{ "name": "NANYTE photoresist process recipe library", "url": "https://nanyte.com/photoresists", "license": "Data compiled from manufacturer datasheets; each recipe cites its source. Free to use with attribution.", "disclaimer": "Manufacturer datasheet values are starting points; optimal parameters depend on your substrate, equipment and environment. Trademarks belong to their respective owners. NANYTE is not affiliated with the manufacturers listed.", "count": 93, "recipes": [ { "slug": "adex", "name": "ADEX", "manufacturer": "DJ MicroLaminates", "productLine": "ADEX Epoxy Dry Film Rolls/Sheets", "aliases": [ "ADEXR", "ADEX Dry Film", "ADEX Thin Film Rolls/Sheets", "DJ MicroLaminates ADEX" ], "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "epoxy", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed in ADEX's data sheets (the undated 'DJML-ADEX-Data-Sheet.pdf' currently linked from djmicrolaminates.com, and its Rev June 2020 predecessor). Both describe ADEX only as a chemically-amplified, i-line-sensitive negative dry-film epoxy for permanent 3D MEMS structures, plating molds and metal redistribution layers; neither mentions grayscale or partial-exposure dose-response profiling.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "ADEX is DJ MicroLaminates' chemically-amplified, i-line-sensitive negative dry-film epoxy photoresist, laminated rather than spin-coated, in 5-75 µm sheet thicknesses for microfluidics, plating molds and permanent 3D MEMS structures.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 5, "max_um": 75, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated -- Product Description, p.1 of both the undated 'DJML-ADEX-Data-Sheet.pdf' and the Rev June 2020 datasheet: 'ADEX is available in 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50 and 75µm thicknesses...' -- a discrete list of nine standard sheet thicknesses, not a continuous range; min_um/max_um are the floor and ceiling of that list. Separately, both datasheets note ADEX 'has shown excellent image quality up to 100µm thicknesses' when sheets are stacked/combined, which is not a single-sheet figure and is not used here." }, "coatingMethod": "dry-film-lamination", "spinCurves": [], "spinNotes": "ADEX is laminated onto the substrate with a heated roll or vacuum laminator, not spin-coated -- there is no spin curve, and thickness is fixed per sheet. Process guideline table (identical in both datasheets, p.1): remove the PP cover sheet by peeling at room temperature (18-25°C) on a cool surface; laminate via hot roll or vacuum at 50-70°C @ 1 ft/min (0.3 m/min); remove the carrier PET by peeling at room temperature. No lamination pressure figure is published (SUEX's data sheets state 5-10 psi / 30-65 kPa; ADEX's do not). No pre-lamination substrate dehydration-bake step, no edge-bead-removal step, and no substrate-cleaning recommendation are mentioned in ADEX's data sheets (unlike SUEX and the SU-8 families).", "adhesion": { "hmds": null, "notes": "Not addressed in ADEX's data sheets -- no adhesion-promoter recommendation, for or against, is given anywhere in either document (SUEX's data sheets state promoters are 'typically not useful')." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "notes": "Neither ADEX data sheet lists a bake step between lamination and exposure -- the process guideline table goes directly: remove PP cover sheet -> laminate -> remove carrier PET -> expose -> PEB -> develop -> hardbake (optional). SUEX's data sheets describe an optional 80-85°C / 5 min 'post lamination bake' for improved adhesion; no such step is mentioned anywhere in ADEX's data sheets.", "source": "Process guidelines / Process guideline table, p.1 of both the undated 'DJML-ADEX-Data-Sheet.pdf' and the Rev June 2020 ADEX datasheet" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "binBasis": "sheet-sku", "bins": [ { "um_min": 5, "um_max": 5, "mJ_min": 90, "mJ_max": 90 }, { "um_min": 10, "um_max": 10, "mJ_min": 125, "mJ_max": 125 }, { "um_min": 15, "um_max": 15, "mJ_min": 150, "mJ_max": 150 }, { "um_min": 20, "um_max": 20, "mJ_min": 175, "mJ_max": 175 }, { "um_min": 25, "um_max": 25, "mJ_min": 200, "mJ_max": 200 }, { "um_min": 30, "um_max": 30, "mJ_min": 215, "mJ_max": 215 }, { "um_min": 40, "um_max": 40, "mJ_min": 250, "mJ_max": 250 }, { "um_min": 50, "um_max": 50, "mJ_min": 325, "mJ_max": 325 }, { "um_min": 75, "um_max": 75, "mJ_min": 875, "mJ_max": 875 } ], "source": "'Typical process conditions' table, p.1, footnoted 'on Silicon' — identical in the undated 'DJML-ADEX-Data-Sheet.pdf' and the Rev June 2020 ADEX datasheet. One dose per standard sheet thickness; the table carries no wavelength label, so none is given here." } ], "basisCopy": "Dose follows the sheet you laminate, measured on silicon: 90 mJ/cm² for a 5 µm sheet, 200 for 25 µm and 875 for the 75 µm sheet." }, "peb": { "temp_c": null, "time_s": null, "notes": "The datasheet gives two alternative PEB conditions, not a range: 95°C for 5-10 min, OR 85°C for 10-20 min (Process guidelines table, p.1, identical in both datasheets). These are two discrete named options — run whichever matches your process, not a value between them.", "source": "Process guidelines / Process guideline table, p.1 of both the undated 'DJML-ADEX-Data-Sheet.pdf' and the Rev June 2020 ADEX datasheet" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "Cyclohexanone", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": "IPA rinse (datasheet footnote **, both datasheets; no further detail on duration or technique is given).", "source": "Process guidelines table + 'Typical process conditions' table, p.1 of both the undated 'DJML-ADEX-Data-Sheet.pdf' and the Rev June 2020 ADEX datasheet" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 150, "max": 200 }, "time_s": null, "timeRange_s": { "min": 3600, "max": 7200 }, "notes": "Optional, 'recommended for best chemical resistance' (Typical Process Procedure, p.1, both datasheets; the Rev June 2020 sibling adds 'and stress relief'). A single range is given, not discrete options: 150-200°C for 1-2 hr (Process guidelines table, p.1, identical in both datasheets).", "source": "Process guidelines / Process guideline table, p.1 of both the undated 'DJML-ADEX-Data-Sheet.pdf' and the Rev June 2020 ADEX datasheet" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "microfluidics", "mems-structural", "electroplating-molding", "high-aspect-ratio" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "Difficult to remove after cure -- the two ADEX datasheets differ slightly on the recommended method. The undated 'DJML-ADEX-Data-Sheet.pdf' states: 'Removal after cure is difficult. It is best removed with laser ablation techniques. It is only partially removed with resist strippers.' The Rev June 2020 sibling instead states: 'Removal after cure is difficult. In certain cases, films can be removed in hot NMP.' Uncured ADEX (prior to PEB / cure) can be cleaned with acetone; other, less stringent solvents may be used but may be less effective (Clean-up / Clean Up section, p.2 of both datasheets).", "storage": "The undated 'DJML-ADEX-Data-Sheet.pdf' gives: 0°C (32°F) -> 18-24 months shelf life; 18-23°C (64-73°F) -> 12 months. The Rev June 2020 sibling gives shorter figures for the same two conditions: 0°C (32°F) -> 12 months; 18-23°C (64-73°F) -> 6 months (adding 'longer shelf-life at room temperature is expected'). Both agree: store in a dark, dry location, covered with black polyethylene when not in use to exclude UV transmission, at or below 25°C, and avoid high temperatures (risk of increased molecular weight and altered performance and stability). Source: Storage and Handling / Recommended Shelf Life / Shelf Life sections, p.2 of both datasheets.", "notes": "ADEX is DJ MicroLaminates' i-line-sensitive, chemically-amplified negative epoxy dry-film photoresist -- the same underlying dry-film-lamination chemistry family as the company's thicker SUEX product, but supplied in thinner standard sheets (5-75 µm vs. SUEX's 20 µm-1 mm) and marketed specifically for microfluidics, bio-sensor/bio-assay devices, force/load sensors, accelerometers, gyroscopes, and CMOS-compatible permanent 3D MEMS structures, plus plating molds and copper redistribution layers in wafer-level packaging. Because it laminates via a heated roller or vacuum press rather than a spindle, its process is defined by roller temperature, speed and (for the vacuum option) chamber pressure rather than a spin curve, and its exposure dose and develop time are both published as per-sheet-thickness tables rather than single values -- treat the row matching the target sheet thickness as the starting point. ADEX is capable of >5:1 aspect-ratio structures with <5% thickness variation and can be stacked in multiple layers or thicknesses for taller features, with demonstrated good image quality up to 100 µm of combined/stacked thickness. Both datasheets agree the cured film is difficult to remove with conventional solvent-based strippers, differing only on the recommended fallback (laser ablation per the primary document; hot NMP per the June 2020 revision), so any process needing to remove ADEX after cure should test the specific removal route against the actual cure history rather than assume either figure applies unconditionally.", "developerFamily": "solvent", "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Air bubbles are trapped under ADEX after lamination. What went wrong?", "a": "One cause DJ MicroLaminates names is the sheet touching the substrate too early. It says not to lay the film on a warm hotplate and roll it by hand: it sticks and traps air between film and substrate, permanently. The film should not contact the substrate until it is within about 1 cm of the laminator rollers, with the top sheet held away until the roller forces it down. Use a laminator that controls temperature, line speed and pressure uniformity; the ADEX process table gives hot roll or vacuum lamination at 50-70 °C and 1 ft/min (0.3 m/min).", "source": "DJ MicroLaminates, \"Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)\" for SUEX and ADEX (djmicrolaminates.com) — Pre-Processing: Can I laminate the sheets with a hand roller and hot plate?, Which laminator do you recommend?; Processing: lamination steps. DJ MicroLaminates, \"ADEX Epoxy Thin Film Rolls/Sheets Product Data Sheet\" (no revision date printed) — Process guidelines, p.1" }, { "q": "My wafer bows after the ADEX post-exposure bake and the film starts lifting at the edge. How do I cut the stress?", "a": "The bow comes from the film shrinking during the PEB while firmly bonded to the wafer, plus the cooling rate afterwards; if the stress gets too high the film delaminates. DJ MicroLaminates reduces it with a lower PEB temperature, a PEB in an oven rather than on a hotplate, and a slow cool to below 50 °C over at least 3-5 hours, ideally overnight. For ADEX the process table offers 85 °C for 10-20 min as the cooler alternative to 95 °C for 5-10 min, and the June 2020 sheet recommends the hardbake for stress relief as well as chemical resistance.", "source": "DJ MicroLaminates, \"Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)\" for SUEX and ADEX (djmicrolaminates.com) — Optimization: How do I eliminate wafer bow? DJ MicroLaminates, \"ADEX Thin Film Rolls/Sheets Product Data Sheet\", Rev June 2020 — Typical Process Procedure and Process guideline, p.1" }, { "q": "Exposed ADEX features cracked and delaminated after the wafers sat overnight. Where can I pause the process?", "a": "Before the PEB, not after it. DJ MicroLaminates says exposed wafers can be held in a closed container for a week or more, but not once they have been post-exposure baked: the stresses in the exposed areas distort the resin in the unexposed areas, and that leads to cracking and delamination of the exposed features. If a line has to stop, stop between exposure and PEB, and develop soon after the bake.", "source": "DJ MicroLaminates, \"Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)\" for SUEX and ADEX (djmicrolaminates.com) — Development: In-process delay: can I hold the in-process substrates after exposure or PEB?" }, { "q": "ADEX isn't clearing fully between features. Is the develop too short?", "a": "Check it against the row for your sheet. The ADEX table gives cyclohexanone develop times by thickness: 5 min for 5 µm, 12 min for 20 µm, 20 min for 40-50 µm and 30 min for 75 µm, followed by an IPA rinse. The same table lists the resolution for each sheet, from 2 µm at 5 µm thick to 8 µm at 75 µm. DJ MicroLaminates' general develop method is face down on a stainless steel wire screen with very gentle agitation, a quick rinse with fresh developer, a second bath, then IPA.", "source": "DJ MicroLaminates, \"ADEX Epoxy Thin Film Rolls/Sheets Product Data Sheet\" (no revision date printed) — Process guidelines and Typical process conditions table, p.1-2. DJ MicroLaminates, \"Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)\" for SUEX and ADEX (djmicrolaminates.com) — Development: How should I develop, rinse and dry?" }, { "q": "ADEX adheres poorly on gold and glass. What surface prep does DJ MicroLaminates give?", "a": "Gold is particularly poor for adhesion, and copper and glass are difficult but workable with the right pretreatment. Glass should be polished with a polishing compound and rinsed until DI water wets it evenly; copper needs a weak acid etch followed by neutralisation with 5 % NH4OH. Substrates must be free of organic contamination and metal oxides, and cleaned and dried immediately before lamination. Chemical adhesion promoters are typically not useful. Silicon and composite materials give the best adhesion.", "source": "DJ MicroLaminates, \"Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)\" for SUEX and ADEX (djmicrolaminates.com) — Pre-Processing: Steps to be taken to prepare the substrate; Which substrates do SUEX and ADEX adhere to?" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://djmicrolaminates.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/DJML-ADEX-Data-Sheet.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "No printed revision date on the document itself. This is the file currently linked from djmicrolaminates.com's Resources / 'Data Sheets / Research Papers' page as the 'ADEX Data Sheet'; the /2020/08/ upload-date path is the live, current location of that filename.", "accessedDate": "2026-07-22", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://djmicrolaminates.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/ADEX-Data-Sheet-June-2020.pdf", "what": "ADEX (R) Thin Film Rolls/Sheets Product Data Sheet, Rev June 2020, Copyright 2020 -- an earlier/sibling revision of the same product, not currently linked from the live site's Resources page. Used to cross-check the primary datasheet's process table (the two documents' dose / develop-time / resolution figures are identical at every thickness) and to source the explicit 'Rev June 2020' date label the primary document lacks. Minor wording/figure differences from the primary document: shelf life is longer in this revision (12/6 months vs. the primary's 18-24/12 months), its Clean Up section calls the acetone step 'prior to cure' rather than 'prior to PEB', and its removal guidance names hot NMP rather than laser ablation." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-22", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "apol-lo-3200", "name": "APOL-LO 3200", "manufacturer": "KemLab", "productLine": "APOL-LO 3200 series", "aliases": [ "APOL-LO 3200", "APOL-LO3200", "APOL LO 3200", "KemLab APOL-LO 3200", "APOL-LO3202", "APOL-LO3204", "APOL-LO3207", "APOL LO 3202", "APOL LO 3207" ], "grades": [ "APOL-LO 3202", "APOL-LO 3204", "APOL-LO 3207" ], "gradesSource": "stated — APOL-LO 3200 TDS, per-grade 'Film Thickness Range' table (p.2): APOL-LO 3202 (2-4 µm), APOL-LO 3204 (3-6 µm), APOL-LO 3207 (5-10+ µm). 3202 and 3207 also head the resolution-demo blocks on p.1; 3204 appears only in the p.2 table.", "tone": "negative", "chemistry": null, "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed in the datasheet. APOL-LO 3200 is presented as a negative lift-off resist for conventional binary patterning, not grayscale lithography.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "A series of negative-tone, high-resolution lift-off photoresists (APOL-LO 3202, 3204, 3207) covering 2-10+ µm film thickness, developed in 0.26N TMAH for i-line and broadband exposure, with customizable lift-off undercut angle and photospeed.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 2, "max_um": 10, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated — TDS bullet (p.1): 'Film Thickness range of 2 – 10+ µm'; corroborated by the per-grade 'Film Thickness Range' table on p.2 (APOL-LO 3202: 2-4, APOL-LO 3204: 3-6, APOL-LO 3207: 5-10+ µm). max_um is recorded as 10 because '10+' is an open-ended stated bound, not a precise number." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "APOL-LO 3202", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 3.8 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 2.7 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 2.3 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 1.9 } ], "source": "read from figure 'Spin Curve: APOL-LO 3200 Series', p.2 of APOL-LO 3200 TDS — identified by legend marker/color (blue diamonds = APOL-LO 3202) on the combined three-curve chart; bottom curve, consistent with the stated 2-4 µm range. The chart itself only plots 1000-4000 rpm (4 marked points per curve) — no 5000/6000 rpm points exist in the source to report.", "figureRead": true }, { "label": "APOL-LO 3204", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 6.2 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 4.5 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 3.7 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 3.2 } ], "source": "read from figure 'Spin Curve: APOL-LO 3200 Series', p.2 of APOL-LO 3200 TDS — identified by legend marker/color (red squares = APOL-LO 3204) on the combined three-curve chart; middle curve, consistent with the stated 3-6 µm range. Chart plots only 1000-4000 rpm.", "figureRead": true }, { "label": "APOL-LO 3207", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 10.2 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 7.2 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 5.7 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 5 } ], "source": "read from figure 'Spin Curve: APOL-LO 3200 Series', p.2 of APOL-LO 3200 TDS — identified by legend marker/color (purple triangles = APOL-LO 3207) on the combined three-curve chart; top curve, consistent with the stated 5-10+ µm range. Chart plots only 1000-4000 rpm.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Coat program includes a 5-10 second spread cycle; spin time at final speed is 45 seconds. Spin curves determined on 6-inch Si with static dispense of ~3 mL of photoresist (TDS p.2, Spin Coat) — note this is a smaller dispense volume than the ~4 mL used for KemLab's other series datasheets. No edge-bead-removal step is published.", "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "APOL-LO adheres to gold, glass, aluminum, chromium and copper without a stated primer requirement; for silicon specifically, HMDS primer 'can increase adhesion' (TDS p.2, Substrate)." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 110, "time_s": 60, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "110°C for 60 seconds is the default softbake, stated both in the narrative Soft Bake section (p.2) and in three of four columns (2, 4, 6 µm) of the Lift-Off Process Guide table (p.2). The datasheet gives an explicit, clearly labeled exception: 'For films over 7 microns: Soft-bake on hotplate: 110°C for 90 seconds' — used for the 10 µm (APOL-LO 3207) process point in the same table.", "source": "Lift-Off Process Guide table and Soft Bake section, p.2 of APOL-LO 3200 TDS" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "basisCopy": "Three grades share one set of broadband-on-silicon numbers, indexed by coat: 140 mJ/cm² at 2 µm, 145 at 4 µm, 150 at 6 µm and 200 at 10 µm." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 110, "time_s": 60, "notes": "PEB is required: 'PEB is necessary to crosslink the photoresist. PEB can be changed to modify performance' (p.2). The Post-Exposure Bake section gives 110 °C for 60 s on a contact hotplate, and 110 °C for 90 s for films over 7 µm. The Lift-Off Process Guide table on the same page matches that at 2 µm (3202) and 4 µm (3204), both 110 °C for 60 s, and at 10 µm (3207), 110 °C for 90 s. Its 6 µm column (3204 or 3207) also lists 110 °C for 90 s, although 6 µm is below the 7 µm threshold the text sets, so the document contradicts itself for a 6 µm film.", "source": "Lift-Off Process Guide table and Post-Exposure Bake section, p.2 of APOL-LO 3200 TDS" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "0.26N TMAH", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Lift-Off Process Guide table, p.2, and Develop section, p.3 of APOL-LO 3200 TDS" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [ "lift-off", "general-prototyping" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": true, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "NMP, DMSO or similar solvent-based removers at 50-80°C (TDS p.3, Photoresist Removal). No two-bath-process guidance is given for this product (unlike the KL5300/KL6000/KL IR datasheets, which explicitly recommend one for thick films).", "storage": "Store upright in tightly closed containers at 40-70°F (4-21°C), away from oxidizers, acids, bases and ignition sources (TDS p.3, Storage).", "notes": "APOL-LO 3200 is a series of three grades (APOL-LO 3202, 3204, 3207) explicitly engineered for a lift-off undercut profile, with customization offered to adjust the lift-off angle or photospeed. Unlike most conventional positive resists, PEB here is a required crosslinking step, not an optional one — the datasheet flags that PEB conditions 'can be changed to modify performance,' making it a tunable process lever rather than a fixed step. Softbake and PEB share one explicit thickness break point: films over 7 µm (i.e. the APOL-LO 3207 10 µm process point) get 90 s instead of 60 s at the same 110°C, while exposure dose and develop time scale continuously with thickness across all four demonstrated process points (2/4/6/10 µm). An n,k optical-dispersion curve (200-500 nm) is published for lithography simulation. As with any lift-off resist, the achieved undercut profile — not just critical dimension — should be verified on-tool, since it is the property this product is specifically sold on.", "developerFamily": "tmah", "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "The APOL-LO 3200 undercut isn't what my lift-off needs — which step do I tune?", "a": "The datasheet names one process lever: KemLab states that APOL-LO needs a PEB to crosslink and that the PEB can be changed to modify performance; the default is 110 °C for 60 s on a contact hotplate. It does not say how a PEB change moves the undercut, so step the PEB and section the result. If the standard grades still miss, KemLab offers customisation to adjust the lift-off angle or the photospeed.", "source": "APOL-LO 3200 Photoresist TDS (KemLab Inc., no revision printed) — Description, p.1; Post-Exposure Bake, p.2" }, { "q": "A 10 µm APOL-LO 3207 coat won't open to the substrate on my 4 µm (60 s) develop time — what changes with thickness?", "a": "Dose, bakes and develop all grow. KemLab's lift-off process guide on Si gives, for 2 / 4 / 6 / 10 µm: broadband 140 / 145 / 150 / 200 mJ/cm² and 40 / 60 / 75 / 120 s in 0.26N TMAH. Bakes lengthen too: the table's 110 °C softbake goes from 60 s to 90 s at 10 µm, and its 110 °C PEB already reads 90 s from 6 µm up, although the PEB text says 90 s only for films over 7 µm. Follow the table column for your thickness.", "source": "APOL-LO 3200 Photoresist TDS (KemLab Inc., no revision printed) — Lift Off Process Guide table, p.2; Soft Bake and Post-Exposure Bake, p.2" }, { "q": "Should a 6 µm APOL-LO film get the 60 s or the 90 s PEB?", "a": "The datasheet disagrees with itself here. The Post-Exposure Bake text gives 110 °C for 60 s and switches to 90 s only for films over 7 µm, but the process guide's 6 µm column (APOL-LO 3204 or 3207) already lists a 90 s PEB, while keeping a 60 s softbake. Treat 6 µm as the boundary case and run both PEB times on a split before fixing the recipe.", "source": "APOL-LO 3200 Photoresist TDS (KemLab Inc., no revision printed) — Lift Off Process Guide table (6 µm column) and Post-Exposure Bake, p.2" }, { "q": "Why do I get metal fences along the edges after lifting off APOL-LO?", "a": "Usually because the resist sidewalls were coated. MicroChemicals' general lift-off note (not a KemLab document) explains that sputtering coats even strongly undercut sidewalls, so the solvent has to break through the film at random points and leaves fence-like ridges; it puts reproducible lift-off of sputtered layers at a few hundred nm at most. Directed evaporation leaves undercut sidewalls uncoated. For a crosslinked negative resist it adds that too much substrate heating during deposition raises the crosslinking until lift-off becomes difficult or impossible.", "source": "MicroChemicals application note 'Lift-off' (not a KemLab document) — Negative Resists; Sputtering or Evaporation?; \"Fences\" after Lift-off. APOL-LO 3200 Photoresist TDS (KemLab Inc.) — Post-Exposure Bake, p.2 (PEB crosslinks the resist)" }, { "q": "What should I lift off or strip APOL-LO in — is acetone good enough?", "a": "KemLab specifies industry-standard removers such as NMP or DMSO at 50–80 °C. MicroChemicals' lift-off note advises against low-boiling solvents like acetone for lift-off: they cannot be heated to speed the process, and because they evaporate quickly, lifted metal flakes can redeposit on the wafer and are then hard to remove.", "source": "APOL-LO 3200 Photoresist TDS (KemLab Inc., no revision printed) — Photoresist Removal, p.3. MicroChemicals application note 'Lift-off' (not a KemLab document) — Suitable Lift-off Media" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.kemlab.com/_files/ugd/5b8579_a8dd77c4036e4f199a9a6c899311b7c8.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "not stated — no revision or copyright date is printed anywhere in this TDS; the only certification mark present is an ISO 9001:2015 seal on the final page.", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-24", "humanVerified": true }, { "slug": "ar-n-4340", "name": "AR-N 4340", "manufacturer": "Allresist", "productLine": "AR-N 4300 series", "aliases": [ "ARN4340", "AR-N4340" ], "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "car", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not marketed for greyscale or 3D lithography; targeted at IC production with high-contrast (Contrast: 5.0), high-resolution (0.5 µm) binary patterning.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "AR-N 4340 is Allresist's highly sensitive chemically amplified negative-tone photoresist for integrated-circuit fabrication, coating 1.4 µm at 4000 rpm, i-line/g-line/broadband sensitive, with undercut lift-off profiles obtainable by extending development time.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 1.21, "max_um": 4.16, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span of the AR-N 4340 spin curve, 500–6000 rpm" }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "AR-N 4340", "points": [ { "rpm": 500, "um": 4.16 }, { "rpm": 1000, "um": 2.95 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 2.09 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 1.71 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 1.47 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 1.31 }, { "rpm": 6000, "um": 1.21 } ], "source": "read from figure, 'Spin curve' (D₀/µm 0.0–5.0 vs rpm 0–8000), p.50 of Allresist AR-N 4300 product-information sheet (as of January 2014); single-grade chart, one legended trace labeled 'AR-N 4340' — no curve-identification ambiguity. Seven diamond markers are plotted, at rpm 500/1000/2000/3000/4000/5000/6000; the fitted line continues unmarked to 8000 rpm at ~1.05 µm, and that tail carries no discrete marker so it is not read as a point. The figure's 4000 rpm marker reads ≈1.47 µm, about 5% above the Properties I table's printed 'Film thickness/4000 rpm (µm): 1.4' (p.50, cross-referenced by the Coating box, p.51: '4000 rpm, 60 s, 1.4 µm') — the table value is the more authoritative single number, the figure read close but not exact.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Spin-speed-vs-thickness figure ('Spin curve', p.50, axes D₀/µm 0-5.0 vs rpm 0-8000) is a single-grade chart: one legended AR-N 4340 trace with 7 diamond markers from 500-6000 rpm, anchored against the Properties I table's 4000 rpm -> 1.4 µm reference point (the figure's own 4000 rpm marker reads ≈1.47 µm, a ~5% deviation from the table value — both are recorded). No dispense volume, acceleration ramp, or edge-bead-removal step is described anywhere in this document.", "adhesion": { "hmds": null, "notes": "Datasheet specifies Allresist's own adhesion promoter AR 300-80 (Process chemicals table, p.50); does not mention HMDS specifically either way. 'Good adhesion' is listed as a general Characteristic (p.50)." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 90, "time_s": 60, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "± 1 °C tolerance. Alternative: 85 °C, 25 min (1500 s) convection oven. Datasheet calls this step 'Softbake' in the Process conditions diagram and 'Tempering' in the Process parameters table (85 °C, 60 s, hot plate — note this table gives a slightly different temperature, 85 °C not 90 °C, for the same nominal step; both are reproduced here for transparency).", "source": "Process conditions diagram, p.51; Process parameters table, p.50" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "value_mJcm2": 140, "source": "Process conditions diagram, p.51 of Allresist AR-N 4300 series product information (English); dose stated as \"Exposure dose (E0, broadband UV stepper): 140 mJ/cm², 1.4 µm\"." } ], "basisCopy": "140 mJ/cm² is a clearing dose, not a process dose: it is the energy that just clears a 1.4 µm film on a broadband stepper carrying 365, 405 and 436 nm together. No single-wavelength number is published.", "headlineBasis": "E0, broadband stepper" }, "peb": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": 120, "notes": "Referred to as 'Crosslinking bake' — this is the post-exposure step that crosslinks the exposed novolac/PAG/amine system into the negative image. ± 1 °C tolerance. Alternative: 90 °C, 25 min (1500 s) convection oven. A TCD (time-to-clear-development)-vs-bake-temperature table (p.51) shows this crosslinking bake temperature is critical: at 70 °C the clearing dose is 480 mJ/cm² (TCD 20 s), at 100 °C it drops to 65 mJ/cm² (TCD 41 s), and above 130 °C the resist 'is not developable any more'; optimum bake temperatures are stated as 90-100 °C.", "source": "Process conditions diagram, p.51; TCD vs. bake temperature table, p.51" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "AR 300-475", "dilution": null, "time_s": 60, "method": "puddle", "rinse": "DI-H2O, 30 s", "source": "Process conditions diagram, p.51; Process parameters table, p.50" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "time_s": null, "notes": "Datasheet states only an optional ceiling capability — 'Hardening of structures up to 300 °C (optional)' — without a specific temperature/time recipe or bake method (hotplate vs. oven). A related 'Customer-specific technologies' step lists a 150 mJ/cm² flood exposure followed by a 115 °C, 1 min hot-plate bake for 'generation of e.g. semiconductor properties or lift-off' — distinct from the AR-U 4000 series' true image-reversal flood-exposure step, and not an image-reversal step for this resist.", "source": "Process conditions diagram, p.51" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "etch-mask", "lift-off" ], "etchResistance": "\"Plasma etching resistant, temperature-stable up to 220 °C after subsequent treatment\" (Characteristics, p.50). Plasma etching rates (5 Pa, 240-250 V Bias, Properties II table, p.50): Ar-sputtering 8 nm/min, O2 173 nm/min, CF4 33 nm/min, 80% CF4 + 16% O2 93 nm/min.", "liftoffSuitable": true, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "AR 300-76 or AR 300-72 (Process chemicals table, p.50); alternatively AR 300-76 or O2 plasma ashing per the Process conditions diagram, p.51.", "storage": "\"Storage 6 month (°C): 10 - 18\" (Properties I table, p.50) — i.e. a 6-month shelf life is stated when stored at 10-18 °C.", "notes": "AR-N 4340 is Allresist's highly sensitive negative-tone photoresist in the AR-N 4300 series, described as 'novolac with photochemical acid generator and amine-based crosslinking agent' — a chemically amplified negative chemistry (mapped here to the 'car' enum value) rather than the older bisazide-novolak crosslinking chemistry used in resists like ma-N 1400. Development strongly depends on the crosslinking-bake temperature: the datasheet's own TCD table shows optimum crosslinking-bake temperatures of 90-100 °C, with clearing dose rising sharply outside that window (480 mJ/cm² at 70 °C vs. 65 mJ/cm² at 100 °C) and the resist becoming completely undevelopable above 130 °C. Undercut (lift-off) profiles are obtained not by underexposing but by extending development time at the resist's minimum clearing dose, per the datasheet's explicit recommendation. The published exposure dose (140 mJ/cm² for a 1.4 µm film) is a broadband figure spanning i-line/h-line/g-line together (365/405/436 nm) rather than a single-wavelength dose, so it is recorded as an unattributed value rather than filed under either the i-line or h-line field — a separately mentioned i-line-only stepper configuration (NA 0.65) is given no dose at all. A single-grade spin-speed-vs-thickness figure exists in the datasheet (0-8000 rpm, 0-5 µm), but only the exact 4000 rpm -> 1.4 µm anchor from the accompanying numeric table is published here as structured data; additional curve points should be read directly from the source figure by a human reviewer.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Multi-photon laser lithography of AR-N 4340 photoresist with a spatial resolution at nanoscale", "authors": "Cao et al.", "journal": "Proc. SPIE 10842, 9th International Symposium on Advanced Optical Manufacturing and Testing Technologies: Subdiffraction-limited Plasmonic Lithography and Innovative Manufacturing Technology", "year": 2019, "doi": "10.1117/12.2506365", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2506365", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "Direct-write multi-photon laser lithography of AR-N 4340, reporting nanoscale spatial resolution. Relevant here because it exercises this chemically amplified negative resist under focused-laser direct writing rather than the mask-aligner exposure the datasheet describes.", "note": "Names this exact grade (AR-N 4340) in its title. SPIE conference proceedings, not a journal article. Only the title and Crossref metadata could be verified in-session (the SPIE abstract page would not render); the summary paraphrases the title and claims nothing beyond it." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "My AR-N 4340 dose and develop time drift between runs — how sensitive is the crosslinking bake?", "a": "Very. The datasheet's table (samples dried at 85 °C, developed in AR 300-475) shows the dose needed moving from 480 mJ/cm² at a 70 °C crosslinking bake to 140 at 90 °C and 65 at 100 °C, while clearing time rose from 24 s at 90 °C to 41 s at 100 °C. At 120 °C clearing took 210 s, and above 130 °C the film no longer develops at all. Hold the bake at 95 °C for 2 min on a hotplate, within the stated ±1 °C, and inside the 90–100 °C optimum.", "source": "AR-N 4300 product information (Allresist) — Process conditions: Crosslinking bake, and TCD vs. bake temperature table, p.51" }, { "q": "AR-N 4340 unexposed areas won't clear, or clear far too slowly — what happened?", "a": "Check the crosslinking-bake temperature first. The datasheet shows clearing time climbing to 210 s after a 120 °C bake, and above 130 °C the resist cannot be developed at all, so a hotplate running hot will do this. Next, check the developer. The datasheet develops in AR 300-475 for 60 s puddle at 21–23 °C (±0.5 °C), and also lists AR 300-26 at 1:1 or AR 300-35 undiluted. A stronger developer makes a negative resist need more dose to crosslink; a weaker one needs less dose but takes longer.", "source": "AR-N 4300 product information (Allresist) — Process conditions, Development recommendations and TCD vs. bake temperature table, p.51; FAQs concerning photoresists (Allresist, 03.03.2016) — Question 10, p.10" }, { "q": "How do I get a lift-off undercut from AR-N 4340?", "a": "Use the lowest exposure dose that still holds the pattern, then extend the development time. The datasheet says that combination gives an undercut resist profile suitable for lift-off. Its reference develop is AR 300-475 for 60 s puddle, so lengthen from there in steps and section a test wafer. The datasheet does not publish a target undercut or an over-develop percentage for this resist. The optional hardening step (150 mJ/cm² flood, then 115 °C for 1 min) is for structures that must survive up to 300 °C.", "source": "AR-N 4300 product information (Allresist) — Process conditions: Development note and Hardening of structures, p.51; Characterisation, p.50" }, { "q": "My AR-N 4340 film floats off in concentrated HCl — is that expected?", "a": "Yes. In Allresist's acid-resistance tests, concentrated 37 % HCl showed no reaction with the resist films, but AR-N 4340 is the one they single out for adhesion problems: the film floats off after about 10 min. Keep etches in concentrated HCl well under that, and prime with AR 300-80, the adhesion promoter listed for this resist.", "source": "FAQs concerning photoresists (Allresist, 03.03.2016) — Question 18, pp.14–15; AR-N 4300 product information (Allresist) — Process chemicals, p.50" }, { "q": "I see bubbles in AR-N 4340 after exposure — is it outgassing like a DNQ positive resist?", "a": "No. Allresist states that AR-N 4300 and 4400 resists develop no gas bubbles on exposure, because they contain no gas-forming components. Look for air or solvent instead. Air gets in when the bottle has been shaken or moved, or opened cold; open the lid slightly and let the bottle stand a few hours first. Residual solvent comes from a softbake that is too short or too cool. The datasheet softbake is 90 °C for 1 min on a hotplate, or 85 °C for 25 min in a convection oven.", "source": "FAQs concerning photoresists (Allresist, 03.03.2016) — Questions 6–7, pp.5–7; AR-N 4300 product information (Allresist) — Process conditions: Softbake, p.51" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.allresist.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/12/allresist_produktinfos_ar-n4300_englisch.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "p.50: 'As of January 2014'; p.51: 'As of January 2016' (the two pages of this two-page spread carry different revision dates as printed)", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://www.allresist.com/portfolio-item/developer-ar-300-475/", "what": "Allresist's own product page for developer AR 300-475: gives its main component as TMAH and its metal-ion content as under 0.1 ppm. Read together with the AR 300-26 page (sodium borate / sodium hydroxide) and the AR 300-35 page (sodium metasilicate / phosphate), it establishes that the developers this resist's own \"Development recommendations\" table offers span both a metal-ion-free and a metal-ion-containing chemistry." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "humanVerified": true }, { "slug": "ar-p-3510t", "name": "AR-P 3510T", "manufacturer": "Allresist", "productLine": "AR-P 3500 series", "aliases": [ "AR-P 3510 T" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Document never mentions grayscale or 3D lithography; it targets standard binary IC patterning, plasma-etch masking, and lift-off.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "Positive-tone, DNQ-novolak resist from Allresist's AR-P 3500 series with a wide process range (broadband UV / i-line / g-line); AR-P 3510T is the TMAH-compatible ('T') variant of the 3510 grade, coating to 2.0 µm at 4000 rpm and rated suitable for 0.26 N TMAH developer.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 2, "max_um": 2, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated — the 'Film thickness / 4000 rpm (µm)' row in 'Properties I' (p.1) gives 2.0 µm as a SINGLE value spanning the whole 'AR-P 3510 / 3510 T' column pair (unlike the adjacent solids-content/viscosity/resolution/contrast rows, which ARE split per grade) — i.e. the document itself states this thickness is shared between the base and T grades. Confirmed again by the worked 'Coating' row of the process-conditions table: '4000 rpm, 60 s, 2.0 µm' under its 'AR-P 3510' example column. No independent min–max achievable range is stated for this grade; recorded as a single documented anchor, not a spread." }, "spinCurves": [], "spinNotes": "The 'Spin curve' figure (p.1, bottom-left; axes: film thickness 1.0–6.0 µm vs. spin speed 0–8000 rpm) plots TWO traces, and per the manufacturer's OWN legend each trace already covers a combined pair of grades: 'AR-P 3510/3510 T' as one trace, 'AR-P 3540/3540 T' as the other — the document itself presents 3510 and 3510T as sharing one spin curve. No numeric spin table accompanies that figure, so no curve is published for this grade. The only confirmed numeric anchor is 2.0 µm at 4000 rpm, 60 s spin time (from the 'Coating' row of the worked process-conditions table, p.1, 'AR-P 3510' column — unsplit for this grade pair per the Properties I table). No accel or edge-bead detail is published.", "adhesion": { "hmds": null, "notes": "Allresist names its adhesion promoter AR 300-80, not HMDS (Process chemicals box, p.1) — the box sits beside the AR-P 3540T worked example, so it is not stated specifically for AR-P 3510T." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 100, "time_s": 60, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "'Tempering (± 1 °C): 100 °C, 1 min, hot plate OR 95 °C, 25 min, convection oven' — this row of the worked process-conditions table (p.1) is NOT split between the table's two example columns (AR-P 3510, AR-P 3540 T), i.e. it is presented as one shared condition for the worked AR-P 3500(T) example, which is why it is attributed to AR-P 3510T here despite that exact SKU not being one of the two labeled columns. Oven alternative: 95 °C for 25 min (1500 s).", "source": "\"Tempering\" row, \"Process conditions\" table, p.1, of allresist_produktinfos_ar-p3500_3500t_englisch.pdf" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "basisCopy": "Allresist splits exposure dose by grade and the T variant gets no column of its own — the two grades that do are 55 mJ/cm² for AR-P 3510 and 120 mJ/cm² for AR-P 3540 T. Neither is published as this grade's dose." }, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "AR 300-26 (1:2) or AR 300-35 (undiluted) or AR 300-44", "dilution": "AR 300-26 at 1:2; AR 300-35 used undiluted; AR 300-44 listed as the third (ready-to-use) option — three alternative developer/dilution combinations named for the combined 'AR-P 3510 T, 3540 T' row of the 'Development recommendations' table (p.1). This differs from the base AR-P 3510/3540 row, which instead lists AR 300-26 at 1:5, AR 300-35 at 1:1, and 'AR 300-40 (300-47), 1:1'.", "time_s": null, "method": "puddle", "rinse": "DI-H2O, 30 s", "source": "\"Development recommendations\" table (AR-P 3510 T, 3540 T row) + \"Development\"/\"Rinse\" rows of the \"Process conditions\" table, p.1, of allresist_produktinfos_ar-p3500_3500t_englisch.pdf" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": 115, "time_s": 60, "optional": true, "notes": "Labeled 'Post-bake (optional)' in the source, not 'hardbake', but functionally the same post-develop bake step: 115 °C, 1 min hot plate, OR 115 °C, 25 min (1500 s) convection oven. This row is unsplit across the table's two example columns (AR-P 3510, AR-P 3540 T), so attributed here to AR-P 3510T on the same reasoning as softbake.", "source": "\"Post-bake (optional)\" row, \"Process conditions\" table, p.1, of allresist_produktinfos_ar-p3500_3500t_englisch.pdf" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "lift-off", "etch-mask" ], "etchResistance": "Manufacturer states the AR-P 3500(T) series is 'plasma etching resistant, temperature-stable up to 120 °C' (Characterisation, series-wide, p.1). A 'Plasma etching rates (nm/min)' table (5 Pa, 240–250 V bias: Ar-sputtering 7, O2 165, CF4 37, 80 CF4 + 16 O2 88) is given but is grouped with the AR-P 3540T-labeled Cauchy coefficients, so it is not confirmed to represent AR-P 3510T specifically and is not used as a numeric value for this grade.", "liftoffSuitable": true, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "AR 300-70 or O2 plasma ashing (\"Removal\" row, \"Process conditions\" table, p.1 — unsplit, shared across the worked example). Note: a separate 'Process chemicals' box elsewhere on p.1, positioned alongside the AR-P 3540T worked example, instead lists 'Remover AR 300-76, T: AR 300-76' — that box is not confirmed to apply to AR-P 3510T and is not used as the primary value here.", "storage": "10–18 °C, approximately 6-month shelf life (\"Storage 6 month (°C)\" row, \"Properties I\" table, p.1 — a single value spanning both the 3510/3510T and 3540/3540T column groups).", "notes": "AR-P 3510T is the TMAH-compatible ('T') variant of Allresist's AR-P 3510 grade within the wider AR-P 3500(T) series, a classic DNQ/novolac positive resist for IC production with broadband UV / i-line / g-line sensitivity. The manufacturer states the 3500T sub-line is 'suitable for TMAH developer 0.26 n', distinguishing it from the base (non-T) grades. Several process parameters in this document are given only for the two SPECIFIC worked example columns the table actually labels — 'AR-P 3510' (base) and 'AR-P 3540 T' — and NOT for 'AR-P 3510 T' itself; most notably the exposure dose (55 vs. 120 mJ/cm² for the two shown grades) is clearly grade-sensitive, so no dose is stated for this grade rather than borrowing the base grade's number. By contrast, film thickness at 4000 rpm (2.0 µm) and the spin-curve figure are explicitly shared/combined between 3510 and 3510T by the manufacturer's own table structure and legend. A large block of dose-range, depth-of-focus, and SEM linearity/dark-field-erosion data on p.1 (bottom) and all of p.2 is explicitly labeled 'AR-P 3540 T' and belongs to that different grade, not to AR-P 3510T — excluded here despite the superficially similar SKU name.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "AR-P 3510T develops much faster or slower than expected — am I using the base-grade developer dilution?", "a": "Quite possibly. The T grades have their own row in the datasheet's development table: AR 300-26 at 1:2, AR 300-35 undiluted, or AR 300-44. The base AR-P 3510 row is different: AR 300-26 at 1:5, AR 300-35 at 1:1, or AR 300-47 at 1:1. The 3500 T line is the one rated for 0.26 N TMAH developer. Develop by puddle at 21–23 °C held to ±0.5 °C and rinse in DI water for 30 s.", "source": "AR-P 3500 / 3500 T product information (Allresist, as of January 2014) — Characterisation, p.22; Process conditions and Development recommendations, p.23" }, { "q": "What exposure dose should I start from for AR-P 3510T?", "a": "Not published for this grade. The process table gives 55 mJ/cm² for AR-P 3510 and 120 mJ/cm² for AR-P 3540 T, both as broadband-stepper E0, and neither should be borrowed for the T variant of the 2.0 µm grade. Allresist's method is to find the dose that clears a large open area in a reasonable develop time, then add 10–20 % for patterning. Do that with the developer and dilution you will actually run, since the dose moves with developer strength.", "source": "AR-P 3500 / 3500 T product information (Allresist, as of January 2014) — Process conditions: UV exposure, p.23; FAQs concerning photoresists (Allresist, 03.03.2016) — Question 9, p.8; Question 10, p.10" }, { "q": "AR-P 3510T structures round off during a hot process step — how hot can it go?", "a": "The AR-P 3500 (T) series is rated temperature-stable up to 120 °C, and its glass transition temperature is listed at 108 °C. The optional post-bake is 115 °C for 1 min on a hotplate, or 25 min in a convection oven. The datasheet illustrates the risk with AR-P 3540 structures shown unbaked and after 140 °C tempering on a hotplate. If a later step runs hotter than about 120 °C, expect profile rounding and plan the thermal budget around it.", "source": "AR-P 3500 / 3500 T product information (Allresist, as of January 2014) — Characterisation, Properties II and Temperature stability figure, p.22; Process conditions: Post-bake, p.23" }, { "q": "My AR-P 3510T thickness shifts between coating days — what should I check?", "a": "Humidity and solvent loss. Allresist's humidity study on the base AR-P 3510 grade shows film thickness falling steadily as relative humidity rises, so coat in a humidity-controlled room. Repeatedly opening the bottle evaporates solvent and thickens the film. Let a refrigerated bottle reach room temperature before opening, or moisture condenses on the resist. The datasheet reference coat is 4000 rpm for 60 s to 2.0 µm, followed by a 100 °C / 1 min hotplate softbake held to ±1 °C.", "source": "FAQs concerning photoresists (Allresist, 03.03.2016) — Questions 2 and 6, pp.3, 5–6; AR-P 3500 / 3500 T product information (Allresist, as of January 2014) — Properties I and Process conditions, pp.22–23" }, { "q": "AR-P 3510T lifts off SiO2 or gold during develop or wet etch — what's the fix?", "a": "Prime the surface. Allresist lists AR 300-80 as the adhesion promoter for this series; per its FAQ, adhesion promoters are absolutely required on SiO2, glass, gold, silver and GaAs, where resist adhesion is inherently weaker. It is spun on as a roughly 15 nm layer just before coating; vapour HMDS is the alternative. Dry new wafers on a hotplate first, clean used ones in acetone followed by isopropanol or ethanol, and avoid coating above 60 % relative humidity, which substantially reduces adhesion.", "source": "AR-P 3500 / 3500 T product information (Allresist, as of January 2014) — Process chemicals, p.22; FAQs concerning photoresists (Allresist, 03.03.2016) — Questions 4–5, pp.4–5" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.allresist.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/03/allresist_produktinfos_ar-p3500_3500t_englisch.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "As of January 2014", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://www.allresist.com/portfolio-item/developer-ar-300-44/", "what": "Allresist's own product page for developer AR 300-44: gives its main component as TMAH and its metal-ion content as under 0.1 ppm. Read together with the AR 300-26 page (sodium borate / sodium hydroxide) and the AR 300-35 page (sodium metasilicate / phosphate), it establishes that the developers this resist's own \"Development recommendations\" table offers span both a metal-ion-free and a metal-ion-containing chemistry." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "ar-p-5350", "name": "AR-P 5350", "manufacturer": "Allresist", "productLine": "AR-P 5300 series", "aliases": [], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Document never mentions grayscale or 3D lithography; the series is purpose-built for undercut/lift-off profiles, not grayscale relief.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "Positive-tone, DNQ-novolak resist purpose-built for lift-off from Allresist's AR-P 5300 series; AR-P 5350 is the thinner, higher-resolution grade (1.0 µm at 4000 rpm, 0.5 µm resolution) whose elevated softbake temperature generates the undercut profile needed for clean metal lift-off.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 0.73, "max_um": 1.96, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span: the datasheet publishes no prose achievable-range statement for AR-P 5350. The range here is the span of the AR-P 5350 trace (diamond marker) in the 'Spin curve' figure, p.1: 1.96 µm at 1,000 rpm to 0.73 µm at 7,000 rpm — the trace's actual plotted x-range. The 'Film thickness/4000 rpm (µm)' row in 'Properties I' (p.1) separately gives the single reference point 1.0 µm at 4000 rpm, confirmed by the worked 'Coating' row of the 'Process conditions' table (p.2): '4000 rpm, 60 s, 1.0 µm'." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "AR-P 5350", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 1.96 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 1.58 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 1.38 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 1.11 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 1.01 }, { "rpm": 6000, "um": 0.78 }, { "rpm": 7000, "um": 0.73 } ], "source": "read from figure, 'Spin curve' (D₀/µm 0.0–12.0 vs rpm 0–8000), p.1 of AR-P5300_english_Allresist_product_information.pdf (Allresist, as of January 2018 per p.1 footer); two individually-legended traces plotted together — the lower diamond-marker trace explicitly labeled 'AR-P 5350' beside its rightmost point (the upper square-marker trace is the separately labeled 'AR-P 5320', not used here); 7 diamond markers at rpm 1000/1500/2000/3000/4000/6000/7000 (no marker is plotted at 5000 rpm — the line passes through that gap unmarked — and both traces terminate at 7000 rpm, not extending to the axis's 8000 rpm end). The figure's 4000 rpm marker reads ≈1.01 µm, matching the Properties I table's printed 'Film thickness/4000 rpm (µm): 1.0' for AR-P 5350 (p.1) and the Coating row of the process-conditions table (p.2: '4000 rpm, 60 s, 1.0 µm').", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Spin-speed-vs-thickness figure ('Spin curve', p.1, axes D₀/µm 0.0-12.0 vs rpm 0-8000) carries two separately labeled traces, AR-P 5320 (upper) and AR-P 5350 (lower) — only the AR-P 5350 trace is plotted here, from its 7 diamond markers between 1000-7000 rpm (no marker at 5000 rpm; the trace does not extend to 8000 rpm). The figure's own 4000 rpm marker reads ≈1.01 µm, matching the Properties I table's 1.0 µm anchor closely.", "adhesion": { "hmds": null, "notes": "Allresist specifies its adhesion promoter AR 300-80 (p.1)." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 105, "time_s": 240, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "105 °C, 4 min hot plate — confirmed identically in two places: the 'Process parameters' box (p.1, explicitly labeled 'AR-P 5350' worked example) and the 'Tempering' row of the process-conditions table (p.2, which also gives a convection-oven alternative: 100 °C, 40 min = 2400 s). Processing instructions (p.2) note: 'Higher tempering temperatures are required to produce the undercut' — the elevated bake (vs. a typical ~90–100 °C positive-resist softbake) is deliberate and load-bearing for the lift-off undercut profile, not incidental.", "source": "\"Process parameters\" box, p.1 (AR-P 5350) + \"Tempering\" row, \"Process conditions\" table, p.2, of AR-P5300_english_Allresist_product_information.pdf" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "value_mJcm2": 55, "source": "\"UV exposure\" and \"Exposure dose\" rows, \"Process conditions\" table, p.2, AR-P 5350 column, of AR-P5300_english_Allresist_product_information.pdf" } ], "headlineBasis": "clearing dose, broadband stepper", "basisCopy": "The 55 mJ/cm² clearing dose is Allresist's figure for this grade, measured on a broadband stepper spanning 365, 405 and 436 nm alongside its 1.0 µm reference coat; no single-wavelength dose is published." }, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "AR 300-35 (primary, fully worked example); AR 300-26 or AR 300-47 listed as alternatives", "dilution": "AR 300-35 at 1:2 (worked example); alternatively AR 300-26 at 1:7, or AR 300-47 at 2:3 — per the 'Development recommendations' table, AR-P 5350 row", "time_s": 60, "method": "puddle", "rinse": "DI-H2O, 30 s", "source": "\"Process parameters\" box, p.1 (AR-P 5350) + \"Development\"/\"Rinse\" rows of the \"Process conditions\" table, p.2 + \"Development recommendations\" table, p.2 (AR-P 5350 row), of AR-P5300_english_Allresist_product_information.pdf" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [ "lift-off", "etch-mask" ], "etchResistance": "Manufacturer states the series is 'plasma etching resistant, temperature stable up to 120 °C' (Characterisation, series-wide, p.1). A 'Plasma etching rates (nm/min)' table (5 Pa, 240–250 V bias: Ar-sputtering 7, O2 161, CF4 39, 80 CF4 + 16 O2 90) is given but is NOT labeled to a specific grade in this document (unlike the sibling AR-P 3500/3500T sheet, where an equivalent table WAS explicitly tagged). The glass-transition temperature (108 °C) and dielectric constant (3.1) given alongside it are numerically IDENTICAL to the same two fields in the AR-P 3500/3500T sheet, so these figures may be generic Allresist-family boilerplate rather than AR-P 5350-specific measurements.", "liftoffSuitable": true, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "AR 300-76 or O2 plasma ashing (\"Removal\" row, \"Process conditions\" table, p.2, shared/unsplit across both grades). The 'Process chemicals' box (p.1, series-wide) additionally lists AR 600-71 as an alternative remover.", "storage": "10–18 °C, approximately 6-month shelf life (\"Storage 6 month (°C)\" row, \"Properties I\" table, p.1 — a single value shared across the AR-P 5320 and AR-P 5350 columns).", "notes": "AR-P 5350 is the thinner (1.0 µm at 4000 rpm), higher-contrast, higher-resolution (0.5 µm) grade of Allresist's AR-P 5300 series, a DNQ/novolac positive resist purpose-built for lift-off. Unlike most positive resists, an elevated softbake (105 °C, 4 min — well above a typical ~90–100 °C positive-resist prebake) deliberately produces the negative-sloped undercut profile needed for clean metal lift-off; the manufacturer states this explicitly ('higher tempering temperatures are required to produce the undercut'). Post-bake is explicitly 'Not required' for this series (process-conditions table, p.2). Development is aqueous-alkaline (AR 300-35, 1:2, 60 s in the fully worked example, confirmed twice in the document); AR 300-26 (1:7) and 'AR 300-47' (2:3) are named as alternatives with no stated time. The two-page source disagrees with itself on revision date: page 1's footer reads 'As of January 2018', page 2's reads 'As of January 2017' — both as printed, unreconciled.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "AR-P 5350 gives straight or sloped walls instead of a lift-off undercut — what went wrong?", "a": "Check the softbake first. AR-P 5350 builds its undercut only if the tempering step runs hotter than a standard positive-resist prebake. The datasheet says so directly and specifies 105 °C for 4 min on a hotplate, or 100 °C for 40 min in a convection oven, held to ±1 °C. Allresist explains that the resist contains components that harden the film surface during this bake, and the undercut then forms during aqueous-alkaline development. A cooler bake, or a hotplate reading low, loses it.", "source": "AR-P 5300 product information (Allresist, as of January 2017/2018) — Process parameters, p.30; Process conditions: Tempering, and Processing instructions, p.31; FAQs concerning photoresists (Allresist, 03.03.2016) — Question 14, p.12" }, { "q": "Which developer and dilution should I use for AR-P 5350 undercut profiles?", "a": "The datasheet's worked process is AR 300-35 at 1:2 for 60 s puddle at 21–23 °C (±0.5 °C). Its development table also lists AR 300-26 at 1:7 and AR 300-47 at 2:3 for this grade. Allresist's FAQ calls AR 300-26 the optimally adjusted developer for the undercut. Since the undercut is formed in the developer, pick one developer and dilution, then tune the develop time on sectioned test wafers rather than changing both at once.", "source": "AR-P 5300 product information (Allresist, as of January 2017/2018) — Process conditions, Processing instructions and Development recommendations, p.31; FAQs concerning photoresists (Allresist, 03.03.2016) — Question 14, p.12" }, { "q": "What dose should I start from for a 1.0 µm AR-P 5350 coat?", "a": "The datasheet gives E0 = 55 mJ/cm² on a broadband stepper (365/405/436 nm) for the 1.0 µm coat at 4000 rpm for 60 s; the reference parameters were run on a g-line stepper at NA 0.56. Treat 55 mJ/cm² as the clearing dose. Allresist's rule for positive resists is to add 10–20 % over dose-to-clear for patterning, and to re-measure on your own tool and developer. The value shifts with bake, developer strength and time after coating.", "source": "AR-P 5300 product information (Allresist, as of January 2017/2018) — Process parameters, p.30; Process conditions: Coating and UV exposure, p.31; FAQs concerning photoresists (Allresist, 03.03.2016) — Question 9, p.8" }, { "q": "The AR-P 5350 undercut is fine after develop but the lift-off is poor — could the evaporation be deforming it?", "a": "It can. The AR-P 5300 series is rated temperature-stable up to 120 °C, with a glass transition temperature of 108 °C, and the datasheet says a post-bake is not required. MicroChemicals' trouble shooter warns that radiation from the source and the heat of the condensing film can warm a resist past its softening point during deposition; the profile then rounds, metal coats the sidewall and lift-off gets worse or fails. Keep the substrate below 120 °C while you deposit. For removal, the datasheet lists AR 300-76 or O2 plasma ashing, with AR 600-71 as a further remover.", "source": "AR-P 5300 product information (Allresist, as of January 2017/2018) — Characterisation, Properties II and Process chemicals, p.30; Process conditions: Post-bake and Removal, p.31; Photolithography Trouble Shooter (MicroChemicals) — Lift-off: Resist Softening and Rounding during Coating, p.18" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.allresist.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/AR-P5300_english_Allresist_product_information.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Inconsistent across pages: 'As of January 2018' (p.1 footer) vs. 'As of January 2017' (p.2 footer) — recorded verbatim, not reconciled.", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://www.allresist.com/portfolio-item/developer-ar-300-47/", "what": "Allresist's own product page for developer AR 300-47: gives its main component as TMAH and its metal-ion content as under 0.1 ppm. Read together with the AR 300-26 page (sodium borate / sodium hydroxide) and the AR 300-35 page (sodium metasilicate / phosphate), it establishes that the developers this resist's own \"Development recommendations\" table offers span both a metal-ion-free and a metal-ion-containing chemistry." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "ar-u-4030", "name": "AR-U 4030", "manufacturer": "Allresist", "productLine": "AR-U 4000 series", "aliases": [ "ARU4030", "AR-U4030" ], "tone": "image-reversal", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "chemistryNote": "The Characterisation feature list (p.32) describes AR-U 4030 as a 'combination of novolac and bisazide'. The Processing instructions (p.35) give the actual photochemistry: 'the alkali-insoluble naphthoquinone diazides (NCDs) are converted into alkali-soluble indenecarboxylic acid derivatives' during UV exposure — the classic DNQ-novolak mechanism — and 'the resist contains an amine component' that reacts with the indenecarboxylic acid during the reversal bake to crosslink exposed areas.", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not marketed for greyscale or 3D lithography; targets binary IC patterning, switchable between positive-tone and negative/image-reversal-tone processing of the same coated film.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "AR-U 4030 is Allresist's image-reversal photoresist in the AR-U 4000 series, a DNQ-novolak image-reversal resist with an amine additive that can also be run as an ordinary positive resist, coating roughly 1.79-4.12 µm and producing pronounced undercut lift-off profiles when processed with an image-reversal bake plus flood exposure.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 1.79, "max_um": 4.12, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span: the range here is the span of the AR-U 4030 trace (topmost, dark-navy diamonds) in the 'Spin curve' figure, p.32: 4.12 µm at 1,000 rpm to 1.79 µm at 6,000 rpm — the trace's actual plotted x-range. The datasheet separately gives two example thicknesses for AR-U 4030: the reference 'Film thickness/4000 rpm (µm): 1.8' (Properties I table, p.32, matching the Coating boxes on both process diagrams), and the 'Structure resolution' SEM example caption 'AR-U 4030, Undercut negative structures at a film thickness of 2.5 µm' (p.32) — neither is a stated achievable min-max range in prose." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "AR-U 4030", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 4.12 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 2.93 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 2.4 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 2.09 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 1.89 }, { "rpm": 6000, "um": 1.79 } ], "source": "read from figure, 'Spin curve' (D₀/µm 0-6.0 vs rpm 0-8000), p.32 of Allresist AR-U 4000 product-information sheet (as of January 2017); multi-grade chart with three individually legended traces — AR-U 4030 (topmost, dark-navy diamonds), AR-U 4040 (middle, red squares), AR-U 4060 (bottom, olive triangles). The topmost trace is AR-U 4030 two ways: its marker colour matches the dark-navy 'AR-U 4030' legend label sitting at that trace's right-hand endpoint, and it sorts correctly against the Properties I table's per-grade nominal 'Film thickness/4000 rpm (µm)' row (AR-U 4030 = 1.8, AR-U 4040 = 1.4, AR-U 4060 = 0.6, p.32) and the Coating-box captions ('4000 rpm, 60 s, 1.8/1.4/0.6 µm', p.33/p.34) — the thickest plotted trace is the grade with the largest nominal thickness. Note a real disagreement inside the datasheet: the figure's own 4000 rpm marker reads 2.09 µm, ~16% above the printed 1.8 µm nominal in the Properties I table and the matching Coating-box captions. The figure is what this curve reports, since the table value is a rounded nominal rather than a reading off this measured curve.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Spin-speed-vs-thickness figure ('Spin curve', p.32, axes D₀/µm 0-6.0 vs rpm 0-8000): genuine multi-grade chart, three individually legended traces (AR-U 4030 topmost/navy, AR-U 4040 middle/red, AR-U 4060 bottom/olive); only the AR-U 4030 (topmost navy diamond) trace is plotted here, from its 6 markers between 1000-6000 rpm. Trace identity is fixed by both the legend colour and the Properties I nominal-thickness ranking (4030=1.8 > 4040=1.4 > 4060=0.6 µm at 4000 rpm, matching the top>mid>bottom trace order). The figure's own 4000 rpm marker (2.09 µm) is ~16% above the Properties I table's printed anchor (1.8 µm) — a genuine figure-vs-table disagreement in the source datasheet; the figure value is the one plotted here. No dispense volume or acceleration ramp is described anywhere in this document.", "adhesion": { "hmds": null, "notes": "Datasheet specifies Allresist's own adhesion promoter AR 300-80 (Process chemicals table, p.32); does not mention HMDS specifically either way." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 90, "time_s": 60, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Referred to as 'Tempering' in the datasheet. ± 1 °C tolerance. Alternative: 85 °C, 25 min (1500 s) convection oven. Same schedule is used for both the positive-tone and negative/image-reversal processes. Corroborated by Processing instructions prose (p.35): for pure positive-tone use, 'a softbake at only 85 °C (oven) or 90 °C (hot plate) after coating is recommended... since this resist has the potential to be crosslinked due to its specific components.'", "source": "Process conditions diagrams, p.33 (positive) and p.34 (negative); Processing instructions, p.35" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "value_mJcm2": 42, "source": "Process conditions, NEGATIVE (image-reversal) process diagram, p.34 of Allresist AR-U 4000 series product information (English); dose stated as \"Exposure dose (E0, broadband UV stepper): 42 mJ/cm²\". The positive-process diagram on p.33 gives a different dose (38 mJ/cm²) and is deliberately not used." } ], "headlineBasis": "E0, broadband UV stepper", "basisCopy": "42 mJ/cm² is the image-wise dose for the reversal (negative-tone) process; the same resist run straight positive, with no reversal bake and no flood exposure, is published at 38 mJ/cm² instead." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 115, "time_s": 240, "notes": "Referred to as 'Image reversal bake' in the datasheet — occurs after the image-wise exposure and before the flood exposure, and is specific to the negative/image-reversal process (it is not performed in the plain positive-tone process). Alternative: 110 °C, 25 min (1500 s) convection oven. Per Processing instructions (p.35): 'Intensifying the reversal bake supports the formation of vertical walls' for vertical-edge negative structures, while 'low temperature during reversal bake' is one of three levers (alongside low image-wise exposure and extended development time) that increase undercut for lift-off.", "source": "Process conditions negative process diagram, p.34; Processing instructions, p.35" }, "floodExposure": { "dose_mJcm2": 74, "notes": "'Flood exposure: Broadband UV stepper: approx. twice of image-wise without mask' — for AR-U 4030 specifically, 74 mJ/cm² (roughly 1.76x the 42 mJ/cm² image-wise dose). Performed without a mask, after the image reversal bake and before development, and is what converts the still-soluble (unexposed) areas into an alkali-soluble state so the final development produces a negative image. Broadband (365/405/436 nm), not attributed to a single wavelength.", "source": "Process conditions negative process diagram, p.34" }, "develop": { "developer": "AR 300-35", "dilution": "4:3", "time_s": 60, "method": "puddle", "rinse": "DI-H2O, 30 s", "source": "Process conditions negative process diagram, p.34" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "time_s": null, "notes": "Datasheet explicitly states post-bake is 'Not required' for both the positive and negative processes.", "source": "Process conditions diagrams, p.33 (positive) and p.34 (negative)" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "image-reversal", "lift-off", "etch-mask" ], "etchResistance": "No qualitative etch-resistance claim is made in the Characteristics list (unlike Allresist's AR-N 4300 sheet); only a raw rate table is given. Plasma etching rates (5 Pa, 240-250 V Bias, Properties II table, p.32): Ar-sputtering 8 nm/min, O2 169 nm/min, CF4 40 nm/min, 80% CF4 + 16% O2 89 nm/min.", "liftoffSuitable": true, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "General Process chemicals table (p.32): AR 300-76, AR 300-72. Positive-process removal (p.33): 'AR 300-76 or O2 plasma ashing'. Negative-process removal (p.34): 'AR 300-70 or O2 plasma ashing' — this last figure ('AR 300-70') differs from the AR 300-76 used elsewhere in the same datasheet; reproduced verbatim as printed rather than corrected to 300-76, in case it is a distinct product rather than a misprint.", "storage": "\"Storage 6 month (°C): 8 - 12\" (Properties I table, p.32).", "notes": "AR-U 4030 is Allresist's image-reversal resist in the AR-U 4000 series — described as a 'combination of novolac and bisazide' — that can be processed either as an ordinary positive resist or, with an image-reversal bake and flood exposure, as a negative resist with pronounced undercut lift-off profiles. In image-reversal (negative) mode the sequence is: image-wise broadband exposure (42 mJ/cm² for this grade) -> an 'image reversal bake' (115 °C/4 min hotplate, or 110 °C/25 min oven) that crosslinks the exposed areas via the resist's amine component -> an unmasked flood exposure (74 mJ/cm², roughly twice the image-wise dose) that renders the remaining, still-unexposed areas developable -> puddle development in AR 300-35 (4:3). Undercut and vertical-wall profiles are controlled by the same three levers in opposite directions: low image-wise dose + low reversal-bake temperature + longer development time maximizes undercut for lift-off, while high dose + high bake temperature + shorter development time produces vertical walls suited to etch masking. Critically, the image-wise exposure dose differs by process mode for the same grade — 38 mJ/cm² if used as a plain positive resist versus 42 mJ/cm² in the image-reversal negative mode — so the two figures must not be conflated; this recipe records the negative/image-reversal dose since that matches the resist's headline classification (tone: image-reversal), with the positive-mode figure noted separately. No h-line- or i-line-isolated dose is published anywhere; both the 42 mJ/cm² image-wise and 74 mJ/cm² flood-exposure doses are broadband (365/405/436 nm) figures.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "My AR-U 4030 image-reversal profiles come out vertical when I need a lift-off undercut — which knobs do I turn?", "a": "Three, per the datasheet. For more undercut, lower the image-wise dose, lower the reversal-bake temperature, and develop longer. For vertical walls, do the opposite: raise the image-wise dose, run the reversal bake hotter, and shorten development. The datasheet's negative-mode starting point for AR-U 4030 is 42 mJ/cm² image-wise (broadband stepper), a 115 °C / 4 min hotplate reversal bake (or 110 °C / 25 min in an oven), and 60 s puddle development. Change one knob at a time from there.", "source": "AR-U 4000 product information (Allresist, as of January 2017) — Process conditions negative process, p.34; Processing instructions: Negative resist, Increasing the undercut / Vertical edges, p.35" }, { "q": "In negative mode my AR-U 4030 areas that should clear stay behind — is it the flood or the developer?", "a": "Check both against the negative-mode column, not the positive one. The flood exposure, done without a mask after the reversal bake, should be about twice the image-wise dose: 74 mJ/cm² for AR-U 4030. Negative mode also takes a stronger developer: AR 300-35 at 4:3 for 60 s, where the positive process uses AR 300-35 at 1:1. The alternatives are AR 300-26 at 1:4 or AR 300-47 at 3:2. Carrying the positive-mode dilution over is an easy way to under-develop.", "source": "AR-U 4000 product information (Allresist, as of January 2017) — Process conditions and Development recommendations (positive process), p.33; Process conditions negative process and Development recommendations (negative process), p.34" }, { "q": "Can I run AR-U 4030 as a plain positive resist, and why won't it give an undercut that way?", "a": "Yes: without the reversal bake and flood it behaves as a positive resist, with 38 mJ/cm² and AR 300-35 1:1 for 60 s as the starting point. Keep the softbake at 90 °C on a hotplate (85 °C in an oven), because the resist can crosslink. An undercut cannot be obtained in positive mode. A high dose gives vertical edges, and a much lower one gives sloped trenches, for example 60°. A final flood exposure plus tempering at 95–105 °C raises the thermal stability of positive structures.", "source": "AR-U 4000 product information (Allresist, as of January 2017) — Process conditions, p.33; Processing instructions: Positive resist, p.35" }, { "q": "AR-U 4030 develop times wander from day to day — what should I control?", "a": "Temperature, dilution and bath age. The datasheet develops at 21–23 °C held to ±0.5 °C. Allresist's FAQ adds that metal-ion-free developers such as AR 300-47 are more sensitive to dilution errors than the buffered AR 300-26 and AR 300-35, so dilute carefully, by weight if possible, just before use. Open baths lose activity as they absorb CO2 from the air. Don't rinse mid-develop and then go back into the developer, either: the rate rises sharply on the second dip.", "source": "AR-U 4000 product information (Allresist, as of January 2017) — Process conditions, pp.33–34; FAQs concerning photoresists (Allresist, 03.03.2016) — Question 10, pp.9–10" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.allresist.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/12/allresist_produktinfos_ar-u4000_englisch.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "As of January 2017", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://www.allresist.com/portfolio-item/developer-ar-300-47/", "what": "Allresist's own product page for developer AR 300-47: gives its main component as TMAH and its metal-ion content as under 0.1 ppm. Read together with the AR 300-26 page (sodium borate / sodium hydroxide) and the AR 300-35 page (sodium metasilicate / phosphate), it establishes that the developers this resist's own \"Development recommendations\" table offers span both a metal-ion-free and a metal-ion-containing chemistry." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "az-10xt", "name": "AZ 10XT", "manufacturer": "Merck", "productLine": "AZ 10XT Series", "aliases": [ "AZ 10XT Series", "10XT" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Datasheet does not address grayscale or 3D patterning for AZ 10XT; no such use is claimed anywhere in the document.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "AZ 10XT is a thick positive-tone DNQ photoresist for plating molds and etch masks, sold in 520/220/100 cP grades for single-coat films from 4 µm to over 20 µm — a thick-DNQ line that needs a 30–60 min post-softbake rehydration wait on films above 5 µm.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 4, "max_um": 20, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated — p.1 APPLICATIONS bullet: 'Single coat thicknesses from 4.0 to >20µm', verbatim. The '>20µm' upper bound is inherently open-ended; max_um is recorded as 20 (the floor of the stated inequality), not a hard ceiling. A 24 µm process is separately demonstrated (p.10) but is explicitly a double coat (2 x 12 µm), not a single-coat number, so it does not contradict this single-coat spec." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "AZ 10XT 520cP", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 14 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 11.7 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 10.2 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 9 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 7.8 } ], "source": "read from figure, \"SPIN CURVES (200MM SILICON)\", p.1 of AZ 10XT Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21) — one of three viscosity-grade curves on the same chart, identified by its red 520cP legend entry", "figureRead": true }, { "label": "AZ 10XT 220cP", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 9.8 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 7.7 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 6.6 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 5.9 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 5.3 } ], "source": "read from figure, \"SPIN CURVES (200MM SILICON)\", p.1 of AZ 10XT Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21) — identified by its blue 220cP legend entry; consistent with the '220cps, 6µm thick film' reference process on p.3-4 and p.6-7 of the same datasheet", "figureRead": true }, { "label": "AZ 10XT 100cP", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 6.7 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 5.6 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 5 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 4.4 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 4 } ], "source": "read from figure, \"SPIN CURVES (200MM SILICON)\", p.1 of AZ 10XT Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21) — identified by its green 100cP legend entry", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Spin curves cover 1000-3000 rpm on 200 mm silicon for three viscosity grades (520 cP, 220 cP, 100 cP), each a single, unambiguously legended line on one chart (not a multi-SKU chart, so no grade-identification ambiguity) — values above are read from the figure, not a published numeric table, so treat each as an estimate read from the chart. Coating note (p.12): the spin-curve graphs assume coating to equilibrium; thicker coats can be produced off-curve by shortening spin time and letting the film 'self level', which this document does not quantify. No dispense volume, spin ramp, or edge-bead detail is published anywhere in this datasheet.", "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "Oxide-forming substrates (e.g. Si) should be HMDS primed prior to coating AZ 10XT (PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS > SUBSTRATE PREPARATION, p.12)." }, "rehydration": "A rehydration delay of 30-60 minutes between soft bake and exposure is required for films thicker than 5.0 µm; delay time varies with film thickness and ambient humidity. The front-page process summary lists a 30-minute rehydration hold as the typical value, and the 6 µm and 12 µm reference processes each specify a 30-minute 'Post Bake Delay'; the 24 µm double-coat reference process uses a 45-minute delay. (Source: FILM REHYDRATION, p.12, and TYPICAL PROCESS (p.1) / Reference Process tables (p.3-4, p.6-7, p.9-10) of AZ 10XT Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21))", "holds": [ { "at": "after-softbake", "label": "Rehydrate", "duration": "30–60 min", "condition": "films over 5 µm", "source": "FILM REHYDRATION, p.12: \"A rehydration delay of 30-60 minutes between soft bake and exposure is required for films >5.0µm thick.\"" } ], "softbake": { "temp_c": 110, "tempRange_c": { "min": 95, "max": 110 }, "time_s": 120, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "This is the reference 6 µm-film softbake, repeated identically across all four 6 µm reference processes (dense lines and holes, on Si and on Cu; p.3, p.4, p.6, p.7). The datasheet states soft bake time is 'film thickness dependent' (p.1) and that AZ 10XT soft bake temperature should generally be in the 95-110°C range (p.12, PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS > SOFT BAKE), with ramped temperatures possibly needed for very thick films to avoid solvent-outgassing bubbles. Other documented thicknesses use different bakes: 12 µm at 110°C/180 s (p.9); a 24 µm double coat at 110°C/80 s (first layer) then 115°C/180 s (second layer) (p.10).", "source": "Reference Process tables, p.3-4 and p.6-7 of AZ 10XT Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21) (6 µm film on Si/Cu)" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [ { "wavelength_nm": 365, "value_mJcm2": 380, "source": "Reference Process tables, p.3-4 of AZ 10XT Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21)" } ], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": 365, "binBasis": "spun-film", "conditionKey": "dense-lines-on-copper", "conditionLabel": "dense lines, 6 µm film on copper", "bins": [ { "um_min": 6, "um_max": 6, "mJ_min": 455, "mJ_max": 455 } ], "source": "REFERENCE PROCESS (DENSE LINES IN 6µM FILM THICKNESS ON CU), p.6 of AZ 10XT Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21): \"i-line @ 455mJ/cm2 nominal (0.48NA)\". i-line is the 365 nm mercury line." }, { "wavelength_nm": 365, "binBasis": "spun-film", "conditionKey": "holes-on-copper", "conditionLabel": "contact holes, 6 µm film on copper", "bins": [ { "um_min": 6, "um_max": 6, "mJ_min": 445, "mJ_max": 445 } ], "source": "REFERENCE PROCESS (HOLES IN 6.0µM FILM THICKNESS ON CU), p.7 of AZ 10XT Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21): \"i-line @ 445mJ/cm2 nominal (0.48NA)\". i-line is the 365 nm mercury line." } ], "basisCopy": "380 mJ/cm² i-line is the datasheet's 6 µm-on-silicon figure; the same film on copper needs more, and a 24 µm double coat took 1785 and 1875 mJ/cm² on two g-h-line tools." }, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "AZ 400K", "dilution": "1:4", "time_s": 420, "method": "immersion", "rinse": null, "source": "Reference Process tables (dense lines / holes, 6 µm film, Si and Cu), p.3-4 and p.6-7 of AZ 10XT Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21)" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 90, "max": 100 }, "time_s": null, "notes": "Keep the hard bake in the 90-100°C range to minimize thermal distortion of the pattern; no bake time is published. Improves adhesion in wet-etch and plating applications, and pattern stability in dry-etch processes.", "source": "PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS > HARD BAKE, p.12 of AZ 10XT Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21)" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "electroplating-molding", "etch-mask" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "AZ Kwik Strip, AZ 300T, or AZ 400T (solvent-based removers), per PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS > STRIPPING, p.12 of AZ 10XT Series Technical datasheet", "storage": null, "notes": "AZ 10XT is a thick positive-tone plating resist pitched by the vendor as an upgrade over conventional thick DNQ resists in sidewall profile, aspect ratio and photospeed. Like other thick DNQ-class positive resists it needs a rehydration wait — 30-60 minutes between soft bake and exposure for any film over 5 µm — before it develops reliably; skipping it is a common source of process trouble on thick coats, and the wait grows to 45 minutes for the datasheet's 24 µm double-coat process. Post-expose bake is explicitly optional and every reference process in this datasheet runs with none, consistent with a non-chemically-amplified resist. It develops in either TMAH (AZ 300MIF/AZ 435MIF) or a buffered alkaline developer (AZ 400K, used in most of the reference processes here) — the datasheet does not name one as preferred. HMDS priming is called out explicitly for oxide-forming substrates such as silicon. Exposure dose and softbake time both scale sharply with target film thickness and substrate: at the same 6 µm film thickness the i-line nominal rises from 380 mJ/cm² on silicon to 445-455 mJ/cm² on copper, so confirm the working dose on your own tool. A first-time user should follow the specific reference-process table for their target thickness and substrate rather than a single rule of thumb.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "High-resolution projection lithography for MEMS-applications using thick photoresist AZ 10XT", "authors": "Schermer et al.", "journal": "2022 Smart Systems Integration (SSI)", "year": 2022, "doi": "10.1109/SSI56489.2022.9901437", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1109/SSI56489.2022.9901437", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "Thick AZ 10XT under projection (stepper) lithography for MEMS etch masks" } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "My 12 µm AZ 10XT film clears at the top but stalls near the substrate — what did I skip?", "a": "Most likely the rehydration hold. The datasheet makes a 30–60 min delay between soft bake and exposure a requirement for films over 5.0 µm, and says the time needed varies with film thickness and ambient humidity. Its own reference runs hold 30 min at 6 and 12 µm and 45 min for the 2 × 12 µm double coat. MicroChemicals adds that development rate drops significantly below about 40 % relative humidity, so keep the room at a steady 40–50 %.", "source": "AZ 10XT Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — Film Rehydration, p.12; Reference Process tables, p.3–10. MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Development: Insufficient Development Rate (Sufficient Rehydration?), p.6" }, { "q": "Why are there bubbles in my thick AZ 10XT coat right after soft bake?", "a": "Solvent is leaving faster than the film can let it out. For very thick films the datasheet says ramped soft-bake temperatures may be required to avoid bubbles from rapid solvent outgassing, and it keeps soft bake in the 95–110 °C range with time depending on thickness. The reference processes use 110 °C for 120 s at 6 µm and 180 s at 12 µm on a direct-contact hotplate. Ramp the plate up rather than dropping a 20 µm coat straight onto 110 °C.", "source": "AZ 10XT Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — Soft Bake, p.12; Typical Process footnote, p.1; Reference Process tables, p.3 and p.9" }, { "q": "My AZ 10XT plating mold rounded over during hard bake — what temperature is safe?", "a": "Stay at 90–100 °C, the hard-bake window the datasheet gives for minimal thermal distortion. Its thermal-flow SEMs of a large pad and a 10 µm line show the edges starting to bow at 100 °C and the line reflowing into a dome at 110 °C — the same temperature as the soft bake, so a developed pattern cannot take it. The hard bake is still worth doing: it improves adhesion in wet etch and plating and pattern stability in dry etch, provided it stays at or below 100 °C.", "source": "AZ 10XT Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — Hard Bake, p.12; Thermal Flow Characteristics (large pad and 10 µm line), p.11" }, { "q": "I moved AZ 10XT from silicon to a copper seed and features stopped clearing at my dose — why?", "a": "Copper needs more dose. In the 6 µm reference processes (i-line, 0.48 NA, 110 °C / 120 s soft bake, 30 min hold, AZ 400K 1:4 immersion for 420 s) the nominal dose is 380 mJ/cm² on silicon but 455 mJ/cm² for dense lines and 445 mJ/cm² for holes on copper. Benchmark the dose again on the new substrate rather than carrying the silicon number over. On oxide-forming substrates such as Si, HMDS-prime before coating; every substrate must be clean, dry and free of organic residue.", "source": "AZ 10XT Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — Reference Process tables (6 µm on Si, p.3–4; 6 µm on Cu, p.6–7); Substrate Preparation, p.12" }, { "q": "Can I use a stronger developer to speed up a slow AZ 10XT develop?", "a": "You can, at a cost. The datasheet recommends AZ 435MIF or AZ 400K at 1:3 or 1:4, and warns that higher-normality (less dilute) developer improves photospeed but may increase CD non-uniformity and dark film loss. The 6 µm reference processes use AZ 400K 1:4 for 420 s immersion; the 12 µm process 260 s spray. Rule out a short rehydration hold and underexposure first: in a thick film too little dose lets development run normally to some depth and then almost stop.", "source": "AZ 10XT Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — Developing, p.12; Reference Process tables, p.3 and p.9. MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Sufficient Exposure Dose (Thick Resist Films), p.7" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_10xt_photoresist.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. (03/21)", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "az-125nxt", "name": "AZ 125nXT", "manufacturer": "Merck", "productLine": "AZ 125nXT Series", "aliases": [ "AZ 125nXT Series", "AZ 125nXT-7B", "AZ 125nXT-10B" ], "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "photopolymer", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not discussed; the document's own applications list (TSV, plating, RIE etch) and every worked example are binary line/hole/post patterns, not grayscale profiles.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "AZ 125nXT is a photopolymer negative-tone photoresist for ultra-thick single-coat films (roughly 18-120 µm across its two viscosity grades), built for Cu/Au/solder electroplating and RIE etch masks in advanced packaging, with no rehydration hold and no PEB required.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 18, "max_um": 120, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated - explicit THICKNESS GRADES table (p.2): AZ 125nXT-7B '~18-35µm', AZ 125nXT-10B '~35-120µm'. Combined min/max of the two stated grade ranges. (The front-page bullet separately gives a looser 'Single coat thicknesses from 20 to >100µm', p.1; the grade table is the more specific of the two.)" }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "AZ 125nXT-10B", "points": [ { "rpm": 600, "um": 120 }, { "rpm": 800, "um": 100 }, { "rpm": 1000, "um": 75 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 55 }, { "rpm": 1900, "um": 48 }, { "rpm": 2100, "um": 43 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 38 } ], "source": "read from figure, p.10 of AZ 125nXT Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 01/24), 'COATING GUIDELINES' spin-speed chart. Two-grade chart; traces identified by the chart's own legend (filled triangle = AZ 125nXT-10B, filled circle = AZ 125nXT-7B), not by color alone.", "figureRead": true }, { "label": "AZ 125nXT-7B", "points": [ { "rpm": 600, "um": 57 }, { "rpm": 1000, "um": 35 }, { "rpm": 1300, "um": 24 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 21 }, { "rpm": 1900, "um": 18 }, { "rpm": 2300, "um": 14 } ], "source": "read from figure, p.10 of AZ 125nXT Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 01/24), 'COATING GUIDELINES' spin-speed chart. Two-grade chart; traces identified by the chart's own legend (filled triangle = AZ 125nXT-10B, filled circle = AZ 125nXT-7B), not by color alone.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "The datasheet explicitly cautions (p.10) that, unlike thin-resist spin curves, 'films will continue to thin with extended spin times' for a resist this viscous, and that the plotted curves 'may be used as general guidelines for coating films of 30µm thickness and above' - i.e. the document itself flags the low-thickness end of its own chart as unreliable. That caveat is directly visible in the data: the AZ 125nXT-7B trace spans 14-57 µm (2300 rpm to 600 rpm), both outside the grade's own stated 18-35 µm range (p.2 THICKNESS GRADES table) — consistent with the datasheet's own guidance that the curves apply to films of 30 µm and above (p.10). A full example coating sequence with acceleration and function-per-step (dispense/spread/snap-spin/set-thickness/backside rinse-dry/edge-bead-flatten) is given on p.10 for building a real recipe, rather than a single spin-speed number.", "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "'Oxide forming substrates (Si, etc.) should be HMDS primed prior to coating AZ 125nXT. Contact your product representative for detailed information on pre-treating with HMDS.' (p.11, Substrate Preparation)." }, "rehydration": "None required - the datasheet states explicitly, in both the Typical Process summary ('Rehydration Hold: None', p.1) and in bold in the Process Considerations section ('NO POST BAKE REHYDRATION DELAYS ARE REQUIRED', p.11), that no rehydration hold is needed, unlike thick DNQ resists.", "softbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 115, "max": 140 }, "time_s": null, "timeRange_s": { "min": 300, "max": 1200 }, "method": null, "notes": "Soft-bake conditions are 115-140°C for 5-20 min, and the time scales with film thickness. The published examples span the whole window: 115°C stepping-proximity bake, up to 120 s at a 0.002 in gap, for 20 µm of the 7B grade; 130°C for 13 min on a hotplate for 50 µm of 10B; 120°C stepping-proximity, up to 400 s in contact, for 20 µm of 7B on a different tool; 135°C for 25 min for 120 µm of 10B.", "source": "p.1, p.11 (range); pp.3-6 (worked-example values)" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "basisCopy": "Sensitivity spans 365 to 435 nm with no single stated dose, and the tool matters as much as the film: one 20 µm coat took 1120 mJ/cm² on a Suss MA-200 and 2000 mJ/cm² on an Ultratech AP300; a 70 µm film took 1800 mJ/cm²." }, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "AZ 300MIF", "dilution": "0.26N (2.38%) TMAH, ready-to-use; puddle mode recommended", "time_s": null, "method": "puddle", "rinse": null, "source": "p.1, p.11 (developer/mode); pp.3-6 (worked-example times)" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 130, "max": 140 }, "time_s": null, "optional": true, "condition": "generally not required", "notes": "'Hard baking (post develop bake) is generally not required with AZ 125nXT. However, hard baking may improve pattern stability in aggressive dry etch processes. Hard bake temperatures should be in the 130°-140°C range.' No time or usage threshold is given.", "source": "p.11 (Hard Bake)" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "etch-mask", "electroplating-molding", "high-aspect-ratio" ], "etchResistance": "Described only qualitatively: 'etch resistance, chemical resistance, and thermal stability far superior to typical chemically amplified photoresists' (p.1) and 'RIE etch applications' (p.1). No etch rate or selectivity number is given anywhere.", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "AZ 400T, 75°C, 20-25 min with agitation (p.11, Stripping); corroborated by worked electroplating examples: 'Strip: AZ 400T @ 75C' for Cu (p.7) and 'Photoresist Strip AZ 400T @ 75°C' for Au (p.8)", "storage": null, "notes": "AZ 125nXT is a photopolymer (not conventional DNQ or the vendor's own 'typical' CAR) negative resist purpose-built for ultra-thick, high-aspect-ratio plating molds and RIE masks up to and beyond 100 µm in a single coat. Two properties make it distinct from thinner thick-film resists: no rehydration hold is needed after softbake, and a PEB is explicitly not required at all - both are called out in bold in the datasheet, in direct contrast to the classic DNQ rehydration wait needed by thick DNQ resists. Real electroplating results are documented for Cu, Ni-compatible, and Au processes with post-plate/post-strip micrographs (pp.7-8), and the stripped resist shows no reported underplating. Coating this resist is its own discipline: the vendor explicitly warns that, unlike thin-resist spin coating, films keep thinning with extended spin time, so both spin speed and spin time must be tuned together (p.10), and the datasheet's own coating-guideline curves are only endorsed for films of 30 µm and above even though they are plotted further down. HMDS priming is required on oxide-forming substrates such as Si.", "developerFamily": "tmah", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Applications of Novel High-Aspect-Ratio Ultrathick UV Photoresist for Microelectroplating", "authors": "Staab et al.", "journal": "Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems", "year": 2011, "doi": "10.1109/jmems.2011.2159098", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1109/jmems.2011.2159098", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "The acrylic resist AZ 125 nXT is demonstrated at 400, 800 and 1400 um film thickness with 20:1 aspect ratio for low-cost UV-LIGA, electroformed in acid copper at room temperature and near-neutral nickel at 50 C, then stripped in DMSO/acetone or plasma to release freestanding metal at 13:1 and 16:1." }, { "type": "paper", "title": "Fabrication of microfluidic chips using lithographic patterning and adhesive bonding of the thick negative photoresist AZ 125 nXT", "authors": "Knoll et al.", "journal": "Proceedings of SPIE", "year": 2015, "doi": "10.1117/12.2178812", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2178812", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "AZ 125 nXT was lithographically patterned into 90 um deep microfluidic channels and sealed by adhesive bonding, presented as an SU-8 alternative that fully cross-links during UV exposure without a post-exposure bake.", "note": "Conference proceedings paper (Proc. SPIE 9517, Smart Sensors, Actuators, and MEMS VII), not a journal article." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Why is my AZ 125nXT film sticking to the mask or tearing when I separate it?", "a": "AZ 125nXT stays soft after spin and slightly tacky even after soft bake, and the datasheet says direct or vacuum contact lithography is not recommended. Its 50 µm example prints on a proximity aligner with a 60 µm gap, and its gap study covers 10–90 µm. If you cannot avoid contact, MicroChemicals' trouble shooter names AZ 125nXT as a resist where switching from hard to soft contact helps. It also notes that a cool or short soft bake leaves more solvent and makes sticking worse, and that particles or bubbles in the film can transfer to the mask.", "source": "AZ 125nXT Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 01/24) — Process Considerations: Coating, p.11; Example Process (50 µm on Cu), p.4; Top and Bottom CD Dependency on Proximity Gap, p.9; Photolithography Trouble Shooter (MicroChemicals) — Sticking Between Resist Film and Mask, p.6" }, { "q": "My AZ 125nXT thickness keeps coming in thinner than the spin curve says — why?", "a": "With a resist this viscous the film does not spin to an equilibrium thickness. It dries slowly and keeps thinning the longer it spins, so the final-speed step time matters as much as the speed. The datasheet's coating sequence uses a 1.2 s snap spin at 1000 rpm followed by a 12 s thickness-setting step, and flags both as the parameters to adjust. Keep spin times as short as possible, and treat the curves as a guide only for films of 30 µm and above.", "source": "AZ 125nXT Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 01/24) — Coating Guidelines and Example Coating Sequence, p.10; Process Considerations: Coating, p.11" }, { "q": "Do I need a rehydration hold or a PEB for AZ 125nXT, as with thick DNQ resists or CARs?", "a": "No to both. The datasheet states in bold that no post-bake rehydration delay is required, and that a PEB is not required; the front-page typical process lists the PEB as optional. Every worked example, from 20 µm to 120 µm, runs with no post-bake delay and no PEB. Develop in 0.26 N (2.38 %) TMAH; AZ 300MIF in puddle mode is recommended.", "source": "AZ 125nXT Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 01/24) — Typical Process, p.1; Example Processes, pp.3–6; Process Considerations: Soft Bake, Post Expose Bake, Developing, p.11" }, { "q": "How much does the proximity gap change AZ 125nXT CDs in a 60 µm film?", "a": "Very little, across the 10–90 µm gaps tested. On 60 µm film, 100 µm nominal lines measured 100 µm (top) and 96.6 µm (bottom) at a 10 µm gap, against 97.1 µm and 93.3 µm at 90 µm. At 20 µm nominal the spread was 17.0–18.1 µm top and 14.8–15.9 µm bottom. The bottom CD runs 0.6–3.8 µm under the top across the table, even at a 10 µm gap, so size the mask for that taper rather than chasing it with the gap.", "source": "AZ 125nXT Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 01/24) — Top and Bottom CD Dependency on Proximity Gap for Projection Aligners (film thickness 60 µm), p.9" }, { "q": "AZ 125nXT won't come off after plating or a hard bake — what should I strip it with?", "a": "The datasheet's remover is AZ 400T at 75 °C for 20–25 min with agitation, and all its Cu and Au plating examples strip in AZ 400T at 75 °C. Hard bake is generally not needed; if you use one for an aggressive dry etch, keep it at 130–140 °C. If the film has crosslinked heavily from high process temperatures, MicroChemicals recommends TechniStrip P1316 for AZ 125nXT. After a dry etch, MicroChemicals adds, redeposited material may have to be wet-etched off first, which ultrasonics can assist.", "source": "AZ 125nXT Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 01/24) — Hard Bake and Stripping, p.11; plating results, pp.7–8; Photolithography Trouble Shooter (MicroChemicals) — Photoresist Removal: After Dry Etching, Crosslinked Negative Resists, p.20" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_125nxt_serie.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. (01/24)", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "az-12xt", "name": "AZ 12XT", "manufacturer": "Merck", "productLine": "AZ 12XT-20PL Series", "aliases": [ "AZ 12XT-20PL Series", "AZ 12XT-20PL-05", "AZ 12XT-20PL-10", "AZ 12XT-20PL-15" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "car", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not discussed; positioned for TSV/RDL plating and RIE etch-mask lithography with defined line/space, hole, and post patterns, not grayscale 3D profiles.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "AZ 12XT is a chemically amplified positive-tone thick photoresist for single-coat films from about 3 to over 20 µm, built for fast, high-throughput TSV, RDL, and RIE etch-mask lithography with a required post-exposure bake.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 3, "max_um": 20, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated - 'Single coat thicknesses from 3.0 to >20µm' (p.1, Applications). The upper bound is explicitly open-ended ('>20µm') in the source text; recorded as 20 here since no higher number is stated. This closely matches the curve-span of the three spin curves below (roughly 3.0 to 22.5 µm across grades 05/10/15), which corroborates the stated range rather than conflicting with it." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "AZ 12XT-20PL-15", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 22.5 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 17.5 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 14.7 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 13 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 11.7 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 10.7 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 10 } ], "source": "read from figure, p.1 of AZ 12XT-20PL Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21), 'SPIN CURVES (150MM SILICON)'. Three-grade chart; traces identified by the chart's own legend (red triangle = AZ 12XT-20PL-15, blue circle = AZ 12XT-20PL-10, green diamond = AZ 12XT-20PL-05), not by color alone.", "figureRead": true }, { "label": "AZ 12XT-20PL-10", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 14.3 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 11 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 9.5 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 8.3 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 7.5 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 7 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 6.7 } ], "source": "read from figure, p.1 of AZ 12XT-20PL Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21), 'SPIN CURVES (150MM SILICON)'. Three-grade chart; traces identified by the chart's own legend (red triangle = AZ 12XT-20PL-15, blue circle = AZ 12XT-20PL-10, green diamond = AZ 12XT-20PL-05), not by color alone.", "figureRead": true }, { "label": "AZ 12XT-20PL-05", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 6.2 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 4.8 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 4.2 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 3.8 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 3.5 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 3.2 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 3 } ], "source": "read from figure, p.1 of AZ 12XT-20PL Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21), 'SPIN CURVES (150MM SILICON)'. Three-grade chart; traces identified by the chart's own legend (red triangle = AZ 12XT-20PL-15, blue circle = AZ 12XT-20PL-10, green diamond = AZ 12XT-20PL-05), not by color alone.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "The chart's own y-axis is printed as 'Film Thickness (nm)' (p.1), which is almost certainly a labeling typo in the vendor's document - the plotted values (2-24) and the product's stated 3.0->20µm single-coat range (same page) only make sense as micrometres, and the grade names (-05/-10/-15) line up with the 5/10/15 µm worked-example film thicknesses used later in the same datasheet (pp.3-5). The values are read as µm here. No numeric spin-curve table is printed anywhere else in the document.", "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "'Oxide forming substrates (Si, etc.) should be HMDS primed prior to coating AZ 12XT.' (p.9, Substrate Preparation). Every worked process example in the document starts with an explicit 'Prime: HMDS 140°C/60s (vapor)' step (pp.3-5,8)." }, "rehydration": "None - 'Rehydration Hold: None' is stated explicitly in the Typical Process summary (p.1).", "softbake": { "temp_c": 110, "tempRange_c": { "min": 95, "max": 110 }, "time_s": 120, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Typical Process states a single value: '110ºC/120s' (p.1). Process Considerations separately gives a broader acceptable range, '95°-110°C' (p.9), with no time. Every worked example specifies 'direct contact hotplate' and scales time with thickness: 110°C/120s @5µm (p.3), 110°C/180s @10µm (pp.4,8), 110°C/240s @15µm (p.5). A footnoted caution applies to thicker coats: 'Thicker films may require a ramped soft bake process to avoid bubble formation due to rapid outgassing of solvents' (pp.4-5). A separate caution applies to thinner coats: films under 6µm may pick up airborne amine contamination if softbake-to-expose delay is excessive and should be exposed/developed within 30-45 minutes of softbake (p.3 footnote) - this is an amine-poisoning risk specific to CAR chemistry, not a rehydration/moisture issue, so it belongs here rather than in the rehydration field.", "source": "p.1 (Typical Process, used for temp_c/time_s above); p.9 (range); pp.3-5,8 (worked examples)" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "basisCopy": "Exposure is i-line only, and every published dose is tied to a film, substrate and tool: on a stepper, 100 mJ/cm² at 5 µm and 185 mJ/cm² at 15 µm on silicon and 250 mJ/cm² for 10 µm on copper; on a mask aligner, 360–480 mJ/cm² for 10 µm." