customer applications

A wafer of superconducting detectors for the South Pole Telescope (SPT) camera. The camera carries an array of over 16,000 such devices. Each of them comprises ultra-thin superconducting elements with features as small as 1 μm. Here, the MLA 150 was used to fabricate the Nb leads, which appear as bands in between the pixels. (Courtesy of CNM at Argonne National Laboratory, photo by Clarence Chang)
A wafer of superconducting detectors for the South Pole Telescope (SPT) camera. The camera carries an array of over 16,000 such devices. Each of them comprises ultra-thin superconducting elements with features as small as 1 μm. Here, the MLA 150 was used to fabricate the Nb leads, which appear as bands in between the pixels. (Courtesy of CNM at Argonne National Laboratory, photo by Clarence Chang)
A gear wheel patterned in 800 µm thick SU-8 demonstrates the capability of MLA 150 to create vertical sidewalls in thick resists. MEMS (Microelectromechanical systems) usually comprise a combination of microprocessor and functional components. MEMS may feature tuning forks, gear wheels, piezoelectric material, bio-, chemical or pressure sensors, or other miniaturized physical devices. (Courtesy of Heidelberg Instruments)
A gear wheel patterned in 800 µm thick SU-8 demonstrates the capability of MLA 150 to create vertical sidewalls in thick resists. MEMS (Microelectromechanical systems) usually comprise a combination of microprocessor and functional components. MEMS may feature tuning forks, gear wheels, piezoelectric material, bio-, chemical or pressure sensors, or other miniaturized physical devices. (Courtesy of Heidelberg Instruments)
A master for a microfluidic mixer to be transferred by soft lithography in PDMS. The structure is patterned in 100 μm SU-8 with the 375 nm laser wavelength of the MLA 150. This type of structures requires high-throughput for fast large-area patterning and precise stitching to ensure channel smoothness. (Courtesy of CMi EPFL Center of MicroNanoTechnology)
A master for a microfluidic mixer to be transferred by soft lithography in PDMS. The structure is patterned in 100 μm SU-8 with the 375 nm laser wavelength of the MLA 150. This type of structures requires high-throughput for fast large-area patterning and precise stitching to ensure channel smoothness. (Courtesy of CMi EPFL Center of MicroNanoTechnology)
Nanoholes as precisely positioned traps for nanoparticles fabricated using “mix-and-match” lithography. 100 nm square “nanoholes” patterned with e-beam lithography are separated by the coarse trenches created using the MLA 150 precisely aligned to the existing nanohole pattern. (Courtesy of EPFL LMIS1, Lausanne)
Nanoholes as precisely positioned traps for nanoparticles fabricated using “mix-and-match” lithography. 100 nm square “nanoholes” patterned with e-beam lithography are separated by the coarse trenches created using the MLA 150 precisely aligned to the existing nanohole pattern. (Courtesy of EPFL LMIS1, Lausanne)
An array of SQUIDs (superconducting quantum interference device) used for the readout of metallic magnetic microcalorimeters (high-resolution particle detectors operated at low temperatures). These devices are micro-fabricated in large arrays and comprise up to 18 layers with submicron features. The MLA 150 ensures the extreme overlay accuracy crucial for this application. (Courtesy of the Kirchhoff Institute for Physics (KIP), Heidelberg University)
An array of SQUIDs (superconducting quantum interference device) used for the readout of metallic magnetic microcalorimeters (high-resolution particle detectors operated at low temperatures). These devices are micro-fabricated in large arrays and comprise up to 18 layers with submicron features. The MLA 150 ensures the extreme overlay accuracy crucial for this application. (Courtesy of the Kirchhoff Institute for Physics (KIP), Heidelberg University)
Specific patterning of “OSTEmers” retinal implants shows an example of novel medical implants. Bio-compatible, impermeable, and UV-curable OSTEmers are highly promising for artificial retinae. Contactless exposure with MLA 150 enables the patterning of this material, which is a viscous liquid during processing, and is virtually impossible to work with using other lithography tools. (Courtesy of EPFL, Laboratory of NeuroEngineering)
Specific patterning of “OSTEmers” retinal implants shows an example of novel medical implants. Bio-compatible, impermeable, and UV-curable OSTEmers are highly promising for artificial retinae. Contactless exposure with MLA 150 enables the patterning of this material, which is a viscous liquid during processing, and is virtually impossible to work with using other lithography tools. (Courtesy of EPFL, Laboratory of NeuroEngineering)
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Technical Data

Write Mode IWrite Mode II
Writing performance
Minimum structure size [μm]0.61
Linewidth variation [3σ, nm]100120
Global 2nd layer alignment [3σ, nm]500500
Local 2nd layer alignment [3σ, nm] 250250
Backside alignment [3σ, nm]10001000
Exposure time 405 nm laser for 4″ wafer [min]359
Exposure time 375 nm laser for 4″ wafer [min]3520
Max. write speed 405 nm laser [mm²/min] 2851100
Max. write speed 375 nm laser [mm²/min] 285500
System features
Light sourceDiode lasers: 8 W at 405 nm, 2.8 W at 375 nm, or both
Substrate sizesVariable: 3 x 3 mm² to 6″ x 6″ | Optional: 8″ x 8″ Customizable on request
Substrate thickness0 - 12 mm
Maximum exposure area150 x 150 mm² | Optional: 200 x 200 mm²
Temperature controlled flow boxTemperature stability ± 0.1°
Real-time autofocusAir-gauge or optical
Autofocus compensation range180 μm
Grayscale128 gray levels
Software featuresExposure wizard, resist database, automatic labeling and serialization, Draw Mode for CADless exposures, substrate tracking / history
System dimensions (lithography unit)
Height × width × depth1950 mm × 1300 mm × 1300 mm
Weight1100 kg
Installation requirements
Electrical230 VAC ± 5%, 50/60 Hz, 16 A
Compressed air6 - 10 bar, stability ± 0.5 bar
Economical considerations
Saves on the cost of photomasks
Low running costs for maintenance, energy consumption, spare parts
Solid state laser light sources with lifetime of several years
* Only one write mode can be installed on the system

Please note
Specifications depend on individual process conditions and may vary according to equipment configuration. Write speed depends on pixel size and write mode. Design and specifications are subject to change without prior notice

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