NanoPatterning Stepper for Production of Nano-Geometries

SUSS MicroTec (Saint-Jeoire, France) offers a next-generation lithography tool aimed at replacing traditional optical lithography for the production of nanoscale devices.

The SUSS NPS300 is available either as a manually loaded machine or as a fully automated system with wafer loading capability. With the latter configuration, the tool includes fully automated wafer handling for sizes up to 300 mm and an automated template pickup capability, allowing different templates to be printed on the same wafer.

When equipped with the automatic alignment option, it demonstrates a 250-nm overlay accuracy and accepts stamps with sizes up to 100 mm and with thicknesses up to 6.5 mm. The NPS300 imprinting arm can be equipped with either a cold or hot embossing head. The imprinting force ranges from 5 N to 4 kN. The active area of the stamp can be up to 40x40 mm for UV-NIL and 100x100 mm for hot embossing.

The optical system is a superimposing microscope with high magnification, which mixes the images of the stamp with that of the wafer before they reach the numeric video camera. The short working distance allows high numerical aperture, which results in very high resolution.

By using stamps or templates rather than optical lithography for the imprinting, the NPS300 can replicate the tiniest patterns. Applications include integrated optical devices (passive devices on diodes, gratings, photo refractive polymers, back side illumination devices, etc.), smart materials for microelectronics (sensors, resonators, and transducers), and sensors for temperature, light, molecules, and life science, as well as 3D replication.

Find out more at: www.suss.com