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 90, "tempRange_c": { "min": 90, "max": 100 }, "time_s": 60, "notes": "PEB is REQUIRED, not optional, for this chemically amplified resist - explicitly emphasized twice: a starred footnote on the Typical Process page ('* PEB is required for proper imaging', p.1) and again in prose ('A PEB is required for proper imaging of AZ 12XT. PEB temperatures and times may be application specific. As a general rule, PEB temperatures should be in the 90° to 100°C range.', p.9). The Typical Process gives a single specific value, 90°C/60s (p.1), and every worked example in the document uses exactly that value regardless of film thickness (pp.3-5,8) - so the acceptable range (90-100°C) is noted for context, while the recommended single value used throughout every worked example is what is stored in temp_c/time_s.", "source": "p.1 (Typical Process + footnote); p.9 (range); corroborated pp.3-5,8" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "AZ 300MIF", "dilution": "0.26N (2.38%) TMAH, ready-to-use", "time_s": null, "method": "puddle", "rinse": null, "source": "p.1, p.9 (developer); pp.3-5,7,8 (worked-example times)" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 100, "max": 115 }, "time_s": null, "notes": "'Hard baking (post develop bake) improves adhesion in wet etch or plating applications and improves pattern stability in dry etch processes. Hard bake temperatures should be in the 100° to 115°C range to ensure minimal thermal distortion of the pattern.' No time or usage threshold is stated. A comparison figure (p.9) shows sidewall stability for 10µm lines (6.5µm film) at no-bake vs 105°C/110°C/115°C hard bake, without recommending a single condition.", "source": "p.9 (Hard Bake)" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "etch-mask", "electroplating-molding", "high-aspect-ratio" ], "etchResistance": "Described only qualitatively: 'Excellent for Through Silicon Via (TSV), plating, and RIE etch applications' (p.1); hard bake (100-115°C) is said to improve 'pattern stability in dry etch processes' (p.9). No etch rate or selectivity number is given.", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "AZ Kwik Strip, AZ 300T, or AZ 400T (solvent-based removers, all three explicitly recommended, p.9)", "storage": null, "notes": "AZ 12XT is a chemically amplified positive-tone counterpart to the vendor's negative nXT line, aimed at the same TSV/RDL plating-mask and RIE etch-mask space but developing and exposing faster for higher tool throughput. Unlike the thick DNQ resists it competes with, no rehydration hold is needed - but the tradeoff is a PEB that is explicitly required (not optional) for the latent image to develop at all, and a real amine-sensitivity window: coats thinner than 6 µm must be exposed and developed within 30-45 minutes of softbake or airborne base contamination can degrade the pattern, a classic chemically-amplified-resist failure mode distinct from DNQ rehydration. Exposure dose and develop time both scale strongly with film thickness across the worked examples (100-250 mJ/cm2; 2x30s to 2x60s puddles), so there is no single number to quote - the full tables are printed with the exposure and development steps. HMDS priming is required on Si. Hard bake is optional and helps adhesion/etch stability rather than being required for imaging.", "developerFamily": "tmah", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Demonstration of a Robust All-Silicon-Carbide Intracortical Neural Interface", "authors": "Bernardin et al.", "journal": "Micromachines", "year": 2018, "doi": "10.3390/mi9080412", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/mi9080412", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "AZ-12XT-20PL was coated at 15-18 um over HMDS as the deep-RIE mask used to etch through a 3 um n+ epilayer, and AZ-12XT was used again to open windows in the amorphous-SiC film for contact pads and recording sites of an intracortical neural probe." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "My thin AZ 12XT coats degrade if they sit after soft bake — is that airborne amine contamination?", "a": "It can be. The datasheet warns that thinner AZ 12XT films may be affected by airborne amines when the delay between soft bake and exposure is excessive, and says coats thinner than 6 µm should be exposed and developed within 30–45 minutes of soft bake. The general rule in Process Considerations is the same: keep the soft-bake-to-expose delay short. Schedule thin wafers so they go straight from the hotplate to exposure, PEB and develop rather than queueing.", "source": "AZ 12XT-20PL Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — Example Process (5 µm film on Si), footnote, p.3; Process Considerations: Soft Bake, p.9" }, { "q": "AZ 12XT exposed but barely develops — did I skip something?", "a": "Check the PEB first. The datasheet says a post-exposure bake is required for proper imaging of AZ 12XT, on the first page and again in Process Considerations. Its general range is 90–100 °C, and every worked example uses 90 °C for 60 s on a direct-contact hotplate. Also confirm the exposure is at 365 nm, since the datasheet says the resist requires i-line energy. No rehydration hold is needed between soft bake and exposure.", "source": "AZ 12XT-20PL Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — Typical Process and footnote, p.1; Process Considerations: Exposure, Post Expose Bake, p.9" }, { "q": "I get bubbles in 10–15 µm AZ 12XT films after soft bake — how do I stop them?", "a": "Solvent is outgassing too fast. For the 10 µm and 15 µm examples the datasheet notes that thicker films may need a ramped soft bake to avoid bubbles from rapid solvent outgassing, and it points you to your AZ representative for ultra-thick coat and bake guidance. Its flat bakes for reference are 110 °C for 180 s at 10 µm and 240 s at 15 µm, direct contact. Ramp up to that temperature instead of dropping the wafer straight onto the hotplate.", "source": "AZ 12XT-20PL Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — Example Process (10 µm film on Si), p.4; Example Process (15 µm film on Si), p.5, footnotes" }, { "q": "The 110 mJ/cm² example underexposes 10 µm AZ 12XT on my mask aligner — what dose should I start from?", "a": "The 110 mJ/cm² figures come from a 0.48 NA stepper. On the MA-200 aligner page, the process table repeats that 110 mJ/cm² (0.48 NA) line, but the SEM series for 10 µm lines and holes on the same page runs 360–480 mJ/cm², with resolution down to 5 µm lines shown at 440 mJ/cm². Start a dose matrix around that range on an aligner. Substrate also shifts dose: 10 µm films were exposed at 250 mJ/cm² on Cu and 200 mJ/cm² on Au with the stepper.", "source": "AZ 12XT-20PL Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — Example Process for SUSS MicroTec MA-200 Mask Aligner, p.8; Example Process (10 µm on Si), p.4; Pattern Profiles on Various Substrates, p.7" }, { "q": "My AZ 12XT lines lift during plating or wet etch — should I hard bake, and how hot?", "a": "Yes. The datasheet says a post-develop hard bake improves adhesion in wet etch and plating and pattern stability in dry etch. Keep it at 100–115 °C, which the datasheet sets to keep thermal distortion of the pattern minimal; its SEM comparison of 10 µm lines in 6.5 µm film covers no bake, 105, 110 and 115 °C. Prime oxide-forming substrates with HMDS before coating (the examples use vapour HMDS at 140 °C for 60 s). Strip afterwards in AZ Kwik Strip, AZ 300T or AZ 400T.", "source": "AZ 12XT-20PL Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — Process Considerations: Substrate Preparation, Hard Bake, Hard Bake Stability figure, Stripping, p.9; Example Processes, pp.3–5" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_12xt_photoresist.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. (03/21)", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "az-1505", "name": "AZ 1505", "manufacturer": "Merck (AZ Electronic Materials)", "productLine": "AZ 1500 series", "aliases": [ "AZ1505", "AZ 1505 Photoresist" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Datasheet does not address grayscale or 3D lithography anywhere; AZ 1500 is marketed only for standard binary patterning (wet-etch masking, general purpose).", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "AZ 1505 is the thinnest grade in Merck's AZ 1500 series of general-purpose positive-tone photoresists, spin-coating to roughly 0.65-1.6 µm and intended for wet-etch masking applications requiring strong substrate adhesion.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 0.6, "max_um": 1.6, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span: taken from the min/max of the AZ 1505 curve on the p.1 spin-speed chart (500-4000 rpm tested); the datasheet's stated '0.5 to 6µm' figure (p.1, APPLICATION bullets) is a whole-series span across all four grades (1505/1512/1518/1529), not a per-grade figure for AZ 1505 alone, so it is not used here." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "AZ 1505 as supplied", "points": [ { "rpm": 500, "um": 1.6 }, { "rpm": 1000, "um": 1.1 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 0.95 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 0.85 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 0.8 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 0.65 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 0.6 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 0.6 } ], "source": "read from figure, \"SPIN CURVES (150mm Wafers)\" chart, p.1 of AZ 1500 Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21); AZ 1505 identified by its blue diamond legend marker, distinct from AZ 1512 (magenta square), AZ 1518 (red triangle) and AZ 1529 (green circle) plotted on the same axes. The chart is the only source for these points — no numeric table accompanies it — so treat them as a figure read.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Datasheet does not state spin ramp/acceleration, dispense volume, or static vs dynamic dispense for the spin-curve chart. Spin coating is named as one of several compatible coating methods (spray and roller coating are also mentioned, p.6 COATING) but no method-specific parameters are published beyond that. No edge-bead-removal recipe is given, only that AZ EBR Solvent or AZ EBR 70/30 are the companion EBR products (p.2).", "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "\"Oxide forming substrates (Si, etc.) should be primed with HMDS (hexamethyl disilazane) or other suitable primer prior to coating AZ 1500. Contact your AZ products representative for detailed information on pre-treating with HMDS.\" Source: SUBSTRATE PREPARATION, p.6." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 90, "max": 110 }, "time_s": null, "method": null, "notes": "Datasheet states soft bake temperature should be in the 90-110°C range (higher end improves adhesion to metals); bakes may be performed on hotplate or in a vented oven, but no single temperature, no time, and no specific method is given for AZ 1505.", "source": "TYPICAL PROCESS, p.1; PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS / SOFT BAKE, p.6" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "basisCopy": "Every exposure number printed in this sheet is captioned for AZ 1512 or AZ 1518; none of it is AZ 1505 data, and a figure taken on a thicker grade does not transfer." }, "peb": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 105, "max": 115 }, "time_s": null, "optional": true, "notes": "TYPICAL PROCESS (p.1) states \"Post Expose Bake: Optional.\" PEB is described as used to maximize process latitude and mitigate standing-wave effects from monochromatic exposure. When used, temperature should be in the 105-115°C range; this is stated as a range, not a single value, and no time is given.", "source": "TYPICAL PROCESS, p.1; POST EXPOSURE BAKE, p.6" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "AZ 300MIF, AZ 726MIF, AZ 917MIF, or AZ 400K", "dilution": "AZ 400K used 1:4 for tank immersion; dilution of the MIF developers is not stated in this datasheet.", "time_s": 60, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "TYPICAL PROCESS, p.1; DEVELOPING, p.6" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 100, "max": 110 }, "time_s": null, "notes": "Hard bake temperature should be in the 100-110°C range to minimize thermal pattern distortion; improves adhesion in wet-etch or plating applications and pattern stability in dry etch processes. No time is given, and temperature is stated as a range, not a single value.", "source": "HARD BAKE, p.6" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "etch-mask", "electroplating-molding", "general-prototyping" ], "etchResistance": "Marketed for \"demanding wet etch applications\" with \"excellent substrate adhesion\"; no quantitative etch rate or resistance data is published in this datasheet. Source: APPLICATION, p.1.", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "AZ 300T, AZ 400T, or AZ Kwik Strip — removers designed for DNQ/novolac type photoresists. Strip times vary with thermal history; patterns processed above 140°C may cross-link and become harder to strip, and charred resist will not dissolve in solvent-based removers. Source: STRIPPING, p.7.", "storage": null, "notes": "AZ 1505 is the thinnest member of Merck's AZ 1500 series, a general-purpose positive DNQ/novolak-type resist family sold for demanding wet-etch masking where strong substrate adhesion matters (the datasheet's stripper guidance — removers \"designed for DNQ/novolac type photoresists\" — is the basis for this chemistry classification, since the document never states the chemistry as a standalone claim). Soft-bake, optional-PEB, and hard-bake temperatures are all given only as ranges (90-110°C, 105-115°C, 100-110°C respectively) rather than single set points, so a specific process must be optimized on-tool rather than read off this sheet verbatim. No exposure dose, PEB time, or storage/shelf-life data is published for AZ 1505 specifically — the only doses and resolution/depth-of-focus data in this datasheet were captured for the AZ 1512 and AZ 1518 grades, not AZ 1505. Develop is 60 s by puddle or immersion in a metal-ion-free (TMAH, e.g. AZ 300/726/917MIF) or inorganic (e.g. AZ 400K 1:4) developer, both explicitly supported. HMDS (or another suitable primer) is recommended ahead of coating on oxide-forming substrates such as silicon.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Three-dimensional platinum nanoparticle-based bridges for ammonia gas sensing", "authors": "Isaac et al.", "journal": "Scientific Reports", "year": 2021, "doi": "10.1038/s41598-021-91975-w", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-91975-w", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "AZ1505 was spin-coated and patterned with circular openings down to the underlying metal tracks, defining the contact geometry for a platinum-nanoparticle ammonia gas sensor." }, { "type": "paper", "title": "Clean-Room Lithographical Processes for the Fabrication of Graphene Biosensors", "authors": "Cabral et al.", "journal": "Materials", "year": 2020, "doi": "10.3390/ma13245728", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13245728", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "AZ1505 was run at 600 nm and 1035 nm as a plasma-etch mask for graphene patterning and for passivation-stack RIE, with the authors reporting how the resist itself erodes under ECR and ICP plasma exposure." }, { "type": "paper", "title": "Encoded diffractive optics for full-spectrum computational imaging", "authors": "Heide et al.", "journal": "Scientific Reports", "year": 2016, "doi": "10.1038/srep33543", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/srep33543", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "A 0.6 um AZ1505 layer spin-coated on chrome formed the lithography step used to build encoded diffractive optical elements for computational imaging." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "What exposure dose should I use for AZ 1505?", "a": "This datasheet publishes no exposure dose for AZ 1505. The doses it does print — 80–100 mJ/cm² and 130–150 mJ/cm² — come from resolution and depth-of-focus figures captioned for AZ 1512 and AZ 1518 respectively, not AZ 1505, and must not be borrowed. The series is sensitive across 310–450 nm with 365–436 nm recommended; characterize a working dose on-tool.", "source": "AZ 1500 Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — EXPOSURE, p.6; grade-captioned test figures, p.3–5" }, { "q": "How thick a film does AZ 1505 coat?", "a": "AZ 1505 is the thinnest grade in the AZ 1500 series. On the p.1 spin-speed chart (150 mm wafers) it coats about 1.6 µm at 500 rpm, falling to roughly 0.6 µm by 3,500–4,000 rpm. The datasheet's stated 0.5–6 µm figure is a whole-series span across all four grades, not AZ 1505 alone.", "source": "AZ 1500 Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — SPIN CURVES (150 mm Wafers), p.1" }, { "q": "What soft bake does AZ 1505 need?", "a": "The datasheet gives only a series-wide range: soft-bake temperature should be 90–110°C, with the higher end improving adhesion to metals; the bake may be done on a hotplate or in a vented oven. No single temperature, time or method is stated for AZ 1505, so optimize the bake on-tool.", "source": "AZ 1500 Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — TYPICAL PROCESS, p.1; SOFT BAKE, p.6" }, { "q": "Which developer and develop time should I use for AZ 1505?", "a": "Develop for 60 s by puddle or immersion. The datasheet offers metal-ion-free developers (AZ 300MIF, AZ 726MIF, AZ 917MIF) or AZ 400K used 1:4 for tank immersion. Both puddle and immersion are explicitly supported, so no single method is designated — pick to match your developer.", "source": "AZ 1500 Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — TYPICAL PROCESS, p.1; DEVELOPING, p.6" }, { "q": "Does AZ 1505 need a post-exposure bake?", "a": "A PEB is optional. It is used to maximize process latitude and mitigate standing-wave effects from monochromatic exposure; when used, the temperature should be in the 105–115°C range. No time is published and no single value is given, so develop the PEB on-tool if your process needs it.", "source": "AZ 1500 Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — TYPICAL PROCESS, p.1; POST EXPOSURE BAKE, p.6" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_1500_series.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. (03/21)", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "az-1512", "name": "AZ 1512", "min_um": 1.45, "max_um": 3.9, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-1518", "name": "AZ 1518", "min_um": 1.9, "max_um": 5.6, "doseBasis": "150 mJ/cm² @ 436 nm" } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "az-1512", "name": "AZ 1512", "manufacturer": "Merck", "productLine": "AZ 1500 series", "aliases": [ "AZ1512", "AZ 1512HS", "AZ1512HS" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed anywhere in the datasheet; the series is positioned as a general-purpose wet-etch/plating resist, not for grayscale/3D lithography.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "AZ 1512 is the mid-thickness grade of Merck's AZ 1500 series of general-purpose positive photoresists, coating roughly 1.45–3.9 µm — a fast-throughput resist for wet-etch and plating, compatible with both TMAH (metal-ion-free) and inorganic developers.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 1.45, "max_um": 3.9, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span: min/max of the AZ 1512 trace on the p.1 'SPIN CURVES (150mm Wafers)' chart (500-4000 rpm plotted span; 4000 rpm→1.45 µm, 500 rpm→3.9 µm). The datasheet's '0.5 to 6µm' APPLICATION line is a whole-series span across all four grades, not per-grade, so it is not used here." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "AZ 1512", "points": [ { "rpm": 500, "um": 3.9 }, { "rpm": 1000, "um": 2.7 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 2.3 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 2 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 1.8 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 1.65 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 1.55 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 1.45 } ], "source": "read from figure, \"SPIN CURVES (150mm Wafers)\", p.1 of AZ 1500 Series datasheet (Merck, Rev. (03/21)); trace identified as the magenta/pink square-marker series per the chart's own legend (AZ 1505 blue diamond / AZ 1512 magenta square / AZ 1518 red triangle / AZ 1529 green circle), read at each of the 8 plotted marker positions from 500-4000 rpm (the full plotted span; the chart's x-axis extends to 5000 rpm but no series has a point past 4000). The AZ 1512-specific resolution/DOF/exposure-latitude test figures (p.3-5) all cite FT=1.30µm, modestly below this reading's highest-rpm point (~1.45µm at 4000 rpm) — consistent with that test film having been coated slightly above this chart's plotted ceiling.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Multi-grade chart (\"SPIN CURVES (150mm Wafers)\", p.1) plots AZ 1505 / AZ 1512 / AZ 1518 / AZ 1529 together with distinct markers (diamond/square/triangle/circle). The AZ 1512 trace (magenta/pink square) is plotted here from its 8 marker positions on that chart, 500-4000 rpm. The AZ 1505 and AZ 1512 traces run visually close together on the compressed 0-12µm y-axis at rpm ≥ 2000 despite differing by roughly 2x in absolute thickness there — an overlap that is easy to misread, so the two are separated by marker shape and colour against the legend rather than by proximity. No spin accel/dispense parameters are published. AZ EBR Solvent / AZ EBR 70/30 are listed as companion products for thinning/edge-bead removal (COMPANION PRODUCTS, p.2) but no edge-bead procedure or parameters are given. No rehydration hold is mentioned (not applicable to this thin-film series).", "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "\"Oxide forming substrates (Si, etc.) should be primed with HMDS (hexamethyl disilazane) or other suitable primer prior to coating AZ 1500. Contact your AZ products representative for detailed information on pre-treating with HMDS.\" (SUBSTRATE PREPARATION, p.6). No specific HMDS bake temp/time is published." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 90, "max": 110 }, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Series-wide range only: \"Soft bake temperatures for AZ 1500 should be in the 90-110°C range. Temperatures towards the high end of this range will improve adhesion to metals.\" No time is published; \"optimum soft bake times and temperatures may be application specific.\" Bakes may be performed on hotplates or in vented ovens — method left as hotplate (the more common of the two, and what all downstream resolution/DOF/latitude test figures use: \"Soft Bake: 100°C/90s (hotplate)\"), but that 100°C/90s figure is a test condition for the resolution figures, not the datasheet's stated typical-process recommendation, so it is not promoted to the scalar fields here.", "source": "SOFT BAKE, p.6 of AZ 1500 Series datasheet; test-condition caption on p.3–4." }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "basisCopy": "There is no nominal dose for AZ 1512 — the datasheet only shows g-line test exposures, where a 1.3 µm film resolved at 80, 90 and 100 mJ/cm², with the exposure-latitude sweep running 70 to 140 mJ/cm²." }, "peb": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 105, "max": 115 }, "time_s": null, "optional": true, "notes": "TYPICAL PROCESS (p.1) states \"Post Expose Bake: Optional.\" POST EXPOSURE BAKE (p.6) adds: \"A PEB may be employed to maximize process latitudes and mitigate standing wave effects caused by monochromatic exposure. PEB temperatures and times may be application specific. As a general rule, PEB temperatures should be in the 105°C to 115°C range.\" No time is published.", "source": "TYPICAL PROCESS, p.1; POST EXPOSURE BAKE, p.6 of AZ 1500 Series datasheet." }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "AZ 400K or AZ 300MIF (tank immersion); AZ 917MIF (puddle)", "dilution": "AZ 400K 1:4; AZ 300MIF and AZ 917MIF used as supplied (both metal-ion-free/ready-to-use)", "time_s": 60, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "TYPICAL PROCESS, p.1 (\"Develop: 60s Puddle or immersion Developer type: MIF or IN\"); DEVELOPING, p.6; developer list, COMPANION PRODUCTS, p.2." }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 100, "max": 110 }, "time_s": null, "notes": "\"Hard bake temperatures should be in the 100°C to 110°C range to ensure minimal thermal distortion of the pattern.\" No time is published. Improves adhesion in wet-etch/plating applications and pattern stability in dry-etch processes.", "source": "HARD BAKE, p.6 of AZ 1500 Series datasheet." }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "etch-mask", "electroplating-molding" ], "etchResistance": "Datasheet claims \"excellent substrate adhesion for demanding wet etch applications\" (APPLICATION, p.1) but publishes no etch-rate or selectivity data.", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "AZ 300T, AZ 400T, or AZ Kwik Strip™ (STRIPPING, p.7): \"Under normal process conditions, AZ 1500 strips readily in removers designed for DNQ/novolac type photoresists.\" Patterns baked above 140°C may cross-link and become harder to strip.", "storage": null, "notes": "AZ 1512 is the ~1.3 µm-thick grade in Merck's AZ 1500 series of general-purpose positive DNQ/novolac photoresists, sharing a single four-grade product line (1505/1512/1518/1529) with a common process window. The series is compatible with both TMAH (metal-ion-free) and inorganic developers, and a puddle or immersion develop is quoted at a flat 60 s regardless of method. Resolution, depth-of-focus and exposure-latitude figures are all reported under g-line (436 nm) exposure rather than i-line, and only as multi-point sweeps (e.g. a 70–140 mJ/cm² latitude scan) rather than a single nominal dose — so no dose is published here. Soft bake, PEB and hard bake are each specified only as series-wide temperature ranges (90–110 °C, 105–115 °C, 100–110 °C) with no grade-specific values or times.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Ice rule fragility via topological charge transfer in artificial colloidal ice", "authors": "Libal et al.", "journal": "Nature Communications", "year": 2018, "doi": "10.1038/s41467-018-06631-1", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-06631-1", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "A 2.8 um AZ-1512HS layer on a glass coverslip was patterned into double-well topographic traps for colloidal-ice experiments.", "note": "The Heidelberg DWL 66 direct-write laser wrote the chrome mask; the AZ 1512 itself was then exposed through that mask, not written directly." }, { "type": "paper", "title": "Enhanced Mobility in Suspended Chemical Vapor-Deposited Graphene Field-Effect Devices in Ambient Conditions", "authors": "Thodkar & Gramm", "journal": "ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces", "year": 2023, "doi": "10.1021/acsami.3c04012", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.3c04012", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "AZ1512 spun at 4000 rpm for 40 s served as the etch mask in two sequential lithography steps: defining the two-terminal graphene device and then suspending the graphene." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "What exposure dose should I use for AZ 1512?", "a": "The datasheet gives no single nominal dose — only g-line (436 nm) sweep points from test figures: resolution at 80/90/100 mJ/cm² (1.3 µm film), depth-of-focus at 90/100 mJ/cm², and exposure latitude swept 70–140 mJ/cm². Pick a working dose within that window on-tool. The series is sensitive 310–450 nm with 365–436 nm recommended.", "source": "AZ 1500 Series datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — resolution/DOF/exposure-latitude figures, p.3–5; EXPOSURE, p.6" }, { "q": "How thick a film does AZ 1512 coat?", "a": "AZ 1512 is the mid-thickness grade of the AZ 1500 series. On the p.1 spin-speed chart (150 mm wafers) its trace runs from about 3.9 µm at 500 rpm down to 1.45 µm at 4,000 rpm; the resolution figures use a 1.3 µm reference film. The AZ 1505 and AZ 1512 traces sit close together above 2,000 rpm, so read them by legend marker, not proximity.", "source": "AZ 1500 Series datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — SPIN CURVES (150 mm Wafers), p.1" }, { "q": "What soft bake does AZ 1512 need?", "a": "The datasheet states only a series-wide range: soft-bake temperature should be 90–110°C, the high end improving adhesion to metals, with no time given. The AZ 1512 resolution, depth-of-focus and latitude figures were run at 100°C/90 s on a hotplate — a documented test condition, not the sheet's stated typical-process value, so treat it as a starting point.", "source": "AZ 1500 Series datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — SOFT BAKE, p.6; test-condition captions, p.3–4" }, { "q": "Which developer and develop time should I use for AZ 1512?", "a": "Develop for 60 s by puddle or immersion. For tank immersion the datasheet offers AZ 400K at 1:4 or AZ 300MIF; for puddle it lists AZ 917MIF. The metal-ion-free developers are used as supplied. No single developer/method pair is designated as primary, so pick to match your track.", "source": "AZ 1500 Series datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — TYPICAL PROCESS, p.1; DEVELOPING, p.6; COMPANION PRODUCTS, p.2" }, { "q": "Does AZ 1512 need a post-exposure bake?", "a": "A PEB is optional. It maximizes process latitude and mitigates standing-wave effects from monochromatic exposure; when used, the temperature should be in the 105–115°C range. Both temperature and time are described as application-specific, and no time is published, so develop the PEB on-tool.", "source": "AZ 1500 Series datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — POST EXPOSURE BAKE, p.6" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_1500_series.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. (03/21)", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "az-1505", "name": "AZ 1505", "min_um": 0.6, "max_um": 1.6, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-1518", "name": "AZ 1518", "min_um": 1.9, "max_um": 5.6, "doseBasis": "150 mJ/cm² @ 436 nm" } ], "humanVerified": true }, { "slug": "az-1518", "name": "AZ 1518", "manufacturer": "Merck (AZ Electronic Materials)", "productLine": "AZ 1500 series", "aliases": [ "AZ1518", "AZ 1518 Photoresist" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Datasheet does not address grayscale or 3D lithography anywhere; AZ 1500 is marketed only for standard binary patterning (wet-etch masking, general purpose).", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "AZ 1518 is a mid/thick grade in Merck's AZ 1500 series of general-purpose positive-tone photoresists, spin-coating to roughly 1.9-5.6 µm; this datasheet documents it specifically at a 2.4 µm reference film thickness with resolution and depth-of-focus data.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 1.9, "max_um": 5.6, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span: taken from the min/max of the AZ 1518 curve on the p.1 spin-speed chart (500-4000 rpm tested); the datasheet's stated '0.5 to 6µm' figure (p.1, APPLICATION bullets) is a whole-series span across all four grades (1505/1512/1518/1529), not a per-grade figure for AZ 1518 alone, so it was not used here." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "AZ 1518 as supplied", "points": [ { "rpm": 500, "um": 5.6 }, { "rpm": 1000, "um": 3.9 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 3.3 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 2.9 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 2.6 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 2.3 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 2.1 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 1.9 } ], "source": "read from figure, \"SPIN CURVES (150mm Wafers)\" chart, p.1 of AZ 1500 Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21); AZ 1518 identified by its red triangle legend marker, distinct from AZ 1505 (blue diamond), AZ 1512 (magenta square) and AZ 1529 (green circle) plotted on the same axes. The reference thickness (2.40 µm film) named in the p.2-4 resolution/DOF figures sits between the 1000 and 1500 rpm figure-read points here, consistent with a typical process spin speed in that band.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Datasheet does not state spin ramp/acceleration, dispense volume, or static vs dynamic dispense for the spin-curve chart. Spin coating is named as one of several compatible coating methods (spray and roller coating are also mentioned, p.6 COATING) but no method-specific parameters are published beyond that. No edge-bead-removal recipe is given, only that AZ EBR Solvent or AZ EBR 70/30 are the companion EBR products (p.2).", "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "\"Oxide forming substrates (Si, etc.) should be primed with HMDS (hexamethyl disilazane) or other suitable primer prior to coating AZ 1500. Contact your AZ products representative for detailed information on pre-treating with HMDS.\" Source: SUBSTRATE PREPARATION, p.6." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 100, "tempRange_c": { "min": 90, "max": 110 }, "time_s": 90, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "100°C/90s hotplate soft bake is the condition used for the AZ 1518 resolution ladder (p.3, FT=2.4 µm on Si) and the AZ 1518 depth-of-focus series (p.4, FT=2.40 µm on Si). The series-wide TYPICAL PROCESS section (p.1) only states a 90-110°C range without a single value or time, so this is a specific documented test condition for AZ 1518 rather than the generic series spec.", "source": "RESOLUTION OF AZ 1518 at FT=2.4µm on Si, p.3; DEPTH OF FOCUS FOR 2.0µM LINES AZ 1518 AT FT=2.40µM ON SI, p.4" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [ { "wavelength_nm": 436, "value_mJcm2": 150, "source": "p.2 SEM image caption; p.3 RESOLUTION OF AZ 1518 at FT=2.4µm; p.4 DEPTH OF FOCUS FOR 2.0µM LINES AZ 1518" } ], "basisCopy": "150 mJ/cm² g-line prints 1.0 µm lines in a 2.4 µm film, with the datasheet's resolution and focus series bracketing it from 130 to 150 mJ/cm²; nothing is published for i-line or h-line." }, "peb": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 105, "max": 115 }, "time_s": null, "optional": true, "notes": "TYPICAL PROCESS (p.1) states \"Post Expose Bake: Optional.\" PEB is described (series-wide statement) as used to maximize process latitude and mitigate standing-wave effects from monochromatic exposure. When used, temperature should be in the 105-115°C range; this is stated as a range, not a single value, and no time is given. No AZ 1518-specific PEB condition is documented anywhere in this datasheet.", "source": "TYPICAL PROCESS, p.1; POST EXPOSURE BAKE, p.6" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "AZ 300MIF", "dilution": null, "time_s": 60, "method": "puddle", "rinse": null, "source": "p.2 SEM caption (\"AZ 300 MIF Develop (60s)\"); p.4 DEPTH OF FOCUS caption (\"Develop: AZ 300MIF (60s) puddle\"); p.3 resolution caption (\"Develop: AZ 300MIF (60s)\")" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 100, "max": 110 }, "time_s": null, "notes": "Hard bake temperature should be in the 100-110°C range to minimize thermal pattern distortion; improves adhesion in wet-etch or plating applications and pattern stability in dry etch processes. No time is given, and temperature is stated as a range, not a single value. No AZ 1518-specific hard-bake condition is documented.", "source": "HARD BAKE, p.6" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "etch-mask", "electroplating-molding", "general-prototyping" ], "etchResistance": "Marketed for \"demanding wet etch applications\" with \"excellent substrate adhesion\"; no quantitative etch rate or resistance data is published in this datasheet. Source: APPLICATION, p.1.", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "AZ 300T, AZ 400T, or AZ Kwik Strip — removers designed for DNQ/novolac type photoresists. Strip times vary with thermal history; patterns processed above 140°C may cross-link and become harder to strip, and charred resist will not dissolve in solvent-based removers. Source: STRIPPING, p.7.", "storage": null, "notes": "AZ 1518 is a mid-to-thick grade in Merck's AZ 1500 series, a general-purpose positive DNQ/novolak-type resist sold for wet-etch masking needing strong adhesion (the datasheet's stripper guidance — removers \"designed for DNQ/novolac type photoresists\" — is the basis for this chemistry classification, since the document never states the chemistry as a standalone claim). Unlike AZ 1505, this datasheet documents AZ 1518 with dedicated resolution and depth-of-focus figures at a 2.4 µm reference film thickness: 100°C/90s hotplate soft bake, g-line exposure on a Nikon 1755G7A (0.54 NA) stepper, and a 60 s AZ 300MIF puddle develop, resolving down to roughly 1.0-1.2 µm lines and holding pattern fidelity across a documented ±0.8-1.2 µm focus window. PEB and hard-bake conditions, by contrast, are given only as series-wide ranges (105-115°C optional PEB; 100-110°C hard bake), not single values specific to AZ 1518. On the p.1 multi-grade spin-speed chart (AZ 1505/1512/1518/1529 plotted together), the AZ 1518 curve was identified by its red triangle legend marker; the reported points are a figure read, not a printed table, so treat each as an estimate read from the chart.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Microchip electrophoresis at elevated temperatures and high separation field strengths", "authors": "Mitra et al.", "journal": "ELECTROPHORESIS", "year": 2013, "doi": "10.1002/elps.201300427", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1002/elps.201300427", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "B270 glass coated with 120 nm of chrome and 530 nm of AZ1518 was UV-exposed and developed to transfer the channel pattern before wet etching, producing microchip electrophoresis devices." }, { "type": "paper", "title": "Patterning of Lead Halide Perovskite Device Stacks on CMOS Readout Using Selective Microfabrication Protocols", "authors": "Tsarev et al.", "journal": "Advanced Materials", "year": 2026, "doi": "10.1002/adma.202523002", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202523002", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "An AZ1518 photoresist mask defined the ITO patterning step in a perovskite-on-CMOS device stack; the same study used the thinner AZ1505 where about 1 um minimum features were required." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "What exposure dose should I use for AZ 1518?", "a": "The datasheet's headline captioned dose is 150 mJ/cm² on g-line (436 nm) — for 1.0 µm lines in a 2.4 µm film. It also sweeps nearby doses: 130/140/150 mJ/cm² in the resolution figure and 140/150 mJ/cm² in the depth-of-focus figure. This dose is g-line-specific — no i-line (365 nm) or h-line (405 nm) value is published.", "source": "AZ 1500 Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — p.2 SEM caption; RESOLUTION p.3; DEPTH OF FOCUS p.4" }, { "q": "What soft bake does AZ 1518 need?", "a": "For AZ 1518 the datasheet documents a specific condition: 100°C for 90 s on a hotplate, used for the resolution ladder and depth-of-focus series at a 2.4 µm reference film on silicon. This is grade-specific here, unlike the series' generic 90–110°C range with no stated time.", "source": "AZ 1500 Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — RESOLUTION at FT=2.4 µm, p.3; DEPTH OF FOCUS, p.4" }, { "q": "Which developer and develop time should I use for AZ 1518?", "a": "AZ 300MIF is the developer named in every AZ 1518 test caption, run for 60 s by puddle. The dilution is not stated. The series-wide process note also allows a 60 s puddle or immersion develop with an MIF or inorganic developer, but AZ 300MIF is the grade-specific choice documented here.", "source": "AZ 1500 Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — p.2 and p.4 develop captions; TYPICAL PROCESS, p.1" }, { "q": "How thick a film does AZ 1518 coat?", "a": "AZ 1518 is the mid-to-thick grade of the AZ 1500 series. On the p.1 spin-speed chart (150 mm wafers) its trace runs from about 5.6 µm at 500 rpm down to 1.9 µm at 4,000 rpm; the datasheet's own characterization film is 2.4 µm, which sits between the 1,000 and 1,500 rpm points.", "source": "AZ 1500 Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — SPIN CURVES (150 mm Wafers), p.1" }, { "q": "What resolution does AZ 1518 reach?", "a": "In this datasheet AZ 1518 resolves down to roughly 1.0–1.2 µm lines at a 2.4 µm film thickness, under g-line (436 nm) exposure on a Nikon 1755G7A (0.54 NA) stepper with a 100°C/90 s soft bake and a 60 s AZ 300MIF puddle develop, holding pattern fidelity across a documented focus window.", "source": "AZ 1500 Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — RESOLUTION and DEPTH OF FOCUS figures, p.3–4" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_1500_series.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. (03/21)", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "az-1505", "name": "AZ 1505", "min_um": 0.6, "max_um": 1.6, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-1512", "name": "AZ 1512", "min_um": 1.45, "max_um": 3.9, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "az-15nxt", "name": "AZ 15nXT (450 CPS)", "manufacturer": "AZ Electronic Materials", "productLine": null, "aliases": [ "AZ15nXT", "AZ 15nXT (450cps)", "AZ EXP 15nXT" ], "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "car", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not discussed anywhere in the document; the material is positioned for binary Cu RDL / TSV plating and etch masks (via fill, line/space patterns), not grayscale 3D profiles.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "AZ 15nXT (450 CPS) is a chemically amplified negative-tone thick photoresist for Cu redistribution-layer and through-silicon-via plating, exposed with i-line steppers and developed in standard TMAH developer.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 6.4, "max_um": 14.6, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span - min/max of the 6 marked data points (1000-4000 rpm) on the document's own 'AZ 15nXT (450 CPS) Spin Speed Curve' figure, p.7. Not extrapolated to the unmarked ends of the drawn line (500 rpm/~22 µm, 4500 rpm/~5.8 µm). The spin-coating notes record a real internal inconsistency with two other thickness figures in the same document." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "AZ 15nXT (450 CPS)", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 14.6 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 11.3 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 9.4 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 8.3 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 7.4 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 6.4 } ], "source": "read from figure, p.7 of AZ 15nXT (450 CPS) Photoresist - Lithographic and Plating Performance Comparison (AZ Electronic Materials, Jan 2009), titled 'AZ 15nXT (450 CPS) Spin Speed Curve'. Single-grade chart (one trace, no legend ambiguity); values estimated at the six marked data points and cross-checked against the same trace redrawn with square markers on the comparison chart p.8 ('AZ 15nXT (115 CPS) and AZ 15nXT (450 CPS) Spin Speed Curves'), which shows consistent point positions.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Coating: hand dispense on 150 mm silicon, Opti-Trak Coat and Bake, spin 1000-4000 rpm for 30 sec, softbake 110°C/3 min integrated with the coat track (p.7-8). EDGE BEAD is severe and explicitly studied (p.15, 200 mm wafer): at 1000 rpm the film rises from a ~17.8 µm field thickness to ~25 µm at 1 mm from the wafer edge; even at 3000 rpm the edge rises from ~7.8 µm field to ~9.6 µm at 1 mm from the edge. Field thickness stabilizes by roughly 5-6 mm in from the edge at every speed tested. REHYDRATION is not mentioned anywhere in this document (unlike AZ 125nXT and AZ 12XT, which both explicitly state 'Rehydration Hold: None'), so nothing is claimed either way for this grade; 'not required' cannot be inferred just because this is a chemically amplified resist. The document disagrees with itself on thickness: the 'Spin Speed Curve' (p.7, plotted above) reads ~14.6 µm at 1000 rpm and ~6.4 µm at 4000 rpm, but two other figures in the same deck disagree - the coating-uniformity wafer-map means (p.14) report 17.8 µm at 1000 rpm / 7.8 µm at 3000 rpm, and the edge-bead study's own field-thickness values (p.15) match those higher numbers, not the p.7 curve. That is roughly a 20% gap at 1000 rpm between two nominally equivalent 'hand dispense, Opti-Trak coat and bake, 150 mm Si' runs in the same document. The curve plotted here is the one the document captions as its spin-speed curve; real coats in this deck ran measurably thicker in two other places.", "adhesion": { "hmds": null, "notes": "Not discussed. Process examples in the document run directly on Si (photospeed testing) and Cu (imaging) wafers with no HMDS priming step mentioned." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 110, "time_s": 180, "method": null, "notes": "Stated as a single value (not a range) in Process Conditions: '110°C / 180 seconds' (=110°C/3 min), and repeated identically in every other process example in the deck (pp.7,8,16-19). Processed on an 'Opti-Trak Coat and Bake' track; the document never states whether this is a hotplate or an oven step.", "source": "p.5 (Process Conditions); corroborated pp.7,8,11,16-19" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [ { "wavelength_nm": 365, "value_mJcm2": 400, "source": "p.5; corroborated as the boxed/highlighted reference dose in Exposure Latitude figures pp.11,22" } ], "basisCopy": "400 ± 50 mJ/cm² on an i-line stepper is the reference dose the whole document is built around, including its delay studies and exposure-latitude work." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 120, "time_s": 60, "notes": "Consistent 120°C/60 s across every process example in the document (pp.5,11,16-19); no alternate range is stated (unlike softbake).", "source": "p.5 (Process Conditions); corroborated pp.11,16-19" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "AZ 300 MIF", "dilution": "2.38% TMAH (AZ 300 MIF, ready-to-use)", "time_s": 150, "method": "3 × 50 s spray/puddle at 23 °C", "rinse": null, "source": "p.5 (Process Conditions); corroborated 'AZ 300 MIF/3x50sec Spray/Puddle @23°C' pp.11,16-19" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [ "etch-mask", "electroplating-molding", "high-aspect-ratio" ], "etchResistance": "Cover page title lists 'Cu RDL, TSV, and other plating & etch applications' but the document gives no etch rate, selectivity, or other quantified etch-resistance data anywhere.", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "AZ Kwik Strip, 70°C, 3 min (p.21 Ni/Cu Plating Compatibility; corroborated p.23 Summary: 'stripped completely in AZ Kwik Strip at 70°C for 3 min')", "storage": null, "notes": "AZ 15nXT (450 CPS) is a chemically amplified negative-tone resist built specifically for Cu RDL and TSV plating/etch masks, not a general-purpose thick film. Because it is CAR chemistry, the post-exposure bake (120°C/60 s here) is the step that actually defines the pattern - unlike a DNQ resist, exposure alone does not develop the image. The document reports both exposure-to-PEB and coat-to-exposure delay studies on copper out to 23 hours with only minor CD drift (roughly 4.85-4.95 µm at a 5 µm nominal line across most of the delay window), suggesting this grade is comparatively forgiving of queue-time variation once softbaked, though no rehydration statement is made either way. Edge bead is pronounced at low spin speed and should be planned for on production coaters. Stripping is a single documented step (AZ Kwik Strip, 70°C/3 min) with no underplating reported after Cu, Ni, or Au electroplating.", "developerFamily": "tmah", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Sacrificial Layer Technique for Releasing Metallized Multilayer SU-8 Devices", "authors": "Tatikonda et al.", "journal": "Micromachines", "year": 2018, "doi": "10.3390/mi9120673", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/mi9120673", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "AZ 15nXT is proposed as a sacrificial layer that stays chemically stable through SU-8 processing; the authors give two cross-linking routes and three release routes to free metallized multilayer SU-8 devices such as an electrospray-ionization chip." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "How long can AZ 15nXT sit between exposure and PEB, or between coat and exposure, before CD drifts?", "a": "On 10 µm film on Cu, the datasheet's delay studies show 5 µm lines holding within roughly 4.8–5.05 µm at the reference dose for exposure-to-PEB delays up to 7 h, and within about 4.8–5.0 µm for coat-to-expose delays up to about 23.5 h. The change comes early: CD dips by roughly 0.1–0.2 µm within the first hour, then stays roughly flat. MicroChemicals' trouble shooter is stricter and advises keeping exposure-to-PEB and PEB-to-develop intervals to a few minutes, so short, consistent delays are still the safe schedule.", "source": "AZ 15nXT (450 CPS) datasheet (AZ Electronic Materials, January 2009) — Coat to Exposure Delay on Copper, pp.16–17; Exposure to PEB Delay on Cu Wafers, pp.18–20; Photolithography Trouble Shooter (MicroChemicals) — Critical Negative Resists, p.9" }, { "q": "My 5 µm AZ 15nXT lines print wider than the mask — is it dose?", "a": "Dose is the first thing to check. As a negative resist, AZ 15nXT lines grow with dose. On 10 µm film on Cu (i-line stepper, focus +1.0 µm), 5 µm lines/spaces measured roughly 4.3–4.6 µm at 150 mJ/cm² and 5.5 µm or more by 500–550 mJ/cm²; the lines crossed 5.0 µm at roughly 250–300 mJ/cm². The datasheet's headline condition is 400 ± 50 mJ/cm², and it shows linearity at both 300 and 400 mJ/cm². Run a dose series on your own substrate and pick the dose that sizes your critical feature.", "source": "AZ 15nXT (450 CPS) datasheet (AZ Electronic Materials, January 2009) — Process Conditions, p.5; Linearity, Resolution @ 400 mJ/cm², p.10; Exposure Latitude, pp.11–12; L/S Linearity @ 300 mJ/cm², p.13; CD vs dose curves, pp.17, 19" }, { "q": "Small AZ 15nXT features lift off or erode in the developer — what's wrong?", "a": "Suspect under-crosslinking first. AZ 15nXT is chemically amplified: exposure generates an acid catalyst, and the crosslinking that makes the film insoluble happens during PEB. The datasheet's process runs PEB at 120 °C for 60 s on a contact hotplate. MicroChemicals' trouble shooter warns that too low a dose, or a PEB that is too cool or too short, keeps the resist near the substrate soluble, so small structures can lift during development. Check the hotplate temperature at the wafer and the dose before you blame adhesion.", "source": "AZ 15nXT (450 CPS) datasheet (AZ Electronic Materials, January 2009) — Chemically Amplified Negative Resist, p.4; Process Conditions, p.5; Photolithography Trouble Shooter (MicroChemicals) — Inferior Resist Adhesion: Image Reversal- or Negative Tone Resists, p.12" }, { "q": "Why is my 17 µm AZ 15nXT coat so non-uniform with a heavy edge bead?", "a": "It's spun too slowly. On the datasheet's wafer maps (3 mm edge exclusion), 1000 rpm gave 17.8 µm at 4.49 % RSD, against 1.36 % at 1500 rpm and 0.70 % at 3000 rpm. In its 200 mm edge-bead study the 1000 rpm film rose from about 17.7 µm in the bulk to about 25 µm 1 mm from the edge, while at 3000 rpm the edge rise was under 2 µm. Below 1500 rpm uniformity falls off sharply, and the edge rise stays large up to 1500 rpm (about 13.5 to 21.5 µm on the same chart); only by 3000 rpm does it drop under 2 µm. Budget edge exclusion for any slow-spun coat.", "source": "AZ 15nXT (450 CPS) datasheet (AZ Electronic Materials, January 2009) — Coating Uniformity Wafer Maps, p.14; Edge-Bead Coating Study (200 mm wafer), p.15" }, { "q": "AZ 15nXT won't strip cleanly after plating — what remover and conditions?", "a": "After Ni and Cu plating, the datasheet strips AZ 15nXT completely in AZ Kwik Strip at 70 °C for 3 min. If the film has crosslinked heavily from high process temperatures, MicroChemicals recommends TechniStrip NI555 for Novolak-based negatives such as AZ 15nXT. On Cu, residue at the bottom of the features is less likely with this grade: the trouble shooter lists AZ 15nXT as Cu-compatible, where other crosslinking negatives can stop developing some 10–100 nm short of the metal.", "source": "AZ 15nXT (450 CPS) datasheet (AZ Electronic Materials, January 2009) — Ni/Cu Plating Compatibility, p.21; Summary, p.23; Photolithography Trouble Shooter (MicroChemicals) — Negative Resist Residuals, p.17; Crosslinked Negative Resists, p.20" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_15nxt_450cps_photoresist.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "January 2009", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "az-40xt", "name": "AZ 40XT-11D", "manufacturer": "Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany", "productLine": "AZ 40XT", "aliases": [ "AZ 40XT", "AZ 40XT-11D Photoresist", "40XT-11D" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "car", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Datasheet does not address grayscale or 3D patterning for AZ 40XT-11D; no such use is claimed anywhere in the document.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "AZ 40XT-11D is a chemically amplified, thick positive-tone photoresist for TSV, plating and RIE-etch applications, giving single-coat films from 20 µm to over 60 µm with no post-softbake rehydration wait but a required post-exposure bake.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 20, "max_um": 60, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated — p.1 APPLICATION bullet: 'Single coat thicknesses from 20 to >60µm', verbatim. The '>60µm' upper bound is inherently open-ended; max_um is recorded as 60 (the floor of the stated inequality), not a hard ceiling. Demonstrated reference processes in the document (40 µm and 45 µm single coats, p.2-6) sit comfortably inside this stated range." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "AZ 40XT-11D", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 65 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 46 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 35 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 29 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 25 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 21 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 18 } ], "source": "read from figure, \"SPIN CURVE (200mm Silicon)\", p.1 of AZ 40XT-11D Photoresist technical datasheet (Rev. 7/2016) — a single curve for one product, no multi-grade ambiguity", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Chart conditions (p.1, in-figure annotation): coat by hand dispense at 30 rpm, spin 1000-3000 rpm for 20 seconds, then bake 125°C/7 min. As an 'ultra-high viscosity' material (p.7, PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS > COATING), careful control of nozzle height, dispense rate, dispense volume, and spin parameters is needed to avoid bubbles/voids; hand-coating should use a beaker with an integrated pour spout (a pipette or dropper is explicitly NOT recommended), pouring close to the wafer surface after letting any bubbles dissipate. The datasheet itself notes final film thickness depends on the combination of spin speed AND spin time, not spin speed alone, so the plotted curve (spun to equilibrium) is only one data point in that space.", "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "Oxide-forming substrates (e.g. Si) should be HMDS primed prior to coating AZ 40XT (PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS > SUBSTRATE PREPARATION, p.7)." }, "rehydration": "None required — a key differentiator from thick DNQ resists, which do need a post-softbake rehydration hold. p.1 (APPLICATION) states 'No post bake rehydration delays required', and every reference process in this datasheet lists 'Post Bake Delay: None' (p.2, p.4, p.6). (Source: TYPICAL PROCESS, p.1, and REFERENCE PROCESS tables, p.2, p.4, p.6 of AZ 40XT-11D Photoresist technical datasheet (Rev. 7/2016))", "softbake": { "temp_c": 125, "tempRange_c": { "min": 115, "max": 125 }, "time_s": 420, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "p.1 TYPICAL PROCESS gives \"Bake: 125C, 7 min.\" (420 s) for the spin-curve chart's coating condition. The same bake runs in all three reference processes (40 µm on Si, 40 µm on Cu, 45 µm on Cu): a three-stage ramped/proximity bake at 125°C — 120 s at a 1.27 mm gap, 120 s at 0.63 mm, then 180 s in full contact, 420 s total. It is a staged proximity ramp, not a single flat-contact soak. Soft-bake temperature should generally sit in the 115-125°C range, and ramping the temperature or standing the wafer off the plate is required to stop the film bubbling as solvent leaves this very thick coat.", "source": "Reference Process tables, p.2, p.4, p.6 of AZ 40XT-11D Photoresist technical datasheet (Rev. 7/2016)" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [ { "wavelength_nm": 365, "value_mJcm2": 400, "source": "REFERENCE PROCESS (40µm Film Thickness on 200mm Si), p.2-3 of AZ 40XT-11D Photoresist technical datasheet (Rev. 7/2016)" } ], "basisCopy": "400 mJ/cm² i-line is the reference dose for a 40 µm film on silicon. Copper changes it a lot: 900 mJ/cm² for the same 40 µm, and 1000 mJ/cm² for a 45 µm plating film.", "headlineBasis": "on Si; 900 mJ/cm² on Cu (40 µm)" }, "peb": { "temp_c": 105, "tempRange_c": { "min": 100, "max": 110 }, "time_s": 120, "notes": "p.1 TYPICAL PROCESS gives \"Post Expose Bake*: 105°C/120s.\" A PEB is required for proper imaging — AZ 40XT is chemically amplified, not a DNQ resist. General guidance is 100-110°C. The reference-process tables instead stage it as a three-step ramped/proximity PEB at 105°C: 10 s at a 1.3 mm gap, 10 s at 0.6 mm, then 80 s in full contact — 100 s total, 20 s short of the 120 s the summary line quotes.", "source": "TYPICAL PROCESS, p.1, and REFERENCE PROCESS tables, p.2, p.4, p.6 of AZ 40XT-11D Photoresist technical datasheet (Rev. 7/2016)" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "AZ 300MIF", "dilution": "undiluted (ready-to-use 0.26N / 2.38% TMAH developer; no dilution ratio stated)", "time_s": 240, "method": "puddle", "rinse": null, "source": "REFERENCE PROCESS (40µm Film Thickness on 200mm Si), p.2 of AZ 40XT-11D Photoresist technical datasheet (Rev. 7/2016): '4 x 60 second puddles', matching the p.1 front-page demo caption 'AZ 300 MIF Develop (240s)'" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": 80, "tempRange_c": { "min": 80, "max": 85 }, "time_s": 300, "optional": true, "condition": "not needed for plating", "notes": "General guidance (p.7, PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS > HARD BAKE) is 80-85°C to ensure minimal thermal distortion; \"Hard Baking is typically not required for plating applications,\" and where used may improve adhesion for wet-etch or pattern stability for dry-etch. The one reference process that does hard bake (20 µm Cu-plated studs after strip, p.4) used 80°C/5 minutes specifically, which is the value stored above.", "source": "20µm Studs Post Cu Plate and Strip, p.4, and PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS > HARD BAKE, p.7, of AZ 40XT-11D Photoresist technical datasheet (Rev. 7/2016)" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "electroplating-molding", "high-aspect-ratio", "etch-mask" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "AZ 400T (solvent-based remover), recommended generically per PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS > STRIPPING (p.7). Demo strip conditions vary between reference processes: AZ 400T @ 55°C/10 minutes (p.4, 40 µm Cu-plating process) vs. AZ 400T @ 70°C/5 minutes (p.6, 45 µm high-speed Cu-plating process).", "storage": "Combustible liquid; store in sealed original containers in a well-ventilated, dry area away from heat, light, oxidizers, reducers, and sources of ignition. Recommended storage temperature 30-55°F (as printed, p.8, STORAGE).", "notes": "AZ 40XT-11D is a chemically amplified thick positive resist, the odd one out among AZ's thick-film positive resists: unlike the DNQ resists (P4620, 10XT), it requires NO post-softbake rehydration wait (every reference process here lists 'Post Bake Delay: None') but DOES require a post-exposure bake, and skipping that PEB is the classic failure mode for this material — without it the pattern will not image properly. Both softbake and PEB are run as ramped/proximity bakes (three discrete stages at decreasing hotplate proximity) rather than a single flat contact bake, specifically to avoid solvent-outgassing bubbles in these very thick (20 to over 60 µm) single coats. It develops in AZ 300MIF, a 0.26N (2.38%) TMAH developer, applied as puddle cycles rather than a single immersion step. Exposure dose scales sharply with substrate: roughly 400 mJ/cm² at 365 nm for a 40 µm coat on silicon versus 900-1000 mJ/cm² for a comparable coat on copper. Hard bake is generally unnecessary for plating use and, when applied, should stay in the 80-85°C range to avoid thermally distorting the pattern.", "developerFamily": "tmah", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Advanced fabrication process for particle absorbers of highly pure electroplated gold for microcalorimeter applications", "authors": "Muller et al.", "journal": "Journal of Applied Physics", "year": 2024, "doi": "10.1063/5.0238524", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0238524", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "AZ 40XT was chosen as the upper layer of a double-resist stack for its 15-100 um thickness range, the authors noting that as a chemically amplified resist it gives steep edges at comparatively low dose and short development, and used again as a single layer for the second gold absorber half." }, { "type": "paper", "title": "Universal mask for hard x rays", "authors": "Ceddia et al.", "journal": "Optica", "year": 2023, "doi": "10.1364/OPTICA.490006", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1364/OPTICA.490006", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "AZ 40XT-11D was spin-coated and baked at 126 C for 5 min as the patterning layer for the absorber mask used in a hard x-ray ghost-projection demonstration." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Why does my AZ 40XT film bubble during soft bake?", "a": "The solvent is flashing off too fast. The datasheet says a ramped temperature or plate proximity is required at soft bake to prevent the film bubbling from rapid solvent evaporation, within a 115–125 °C window. Its reference bake at 125 °C steps the wafer down: 120 s at a 1.27 mm gap, 120 s at 0.63 mm, then 180 s in contact. Without proximity pins, MicroChemicals suggests contact-hotplate ramps such as 60 … 80 … 100 °C, or a ramped convection oven.", "source": "AZ 40XT-11D Photoresist technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 7/2016) — Process Considerations: Soft Bake, p.7; Reference Process (40 µm on Si), p.2; Photolithography Trouble Shooter (MicroChemicals) — Bubbles in the Resist Film After the Softbake: Volatile Resist Components, p.2" }, { "q": "I see voids in AZ 40XT straight after coating — how should I dispense it?", "a": "Start with the dispense. The datasheet says nozzle height, dispense rate, volume and spin parameters all need optimising to avoid bubbles and voids with a resist this viscous. For hand coating, pour a small amount into a beaker with a spout, wait for bubbles to dissipate, then pour close to the wafer surface; a pipette or dropper is not recommended. Thickness is set by spin speed and spin time together (the spin curve uses 20 s at 1000–3000 rpm on 200 mm), so fix both.", "source": "AZ 40XT-11D Photoresist technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 7/2016) — Process Considerations: Coating, p.7; Spin Curve (200 mm Silicon), p.1" }, { "q": "AZ 40XT is exposed but hardly develops — what did I miss?", "a": "Check the PEB first. AZ 40XT is chemically amplified, and the datasheet flags the PEB as required for proper imaging; MicroChemicals' trouble shooter adds that without it the development rate is almost zero. The general rule is 100–110 °C, and the reference process ramps it at 105 °C: 10 s at 1.3 mm, 10 s at 0.6 mm, then 80 s in contact. Exposure needs 365 nm energy. A rehydration hold, which thick DNQ resists need, is not required for AZ 40XT.", "source": "AZ 40XT-11D Photoresist technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 7/2016) — Typical Process, p.1; Reference Process, p.2; Process Considerations: Exposure, Post Expose Bake, p.7; Photolithography Trouble Shooter (MicroChemicals) — Chemically Amplified Resists, p.9; Rehydration Sufficiently Long?, p.6" }, { "q": "My 40 µm AZ 40XT process works on Si but underexposes on Cu — why the big dose change?", "a": "The datasheet uses very different doses for the same 40 µm film: 400 mJ/cm² on Si against 900 mJ/cm² on Cu (Suss MA-200, 20 µm proximity gap), and 1000 mJ/cm² for 45 µm on Cu. Develop changes too: 4 × 60 s puddles on Si, 3 × 40 s on Cu. On Si, 40 µm lines stay within ±10 % of target from roughly 250 to 700 mJ/cm² (exposure latitude over 90 %). As a positive resist, more dose narrows lines and widens holes, so run a dose series on your actual substrate.", "source": "AZ 40XT-11D Photoresist technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 7/2016) — Reference Process (40 µm on Si), p.2; Process Windows on Si, p.3; Reference Process (40 µm on Cu), p.4; Process Windows on Cu, p.5; High Speed Cu Plating Performance, p.6" }, { "q": "Can I hard bake AZ 40XT before plating the way I would a thick DNQ resist?", "a": "Only gently. The datasheet keeps AZ 40XT hard bakes at 80–85 °C to keep thermal distortion minimal, and says a hard bake is typically not needed for plating at all; it may help adhesion in wet etch and pattern stability in dry etch. Of its two Cu plating examples, the 20 µm stud run bakes at 80 °C for 5 min before 50 min at 1.5 ASD, and the high-speed run lists no hard bake. Strip with AZ 400T; the examples use 55 °C for 10 min and 70 °C for 5 min.", "source": "AZ 40XT-11D Photoresist technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 7/2016) — Process Considerations: Hard Bake, Stripping, p.7; 20 µm Studs Post Cu Plate and Strip, p.4; High Speed Cu Plating Performance, p.6" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_40xt_11d_photoresist.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. 7/2016", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "humanVerified": true }, { "slug": "az-4533", "name": "AZ 4533", "manufacturer": "Merck (AZ Electronic Materials)", "productLine": "AZ 4500 series", "aliases": [ "AZ4533", "AZ 4533 Photoresist" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Datasheet does not mention grayscale or 3D lithography anywhere. Its entire focus is achieving high single-coat film thickness (reduced spin time, multi-coat with bake cycles, adjusted exposure dose to fully clear thick films) and general processing guidelines — no grayscale-specific guidance (e.g. partial-exposure dose modulation, grayscale mask compatibility) is given.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "AZ 4533 is the lower-viscosity of the AZ 4500 series' two thick-film grades — the everyday pick for single-coat films in the low-few-micron range, where the higher-viscosity AZ 4562 is reserved for much thicker coats and its special multi-coat techniques. AZ 4533 is a thick-film member of Merck's AZ 4500 series of positive photoresists, formulated with a low-absorption photoactive compound so it can be coated in a single spin step at thicknesses of roughly 2.7-4.7 µm.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 2.69, "max_um": 4.67, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span: taken directly from the printed \"FILM THICKNESS [µm] as FUNCTION of SPIN SPEED\" table (p.2), which tabulates AZ 4533 at 2000-6000 rpm (4.67 µm at 2000 rpm down to 2.69 µm at 6000 rpm). The series-wide prose claim of usable thicknesses 'up to 50 µm' (p.1, GENERAL INFORMATION) is a whole-series statement covering special multi-coat/reduced-spin-time techniques and the higher-viscosity AZ 4562 grade, not a single-coat figure for AZ 4533 specifically, so it was not used here. [Reclassified: a printed thickness-vs-spin-speed table IS the spin curve, so its min/max is a curve span, not a manufacturer-stated achievable range.]" }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "AZ 4533 as supplied", "points": [ { "rpm": 2000, "um": 4.67 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 3.81 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 3.3 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 2.95 }, { "rpm": 6000, "um": 2.69 } ], "source": "numeric table \"FILM THICKNESS [µm] as FUNCTION of SPIN SPEED (characteristically)\", p.2 of AZ 4500 Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21)." } ], "spinNotes": "Datasheet states the common spin time is about 30-40 s for standard coating. No dispense volume, ramp/acceleration, or static-vs-dynamic dispense is given. The spin-speed table above is captioned 'characteristically', i.e. representative rather than guaranteed values. Dilution/edge-bead removal uses AZ EBR Solvent or AZ EBR 70/30 (PROCESSING GUIDELINES, p.2). AZ 4533-specific reduced-spin-time or multi-coat techniques for extra-thick films are not discussed in this datasheet — those special techniques (3 s spin, multi-coat with bake cycle) are described only for AZ 4562 (the highest-viscosity grade).", "adhesion": { "hmds": null, "notes": "Datasheet does not address substrate priming or HMDS for the AZ 4500 series; there is no SUBSTRATE PREPARATION section (unlike the AZ 1500 series datasheet from the same manufacturer)." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 100, "time_s": 50, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Series-wide PROCESSING GUIDELINES value, not stated as AZ 4533-specific vs AZ 4562-specific — the table applies to both grades. For very thick coatings the datasheet separately advises (p.1, GENERAL INFORMATION) leaving the resist at room temperature at least 15 minutes before prebake to let solvent evaporate, and preferring a hotplate with a ramped temperature over an oven, to avoid trapped-solvent bubbling and adhesion failure.", "source": "PROCESSING GUIDELINES, p.2 (\"Prebake: 100°C, 50\", hotplate\")" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "basisCopy": "AZ 4533 gets a 310 to 440 nm sensitivity range and no dose. The only energy number in the sheet is a general thick-film warning — above 1000 mJ/cm² in extreme cases — not a figure for this grade's 2.7 to 4.7 µm films." }, "peb": { "temp_c": null, "time_s": null, "notes": "\"PEB: not required, optional with monochromatic exposure.\" No temperature or time is given for the optional case.", "source": "PROCESSING GUIDELINES, p.2" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "AZ 340 (AZ 400K also usable)", "dilution": "AZ 340 diluted 1:5 with water; no dilution stated for AZ 400K.", "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "PROCESSING GUIDELINES, p.2 (\"Development: AZ 340, 1:5, 30\"/µm film thickness\"); GENERAL INFORMATION, p.2" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": 115, "time_s": 50, "notes": "Hotplate condition (115°C, 50 s). Datasheet gives an alternative of 115°C for 60 minutes (3600 s) in an oven.", "source": "PROCESSING GUIDELINES, p.2 (\"Postbake: 115°C, 50s hotplate or 60 min. oven\")" }, "descum": null, "applications": [], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "AZ 100 Remover, concentrated. Source: PROCESSING GUIDELINES, p.2.", "storage": "Store in sealed original containers between 0°C and 25°C; brief excursions do not adversely affect properties (+27°C for 10 hours, +32°C for 6 hours, or +35°C for 5 hours). Shelf life is 1 year at recommended storage conditions; the expiration date is printed on each bottle's label. Source: HANDLING ADVISES, p.3.", "notes": "AZ 4533 is a thick-film member of Merck's AZ 4500 series, formulated (per p.1) with a photoactive compound of \"low absorption and reduced nitrogen content\" specifically so film thicknesses above the ~3 µm ceiling of standard positive resists can still be fully exposed and cleared without the crosslinking or nitrogen-trapping side effects that appear when a standard resist is pushed to extreme thickness. Reach for AZ 4533 when a moderate thick coat in the few-micron range is enough and a straightforward single-spin process is wanted; step up to AZ 4562 only when the target film is thicker than AZ 4533's standard spin range or needs the reduced-spin-time or multi-coat methods. Unlike the datasheet's introduction, which discusses AZ 4562's special coating techniques (reduced spin time, multi-coat) for very thick films, no such special technique is documented specifically for AZ 4533. This datasheet has no dedicated APPLICATION section and does not name specific end-uses (etch mask, lift-off, plating, etc.) — its content is limited to achieving and processing the thick coating itself, so the applications field is left empty rather than inferred. Develop time is a rate (30 s per µm of film thickness) rather than a fixed duration, and PEB is optional and only relevant to monochromatic exposure. No HMDS/adhesion-promotion guidance is given, unlike the AZ 1500 series datasheet from the same manufacturer. MicroChemicals states that AZ/TI resist resin is novolak and its photoactive compound belongs to the diazonaphthoquinone (DNQ) group — the basis for calling AZ 4533 dnq-novolak here.", "developerFamily": "buffered-alkaline", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Microscopic geared metamachines", "authors": "Wang et al.", "journal": "Nature Communications", "year": 2025, "doi": "10.1038/s41467-025-62869-6", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62869-6", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "A 4 um AZ4533 layer was spin-coated as a sacrificial layer beneath an SU-8 cap and later dissolved in acetone to release optically driven micro-gears.", "note": "AZ 4533 is used here as a sacrificial release layer; the direct laser writing in this paper patterned the SU-8 cap above it, not the AZ 4533 itself." }, { "type": "paper", "title": "Fabrication of 3D microstructures using grayscale lithography", "authors": "Lima et al.", "journal": "Advanced Optical Technologies", "year": 2019, "doi": "10.1515/aot-2019-0023", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1515/aot-2019-0023", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "An 8 um AZ 4562 film was exposed on a Heidelberg DWL 66FS laser direct-write system using 128 grayscale levels, calibrated gray value against exposure depth, and transferred into silicon by RIE at 1:1 selectivity and into Cu and NiCo by electroplating.", "note": "Family-level citation: this paper used AZ 4562, the higher-viscosity grade of the same AZ 4500 series, not AZ 4533. Cited as evidence of AZ 4500-series behaviour under grayscale direct-write exposure; the thickness and dose figures are 4562's and do not transfer to this grade." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "How long should I develop AZ 4533, and why does one fixed develop time fail across spin speeds?", "a": "The datasheet gives develop time as a rate, not a number: AZ 340 diluted 1:5 at 30 s per µm of film. Across AZ 4533's spin table that is roughly 80 s at 6000 rpm (2.69 µm) up to 140 s at 2000 rpm (4.67 µm), so a time tuned on a fast-spun coat under-develops a slow-spun one. It also notes that even heavily overexposed positive resist saturates at a dissolution rate of about 100 nm/s, and recommends working near 2 µm/min and adjusting the exposure dose for clearing and feature size.", "source": "AZ 4500 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — Processing Guidelines, Film Thickness as Function of Spin Speed table and General Information, p.2" }, { "q": "Which developer should I use with AZ 4533 to avoid residue on the cleared areas?", "a": "The datasheet designs the AZ 4500 series for common sodium- and potassium-based developers, with AZ 340 diluted 1:5 as a good choice and AZ 400K also usable. MicroChemicals' trouble-shooting guide is more specific: it lists the 4500 series among resists that need a particular developer for constant, fast, residue-free development, naming the KOH-based AZ 400K or the TMAH-based AZ 826 MIF. A few nm of film left on the floor is enough to block an etch start or keep plated metal from bonding to the seed.", "source": "AZ 4500 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — General Information and Processing Guidelines, p.2. MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Compatible Developer?, p.7; Inhomogeneous Etch Start, p.16; Bad Adhesion of the Metal Structures, p.17" }, { "q": "Bubbles appeared in my AZ 4533 film during exposure — what should I change?", "a": "AZ 4533 already carries a low-absorption photoactive compound with reduced nitrogen content, so look at the process. MicroChemicals lists four causes: a soft bake too short or cool, leaving solvent in which exposure N2 can form bubbles; weak adhesion, where bubbles form; exposure intensity too high for the N2 to outgas in time; and film thickness, since N2 has further to diffuse. If bubbles appear at the datasheet's 100 °C / 50 s hotplate prebake, lengthen it toward the guide's 1 min per µm at 100 °C, and lower the intensity or split the exposure into steps.", "source": "AZ 4500 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — General Information, p.1; Processing Guidelines, p.2. MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Bubbles in Resist Film After Exposure, p.14–15" }, { "q": "Unexposed AZ 4533 is losing thickness in the developer — how do I cut the dark erosion?", "a": "Check developer strength and the prebake. As developer concentration rises, dark erosion grows faster than development rate, and AZ 826 MIF runs slightly higher dark erosion than more selective developers. A soft bake that is too short or cool leaves solvent that raises erosion; one that is too hot or long decomposes the photoactive compound that inhibits dissolution, which raises it too. Start from the datasheet's 100 °C / 50 s hotplate prebake with AZ 340 at 1:5 and move one variable at a time.", "source": "MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Development: Dark Erosion Too High, p.9–10. AZ 4500 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — Processing Guidelines, p.2" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_4500_series.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. (03/21)", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://www.microchemicals.com/AZ-4533-Photoresist-3.785-l/1A004533", "what": "MicroChemicals states: 'The resin of AZ and TI resists is Novolak... photo active compound... belongs to the group of diazonaphthoquinones (DNQ)'; the basis for classifying AZ 4533 as dnq-novolak." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "az-4562", "name": "AZ 4562", "min_um": 5.06, "max_um": 8.77, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "az-4562", "name": "AZ 4562", "manufacturer": "Merck (AZ Electronic Materials)", "productLine": "AZ 4500 series", "aliases": [ "AZ4562", "AZ 4562 Photoresist" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Datasheet does not mention grayscale or 3D lithography anywhere. Its entire focus is achieving high single-coat and multi-coat film thickness (up to 50 µm with special techniques) and the exposure/development adjustments that thick-film coating requires — no grayscale-specific guidance (e.g. partial-exposure dose modulation, grayscale mask compatibility, tone-ramp behavior) is given for AZ 4562, despite it being the series' highest-viscosity, thickest-film grade. Grayscale suitability should not be assumed from thick-film capability alone; it is not addressed here.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "AZ 4562 is the AZ 4500 series' thick-film flagship — the grade to choose when a single AZ 4533 coat cannot reach the required thickness, or when a process needs the extreme films only its special coating techniques provide. AZ 4562 is the highest-viscosity, thickest-film member of Merck's AZ 4500 series of positive photoresists, capable of single-coat films of roughly 5-9 µm at standard spin speeds, and — using reduced spin time or multi-coat bake cycles — films up to 50 µm.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 5.06, "max_um": 8.77, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span: taken directly from the printed \"FILM THICKNESS [µm] as FUNCTION of SPIN SPEED\" table (p.2), which tabulates AZ 4562 at 2000-6000 rpm (8.77 µm at 2000 rpm down to 5.06 µm at 6000 rpm). The series-wide prose claim of usable thicknesses 'up to 50 µm' (p.1, GENERAL INFORMATION) requires the special coating techniques described below (reduced spin time down to 3 s, or multi-coat with an inter-bake), not a single standard spin step, so it was not used as the stated single-coat range. [Reclassified: a printed thickness-vs-spin-speed table IS the spin curve, so its min/max is a curve span, not a manufacturer-stated achievable range.]" }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "AZ 4562 as supplied", "points": [ { "rpm": 2000, "um": 8.77 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 7.16 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 6.2 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 5.55 }, { "rpm": 6000, "um": 5.06 } ], "source": "numeric table \"FILM THICKNESS [µm] as FUNCTION of SPIN SPEED (characteristically)\", p.2 of AZ 4500 Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21)." } ], "spinNotes": "GENERAL INFORMATION (p.1) states AZ 4562 \"allows to spin coat 10 µm in a single step (2000 rpm)\" — this rounded prose figure disagrees with the precise tabulated value of 8.77 µm at 2000 rpm on p.2; the tabulated value is the one plotted here, being the more precise, directly tabulated figure. For thicker films the datasheet describes two special techniques specific to AZ 4562: (1) reducing the common ~30-40 s spin time to only 3 s, yielding ~20 µm, but the substrate must then be left horizontal on the spinner for an additional minute to dry; (2) multiple coating with a bake cycle in between (inter-coat bakes must not exceed 90°C or the final prebake temperature, whichever is lower), exploiting the fact that AZ 4562's high solids content (close to its dissolution limit) means the underlying coat is only minimally redissolved. No dispense volume or ramp/acceleration is given for either the standard or special techniques.", "adhesion": { "hmds": null, "notes": "Datasheet does not address substrate priming or HMDS for the AZ 4500 series; there is no SUBSTRATE PREPARATION section (unlike the AZ 1500 series datasheet from the same manufacturer)." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 100, "time_s": 50, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Series-wide PROCESSING GUIDELINES value, not stated as AZ 4562-specific vs AZ 4533-specific — the table applies to both grades and assumes a standard single coat, not the special thick-film techniques. For thick coatings the datasheet separately advises (p.1, GENERAL INFORMATION) leaving the resist at room temperature at least 15 minutes before prebake to let solvent evaporate, and preferring a hotplate with a ramped temperature over an oven, to avoid trapped-solvent bubbling and adhesion failure. For AZ 4562 multi-coating specifically, inter-coat bakes must not exceed 90°C or the final prebake temperature (whichever is lower).", "source": "PROCESSING GUIDELINES, p.2 (\"Prebake: 100°C, 50\", hotplate\"); GENERAL INFORMATION, p.1 (multi-coat inter-bake constraint)" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "basisCopy": "AZ 4562 has no published dose; it is sensitive from 310 to 440 nm, and its lower-absorption sensitizer exists so thick coats clear at the bottom without over-dosing and crosslinking the surface." }, "peb": { "temp_c": null, "time_s": null, "notes": "\"PEB: not required, optional with monochromatic exposure.\" No temperature or time is given for the optional case.", "source": "PROCESSING GUIDELINES, p.2" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "AZ 340 (AZ 400K also usable)", "dilution": "AZ 340 diluted 1:5 with water; no dilution stated for AZ 400K.", "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "PROCESSING GUIDELINES, p.2 (\"Development: AZ 340, 1:5, 30\"/µm film thickness\"); GENERAL INFORMATION, p.2" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": 115, "time_s": 50, "notes": "Hotplate condition (115°C, 50 s). Datasheet gives an alternative of 115°C for 60 minutes (3600 s) in an oven.", "source": "PROCESSING GUIDELINES, p.2 (\"Postbake: 115°C, 50s hotplate or 60 min. oven\")" }, "descum": null, "applications": [], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "AZ 100 Remover, concentrated. Source: PROCESSING GUIDELINES, p.2.", "storage": "Store in sealed original containers between 0°C and 25°C; brief excursions do not adversely affect properties (+27°C for 10 hours, +32°C for 6 hours, or +35°C for 5 hours). Shelf life is 1 year at recommended storage conditions; the expiration date is printed on each bottle's label. Source: HANDLING ADVISES, p.3.", "notes": "AZ 4562 is the highest-viscosity grade in Merck's AZ 4500 series, formulated (per p.1) with a photoactive compound of \"low absorption and reduced nitrogen content\" so that films far thicker than the ~3 µm ceiling of standard positive resists can still be fully exposed through their depth without surface crosslinking or nitrogen-bubble lifting. Choose AZ 4562 over AZ 4533 whenever the film has to be thicker than the thinner grade's standard spin range delivers, or when only its reduced-spin-time or multi-coat routes can reach the target — for ordinary few-micron coats, AZ 4533 remains the simpler choice. It is the only grade in this datasheet with documented special coating techniques for extreme thickness: a 3 s reduced spin time (with the wafer left horizontal an extra minute to dry) for ~20 µm films, or multi-coating with inter-coat bakes capped at 90°C (or the final prebake temperature, whichever is lower) for still-thicker stacks, up to a series-wide ceiling of 50 µm. A minor internal inconsistency exists between the prose claim of '10 µm in a single step (2000 rpm)' (p.1) and the tabulated 8.77 µm at 2000 rpm (p.2) — the table value is used in the spin curve here as the more precise figure, but it is worth confirming directly against the source PDF. This datasheet has no dedicated APPLICATION section, does not name specific end-uses (etch mask, lift-off, plating, etc.), and does not address grayscale or 3D lithography despite being the series' thick-film flagship grade — none of those are asserted here. Develop time is a rate (30 s per µm of film thickness) rather than a fixed duration, and PEB is optional and only relevant to monochromatic exposure. No HMDS/adhesion-promotion guidance is given, unlike the AZ 1500 series datasheet from the same manufacturer.", "developerFamily": "buffered-alkaline", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Fabrication of 3D microstructures using grayscale lithography", "authors": "Lima et al.", "journal": "Advanced Optical Technologies", "year": 2019, "doi": "10.1515/aot-2019-0023", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1515/aot-2019-0023", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "An 8 um AZ 4562 film was exposed on a Heidelberg DWL 66FS laser direct-write system using 128 grayscale levels, calibrated gray value against exposure depth, and transferred into silicon by RIE at 1:1 selectivity and into Cu and NiCo by electroplating." }, { "type": "paper", "title": "Design of U-Shaped Frequency Tunable Microwave Filters in MEMS Technology", "authors": "Giacomozzi et al.", "journal": "Sensors", "year": 2023, "doi": "10.3390/s23010466", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/s23010466", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "Two successive thick AZ 4562 moulds were defined over a Cr/Au seed layer for selective gold electroplating of the 1.8 um bridge layer and the 3 um coplanar-waveguide layer of an RF-MEMS tunable filter." }, { "type": "paper", "title": "Step-and-Repeat Nanoimprint-, Photo- and Laser Lithography from One Customised CNC Machine", "authors": "Greer et al.", "journal": "Nanoscale Research Letters", "year": 2016, "doi": "10.1186/s11671-016-1341-9", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1186/s11671-016-1341-9", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "AZ4562 was spun to 5 um and developed in 1:5 AZ400K, benchmarking mask-based photolithography against nanoimprint and laser lithography on a single custom CNC platform.", "note": "AZ 4562 was exposed through a photomask in this study; the paper's laser-lithography module was tested with other resists." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "My thick AZ 4562 coat blistered and lifted off after prebake — what went wrong?", "a": "Solvent was trapped under a skin. For high film thicknesses the datasheet asks for at least 15 minutes at room temperature after coating so most of the solvent can evaporate before the prebake; otherwise the surface dries fast, solvent left in the bulk forms bubbles and lifts the film, and adhesion fails. It also rates a hotplate as the better choice over an oven, especially with the temperature ramped up to the final value.", "source": "AZ 4500 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — General Information, p.1" }, { "q": "How do I get AZ 4562 beyond its single-coat spin range to 20 µm or more?", "a": "The datasheet gives two routes. Cut the usual 30–40 s spin to about 3 s, which gives around 20 µm, then leave the wafer horizontal on the spinner for another minute to dry. Or multi-coat with a bake between layers: the high solids content means the next coat dissolves the one below only slightly, but the in-between bake must not exceed 90 °C or the final prebake temperature. Measure your own thickness — the spin table gives 8.77 µm at 2000 rpm while the text says 10 µm in one step at 2000 rpm.", "source": "AZ 4500 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — General Information, p.1; Film Thickness as Function of Spin Speed table, p.2" }, { "q": "Why does a 10–20 µm AZ 4562 film develop so slowly near the substrate?", "a": "Two limits stack up. After the prebake the film needs water to diffuse back in before exposure; MicroChemicals puts the rehydration time at about 1 min for a 1 µm film rising to several hours above 30 µm, and development rate drops significantly below about 40 % relative humidity. The datasheet adds that even heavily overexposed positive resist saturates near 100 nm/s, so it recommends running at about 2 µm/min — 30 s per µm in AZ 340 1:5 — and setting the dose for clean clearing.", "source": "MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Development: Insufficient Development Rate (Sufficient Rehydration?), p.6. AZ 4500 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — General Information and Processing Guidelines, p.2" }, { "q": "Can a thick AZ 4562 film still bubble or crack during exposure?", "a": "Yes, though less readily than a standard resist. The datasheet explains that a standard resist at these thicknesses generates too much nitrogen, which, trapped in the thick layer, cannot diffuse out fast enough and may lift the film, and that the 4500 series uses a low-absorption compound with reduced nitrogen content to allow thick films. MicroChemicals still lists thick films, high exposure intensity, a light soft bake and weak adhesion as bubble causes. If it happens, lower the lamp intensity or split the exposure into steps with pauses so the N2 can escape.", "source": "AZ 4500 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — General Information, p.1. MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Bubbles in Resist Film After Exposure, p.14–15" }, { "q": "How do I keep the AZ 4562 edge bead from spoiling mask contact?", "a": "A tall edge bead holds the mask off the film, and the gap costs resolution through diffraction. MicroChemicals names AZ 4562 among the high-viscosity resists where spinning at high speed helps suppress the bead. Without an automatic unit, remove it manually at about 500 rpm with AZ EBR Solvent — not acetone or other low-boiling solvents — then spin the solvent off at higher speed. For thick coats, a horizontal delay between coating and soft bake stops the bead growing as viscosity drops on the hotplate.", "source": "MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Spin Coating: Edge Bead?, p.2–3; Gap between Photomask and Resist Surface?, p.12. AZ 4500 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — Processing Guidelines (AZ EBR Solvent or AZ EBR 70/30), p.2" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_4500_series.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. (03/21)", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_p4620_photoresist.pdf", "what": "AZ P4620 Photoresist Data Package, 'Thick Photoresist Product Summary' (p.3): the table lists the '4500 Series' row with Platform 'DNQ' — the basis for classifying AZ 4562 as dnq-novolak." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "az-4533", "name": "AZ 4533", "min_um": 2.69, "max_um": 4.67, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "az-5214e", "name": "AZ 5214E", "manufacturer": "MicroChemicals / Merck Performance Materials GmbH", "productLine": "AZ 5200 series", "aliases": [ "AZ5214E", "AZ 5214 E", "AZ 5214-E" ], "tone": "image-reversal", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed in the datasheet; the resist is formulated around a crosslinking image-reversal mechanism and is not marketed for grayscale/3D lithography.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "AZ 5214E is a novolak/DNQ (diazonaphthoquinone) positive photoresist from Merck's AZ line that is almost exclusively used in image-reversal (IR) mode: a special crosslinking agent activated by a reversal bake makes exposed areas insoluble, so a subsequent flood exposure and standard positive development yields a negative-tone image with a re-entrant (undercut) sidewall profile ideally suited to lift-off metallization.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 1.14, "max_um": 1.98, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span: the AZ 5214E datasheet states no achievable-thickness range in prose; its only thickness data is the printed \"FILM THICKNESS [µm] as FUNCTION of SPIN SPEED (characteristically)\" table (p.2: 1.98/1.62/1.40/1.25/1.14 µm at 2000/3000/4000/5000/6000 rpm), which is this recipe's spin curve. min/max are the span of that table." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "as supplied", "points": [ { "rpm": 2000, "um": 1.98 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 1.62 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 1.4 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 1.25 }, { "rpm": 6000, "um": 1.14 } ], "source": "numeric table \"FILM THICKNESS [µm] as FUNCTION of SPIN SPEED (characteristically)\", p.2 of MicroChemicals/Merck AZ 5214E Technical Data Sheet" } ], "spinNotes": "Datasheet gives no accel/dispense/edge-bead procedure beyond naming AZ EBR Solvent for dilution/edge-bead removal (Processing Guidelines table, p.3). 4000 rpm (1.40 µm) is bolded in the source table, suggesting it as the reference/typical spin speed, though the datasheet does not explicitly label it as such.", "adhesion": { "hmds": null, "notes": "HMDS/adhesion promotion is not mentioned anywhere in this datasheet." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 110, "time_s": 50, "method": "hotplate", "notes": null, "source": "Processing Guidelines table, p.3: \"Prebake 110°C, 50\", hotplate\"" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "basisCopy": "No absolute dose is published for AZ 5214E, only ratios to a standard positive process in the same resist: the image-wise exposure is about half the positive dose, the flood exposure about double the positive dose." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 120, "tempRange_c": { "min": 115, "max": 125 }, "time_s": 120, "notes": "This is the image-reversal (\"reversal bake\", RB) step, not a conventional PEB — AZ 5214E's process has no separate post-exposure bake before flood exposure; the reversal bake occupies that position in the sequence. 120°C/2 min is the datasheet's example condition in the Processing Guidelines table, but the text stresses this must be individually optimized per line/equipment and always falls within 115–125°C, held constant within ±1°C (\"the most critical parameter of the IR-process\"). Above ~130°C the resist thermally crosslinks even in unexposed areas and destroys the pattern.", "source": "Processing Guidelines table, p.3 (\"Reversal bake 120°C, 2 min., hotplate (most critical step)\"); temperature-optimization procedure and ±1°C/115–125°C range, General Information, p.1" }, "floodExposure": { "dose_mJcm2": 200, "notes": "Flood exposure (no mask) is described as \"absolutely uncritical\" as long as sufficient energy is applied; > 200 mJ/cm² is called a good choice, and anywhere from 150–500 mJ/cm² has no major influence on performance.", "source": "AZ 5214E TDS, p.1–3 (General Information + Processing Guidelines table: \"Flood exposure > 200 mJ/cm² (uncritical)\")" }, "develop": { "developer": "AZ 340 (metal-ion-containing) or AZ 726 MIF (metal-ion-free)", "dilution": "AZ 340 used 1:5 diluted; AZ 726 MIF used as supplied", "time_s": null, "method": "AZ 340: tank or spray; AZ 726 MIF: puddle", "rinse": null, "source": "Processing Guidelines table, p.3: \"Development AZ 340, 1:5 (tank, spray) or AZ 726 (puddle)\"" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": 120, "time_s": 50, "optional": true, "notes": "Labeled \"Postbake\" and explicitly optional.", "source": "Processing Guidelines table, p.3: \"Postbake 120°C, 50s hotplate (optional)\"" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "lift-off", "image-reversal" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": true, "platingSuitable": false, "stripper": "AZ 100 Remover, concentrate (Processing Guidelines table, p.3: \"Removal AZ 100 Remover, conc.\")", "storage": "Store in sealed original containers, protected from light and heat, between 0°C and 25°C; brief excursions to -5°C or +30°C for up to 24 hours do not adversely affect properties. Shelf life is limited; expiration date is printed on the bottle label as [year/month/day]. (Handling Advises, p.3)", "notes": "AZ 5214E is a positive DNQ/novolak resist that is almost exclusively run in image-reversal mode for lift-off, producing a negative (re-entrant) sidewall profile instead of the ~75-85° positive slope of standard positive processing. The reversal-bake temperature is the single most process-sensitive parameter: it must be individually tuned (typically 115-125°C) and held within ±1°C, since a few degrees too high causes thermal crosslinking even in unexposed regions and destroys the pattern; the datasheet gives a explicit calibration procedure for finding it. By contrast, the flood exposure step is deliberately forgiving (150-500 mJ/cm² all work). A T-shaped (overhanging-lip) lift-off profile can also be produced with a modified sequence: light flood exposure before the reversal bake, then normal imagewise exposure and development.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Standard AZ 5214E photoresist in laser interference and EBDW lithographies", "authors": "Škriniarová et al.", "journal": "Vacuum", "year": 2015, "doi": "10.1016/j.vacuum.2014.09.012", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vacuum.2014.09.012", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "AZ 5214E run as an e-beam resist, not just UV" }, { "type": "paper", "title": "High thickness material lift-off using multi-layer photoresist", "authors": "Elshenety et al.", "journal": "Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering", "year": 2025, "doi": "10.1088/1361-6439/adac6b", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6439/adac6b", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "Stacked multi-layer 5214E lifts off more than 6 µm of electroplated Cu — 4× its single-coat thickness" } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "How does AZ 5214E image reversal work?", "a": "Coat and soft-bake (110 °C, 50 s), then imagewise expose. The key step is the reversal bake at ~120 °C (individually optimized within 115–125 °C, held to ±1 °C), which crosslinks the exposed areas and makes them insoluble. A blanket flood exposure (>200 mJ/cm², no mask) then makes the originally unexposed areas soluble, and standard positive development yields a negative-tone image with the re-entrant (undercut) sidewall wanted for lift-off.", "source": "AZ 5214E Technical Data Sheet, Processing Guidelines table + General Information, p.1–3 (reversal bake 120 °C/2 min; flood exposure >200 mJ/cm²)" }, { "q": "Why is the reversal bake temperature so critical for AZ 5214E?", "a": "The reversal bake is the single most process-sensitive parameter. It must be individually tuned (typically 115–125 °C) and held within ±1 °C. A few degrees too high — above ~130 °C — thermally crosslinks the resist even in unexposed regions and destroys the pattern. The datasheet gives an explicit calibration procedure for finding the correct temperature. By contrast, the flood exposure step is deliberately forgiving.", "source": "AZ 5214E Technical Data Sheet, General Information, p.1 (reversal bake ±1 °C within 115–125 °C, 'most critical step')" }, { "q": "Which developer does AZ 5214E use?", "a": "AZ 340 (metal-ion-containing), used 1:5 diluted by tank or spray, or AZ 726 MIF (metal-ion-free), used as supplied by puddle development. The datasheet does not publish a fixed development time. The resist is stripped afterward with AZ 100 Remover (concentrate).", "source": "AZ 5214E Technical Data Sheet, Processing Guidelines table, p.3" }, { "q": "What exposure dose does AZ 5214E need in image-reversal mode?", "a": "The datasheet does not publish an absolute imagewise dose in mJ/cm² — only a relative rule of thumb: for image-reversal processing the patternwise exposure should be about half that of a standard positive process with the same resist, while the flood exposure should be about double. Exposure is stated qualitatively as broadband / h- and i-line, with 310–420 nm spectral sensitivity. Characterize the imagewise dose on-tool.", "source": "AZ 5214E Technical Data Sheet, p.2 (relative IR dose rule; no absolute mJ/cm² published)" }, { "q": "How much flood-exposure energy does AZ 5214E need?", "a": "The flood (blanket, no-mask) exposure is described as 'absolutely uncritical' as long as enough energy is applied. Greater than 200 mJ/cm² is called a good choice, and anywhere from 150–500 mJ/cm² has no major influence on performance.", "source": "AZ 5214E Technical Data Sheet, p.1–3 (flood exposure >200 mJ/cm², uncritical)" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_5214e_photoresist.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": null, "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "az-9245", "name": "AZ 9245", "manufacturer": "AZ Electronic Materials (Clariant AG)", "productLine": "AZ 9200", "aliases": [ "AZ9245", "AZ 9245 (220 CPS)", "AZ 9245 Photoresist" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed anywhere in this 1997 datasheet; grayscale/3D lithography is not a documented use case for this product.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "AZ 9245 is the thinner (220 cP) of two viscosity grades in Clariant/AZ Electronic Materials' AZ 9200 high-resolution thick-resist line, coating to roughly 4.6-6.6 µm and resolving sub-micron lines and spaces at 4.6 µm film thickness, targeted at coil-plating and thin-film recording-head applications.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 4.6, "max_um": 6.6, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — a printed numeric \"Film Thickness\" table (p.7, columns 2000/2500/3000/3500 rpm) gives AZ 9245 values across that range, extended by the single grade-specific anchor point in the \"Typical Process for 4.6 µm Film Thickness [AZ 9245 Photoresist (220 CPS)]\" table (p.6: Spin 3800 rpm, 60 sec → 4.6 µm). The series-wide stated figure in the intro (p.1), \"AZ 9200 photoresist is available in two viscosity grades for film thicknesses of 4 to 24 µm\", spans both AZ 9245 and AZ 9260 combined (9260 reaches the thicker end via multi-coat, per p.6), not AZ 9245 alone, so this grade's own curve-span is used instead." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "AZ 9245 (220 cP)", "points": [ { "rpm": 2000, "um": 6.6 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 5.8 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 5.2 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 4.8 }, { "rpm": 3800, "um": 4.6 } ], "source": "numeric table \"Film Thickness\" (columns 2000/2500/3000/3500 rpm, row \"AZ 9245 Photoresist 220 cP\"), p.7, combined with the single grade-specific anchor point from \"Typical Process for 4.6 µm Film Thickness [AZ 9245 Photoresist (220 CPS)]\" (Coat: Spin 3800 rpm, 60 sec → 4.6 µm target), p.6, of AZ 9200 Photoresist datasheet. Both are explicitly labeled AZ 9245 (220 cP) and are mutually consistent (monotonic decrease: 4.8 µm at 3500 rpm to 4.6 µm at 3800 rpm)." } ], "spinNotes": "The p.7 table's units are ambiguous in the source document — in places the values carry an \"Å\" (Angstrom) suffix (e.g. \"6 600 Å\"), and elsewhere the same figures appear as \"6.6um\" etc. A literal Angstrom reading (0.66 µm at 2000 rpm) would be physically inconsistent with the rest of the document: it would mean the film gets THICKER at the higher 3800 rpm point (4.6 µm, from the p.6 Typical Process table) than at the lower 2000 rpm point (0.66 µm), which violates basic spin-coating physics (thickness decreases with increasing spin speed). The µm reading is internally consistent with the 4.6 µm/3800 rpm anchor point, so that is the reading plotted above. Coat/dispense and edge-bead removal are documented as explicit process steps for this grade (p.6): \"Coat: Dispense static or dynamic @ 300 rpm, Spin 3800 rpm/60 sec\" then \"Edge Bead Removal: Rinse 500 rpm/10 sec, Dry 1000 rpm/10 sec\" — both built into the same Typical Process table as softbake/exposure/develop. No rehydration hold is listed anywhere in this document — despite this being a thick resist, where a rehydration hold is sometimes expected, this specific 1997 datasheet's process tables simply do not include one.", "adhesion": { "hmds": null, "notes": "Not addressed anywhere in this datasheet — no substrate priming/HMDS guidance is given at all." }, "rehydration": "Not mentioned anywhere in this document. The grade-specific \"Typical Process for 4.6 µm Film Thickness [AZ 9245 Photoresist (220 CPS)]\" table (p.6) lists Coat → Softbake → Edge Bead Removal → Exposure → Post Exposure Bake (not recommended) → Development, with no separate rehydration step. This may be a gap in this particular 1997 datasheet rather than confirmation the process needs none, so nothing is asserted either way.", "softbake": { "temp_c": 110, "time_s": 120, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Grade-specific: \"Softbake 110°C, 120 sec hotplate\" — Typical Process for 4.6 µm Film Thickness [AZ 9245 Photoresist (220 CPS)], p.6. Corroborated by matching \"Softbake Hotplate 110°C, 120 sec\" conditions on the Linearity [Broadband] and Focus Latitude [Broadband] test panels for the same 4.6 µm film thickness (p.2-3).", "source": "Typical Process for 4.6 µm Film Thickness [AZ 9245 Photoresist (220 CPS)], p.6 of AZ 9200 Photoresist datasheet." }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "value_mJcm2": 900, "source": "Typical Process for 4.6 µm Film Thickness [AZ 9245 Photoresist (220 CPS)], p.6; corroborated by Linearity [Broadband] and Focus Latitude [Broadband], p.2-3, of AZ 9200 Photoresist datasheet." } ], "basisCopy": "900 mJ/cm² on a broadband stepper is the documented dose for a 4.6 µm film, mid-way in a 780 to 1020 mJ/cm² sweep; the i-line numbers in the same document belong to the thicker 9260 grade.", "headlineBasis": "broadband stepper, 4.6 µm film" }, "peb": { "temp_c": null, "time_s": null, "notes": "\"Post Exposure Bake: not recommended in most applications\" — Typical Process for 4.6 µm Film Thickness [AZ 9245 Photoresist (220 CPS)], p.6. No PEB temperature or time is given because none is called for by default.", "source": "Typical Process for 4.6 µm Film Thickness [AZ 9245 Photoresist (220 CPS)], p.6 of AZ 9200 Photoresist datasheet." }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "AZ 400K Developer", "dilution": "1:4", "time_s": 120, "method": "spray", "rinse": "Spin rinse 300 rpm/20 sec, then spin dry 4000 rpm/15 sec (following the AZ 400K spray develop at 27°C dispense temperature).", "source": "Typical Process for 4.6 µm Film Thickness [AZ 9245 Photoresist (220 CPS)], p.6 of AZ 9200 Photoresist datasheet." }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [ "electroplating-molding", "high-aspect-ratio", "mems-structural" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "AZ 400T and 300T strippers are recommended for removal of AZ 9200 photoresist; AZ S-46 stripper is a non-NMP solvent stripper particularly suited to thin film recording head applications (Companion Products, p.8).", "storage": "\"Keep in sealed original container. Protect from light and heat. Store between 30 and 70°F (–1 to 24°C). Refrigerate whenever possible. Refrigeration may extend shelf life. Empty container may contain harmful residue and vapors.\" (Storage, p.8).", "notes": "AZ 9245 (220 cP) is the thinner of two viscosity grades in this 1997 Clariant AZ 9200 thick-resist line, a positive DNQ-novolak resist (per AZ's own Thick Photoresist Product Summary, which places the 9200 Series on the DNQ platform, and the AZ P4000 cross-reference below) targeting a 4.6 µm single-coat film with sub-micron resolution (<1 µm lines/spaces per p.1) and 5-7:1 aspect ratios on broadband steppers. Its Typical Process table explicitly states PEB is \"not recommended in most applications\" and does not list a rehydration-hold step at all — contrary to what might be assumed for a thick resist, this document gives no basis to include one. Edge-bead removal is documented as an explicit spin-rinse/spin-dry step (500 rpm/10s rinse, 1000 rpm/10s dry) built directly into the same process table as coat, softbake, exposure, and develop. The document states AZ 9200 is sensitive to both h- and i-line light, but only broadband exposure data (900 mJ/cm² nominal) is actually published for the 4.6 µm/AZ 9245 process specifically — the datasheet's only i-line dose data belongs to the thicker AZ 9260 (10 µm) grade and is not reused here. AZ 9200 is pitched as a higher-resolution replacement for AZ P4000, processed on the same tools and \"developed from the same chemistry.\"", "developerFamily": "buffered-alkaline", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Optimal overlayer inspired by Photuris firefly improves light-extraction efficiency of existing light-emitting diodes", "authors": "Bay et al.", "journal": "Optics Express", "year": 2013, "doi": "10.1364/OE.21.00A179", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.21.00A179", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "A firefly-inspired factory-roof relief was built in AZ 9245 on a GaN LED by direct-writing laser lithography on a Heidelberg DWL 66 photoplotter, using power-modulated multi-step writing to produce a three-dimensional profile that raised light extraction." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "The 900 mJ/cm² dose from the AZ 9245 typical process doesn't print my features to size — why?", "a": "That dose is quoted with a 10 % bias, for a 4.6 µm film spun at 3800 rpm and exposed on a broadband stepper, so it is not a 1:1 sizing dose for every tool. The broadband linearity and focus-latitude charts for 4.6 µm on Ni/Fe (110 °C / 120 s hotplate, Ultratech 1500 at 0.315 NA) span 780–1020 mJ/cm², and they were developed 180 s in AZ 400K 1:4 against the typical process's 120 s. Run a dose series on your own tool, substrate and develop time.", "source": "AZ 9200 Photoresist Product Data Sheet (Clariant, July 1997) — Typical Process for 4.6 µm Film Thickness [AZ 9245], p.6; Linearity and Focus Latitude [Broadband], 4.6 µm on Ni/Fe, p.2–3" }, { "q": "Can I develop AZ 9245 in TMAH instead of AZ 400K?", "a": "Yes, but it is the second choice. The datasheet recommends inorganic developers based on potassium hydroxide, preferring AZ 400K 1:4 — a buffered developer for bath life and process stability that also minimises the risk of mobile-ion contamination — for thick films, in spray or immersion. For integrated-circuit applications it allows TMAH developers such as the non-surfactant AZ 300 MIF. The 4.6 µm typical process is AZ 400K 1:4, 120 s spray at a 27 °C dispense temperature, so a switch to TMAH needs its own time and dose.", "source": "AZ 9200 Photoresist Product Data Sheet (Clariant, July 1997) — p.1; Typical Process for 4.6 µm [AZ 9245], p.6; Companion Products (Developers), p.8" }, { "q": "Why do my AZ 9245 features blur toward the wafer edge?", "a": "Check the edge bead. A raised rim holds the mask off the film, and the gap degrades resolution through diffraction. The AZ 9245 typical process removes it with an edge-bead rinse at 500 rpm for 10 s followed by a 1000 rpm, 10 s dry, and the datasheet recommends AZ EBR 70/30 or AZ EBR Solvent for both front- and back-side removal. MicroChemicals warns against acetone or other low-boiling solvents for this step.", "source": "AZ 9200 Photoresist Product Data Sheet (Clariant, July 1997) — Typical Process for 4.6 µm [AZ 9245], p.6; Companion Products (Edge Bead Removers), p.8. MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Spin Coating: Edge Bead?, p.2–3; Gap between Photomask and Resist Surface?, p.12" }, { "q": "Why am I getting comets and pinholes in freshly spun AZ 9245?", "a": "Usually bubbles in the resist itself. Moving or shaking a bottle injects air, and over months the photoactive compound releases N2 that dissolves in the resist and comes out as bubbles once the bottle is opened. MicroChemicals' fix is to leave the bottle with its cap set loosely for pressure balance and wait, 1–2 h in most cases, before coating; with pipette dispensing, let the filled pipette stand so bubbles rise away from the tip. Keep stock sealed at the datasheet's −1 to 24 °C, refrigerated where possible.", "source": "MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Spin Coating: Comet-Shaped Structures?, p.3; Bubbles or Particles in Resist Film After Coating, p.13–14. AZ 9200 Photoresist Product Data Sheet (Clariant, July 1997) — Storage, p.8" }, { "q": "What strips AZ 9245 after plating, and why won't it come off after a hot process step?", "a": "The datasheet recommends AZ 400T and AZ 300T strippers, with AZ S-46 as a non-NMP solvent stripper suited to thin-film recording-head work. If the film was heated hard — by an evaporation source, a growing film or ion bombardment — it can crosslink and resist removal. MicroChemicals rates low-vapour-pressure NMP or DMSO as better removers, heated up to 80 °C if the resist is crosslinked, names TechniStrip P1316 for heavily crosslinked positive films, and advises against acetone, which evaporates fast and leaves residues.", "source": "AZ 9200 Photoresist Product Data Sheet (Clariant, July 1997) — Companion Products (Strippers), p.8. MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Photoresist Removal Does Not Work (Well), p.19–20" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.nanofab.utah.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/AZ-9260-Thick-Positive-Photoresist-Spec-Sheet-2-1.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "July 1997 (per copyright line \"© Clariant AG, July 1997\"; no separate \"Rev.\" string is printed)", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_p4000_series.pdf", "what": "AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet, titled 'Positive Tone Photoresists' (p.1); the AZ 9200 sheet itself (p.1) says AZ 9200 'can be used as a higher resolution replacement for AZ P4000 photoresist... it is developed from the same chemistry' — the basis for classifying AZ 9245 as a positive resist sharing AZ P4000's chemistry." }, { "url": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_p4620_photoresist.pdf", "what": "AZ P4620 Photoresist Data Package, 'Thick Photoresist Product Summary' (p.3): the table lists the '9200 Series' row with Platform 'DNQ' — the basis for classifying AZ 9245 as dnq-novolak." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "az-9260", "name": "AZ 9260", "min_um": 7.9, "max_um": 11.4, "doseBasis": "1500 mJ/cm²" } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "az-9260", "name": "AZ 9260", "manufacturer": "MicroChemicals GmbH / Merck KGaA (AZ brand; originally launched by Clariant / AZ Electronic Materials)", "productLine": "AZ 9200 series", "aliases": [ "AZ9260", "AZ 9260 Photoresist", "AZ 9200 Photoresist (520 cP grade)" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed in any source consulted; the datasheet frames AZ 9260 purely as a high-resolution thick binary resist (etch mask / plating mold), with no grayscale dose-response or reflow data given.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "AZ 9260 is the high-viscosity (520 cP) grade of the AZ 9200 thick positive photoresist family — the thicker partner to AZ 9245, spin-coating roughly 7.9–11.4 µm single-coat (up to 24 µm double-coat) for plating molds, etch masks and careful lift-off.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 7.9, "max_um": 11.4, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span: the AZ 9200 datasheet states no AZ 9260-specific achievable range — its intro figure \"film thicknesses of 4 to 24 µm\" (p.1) is for the two-grade AZ 9200 series (AZ 9245 + AZ 9260) combined, the same series-vs-grade case for which the sibling grade AZ 9245 also uses curve-span. min/max are the span of AZ 9260's own published \"Film Thickness\" table (p.7, 520 cP row: 11.4/9.6/8.8/7.9 µm at 2000/2500/3000/3500 rpm). The document's \"10 µm\" process (p.6) is one demonstrated single-coat point and its \"24 µm\" process is an explicit double coat, so neither is a stated single-coat achievable range. [CORRECTED: the prior 5-20 µm was sourced from neither the prose nor the curve.]" }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "AZ 9260 Photoresist (520 cP)", "points": [ { "rpm": 2000, "um": 11.4 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 9.6 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 8.8 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 7.9 } ], "source": "numeric table, 'Film Thickness' row for AZ 9260 Photoresist 520 cP, Thermal Comparison section, p.7 of AZ 9200 Photoresist -- High-Resolution Thick Resist Product Data Sheet (Clariant / AZ Electronic Materials, copyright 1997). Only 4 points are published (2000-3500 rpm); the datasheet does not plot or tabulate points below 2000 or above 3500 rpm for this grade. Cross-check: interpolating this table to 2400 rpm gives ~10.0 um, matching the same document's separately-stated 'Typical Process for 10 um Film Thickness' recipe (2400 rpm), which is a useful internal consistency check." } ], "spinNotes": "Coat by dispense (static or dynamic) at 300 rpm. Kayaku-equivalent 'Typical Process' recipes from the same datasheet: for a single-coat ~10 um film, spin at 2400 rpm for 60 s; for a double-coat ~24 um stack, first coat at 2400 rpm/60 s (target ~10 um) then a second coat at 2100 rpm/60 s (target 24 um total), with an intermediate softbake between coats. Edge-bead removal in all cases: rinse at 500 rpm for 10 s, then dry-spin at 1000 rpm for 10 s. Post-develop rinse/dry: 300 rpm for 20 s rinse, then 4000 rpm for 15 s dry. Separately, current MicroChemicals process guidance (app-note level, not the 1997 datasheet) recommends spinning highly-viscous resists such as AZ 9260 at an elevated spin speed to suppress edge-bead formation, and notes that at conventional 3000-4000 rpm speeds AZ 9260 reaches roughly 7 um in about 20 s.", "adhesion": { "hmds": null, "notes": "The AZ 9200 datasheet does not address HMDS or any other substrate priming for AZ 9260 -- no HMDS step appears in any of its 'Typical Process' recipes. General MicroChemicals adhesion guidance (not resist-specific) recommends applying HMDS only from the vapour phase onto heated substrates, never from the liquid phase or in a spin coater also used for resist -- excess liquid-phase HMDS can release ammonia during softbake that crosslinks/scums the substrate-near resist. On noble metals (Ag, Au) organic promoters like HMDS are noted to be largely ineffective; a thin Ti or Cr adhesion layer is recommended instead." }, "rehydration": "AZ 9260 is explicitly used as the worked example in MicroChemicals' 'Rehydration of Photoresists' application note: a 22 um AZ 9260 film softbaked at 100 C for 20 minutes needed roughly 30 minutes of rehydration at 52% RH / 22 C to reach a stable, high development rate throughout the film thickness. With only 5 minutes of rehydration under the same conditions, the substrate-near resist stayed water-depleted and developed at a much lower rate, requiring an order-of-magnitude longer development time for full through-development and giving a worse resist profile (more dark erosion near the top of developed structures). General rule from the same source: required rehydration time increases from about 1 minute for a 1 um film to several hours for films beyond 30 um, and a high air humidity (roughly 45-50%, never below ~40%) is required in addition to time -- a low-humidity environment cannot be compensated for by waiting longer.", "softbake": { "temp_c": 110, "time_s": 165, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "165 s is the value for a single-coat 10 um target film (the closest standard 'Typical Process' entry to AZ 9260's nominal single-coat use). Related published points from the same document: 120 s at 110 C for a 4.6 um AZ 9245 (220 cP) film, and for a double-coat 24 um AZ 9260 stack, 80 s at 110 C after the first (~10 um) coat plus 160 s at 110 C after the second coat. Separately, MicroChemicals' general (non-resist-specific) rule of thumb for AZ/TI positive resists is ~100 C for 1 minute per micron of film thickness, but the vendor's own AZ 9260-specific numbers above deviate from that generic rule, which the same source explicitly anticipates for 'special thick resists' -- use the datasheet numbers, not the generic rule, for AZ 9260.", "source": "'Typical Process for 10 um Film Thickness [AZ 9260 Photoresist (520 CPS)]' table, p.6 of AZ 9200 Photoresist Product Data Sheet (Clariant / AZ Electronic Materials, 1997); softbake rule-of-thumb cross-reference from MicroChemicals 'Basics of Microstructuring' application note (undated, current)" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "value_mJcm2": 1500, "source": "'Typical Process for 10 um Film Thickness' table (p.6) and 'Focus and Exposure Latitude [i-Line]' section (p.5), AZ 9200 Photoresist Product Data Sheet, Clariant / AZ Electronic Materials, 1997" } ], "basisCopy": "1500 mJ/cm² broadband is the 10 µm single-coat dose and 2100 mJ/cm² the 24 µm double coat; on an i-line stepper the same 10 µm film resolved 3 µm lines between 660 and 900 mJ/cm².", "headlineBasis": "broadband stepper, 10 µm film" }, "peb": { "temp_c": null, "time_s": null, "notes": "Post exposure bake is explicitly listed as 'not recommended in most applications' in every one of the datasheet's Typical Process tables (4.6 um, 10 um, and 24 um double-coat processes). This is consistent with AZ 9260 being a standard DNQ-novolak positive resist (not chemically amplified), which does not require a PEB the way SU-8 or AZ 40XT do.", "source": "'Typical Process' tables, p.6 of AZ 9200 Photoresist Product Data Sheet, Clariant / AZ Electronic Materials, 1997" }, "floodExposure": { "dose_mJcm2": null, "notes": null, "source": null }, "develop": { "developer": "AZ 400K Developer (buffered, KOH-based)", "dilution": "1:4", "time_s": 180, "method": "spray, dispense temperature 27 C (immersion is also usable per current MicroChemicals guidance)", "rinse": "300 rpm spin rinse for 20 s, then 4000 rpm spin-dry for 15 s (from the 10 um single-coat 'Typical Process')", "source": "'Typical Process for 10 um Film Thickness [AZ 9260 Photoresist (520 CPS)]' table, p.6 of AZ 9200 Photoresist Product Data Sheet, Clariant / AZ Electronic Materials, 1997. Related published points: 120 s spray for a 4.6 um AZ 9245 film; 260 s spray for a 24 um double-coat AZ 9260 stack. Current MicroChemicals compatibility guidance (application-notes level) also lists AZ 326 MIF and AZ 726 MIF (both TMAH-based, metal-ion-free) as compatible developers for AZ 9260, and the original 1997 datasheet separately notes AZ 300 MIF (a TMAH developer) can be used for IC applications requiring metal-ion-free processing." }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "time_s": null, "notes": "No AZ 9260-specific hardbake step or numbers are given in the AZ 9200 datasheet itself (its own thermal-stability test instead shows the resist beginning to round/flow at 110-125 C, i.e. its softening point, not a recommended cure). General (non-resist-specific) MicroChemicals guidance elsewhere recommends a post-development hardbake at approximately 140-150 C for 5-10 minutes to improve wet-etch and alkaline-solution resistance and reduce underetching, and separately notes that positive/image-reversal AZ resists generally begin to round/reflow above their 110-130 C softening point during any subsequent thermal process (e.g. dry etch, evaporation/sputtering), which limits how hot a true 'hard' cure step can go without deforming the profile.", "source": "Thermal Comparison section, p.7 of AZ 9200 Photoresist Product Data Sheet, Clariant / AZ Electronic Materials, 1997 (softening behavior only); general hardbake/etch-resistance guidance from MicroChemicals 'Basics of Microstructuring' application note (undated, current) -- not AZ 9260-specific" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "electroplating-molding", "etch-mask", "lift-off", "high-aspect-ratio" ], "etchResistance": "The datasheet does not give wet/dry etch-rate numbers for AZ 9260 directly. Related published facts: the resist begins to round/soften starting around 110-125 C (its softening point), which is also the temperature ceiling for most dry-etch and coating processes before profile rounding occurs; current MicroChemicals guidance states cresol-novolak-based AZ resists (which includes AZ 9260) are never stable enough for KOH/TMAH-based anisotropic silicon etching regardless of hardbake, and that a hardbake around 140-150 C improves resistance to HNO3-containing wet etchants and reduces underetching from marginal adhesion.", "liftoffSuitable": true, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "Per the 1997 AZ 9200 datasheet: AZ 400T and AZ 300T strippers are recommended for AZ 9200-family resists; AZ S-46 (a non-NMP solvent stripper) is specifically suited to thin-film recording-head applications. Current MicroChemicals-branded equivalents for Novolak-based positive resists like AZ 9260: AZ 100 Remover (amine solvent mixture, can be heated 60-80 C, but must be kept water-free on Cu/Al/ITO-bearing substrates), or the high-performance strippers TechniStrip P1316 (or P1331 as an alkaline-sensitive-material alternative) for cross-linked/hardbaked material.", "storage": "Per the 1997 datasheet: keep in the sealed original container, protected from light and heat; store between 30-70 F (-1 to 24 C); refrigeration is recommended and may extend shelf life.", "notes": "AZ 9260 is the 520 cP (higher-viscosity) grade of the AZ 9200 family, paired with the 220 cP AZ 9245 grade; it is one of the resists MicroChemicals specifically recommends when thick-film bubbling or cracking is a problem, because it has a lower photo-active-compound (PAC) concentration than most positive resists and therefore generates less N2 gas during exposure -- the N2 that IS generated still needs to diffuse out before it forms visible bubbles or stress-cracks, so thick coats, high exposure intensity, and inadequate softbake all raise bubbling risk; work-arounds given by the vendor include lowering exposure intensity (splitting exposure into steps with delays between them), increasing softbake time/temperature, and improving substrate adhesion. Separately, and just as important for thick coats: AZ 9260 needs real rehydration time after softbake before exposure (tens of minutes at 40-50% RH for a >20 um film per MicroChemicals' own study) or the substrate-near resist develops far too slowly and the profile suffers -- this is easy to overlook since PEB (a separate bake step) is explicitly NOT needed for this resist. Exposure dose also scales with target thickness rather than holding constant: the datasheet's own worked processes run roughly 900 mJ/cm2 (broadband) for a thin ~4.6 um coat, ~1500 mJ/cm2 for the 10 um single-coat target, and ~2100 mJ/cm2 for the 24 um double-coat stack, so a dose calibrated for one thickness should be re-benchmarked before reuse at another. Handling note from MicroChemicals' general troubleshooting guide: N2 can also form inside an unopened resist bottle over time from slow PAC decomposition, so a bottle that has been closed for a while (or recently shaken/moved) should be left to stand for 1-2 hours (longer for very viscous resists) before dispensing, to let bubbles rise out.", "developerFamily": "buffered-alkaline", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Potentialities of a new positive photoresist for the realization of thick moulds", "authors": "Conédéra et al.", "journal": "Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering", "year": 1999, "doi": "10.1088/0960-1317/9/2/317", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1088/0960-1317/9/2/317", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "The founding AZ 9260 mold paper: aspect ratio 15-20 at 100 µm on a standard aligner" }, { "type": "paper", "title": "Thin film micro-transformers for future power conversion", "authors": "O'Donnell et al.", "journal": "Nineteenth Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition, 2004. APEC '04.", "year": 2004, "doi": "10.1109/APEC.2004.1295935", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1109/APEC.2004.1295935", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "81 µm molds used for on-chip power micro-transformers, Q ~23 at 0.4 GHz" } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Why does AZ 9260 need a rehydration wait before exposure?", "a": "After softbake the resist is water-depleted, and water must diffuse back in to complete the photoreaction. In MicroChemicals' worked study a 22 µm AZ 9260 film softbaked at 100°C for 20 min needed about 30 min of rehydration at 52% RH / 22°C; with only 5 min the substrate-near resist developed far slower and gave a worse profile. Required time rises from ~1 min at 1 µm to several hours beyond 30 µm, and needs 45–50% RH — dry air cannot be offset by waiting longer.", "source": "MicroChemicals 'Rehydration of Photoresists' application note (2007), the AZ 9260 worked example; AZ 9200 Photoresist Product Data Sheet (Clariant / AZ Electronic Materials, 1997)" }, { "q": "Does AZ 9260 need a post-exposure bake?", "a": "No. Post-exposure bake is listed as 'not recommended in most applications' in every one of the datasheet's Typical Process tables (the 4.6 µm, 10 µm and 24 µm double-coat processes). That is consistent with AZ 9260 being a standard DNQ-novolak positive resist rather than a chemically amplified one — it does not need a PEB the way SU-8 or AZ 40XT do.", "source": "AZ 9200 Photoresist Product Data Sheet (Clariant / AZ Electronic Materials, 1997) — Typical Process tables, p.6" }, { "q": "Does the exposure dose for AZ 9260 change with film thickness?", "a": "Yes — dose scales with target thickness rather than holding constant. The datasheet's worked processes run about 900 mJ/cm² (broadband) for a ~4.6 µm coat, ~1500 mJ/cm² for the 10 µm single-coat target, and ~2100 mJ/cm² for the 24 µm double-coat stack, so a dose calibrated at one thickness should be re-benchmarked at another. An i-line stepper is more efficient — 660–900 mJ/cm² resolved 3 µm lines/spaces in a 10 µm film.", "source": "AZ 9200 Photoresist Product Data Sheet (Clariant / AZ Electronic Materials, 1997) — Typical Process tables + Focus and Exposure Latitude [i-Line], p.5–6" }, { "q": "How do I avoid bubbling or cracking in thick AZ 9260 coats?", "a": "AZ 9260 has a lower photoactive-compound concentration than most positive resists, so it generates less N2 during exposure — but that N2 still must diffuse out before it forms bubbles or stress cracks, and thick coats, high exposure intensity and weak softbake all raise the risk. Mitigate by lowering exposure intensity (split exposure into timed steps), increasing softbake time/temperature, and improving adhesion. Let a closed or recently shaken bottle stand 1–2 h before dispensing so bubbles rise out.", "source": "MicroChemicals lithography troubleshooting / 'Basics of Microstructuring' application note (current); AZ 9200 Photoresist Product Data Sheet (Clariant / AZ Electronic Materials, 1997)" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.nanofab.utah.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/AZ-9260-Thick-Positive-Photoresist-Spec-Sheet-2-1.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "AZ 9200 Photoresist -- High-Resolution Thick Resist, Product Data Sheet, Clariant AG / AZ Electronic Materials, copyright July 1997, hosted by the University of Utah Nanofab; the current commercial custodian of the AZ brand, MicroChemicals GmbH / Merck KGaA, does not carry this legacy datasheet on microchemicals.com.", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/application_notes/lithography_trouble_shooting.pdf", "what": "MicroChemicals GmbH 'Basics of Microstructuring' / lithography troubleshooting application note (current, undated) -- manufacturer-authored, not university content, but used here only for general (non-AZ-9260-specific) guidance: N2-bubble/cracking mechanism and mitigations for thick DNQ resists, generic softbake rule-of-thumb, generic hardbake/etch-resistance guidance, developer compatibility table listing AZ 9260's compatible developers, and lift-off suitability of positive resists including AZ 9260." }, { "url": "https://research.engineering.ucdavis.edu/cnm2/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2014/07/photoresist_rehydration.pdf", "what": "MicroChemicals GmbH 'Rehydration of Photoresists' application note (2007-02-26, authored by Dr. Christian Koch of MicroChemicals), mirrored by UC Davis' cleanroom facility -- manufacturer-authored, not university-derived content, and used as the primary source for the AZ-9260-specific 22 um rehydration study numbers quoted in the rehydration field above." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "az-9245", "name": "AZ 9245", "min_um": 4.6, "max_um": 6.6, "doseBasis": "900 mJ/cm²" } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "az-eci-3007", "name": "AZ ECI 3007", "manufacturer": "Merck", "productLine": "AZ ECI 3000 series", "aliases": [ "ECI 3007", "AZ ECI 3007" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed anywhere in the datasheet; the series is positioned as a general-purpose, high-throughput plasma/RIE and wet-etch resist, not for grayscale/3D lithography.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "AZ ECI 3007 is the thinnest of three grades in Merck's AZ ECI 3000 series of general-purpose, high-throughput positive-tone cross-over (i-line/g-line) photoresists for plasma/RIE and wet-etch applications, spin-coating to roughly 0.6-1.15 µm across the datasheet's 1500-5000 rpm plotted range.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 0.6, "max_um": 1.15, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — read from the plotted spin curve (\"SPIN CURVES (150mm Wafers)\", p.1), min at 5000 rpm and max at 1500 rpm, the full plotted range. The series-wide stated figure in APPLICATION (p.1), \"Spin coated thickness from 0.7 to 5.0µm\", spans all three ECI 3000 grades (3007/3012/3027) combined, not ECI 3007 alone, so this grade's own curve-span is used instead." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "AZ ECI 3007", "points": [ { "rpm": 1500, "um": 1.15 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 0.95 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 0.75 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 0.65 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 0.6 } ], "source": "read from figure (\"SPIN CURVES (150mm Wafers)\"), p.1 of AZ ECI 3000 Series datasheet — legend-labeled \"ECI 3007\" (blue circle marker), clearly separated (~2x factor) from the ECI 3012 and ECI 3027 traces across the full 1500-5000 rpm plotted range.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Multi-grade chart plots ECI 3007 / ECI 3012 / ECI 3027 together (legend, distinct colors, p.1); unlike some other multi-grade AZ charts, the three traces stay well-separated (roughly 2x factor between adjacent grades) across the whole 1500-5000 rpm range, so the ECI 3007 trace could be identified with reasonable confidence — but the reading is still a visual estimate from a plotted curve, not a printed numeric table, and no point is extrapolated past the 1500-5000 rpm plotted range. No spin accel/dispense parameters, no edge-bead removal procedure, and no rehydration hold are published for this grade; AZ EBR Solvent/AZ EBR 70/30 are listed only as companion thinning/edge-bead products (COMPANION PRODUCTS, p.2) with no protocol given. Rehydration is not applicable — this is a thin film (<1.2 µm), not a thick-DNQ resist.", "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "\"Oxide forming substrates (Si, etc.) should be primed with HMDS (hexamethyl disilazane) or other suitable primer prior to coating AZ ECI 3000.\" (SUBSTRATE PREPARATION, p.10). No specific HMDS bake temp/time is published." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 90, "max": 110 }, "time_s": 60, "method": null, "notes": "Soft bake is 90-110°C for 60 s; the higher end of the range improves adhesion to metals. Bakes may be run on a hotplate or in a vented bake oven — neither is named as the default. No ECI 3007-specific process is published (the worked reference processes cover ECI 3012 and ECI 3027), so these are the conditions given for the ECI 3000 series as a whole.", "source": "TYPICAL PROCESS, p.1; SOFT BAKE, p.10 of AZ ECI 3000 Series datasheet." }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "basisCopy": "The only exposure data for ECI 3007 is an i-line dose-to-clear curve that swings between roughly 40 and 70 mJ/cm² as film thickness changes — a thin-film interference effect, and a clearing dose rather than a process dose." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 110, "time_s": null, "timeRange_s": { "min": 60, "max": 90 }, "optional": true, "notes": "Series-wide Typical Process line: \"Post Expose Bake: 110°C/60-90s\" — temperature is a single stated value, time is a range. PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS (p.10) states \"A PEB may be employed to maximize process latitudes and mitigate standing wave effects caused by monochromatic exposure.\"", "source": "TYPICAL PROCESS, p.1 of AZ ECI 3000 Series datasheet." }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": null, "dilution": null, "time_s": 60, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "TYPICAL PROCESS, p.1; DEVELOPERS list, COMPANION PRODUCTS, p.2 of AZ ECI 3000 Series datasheet." }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 100, "max": 115 }, "time_s": null, "notes": "Series-wide range only: \"Hard bake temperatures should be in the 100° to 115°C range to ensure minimal thermal distortion of the pattern.\" No time is published. Improves adhesion in wet-etch/plating applications and pattern stability in dry-etch processes.", "source": "HARD BAKE, p.10 of AZ ECI 3000 Series datasheet." }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "etch-mask", "electroplating-molding" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "AZ 100 Remover, AZ 300T, AZ 400T, or AZ Kwik Strip™ (STRIPPING, p.10): \"AZ ECI 3000 strips readily in removers designed for DNQ/novolac type photoresists.\" Patterns baked above 140°C may cross-link and become harder to strip.", "storage": null, "notes": "AZ ECI 3007 is a general-purpose, i-line/g-line cross-over positive resist for thin (0.6-1.15 µm), high-throughput plasma/RIE and wet-etch masking — the thinnest of three grades (3007/3012/3027) in Merck's AZ ECI 3000 series, sharing chemistry, developer compatibility, and process temperature windows with its siblings. The datasheet resolves no grade-specific reference process for ECI 3007 itself — every worked exposure/PEB/develop example is built around ECI 3012 or ECI 3027 instead — so soft bake, PEB, and develop here fall back to the series-wide Typical Process line rather than a grade-specific table. The only ECI 3007-specific exposure data is a thin-film-interference (dose-to-clear swing) curve (p.6), which is a physical clearing-dose artifact, not a stated process dose; treat the series' 365-436 nm exposure window as a starting point and run a dose array rather than expect a single vendor number. Like the rest of the series it is a DNQ/novolac positive resist compatible with both TMAH (MIF) and inorganic developers, stripping in standard DNQ/novolac removers, with wet-etch and plating adhesion called out as target applications.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Aperture-Controlled Fabrication of All-Dielectric Structural Color Pixels", "authors": "Lipp et al.", "journal": "ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces", "year": 2023, "doi": "10.1021/acsami.3c03353", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.3c03353", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "750 nm ECI 3007 patterned on a maskless writer to tune structural color" } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Why does my AZ ECI 3007 clearing dose jump around between wafers spun only slightly differently?", "a": "Thin-film interference. The datasheet's i-line dose-to-clear curve for AZ ECI 3007 on silicon swings between roughly 40 and 70 mJ/cm² across 0.6–1.15 µm, with a full cycle about every 0.1 µm, so a few tens of nm of thickness drift moves the clearing dose a lot. Hold spin speed and coater conditions tight, or pick a thickness near a swing extremum where the curve is flat. A PEB — 110 °C for 60–90 s in the typical process — also mitigates standing-wave effects from monochromatic exposure.", "source": "AZ ECI 3000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — Thin Film Interference and Linearity Curves for i-line (ECI 3007 i-line TFI curve on Si), p.6; Typical Process, p.1; Post Expose Bake, p.10" }, { "q": "My AZ ECI 3007 dose worked on silicon but under- or over-exposes on chrome, ITO or glass — why?", "a": "At AZ ECI 3007's sub-micron thickness much of the light reaches the substrate, so its reflectivity sets the dose the film actually absorbs. MicroChemicals points out that metals such as Ag, Cr and Pt reflect short-wavelength light strongly, ITO absorbs most of the blue and UV, and quartz and glass transmit most of it. The swing curve in the datasheet is measured on silicon only, so re-run a dose series on each new substrate stack.", "source": "MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Changed Substrate Reflectivity? (Thin Resist Films), p.9. AZ ECI 3000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — ECI 3007 i-line TFI curve on Si, p.6" }, { "q": "Can I dilute AZ ECI 3007 for films thinner than its spin curve reaches?", "a": "Yes — MicroChemicals names the AZ ECI 3000 resists as capable of strong dilution for films of 200 nm and less, and recommends PGMEA (sold as AZ EBR Solvent) as the thinner; the datasheet lists AZ EBR Solvent or AZ EBR 70/30 for thinning. Use only a suitable solvent and stay within a resist-specific maximum dilution, or the resist can rapidly form particles. The datasheet's own spin curve for AZ ECI 3007 bottoms out at about 0.6 µm at 5000 rpm.", "source": "MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Laser Interference Lithography (Particles in Heavily Diluted Resists?), p.5; Diluted Photoresist?, p.14. AZ ECI 3000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — Companion Products, p.2; Spin Curves, p.1" }, { "q": "AZ ECI 3007 lines are lifting during a wet etch on metal — what helps adhesion?", "a": "Start with the soft bake: the datasheet's range is 90–110 °C, and the high end improves adhesion to metals. Prime oxide-forming substrates such as Si with HMDS, and hard bake at 100–115 °C after develop, which the datasheet says improves adhesion in wet etch. On noble metals MicroChemicals notes that HMDS does little, and a few-nm titanium or chromium adhesion layer gives very good resist adhesion. Keep any HMDS vapour-primed onto a heated substrate, never spun on.", "source": "AZ ECI 3000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — Typical Process, p.1; Substrate Preparation, Soft Bake and Hard Bake, p.10. MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Inferior Resist Adhesion (On Noble Metals?; Wrong HMDS Application), p.11" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_eci_3000_series.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. (03/21)", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "az-eci-3012", "name": "AZ ECI 3012", "min_um": 1.05, "max_um": 1.9, "doseBasis": "220 mJ/cm² @ 436 nm" }, { "slug": "az-eci-3027", "name": "AZ ECI 3027", "min_um": 2.4, "max_um": 4.4, "doseBasis": "262 mJ/cm² @ 365 nm" } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "az-eci-3012", "name": "AZ ECI 3012", "manufacturer": "Merck", "productLine": "AZ ECI 3000 series", "aliases": [ "ECI 3012", "AZ ECI 3012" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed anywhere in the datasheet; the series is positioned as a general-purpose, high-throughput plasma/RIE and wet-etch resist, not for grayscale/3D lithography.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "AZ ECI 3012 is the middle grade in Merck's AZ ECI 3000 series of general-purpose, high-throughput positive-tone cross-over (i-line/g-line) photoresists, and the best-documented grade in this datasheet — dedicated i-line and g-line reference processes, wet-etch adhesion data on ITO and thermal oxide, and PROLITH modeling parameters.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 1.05, "max_um": 1.9, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — read from the plotted spin curve (\"SPIN CURVES (150mm Wafers)\", p.1), min at 5000 rpm and max at 1500 rpm, the full plotted range. The series-wide stated figure in APPLICATION (p.1), \"Spin coated thickness from 0.7 to 5.0µm\", spans all three ECI 3000 grades (3007/3012/3027) combined, not ECI 3012 alone, so this grade's own curve-span is used instead. (Note: reference-process coat thicknesses of 1.20/1.2/1.7/1.33 µm appear on p.3-8 for various test structures, but none are paired with a spin speed, so they cannot be folded into this range.)" }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "AZ ECI 3012", "points": [ { "rpm": 1500, "um": 1.9 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 1.6 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 1.3 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 1.15 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 1.05 } ], "source": "read from figure (\"SPIN CURVES (150mm Wafers)\"), p.1 of AZ ECI 3000 Series datasheet — legend-labeled \"ECI 3012\" (red/pink circle marker), clearly separated (~2x factor) from the ECI 3007 and ECI 3027 traces across the full 1500-5000 rpm plotted range.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Multi-grade chart plots ECI 3007 / ECI 3012 / ECI 3027 together (legend, distinct colors, p.1); unlike some other multi-grade AZ charts, the three traces stay well-separated (roughly 2x factor between adjacent grades) across the whole 1500-5000 rpm range, so the ECI 3012 trace could be identified with reasonable confidence — but the reading is still a visual estimate from a plotted curve, not a printed numeric table, and no point is extrapolated past the 1500-5000 rpm plotted range. No spin accel/dispense parameters, no edge-bead removal procedure, and no rehydration hold are published for this grade; AZ EBR Solvent/AZ EBR 70/30 are listed only as companion thinning/edge-bead products (COMPANION PRODUCTS, p.2) with no protocol given. Rehydration is not applicable — this is a thin film (<2 µm), not a thick-DNQ resist.", "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "\"Oxide forming substrates (Si, etc.) should be primed with HMDS (hexamethyl disilazane) or other suitable primer prior to coating AZ ECI 3000.\" (SUBSTRATE PREPARATION, p.10). The oxide-etch wet-etch adhesion test (p.8) explicitly used \"Primer: HMDS vapor\"." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 90, "time_s": 90, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Both grade-specific reference processes agree: \"Soft Bake: 90°C, 90 seconds, proximity hotplate\" — used for the i-line reference process (p.3) and repeated verbatim for the g-line reference process (p.5). A third reference process (Broadband Mask Aligner, p.7) uses a different condition: \"90°C, 60 seconds, contact hotplate\" for that specific tool setup — not used here since the two i-line/g-line stepper references agree with each other and are the primary documented process.", "source": "REFERENCE PROCESS tables, p.3 and p.5 of AZ ECI 3000 Series datasheet." }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [ { "wavelength_nm": 436, "value_mJcm2": 220, "source": "REFERENCE PROCESS (Dense lines and holes in AZ ECI 3012 Photoresist), p.3; REFERENCE PROCESS (Dense lines in AZ ECI 3012 Photoresist, g-line exposure), p.5 of AZ ECI 3000 Series datasheet." } ], "basisCopy": "220 mJ/cm² is the g-line nominal. On i-line the grade has no single figure: 110 mJ/cm² is quoted for dense lines, 136 mJ/cm² for dense holes — the feature type decides which applies." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 110, "time_s": null, "optional": true, "notes": "PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS (p.10) states \"A PEB may be employed to maximize process latitudes and mitigate standing wave effects caused by monochromatic exposure.\" Both grade-specific reference processes agree on temperature (110°C) but differ on time and hotplate type by exposure wavelength: the i-line reference process (p.3) uses 60 seconds on a direct-contact hotplate; the g-line reference process (p.5) uses 90 seconds on a proximity hotplate. The two are not interchangeable — use the pairing that matches the intended exposure wavelength/tool.", "source": "REFERENCE PROCESS tables, p.3 and p.5; PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS, p.10 of AZ ECI 3000 Series datasheet." }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "AZ 300MIF", "dilution": "used as supplied (ready-to-use MIF developer)", "time_s": 60, "method": "puddle", "rinse": null, "source": "REFERENCE PROCESS tables, p.3, p.5, p.7 and WET ETCH ADHESION CHARACTERISTICS, p.8 of AZ ECI 3000 Series datasheet." }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 100, "max": 115 }, "time_s": null, "notes": "Series-wide range only: \"Hard bake temperatures should be in the 100° to 115°C range to ensure minimal thermal distortion of the pattern.\" No time is published. Improves adhesion in wet-etch/plating applications and pattern stability in dry-etch processes.", "source": "HARD BAKE, p.10 of AZ ECI 3000 Series datasheet." }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "etch-mask", "electroplating-molding" ], "etchResistance": "Wet-etch adhesion data (p.8) shows AZ ECI 3012 surviving a 70s FeCl3/HCl ITO etch at 45°C (200nm ITO film) and a 6-minute thermal-oxide etch at 22°C, with acceptable pattern retention in the accompanying SEM cross-sections (8.0µm/6.0µm lines post-ITO-etch; 100µm pad edge and 7.0µm lines post-oxide-etch). No numeric etch rate or resist:film selectivity ratio is published.", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "AZ 100 Remover, AZ 300T, AZ 400T, or AZ Kwik Strip™ (STRIPPING, p.10): \"AZ ECI 3000 strips readily in removers designed for DNQ/novolac type photoresists.\" Patterns baked above 140°C may cross-link and become harder to remove.", "storage": null, "notes": "AZ ECI 3012 is the middle grade in Merck's AZ ECI 3000 cross-over series and the best-documented grade in this datasheet, with dedicated i-line (110/136 mJ/cm² nominal for dense lines/holes respectively) and g-line (220 mJ/cm² nominal) reference processes, PROLITH Dill and development-rate parameters, and demonstrated wet-etch adhesion on ITO (FeCl3/HCl, 70s) and thermal oxide (6 min). Its two documented PEB conditions differ by exposure wavelength (60s on a direct-contact hotplate for i-line vs. 90s on a proximity hotplate for g-line, both at 110°C), so the two are not interchangeable — pick the pairing matching the intended exposure tool. The i-line reference dose is itself split between two feature targets (110 mJ/cm² for lines, 136 mJ/cm² for holes) rather than one nominal number. Like the rest of the series it is a DNQ/novolac positive resist compatible with both TMAH (MIF, AZ 300MIF used throughout every reference process for this grade) and inorganic developers, stripping in standard DNQ/novolac removers.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Development of All-Around SiO2/Al2O3 Gate, Suspended Silicon Nanowire Chemical Field Effect Transistors Si-nw-ChemFET", "authors": "Lale et al.", "journal": "Proceedings", "year": 2017, "doi": "10.3390/proceedings1040419", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings1040419", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "Projection photolithography on a Canon FPA-3000i4 i-line stepper with AZ ECI 3012 defined the silicon nanowires (single wire up to 100-wire parallel networks) later transferred into silicon by RIE for suspended gate-all-around ChemFET pH sensors.", "note": "Conference proceedings paper (Eurosensors 2017), not a full journal article." }, { "type": "paper", "title": "Aperture-Controlled Fabrication of All-Dielectric Structural Color Pixels", "authors": "Lipp et al.", "journal": "ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces", "year": 2023, "doi": "10.1021/acsami.3c03353", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.3c03353", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "A 750 nm AZ ECI 3007 film was patterned on a maskless writer to control aperture geometry and tune all-dielectric structural colour.", "note": "Family-level citation: this paper used AZ ECI 3007, not AZ ECI 3012. Cited as evidence that the AZ ECI 3000 series images well on a maskless direct-write tool; the 750 nm film thickness and its doses are 3007's and do not carry over to this grade." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "What exposure dose does AZ ECI 3012 need at i-line versus g-line?", "a": "The i-line reference process gives a 110–136 mJ/cm² nominal window on a 0.54 NA Nikon stepper — 110 mJ/cm² for dense lines and 136 mJ/cm² for dense holes — so there is no single i-line number; pick the value matching your feature type. The g-line reference process gives one unambiguous nominal, 220 mJ/cm². No h-line (405 nm) dose is published anywhere in the document.", "source": "Merck AZ ECI 3000 Series datasheet (Rev. 03/21) — Reference Process tables, p.3 and p.5" }, { "q": "Why does AZ ECI 3012's PEB differ between i-line and g-line exposure?", "a": "Both grade-specific reference processes run PEB at 110°C but differ in time and hotplate type by exposure wavelength: the i-line process uses 60 s on a direct-contact hotplate, the g-line process 90 s on a proximity hotplate. The datasheet leaves PEB time unmerged for exactly this reason — use the pairing that matches your intended exposure tool rather than averaging the two.", "source": "Merck AZ ECI 3000 Series datasheet (Rev. 03/21) — Reference Process tables, p.3 and p.5" }, { "q": "What softbake does AZ ECI 3012 use?", "a": "90°C for 90 s on a proximity hotplate — identical in both the i-line and g-line stepper reference processes, which is why it is the documented default. A separate broadband mask-aligner reference process instead uses 90°C for 60 s on a contact hotplate for that specific tool setup.", "source": "Merck AZ ECI 3000 Series datasheet (Rev. 03/21) — Reference Process tables, p.3, p.5, p.7" }, { "q": "Which developer does AZ ECI 3012 use?", "a": "AZ 300MIF used as supplied, 60 s single puddle at 23°C — the most internally consistent value in this datasheet, identical across every reference process for the grade (i-line, g-line, broadband aligner, and both wet-etch adhesion tests). It is a DNQ/novolac positive resist compatible with both TMAH (MIF) and inorganic developers.", "source": "Merck AZ ECI 3000 Series datasheet (Rev. 03/21) — Reference Process tables, p.3, p.5, p.7 + Wet Etch Adhesion, p.8" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_eci_3000_series.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. (03/21)", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "az-eci-3007", "name": "AZ ECI 3007", "min_um": 0.6, "max_um": 1.15, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-eci-3027", "name": "AZ ECI 3027", "min_um": 2.4, "max_um": 4.4, "doseBasis": "262 mJ/cm² @ 365 nm" } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "az-eci-3027", "name": "AZ ECI 3027", "manufacturer": "Merck (AZ Electronic Materials)", "productLine": "AZ ECI 3000 series", "aliases": [ "AZ ECI3027", "ECI 3027", "AZ ECI 3027 Photoresist" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Datasheet does not address grayscale or 3D lithography anywhere; AZ ECI 3000 is marketed as a general-purpose, high-throughput cross-over (i-line/g-line) resist for plasma/RIE and wet-etch masking, with all resolution/linearity data framed around binary dense-line and dense-hole patterning.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "AZ ECI 3027 is the thickest grade in Merck's AZ ECI 3000 series of positive-tone, i-line/g-line cross-over photoresists for plasma/RIE and wet-etch applications, coating to roughly 2.4-4.4 µm and documented in this datasheet with a full reference process at a 2.5 µm film thickness resolving 0.6 µm dense lines.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 2.4, "max_um": 4.4, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span: taken from the min/max of the AZ ECI 3027 curve on the p.1 spin-speed chart (1500-5000 rpm tested). The series-wide prose claim of 'Spin coated thickness from 0.7 to 5.0µm' (p.1, APPLICATION bullets) spans all three grades in the series (ECI 3007 thinnest to ECI 3027 thickest) together, not ECI 3027 alone, so it was not used here. This curve-span is consistent with the REFERENCE PROCESS on p.4, which coats AZ ECI 3027 at 2.5 µm — inside the read range." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "AZ ECI 3027 as supplied", "points": [ { "rpm": 1500, "um": 4.4 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 3.8 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 3.1 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 2.7 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 2.4 } ], "source": "read from figure, \"SPIN CURVES (150mm Wafers)\" chart, p.1 of AZ ECI 3000 Series Technical Datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21); AZ ECI 3027 identified by its purple/violet legend marker (topmost curve), distinct from AZ ECI 3007 (blue, bottom curve) and AZ ECI 3012 (red/magenta, middle curve) plotted on the same axes.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Datasheet does not state spin ramp/acceleration, dispense volume, or static vs dynamic dispense for the spin-curve chart. Spin coating is named as one of several compatible coating methods (spray and roller coating are also mentioned, p.10 COATING) but no method-specific parameters are published beyond that. No edge-bead-removal recipe is given, only that AZ EBR Solvent or AZ EBR 70/30 are the companion EBR products (p.2).", "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "\"Oxide forming substrates (Si, etc.) should be primed with HMDS (hexamethyl disilazane) or other suitable primer prior to coating AZ ECI 3000. Contact your products representative for detailed information on pre-treating with HMDS.\" Source: SUBSTRATE PREPARATION, p.10. (A p.8 example process for AZ ECI 3012 — a different grade in this series — separately used 'HMDS vapor' as the primer ahead of an oxide-etch adhesion test, consistent with this recommendation, but that example is not AZ ECI 3027-specific.)" }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 100, "tempRange_c": { "min": 90, "max": 110 }, "time_s": 60, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "This is the REFERENCE PROCESS condition for AZ ECI 3027 (2.5 µm film on bare Si) on p.4, using a proximity hotplate. The series-wide TYPICAL PROCESS section (p.1) separately states a broader 90-110°C range with a fixed 60 s time for the whole ECI 3000 series (higher end of the range improves adhesion to metals); the AZ ECI 3027-specific reference-process value (100°C) sits inside that range.", "source": "REFERENCE PROCESS (Dense lines in AZ ECI 3027 Photoresist), p.4; TYPICAL PROCESS, p.1" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [ { "wavelength_nm": 365, "value_mJcm2": 262, "source": "REFERENCE PROCESS (Dense lines in AZ ECI 3027 Photoresist), p.4" } ], "basisCopy": "262 mJ/cm² i-line is the nominal for a 2.5 µm film developed in AZ 726MIF; drop to about 240 mJ/cm² if you develop in AZ 300MIF instead." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 120, "time_s": 60, "optional": true, "notes": "PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS (p.10) states \"A PEB may be employed to maximize process latitudes and mitigate standing wave effects caused by monochromatic exposure.\" This is the REFERENCE PROCESS condition for AZ ECI 3027 (2.5 µm film), proximity hotplate. The series-wide TYPICAL PROCESS (p.1) separately states 110°C for 60-90s for the whole ECI 3000 series (single temperature value there, but a time range); the AZ ECI 3027-specific reference-process condition (120°C/60s) is preferred over the generic series line, since it applies to this exact resist and film thickness.", "source": "REFERENCE PROCESS (Dense lines in AZ ECI 3027 Photoresist), p.4; TYPICAL PROCESS, p.1; PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS, p.10" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "AZ 726MIF", "dilution": null, "time_s": 60, "method": "puddle", "rinse": null, "source": "REFERENCE PROCESS (Dense lines in AZ ECI 3027 Photoresist), p.4 (\"Develop: AZ 726MIF, 60s single puddle @ 23°C\")" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 100, "max": 115 }, "time_s": null, "notes": "Hard bake temperature should be in the 100-115°C range to minimize thermal pattern distortion; improves adhesion in wet-etch or plating applications and pattern stability in dry etch processes. No time is given, and temperature is stated as a range, not a single value. No AZ ECI 3027-specific hardbake/postbake step is documented — the p.4 REFERENCE PROCESS table for AZ ECI 3027 stops at Develop.", "source": "PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS / HARD BAKE, p.10" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "etch-mask", "electroplating-molding", "general-prototyping" ], "etchResistance": "Datasheet demonstrates wet-etch adhesion/profile retention for AZ ECI 3012 (a different, thinner grade in the same series, not AZ ECI 3027 specifically) through an ITO etch (FeCl3/HCl, 70s @ 45°C, on a 200nm ITO film) and a thermal-oxide etch (6 min @ 22°C, on a 690nm oxide film), both shown with SEM cross-sections retaining resist profile (WET ETCH ADHESION CHARACTERISTICS, p.8). No etch-resistance data specific to AZ ECI 3027 is published; the series is marketed generally for 'plasma/RIE and wet etching applications' (APPLICATION, p.1).", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "AZ 100 Remover, AZ 300T, AZ 400T, or AZ Kwik Strip — removers designed for DNQ/novolac type photoresists. Strip times vary with thermal history; patterns processed above 140°C may cross-link and become harder to strip, and charred resist will not dissolve in solvent-based removers. Source: STRIPPING, p.10.", "storage": null, "notes": "AZ ECI 3027 is the thickest grade in Merck's AZ ECI 3000 series, a general-purpose, high-throughput positive DNQ/novolak cross-over resist explicitly usable at both i-line (365 nm) and g-line (436 nm), marketed for plasma/RIE and wet-etch masking (the DNQ/novolak classification comes directly from the datasheet's own stripper-compatibility statement, p.10). Unlike AZ ECI 3007/3012 (documented in the same datasheet at ~1.2 µm film with resolution down to 0.4 µm lines/0.5 µm holes), the dedicated AZ ECI 3027 reference process (p.4) is run at 2.5 µm film thickness — 100°C/60s soft bake, i-line exposure at 262 mJ/cm² nominal (0.54NA, 0.6s, Nikon stepper; ~240 mJ/cm² if developing with AZ 300MIF instead of the AZ 726MIF actually used), 120°C/60s PEB, and a 60s AZ 726MIF single-puddle develop at 23°C — and resolves dense lines down to roughly 0.60 µm at that dose, per the p.4 Dense Line Linearity chart. The series-wide 'production resolution to 0.4µm' headline claim (p.1) applies to the thinner grades' reference processes, not to AZ ECI 3027 at its documented 2.5 µm thickness. On the p.1 multi-grade spin-speed chart (ECI 3007/3012/3027 plotted together), the AZ ECI 3027 curve was identified by its distinct purple/violet legend marker as the topmost (thickest) curve; the reported points are a figure read, not a printed table, so treat each as a ±5-10% estimate against the chart. Soft bake, PEB, and hard bake are also given as series-wide ranges (90-110°C, 105-115°C, 100-115°C respectively) in the generic TYPICAL PROCESS/PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS sections — the reference-process values above were preferred where available since they are resist- and thickness-specific.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Aperture-Controlled Fabrication of All-Dielectric Structural Color Pixels", "authors": "Lipp et al.", "journal": "ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces", "year": 2023, "doi": "10.1021/acsami.3c03353", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.3c03353", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "A 750 nm AZ ECI 3007 film was patterned on a maskless writer to control aperture geometry and tune all-dielectric structural colour.", "note": "Family-level citation: this paper used AZ ECI 3007, not AZ ECI 3027. Cited as evidence that the AZ ECI 3000 series images well on a maskless direct-write tool; the 750 nm film thickness and its doses are 3007's and do not carry over to this grade." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "I switched AZ ECI 3027 from AZ 726MIF to AZ 300MIF and my lines came out wrong — does the dose change?", "a": "Yes. The 2.5 µm AZ ECI 3027 reference process exposes at 262 mJ/cm² nominal (i-line, 0.54 NA Nikon stepper) and develops in AZ 726MIF, 60 s single puddle at 23 °C. A footnote on that table says to adjust the nominal dose for this film thickness to about 240 mJ/cm² when using AZ 300MIF instead. Carrying 262 mJ/cm² over to AZ 300MIF puts you about 9 % above the recommended dose.", "source": "AZ ECI 3000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — Reference Process (Dense lines in AZ ECI 3027), p.4, including its dose footnote" }, { "q": "Why doesn't my AZ ECI 3027 dose carry over when I change spin speed?", "a": "Dose to clear climbs with thickness and carries an interference swing on top. The datasheet's i-line curve for AZ ECI 3027 on silicon rises from roughly 110 to 150 mJ/cm² between about 2.15 and 2.7 µm, with smaller oscillations along the way, and the spin curve spans about 2.4–4.4 µm from 5000 down to 1500 rpm. A dose set at one speed will not hold at another; re-check it whenever the target thickness moves.", "source": "AZ ECI 3000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — ECI 3027 i-line TFI curve on Si, p.6; Spin Curves (150 mm wafers), p.1" }, { "q": "What PEB should AZ ECI 3027 get, given the reference process runs hotter than the general rule?", "a": "The grade's reference process uses 120 °C for 60 s on a proximity hotplate after a 100 °C / 60 s proximity soft bake. The same datasheet's general guidance puts PEB at 105–115 °C, and the series typical process at 110 °C for 60–90 s. PEB is there to widen process latitude and suppress standing waves from monochromatic exposure, and the datasheet calls PEB times and temperatures application specific. Treat 120 °C as the value qualified for that 2.5 µm proximity-hotplate run, and confirm it on your own hotplate.", "source": "AZ ECI 3000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — Reference Process (Dense lines in AZ ECI 3027), p.4; Typical Process, p.1; Post Expose Bake, p.10" }, { "q": "My AZ ECI 3027 etch mask rounded over during hard bake or dry etch — how hot can it go?", "a": "The datasheet keeps hard bake at 100–115 °C to limit thermal distortion. Its thermal-stability SEMs (100 µm pads, 1.2 µm film, 60 s bakes) show a sharp edge at 110 °C, slight change at 115 °C and a visibly rounded edge at 120 °C. MicroChemicals puts the softening point of most positive AZ resists at 110–130 °C, and warns that a dry etch heating the resist past it rounds the profile, so both the bake and the etch need to stay below that point.", "source": "AZ ECI 3000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — Hard Bake, p.10; Thermal Stability, p.9. MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Dry Etching: Resist Rounding/Flowing?, p.16" }, { "q": "Why won't AZ ECI 3027 strip after a hot process step?", "a": "Under normal conditions it strips readily in DNQ/novolac removers — AZ 100 Remover, AZ 300T, AZ 400T or AZ Kwik Strip. Strip time depends on thermal history: patterns taken above 140 °C may crosslink and become harder to remove, and charred resist will not dissolve in solvent-based removers at all. The datasheet's advice is to avoid excessive processing temperatures in the first place.", "source": "AZ ECI 3000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 03/21) — Stripping, p.10" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_eci_3000_series.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. (03/21)", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "az-eci-3007", "name": "AZ ECI 3007", "min_um": 0.6, "max_um": 1.15, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-eci-3012", "name": "AZ ECI 3012", "min_um": 1.05, "max_um": 1.9, "doseBasis": "220 mJ/cm² @ 436 nm" } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "az-nlof-2020", "name": "AZ nLOF 2020", "manufacturer": "Merck", "productLine": "AZ nLOF 2000 Series", "aliases": [ "AZ nLOF™ 2020", "nLOF 2020", "AZ nLOF 2000 Series" ], "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "car", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Datasheet does not address grayscale or 3D patterning for AZ nLOF 2020; no such use is claimed anywhere in the document.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "AZ nLOF 2020 is the thinnest grade of AZ's chemically amplified negative-tone nLOF 2000 series, coating ~1.6–4.6 µm for single-layer lift-off and etch masking with a required post-exposure bake and no rehydration wait.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 1.6, "max_um": 4.6, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — the p.1 series-level bullet ('Single coat thicknesses from 2.0 to >10µm') describes the AZ nLOF 2000 Series as a whole across all three grades (2020/2035/2070) plotted together on the p.1 spin-curve chart, not this grade alone; applying it to nLOF 2020 specifically would overstate its range, since the 2020 curve (bottom, blue) tops out well under 10 µm. The grade-specific range used here is the span of the correctly-identified nLOF 2020 curve (500-4000 rpm) on that same chart. The 2.0 µm nominal reference-process thickness (p.3, p.6-7) sits inside this span." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "AZ nLOF 2020", "points": [ { "rpm": 500, "um": 4.6 }, { "rpm": 1000, "um": 3.3 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 2.8 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 2.4 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 2.1 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 1.9 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 1.7 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 1.6 } ], "source": "read from figure, \"SPIN CURVES (150mm Silicon)\", p.1 of AZ nLOF 2000 Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21) — chart plots three grades (nLOF 2070 red, nLOF 2035 yellow, nLOF 2020 blue) with an explicit color-coded legend; nLOF 2020 identified by its blue 'nLOF 2020' legend entry (bottom curve, lowest thickness at every speed) and cross-checked against the grade-specific 2.0 µm reference process (p.3, p.6-7, which names 'AZ nLOF 2020 (33cPs)' explicitly).", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "This grade is the bottom (lowest-thickness-at-every-speed) trace on the three-grade family chart, identified by its blue 'nLOF 2020' legend entry — and corroborated a second way, beyond the legend color alone: this datasheet's own 2.0 µm reference process names the exact resist run as 'AZ nLOF 2020 (33cPs)' (p.3, p.6-7), matching the lowest-viscosity trace on the chart. Still a figure read, not a numeric table. No dispense volume, spin ramp, or edge-bead detail is published in this datasheet.", "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "Oxide-forming substrates (e.g. Si) should be HMDS primed prior to coating (PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS > SUBSTRATE PREPARATION, p.8). The 2.0 µm reference process specifies a vapor prime of HMDS 140°C/60s (p.3, p.6-7)." }, "rehydration": "None required — p.1 TYPICAL PROCESS states 'Rehydration Hold: None', consistent with this being a chemically amplified resist, not a DNQ resist. (Source: TYPICAL PROCESS, p.1 of AZ nLOF 2000 Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21))", "softbake": { "temp_c": 110, "tempRange_c": { "min": 100, "max": 110 }, "time_s": 60, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Consistent across every 2.0 µm nLOF 2020 reference process in this datasheet (p.3, p.6, p.7): 110°C, 60 s, direct contact hotplate. Series-level guidance (p.8) puts soft bake temperature generally in the 100-110°C range, and recommends minimizing any delay between soft bake and exposure.", "source": "EXAMPLE PROCESS (2.0µm Film Thickness on Si), p.3 of AZ nLOF 2000 Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21)" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [ { "wavelength_nm": 365, "value_mJcm2": 66, "source": "EXAMPLE PROCESS (2.0µm Film Thickness on Si), p.3 of AZ nLOF 2000 Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21)" } ], "basisCopy": "66 mJ/cm² i-line is the nominal for a 2.0 µm film, and the through-dose data shows it still printing from 62 to 74 mJ/cm², so there is real latitude around that number." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 110, "tempRange_c": { "min": 100, "max": 115 }, "time_s": 60, "notes": "PEB is REQUIRED for proper imaging (p.1, p.8) — the critical step for nLOF, a chemically amplified negative resist, unlike the optional or absent PEB on DNQ positive resists. Reference process (p.3, p.6-7): 110°C, 60 seconds, direct contact hotplate, matching the series-level typical-process summary (p.1: 'Post Expose Bake: 110ºC/60s'). Series-level guidance (p.8) allows 100-115°C generally, and warns CD is sensitive to PEB temperature at roughly <0.04 µm/°C (the datasheet's own measured example — slope 0.038 µm/°C over 105-115°C — was run on the related 3.5 µm nLOF 2035 grade, p.5, not nLOF 2020 itself, so it is cited here as series-level supporting evidence only).", "source": "EXAMPLE PROCESS (2.0µm Film Thickness on Si), p.3, and PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS > POST EXPOSE BAKE, p.8, of AZ nLOF 2000 Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21)" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "AZ 300MIF", "dilution": "undiluted (ready-to-use 0.26N / 2.38% TMAH developer; no dilution ratio stated)", "time_s": 60, "method": "puddle", "rinse": null, "source": "EXAMPLE PROCESS (2.0µm Film Thickness on Si), p.3 of AZ nLOF 2000 Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21): 'AZ 300MIF, 60s single puddle'" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "time_s": null, "notes": "Series-level claim only, no grade-specific number for nLOF 2020: 'AZ nLOF materials are extremely thermally stable and may be hard baked at temperatures above 150°C' (p.8) — an open-ended floor, not a target temperature/time. The datasheet's only quantified hard-bake stability demonstration (115-130°C, large pads, qualitative SEM images) was run on the 7.0 µm nLOF 2070 grade (p.8), not on nLOF 2020.", "source": "PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS > HARD BAKE, p.8 of AZ nLOF 2000 Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21)" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "lift-off", "etch-mask" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": true, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "AZ 400T or AZ Remover 770 (solvent-based removers), recommended per PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS > STRIPPING, p.8 of AZ nLOF 2000 Series Technical datasheet.", "storage": null, "notes": "AZ nLOF 2020 is the thinnest (~2 µm) grade of AZ's chemically amplified nLOF 2000 lift-off series, and the only nLOF 2000 grade with a single stated nominal exposure dose rather than a dose-latitude sweep with no headline number: its 66 mJ/cm² i-line nominal sits comfortably inside the datasheet's own 62-74 mJ/cm² through-dose printable window, not pinned to an edge. As with the rest of the series, PEB is REQUIRED, not optional as on DNQ positive resists, and is the step that most directly sets the negative-tone undercut lift-off profile — the datasheet's own CD-vs-PEB-temperature data (measured on the related 2035 grade) puts the sensitivity at roughly <0.04 µm/°C, so a few degrees of hotplate drift shows up as a real dimensional shift. Develop is a single 60 s AZ 300MIF puddle, simpler than the two-puddle cycle the thicker 2070 grade needs to fully clear its film. No rehydration wait is needed after softbake, unlike thick DNQ positive resists, and the cured film's >150°C thermal stability is what lets the undercut profile survive a subsequent metal evaporation and lift-off step. The datasheet explicitly does not recommend the nLOF 2000 series for use on copper substrates.", "developerFamily": "tmah", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Performances of the Negative Tone Resist AZnLOF 2020 for Nanotechnology Applications", "authors": "Herth et al.", "journal": "IEEE Transactions on Nanotechnology", "year": 2012, "doi": "10.1109/TNANO.2012.2196802", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1109/TNANO.2012.2196802", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "The most-cited nLOF 2020 characterization: 50 nm lines at 100 nm pitch by e-beam" }, { "type": "paper", "title": "Spoken Digit Classification by In-Materio Reservoir Computing With Neuromorphic Atomic Switch Networks", "authors": "Lilak et al.", "journal": "Frontiers in Nanotechnology", "year": 2021, "doi": "10.3389/fnano.2021.675792", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3389/fnano.2021.675792", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "Lift-off Pt grid for a neuromorphic atomic-switch-network chip" } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "How do I get a clean lift-off undercut with AZ nLOF 2020?", "a": "AZ nLOF 2020 is a chemically amplified negative resist, so the undercut lift-off sidewall forms directly from a standard expose/PEB/develop flow with no image-reversal step. The PEB is required for imaging: the 2.0 µm reference process is 66 mJ/cm² i-line, PEB 110°C/60 s, then a 60 s AZ 300MIF puddle. Its >150°C thermal stability lets the undercut survive metal evaporation and lift-off.", "source": "AZ nLOF 2000 Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21) — EXAMPLE PROCESS (2.0µm on Si), p.3, and POST EXPOSE BAKE, p.8" }, { "q": "Why does my AZ nLOF 2020 linewidth shift between runs?", "a": "Critical dimensions in nLOF 2000 depend on post-exposure-bake temperature — the datasheet quotes a sensitivity under 0.04 µm/°C — so a few degrees of hotplate drift shows up as a real dimensional change. Hold the PEB at 110°C for 60 s, keep the hotplate level and calibrated, and minimize any delay between soft bake and exposure.", "source": "AZ nLOF 2000 Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21) — PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS > POST EXPOSE BAKE, p.8" }, { "q": "What exposure dose does AZ nLOF 2020 need?", "a": "The 2.0 µm reference process uses 66 mJ/cm² nominal at i-line (365 nm), and the through-dose sweep stays printable from 62 to 74 mJ/cm², so the nominal sits inside its own latitude window rather than at an edge. Exposure must be at 365 nm. No h-line (405 nm) dose is published.", "source": "AZ nLOF 2000 Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21) — EXAMPLE PROCESS (2.0µm on Si), p.3" }, { "q": "Which developer does AZ nLOF 2020 use, and is a rehydration wait needed?", "a": "Develop in AZ 300MIF, an industry-standard 0.26N/2.38% TMAH developer, as a single 60 s puddle — simpler than the two-puddle cycle the thicker 2070 grade needs. Being chemically amplified, nLOF 2020 needs no rehydration hold after soft bake (the Typical Process lists 'Rehydration Hold: None'); just minimize the soft-bake-to-exposure delay.", "source": "AZ nLOF 2000 Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21) — EXAMPLE PROCESS (2.0µm on Si), p.3, and TYPICAL PROCESS, p.1" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_nlof2000_series.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. (03/21)", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "az-nlof-2035", "name": "AZ nLOF 2035", "min_um": 3, "max_um": 6.1, "doseBasis": "80 mJ/cm² @ 365 nm" }, { "slug": "az-nlof-2070", "name": "AZ nLOF 2070", "min_um": 5.3, "max_um": 11.8, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "az-nlof-2035", "name": "AZ nLOF 2035", "manufacturer": "Merck", "productLine": "AZ nLOF 2000 series", "aliases": [ "nLOF 2035", "AZ nLOF 2035", "AZ nLOF™ 2035" ], "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "car", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed anywhere in the datasheet; the series is positioned specifically for single-layer lift-off and RIE-etch pattern transfer, not grayscale/3D lithography.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "AZ nLOF 2035 is the middle grade of Merck's chemically amplified negative-tone nLOF 2000 series, coating ~3–6.1 µm for single-layer lift-off, RIE etch masking and high-aspect-ratio work, with a required PEB and thermal stability >200°C.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 3, "max_um": 6.1, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — read from the plotted spin curve (\"SPIN CURVES (150mm Silicon)\", p.1), min at 4000 rpm and max at 500 rpm, the full plotted range. This is corroborated by the grade-specific EXAMPLE PROCESS table (p.4), which coats \"3.5µm thick film AZ nLOF 2035 (79cPs)\" — a value that falls within the read curve-span, between the 2500 rpm (~3.9µm) and 3000 rpm (~3.6µm) points. The series-wide stated figure in APPLICATION (p.1), \"Single coat thicknesses from 2.0 to >10µm\", spans all three nLOF 2000 grades (2020/2035/2070) combined, not nLOF 2035 alone, so this grade's own curve-span is used instead." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "AZ nLOF 2035", "points": [ { "rpm": 500, "um": 6.1 }, { "rpm": 1000, "um": 5.6 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 4.9 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 4.2 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 3.9 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 3.6 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 3.3 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 3 } ], "source": "read from figure (\"SPIN CURVES (150mm Silicon)\"), p.1 of AZ nLOF 2000 Series datasheet — legend-labeled \"nLOF 2035\" (yellow/orange square marker), distinguishable from the nLOF 2070 (red diamond) and nLOF 2020 (blue diamond) traces by color and marker shape across the full 500-4000 rpm plotted range. Cross-checked against the grade-specific 3.5µm coat thickness stated in the EXAMPLE PROCESS table (p.4), which falls within this reading between the 2500 and 3000 rpm points.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Multi-grade chart plots nLOF 2070 / nLOF 2035 / nLOF 2020 together (legend, distinct colors/markers, p.1); the nLOF 2035 trace sits clearly between the other two across the plotted range with a stated grade-specific 3.5µm anchor point (EXAMPLE PROCESS, p.4) that agrees with the read curve, giving reasonable confidence — but the reading is still a visual estimate from a plotted curve, not a printed numeric table, and no point is extrapolated past the 500-4000 rpm plotted range. No spin accel/dispense parameters or edge-bead removal procedure are published; AZ EBR Solvent/AZ EBR 70/30 are listed only as companion thinning/edge-bead products (COMPANION PRODUCTS, p.2) with no protocol given. No rehydration hold applies to this resist — the Typical Process table explicitly states \"Rehydration Hold: None\" (p.1); see the rehydration field.", "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "Grade-specific EXAMPLE PROCESS (p.4): \"Prime: HMDS 140°C/60s (vapor)\". General guidance (SUBSTRATE PREPARATION, p.8): \"Oxide forming substrates (Si, etc.) should be HMDS primed prior to coating AZ nLOF 2000\", no generic temp/time given there. Important caveat: \"AZ nLOF 2000 series photoresists are not recommended for use on copper substrates\" (COMPATIBLE MATERIALS, p.9)." }, "rehydration": "None. The Typical Process table explicitly states \"Rehydration Hold: None\" (TYPICAL PROCESS, p.1); AZ nLOF 2000 is a chemically-amplified negative resist, not a thick-DNQ resist, and this series does not require a rehydration hold.", "softbake": { "temp_c": 110, "tempRange_c": { "min": 100, "max": 110 }, "time_s": 60, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Grade-specific EXAMPLE PROCESS (3.5µm Film Thickness on Si, p.4): \"Soft Bake: 110°C, 60s, direct contact hotplate\", preceded by an HMDS vapor prime and followed by \"Post Bake Delay: None\". Consistent with the series-wide range in PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS (p.8): \"Soft bake temperatures for AZ nLOF 2000 should be in the 100°-110°C range\" (this grade's example sits at the high end) and \"Delays between soft bake and exposure should be minimized for optimum performance.\"", "source": "EXAMPLE PROCESS (3.5µm Film Thickness on Si), p.4; SOFT BAKE, p.8 of AZ nLOF 2000 Series datasheet." }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [ { "wavelength_nm": 365, "value_mJcm2": 80, "source": "EXAMPLE PROCESS (3.5µm Film Thickness on Si), p.4 of AZ nLOF 2000 Series datasheet." } ], "basisCopy": "80 mJ/cm² i-line is the nominal for a 3.5 µm film; the through-dose panel walks 72 to 96 mJ/cm², and profile shape moves with both dose and PEB temperature." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 110, "tempRange_c": { "min": 100, "max": 115 }, "time_s": 60, "notes": "Grade-specific EXAMPLE PROCESS (p.4): \"Post Expose Bake: 110°C*, 60 seconds, direct contact hotplate\" (asterisk = same tunability caveat as exposure dose). PEB is REQUIRED, not optional: \"* PEB is required for proper imaging\" (p.1) and \"A PEB is required for proper imaging of AZ nLOF 2000\" (POST EXPOSE BAKE, p.8) — this is the critical step for this chemically-amplified negative resist. The series window is stated exactly once, in that same section: \"As a general rule, PEB temperatures should be in the 100° to 115°C range\" (p.8), alongside \"CD's in nLOF 2000 will exhibit some dependency on PEB temperature (< 0.04µm/°C is typical)\". The 105/110/115°C figures printed elsewhere in the document are the temperatures tested in the grade-specific PEB-sensitivity study for this exact 3.5µm nLOF 2035 film (\"EXAMPLE PEB SENSITIVITY (3.5µm Film Thickness on Si)\", p.5 — 60 s at each point, Top/Bottom CD 1.734/0.726µm, 1.992/1.439µm and 2.062/1.687µm) and the column headers of the p.7 profile matrix: experimental points inside the stated window, not a narrower recommended range. One internal inconsistency in that p.5 figure is worth knowing: its headline reads \"Slope = 0.038 µm/°C\" while the printed linear-fit equation on the same chart is \"y = 0.0328x - 1.6787\" (slope 0.0328, not 0.038).", "source": "EXAMPLE PROCESS (3.5µm Film Thickness on Si), p.4; EXAMPLE PEB SENSITIVITY (3.5µm Film Thickness on Si), p.5; POST EXPOSE BAKE, p.8 of AZ nLOF 2000 Series datasheet." }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "AZ 300MIF", "dilution": "used as supplied (ready-to-use MIF developer; industry-standard 0.26N/2.38% TMAH per DEVELOPING section)", "time_s": 120, "method": "puddle", "rinse": null, "source": "EXAMPLE PROCESS (3.5µm Film Thickness on Si), p.4; DEVELOPING, p.8 of AZ nLOF 2000 Series datasheet." }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "time_s": null, "notes": "No specific temperature or time is given for nLOF 2035; the datasheet states only that \"AZ nLOF materials are extremely thermally stable and may be hard baked at temperatures above 150°C\" (HARD BAKE, p.8) and, at the series level, that \"printed features are thermally stable to >200°C\" (APPLICATION, p.1). A dedicated hard-bake stability test (115/120/125/130°C) is published, but only for AZ nLOF 2070 (7.0µm film) — not this grade — so it is not used here.", "source": "HARD BAKE, p.8; APPLICATION, p.1 of AZ nLOF 2000 Series datasheet." }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "lift-off", "etch-mask" ], "etchResistance": "\"May be processed with vertical sidewalls for RIE etching\" (APPLICATION, p.1) — a qualitative capability claim; no etch rate or selectivity data is published.", "liftoffSuitable": true, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "AZ 400T or AZ Remover 770 (STRIPPING, p.9): \"AZ nLOF 2000 Series resists are compatible with industry standard solvent based removers.\"", "storage": null, "notes": "AZ nLOF 2035 is the middle grade in Merck's AZ nLOF 2000 series, a chemically-amplified i-line negative resist purpose-built to give an undercut lift-off sidewall from a single standard expose/PEB/develop flow, without the extra image-reversal bake/flood-expose steps older negative processes required. The PEB is not optional here — the datasheet states it is \"required for proper imaging\" and the resist's CD is directly sensitive to PEB temperature (documented at ~0.03-0.04 µm/°C for this exact 3.5µm film thickness); getting PEB temperature and time right matters more for this chemistry than for a standard DNQ positive resist. No rehydration hold is needed (explicitly \"None\" per the Typical Process table), but delays between soft bake and exposure should be minimized. It is not recommended for copper substrates. One internal inconsistency in the source document is worth flagging: a Linearity/Exposure-Latitude chart on p.6 is captioned \"AZ nLOF 2020 @ FT=3.5µm\" even though 3.5µm and a 120s develop otherwise match the nLOF 2035 example elsewhere in the same document — that chart's data is not used here, since the document itself names it as the 2020 grade.", "developerFamily": "tmah", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Electrical access to critical coupling of circularly polarized waves in graphene chiral metamaterials", "authors": "Kim et al.", "journal": "Science Advances", "year": 2017, "doi": "10.1126/sciadv.1701377", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1701377", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "AZ nLOF 2035 was used as the negative-tone lift-off stencil for a 100 nm gold layer over a 10 nm chromium adhesion layer, defining the double-Z chiral metamaterial pattern of a graphene-gated device." }, { "type": "paper", "title": "Thermal Recovery of Damaged Hydrophobic Coatings in EWOD Devices Using an Integrated Mesh-Patterned Heater", "authors": "Son et al.", "journal": "Micromachines", "year": 2026, "doi": "10.3390/mi17050631", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17050631", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "AZ-nLOF 2035 was spin-coated and patterned on the backside glass of an electrowetting device, then used to lift off a 100 nm nichrome film into a mesh-patterned integrated heater." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "How do I get an undercut lift-off profile with AZ nLOF 2035?", "a": "AZ nLOF 2035 is a chemically amplified negative resist purpose-built to replace image-reversal processing — the undercut lift-off sidewall comes directly from a standard expose/PEB/develop flow. The PEB is required for imaging. The 3.5 µm reference process runs 80 mJ/cm² i-line, PEB 110°C/60 s, then a 120 s AZ 300MIF puddle, and the film is thermally stable to >200°C.", "source": "AZ nLOF 2000 Series datasheet — EXAMPLE PROCESS (3.5µm on Si), p.4" }, { "q": "How sensitive is AZ nLOF 2035's linewidth to post-exposure-bake temperature?", "a": "Very — the datasheet's grade-specific PEB study for this 3.5 µm film tested 105/110/115°C at 60 s and measured Top/Bottom CD of 1.734/0.726 µm, 1.992/1.439 µm and 2.062/1.687 µm, i.e. roughly 0.03–0.04 µm/°C. A few degrees of drift visibly changes both linewidth and undercut, so hold the PEB temperature tightly; the datasheet's general rule is a 100–115°C PEB window.", "source": "AZ nLOF 2000 Series datasheet — EXAMPLE PEB SENSITIVITY (3.5µm on Si), p.5, and POST EXPOSE BAKE, p.8" }, { "q": "What exposure dose does AZ nLOF 2035 need?", "a": "The 3.5 µm reference process uses 80 mJ/cm² nominal at i-line (365 nm); the adjacent through-dose panel sweeps 72/80/88/96 mJ/cm² around it. Profiles can be tuned by trading exposure dose against PEB temperature. Exposure must be at 365 nm, and no h-line (405 nm) dose is published.", "source": "AZ nLOF 2000 Series datasheet — EXAMPLE PROCESS (3.5µm on Si), p.4" }, { "q": "Why does AZ nLOF 2035 develop longer than the thinner nLOF grades?", "a": "The 3.5 µm reference process uses a single 120 s AZ 300MIF puddle — twice the 60 s used for the 2.0 µm nLOF 2020 example — because a thicker film needs more time to clear. AZ 300MIF is a ready-to-use 0.26N/2.38% TMAH developer. No rehydration hold is needed; just minimize the soft-bake-to-exposure delay.", "source": "AZ nLOF 2000 Series datasheet — EXAMPLE PROCESS (3.5µm on Si), p.4, and DEVELOPING, p.8" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_nlof2000_series.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. (03/21)", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "az-nlof-2020", "name": "AZ nLOF 2020", "min_um": 1.6, "max_um": 4.6, "doseBasis": "66 mJ/cm² @ 365 nm" }, { "slug": "az-nlof-2070", "name": "AZ nLOF 2070", "min_um": 5.3, "max_um": 11.8, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "az-nlof-2070", "name": "AZ nLOF 2070", "manufacturer": "Merck", "productLine": "AZ nLOF 2000 Series", "aliases": [ "AZ nLOF™ 2070", "nLOF 2070", "AZ nLOF 2000 Series" ], "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "car", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Datasheet does not address grayscale or 3D patterning for AZ nLOF 2070; no such use is claimed anywhere in the document.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "AZ nLOF 2070 is the thickest grade of AZ's chemically amplified negative-tone nLOF 2000 series, coating ~5.3–11.8 µm for single-layer lift-off and etch masking; its softbake and PEB scale to 90 s and it develops in two puddle cycles.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 5.3, "max_um": 11.8, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — same reasoning as az-nlof-2020: the p.1 series-level bullet ('Single coat thicknesses from 2.0 to >10µm') covers the whole AZ nLOF 2000 Series (2020/2035/2070 together), not the 2070 grade alone. The grade-specific range used here is the span of the correctly-identified nLOF 2070 curve (top, red) on the p.1 chart, 500-4000 rpm. The 7.0 µm nominal reference-process thickness (p.5) sits inside this span." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "AZ nLOF 2070", "points": [ { "rpm": 500, "um": 11.8 }, { "rpm": 1000, "um": 11 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 9.2 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 7.8 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 7 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 6.3 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 5.8 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 5.3 } ], "source": "read from figure, \"SPIN CURVES (150mm Silicon)\", p.1 of AZ nLOF 2000 Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21) — chart plots three grades (nLOF 2070 red, nLOF 2035 yellow, nLOF 2020 blue) with an explicit color-coded legend; nLOF 2070 identified by its red 'nLOF 2070' legend entry (top curve, highest thickness at every speed) and cross-checked against the grade-specific 7.0 µm reference process (p.5, which names 'AZ nLOF 2070 (330cPs)' explicitly).", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Unlike the ambiguous combined charts seen on other AZ nLOF grades, this chart carries an explicit color-coded legend naming each of the three plotted grades individually (nLOF 2070, nLOF 2035, nLOF 2020), and the identification is cross-checked against this datasheet's own grade-specific reference-process tables (p.3, p.5), which name the exact grade and viscosity (cPs) used for each nominal film thickness. Still a figure read, not a numeric table. No dispense volume, spin ramp, or edge-bead detail is published in this datasheet.", "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "Oxide-forming substrates (e.g. Si) should be HMDS primed prior to coating (PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS > SUBSTRATE PREPARATION, p.8). The 7.0 µm reference process specifies a vapor prime of HMDS 140°C/60s (p.5)." }, "rehydration": "None required — p.1 TYPICAL PROCESS states 'Rehydration Hold: None', consistent with this being a chemically amplified resist, not a DNQ resist. The 7.0 µm reference process (p.5) likewise lists 'Post Bake Delay: None'. (Source: TYPICAL PROCESS, p.1, and EXAMPLE PROCESS (7.0µm Film Thickness on Si), p.5, of AZ nLOF 2000 Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21))", "softbake": { "temp_c": 110, "tempRange_c": { "min": 100, "max": 110 }, "time_s": 90, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Reference process for the 7.0 µm nLOF 2070 film (p.5): 110°C, 90 s, direct contact hotplate — longer than the 60 s used for the thinner 2.0 µm (nLOF 2020) and 3.5 µm (nLOF 2035) grades, consistent with a thicker coat needing more bake time to drive off solvent. Series-level guidance (p.8) puts soft bake temperature generally in the 100-110°C range.", "source": "EXAMPLE PROCESS (7.0µm Film Thickness on Si), p.5 of AZ nLOF 2000 Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21)" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "basisCopy": "The 7 µm process is dosed to a CD target, not to a fixed number: 174, 186 and 198 mJ/cm² i-line gave 4.45, 4.84 and 5.31 µm bottom CD on 7 µm dense mask lines. None of the three is named as the nominal." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 110, "tempRange_c": { "min": 100, "max": 115 }, "time_s": 90, "notes": "PEB is REQUIRED for proper imaging (p.1, p.8) — the critical step for nLOF, a chemically amplified negative resist, unlike the optional or absent PEB on DNQ positive resists. Reference process for 7.0 µm nLOF 2070 (p.5): 110°C, 90 seconds, direct contact hotplate (scaled up from the 60 s used on the thinner grades, matching this grade's own softbake time). Series-level guidance (p.8) allows 100-115°C generally, and warns CD is sensitive to PEB temperature at roughly <0.04 µm/°C (the datasheet's own measured example — slope 0.038 µm/°C over 105-115°C — was run on the related 3.5 µm nLOF 2035 grade, p.5, not nLOF 2070 itself, so it is cited here as series-level supporting evidence only).", "source": "EXAMPLE PROCESS (7.0µm Film Thickness on Si), p.5, and PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS > POST EXPOSE BAKE, p.8, of AZ nLOF 2000 Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21)" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "AZ 300MIF", "dilution": "undiluted (ready-to-use 0.26N / 2.38% TMAH developer; no dilution ratio stated)", "time_s": 120, "method": "puddle", "rinse": null, "source": "EXAMPLE PROCESS (7.0µm Film Thickness on Si), p.5 of AZ nLOF 2000 Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21): 'AZ 300MIF, 2 x 60 second puddles'" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "time_s": null, "notes": "General series claim: 'AZ nLOF materials are extremely thermally stable and may be hard baked at temperatures above 150°C' (p.8) — an open-ended floor, not a specific temperature/time. This datasheet's only quantified hard-bake demonstration is specific to this grade: large pads in a 7.0 µm nLOF 2070 film were hard baked at 115°C, 120°C, 125°C and 130°C (p.8, HARD BAKE STABILITY for Large Pads in AZ nLOF 2070) with SEM images showing the pattern edge profile across that range; no hold time is stated for the test and no single temperature is identified as the recommended process value, so this is a demonstrated range, not a chosen recipe.", "source": "PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS > HARD BAKE, and HARD BAKE STABILITY for Large Pads in AZ nLOF™ 2070 (7.0µm Film Thickness), p.8 of AZ nLOF 2000 Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21)" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "lift-off", "etch-mask" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": true, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "AZ 400T or AZ Remover 770 (solvent-based removers), recommended per PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS > STRIPPING, p.8 of AZ nLOF 2000 Series Technical datasheet.", "storage": null, "notes": "AZ nLOF 2070 is the ~7 µm grade of AZ's nLOF 2000 series, a chemically amplified negative photoresist purpose-built to replace older image-reversal and multi-layer lift-off processes with a single expose/PEB/develop flow and a clean undercut sidewall. As with the whole series, the post-exposure bake is required, not optional, unlike DNQ positive resists, and CD is sensitive to PEB temperature (roughly <0.04 µm/°C per the datasheet's series-level guidance). Unlike thick DNQ positive resists it needs no rehydration wait after softbake, and softbake/PEB both scale up to 90 s at this thickness versus 60 s for the thinner 2020/2035 grades. It develops in AZ 300MIF (0.26N/2.38% TMAH) via two 60-second puddle cycles rather than one. Printed features are thermally stable well above 150°C — the datasheet specifically demonstrates hard-baking large 7 µm nLOF 2070 pads at 115-130°C with stable edge profiles — which is what lets nLOF's negative-tone undercut survive a subsequent metal evaporation and lift-off step. The datasheet explicitly does not recommend nLOF 2000 series resists for use on copper substrates.", "developerFamily": "tmah", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Reduced Etch Lag and High Aspect Ratios by Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE)", "authors": "Gerlt et al.", "journal": "Micromachines", "year": 2021, "doi": "10.3390/mi12050542", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12050542", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "7.2 µm nLOF 2070 DRIE mask; documents its slightly angled sidewalls" }, { "type": "paper", "title": "Fabrication of metal air bridges for superconducting circuits using two-photon lithography", "authors": "Huang et al.", "journal": "Applied Physics Letters", "year": 2025, "doi": "10.1063/5.0271788", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0271788", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "7 µm nLOF 2070 air-bridge lift-off for superconducting qubit circuits, direct-write patterned" } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "How do I get an undercut lift-off profile with AZ nLOF 2070?", "a": "AZ nLOF 2070 is a chemically amplified negative resist that forms the undercut lift-off sidewall directly from one expose/PEB/develop flow, replacing older image-reversal and multi-layer schemes. The PEB is required for imaging. Because printed features stay thermally stable well above 150°C, the ~7 µm undercut survives a subsequent metal evaporation and lift-off.", "source": "AZ nLOF 2000 Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21) — EXAMPLE PROCESS (7.0µm on Si), p.5, and HARD BAKE, p.8" }, { "q": "Why does AZ nLOF 2070 need longer bakes and develop than the thinner grades?", "a": "It coats ~7 µm, so both soft bake and PEB scale up to 110°C/90 s (versus 60 s for the 2.0 and 3.5 µm grades) to drive off solvent and complete imaging through the thicker film, and develop is two 60 s AZ 300MIF puddles (120 s total) rather than one — a thicker coat simply needs more time to clear.", "source": "AZ nLOF 2000 Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21) — EXAMPLE PROCESS (7.0µm on Si), p.5" }, { "q": "What exposure dose does AZ nLOF 2070 need?", "a": "The 7.0 µm reference process states only 'various doses' at i-line (365 nm) — no single nominal. Its bottom-CD sweep for 7.0 µm dense lines reads 174 mJ/cm² → 4.45 µm, 186 → 4.84 µm and 198 → 5.31 µm bottom CD, so dose sets the undercut; pick the point that gives your target CD and confirm on-tool. No 405 nm dose is published.", "source": "AZ nLOF 2000 Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21) — EXAMPLE PROCESS (7.0µm on Si), p.5" }, { "q": "Can AZ nLOF 2070 be hard baked, and how stable is the pattern?", "a": "Printed features are thermally stable well above 150°C. The datasheet demonstrates hard-baking large 7 µm nLOF 2070 pads at 115, 120, 125 and 130°C with stable edge profiles across that range, though no single hold time or recommended temperature is named. This thermal stability is what lets the negative-tone undercut survive metal evaporation and lift-off.", "source": "AZ nLOF 2000 Series Technical datasheet (Rev. 03/21) — HARD BAKE / HARD BAKE STABILITY for Large Pads in AZ nLOF 2070, p.8" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_nlof2000_series.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. (03/21)", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "az-nlof-2020", "name": "AZ nLOF 2020", "min_um": 1.6, "max_um": 4.6, "doseBasis": "66 mJ/cm² @ 365 nm" }, { "slug": "az-nlof-2035", "name": "AZ nLOF 2035", "min_um": 3, "max_um": 6.1, "doseBasis": "80 mJ/cm² @ 365 nm" } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "az-p4110", "name": "AZ P4110", "manufacturer": "Merck KGaA (AZ Electronic Materials)", "productLine": "AZ P4000 Series", "aliases": [ "P4110", "AZP4110", "AZ® P4110" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed. The series is presented for plating moulds and wet-etch masks, and nothing on the sheet describes a graded dose response.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "'Substrates must be clean, dry, and free of organic residues. Oxide forming substrates (Si, etc.) should be HMDS primed prior to coating AZ P4000' (Substrate preparation, p.6). A soft bake towards 115 °C also improves adhesion to most metals." }, "softbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 95, "max": 115 }, "time_s": null, "method": null, "notes": "No time is published for this grade. The process-considerations page gives 95-115 °C and calls bake conditions application specific; the typical-process box on p.1 prints the window as 90-115 °C, so the two pages differ by 5 °C at the low end, and the narrower one is carried. Temperatures towards 115 °C improve adhesion to most metals, and thicker films may need a ramped bake to stop solvent outgassing from raising bubbles.", "source": "Soft bake section, p.6, and typical process box, p.1, of the AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet, Rev. (08/21)" }, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "AZ 400K at 1:4, or at 1:3 / AZ 421K (unbuffered) for films above 12 µm; AZ Developer 1:1 where aluminium must not be etched; AZ 340 is also listed", "dilution": "AZ 400K 1:4 for better selectivity on thinner films, 1:3 for films above 12 µm; AZ Developer 1:1", "time_s": null, "method": "spray or immersion", "rinse": null, "source": "Developing section, p.6, and companion products, p.1, of the AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet, Rev. (08/21)" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 100, "max": 110 }, "time_s": null, "method": null, "notes": "A post-develop bake at 100-110 °C improves adhesion for wet etching and plating and pattern stability in dry etching, while keeping thermal distortion of the pattern small. Higher temperatures cross-link the resin for use as a permanent insulator: cured at 200, 225 and 250 °C the film gives dielectric constants of 4.02, 4.09 and 4.58 and breakdown voltages of 629, 693 and 674 V/µm.", "source": "Hard bake section, p.6, and dielectric insulator table, p.5, of the AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet, Rev. (08/21)" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "electroplating-molding", "etch-mask" ], "etchResistance": "'Excellent substrate adhesion for wet etch applications' (p.1); a 100-110 °C hard bake 'improves adhesion in wet etch or plating applications and improves pattern stability in dry etch processes' (p.6).", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "AZ 300T, AZ 400T or AZ Kwik Strip (companion products, p.1).", "storage": null, "developerFamily": "buffered-alkaline", "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "What dose should AZ P4110 start from — the 600–850 mJ/cm² in the reference process looks far too high?", "a": "It is. That reference process is a 12 µm AZ P4620 film. The datasheet's approximate dose-versus-thickness table for a Suss MA-200 aligner gives 90 mJ/cm² at 1.5 µm, which sits inside AZ P4110's 1.0–3.0 µm range; the next row, 135 mJ/cm² at 3.5 µm, is already thicker than this grade. At these thicknesses much of the light reaches the substrate, so MicroChemicals notes the dose also shifts with substrate reflectivity — re-check it on metal, ITO or glass.", "source": "AZ P4000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 08/21) — Approximate Exposure Dose Requirement vs Film Thickness (Suss MA-200), p.5; Reference Process (12 µm AZ P4620), p.3; Thickness Grades, p.1. MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Changed Substrate Reflectivity?, p.9" }, { "q": "AZ P4110 lifts off during HF or BOE etching — how do I keep it down?", "a": "HF diffuses into the resist and can peel it over large areas, either during the etch or after the rinse, as the film swells. MicroChemicals' work-arounds are a thicker film as a barrier — AZ P4110 is the thinnest grade in the series, reaching about 2.7 µm at 1000 rpm on its spin curve — and buffered HF (BOE) in place of straight HF. From the datasheet: HMDS-prime oxide surfaces and hard bake at 100–110 °C, which improves wet-etch adhesion. (Its advice to bake toward the top of the 95–115 °C soft-bake range is stated for adhesion to metals, not oxide.)", "source": "MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Using HF-Containing Etchants?, p.11. AZ P4000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 08/21) — Typical Spin Curves, p.2; Substrate Preparation, Soft Bake and Hard Bake, p.6" }, { "q": "Does AZ P4110 need the 30–60 minute rehydration hold?", "a": "Not as a formal step. The datasheet requires a hold only for P4000 films thicker than 4.0 µm, beyond AZ P4110's 1.0–3.0 µm range. The film still needs some water back after the soft bake: MicroChemicals puts rehydration at about 1 min for a 1 µm film, rising with thickness, and notes development rate drops significantly below about 40 % relative humidity. A slow develop on a dry day can point at the room rather than the dose.", "source": "AZ P4000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 08/21) — Typical Process, p.1; Film Rehydration, p.6. MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Development: Insufficient Development Rate (Sufficient Rehydration?), p.6" }, { "q": "Unexposed AZ P4110 thins in the developer — which developer and dilution keep the dark loss down?", "a": "Use AZ 400K at 1:4, which the datasheet says gives improved developer selectivity for thinner films; it recommends the stronger 1:3 mix and the unbuffered AZ 421K for films above 12 µm. AZ Developer 1:1 is the option where aluminium must not be etched. MicroChemicals adds that dark erosion grows faster than development rate as concentration rises, and that an under-baked film erodes faster, so check the soft bake is within 95–115 °C.", "source": "AZ P4000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 08/21) — Developing and Soft Bake, p.6. MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Development: Dark Erosion Too High, p.9–10" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_p4000_series.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. (08/21)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_p4620_photoresist.pdf", "what": "AZ P4620 Photoresist Data Package, 'Thick Photoresist Product Summary' (p.3): the table lists the 'P4000 Series' row with Platform 'DNQ' — the basis for classifying AZ P4110 as dnq-novolak." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-13", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "summary": "AZ P4110 is the thinnest grade of Merck's AZ P4000 plating resist series, rated for 1.0-3.0 µm single coats and read at 2.7 µm from 1000 rpm down to 1.1 µm at 5000 rpm on a 150 mm wafer.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 1, "max_um": 3, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated — the thickness grades table (p.1) lists AZ P4110 at a film thickness range of 1.0-3.0 µm." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "AZ P4110", "readFromFigure": true, "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 2.7 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 2.25 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 2 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 1.75 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 1.6 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 1.5 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 1.3 }, { "rpm": 4500, "um": 1.2 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 1.1 } ], "source": "read from figure — the red cross markers legended 'P4110' on the 'Typical spin curves (150mm substrate)' chart, p.2 of the AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet, Rev. (08/21). Nine plotted markers at 500 rpm steps from 1000 to 5000 rpm; no numeric table accompanies the chart. Each point is read against the chart's 1 µm gridlines; treat each value as a figure read of about ±5 %.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "The curve runs from about 2.7 µm at 1000 rpm to 1.1 µm at 5000 rpm, so the grade's rated 1.0-3.0 µm range is almost exactly the span of a normal spin window, with 2.0 µm landing near 2000 rpm. The chart is for a 150 mm substrate. The sheet notes that films up to 8.0 µm, depending on wafer size, can be spun to equilibrium from these curves, and that single films above 7.0 µm are not spun to equilibrium — thicker coats come from timed spread-and-spin programs or multiple coats. No dispense volume or acceleration is published for spins inside this range; the only coating sequence given is for films above 20 µm.", "rehydration": null, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "binBasis": "spun-film", "conditionKey": "suss-ma-200", "conditionLabel": "Suss MA-200 mask aligner", "bins": [ { "um_min": 1.5, "um_max": 1.5, "mJ_min": 90, "mJ_max": 90 }, { "um_min": 3.5, "um_max": 3.5, "mJ_min": 135, "mJ_max": 135 }, { "um_min": 12, "um_max": 12, "mJ_min": 800, "mJ_max": 800 } ], "source": "'Approximate exposure dose requirement vs. film thickness (Suss MA-200)' table, p.5 of the AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet, Rev. (08/21): 1.5 µm 90 mJ/cm², 3.5 µm 135 mJ/cm², 12 µm 800 mJ/cm². The table is published for the P4000 series as a whole, indexed by film thickness rather than by grade." } ], "basisCopy": "No dose is given for AZ P4110 by name. The series table gives approximate Suss MA-200 aligner doses by film thickness: 90 mJ/cm² at 1.5 µm, 135 mJ/cm² at 3.5 µm and 800 mJ/cm² at 12 µm." }, "notes": "AZ P4110 is the low-viscosity end of the P4000 series (18 cSt at 23 °C), a general-purpose positive resist whose photoactive compound is engineered not to poison plating solutions and to extend plating bath life. At 1-3 µm it is the thinnest grade for plating and wet-etch masks. At these thicknesses the sheet requires no rehydration hold, and its approximate aligner dose for a 1.5 µm film is 90 mJ/cm². Soft bake in the 95-115 °C window, leaning high when adhesion to metal matters; develop in AZ 400K 1:4, which the sheet recommends for thinner films because it is more selective. A post-exposure bake is not generally needed, though 100-115 °C can widen process latitude and reduce standing waves under monochromatic exposure.", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "az-p4210", "name": "AZ P4210", "min_um": 2, "max_um": 4, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-p4330-rs", "name": "AZ P4330-RS", "min_um": 3, "max_um": 5, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-p4400", "name": "AZ P4400", "min_um": 4, "max_um": 6, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-p4620", "name": "AZ P4620", "min_um": 6, "max_um": 20, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-p4903", "name": "AZ P4903", "min_um": 10, "max_um": 30, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "az-p4210", "name": "AZ P4210", "manufacturer": "Merck KGaA (AZ Electronic Materials)", "productLine": "AZ P4000 Series", "aliases": [ "P4210", "AZP4210", "AZ® P4210" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed. The series is presented for plating moulds and wet-etch masks, and nothing on the sheet describes a graded dose response.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "'Substrates must be clean, dry, and free of organic residues. Oxide forming substrates (Si, etc.) should be HMDS primed prior to coating AZ P4000' (Substrate preparation, p.6). A soft bake towards 115 °C also improves adhesion to most metals." }, "softbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 95, "max": 115 }, "time_s": null, "method": null, "notes": "No time is published for this grade. The process-considerations page gives 95-115 °C and calls bake conditions application specific; the typical-process box on p.1 prints the window as 90-115 °C, so the two pages differ by 5 °C at the low end, and the narrower one is carried. Temperatures towards 115 °C improve adhesion to most metals, and thicker films may need a ramped bake to stop solvent outgassing from raising bubbles.", "source": "Soft bake section, p.6, and typical process box, p.1, of the AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet, Rev. (08/21)" }, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "AZ 400K at 1:4, or at 1:3 / AZ 421K (unbuffered) for films above 12 µm; AZ Developer 1:1 where aluminium must not be etched; AZ 340 is also listed", "dilution": "AZ 400K 1:4 for better selectivity on thinner films, 1:3 for films above 12 µm; AZ Developer 1:1", "time_s": null, "method": "spray or immersion", "rinse": null, "source": "Developing section, p.6, and companion products, p.1, of the AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet, Rev. (08/21)" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 100, "max": 110 }, "time_s": null, "method": null, "notes": "A post-develop bake at 100-110 °C improves adhesion for wet etching and plating and pattern stability in dry etching, while keeping thermal distortion of the pattern small. Higher temperatures cross-link the resin for use as a permanent insulator: cured at 200, 225 and 250 °C the film gives dielectric constants of 4.02, 4.09 and 4.58 and breakdown voltages of 629, 693 and 674 V/µm.", "source": "Hard bake section, p.6, and dielectric insulator table, p.5, of the AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet, Rev. (08/21)" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "electroplating-molding", "etch-mask" ], "etchResistance": "'Excellent substrate adhesion for wet etch applications' (p.1); a 100-110 °C hard bake 'improves adhesion in wet etch or plating applications and improves pattern stability in dry etch processes' (p.6).", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "AZ 300T, AZ 400T or AZ Kwik Strip (companion products, p.1).", "storage": null, "developerFamily": "buffered-alkaline", "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "I spun AZ P4210 at 1000 rpm for a thicker coat — do I now need a rehydration hold?", "a": "Yes, if the film really is over 4 µm. The datasheet's spin curve puts AZ P4210 at roughly 4.8 µm at 1000 rpm, above both the grade's rated 2.0–4.0 µm range and the 4.0 µm line beyond which P4000 films require a rehydration hold between soft bake and exposure. That hold is typically 30–60 min depending on thickness, at 40–45 % relative humidity. MicroChemicals notes that the water has to diffuse back through the whole film toward the substrate, and too little of it lowers the development rate. At 1500 rpm and faster the curve stays under 4 µm.", "source": "AZ P4000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 08/21) — Typical Spin Curves (150 mm), p.2; Thickness Grades, p.1; Film Rehydration, p.6. MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Development: Insufficient Development Rate (Sufficient Rehydration?), p.6" }, { "q": "Why does my AZ P4210 dose stop working when I change spin speed?", "a": "Dose scales with thickness, and AZ P4210's spin curve covers roughly 1.8–4.8 µm from 5000 down to 1000 rpm. The datasheet's approximate dose table for a Suss MA-200 aligner rises from 90 mJ/cm² at 1.5 µm to 135 mJ/cm² at 3.5 µm, so a dose set on a fast-spun coat under-exposes a slow-spun one. Re-run a short dose series each time the target thickness moves, and use those two table rows only as a starting bracket.", "source": "AZ P4000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 08/21) — Approximate Exposure Dose Requirement vs Film Thickness (Suss MA-200), p.5; Typical Spin Curves, p.2" }, { "q": "AZ P4210 sticks to the mask during contact exposure — what's causing it?", "a": "Check the solvent left in the film first. MicroChemicals ties mask sticking to a soft bake that is too cool or too short, and gives 100 °C for 1 min per µm on a hotplate as a rule of thumb; the datasheet's range for P4000 is 95–115 °C. Other causes: particles or bubbles in the film transferring to the mask (clean it), hard-contact mode where soft contact would do, and weak adhesion to the substrate letting the mask pull the film up.", "source": "MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Sticking Between Resist Film and Mask, p.6. AZ P4000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 08/21) — Soft Bake, p.6" }, { "q": "AZ P4210 won't strip after a high-temperature bake — what now?", "a": "The resin has crosslinked. The datasheet keeps hard bake at 100–110 °C and notes higher temperatures cure the pattern into a permanent insulator, which is exactly what you do not want on a sacrificial mask. Its removers are AZ 300T, AZ 400T and AZ Kwik Strip. For a film that has already crosslinked, MicroChemicals recommends NMP or DMSO heated up to 80 °C, or a high-performance stripper such as TechniStrip P1316, and advises against acetone, which leaves residues.", "source": "AZ P4000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 08/21) — Hard Bake, p.6; Companion Products (Removers), p.1. MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Photoresist Removal Does Not Work (Well), p.19" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_p4000_series.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. (08/21)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_p4620_photoresist.pdf", "what": "AZ P4620 Photoresist Data Package, 'Thick Photoresist Product Summary' (p.3): the table lists the 'P4000 Series' row with Platform 'DNQ' — the basis for classifying AZ P4210 as dnq-novolak." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-13", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "summary": "AZ P4210 is Merck's 2.0-4.0 µm grade of the AZ P4000 plating resist series, reading 4.8 µm at 1000 rpm and 1.8 µm at 5000 rpm on a 150 mm wafer.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 2, "max_um": 4, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated — the thickness grades table (p.1) lists AZ P4210 at a film thickness range of 2.0-4.0 µm." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "AZ P4210", "readFromFigure": true, "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 4.8 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 3.7 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 3 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 2.7 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 2.5 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 2.25 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 2.1 }, { "rpm": 4500, "um": 1.95 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 1.8 } ], "source": "read from figure — the dark-blue diamond markers legended 'P4210' on the 'Typical spin curves (150mm substrate)' chart, p.2 of the AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet, Rev. (08/21). Nine plotted markers at 500 rpm steps from 1000 to 5000 rpm; no numeric table accompanies the chart. Each point is read against the chart's 1 µm gridlines; treat each value as a figure read of about ±5 %.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "The plotted markers run from 4.8 µm at 1000 rpm to 1.8 µm at 5000 rpm, a little wider than the grade's rated 2.0-4.0 µm. The fitted line on the chart runs slightly above the 2000 rpm marker (about 3.0 µm), so the marker values are the ones carried. The chart is for a 150 mm substrate. The sheet notes that films up to 8.0 µm, depending on wafer size, can be spun to equilibrium from these curves, and that single films above 7.0 µm are not spun to equilibrium — thicker coats come from timed spread-and-spin programs or multiple coats. No dispense volume or acceleration is published for spins inside this range; the only coating sequence given is for films above 20 µm.", "rehydration": "Required for films thicker than 4.0 µm: hold between soft bake and exposure for typically 30-60 minutes, depending on film thickness, at 40-45 % relative humidity (Film rehydration, p.6). The p.3 reference process for a 12 µm AZ P4620 film uses a 30 min hold at 42 % RH. At this grade's slowest spins the film passes 4.0 µm and the hold applies.", "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "binBasis": "spun-film", "conditionKey": "suss-ma-200", "conditionLabel": "Suss MA-200 mask aligner", "bins": [ { "um_min": 1.5, "um_max": 1.5, "mJ_min": 90, "mJ_max": 90 }, { "um_min": 3.5, "um_max": 3.5, "mJ_min": 135, "mJ_max": 135 }, { "um_min": 12, "um_max": 12, "mJ_min": 800, "mJ_max": 800 } ], "source": "'Approximate exposure dose requirement vs. film thickness (Suss MA-200)' table, p.5 of the AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet, Rev. (08/21): 1.5 µm 90 mJ/cm², 3.5 µm 135 mJ/cm², 12 µm 800 mJ/cm². The table is published for the P4000 series as a whole, indexed by film thickness rather than by grade." } ], "basisCopy": "No dose is given for AZ P4210 by name. The series table gives approximate Suss MA-200 aligner doses by film thickness: 90 mJ/cm² at 1.5 µm, 135 mJ/cm² at 3.5 µm and 800 mJ/cm² at 12 µm." }, "notes": "AZ P4210 covers 2-4 µm in the P4000 series (54 cSt at 23 °C), the plating-compatible positive resist whose photoactive compound is engineered not to poison electroplating solutions. The sheet sells the series for electroplating and for wet etching, where it cites excellent substrate adhesion. The series dose table puts a 3.5 µm film at about 135 mJ/cm² on a Suss MA-200 aligner. At the 4 µm top of its range it sits right at the sheet's rehydration threshold — films thicker than 4.0 µm need a 30-60 minute hold at 40-45 % RH before exposure — so a coat spun slower than about 1500 rpm should get that hold. Soft bake at 95-115 °C, develop in AZ 400K 1:4 by spray or immersion.", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "az-p4110", "name": "AZ P4110", "min_um": 1, "max_um": 3, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-p4330-rs", "name": "AZ P4330-RS", "min_um": 3, "max_um": 5, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-p4400", "name": "AZ P4400", "min_um": 4, "max_um": 6, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-p4620", "name": "AZ P4620", "min_um": 6, "max_um": 20, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-p4903", "name": "AZ P4903", "min_um": 10, "max_um": 30, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "az-p4330-rs", "name": "AZ P4330-RS", "manufacturer": "Merck KGaA (AZ Electronic Materials)", "productLine": "AZ P4000 Series", "aliases": [ "P4330-RS", "AZ P4330", "P4330", "AZ® P4330-RS" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed. The series is presented for plating moulds and wet-etch masks, and nothing on the sheet describes a graded dose response.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "'Substrates must be clean, dry, and free of organic residues. Oxide forming substrates (Si, etc.) should be HMDS primed prior to coating AZ P4000' (Substrate preparation, p.6). A soft bake towards 115 °C also improves adhesion to most metals." }, "softbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 95, "max": 115 }, "time_s": null, "method": null, "notes": "No time is published for this grade. The process-considerations page gives 95-115 °C and calls bake conditions application specific; the typical-process box on p.1 prints the window as 90-115 °C, so the two pages differ by 5 °C at the low end, and the narrower one is carried. Temperatures towards 115 °C improve adhesion to most metals, and thicker films may need a ramped bake to stop solvent outgassing from raising bubbles.", "source": "Soft bake section, p.6, and typical process box, p.1, of the AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet, Rev. (08/21)" }, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "AZ 400K at 1:4, or at 1:3 / AZ 421K (unbuffered) for films above 12 µm; AZ Developer 1:1 where aluminium must not be etched; AZ 340 is also listed", "dilution": "AZ 400K 1:4 for better selectivity on thinner films, 1:3 for films above 12 µm; AZ Developer 1:1", "time_s": null, "method": "spray or immersion", "rinse": null, "source": "Developing section, p.6, and companion products, p.1, of the AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet, Rev. (08/21)" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 100, "max": 110 }, "time_s": null, "method": null, "notes": "A post-develop bake at 100-110 °C improves adhesion for wet etching and plating and pattern stability in dry etching, while keeping thermal distortion of the pattern small. Higher temperatures cross-link the resin for use as a permanent insulator: cured at 200, 225 and 250 °C the film gives dielectric constants of 4.02, 4.09 and 4.58 and breakdown voltages of 629, 693 and 674 V/µm.", "source": "Hard bake section, p.6, and dielectric insulator table, p.5, of the AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet, Rev. (08/21)" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "electroplating-molding", "etch-mask" ], "etchResistance": "'Excellent substrate adhesion for wet etch applications' (p.1); a 100-110 °C hard bake 'improves adhesion in wet etch or plating applications and improves pattern stability in dry etch processes' (p.6).", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "AZ 300T, AZ 400T or AZ Kwik Strip (companion products, p.1).", "storage": null, "developerFamily": "buffered-alkaline", "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Why do my 4.5 µm AZ P4330-RS wafers develop slower than the 3.5 µm ones from the same bottle?", "a": "Two things change at once. The thicker film needs more dose: the datasheet's Suss MA-200 table rises from 135 mJ/cm² at 3.5 µm toward 800 mJ/cm² at 12 µm. It also crosses the rehydration threshold: P4000 films thicker than 4.0 µm require a hold between soft bake and exposure, typically 30–60 min depending on thickness, at 40–45 % relative humidity. AZ P4330-RS is rated 3.0–5.0 µm and its spin curve passes 4 µm around 3000 rpm, so slower-spun wafers need the hold that faster-spun ones can do without.", "source": "AZ P4000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 08/21) — Thickness Grades, p.1; Typical Spin Curves, p.2; Approximate Exposure Dose Requirement vs Film Thickness (Suss MA-200), p.5; Film Rehydration, p.6" }, { "q": "Is AZ P4330-RS safe in my plating bath, and why has the deposition rate dropped?", "a": "The P4000 photoactive compound is engineered to prevent poisoning of plating solutions and extend bath life. MicroChemicals adds that AZ resists are stable in common acidic baths as long as no organic solvents are added, while alkaline solutions above about pH 10 attack the mask. A falling deposition rate can be solvent leaching from the film: a typical soft bake leaves roughly 2–4 %, so bake longer or hotter within 95–115 °C. A 100–110 °C hard bake also improves adhesion for plating.", "source": "AZ P4000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 08/21) — Application, p.1; Soft Bake and Hard Bake, p.6. MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Electro-Plating: Common Problems, p.16–17" }, { "q": "AZ P4330-RS sidewalls show ripples after i-line stepper exposure — how do I smooth them?", "a": "Those are standing waves from monochromatic exposure. P4000 does not generally need a post-exposure bake, but the datasheet says one may be used to maximise process latitude and to mitigate standing-wave effects caused by monochromatic exposure. As a general rule it puts the PEB at 100–115 °C, with time and temperature application-specific, so qualify the bake inside that window on your own tool.", "source": "AZ P4000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 08/21) — Post Expose Bake, p.6" }, { "q": "What soft bake should AZ P4330-RS get on a metal seed layer?", "a": "Bake toward the top of the range. The datasheet says temperatures near the high end improve adhesion to most metals, and that thicker films may need a gradually ramped soft bake to avoid bubbling. Its front page gives 90–115 °C and the process section 95–115 °C; staying inside the narrower span satisfies both. Oxide-forming substrates such as Si should be HMDS-primed first, and every surface must be clean, dry and free of organic residue.", "source": "AZ P4000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 08/21) — Typical Process, p.1; Substrate Preparation and Soft Bake, p.6" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_p4000_series.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. (08/21)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_p4620_photoresist.pdf", "what": "AZ P4620 Photoresist Data Package, 'Thick Photoresist Product Summary' (p.3): the table lists the 'P4000 Series' row with Platform 'DNQ' — the basis for classifying AZ P4330-RS as dnq-novolak." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-13", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "summary": "AZ P4330-RS is Merck's 3.0-5.0 µm grade of the AZ P4000 plating resist series, reading 7.0 µm at 1000 rpm and 3.0 µm at 5000 rpm on a 150 mm wafer.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 3, "max_um": 5, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated — the thickness grades table (p.1) lists AZ P4330-RS at a film thickness range of 3.0-5.0 µm." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "AZ P4330-RS", "readFromFigure": true, "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 7.05 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 5.7 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 4.95 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 4.35 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 4 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 3.65 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 3.35 }, { "rpm": 4500, "um": 3.15 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 3 } ], "source": "read from figure — the orange circle markers legended 'P4330' on the 'Typical spin curves (150mm substrate)' chart, p.2 of the AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet, Rev. (08/21). Nine plotted markers at 500 rpm steps from 1000 to 5000 rpm; no numeric table accompanies the chart. Each point is read against the chart's 1 µm gridlines; treat each value as a figure read of about ±5 %.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "The chart legend names this trace 'P4330'; the thickness grades and viscosity tables name the product AZ P4330-RS. Its markers run from about 7.0 µm at 1000 rpm to 3.0 µm at 5000 rpm, so the rated 3.0-5.0 µm range corresponds to roughly 2000-5000 rpm, and slower spins reach further. The chart is for a 150 mm substrate. The sheet notes that films up to 8.0 µm, depending on wafer size, can be spun to equilibrium from these curves, and that single films above 7.0 µm are not spun to equilibrium — thicker coats come from timed spread-and-spin programs or multiple coats. No dispense volume or acceleration is published for spins inside this range; the only coating sequence given is for films above 20 µm.", "rehydration": "Required for films thicker than 4.0 µm: hold between soft bake and exposure for typically 30-60 minutes, depending on film thickness, at 40-45 % relative humidity (Film rehydration, p.6). The p.3 reference process for a 12 µm AZ P4620 film uses a 30 min hold at 42 % RH.", "holds": [ { "at": "after-softbake", "label": "Rehydrate", "duration": "30–60 min", "condition": "films over 4 µm, 40–45 % RH", "source": "Film Rehydration, p.6 of the AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet: \"P4000 photoresist films thicker than 4.0µm require a rehydration hold between soft bake and exposure. Hold times are typically 30-60 minutes (depending upon film thickness) @ relative humidity 40-45%.\"" } ], "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "binBasis": "spun-film", "conditionKey": "suss-ma-200", "conditionLabel": "Suss MA-200 mask aligner", "bins": [ { "um_min": 1.5, "um_max": 1.5, "mJ_min": 90, "mJ_max": 90 }, { "um_min": 3.5, "um_max": 3.5, "mJ_min": 135, "mJ_max": 135 }, { "um_min": 12, "um_max": 12, "mJ_min": 800, "mJ_max": 800 } ], "source": "'Approximate exposure dose requirement vs. film thickness (Suss MA-200)' table, p.5 of the AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet, Rev. (08/21): 1.5 µm 90 mJ/cm², 3.5 µm 135 mJ/cm², 12 µm 800 mJ/cm². The table is published for the P4000 series as a whole, indexed by film thickness rather than by grade." } ], "basisCopy": "No dose is given for AZ P4330-RS by name. The series table gives approximate Suss MA-200 aligner doses by film thickness: 90 mJ/cm² at 1.5 µm, 135 mJ/cm² at 3.5 µm and 800 mJ/cm² at 12 µm." }, "notes": "AZ P4330-RS is the 3-5 µm grade of the P4000 series (127 cSt at 23 °C), Merck's plating-compatible positive resist family. It is the thinnest grade whose normal range crosses the sheet's 4.0 µm rehydration threshold: above 4 µm the film needs 30-60 minutes at 40-45 % RH between soft bake and exposure. The series table gives about 135 mJ/cm² for a 3.5 µm film on a Suss MA-200. Soft bake at 95-115 °C; develop in AZ 400K 1:4 by spray or immersion. A 100-110 °C hard bake improves adhesion in wet-etch and plating applications.", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "az-p4110", "name": "AZ P4110", "min_um": 1, "max_um": 3, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-p4210", "name": "AZ P4210", "min_um": 2, "max_um": 4, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-p4400", "name": "AZ P4400", "min_um": 4, "max_um": 6, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-p4620", "name": "AZ P4620", "min_um": 6, "max_um": 20, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-p4903", "name": "AZ P4903", "min_um": 10, "max_um": 30, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "az-p4400", "name": "AZ P4400", "manufacturer": "Merck KGaA (AZ Electronic Materials)", "productLine": "AZ P4000 Series", "aliases": [ "P4400", "AZP4400", "AZ® P4400" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed. The series is presented for plating moulds and wet-etch masks, and nothing on the sheet describes a graded dose response.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "'Substrates must be clean, dry, and free of organic residues. Oxide forming substrates (Si, etc.) should be HMDS primed prior to coating AZ P4000' (Substrate preparation, p.6). A soft bake towards 115 °C also improves adhesion to most metals." }, "softbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 95, "max": 115 }, "time_s": null, "method": null, "notes": "No time is published for this grade. The process-considerations page gives 95-115 °C and calls bake conditions application specific; the typical-process box on p.1 prints the window as 90-115 °C, so the two pages differ by 5 °C at the low end, and the narrower one is carried. Temperatures towards 115 °C improve adhesion to most metals, and thicker films may need a ramped bake to stop solvent outgassing from raising bubbles.", "source": "Soft bake section, p.6, and typical process box, p.1, of the AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet, Rev. (08/21)" }, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "AZ 400K at 1:4, or at 1:3 / AZ 421K (unbuffered) for films above 12 µm; AZ Developer 1:1 where aluminium must not be etched; AZ 340 is also listed", "dilution": "AZ 400K 1:4 for better selectivity on thinner films, 1:3 for films above 12 µm; AZ Developer 1:1", "time_s": null, "method": "spray or immersion", "rinse": null, "source": "Developing section, p.6, and companion products, p.1, of the AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet, Rev. (08/21)" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 100, "max": 110 }, "time_s": null, "method": null, "notes": "A post-develop bake at 100-110 °C improves adhesion for wet etching and plating and pattern stability in dry etching, while keeping thermal distortion of the pattern small. Higher temperatures cross-link the resin for use as a permanent insulator: cured at 200, 225 and 250 °C the film gives dielectric constants of 4.02, 4.09 and 4.58 and breakdown voltages of 629, 693 and 674 V/µm.", "source": "Hard bake section, p.6, and dielectric insulator table, p.5, of the AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet, Rev. (08/21)" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "electroplating-molding", "etch-mask" ], "etchResistance": "'Excellent substrate adhesion for wet etch applications' (p.1); a 100-110 °C hard bake 'improves adhesion in wet etch or plating applications and improves pattern stability in dry etch processes' (p.6).", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "AZ 300T, AZ 400T or AZ Kwik Strip (companion products, p.1).", "storage": null, "developerFamily": "buffered-alkaline", "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Bubbles or cracks appear in AZ P4400 during exposure — what should I change?", "a": "The nitrogen released during exposure of a positive resist has to diffuse out before it builds up, and the thicker the film the harder that gets — AZ P4400 runs 4.0–6.0 µm. MicroChemicals lists the fixes: a full soft bake, since leftover solvent lets the N2 form bubbles (the datasheet's range is 95–115 °C); good adhesion, since bubbles form where adhesion is weak; and lower exposure intensity, or the exposure split into steps with pauses, so the N2 can outgas in time.", "source": "MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Bubbles in Resist Film After Exposure, p.14–15. AZ P4000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 08/21) — Thickness Grades, p.1; Soft Bake, p.6" }, { "q": "Does every AZ P4400 film need the rehydration hold, even at the thin end?", "a": "In practice, yes. The datasheet requires a rehydration hold between soft bake and exposure for P4000 films thicker than 4.0 µm, and AZ P4400's rated range is 4.0–6.0 µm — on the spin curve it stays near or above 4 µm even at 4500 rpm. Hold typically 30–60 min depending on thickness, at 40–45 % relative humidity. MicroChemicals adds that even after a long enough hold, development rate drops significantly below about 40 % RH, so a dry cleanroom still slows the develop.", "source": "AZ P4000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 08/21) — Thickness Grades, p.1; Typical Spin Curves, p.2; Film Rehydration, p.6. MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Development: Insufficient Development Rate, p.6" }, { "q": "AZ P4400 profiles round off during hard bake or metal deposition — how hot is too hot?", "a": "The datasheet keeps hard bake at 100–110 °C to ensure minimal thermal distortion, and offers higher temperatures to crosslink the resin when the pattern is meant to stay as a permanent insulator. MicroChemicals puts the softening point of most positive AZ resists at 110–130 °C; if an evaporation source, a growing film or ion energy heats the resist past it during deposition or dry etch, the profile rounds, the sidewalls get coated and lift-off works worse or not at all.", "source": "AZ P4000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 08/21) — Hard Bake, p.6. MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Dry Etching: Resist Rounding/Flowing?, p.16; Lift-off: Resist Softening and Rounding during Coating?, p.18" }, { "q": "AZ P4400 development slows down across a batch in the same bath — why?", "a": "The developer is being used up. MicroChemicals gives two mechanisms: CO2 from the air neutralises an open bath over time, and dissolved resist exhausts it — as a rule of thumb, about one part per thousand of resist in a typical developer significantly reduces the rate, and a 4–6 µm film puts a lot of resist into the bath. Refresh the bath on a schedule. For this thickness the datasheet recommends AZ 400K 1:4 for its selectivity; 1:3 and AZ 421K are for films above 12 µm.", "source": "MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Expired Developer? (Neutralization by CO2; Exhaustion by Developed Resist), p.7. AZ P4000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 08/21) — Developing, p.6" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_p4000_series.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. (08/21)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_p4620_photoresist.pdf", "what": "AZ P4620 Photoresist Data Package, 'Thick Photoresist Product Summary' (p.3): the table lists the 'P4000 Series' row with Platform 'DNQ' — the basis for classifying AZ P4400 as dnq-novolak." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-13", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "summary": "AZ P4400 is Merck's 4.0-6.0 µm grade of the AZ P4000 plating resist series, reading 8.5 µm at 1000 rpm and 3.9 µm at 5000 rpm on a 150 mm wafer, with a rehydration hold before exposure.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 4, "max_um": 6, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated — the thickness grades table (p.1) lists AZ P4400 at a film thickness range of 4.0-6.0 µm." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "AZ P4400", "readFromFigure": true, "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 8.5 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 7.05 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 6.05 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 5.5 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 5.05 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 4.6 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 4.4 }, { "rpm": 4500, "um": 4.05 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 3.85 } ], "source": "read from figure — the blue square markers legended 'P4400' on the 'Typical spin curves (150mm substrate)' chart, p.2 of the AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet, Rev. (08/21). Nine plotted markers at 500 rpm steps from 1000 to 5000 rpm; no numeric table accompanies the chart. Each point is read against the chart's 1 µm gridlines; treat each value as a figure read of about ±5 %.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "The highest trace on the chart, from about 8.5 µm at 1000 rpm to 3.9 µm at 5000 rpm; the rated 4.0-6.0 µm lands between roughly 2000 and 4500 rpm. The 1000 and 1500 rpm points sit above the 7.0 µm limit the sheet gives for spinning to equilibrium, so treat them as less repeatable than the rest. The chart is for a 150 mm substrate. The sheet notes that films up to 8.0 µm, depending on wafer size, can be spun to equilibrium from these curves, and that single films above 7.0 µm are not spun to equilibrium — thicker coats come from timed spread-and-spin programs or multiple coats. No dispense volume or acceleration is published for spins inside this range; the only coating sequence given is for films above 20 µm.", "rehydration": "Required for films thicker than 4.0 µm: hold between soft bake and exposure for typically 30-60 minutes, depending on film thickness, at 40-45 % relative humidity (Film rehydration, p.6). The p.3 reference process for a 12 µm AZ P4620 film uses a 30 min hold at 42 % RH.", "holds": [ { "at": "after-softbake", "label": "Rehydrate", "duration": "30–60 min", "condition": "films over 4 µm, 40–45 % RH", "source": "Film Rehydration, p.6 of the AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet: \"P4000 photoresist films thicker than 4.0µm require a rehydration hold between soft bake and exposure. Hold times are typically 30-60 minutes (depending upon film thickness) @ relative humidity 40-45%.\"" } ], "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "binBasis": "spun-film", "conditionKey": "suss-ma-200", "conditionLabel": "Suss MA-200 mask aligner", "bins": [ { "um_min": 1.5, "um_max": 1.5, "mJ_min": 90, "mJ_max": 90 }, { "um_min": 3.5, "um_max": 3.5, "mJ_min": 135, "mJ_max": 135 }, { "um_min": 12, "um_max": 12, "mJ_min": 800, "mJ_max": 800 } ], "source": "'Approximate exposure dose requirement vs. film thickness (Suss MA-200)' table, p.5 of the AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet, Rev. (08/21): 1.5 µm 90 mJ/cm², 3.5 µm 135 mJ/cm², 12 µm 800 mJ/cm². The table is published for the P4000 series as a whole, indexed by film thickness rather than by grade." } ], "basisCopy": "No dose is given for AZ P4400 by name. The series table gives approximate Suss MA-200 aligner doses by film thickness: 90 mJ/cm² at 1.5 µm, 135 mJ/cm² at 3.5 µm and 800 mJ/cm² at 12 µm." }, "notes": "AZ P4400 is the 4-6 µm grade of the P4000 series (184 cSt at 23 °C), the thickest one charted on the sheet's spin curve and the last one below the thick-film AZ P4620. Almost its whole curve sits above the sheet's 4.0 µm rehydration threshold — only the fastest spin, about 3.9 µm at 5000 rpm, falls below it — so plan a 30-60 minute hold at 40-45 % RH between soft bake and exposure. The series dose table has no row at this thickness — 135 mJ/cm² at 3.5 µm and 800 mJ/cm² at 12 µm bracket it widely — so run a dose matrix. Soft bake at 95-115 °C, ramping up for the thicker end to avoid solvent bubbles; develop in AZ 400K 1:4 by spray or immersion. The plating-safe photoactive compound is the reason to choose this family for moulds of this height.", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "az-p4110", "name": "AZ P4110", "min_um": 1, "max_um": 3, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-p4210", "name": "AZ P4210", "min_um": 2, "max_um": 4, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-p4330-rs", "name": "AZ P4330-RS", "min_um": 3, "max_um": 5, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-p4620", "name": "AZ P4620", "min_um": 6, "max_um": 20, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-p4903", "name": "AZ P4903", "min_um": 10, "max_um": 30, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "az-p4620", "name": "AZ P4620", "manufacturer": "AZ Electronic Materials", "productLine": "AZ P4000 Series", "aliases": [ "P4620", "AZ P4620 Photoresist" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Datasheet does not address grayscale/3D patterning for AZ P4620; no grayscale suitability is asserted or implied by the document.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "AZ P4620 is Merck's 6-20+ µm grade of the AZ P4000 plating resist series, a thick, single-coat DNQ-novolak positive photoresist; its own data package demonstrates copper and gold electroplating molds at reference-process film thicknesses from roughly 12 to 28 µm.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 6, "max_um": 20, "basis": "stated", "source": "AZ P4000 TDS p.1 grade table: 'AZ P4620 6.0 - >20µm'" }, "thicknessRangeNote": "The AZ P4000 sheet rates AZ P4620 from 6 µm to beyond 20 µm.", "spinCurves": [ { "label": "AZ P4620 as supplied", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 14.8 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 12.1 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 10.1 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 8.9 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 8 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 7.4 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 6.9 } ], "source": "read from figure, \"AZ® P4620 Spin Speed Curve\", p.26 of AZ P4620 Photoresist Data Package — single-product chart with one plotted series (unambiguous), softbake 110°C/180 s hotplate on 150 mm Si", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Curve conditions per p.26: 150 mm silicon substrate, softbake 110°C/180 s hotplate. A separate multi-grade comparison chart (p.27, a lower-resolution scanned image) plots P4620 alongside P4903, P4400, P4330-RS, P4210 and P4110; at matching speeds it reads noticeably higher (~16.5 µm at 1000 rpm vs. 14.8 µm on the dedicated p.26 chart, an ~11% disagreement between the two figures in the same document). The p.26 chart is the published curve here because it is the higher-precision, single-product source with unambiguous curve identity; the p.27 comparison is noted for context, not as a second measurement. No dispense volume, spin ramp, or edge-bead detail is published anywhere in this document.", "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "No HMDS or other adhesion-promoter step is mentioned in AZ P4620's own Photoresist Data Package. The AZ P4000 TDS (Substrate Preparation, p.6) states: \"Oxide forming substrates (Si, etc.) should be HMDS primed prior to coating AZ P4000.\"" }, "rehydration": "A 60-minute rehydration wait is specified after the two-stage softbake (100°C/500 s hotplate, then 90°C/180 min oven) in the 28 µm single-coat gold-plating process, before exposure. (Source: AZ® P4620 Gold Plating Process, p.7 of AZ P4620 Photoresist Data Package)", "holds": [ { "at": "after-softbake", "label": "Rehydrate", "duration": "30–60 min", "condition": "films over 4 µm, 40–45 % RH", "source": "Film Rehydration, p.6 of the AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet: \"P4000 photoresist films thicker than 4.0µm require a rehydration hold between soft bake and exposure. Hold times are typically 30-60 minutes (depending upon film thickness) @ relative humidity 40-45%.\" AZ P4620's own data package instead documents a 60-minute hold in its 28 µm gold-plating process — see the rehydration field." } ], "softbake": { "temp_c": 110, "time_s": 180, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "This is the most consistently repeated single-recipe softbake in the document (15 µm copper-plating process, p.4-6, and matches the spin-curve conditions on p.26). Other film thicknesses in this same datasheet use different bakes: 12 µm at 110°C/80 s (p.10, p.13-17); a two-layer 24 µm coat at 110°C/80 s then 115°C/180 s (p.18-21); 17 µm at 120°C/240 s (p.22); and the 28 µm single-coat process at 100°C/500 s hotplate then 90°C/180 min oven, followed by a 60-minute rehydration wait (p.7-9, see rehydration field). Softbake is thickness- and tool-dependent; no single value applies to all P4620 processes.", "source": "p.4-6 of AZ P4620 Photoresist Data Package (AZ P4620 Copper plating process conditions)" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "binBasis": "spun-film", "conditionKey": "ultratech-1500-stepper", "conditionLabel": "Ultratech 1500 gh-line stepper", "bins": [ { "um_min": 12, "um_max": 12, "mJ_min": 893, "mJ_max": 927 }, { "um_min": 24, "um_max": 24, "mJ_min": 1574, "mJ_max": 1742 } ], "source": "AZ P4620 Photoresist Data Package — Ultratech 1500 gh-line stepper: dense lines / contact holes in a 12 µm film (p.11) and in a 24 µm two-layer coat (p.19). Broadband gh-line, so no single exposure wavelength is claimed." }, { "wavelength_nm": null, "binBasis": "spun-film", "conditionKey": "canon-pla-501f-aligner", "conditionLabel": "Canon PLA-501F ghi-line contact aligner", "bins": [ { "um_min": 17, "um_max": 17, "mJ_min": 630, "mJ_max": 630 } ], "source": "AZ P4620 Photoresist Data Package — Canon PLA-501F ghi-line contact aligner, 17 µm film (p.22). Broadband ghi-line, so no single exposure wavelength is claimed." } ], "basisCopy": "Every P4620 dose is tied to one film and one tool: 893 to 927 mJ/cm² for a 12 µm coat on a gh-line stepper, 630 mJ/cm² at 17 µm on a ghi-line contact aligner, 1574 to 1742 mJ/cm² for a 24 µm two-layer stack." }, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "AZ 400K", "dilution": "1:4", "time_s": 300, "method": "immersion", "rinse": null, "source": "AZ P4620 Copper plating process conditions, p.4-6 of AZ P4620 Photoresist Data Package (AZ 400K 1:4, immersion 300 s, 23°C)" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [ "electroplating-molding" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "AZ 300T, AZ 400T or AZ Kwik Strip (AZ P4000 TDS, companion products, p.1). AZ P4620's own data package does not name a stripper.", "storage": null, "notes": "AZ P4620 is a DNQ-novolak (diazonaphthoquinone/novolak) positive resist from AZ's thick-film P4000 series, positioned in this datasheet for copper and gold electroplating molds rather than lift-off or etch masking. It develops in AZ 400K (a buffered, metal-ion-containing alkaline developer — the datasheet's own preferred choice) or, for finer-pitch stepper lithography, in AZ 300 MIF (TMAH, metal-ion-free). Softbake, exposure dose and develop time all scale with film thickness rather than following one fixed recipe: a 12 µm coat baked at 110°C/80 s takes roughly 900 mJ/cm² on a gh-line stepper, while a 24 µm two-layer coat (110°C/80 s then 115°C/180 s) takes 1742 mJ/cm² for dense lines and 1574 mJ/cm² for contact holes (p.19). The 28 µm single-coat gold-plating process is the process worth flagging for a first-time user: it uses a two-stage softbake (100°C/500 s hotplate, then 90°C/180 min oven) followed by a 60-minute rehydration wait before exposure — a classic thick-DNQ step that is easy to skip and, if skipped, tends to cause scumming or adhesion failure at develop. As a non-chemically-amplified DNQ resist it needs no post-exposure bake.", "developerFamily": "buffered-alkaline", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Thick-film lithography using laser write", "authors": "Cheng et al.", "journal": "Microsystem Technologies", "year": 2002, "doi": "10.1007/s00542-002-0201-y", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-002-0201-y", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "AZ P4620 at 30 um thickness, over an AZ BARLi II anti-reflective coating, was patterned on a Heidelberg DWL 66 laser writer for LIGA x-ray masks. Multiple-writing schemes and defocus control were used to straighten sidewalls and suppress intensity fluctuation in the thick film." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Why is a 24 µm AZ P4620 coat so much fussier about dose than a 12 µm one?", "a": "Exposure latitude falls sharply between the data package's two stepper runs, though the developer changed too, so thickness is not the only variable. On an Ultratech 1500 gh-line stepper, 10 µm dense lines in a 12 µm film print at 893 mJ/cm² with 91 % exposure latitude (AZ 300 MIF, 200 s spray at 23 °C). In the 24 µm two-layer coat the same lines need 1742 mJ/cm² and 29 %, and contact holes 1574 mJ/cm² and 39 % (AZ 400K 1:4, 260 s spray at 27 °C). At 24 µm, hold dose tightly and redo the dose series whenever thickness or developer changes.", "source": "AZ P4620 Photoresist Data Package (AZ Electronic Materials) — Lithography Performance, 12 µm (p.10–12) and 24 µm (p.18–20) process conditions and summary tables" }, { "q": "What does a single-coat 28 µm AZ P4620 gold-plating mold need beyond a normal hotplate bake?", "a": "A far longer bake and a real rehydration wait. The data package's 28 µm single-coat gold-plating process soft-bakes in two stages — 100 °C for 500 s on a hotplate, then 90 °C for 180 min in an oven — and waits 60 min for rehydration before ghi-line exposure, developing in AZ 400K 1:3 at 21.5 °C. Thinner coats in the same package bake for 80 s at 110 °C (12 µm) or 180 s at 110 °C (15 µm). A thin-film bake carried over to 28 µm leaves the lower part of the film solvent-rich.", "source": "AZ P4620 Photoresist Data Package (AZ Electronic Materials) — AZ P4620 Gold Plating Process, p.7; Copper plating process conditions, p.4; Lithography Performance process conditions, p.10. MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Bath Contamination by Remaining Solvent? (Thick Resist Films), p.17" }, { "q": "Bubbles appear in exposed AZ P4620 once it goes into a warm plating bath — why?", "a": "Nitrogen from the exposure. MicroChemicals notes that the N2 generated when a positive resist is exposed can form thermally activated bubbles in the softening resist during any later step at elevated temperature, electroplating included, and recommends a delay after exposure so the N2 can outgas first. During the exposure itself, lower intensity or an exposure split into steps with pauses lets a thick film release N2 in time; the thicker the film, the harder that diffusion gets.", "source": "MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Bubbles in Resist Film After Thermal Processes, p.15; Bubbles in Resist Film After Exposure, p.14–15" }, { "q": "Metal is plating under the edges of my AZ P4620 mold — how do I stop it?", "a": "Underplating is an adhesion failure. MicroChemicals explains that resist swells in aqueous plating solutions, which weakens its hold on the substrate. On a gold seed, a few-nm titanium film (chromium or aluminium also work) greatly improves resist adhesion and can be etched away in the developed openings afterwards, taking care not to undercut the resist. Also rule out residue: a few nm of undeveloped resist left in the openings keeps the plated metal from bonding to the seed.", "source": "MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Electro-Plating: Common Problems (Underplating?; Resist Residuals After Development?), p.17–18" }, { "q": "Can a thick AZ P4620 mold leach solvent into my plating bath, and what bake prevents it?", "a": "Yes. MicroChemicals warns that solvent released from the resist can disturb the deposition chemistry, and that thick films hold a comparatively high solvent concentration near the substrate even after a prolonged soft bake. Its fix for thick films is a bake after development at about 10 °C below the resist's softening point, which it puts at 110–130 °C for most positive AZ resists. The data package itself publishes no post-develop bake, so qualify that step on your own molds.", "source": "MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Bath Contamination by Remaining Solvent? (Thick Resist Films), p.17; Dry Etching: Resist Rounding/Flowing?, p.16. AZ P4620 Photoresist Data Package (AZ Electronic Materials) — plating and lithography process conditions, p.4–22" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_p4620_photoresist.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": null, "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_p4000_series.pdf", "what": "AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet, Rev. (08/21): the p.1 grade table rates AZ P4620 at '6.0 - >20µm'; Substrate Preparation (p.6) and companion products (p.1) supply the HMDS priming statement, the Film Rehydration hold and the strippers (AZ 300T, AZ 400T, AZ Kwik Strip) recorded above for this grade." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "az-p4110", "name": "AZ P4110", "min_um": 1, "max_um": 3, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-p4210", "name": "AZ P4210", "min_um": 2, "max_um": 4, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-p4330-rs", "name": "AZ P4330-RS", "min_um": 3, "max_um": 5, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-p4400", "name": "AZ P4400", "min_um": 4, "max_um": 6, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-p4903", "name": "AZ P4903", "min_um": 10, "max_um": 30, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "az-p4903", "name": "AZ P4903", "manufacturer": "Merck KGaA (AZ Electronic Materials)", "productLine": "AZ P4000 Series", "aliases": [ "P4903", "AZP4903", "AZ® P4903" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed. The series is presented for plating moulds and wet-etch masks, and nothing on the sheet describes a graded dose response.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "'Substrates must be clean, dry, and free of organic residues. Oxide forming substrates (Si, etc.) should be HMDS primed prior to coating AZ P4000' (Substrate preparation, p.6). A soft bake towards 115 °C also improves adhesion to most metals." }, "softbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 95, "max": 115 }, "time_s": null, "method": null, "notes": "No time is published for this grade. The process-considerations page gives 95-115 °C and calls bake conditions application specific; the typical-process box on p.1 prints the window as 90-115 °C, so the two pages differ by 5 °C at the low end, and the narrower one is carried. Temperatures towards 115 °C improve adhesion to most metals, and thicker films may need a ramped bake to stop solvent outgassing from raising bubbles.", "source": "Soft bake section, p.6, and typical process box, p.1, of the AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet, Rev. (08/21)" }, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "AZ 400K 1:3 or AZ 421K (unbuffered) for films above 12 µm; AZ 400K 1:4 for thinner (10-12 µm) films only; AZ Developer 1:1 where aluminium must not be etched; AZ 340 is also listed", "dilution": "AZ 400K 1:3 (or AZ 421K, unbuffered) for films above 12 µm — most of this grade's 10->30 µm range; AZ 400K 1:4 for better selectivity on thinner 10-12 µm films only; AZ Developer 1:1", "time_s": null, "method": "spray or immersion", "rinse": null, "source": "Developing section, p.6, and companion products, p.1, of the AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet, Rev. (08/21)" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 100, "max": 110 }, "time_s": null, "method": null, "notes": "A post-develop bake at 100-110 °C improves adhesion for wet etching and plating and pattern stability in dry etching, while keeping thermal distortion of the pattern small. Higher temperatures cross-link the resin for use as a permanent insulator: cured at 200, 225 and 250 °C the film gives dielectric constants of 4.02, 4.09 and 4.58 and breakdown voltages of 629, 693 and 674 V/µm.", "source": "Hard bake section, p.6, and dielectric insulator table, p.5, of the AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet, Rev. (08/21)" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "electroplating-molding", "etch-mask" ], "etchResistance": "'Excellent substrate adhesion for wet etch applications' (p.1); a 100-110 °C hard bake 'improves adhesion in wet etch or plating applications and improves pattern stability in dry etch processes' (p.6).", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "AZ 300T, AZ 400T or AZ Kwik Strip (companion products, p.1).", "storage": null, "developerFamily": "buffered-alkaline", "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Why can't I hit a target AZ P4903 thickness by picking a spin speed?", "a": "At these thicknesses the film is never spun to equilibrium. The datasheet says single films above 7.0 µm are not spun to equilibrium, and thicker coats need special programs with carefully timed spread and spin cycles; its spin curves stop at AZ P4400, so AZ P4903 (10.0 to >30 µm) has none. Its example sequence for 20+ µm films: 500 rpm for 4 s, dispense 5 s at rest, spread 3–5 s at 300 rpm, a cast spin whose time and speed depend on target thickness, then 20 s edge-bead removal and a 10 s dry, both at 400 rpm.", "source": "AZ P4000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 08/21) — Thickness Grades, p.1; Typical Spin Curves note, p.2; Example Coating Sequence for 20+ µm Thick Films, p.5; Coating, p.6" }, { "q": "Freshly opened AZ P4903 gives bubbly, streaky coats — how long should it sit?", "a": "Longer than a thin resist. Over months the photoactive compound releases N2 that dissolves in the resist and comes out as bubbles once the bottle is opened; for very high-viscosity resists MicroChemicals allows a few hours or even 1–2 days before dispensing, with the cap set loosely for pressure balance. AZ P4903 is the most viscous grade in the series at 1650 cSt, against 536 cSt for the next grade down. If the dispense line is pushed with nitrogen, that is another N2 source.", "source": "MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Bubbles and Comet-Like Structures after Spin Coating (Nitrogen Bubbles), p.2; Bubbles or Particles in Resist Film After Coating, p.13–14. AZ P4000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 08/21) — AZ P4000 Series Fluid Viscosities, p.5" }, { "q": "My AZ P4903 film blisters during soft bake — what should I change?", "a": "Ramp the temperature. The datasheet says thick P4000 films may require a gradual ramp of the soft bake to prevent bubbling, and that thicker films may need a ramped process to avoid bubbles from rapid solvent outgassing; the soft-bake range is 95–115 °C. MicroChemicals adds that, for thick or solvent-rich coats, a delay with the wafer lying horizontal between coating and soft bake keeps the edge bead from growing as heat lowers the resist's viscosity.", "source": "AZ P4000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 08/21) — Reference Process footnote, p.3; Soft Bake, p.6. MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Spin Coating: Edge Bead? (Delay between Coating and Softbake), p.3" }, { "q": "Is a 60-minute rehydration hold enough for a 30 µm AZ P4903 film?", "a": "Possibly not. The datasheet requires a hold for any P4000 film over 4.0 µm and gives typically 30–60 min depending on thickness, at 40–45 % relative humidity. MicroChemicals' guidance is that rehydration time rises from about 1 min at 1 µm to several hours for films beyond 30 µm, and that development rate drops significantly below about 40 % RH. At the top of AZ P4903's range, treat 60 min as a minimum and check the bottom of the film clears before shortening develop or raising dose.", "source": "AZ P4000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 08/21) — Film Rehydration, p.6; Thickness Grades, p.1. MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Development: Insufficient Development Rate (Sufficient Rehydration?), p.6" }, { "q": "Which developer strength suits AZ P4903?", "a": "The stronger one. The datasheet recommends AZ 400K 1:3 or the unbuffered AZ 421K for films above 12 µm, keeping AZ 400K 1:4 for thinner films where its selectivity matters — AZ P4903's range starts at 10 µm and runs past 30 µm. MicroChemicals notes that for thick-resist processing developer concentration can be raised by some 10 %, at the cost of selectivity, since dark erosion grows faster than development rate as concentration rises.", "source": "AZ P4000 Series Technical datasheet (Merck, Rev. 08/21) — Developing, p.6; Thickness Grades, p.1. MicroChemicals 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Development: Dark Erosion Too High (Proper Developer Dilution?), p.9" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_p4000_series.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. (08/21)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/merck/en/tds_az_p4620_photoresist.pdf", "what": "AZ P4620 Photoresist Data Package, 'Thick Photoresist Product Summary' (p.3): the table lists the 'P4000 Series' row with Platform 'DNQ' — the basis for classifying AZ P4903 as dnq-novolak." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-13", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "summary": "AZ P4903 is the thickest grade of Merck's AZ P4000 plating resist series, rated for single coats from 10 µm to beyond 30 µm with special spin programs, for tall electroplating moulds.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 10, "max_um": 30, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated — the thickness grades table (p.1) lists AZ P4903 at '10.0 - >30µm*', footnoted 'Contact your AZ product representative for more information and special spin programs for ultra thick films.' The upper end is open ('>30 µm') and is carried as 30 µm." }, "spinCurves": [], "spinNotes": "No spin curve is published for this grade — the chart on p.2 covers only P4110, P4210, P4330 and P4400. Films this thick are not spun to equilibrium; the sheet gives an example coating sequence for films above 20 µm on p.5: low-speed spin at 500 rpm for 4 s, dispense at rest for 5 s, spread at 300 rpm for 3-5 s, a cast spin whose time and speed depend on the target thickness, then edge-bead removal at 400 rpm for 20 s and a 10 s dry at 400 rpm, with accelerations of 20-50 krpm/s. For the cast-spin settings the sheet refers you to the AZ representative.", "rehydration": "Required for films thicker than 4.0 µm: hold between soft bake and exposure for typically 30-60 minutes, depending on film thickness, at 40-45 % relative humidity (Film rehydration, p.6). The p.3 reference process for a 12 µm AZ P4620 film uses a 30 min hold at 42 % RH.", "holds": [ { "at": "after-softbake", "label": "Rehydrate", "duration": "30–60 min", "condition": "films over 4 µm, 40–45 % RH", "source": "Film Rehydration, p.6 of the AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet: \"P4000 photoresist films thicker than 4.0µm require a rehydration hold between soft bake and exposure. Hold times are typically 30-60 minutes (depending upon film thickness) @ relative humidity 40-45%.\"" } ], "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "binBasis": "spun-film", "conditionKey": "suss-ma-200", "conditionLabel": "Suss MA-200 mask aligner", "bins": [ { "um_min": 1.5, "um_max": 1.5, "mJ_min": 90, "mJ_max": 90 }, { "um_min": 3.5, "um_max": 3.5, "mJ_min": 135, "mJ_max": 135 }, { "um_min": 12, "um_max": 12, "mJ_min": 800, "mJ_max": 800 } ], "source": "'Approximate exposure dose requirement vs. film thickness (Suss MA-200)' table, p.5 of the AZ P4000 Series technical datasheet, Rev. (08/21): 1.5 µm 90 mJ/cm², 3.5 µm 135 mJ/cm², 12 µm 800 mJ/cm². The table is published for the P4000 series as a whole, indexed by film thickness rather than by grade." } ], "basisCopy": "No dose is given for AZ P4903 by name. The series table gives approximate Suss MA-200 aligner doses by film thickness: 90 mJ/cm² at 1.5 µm, 135 mJ/cm² at 3.5 µm and 800 mJ/cm² at 12 µm." }, "notes": "AZ P4903 is the most viscous P4000 grade (1650 cSt at 23 °C, three times AZ P4620) and the one for the tallest single-coat plating moulds, rated from 10 µm to beyond 30 µm. The sheet is candid that this range is reached with special coating programs rather than a spin curve, and it publishes the skeleton of one: a slow spread, a thickness-specific cast spin, and edge-bead removal at 400 rpm. Everything about processing gets slower at this thickness. Soft bake may need a ramped temperature to stop solvent outgassing from raising bubbles, the 30-60 minute rehydration hold at 40-45 % RH scales with film thickness, and the dose climbs steeply — the series table already reads 800 mJ/cm² at 12 µm on a Suss MA-200. Develop in AZ 400K 1:3 or AZ 421K, which the sheet recommends above 12 µm.", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "az-p4110", "name": "AZ P4110", "min_um": 1, "max_um": 3, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-p4210", "name": "AZ P4210", "min_um": 2, "max_um": 4, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-p4330-rs", "name": "AZ P4330-RS", "min_um": 3, "max_um": 5, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-p4400", "name": "AZ P4400", "min_um": 4, "max_um": 6, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "az-p4620", "name": "AZ P4620", "min_um": 6, "max_um": 20, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "hare-sq", "name": "HARE SQ", "manufacturer": "KemLab Inc.", "productLine": "SQ Series", "aliases": [ "HARE SQ", "HARE-SQ", "SQ", "SQ Series", "KemLab SQ", "KemLab HARE SQ", "KemLab HARE-SQ", "HARE SQ 2", "HARE SQ 5", "HARE SQ 10", "HARE SQ 25", "HARE SQ 50", "HARE-SQ 25", "HARE-SQ 50" ], "grades": [ "SQ 2", "SQ 5", "SQ 10", "SQ 25", "SQ 50" ], "gradesSource": "stated — SQ Series TDS Rev 3-2025, 'PROCESSING GUIDELINES' table (p.2), Product column: SQ 2, SQ 5, SQ 10, SQ 25, SQ 50. SQ 50 appears on two rows (50 µm and 100 µm process points); there is no SQ 100 product.", "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "epoxy", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed in the datasheet. SQ is presented as a high-aspect-ratio negative epoxy for permanent structural/microfluidic patterning with vertical sidewalls, not grayscale lithography (SU-8-class resists are used for grayscale in industry generally, but this document makes no such claim).", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "descum": null, "summary": "A high-aspect-ratio SU-8-class epoxy negative photoresist covering 2-100 µm film thickness in a single coat, for polymeric MEMS, microfluidics and micromachining, with vertical sidewalls suitable for permanent structures.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 2, "max_um": 100, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated — TDS subtitle/p.1 header: 'Film Thickness 2-100 microns'; corroborated by the FEATURES box: 'Film Thickness: Up to 100 µm single coat.'" }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "SQ 2", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 3.8 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 2.1 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 1.6 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 1.4 } ], "source": "read from the left-hand spin-curve chart (unlabeled figure, square-marker solid line = SQ 2), p.2 of SQ Series TDS; legend explicitly lists 'SQ 2' and 'SQ 5' as the two curves on this chart. The 2000 rpm read (~2.1 µm) is consistent with the Processing Guidelines table's stated reference point 'SQ 2, 2 µm @ 2000 rpm.'", "figureRead": true }, { "label": "SQ 5", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 11.3 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 5.7 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 4.3 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 3.5 } ], "source": "read from the left-hand spin-curve chart (triangle-marker dashed line = SQ 5), p.2 of SQ Series TDS; legend explicitly lists 'SQ 5'. The 2000 rpm read (~5.7 µm) is consistent with the table's reference point 'SQ 5, 5 µm @ 2000 rpm.'", "figureRead": true }, { "label": "SQ 10", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 23 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 12 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 9 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 7 } ], "source": "read from the right-hand spin-curve chart (diamond-marker solid line = SQ 10), p.2 of SQ Series TDS; legend explicitly lists 'SQ 10', 'SQ 25', 'SQ 50'. The 2000 rpm read (~12 µm) is reasonably consistent with the table's reference point 'SQ 10, 10 µm @ 2000 rpm' (figure-read tolerance).", "figureRead": true }, { "label": "SQ 25", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 48 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 23 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 17 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 13 } ], "source": "read from the right-hand spin-curve chart (circle-marker dashed line = SQ 25), p.2 of SQ Series TDS; legend explicitly lists 'SQ 25'. The 2000 rpm read (~23 µm) matches the table's reference point 'SQ 25, 25 µm @ 2000 rpm' closely.", "figureRead": true }, { "label": "SQ 50", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 98 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 48 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 33 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 24 } ], "source": "read from the right-hand spin-curve chart (triangle-marker dashed line = SQ 50), p.2 of SQ Series TDS; legend explicitly lists 'SQ 50'. The 2000 rpm read (~48 µm) matches the table's reference point 'SQ 50, 50 µm @ 2000 rpm' closely.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Coat program uses a 5-10 second spread cycle; spin time at final speed is 30 seconds (TDS p.2, Coat). Both spin-curve charts plot 1000-4000 rpm only (tick marks extend to 5000 but no data point is plotted there), so no 5000/6000 rpm value is reported for any grade. Edge-bead removal (EBR) is explicitly called out as necessary: 'It is necessary to remove this thick edge bead to reduce hotplate contamination... By removing the edge bead, the photomask can be positioned closer to the wafer, improving aspect ratio and resolution' (p.3) — KemLab names its own 'KL EdgeClean EBR' solvent for this step. The Processing Guidelines table's last row is labeled 'SQ 50 | 100 µm' — this repeats the 'SQ 50' product name from the row above it (which is 50 µm), rather than a distinct 'SQ 100' designation; quoted verbatim as printed, since the right-hand spin-curve chart shows only three curves (SQ 10, SQ 25, SQ 50) with no separate 100 µm curve, consistent with this being a second process recipe for the same SQ 50 material coated thicker at lower spin speed, not a sixth SKU.", "adhesion": { "hmds": null, "notes": "Not addressed. Substrate Preparation (p.2) states only that 'SQ Series adheres to variety of substrates; including silicon, gold, aluminum, glass, and chromium. For maximum adhesion, substrates should be clean and dry prior to applying SQ epoxy photoresist' — no HMDS or other primer is mentioned, unlike KemLab's other (non-epoxy) resist datasheets which explicitly recommend HMDS. The document is silent on a primer rather than stating one is unnecessary." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Softbake is a two-step contact-hotplate bake (65°C step then 95°C step) 'to minimize film stress and adhesion issues' (p.3), with both step times scaling by thickness — fundamentally a two-step process, so no single temp/time pair describes it. Per-grade values from the Processing Guidelines table (p.2): SQ2 (2 µm) 65°C/1min + 95°C/1min; SQ5 (5 µm) 65°C/1min + 95°C/3min; SQ10 (10 µm) 65°C/2min + 95°C/5min; SQ25 (25 µm) 65°C/3min + 95°C/7min; SQ50 (50 µm) 65°C/5min + 95°C/15min; SQ50 (100 µm process point) 65°C/10min + 95°C/30min.", "source": "Processing Guidelines table, p.2, and Softbake section, p.3 of SQ Series TDS" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "basisCopy": "Near-UV broadband on silicon takes 200 mJ/cm² at 2 µm and a flat 180 mJ/cm² everywhere from 5 µm to 100 µm — the manufacturer calls these nominal and says they move with tool, film and process." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "PEB is a two-step contact-hotplate bake (65°C step then 95°C step), 'adjusted according to film thickness in order to ensure sufficient crosslinking' with 'a two-step PEB... recommended to reduce film stress which can lead to cracking and/or adhesion loss' (p.3). Two-step like the softbake, so no single temp/time pair describes it. Per-grade values from the table (p.2): SQ2 65°C/1min + 95°C/2min; SQ5 65°C/1min + 95°C/2min; SQ10 65°C/1min + 95°C/2min; SQ25 65°C/1min + 95°C/3min; SQ50 (50 µm) 65°C/1min + 95°C/5min; SQ50 (100 µm process point) 65°C/2min + 95°C/10min.", "source": "Processing Guidelines table, p.2, and Post-Exposure Bake section, p.3 of SQ Series TDS" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "KemLab SQ Developer (SU-8 PGMEA)", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": "immersion", "rinse": "Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) rinse and dry (TDS p.3, Develop).", "source": "Processing Guidelines table (column header 'Develop Immersion'), p.2, and Develop section, p.3 of SQ Series TDS" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "time_s": null, "notes": "Hardbake is optional, for permanent applications: 'Bake at > 120°C for at least 5 minutes (hot plate). A short hardbake can fuse cracks caused by film stress. For permanent structures, temperatures above 150°C are recommended. Oven bake will increase crosslinking with minimal increase in stress' (p.3). Both figures are open-ended minimum thresholds ('>120°C', 'at least 5 minutes', 'above 150°C'), not single recommended set-points, and are quoted here as printed.", "source": "Hardbake section, p.3 of SQ Series TDS" }, "applications": [ "mems-structural", "microfluidics", "high-aspect-ratio" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": false, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": null, "storage": "Avoid light; store in an upright airtight container at 4-21°C or room temperature. If refrigerated, bring up to room temperature before opening. Keep away from oxidizers, acids, bases and ignition sources (TDS p.4, Storage).", "notes": "This datasheet's own title and running header are 'SQ Series' throughout — it never uses the name 'HARE SQ' anywhere in the body text. KemLab's product page for it (kemlab.com/haresq) is titled 'HARE SQ Negative Epoxy,' and a second page (kemlab.com/sq-su8-epoxy-photoresist) titled simply 'SQ' links to this identical PDF. 'HARE' most plausibly stands for 'High Aspect Ratio Epoxy,' matching the TDS's own subtitle 'High Aspect Ratio SU-8 Epoxy Photoresist' — treated here as the same product under two marketing names, not as two distinct products, since no second, differently-numbered datasheet was found. The chemistry is explicitly stated as 'SU-8 polymer epoxy' (FEATURES box, p.1) — an SU-8-class thick-film epoxy negative resist, not merely SU-8-like. Both softbake and PEB are recommended as deliberate two-step (65°C then 95°C) bakes specifically to manage film stress and cracking in thick films, and the process explicitly requires edge-bead removal to protect hotplates and improve achievable aspect ratio. KemLab publishes no removal procedure for SQ — consistent with the general difficulty of stripping thick, heavily-crosslinked SU-8-class epoxy negatives (especially once hardbaked above 150°C for permanent use); process/tooling should plan around that difficulty rather than assume a solvent strip will work as with the manufacturer's other product lines. This is a permanent structural resist, not a lift-off resist — KemLab markets its separate APOL-LO 3200 series for lift-off profiles.", "developerFamily": "solvent", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "ZnO Nanowire-Anchored Microfluidic Device With Herringbone Structure Fabricated by Maskless Photolithography", "authors": "Sooriyaarachchi et al.", "journal": "Biomedical Engineering and Computational Biology", "year": 2020, "doi": "10.1177/1179597220941431", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1177/1179597220941431", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "A herringbone-structured microfluidic device anchored with ZnO nanowires, for extracting microRNA from urine extracellular vesicles. The resist was spin-coated and then patterned by maskless direct-write lithography on a Microwriter ML3, with the matching HARE developer.", "note": "Uses the H.A.R.E SQ10 grade of KemLab's SQ series (this page covers the series as a whole), named in Methods: 'a thin layer of negative photoresist (H.A.R.E SQ10, KemLab, Woburn, MA) was spin-coated'. Cited as a maskless direct-write example; the paper does not characterize the series' other grades." }, { "type": "paper", "title": "Fully Automated Microsystem for Unmediated Electrochemical Characterization, Visualization and Monitoring of Bacteria on Solid Media; E. coli K-12: A Case Study", "authors": "Hernandez et al.", "journal": "Biosensors", "year": 2019, "doi": "10.3390/bios9040131", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/bios9040131", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "The resist forms the confinement microstructures of an automated microsystem for electrochemical monitoring of bacteria on solid media: a polymeric layer carrying a 3 mm culture chamber connected to a microchannel, constraining E. coli growth toward embedded gold microelectrodes.", "note": "Uses the HARE SQ-25 grade of the SQ series (this page covers the series as a whole), named in Reagents and Equipment: 'Negative photoresist HARE SQ-25 (SQ-25 photo resist) and HARE Developer were purchased from KemLab'. Conventional photolithography, not maskless; cited as evidence of the series in permanent structural use." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "My HARE SQ 50 structures crack or peel after PEB — what does KemLab recommend?", "a": "Bake in two steps, both times. KemLab uses a two-step softbake on a contact hotplate to minimise film stress and adhesion problems, and a two-step PEB because stress can cause cracking or adhesion loss. For SQ 50 at 50 µm that is 65 °C 5 min then 95 °C 15 min softbake, and 65 °C 1 min then 95 °C 5 min PEB. If fine cracks are already there, a short hardbake above 120 °C for at least 5 min can fuse cracks caused by film stress.", "source": "SQ Series Technical Data Sheet (KemLab Inc., Rev 3-2025) — Processing Guidelines table, p.2; Softbake, Post-Exposure Bake and Hardbake, p.3" }, { "q": "Is removing the edge bead on HARE SQ worth the extra step?", "a": "KemLab treats it as necessary. The thick bead that builds up at the wafer edge contaminates the hotplate, and it holds the photomask away from the wafer; removing it lets the mask sit closer, which KemLab says improves aspect ratio and resolution. A solvent stream such as KL EdgeClean EBR, applied to the edge from the top or bottom, does the job, and most automated coaters can be set to do it.", "source": "SQ Series Technical Data Sheet (KemLab Inc., Rev 3-2025) — Process Flowchart, p.2; Edge Bead Removal, p.3" }, { "q": "How long should a 100 µm HARE SQ film develop before the trenches are clear?", "a": "KemLab's table gives 15 min immersion in SQ Developer for SQ 50 at 100 µm, against 6 min at 50 µm and 1 min for SQ 2 and SQ 5. The 100 µm point also needs the longest bakes — 65 °C 10 min then 95 °C 30 min softbake, and 65 °C 2 min then 95 °C 10 min PEB, since PEB time is set by thickness to give sufficient crosslinking. Thick films benefit from refreshing the developer part-way through, for example a double puddle; rinse with IPA and dry.", "source": "SQ Series Technical Data Sheet (KemLab Inc., Rev 3-2025) — Processing Guidelines table, p.2; Post-Exposure Bake and Develop, p.3" }, { "q": "The 180 mJ/cm² dose from the HARE SQ table doesn't work on my tool — why?", "a": "Those doses are nominal and tied to one set-up: broadband exposure on silicon through a 360 nm cutoff filter, at the thicknesses and bakes in the table (200 mJ/cm² for SQ 2, 180 mJ/cm² for SQ 5 through SQ 50). KemLab says dose varies with the exposure tool, film thickness and process conditions, and designs SQ for 350–400 nm. Its 50 µm absorbance curve climbs steeply below about 360 nm, so a tool without that filter, or with a different spectrum, needs its own dose test.", "source": "SQ Series Technical Data Sheet (KemLab Inc., Rev 3-2025) — Processing Guidelines table, p.2; Exposure & Optical Parameters with Absorbance @ 50 micron chart, p.3" }, { "q": "How do I finish HARE SQ structures that stay on the part permanently?", "a": "Hardbake them. KemLab recommends temperatures above 150 °C for permanent structures (the general hardbake floor is above 120 °C for at least 5 min on a hotplate), and notes that an oven bake increases crosslinking with minimal increase in stress.", "source": "SQ Series Technical Data Sheet (KemLab Inc., Rev 3-2025) — Hardbake, p.3" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.kemlab.com/_files/ugd/5b8579_fe35828f146544b997e518176bdf6c58.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Copyright 2025 © KemLab Inc., Rev 3-2025", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "hmds", "name": "HMDS (Hexamethyldisilazane)", "manufacturer": "MicroChemicals GmbH (application-note publisher; HMDS itself is a commodity chemical sold by many suppliers, not a single manufacturer's proprietary product)", "productLine": null, "aliases": [ "HMDS", "Hexamethyldisilazane", "Hexamethyl disilazane", "(NH)[Si(CH3)3]2" ], "tone": null, "chemistry": "ancillary", "photoimageable": false, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not applicable — HMDS is a vapor-phase adhesion promoter, not a photoimageable resist. Grayscale/3D lithography is not addressed anywhere in this application note.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "HMDS (hexamethyldisilazane) is a vapor-phase adhesion promoter used ahead of photoresist coating: it chemically converts a hydrophilic, oxidized substrate surface (native/thermal SiO2, quartz, glass, most base metals) into a hydrophobic, resist-wetting surface by bonding a monolayer of trimethylsilyl groups, releasing ammonia as a byproduct.", "thicknessRange": null, "spinCurves": [], "spinNotes": "HMDS must not be spin-coated as a liquid — the only correct application is vapor-phase, via a nitrogen-carrier 'bubbler' held at room temperature feeding a heated (75-120°C) substrate, where HMDS bonds chemically as a monolayer (\"Correct Use of HMDS\", Fig. 47-48, p.2). If liquid HMDS is spun on instead, the resulting layer is only physically (not chemically) bound; ammonia released from it during the resist softbake diffuses into and cross-links the resist near the substrate, suppressing development and degrading resolution and profile (\"Incorrect Application of HMDS\", Fig. 49, p.2-3). For the same reason, the note advises against applying HMDS in the same spin coater used for resist coating (slow HMDS evaporation can contaminate later coating runs); if spin-application is unavoidable, it recommends a 100-120°C water-desorption bake beforehand, a 100-120°C thermal-activation bake afterward, and strict spatial separation from resist-coating equipment (p.3). There is no spin-speed-vs-thickness relationship for a vapor-deposited chemisorbed monolayer, so HMDS has no spin curve to publish.", "adhesion": { "hmds": null, "notes": "HMDS is itself the adhesion promoter: it is applied to the bare substrate before the imaging resist is coated." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 75, "max": 120 }, "time_s": null, "method": null, "notes": "Vapor-phase application: HMDS vapor is carried by dry nitrogen from a room-temperature bubbler onto a substrate held at 75-120°C, where it bonds chemically as a monolayer. That 75-120°C is the substrate temperature during the prime itself, not a bake of a coated film — HMDS goes on bare substrate, before any resist. No dwell time is published. If HMDS can only be spin-coated — documented, but explicitly the wrong way to apply it — bake at 100-120°C beforehand to desorb water, then again at 100-120°C to activate after application. Independently of which adhesion promoter is used, a substrate dehydration bake of roughly 120°C for a few minutes (above 140°C on oxidized surfaces, for maximum adhesion) precedes the prime.", "source": "Correct Use of HMDS / Incorrect Application of HMDS, p.2-3; Adsorbed Water, p.1" }, "exposureDose": null, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": null, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": null, "storage": null, "notes": "HMDS (hexamethyldisilazane) is a vapor-phase adhesion promoter, not a photoimageable resist: it converts a hydrophilic, OH-terminated oxide surface (native or thermal SiO2, quartz, glass, most base metals) into a hydrophobic, resist-wetting surface by chemically bonding a monolayer of non-polar trimethylsilyl groups, releasing ammonia as a byproduct (p.2). The only correct application is vapor-phase, via a nitrogen-carrier bubbler at room temperature feeding a substrate heated to 75-120°C; spin-coating liquid HMDS instead yields only a physically bound layer whose ammonia, released during the subsequent resist softbake, diffuses into and cross-links the resist near the substrate, suppressing development and degrading resolution — a failure mode this note documents explicitly as 'Incorrect Application' (p.2-3). On noble metals without native oxide (gold, platinum), HMDS and other organic adhesion promoters show little to no adhesion benefit because they cannot chemically bond to the surface; base metals such as Al, Cr and especially Ti already adhere well without a promoter (p.3-4). The process here follows a general MicroChemicals application-note chapter ('01 Chapter — Basics of Microstructuring: Substrate Preparation') rather than a single manufacturer's technical datasheet for a specific HMDS product or grade — HMDS itself is a commodity chemical sold by many suppliers.", "developerFamily": null, "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Characterization of SiO2 Surface Treated by HMDS Vapor and O2 Plasma with AFM Tip", "authors": "Kawai and Kawakami", "journal": "Journal of Photopolymer Science and Technology", "year": 2003, "doi": "10.2494/photopolymer.16.665", "url": "https://doi.org/10.2494/photopolymer.16.665", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "Silicon oxide substrates are silane-coupling treated with HMDS and separately exposed to oxygen plasma, then probed with an AFM tip to characterize the resulting surface. Measures the surface change that HMDS priming is performed to produce, on the oxide that resist is subsequently coated onto.", "note": "HMDS is the subject of the study, applied by vapour, as in the process on this page. It is a surface-characterization paper rather than a lithographic process study, so it corroborates the mechanism of HMDS priming, not any process number given here." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "After HMDS priming the resist won't clear to the substrate and leaves scum in the openings. Is the HMDS to blame?", "a": "It can be, if it was spun on as a liquid. Spin-coated HMDS leaves a comparatively thick, only physically bound film. During the resist softbake that excess releases ammonia, which diffuses into the resist near the substrate and cross-links it, so the development rate drops and through-development can become impossible. The cure is vapour priming: HMDS carried by dry nitrogen from a room-temperature bubbler onto a substrate held at 75-120 °C, where it bonds chemically as a monolayer.", "source": "MicroChemicals application note \"Substrate Preparation: Cleaning and Adhesion Promotion\" (Basics of Microstructuring, no revision date printed) — Correct Use of HMDS; Incorrect Application of HMDS, Figs. 47-49, p.2-3. MicroChemicals application note \"Photolithography Trouble Shooter\" — HMDS Applied Correctly?" }, { "q": "Development got slower on wafers we never primed. Can HMDS still be the cause?", "a": "Yes, if HMDS is ever dispensed in the same spin coater used for resist. HMDS evaporates slowly, so its vapour lingers in the bowl and penetrates resist films coated there long afterwards; the softbake then partially cross-links them, lowering the development rate and costing profile and resolution. Never apply HMDS in a coater that also coats resist. Other airborne cleanroom chemicals such as ammonia can do the same thing via the gas phase.", "source": "MicroChemicals application note \"Substrate Preparation: Cleaning and Adhesion Promotion\" (Basics of Microstructuring, no revision date printed) — Incorrect Application of HMDS, p.2-3. MicroChemicals application note \"Photolithography Trouble Shooter\" — HMDS Applied Correctly?; Contamination from Air" }, { "q": "We have no vapour-prime oven and can only spin HMDS. How do I limit the damage?", "a": "Do three things. Bake the substrate at 100-120 °C before applying HMDS to drive off adsorbed water. Bake again at 100-120 °C afterwards to activate it, i.e. to bond it chemically to the surface. And keep HMDS application strictly separated from resist coating so the fumes cannot reach the resist. Vapour application onto a heated substrate remains the correct method.", "source": "MicroChemicals application note \"Substrate Preparation: Cleaning and Adhesion Promotion\" (Basics of Microstructuring, no revision date printed) — Correct Use of HMDS, p.2; Incorrect Application of HMDS, p.3" }, { "q": "HMDS does nothing for resist adhesion on gold. What should I use instead?", "a": "On noble metals with no native oxide, such as gold and platinum, HMDS and other organic adhesion promoters show little or no improvement because they cannot bond chemically to the surface. A 10-20 nm titanium or chromium adhesion layer promises a clear improvement, and such a thin metal film can be etched away after development or after resist removal. Base metals such as Al, Cr and especially Ti generally give very good resist adhesion without any promoter.", "source": "MicroChemicals application note \"Substrate Preparation: Cleaning and Adhesion Promotion\" (Basics of Microstructuring, no revision date printed) — Special Problems Regarding Resist Adhesion: On Metals, p.3-4. MicroChemicals application note \"Photolithography Trouble Shooter\" — Inferior Resist Adhesion: On Noble Metals?" }, { "q": "Resist dewets or peels on an HMDS-primed wafer anyway. What else should I check?", "a": "The surface underneath the prime. Adsorbed water needs a bake of about 120 °C for a few minutes, or above 140 °C on oxidised surfaces for maximum adhesion, and coating should follow as soon as the wafer is back at room temperature because water re-adsorbs quickly. After an HF dip, incompletely removed oxide leaves a highly hydrophilic surface that priming will not rescue; only complete oxide etching or a bake at about 700 °C restores it. Allresist also reports adhesion falling off substantially above 60 % relative humidity.", "source": "MicroChemicals application note \"Substrate Preparation: Cleaning and Adhesion Promotion\" (Basics of Microstructuring, no revision date printed) — Adsorbed Water, p.1; After HF Etching, p.3. MicroChemicals application note \"Photolithography Trouble Shooter\" — Uncoated Substrate Areas after Resist Coating?; Inferior Resist Adhesion. Allresist \"FAQs concerning photoresists\" (revised 03.03.2016) — Q4 and Q5" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/application_notes/substrate_cleaning_adhesion_photoresist.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": null, "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "k-pro", "name": "K-PRO series", "manufacturer": "KemLab, Inc.", "productLine": "K-PRO series", "aliases": [ "K-PRO", "KPRO", "K PRO", "KemLab K-PRO", "K-PRO 15", "K-PRO15", "KPRO 15", "KPRO15", "KemLab K-PRO 15", "KemLab K-PRO15", "KLP4800" ], "grades": [ "K-PRO 1", "K-PRO 2", "K-PRO 3", "K-PRO 5", "K-PRO 7", "K-PRO 15" ], "gradesSource": "stated — K-PRO TDS Rev 3-2021, 'PROCESSING GUIDELINES' table (p.1), Product column: K-PRO 1, K-PRO 2, K-PRO 3, K-PRO 5, K-PRO 7, K-PRO 15. The grade number does not track film thickness one-for-one — K-PRO 5 is tabulated at 4 µm, and K-PRO 15 carries two rows (15 µm and 25 µm) — so the numbers are product names, not thickness specifications.", "tone": "positive", "chemistry": null, "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed in the datasheet. K-PRO is presented for binary plating and etch patterning — steep wall profiles and high aspect ratios — not for grayscale height modulation.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "A series of thick-film positive photoresists (K-PRO 1 through K-PRO 15) covering 1-25 µm in a single coat, aimed at plating, bumping and TSV work. Developed in TMAH- or KOH-based developers, and no post-exposure bake is required.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 1, "max_um": 25, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated — Features block, p.1 of the K-PRO TDS: 'Film Thickness: 1 – 25 µm single coat'; corroborated by the p.1 Processing Guidelines table, whose tabulated film thicknesses run 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 15 and 25 µm." }, "spinCurves": [], "spinNotes": "The datasheet targets film thickness from the two spin-speed charts on p.2 and publishes nothing else about the coat program — no spread cycle, no final-speed dwell, no dispense volume, no substrate size, and no edge-bead-removal step. Both charts are plotted from 500 to 4000 rpm, so anything outside that window is extrapolation.", "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "HMDS primer is recommended with oxide-forming substrates such as silicon (TDS p.2, Substrate Preparation); K-PRO adheres to silicon, copper, gold, glass, aluminum and chromium, and the datasheet claims excellent substrate adhesion for wet-etch work." }, "rehydration": "3-30 minutes at 35-50% relative humidity, scaling with film thickness (TDS p.2, Rehydration Time: '3 – 30 minutes at 35 – 50% relative humidity is recommended'). The p.1 table pins it per process point: 3 min up to 3 µm, 5 min at 4 µm, 15 min at 7 µm, 30 min at 15 and 25 µm. A thick DNQ-type film that has not rehydrated will develop slowly and scum, so this step is recommended on the thicker grades.", "softbake": { "temp_c": 115, "time_s": null, "timeRange_s": { "min": 120, "max": 300 }, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Narrative Softbake section (p.2): 'Recommended softbake contact hotplate temperature is 115°C. Typical bake time is 2 – 5 minutes.' No single typical time is named, so the published 2-5 min window is recorded rather than a scalar. The p.1 Processing Guidelines table gives the per-thickness times at that same 115°C: 2 min at 1, 2 and 3 µm; 2.5 min at 4 µm; 3 min at 7 µm; 4 min at 15 µm; and 5.5 min at 25 µm — the 25 µm point sits above the narrative window.", "source": "Softbake section, p.2, and Processing Guidelines table, p.1, of the K-PRO TDS Rev 3-2021." }, "holds": [ { "at": "after-softbake", "label": "Rehydrate", "duration": "3–30 min", "condition": "recommended, 35–50 % RH", "source": "p.2: '3 – 30 minutes at 35 – 50% relative humidity is recommended'" } ], "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "binBasis": "spun-film", "bins": [ { "um_min": 1, "um_max": 1, "mJ_min": 65, "mJ_max": 65 }, { "um_min": 2, "um_max": 2, "mJ_min": 72, "mJ_max": 72 }, { "um_min": 3, "um_max": 3, "mJ_min": 76, "mJ_max": 76 }, { "um_min": 4, "um_max": 4, "mJ_min": 80, "mJ_max": 80 }, { "um_min": 7, "um_max": 7, "mJ_min": 125, "mJ_max": 125 }, { "um_min": 15, "um_max": 15, "mJ_min": 210, "mJ_max": 210 }, { "um_min": 25, "um_max": 25, "mJ_min": 380, "mJ_max": 380 } ], "source": "'Broadband Aligner Exposure' column of the Processing Guidelines table, p.1 of the K-PRO TDS Rev 3-2021." } ], "basisCopy": "Broadband aligner dose climbs steeply with the coat — 65 mJ/cm² at 1 µm, 125 at 7 µm, 380 at 25 µm. No i-line or g-line number is published, so read the row for your film and bracket it with a dose array." }, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "0.26N TMAH", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "notes": "The datasheet names three developer chemistries as interchangeable — 0.26N TMAH, KOH and potassium borates — by immersion, puddle or spray puddle, and recommends refreshing developer mid-step on the thick films (two immersion baths, or multiple puddles). 0.26N TMAH is recorded as the developer because it is the one the datasheet names first and the only one given at a stated normality.", "source": "Development section, p.3, and the Features block, p.1, of the K-PRO TDS Rev 3-2021." }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [ "electroplating-molding", "etch-mask", "high-aspect-ratio" ], "etchResistance": "Wet chemical etchants for Au, Cu, Cr and Al do not degrade patterns made with K-PRO (TDS p.3, Etch Resist).", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "Industry-standard removers such as NMP at 50-80°C (TDS p.3, Resist Removal). Thicker films may benefit from a two-bath process — the first bath takes off the bulk, the second cleans up.", "storage": "Store upright in an airtight container at 4-21°C, away from light, oxidizers, acids, bases and ignition sources (TDS p.3, Storage).", "notes": "K-PRO is KemLab's advanced-packaging positive series — six grades sharing one process family, aimed at plating, bumping, TSV and other metal-deposition work rather than at general lithography. Two things set it apart from a conventional thick positive resist. First, no post-exposure bake is required at all, which removes a step and its associated stress from the flow. Second, rehydration is an explicit, thickness-dependent process step (3 min at 1-3 µm rising to 30 min at 15-25 µm, at 35-50% RH) rather than an afterthought — skip it on the thick grades and development slows and scums. Broadband dose climbs steeply with the coat, from 65 mJ/cm² at 1 µm to 380 at 25 µm, so a dose array around the tabulated row for your film is the practical starting point. The grade numbers are product names, not thicknesses: K-PRO 5 is tabulated at 4 µm and K-PRO 15 covers both the 15 and 25 µm process points. Compatibility with copper, pure tin and nickel plating chemistries is claimed by the manufacturer, as is wet-etch resistance to Au, Cu, Cr and Al etchants; both are worth confirming against your own bath.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Do I need to wait between softbake and exposure on a thick K-PRO coat?", "a": "Yes — KemLab builds a rehydration hold into the process, and it scales with thickness. The processing table sits it between the 115 °C softbake and the exposure: 3 min for the 1–3 µm points (K-PRO 1, 2, 3), 5 min at 4 µm (K-PRO 5), 15 min at 7 µm (K-PRO 7) and 30 min at 15 and 25 µm (K-PRO 15), all at 35–50 % relative humidity. What the flow does not have is a PEB: the datasheet says none is required, so the next step after exposure is develop.", "source": "K-PRO Positive Advanced Packaging Photoresist TDS (KemLab Inc., Rev 3-2021) — Processing Guidelines table, p.1; Rehydration Time, p.2; Post-Exposure Bake, p.3" }, { "q": "My 25 µm K-PRO 15 film is underexposed at the 7 µm dose — how much more does it need?", "a": "A lot more. The broadband aligner doses in KemLab's table climb from 65 mJ/cm² at 1 µm to 80 at 4 µm, 125 at 7 µm, 210 at 15 µm and 380 mJ/cm² at 25 µm. The softbake stretches too: 115 °C for 2 min at 1–3 µm, 3 min at 7 µm, 4 min at 15 µm and 5.5 min at 25 µm — longer than the 2–5 min the narrative softbake section calls typical, so do not cap the thickest coat at 5 min.", "source": "K-PRO Positive Advanced Packaging Photoresist TDS (KemLab Inc., Rev 3-2021) — Processing Guidelines table, p.1; Softbake, p.2" }, { "q": "The bottom of my K-PRO plating mould is not clearing in one develop — what does KemLab recommend?", "a": "Refresh the developer part-way through. The datasheet says these thick films benefit from it and gives two ways: two separate baths for immersion, or multiple puddles. K-PRO works in 0.26N TMAH, KOH-based or potassium-borate developers by immersion, puddle or spray puddle. No develop time is published for any grade, so set it on-tool against your own thickness.", "source": "K-PRO Positive Advanced Packaging Photoresist TDS (KemLab Inc., Rev 3-2021) — Development, p.3" }, { "q": "How do I strip K-PRO from around plated copper posts without leaving residue?", "a": "KemLab specifies industry-standard removers such as NMP at 50–80 °C (DMSO is also listed on p.1), and says thicker films may benefit from a two-bath strip: the first bath removes the bulk of the resist and the second cleans it off thoroughly. The datasheet's own strip example is an array of 10 µm Cu posts on a copper substrate.", "source": "K-PRO Positive Advanced Packaging Photoresist TDS (KemLab Inc., Rev 3-2021) — Figure 3 and Remover line, p.1; Resist Removal, p.3" }, { "q": "What surface prep does K-PRO need so it survives a long wet etch or plating bath?", "a": "A clean, dry substrate, plus an HMDS prime on oxide-forming surfaces such as silicon — that is the whole of KemLab's preparation step. The datasheet names silicon, copper, gold, glass, aluminium and chromium as substrates K-PRO adheres to, claims excellent adhesion for wet-etch work, and states that wet etchants for Au, Cu, Cr and Al do not degrade K-PRO patterns.", "source": "K-PRO Positive Advanced Packaging Photoresist TDS (KemLab Inc., Rev 3-2021) — Description, p.1; Substrate Preparation, p.2; Etch Resist, p.3" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.kemlab.com/_files/ugd/5b8579_685a4979950141ac81d6cd2748d9a4d3.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev 3-2021 (Copyright 2021 KemLab, Inc.; ISO 9001:2015 certified mark on every page)", "accessedDate": "2026-08-04", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-08-04", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "curvesWithheld": true, "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "kl-5300", "name": "KL 5300 series", "manufacturer": "KemLab Inc.", "productLine": "KL 5300 series", "aliases": [ "KL5300", "KL 5300", "KemLab KL-5300", "KemLab KL 5300 series", "KL 5315", "KL 5310", "KL 5305", "KL 5302", "KL5302 HI-RES", "KL5302 HiRes" ], "grades": [ "KL5315", "KL5310", "KL5305", "KL5302-HiRes" ], "gradesSource": "stated — KL5300 Positive Photoresist TDS, 'PROCESSING GUIDELINES' table (p.1), column headers: KL5315, KL5310, KL5305, KL5302-HiRes, each with its own film-thickness range.", "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed in the datasheet. KL5300 is presented as a standard i-line/g-line/broadband positive resist for conventional binary patterning (0.55 µm resolution claimed), not grayscale lithography.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "A series of thin-film positive photoresists (KL5315, KL5310, KL5305, KL5302-HiRes) spanning 0.15-2.5 µm single-coat thickness, developed in 0.26N TMAH for i-line, g-line and broadband exposure.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 0.15, "max_um": 2.5, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated — the TDS's 'Film thickness Range (microns)' table (p.1/p.2) gives four grade-specific stated ranges (KL5302-HiRes 0.15-0.30, KL5305 0.4-1.0, KL5310 0.7-1.5, KL5315 1.2-2.5 µm); min/max here is the span across all four stated grade ranges, not a curve span." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "KL5315", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 2.35 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 1.68 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 1.4 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 1.2 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 1.05 } ], "source": "read from figure 3, p.2 of KL 5300 series TDS — identified by legend color (blue = KL5315) on the combined 'KL5300 Spin Curve' chart; the topmost curve, consistent with KL5315 having the largest stated film-thickness range (1.2-2.5 µm).", "figureRead": true }, { "label": "KL5310", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 1.42 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 0.98 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 0.8 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 0.7 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 0.63 } ], "source": "read from figure 3, p.2 of KL 5300 series TDS — identified by legend color (red = KL5310) on the combined 'KL5300 Spin Curve' chart; second curve from top, consistent with the stated 0.7-1.5 µm range.", "figureRead": true }, { "label": "KL5305", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 0.92 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 0.62 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 0.53 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 0.47 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 0.43 } ], "source": "read from figure 3, p.2 of KL 5300 series TDS — identified by legend color (green = KL5305) on the combined 'KL5300 Spin Curve' chart; third curve from top, consistent with the stated 0.4-1.0 µm range.", "figureRead": true }, { "label": "KL5302-HiRes", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 0.27 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 0.19 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 0.16 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 0.14 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 0.125 } ], "source": "read from figure 4, p.2 of KL 5300 series TDS — a dedicated single-curve 'KL5302 HI-RES Spin Curve' chart (purple, unambiguous, no other grade plotted), consistent with the stated 0.15-0.3 µm range.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Spin curves determined on 6-inch Si with static dispense of ~4 mL of KL5300 photoresist (TDS p.2). No spin ramp/accel profile or edge-bead-removal step is published for KL5300.", "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "HMDS primer recommended with oxide-forming substrates (Si, etc.) for maximum adhesion; KL5300 also adheres to copper, gold, glass, aluminum and chromium (TDS p.1, Substrate Preparation)." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 105, "time_s": 60, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "The Processing Guidelines table (p.1) gives one softbake for all four grades, 105 °C for 60 s. The Softbake section (p.3) gives the recommended contact-hotplate range as 90-105 °C with a typical bake time of 60 s, so the table value sits at the top of that range.", "source": "Processing Guidelines table, p.1 of KL 5300 series TDS; corroborated by Softbake section, p.3." }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "basisCopy": "Each grade in the family carries its own broadband dose: 30 mJ/cm² for KL5305, 35 for KL5310, 40 for KL5315 and 60 for KL5302-HiRes. No single number covers the family." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 115, "time_s": 60, "notes": "Processing-guidelines table gives a single PEB condition (115°C/60s) applied uniformly across all four grades; confirmed verbatim in the Post-Exposure Bake section (p.4): 'Bake on contact hotplate at 115ºC for 60 seconds.'", "source": "Processing Guidelines table, p.1, and Post-Exposure Bake section, p.4 of KL 5300 series TDS" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "0.26N TMAH", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Processing Guidelines table, p.1, and Development section, p.4 of KL 5300 series TDS" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": 110, "time_s": 60, "optional": true, "notes": "Labeled \"Hard Bake (optional)\" in the Processing Guidelines table, p.1. The table gives one hard-bake condition, 110 °C for 60 s, in a single cell spanning all four grade columns (KL5315, KL5310, KL5305, KL5302-HiRes). The 105 °C and 115 °C rows above it in the same table are the softbake and the post-exposure bake. No hard-bake method is stated.", "source": "Processing Guidelines table, p.1 of KL 5300 series TDS" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "general-prototyping", "etch-mask" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "NMP, DMSO or similar solvent-based removers at 50-80°C (TDS p.1/p.4, Resist Removal); thicker films may benefit from a two-bath process — first bath removes bulk resist, second bath cleans thoroughly.", "storage": "Avoid light; store in an upright airtight container at 4-21°C, away from oxidizers, acids, bases and ignition sources (TDS p.4, Storage).", "notes": "KL5300 is a series of four grades (KL5315, KL5310, KL5305, KL5302-HiRes) sharing one process family but with distinct spin curves, doses and develop times scaled to their target thickness band, from ~0.15 µm (KL5302-HiRes, high-resolution thin coat) up to 2.5 µm (KL5315). The datasheet's optical characterization (refractive index vs. wavelength, absorbance, i-line/g-line swing curves) is series-wide rather than grade-specific. As with any DNQ-class positive resist family, softbake and PEB times should be re-verified on-tool since the datasheet's single softbake/PEB condition is applied uniformly across grades of very different viscosity and coat thickness. HMDS priming is recommended on oxide-forming substrates; no adhesion promoter step beyond that is specified. The dnq-novolak chemistry entry draws on the KemLab KL5300 MSDS composition table (mixed cresol novolak resin + diazo photoactive compound).", "developerFamily": "tmah", "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "My KL5300 features are lifting off a silicon or oxide wafer during develop — what should I check first?", "a": "Surface preparation. KemLab asks for a clean, dry substrate before coating and recommends an HMDS prime on oxide-forming substrates such as Si. That is the only adhesion step the datasheet specifies. It also lists copper, gold, glass, aluminium and chromium among the substrates KL5300 adheres to, but does not say which of those, beyond Si, count as oxide-forming for the HMDS recommendation.", "source": "KL5300 Positive Photoresist TDS (KemLab Inc., Rev 1-2022) — Substrate Preparation, p.1" }, { "q": "Why does KL5302-HiRes need a higher dose than KL5305 even though it is the thinner coat?", "a": "Because that is what the grade table prints, so don't scale the thin grade's dose down from the thicker ones. The processing guidelines give 30 mJ/cm² for KL5305, 35 for KL5310 and 40 for KL5315, but 60 mJ/cm² for KL5302-HiRes, with a 30 s develop in 0.26N TMAH against 20 s for KL5305. The softbake (105 °C, 60 s) and PEB (115 °C, 60 s) are shared across all four grades.", "source": "KL5300 Positive Photoresist TDS (KemLab Inc., Rev 1-2022) — Processing Guidelines table, p.1" }, { "q": "My KL5300 clearing dose moved after I changed spin speed — is the resist drifting?", "a": "More likely thin-film interference. KemLab publishes i-line and g-line swing curves for the series: over roughly 1.1–1.5 µm film thickness the threshold exposure rises and falls periodically instead of climbing steadily with thickness. Changing spin speed moves the film to a different point on that cycle, so re-run a dose check whenever the target thickness changes.", "source": "KL5300 Positive Photoresist TDS (KemLab Inc., Rev 1-2022) — Figure 7, i-line and g-line Swing Curves, p.4" }, { "q": "KL5300 leaves a film behind after one remover bath on thick coats — how do I strip it cleanly?", "a": "Use two baths. The datasheet recommends industry-standard removers such as NMP or DMSO at 50–80 °C and says thicker films may benefit from a two-bath process: the first bath takes off the bulk of the resist and the second bath cleans the surface thoroughly.", "source": "KL5300 Positive Photoresist TDS (KemLab Inc., Rev 1-2022) — Resist Removal, p.4; Remover line, p.1" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.kemlab.com/_files/ugd/5b8579_b2a2f2276aa74224a5ef58ed804848ea.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Copyright 2022 © KemLab Inc., Rev 1-2022", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://www.nanofab.utah.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Positive-PhotoResist-%E2%80%93-KL5300-KemLab-27Feb15_v1.pdf", "what": "KemLab KL5300 MSDS states 'Mixed cresol novolak resin <25.0%, Diazo Photoactive Compound <4.0%'; the basis for classifying KL5300 as dnq-novolak." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "kl-6000", "name": "KL 6000 series", "manufacturer": "KemLab Inc.", "productLine": "KL 6000 series", "aliases": [ "KL6000", "KL 6000", "KemLab KL-6000", "KemLab KL 6000 series", "KL 6008", "KL 6005", "KL 6003" ], "grades": [ "KL6008", "KL6005", "KL6003" ], "gradesSource": "stated — KemLab KL6000 Positive Photoresist TDS, 'Process Guide' table (p.1) Product row and the 'Film Thickness Range / Viscosity' table (p.2): KL6008, KL6005, KL6003.", "tone": "positive", "chemistry": null, "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed in the datasheet. KL6000 is presented as a thick-film positive resist for conventional binary patterning (1-3 µm line resolution demonstrated at various thicknesses), not grayscale lithography.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "A series of thick-film positive photoresists (KL6008, KL6005, KL6003) covering 2.5-12+ µm in a single coat, developed in 0.26N TMAH for i-line, g-line and broadband exposure; PEB is not required for most applications.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 2.5, "max_um": 12, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated — the TDS bullet on p.1 states 'Cover 2.5 – 12 microns in a single coat'; corroborated by the p.2 'Film Thickness Range' table's per-grade stated ranges (KL6003 2.5-4.5, KL6005 4-7, KL6008 5-12+ µm), whose combined span matches." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "KL6008", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 10 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 7 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 5.7 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 5 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 4.4 } ], "source": "read from figure 'KL6000 Spin Curve', p.2 of KL 6000 series TDS — identified by legend marker/color (blue diamonds = KL6008) on the combined three-curve chart; topmost curve, consistent with KL6008 having the largest stated film-thickness range (5-12+ µm).", "figureRead": true }, { "label": "KL6005", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 7.3 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 5.2 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 4.2 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 3.6 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 3.2 } ], "source": "read from figure 'KL6000 Spin Curve', p.2 of KL 6000 series TDS — identified by legend marker/color (red squares = KL6005) on the combined three-curve chart; middle curve, consistent with the stated 4-7 µm range.", "figureRead": true }, { "label": "KL6003", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 5.1 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 3.6 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 2.9 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 2.5 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 2.2 } ], "source": "read from figure 'KL6000 Spin Curve', p.2 of KL 6000 series TDS — identified by legend marker/color (purple triangles = KL6003) on the combined three-curve chart; bottom curve, consistent with the stated 2.5-4.5 µm range.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Coat program includes a 5-10 second spread cycle (longer for thicker films); spin time at final speed is 45 seconds. Spin curves determined on 6-inch Si with static dispense of ~4 mL of KL6000 photoresist (TDS p.2, Spin Coat). The TDS also publishes a fine-tuning formula for thickness under 10 µm: New Spin Speed = Spin Speed x (measured film thickness / desired film thickness)^2. No explicit edge-bead-removal step is published.", "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "HMDS (hexamethyldisilazane) primer is recommended and 'will increase adhesion of KL6000 to most substrates' (TDS p.2, Substrate); KL6000 adheres to gold, glass, aluminum, chromium and copper." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 105, "time_s": 120, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Narrative Soft Bake section (p.2): 'The recommended soft-bake by hotplate is 105°C +/- 5°C. Typical bake time is 120 seconds; longer bake times can help to drive the casting solvent out of thicker films.' 120 s is used here as the labeled-typical value. The p.1 Process Guide table instead gives four thickness-specific times at the same 105°C — 150 s (11 µm and 8 µm points on KL6008), 120 s (5 µm point on KL6005), 90 s (3 µm point on KL6003) — reflecting the 'longer bake for thicker films' guidance; these are kept as per-thickness values rather than promoted to the scalar above, since they are per-thickness, not typical/series-wide.", "source": "Soft Bake section, p.2 of KL 6000 series TDS ('Typical bake time is 120 seconds'); per-thickness table values on p.1 Process Guide." }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "basisCopy": "Broadband on silicon climbs with the coat — 90 mJ/cm² at 3 µm, 120 at 5 µm, 180 at 8 µm, 210 at 11 µm. Dill A/B/C constants are published at 365 nm as well, but those are modelling inputs and carry no dose." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 90, "time_s": 90, "optional": true, "condition": "if needed", "notes": "'No PEB necessary' (p.1 feature bullet); Process Guide table, p.1: 'PEB (optional) ... 90°C for 90 sec if needed'; Post-Exposure Bake section, p.3: 'PEB is not necessary for most applications. If PEB is preferred for a particular process, bake on a contact hotplate at 90°C for 90 seconds.' Unlike softbake/exposure/develop, this single condition is constant across all three grades — it is an optional step, not a required one.", "source": "Process Guide table, p.1, and Post-Exposure Bake section, p.3 of KL 6000 series TDS" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "0.26N TMAH", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Process Guide table, p.1, and Develop section, p.3 of KL 6000 series TDS" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [ "etch-mask", "general-prototyping" ], "etchResistance": "Wet chemical etchants for Au, Cu, Cr, Al, etc. do not degrade patterns made with KL6000 (TDS p.3, Etch Resist).", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "NMP, DMSO or similar solvent-based removers at 50-80°C (TDS p.3, Photoresist Removal); thicker films may benefit from a two-bath process — first bath removes bulk resist, second bath cleans thoroughly.", "storage": "Store upright in tightly closed containers at 40-70°F (4-21°C), away from oxidizers, acids, bases and ignition sources (TDS p.3, Storage).", "notes": "KL6000 is a series of three grades (KL6008, KL6005, KL6003) sharing one thick-film process family, with the Process Guide table demonstrating four representative thickness/process points: 11 µm and 8 µm on KL6008, 5 µm on KL6005, and 3 µm on KL6003 (softbake 90-150 s at 105°C, broadband dose 90-210 mJ/cm2, develop 45-90 s by spray puddle, scaling with thickness). PEB is explicitly optional and not required for most applications — a notable process simplification versus thinner i-line resists. As a thick single-coat resist, edge-bead buildup and softbake solvent retention are the process risks most worth re-verifying on-tool for the thickest (KL6008) grade; the datasheet itself flags that longer softbake helps drive solvent out of thicker films. Dill optical parameters at 365 nm (A=0.371 µm-1, B=0.075 µm-1, C=0.036 cm2/mJ) are published for lithography simulation. Etch resistance to common wet metal etchants (Au, Cu, Cr, Al) is explicitly claimed by the manufacturer. KemLab family SDS data (e.g. the sibling KL5300 MSDS) suggests a DNQ-novolak chemistry consistent with KL6000's product category, but no KL6000-specific composition table is published, so no chemistry is claimed for this grade.", "developerFamily": "tmah", "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "An 11 µm KL6008 coat still has resist at the bottom of the trenches after one develop puddle — dose or develop?", "a": "Check both against the thickness you actually coated. KemLab's process guide on Si scales broadband dose from 90 mJ/cm² at 3 µm (KL6003) to 120 at 5 µm (KL6005), 180 at 8 µm and 210 at 11 µm (KL6008). The develop changes too: a single 60 s spray puddle at 3 µm, but a double spray puddle for the thicker points — 2 × 45 s at 5 µm, 2 × 75 s at 8 µm and 2 × 90 s at 11 µm. The datasheet says thicker films benefit from refreshing the developer mid-step.", "source": "KL6000 Positive Photoresist TDS (KemLab Inc., no revision printed) — Process Guide table, p.1; Develop, p.3" }, { "q": "How long should I softbake a thick KL6008 film so solvent isn't left in the bulk?", "a": "Longer than the typical time. The datasheet recommends a 105 °C ± 5 °C hotplate bake, typically 120 s, and notes that longer bakes help drive the casting solvent out of thicker films. Its process guide uses 150 s at 105 °C for the 8 µm and 11 µm KL6008 points, 120 s for 5 µm KL6005 and 90 s for 3 µm KL6003 — so a thick coat baked for the thin-film time is under-baked by the maker's own table.", "source": "KL6000 Positive Photoresist TDS (KemLab Inc., no revision printed) — Soft Bake, p.2; Process Guide table, p.1" }, { "q": "My KL6000 coat measured thinner than the spin curve promised — how do I correct the spin speed?", "a": "KemLab gives a correction for KL6000 films under 10 µm: new spin speed = spin speed × (measured thickness / desired thickness)². Its curves were run on 6-inch Si with a static dispense of about 4 mL, a 5–10 s spread cycle (the longer time for thicker films) and 45 s at final speed, so expect an offset whenever your wafer size, dispense volume or spin time differs from those conditions.", "source": "KL6000 Positive Photoresist TDS (KemLab Inc., no revision printed) — Spin Coat, p.2" }, { "q": "Will KL6000 hold up as a wet-etch mask on gold or copper without lifting?", "a": "The datasheet says wet chemical etchants for Au, Cu, Cr, Al and similar metals do not degrade KL6000 patterns, and that it adheres to gold, glass, aluminium, chromium and copper. It still recommends an HMDS prime, stating that HMDS increases KL6000 adhesion to most substrates — so if a mask lifts during a long etch, confirm the primer step was run.", "source": "KL6000 Positive Photoresist TDS (KemLab Inc., no revision printed) — Substrate, p.2; Etch Resist, p.3" }, { "q": "How do I get a 10 µm KL6000 layer fully off after etching?", "a": "KemLab lists NMP, DMSO and similar industry-standard removers at 50–80 °C. For thick films it suggests splitting removal into two baths: one to take off the bulk of the resist, then a second to finish cleaning the surface.", "source": "KL6000 Positive Photoresist TDS (KemLab Inc., no revision printed) — Photoresist Removal, p.3" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.kemlab.com/_files/ugd/5b8579_d8f91ac120ea462bbe675ec4dcc00526.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "not stated — no revision or copyright date is printed anywhere in this TDS; the only certification mark present is an ISO 9001:2015 seal on the final page.", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "kl-ir", "name": "KL IR 15", "manufacturer": "KemLab, Inc.", "productLine": "KL IR series", "aliases": [ "KL IR", "KL IR 15", "KL-IR 15", "KemLab KL-IR", "KemLab KL IR 15", "KL IR 15 LIFTOFF", "KL IR 15 Lift-Off", "KemLab KL IR 15 LIFTOFF" ], "tone": "image-reversal", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed in the datasheet. KL IR 15 is presented as a dual-tone (image-reversal) resist for conventional binary patterning, not grayscale lithography.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "A dual-tone image-reversal photoresist, processed as either positive or negative in i-line, g-line and broadband applications, 1.2-2.6 µm film thickness. In negative mode the reversal-bake temperature is the most process-critical parameter.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 1.2, "max_um": 2.6, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated — the TDS spec box (p.1): 'Film Thickness: 1.2 – 2.6' (microns)." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "KL IR 15", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 2.6 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 1.75 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 1.45 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 1.28 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 1.15 } ], "source": "read from figure captioned 'Spin Curve' (referenced in text as Figure 3), p.2 of KL IR 15 TDS. Single unambiguous curve — only one grade/SKU is plotted, no multi-curve legend to disambiguate. Axis range (1.00-2.80 µm, 0-6000 rpm) and curve shape are consistent with the stated 1.2-2.6 µm film-thickness range.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Spin curve determined on 6-inch Si with static dispense of ~4 mL of KL IR 15 resist (TDS p.2, Coat). No spin ramp/accel profile or edge-bead-removal step is published. A closely related sibling SKU, KL IR LO 15 (lift-off variant, separate TDS, Rev 10-2023), publishes a similarly-shaped spin curve on the same axis scale but is a distinct product literature and was not used to source any value here.", "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "HMDS primer is recommended with oxide-forming substrates (Si, etc.); KL IR adheres to silicon, copper, gold, glass, aluminum and chromium (TDS p.1, Substrate Preparation, in both the Negative and Positive Resist Mode tables)." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 105, "time_s": 90, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Single softbake condition (105°C, 90 sec) is common to both positive-mode and negative-mode processing guidelines (TDS p.1-2).", "source": "Negative Resist Mode Processing Guidelines table, p.1, and Positive Resist Mode Processing Guidelines table, p.2 of KL IR 15 TDS" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "value_mJcm2": 120, "source": "Negative Resist Mode Processing Guidelines, p.1: 'Exposure Broadband (120 mJ/cm2)'" } ], "headlineBasis": "broadband, image-reversal mode", "basisCopy": "In reversal (negative) mode the image exposure is 120 mJ/cm² broadband before the reversal bake; used as a straight positive resist the only published figure is an approximate 70 mJ/cm² on a 1.5 µm film." }, "peb": null, "floodExposure": { "dose_mJcm2": 150, "notes": "Flood exposure is explicitly NOT critical: 'The flood exposure is not critical to the process. 150 mJ/cm2 (broadband) is the processing guideline. Exposures between 150 - 300 mJ/cm² will not have a major effect on performance' (p.2). This document is internally consistent (table value 150 mJ/cm2 matches the narrative guideline exactly). The sibling KL IR LO 15 (lift-off variant) TDS states a DIFFERENT table value (200 mJ/cm2) for the same step while its own narrative text repeats the identical '150 mJ/cm2... 150-300 mJ/cm² will not have a major effect' language — i.e. that sibling document is internally INCONSISTENT (200 vs 150). That number was not used here; this recipe uses only the self-consistent KL IR 15 (non-LO) document.", "source": "Negative Resist Mode Processing Guidelines table, p.1, and Flood Exposure section, p.2 of KL IR 15 TDS", "reversalBake": { "temp_c": 130, "time_s": 120, "criticalTolerance": "±1°C — the TDS states: 'The most critical factor of the image reversal process is the reversal bake temperature. This critical temperature must be kept within ± 1°C to maintain stable processes' (p.2, Reversal Bake section). This is the single most process-sensitive parameter in the whole recipe.", "source": "Negative Resist Mode Processing Guidelines table, p.1, and Reversal Bake section, p.2 of KL IR 15 TDS" } }, "develop": { "developer": "0.26N TMAH", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "timeRange_s": { "min": 45, "max": 60 }, "method": "puddle", "rinse": null, "source": "Negative Resist Mode Processing Guidelines table, p.1, and Positive Resist Mode Processing Guidelines table, p.2 of KL IR 15 TDS" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "time_s": null, "notes": "Hardbake is optional and differs by tone mode: Positive Resist Mode table (p.2) gives 115°C, 60 sec; Negative Resist Mode table (p.1) gives 130°C, 60 sec. Both are quoted as printed — one figure cannot represent both modes.", "source": "Negative Resist Mode Processing Guidelines table, p.1, and Positive Resist Mode Processing Guidelines table, p.2 of KL IR 15 TDS" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "image-reversal", "general-prototyping" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "KL Photoresist Remover, or industry-standard removers such as NMP or DMSO-based strippers, at 50-80°C (TDS p.1 spec box; p.3 Resist Removal); thicker films may benefit from a two-bath process — first bath removes bulk resist, second bath cleans thoroughly.", "storage": "Avoid light; store in an upright airtight container at 4-21°C, away from oxidizers, acids, bases and ignition sources (TDS p.3, Storage — the document's own wording says 'Keep developer away from oxidizers...', apparently a boilerplate carryover referring to the resist itself).", "notes": "KL IR 15 is a dual-tone image-reversal resist: exposed through a mask, it can be processed as either a positive resist (softbake -> exposure -> PEB at 115°C/60s -> develop -> optional 115°C/60s hardbake) or, via an added reversal bake and flood exposure, as a negative resist with the opposite tone (softbake -> exposure -> reversal bake at 130°C/120s -> flood exposure -> develop -> optional 130°C/60s hardbake). The reversal-bake temperature is explicitly called out by the manufacturer as the single most process-sensitive parameter (±1°C tolerance), while the flood exposure is explicitly non-critical over a 150-300 mJ/cm2 window — the opposite of the usual intuition that exposure dose is the sensitive knob. KemLab also sells a separate, distinct SKU, KL IR LO 15, whose own TDS (same Rev 10-2023 date) markets it specifically for lift-off-profile negative processing and states it 'can replace AZ 5214E'; the plain KL IR 15 datasheet used here makes no equivalent lift-off-profile claim. Negative mode is described as having 'excellent thermal stability' and being 'optimized for metallization processes.' The dnq-novolak chemistry entry is based on the classic DNQ image-reversal process (reversal bake + flood exposure) that both the KL IR 15 and the sibling KL IR LO 15 TDS describe.", "developerFamily": "tmah", "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "KL IR 15 in negative mode gives different feature sizes from run to run — where do I look first?", "a": "The reversal bake. KemLab calls its temperature the most critical factor in the image-reversal process and says it must be held within ±1 °C of the 130 °C, 120 s guideline for a stable process. MicroChemicals' general note on DNQ image-reversal resists adds that this is hard to hold in a convection oven, so a hotplate is strongly preferred, and that thick, massive or poorly conducting substrates, or a gap to the plate, need their own bake tuning.", "source": "KL IR 15 Photoresist TDS (KemLab Inc., Rev 10-2023) — Negative Resist Mode Processing Guidelines, p.1; Reversal Bake, p.2. MicroChemicals application note 'Image Reversal Resists and their Processing' (not a KemLab document) — Influence of Substrate and Equipment" }, { "q": "Narrow spaces won't clear in negative-mode KL IR 15 — should I push the flood exposure harder?", "a": "Probably not. KemLab rates the flood as non-critical: 150 mJ/cm² broadband is the guideline and anything from 150 to 300 mJ/cm² has no major effect. MicroChemicals' image-reversal note points at the other two knobs: a first (masked) exposure that is too high scatters light into nominally dark areas and makes narrow spaces hard or impossible to develop, and a reversal bake that runs too hot or too long thermally destroys photoactive compound, so the flood-exposed resist then develops more slowly.", "source": "KL IR 15 Photoresist TDS (KemLab Inc., Rev 10-2023) — Flood Exposure, p.2. MicroChemicals application note 'Image Reversal Resists and their Processing' (not a KemLab document) — The first Exposure; Influence of Baking Parameters" }, { "q": "How do I get more undercut from KL IR 15 for a metal lift-off?", "a": "Run it in negative mode, which KemLab describes as optimised for metallization, and tune the masked dose and the over-develop. MicroChemicals' note on DNQ image-reversal resists says a lower first-exposure dose leaves the substrate-near resist less converted and gives a stronger undercut, while a very high dose gives almost none; and that the undercut grows mainly after the film has cleared, with about 30 % over-development as a starting point. Keep the resist much thicker than the metal, and watch that narrow lines are not undercut free of the substrate.", "source": "KL IR 15 Photoresist TDS (KemLab Inc., Rev 10-2023) — Description, p.1. MicroChemicals application note 'Image Reversal Resists and their Processing' (not a KemLab document) — The first Exposure; Formation of the Undercut; Sufficient Resist Film Thickness" }, { "q": "Crater-like defects show up in my KL IR 15 after the reversal bake — what causes them?", "a": "Nitrogen from the exposure. KL IR 15 runs the classic image-reversal process of a DNQ-novolak resist (reversal bake plus flood exposure), and MicroChemicals' image-reversal note explains that DNQ releases nitrogen during exposure; if it has not diffused out before the reversal bake softens the film, bubbles form and appear as craters after develop. Leave a delay between exposure and reversal bake — minutes for a 1–2 µm film, per that note.", "source": "MicroChemicals application note 'Image Reversal Resists and their Processing' (not a KemLab document) — Formation of Bubbles in the Resist Film" }, { "q": "Can I use KL IR 15 as a plain positive resist, and does its 115 °C PEB reverse the image?", "a": "Yes to the first. KemLab's positive-mode sequence is softbake 105 °C 90 s, exposure, PEB 115 °C 60 s, then 45–60 s puddle in 0.26N TMAH, with no flood step; its positive-mode example uses about 70 mJ/cm² broadband on a 1.5 µm film, against 120 mJ/cm² for the negative-mode image exposure. MicroChemicals' image-reversal note states that without both the reversal bake and the flood exposure an image-reversal resist behaves as an ordinary positive resist.", "source": "KL IR 15 Photoresist TDS (KemLab Inc., Rev 10-2023) — Figures 1–2 process boxes, p.1; Positive Resist Mode Processing Guidelines, p.2. MicroChemicals application note 'Image Reversal Resists and their Processing' (not a KemLab document) — Process Sequence" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.kemlab.com/_files/ugd/5b8579_400cc3c492104ef283eb7ae601468096.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Copyright 2023 © KemLab, Inc., Rev 10-2023", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://www.kemlab.com/_files/ugd/5b8579_45ff748fc0894fa094a12c113747f6ef.pdf", "what": "KemLab's KL IR LO 15 (lift-off variant) TDS — a sibling product datasheet, not an SDS. It shows the same classic DNQ image-reversal process (reversal bake + flood exposure) as KL IR 15, the basis for classifying KL IR as dnq-novolak; its flood-exposure table value (200 mJ/cm2) disagrees with its own narrative text (150 mJ/cm2), noted under the flood exposure step above." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "kmpr-1005", "name": "KMPR 1005", "manufacturer": "Kayaku Microchem (MicroChem)", "productLine": "KMPR 1000 series", "aliases": [ "KMPR® 1005", "MicroChem KMPR 1005", "Kayaku Microchem KMPR 1005", "KMPR 1000", "KMPR1000" ], "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "epoxy", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed by the datasheet. The document markets the whole KMPR 1000 family exclusively for binary, high-aspect-ratio, vertical-sidewall structures (MEMS, electroplating molds, DRIE masks); it makes no mention of grayscale or partial-exposure profiling for any grade, including 1005.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "KMPR 1005 is the thinnest of the five KMPR viscosities, coating 4.5-9.5 µm — the grade for plating and etch masks that need KMPR's strippability without the thickness of the rest of the line.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 4.5, "max_um": 9.5, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — the span of this grade's trace on Figure 1, 'KMPR 1000 Thickness vs. Spin Speed' (p.2): 4.5 µm at 4000 rpm up to 9.5 µm at 1000 rpm. The datasheet states only a series-wide coating range of 4-110 µm across all five viscosities, not a per-grade range." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "KMPR 1005", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 9.5 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 6.5 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 5 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 4.5 } ], "source": "read from figure — the open-square trace legended KMPR 1005 on Figure 1, 'KMPR 1000 Thickness vs. Spin Speed', p.2, the lowest of the five traces. Four plotted markers; no numeric table accompanies the chart.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "The flattest trace on the chart: 9.5 µm at 1000 rpm falls to 6.5 µm by 2000 rpm and then barely moves, reaching 4.5 µm at 4000 rpm. Below about 5 µm the grade has nothing left to give, and the datasheet's own process tables start at 5 µm, so a thinner target is outside both the curve and the published bake and dose bins. The recommended program is a 500 rpm / 5-10 s spread at 100 rpm/s acceleration, then 30 s at the final speed at 300 rpm/s, dispensing 1 ml of resist per inch of substrate diameter.", "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "\"Adhesion promoters are typically not required.\" For applications that require electroplating, the datasheet recommends pre-treating the substrate with HMDS Primer, and its Plating process lists HMDS as the first step. Source: \"Substrate Preparation\", pp.1–2, and \"Plating\", p.4." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 100, "time_s": 300, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Recommended bake temperature is 100 °C, with 95-105 °C also usable. Time is published by thickness (Table 2): 5-11 µm → 5 min; 12-20 µm → 7 min; 21-30 µm → 12 min; 31-55 µm → 15 min; 56-80 µm → 20 min. KMPR 1005's trace on the spin chart (Figure 1) runs 4.5-9.5 µm, so nearly all of it sits in the 5-11 µm row: 5 min at 100 °C. The thinnest coat, about 4.5 µm at 4000 rpm, falls just under the table's 5 µm starting point, where no time is published. Use a level hotplate; convection ovens are not recommended, since a skin can form and trap solvent. A cool-down/re-heat 'wrinkle' check confirms the film is fully dry before exposure.", "source": "Table 2 \"Soft Bake Times\", \"Soft Bake\" section text and Figure 1, p.2" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "binBasis": "spun-film", "bins": [ { "um_min": 5, "um_max": 11, "mJ_min": 235, "mJ_max": 335 } ], "source": "Table 3 'Exposure Dose' of the Kayaku Microchem/MicroChem KMPR 1000 datasheet (Ver. 6, December 2019). Only the 5-11 µm bin is carried here — it covers nearly all of KMPR 1005's Figure 1 trace (4.5-9.5 µm, p.2); the thinnest coat, about 4.5 µm at 4000 rpm, is just under the table's 5 µm starting point, where no dose is published. The table is not attributed to a specific wavelength." } ], "basisCopy": "KMPR 1005 never leaves the table's first bin: its whole coating range sits inside 5–11 µm, dosed at 235–335 mJ/cm² on silicon. Glass and metals need 1.5× to 2× that." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 100, "time_s": 120, "notes": "Recommended PEB temperature is 100 °C, with 95-105 °C also usable. Time follows the thickness rows of Table 5: ≤25 µm → 2 minutes; 25-50 µm → 3 minutes; ≥50 µm → 4 minutes. KMPR 1005's trace on the spin chart (Figure 1, p.2) runs 4.5-9.5 µm, well under 25 µm, so 2 minutes applies across the whole grade. After 1 minute of PEB a latent mask image should already be visible; none appearing means insufficient exposure, temperature or both.", "source": "\"Post Exposure Bake (PEB)\" section text, p.3" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "2.38% TMAH (0.26N) aqueous alkaline developer (primary); SU-8 Developer (solvent-based) is also usable as an alternative", "dilution": "2.38% TMAH (0.26N), used as supplied", "time_s": 180, "method": "immersion", "rinse": "DI water, ~20 s spray rinse, then filtered air/N2 dry (TMAH path). If the optional SU-8-developer alternative is used instead, rinse is ~10 s fresh developer spray then ~10 s IPA spray, per the SU-8-developer note.", "source": "\"Development\" section, p.3; Table 6 (TMAH), Table 7 (SU-8 developer) and \"Rinse and Dry\" section, p.4" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "time_s": null, "optional": true, "condition": "not needed for plating", "notes": "The datasheet contains no general Hard Bake process step at all — no recommended temperature or time is published anywhere in the document (unlike the SU-8 2000 datasheets, which have a dedicated Hard Bake section). It explicitly states, for the electroplating process specifically: \"Hard bake is NOT REQUIRED OR RECOMMENDED for plating resistance.\"", "source": "\"Plating\" section note, p.3" }, "descum": "RIE, 2 min at 100 W with 10 sccm O2 at 100 mTorr — quoted as step 3 of the datasheet's plating sequence.", "applications": [ "high-aspect-ratio", "mems-structural", "electroplating-molding", "etch-mask" ], "etchResistance": "Listed as a Feature: \"Excellent dry etch resistance.\" Demonstrated in an application photo (\"Etched Trenches\", 10 µm features, 65 µm deep, credited to ULVAC) consistent with use as a DRIE (deep reactive ion etch) mask. No quantitative etch rate or selectivity numbers are published, and the photo is not attributed to a specific grade. Source: \"Features\" list and application photos, p.1.", "liftoffSuitable": false, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "Remover PG (NMP): processed without a hard bake, KMPR 1000 swells, lifts and strips readily. Heat the bath to 80°C and immerse the substrate for 10-20 minutes; actual strip time depends on resist thickness and agitation (e.g. ultrasound). Recommended sequence: Remover PG 10 min @80°C → DI water rinse → plasma removal if required. Plasma removal: RIE 200 W, 80 sccm O2, 8 sccm CF4, 100 mTorr, 10°C. Source: \"Removal\" / \"Process Recommendation\" / \"Plasma Removal\", p.4.", "storage": "Store frozen, in tightly closed, upright containers, at 14°F (-10°C), away from light, heat, acids, and ignition sources. Shelf life is thirteen months from the date of manufacture at 14°F (-10°C), typically one to two months at room temperature. Defrost at room temperature for 24 hours before use. Source: \"Storage\", p.4.", "notes": "KMPR 1005 is the lowest-viscosity, thinnest-coating grade in Kayaku Microchem/MicroChem's KMPR 1000 line (95 cSt / 45% solids, per Table 1) — the thin-film complement to the thick-mold KMPR 1050 grade. Unlike the solvent-developed SU-8 2000 family, it is a chemically amplified epoxy resist designed to develop in aqueous TMAH — a meaningful process difference worth flagging for anyone assuming all thin epoxy negative resists behave like SU-8. Its spin-chart trace runs 4.5-9.5 µm, so almost all of it sits in the datasheet's first thickness row (5-11 µm), and the soft-bake, exposure-dose and TMAH-develop tables each give one number for this grade: 5 min soft bake, 235-335 mJ/cm² and 3 min in TMAH. Only the thinnest coat, about 4.5 µm at 4000 rpm, falls just below that row. A distinctive storage gotcha carries over from the family datasheet: KMPR 1000 resists must be stored frozen (14°F/-10°C) and require a full 24-hour room-temperature thaw before use — treating it like a room-temperature-stable resist will produce inconsistent films. Processed without a hard bake, it swells, lifts and strips in Remover PG at 80 °C in 10-20 minutes, followed by a DI water rinse and an O2/CF4 plasma clean-up if required.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-solvent", "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "The pattern is already visible in my KMPR 1005 before it goes on the PEB hotplate. Is that a problem?", "a": "Yes — it means the film was overexposed. Kayaku's rule is that optimal exposure produces a visible latent image after the wafer is placed on the PEB hotplate and not before; an image before PEB indicates excessive exposure. The opposite failure is no image during or after PEB (it should show after 1 min), which means too little exposure, temperature or both. KMPR 1005 sits in the 5–11 µm row, 235–335 mJ/cm² on silicon, so run an exposure matrix inside that window.", "source": "Kayaku KMPR 1000 Technical Data Sheet, Ver. 6, Dec 2019 — Exposure note and Table 3 Exposure Dose, p.3; Post Exposure Bake note, p.3" }, { "q": "Should KMPR 1005 be rinsed with IPA or water after developing?", "a": "It depends on the developer. KMPR 1000 is designed for 2.38 % TMAH (0.26 N): for a 5–11 µm KMPR 1005 film that is about 3 min immersion, then a 20 s DI water spray rinse and a dry with filtered air or nitrogen. SU-8 developer is a solvent alternative, about 2 min for this thickness, followed by a ~10 s fresh-developer spray and a ~10 s IPA spray. Times are approximate and depend on agitation.", "source": "Kayaku KMPR 1000 Technical Data Sheet, Ver. 6, Dec 2019 — Development, p.3; Tables 6–7 and Rinse and Dry, p.4" }, { "q": "My KMPR 1005 has been sitting on the shelf at room temperature. Is it still good?", "a": "Check how long it has been out. KMPR 1000 is meant to be stored frozen at −10 °C (14 °F) in tightly closed, upright containers, away from light, heat, acids and ignition sources. Frozen, the shelf life is thirteen months from manufacture; at room temperature it is typically only one to two months. When you take a bottle out of the freezer, let it defrost at room temperature for 24 hours before use.", "source": "Kayaku KMPR 1000 Technical Data Sheet, Ver. 6, Dec 2019 — Storage, p.4" }, { "q": "KMPR 1005 dose that works on silicon underexposes on my glass and metal wafers. How much should I add?", "a": "The published doses are for silicon (1X). Kayaku lists 1.5X for glass, Pyrex and ITO and 1.5–2X for silicon nitride, gold, aluminium, NiFe, copper, nickel and titanium. For KMPR 1005 the silicon baseline is the 5–11 µm row, 235–335 mJ/cm². The long-pass filter Kayaku recommends for vertical sidewalls (PL-360LP, which cuts UV below 350 nm) needs roughly 40 % more exposure time to reach the optimum dose.", "source": "Kayaku KMPR 1000 Technical Data Sheet, Ver. 6, Dec 2019 — Exposure, Table 3 Exposure Dose and Table 4 Exposure Doses for Substrates, p.3" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/kmpr-1000-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Ver. 6, December 2019 (printed in the footer of every page)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-22", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "kmpr-1010", "name": "KMPR 1010", "min_um": 10, "max_um": 27, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "kmpr-1015", "name": "KMPR 1015", "min_um": 12.5, "max_um": 40, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "kmpr-1025", "name": "KMPR 1025", "min_um": 21.5, "max_um": 87, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "kmpr-1035", "name": "KMPR 1035", "min_um": 28, "max_um": 115, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "kmpr-1050", "name": "KMPR 1050", "min_um": 34, "max_um": 115, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "kmpr-1010", "name": "KMPR 1010", "manufacturer": "Kayaku Advanced Materials", "productLine": "KMPR 1000 series", "aliases": [ "KMPR® 1010", "MicroChem KMPR 1010", "Kayaku Microchem KMPR 1010", "KMPR1010" ], "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "epoxy", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed. KMPR is a chemically amplified epoxy negative resist whose cross-linking is driven by a post-exposure bake, and the datasheet treats exposure as a binary clearing dose.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "KMPR 1010 is the second of the five KMPR viscosities, coating 10-27 µm — the grade to reach for when a plating or etch mask needs more than the ~9.5 µm KMPR 1005 tops out at.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 10, "max_um": 27, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — the span of this grade's trace on Figure 1, 'KMPR 1000 Thickness vs. Spin Speed' (p.2): 10 µm at 4000 rpm up to 27 µm at 1000 rpm. The datasheet states only a series-wide coating range of 4-110 µm across all five viscosities, not a per-grade range." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "KMPR 1010", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 27 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 15 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 11 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 10 } ], "source": "read from figure — the filled-circle trace legended KMPR 1010 on Figure 1, 'KMPR 1000 Thickness vs. Spin Speed', p.2. Four plotted markers; no numeric table accompanies the chart.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Most of the range is spent in the first half of the sweep: 27 µm at 1000 rpm falls to 15 µm by 2000 rpm, then flattens to 11 and 10 µm at 3000 and 4000. So the thick end is where speed actually controls thickness, and anything under about 10 µm means dropping to KMPR 1005 rather than spinning faster. Table 1 puts this grade at 55 % solids and 600 cSt. The recommended program is a 500 rpm / 5-10 s spread at 100 rpm/s acceleration, then 30 s at the final speed at 300 rpm/s, dispensing 1 ml of resist per inch of substrate diameter.", "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "\"Adhesion promoters are typically not required.\" For applications that require electroplating, the datasheet recommends pre-treating the substrate with HMDS Primer, and its Plating process lists HMDS as the first step. Source: \"Substrate Preparation\", pp.1–2, and \"Plating\", p.4." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 100, "tempRange_c": { "min": 95, "max": 105 }, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "100 °C on a level hotplate is the recommended temperature, with 95-105 °C also usable. Convection ovens are advised against — a skin forms on the resist and traps solvent. Time is published as a thickness-binned table and this grade's 10-27 µm span crosses three bins: 5 min for 5-11 µm, 7 min for 12-20 µm and 12 min for 21-30 µm, so the bake follows the film you actually coat. The datasheet's own tuning method is to bake, cool to room temperature, and return the wafer to the hotplate — if the film wrinkles, it needs longer.", "source": "Soft Bake section and Table 2, p.2 of the KMPR 1000 datasheet (Ver. 6, December 2019)" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "binBasis": "spun-film", "bins": [ { "um_min": 5, "um_max": 11, "mJ_min": 235, "mJ_max": 335 }, { "um_min": 12, "um_max": 20, "mJ_min": 355, "mJ_max": 485 }, { "um_min": 21, "um_max": 30, "mJ_min": 500, "mJ_max": 645 } ], "source": "Table 3 'Exposure Dose' of the KMPR 1000 datasheet (Ver. 6). The three bins carried here are the ones this grade's thickness range crosses. The table is not attributed to a specific wavelength." } ], "basisCopy": "Dose is published against film thickness rather than against the grade, so it follows the coating: 235-335 mJ/cm² for a 5-11 µm film, 355-485 for 12-20 µm and 500-645 for 21-30 µm. Doses climb on reflective substrates — the datasheet's multipliers run 1.5× on glass, Pyrex and ITO and 1.5-2× on gold, aluminium, copper, nickel and titanium against 1× on silicon." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 100, "tempRange_c": { "min": 95, "max": 105 }, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "The post-exposure bake is required, not optional — it is the step in which the photo-generated acid drives cross-linking — and it should follow exposure directly. This grade's range straddles the table's 25 µm threshold, so the time follows the film: 2 min at or below 25 µm and 3 min from 25-50 µm, both at 100 °C. A useful check: after a minute of PEB the mask image should be visible in the film. If no latent image appears during or after the bake, exposure or temperature was short; seeing the image before the PEB instead means the exposure was excessive.", "source": "Post Exposure Bake section and Table 5, p.3 of the KMPR 1000 datasheet (Ver. 6, December 2019)" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "2.38 % TMAH (0.26 N) aqueous alkaline developer; SU-8 developer (solvent) may be used instead", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": "immersion, spray or spray-puddle", "rinse": "After TMAH, spray rinse with de-ionized water for 20 s and blow dry with filtered air or nitrogen. After SU-8 developer, spray with fresh developer for about 10 s, then isopropyl alcohol for another 10 s, then blow dry — a white film during the IPA rinse means the film is under-developed and needs more developer.", "source": "Development and Rinse and Dry sections with Tables 6 and 7, p.3-4 of the KMPR 1000 datasheet (Ver. 6, December 2019)" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": "RIE, 2 min at 100 W with 10 sccm O2 at 100 mTorr — quoted as step 3 of the datasheet's plating sequence.", "applications": [ "high-aspect-ratio", "mems-structural", "electroplating-molding", "etch-mask" ], "etchResistance": "\"Excellent dry etch resistance\" (Features, p.1); the series is positioned for DRIE work, and the datasheet's own example shows 10 µm features etched to 65 µm deep.", "liftoffSuitable": false, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "Remover PG (NMP) at 80 °C for 10-20 min by immersion, provided the film was never hard baked. Plasma removal where needed: RIE at 200 W with 80 sccm O2 and 8 sccm CF4, 100 mTorr, 10 °C.", "storage": "Store frozen at -10 °C (14 °F) in tightly closed upright containers, away from light, heat, acids and ignition sources. Shelf life is thirteen months frozen, typically one to two months at room temperature. Defrost at room temperature for 24 h before use.", "notes": "KMPR 1010 is the step up from KMPR 1005 in Kayaku's chemically amplified epoxy negative series, coating 10 to 27 µm where 1005 stops near 9.5. The series is built for thick, vertical-walled masks that survive plating baths and dry etching and then come off again — which is the distinction from SU-8, whose cross-linked film is notoriously hard to strip. Almost every process number on this datasheet is keyed to film thickness rather than to the grade, so the grade choice really only decides which part of those tables you land in: across 10-27 µm that means a 5, 7 or 12 min soft bake, 235-645 mJ/cm², a 2 or 3 min post-exposure bake and 3-6 min in TMAH. Two things decide whether the result is usable. The post-exposure bake is not optional — it is where cross-linking happens, and the visible latent image after a minute on the hotplate is the built-in check that exposure was right. And hard baking is explicitly discouraged for plating work: an un-hard-baked film swells and lifts in Remover PG, while a baked one becomes much harder to strip.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-solvent", "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "My KMPR 1010 film wrinkles when I put it back on the hotplate after soft bake. Is it underbaked?", "a": "Yes — that is the datasheet's own dryness test. Bake at 100 °C (95–105 °C also works) on a level hotplate, not in a convection oven, where a skin can trap solvent. KMPR 1010 runs about 10–27 µm, so its time depends on where your spin lands: 5 min for 5–11 µm, 7 min for 12–20 µm, 12 min for 21–30 µm. If the film wrinkles after a cool-down and re-heat, leave it a few more minutes and repeat until it no longer does when first placed on the plate.", "source": "Kayaku KMPR 1000 Technical Data Sheet, Ver. 6, Dec 2019 — Figure 1, Soft Bake, note and Table 2 Soft Bake Times, p.2" }, { "q": "I developed KMPR 1010 in SU-8 developer and a white film appeared in the IPA rinse. What is it?", "a": "The substrate is underdeveloped. When using SU-8 developer, the rinse is a ~10 s spray of fresh developer then ~10 s of IPA; a white film at the IPA step means undissolved resist remains. Immerse or spray with SU-8 developer again and repeat the rinse. The SU-8 developer times are 2 min up to 30 µm, which covers all of KMPR 1010; with 2.38 % TMAH instead, the times are 3–6 min for this range and the rinse is DI water.", "source": "Kayaku KMPR 1000 Technical Data Sheet, Ver. 6, Dec 2019 — Tables 6–7, Rinse and Dry and note, p.4" }, { "q": "KMPR 1010 won't strip after plating. Did the hard bake cause it?", "a": "It can. The easy strip route in the datasheet applies to KMPR processed without a hard bake, and a hard bake is not required nor recommended for plating resistance. Unbaked KMPR 1000 swells, lifts and strips in Remover PG heated to 80 °C, with substrates immersed 10–20 min depending on thickness and agitation (ultrasound helps). Kayaku's recommended sequence is Remover PG for 10 min at 80 °C, a DI water rinse, then plasma removal if required (RIE 200 W, 80 sccm O₂, 8 sccm CF₄, 100 mTorr, 10 °C).", "source": "Kayaku KMPR 1000 Technical Data Sheet, Ver. 6, Dec 2019 — Plating note, Removal, Process Recommendation and Plasma Removal, p.4" }, { "q": "KMPR 1010 sidewalls come out sloped. What exposure changes does Kayaku suggest?", "a": "Filter out the UV below 350 nm. For vertical KMPR 1000 sidewalls Kayaku recommends a long-pass filter (PL-360LP), which increases the exposure time needed by roughly 40 %. Rebuild the dose from the thickness row your film is in: 235–335 mJ/cm² for 5–11 µm, 355–485 for 12–20 µm, 500–645 for 21–30 µm on silicon. i-line (365 nm) is the recommended wavelength, and an exposure matrix is how the datasheet expects you to optimize.", "source": "Kayaku KMPR 1000 Technical Data Sheet, Ver. 6, Dec 2019 — Processing Guidelines, p.1; Exposure and Table 3 Exposure Dose, p.3" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/kmpr-1000-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Ver. 6, December 2019 (printed in the footer of every page)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-12", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "kmpr-1005", "name": "KMPR 1005", "min_um": 4.5, "max_um": 9.5, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "kmpr-1015", "name": "KMPR 1015", "min_um": 12.5, "max_um": 40, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "kmpr-1025", "name": "KMPR 1025", "min_um": 21.5, "max_um": 87, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "kmpr-1035", "name": "KMPR 1035", "min_um": 28, "max_um": 115, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "kmpr-1050", "name": "KMPR 1050", "min_um": 34, "max_um": 115, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "kmpr-1015", "name": "KMPR 1015", "manufacturer": "Kayaku Advanced Materials", "productLine": "KMPR 1000 series", "aliases": [ "KMPR® 1015", "MicroChem KMPR 1015", "Kayaku Microchem KMPR 1015", "KMPR1015" ], "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "epoxy", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed. KMPR is a chemically amplified epoxy negative resist whose cross-linking is driven by a post-exposure bake, and the datasheet treats exposure as a binary clearing dose.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "KMPR 1015 is the middle of the five KMPR viscosities, coating 12.5-40 µm — the grade that covers the gap between KMPR 1010 and the much thicker 1025.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 12.5, "max_um": 40, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — the span of this grade's trace on Figure 1, 'KMPR 1000 Thickness vs. Spin Speed' (p.2): 12.5 µm at 4000 rpm up to 40 µm at 1000 rpm. The datasheet states only a series-wide coating range of 4-110 µm across all five viscosities, not a per-grade range." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "KMPR 1015", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 40 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 21.5 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 16 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 12.5 } ], "source": "read from figure — the filled-triangle trace legended KMPR 1015 on Figure 1, 'KMPR 1000 Thickness vs. Spin Speed', p.2, the middle of the five traces. Four plotted markers; no numeric table accompanies the chart.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "The curve halves across the first half of the sweep — 40 µm at 1000 rpm to 21.5 µm at 2000 — then eases to 16 and 12.5 µm at 3000 and 4000 rpm. Its trace runs close to KMPR 1010's at the fast end, where the two overlap around 12-15 µm, so in that band the choice between them is really about which grade's slower spin gives the better uniformity. Table 1 puts this grade at 60 % solids and 1900 cSt. The recommended program is a 500 rpm / 5-10 s spread at 100 rpm/s acceleration, then 30 s at the final speed at 300 rpm/s, dispensing 1 ml of resist per inch of substrate diameter.", "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "\"Adhesion promoters are typically not required.\" For applications that require electroplating, the datasheet recommends pre-treating the substrate with HMDS Primer, and its Plating process lists HMDS as the first step. Source: \"Substrate Preparation\", pp.1–2, and \"Plating\", p.4." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 100, "tempRange_c": { "min": 95, "max": 105 }, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "100 °C on a level hotplate, with 95-105 °C also usable. Convection ovens are advised against — a skin forms and traps solvent in the film. Time is thickness-binned and this grade's 12.5-40 µm span crosses three bins: 7 min for 12-20 µm, 12 min for 21-30 µm and 15 min for 31-55 µm, so the bake follows the film you actually coat. Bake, cool to room temperature, then return the wafer to the hotplate — visible wrinkling means it needs longer.", "source": "Soft Bake section and Table 2, p.2 of the KMPR 1000 datasheet (Ver. 6, December 2019)" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "binBasis": "spun-film", "bins": [ { "um_min": 12, "um_max": 20, "mJ_min": 355, "mJ_max": 485 }, { "um_min": 21, "um_max": 30, "mJ_min": 500, "mJ_max": 645 }, { "um_min": 31, "um_max": 55, "mJ_min": 665, "mJ_max": 1055 } ], "source": "Table 3 'Exposure Dose' of the KMPR 1000 datasheet (Ver. 6). The three bins carried here are the ones this grade's thickness range crosses. The table is not attributed to a specific wavelength." } ], "basisCopy": "Dose is published against film thickness rather than against the grade, so it follows the coating: 355-485 mJ/cm² at 12-20 µm, 500-645 at 21-30 and 665-1055 at 31-55. Doses climb on reflective substrates — the datasheet's multipliers run 1.5× on glass, Pyrex and ITO and 1.5-2× on gold, aluminium, copper, nickel and titanium against 1× on silicon." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 100, "tempRange_c": { "min": 95, "max": 105 }, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "The post-exposure bake is required and should follow exposure directly — it is the step in which the photo-generated acid drives cross-linking. This grade's range straddles the table's 25 µm threshold, so the time follows the film: 2 min at or below 25 µm and 3 min from 25-50 µm, both at 100 °C. After a minute of bake the mask image should be visible in the film; no latent image during or after the bake means exposure or temperature fell short, while an image visible before the bake means the exposure was excessive.", "source": "Post Exposure Bake section and Table 5, p.3 of the KMPR 1000 datasheet (Ver. 6, December 2019)" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "2.38 % TMAH (0.26 N) aqueous alkaline developer; SU-8 developer (solvent) may be used instead", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": "immersion, spray or spray-puddle", "rinse": "After TMAH, spray rinse with de-ionized water for 20 s and blow dry with filtered air or nitrogen. After SU-8 developer, spray with fresh developer for about 10 s, then isopropyl alcohol for another 10 s, then blow dry — a white film during the IPA rinse means the film is under-developed and needs more developer.", "source": "Development and Rinse and Dry sections with Tables 6 and 7, p.3-4 of the KMPR 1000 datasheet (Ver. 6, December 2019)" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": "RIE, 2 min at 100 W with 10 sccm O2 at 100 mTorr — quoted as step 3 of the datasheet's plating sequence.", "applications": [ "high-aspect-ratio", "mems-structural", "electroplating-molding", "etch-mask" ], "etchResistance": "\"Excellent dry etch resistance\" (Features, p.1); the series is positioned for DRIE work, and the datasheet's own example shows 10 µm features etched to 65 µm deep.", "liftoffSuitable": false, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "Remover PG (NMP) at 80 °C for 10-20 min by immersion, provided the film was never hard baked. Plasma removal where needed: RIE at 200 W with 80 sccm O2 and 8 sccm CF4, 100 mTorr, 10 °C.", "storage": "Store frozen at -10 °C (14 °F) in tightly closed upright containers, away from light, heat, acids and ignition sources. Shelf life is thirteen months frozen, typically one to two months at room temperature. Defrost at room temperature for 24 h before use.", "notes": "KMPR 1015 fills the middle of Kayaku's chemically amplified epoxy negative line, coating 12.5 to 40 µm where 1010 stops near 27 and 1025 starts around 21. It is a grade that only exists in the current revision of the datasheet — the older Ver. 4.2 line ran 1005, 1010, 1025 and 1050 — so a process written against an older sheet will not mention it. The series is built for thick, vertical-walled masks that survive plating baths and dry etching and then strip cleanly, which is the practical distinction from SU-8. As everywhere in this line, the process numbers key to film thickness rather than to the grade, so choosing 1015 mainly decides which rows of those tables apply: across its range that means a 7, 12 or 15 min soft bake, 355-1055 mJ/cm², a 2 or 3 min post-exposure bake and 5-6 min in TMAH. The post-exposure bake is where cross-linking happens and is not optional, and hard baking is explicitly discouraged for plating work because an un-hard-baked film is the one that strips.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-solvent", "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "What's the published plating flow for a KMPR 1015 mould, and should I hard bake before plating?", "a": "Kayaku's plating sequence is: (1) HMDS, (2) coat, expose, PEB and develop, (3) descum by RIE, 2 min at 100 W, 10 sccm O₂, 100 mTorr, (4) electrolytic copper, the example being 60 min at 0.1 A/dm². Do not add a hard bake: the datasheet marks it as neither required nor recommended for plating resistance, and KMPR processed without one swells, lifts and strips afterwards in Remover PG at 80 °C.", "source": "Kayaku KMPR 1000 Technical Data Sheet, Ver. 6, Dec 2019 — Substrate Preparation, p.2; Plating and Removal, p.4" }, { "q": "My KMPR 1015 is 30 µm — is a 2 min PEB enough?", "a": "No. The PEB is required to complete the curing reaction and should follow exposure directly, and its time steps with thickness: 2 min at 100 °C up to 25 µm, 3 min for 25–50 µm, 4 min at 50 µm and above (95–105 °C is also acceptable). KMPR 1015 spans roughly 12.5–40 µm, so faster spins sit in the 2 min row and slower ones need 3 min. After 1 min of PEB a mask image should be visible; if it isn't, exposure, temperature or both were insufficient.", "source": "Kayaku KMPR 1000 Technical Data Sheet, Ver. 6, Dec 2019 — Figure 1, p.2; Post Exposure Bake (PEB), note and Table 5 PEB Times, p.3" }, { "q": "Small holes in KMPR 1015 aren't opening in TMAH. What should I change?", "a": "Agitation first. The TMAH immersion times — 5 min for 12–20 µm, 6 min for 21–30 and 31–55 µm in 2.38 % TMAH — are approximate because dissolution rate varies widely with agitation, and strong agitation is recommended for thick or high-aspect-ratio structures. An ultrasonic or megasonic bath is helpful for developing out vias or holes. Rinse with a 20 s DI water spray afterwards and dry with filtered air or nitrogen.", "source": "Kayaku KMPR 1000 Technical Data Sheet, Ver. 6, Dec 2019 — Development and note, p.3; Table 6 and Rinse and Dry, p.4" }, { "q": "The KMPR 1000 dose table gives 665–1055 mJ/cm² at 31–55 µm. How do I find my KMPR 1015 dose in that window?", "a": "With an exposure matrix, using the PEB as the readout. That row is wide, and the rows below it (355–485 at 12–20 µm, 500–645 at 21–30 µm) cover the rest of KMPR 1015's range. A correct dose gives a visible latent image only once the wafer is on the PEB hotplate: an image already visible before PEB means overexposure, and no image after 1 min of PEB means underexposure or too little heat. Scale by 1.5X on glass or ITO and 1.5–2X on metals and nitride.", "source": "Kayaku KMPR 1000 Technical Data Sheet, Ver. 6, Dec 2019 — Exposure note, Tables 3–4 and Post Exposure Bake note, p.3" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/kmpr-1000-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Ver. 6, December 2019 (printed in the footer of every page)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-12", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "kmpr-1005", "name": "KMPR 1005", "min_um": 4.5, "max_um": 9.5, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "kmpr-1010", "name": "KMPR 1010", "min_um": 10, "max_um": 27, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "kmpr-1025", "name": "KMPR 1025", "min_um": 21.5, "max_um": 87, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "kmpr-1035", "name": "KMPR 1035", "min_um": 28, "max_um": 115, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "kmpr-1050", "name": "KMPR 1050", "min_um": 34, "max_um": 115, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "kmpr-1025", "name": "KMPR 1025", "manufacturer": "Kayaku Advanced Materials", "productLine": "KMPR 1000 series", "aliases": [ "KMPR® 1025", "MicroChem KMPR 1025", "Kayaku Microchem KMPR 1025", "KMPR1025" ], "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "epoxy", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed. KMPR is a chemically amplified epoxy negative resist whose cross-linking is driven by a post-exposure bake, and the datasheet treats exposure as a binary clearing dose.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "KMPR 1025 covers 21.5-87 µm in a single coat, the band where copper pillar plating and deep DRIE masks live — and the grade whose thick end runs past the edge of the datasheet's own process tables.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 21.5, "max_um": 87, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — the span of this grade's trace on Figure 1, 'KMPR 1000 Thickness vs. Spin Speed' (p.2): 21.5 µm at 4000 rpm up to 87 µm at 1000 rpm. The datasheet states only a series-wide coating range of 4-110 µm across all five viscosities, not a per-grade range." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "KMPR 1025", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 87 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 42.5 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 28.5 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 21.5 } ], "source": "read from figure — the filled-diamond trace legended KMPR 1025 on Figure 1, 'KMPR 1000 Thickness vs. Spin Speed', p.2, the second-highest of the five traces. Four plotted markers; no numeric table accompanies the chart.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "The steepest useful trace on the chart: 87 µm at 1000 rpm halves to 42.5 µm by 2000 rpm, then falls to 28.5 and 21.5 µm. Thickness is therefore very sensitive to speed at the slow end, and a target above about 60 µm is worth confirming on a test wafer rather than reading off the curve. Table 1 puts this grade at 64 % solids and 5200 cSt. The recommended program is a 500 rpm / 5-10 s spread at 100 rpm/s acceleration, then 30 s at the final speed at 300 rpm/s, dispensing 1 ml of resist per inch of substrate diameter.", "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "\"Adhesion promoters are typically not required.\" For applications that require electroplating, the datasheet recommends pre-treating the substrate with HMDS Primer, and its Plating process lists HMDS as the first step. Source: \"Substrate Preparation\", pp.1–2, and \"Plating\", p.4." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 100, "tempRange_c": { "min": 95, "max": 105 }, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "100 °C on a level hotplate, with 95-105 °C also usable. Convection ovens are advised against — a skin forms and traps solvent in the film. Time is thickness-binned and this grade spans three of those bins: 12 min for 21-30 µm, 15 min for 31-55 µm and 20 min for 56-80 µm. Above 80 µm the table stops, so the top of this grade's coating range has no published bake time. Bake, cool to room temperature, then return the wafer to the hotplate — visible wrinkling means it needs longer, and at these thicknesses that check is worth doing on every new target.", "source": "Soft Bake section and Table 2, p.2 of the KMPR 1000 datasheet (Ver. 6, December 2019)" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "binBasis": "spun-film", "bins": [ { "um_min": 21, "um_max": 30, "mJ_min": 500, "mJ_max": 645 }, { "um_min": 31, "um_max": 55, "mJ_min": 665, "mJ_max": 1055 }, { "um_min": 56, "um_max": 80, "mJ_min": 1070, "mJ_max": 1465 } ], "source": "Table 3 'Exposure Dose' of the KMPR 1000 datasheet (Ver. 6). The three bins carried here are the ones this grade's thickness range crosses; the table's top bin ends at 80 µm, below the 87 µm this grade reaches at 1000 rpm. The table is not attributed to a specific wavelength." } ], "basisCopy": "Dose follows the coating rather than the grade, and across this grade's range that is a three-fold spread: 500-645 mJ/cm² at 21-30 µm rising to 1070-1465 mJ/cm² at 56-80 µm, with nothing published above 80 µm. Reflective substrates cost more again — the datasheet's multipliers are 1.5× on glass, Pyrex and ITO and 1.5-2× on gold, aluminium, copper, nickel and titanium against 1× on silicon, which matters here because plating work usually means a metal seed layer." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 100, "tempRange_c": { "min": 95, "max": 105 }, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "The post-exposure bake is required and should follow exposure directly — it is the step in which the photo-generated acid drives cross-linking. This grade's range crosses all three published bins, so the time follows the film: 2 min below 25 µm, 3 min from 25-50 µm and 4 min above 50 µm, all at 100 °C. After a minute of bake the mask image should be visible in the film; no latent image during or after the bake means exposure or temperature fell short, while an image visible before the bake means the exposure was excessive.", "source": "Post Exposure Bake section and Table 5, p.3 of the KMPR 1000 datasheet (Ver. 6, December 2019)" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "2.38 % TMAH (0.26 N) aqueous alkaline developer; SU-8 developer (solvent) may be used instead", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": "immersion, spray or spray-puddle", "rinse": "After TMAH, spray rinse with de-ionized water for 20 s and blow dry with filtered air or nitrogen. After SU-8 developer, spray with fresh developer for about 10 s, then isopropyl alcohol for another 10 s, then blow dry — a white film during the IPA rinse means the film is under-developed and needs more developer.", "source": "Development and Rinse and Dry sections with Tables 6 and 7, p.3-4 of the KMPR 1000 datasheet (Ver. 6, December 2019)" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": "RIE, 2 min at 100 W with 10 sccm O2 at 100 mTorr — quoted as step 3 of the datasheet's plating sequence.", "applications": [ "high-aspect-ratio", "mems-structural", "electroplating-molding", "etch-mask" ], "etchResistance": "\"Excellent dry etch resistance\" (Features, p.1); the series is positioned for DRIE work, and the datasheet's own example shows 10 µm features etched to 65 µm deep.", "liftoffSuitable": false, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "Remover PG (NMP) at 80 °C for 10-20 min by immersion, provided the film was never hard baked — at this thickness expect the longer end, and ultrasound helps. Plasma removal where needed: RIE at 200 W with 80 sccm O2 and 8 sccm CF4, 100 mTorr, 10 °C.", "storage": "Store frozen at -10 °C (14 °F) in tightly closed upright containers, away from light, heat, acids and ignition sources. Shelf life is thirteen months frozen, typically one to two months at room temperature. Defrost at room temperature for 24 h before use.", "notes": "KMPR 1025 sits in the tens-of-microns band of Kayaku's chemically amplified epoxy negative series — thick enough for copper pillar moulds and deep etch masks, and the grade the datasheet's own plating example is built around. What changes at this thickness is that every process number stretches: the soft bake runs 12 to 20 minutes depending on where in the range you coat, the clearing dose spans 500 to 1465 mJ/cm², and TMAH development takes 6 to 8 minutes rather than the 3 a thin film needs. None of those are grade properties; they are thickness properties, and the datasheet tabulates them that way. Worth knowing before working at the thick end: the spin curve reaches 87 µm at 1000 rpm, but the soft-bake, dose and develop tables all stop at 80 µm, so the top of this grade's coating range has no published process at all and has to be characterised on-tool. Two other cautions carry weight here. Reflective substrates raise the dose by 1.5-2×, and plating work almost always means a metal seed layer, so a dose set on bare silicon will under-expose on copper. And hard baking is explicitly not recommended for plating resistance — an un-hard-baked film swells and lifts cleanly in Remover PG at 80 °C, while a baked one fights removal at exactly the thickness where removal is already slowest.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-solvent", "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "I spun KMPR 1025 at 1000 rpm and got over 80 µm. Which bake and dose rows apply?", "a": "None directly. KMPR 1025 reaches roughly 87 µm at 1000 rpm on the Ver. 6 chart, but the soft-bake, exposure and develop tables stop at the 56–80 µm row (20 min soft bake at 100 °C, 1070–1465 mJ/cm², 8 min in 2.38 % TMAH or 4 min in SU-8 developer). Only the PEB rule is open-ended: 4 min at 100 °C at 50 µm and above. Beyond 80 µm, start from the 56–80 µm row and confirm with the wrinkle test and the latent-image check.", "source": "Kayaku KMPR 1000 Technical Data Sheet, Ver. 6, Dec 2019 — Figure 1 and Table 2, p.2; Tables 3 and 5, p.3; Tables 6–7, p.4" }, { "q": "Thick KMPR 1025 still seems wet after soft bake. Is the bake long enough?", "a": "Check it against the thickness you actually coated: 12 min at 100 °C for 21–30 µm, 15 min for 31–55 µm and 20 min for 56–80 µm, on a level hotplate with good uniformity (95–105 °C is acceptable). Avoid convection ovens, where a skin can form and hold solvent in the film. Then verify: cool to room temperature, put the wafer back on the hotplate, and if it wrinkles keep baking a few more minutes, repeating until it no longer wrinkles.", "source": "Kayaku KMPR 1000 Technical Data Sheet, Ver. 6, Dec 2019 — Soft Bake, note and Table 2 Soft Bake Times, p.2" }, { "q": "Should I develop KMPR 1025 in TMAH or SU-8 developer?", "a": "KMPR 1000 is designed for 2.38 % TMAH (0.26 N); SU-8 developer is a listed solvent alternative and is faster at this thickness. Across KMPR 1025's range the immersion times are 6 min (21–55 µm) to 8 min (56–80 µm) in TMAH, versus 2–4 min in SU-8 developer. The rinse must match: DI water for 20 s after TMAH, or fresh developer then IPA after SU-8 developer, where a white film means develop longer. Use strong agitation either way.", "source": "Kayaku KMPR 1000 Technical Data Sheet, Ver. 6, Dec 2019 — Development, p.3; Tables 6–7, Rinse and Dry and note, p.4" }, { "q": "My thick KMPR 1025 shows no latent image during PEB. Too little dose, or too little bake?", "a": "Either, per the datasheet: no visible image during or after PEB means insufficient exposure, temperature or both. Check both against your thickness. Dose on silicon is 500–645 mJ/cm² at 21–30 µm, 665–1055 at 31–55 µm and 1070–1465 at 56–80 µm, higher on glass (1.5X) and metals (1.5–2X). PEB is at 100 °C directly after exposure: 2 min up to 25 µm, 3 min for 25–50 µm and 4 min from 50 µm up; the image should appear within the first minute.", "source": "Kayaku KMPR 1000 Technical Data Sheet, Ver. 6, Dec 2019 — Tables 3–4, Post Exposure Bake (PEB), note and Table 5, p.3" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/kmpr-1000-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Ver. 6, December 2019 (printed in the footer of every page)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-12", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "kmpr-1005", "name": "KMPR 1005", "min_um": 4.5, "max_um": 9.5, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "kmpr-1010", "name": "KMPR 1010", "min_um": 10, "max_um": 27, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "kmpr-1015", "name": "KMPR 1015", "min_um": 12.5, "max_um": 40, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "kmpr-1035", "name": "KMPR 1035", "min_um": 28, "max_um": 115, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "kmpr-1050", "name": "KMPR 1050", "min_um": 34, "max_um": 115, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "kmpr-1035", "name": "KMPR 1035", "manufacturer": "Kayaku Advanced Materials", "productLine": "KMPR 1000 series", "aliases": [ "KMPR® 1035", "MicroChem KMPR 1035", "Kayaku Microchem KMPR 1035", "KMPR1035" ], "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "epoxy", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed. KMPR is a chemically amplified epoxy negative resist whose cross-linking is driven by a post-exposure bake, and the datasheet treats exposure as a binary clearing dose.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "KMPR 1035 is the thickest KMPR viscosity, coating 28-115 µm in a single step — and most of its upper range sits beyond where the datasheet's process tables stop.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 28, "max_um": 115, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — the span of this grade's trace on Figure 1, 'KMPR 1000 Thickness vs. Spin Speed' (p.2): 28 µm at 4000 rpm up to 115 µm at 1000 rpm. The datasheet states only a series-wide coating range of 4-110 µm across all five viscosities, not a per-grade range." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "KMPR 1035", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 115 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 55.5 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 36.5 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 28 } ], "source": "read from figure — the filled-square trace legended KMPR 1035 on Figure 1, 'KMPR 1000 Thickness vs. Spin Speed', p.2, the highest of the five traces. Four plotted markers; no numeric table accompanies the chart.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "The steepest trace on the chart by a wide margin: 115 µm at 1000 rpm less than halves to 55.5 µm at 2000, then falls to 36.5 and 28 µm. Thickness is therefore extremely sensitive to speed at the slow end, and the 1000 rpm point also sits above the 110 µm the datasheet quotes as the series maximum — treat anything past about 80 µm as a target to establish on a test wafer, not to read off a curve. Table 1 puts this grade at 65 % solids and 8400 cSt, the most viscous in the line. The recommended program is a 500 rpm / 5-10 s spread at 100 rpm/s acceleration, then 30 s at the final speed at 300 rpm/s, dispensing 1 ml of resist per inch of substrate diameter.", "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "\"Adhesion promoters are typically not required.\" For applications that require electroplating, the datasheet recommends pre-treating the substrate with HMDS Primer, and its Plating process lists HMDS as the first step. Source: \"Substrate Preparation\", pp.1–2, and \"Plating\", p.4." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 100, "tempRange_c": { "min": 95, "max": 105 }, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "100 °C on a level hotplate, with 95-105 °C also usable. Convection ovens are advised against — a skin forms and traps solvent, which on the thickest film in the line is the failure this warning is really about. Time is thickness-binned: 12 min for 21-30 µm, 15 min for 31-55 µm and 20 min for 56-80 µm. Above 80 µm the table stops, so most of this grade's upper range has no published bake time at all. Bake, cool to room temperature, then return the wafer to the hotplate — visible wrinkling means it needs longer, and here that check matters more than anywhere else in the series.", "source": "Soft Bake section and Table 2, p.2 of the KMPR 1000 datasheet (Ver. 6, December 2019)" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "binBasis": "spun-film", "bins": [ { "um_min": 21, "um_max": 30, "mJ_min": 500, "mJ_max": 645 }, { "um_min": 31, "um_max": 55, "mJ_min": 665, "mJ_max": 1055 }, { "um_min": 56, "um_max": 80, "mJ_min": 1070, "mJ_max": 1465 } ], "source": "Table 3 'Exposure Dose' of the KMPR 1000 datasheet (Ver. 6). The three bins carried here are the ones this grade's thickness range crosses; the table's top bin ends at 80 µm, well below the 115 µm this grade reaches at 1000 rpm. The table is not attributed to a specific wavelength." } ], "basisCopy": "Dose follows the coating rather than the grade: 500-645 mJ/cm² at 21-30 µm rising to 1070-1465 mJ/cm² at 56-80 µm, with nothing published above 80 µm — which on this grade means no published dose for anything coated slower than roughly 1500 rpm. Reflective substrates cost more again, at 1.5× on glass, Pyrex and ITO and 1.5-2× on gold, aluminium, copper, nickel and titanium against 1× on silicon." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 100, "tempRange_c": { "min": 95, "max": 105 }, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "The post-exposure bake is required and should follow exposure directly — it is the step in which the photo-generated acid drives cross-linking. This grade's range crosses the table's 25-50 µm and ≥ 50 µm rows, so the time follows the film: 3 min from 25-50 µm and 4 min above 50 µm, at 100 °C. The PEB table is the only one on the sheet with an open-ended top row, so unlike the soft-bake and dose tables it still applies at this grade's thickest coatings. After a minute of bake the mask image should be visible in the film; no latent image during or after means exposure or temperature fell short.", "source": "Post Exposure Bake section and Table 5, p.3 of the KMPR 1000 datasheet (Ver. 6, December 2019)" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "2.38 % TMAH (0.26 N) aqueous alkaline developer; SU-8 developer (solvent) may be used instead", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": "immersion, spray or spray-puddle", "rinse": "After TMAH, spray rinse with de-ionized water for 20 s and blow dry with filtered air or nitrogen. After SU-8 developer, spray with fresh developer for about 10 s, then isopropyl alcohol for another 10 s, then blow dry — a white film during the IPA rinse means the film is under-developed and needs more developer.", "source": "Development and Rinse and Dry sections with Tables 6 and 7, p.3-4 of the KMPR 1000 datasheet (Ver. 6, December 2019)" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": "RIE, 2 min at 100 W with 10 sccm O2 at 100 mTorr — quoted as step 3 of the datasheet's plating sequence.", "applications": [ "high-aspect-ratio", "mems-structural", "electroplating-molding", "etch-mask" ], "etchResistance": "\"Excellent dry etch resistance\" (Features, p.1); the series is positioned for DRIE work, and the datasheet's own example shows 10 µm features etched to 65 µm deep.", "liftoffSuitable": false, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "Remover PG (NMP) at 80 °C for 10-20 min by immersion, provided the film was never hard baked — on the thickest grade in the line expect the long end and use ultrasound. Plasma removal where needed: RIE at 200 W with 80 sccm O2 and 8 sccm CF4, 100 mTorr, 10 °C.", "storage": "Store frozen at -10 °C (14 °F) in tightly closed upright containers, away from light, heat, acids and ignition sources. Shelf life is thirteen months frozen, typically one to two months at room temperature. Defrost at room temperature for 24 h before use.", "notes": "KMPR 1035 is the thickest and most viscous grade in Kayaku's chemically amplified epoxy negative line, reaching over 100 µm in a single coat — the regime of tall copper pillars and deep DRIE masks. It replaced KMPR 1050 in the current revision of the datasheet, which is the first thing to check if you are working from an older process: 1050 no longer appears, and 1035 is thinner at the same spin speed. The honest caution on this grade is where the published process runs out. Its curve reaches 115 µm at 1000 rpm, but the soft-bake, exposure and develop tables all stop at 80 µm, so above that there is no published bake time, no clearing dose and no develop time — only the post-exposure bake table, whose top row is open-ended, still applies. In practice that means the curve crosses 80 µm at roughly 1500 rpm, so anything coated slower than that has to be characterised on-tool. Below 80 µm the rest of the series discipline holds: the post-exposure bake is where cross-linking happens and is not optional, reflective substrates need 1.5-2× the dose, and hard baking is discouraged because an un-hard-baked film is the one that strips in Remover PG.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-solvent", "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "The thick end of KMPR 1035's spin range is beyond the process tables. How do I set up a 100 µm coat?", "a": "KMPR 1035 runs from about 28 µm at 4000 rpm to about 115 µm at 1000 rpm, while the soft-bake, dose and develop tables end at 56–80 µm and the series is quoted as coating 4–110 µm. So between 2000 rpm (about 55 µm) and 1000 rpm the film leaves the published rows. The 56–80 µm row is the nearest anchor — 20 min soft bake at 100 °C, 1070–1465 mJ/cm², 8 min TMAH or 4 min SU-8 developer — with PEB at 4 min from 50 µm up. Confirm each step on the wafer: wrinkle test, then latent image in PEB.", "source": "Kayaku KMPR 1000 Technical Data Sheet, Ver. 6, Dec 2019 — Description, p.1; Figure 1 and Table 2, p.2; Tables 3 and 5, p.3; Tables 6–7, p.4" }, { "q": "I took KMPR 1035 straight from the freezer to the spinner. Is that a problem?", "a": "It skips a step: the datasheet says to defrost KMPR 1000 at room temperature for 24 hours before use, so plan a day ahead. Storage is frozen at −10 °C (14 °F), upright and tightly closed, away from light, heat, acids and ignition sources; that gives a thirteen-month shelf life from manufacture, against typically only one to two months at room temperature.", "source": "Kayaku KMPR 1000 Technical Data Sheet, Ver. 6, Dec 2019 — Storage, p.4" }, { "q": "Thick KMPR 1035 structures are lifting at the edges. What does Kayaku say about substrate prep?", "a": "Start with a clean, dry substrate. The recommended clean is piranha (H₂SO₄ + H₂O₂) followed by a DI water rinse; RIE or a barrel asher with O₂ also works. KMPR 1000 is described as having excellent adhesion and adhesion promoters are typically not required — except for electroplating, where an HMDS primer pretreatment is recommended.", "source": "Kayaku KMPR 1000 Technical Data Sheet, Ver. 6, Dec 2019 — Description and Substrate Preparation, p.1–2" }, { "q": "Does KMPR 1035 need a longer post-exposure bake than the thinner grades?", "a": "Yes, because PEB time follows film thickness: 3 min at 100 °C for 25–50 µm and 4 min at 50 µm and above (95–105 °C also usable). Nearly all of KMPR 1035's range sits in those two rows, whereas the thin grades mostly use the 2 min row. The bake is required, not optional — it completes the curing reaction — and should start directly after exposure. A mask image should be visible after 1 min; if not, exposure, temperature or both were short.", "source": "Kayaku KMPR 1000 Technical Data Sheet, Ver. 6, Dec 2019 — Figure 1, p.2; Post Exposure Bake (PEB), note and Table 5 PEB Times, p.3" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/kmpr-1000-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Ver. 6, December 2019 (printed in the footer of every page)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-12", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "kmpr-1005", "name": "KMPR 1005", "min_um": 4.5, "max_um": 9.5, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "kmpr-1010", "name": "KMPR 1010", "min_um": 10, "max_um": 27, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "kmpr-1015", "name": "KMPR 1015", "min_um": 12.5, "max_um": 40, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "kmpr-1025", "name": "KMPR 1025", "min_um": 21.5, "max_um": 87, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "kmpr-1050", "name": "KMPR 1050", "min_um": 34, "max_um": 115, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "kmpr-1050", "name": "KMPR 1050", "manufacturer": "Kayaku Microchem (MicroChem)", "productLine": "KMPR 1000 series", "aliases": [ "KMPR® 1050", "MicroChem KMPR 1050", "Kayaku Microchem KMPR 1050" ], "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "epoxy", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed by the datasheet. The document markets KMPR 1000 exclusively for binary, high-aspect-ratio, vertical-sidewall structures (MEMS, electroplating molds, DRIE masks); it makes no mention of grayscale or partial-exposure profiling.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "KMPR 1050 is the highest-viscosity grade of Kayaku Microchem/MicroChem's KMPR 1000 series, a chemically amplified, TMAH-developable, epoxy-based negative photoresist built for thick, high-aspect-ratio MEMS, electroplating-mold, and DRIE-mask structures. Not in the current KMPR 1000 datasheet (Ver. 6); values from Ver. 4.2.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 34, "max_um": 115, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span: no single stated range is given for KMPR 1050 specifically (the intro text gives only a family-wide 4-120 µm range spanning all four KMPR 1000 viscosities). The range here is the min/max of the KMPR 1050 traces across BOTH published spin charts — Figure 1 (21°C US & EU: 44-101 µm, 4000-1000 rpm) and Figure 2 (23°C Japan & Asia: 34-115 µm, 4000-1000 rpm)." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "KMPR 1050", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 101 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 68 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 51 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 44 } ], "source": "read from figure 1 \"Spin speed vs. Thickness for KMPR 1000 resists (21°C US & EU)\", p.2 of the Kayaku Microchem/MicroChem \"KMPR 1000 Chemically Amplified Negative Photoresist\" datasheet (Ver. 4.2). Chart plots four curves (KMPR 1050/filled square, 1025/filled diamond, 1010/filled circle, 1005/open square), each with 4 markers at 1000/2000/3000/4000 rpm. The KMPR 1050 curve is the filled-square series and the topmost (thickest-film) curve at every rpm, consistent with its legend position (listed first) and Table 1's viscosity ordering (1050 = 13,000 cSt, the highest of the four, so it coats thickest at a given speed). A figure read, not a numeric table — no per-rpm table for this grade is published.", "figureRead": true }, { "label": "KMPR 1050 (23°C Japan & Asia)", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 115 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 67 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 47 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 34 } ], "source": "read from Figure 2 \"Spin speed vs. Thickness for KMPR® 1000 resists (23°C Japan & Asia)\", p.2 of the Kayaku Microchem/MicroChem \"KMPR 1000 Chemically Amplified Negative Photoresist\" datasheet (Ver. 4.2). The chart plots four curves (KMPR 1050/filled square, 1025/filled diamond, 1010/filled circle, 1005/open square), each with 4 markers at 1000/2000/3000/4000 rpm. KMPR 1050 is the filled-square series and the topmost (thickest-film) curve at every rpm, consistent with its legend position (listed first) and Table 1's viscosity ordering (1050 = 13,000 cSt, the highest of the four). A figure read — no numeric table of these values is published.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Recommended program: dispense 1 ml of resist per inch (25 mm) of substrate diameter; spin at 500 rpm for 5-10 s at 100 rpm/s acceleration, then spin at the target speed for 30 s at 300 rpm/s acceleration. The document publishes TWO spin curves for the same four resists at two different ambient conditions: Figure 1 (21°C, US & EU) and Figure 2 (23°C, Japan & Asia) — the curves are not identical (e.g. KMPR 1050 at 1000 rpm reads ~101 µm in Figure 1 vs. ~115 µm in Figure 2), a reminder that spin results are sensitive to coat-bowl ambient temperature/humidity and should be recharacterized on-tool. Both curves are plotted above: Figure 1 (21°C US & EU) as the primary curve and Figure 2 (23°C Japan & Asia) as a second series. Source: \"Coat\" / \"Recommended Program\", p.1, and Figures 1-2, p.2.", "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "\"Adhesion promoters are typically not required.\" For applications that require electroplating, the current KMPR 1000 datasheet (Ver. 6) recommends pre-treating the substrate with HMDS Primer, and its Plating process lists HMDS as the first step. Source: KMPR 1000 datasheet Ver. 6, \"Substrate Preparation\", pp.1–2, and \"Plating\", p.4." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 100, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Recommended bake temperature is 100°C (95-105°C also usable, per text) — this scalar temperature is explicit in the document. Time is published as a THICKNESS-BINNED table only up to 80 µm: 5-11 µm → 5 min; 12-20 µm → 7 min; 21-30 µm → 12 min; 31-55 µm → 15 min; 56-80 µm → 20 min. KMPR 1050's own spin curve (Figure 1) reaches 101 µm at 1000 rpm, i.e. above the table's published range — the datasheet does not give a soft-bake time for film thicker than 80 µm at all, so no time is assumed for the thick end of this grade's range. Convection ovens are explicitly not recommended. A cool-down/re-heat 'wrinkle' check is described to confirm the film is fully dry.", "source": "Table 2 \"Soft Bake Times\" and \"Soft Bake\" section text, p.2" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "binBasis": "spun-film", "bins": [ { "um_min": 5, "um_max": 11, "mJ_min": 235, "mJ_max": 335 }, { "um_min": 12, "um_max": 20, "mJ_min": 355, "mJ_max": 485 }, { "um_min": 21, "um_max": 30, "mJ_min": 500, "mJ_max": 645 }, { "um_min": 31, "um_max": 55, "mJ_min": 665, "mJ_max": 1055 }, { "um_min": 56, "um_max": 80, "mJ_min": 1070, "mJ_max": 1465 } ], "source": "Table 3 'Exposure Dose' of the Kayaku Microchem/MicroChem KMPR 1000 datasheet (Ver. 4.2). The published table stops at 80 µm — no dose is given above that, which is inside KMPR 1050's own coating range. Not attributed to a specific wavelength." } ], "basisCopy": "Dose climbs hard with thickness — 235–335 mJ/cm² at 5–11 µm, 1070–1465 mJ/cm² at 56–80 µm — and then the table stops at 80 µm, while this grade coats up to 101 µm at 1000 rpm." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 100, "time_s": null, "notes": "Recommended PEB temperature is 100°C (95-105°C also usable, per text). Time is given as a THICKNESS-THRESHOLD rule rather than a table: ≤25 µm → 2 minutes; >25 µm → 3 minutes; >50 µm → 4 minutes. KMPR 1050's own thickness range (44-101 µm, Figure 1) straddles the 25 µm and 50 µm thresholds, so no single time applies across the whole grade — use the threshold matching the film actually coated. After 1 minute of PEB a latent mask image should already be visible; none appearing means insufficient exposure and/or heat.", "source": "\"Post Exposure Bake (PEB)\" section text, p.3" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "2.38% TMAH (0.26N) aqueous alkaline developer (primary); SU-8 Developer (solvent-based) is also usable as an alternative", "dilution": "2.38% TMAH (0.26N), used as supplied", "time_s": null, "method": "immersion", "rinse": "DI water, ~20 s spray rinse, then filtered air/N2 dry (TMAH path). If the optional SU-8-developer alternative is used instead, rinse is ~10 s fresh developer spray then ~10 s IPA spray, per the SU-8-developer note.", "source": "\"Develop\" and \"Rinse and Dry\" sections plus Table 5 (TMAH) and Table 6 (SU-8 developer), p.3" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "time_s": null, "optional": true, "condition": "not needed for plating", "notes": "The datasheet contains no general Hard Bake process step at all — no recommended temperature or time is published anywhere in the document (unlike the SU-8 2000 datasheets, which have a dedicated Hard Bake section). It explicitly states, for the electroplating process specifically: \"Hard bake is NOT REQUIRED OR RECOMMENDED for plating resistance.\"", "source": "\"Plating\" section note, p.3" }, "descum": "RIE, 2 min at 100 W with 10 sccm O2 at 100 mTorr — quoted as step 3 of the datasheet's plating sequence.", "applications": [ "high-aspect-ratio", "mems-structural", "electroplating-molding", "etch-mask" ], "etchResistance": "Listed as a Feature: \"Excellent dry etch resistance.\" Demonstrated in an application photo (\"Etched Trenches\", 10 µm features, 65 µm deep, credited to ULVAC) consistent with use as a DRIE (deep reactive ion etch) mask. No quantitative etch rate or selectivity numbers are published. Source: \"Features\" list and application photos, p.1.", "liftoffSuitable": false, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "MicroChem Remover PG (NMP): heat bath to 80°C, immerse substrate 10-20 minutes (actual time depends on resist thickness and agitation, e.g. ultrasound). For fully electroformed metal structures, a stronger sequence is given: Remover PG 10 min @80°C → DIW rinse → XP Remover K (epoxy stripping chemistry) 10 min @80°C → DIW rinse → XP Neutralizer K 3 min @25°C. Plasma removal: RIE 200 W, 80 sccm O2, 8 sccm CF4, 100 mTorr, 10°C. Source: \"Removal\" / \"Process Recommendation\" / \"Plasma Removal\", p.3.", "storage": "Store frozen, in tightly closed, upright containers, at 14°F (-10°C), away from light, heat, acids, and ignition sources. Shelf life is thirteen months from the date of manufacture at 14°F (-10°C), typically one to two months at room temperature. Defrost at room temperature for 24 hours before use. Source: KMPR 1000 datasheet Ver. 6, \"Storage\", p.4.", "notes": "KMPR 1050 is the thickest-coating grade in Kayaku Microchem/MicroChem's KMPR 1000 line and, unlike the solvent-developed SU-8 2000 family, is a chemically amplified epoxy resist designed to develop in aqueous TMAH — a meaningful process difference worth flagging for anyone assuming all thick epoxy negative resists behave like SU-8. Its published process tables (soft bake, exposure dose, TMAH develop time) only cover film thicknesses up to 80 µm, while KMPR 1050's own spin curve reaches roughly 101 µm at 1000 rpm; process engineers working at the thick end of this grade's range will need to extrapolate or characterize on-tool, since the datasheet simply does not publish numbers there. PEB time follows a thickness-threshold rule (2/3/4 minutes at 25/50 µm cutoffs) rather than a continuous table. A distinctive storage gotcha: KMPR 1000 resists must be stored frozen (14°F/-10°C) and require a full 24-hour room-temperature thaw before use — treating it like a room-temperature-stable resist will produce inconsistent films. The resist strips cleanly with Remover PG when only lightly cross-linked, but a fully electroformed/plated structure needs the stronger Remover PG → XP Remover K → XP Neutralizer K sequence to fully dissolve.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-solvent", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Fabrication of thick electroforming micro mould using a KMPR negative tone photoresist", "authors": "Lee et al.", "journal": "Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering", "year": 2008, "doi": "10.1088/0960-1317/18/5/055032", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1088/0960-1317/18/5/055032", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "180 µm, 18:1 KMPR molds — strippable, unlike SU-8." }, { "type": "paper", "title": "UV Lithography and Molding Fabrication of Ultrathick Micrometallic Structures Using a KMPR Photoresist", "authors": "Shin et al.", "journal": "Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems", "year": 2010, "doi": "10.1109/JMEMS.2010.2045880", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1109/JMEMS.2010.2045880", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "KMPR molds for mm-wave traveling-wave-tube structures." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Why don't the KMPR 1050 process tables cover my film thickness?", "a": "KMPR 1050 coats to roughly 101 µm at 1000 rpm (115 µm on the 23 °C curve), but the datasheet's soft-bake, exposure-dose and develop tables stop at 80 µm. Only the PEB rule is open-ended (4 min above 50 µm). So at the thick end of this grade you must extrapolate the trend and characterize on-tool rather than read a value off the sheet.", "source": "Kayaku Microchem KMPR 1000 datasheet (Ver. 4.2) — Tables 2 and 3, p.2; Post Exposure Bake (PEB) and Tables 5–6, p.3" }, { "q": "What post-exposure bake does KMPR 1050 need?", "a": "PEB is at 100 °C (95–105 °C usable), directly after exposure, with time set by a thickness-threshold rule rather than a table: 2 min at ≤25 µm, 3 min above 25 µm and 4 min above 50 µm. KMPR 1050 coats about 44–101 µm on the 21 °C chart (34–115 µm on the 23 °C one), so it is always above 25 µm: 3 min for films up to 50 µm, 4 min for thicker ones. A latent mask image should already be visible after about 1 min of PEB; if none appears, exposure or heat was insufficient.", "source": "Kayaku Microchem KMPR 1000 datasheet (Ver. 4.2) — Post Exposure Bake (PEB), p.3" }, { "q": "Why is my KMPR 1050 film wrinkling or not fully drying on soft bake?", "a": "Soft bake at 100°C on a level hotplate — convection ovens are explicitly not recommended, since a skin can trap solvent. Published times are thickness-binned up to 80 µm (e.g. 15 min for 31–55 µm, 20 min for 56–80 µm). Use the datasheet's cool-down/re-heat 'wrinkle' check to confirm the film is fully dry before exposure.", "source": "Kayaku Microchem KMPR 1000 datasheet (Ver. 4.2) — Table 2 Soft Bake Times and Soft Bake section, p.2" }, { "q": "Does KMPR 1050 need an adhesion promoter?", "a": "Adhesion promoters are typically not required. The exception is electroplating: the current KMPR 1000 datasheet (Ver. 6) recommends pre-treating the substrate with HMDS Primer, and its plating recipe lists HMDS as the first step.", "source": "Kayaku KMPR 1000 datasheet Ver. 6 — Substrate Preparation, pp.1–2, and Plating, p.4; Ver. 4.2 gives the same advice as MCC Primer 80/20 (HMDS), Substrate Preparation, p.1" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.seas.upenn.edu/~nanosop/documents/KMPRDataSheetver4_2a.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Ver. 4.2 (printed in the footer of every page: \"Ver. 4.2\")", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://microresist.de/produkt/kmpr-1000-series/", "what": "KMPR 1000 datasheet Ver. 6 (Dec 2019), the current revision: it lists KMPR 1005 to 1035 only, and supplies this page's storage and adhesion wording." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "kmpr-1005", "name": "KMPR 1005", "min_um": 4.5, "max_um": 9.5, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "kmpr-1010", "name": "KMPR 1010", "min_um": 10, "max_um": 27, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "kmpr-1015", "name": "KMPR 1015", "min_um": 12.5, "max_um": 40, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "kmpr-1025", "name": "KMPR 1025", "min_um": 21.5, "max_um": 87, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "kmpr-1035", "name": "KMPR 1035", "min_um": 28, "max_um": 115, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "lor-10a", "name": "LOR 10A", "manufacturer": "MicroChem (MCC) — now Kayaku Advanced Materials", "productLine": "LOR A series", "aliases": [ "LOR10A", "MicroChem LOR 10A", "Kayaku LOR 10A" ], "tone": null, "chemistry": "ancillary", "photoimageable": false, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not applicable. LOR is a non-photoimageable underlayer — it is never exposed, so it has no dose response to grade.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "LOR 10A is the thickest of the slow-dissolving A underlayers at 0.58-1.43 µm, and the grade the datasheet leads with — its Figure 1 shows LOR 10A under a high-temperature negative resist.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 0.58, "max_um": 1.43, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — the span of this grade's trace on the 'Thickness vs. Spin Speed - LOR A Thick Series' chart (p.5): 5,800 Å at 4000 rpm up to 14,300 Å at 1000 rpm. The datasheet publishes no stated per-grade thickness range, only a product-line figure covering every LOR and PMGI grade." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "LOR 10A", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 1.43 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 1.03 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 0.87 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 0.72 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 0.63 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 0.59 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 0.58 } ], "source": "read from figure — the green filled-triangle trace legended LOR 10A on the 'Thickness vs. Spin Speed - LOR A Thick Series' chart, p.5. Seven plotted markers at 500 rpm intervals; no numeric table accompanies the chart.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "From 14,300 Å at 1000 rpm the curve falls steeply to about 8,700 Å by 2000 rpm, then flattens hard — 3500 and 4000 rpm differ by only 100 Å. So the usable control range is really 1000-2500 rpm, and targeting much below 0.6 µm means dropping to LOR 7A or 5A rather than spinning faster. Coating parameters are published for the product line rather than per grade: 5 ml dispensed dynamically over 3-5 s onto a 150 mm wafer at 300-500 rpm, 10,000 rpm/s acceleration to a 3,000 rpm terminal speed, 45 s spin, with EBR PG for edge-bead and whisker removal.", "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "\"Primers, such as HMDS, are typically not required\" when LOR/PMGI is used as recommended; the datasheet describes excellent adhesion across semiconductor substrates. To dehydrate the surface first, bake at 200 °C for 5 min. LOR/PMGI is virtually insoluble in typical photoresist solvents, so a properly baked underlayer does not intermix with the imaging resist above it." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 160, "max": 210 }, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "The prebake dries the film and fixes its dissolution and undercut rate, and no grade-specific temperature or time is published. The recommended prebake range for the product line is 160-210 °C, hotplate preferred, and some PMGI products bake as high as 280 °C. Prebake temperature has the greatest influence on undercut rate, with prebake time, developer choice, develop mode and especially develop time behind it. That headroom matters for this grade in particular: the datasheet pairs it with a high-temperature negative resist in its opening figure, and the underlayer has to survive that resist's own bake without its undercut behaviour drifting. The published undercut-versus-bake curves (Figures 5a and 5b) are measured on LOR 10B — same nominal thickness class, faster dissolution — so they give the shape rather than numbers to copy.", "source": "Rev. D p.3: 'The recommended bake temperature range is 160°C – 210°C'; 'Hot plates are the preferred tool for the prebake step.'" }, "exposureDose": null, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "0.26N or 0.24N TMAH (no product named); metal-ion-bearing developers are not rated for LOR A (selection guide, p.7).", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Product description, the LOR/PMGI process-flow section and the product selection guide, Kayaku \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023)" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [ "lift-off" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": true, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "Remover PG. EBR PG removes edge beads and whiskers and is also an effective spin-bowl cleaner and a rework solvent for unbaked wafers.", "storage": "Store upright in original sealed containers in a dry area between 10 and 24 °C (50-76 °F), away from ignition sources, light, heat, oxidants, acids and reducers. Do not use after the expiration date, 13 months from manufacture.", "notes": "LOR 10A is the thick end of the slow-dissolving A series, a PMGI-based sacrificial film spun beneath a conventional photoresist and never exposed. It is also the grade Kayaku leads the datasheet with: Figure 1 shows LOR 10A used under a high-temperature negative resist, which is the case the A series is built for — a slow underlayer whose undercut opens gradually and predictably, under an imaging resist whose own processing runs hot. Choosing 10A over the same-thickness 10B is not a thickness decision; both land around one micron. It is a decision to take the slower film, trading a wider undercut per unit develop time for a wider process window before the ledge runs too far under a feature. At 0.58-1.43 µm the film is thick enough for substantial metal stacks, and thick enough that prebake temperature and develop time both start to matter more than they do on the sub-micron A grades.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Will LOR 10A survive a hot deposition or a hot-baked negative resist on top?", "a": "The datasheet rates the underlayer for it: LOR/PMGI has a Tg above 190 °C and is compatible with high-temperature sputter, evaporative metal and dielectric deposition, and Figure 1 shows 10A under a high-temperature negative resist with about 1 µm of undercut on 20 µm lines. Check the imaging resist separately. MicroChemicals notes that resist heated past its softening point during deposition rounds over and gets coated all over, which makes lift-off difficult and leaves fences; its remedies include better heat coupling to the holder and a lower deposition rate.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Features and Figure 1, p.1; Deposition Process, p.4. MicroChemicals application note \"Lift-off Processes with Photoresist\" — Thermal Effects on the Resist Structures; \"Fences\" after Lift-off" }, { "q": "I chose LOR 10A and can't get more than about a micron of undercut. Should it be 10B?", "a": "If you need more than a micron, yes. The two grades land at similar thicknesses (10A about 0.6-1.4 µm, 10B about 0.65-1.6 µm), but the product-range chart puts the A series at a medium dissolution rate and B at fast, and the selection guide rates LOR A only some compatibility for undercuts above 1 µm where LOR B is recommended. Below that, a cooler prebake and a longer develop on 10A are the levers the datasheet names.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Product Range chart, p.1; Soft-Bake/Prebake Process, p.3; LOR A and LOR B Thick Series charts, p.5; Product Selection Guide, p.7" }, { "q": "Drain lines clog since we started running LOR 10A in a shared coater bowl. What does the datasheet say?", "a": "It names that problem: mixing a conventional resist process with LOR/PMGI can clog drain lines, and a dedicated coat bowl and drain are recommended, though not mandatory. If EBR PG is used for clean-up and edge-bead removal, LOR and conventional resists can share the same system. The coating hardware must also be compatible with cyclopentanone.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Coating Process, p.2; Edge Bead Removal, p.3" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/lor-pmgi-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. D, August 2023 (printed in the footer of every page)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-12", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "lor-1a", "name": "LOR 1A", "min_um": 0.081, "max_um": 0.158, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-2a", "name": "LOR 2A", "min_um": 0.128, "max_um": 0.265, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-3a", "name": "LOR 3A", "min_um": 0.203, "max_um": 0.44, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-5a", "name": "LOR 5A", "min_um": 0.35, "max_um": 0.82, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-7a", "name": "LOR 7A", "min_um": 0.44, "max_um": 1.07, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-15a", "name": "LOR 15A", "min_um": 0.99, "max_um": 2.56, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "lor-10b", "name": "LOR 10B", "manufacturer": "MicroChem (MCC) — now Kayaku Advanced Materials", "productLine": "LOR B series", "aliases": [ "LOR10B", "MicroChem LOR 10B", "Kayaku LOR 10B" ], "tone": null, "chemistry": "ancillary", "photoimageable": false, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not applicable. LOR is a non-photoimageable underlayer — it is never exposed, so it has no dose response to grade.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "LOR 10B coats 0.65-1.57 µm and is the one LOR grade whose undercut behaviour the datasheet actually measures — both published undercut-versus-bake curves are taken on this film.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 0.65, "max_um": 1.57, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — the span of this grade's trace on the 'Thickness vs. Spin Speed - LOR B Thick Series' chart (p.5): 6,500 Å at 4000 rpm up to 15,700 Å at 1000 rpm. The datasheet publishes no stated per-grade thickness range, only a product-line figure covering every LOR and PMGI grade." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "LOR 10B", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 1.57 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 1.2 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 1 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 0.83 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 0.72 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 0.67 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 0.65 } ], "source": "read from figure — the light-blue filled-diamond trace legended LOR 10B on the 'Thickness vs. Spin Speed - LOR B Thick Series' chart, p.5. Seven plotted markers at 500 rpm intervals; no numeric table accompanies the chart.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "The curve runs 15,700 Å at 1000 rpm down to 6,500 Å at 4000 rpm and is nearly flat above 3000 rpm, so speed stops being a useful control below about 0.7 µm — the grade below is the better answer there. A convenient landmark: 1.00 µm falls at 2000 rpm, near the middle of the usable range. Coating parameters are published for the product line rather than per grade: 5 ml dispensed dynamically over 3-5 s onto a 150 mm wafer at 300-500 rpm, 10,000 rpm/s acceleration to a 3,000 rpm terminal speed, 45 s spin, with EBR PG for edge-bead and whisker removal.", "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "\"Primers, such as HMDS, are typically not required\" when LOR/PMGI is used as recommended; the datasheet describes excellent adhesion across semiconductor substrates. To dehydrate the surface first, bake at 200 °C for 5 min. LOR/PMGI is virtually insoluble in typical photoresist solvents, so a properly baked underlayer does not intermix with the imaging resist above it." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 160, "max": 210 }, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "This is the grade the datasheet actually characterises: Figure 5a plots undercut rate against soft-bake temperature and Figure 5b plots it against soft-bake time, both measured on LOR 10B. The recommended prebake range for the product line is 160-210 °C, hotplate preferred, and some PMGI products bake as high as 280 °C. The text singles out prebake temperature as the greatest influence on undercut rate, ahead of prebake time, developer choice, develop mode and — particularly — develop time. Neither figure is reduced to a table, so the curves give direction and shape rather than a number to dial in: hotter and longer both slow the dissolution and tighten the undercut. No single recommended prebake temperature or time is published for this or any other grade.", "source": "Rev. D p.3: 'The recommended bake temperature range is 160°C – 210°C'; 'Hot plates are the preferred tool for the prebake step.'" }, "exposureDose": null, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "0.24N TMAH or a metal-ion-bearing developer (no product named); 0.26N TMAH has some compatibility (selection guide, p.7).", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Product description, the LOR/PMGI process-flow section and the product selection guide, Kayaku \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023)" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [ "lift-off" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": true, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "Remover PG. EBR PG removes edge beads and whiskers and is also an effective spin-bowl cleaner and a rework solvent for unbaked wafers.", "storage": "Store upright in original sealed containers in a dry area between 10 and 24 °C (50-76 °F), away from ignition sources, light, heat, oxidants, acids and reducers. Do not use after the expiration date, 13 months from manufacture.", "notes": "LOR 10B is a PMGI-based sacrificial underlayer from the fast-dissolving B series, and it is the grade worth knowing about even if you end up buying a different one: every published undercut measurement on this datasheet was made on LOR 10B. Figures 5a and 5b show undercut rate against prebake temperature and against prebake time, and the text singles out temperature as the strongest influence. No other grade gets that treatment, so anyone tuning an A or C grade is reading a B-grade curve and scaling by judgement. On thickness it sits in the middle of the B line at 0.65-1.57 µm. The B series dissolves faster than A for the same prebake, which is right when the deposited metal is thick and needs a generous ledge to break at, and wrong when the feature is fine — the undercut keeps running for as long as the imaging resist above is developing, and develop time is the variable the datasheet flags as especially influential.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Undercut on LOR 10B is running away. Should I lengthen the prebake or raise its temperature?", "a": "Raise the temperature. Figure 5a, measured on 10B, fits the undercut rate as 215.56 − T nm/s over 170-190 °C: about 46 nm/s at 170 °C, 36 at 180 °C and 26 at 190 °C. Figure 5b fits bake time as 46.25 − 0.0208·t nm/s, only about 43 nm/s at 160 s falling to 38 at 380 s. So 20 °C of bake moves the rate by roughly 20 nm/s, while more than doubling the bake time moves it by about 5. The developer and develop mode behind those figures are not stated, so treat the absolute rates as a starting point.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Soft-Bake/Prebake Process and Figures 5a-5b, p.3" }, { "q": "Same LOR 10B recipe, different undercut from one lot of wafers to the next. What drifts?", "a": "Start with the hotplate. On the Figure 5a fit the 10B undercut rate falls about 1 nm/s for every 1 °C of prebake, so a plate that wanders a few degrees shows up directly in the ledge. Then check develop time and mode, which the datasheet also names; the room, which it wants at 20-25 °C ±1 °C and 35-45 % RH ±2 %; and the bottle, which should be stored upright and sealed at 10-24 °C and not used past its expiry, 13 months from manufacture.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Soft-Bake/Prebake Process and Figure 5a, p.3; Storage and Processing Environment, p.8" }, { "q": "Which developer gives a controlled undercut on LOR 10B?", "a": "The selection guide recommends 0.24N TMAH and MIB developers for the B series and rates standard 0.26N TMAH only as some compatibility. For a 0.5-1.0 µm undercut it adds that control is achievable with weaker MIF developers or typical MIB developers. If the imaging resist on top of 10B calls for 0.26N, expect to tune develop time and prebake harder.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Development Process, p.4; Product Selection Guide (Developer Compatibility, Undercut Geometry, Advice note 1), p.7" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/lor-pmgi-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. D, August 2023 (printed in the footer of every page)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-12", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "lor-7b", "name": "LOR 7B", "min_um": 0.32, "max_um": 0.9, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-15b", "name": "LOR 15B", "min_um": 1, "max_um": 2.17, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-20b", "name": "LOR 20B", "min_um": 1.3, "max_um": 3.45, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-30b", "name": "LOR 30B", "min_um": 1.6, "max_um": 4.35, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "lor-15a", "name": "LOR 15A", "manufacturer": "MicroChem (MCC) — now Kayaku Advanced Materials", "productLine": "LOR A series", "aliases": [ "LOR15A", "MicroChem LOR 15A", "Kayaku LOR 15A" ], "tone": null, "chemistry": "ancillary", "photoimageable": false, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not applicable. LOR is a non-photoimageable underlayer — it is never exposed, so it has no dose response to grade.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "LOR 15A is the thickest grade in the slow-dissolving A series at 0.99-2.56 µm — the choice when a thick deposit needs a generous ledge but a B-series undercut would run too far.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 0.99, "max_um": 2.56, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — the span of this grade's trace on the 'Thickness vs. Spin Speed - LOR A Thick Series' chart (p.5): 9,900 Å at 4000 rpm up to 25,600 Å at 1000 rpm. The datasheet publishes no stated per-grade thickness range, only a product-line figure covering every LOR and PMGI grade." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "LOR 15A", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 2.56 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 1.93 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 1.55 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 1.29 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 1.11 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 1 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 0.99 } ], "source": "read from figure — the purple cross-marker trace legended LOR 15A on the 'Thickness vs. Spin Speed - LOR A Thick Series' chart, p.5, the highest of the four traces. Seven plotted markers at 500 rpm intervals; no numeric table accompanies the chart.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "The steepest trace on the A-thick chart: 25,600 Å at 1000 rpm falls to 15,500 Å by 2000 and flattens toward 9,900 Å at 4000 rpm, where it has essentially bottomed out. The whole range above about 1.5 µm lives below 2000 rpm, so the thick end is where speed control matters and a slow-spin target is worth confirming on a test wafer. Coating parameters are published for the product line rather than per grade: 5 ml dispensed dynamically over 3-5 s onto a 150 mm wafer at 300-500 rpm, 10,000 rpm/s acceleration to a 3,000 rpm terminal speed, 45 s spin, with EBR PG for edge-bead and whisker removal.", "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "\"Primers, such as HMDS, are typically not required\" when LOR/PMGI is used as recommended; the datasheet describes excellent adhesion across semiconductor substrates. To dehydrate the surface first, bake at 200 °C for 5 min. LOR/PMGI is virtually insoluble in typical photoresist solvents, so a properly baked underlayer does not intermix with the imaging resist above it." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 160, "max": 210 }, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "The prebake dries the film and fixes its dissolution and undercut rate, and no grade-specific temperature or time is published. The recommended prebake range for the product line is 160-210 °C, hotplate preferred, and some PMGI products bake as high as 280 °C. Prebake temperature has the greatest influence on undercut rate, with prebake time, developer choice, develop mode and especially develop time behind it. At this thickness there is substantially more solvent to drive out than on the sub-micron A grades, so bake time deserves its own place in the tuning matrix; the published undercut-versus-bake curves (Figures 5a and 5b) are measured on LOR 10B, a thinner and faster grade.", "source": "Rev. D p.3: 'The recommended bake temperature range is 160°C – 210°C'; 'Hot plates are the preferred tool for the prebake step.'" }, "exposureDose": null, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "0.26N or 0.24N TMAH (no product named); metal-ion-bearing developers are not rated for LOR A (selection guide, p.7).", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Product description, the LOR/PMGI process-flow section and the product selection guide, Kayaku \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023)" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [ "lift-off" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": true, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "Remover PG. EBR PG removes edge beads and whiskers and is also an effective spin-bowl cleaner and a rework solvent for unbaked wafers.", "storage": "Store upright in original sealed containers in a dry area between 10 and 24 °C (50-76 °F), away from ignition sources, light, heat, oxidants, acids and reducers. Do not use after the expiration date, 13 months from manufacture.", "notes": "LOR 15A is the thick end of the slow-dissolving A series, a PMGI-based sacrificial film spun beneath a conventional photoresist and never exposed. It exists for a specific combination: a deposit heavy enough to need a couple of microns of sacrificial layer underneath, on a pattern fine enough that a fast-dissolving B or C grade would undercut past the feature while the imaging resist above was still developing. That trade — thickness without speed — is the whole reason the A series extends this far up. Prebake temperature remains the primary control over how far the ledge opens, with develop time close behind, and on a film this thick bake time matters more than it does on the thin grades. Nothing here is exposed, so there is no dose, no tone and no post-exposure bake to set.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Undercut on a 2 µm LOR 15A coat is hard to control. Is the grade rated for that thickness?", "a": "Only partly. The selection guide recommends the LOR A series for 0.1-1 µm films and gives it just some compatibility at 1-5 µm, where LOR B is recommended. LOR 15A spends nearly its whole curve above a micron: about 1.0 µm at 4000 rpm, 1.5 µm at 2000 rpm and 2.6 µm at 1000 rpm. For films past 2 µm the datasheet says straighter sidewalls come from spray development, and develop time is set by the LOR and imaging-resist thicknesses together.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Development Process, p.4; Thickness vs. Spin Speed, LOR A Thick Series chart, p.5; Product Selection Guide (Thickness Range), p.7" }, { "q": "Metal over LOR 15A tears at the edges instead of releasing. Is the film thick enough?", "a": "Check the ratio first. The datasheet wants the LOR film thicker than the deposit, typically by 33 %. A 15A coat of about 2.6 µm at 1000 rpm carries roughly 1.9 µm of metal; at 2000 rpm the film is about 1.5 µm, good for about 1.1 µm. If the deposit is inside that and it still tears, the ledge is probably too short: lower the prebake within 160-210 °C or develop longer.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Coating Process, p.2; Soft-Bake/Prebake Process, p.3; LOR A Thick Series chart, p.5" }, { "q": "Thin whiskers of LOR 15A are left at the wafer edge after coating. How do I get rid of them?", "a": "EBR PG removes both edge beads and whiskers on LOR/PMGI films and works on most coating tracks; acetone and conventional resist edge-bead removers are not recommended. The datasheet adds that whiskers are reduced with the LOR C resists, especially in thicker applications.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Edge Bead Removal, p.3" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/lor-pmgi-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. D, August 2023 (printed in the footer of every page)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-12", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "lor-1a", "name": "LOR 1A", "min_um": 0.081, "max_um": 0.158, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-2a", "name": "LOR 2A", "min_um": 0.128, "max_um": 0.265, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-3a", "name": "LOR 3A", "min_um": 0.203, "max_um": 0.44, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-5a", "name": "LOR 5A", "min_um": 0.35, "max_um": 0.82, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-7a", "name": "LOR 7A", "min_um": 0.44, "max_um": 1.07, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-10a", "name": "LOR 10A", "min_um": 0.58, "max_um": 1.43, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "lor-15b", "name": "LOR 15B", "manufacturer": "MicroChem (MCC) — now Kayaku Advanced Materials", "productLine": "LOR B series", "aliases": [ "LOR15B", "MicroChem LOR 15B", "Kayaku LOR 15B" ], "tone": null, "chemistry": "ancillary", "photoimageable": false, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not applicable. LOR is a non-photoimageable underlayer — it is never exposed, so it has no dose response to grade.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "LOR 15B coats 1.00-2.17 µm, filling the gap between LOR 10B and LOR 20B in the fast-dissolving B series.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 1, "max_um": 2.17, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — the span of this grade's trace on the 'Thickness vs. Spin Speed - LOR B Thick Series' chart (p.5): 10,000 Å at 4000 rpm up to 21,700 Å at 1000 rpm. The datasheet publishes no stated per-grade thickness range, only a product-line figure covering every LOR and PMGI grade." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "LOR 15B", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 2.17 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 1.56 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 1.38 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 1.23 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 1.1 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 1.03 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 1 } ], "source": "read from figure — the red filled-square trace legended LOR 15B on the 'Thickness vs. Spin Speed - LOR B Thick Series' chart, p.5, the middle of the five traces. Seven plotted markers at 500 rpm intervals; no numeric table accompanies the chart.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "A well-behaved curve that lands on a round number at each end — 21,700 Å at 1000 rpm down to almost exactly 10,000 Å at 4000, so the grade covers a clean factor of two. The knee sits around 1500-2000 rpm; below it thickness climbs quickly, above it the curve is nearly flat and speed buys little. Coating parameters are published for the product line rather than per grade: 5 ml dispensed dynamically over 3-5 s onto a 150 mm wafer at 300-500 rpm, 10,000 rpm/s acceleration to a 3,000 rpm terminal speed, 45 s spin, with EBR PG for edge-bead and whisker removal.", "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "\"Primers, such as HMDS, are typically not required\" when LOR/PMGI is used as recommended; the datasheet describes excellent adhesion across semiconductor substrates. To dehydrate the surface first, bake at 200 °C for 5 min. LOR/PMGI is virtually insoluble in typical photoresist solvents, so a properly baked underlayer does not intermix with the imaging resist above it." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 160, "max": 210 }, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "The prebake dries the film and fixes its dissolution and undercut rate, and no grade-specific temperature or time is published. The recommended prebake range for the product line is 160-210 °C, hotplate preferred, and some PMGI products bake as high as 280 °C. Prebake temperature has the greatest influence on undercut rate, with prebake time, developer choice, develop mode and especially develop time behind it. On a B-series film that lever matters more than on an A grade because the starting dissolution rate is already high; conveniently, the published undercut-versus-bake curves (Figures 5a and 5b) are measured on LOR 10B, the nearest sibling to this grade in both series and thickness.", "source": "Rev. D p.3: 'The recommended bake temperature range is 160°C – 210°C'; 'Hot plates are the preferred tool for the prebake step.'" }, "exposureDose": null, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "0.24N TMAH or a metal-ion-bearing developer (no product named); 0.26N TMAH has some compatibility (selection guide, p.7).", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Product description, the LOR/PMGI process-flow section and the product selection guide, Kayaku \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023)" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [ "lift-off" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": true, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "Remover PG. EBR PG removes edge beads and whiskers and is also an effective spin-bowl cleaner and a rework solvent for unbaked wafers.", "storage": "Store upright in original sealed containers in a dry area between 10 and 24 °C (50-76 °F), away from ignition sources, light, heat, oxidants, acids and reducers. Do not use after the expiration date, 13 months from manufacture.", "notes": "LOR 15B is a PMGI-based sacrificial underlayer from the fast-dissolving B series, spun beneath a conventional photoresist and never exposed. It sits between 10B and 20B, which makes it the grade for deposits in the one-to-two micron range that want B-series speed — a generous ledge opened quickly — without the extra thickness of 20B. The reason to want speed is mechanical: a thick deposit needs the underlayer to pull back far enough that the metal breaks cleanly at the edge rather than tearing. The reason to be careful with it is the same property seen from the other side, because a fast film keeps undercutting for as long as the imaging resist above is developing, and the datasheet singles out develop time as a particularly strong influence on where the ledge ends up. Of all the B grades, this one has the closest published characterisation to lean on: the undercut-versus-bake figures are measured on LOR 10B, its immediate neighbour.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "An ethyl-lactate imaging resist leaves a scummy foot over LOR 15B. Which bake fixes it?", "a": "Bake the LOR at 180 °C or higher. One of the selection guide's advice notes says intermixing can occur with ethyl-lactate-based resists at temperatures below 180 °C, and the datasheet says a properly baked LOR/PMGI film is virtually insoluble in typical resist solvents, so the layers stay separate. The cost is a slower undercut: on the nearest published curve, LOR 10B, the rate drops about 1 nm/s per °C across 170-190 °C, so re-balance with develop time.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Substrate Preparation, p.2; Figure 5a, p.3; Product Selection Guide Advice note 3, p.7" }, { "q": "A slow-spun LOR 15B film gives sloped sidewalls in immersion. Should I switch to spray?", "a": "At that thickness, yes. The datasheet says straighter sidewalls with thick (>2 µm) LOR/PMGI layers come from spray development. LOR 15B only passes 2 µm near 1000 rpm, where it coats about 2.2 µm; by 1500 rpm it is down to about 1.6 µm, so the advice covers the slow end of its curve.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Development Process, p.4; Thickness vs. Spin Speed, LOR B Thick Series chart, p.5" }, { "q": "Can I rework a wafer after coating LOR 15B?", "a": "Before the bake, yes: EBR PG is an effective solvent for rework of unbaked wafers as well as for spin-bowl clean-up. After baking, the removal route the datasheet gives is Remover PG or another NMP- or DMSO-based remover, and it notes the removal rate depends on the soft-bake temperature and the bath temperature. Acetone and conventional edge-bead removers are not recommended with LOR/PMGI.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Edge Bead Removal, p.3; Lift-Off Process, p.4" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/lor-pmgi-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. D, August 2023 (printed in the footer of every page)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-12", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "lor-7b", "name": "LOR 7B", "min_um": 0.32, "max_um": 0.9, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-10b", "name": "LOR 10B", "min_um": 0.65, "max_um": 1.57, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-20b", "name": "LOR 20B", "min_um": 1.3, "max_um": 3.45, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-30b", "name": "LOR 30B", "min_um": 1.6, "max_um": 4.35, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "lor-1a", "name": "LOR 1A", "manufacturer": "MicroChem (MCC) — now Kayaku Advanced Materials", "productLine": "LOR A series", "aliases": [ "LOR1A", "MicroChem LOR 1A", "Kayaku LOR 1A" ], "tone": null, "chemistry": "ancillary", "photoimageable": false, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not applicable. LOR is a non-photoimageable underlayer — it is never exposed, so it has no dose response to grade.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "LOR 1A is the thinnest underlayer in the LOR line at 0.081-0.158 µm, for lift-off of thin metal where anything thicker would swallow the feature.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 0.081, "max_um": 0.158, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — the span of this grade's trace on the 'Thickness vs. Spin Speed - LOR A Thin Series' chart (p.5): 810 Å at 4000 rpm up to 1,580 Å at 1000 rpm. The datasheet publishes no stated per-grade thickness range, only a product-line figure covering every LOR and PMGI grade." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "LOR 1A", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 0.158 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 0.12 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 0.105 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 0.097 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 0.088 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 0.082 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 0.081 } ], "source": "read from figure — the blue filled-diamond trace legended LOR 1A on the 'Thickness vs. Spin Speed - LOR A Thin Series' chart, p.5, the lowest of the three traces. Seven plotted markers at 500 rpm intervals; no numeric table accompanies the chart.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "The whole grade lives between 810 and 1,580 Å, so the entire spin sweep buys under 80 nm of thickness and the curve is flat from about 2500 rpm onward. Spin speed is a trim here, not a control — pick the grade for the thickness you want and use speed to fine-tune. Coating parameters are published for the product line rather than per grade: 5 ml dispensed dynamically over 3-5 s onto a 150 mm wafer at 300-500 rpm, 10,000 rpm/s acceleration to a 3,000 rpm terminal speed, 45 s spin, with EBR PG for edge-bead and whisker removal.", "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "\"Primers, such as HMDS, are typically not required\" when LOR/PMGI is used as recommended; the datasheet describes excellent adhesion across semiconductor substrates. To dehydrate the surface first, bake at 200 °C for 5 min. LOR/PMGI is virtually insoluble in typical photoresist solvents, so a properly baked underlayer does not intermix with the imaging resist above it." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 160, "max": 210 }, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "The prebake dries the film and fixes its dissolution and undercut rate, and no grade-specific temperature or time is published. The recommended prebake range for the product line is 160-210 °C, hotplate preferred, and some PMGI products bake as high as 280 °C. Prebake temperature has the greatest influence on undercut rate, with prebake time, developer choice, develop mode and especially develop time behind it. Hotter and longer both slow the dissolution and tighten the undercut. The published undercut-versus-bake curves (Figures 5a and 5b) are measured on LOR 10B, a B-series grade an order of magnitude thicker than this one, so they show the shape of the relationship rather than numbers to transfer here.", "source": "Rev. D p.3: 'The recommended bake temperature range is 160°C – 210°C'; 'Hot plates are the preferred tool for the prebake step.'" }, "exposureDose": null, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "0.26N or 0.24N TMAH (no product named); metal-ion-bearing developers are not rated for LOR A (selection guide, p.7).", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Product description, the LOR/PMGI process-flow section and the product selection guide, Kayaku \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023)" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [ "lift-off" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": true, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "Remover PG. EBR PG removes edge beads and whiskers and is also an effective spin-bowl cleaner and a rework solvent for unbaked wafers.", "storage": "Store upright in original sealed containers in a dry area between 10 and 24 °C (50-76 °F), away from ignition sources, light, heat, oxidants, acids and reducers. Do not use after the expiration date, 13 months from manufacture.", "notes": "LOR 1A is the thin end of the whole LOR range — a PMGI-based sacrificial film spun under a conventional photoresist and never exposed itself. The datasheet wants the LOR/PMGI film thicker than the deposited metal film, typically by 33 %, so at 810 to 1,580 Å LOR 1A suits depositions up to roughly 60-120 nm. That makes this the grade for fine features and thin depositions, where a micron-scale underlayer would undercut straight through the pattern. The A series dissolves more slowly than B or C for the same prebake, which is the other half of why it suits fine work — the ledge opens gradually and the process window is wider. Nothing here is exposed, so there is no dose, no tone and no post-exposure bake to set; prebake temperature and develop time do all the work.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Metal deposited over LOR 1A won't break at the feature edge. Is the underlayer too thin for my film?", "a": "Probably, if the deposit is more than about 60–120 nm, depending on spin speed. The datasheet wants the LOR film thicker than the deposited metal, typically by 33 %. Read from the spin chart, LOR 1A coats about 0.16 µm at 1000 rpm and about 0.08 µm at 4000 rpm, which carries roughly 120 nm of metal at the slow end and about 60 nm at the fast end. The chart stops at 1000 rpm, so for a deposit over about 120 nm move to LOR 2A or 3A rather than spinning outside the charted range.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Coating Process, p.2; Thickness vs. Spin Speed, LOR A Thin Series chart, p.5" }, { "q": "The undercut under LOR 1A is barely there after develop. What do I change first?", "a": "The prebake temperature. The datasheet ranks it the strongest influence on undercut rate, and its bake data show dissolution slowing as the bake gets hotter, so step the temperature down inside the recommended 160-210 °C hotplate window. Develop time comes next: the LOR A undercut-versus-develop bars keep growing from 2 to 3 min, though they were measured on a 0.3 µm film, thicker than any 1A coat. No bake or develop time is published for 1A itself, so run the matrix the datasheet asks for, prebake temperature against develop time.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Soft-Bake/Prebake Process and Figures 5a-5b, p.3; Undercut vs. Develop Time chart and Figure 6, p.4" }, { "q": "Can LOR 1A give me an undercut below 0.35 µm, or a film under 100 nm?", "a": "Not within its rating. The product selection guide hatches out both the <0.35 µm undercut geometry and the <100 nm thickness band for the LOR A series; the finest undercut it recommends for LOR A is 0.35-0.5 µm, and it rates A films from 0.1 µm up. The 1A curve drops below 100 nm at about 2500 rpm and bottoms out near 80 nm, so the fast half of its spin range sits outside that band. For ledges or films that small the guide points to the PMGI SF and SFS products.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — LOR/PMGI Product Selection Guide, p.7; LOR A Thin Series chart, p.5" }, { "q": "Can I take the LOR 1A edge bead off with acetone or my usual EBR solvent?", "a": "No. The datasheet says acetone and conventional resist edge-bead removers are not recommended with LOR/PMGI. Use EBR PG, which is made for these films, clears both the edge bead and whiskers, and also serves for spin-bowl clean-up and for reworking wafers that have not been baked yet. Once the film is baked, the removal route the datasheet gives is Remover PG or another NMP- or DMSO-based remover.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Edge Bead Removal, p.3; Lift-Off Process, p.4" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/lor-pmgi-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. D, August 2023 (printed in the footer of every page)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-12", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "lor-2a", "name": "LOR 2A", "min_um": 0.128, "max_um": 0.265, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-3a", "name": "LOR 3A", "min_um": 0.203, "max_um": 0.44, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-5a", "name": "LOR 5A", "min_um": 0.35, "max_um": 0.82, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-7a", "name": "LOR 7A", "min_um": 0.44, "max_um": 1.07, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-10a", "name": "LOR 10A", "min_um": 0.58, "max_um": 1.43, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-15a", "name": "LOR 15A", "min_um": 0.99, "max_um": 2.56, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "lor-20b", "name": "LOR 20B", "manufacturer": "MicroChem (MCC) — now Kayaku Advanced Materials", "productLine": "LOR B series", "aliases": [ "LOR20B", "MicroChem LOR 20B", "Kayaku LOR 20B" ], "tone": null, "chemistry": "ancillary", "photoimageable": false, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not applicable. LOR is a non-photoimageable underlayer — it is never exposed, so it has no dose response to grade.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "LOR 20B coats 1.30-3.45 µm, a sacrificial thickness chosen when the metal being lifted off is thick enough that a one-micron underlayer would not break cleanly at the edge.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 1.3, "max_um": 3.45, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — the span of this grade's trace on the 'Thickness vs. Spin Speed - LOR B Thick Series' chart (p.5): 13,000 Å at 4000 rpm up to 34,500 Å at 1000 rpm. The datasheet publishes no stated per-grade thickness range, only a product-line figure covering every LOR and PMGI grade." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "LOR 20B", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 3.45 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 2.57 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 2.05 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 1.7 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 1.42 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 1.35 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 1.3 } ], "source": "read from figure — the green filled-triangle trace legended LOR 20B on the 'Thickness vs. Spin Speed - LOR B Thick Series' chart, p.5. Seven plotted markers at 500 rpm intervals; no numeric table accompanies the chart.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Most of the thickness swing happens in the first half of the sweep: 34,500 Å at 1000 rpm falls to 20,500 Å by 2000 rpm, then only to 13,000 Å by 4000 rpm. So a target near the thick end sits where the curve is steepest and thickness is most sensitive to speed and to dispense — worth confirming on a test wafer rather than reading off the chart. Coating parameters are published for the product line rather than per grade: 5 ml dispensed dynamically over 3-5 s onto a 150 mm wafer at 300-500 rpm, 10,000 rpm/s acceleration to a 3,000 rpm terminal speed, 45 s spin, with EBR PG for edge-bead and whisker removal. An irregularly shaped substrate needs a slower spin.", "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "\"Primers, such as HMDS, are typically not required\" when LOR/PMGI is used as recommended; the datasheet describes excellent adhesion across semiconductor substrates. To dehydrate the surface first, bake at 200 °C for 5 min. LOR/PMGI is virtually insoluble in typical photoresist solvents, so a properly baked underlayer does not intermix with the imaging resist above it." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 160, "max": 210 }, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "The prebake dries the film and fixes its dissolution and undercut rate, and no grade-specific temperature or time is published. The recommended prebake range for the product line is 160-210 °C, hotplate preferred, and some PMGI products bake as high as 280 °C. Prebake temperature has the greatest influence on undercut rate, with prebake time, developer choice, develop mode and especially develop time behind it. At this thickness the bake also has several times more solvent to drive out than a sub-micron coat, so the time half of that matrix is worth exploring on a test wafer; the published undercut-versus-bake curves (Figures 5a and 5b) are measured on LOR 10B, a film roughly half this thickness.", "source": "Rev. D p.3: 'The recommended bake temperature range is 160°C – 210°C'; 'Hot plates are the preferred tool for the prebake step.'" }, "exposureDose": null, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "0.24N TMAH or a metal-ion-bearing developer (no product named); 0.26N TMAH has some compatibility (selection guide, p.7).", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Product description, the LOR/PMGI process-flow section and the product selection guide, Kayaku \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023)" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [ "lift-off" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": true, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "Remover PG — expect the long end of any strip time at this thickness. EBR PG removes edge beads and whiskers and is also an effective spin-bowl cleaner and a rework solvent for unbaked wafers.", "storage": "Store upright in original sealed containers in a dry area between 10 and 24 °C (50-76 °F), away from ignition sources, light, heat, oxidants, acids and reducers. Do not use after the expiration date, 13 months from manufacture.", "notes": "LOR 20B is a thick PMGI-based sacrificial underlayer from the fast-dissolving B series, spun beneath a conventional photoresist and never exposed. Underlayer thickness is chosen against the deposited film, not against the feature: the sacrificial layer has to be thick enough that the metal landing on the substrate and the metal landing on top of the imaging resist are genuinely disconnected, or the lift-off tears instead of releasing. At 1.30-3.45 µm this grade is aimed at depositions the sub-micron grades cannot break. The trade is that a thick, fast-dissolving film keeps undercutting for as long as the imaging resist above it is developing, so the ledge can travel further than intended under fine features — which is why the datasheet's own thick-film example pairs a 30-series underlayer with 20 µm lines rather than sub-micron ones. Prebake temperature remains the primary control, with develop time close behind.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "The undercut under LOR 20B travels far past what I planned. How fast does it grow with develop time?", "a": "Fast. The datasheet's LOR B bars, measured on a 3 µm film (a thickness 20B reaches between 1000 and 1500 rpm), read about 3.6 µm of undercut at 2 min, about 6.7 µm at 2.5 min and about 9 µm at 3 min, so 30 extra seconds can add some 3 µm of ledge. Its LOR B/C image shows an undercut over 5 µm. Cut develop time or raise the prebake within 160-210 °C before resizing the pattern.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Undercut vs. Develop Time chart, p.4; LOR B Thick Series chart, p.5; Varying LOR/PMGI Undercut images, p.6" }, { "q": "Lift-off over LOR 20B leaves the stack half-attached. How hard should I push the remover?", "a": "Use Remover PG or another NMP- or DMSO-based remover. The datasheet baseline is two tanks: 60 °C for 30 min in the first, then a 60 °C rinse in the second, and ultrasonic action improves removal. Removal rate depends on the LOR soft-bake temperature and the bath temperature, and actual times vary with prebake, later processing and the pattern. Kayaku does not recommend acetone with LOR/PMGI, and MicroChemicals adds that it cannot be heated to speed lift-off and evaporates fast enough to redeposit lifted metal particles.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Edge Bead Removal, p.3; Lift-Off Process, p.4. MicroChemicals application note \"Lift-off Processes with Photoresist\" — Suitable Lift-off Media" }, { "q": "How much metal will LOR 20B carry?", "a": "Roughly 2.6 µm at the thick end. The datasheet wants the underlayer thicker than the deposit, typically by 33 %. LOR 20B coats about 3.5 µm at 1000 rpm and about 1.3 µm at 4000 rpm, so it covers about 2.6 µm down to 1 µm of metal. Most of the swing is below 2000 rpm (about 2 µm there), where thickness is most sensitive to spin speed.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Coating Process, p.2; Thickness vs. Spin Speed, LOR B Thick Series chart, p.5" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/lor-pmgi-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. D, August 2023 (printed in the footer of every page)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-12", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "lor-7b", "name": "LOR 7B", "min_um": 0.32, "max_um": 0.9, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-10b", "name": "LOR 10B", "min_um": 0.65, "max_um": 1.57, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-15b", "name": "LOR 15B", "min_um": 1, "max_um": 2.17, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-30b", "name": "LOR 30B", "min_um": 1.6, "max_um": 4.35, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "lor-2a", "name": "LOR 2A", "manufacturer": "MicroChem (MCC) — now Kayaku Advanced Materials", "productLine": "LOR A series", "aliases": [ "LOR2A", "MicroChem LOR 2A", "Kayaku LOR 2A" ], "tone": null, "chemistry": "ancillary", "photoimageable": false, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not applicable. LOR is a non-photoimageable underlayer — it is never exposed, so it has no dose response to grade.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "LOR 2A sits between LOR 1A and LOR 3A in the slow-dissolving A series, coating 0.128-0.265 µm for lift-off of thin films where 1A is too thin to break the deposit and 3A undercuts too far.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 0.128, "max_um": 0.265, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — the span of this grade's trace on the 'Thickness vs. Spin Speed - LOR A Thin Series' chart (p.5): 1,280 Å at 4000 rpm up to 2,650 Å at 1000 rpm. The datasheet publishes no stated per-grade thickness range, only a product-line figure covering every LOR and PMGI grade." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "LOR 2A", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 0.265 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 0.203 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 0.177 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 0.158 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 0.148 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 0.135 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 0.128 } ], "source": "read from figure — the red filled-square trace legended LOR 2A on the 'Thickness vs. Spin Speed - LOR A Thin Series' chart, p.5, the middle of the three traces. Seven plotted markers at 500 rpm intervals; no numeric table accompanies the chart.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "A shallow curve across the whole sweep — 2,650 Å at 1000 rpm to 1,280 Å at 4000 — so the grade spans barely a factor of two and speed is a fine trim rather than a coarse control. It tracks roughly midway between the 1A and 3A traces at every speed, which is the practical way to place it: if a target falls between those two grades' ranges, this is the grade rather than a spin-speed compromise on either. Coating parameters are published for the product line rather than per grade: 5 ml dispensed dynamically over 3-5 s onto a 150 mm wafer at 300-500 rpm, 10,000 rpm/s acceleration to a 3,000 rpm terminal speed, 45 s spin, with EBR PG for edge-bead and whisker removal.", "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "\"Primers, such as HMDS, are typically not required\" when LOR/PMGI is used as recommended; the datasheet describes excellent adhesion across semiconductor substrates. To dehydrate the surface first, bake at 200 °C for 5 min. LOR/PMGI is virtually insoluble in typical photoresist solvents, so a properly baked underlayer does not intermix with the imaging resist above it." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 160, "max": 210 }, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "The prebake dries the film and fixes its dissolution and undercut rate, and no grade-specific temperature or time is published. The recommended prebake range for the product line is 160-210 °C, hotplate preferred, and some PMGI products bake as high as 280 °C. Prebake temperature has the greatest influence on undercut rate, with prebake time, developer choice, develop mode and especially develop time behind it. The published undercut-versus-bake curves (Figures 5a and 5b) are measured on LOR 10B, a faster B-series grade several times thicker, so they show the shape of the relationship rather than numbers to transfer here.", "source": "Rev. D p.3: 'The recommended bake temperature range is 160°C – 210°C'; 'Hot plates are the preferred tool for the prebake step.'" }, "exposureDose": null, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "0.26N or 0.24N TMAH (no product named); metal-ion-bearing developers are not rated for LOR A (selection guide, p.7).", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Product description, the LOR/PMGI process-flow section and the product selection guide, Kayaku \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023)" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [ "lift-off" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": true, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "Remover PG. EBR PG removes edge beads and whiskers and is also an effective spin-bowl cleaner and a rework solvent for unbaked wafers.", "storage": "Store upright in original sealed containers in a dry area between 10 and 24 °C (50-76 °F), away from ignition sources, light, heat, oxidants, acids and reducers. Do not use after the expiration date, 13 months from manufacture.", "notes": "LOR 2A is a PMGI-based sacrificial underlayer from the slow-dissolving A series, spun beneath a conventional photoresist and never exposed itself. Its job is purely geometric: the underlayer has to out-dissolve the imaging resist far enough that the metal landing on the substrate and the metal landing on top of the resist never join, and it has to do that without the ledge running so far under the pattern that fine features collapse. At 0.128-0.265 µm this grade is aimed at thin depositions — thin enough that LOR 1A cannot reliably break the film, thick enough that LOR 3A would be generous. The A series is the slower of the three dissolution families, which widens the process window at the cost of needing a cooler or longer develop to reach the same undercut. Nothing here is exposed, so there is no dose, no tone and no post-exposure bake; prebake temperature and develop time do all the work.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "I see scum at the foot of the imaging resist over LOR 2A. Is the underlayer intermixing?", "a": "It can, with one kind of top resist. A properly baked LOR/PMGI film is virtually insoluble in typical photoresist solvents and does not intermix, but one of the selection guide's advice notes says intermixing can occur with ethyl-lactate-based resists at temperatures below 180 °C. If the imaging resist is ethyl-lactate based, bake 2A at 180 °C or above. Expect a slower undercut in return, since a hotter bake lowers the dissolution rate.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Substrate Preparation, p.2; Soft-Bake/Prebake Process, p.3; Product Selection Guide Advice note 3, p.7" }, { "q": "How thick a metal film can LOR 2A lift off cleanly?", "a": "About 200 nm at best. The datasheet wants the underlayer thicker than the deposit, typically by 33 %. LOR 2A reaches about 0.26 µm at 1000 rpm and about 0.15 µm at 3000 rpm, which works out to roughly 200 nm and 110 nm of metal. The whole curve spans only about a factor of two, so if the deposit sits near the top of that, move to a thicker grade rather than spinning 2A slower still.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Coating Process, p.2; Thickness vs. Spin Speed, LOR A Thin Series chart, p.5" }, { "q": "Undercut under LOR 2A varies from centre to edge of the wafer. Where do I look?", "a": "At the prebake. Its job, per the datasheet, is to dry the film and fix its development and undercut rate, and temperature is the strongest influence on that rate, so a bake that is not uniform across the wafer leaves a ledge that is not uniform either. Hot plates are the datasheet's preferred tool. It also asks for a controlled room, 20-25 °C ±1 °C and 35-45 % RH ±2 %, and names develop mode and develop time as influences, so keep agitation the same from wafer to wafer.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Soft-Bake/Prebake Process, p.3; Processing Environment, p.8" }, { "q": "Do I need a descum or barrier layer between LOR 2A and the imaging resist?", "a": "No. The imaging resist can be coated and prebaked directly over the film with no barrier layer and no plasma descum, and LOR needs neither an exposure nor a post-exposure bake in the simple bi-layer process. Take the imaging resist's bake, dose and any PEB from its own maker; 2A just develops alongside it in the same developer.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Application and Processing the Patterning Resist Layer, p.3; Post Exposure Bake (PEB) Process, p.4" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/lor-pmgi-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. D, August 2023 (printed in the footer of every page)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-12", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "lor-1a", "name": "LOR 1A", "min_um": 0.081, "max_um": 0.158, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-3a", "name": "LOR 3A", "min_um": 0.203, "max_um": 0.44, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-5a", "name": "LOR 5A", "min_um": 0.35, "max_um": 0.82, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-7a", "name": "LOR 7A", "min_um": 0.44, "max_um": 1.07, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-10a", "name": "LOR 10A", "min_um": 0.58, "max_um": 1.43, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-15a", "name": "LOR 15A", "min_um": 0.99, "max_um": 2.56, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "lor-30b", "name": "LOR 30B", "manufacturer": "MicroChem (MCC) — now Kayaku Advanced Materials", "productLine": "LOR B series", "aliases": [ "LOR30B", "MicroChem LOR 30B", "Kayaku LOR 30B" ], "tone": null, "chemistry": "ancillary", "photoimageable": false, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not applicable. LOR is a non-photoimageable underlayer — it is never exposed, so it has no dose response to grade.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "LOR 30B is the thickest grade in the B series at 1.60-4.35 µm, for lift-off of depositions heavy enough that a two-micron sacrificial film would not break cleanly.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 1.6, "max_um": 4.35, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — the span of this grade's trace on the 'Thickness vs. Spin Speed - LOR B Thick Series' chart (p.5): 16,000 Å at 4000 rpm up to 43,500 Å at 1000 rpm. The datasheet publishes no stated per-grade thickness range, only a product-line figure covering every LOR and PMGI grade." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "LOR 30B", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 4.35 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 3.2 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 2.58 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 2.13 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 1.85 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 1.7 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 1.6 } ], "source": "read from figure — the purple cross-marker trace legended LOR 30B on the 'Thickness vs. Spin Speed - LOR B Thick Series' chart, p.5, the highest of the five traces. Seven plotted markers at 500 rpm intervals; no numeric table accompanies the chart.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "The topmost trace on the B-series chart and the steepest at the slow end: 43,500 Å at 1000 rpm drops to 25,800 Å by 2000 rpm, then flattens toward 16,000 Å at 4000 rpm. Reaching the top of the range means spinning slowly, where thickness is most sensitive to speed and to dispense, so a target above about 4 µm is worth confirming on a test wafer rather than reading off the chart. Coating parameters are published for the product line rather than per grade: 5 ml dispensed dynamically over 3-5 s onto a 150 mm wafer at 300-500 rpm, 10,000 rpm/s acceleration to a 3,000 rpm terminal speed, 45 s spin, with EBR PG for edge-bead and whisker removal.", "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "\"Primers, such as HMDS, are typically not required\" when LOR/PMGI is used as recommended; the datasheet describes excellent adhesion across semiconductor substrates. To dehydrate the surface first, bake at 200 °C for 5 min. LOR/PMGI is virtually insoluble in typical photoresist solvents, so a properly baked underlayer does not intermix with the imaging resist above it." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 160, "max": 210 }, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "The prebake dries the film and fixes its dissolution and undercut rate, and no grade-specific temperature or time is published. The recommended prebake range for the product line is 160-210 °C, hotplate preferred, and some PMGI products bake as high as 280 °C. Prebake temperature has the greatest influence on undercut rate, with prebake time, developer choice, develop mode and especially develop time behind it. This is the thickest film in the B line, so bake time carries more weight here than on any other B grade — there is several times more solvent to drive out than in a sub-micron coat, and the published undercut-versus-bake curves (Figures 5a and 5b) were measured on LOR 10B, a film roughly a third this thickness.", "source": "Rev. D p.3: 'The recommended bake temperature range is 160°C – 210°C'; 'Hot plates are the preferred tool for the prebake step.'" }, "exposureDose": null, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "0.24N TMAH or a metal-ion-bearing developer (no product named); 0.26N TMAH has some compatibility (selection guide, p.7).", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Product description, the LOR/PMGI process-flow section and the product selection guide, Kayaku \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023)" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [ "lift-off" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": true, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "Remover PG — expect the long end of any strip time at this thickness. EBR PG removes edge beads and whiskers and is also an effective spin-bowl cleaner and a rework solvent for unbaked wafers.", "storage": "Store upright in original sealed containers in a dry area between 10 and 24 °C (50-76 °F), away from ignition sources, light, heat, oxidants, acids and reducers. Do not use after the expiration date, 13 months from manufacture.", "notes": "LOR 30B is the thickest sacrificial underlayer in the B series, a PMGI-based film spun beneath a conventional photoresist and never exposed. The reasoning for reaching this far up the range is geometric: a lift-off works when the metal on the substrate and the metal on top of the imaging resist never join, so the underlayer has to be comfortably thicker than the film being deposited, and below that it tears rather than releases. Going thicker than needed is not free — a fast-dissolving B-series film keeps undercutting for as long as the develop runs, and on a 4 µm coat that ledge can travel a long way, which is why the thick-film examples in this datasheet are drawn with features measured in tens of microns rather than fractions of one. Worth knowing before specifying it: the current revision also offers a C series reaching comparable thicknesses at a different dissolution rate, so thickness alone no longer picks the grade.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Fences are left along the pattern edges after lifting off a thick sputtered film over LOR 30B. Why?", "a": "Sputtering is close to isotropic, so it coats even the sidewalls of a deep undercut. MicroChemicals notes the remover then breaks through wherever it can, leaving fence-like ridges, and puts the practical limit for reproducible lift-off of sputtered films at a few hundred nm. Kayaku rates LOR/PMGI as compatible with sputter deposition but gives no thickness limit. Evaporation is directional and leaves undercut sidewalls uncoated, so a thick deposit on 30B lifts much more cleanly when evaporated.", "source": "MicroChemicals application note \"Lift-off Processes with Photoresist\" — Sputtering or Evaporation?; \"Fences\" after Lift-off. Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Deposition Process, p.4" }, { "q": "Sidewalls on a thick LOR 30B coat come out sloped after immersion develop. What helps?", "a": "Spray development. The datasheet says straighter sidewalls with thick (>2 µm) LOR/PMGI layers come from spray, and 30B is above 2 µm at every speed up to about 2500 rpm (about 2.1 µm there, about 4.4 µm at 1000 rpm). Develop time is set by the LOR and imaging-resist thicknesses together, so a thick 30B stack needs a longer develop, and on a fast B film that longer develop also grows the undercut.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Development Process, p.4; Undercut vs. Develop Time chart, p.4; Thickness vs. Spin Speed, LOR B Thick Series chart, p.5" }, { "q": "Is LOR 30B thick enough to lift off a 3 µm metal film?", "a": "Only at the slow end. The datasheet wants the underlayer thicker than the deposit, typically by 33 %, which puts 3 µm of metal at about 4 µm of LOR. LOR 30B coats about 4.4 µm at 1000 rpm and drops to about 3.2 µm by 1500 rpm, so a 3 µm deposit means spinning close to 1000 rpm, where thickness is most sensitive to spin speed. The datasheet's stated deposition window for the LOR/PMGI line reaches beyond 3 µm.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Features, p.1; Coating Process, p.2; Thickness vs. Spin Speed, LOR B Thick Series chart, p.5" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/lor-pmgi-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. D, August 2023 (printed in the footer of every page)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-12", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "lor-7b", "name": "LOR 7B", "min_um": 0.32, "max_um": 0.9, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-10b", "name": "LOR 10B", "min_um": 0.65, "max_um": 1.57, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-15b", "name": "LOR 15B", "min_um": 1, "max_um": 2.17, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-20b", "name": "LOR 20B", "min_um": 1.3, "max_um": 3.45, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "lor-3a", "name": "LOR 3A", "manufacturer": "Kayaku Advanced Materials", "productLine": "LOR A series", "aliases": [ "LOR3A", "LOR-3A", "MicroChem LOR 3A" ], "tone": null, "toneNote": "LOR 3A is a non-photoimageable lift-off underlayer, not an imaging photoresist — it is never itself exposed, so 'tone' does not apply. Calling it 'positive' is a common but incorrect shorthand: LOR is not a dissolution-inhibition/exposure-based system at all.", "chemistry": "ancillary", "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not applicable — LOR is a non-photoimageable underlayer; grayscale/continuous-tone relief is an imaging-resist property that has no meaning for a layer that is never exposed.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "LOR 3A is a thin grade of Kayaku's PMGI-based LOR A lift-off underlayers, coating 0.203-0.44 µm — a non-photoimageable film spun beneath an imaging resist that dissolves isotropically on development to form the undercut for clean metal lift-off.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 0.203, "max_um": 0.44, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — the span of this grade's trace on the 'Thickness vs. Spin Speed - LOR A Thin Series' chart (p.5): 2,030 Å at 4000 rpm up to 4,400 Å at 1000 rpm. The datasheet publishes no stated per-grade thickness range, only a product-line figure covering every LOR and PMGI grade." }, "thicknessRangeNote": "Approximate range read off manufacturer spin-curve figures over roughly 1000-5000 rpm (the spin curve above). No numeric thickness-vs-speed table specific to LOR 3A was found in either primary datasheet obtained — only plotted curves.", "spinCurves": [ { "label": "LOR 3A", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 0.44 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 0.32 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 0.273 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 0.244 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 0.23 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 0.214 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 0.203 } ], "source": "read from figure — the green filled-triangle trace legended LOR 3A on the 'Thickness vs. Spin Speed - LOR A Thin Series' chart, p.5, the highest of the three traces. Seven plotted markers at 500 rpm intervals; no numeric table accompanies the chart.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "The thickest of the three traces on the A-thin chart, falling from 4,400 Å at 1000 rpm to 2,030 Å at 4000 rpm — a little over a factor of two across the sweep, with most of the drop before 2000 rpm and a near-flat tail after 3000. Coating parameters are published for the product line rather than per grade: 5 ml dispensed dynamically over 3-5 s onto a 150 mm wafer at 300-500 rpm, 10,000 rpm/s acceleration to a 3,000 rpm terminal speed, 45 s spin, with EBR PG for edge-bead and whisker removal.", "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "HMDS priming is explicitly stated as typically NOT required to promote adhesion with LOR/PMGI products. LOR exhibits excellent inherent adhesion to Si, glass, NiFe, GaAs, InP and other III-V/II-VI materials, and Au. Substrate prep: solvent clean or dilute-acid rinse followed by DI water rinse, then a dehydration bake at 200°C for 5 min (contact hotplate) or 30 min (convection oven) immediately before coating." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 160, "max": 210 }, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "The prebake dries the film and fixes its dissolution and undercut rate, and no grade-specific temperature or time is published. The recommended prebake range for the product line is 160-210 °C, hotplate preferred, and some PMGI products bake as high as 280 °C. Prebake temperature has the greatest influence on undercut rate, with prebake time, developer choice, develop mode and especially develop time behind it. Hotter and longer both slow the dissolution and tighten the undercut. The published undercut-versus-bake curves (Figures 5a and 5b) are measured on LOR 10B, a faster B-series grade several times thicker, so they show the shape of the relationship rather than numbers to transfer here. Two cleanroom procedures cited below run this grade at 180 °C for 4-5 min, which is a fair starting point drawn from practice rather than from the manufacturer.", "source": "Rev. D p.3: 'The recommended bake temperature range is 160°C – 210°C'; 'Hot plates are the preferred tool for the prebake step.'" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [] }, "peb": { "temp_c": null, "time_s": null, "notes": "Not applicable. The datasheet states explicitly: 'LOR/PMGI does not require post-exposure baking... Refer to patterning resist manufacturer process recommendations to determine whether a PEB step is required' (i.e. any PEB is for the top imaging resist, not LOR).", "source": "'Post-Exposure (PEB) Process' section, p.4, Kayaku/MicroChem 'LOR and PMGI Resists' datasheet Rev. D (August 2023)" }, "floodExposure": { "dose_mJcm2": null, "notes": "Not required for the standard LOR bilayer lift-off process: Rev. D says LOR/PMGI do not require an exposure step in the simple bi-layer process, and lists no flood exposure, amine treatment or soak step for it.", "source": "'Benefits' list and 'Application and Processing the Patterning Resist Layer' section, Kayaku/MicroChem 'LOR and PMGI Resists' datasheet Rev. D (August 2023)" }, "develop": { "developer": "0.26N or 0.24N TMAH (no product named); metal-ion-bearing developers are not rated for LOR A (selection guide, p.7).", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Development Process, p.4; Thickness vs. Spin Speed, LOR A Thin Series chart, p.5; Product Selection Guide (Developer Compatibility), p.7" }, "hardbake": null, "hardbakeNote": "No hardbake step is described for LOR in either primary datasheet — the process proceeds directly from development to metal deposition to lift-off.", "descum": "Not required. The datasheet states no intermixing occurs between LOR and the imaging resist above it, so the bilayer stack does not need a plasma descum step between coating the LOR layer and the patterning resist.", "applications": [ "lift-off" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": true, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "Remover PG, or another NMP- or DMSO-based remover, strips the bi-layer stack. Baseline process: two Remover PG tanks, 30 min at 60 °C in the first, followed by a 60 °C rinse in the second; ultrasonic action improves removal. Removal rate depends on the LOR soft-bake temperature and the bath temperature, and actual times vary with prebake conditions, later processing and the pattern (Lift-Off Process, p.4). Acetone and conventional edge-bead removers are not recommended with LOR/PMGI; EBR PG handles edge beads, bowl clean-up and rework of unbaked wafers (Edge Bead Removal, p.3). Where conventional resist and LOR/PMGI share a coater, a dedicated coat bowl and drain are recommended, but not mandatory, to limit drain-line clogging (Coating Process, p.2).", "storage": "Store upright in original sealed containers in a dry area between 10-24°C (50-76°F), away from ignition sources, light, heat, oxidants, acids, and reducers. Do not use past the expiration date (13 months from date of manufacture). Recommended processing environment: 20-25°C ± 1°C, 35-45% ± 2% relative humidity.", "notes": "LOR 3A is not a photoresist in the imaging sense — it is a non-photoimageable PMGI underlayer that is coated and soft-baked beneath a conventional imaging resist, which alone is exposed and developed. During development the LOR layer dissolves isotropically (laterally undercutting beneath the imaged top resist), producing the re-entrant sidewall profile a clean bilayer lift-off requires. Undercut is set mainly by the LOR prebake: prebake temperature has the greatest influence on undercut rate, and a hotter bake slows dissolution, so it narrows the undercut for a given develop time. The recommended hotplate range is 160-210 °C. No undercut rate is published for LOR 3A itself; the bake-versus-rate curves are measured on LOR 10B. Prebake time, developer choice, develop mode and particularly develop time also matter, and the undercut-versus-develop-time bars grow as develop time goes from 2 to 3 min. HMDS priming is explicitly not required. For clean lift-off, LOR film thickness should exceed the deposited metal thickness, typically by 33% per the current datasheet.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "A lift-off process for high resolution patterns using PMMA/LOR resist stack", "authors": "Chen et al.", "journal": "Microelectronic Engineering", "year": 2004, "doi": "10.1016/j.mee.2004.02.053", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mee.2004.02.053", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "Demonstrates sub-100 nm lift-off patterns using a PMMA/LOR bilayer resist stack, exploiting the controlled LOR undercut.", "note": "The paper uses the LOR underlayer line generically in a PMMA/LOR stack; cited here for LOR 3A." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Do I need to expose LOR 3A?", "a": "Not in the standard bilayer process. Kayaku's datasheet says LOR/PMGI do not require an exposure step: only the imaging resist on top is exposed, and the LOR then develops isotropically beneath it, undercutting the imaged resist to form the re-entrant profile a clean lift-off needs. Any PEB in the flow belongs to the imaging resist, not to LOR 3A.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Figure 4 process flow, p.2; Application and Processing the Patterning Resist Layer, p.3; Post Exposure Bake (PEB) Process, p.4" }, { "q": "How do I control the undercut for lift-off with LOR 3A?", "a": "Mostly with the prebake. The datasheet names prebake temperature as the strongest influence on undercut rate, ahead of prebake time, developer choice, develop mode and develop time, and recommends a hotplate bake at 160-210 °C. A hotter bake slows dissolution: on the one grade whose undercut rate it plots, LOR 10B, the rate drops about 1 nm/s per °C. No undercut rate is published for 3A, so run the matrix the datasheet asks for, prebake temperature against develop time, and measure the ledge you get.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Soft-Bake/Prebake Process and Figure 5a, p.3" }, { "q": "Which developer does LOR 3A use?", "a": "No developer product is named. LOR/PMGI is optimized for metal-ion-free and metal-ion-bearing developers in general; LOR 3A is charted in the LOR A Thin Series, and the selection guide recommends LOR A with 0.26N and with 0.24N TMAH, leaving metal-ion-bearing developers unrated for it. Develop time is not published either, since the LOR and imaging-resist thicknesses together set it. Spray development for straighter sidewalls is advised only for LOR/PMGI layers over 2 µm, well above any 3A coat.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Development Process, p.4; Thickness vs. Spin Speed, LOR A Thin Series chart, p.5; Product Selection Guide (Developer Compatibility), p.7" }, { "q": "Can I strip LOR 3A with acetone?", "a": "No. The datasheet says acetone and conventional resist edge-bead removers are not recommended with LOR/PMGI, and gives EBR PG for edge beads, whiskers and rework of unbaked wafers. To strip the bi-layer stack, use Remover PG or another NMP- or DMSO-based remover. The baseline is two Remover PG tanks: 30 min at 60 °C in the first, then a 60 °C rinse in the second, with ultrasonics improving removal. Removal rate depends on the LOR soft-bake temperature and the bath temperature, so actual times vary.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Edge Bead Removal, p.3; Lift-Off Process, p.4" }, { "q": "Does LOR 3A need HMDS priming?", "a": "No. The datasheet says primers such as HMDS are typically not required with LOR/PMGI used as recommended. It lists excellent adhesion to Si, NiFe, GaAs, InP and other III-V and II-VI materials, and the selection guide also recommends LOR A on glass and Au. Start clean and dry: a solvent clean or dilute-acid rinse, a DI water rinse, then a dehydration bake at 200 °C, 5 min on a contact hotplate or 30 min in a convection oven.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Features, p.1; Substrate Preparation, p.2; Product Selection Guide (Substrate Compatibility), p.7" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/lor-pmgi-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. D, August 2023 (printed in the footer of every page)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://bionium.miami.edu/_assets/pdf/lor-3a-photoresist-process.pdf", "what": "University of Miami cleanroom process recipe for LOR 3A, showing typical practical parameters: 180°C/5min softbake, 3000rpm/35s spin, CD-26 60-90s or MF-319 45-60s develop" }, { "url": "https://cns1.rc.fas.harvard.edu/facilities/docs/SOP112_r1_1_%20LOR.pdf", "what": "Harvard CNS SOP112 lift-off processing procedure, showing a typical bake (180°C/4min) and CD-26 develop (75s), and confirming HMDS is not used with LOR" } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "photoimageable": false, "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "lor-1a", "name": "LOR 1A", "min_um": 0.081, "max_um": 0.158, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-2a", "name": "LOR 2A", "min_um": 0.128, "max_um": 0.265, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-5a", "name": "LOR 5A", "min_um": 0.35, "max_um": 0.82, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-7a", "name": "LOR 7A", "min_um": 0.44, "max_um": 1.07, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-10a", "name": "LOR 10A", "min_um": 0.58, "max_um": 1.43, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-15a", "name": "LOR 15A", "min_um": 0.99, "max_um": 2.56, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "lor-5a", "name": "LOR 5A", "manufacturer": "MicroChem (MCC) — now Kayaku Advanced Materials", "productLine": "LOR A series", "aliases": [ "LOR5A", "MicroChem LOR 5A", "Kayaku LOR 5A" ], "tone": null, "chemistry": "ancillary", "photoimageable": false, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not applicable and not addressed by the document. LOR 5A is not photoimageable and carries no exposure dose; the datasheet states 'LOR or PMGI does not require an exposure step' in the standard bi-layer lift-off process (p.4), so dose-modulated grayscale profiling — which requires a photoimageable resist — cannot apply to this material.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "LOR 5A is a mid-thickness grade of Kayaku's PMGI-based LOR A lift-off underlayers, coating 0.35-0.82 µm — thicker than LOR 3A, a non-photoimageable film whose prebake-controlled undercut enables clean metal lift-off.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 0.35, "max_um": 0.82, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — the span of this grade's trace on the 'Thickness vs. Spin Speed - LOR A Thick Series' chart (p.5): 3,500 Å at 4000 rpm up to 8,200 Å at 1000 rpm. The datasheet publishes no stated per-grade thickness range, only a product-line figure covering every LOR and PMGI grade." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "LOR 5A", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 0.82 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 0.63 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 0.52 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 0.45 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 0.41 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 0.37 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 0.35 } ], "source": "read from figure — the blue filled-diamond trace legended LOR 5A on the 'Thickness vs. Spin Speed - LOR A Thick Series' chart, p.5, the lowest of the four traces. Seven plotted markers at 500 rpm intervals; no numeric table accompanies the chart.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "The lowest trace on the A-thick chart, running 8,200 Å at 1000 rpm down to 3,500 Å at 4000 rpm. It sits directly beneath LOR 7A across the whole sweep and the two converge above 3000 rpm, so where a target falls in the overlap the slower spin on this grade is the more repeatable choice. Coating parameters are published for the product line rather than per grade: 5 ml dispensed dynamically over 3-5 s onto a 150 mm wafer at 300-500 rpm, 10,000 rpm/s acceleration to a 3,000 rpm terminal speed, 45 s spin, with EBR PG for edge-bead and whisker removal.", "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "\"Primers such as HMDS (hexamethyldisilazane) are typically NOT required to promote adhesion with PMGI/LOR products when used as recommended.\" LOR/PMGI is described as exhibiting 'excellent adhesion to most semiconductor, GaAs, and thin-film head substrates.' A dehydration bake (200°C, 5 min contact hot plate, or 30 min convection oven) is recommended before coating if maximum process reliability is needed. Source: \"Substrate preparation\", p.2." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 160, "max": 210 }, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "The prebake is the undercut control, and no grade-specific temperature or time is published. The recommended prebake range for the product line is 160-210 °C, hotplate preferred, and some PMGI products bake as high as 280 °C; the datasheet recommends a temperature/time matrix to tune a process rather than a single point. Prebake temperature has the greatest influence on undercut rate, with prebake time, developer choice, develop mode and especially develop time behind it. The published undercut-versus-bake curves (Figures 5a and 5b) are measured on LOR 10B, a faster B-series grade, so no grade-specific bake-versus-undercut data exists for LOR 5A.", "source": "Rev. D p.3: 'The recommended bake temperature range is 160°C – 210°C'; 'Hot plates are the preferred tool for the prebake step.'" }, "exposureDose": null, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "0.26N or 0.24N TMAH (no product named); metal-ion-bearing developers are not rated for LOR A (selection guide, p.7).", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Product description, the LOR/PMGI process-flow section and the product selection guide, Kayaku \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023)" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [ "lift-off" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": true, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "Remover PG, or another NMP- or DMSO-based remover. Baseline two-tank process: 60°C for 30 minutes in the first tank, then a 60°C rinse in the second tank; ultrasonic action improves removal efficiency. Removal rate depends on the LOR/PMGI soft-bake temperature and the remover bath temperature, and actual removal times vary with prebake conditions, subsequent processing and resist patterns. Source: \"Lift-Off Process\", p.4. Acetone and conventional edge-bead removers are not recommended with LOR/PMGI. Source: \"Edge Bead Removal\", p.3.", "storage": "\"Store upright in original sealed containers in a dry area between 10-24 °C (50-76°F). Keep away from sources of ignition, light, heat, oxidants, acids and reducers. Do not use product after the expiration date (13 months from date of manufacture).\" Source: \"Storage\", p.8 (general to all LOR/PMGI products; not stated to be LOR-5A-specific, but no grade-specific storage guidance exists in the document).", "notes": "LOR 5A is an ancillary, non-photoimageable PMGI-type (polydimethylglutarimide) underlayer: it is spin-coated beneath a conventional photoresist and never exposed itself, so it carries no dose, tone, or lithographic pattern of its own — only the imaging resist above it is exposed and developed. The undercut geometry that enables clean metal lift-off is a bake- and develop-controlled dimension, not a lithographic one: the datasheet states prebake temperature has the greatest influence on undercut rate, with prebake time, choice of developer, develop mode, and particularly develop time also influential. No grade-specific bake-temperature-vs-dissolution-rate curve is published for LOR 5A — the only such curves in this document (Figures 5a/5b) are for LOR 10B — so LOR 5A's own undercut rate cannot be read off this datasheet and should be characterized on-tool. In practice, too little undercut leaves an insufficient re-entrant profile, so evaporated or sputtered metal bridges over the sidewall and lift-off fails or leaves ragged edges; too much undercut can collapse the unsupported span of imaging resist over the gap, degrading pattern fidelity — both failure modes are tuned via prebake temperature/time and develop time.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "A lift-off process for high resolution patterns using PMMA/LOR resist stack", "authors": "Chen et al.", "journal": "Microelectronic Engineering", "year": 2004, "doi": "10.1016/j.mee.2004.02.053", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mee.2004.02.053", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "Demonstrates sub-100 nm lift-off patterns using a PMMA/LOR bilayer resist stack, exploiting the controlled LOR undercut.", "note": "The paper uses the LOR underlayer line generically in a PMMA/LOR stack; cited here for LOR 5A." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Does LOR 5A get exposed like a photoresist?", "a": "No. It is a lift-off underlayer, not an imaging layer: in the standard bilayer process LOR 5A needs no exposure of its own, and only the imaging resist above it is exposed and developed. The datasheet states LOR/PMGI do not require an exposure step in that process.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Figure 4 process flow, p.2; Application and Processing the Patterning Resist Layer, p.3" }, { "q": "How do I control LOR 5A undercut for lift-off?", "a": "With the prebake. The datasheet names prebake temperature as the strongest influence on undercut rate, with prebake time, developer choice, develop mode and particularly develop time also influential. Its recommended hotplate range is 160-210 °C, and for fine-tuning it asks for a matrix of prebake temperature against develop time. The only bake-versus-undercut curves it publishes are for LOR 10B, a thicker B-series grade, so measure the 5A rate on your own tool.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Soft-Bake/Prebake Process and Figures 5a-5b, p.3" }, { "q": "Which developer should I use for LOR 5A?", "a": "No developer product is named for LOR 5A. The datasheet says LOR/PMGI is optimized for metal-ion-free and metal-ion-bearing developers, and 5A is charted in the LOR A Thick Series; the selection guide recommends LOR A with both 0.26N and 0.24N TMAH and does not rate it with metal-ion-bearing developers. No dilution or develop time is published, because the LOR and imaging-resist thicknesses together set the time, so set it on-tool.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Development Process, p.4; Thickness vs. Spin Speed, LOR A Thick Series chart, p.5; Product Selection Guide (Developer Compatibility), p.7" }, { "q": "Metal over LOR 5A tears or stays joined at the edges after lift-off. What do I check?", "a": "Thickness against the deposit first. The datasheet wants the LOR film thicker than the metal, typically by 33 %, and relies on the re-entrant profile to break the deposited film. LOR 5A coats about 0.8 µm at 1000 rpm and about 0.35 µm at 4000 rpm, so it carries about 0.6 µm of metal at the slow end and 0.26 µm at the fast end. Then the undercut: a cooler prebake or a longer develop widens it, and the LOR A bars on the undercut-versus-develop chart grow from 2 to 3 min, though they were measured on a 0.3 µm film.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Coating Process and Figure 4, p.2; Soft-Bake/Prebake Process and Figure 5a, p.3; Undercut vs. Develop Time chart, p.4; LOR A Thick Series chart, p.5" }, { "q": "Does LOR 5A need HMDS priming?", "a": "No. Primers such as HMDS are typically not required to promote adhesion with PMGI/LOR products when used as recommended; LOR/PMGI has excellent adhesion to most semiconductor, GaAs and thin-film-head substrates. If maximum process reliability is needed, a dehydration bake (200 °C, 5 min on a contact hotplate or 30 min in a convection oven) is recommended before coating.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023), Substrate preparation, p.2" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/lor-pmgi-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. D, August 2023 (printed in the footer of every page)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "lor-1a", "name": "LOR 1A", "min_um": 0.081, "max_um": 0.158, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-2a", "name": "LOR 2A", "min_um": 0.128, "max_um": 0.265, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-3a", "name": "LOR 3A", "min_um": 0.203, "max_um": 0.44, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-7a", "name": "LOR 7A", "min_um": 0.44, "max_um": 1.07, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-10a", "name": "LOR 10A", "min_um": 0.58, "max_um": 1.43, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-15a", "name": "LOR 15A", "min_um": 0.99, "max_um": 2.56, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "lor-7a", "name": "LOR 7A", "manufacturer": "MicroChem (MCC) — now Kayaku Advanced Materials", "productLine": "LOR A series", "aliases": [ "LOR7A", "MicroChem LOR 7A", "Kayaku LOR 7A" ], "tone": null, "chemistry": "ancillary", "photoimageable": false, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not applicable. LOR is a non-photoimageable underlayer — it is never exposed, so it has no dose response to grade.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "LOR 7A coats 0.44-1.07 µm, the A-series grade that crosses one micron at its slowest spin and settles just under half a micron at its fastest.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 0.44, "max_um": 1.07, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — the span of this grade's trace on the 'Thickness vs. Spin Speed - LOR A Thick Series' chart (p.5): 4,400 Å at 4000 rpm up to 10,700 Å at 1000 rpm. The datasheet publishes no stated per-grade thickness range, only a product-line figure covering every LOR and PMGI grade." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "LOR 7A", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 1.07 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 0.71 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 0.66 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 0.56 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 0.5 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 0.46 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 0.44 } ], "source": "read from figure — the red filled-square trace legended LOR 7A on the 'Thickness vs. Spin Speed - LOR A Thick Series' chart, p.5, second from the bottom of the four traces. Seven plotted markers at 500 rpm intervals; no numeric table accompanies the chart.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "The curve has a pronounced knee: 10,700 Å at 1000 rpm drops to about 7,100 Å by 1500 and then eases, reaching 4,400 Å at 4000 rpm. Almost half the available thickness range is spent in the first 500 rpm, so slow spins on this grade need tight speed control while anything above 2000 rpm is forgiving. It runs just above LOR 5A across the sweep and the two converge at the fast end. One published quirk is worth knowing before fitting anything to this curve: the 1500 rpm point sits slightly below a smooth fit through its neighbours, because the 1500-2000 rpm step is shallower than the 2000-2500 one. That is how the manufacturer plots it, so the trace is not perfectly monotonic in slope around the knee. Coating parameters are published for the product line rather than per grade: 5 ml dispensed dynamically over 3-5 s onto a 150 mm wafer at 300-500 rpm, 10,000 rpm/s acceleration to a 3,000 rpm terminal speed, 45 s spin, with EBR PG for edge-bead and whisker removal.", "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "\"Primers, such as HMDS, are typically not required\" when LOR/PMGI is used as recommended; the datasheet describes excellent adhesion across semiconductor substrates. To dehydrate the surface first, bake at 200 °C for 5 min. LOR/PMGI is virtually insoluble in typical photoresist solvents, so a properly baked underlayer does not intermix with the imaging resist above it." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 160, "max": 210 }, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "The prebake dries the film and fixes its dissolution and undercut rate, and no grade-specific temperature or time is published. The recommended prebake range for the product line is 160-210 °C, hotplate preferred, and some PMGI products bake as high as 280 °C. Prebake temperature has the greatest influence on undercut rate, with prebake time, developer choice, develop mode and especially develop time behind it. The published undercut-versus-bake curves (Figures 5a and 5b) are measured on LOR 10B — a B-series grade of comparable thickness but faster dissolution — so they give the shape of the relationship rather than numbers to copy onto an A grade.", "source": "Rev. D p.3: 'The recommended bake temperature range is 160°C – 210°C'; 'Hot plates are the preferred tool for the prebake step.'" }, "exposureDose": null, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "0.26N or 0.24N TMAH (no product named); metal-ion-bearing developers are not rated for LOR A (selection guide, p.7).", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Product description, the LOR/PMGI process-flow section and the product selection guide, Kayaku \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023)" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [ "lift-off" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": true, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "Remover PG. EBR PG removes edge beads and whiskers and is also an effective spin-bowl cleaner and a rework solvent for unbaked wafers.", "storage": "Store upright in original sealed containers in a dry area between 10 and 24 °C (50-76 °F), away from ignition sources, light, heat, oxidants, acids and reducers. Do not use after the expiration date, 13 months from manufacture.", "notes": "LOR 7A is a PMGI-based sacrificial underlayer from the slow-dissolving A series, spun beneath a conventional photoresist and never exposed. It occupies the gap between LOR 5A and LOR 10A, and in practice that is exactly how it gets chosen: a target around 0.6-0.8 µm sits in the middle of this grade's usable band where its neighbours would each be working at the end of theirs. The underlayer is picked against the deposited film rather than the feature — it must be thicker than the metal so the deposit breaks cleanly at the edge — and the A series is the slower of the three dissolution families, so the undercut opens gradually and the process window is wider than a B or C grade would give. Nothing here is exposed, so prebake temperature and develop time are the only real controls.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Undercut under LOR 7A is too small for a clean lift-off. Do I need a B grade instead?", "a": "Depends how much ledge you need. The selection guide recommends LOR A for undercuts of 0.35-1.0 µm and gives it only some compatibility above 1 µm; beyond a micron, LOR B and LOR C are the recommended products. Inside that band, lower the prebake within the 160-210 °C range, since temperature is the strongest lever, then extend develop time. Develop time is set by both films together, so changing the imaging resist's thickness on top of 7A moves the ledge as well.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Soft-Bake/Prebake Process, p.3; Development Process, p.4; Product Selection Guide (Undercut Geometry), p.7" }, { "q": "LOR 7A coats unevenly or traps bubbles over topography. What's the fix?", "a": "The selection guide hatches out via fill and topography coating for both the A and B series, so 7A is not rated for it. The datasheet's advice is to spin substrates with deep topography or an irregular shape more slowly, and it recommends the LOR C products for coating into trenches or over topography without trapping bubbles. If you do slow down on 7A, the film thickens fast below 1500 rpm (0.71 µm at 1500 rpm, 1.07 µm at 1000 rpm), so re-check it against your deposit.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Coating Process, p.2; Thickness vs. Spin Speed, LOR A Thick Series chart, p.5; Product Selection Guide (Coating), p.7" }, { "q": "Can I develop an LOR 7A stack in a metal-ion-bearing developer?", "a": "Not by the selection guide's A-series row: it recommends 0.26N and 0.24N TMAH for LOR A and hatches out MIB (metal-ion-bearing) developers, which it rates only for the B series. The general text says LOR/PMGI works with both MIF and MIB chemistries, so go by the per-series row before swapping developers under 7A.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Development Process, p.4; Product Selection Guide (Developer Compatibility), p.7" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/lor-pmgi-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. D, August 2023 (printed in the footer of every page)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-12", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "lor-1a", "name": "LOR 1A", "min_um": 0.081, "max_um": 0.158, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-2a", "name": "LOR 2A", "min_um": 0.128, "max_um": 0.265, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-3a", "name": "LOR 3A", "min_um": 0.203, "max_um": 0.44, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-5a", "name": "LOR 5A", "min_um": 0.35, "max_um": 0.82, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-10a", "name": "LOR 10A", "min_um": 0.58, "max_um": 1.43, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-15a", "name": "LOR 15A", "min_um": 0.99, "max_um": 2.56, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "lor-7b", "name": "LOR 7B", "manufacturer": "MicroChem (MCC) — now Kayaku Advanced Materials", "productLine": "LOR B series", "aliases": [ "LOR7B", "MicroChem LOR 7B", "Kayaku LOR 7B" ], "tone": null, "chemistry": "ancillary", "photoimageable": false, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not applicable. LOR is a non-photoimageable underlayer — it is never exposed, so it has no dose response to grade.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "LOR 7B is the thinnest of the fast-dissolving B underlayers, coating 0.32-0.90 µm, for lift-off where a wide undercut is wanted but the sacrificial film has to stay under a micron.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 0.32, "max_um": 0.9, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — the span of this grade's trace on the 'Thickness vs. Spin Speed - LOR B Thick Series' chart (p.5): 3,200 Å at 4000 rpm up to 9,000 Å at 1000 rpm. The datasheet publishes no stated per-grade thickness range, only a product-line figure covering every LOR and PMGI grade." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "LOR 7B", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 0.9 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 0.72 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 0.57 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 0.44 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 0.39 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 0.34 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 0.32 } ], "source": "read from figure — the dark-blue filled-circle trace legended LOR 7B on the 'Thickness vs. Spin Speed - LOR B Thick Series' chart, p.5. Seven plotted markers at 500 rpm intervals; no numeric table accompanies the chart.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "The lowest trace on the B-series chart, falling from 9,000 Å at 1000 rpm to 3,200 Å at 4000 rpm — a factor of nearly three, so speed is a real lever across this grade's whole range, unlike the thicker B grades whose curves flatten early. Most of that fall happens below 2500 rpm. Coating parameters are published for the product line rather than per grade: 5 ml dispensed dynamically over 3-5 s onto a 150 mm wafer at 300-500 rpm, 10,000 rpm/s acceleration to a 3,000 rpm terminal speed, 45 s spin, with EBR PG for edge-bead and whisker removal. A substrate of irregular shape needs a slower spin for an even coat.", "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "\"Primers, such as HMDS, are typically not required\" when LOR/PMGI is used as recommended; the datasheet describes excellent adhesion across semiconductor substrates. To dehydrate the surface first, bake at 200 °C for 5 min. LOR/PMGI is virtually insoluble in typical photoresist solvents, so a properly baked underlayer does not intermix with the imaging resist above it." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 160, "max": 210 }, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "The prebake does two jobs — it dries the film and it fixes the dissolution and undercut rate — and no grade-specific temperature or time is published. The recommended prebake range for the product line is 160-210 °C, hotplate preferred, and some PMGI products bake as high as 280 °C. Prebake temperature has the greatest influence on undercut rate, with prebake time, developer choice, develop mode and especially develop time behind it. Hotter and longer both slow the dissolution and tighten the undercut. On a B-series film that lever matters more than on an A grade, because the starting dissolution rate is already high; the published undercut-versus-bake curves (Figures 5a and 5b) are measured on LOR 10B, the nearest B sibling to this grade.", "source": "Rev. D p.3: 'The recommended bake temperature range is 160°C – 210°C'; 'Hot plates are the preferred tool for the prebake step.'" }, "exposureDose": null, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "0.24N TMAH or a metal-ion-bearing developer (no product named); 0.26N TMAH has some compatibility (selection guide, p.7).", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Product description, the LOR/PMGI process-flow section and the product selection guide, Kayaku \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023)" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [ "lift-off" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": true, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "Remover PG. EBR PG removes edge beads and whiskers and is also an effective spin-bowl cleaner and a rework solvent for unbaked wafers.", "storage": "Store upright in original sealed containers in a dry area between 10 and 24 °C (50-76 °F), away from ignition sources, light, heat, oxidants, acids and reducers. Do not use after the expiration date, 13 months from manufacture.", "notes": "LOR 7B is a PMGI-based sacrificial underlayer from the fast-dissolving B series, spun beneath a conventional photoresist and never exposed itself. The A, B and C series are the same polymer family tuned to different dissolution rates: a B grade opens its undercut faster than an A grade for the same prebake and develop. That is what you want when the deposited film is thick enough to need a generous ledge to break at, and what you do not want when the feature is fine and the undercut would run under it. What makes this grade the useful end of the B line is that it stays sub-micron — 0.32 to 0.90 µm — so you get B-series speed at a thickness the 10B, 15B, 20B and 30B grades would overshoot. Everything that sets the final ledge is a process variable rather than a product property: prebake temperature first, then develop time, then the developer and develop mode. Nothing here is exposed, so there is no dose, no tone and no post-exposure bake.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "The ledge under LOR 7B runs further than I want. Which knob do I turn?", "a": "Two knobs, both named in the datasheet. Develop time is singled out as particularly influential, and the B-series bars, measured on a 3 µm film thicker than any 7B coat, grow from about 3.6 µm of undercut at 2 min to about 9 µm at 3 min. Prebake temperature has the greatest influence on undercut rate, and a hotter bake inside the 160-210 °C window lowers it. For fine patterns, note that the selection guide gives LOR B only some compatibility for 0.35-0.5 µm undercuts.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Soft-Bake/Prebake Process and Figure 5a, p.3; Undercut vs. Develop Time chart, p.4; Product Selection Guide (Undercut Geometry), p.7" }, { "q": "How much metal can I lift off over LOR 7B?", "a": "Up to roughly 0.68 µm at the slow end. The datasheet wants the underlayer thicker than the deposit, typically by 33 %. LOR 7B coats 0.90 µm at 1000 rpm and 0.32 µm at 4000 rpm, so it carries about 0.68 µm and 0.24 µm of metal at those two ends. The curve is still falling at 4000 rpm (about 0.32 µm), so spin speed is a usable trim across the whole charted range.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Coating Process, p.2; Thickness vs. Spin Speed, LOR B Thick Series chart, p.5" }, { "q": "LOR 7B adheres poorly on a freshly cleaned wafer. Should I prime with HMDS?", "a": "Priming is not the fix the datasheet gives. It says primers such as HMDS are typically not required with LOR/PMGI and lists Si, glass, NiFe, III-V materials and Au as compatible substrates. What it asks for is a clean, dry surface: solvent clean or dilute-acid rinse, DI water rinse, then a dehydration bake at 200 °C, 5 min on a contact hotplate or 30 min in a convection oven, before coating 7B.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Features, p.1; Substrate Preparation, p.2; Product Selection Guide (Substrate Compatibility), p.7" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/lor-pmgi-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. D, August 2023 (printed in the footer of every page)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-12", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "lor-10b", "name": "LOR 10B", "min_um": 0.65, "max_um": 1.57, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-15b", "name": "LOR 15B", "min_um": 1, "max_um": 2.17, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-20b", "name": "LOR 20B", "min_um": 1.3, "max_um": 3.45, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "lor-30b", "name": "LOR 30B", "min_um": 1.6, "max_um": 4.35, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "ma-n-1410", "name": "ma-N 1410", "manufacturer": "micro resist technology GmbH", "productLine": "ma-N 1400 series", "aliases": [ "maN 1410", "ma-N1410" ], "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "bisazide-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Document does not market ma-N 1400 for greyscale or 3D lithography; it targets microelectronics pattern transfer, etch masking, and PVD lift-off with nearly vertical (standard) or optionally undercut (lift-off) binary profiles.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "ma-N 1410 is the third-thinnest grade in micro resist technology's ma-N 1400 negative-tone photoresist series, nominally coating 1.0 µm at 3000 rpm/30 s, used as a high-etch-resistance mask or, with an extended develop time, for undercut lift-off patterning.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 0.7, "max_um": 1.75, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span of the ma-N 1410 spin curve" }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "ma-N 1410", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 1.75 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 1.25 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 1 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 0.87 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 0.77 }, { "rpm": 6000, "um": 0.7 } ], "source": "read from figure, \"Fig. 1: Spin curves of the ma-N 1400 series, 30 s spin time\", p.2 of ma-N 1400 series Processing guidelines (micro resist technology, rev. ls.05.11.25.02); trace identified as the red line, second from the top, per the chart's own inline legend (ma-N 1420 black / ma-N 1410 red / ma-N 1407 green / ma-N 1405 blue), matching the series' viscosity ranking (1420 highest > 1410 > 1407 > 1405 lowest). The curve carries no individual point markers, so values are read at the 6 labelled x-axis gridlines (1000/2000/3000/4000/5000/6000 rpm). The chart's own vertical reference line at 3000 rpm crosses the red trace at ~1.0 µm, matching the numeric anchor (Film Thickness = 1.0 ± 0.1 µm at 3000 rpm/30s, 'Physical properties of the resist solution' table p.1, corroborated by the 'Processing conditions - STANDARD PROCESS' table p.2).", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Fig. 1 (p.2, 'Spin curves of the ma-N 1400 series, 30 s spin time') plots a full thickness-vs-spin-speed curve for ma-N 1410 alongside ma-N 1405/1407/1420 (four individually legended, distinctly colored lines, no individual point markers, 1000-6000 rpm, ranked by viscosity: 1420 highest/topmost black, 1410 second red, 1407 third green, 1405 lowest blue). The red (ma-N 1410) trace is plotted here from its 6 labelled x-axis gridlines; the chart's own vertical reference line at 3000 rpm crosses it at ~1.0 µm, matching the numeric-table anchor below essentially exactly, which confirms the right trace was isolated in a chart carrying no point markers. The datasheet additionally publishes a single numeric ANCHOR POINT — 3000 rpm → 1 µm (numeric table 'Physical properties of the resist solution', p.1 of ma-N 1400 series processing guidelines (footnote 1: 'Spin coated at 3000 rpm for 30 s'); Film Thickness = 1.0 ± 0.1 µm for ma-N 1410. Corroborated by the 'Processing conditions - STANDARD PROCESS' table, p.2, which also lists 1.0 µm for ma-N 1410 at the same 3000 rpm/30 s condition.). 'Uniform coatings are obtained by spin coating of ma-N 1400 solutions in the thickness range indicated in the spin curves' (p.2); no dispense volume, acceleration ramp, or edge-bead-removal step is described anywhere in this document.", "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "'For improving resist film adhesion to Si and SiO2 substrates it is advisable to apply an adhesion promoter such as HMDS' (Substrate preparation, p.2). Standard process substrate preparation is 'Oven: 200 °C, 30 min (HMDS for Si and SiO2 substrates)' (Processing conditions table, p.2)." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 100, "time_s": 90, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Value shown (100 °C, 90 s) is the ma-N 1410 column of the hotplate prebake row; other grades in the same table use different times at the same 100 °C (1405/1407: 60 s, 1420: 120 s). An oven alternative is also given: 100-105 °C for 15-30 min (shared across all grades). Recommended prebake temperature also varies by substrate: Si 100-120 °C, Au 120 °C, Si3N4 120 °C, GaAsP/GaAs 100 °C (p.3) — the 100 °C/90 s value applies to the standard (unspecified-substrate) process. A higher prebake (up to 160 °C) or longer time increases etch resistance/thermal stability but also increases developing time.", "source": "Processing conditions - STANDARD PROCESS table, p.2; Recommended prebake temperatures table, p.3" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "value_mJcm2": 450, "source": "Processing conditions - STANDARD PROCESS table, p.2" } ], "basisCopy": "450 ± 30 mJ/cm² is the standard-process dose. It was taken under a broadband lamp with the intensity metered at 365 nm — a lamp dose read at i-line, not an i-line-only exposure.", "headlineBasis": "broadband, metered at 365 nm" }, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "ma-D 533/S", "dilution": null, "time_s": 30, "timeRange_s": { "min": 20, "max": 40 }, "method": "immersion", "rinse": "Developed resist films are thoroughly rinsed with deionized water and then dried.", "source": "Processing conditions - STANDARD PROCESS table (footnote 2: immersion development), p.2; Develop section, p.4" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": 100, "time_s": 1800, "method": "oven", "optional": true, "condition": "if required", "notes": "Optional, series-wide (not per-grade) recommendation: 'Hardbake (optional): If required, the etch resistance and the thermal stability of the resist can be further increased. Hardbaking of the developed resist patterns is suggested in an oven at 100 °C for approximately 30 min. A temperature ramp is beneficial in order to reduce pattern reflow.'", "source": "Hardbake (optional) section, p.4" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "etch-mask", "lift-off", "mems-structural" ], "etchResistance": "\"Well suitable as an etch mask exhibiting high dry and wet etch resistance\" (Characteristics, p.1).", "liftoffSuitable": true, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "mr-Rem 660 (solvent based) and ma-R 404/S (strongly alkaline) recommended; acetone, N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) or oxygen plasma also suitable for residue-free removal (Removal section, p.4). For lift-off specifically: mr-Rem 660 or NMP at 40-60 °C assisted by ultrasonics, or acetone assisted by ultrasonics (p.5).", "storage": "\"Storage at temperatures of 18 – 25 °C is recommended. Do not store ma-N 1400 resists in a refrigerator. Resists and unprocessed resist films have to be stored under yellow light. Keep the bottle closed when not in use. Under these conditions a shelf life of 6 months from the date of manufacture is ensured.\" (Storage section, p.5)", "notes": "ma-N 1410 is the third grade (of four) in micro resist technology's ma-N 1400 negative-tone series, nominally coating 1.0 ± 0.1 µm at 3000 rpm/30 s and developing in the metal-ion-free ma-D 533/S developer recommended for microelectronics work. The standard process yields nearly vertical sidewalls; the datasheet describes a separate lift-off recipe in which undercut profile is tuned primarily by extending development time (holding exposure dose and prebake constant) rather than by underexposing — a worked 2.0 µm-thick example (not this grade specifically) shows undercut growing from 0.6 to 2.1 µm as development time increases from 65 to 120 s at a fixed 550 mJ/cm² dose and 100 °C/120 s prebake. For clean lift-off the datasheet recommends a resist film 1.5-2x the metal deposition thickness. For PVD lift-off, the pattern can be stabilized by a hotter prebake (up to 160 °C) and/or a longer prebake before exposure, and/or by a deep-UV (200-300 nm) flood of the developed patterns at two to five times the 365 nm patterning dose before deposition (p.4). The exposure dose (450 ± 30 mJ/cm²) is explicitly measured at 365 nm on a broadband tool; the document plots UV/vis absorption out past 405 nm but never gives a dose at that wavelength. The datasheet's Fig. 1 plots a full ma-N 1400-series spin curve (four grades, 1000-6000 rpm) and the one point it also prints as a number is the 3000 rpm/1.0 µm table anchor. The ma-N 1400 series is described by microresist.de as an aromatic bisazide/novolac-based resist series.", "developerFamily": "tmah", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Combined ultraviolet- and electron-beam lithography with Micro-Resist-Technology GmbH ma-N1400 resist", "authors": "Thoen et al.", "journal": "Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B", "year": 2022, "doi": "10.1116/6.0001918", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1116/6.0001918", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "one ma-N 1400 layer exposed by UV and 100 kV e-beam for an on-chip THz spectrometer", "note": "Family-level reference: the study characterizes the ma-N 1400 series (title resist 'ma-N1400'), not the 1410 grade specifically; cited as evidence of ma-N 1400-series patterning under combined UV and 100 kV e-beam exposure." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Which developer does ma-N 1410 use?", "a": "ma-D 533/S, a TMAH-based (metal-ion-free) aqueous-alkaline developer recommended for microelectronics work. The standard process for ma-N 1410 is 30 ± 10 s by immersion with the developer at 20–25°C, followed by a thorough deionized-water rinse and dry.", "source": "micro resist technology ma-N 1400 Processing Guidelines (ls.05.11.25.02) — STANDARD PROCESS table, p.2 + Develop section, p.4; TMAH per microresist.de flyer" }, { "q": "What is the exposure dose for ma-N 1410?", "a": "450 ± 30 mJ/cm² in the standard process, from broadband exposure with intensity measured at 365 nm (i-line). The document plots UV/vis absorption past 405 nm but never gives a dose value at h-line, so no 405 nm dose is published — characterize on-tool. The resist is effective for broadband or i-line exposure.", "source": "micro resist technology ma-N 1400 Processing Guidelines (ls.05.11.25.02) — STANDARD PROCESS table + footnote 1 / Exposure section, p.2–3" }, { "q": "What prebake (soft bake) does ma-N 1410 need?", "a": "100°C for 90 s on a hotplate is the standard prebake for ma-N 1410 (thinner 1405/1407 grades use 60 s, the thicker 1420 uses 120 s). An oven alternative is 100–105°C for 15–30 min. Recommended prebake temperature varies by substrate — 100–120°C on Si, 120°C on Au and Si3N4. A higher prebake (up to 160°C) or longer time raises etch resistance but also increases the develop time needed.", "source": "micro resist technology ma-N 1400 Processing Guidelines (ls.05.11.25.02) — STANDARD PROCESS table, p.2 + Recommended prebake temperatures, p.3" }, { "q": "Does ma-N 1410 need HMDS or an adhesion promoter?", "a": "Yes for Si and SiO2 — the datasheet advises applying an adhesion promoter such as HMDS. Standard substrate preparation is an oven bake at 200°C for 30 min, with HMDS for Si and SiO2 substrates.", "source": "micro resist technology ma-N 1400 Processing Guidelines (ls.05.11.25.02) — Substrate preparation / Processing conditions table, p.2" }, { "q": "How do I tune an undercut profile for lift-off with ma-N 1410?", "a": "Extend the development time while holding exposure dose and prebake constant — the manufacturer's lever for undercut, rather than underexposing. A worked 2.0 µm example (not this grade) shows undercut growing from 0.6 to 2.1 µm as develop time goes 65→120 s at fixed 550 mJ/cm² and 100°C/120 s prebake. For clean lift-off keep resist thickness 1.5–2× the metal deposition thickness; for sputtered metals add a higher prebake or a deep-UV flood at 2–5× the patterning dose.", "source": "micro resist technology ma-N 1400 Processing Guidelines (ls.05.11.25.02) — lift-off guidance + worked undercut example, p.4–5" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.nanophys.kth.se/nanolab/resists/vh_man_1400_en_05112502_ls.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "ls.05.11.25.02", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://www.microresist.de/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/NegativeResists_Flyer_Aug22.pdf", "what": "Used only to corroborate that ma-D 533/S is TMAH-based (that flyer's Developer table, p.2, lists 'ma-D 533/S (TMAH based)' for the ma-N 1400 series), since the primary datasheet referenced above states only 'aqueous alkaline development' and does not itself name the alkali type for ma-D 533/S." }, { "url": "https://microresist.de/en/produkt/ma-n-1400-series/", "what": "microresist.de states the ma-N 1400 series is an 'aromatic bisazide/novolac based resist series'; the basis for classifying ma-N 1410 as bisazide-novolak." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "ma-n-1420", "name": "ma-N 1420", "min_um": 1.41, "max_um": 3.35, "doseBasis": "550 mJ/cm²" } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "ma-n-1420", "name": "ma-N 1420", "manufacturer": "micro resist technology", "productLine": "ma-N 1400 series", "aliases": [ "maN 1420", "ma N 1420", "ma-N1420" ], "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "bisazide-novolak", "chemistryNote": "Aromatic bisazide/novolak per the manufacturer's processing guidelines: a novolak resin cross-linked by a photolyzed bisazide. Deliberately NOT tagged dnq-novolak — diazonaphthoquinone is a positive-tone dissolution-inhibition mechanism, and this is a negative-tone cross-linking resist.", "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed in the datasheet either way. ma-N 1400 is marketed as a high-contrast negative resist for standard lithography and lift-off, not for grayscale/3D relief work; no dose-to-thickness linearity data (which grayscale processing requires) is published.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "ma-N 1420 is the thickest grade of micro resist technology's ma-N 1400 bisazide/novolak negative series, nominally 2.0 µm at 3000 rpm/30 s (~1.4–3.4 µm range) — a high-etch-resistance mask and single-layer PVD lift-off resist with develop-tunable undercut.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 1.41, "max_um": 3.35, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span: the ma-N 1400 datasheet states no achievable-thickness range for ma-N 1420 — only a 2.0 ± 0.1 µm nominal at 3000 rpm/30 s (Physical properties table, p.1) and the Fig. 1 spin curves (p.2-3). min/max are the span of this recipe's own ma-N 1420 spin curve, read off the native vector line (1.41 µm at 6000 rpm to 3.35 µm at 1000 rpm)." }, "thicknessRangeNote": "Approximate achievable range for the ma-N 1420 grade specifically, read off the datasheet's spin-curve figure over 1000-6000 rpm (the spin curve above). The nominal/reference-condition thickness is 2.0 ± 0.1 µm at the standard 3000 rpm / 30 s spin (this exact value comes from a numeric table, not the figure).", "spinCurves": [ { "label": "ma-N 1420", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 3.35 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 2.39 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 1.97 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 1.71 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 1.54 }, { "rpm": 6000, "um": 1.41 } ], "source": "read from Fig. 1 ('Spin curves of the ma-N 1400 series, 30 s spin time'), p.3 (numbered p.2 on the printed page) of micro resist technology's 'Processing guidelines — Negative Tone Photoresist Series ma-N 1400' datasheet (doc code ls.05.11.25.02). The chart is drawn as vector line segments rather than a raster image, so the trace can be read exactly at each gridline. The curve is a continuous line with no point markers, so values are line-crossings read only at the labelled gridlines (every 1000 rpm from 1000 to 6000) — never interpolated between them or extrapolated past the line's plotted range. The 3000 rpm point (1.97 µm) is confirmed by the numeric table on p.1 ('Physical properties of the resist solution': Film Thickness 2.0 ± 0.1 µm, footnoted 'spin coated at 3000 rpm for 30 s').", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Substrates should be free of impurities/moisture, baked at 200°C and cooled immediately before coating (or O2/ozone plasma cleaned); HMDS is advised for adhesion to Si/SiO2. No dispense-volume/acceleration/edge-bead protocol is published for ma-N 1400 (unlike some other resist datasheets); equipment used to generate the datasheet's own data: Convac or Suss RC5 spin coater without cover, 3000 rpm / 30 s reference condition.", "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "HMDS recommended as an adhesion promoter for Si and SiO2 substrates. Substrates should be free of impurities and moisture, baked at 200°C and cooled to room temperature immediately before coating; oxygen or ozone plasma cleaning is an accepted alternative." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 100, "time_s": 120, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "100°C / 120 s is the standard hotplate prebake for the 2.0 µm ma-N 1420 film (thinner grades in the same series use shorter times at the same 100°C: ma-N 1405/1407 = 60 s, ma-N 1410 = 90 s). Oven alternative: 100–105°C for 15–30 min. Prebake temperature may be raised (max 160°C) or time extended to further increase etch resistance/thermal stability, at the cost of a longer required develop time. Recommended prebake temperature varies by substrate: 100–120°C (Si), 120°C (Au), 120°C (Si3N4), 100°C (GaAsP/GaAs).", "source": "Processing conditions - STANDARD PROCESS table + 'Prebake' section, p.2 and p.3, micro resist technology ma-N 1400 datasheet ls.05.11.25.02" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "value_mJcm2": 550, "source": "Processing conditions - STANDARD PROCESS table, p.2, micro resist technology ma-N 1400 datasheet ls.05.11.25.02" } ], "basisCopy": "The 2.0 µm standard process takes 550 ± 30 mJ/cm² under a broadband lamp, with the reading taken at 365 nm; the resist absorbs out to about 410 nm but no h-line dose is quoted.", "headlineBasis": "broadband, metered at 365 nm" }, "peb": { "temp_c": null, "time_s": null, "notes": "No post-exposure bake step is specified anywhere in the datasheet. Consistent with a classical bisazide-crosslinking negative resist, which crosslinks directly on exposure rather than via an acid-catalyzed post-bake reaction (as in chemically amplified resists).", "source": null }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "ma-D 533/S", "dilution": "ready-to-use (undiluted)", "time_s": 60, "timeRange_s": { "min": 50, "max": 70 }, "method": "immersion", "rinse": "DI water", "source": "Processing conditions - STANDARD PROCESS table, p.2, micro resist technology ma-N 1400 datasheet ls.05.11.25.02. Development time for ma-N 1420 is 60 ± 10 s; developer temperature should be 20–25°C." }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": 100, "time_s": 1800, "method": "oven", "optional": true, "condition": "if required", "notes": "Optional — 'Hardbake (optional): If required, the etch resistance and the thermal stability of the resist can be further increased.' Oven bake at 100°C for approximately 30 min increases etch resistance and thermal stability of developed patterns; a temperature ramp is recommended to reduce pattern reflow.", "source": "'Hardbake (optional)' section, p.4, micro resist technology ma-N 1400 datasheet ls.05.11.25.02" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "etch-mask", "lift-off" ], "etchResistance": "High wet and dry etch resistance (a headline characteristic of the ma-N 1400 series). Can be further increased by raising prebake temperature (up to 160°C max) or prebake time, or by an optional post-develop hardbake (100°C, ~30 min); developing time increases correspondingly.", "liftoffSuitable": true, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "mr-Rem 660 (solvent-based) or ma-R 404/S (strongly alkaline) ready-to-use removers recommended; acetone, N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP), or O2 plasma also give residue-free removal. For lift-off specifically after PVD: mr-Rem 660 or NMP at 40–60°C with ultrasonic assist (acetone with ultrasonics also recommended).", "storage": "Store at 18–25°C; do not refrigerate. Store resist and unprocessed films under yellow light, bottle closed when not in use. Shelf life 6 months from date of manufacture under these conditions. Best patterning results at 20–25°C ambient and 40–46% RH.", "notes": "ma-N 1420 gives a nominal 2.0 ± 0.1 µm film at the reference 3000 rpm / 30 s spin condition. Standard processing (100°C/120s prebake, 550 mJ/cm² dose, 60s develop) yields near-vertical sidewalls. Undercut (lift-off) profiles are produced primarily by INCREASING develop time (the manufacturer's preferred lever) and/or reducing exposure dose, while holding prebake conditions at standard values — the datasheet's own worked example (2.0 µm film, 100°C/120s prebake, 550 mJ/cm² dose) shows undercut of 0.6/0.8/1.7/2.1 µm for ma-D 533/S develop times of 65/80/100/120 s respectively. Raising prebake temperature (up to 160°C) and/or extending prebake time reduces undercut for a given develop time and improves thermal stability for sputtering, but increases the develop time needed. For clean PVD lift-off, resist thickness should be 1.5–2× the metal deposition thickness. The developed pattern can also be stabilized before deposition by a deep-UV (200-300 nm) flood at two to five times the 365 nm patterning dose (p.4) — the datasheet's other lever is the hotter/longer prebake above. Exposure dose must be de-rated for reflective/absorbing substrates (e.g. ~0.5× the Si dose on Au).", "developerFamily": "tmah", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Combined ultraviolet- and electron-beam lithography with Micro-Resist-Technology GmbH ma-N1400 resist", "authors": "Thoen et al.", "journal": "Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B", "year": 2022, "doi": "10.1116/6.0001918", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1116/6.0001918", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "one ma-N 1400 layer exposed by UV and 100 kV e-beam for an on-chip THz spectrometer", "note": "Family-level reference for the ma-N 1400 series (title resist 'ma-N1400'), not the 1420 grade specifically; included as ma-N 1400-series evidence of dual UV and 100 kV e-beam exposure in an on-chip THz spectrometer." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Which developer does ma-N 1420 use?", "a": "ma-D 533/S, a ready-to-use (undiluted) TMAH-based aqueous-alkaline developer. The standard process is 60 ± 10 s by immersion with the developer at 20–25°C, followed by a deionized-water rinse. Extending the develop time is also the manufacturer's preferred lever for producing an undercut lift-off profile.", "source": "micro resist technology ma-N 1400 Processing Guidelines (ls.05.11.25.02) — STANDARD PROCESS table, p.2; developer family (TMAH) per microresist.de ma-D 533/S page" }, { "q": "What is the exposure dose for ma-N 1420?", "a": "550 ± 30 mJ/cm² for the standard 2.0 µm ma-N 1420 film, from broadband exposure with intensity measured at 365 nm (i-line). The resist is effective across broadband, i-line and h-line, but no separate 405 nm (h-line) dose value is published — leave it to be characterized on-tool. Dose must be de-rated for reflective substrates, e.g. roughly 0.5× the silicon dose on gold.", "source": "micro resist technology ma-N 1400 Processing Guidelines (ls.05.11.25.02) — STANDARD PROCESS table + footnote 1, p.2" }, { "q": "Does ma-N 1420 need a post-exposure bake?", "a": "No — the datasheet specifies no post-exposure bake step. That is consistent with a classical bisazide-crosslinking negative resist, which cross-links directly on exposure rather than through an acid-catalyzed post-bake reaction as in chemically amplified resists.", "source": "micro resist technology ma-N 1400 Processing Guidelines (ls.05.11.25.02) — no PEB step in the STANDARD PROCESS sequence, p.2" }, { "q": "Does ma-N 1420 need HMDS or adhesion promotion?", "a": "Yes for Si and SiO2 — HMDS is advised as an adhesion promoter. Substrates should be free of impurities and moisture, baked at 200°C and cooled to room temperature immediately before coating; an oxygen or ozone plasma clean is an accepted alternative.", "source": "micro resist technology ma-N 1400 Processing Guidelines (ls.05.11.25.02) — Substrate preparation, p.2" }, { "q": "How do I get an undercut profile for lift-off with ma-N 1420?", "a": "Increase the develop time — the manufacturer's preferred lever — while holding prebake and dose at standard values. The datasheet's worked example (2.0 µm film, 100°C/120 s prebake, 550 mJ/cm²) gives undercut of 0.6 / 0.8 / 1.7 / 2.1 µm for ma-D 533/S develop times of 65 / 80 / 100 / 120 s. Raising prebake temperature (up to 160°C) reduces undercut for a given develop time. For clean PVD lift-off, keep resist thickness 1.5–2× the metal thickness.", "source": "micro resist technology ma-N 1400 Processing Guidelines (ls.05.11.25.02) — LIFT-OFF section worked example, p.4" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://litho.nano.cnr.it/wp-content/datasheets/man_1400.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "micro resist technology 'Processing guidelines — Negative Tone Photoresist Series ma-N 1400', document code ls.05.11.25.02 (no separate calendar date printed on the document; also mirrored as vh_man_1400_en_05112502_ls.pdf)", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://www.microresist.de/en/produkt/ma-d-533-s/", "what": "used only to confirm that the ma-D 533/S developer is TMAH-based (the primary ma-N 1400 datasheet only says 'aqueous alkaline development' without naming the base) — used to classify the developer family, not as a source for any numeric process parameter" } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "photoimageable": true, "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "ma-n-1410", "name": "ma-N 1410", "min_um": 0.7, "max_um": 1.75, "doseBasis": "450 mJ/cm²" } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "ma-n-2410", "name": "ma-N 2410", "manufacturer": "micro resist technology GmbH", "productLine": "ma-N 2400 series", "aliases": [ "ma-N 2410", "maN 2410", "ma N 2410" ], "tone": "negative", "chemistry": null, "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed. The series is presented for high-resolution binary patterning down to 30 nm, with no dose-vs-depth behaviour discussed.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "ma-N 2410 is the thickest grade of micro resist technology's ma-N 2400 negative series, coating 1.0 µm at 3000 rpm for 30 s, and is exposed by electron beam or deep UV rather than by a UV lamp or a 405 nm writer.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 1, "max_um": 1, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated — the 'Technical data' table (p.1) gives ma-N 2410 a film thickness of 1000 nm, coated at 3000 rpm for 30 s. The four grades in the series are tabulated at that same single spin condition (2401: 100 nm, 2403: 300 nm, 2405: 500 nm, 2410: 1000 nm)." }, "spinCurves": [], "spinNotes": "One tabulated point, not a sweep: 1.0 µm at 3000 rpm for 30 s. The sheet does plot film thickness against spin speed from 1000 to 6000 rpm with a trace for each of the four grades, so the shape is shown, but that chart carries no numeric table — only axis ticks on a 0-2.0 µm scale and the legend strings — so no values are published from it. Accel, dispense volume and edge-bead removal are not published here.", "adhesion": { "hmds": null, "notes": "Not addressed in this product-information sheet." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": null, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "basisCopy": "Doses are published for electron-beam exposure, from 20-45 µC/cm² at 10 keV up to 240-550 µC/cm² at 100 keV, and for deep UV at 248, 254 or 266 nm at 2-20 mJ/cm². No dose is published for g-line (436 nm), h-line (405 nm) or i-line (365 nm)." }, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": null, "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Unique features, p.1" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [ "etch-mask" ], "etchResistance": "\"High wet and dry etch resistance\" (Unique features, p.1); the sheet lists masking for Si, SiO2, Si3N4 and metals among its applications.", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": null, "storage": null, "notes": "ma-N 2410 is the 1 µm grade of a negative series built for electron-beam and deep-UV lithography, and that is the thing to check before specifying it: the published doses are in µC/cm² by beam energy, plus a deep-UV band at 248, 254 or 266 nm — there is no figure for g-line, h-line (the 405 nm line a direct-write tool uses) or i-line, and the absorption data on the sheet shows the resist going transparent above roughly 350 nm. On a UV direct-write tool it will not pattern. Where a beam is available the series resolves down to 30 nm, develops in aqueous alkali, and is offered as an etch mask against Si, SiO2, Si3N4 and metals, as an ion-implantation mask, and for cutting nanoimprint stamps. Dose climbs steeply with beam energy, from 20-45 µC/cm² at 10 keV to 240-550 µC/cm² at 100 keV, and those bands are wide enough that a dose array is the only sensible way to land on a working value. Softbake, development time and removal are not covered in this sheet.", "developerFamily": null, "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "ma-N 2410 doesn't pattern on my i-line or 405 nm tool — is the dose just too low?", "a": "No. ma-N 2410 is an electron-beam and deep-UV resist. Micro resist technology publishes doses for e-beam and for deep UV at 248, 254 or 266 nm only (2–20 mJ/cm²), and no dose for g-, h- or i-line. The absorption plot on the same sheet shows the unexposed film becoming nearly transparent above roughly 350 nm, so raising the dose on a 365 nm or 405 nm source won't fix it. Move the job to an e-beam or deep-UV exposure.", "source": "ma-N 2400 Negative Tone Photoresist Series product information (micro resist technology, 2024) — Technical data table and absorption-coefficient plot, p.1" }, { "q": "My ma-N 2410 e-beam dose from one tool doesn't transfer to another — why?", "a": "Dose depends strongly on beam energy. The series table runs from 20–45 µC/cm² at 10 keV to 80–200 at 20 keV, 95–300 at 30 keV, 150–350 at 50 keV and 240–550 µC/cm² at 100 keV. The bands are quoted for the whole series, not per grade, and are wide, so a 1 µm ma-N 2410 film needs its own dose array at your accelerating voltage. Don't scale a dose across energies from another tool.", "source": "ma-N 2400 Negative Tone Photoresist Series product information (micro resist technology, 2024) — Technical data table, p.1" }, { "q": "I need a thinner or thicker film than 1 µm — should I respin ma-N 2410 or change grade?", "a": "The only tabulated point for ma-N 2410 is 1000 nm at 3000 rpm for 30 s. The spin chart on the same sheet shows it thinning from about 1.7 µm at 1000 rpm to roughly 0.7 µm at 6000 rpm, with no numeric table behind the curve, so confirm any off-nominal speed by measurement. For films well below that, the series offers ma-N 2405 (500 nm), 2403 (300 nm) and 2401 (100 nm), all at the same 3000 rpm / 30 s. Development is aqueous alkaline; bake and developer details are not published on this sheet.", "source": "ma-N 2400 Negative Tone Photoresist Series product information (micro resist technology, 2024) — Technical data table, spin-speed chart and Unique features, p.1" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/ma-n-2400-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "2024", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-24", "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "ma-p-1205", "name": "ma-P 1205", "manufacturer": "micro resist technology GmbH", "productLine": "ma-P 1200 series", "aliases": [ "ma-P1205", "maP 1205" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed. Greyscale lithography is the job of the separately named ma-P 1200G series; this sheet presents the standard grades for binary etch masks and plating moulds.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "adhesion": { "hmds": null, "notes": "Not addressed in this product sheet." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": null, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": null, "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Unique features / Characteristics, p.1-2 of the ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01)" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "etchResistance": "\"High pattern stability in wet etch processes and acid and alkaline plating baths\" and \"Highly stable in dry etch processes e.g. CHF3, CF4, SF6\" (Unique features, p.1).", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": null, "storage": null, "developerFamily": null, "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Why does my ma-P 1205 dose stop working when I move from bare silicon to glass or a metal film?", "a": "MicroChemicals' trouble shooter explains it: in films this thin a large share of the light reaches the substrate, so the absorbed dose depends on what is underneath. Reflective metals such as Ag, Cr or Pt send light back into the resist, ITO absorbs most of the UV, and glass or quartz transmit most of it. The published 35 mJ/cm² (broadband, metered at 365 nm) is a starting point for the sheet's conditions, not a number that transfers between substrates: run a short dose series on each new stack.", "source": "micro resist technology ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01) — Technical data table, p.1; MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note (not a micro resist technology document) — Thin Resist Films?, p.7, and Changed Substrate Reflectivity? (thin resist films), p.9" }, { "q": "My ma-P 1205 coat shows colour bands across the wafer. Is the film bad?", "a": "Not necessarily. At half a micron the colour is thin-film interference, and MicroChemicals' trouble shooter notes that in thin films a thickness change of only a few tens of nanometres changes it visibly. It lists solvent loss from a frequently opened bottle, resist ageing, temperature or humidity changes, and changed coating equipment or parameters as causes, and recommends coating a few dummy wafers before a new series so the coater atmosphere is solvent-saturated. Measure the thickness against the sheet's 0.5 µm at 3000 rpm for 30 s before blaming the resist.", "source": "micro resist technology ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01) — Technical data table, p.1; MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' — Discolouring? (substrate and resist film thickness), p.1, and Resist Film Thickness Higher Than Expected?, p.8" }, { "q": "Can I thin ma-P 1205 down to get below 0.5 µm?", "a": "The sheet's spin chart runs ma-P 1205 out to 6000 rpm and stops there; it names no thinning solvent. MicroChemicals' trouble shooter gives the general risk with diluting a resist: use only a suitable solvent and stay under the resist-specific maximum dilution, or the resist can rapidly form particles. It adds that expired or wrongly stored resist forms particles too, especially low-viscosity thin resists, so check the bottle's age before diluting it. Ask micro resist technology for a thinner and ratio first.", "source": "micro resist technology ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01) — film thickness vs spin speed chart, p.1; MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' — Diluted Photoresist? and Expired Resist?, p.14" }, { "q": "ma-P 1205 peels during an HF oxide etch. What can I change?", "a": "MicroChemicals' trouble shooter explains the mechanism: HF diffuses into the resist and can peel it on a large scale, either during the etch or after the rinse. A 0.5 µm film is a thin barrier against that. Its two remedies are a thicker resist film and buffered HF (BOE) instead of straight HF. Within this series, ma-P 1210 (1.0 µm) and ma-P 1215 (1.5 µm) coat thicker at the same 3000 rpm. The same note warns that an earlier HF dip which left some oxide behind gives poor, non-reproducible adhesion.", "source": "micro resist technology ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01) — Technical data table, p.1; MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' — Using HF-Containing Etchants? and Preceding HF Etching, p.11" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/ma-p-1200-series-ma-p-1275-hv/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "ls.24.02.01 (printed on both pages)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://kayakuam.com/products/ma-p-1200/", "what": "kayakuam.com states 'ma-P 1200 is a positive tone DNQ/novolac based resist series'; the basis for classifying the ma-P 1200 grades as dnq-novolak." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-13", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "summary": "ma-P 1205 is the thinnest grade of micro resist technology's ma-P 1200 positive series, coating 0.5 µm at 3000 rpm with a published dose of 35 mJ/cm².", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 0.5, "max_um": 0.5, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated — the technical data table (p.1) gives ma-P 1205 a film thickness of 0.5 µm at 3000 rpm for 30 s, the one condition every grade in the series is tabulated at." }, "spinCurves": [], "spinNotes": "One tabulated point, not a sweep: the technical data table gives ma-P 1205 as 0.5 µm at 3000 rpm for 30 s, the single condition every grade in the series is listed at, and one anchor is not a curve. The sheet also plots film thickness against spin speed from 1000 to 6000 rpm for all six grades, but as smooth lines with no markers and no numeric table, so no values are published from it. Accel, dispense volume and edge-bead removal are not published.", "exposureDose": { "doses": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "value_mJcm2": 35, "source": "Technical data table, p.1 of the ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01), ma-P 1205 column" } ], "headlineBasis": "broadband, metered at 365 nm", "basisCopy": "35 mJ/cm² is the published dose for ma-P 1205, measured under broadband exposure with the meter reading the 365 nm line rather than specified as a monochromatic i-line dose." }, "applications": [ "etch-mask", "electroplating-molding" ], "notes": "ma-P 1205 is the thinnest of micro resist technology's standard ma-P 1200 positive resists, coating half a micron at 3000 rpm for 30 s. The sheet's own example shows it holding 1 µm lines on 3 µm spaces at that thickness. Its dose, 35 mJ/cm² under broadband exposure metered at 365 nm, is the lowest in the series, shared only with ma-P 1210. Like the rest of the line it is sold for high pattern stability in wet etches and in acid and alkaline plating baths, for dry etching in CHF3, CF4 or SF6, and for easy removal; the listed applications are etch masks for Si, SiO2, semiconductors and metals, electroplating moulds and ion-implantation masks. The series develops in aqueous alkali. The sheet publishes no softbake, developer product or develop time, so those have to be set on-tool.", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "ma-p-1210", "name": "ma-P 1210", "min_um": 1, "max_um": 1, "doseBasis": "35 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1215", "name": "ma-P 1215", "min_um": 1.5, "max_um": 1.5, "doseBasis": "45 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1225", "name": "ma-P 1225", "min_um": 2.5, "max_um": 2.5, "doseBasis": "55 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1240", "name": "ma-P 1240", "min_um": 4, "max_um": 4, "doseBasis": "110 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1275", "name": "ma-P 1275", "min_um": 7.5, "max_um": 40, "doseBasis": "150 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1275hv", "name": "ma-P 1275 HV", "min_um": 11, "max_um": 50, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "ma-p-1210", "name": "ma-P 1210", "manufacturer": "micro resist technology GmbH", "productLine": "ma-P 1200 series", "aliases": [ "ma-P1210", "maP 1210" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed. Greyscale lithography is the job of the separately named ma-P 1200G series; this sheet presents the standard grades for binary etch masks and plating moulds.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "adhesion": { "hmds": null, "notes": "Not addressed in this product sheet." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": null, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": null, "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Unique features / Characteristics, p.1-2 of the ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01)" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "etchResistance": "\"High pattern stability in wet etch processes and acid and alkaline plating baths\" and \"Highly stable in dry etch processes e.g. CHF3, CF4, SF6\" (Unique features, p.1).", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": null, "storage": null, "developerFamily": null, "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "My sub-micron lines in ma-P 1210 come out wider or narrower than the mask. Where do I look first?", "a": "The sheet shows ma-P 1210 holding 0.85 µm lines at its 1.0 µm film, so the resist is not the limit there. MicroChemicals' trouble shooter lists the usual causes: too much dose scatters light into the unexposed resist and eats the lines; too little forces a longer develop, and the extra dark erosion costs contrast. Any gap between mask and resist — a particle, a bubble, an edge bead, a bowed wafer — adds diffraction and widens exposed features. Start from the published 35 mJ/cm² broadband dose, run a dose series, and check contact before retuning the develop.", "source": "micro resist technology ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01) — Technical data table and '1 µm ma-P 1210, 0.85 µm lines' SEM, p.1; MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' (not a micro resist technology document) — Accidental Exposure of Positive Resists? (Proximity Gap), p.10; Gap between Photomask and Resist Surface?, p.12; Optimum Exposure Dose?, p.13" }, { "q": "ma-P 1210 develops slowly and unevenly even though I exposed at the published dose. Why?", "a": "MicroChemicals' trouble-shooting note (not a micro resist technology document) explains that DNQ positive resists need some water back in the film after the softbake before they develop at a normal rate. For a film around 1 µm, like ma-P 1210, that rehydration takes roughly a minute in room air, so a wafer rushed from hotplate to aligner can lag. Humidity matters as much as time: the development rate drops noticeably below about 40 % relative humidity, and 40–50 % held constant is the recommended range. A dry winter cleanroom can look like an exposure problem.", "source": "MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Development: Insufficient Development Rate, Sufficient Rehydration?, p.6; micro resist technology ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01) — Technical data table (1.0 µm, 35 mJ/cm²), p.1" }, { "q": "Small ma-P 1210 features lift off in the developer on glass or quartz. What is going on?", "a": "MicroChemicals' trouble shooter describes this for positive resists on transparent substrates: with too high a dose, light is guided sideways through the substrate and exposes the resist near the interface, so small structures can lift in the developer. Keep the dose no higher than clearing needs and run the dose series on the transparent substrate itself rather than carrying over a number from another substrate. The same note recommends a dehydration bake at 120–140 °C for several minutes on clean substrates to improve adhesion.", "source": "MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' — Inferior Resist Adhesion: Positive Tone Resists on Transparent Substrates?, p.12, and Optimum Substrate Pretreatment?, p.11" }, { "q": "What causes comet streaks in a spun ma-P 1210 film?", "a": "MicroChemicals' trouble shooter traces radial streaks mostly to air or nitrogen bubbles, more rarely particles, that the spin drives outward. Carrying or shaking the bottle injects air, and a bottle that has sat closed for months can hold dissolved N2 released by the photoactive compound, which forms bubbles once it is opened. Its fix is to let the bottle stand 1–2 hours, with the cap set loosely for the N2 case, before coating. If you dispense by pipette, give the filled pipette a moment so bubbles rise away from the tip.", "source": "MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' — Spin Coating: Comet-Shaped Structures?, p.3; Bubbles or Particles in Resist Film after Coating (Resist Bottles Moved?, Resist Bottles Closed for A While?, Manual Resist Dispensing?), p.13–14" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/ma-p-1200-series-ma-p-1275-hv/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "ls.24.02.01 (printed on both pages)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://kayakuam.com/products/ma-p-1200/", "what": "kayakuam.com states 'ma-P 1200 is a positive tone DNQ/novolac based resist series'; the basis for classifying the ma-P 1200 grades as dnq-novolak." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-13", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "summary": "ma-P 1210 coats 1.0 µm at 3000 rpm with a published dose of 35 mJ/cm², the one-micron grade of the ma-P 1200 positive series.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 1, "max_um": 1, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated — the technical data table (p.1) gives ma-P 1210 a film thickness of 1 µm at 3000 rpm for 30 s, the one condition every grade in the series is tabulated at." }, "spinCurves": [], "spinNotes": "One tabulated point, not a sweep: the technical data table gives ma-P 1210 as 1 µm at 3000 rpm for 30 s, the single condition every grade in the series is listed at, and one anchor is not a curve. The sheet also plots film thickness against spin speed from 1000 to 6000 rpm for all six grades, but as smooth lines with no markers and no numeric table, so no values are published from it. Accel, dispense volume and edge-bead removal are not published.", "exposureDose": { "doses": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "value_mJcm2": 35, "source": "Technical data table, p.1 of the ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01), ma-P 1210 column" } ], "headlineBasis": "broadband, metered at 365 nm", "basisCopy": "35 mJ/cm² is the published dose for ma-P 1210, measured under broadband exposure with the meter reading the 365 nm line rather than specified as a monochromatic i-line dose." }, "applications": [ "etch-mask", "electroplating-molding" ], "notes": "ma-P 1210 is the one-micron grade in micro resist technology's ma-P 1200 series, and the sheet's example is a fair statement of what it is for: 0.85 µm lines resolved in a 1 µm film on a mask aligner, an aspect ratio a little over 1:1. It shares the lowest dose in the series, 35 mJ/cm², with the half-micron 1205, so on paper doubling the film thickness adds nothing to the exposure dose. Like the rest of the line it is marketed as stable in wet and dry etch chemistries and in acid and alkaline plating baths, and it develops in aqueous alkali. No softbake, developer product or develop time is published, so those are on-tool parameters.", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "ma-p-1205", "name": "ma-P 1205", "min_um": 0.5, "max_um": 0.5, "doseBasis": "35 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1215", "name": "ma-P 1215", "min_um": 1.5, "max_um": 1.5, "doseBasis": "45 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1225", "name": "ma-P 1225", "min_um": 2.5, "max_um": 2.5, "doseBasis": "55 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1240", "name": "ma-P 1240", "min_um": 4, "max_um": 4, "doseBasis": "110 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1275", "name": "ma-P 1275", "min_um": 7.5, "max_um": 40, "doseBasis": "150 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1275hv", "name": "ma-P 1275 HV", "min_um": 11, "max_um": 50, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "ma-p-1215", "name": "ma-P 1215", "manufacturer": "micro resist technology GmbH", "productLine": "ma-P 1200 series", "aliases": [ "ma-P1215", "maP 1215" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed. Greyscale lithography is the job of the separately named ma-P 1200G series; this sheet presents the standard grades for binary etch masks and plating moulds.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "ma-P 1215 is the 1.5 µm grade of micro resist technology's ma-P 1200 positive series, coated at 3000 rpm for 30 s and with a published dose of 45 mJ/cm² — the middle of a six-grade line that runs from 0.5 µm to the thick 1275 plating grades.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 1.5, "max_um": 1.5, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated — the technical data table (p.1) gives ma-P 1215 a film thickness of 1.5 µm at 3000 rpm for 30 s, the one condition every grade in the series is tabulated at." }, "spinCurves": [], "spinNotes": "One tabulated point, not a sweep: the technical data table gives ma-P 1215 as 1.5 µm at 3000 rpm for 30 s, the single condition every grade in the series is listed at, and one anchor is not a curve. The sheet also plots film thickness against spin speed from 1000 to 6000 rpm for all six grades, but as smooth lines with no markers and no numeric table, so no values are published from it. Accel, dispense volume and edge-bead removal are not published.", "adhesion": { "hmds": null, "notes": "Not mentioned in this document." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": null, "exposureDose": { "doses": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "value_mJcm2": 45, "source": "Technical data table, p.1 of the ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01), ma-P 1215 column" } ], "headlineBasis": "broadband, metered at 365 nm", "basisCopy": "45 mJ/cm² is the published dose for ma-P 1215, measured under broadband exposure with the meter reading the 365 nm line rather than specified as a monochromatic i-line dose." }, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": null, "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Unique features / Characteristics, p.1-2 of the ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01)" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [ "etch-mask", "electroplating-molding" ], "etchResistance": "\"High pattern stability in wet etch processes and acid and alkaline plating baths\" and \"Highly stable in dry etch processes e.g. CHF3, CF4, SF6\" (Unique features, p.1).", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": null, "storage": null, "notes": "ma-P 1215 is the 1.5 µm grade of micro resist technology's ma-P 1200 positive series, and the grade all three papers listed below used: thick enough to survive a wet etch of chromium or an HF oxide open, with a published dose of 45 mJ/cm². It sits between the 1 µm ma-P 1210, at 35 mJ/cm², and the 2.5 µm ma-P 1225 at 55 mJ/cm², so its exposure cost scales gently with the extra film. The series is sold for stability in wet etches and in acid and alkaline plating baths, for dry etching in CHF3, CF4 or SF6, and for easy removal, and it develops in aqueous alkali. The sheet publishes no softbake, developer product or develop time; the published papers listed below are the practical place to find a starting bake and exposure.", "developerFamily": null, "references": [ { "type": "paper", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "title": "Robust Pressure Sensor in SOI Technology with Butterfly Wiring for Airfoil Integration", "authors": "Haus et al.", "journal": "Sensors", "year": 2021, "doi": "10.3390/s21186140", "summary": "Uses ma-P 1215 as the lithographic mask through which 40% hydrofluoric acid opens the oxide to define boron doping windows, in an SOI piezoresistive pressure sensor built for airfoil integration.", "note": "Etch-mask usage against concentrated HF, then stripped before the dopant drive-in.", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/s21186140" }, { "type": "paper", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "title": "Mapping enzyme catalysis with metabolic biosensing", "authors": "Xu et al.", "journal": "Nature Communications", "year": 2021, "doi": "10.1038/s41467-021-27185-9", "summary": "Transfers sawtooth electrode patterns into a 2 um-thick ma-P 1215 layer over sputtered chromium, then wet-etches the chromium through the resist to build the electrodes of a droplet-microfluidic enzyme-screening chip.", "note": "Chromium wet-etch mask usage on a glass substrate.", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-27185-9" }, { "type": "paper", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "title": "Linked optical and gene expression profiling of single cells at high-throughput", "authors": "Zhang et al.", "journal": "Genome Biology", "year": 2020, "doi": "10.1186/s13059-020-01958-9", "summary": "States a complete ma-P 1215 process for a chromium electrode mask: a 2 um coat, a 1 min bake at 95 C, a 3.5 min collimated UV exposure, then development and chromium etching.", "note": "One of the few papers that publishes the ma-P 1215 bake and exposure conditions explicitly rather than deferring to the datasheet.", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1186/s13059-020-01958-9" } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "ma-P 1215 sticks to the mask during hard-contact exposure. How do I stop it?", "a": "MicroChemicals' trouble shooter names four causes, first a film that still holds too much solvent because the softbake was too cool or too short. The ma-P 1200 sheet publishes no softbake, so there is no grade-specific number; MicroChemicals recommends about 100 °C on a hotplate for one minute per µm, a place to start testing for a 1.5 µm ma-P 1215 film. Particles or bubbles in the film transfer to the mask and stick locally, so clean the mask. Soft contact helps if the aligner allows it, and poor substrate adhesion lets the mask pull the film off.", "source": "MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note (not a micro resist technology document) — Sticking Between Resist Film and Mask, p.6; micro resist technology ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01) — Technical data table (1.5 µm at 3000 rpm), p.1" }, { "q": "My wet etch undercuts ma-P 1215 far more than the etch depth. Is the resist failing?", "a": "MicroChemicals' trouble shooter says an isotropic etch undercuts a mask by roughly as much as it etches down, and much more than that points to adhesion rather than the resist itself, which the ma-P sheet sells for high pattern stability in wet etch processes. It adds that a hardbake after development, around 140 °C for 5–10 minutes, often improves adhesion for wet etching, and 140–150 °C improves resistance to strongly oxidising etchants such as nitric-acid mixtures. The ma-P sheet gives no hardbake, so confirm the resist still strips cleanly after whatever bake you settle on.", "source": "MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' — Wet Etching: Underetching? p.15 and Resist Attack in HNO3-Containing Etchants? p.16; micro resist technology ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01) — Unique features, p.1" }, { "q": "The etch through my developed ma-P 1215 starts unevenly across the open areas. Why?", "a": "Even a few nanometres of resist left in a cleared area blocks many etchants. The common sources are HMDS spun on as a liquid, or HMDS vapour in the same coater that spins the resist: the excess releases ammonia during the softbake, which modifies the resin at the substrate and can leave a layer that will not develop through. Prime from the vapour phase onto a heated wafer and keep it out of the resist coater. An incompatible developer or a short rinse after development leaves the same thin residue.", "source": "MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' — Inhomogeneous Etch Start? (resist residuals), p.16, and HMDS Applied Correctly; Contamination by Other Substances?, p.7–8" }, { "q": "ma-P 1215 leaves bare patches on the wafer after spinning. What should I check?", "a": "MicroChemicals' trouble shooter puts poor wetting first: noble metals, a wafer that is not clean, an HF dip that left some oxide behind, and high cleanroom humidity all promote uncoated areas. Next is volume — it recommends 1–5 ml per substrate depending on viscosity, thickness and substrate size, dispensed as close to the centre as possible. On smooth wafers a fast ramp to the final speed, above 1000 rpm/s, suppresses the gaps; the ma-P sheet's own condition for 1.5 µm is 3000 rpm for 30 s.", "source": "MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' — Uncoated Substrate Areas after Resist Coating?, p.1; micro resist technology ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01) — Technical data table, p.1" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/ma-p-1200-series-ma-p-1275-hv/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "ls.24.02.01 (printed on both pages)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://kayakuam.com/products/ma-p-1200/", "what": "kayakuam.com states 'ma-P 1200 is a positive tone DNQ/novolac based resist series'; the basis for classifying ma-P 1215 as dnq-novolak." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "ma-p-1205", "name": "ma-P 1205", "min_um": 0.5, "max_um": 0.5, "doseBasis": "35 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1210", "name": "ma-P 1210", "min_um": 1, "max_um": 1, "doseBasis": "35 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1225", "name": "ma-P 1225", "min_um": 2.5, "max_um": 2.5, "doseBasis": "55 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1240", "name": "ma-P 1240", "min_um": 4, "max_um": 4, "doseBasis": "110 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1275", "name": "ma-P 1275", "min_um": 7.5, "max_um": 40, "doseBasis": "150 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1275hv", "name": "ma-P 1275 HV", "min_um": 11, "max_um": 50, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "ma-p-1225", "name": "ma-P 1225", "manufacturer": "micro resist technology GmbH", "productLine": "ma-P 1200 series", "aliases": [ "ma-P1225", "maP 1225" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed. Greyscale lithography is the job of the separately named ma-P 1200G series; this sheet presents the standard grades for binary etch masks and plating moulds.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "adhesion": { "hmds": null, "notes": "Not addressed in this product sheet." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": null, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": null, "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Unique features / Characteristics, p.1-2 of the ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01)" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "etchResistance": "\"High pattern stability in wet etch processes and acid and alkaline plating baths\" and \"Highly stable in dry etch processes e.g. CHF3, CF4, SF6\" (Unique features, p.1).", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": null, "storage": null, "developerFamily": null, "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "ma-P 1225 plating moulds lift off a gold seed layer during electroplating. What helps?", "a": "MicroChemicals' trouble shooter notes that resist adhesion on noble metals such as gold is often poor and that HMDS does little for it. Its remedy is a few nanometres of titanium (or chromium) on the seed layer, which bonds well to the resist and can be etched out of the open areas after development, as long as that etch does not run far under the resist. It adds that the resist swells in aqueous solutions, which reduces adhesion during plating. The ma-P sheet sells the series as a plating mould, with a 2.5 µm ma-P 1225 film resolving 2 µm lines on 4 µm spaces as its own example.", "source": "MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Inferior Resist Adhesion: On Noble Metals?, p.11–12, and Electro-Plating: Underplating?, p.18; micro resist technology ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01) — Applications and '2.5 µm ma-P 1225' SEM, p.1" }, { "q": "Metal plated into my ma-P 1225 openings has poor adhesion to the seed. Why?", "a": "MicroChemicals' trouble shooter gives two resist-side causes. A few nanometres of resist left on the seed after development stop the plated metal making proper contact, and they come from a developer that does not clear the resist without residue. HMDS applied as a liquid or onto an unheated wafer can crosslink the resist nearest the substrate so it no longer develops. The ma-P sheet names no developer beyond aqueous alkaline, so qualify the one you use on a test wafer before plating, and prime HMDS from vapour onto a heated substrate.", "source": "MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' — Electro-Plating: Bad Adhesion of the Metal Structures? (resist residuals after development; incorrectly applied HMDS), p.17; micro resist technology ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01) — Unique features, p.1" }, { "q": "My plating rate drops after running ma-P 1225 wafers through the bath. Could the resist be doing it?", "a": "It can. MicroChemicals' trouble shooter says a typical softbake leaves around 2–4 % solvent in the film, and whatever is released into the bath can upset the deposition chemistry and slow the rate. Its fix is a longer and/or hotter softbake; for thick films, which keep solvent near the substrate even after a long softbake, it adds a bake after development about 10 °C below the resist's softening point. The ma-P sheet claims high stability in acid and alkaline plating baths for the series, but that is the resist's own stability, not what it releases into the bath.", "source": "MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' — Electro-Plating: Bath Contamination by Remaining Solvent? (insufficient softbake; thick resist films), p.17; micro resist technology ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01) — Unique features, p.1" }, { "q": "The sheet gives no softbake for ma-P 1225. What goes wrong if I bake it too hard?", "a": "MicroChemicals' trouble shooter covers both directions. Overbaking decomposes part of the photoactive compound, so the film develops more slowly and loses contrast; it also embrittles the resist and builds stress against the substrate, and a wafer cooled abruptly afterwards can lose adhesion. Underbaking leaves solvent that raises dark erosion. Its general starting point for standard positive resists is about 100 °C for one minute per µm of film — roughly two and a half minutes for this grade — then tune from there. If adhesion suffers after the bake, try a slow ramp down.", "source": "MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' — Thermal Decomposition of Photo Active Compound? (during the softbake), p.8; Dark Erosion Too High: Optimum Softbake Conditions?, p.9–10; Optimum Softbake Parameters? (softbake too long or too hot), p.12; Minor Resist Resolution: Suited Softbake Parameters?, p.12–13; micro resist technology ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01) — Technical data table, p.1" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/ma-p-1200-series-ma-p-1275-hv/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "ls.24.02.01 (printed on both pages)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://kayakuam.com/products/ma-p-1200/", "what": "kayakuam.com states 'ma-P 1200 is a positive tone DNQ/novolac based resist series'; the basis for classifying the ma-P 1200 grades as dnq-novolak." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-13", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "summary": "ma-P 1225 coats 2.5 µm at 3000 rpm with a published dose of 55 mJ/cm², holding 2 µm lines on 4 µm spaces in the sheet's example.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 2.5, "max_um": 2.5, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated — the technical data table (p.1) gives ma-P 1225 a film thickness of 2.5 µm at 3000 rpm for 30 s, the one condition every grade in the series is tabulated at." }, "spinCurves": [], "spinNotes": "One tabulated point, not a sweep: the technical data table gives ma-P 1225 as 2.5 µm at 3000 rpm for 30 s, the single condition every grade in the series is listed at, and one anchor is not a curve. The sheet also plots film thickness against spin speed from 1000 to 6000 rpm for all six grades, but as smooth lines with no markers and no numeric table, so no values are published from it. Accel, dispense volume and edge-bead removal are not published.", "exposureDose": { "doses": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "value_mJcm2": 55, "source": "Technical data table, p.1 of the ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01), ma-P 1225 column" } ], "headlineBasis": "broadband, metered at 365 nm", "basisCopy": "55 mJ/cm² is the published dose for ma-P 1225, measured under broadband exposure with the meter reading the 365 nm line rather than specified as a monochromatic i-line dose." }, "applications": [ "etch-mask", "electroplating-molding" ], "notes": "ma-P 1225 is the 2.5 µm grade of the ma-P 1200 series, coated at 3000 rpm for 30 s, and the sheet shows it resolving 2 µm lines on 4 µm spaces at that thickness. Its dose, 55 mJ/cm², sits only modestly above the thinner grades; the step to a much higher dose comes at ma-P 1240. The series is sold for stability in acid and alkaline plating baths and in wet and dry etches, and for easy removal afterwards. Development is aqueous alkaline; the sheet gives no softbake, developer product or develop time.", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "ma-p-1205", "name": "ma-P 1205", "min_um": 0.5, "max_um": 0.5, "doseBasis": "35 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1210", "name": "ma-P 1210", "min_um": 1, "max_um": 1, "doseBasis": "35 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1215", "name": "ma-P 1215", "min_um": 1.5, "max_um": 1.5, "doseBasis": "45 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1240", "name": "ma-P 1240", "min_um": 4, "max_um": 4, "doseBasis": "110 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1275", "name": "ma-P 1275", "min_um": 7.5, "max_um": 40, "doseBasis": "150 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1275hv", "name": "ma-P 1275 HV", "min_um": 11, "max_um": 50, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "ma-p-1240", "name": "ma-P 1240", "manufacturer": "micro resist technology GmbH", "productLine": "ma-P 1200 series", "aliases": [ "ma-P1240", "maP 1240" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed. Greyscale lithography is the job of the separately named ma-P 1200G series; this sheet presents the standard grades for binary etch masks and plating moulds.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "adhesion": { "hmds": null, "notes": "Not addressed in this product sheet." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": null, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": null, "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Unique features / Characteristics, p.1-2 of the ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01)" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "etchResistance": "\"High pattern stability in wet etch processes and acid and alkaline plating baths\" and \"Highly stable in dry etch processes e.g. CHF3, CF4, SF6\" (Unique features, p.1).", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": null, "storage": null, "developerFamily": null, "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Bubbles show up in my 4 µm ma-P 1240 film during or right after exposure. What causes them?", "a": "MicroChemicals' trouble shooter explains it: exposing a DNQ positive resist releases nitrogen, and at 4 µm it has further to diffuse out than in the thin grades. It forms bubbles where the film still holds too much solvent (softbake too cool or too short), where adhesion to the substrate is weak, or where the dose arrives faster than the gas can escape. Fix the softbake and adhesion first; if bubbles remain, lower the lamp intensity and expose longer, or split the ma-P 1240 exposure (110 mJ/cm² broadband on the sheet) into several steps with pauses between.", "source": "MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Bubbles in Resist Film after Exposure (Softbake Sufficient?, Sufficient Resist Adhesion?, Exposure Intensity Too High?, Resist Film Thickness Too High?), p.14–15; micro resist technology ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01) — Technical data table, p.1" }, { "q": "ma-P 1240 develops normally at first, then stalls before reaching the substrate. Dose or develop?", "a": "MicroChemicals' trouble shooter points at dose first. In a film thicker than the light's penetration depth, underexposure gives a normal development rate down to a certain depth, after which development almost stops, because the bottom of the film never received enough light. The sheet's 110 mJ/cm² for 4.0 µm is a broadband figure metered at 365 nm; a different lamp spectrum or tool needs its own dose series. The same note says DNQ resists need time to rehydrate after the softbake before exposure, and that the time grows with film thickness.", "source": "MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' — Sufficient Exposure Dose in the Case of Positive Resists? (thick resist films), p.7, and Sufficient Rehydration?, p.6; micro resist technology ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01) — Technical data table, p.1" }, { "q": "My ma-P 1240 mask rounds off or blisters in a CF4 or SF6 plasma etch. Why, when the sheet calls it dry-etch stable?", "a": "The sheet's claim is about etch resistance in CHF3, CF4 and SF6, not about what heat does to the pattern. MicroChemicals' trouble shooter explains both symptoms: if the wafer runs hot enough during the etch to pass the resist's softening point, the profile starts to round. Blistering has a separate cause: UV from the plasma can expose resist that was never exposed, releasing nitrogen that forms bubbles in the thermally softened film. Both depend on how hot the resist gets in the etch, so check that before blaming the resist.", "source": "micro resist technology ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01) — Unique features, p.1; MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' — Dry Etching: Common Problems (Resist Rounding/Flowing?, Bubbling of Resist?), p.16" }, { "q": "The edge bead on my ma-P 1240 wafers is ruining contact at the aligner. What can I do?", "a": "The raised rim holds the mask off the rest of the wafer, and MicroChemicals' trouble shooter notes that such a gap widens exposed features and costs resolution. For round wafers without an automatic edge-bead station, it recommends dispensing an edge-bead solvent onto the rim at about 500 rpm and spinning it off at a higher speed — not acetone or another low-boiling solvent. Exposing and developing the bead away also works with a positive resist, at some risk of T-topping. For thick films, letting the coated wafer sit flat before the softbake keeps the bead from growing on the hotplate.", "source": "MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' (not a micro resist technology document) — Spin Coating: Edge Bead? (circular substrates; delay between coating and softbake; development of edge bead), p.2–3; Accidental Exposure of Positive Resists? (Proximity Gap), p.10; Gap between Photomask and Resist Surface?, p.12" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/ma-p-1200-series-ma-p-1275-hv/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "ls.24.02.01 (printed on both pages)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://kayakuam.com/products/ma-p-1200/", "what": "kayakuam.com states 'ma-P 1200 is a positive tone DNQ/novolac based resist series'; the basis for classifying the ma-P 1200 grades as dnq-novolak." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-13", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "summary": "ma-P 1240 coats 4.0 µm at 3000 rpm and has a published dose of 110 mJ/cm² — twice the dose of the next grade down, the price of the extra film for plating moulds and deeper etches.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 4, "max_um": 4, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated — the technical data table (p.1) gives ma-P 1240 a film thickness of 4 µm at 3000 rpm for 30 s, the one condition every grade in the series is tabulated at." }, "spinCurves": [], "spinNotes": "One tabulated point, not a sweep: the technical data table gives ma-P 1240 as 4 µm at 3000 rpm for 30 s, the single condition every grade in the series is listed at, and one anchor is not a curve. The sheet also plots film thickness against spin speed from 1000 to 6000 rpm for all six grades, but as smooth lines with no markers and no numeric table, so no values are published from it. Accel, dispense volume and edge-bead removal are not published.", "exposureDose": { "doses": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "value_mJcm2": 110, "source": "Technical data table, p.1 of the ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01), ma-P 1240 column" } ], "headlineBasis": "broadband, metered at 365 nm", "basisCopy": "110 mJ/cm² is the published dose for ma-P 1240, measured under broadband exposure with the meter reading the 365 nm line rather than specified as a monochromatic i-line dose." }, "applications": [ "etch-mask", "electroplating-molding" ], "notes": "ma-P 1240 is the four-micron grade of the standard ma-P 1200 series — not to be confused with ma-P 1240G, a separately formulated greyscale resist of similar thickness. The number to notice is the dose: at 110 mJ/cm² it is double what ma-P 1225 needs, a much larger jump than the 1.5 µm of extra film would suggest, so exposure time roughly doubles when stepping up to this grade. What that buys is a mould thick enough for substantial electroplating and an etch mask with real margin; the sheet's example is 3 µm lines on 5 µm spaces in a 4 µm film. Development is aqueous alkaline, and the sheet publishes no softbake, developer product or develop time.", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "ma-p-1205", "name": "ma-P 1205", "min_um": 0.5, "max_um": 0.5, "doseBasis": "35 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1210", "name": "ma-P 1210", "min_um": 1, "max_um": 1, "doseBasis": "35 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1215", "name": "ma-P 1215", "min_um": 1.5, "max_um": 1.5, "doseBasis": "45 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1225", "name": "ma-P 1225", "min_um": 2.5, "max_um": 2.5, "doseBasis": "55 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1275", "name": "ma-P 1275", "min_um": 7.5, "max_um": 40, "doseBasis": "150 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1275hv", "name": "ma-P 1275 HV", "min_um": 11, "max_um": 50, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "ma-p-1240g", "name": "ma-P 1240G", "manufacturer": "micro resist technology GmbH", "productLine": "ma-P 1200G series", "aliases": [ "ma-P 1240G", "maP 1240G", "ma P 1240G" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": true, "grayscaleNote": "The sheet sells the whole 1200G series for greyscale work: 'Positive tone photoresist series specifically designed for the requirements of greyscale lithography', with 'Reduced contrast' listed first among its characteristics and 50-60 µm pattern depths quoted for the series. 'An application in standard binary lithography is also possible.' No dose-vs-remaining-thickness curve is printed, so the shape of that contrast response is not characterised for this grade.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "ma-P 1240G sits between ma-P 1225G and ma-P 1275G in micro resist technology's greyscale positive series, coating 4.0 µm at 3000 rpm for 30 s, and is exposed anywhere from 350 to 450 nm for 3D relief work in micro-optics, MEMS and displays.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 4, "max_um": 4, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated — the 'Film thickness' table (p.1) gives ma-P 1240G a single coating: 4.0 µm at 3000 rpm for 30 s. Unlike the 1275G column, which lists four thickness/speed/time triples, this grade is tabulated at one condition only." }, "spinCurves": [], "spinNotes": "One tabulated point, not a sweep: the 'Film thickness' table gives ma-P 1240G as 4.0 µm at 3000 rpm for 30 s, and a single anchor is not a curve. The sheet does plot 'Film tickness [µm]' against 'Spin speed [rpm]' from 1000 to 6000 rpm with a 30 s trace for each of 1215G, 1225G, 1240G and 1275G, so the shape of this grade's response is shown — but that chart carries no numeric table, only axis ticks on a 0-25 µm scale and the legend strings, and a 4 µm trace sits low enough on that scale that reading values off it would be guesswork. The tabulated point is the only thickness figure with a number attached. Accel, dispense volume and edge-bead removal are not published.", "adhesion": { "hmds": null, "notes": "Not addressed in this product-information sheet." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": null, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "basisCopy": "The sheet gives a 350-450 nm sensitivity window but publishes no dose at any wavelength for this grade — the wavelengths that appear are the tools used for the example images, not a specification. Determine clearing dose on-tool." }, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": null, "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Characteristics, p.1" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [ "grayscale-3d", "mems-structural", "electroplating-molding", "etch-mask" ], "etchResistance": "\"Suitable for dry etch processes e.g. with CHF3, CF4, SF6\" (Characteristics, p.1).", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": null, "storage": null, "notes": "ma-P 1240G is the grade micro resist technology added between 1225G and 1275G in its greyscale positive line; the 2024 revision of the series sheet is the first to tabulate it. At 3000 rpm for 30 s it coats 4.0 µm, which puts it in reach of relief depths that the thinner 1215G and 1225G cannot hold while avoiding the long, slow spins the 1275G grade needs for its thicker films. Greyscale lithography asks the resist to convert a modulated dose into a continuous depth, so the series is formulated for reduced contrast; the sheet claims 50-60 µm pattern depths for the series as a whole, but prints no dose-vs-depth curve, so the linearity of that response has to be measured on the tool that will write it. Exposure is specified only as a 350-450 nm window, which spans the 405 nm line most direct-write tools use. No softbake, PEB, hardbake, developer product or dose is published for this grade — it is a product-information sheet, not a process datasheet.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Which developer should I use for ma-P 1240G greyscale work — can I use the metal-ion developer I use for binary jobs?", "a": "Not for greyscale. The sheet is specific: for greyscale lithography ma-P 1200G is developed in TMAH-based developers, and metal-ion-bearing developers are listed only for standard binary lithography with the same resist. It names no developer product, concentration or time, so pick a TMAH developer, hold it fixed, and build your dose-to-depth calibration in that developer — switching developer later means recalibrating.", "source": "micro resist technology 'ma-P 1200G — Positive Greyscale Photoresist' product sheet (hm24.03.18) — Characteristics, p.1" }, { "q": "The depth of my ma-P 1240G relief drifts from run to run with the same exposure file. What should I control?", "a": "A greyscale profile is a development-rate map, so anything that shifts the rate shifts every depth. MicroChemicals' trouble shooter flags two causes that are easy to miss. Humidity: a DNQ positive resist needs to rehydrate after the softbake, and its development rate drops significantly below about 40 % relative humidity, so hold the room at a steady 40–50 %. Developer age: an open bath absorbs CO2 from the air and weakens, and even sealed containers let some through. Log humidity and developer age alongside each ma-P 1240G run.", "source": "MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Sufficient Rehydration? (ambient humidity), p.6, and Expired Developer? (neutralisation by CO2), p.7; micro resist technology ma-P 1200G sheet (hm24.03.18) — Characteristics ('Reduced contrast'), p.1" }, { "q": "The unexposed top surface of my ma-P 1240G relief is lower than the coated thickness. Why?", "a": "That is dark erosion — the developer slowly dissolving resist that received no dose — and in greyscale it shifts every height, not just the edges. MicroChemicals' trouble shooter says it rises faster than the development rate as developer concentration goes up, so a stronger developer buys speed at the cost of erosion. A softbake too cool or too short leaves solvent that raises erosion; one too hot or too long decomposes the photoactive compound, which is what inhibits dissolution in the dark. Measure the unexposed step on each run and hold developer and bake fixed.", "source": "MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Development: Dark Erosion Too High (Proper Developer Dilution?, Optimum Softbake Conditions?), p.9–10; micro resist technology ma-P 1200G sheet (hm24.03.18) — Film thickness table, p.1" }, { "q": "The ma-P 1200G sheet promises 50–60 µm pattern depth. Can I get that from ma-P 1240G?", "a": "No. That depth range is a claim for the series, and it is the thick ma-P 1275G that reaches it (9.5–60 µm films; the sheet's example is about 53 µm of depth in about 58 µm of 1275G). ma-P 1240G is tabulated at a single 4.0 µm coat (3000 rpm, 30 s), against 9.5–60 µm for 1275G, and a relief cannot be deeper than the film it is written into. The sheet gives a 350–450 nm sensitivity window but no dose or dose-versus-depth curve for any grade, so the grey-level calibration has to be measured on your own writer.", "source": "micro resist technology 'ma-P 1200G — Positive Greyscale Photoresist' product sheet (hm24.03.18) — Characteristics, Film thickness table and ma-P 1275G example caption, p.1" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/ma-p-1200g-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "hm24.03.18", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://microresist.de/en/produkt/ma-p-1200g-series/", "what": "microresist.de's ma-P 1200G series page (greyscale variant of the same DNQ/novolak family as ma-P 1200); the basis for classifying ma-P 1240G as dnq-novolak." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-24", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "ma-p-1275g", "name": "ma-P 1275G", "min_um": 9.5, "max_um": 60, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "ma-p-1275", "name": "ma-P 1275", "manufacturer": "micro resist technology GmbH", "productLine": "ma-P 1200 series", "aliases": [ "ma-P1275", "maP 1275" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed. Greyscale lithography is the job of the separately named ma-P 1200G series; this sheet presents the standard grades for binary etch masks and plating moulds.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "adhesion": { "hmds": null, "notes": "Not addressed in this product sheet." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": null, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": null, "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Unique features / Characteristics, p.1-2 of the ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01)" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "etchResistance": "\"High dry and wet etch resistance\" and \"High stability in acid and alkaline plating baths\" (Characteristics, p.2).", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": null, "storage": null, "developerFamily": null, "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "A fresh bottle of ma-P 1275 coats full of bubbles. How long should it stand?", "a": "MicroChemicals' trouble shooter explains the source: over months the photoactive compound slowly releases nitrogen, which stays dissolved in the closed bottle and comes out as bubbles once it is opened; air stirred in by carrying or pouring adds more. In a viscosity as high as ma-P 1275's, which reaches 20–40 µm at 250–500 rpm, the bubbles rise slowly. Shake the closed bottle, then let it stand with the cap set on loosely so pressure can equalise. Most resists clear in an hour or two, but very viscous resists can need one to two days.", "source": "MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Bubbles and Comet-Like Structures after Spin Coating? (air bubbles; nitrogen bubbles), p.2, and Resist Bottles Closed for A While?, p.13–14; micro resist technology ma-P 1275 / 1275 HV sheet (ls.24.02.01) — Film thicknesses table, p.2" }, { "q": "What dose do I use for ma-P 1275 at 20–40 µm?", "a": "Not published. The one dose micro resist technology gives, 150 mJ/cm² broadband metered at 365 nm, belongs to the 7.5 µm film at 3000 rpm; the thicker coatings from the p.2 table have no dose. Do not carry 150 mJ/cm² up to a 30 µm film: MicroChemicals' trouble shooter notes that an underexposed thick film develops normally to some depth and then almost stops. Run a dose series at your actual thickness and check the bottom of the openings, not just the top. The sheet's examples were all made by mask-aligner broadband exposure.", "source": "micro resist technology ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01) — Technical data table, p.1, and ma-P 1275 / 1275 HV sheet — Film thicknesses table and figure note, p.2; MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' — Sufficient Exposure Dose in the Case of Positive Resists? (thick resist films), p.7" }, { "q": "Bubbles form in exposed ma-P 1275 during a bake or in the plating bath. What's happening?", "a": "MicroChemicals' trouble shooter explains it: nitrogen released by the exposure is still in the film, and when the resist softens at higher temperature — a post-exposure bake, a warm plating bath — it gathers into bubbles. A delay between exposure and any heated step lets it diffuse out, and a thick film needs longer. The same note says a thick film also holds more solvent near the substrate after softbake, which can leach into the plating bath and upset it; a bake after development about 10 °C below the resist's softening point brings it down.", "source": "MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' — Bubbles in Resist Film after Thermal Processes (After Baking Steps of Exposed Photoresist?), p.15, and Electro-Plating: Bath Contamination by Remaining Solvent? (thick resist films), p.17" }, { "q": "My ma-P 1275 plating mould walls slumped after a bake. How hot is too hot?", "a": "ma-P 1275 is sold as suitable for pattern reflow, and the sheet's reflow example — 60 µm-diameter pillars in a 30 µm film turned into lenses — is labelled 140 °C. So a post-develop bake or warm process step near that temperature can round the sidewalls, which the sheet rates at up to 87° for mask-aligner exposure. The sheet does not publish a softening point; if you need straight walls, keep hot steps well below the reflow example and test on a patterned wafer first. MicroChemicals' trouble shooter adds that heat from metal deposition or dry etching can soften the pattern the same way.", "source": "micro resist technology ma-P 1275 / 1275 HV sheet (ls.24.02.01) — Characteristics and '30 µm reflowed ma-P 1275, 60 µm diameter' SEM, p.2; MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' — Resist Softening and Rounding during Coating?, p.18, and Resist Rounding/Flowing?, p.16" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/ma-p-1200-series-ma-p-1275-hv/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "ls.24.02.01 (printed on both pages)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://kayakuam.com/products/ma-p-1200/", "what": "kayakuam.com states 'ma-P 1200 is a positive tone DNQ/novolac based resist series'; the basis for classifying the ma-P 1200 grades as dnq-novolak." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-13", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "summary": "ma-P 1275 is the thick grade of the ma-P 1200 positive series, coating 7.5 µm at 3000 rpm and up to 40 µm at 250 rpm — built for electroplating moulds, with sidewalls up to 87° and room for pattern reflow.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 7.5, "max_um": 40, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated — the film-thicknesses table (p.2) lists ma-P 1275 at 7.5 µm (3000 rpm, 30 s), 20 µm (500 rpm, 60 s), 30 µm (350 rpm, 60 s) and 40 µm (250 rpm, 60 s). The 11 µm and 50 µm columns are marked not applicable for this grade." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "ma-P 1275, 60 s spin time", "readFromFigure": false, "points": [ { "rpm": 250, "um": 40 }, { "rpm": 350, "um": 30 }, { "rpm": 500, "um": 20 } ], "source": "transcribed from the Film thicknesses table, p.2 of the ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01) — the three ma-P 1275 entries tabulated at a 60 s spin time. The 7.5 µm entry is at 30 s and is kept out of this series." } ], "spinNotes": "The thick regime is tabulated at one spin time, so it forms a genuine series: 40 µm at 250 rpm, 30 µm at 350 and 20 µm at 500, all for 60 s. The fourth entry, 7.5 µm at 3000 rpm, uses a 30 s spin and is left out of that series rather than joined to it, since changing spin time and speed together would not describe one curve. The sheet also plots the grade as a smooth line from 250 to 3000 rpm, with no markers or numeric table. The thick films are spun at 250-500 rpm, so check thickness across the first wafers.", "exposureDose": { "doses": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "value_mJcm2": 150, "source": "Technical data table, p.1 of the ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01), ma-P 1275 column" } ], "headlineBasis": "broadband, metered at 365 nm", "basisCopy": "150 mJ/cm² is the published broadband dose, metered at 365 nm, for a 7.5 µm ma-P 1275 film; no dose is published for the 20-40 µm coatings." }, "applications": [ "electroplating-molding", "etch-mask" ], "notes": "ma-P 1275 is the grade micro resist technology designed specifically for electroplating structures in microsystems work, and the second page of the sheet is given over to it. It covers 7.5 µm at 3000 rpm and 20-40 µm at 250-500 rpm, is sold for high stability in acid and alkaline plating baths, and reaches sidewall angles up to 87° on a mask aligner with broadband exposure. It is also suitable for pattern reflow: the sheet shows 60 µm-diameter pillars reflowed at 140 °C into lens shapes, and a lens array transferred into OrmoComp by UV moulding. The honest gap is exposure — the only published dose, 150 mJ/cm², belongs to the 7.5 µm film, so every thicker coating needs its dose established on-tool, and at 20-40 µm that will be substantially higher. No softbake, developer product or develop time is published.", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "ma-p-1205", "name": "ma-P 1205", "min_um": 0.5, "max_um": 0.5, "doseBasis": "35 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1210", "name": "ma-P 1210", "min_um": 1, "max_um": 1, "doseBasis": "35 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1215", "name": "ma-P 1215", "min_um": 1.5, "max_um": 1.5, "doseBasis": "45 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1225", "name": "ma-P 1225", "min_um": 2.5, "max_um": 2.5, "doseBasis": "55 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1240", "name": "ma-P 1240", "min_um": 4, "max_um": 4, "doseBasis": "110 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1275hv", "name": "ma-P 1275 HV", "min_um": 11, "max_um": 50, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "ma-p-1275hv", "name": "ma-P 1275 HV", "manufacturer": "micro resist technology GmbH", "productLine": "ma-P 1200 series", "aliases": [ "ma-P 1275HV", "maP 1275 HV", "ma-P 1275 high viscosity" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed. Greyscale lithography is the job of the separately named ma-P 1200G series; this sheet presents the standard grades for binary etch masks and plating moulds.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "adhesion": { "hmds": null, "notes": "Not addressed in this product sheet." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": null, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": null, "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Unique features / Characteristics, p.1-2 of the ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01)" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "etchResistance": "\"High dry and wet etch resistance\" and \"High stability in acid and alkaline plating baths\" (Characteristics, p.2).", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": null, "storage": null, "developerFamily": null, "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "My ma-P 1275 HV coat has a thick bump in the centre, or scattered millimetre-size lumps. What went wrong?", "a": "MicroChemicals' trouble shooter covers both. A centimetre-wide bump where the resist landed often means it sat too long between dispense and spin start: solvent evaporates and a high-viscosity resist like ma-P 1275 HV stiffens and no longer thins out evenly. Start the spin promptly. Scattered lumps a millimetre or so across tend to be resist skin that dried in the dispense nozzle during a long idle or under strong exhaust and was flung onto the wafer; a small pre-dispense beside the substrate, a shorter idle, or reduced exhaust between dispenses prevents it.", "source": "MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Bumps in the Resist Film after Spin-Coating? (resist clots; central superelevation), p.14; micro resist technology ma-P 1275 / 1275 HV sheet (ls.24.02.01) — subtitle 'Versatile high viscosity positive tone photoresists', p.2" }, { "q": "How do I keep the edge bead down on 30–50 µm ma-P 1275 HV films?", "a": "Those thicknesses come from slow spins — 30 µm at 600 rpm, 40 µm at 450 and 50 µm at 380, each for 60 s — while MicroChemicals' trouble shooter notes that spinning a viscous resist fast is what normally suppresses the bead. Its other options: let the coated wafer rest level before the softbake, so the bead does not grow as heat lowers the viscosity on the hotplate; or raise the spin speed abruptly late in the coat to throw the bead off once the film is too dry to thin further, a profile found by trial. On round wafers, a solvent edge-bead rinse at about 500 rpm is the fallback.", "source": "micro resist technology ma-P 1275 / 1275 HV sheet (ls.24.02.01) — Film thicknesses table, p.2; MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' — Spin Coating: Edge Bead? (edge bead spin-off; delay between coating and softbake; circular substrates), p.2–3" }, { "q": "A 40 µm ma-P 1275 HV film clears at the top but leaves resist at the bottom of the openings. Why?", "a": "MicroChemicals' trouble shooter explains it: DNQ positive resists need water back in the film after the softbake to develop at a reasonable rate, and it has to diffuse all the way down to the substrate. That rehydration takes about a minute for a 1 µm film but several hours for films beyond 30 µm, so a wafer exposed soon after baking develops well near the surface and slows lower down. Keep the room at a steady 40–50 % humidity during the wait; below about 40 % the development rate drops significantly. Underexposure gives a similar stall, so check both.", "source": "MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' — Development: Insufficient Development Rate, Sufficient Rehydration? p.6, and Sufficient Exposure Dose (thick resist films), p.7; micro resist technology ma-P 1275 / 1275 HV sheet (ls.24.02.01) — Film thicknesses table, p.2" }, { "q": "ma-P 1275 HV cracks or blisters when I expose it at full lamp power. What should I change?", "a": "No exposure dose is published for ma-P 1275 HV at any thickness, so you will be running long exposures you had to find yourself. MicroChemicals' trouble shooter explains the failure: the nitrogen a DNQ resist releases on exposure has to escape before it builds up; in a thick film it diffuses out slowly, and at high intensity it forms bubbles or cracks the film through mechanical stress. Lower the intensity and expose longer, or split the dose into several steps with pauses. A softbake that left too much solvent, or weak adhesion, makes the bubbling worse.", "source": "micro resist technology ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01) — Technical data table (no ma-P 1275 HV column), p.1; MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' — Bubbles in Resist Film after Exposure (Exposure Intensity Too High?, Resist Film Thickness Too High?, Softbake Sufficient?, Sufficient Resist Adhesion?), p.14–15" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/ma-p-1200-series-ma-p-1275-hv/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "ls.24.02.01 (printed on both pages)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://kayakuam.com/products/ma-p-1200/", "what": "kayakuam.com states 'ma-P 1200 is a positive tone DNQ/novolac based resist series'; the basis for classifying the ma-P 1200 grades as dnq-novolak." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-13", "dateModified": "2026-09-24", "summary": "ma-P 1275 HV is the high-viscosity version of ma-P 1275, coating 11 µm at 3000 rpm and up to 50 µm at 380 rpm — thicker plating moulds reached at higher spin speeds than the standard grade needs.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 11, "max_um": 50, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated — the film-thicknesses table (p.2) lists ma-P 1275 HV at 11 µm (3000 rpm, 30 s), 20 µm (1000 rpm, 60 s), 30 µm (600 rpm, 60 s), 40 µm (450 rpm, 60 s) and 50 µm (380 rpm, 60 s). The 7.5 µm column is marked not applicable for this grade." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "ma-P 1275 HV, 60 s spin time", "readFromFigure": false, "points": [ { "rpm": 380, "um": 50 }, { "rpm": 450, "um": 40 }, { "rpm": 600, "um": 30 }, { "rpm": 1000, "um": 20 } ], "source": "transcribed from the Film thicknesses table, p.2 of the ma-P 1200 series product sheet (ls.24.02.01) — the four ma-P 1275 HV entries tabulated at a 60 s spin time. The 11 µm entry is at 30 s and is kept out of this series." } ], "spinNotes": "Four entries at a 60 s spin time form a real series: 50 µm at 380 rpm, 40 µm at 450, 30 µm at 600 and 20 µm at 1000. The fifth, 11 µm at 3000 rpm, uses a 30 s spin and is left out of it. The practical difference from standard ma-P 1275 is where the thicknesses land: HV reaches 20 µm at 1000 rpm where 1275 needs 500 rpm, and 40 µm at 450 rpm where 1275 needs 250. The sheet's smooth-line chart adds no numeric data.", "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "basisCopy": "No exposure dose is published for ma-P 1275 HV at any thickness. The sheet's example structures were all made on a mask aligner with broadband exposure, so a broadband dose matrix is the place to start." }, "applications": [ "electroplating-molding", "etch-mask" ], "notes": "ma-P 1275 HV is the high-viscosity sibling of ma-P 1275, sold for the same job — moulds for electroplated microstructures — but with a higher viscosity that reaches a given thickness at a higher spin speed. It covers 11 µm at 3000 rpm and 20-50 µm between 1000 and 380 rpm, where the standard grade needs 250-500 rpm for its thicker films and stops at 40 µm. The sheet shows it at 50 and 56 µm, and electroplated nickel structures up to 48 µm tall from it. It shares the series characteristics: high stability in plating baths, high dry and wet etch resistance, sidewalls up to 87° with broadband exposure, and suitability for reflow. What it lacks is any published exposure dose, so dose has to be found on-tool; the sheet also gives no softbake, developer product or develop time.", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "ma-p-1205", "name": "ma-P 1205", "min_um": 0.5, "max_um": 0.5, "doseBasis": "35 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1210", "name": "ma-P 1210", "min_um": 1, "max_um": 1, "doseBasis": "35 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1215", "name": "ma-P 1215", "min_um": 1.5, "max_um": 1.5, "doseBasis": "45 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1225", "name": "ma-P 1225", "min_um": 2.5, "max_um": 2.5, "doseBasis": "55 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1240", "name": "ma-P 1240", "min_um": 4, "max_um": 4, "doseBasis": "110 mJ/cm²" }, { "slug": "ma-p-1275", "name": "ma-P 1275", "min_um": 7.5, "max_um": 40, "doseBasis": "150 mJ/cm²" } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "ma-p-1275g", "name": "ma-P 1275G", "manufacturer": "micro resist technology GmbH", "productLine": "ma-P 1200G series", "aliases": [ "maP 1275G", "ma-P1275G" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": true, "grayscaleNote": "Document markets the series explicitly for greyscale lithography: 'Positive tone photoresist series specifically designed for the requirements of greyscale lithography... Reduced contrast... Film thickness up to 60 µm and higher... 50 - 60 µm depth range of the patterns possible in greyscale lithography.' The ma-P 1275G example figure shows '~53 µm pattern depth in ~58 µm thick ma-P 1275G'. Also states 'An application in standard binary lithography is also possible.'", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "ma-P 1275G is the thickest grade in micro resist technology's ma-P 1200G positive-tone greyscale photoresist series, coating from roughly 9.5 to 60 µm and used for 3D micro-optic, MEMS/MOEMS and display structures written by dose-modulated laser direct writing or a greyscale mask.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 9.5, "max_um": 60, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated — per-grade 'Film thickness' table for ma-P 1275G (p.1) lists four achievable coatings (9.5, 15, 30, 60 µm), each reached with a different spin speed AND a different spin time (30 s, 30 s, 60 s, 4 s respectively)." }, "spinCurves": [], "spinNotes": "The ma-P 1200G sheet gives ma-P 1275G four coating recipes, each with its own spin time: 9.5 µm at 3000 rpm for 30 s, 15 µm at 1500 rpm for 30 s, 30 µm at 500 rpm for 60 s and 60 µm at 1000 rpm for 4 s. Because the time changes from row to row, these are four separate targets rather than points on one curve; the 60 µm coat comes from a 4 s spin at 1000 rpm, not from a slower speed. The sheet's film-thickness chart separately plots ma-P 1275G, 1240G, 1225G and 1215G against spin speed from 1000 to 6000 rpm at a fixed 30 s spin time, on a 0-25 µm axis. At that spin time 1275G starts at about 20 µm at 1000 rpm, so the 30 µm and 60 µm coats come only from the table's 500 rpm / 60 s and 1000 rpm / 4 s recipes.", "adhesion": { "hmds": null, "notes": "Not addressed in this product-information sheet." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": null, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "basisCopy": "The ma-P 1200G grades get a 350 to 450 nm sensitivity window and nothing else — the demo patterns were written at 355, 390 and 405 nm, but no dose in mJ/cm² is printed for any of them." }, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": null, "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Characteristics, p.1" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [ "grayscale-3d", "mems-structural", "electroplating-molding", "etch-mask" ], "etchResistance": "\"Suitable for dry etch processes e.g. with CHF3, CF4, SF6\" (Characteristics, p.1).", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": null, "storage": null, "notes": "ma-P 1275G is the thickest grade of micro resist technology's ma-P 1200G positive-tone greyscale series, rated by the manufacturer for coatings from roughly 9.5 to 60 µm depending on spin speed and time. Greyscale (analog) lithography needs a resist whose exposed thickness responds smoothly to dose so a continuous 3D relief can be written by a modulated laser or a grey-level mask; the datasheet markets the series as having 'reduced contrast' and states 50-60 µm pattern depths are achievable, but it does not publish a dose-vs-remaining-thickness (contrast) curve, so the actual linearity of that dose response is not characterized here and must be measured on-tool. The four film-thickness/spin-speed pairs the datasheet lists for this grade each use a different spin time (30 s, 30 s, 60 s and 4 s), so they describe four discrete target-thickness recipes rather than points on one continuous spin curve, and no spin curve is published for this grade. No softbake, PEB, hardbake, developer product name, or dose values are given in this flyer-style product-information sheet; a full technical datasheet would be needed to fill those in. The dnq-novolak chemistry entry draws on microresist.de's ma-P 1200G series page, the greyscale variant of the same DNQ/novolak ma-P family.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "title": "Rapid prototyping of 3D microstructures: A simplified grayscale lithography encoding method using blender", "authors": "Borghi et al.", "journal": "Micro and Nano Engineering", "year": 2025, "doi": "10.1016/j.mne.2024.100294", "summary": "Encodes 3D models as grayscale masks in Blender and writes them into a 30 um ma-P 1275G film (450 rpm for 60 s; 100 C for 10 min; 2 h rehydration) on a DMD maskless projection system, developing in mr-D 526/S to reproduce stairs, ramps and sinusoidal reliefs.", "note": "Maskless greyscale usage. Resist identity and process conditions were confirmed in the authors' open-access preprint of this same work (arXiv:2409.16749); the version of record is paywalled.", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mne.2024.100294" }, { "type": "paper", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "title": "Directional Fluidity of Dense Emulsion Activated by Transverse Wedge-Shaped Microroughness", "authors": "Guastella et al.", "journal": "Micromachines", "year": 2025, "doi": "10.3390/mi16030335", "summary": "Textures one microfluidic channel wall with wedge-shaped grooves written into ma-P 1275G on a Heidelberg tabletop micro maskless aligner (365 nm LED, spatial light modulator), then measures how the resulting height gradient biases dense-emulsion flow.", "note": "Maskless greyscale usage on a Heidelberg uMLA; the paper prints the resist name as 'MAP-1275G'.", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16030335" } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "The ma-P 1275G table lists 60 µm at 1000 rpm but 30 µm at 500 rpm. Is that a misprint?", "a": "Read the time row: 60 µm is a 4 s spin at 1000 rpm, while 30 µm is 500 rpm for 60 s, 15 µm is 1500 rpm for 30 s and 9.5 µm is 3000 rpm for 30 s. The 60 µm coat comes from a very short spin, not a slower one, so the four entries are separate recipes and cannot be joined into one speed curve or interpolated. The sheet's spin chart covers only 30 s spins and tops out at 25 µm. Pick the row nearest your target thickness and confirm it on your own coater.", "source": "micro resist technology 'ma-P 1200G — Positive Greyscale Photoresist' product sheet (hm24.03.18) — Film thickness table and film thickness vs spin speed chart (30 s spin time), p.1" }, { "q": "How long should a 30–60 µm ma-P 1275G film wait after the softbake before I write it?", "a": "Hours, not minutes. MicroChemicals' trouble shooter says a DNQ positive resist has to take water back from the air after the softbake to develop at a reasonable rate, and that the time grows from about a minute at 1 µm to several hours beyond 30 µm, because the water has to reach the resist all the way down to the substrate. Keep the humidity steady at 40–50 % during the wait. The ma-P 1200G sheet publishes no softbake or hold time of its own.", "source": "MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' application note — Development: Insufficient Development Rate, Sufficient Rehydration?, p.6; micro resist technology ma-P 1200G sheet (hm24.03.18) — Film thickness table, p.1" }, { "q": "My deep ma-P 1275G reliefs come out shallower on later wafers in the same developer bath. Why?", "a": "MicroChemicals' trouble shooter says the developer is exhausted by the resist it dissolves: as a rule of thumb, about one part per thousand of dissolved resist already reduces the development rate significantly. A deep greyscale relief in a 30–60 µm ma-P 1275G film removes far more resist per wafer than a thin binary job, so a bath that looks fine can drift over a run. An open bath also loses strength to CO2 from the air. Use fresh developer or a fixed volume per wafer. The ma-P sheet specifies TMAH-based developers for greyscale work.", "source": "MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' — Expired Developer? (exhaustion by developed resist; neutralisation by CO2), p.7; micro resist technology ma-P 1200G sheet (hm24.03.18) — Characteristics and Film thickness table, p.1" }, { "q": "I can't get my ma-P 1275G relief down to the full film thickness. Is that normal?", "a": "Partly. The sheet's own deep example is about 53 µm of pattern depth in about 58 µm of ma-P 1275G, written with a µPG301 at 390 nm, and it claims a 50–60 µm depth range for the series — full-thickness clearance is not what it shows. Beyond that, MicroChemicals' trouble shooter notes that underexposure in a thick film develops normally to some depth and then almost stops. No dose is published for any 1200G grade, only a 350–450 nm sensitivity window, so map grey level to depth on your own writer with a calibration pattern before a production run.", "source": "micro resist technology 'ma-P 1200G — Positive Greyscale Photoresist' product sheet (hm24.03.18) — Characteristics and ma-P 1275G example caption ('~53 µm pattern depth in ~58 µm thick ma-P 1275G', µPG301 at 390 nm), p.1; MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' — Sufficient Exposure Dose (thick resist films), p.7" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/ma-p-1200g-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "hm24.03.18", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://microresist.de/en/produkt/ma-p-1200g-series/", "what": "microresist.de's ma-P 1200G series page (greyscale variant of the same DNQ/novolak family as ma-P 1200); the basis for classifying ma-P 1275G as dnq-novolak." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "ma-p-1240g", "name": "ma-P 1240G", "min_um": 4, "max_um": 4, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "spr220-3", "name": "Megaposit SPR 220-3.0", "manufacturer": "Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials", "productLine": "MEGAPOSIT SPR 220 series", "aliases": [ "SPR220-3.0", "MEGAPOSIT SPR220-3.0", "Shipley SPR220-3.0" ], "tone": null, "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed by the datasheet. The document positions SPR220 for dense lines/spaces resolution, thick-film etch masking, and electroplating molds — no mention of grayscale or partial-exposure profiling.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "SPR220-3.0 is the 3 µm-nominal grade of Rohm and Haas's MEGAPOSIT SPR 220 series, a general-purpose, broadband/g-line/i-line multiwavelength photoresist covering roughly 2-5 µm depending on spin speed, used for MEMS, plating and etch-mask applications.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 2.28, "max_um": 4.62, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span: the datasheet does not state an achievable thickness range for the SPR220-3.0 grade specifically (only a family-wide '1-30 µm' range spanning all five grades in the Description — that family-wide figure is not this grade's range and is not used here). The range here is the min/max of the SPR220-3.0 curve in Figure 3 (4-inch wafer spin chart) between 6000 rpm and 1500 rpm: 4.62 µm at 1,500 rpm to 2.28 µm at 6,000 rpm, from 10 points at 500 rpm intervals that fit a t∝1/√rpm curve to within 1-3%. The '3.0' in the product name denotes its nominal reference thickness (used as the thickness label in Table 2 and Table 6), not a range." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "SPR220-3.0", "points": [ { "rpm": 1500, "um": 4.62 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 4 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 3.59 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 3.23 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 3.02 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 2.81 }, { "rpm": 4500, "um": 2.66 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 2.5 }, { "rpm": 5500, "um": 2.41 }, { "rpm": 6000, "um": 2.28 } ], "source": "read from Figure 3 (p.2), 'Spin Speed Curves on 4\"', of Rohm and Haas \"MEGAPOSIT SPR220 Series Photoresists\" datasheet (ME04N097, Rev. 2, Sept. 2004). The chart plots five curves (SPR220-7.0/circle, 4.5/square, 3.0/triangle, 1.5/diamond, 1.2/inverted-triangle), each with 10 markers from 1,500-6,000 rpm. SPR220-3.0 is the filled-triangle trace (3rd of 5), consistent with the series-naming convention where each grade's thickness near 3000 rpm approximates its nominal designation (this trace reads 3.23 µm at 3000 rpm ≈ 'SPR220-3.0'). Figure 3 is an embedded raster image, so this is a figure read; the 10 points fit a t∝1/√rpm curve to within ~1-3%.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Figure 3 is measured on 4-inch substrates. Nominal film thickness may vary slightly with process, equipment, and ambient conditions, per the datasheet's own caveat under \"Coat\", p.2. Coat uniformity is separately reported for the SPR220-7.0 grade only (7.31 µm, standard deviation 0.036 µm across 33 points) — no uniformity figure is published for SPR220-3.0 specifically.", "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "\"A hexamethyldisilizane (HMDS)-based MICROPOSIT primer is recommended to promote adhesion with substrates that require such treatment. Vacuum vapor priming at 120°C for 30 seconds with concentrated HMDS is recommended.\" Source: \"Substrate\", p.2." }, "rehydration": "Not applicable at SPR220-3.0's nominal 3.0 µm reference thickness. The datasheet's exposure-to-PEB moisture-diffusion hold requirement applies only to \"films above 4 µm\" (minimum 35-minute hold) and films \">12 µm\" (minimum 120-minute hold) — both thicker than this grade's 3.0 µm nominal coat, so no hold time is called for at the reference process point. (See the SPR220-7.0 entry, where this hold is required.) (Source: \"Post-Exposure Bake\" section, p.3)", "softbake": { "temp_c": 115, "time_s": 90, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "\"The recommended softbake process for SPR220 for films up to 4.0 µm is 115°C for 90 seconds on a contact hotplate.\" SPR220-3.0's 3.0 µm nominal thickness falls within this “up to 4.0 µm” bin, matching it directly rather than sitting between bin edges. Table 1 independently confirms the same value for the 1.1-4.0 µm thickness class: \"115°C/90 sec. Contact Hotplate.\"", "source": "\"Softbake\" section, p.2, and Table 1 \"Recommended Process Conditions\" (1.1-4.0 µm column), p.1" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [ { "wavelength_nm": 365, "value_mJcm2": 310, "source": "Table 2 \"Photospeed and Linearity of Dense Lines/Spaces at Various Thicknesses\", p.1" } ], "basisCopy": "At this grade's nominal 3.0 µm coat, i-line sizing is 310 mJ/cm² and g-line 320 mJ/cm², both for 0.90 µm dense lines. The thick-film guidance for films over 12 µm is a different regime and does not apply here." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 115, "time_s": 90, "notes": "Table 1 gives a single PEB value spanning both thickness classes (1.1-4.0 µm and 4.0-10.0 µm): \"115°C/90 sec. Contact Hotplate.\" PEB runs at the same temperature as softbake, per the \"Post-Exposure Bake\" section text. Separately from the PEB bake itself, thicker films (>4 µm) require a moisture-diffusion hold BEFORE PEB — not applicable to this 3.0 µm grade; see the \"rehydration\" field.", "source": "Table 1 \"Recommended Process Conditions\", p.1, and \"Post-Exposure Bake\" section, p.3" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "MF-24A (0.24N MIF — metal-ion-free TMAH developer)", "dilution": "0.24N (MF-24A is the 0.24N-normality developer in Rohm and Haas's MF line; SPR220 is \"optimized for 0.24N developers\", with 0.26N (MF-26A) offered as an alternative for thicker films or high-throughput processes)", "time_s": 60, "method": "puddle", "rinse": null, "source": "Table 6 \"Recommended Develop Conditions\" (3.0 µm FT column) and Table 1, p.1 and p.3" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [ "etch-mask", "electroplating-molding", "mems-structural" ], "etchResistance": "\"Excellent wet and dry etch adhesion\" (Advantages, p.1). Figure 8 (p.4) reports 100:1 etch selectivity in a Bosch DRIE process, demonstrated patterning 2.5-10 µm features to 200 µm deep and 5-20 µm features to 100 µm deep (these etch-depth examples are shown at the SPR220 series level, not attributed to a specific grade). A 1:5 HF wet-etch example (2 µm feature) is also shown on p.1.", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "MICROPOSIT REMOVER 1165, two-bath process, each bath at 80°C (176°F): the first bath removes the bulk of the photoresist, the second removes residual traces. Source: \"Photoresist Removal\", p.4.", "storage": "\"Recommended storage for SPR220 is in an upright position in a dry area at 40-60°F (4-15°F). Keep away from oxidizers, acids, and bases. Keep container sealed when not in use.\" (Quoted verbatim, including an apparent unit inconsistency in the source: 40-60°F does not correspond to 4-15°F — the parenthetical is likely a typo for °C in the original document; it is quoted as printed rather than corrected.) Source: \"Storage\", p.4.", "notes": "SPR220-3.0 is the 3 µm-nominal member of the MEGAPOSIT SPR 220 line, a broadband resist usable at g-line (436 nm) or i-line (365 nm) that Rohm and Haas positions for thick-film MEMS, plating-mold, and DRIE-mask work rather than fine-pitch IC lithography. Unlike the thicker SPR220-7.0 grade, films at this 3.0 µm reference thickness stay under the datasheet's 4 µm threshold for the exposure-to-PEB rehydration hold, so processing is comparatively straightforward: softbake, PEB and (per Table 1) develop all run at essentially the textbook single-step conditions. This resist family traces from Shipley Company, which originated the SPR line, through Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials (the entity printed on this 2004 datasheet), then Dow Chemical (2009), then DuPont Electronics & Imaging, to today's Kayaku Advanced Materials — the same corporate family that owns MicroChem/KMPR and SU-8. Tone and base chemistry are not stated anywhere in this particular datasheet. The dnq-novolak chemistry entry draws on the Dow MEGAPOSIT SPR220-3.0 MSDS composition table (cresol novolak resin + diazo photoactive compound).", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "A comparative study of different thick photoresists for MEMS applications", "authors": "Koukharenko et al.", "journal": "Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics", "year": 2005, "doi": "10.1007/s10854-005-4977-2", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-005-4977-2", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "Benchmarks thick MEMS resists (SPR 220-7, SU-8, Ordyl P-50100 dry film, Diaplate 132) as electroplating molds; SPR 220-7 gives about 50 um molds for alkaline electroplating as an easier-to-strip alternative to SU-8.", "note": "Family-level SPR 220 reference: the study characterizes the thicker SPR 220-7 grade, not the 3.0 grade of this page." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "I spun SPR220-3.0 slowly to get a thicker film. Do the thin-film bake rules still apply?", "a": "Not once the film passes 4 µm, which SPR220-3.0 does at the slow end of its Figure 3 curve. Above 4 µm the datasheet switches to a 30 s step-down ramp onto the 115 °C hotplate with at least a 90 s hold, and asks for a minimum 35-minute wait between exposure and PEB so water can diffuse back into the film and complete the photoreaction. MicroChemicals' trouble shooter adds that a bake soon after exposure can turn the exposure's nitrogen into bubbles. At or below 4 µm, the straight 115 °C / 90 s softbake and no hold apply.", "source": "Rohm and Haas MEGAPOSIT SPR220 Series datasheet (ME04N097, Rev. 2, Sept. 2004) — Figure 3 and Softbake, p.2; Post-Exposure Bake, p.3; MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' — Bubbles in Resist Film after Thermal Processes, p.15" }, { "q": "SPR220-3.0 won't clear at 310 mJ/cm² on my contact aligner. Is the datasheet dose wrong?", "a": "It is right for its own conditions. The 310 mJ/cm² i-line figure for a 3.0 µm film is a photospeed for dense lines and spaces with 0.90 µm linearity, on the ASML PAS 5500/200 i-line stepper (0.48 NA) that Table 1 lists and developed per Table 6; the sheet gives 320 mJ/cm² at g-line alongside it. Its Figure 2 shows 1.0 µm and 0.9 µm lines at those doses. A broadband aligner delivers a different spectrum and intensity, so treat 310 mJ/cm² as the order of magnitude and run a dose series on your aligner at your actual thickness.", "source": "Rohm and Haas MEGAPOSIT SPR220 Series datasheet (ME04N097, Rev. 2, Sept. 2004) — Table 1 (expose tool) and Table 2 (3.0 µm rows), p.1; Figure 2 'Resolution at 3.0 µm Film Thickness', p.2" }, { "q": "Which developer conditions apply to a 3.0 µm SPR220-3.0 film? My process sheet was written for SPR220-7.0.", "a": "Use the 3.0 µm column of Table 6, not the 7.0 µm one: MF-24A or MF-26A for 60 s as a single spray puddle, or the metal-ion-bearing M452 for 3 minutes by immersion. The 60/60 s double puddle belongs to the thicker films, and M453 has no 3.0 µm condition at all — the table lists it only from 5.0 µm up. SPR220 is optimised for 0.24N developers, with 0.26N offered for thicker films or throughput. Table 1 gives MF-24A at 21 °C as the series default.", "source": "Rohm and Haas MEGAPOSIT SPR220 Series datasheet (ME04N097, Rev. 2, Sept. 2004) — Develop section and Table 6 'Recommended Develop Conditions', p.3; Table 1, p.1" }, { "q": "SPR220-3.0 lifts at the edges in a wet etch, or leaves scum in the opened areas. Is it the priming?", "a": "It can be. The datasheet recommends vacuum vapour priming with concentrated HMDS at 120 °C for 30 s on substrates that need it. MicroChemicals' trouble shooter explains how priming done the wrong way causes its own trouble: HMDS spun on as a liquid, or HMDS vapour in the coater that also spins the resist, releases ammonia in the softbake that modifies the resin at the substrate and can leave a layer that will not develop through. Prime from vapour onto a heated wafer and keep HMDS out of the resist coater. SPR220 lists silicon, aluminium oxide, gold, copper and NiFe as compatible substrates.", "source": "Rohm and Haas MEGAPOSIT SPR220 Series datasheet (ME04N097, Rev. 2, Sept. 2004) — Substrate, p.2; MicroChemicals GmbH 'Photolithography Trouble Shooter' — HMDS Applied Correctly? p.7–8 and Inferior Resist Adhesion: Wrong HMDS Application, p.11" }, { "q": "The SPR220-3.0 storage line reads '40–60°F (4–15°F)'. Which is right?", "a": "40–60 °F is about 4–15 °C, so the parenthetical is a unit misprint: it means Celsius. Store SPR220-3.0 upright in a dry area at that temperature, sealed when not in use, and away from oxidisers, acids and bases. For removal, the datasheet recommends MICROPOSIT REMOVER 1165 in two baths, both at 80 °C: the first takes off the bulk, the second the residual traces.", "source": "Rohm and Haas MEGAPOSIT SPR220 Series datasheet (ME04N097, Rev. 2, Sept. 2004) — Storage and Photoresist Removal, p.4" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://research.engineering.ucdavis.edu/cnm2/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2013/05/SPR220_Data_Sheet.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "ME04N097, Rev. 2, September 2004 (printed on p.1 and in the footer)", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://asrc.gc.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/media/global-assets/Megaposit-SPR-220-3.0-Positive-Photoresist-MSDS.pdf", "what": "Dow MEGAPOSIT SPR220-3.0 MSDS states 'Cresol novolak resin 25.0-35.0%, Diazo Photoactive Compound 1.0-10.0%'; the basis for classifying SPR220-3.0 as dnq-novolak." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "spr220-7", "name": "Megaposit SPR 220-7.0", "min_um": 5.45, "max_um": 52, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "spr220-7", "name": "Megaposit SPR 220-7.0", "manufacturer": "Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials", "productLine": "MEGAPOSIT SPR 220 series", "aliases": [ "SPR220-7.0", "MEGAPOSIT SPR220-7.0", "Shipley SPR220-7.0" ], "tone": null, "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed by the datasheet. The document positions SPR220 for dense lines/spaces resolution, thick-film etch masking, and electroplating molds — no mention of grayscale or partial-exposure profiling.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "SPR220-7.0 is the 7 µm-nominal grade of Rohm and Haas's MEGAPOSIT SPR 220 series, a general-purpose, broadband/g-line/i-line multiwavelength photoresist that spin-coats from roughly 5 µm up to 30-50+ µm depending on speed, used for thick-film MEMS, plating and Bosch-etch-mask applications.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 5.45, "max_um": 52, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span: the datasheet does not state an achievable thickness range for the SPR220-7.0 grade specifically (only a family-wide '1-30 µm' range spanning all five grades in the Description, though this grade's own curve exceeds that at low rpm). The range combines the two SPR220-7.0-specific curves published: the thin end (5.45 µm) is from Figure 3 (4-inch wafer) at 6000 rpm; the thick end (52 µm) is from Figure 4 (8-inch wafer, grade-dedicated chart) at 150 rpm. The '7.0' in the product name denotes its nominal reference thickness (used as the thickness label in Table 2 and Table 6), not this full spin-achievable range." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "SPR220-7.0 (8\" wafer, Figure 4)", "points": [ { "rpm": 150, "um": 52 }, { "rpm": 250, "um": 39.3 }, { "rpm": 500, "um": 22 }, { "rpm": 750, "um": 16.5 }, { "rpm": 1000, "um": 13.8 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 10.5 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 9.3 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 8.3 } ], "source": "read from figure 4 \"Spin Speed Curve, SPR220-7.0 on 8\"\", p.2 of Rohm and Haas \"MEGAPOSIT SPR220 Series Photoresists\" datasheet (ME04N097, Rev. 2, Sept. 2004). This figure plots a single curve for SPR220-7.0 only, so there is no grade-identification ambiguity; all 8 published markers are reported. The datasheet's own text states \"a 375 RPM spin will yield a film thickness of approximately 30 µm,\" which interpolates consistently between this curve's 250 rpm (39.3 µm) and 500 rpm (22 µm) points.", "figureRead": true }, { "label": "SPR220-7.0 (4\" wafer, Figure 3)", "points": [ { "rpm": 1500, "um": 10.1 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 9 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 7.5 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 6.55 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 5.9 }, { "rpm": 6000, "um": 5.45 } ], "source": "read from figure 3 \"Spin Speed Curves on 4\"\", p.2 of the same datasheet. Chart plots five curves; SPR220-7.0 identified as the filled-circle series, the topmost (thickest-film) curve, consistent with legend position (listed first) and its numeric name being the highest-viscosity grade shown. 6 of the 10 available markers are reported (1500, 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000 rpm). Where this chart overlaps figure 4 the two published figures agree within ~4%: 1500 rpm reads 10.1 µm here vs. 10.5 µm on the 8-inch chart, and 2000 rpm reads 9.0 µm here vs. 9.3 µm on the 8-inch chart.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Figure 3 (4-inch wafer) and Figure 4 (8-inch/200 mm wafer, SPR220-7.0 only) are separate empirical curves for the same grade; both are kept separate rather than merged, since they come from different substrates/tool runs. Coat uniformity is reported at 7.31 µm: standard deviation 0.036 µm across 33 points (source figure/wafer size for this uniformity measurement is not stated). Nominal film thickness may vary slightly with process, equipment, and ambient conditions, per the datasheet's own caveat under \"Coat\", p.2.", "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "\"A hexamethyldisilizane (HMDS)-based MICROPOSIT primer is recommended to promote adhesion with substrates that require such treatment. Vacuum vapor priming at 120°C for 30 seconds with concentrated HMDS is recommended.\" Source: \"Substrate\", p.2." }, "rehydration": "\"With thicker films (above 4 µm), a hold time is used between exposure and PEB to allow water (which is necessary to complete the photo-reaction) to diffuse back into the photoresist film. Thick films should use a minimum hold time of 35 minutes.\" SPR220-7.0's 7.0 µm nominal reference thickness is above the 4 µm threshold, so this minimum 35-minute ambient hold between exposure and PEB applies. (The document's 12 µm threshold for a 120-minute hold does not apply at the 7.0 µm nominal thickness, though it would for a thicker coat of this same grade at low rpm.) This is a genuinely easy step to omit by mistake since it sits between two other steps (expose, then PEB) rather than being a bake step itself. (Source: \"Post-Exposure Bake\" section, p.3)", "softbake": { "temp_c": 115, "time_s": 90, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "\"For films greater than 4.0 µm, use a 30 second ramp in temperature (step-down to hotplate) to 115°C and hold for a minimum of 90 seconds.\" SPR220-7.0's 7.0 µm nominal thickness falls in this bin as a direct match — a 30-second temperature step-down ramp precedes the 90-second hold at 115°C. (Films >12 µm instead require a 300-second minimum hold — not applicable at the 7.0 µm nominal thickness.) Table 1 independently confirms for the 4.0-10.0 µm thickness class: \"30 sec. step-down to 115°C/90 sec. Contact Hotplate.\"", "source": "\"Softbake\" section, p.2, and Table 1 \"Recommended Process Conditions\" (4.0-10.0 µm column), p.1" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "basisCopy": "A 7.0 µm film sizes at 470 mJ/cm², but that is a g-line number; the published i-line photospeeds stop at 5.0 µm and 380 mJ/cm², so no i-line figure exists at this grade's full thickness.", "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": 436, "binBasis": "spun-film", "bins": [ { "um_min": 7, "um_max": 7, "mJ_min": 470, "mJ_max": 470 } ], "source": "Table 2 \"Photospeed and Linearity of Dense Lines/Spaces at Various Thicknesses\", p.1 — the g-Line (436 nm) row at a 7.0 µm film thickness, which is this grade's nominal reference thickness (the same thickness label Table 6 uses for it)." } ] }, "peb": { "temp_c": 115, "time_s": 90, "notes": "Table 1 gives a single PEB value spanning both thickness classes (1.1-4.0 µm and 4.0-10.0 µm): \"115°C/90 sec. Contact Hotplate.\" PEB runs at the same temperature as softbake, per the \"Post-Exposure Bake\" section text. This 90-second figure is the PEB bake itself — it is separate from and follows the mandatory 35-minute exposure-to-PEB moisture-diffusion hold required for this grade; see the \"rehydration\" field.", "source": "Table 1 \"Recommended Process Conditions\", p.1, and \"Post-Exposure Bake\" section, p.3" }, "floodExposure": null, "holds": [ { "at": "after-expose", "label": "Hold", "duration": "≥35 min; ≥120 min above 12 µm", "condition": "before PEB, films above 4 µm", "source": "\"Post-Exposure Bake\" section, p.3: \"Thick films should use a minimum hold time of 35 minutes. For film thickness greater than 12 µm requires a minimum hold time of 120 minutes between exposure and develop\" (the thick-film hold applies above 4 µm)" } ], "develop": { "developer": "MF-24A (0.24N MIF — metal-ion-free TMAH developer)", "dilution": "0.24N (MF-24A is the 0.24N-normality developer in Rohm and Haas's MF line; SPR220 is \"optimized for 0.24N developers\", with 0.26N (MF-26A) offered as an alternative for thicker films or high-throughput processes)", "time_s": 120, "method": "puddle", "rinse": null, "source": "Table 6 \"Recommended Develop Conditions\" (7.0 µm FT column), p.3" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [ "etch-mask", "electroplating-molding", "mems-structural" ], "etchResistance": "\"Excellent wet and dry etch adhesion\" (Advantages, p.1). Figure 8 (p.4) reports 100:1 etch selectivity in a Bosch DRIE process, demonstrated patterning 2.5-10 µm features to 200 µm deep and 5-20 µm features to 100 µm deep. The p.1 application photo (\"Etched Trenches (Bosch Process), 4-10 µm Features up to 100 µm deep\") shows the same class of result. (These etch-depth examples are shown at the SPR220 series level, not attributed to a specific grade.)", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "MICROPOSIT REMOVER 1165, two-bath process, each bath at 80°C (176°F): the first bath removes the bulk of the photoresist, the second removes residual traces. Source: \"Photoresist Removal\", p.4.", "storage": "\"Recommended storage for SPR220 is in an upright position in a dry area at 40-60°F (4-15°F). Keep away from oxidizers, acids, and bases. Keep container sealed when not in use.\" (Quoted verbatim, including an apparent unit inconsistency in the source: 40-60°F does not correspond to 4-15°F — the parenthetical is likely a typo for °C in the original document; it is quoted as printed rather than corrected.) Source: \"Storage\", p.4.", "notes": "SPR220-7.0 is the thickest-nominal grade in the MEGAPOSIT SPR 220 line pictured in this datasheet, spin-coating from roughly 5 µm up to 50+ µm depending on speed and wafer size (two separately measured curves, on 4-inch and 8-inch wafers, are both captured above and agree within a few percent where they overlap). Its most easily-missed processing step is the mandatory minimum 35-minute ambient hold between exposure and PEB — water must diffuse back into the film to complete the photoreaction, and skipping this wait is a well-known way to get an incomplete or inconsistent PEB result with this resist family. The exposure-dose table only publishes i-Line numbers up to a 5.0 µm reference thickness, so there is no clean i-Line dose match at this grade's 7.0 µm nominal thickness; the nearest published numbers (g-Line 470 mJ/cm² at exactly 7.0 µm, or i-Line 380 mJ/cm² at 5.0 µm) each mismatch on either wavelength or thickness, and are quoted only as context. This resist family traces from Shipley Company, which originated the SPR line, through Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials (the entity printed on this 2004 datasheet), then Dow Chemical (2009), then DuPont Electronics & Imaging, to today's Kayaku Advanced Materials — the same corporate family that owns MicroChem/KMPR and SU-8. Tone and base chemistry are not stated anywhere in this particular datasheet. The dnq-novolak chemistry entry draws on the Dow MEGAPOSIT SPR220-3.0 MSDS composition table (same MEGAPOSIT SPR220 line: cresol novolak resin + diazo photoactive compound).", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Realization of electroplating molds with thick positive SPR 220-7 photoresist", "authors": "Kukharenka et al.", "journal": "Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics", "year": 2003, "doi": "10.1023/A:1023923911921", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023923911921", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "Realizes 34-54 um multi-coat SPR 220-7 films as electroplating molds for MEMS metal structures." }, { "type": "paper", "title": "A comparative study of different thick photoresists for MEMS applications", "authors": "Koukharenko et al.", "journal": "Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics", "year": 2005, "doi": "10.1007/s10854-005-4977-2", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-005-4977-2", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "Benchmarks thick MEMS resists (SPR 220-7, SU-8, Ordyl P-50100 dry film, Diaplate 132) as electroplating molds; SPR 220-7 gives about 50 um molds for alkaline electroplating as an easier-to-strip alternative to SU-8." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Why does SPR 220-7.0 need a wait between exposure and PEB?", "a": "Because it is a thick film: water must diffuse back into the resist to complete the photoreaction, so films above 4 µm need a minimum 35-minute ambient hold between exposure and PEB. SPR 220-7.0's 7.0 µm nominal thickness is above that threshold, so the 35-minute hold applies (a thicker low-rpm coat past 12 µm would need 120 minutes). It sits between two steps rather than being a bake, so it is easy to skip — don't.", "source": "Rohm and Haas MEGAPOSIT SPR220 Series datasheet (ME04N097, Rev. 2, Sept. 2004) — Post-Exposure Bake section, p.3" }, { "q": "What softbake and PEB does SPR 220-7.0 use?", "a": "For films over 4.0 µm — which includes the 7.0 µm nominal grade — soft bake with a 30-second temperature step-down ramp to 115°C, then hold at least 90 seconds on a contact hotplate. PEB runs at the same temperature: 115°C for 90 seconds. The PEB bake is separate from, and follows, the mandatory 35-minute exposure-to-PEB moisture-diffusion hold.", "source": "Rohm and Haas MEGAPOSIT SPR220 Series datasheet (ME04N097, Rev. 2, Sept. 2004) — Softbake and Post-Exposure Bake sections + Table 1, p.1–3" }, { "q": "Which developer and develop time does SPR 220-7.0 use?", "a": "MF-24A, a 0.24N metal-ion-free TMAH developer, applied as a 60/60-second double spray puddle — two sequential 60-second puddles, 120 seconds total. SPR 220 is optimized for 0.24N developers; MF-26A (0.26N) is offered as an alternative for thicker films or high-throughput processes. No rinse chemistry is specified in the datasheet.", "source": "Rohm and Haas MEGAPOSIT SPR220 Series datasheet (ME04N097, Rev. 2, Sept. 2004) — Table 6 Recommended Develop Conditions (7.0 µm FT), p.3" }, { "q": "What exposure dose should I use for SPR 220-7.0?", "a": "The datasheet publishes no clean i-line dose at 7.0 µm — its i-line rows stop at 5.0 µm (380 mJ/cm²), and the nearest exact-thickness figure is g-line 470 mJ/cm² at 7.0 µm. Neither matches on both wavelength and thickness, so treat them as context and calibrate on-tool. For films thicker than 12 µm the datasheet gives 700–1,300 mJ/cm² measured at 365 nm.", "source": "Rohm and Haas MEGAPOSIT SPR220 Series datasheet (ME04N097, Rev. 2, Sept. 2004) — Table 2 photospeed + thick-film exposure guidance, p.1–2" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://research.engineering.ucdavis.edu/cnm2/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2013/05/SPR220_Data_Sheet.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "ME04N097, Rev. 2, September 2004 (printed on p.1 and in the footer)", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://asrc.gc.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/media/global-assets/Megaposit-SPR-220-3.0-Positive-Photoresist-MSDS.pdf", "what": "Dow MEGAPOSIT SPR220-3.0 MSDS (same MEGAPOSIT SPR220 line) states 'Cresol novolak resin 25.0-35.0%, Diazo Photoactive Compound 1.0-10.0%'; the basis for classifying SPR220-7.0 as dnq-novolak." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "spr220-3", "name": "Megaposit SPR 220-3.0", "min_um": 2.28, "max_um": 4.62, "doseBasis": "310 mJ/cm² @ 365 nm" } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "s1805", "name": "Microposit S1805", "manufacturer": "Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials", "productLine": "MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Series", "aliases": [ "S1805", "S1805 G2", "MICROPOSIT S1805 G2" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not discussed. The document only describes single-layer binary IC masking properties (Figure 1 'Masking Linearity SEMS', Figure 7 masking-linearity plot); no grayscale or gray-tone lithography capability is claimed anywhere in the document.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "MICROPOSIT S1805 G2 is the thinnest grade of the MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 positive photoresist series, coating roughly 0.41–0.67 µm — the pick when a design needs the series' finest single-layer film and tightest linewidth control rather than thickness.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 0.41, "max_um": 0.67, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span: the datasheet publishes no prose achievable-range statement for S1805 G2. The range here is the span of the S1805 G2 trace (cross marker) in Figure 2, 'MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Photoresist Undyed Series Spin Speed Curves', p.2: 0.67 µm at 2,000 rpm to 0.41 µm at 7,000 rpm — the trace's actual plotted x-range, which runs 2,000-7,000 rpm only, not the chart's wider 1,000-8,000 rpm axis range." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "S1805 G2", "points": [ { "rpm": 2000, "um": 0.67 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 0.55 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 0.5 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 0.47 }, { "rpm": 6000, "um": 0.44 }, { "rpm": 7000, "um": 0.41 } ], "source": "read from figure, 'MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Photoresist Undyed Series Spin Speed Curves' (Figure 2), p.2 of MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Series Photoresists datasheet (Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, ME06N041, Rev. 0, October 2006); identified as the lowest of four plotted traces (cross marker, legend order S1818/S1813/S1811/S1805 top-to-bottom by thickness — the four curves do not cross across the plotted range); read at gridline/marker crossings every 1,000 rpm from 2,000–7,000 rpm off a linear-linear chart (thickness 0–40,000 Å, spin speed 1,000–8,000 rpm); no numeric table accompanies the figure so no independent point-value anchor exists in the document — visual chart-reading only, typical uncertainty ~10–15%.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Figure 2 ('MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Photoresist Undyed Series Spin Speed Curves', p.2) plots four traces — S1818 G2, S1813 G2, S1811 G2, S1805 G2 — on one axis (spin speed 1,000–8,000 rpm vs photoresist thickness 0–40,000 Å), each carrying a distinct legend marker (diamond, triangle, square, cross respectively, in that order top-to-bottom by thickness) and, because the four curves do not cross across the plotted range, S1805 G2 (cross marker) is identified as the lowest trace at every spin speed. The trace plotted here was read from gridline/marker crossings at 1,000 rpm intervals from 2,000–7,000 rpm; no numeric thickness-vs-rpm table accompanies the figure, so there is no independent point-value anchor and the values carry typical chart-reading uncertainty of about 10–15%. Table 2 (p.2) records that Figure 2's coatings used an SVG 81 coater and a 115°C/60 sec hotplate softbake on silicon, measured on a Nanometrics 210 — that condition applies to this grade's trace and is recorded under softbake below. The document states maximum coating uniformity is 'typically attained between the spin speeds of 3,500–5,500 rpm' (p.2, series-wide statement, not S1805-specific). No rehydration hold or edge-bead handling is discussed anywhere in the document.", "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "\"MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Series Photoresist work well with the hexamethyldisilazane-based MICROPOSIT Primers. Concentrated MICROPOSIT Primer is recommended when vacuum vapor priming. Diluted primer is recommended for liquid phase priming applications.\" (SUBSTRATE PREPARATION, p.2 — series-wide statement, not grade-specific)." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 115, "time_s": 60, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "From Table 2 ('Process Conditions, Refer to Figure 2'): coat tool SVG 81, softbake 115°C/60 sec hotplate, measured on a Nanometrics 210. This is the condition used to generate the Figure 2 spin-speed-curve trace that includes S1805 G2; it is not a separately stated softbake recommendation outside that figure.", "source": "Table 2, p.2 of MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 SERIES PHOTORESISTS, ME06N041, Rev. 0, October 2006" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "basisCopy": "Every quantified exposure result on this sheet — sizing energy, contrast curve, exposure and focus latitude — was run on S1813 G2. For S1805 it gives only the series exposure window, 350 to 450 nm, optimized at 436 nm." }, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "MICROPOSIT MF-319 metal-ion-free (MIF) developer family (stated as optimized for); also compatible with metal-ion-bearing (MIB) MICROPOSIT developers.", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Develop Properties, feature list, p.1: \"Optimized for use with the MICROPOSIT MF-319 metal-ion-free developer family\" / \"Compatible with metal-ion-bearing MICROPOSIT developers\"" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "\"Residue-free photoresist removal using standard MICROPOSIT removers\" (ADVANTAGES section, p.1) — no specific remover product is named.", "storage": "\"Store products in tightly closed original containers at temperatures recommended on the product label.\" (STORAGE section, p.5) — no specific temperature is printed in the document itself.", "notes": "This grade appears exactly once in the document: as the lowest of four traces (alongside S1811, S1813 and S1818 G2) on the undyed-series film-thickness-vs-spin-speed chart (Figure 2, p.2). Choose S1805 G2 over the thicker S1811, S1813 and S1818 grades when the process needs a thin resist layer and tight resolution rather than film thickness — on the same g-line process and develop chemistry it lays down the least film of the four. No dose, develop time, or lithographic-performance data (contrast curve, Dill parameters, absorbance spectrum, masking linearity, exposure/focus latitude — Figures 4–9, Tables 4–9) is published for S1805 specifically; every one of those figures and tables explicitly names MICROPOSIT S1813 G2 as the tested grade, and that data does not carry over to S1805. The document states the S1800 G2 system broadly is optimized for g-line (436 nm) exposure and usable across 350–450 nm, is compatible with HMDS-based MICROPOSIT primers, and works with both metal-ion-free (MF-319 family) and metal-ion-bearing MICROPOSIT developers, but none of those statements carry an S1805-specific number. The S1800 line traces from Shipley through Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials (publisher of this G2 edition) to Dow, DuPont, and today's Kayaku Advanced Materials. The dnq-novolak chemistry entry draws on the Dow/Rohm and Haas S1818 MSDS composition table (mixed cresol novolak resin + diazo photoactive compound) and Kayaku's S1800 G2 series-wide formulation statement.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "title": "Microscopic geared metamachines", "authors": "Wang et al.", "journal": "Nature Communications", "year": 2025, "doi": "10.1038/s41467-025-62869-6", "summary": "Defines light-driven microscopic gear trains by maskless direct laser writing (Heidelberg MLA 150) into an LOR3A/S1805 bilayer, with S1805 as the top positive imaging layer and LOR3A as the sacrificial release layer for Cr/Au lift-off.", "note": "Maskless direct-write usage: S1805 is the imaging layer, patterned on an MLA 150 maskless aligner.", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62869-6" }, { "type": "paper", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "title": "A Calibration Method for the Resolution of 2D TPP Laser Direct Writing", "authors": "Xie et al.", "journal": "Micromachines", "year": 2023, "doi": "10.3390/mi14010212", "summary": "Measures the voxel width and length written into S1805 by two-photon-polymerization laser direct writing across a matrix of laser powers and scan speeds, then fits a second-order regression relating machining resolution to those inputs.", "note": "Direct-write process window: S1805 is the resist being characterized, not merely a step in someone else's flow.", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/mi14010212" }, { "type": "paper", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "title": "Generation of arbitrarily patterned polarizers using 2-photon polymerization", "authors": "Ganazhapa et al.", "journal": "Scientific Reports", "year": 2024, "doi": "10.1038/s41598-024-73946-z", "summary": "Compares S1805 G2 against SU-8 as a two-photon-polymerization direct-write medium for liquid-crystal alignment layers; the S1805 relief reached a polarizer contrast ratio of 37 versus 14 for SU-8, at 63% alignment uniformity.", "note": "Direct-write usage, and an unusual one: the developed resist relief serves as an LC alignment layer.", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-73946-z" } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "How thick a film does MICROPOSIT S1805 G2 coat?", "a": "S1805 G2 is the thinnest of the four undyed S1800 G2 grades. On the Figure 2 spin-speed chart its trace runs from about 0.67 µm at 2,000 rpm down to 0.41 µm at 7,000 rpm. Maximum coating uniformity is typically attained between 3,500 and 5,500 rpm (a series-wide statement). These points are a figure read with roughly ±10–15% uncertainty, so confirm the target thickness on-tool.", "source": "MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Series Photoresists datasheet (Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, ME06N041 Rev. 0, October 2006) — Figure 2 undyed-series spin-speed curves, p.2" }, { "q": "What exposure dose should I use for S1805 G2?", "a": "This datasheet publishes no exposure dose for S1805. The only quantified dose in the document — 150 mJ/cm² sizing energy — is explicitly attributed to S1813 G2 and must not be borrowed for S1805. The series is exposable across 350–450 nm with properties optimized for 436 nm (g-line); pick a working dose by characterizing on-tool.", "source": "MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Series Photoresists datasheet (Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, ME06N041 Rev. 0, October 2006) — EXPOSURE section p.3; Table 9 (S1813-specific), p.4" }, { "q": "What soft bake does S1805 G2 need?", "a": "The only soft-bake condition tied to S1805 is 115°C for 60 s on a hotplate — the coat condition used to generate its Figure 2 spin-speed trace (SVG 81 coater, measured on a Nanometrics 210). It is a documented test condition, not a separately stated grade-specific recommendation, so treat it as a starting point rather than an optimized bake.", "source": "MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Series Photoresists datasheet (Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, ME06N041 Rev. 0, October 2006) — Table 2, p.2" }, { "q": "Does S1805 G2 need HMDS priming?", "a": "This is a family-generic answer — the datasheet gives no S1805-specific priming step. The S1800 G2 series works well with hexamethyldisilazane-based MICROPOSIT Primers: concentrated primer for vacuum vapour priming, diluted primer for liquid-phase priming. Prime oxide-forming substrates before coating.", "source": "MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Series Photoresists datasheet (Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, ME06N041 Rev. 0, October 2006) — SUBSTRATE PREPARATION, p.2" }, { "q": "Why is there so little process data specific to S1805?", "a": "S1805 appears only once in this datasheet — as the lowest trace on the undyed-series spin-speed chart (Figure 2). Every contrast curve, Dill parameter, masking-linearity and exposure/focus-latitude figure names S1813 G2 as the tested grade, so none of that data may be applied to S1805. Its spin curve is the only grade-specific quantitative data published.", "source": "MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Series Photoresists datasheet (Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, ME06N041 Rev. 0, October 2006) — Figures 4–9 / Tables 4–9 (all S1813-specific)" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.nanophys.kth.se/nanolab/resists/S1813/Microposit_S1800_G2_Serie.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "ME06N041, Rev. 0, October 2006", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://amolf.nl/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/datasheets_S1800.pdf", "what": "AMOLF-hosted copy of the superseded ~1993 Shipley 'MPR S1800 1093' edition of the S1800 datasheet; the current G2 edition is the data source for this recipe, and this older edition is kept only as a reference." }, { "url": "https://kayakuam.com/products/microposit-s1800-g2-series-photoresists/", "what": "Kayaku's MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 series page states the series-wide formulation (mixed cresol novolak resin + diazo photoactive compound); used as the basis for classifying S1805 as dnq-novolak, corroborated by the Dow/Rohm and Haas S1818 MSDS composition table." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "s1813", "name": "S1813", "min_um": 1.03, "max_um": 1.9, "doseBasis": "150 mJ/cm² @ 436 nm" }, { "slug": "s1818", "name": "Microposit S1818", "min_um": 1.5, "max_um": 2.65, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "s1822", "name": "S1822", "min_um": 1.5, "max_um": 3.2, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "s1818", "name": "Microposit S1818", "manufacturer": "Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials", "productLine": "MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Series", "aliases": [ "S1818", "S1818 G2", "MICROPOSIT S1818 G2" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not discussed. The document only describes single-layer binary IC masking properties (Figure 1 'Masking Linearity SEMS', Figure 7 masking-linearity plot); no grayscale or gray-tone lithography capability is claimed anywhere in the document.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "MICROPOSIT S1818 G2 is the thick-film grade of the MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 positive photoresist series, coating roughly 1.5–2.65 µm — chosen for the heaviest single S1800 coat, giving deeper etch masking or taller step coverage than the thinner grades.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 1.5, "max_um": 2.65, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span: the datasheet publishes no prose achievable-range statement for S1818 G2. The range here is the span of the S1818 G2 trace (diamond marker) in Figure 2, 'MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Photoresist Undyed Series Spin Speed Curves', p.2: 2.65 µm at 2,000 rpm to 1.50 µm at 7,000 rpm — the trace's actual plotted x-range, which runs 2,000-7,000 rpm only, not the chart's wider 1,000-8,000 rpm axis range." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "S1818 G2", "points": [ { "rpm": 2000, "um": 2.65 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 2.15 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 1.85 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 1.7 }, { "rpm": 6000, "um": 1.6 }, { "rpm": 7000, "um": 1.5 } ], "source": "read from figure, 'MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Photoresist Undyed Series Spin Speed Curves' (Figure 2), p.2 of MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Series Photoresists datasheet (Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, ME06N041, Rev. 0, October 2006); identified as the highest of four plotted traces (diamond marker, legend order S1818/S1813/S1811/S1805 top-to-bottom by thickness — the four curves do not cross across the plotted range); read at gridline/marker crossings every 1,000 rpm from 2,000–7,000 rpm off a linear-linear chart (thickness 0–40,000 Å, spin speed 1,000–8,000 rpm); no numeric table accompanies the figure so no independent point-value anchor exists in the document — visual chart-reading only, typical uncertainty ~10–15%.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Figure 2 ('MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Photoresist Undyed Series Spin Speed Curves', p.2) plots four traces — S1818 G2, S1813 G2, S1811 G2, S1805 G2 — on one axis (spin speed 1,000–8,000 rpm vs photoresist thickness 0–40,000 Å), each carrying a distinct legend marker (diamond, triangle, square, cross respectively, in that order top-to-bottom by thickness) and, because the four curves do not cross across the plotted range, S1818 G2 (diamond marker) is identified as the highest trace at every spin speed. The trace plotted here was read from gridline/marker crossings at 1,000 rpm intervals from 2,000–7,000 rpm; no numeric thickness-vs-rpm table accompanies the figure, so there is no independent point-value anchor and the values carry typical chart-reading uncertainty of about 10–15%. Table 2 (p.2) records that Figure 2's coatings used an SVG 81 coater and a 115°C/60 sec hotplate softbake on silicon, measured on a Nanometrics 210 — that condition applies to this grade's trace and is recorded under softbake below. The document states maximum coating uniformity is 'typically attained between the spin speeds of 3,500–5,500 rpm' (p.2, series-wide statement, not S1818-specific). No rehydration hold or edge-bead handling is discussed anywhere in the document.", "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "\"MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Series Photoresist work well with the hexamethyldisilazane-based MICROPOSIT Primers. Concentrated MICROPOSIT Primer is recommended when vacuum vapor priming. Diluted primer is recommended for liquid phase priming applications.\" (SUBSTRATE PREPARATION, p.2 — series-wide statement, not grade-specific)." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 115, "time_s": 60, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "From Table 2 ('Process Conditions, Refer to Figure 2'): coat tool SVG 81, softbake 115°C/60 sec hotplate, measured on a Nanometrics 210. This is the condition used to generate the Figure 2 spin-speed-curve trace that includes S1818 G2; it is not a separately stated softbake recommendation outside that figure.", "source": "Table 2, p.2 of MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 SERIES PHOTORESISTS, ME06N041, Rev. 0, October 2006" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "basisCopy": "Exposure is optimized at 436 nm across the S1800 G2 series and usable from 350 to 450 nm, but that window is all S1818 gets: the sheet's dose numbers were measured on S1813 and belong to it." }, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "MICROPOSIT MF-319 metal-ion-free (MIF) developer family (stated as optimized for); also compatible with metal-ion-bearing (MIB) MICROPOSIT developers.", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Develop Properties, feature list, p.1: \"Optimized for use with the MICROPOSIT MF-319 metal-ion-free developer family\" / \"Compatible with metal-ion-bearing MICROPOSIT developers\"" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "\"Residue-free photoresist removal using standard MICROPOSIT removers\" (ADVANTAGES section, p.1) — no specific remover product is named.", "storage": "\"Store products in tightly closed original containers at temperatures recommended on the product label.\" (STORAGE section, p.5) — no specific temperature is printed in the document itself.", "notes": "This grade appears exactly once in the document: as the highest of four traces (alongside S1805, S1811 and S1813 G2) on the undyed-series film-thickness-vs-spin-speed chart (Figure 2, p.2). Pick S1818 G2 over its thinner S1805/S1811/S1813 siblings when the process needs the most film a single S1800 G2 coat can give — it sits at the top of the series' spin-speed chart, coating thickest of the four undyed grades at any given speed. No dose, develop time, or lithographic-performance data (contrast curve, Dill parameters, absorbance spectrum, masking linearity, exposure/focus latitude — Figures 4–9, Tables 4–9) is published for S1818 specifically; every one of those figures and tables explicitly names MICROPOSIT S1813 G2 as the tested grade, and that data does not carry over to S1818. The document states the S1800 G2 system broadly is optimized for g-line (436 nm) exposure and usable across 350–450 nm, is compatible with HMDS-based MICROPOSIT primers, and works with both metal-ion-free (MF-319 family) and metal-ion-bearing MICROPOSIT developers, but none of those statements carry an S1818-specific number. The S1800 line traces from Shipley through Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials (publisher of this G2 edition) to Dow, DuPont, and today's Kayaku Advanced Materials. The dnq-novolak chemistry entry draws directly on the Dow/Rohm and Haas MICROPOSIT S1818 MSDS composition table (mixed cresol novolak resin + diazo photoactive compound).", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "title": "Dissipative charge transport in organic mixed ionic-electronic conductor channels", "authors": "Bonafe et al.", "journal": "Nature Communications", "year": 2025, "doi": "10.1038/s41467-025-57528-9", "summary": "Patterns Microposit S1818 (4000 rpm for 60 s, 110 C for 1 min) by maskless direct-write lithography on an ML3 Microwriter to define metal contacts, then uses a second S1818 layer spun at 2000 rpm as the lift-off stencil for a PEDOT:PSS transistor channel.", "note": "Maskless direct-write usage on an ML3 Microwriter; documents S1818 in both a contact-patterning and a lift-off role.", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57528-9" }, { "type": "paper", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "title": "Fabrication methods for high reflectance dielectric-metal point contact rear mirror for optoelectronic devices", "authors": "Arulanandam et al.", "journal": "MethodsX", "year": 2022, "doi": "10.1016/j.mex.2022.101898", "summary": "A methods paper that prints its full Shipley S1818 spin-coat, photolithography and strip recipe as a step table, using the resist to open vias through a dielectric rear-mirror stack and to mask the subsequent electroplating step.", "note": "Unusually explicit process record: the S1818 recipe is published as a step table rather than buried in prose.", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mex.2022.101898" }, { "type": "paper", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "title": "Ultrathin Microlens Arrays for Dynamic Beam Shaping Based on 3D Lithography", "authors": "Cheng et al.", "journal": "Micromachines", "year": 2026, "doi": "10.3390/mi17020250", "summary": "Selects S1818 as the thin-film resist for a 3D-lithography microlens array, targeting a coat of roughly 1.6 um so that a 624 nm resist relief transfers, at the established etch selectivity, into an 800 nm structure depth in the substrate.", "note": "Shows S1818 used for 3D relief patterning and etch transfer, not only binary masking.", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17020250" } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "How thick a film does MICROPOSIT S1818 G2 coat?", "a": "S1818 G2 is the thickest of the four undyed S1800 G2 grades — the top trace on the Figure 2 spin-speed chart. It runs from about 2.65 µm at 2,000 rpm down to 1.5 µm at 7,000 rpm. Maximum coating uniformity is typically attained between 3,500 and 5,500 rpm (a series-wide statement). These points are a figure read with roughly ±10–15% uncertainty, so confirm the target thickness on-tool.", "source": "MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Series Photoresists datasheet (Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, ME06N041 Rev. 0, October 2006) — Figure 2 undyed-series spin-speed curves, p.2" }, { "q": "What exposure dose should I use for S1818 G2?", "a": "This datasheet publishes no exposure dose for S1818. The only quantified dose — 150 mJ/cm² sizing energy — is explicitly attributed to S1813 G2 and must not be borrowed for S1818. The series is exposable across 350–450 nm with properties optimized for 436 nm (g-line); pick a working dose by characterizing on-tool.", "source": "MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Series Photoresists datasheet (Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, ME06N041 Rev. 0, October 2006) — EXPOSURE section p.3; Table 9 (S1813-specific), p.4" }, { "q": "What soft bake does S1818 G2 need?", "a": "The only soft-bake condition tied to S1818 is 115°C for 60 s on a hotplate — the coat condition used to generate its Figure 2 spin-speed trace (SVG 81 coater, measured on a Nanometrics 210). It is a documented test condition, not a separately stated grade-specific recommendation, so treat it as a starting point rather than an optimized bake.", "source": "MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Series Photoresists datasheet (Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, ME06N041 Rev. 0, October 2006) — Table 2, p.2" }, { "q": "Does S1818 G2 need HMDS priming?", "a": "This is a family-generic answer — the datasheet gives no S1818-specific priming step. The S1800 G2 series works well with hexamethyldisilazane-based MICROPOSIT Primers: concentrated primer for vacuum vapour priming, diluted primer for liquid-phase priming. Prime oxide-forming substrates before coating.", "source": "MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Series Photoresists datasheet (Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, ME06N041 Rev. 0, October 2006) — SUBSTRATE PREPARATION, p.2" }, { "q": "Why is there so little process data specific to S1818?", "a": "S1818 appears only once in this datasheet — as the highest trace on the undyed-series spin-speed chart (Figure 2). Every contrast curve, Dill parameter, masking-linearity and exposure/focus-latitude figure names S1813 G2 as the tested grade, so none of that data may be applied to S1818. Its spin curve is the only grade-specific quantitative data published.", "source": "MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Series Photoresists datasheet (Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, ME06N041 Rev. 0, October 2006) — Figures 4–9 / Tables 4–9 (all S1813-specific)" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.nanophys.kth.se/nanolab/resists/S1813/Microposit_S1800_G2_Serie.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "ME06N041, Rev. 0, October 2006", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://amolf.nl/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/datasheets_S1800.pdf", "what": "AMOLF-hosted copy of the superseded ~1993 Shipley 'MPR S1800 1093' edition of the S1800 datasheet; the current G2 edition is the data source for this recipe, and this older edition is kept only as a reference." }, { "url": "https://aggiefab.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Microposit-S1818-G2-Positive-Photoresist-MSDS.pdf", "what": "Dow/Rohm and Haas MICROPOSIT S1818 MSDS states 'Mixed cresol novolak resin 15.0-25.0%, Diazo Photoactive Compound 1.0-10.0%'; the basis for classifying S1818 as dnq-novolak." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "s1805", "name": "Microposit S1805", "min_um": 0.41, "max_um": 0.67, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "s1813", "name": "S1813", "min_um": 1.03, "max_um": 1.9, "doseBasis": "150 mJ/cm² @ 436 nm" }, { "slug": "s1822", "name": "S1822", "min_um": 1.5, "max_um": 3.2, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "mr-dwl-40", "name": "mr-DWL 40", "manufacturer": "micro resist technology GmbH", "productLine": "mr-DWL series", "aliases": [ "mrDWL40", "mr-DWL40" ], "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "epoxy", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Document never uses the word 'greyscale' for mr-DWL. It markets mr-DWL for 'Direct Laser Writing (DLW) @ 405 nm & Two Photon Polymerization (2PP)' — arbitrary focused-beam 3D structuring — which is a related but distinct capability from continuous dose-modulated greyscale lithography, and is not described as such here.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "mr-DWL 40 is the mid-thickness grade of micro resist technology's mr-DWL negative-tone resist series, formulated for 405 nm direct laser writing (DLW) and two-photon polymerization (2PP), sold ready-to-use for coatings from 20 to 100 µm.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 20, "max_um": 100, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated — the flyer's mr-DWL table (p.4) lists 'mr-DWL 40: 20 µm → 100 µm' as the ready-to-use film-thickness range for this grade specifically (alongside mr-DWL 5: 3-12 µm and mr-DWL 100: 20-150 µm)." }, "spinCurves": [], "spinNotes": "No spin-speed-vs-thickness table or figure is published for mr-DWL anywhere in this flyer — only the stated achievable film-thickness range per grade. No accel, dispense, or edge-bead guidance is given either, consistent with a multi-series marketing flyer rather than a full technical data sheet.", "adhesion": { "hmds": null, "notes": "Not addressed in this flyer." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": null, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "basisCopy": "mr-DWL 40 is sold for 405 nm direct laser writing, but no dose is published at any wavelength — only a qualitative claim of high sensitivity above 400 nm, and an absorption curve with no dose calibration on its axis." }, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "mr-Dev 600", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "mr-DWL table, p.4 of Negative Photoresists flyer" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [ "etch-mask", "electroplating-molding", "general-prototyping", "mems-structural" ], "etchResistance": "\"Etch mask for wet and dry etch processes\" (Main applications, mr-DWL section, p.4).", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": null, "storage": null, "notes": "mr-DWL 40 is the mid-thickness grade of micro resist technology's mr-DWL negative-tone resist series, formulated for 405 nm exposure in direct laser writing (DLW) and two-photon polymerization (2PP) tools, and sold ready-to-use for coatings from 20 to 100 µm. The manufacturer's product literature for this grade is a multi-series marketing flyer rather than a full technical data sheet, so process parameters a data sheet would normally publish — softbake, exposure dose, post-exposure bake, and a spin-speed-vs-thickness curve — are not stated in it; mr-DWL's own data sheet sits behind a non-public microresist.de download link. The flyer names mr-Dev 600 as the developer (solvent-based) but gives no dilution, time, or method. Because mr-DWL is marketed specifically for 405 nm direct-write exposure, its h-line dose could in principle be the operationally relevant one, but no dose value in mJ/cm² is published for this SKU in this document, so no dose is quoted for it. mr-DWL is treated as epoxy chemistry per microresist.de's description of it as chemically amplified negative tone sharing SU-8's advantageous properties, corroborated by peer-reviewed literature grouping SU-8 and mr-DWL as epoxy-based photoresists.", "developerFamily": "solvent", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "title": "Pneumatic Microballoons for Active Control of the Vibration-Induced Flow", "authors": "Sato et al.", "journal": "Micromachines", "year": 2023, "doi": "10.3390/mi14112010", "summary": "Builds the master mold for a pneumatic microballoon actuator's air-channel structures in mr-DWL 40, patterned by direct lithography on a DL-1000 maskless writer, then replicates the mold in PDMS.", "note": "Grade-exact and maskless: mr-DWL 40 written on a DL-1000 direct-write tool, the exposure mode this resist is formulated for.", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/mi14112010" }, { "type": "paper", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "title": "Portrait of intense communications within microfluidic neural networks", "authors": "Dupuit et al.", "journal": "Scientific Reports", "year": 2023, "doi": "10.1038/s41598-023-39477-9", "summary": "Lithographs neuron culture chambers and microchannels in two mr-DWL layers of 40 um and 5 um using backside alignment, hard-bakes the mold at 180 C, and casts PDMS from it to guide cortical network growth.", "note": "Grade-exact for the 40 um layer; shows mr-DWL 40 stacked with the thinner mr-DWL 5 grade in a single mold.", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-39477-9" }, { "type": "paper", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "title": "Effect of design geometry, exposure energy, cytophilic molecules, cell type and load in fabrication of single-cell arrays using micro-contact printing", "authors": "Bhujbal et al.", "journal": "Scientific Reports", "year": 2020, "doi": "10.1038/s41598-020-72080-w", "summary": "Maps how exposure energy on an MLA-150 maskless aligner changes the transferred feature dimensions of an mr-DWL negative resist, then stamps the resulting PDMS moulds into single-cell arrays.", "note": "PARTLY GRADE-EXACT: the study characterized dose on mr-DWL 5 (the thin grade) for its first two designs and used mr-DWL 40 -- the grade on this page -- for its third, but inferred the 40 um dose from the mr-DWL 5 curve rather than characterizing it independently. So the MLA-150 exposure-energy trend is direct evidence for the series, while the 40 um dose values inherit that inference: dose scales with thickness. Characterize dose on-tool.", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-72080-w" } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Can I thin mr-DWL 40 down to a 10 µm layer, or should I switch grade?", "a": "Use the grade made for it. micro resist technology sells mr-DWL 40 as a ready-to-use solution for 20–100 µm films; for 3–12 µm the same series has mr-DWL 5, and mr-DWL 100 covers 20–150 µm. The flyer names no thinner for mr-DWL and publishes no spin curve for any grade, so measure the thickness you actually get on your own coater before fixing a spin speed.", "source": "Negative Photoresists for UV, Laser & Electron Beam Lithography (micro resist technology GmbH, product flyer, August 2022) — mr-DWL table, p.4" }, { "q": "Can I develop mr-DWL 40 in the TMAH developer I use for other negative resists?", "a": "The flyer gives no aqueous option for it: the only developer micro resist technology names for mr-DWL is mr-Dev 600, a solvent-based developer. The aqueous alkaline developers in the same flyer (TMAH- and NaOH-based) are listed against its ma-N series, not mr-DWL. No develop time, method or rinse is published for mr-DWL 40, so set the time on test pieces at your film thickness.", "source": "Negative Photoresists for UV, Laser & Electron Beam Lithography (micro resist technology GmbH, product flyer, August 2022) — mr-DWL table, p.4; ma-N 400 / ma-N 1400 table, p.2" }, { "q": "What wavelength and dose should I use to write mr-DWL 40?", "a": "The flyer rates mr-DWL for high sensitivity above 400 nm and markets it for direct laser writing at 405 nm and for two-photon polymerisation. It publishes an absorption curve for unexposed, exposed, and exposed-plus-post-exposure-baked film, but no dose at any wavelength and no bake schedule. Treat the dose as unknown and run a dose matrix on your writer at the thickness you coated.", "source": "Negative Photoresists for UV, Laser & Electron Beam Lithography (micro resist technology GmbH, product flyer, August 2022) — mr-DWL table and absorption-coefficient chart, p.4" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.microresist.de/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/NegativeResists_Flyer_Aug22.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "August 2022", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://microresist.de/en/produkt/mr-dwl-series/", "what": "microresist.de describes mr-DWL as 'chemically amplified negative tone... shares several advantageous properties with SU-8', and peer-reviewed literature groups 'epoxy-based photoresists SU-8 and mr-DWL' together; the basis for classifying mr-DWL 40 as epoxy." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "nr7-1500py", "name": "NR7-1500PY", "manufacturer": "Futurrex, Inc.", "productLine": null, "aliases": [ "NR7 1500PY", "NR7-1500 PY" ], "tone": "negative", "chemistry": null, "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not marketed for greyscale or 3D lithography; the datasheet targets binary lift-off patterning with a tunable undercut sidewall profile adjustable by exposure energy.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "NR7-1500PY is Futurrex's negative-tone 365 nm lift-off resist, coating ~1.2–3.0 µm with an undercut sidewall tunable by exposure energy. It needs 390 mJ/cm² at 365 nm (1 µm film), develops in a basic aqueous solution and strips in RR4.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 1.2, "max_um": 3, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — min/max of the published spin curve (Properties table, p.1 of the Futurrex NR7-1500PY Technical Information excerpt) over its stated 800-5000 rpm range; no separate achievable-range statement is made in prose. The datasheet publishes each point as a symmetric nm range rather than a single number; the value plotted is that range's midpoint, which is also the grade's nominal thickness (same treatment as NR71-3000P)." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "NR7-1500PY", "points": [ { "rpm": 800, "um": 3 }, { "rpm": 1000, "um": 2.7 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 1.9 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 1.5 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 1.3 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 1.2 } ], "source": "numeric table 'Film thickness after 150°C hotplate bake for 60 s. / Coating spin speed, 40 s spin (rpm): (nm)', p.1 of Futurrex NR7-1500PY Technical Information, the vendor's own product datasheet page appended to a University of Pennsylvania cleanroom SOP (PDF p.3). The datasheet publishes each point as an nm RANGE, not a single value (e.g. 800 rpm -> 2850-3150 nm); each point above is the exact midpoint of that stated range, converted nm->um. Raw ranges: 800rpm=2850-3150nm, 1000rpm=2565-2835nm, 2000rpm=1805-1995nm, 3000rpm=1425-1575nm, 4000rpm=1235-1365nm, 5000rpm=1140-1260nm. These six ranges are numerically identical, rpm-for-rpm, to the published spin table for the sibling Futurrex grade NR9-1500PY — plausibly one master curve reused across product lines formulated to the same nominal reference thickness. The 3000 rpm midpoint (1500 nm = 1.5 um) matches the '1500' in the product name NR7-1500PY, corroborating the midpoint reading." } ], "spinNotes": "This document is a University of Pennsylvania INRF lab SOP (Richard Chang / Ngoc Thanh Pham, Summer 2008) that appends one page of Futurrex's own 'NEGATIVE RESIST NR7-1500PY' Technical Information sheet as a reference appendix (PDF p.3 = the vendor's own page '1'). Only that one vendor page is available; the vendor's usual second 'Processing' page (with step-by-step spin/EBR/softbake/PEB/develop instructions, published for the sibling NR9-1500PY and NR71-3000P grades) is not part of this document, so no Futurrex-stated dispense volume, acceleration, or edge-bead-removal procedure is published for this grade. Separately, the UPenn SOP itself (pp.1-2 of the PDF, a lab procedure, not a Futurrex-published figure) reports its own campus recipe: HMDS primer spun at 3000 rpm/30 s (425 rpm/s accel) then baked 90°C/3 min hotplate before coating; NR7-1500PY spun at 800 rpm/40 s, softbake 150°C/60 s (hotplate) — this line matches the vendor Properties-table bake condition exactly — exposure '2 mins (MA6)' aligner, post-exposure bake 100°C/2 min hotplate, develop with MF-319 for 10 s, yielding 1.5 µm; hard-bake 90°C oven/20 min is called optional. Those lab-specific numbers (PEB temp/time, develop time, developer choice, exposure dose-as-time-on-a-specific-tool) are one university lab's own process on one specific aligner (Karl Suss MA6), not Futurrex recommendations — the two should not be conflated.", "adhesion": { "hmds": null, "notes": "Not addressed on the available vendor page (the vendor's Substrate Preparation guidance, if any, would be on the Processing page that is not part of this document). The University of Pennsylvania INRF SOP that carries this document applies an HMDS primer (3000 rpm/30 s spin, 90°C/3 min hotplate bake) before coating NR7-1500PY as its own lab practice — a secondary source, not confirmed as Futurrex's own recommendation for this SKU." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 150, "time_s": 60, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "The Properties-table heading itself ('Film thickness after 150°C hotplate bake for 60 s.') functions as the bake condition Futurrex measured its spin-curve thickness against — the same pattern seen on the sibling NR9-1500PY and NR71-3000P sheets, where the identical phrase is explicitly corroborated by a numbered Processing step. That corroborating Processing step is not present in this document, so this figure rests on the Properties-table heading alone. Independently, the University of Pennsylvania SOP that carries this document reports the identical 150°C/60 s softbake as its own lab practice for NR7-1500PY, which corroborates (but does not itself constitute) the vendor figure.", "source": "Properties table heading, p.1 of Futurrex NR7-1500PY Technical Information (PDF p.3)" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [ { "wavelength_nm": 365, "value_mJcm2": 390, "source": "Properties, p.1 of Futurrex NR7-1500PY Technical Information (PDF p.3)" } ], "basisCopy": "390 mJ/cm² at 365 nm is a sensitivity normalized to a 1 µm film, quoted alongside the tools Futurrex expects — steppers, scanning projection aligners, proximity and contact printers — with no dose for any other coat thickness.", "headlineBasis": "per 1 µm film" }, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": null, "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": null }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [ "lift-off", "etch-mask" ], "etchResistance": "\"Superior selectivity in RIE process\" (Description, p.1 of the Futurrex NR7-1500PY Technical Information excerpt).", "liftoffSuitable": true, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "Resist Remover RR4 (Description, p.1: 'easy resist removal in Resist Remover RR4') — note this differs from the RR5 remover specified for Futurrex's NR9-1500PY and the RR41 remover specified for NR71-3000P; the three SKUs' strip chemistries should not be conflated.", "storage": "\"Guaranteed shelf life at 25°C storage (years) 3\" (Properties, p.1); \"shelf life exceeding 3 years at room temperature storage\" (Description, p.1) of the Futurrex NR7-1500PY Technical Information excerpt. Full storage-condition guidance (temperature range, light/heat/ignition precautions), if published, would be on the missing Processing page.", "notes": "NR7-1500PY is Futurrex's negative-tone, 365 nm lift-off resist, formulated in cyclohexanone (24-28% solids) and developed in an unspecified 'basic water solution'; the datasheet's headline advantage is 'easy adjustment of the degree of resist undercut as a function of exposure energy', which is what makes its negative-sloping sidewall profile useful for lift-off. Only one page of Futurrex's own two-page Technical Information sheet is available here — appended as a reference to a 2008 University of Pennsylvania INRF cleanroom SOP rather than published as a standalone vendor PDF — so the vendor's own Processing-page guidance (PEB temperature/time, develop time, edge-bead removal, storage conditions) is not available and no value is quoted for those steps; the SOP's own campus recipe for them is quoted in the coating and development notes as one lab's process on one aligner (Karl Suss MA6), not as a Futurrex-published figure. The spin-thickness table that is available reproduces exactly the same six rpm/nm-range data points published for the sibling grade NR9-1500PY. The 390 mJ/cm² sensitivity at 365 nm is normalized to a 1 µm-thick film, and resist removal uses Resist Remover RR4 — a third distinct remover code, alongside RR5 (NR9-1500PY) and RR41 (NR71-3000P), that should not be conflated across the three Futurrex SKUs.", "developerFamily": null, "references": [ { "type": "paper", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "title": "Plasmonic Nanopore Sensing to Probe the DNA Loading Status of Adeno-Associated Viruses", "authors": "Renkes et al.", "journal": "Chemosensors", "year": 2025, "doi": "10.3390/chemosensors13120418", "summary": "Coats wafers with NR7-1500PY, patterns them on a backside mask aligner, develops in Futurrex RD-6 with an oxygen-plasma descum, then lifts off a 5 nm Cr / 100 nm Au stack to form the plasmonic apertures of a nanopore sensor.", "note": "Grade-exact lift-off usage -- the application this resist is sold for -- paired with the Futurrex RD-6 developer.", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors13120418" }, { "type": "paper", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "title": "Proteomics-Empowered Microfluidic-SERS Immunoassay for Identifying and Detecting Biomarkers of Micropapillary Lung Adenocarcinoma", "authors": "Zhang et al.", "journal": "Advanced Science", "year": 2025, "doi": "10.1002/advs.202501336", "summary": "Spins NR7-1500PY on a glass wafer at 1200 rpm for 10 s then 3000 rpm for 40 s, bakes at 150 C for 1 min, exposes on a SUSS MicroTec aligner, post-bakes at 120 C for 2 min, develops in TMAH for 7 s, and lifts off Cr/Au overnight to form ring electrodes.", "note": "Grade-exact, and a rare fully-stated NR7-1500PY recipe: spin, bake, post-exposure bake, develop and lift-off conditions are all published.", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202501336" } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "How do I get more or less undercut out of NR7-1500PY for lift-off?", "a": "Through the exposure dose. Futurrex lists easy adjustment of the degree of undercut as a function of exposure energy as one of the resist's advantages, and says the developed film has a negative-sloping sidewall that makes lift-off simple. The sheet gives no curve of undercut against dose, so bracket around the published sensitivity — 390 mJ/cm² at 365 nm for a 1 µm film — and cross-section the result at your thickness.", "source": "Negative Resist NR7-1500PY Technical Information (Futurrex, Inc., undated) — Description and Properties, p.1" }, { "q": "My NR7-1500PY coat came out about 3 µm at 800 rpm, but a lab recipe said 1.5 µm — which is right?", "a": "Go with the Futurrex table. It gives, after a 150 °C / 60 s hotplate bake and a 40 s spin, 2850–3150 nm at 800 rpm, 1805–1995 nm at 2000 rpm, 1425–1575 nm at 3000 rpm and 1140–1260 nm at 5000 rpm. The University of Pennsylvania INRF lab SOP that carries this sheet lists 1.5 µm at 800 rpm, which the maker's numbers do not support; check any borrowed recipe against the vendor spin table and a thickness measurement.", "source": "Negative Resist NR7-1500PY Technical Information (Futurrex, Inc., undated) — Properties, film thickness vs. spin speed, p.1. University of Pennsylvania INRF SOP 'Negative Resist NR7-1500PY photolithography' (Chang / Pham, 2008) — Procedure step 2 table" }, { "q": "My NR7-1500PY pattern rounded over during metal deposition and the lift-off failed — how hot can it go?", "a": "Futurrex rates NR7-1500PY for temperatures up to 180 °C, so keep the substrate below that during evaporation or sputtering. MicroChemicals' lift-off note (not a Futurrex document) explains why it matters: resist heated past its softening point deforms, gets coated over its whole surface, and the solvent can no longer reach it. The same note lists remedies — better heat coupling to the holder, a lower deposition rate, or depositing in steps with cooling pauses.", "source": "Negative Resist NR7-1500PY Technical Information (Futurrex, Inc., undated) — Description, p.1. MicroChemicals application note 'Lift-off' (not a Futurrex document) — Thermal Effects on the Resist Structures" }, { "q": "What remover does Futurrex specify for NR7-1500PY?", "a": "Resist Remover RR4 — Futurrex lists easy removal in RR4 among the resist's advantages. Don't carry the remover over from other Futurrex lift-off resists by habit; the NR7-1500PY sheet names RR4 specifically. The same sheet claims high selectivity in RIE and a shelf life beyond 3 years at room temperature (3 years guaranteed at 25 °C).", "source": "Negative Resist NR7-1500PY Technical Information (Futurrex, Inc., undated) — Description and Properties, p.1" }, { "q": "Does NR7-1500PY need an HMDS prime before coating?", "a": "The Futurrex technical sheet does not cover substrate preparation. The University of Pennsylvania INRF SOP for this resist — one lab's practice, not a Futurrex recommendation — cleans in acetone and isopropanol with a DI rinse, dehydrates the substrate in a 120 °C oven for 20 min, spins HMDS at 3000 rpm for 30 s and bakes it at 90 °C for 3 min before coating. It also notes NR7-1500PY tends to adhere well to Si, glass and metals.", "source": "University of Pennsylvania INRF SOP 'Negative Resist NR7-1500PY photolithography' (Chang / Pham, 2008) — Overview, Preparation and Procedure step 1, p.1" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.seas.upenn.edu/~nanosop/documents/NR7-1500PY.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": null, "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://www.seas.upenn.edu/~nanosop/documents/NR7-1500PY.pdf", "what": "Pages 1-2 of this same PDF (as distinct from page 3, the appended Futurrex vendor sheet): a University of Pennsylvania INRF ('Negative Resist NR7-1500PY photolithography', Richard Chang / Ngoc Thanh Pham, Summer 2008) cleanroom lab SOP. Used only for practical/lab-specific process numbers not present on the vendor page — HMDS pretreatment step, PEB temp/time, develop time and developer product, hard-bake — each explicitly flagged in the relevant field's notes as one lab's own recipe, not a Futurrex-published recommendation. Not used for any headline vendor spec (spin table and 365 nm dose both come from the appended Futurrex Technical Information page itself)." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "nr71-3000p", "name": "NR71-3000P", "manufacturer": "Futurrex, Inc.", "productLine": null, "aliases": [ "NR71 3000P", "NR71-3000 P" ], "tone": "negative", "chemistry": null, "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not marketed for greyscale or 3D lithography; the datasheet describes a 'straight resist sidewall profile' for binary patterning, high thermal stability (up to 180°C) and RIE selectivity.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "NR71-3000P is Futurrex's high-photospeed negative-tone 365 nm resist with a straight (non-undercut) sidewall and thermal stability to 180°C, coating ~2.2–6.0 µm and needing no HMDS adhesion promoter.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 2.233, "max_um": 6, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — min/max of the published spin curve (Properties table, p.1) over its stated 800-5000 rpm range; no separate achievable-range statement is made in prose." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "NR71-3000P", "points": [ { "rpm": 800, "um": 6 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 3 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 2.59 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 2.233 } ], "source": "numeric table 'Film thickness after 150°C hotplate bake for 60 s (nm) / Coating spin speed, 40 s spin (rpm)', p.1 of Futurrex NR71-3000P Technical Information. The datasheet publishes each point as an nm RANGE, not a single value: published as 5700-6300 nm at 800 rpm, 2850-3150 nm at 3000 rpm, 2460-2720 nm at 4000 rpm, 2140-2326 nm at 5000 rpm; midpoint used for each (every range is symmetric, approx. nominal +/-4-5%), converted nm->um. The 3000 rpm midpoint (3000 nm = 3.0 um exactly) matches the '3000' in the product name NR71-3000P, corroborating the midpoint reading. Only 4 spin speeds are published (no 1000 or 2000 rpm rows, unlike the NR9-1500PY datasheet)." } ], "spinNotes": "Spin coating is at a selected speed for 40 s (Processing step 1). Edge Bead Remover EBR2 is applied to the bottom and edge of the coated wafer for 10 s, stopping 5 s before spin cycle completion (Processing step 2). Bake schedules differ by substrate thermal conductivity — see softbake/peb notes.", "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "Datasheet lists 'elimination of a need for application of adhesion promoters such as HMDS' as one of NR71-3000P's advantages over other resists (Description, p.1)." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 150, "time_s": 60, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "150°C/60 s applies to good thermal conductors (Si, GaAs, InP). For a 1 mm-thick glass substrate the datasheet instead specifies 165°C for 240 s.", "source": "Processing step 3, p.2" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [ { "wavelength_nm": 365, "value_mJcm2": 21, "source": "Properties, p.1" } ], "basisCopy": "The 21 mJ/cm² i-line figure is a sensitivity normalized to a 1 µm film, not a process dose for the thick coats this resist is bought for; no dose is published at any other thickness.", "headlineBasis": "per 1 µm film" }, "peb": { "temp_c": 100, "time_s": 60, "notes": "100°C/60 s applies to good thermal conductors (Si, GaAs, InP). For a 1 mm-thick glass substrate the datasheet instead specifies 110°C for 240 s.", "source": "Processing step 5, p.2" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "Resist Developer RD6", "dilution": null, "time_s": 30, "method": null, "rinse": "Deionized water rinse until water resistivity reaches prescribed limit (Processing step 7).", "source": "Processing steps 6-7, p.2" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [ "etch-mask" ], "etchResistance": "\"Superior selectivity in RIE process\" (Description, p.1).", "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "Resist Remover RR41 (Processing step 9, p.2) — note this differs from the RR5 remover specified for Futurrex's NR9-1500PY.", "storage": "\"Guaranteed shelf life at 25°C storage (years) 3\" (Properties, p.1); \"shelf life exceeding 3 years at room temperature storage\" (Description, p.1).", "notes": "NR71-3000P is Futurrex's high-photospeed negative-tone 365 nm resist, formulated in gamma-butyrolactone and rated for 180°C thermal stability — notably higher than the 100°C rating on Futurrex's NR9 series — and the datasheet lists elimination of an HMDS adhesion-promoter step as a specific advantage. Unlike NR9-1500PY, which is explicitly marketed for lift-off with a tunable undercut, this datasheet describes NR71-3000P's developed sidewall as 'straight' and makes no lift-off claim. The datasheet gives two full bake schedules for both softbake and post-exposure bake — 150°C/60 s (softbake) and 100°C/60 s (PEB) for good thermal conductors (Si, GaAs, InP), versus 165°C/240 s and 110°C/240 s respectively for 1 mm-thick glass — a substrate-dependent difference easy to lose when copying a recipe across substrates. The 21 mJ/cm² sensitivity at 365 nm is explicitly normalized to a 1 µm-thick film, and resist removal uses Resist Remover RR41 (not the RR5 used for NR9-1500PY — the two SKUs' strip chemistries should not be conflated).", "developerFamily": "tmah", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "title": "Robust lasing modes in coupled colloidal quantum dot microdisk pairs using a non-Hermitian exceptional point", "authors": "Lafalce et al.", "journal": "Nature Communications", "year": 2019, "doi": "10.1038/s41467-019-08432-6", "summary": "Dilutes NR71-3000P with ethyl lactate to one third of the as-supplied concentration and spins it at 3000 rpm for 1 min onto a CYTOP/silicon substrate to define coupled quantum-dot microdisk resonators.", "note": "Grade-exact, but note the resist is deliberately thinned: the resulting film sits far below the as-supplied coating range this datasheet publishes. The dilution is the paper's own, not a manufacturer process.", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-08432-6" } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "NR71-3000P patterns fine on silicon but fails on a glass slide with the same bakes — why?", "a": "Glass needs longer, hotter bakes. Futurrex's process gives 150 °C for 60 s softbake and 100 °C for 60 s post-exposure bake only for good heat conductors such as Si, GaAs and InP. For a 1 mm thick glass substrate it specifies 165 °C for 240 s softbake and 110 °C for 240 s PEB, both on a hotplate. Running the silicon times on glass leaves both bakes short.", "source": "Negative Resist NR71-3000P Technical Information (Futurrex, Inc., undated) — Processing steps 3 and 5 with footnotes, p.2" }, { "q": "A 6 µm NR71-3000P coat is badly underexposed at 21 mJ/cm² — is my lamp off?", "a": "Not necessarily. The 21 mJ/cm² figure is Futurrex's 365 nm sensitivity normalised to a 1 µm film, not a process dose for a thick coat, and the sheet publishes no dose for any other thickness. The spin table puts an 800 rpm, 40 s coat at 5700–6300 nm after the 150 °C / 60 s bake, so run a dose series at the thickness you actually coated.", "source": "Negative Resist NR71-3000P Technical Information (Futurrex, Inc., undated) — Properties, p.1" }, { "q": "How do I handle the edge bead and the rinse on NR71-3000P?", "a": "Futurrex builds edge-bead removal into the spin: apply Edge Bead Remover EBR2 to the bottom and edge of the coated wafer for 10 s, finishing 5 s before the end of the 40 s spin cycle. After develop in Resist Developer RD6 (about 30 s for a 3 µm film in Futurrex's example), rinse in DI water until the rinse water reaches your resistivity limit.", "source": "Negative Resist NR71-3000P Technical Information (Futurrex, Inc., undated) — Processing steps 1–2 and 6–7, p.2" }, { "q": "Should I prime with HMDS before coating NR71-3000P?", "a": "Futurrex says no primer is needed: it lists the elimination of adhesion promoters such as HMDS among NR71-3000P's advantages, and its nine-step process goes straight from spin coating and edge-bead removal to the softbake.", "source": "Negative Resist NR71-3000P Technical Information (Futurrex, Inc., undated) — Description, p.1; Processing steps 1–3, p.2" }, { "q": "What strips NR71-3000P after a dry etch or a hot process step?", "a": "Futurrex names one remover, Resist Remover RR41, as the last step of its process. The sheet rates the resist's temperature resistance at up to 180 °C and claims high selectivity in RIE, but it does not say how RR41 performs on a film that has been through a dry etch or a hot step, so check the strip on a processed wafer before relying on it.", "source": "Negative Resist NR71-3000P Technical Information (Futurrex, Inc., undated) — Description, p.1; Processing step 9, p.2" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://apps.mnc.umn.edu/pub/photoresists/nr71_3000p_pds.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": null, "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://nrf.aux.eng.ufl.edu/_files/msds/2/Resist%20Developer%20RD6.pdf", "what": "Futurrex's material safety data sheet for Resist Developer RD6 (dated 2009, hosted by the University of Florida Nanoscale Research Facility): gives the composition as 97-98 % water and 2-3 % tetramethylammonium hydroxide. The resist datasheet names RD6 but never states its chemistry." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "nr9-1500py", "name": "NR9-1500PY", "manufacturer": "Futurrex, Inc.", "productLine": null, "aliases": [ "NR9 1500PY", "NR9-1500 PY" ], "tone": "negative", "chemistry": null, "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not marketed for greyscale or 3D lithography; the datasheet targets binary lift-off patterning with a tunable undercut sidewall.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "NR9-1500PY is Futurrex's negative-tone 365 nm lift-off resist, coating ~1.2–3.0 µm with an undercut sidewall tunable by exposure dose. It needs 190 mJ/cm² at 365 nm (1 µm film), develops in aqueous RD6 and strips in RR5.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 1.2, "max_um": 3, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — min/max of the published spin curve (Properties table, p.1) over its stated 800-5000 rpm range; no separate achievable-range statement is made in prose. The datasheet publishes each point as a symmetric nm range rather than a single number; the value plotted is that range's midpoint, which is also the grade's nominal thickness (same treatment as NR71-3000P)." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "NR9-1500PY", "points": [ { "rpm": 800, "um": 3 }, { "rpm": 1000, "um": 2.7 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 1.9 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 1.5 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 1.3 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 1.2 } ], "source": "numeric table 'Film thickness after 150°C hotplate bake for 60 s. / Coating spin speed, 40 s spin (rpm): (nm)', p.1 of Futurrex NR9-1500PY Technical Information. The datasheet publishes each point as an nm RANGE, not a single value (e.g. 800 rpm -> 2850-3150 nm); each point above is the exact midpoint of that stated range (every range is symmetric, approx. nominal +/-5%), converted nm->um. Raw ranges: 800rpm=2850-3150nm, 1000rpm=2565-2835nm, 2000rpm=1805-1995nm, 3000rpm=1425-1575nm, 4000rpm=1235-1365nm, 5000rpm=1140-1260nm. The 3000 rpm midpoint (1500 nm = 1.5 um) matches the '1500' in the product name NR9-1500PY, corroborating the midpoint reading." } ], "spinNotes": "Spin coating is at a selected speed for 40 s (Processing step 1). Edge Bead Remover EBR2 is dispensed simultaneously onto top and bottom surfaces through nozzles 0.5-1.0 cm from the substrate edge, starting as soon as edge bead forms (3-5 s after resist dispense ends) and stopping 5 s before spin cycle completion (Processing step 2). Bake times throughout this datasheet assume a good thermal conductor substrate (Si, GaAs); the datasheet instructs multiplying bake times by 3.5 for poor thermal conductors such as glass.", "adhesion": { "hmds": null, "notes": "Not addressed in this datasheet." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 150, "time_s": 60, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Applies to good thermal conductors (Si, GaAs, etc.); bake times must be multiplied by 3.5 for poor thermal conductors such as glass (no explicit alternate schedule given for this SKU, unlike NR71-3000P's dual schedule).", "source": "Processing step 3, p.2; corroborated by Properties table heading, p.1" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [ { "wavelength_nm": 365, "value_mJcm2": 190, "source": "Properties, p.1" } ], "basisCopy": "190 mJ/cm² at 365 nm is the only exposure figure Futurrex prints for this resist, and it is normalized to a 1 µm film — there is no h-line number and nothing for a thicker coat.", "headlineBasis": "per 1 µm film" }, "peb": { "temp_c": 100, "time_s": 60, "notes": "Applies to good thermal conductors (Si, GaAs, etc.); no alternate schedule for glass is given for this SKU.", "source": "Processing step 5, p.2" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "Resist Developer RD6", "dilution": null, "time_s": 12, "method": null, "rinse": "Deionized water rinse until water resistivity reaches prescribed limit (Processing step 7).", "source": "Processing steps 6-7, p.2" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [ "lift-off", "etch-mask" ], "etchResistance": "\"Superior selectivity in RIE process\" (Description, p.1).", "liftoffSuitable": true, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "Resist Remover RR5 at room temperature (Processing step 9, p.2).", "storage": "\"Guaranteed shelf life at 25°C storage (years) 3\" (Properties, p.1); \"shelf life exceeding 3 years at room temperature storage\" (Description, p.1).", "notes": "NR9-1500PY is Futurrex's negative-tone, 365 nm lift-off resist, formulated in cyclohexanone and developed in the basic aqueous RD6 developer; degree of undercut is tuned by exposure dose (per the datasheet, 'easy adjustment of the degree of resist undercut as a function of exposure energy') as well as by extending development time via RD6/water dilution. The product code encodes its reference film thickness: '1500' corresponds to the 3000 rpm/40 s coating point (1425-1575 nm, midpoint 1.5 µm) in the published spin table. Bake times given here (150°C softbake, 100°C PEB, both 60 s) assume a substrate that conducts heat well (silicon, GaAs); the datasheet explicitly instructs multiplying bake times by 3.5 on poor thermal conductors such as glass — a detail easy to miss when porting a Si recipe to a transparent substrate. Sensitivity is published as 190 mJ/cm² at 365 nm normalized to a 1 µm-thick film rather than as an absolute dose for whatever process thickness is actually chosen, and no h-line (405 nm) dose is given.", "developerFamily": "tmah", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Micromachining on and of Transparent Polymers for Patterning Electrodes and Growing Electrically Active Cells for Biosensor Applications", "authors": "Karnati et al.", "journal": "Micromachines", "year": 2017, "doi": "10.3390/mi8080250", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/mi8080250", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "NR9 lift-off gold MEAs on flexible PEN for biosensors", "note": "Uses NR9-3000PY (a thicker ~6 um sibling grade in Futurrex's NR9 negative-resist series), not the 1500PY grade of this recipe; cited as family-level evidence of NR9 Ti/Au metal lift-off on flexible PEN." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "How do I control the lift-off undercut with NR9-1500PY?", "a": "NR9-1500PY is a negative-tone resist whose degree of undercut is tuned by exposure energy — the datasheet's stated advantage is 'easy adjustment of the degree of resist undercut as a function of exposure energy.' The undercut can also be opened up by extending development. Process is soft bake 150°C/60 s, expose at 365 nm, PEB 100°C/60 s, develop in RD6, then strip in RR5.", "source": "Futurrex NR9-1500PY Technical Information — Description, p.1, and Processing steps 3–9, p.2" }, { "q": "What is the develop time for NR9-1500PY, and how do I extend it?", "a": "The standard example is 12 s in Resist Developer RD6 for a 1.5 µm film, including overdevelopment, by spray or immersion, followed by a DI-water rinse to the prescribed resistivity. To slow the develop down to a 60 s process, the datasheet specifies diluting RD6 with water 3:1 — a distinct, slower develop rather than simply running the neat developer longer.", "source": "Futurrex NR9-1500PY Technical Information — Processing steps 6–7, p.2" }, { "q": "What exposure dose does NR9-1500PY need at 365 nm?", "a": "Sensitivity is published as 190 mJ/cm² at 365 nm, explicitly normalized to a 1 µm-thick film — not an absolute dose for an arbitrary process thickness, and the datasheet gives no scaling formula, so treat it as a starting point and calibrate for your film. Exposure must be at 365 nm; no h-line (405 nm) dose is published.", "source": "Futurrex NR9-1500PY Technical Information — Properties, p.1" }, { "q": "Do I change the bake for NR9-1500PY on glass or other poor thermal conductors?", "a": "Yes. The 150°C/60 s soft bake and 100°C/60 s PEB assume a good thermal conductor such as silicon or GaAs; on a poor thermal conductor such as glass the datasheet instructs multiplying the bake times by 3.5 — easy to miss when porting a silicon recipe to a transparent substrate.", "source": "Futurrex NR9-1500PY Technical Information — Processing steps 3 & 5, p.2" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://apps.mnc.umn.edu/pub/pds/nr9-1500py.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": null, "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://nrf.aux.eng.ufl.edu/_files/msds/2/Resist%20Developer%20RD6.pdf", "what": "Futurrex's material safety data sheet for Resist Developer RD6 (dated 2009, hosted by the University of Florida Nanoscale Research Facility): gives the composition as 97-98 % water and 2-3 % tetramethylammonium hydroxide. The resist datasheet names RD6 but never states its chemistry." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "pmgi-sf-6", "name": "PMGI SF6", "manufacturer": "MicroChem", "productLine": "PMGI SF series", "aliases": [ "SF6", "MicroChem SF6", "LOR/PMGI SF6" ], "tone": null, "chemistry": "ancillary", "photoimageable": false, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not applicable / not addressed. PMGI SF6 is a non-photoimageable ancillary underlayer used for lift-off undercut control - it is never itself exposed or patterned by light, so grayscale/3D-relief processing does not apply to it.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "PMGI SF 6 is the thickest of the thin PMGI SF underlayers at 0.178-0.438 µm, a non-photoimageable lift-off film that dissolves more slowly than the LOR grades and holds the finest undercut in the range.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 0.178, "max_um": 0.438, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — the span of this grade's trace on the 'Thickness vs. Spin Speed - PMGI SF Series Thin Films' chart (p.5): 1,780 Å at 4000 rpm up to 4,380 Å at 1000 rpm. The datasheet publishes no stated per-grade thickness range, only a product-line figure covering every LOR and PMGI grade." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "SF 6", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 0.438 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 0.335 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 0.274 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 0.235 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 0.211 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 0.191 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 0.178 } ], "source": "read from figure — the cyan asterisk trace legended SF 6 on the 'Thickness vs. Spin Speed - PMGI SF Series Thin Films' chart, p.5, the highest of the five traces. Seven plotted markers at 500 rpm intervals; no numeric table accompanies the chart.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "The topmost trace on the SF thin-films chart, falling from 4,380 Å at 1000 rpm to 1,780 Å at 4000 rpm. It is the steepest of the five and never flattens completely, so speed remains a usable control across the whole range — unusual among the sub-micron grades on this sheet. Coating parameters are published for the product line rather than per grade: 5 ml dispensed dynamically over 3-5 s onto a 150 mm wafer at 300-500 rpm, 10,000 rpm/s acceleration to a 3,000 rpm terminal speed, 45 s spin, with EBR PG for edge-bead and whisker removal.", "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "\"Primers such as HMDS (hexamethyldisilazane) are typically NOT required to promote adhesion with PMGI/LOR products when used as recommended.\" (Substrate preparation, p.2). Recommended substrate prep instead: solvent clean or dilute-acid rinse, followed by DI water rinse, then a dehydration bake at 200°C for 5 minutes on a contact hotplate or 30 minutes in a convection oven. LOR/PMGI is stated to have excellent adhesion to Si, NiFe, GaAs, InP and other III-V materials (p.1 Features list)." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 160, "max": 210 }, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "The prebake dries the film and fixes its dissolution and undercut rate, and no grade-specific temperature or time is published. The recommended prebake range for the product line is 160-210 °C, hotplate preferred, and the datasheet notes some PMGI products may be baked as high as 280 °C — a headroom the SF grades in particular are built for. Prebake temperature has the greatest influence on undercut rate, with prebake time, developer choice, develop mode and especially develop time behind it. The published undercut-versus-bake curves (Figures 5a and 5b) are measured on LOR 10B, not on an SF grade.", "source": "Rev. D p.3: 'The recommended bake temperature range is 160°C – 210°C'; 'Hot plates are the preferred tool for the prebake step.'" }, "exposureDose": null, "peb": { "temp_c": null, "time_s": null, "notes": "\"LOR/PMGI does not require post-exposure baking. Refer to patterning resist manufacturer process recommendations to determine whether a PEB step is required.\" - stated generically for the whole LOR/PMGI line, including the PMGI SF series that SF6 belongs to; consistent with PMGI/LOR never itself being exposed in the standard bi-layer lift-off flow.", "source": "Post - Exposure (PEB) Process section, p.4" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "0.26N TMAH (no product named); 0.24N has some compatibility and metal-ion-bearing developers are not rated (selection guide, p.7).", "dilution": "The Product Selection Guide (p.7) marks 0.26N TMAH as recommended and 0.24N TMAH as having some compatibility for the SF category; metal-ion-bearing developers are not rated for SF. No single dilution is given as SF6's own.", "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Development Process section, p.4; Product Selection Guide (\"Developer Compatibility\" rows, \"SF\" column), p.7" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "time_s": null, "notes": "Not addressed. LOR/PMGI is coated and soft-baked, then covered by an overlying imaging resist which is exposed and developed (developing both layers together); the process then proceeds directly to metal/dielectric deposition (Deposition Process, p.4) with no separate hardbake step described for the LOR/PMGI layer itself.", "source": null }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "lift-off" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": true, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "Kayaku Advanced Materials' Remover PG, or other NMP or DMSO based removers, remove the bi-layer resist stack. Removal rate of LOR/PMGI is dependent upon the soft-bake temperature of the LOR/PMGI product and remover bath temperature. As a baseline process, use Remover PG in two tanks: at 60°C for 30 minutes in the first tank followed by a rinse at 60°C in the second tank. Ultrasonic action will improve the resist removal efficiency. Actual removal times will vary depending upon prebake conditions, subsequent processing and resist patterns (Lift-Off Process, p.4).", "storage": "\"Store upright in original sealed containers in a dry area between 10-24 °C (50-76°F). Keep away from sources of ignition, light, heat, oxidants, acids and reducers. Do not use product after the expiration date (13 months from date of manufacture).\" (Storage, p.8)", "notes": "PMGI SF6 belongs to Kayaku's PMGI SF series (SF 2/3/4/5/6 thin films and SF 8/9/11/13 thick films, plus SFS), a polydimethylglutarimide-based ancillary layer that is never itself exposed for patterning: in the standard bi-layer lift-off flow it is coated and soft-baked first, then a conventional imaging resist is coated, exposed and developed on top, and the same develop step dissolves an undercut into the PMGI beneath the imaging-resist pattern. Prebake temperature shows the greatest influence on undercut rate, with prebake time, choice of developer, develop mode and particularly develop time also influential; this datasheet's own quantified bake-temperature-vs-undercut-rate curves (Figures 5a/5b) are published only for LOR 10B, not for SF6 — a matrix design varying prebake temperature and develop time is recommended instead for fine-tuning any given grade. HMDS priming is explicitly NOT required for PMGI/LOR adhesion, and the imaging resist can be applied directly over PMGI without barrier layers or a plasma descum step. Stripping uses Kayaku Advanced Materials' Remover PG, or another NMP- or DMSO-based remover (baseline two-tank 60°C/30 min process); actual removal rate depends on the layer's own soft-bake temperature and the remover bath temperature.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Robust shadow-mask evaporation via lithographically controlled undercut", "authors": "Cord et al.", "journal": "Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B", "year": 2006, "doi": "10.1116/1.2375090", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1116/1.2375090", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "The Dolan-bridge PMMA/PMGI undercut process for evaporated Josephson junctions; PMGI develops in aqueous base, enabling a controlled undercut independent of the PMMA imaging layer.", "note": "The paper uses the PMGI (SF-series) underlayer generically; cited here for PMGI SF6." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Is PMGI SF6 exposed like a normal photoresist?", "a": "Not in the standard bi-layer flow. The datasheet says LOR and PMGI resists do not require an exposure step in the simple bi-layer lift-off process, and need no post-exposure bake. SF6 is coated and soft-baked first; the imaging resist is then coated, soft-baked and exposed on top, and one develop step clears the imaging resist and dissolves SF6 isotropically, leaving a re-entrant undercut under the resist edge.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Figure 4 (Process Flow), p.2; Application and Processing the Patterning Resist Layer, p.3; Post Exposure Bake (PEB) Process, p.4" }, { "q": "How do I control the undercut of PMGI SF6?", "a": "With the soft-bake. The datasheet says prebake temperature has the greatest influence on undercut rate, with prebake time, developer choice, develop mode and particularly develop time also influential. It recommends a hotplate bake at 160-210 °C (some PMGI products to 280 °C) and a matrix of prebake temperature against develop time. Nothing is plotted for SF6; the nearest data, SF11 in 0.26N TMAH, fall from about 15 nm/s dissolution at a 170 °C bake to about 4.5 nm/s at 200 °C. Characterize SF6 on-tool.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Soft-Bake/Prebake Process, p.3; Figure 6, p.4" }, { "q": "Which developer does PMGI SF6 use?", "a": "The selection guide recommends 0.26N TMAH for the SF products and rates 0.24N TMAH only as some compatibility; metal-ion-bearing developers are hatched out for SF, as for every product except LOR B. The only SF dissolution data, Figure 6 for SF11, were taken in 2.38 % TMAH (0.26N). No SF6 develop time, method or rinse is published: the LOR/PMGI and imaging-resist thicknesses together set the develop time, so set it on-tool.", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Development Process and Figure 6, p.4; Product Selection Guide (Developer Compatibility), p.7" }, { "q": "Does PMGI SF6 need HMDS or a descum/barrier layer under the imaging resist?", "a": "No. The datasheet says primers such as HMDS are typically not required with LOR/PMGI used as recommended, and the imaging resist can be applied and prebaked directly over the PMGI without barrier layers or a plasma descum; there is no intermixing between the layers when they are baked properly. Recommended substrate prep is a solvent clean or dilute-acid rinse, a DI water rinse, then a dehydration bake at 200 °C (5 min on a contact hotplate or 30 min in a convection oven).", "source": "Kayaku Advanced Materials, \"LOR and PMGI Resists\" technical data sheet, Rev. D (August 2023) — Substrate Preparation, p.2; Application and Processing the Patterning Resist Layer, p.3" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/lor-pmgi-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "Rev. D, August 2023 (printed in the footer of every page)", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "s1813", "name": "S1813", "manufacturer": "Kayaku Advanced Materials (Microposit brand; datasheet originally published by Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials / later Dow Electronic Materials)", "productLine": "MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 series", "aliases": [ "Microposit S1813", "S1813 G2", "Microposit S1813 G2 Photoresist" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed in this datasheet; it is presented as a standard single-tone (binary) positive photoresist for IC masking, with no grayscale/3D process information given.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "MICROPOSIT S1813 is the mid-film, best-documented grade of the MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 positive photoresist series, coating roughly 1.03–1.9 µm — the default general-purpose g-line resist, and the one grade this datasheet fully characterizes.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 1.03, "max_um": 1.9, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span: the datasheet publishes no prose achievable-range statement for S1813 G2. 12,300 Å (Table 1, p.1; also Tables 5/7/8) and 13,675 Å (Table 3, p.2) are two unrelated single reference coat thicknesses used as the fixed film for other test figures (masking linearity SEMs, the dispersion-curve measurement) — neither is a stated achievable range, and neither is paired with a spin speed. The range here is the span of the S1813 G2 trace (triangle markers) in Figure 2, 'MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Photoresist Undyed Series Spin Speed Curves', p.2: 1.90 µm at 2,000 rpm to 1.03 µm at 7,000 rpm — the trace's actual plotted x-range, which runs 2,000-7,000 rpm only, not the chart's wider 1,000-8,000 rpm axis range." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "S1813 G2", "points": [ { "rpm": 2000, "um": 1.9 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 1.55 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 1.33 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 1.21 }, { "rpm": 6000, "um": 1.11 }, { "rpm": 7000, "um": 1.03 } ], "source": "read from 'MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Photoresist Undyed Series Spin Speed Curves' (Figure 2), p.2 of MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Series Photoresists datasheet (Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, ME06N041, Rev. 0, October 2006). The S1813 G2 trace is the triangle-marker series, 2nd of 4 stacked series (diamond/S1818 above, square/S1811 and x/S1805 below), matching the legend order. Its plotted markers run 2,000-7,000 rpm only (6 points), not the chart's wider 1,000-8,000 rpm axis range. No rpm-paired numeric anchor exists in the document — the two printed reference thicknesses (12,300 Å and 13,675 Å) are coat conditions used for other test figures (masking linearity, dispersion curve), not points on this spin curve.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "The datasheet publishes a spin-speed FIGURE (Figure 2, p.2, \"MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Photoresist Undyed Series Spin Speed Curves\") plotting film thickness (0-40,000 Å) vs. spin speed (1,000-8,000 rpm axis range) for four grades (S1805, S1811, S1813, S1818 G2) on one chart, coated on an SVG 81 with a 115°C/60s softbake. The S1813 G2 trace (triangle marker, second-highest of the four, which do not cross across the plotted range) spans 2,000-7,000 rpm — its own plotted extent, narrower than the chart's 1,000-8,000 rpm axis range. The thickness range quoted for this grade is the span of that curve, 1.03-1.90 µm; the two reference coat thicknesses (12,300 Å / 13,675 Å) are single fixed-film conditions for other test figures (masking linearity, exposure latitude, dispersion curve), not a statement of what the resist can coat. The datasheet does state maximum coating uniformity is typically attained between 3,500-5,500 rpm. The two reference thicknesses still recur across the process-condition tables: 12,300 Å in Tables 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 13,675 Å in Table 3.", "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "Works well with hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS)-based MICROPOSIT Primers. Concentrated MICROPOSIT Primer is recommended for vacuum vapor priming; diluted primer is recommended for liquid-phase priming applications." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 115, "time_s": 60, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Consistent across all process-condition tables in the datasheet (Tables 1-8).", "source": "e.g. Table 1, p.1: \"Softbake 115°C/60 sec. Hotplate\"" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [ { "wavelength_nm": 436, "value_mJcm2": 150, "source": "Table 9 (\"Lithographic Responses Summary\"), p.4: \"Sizing Energy 150 mJ/cm2 (1.3 E0)\"; E0 = 82 mJ/cm2 from Figure 6 contrast curve, p.4" } ], "basisCopy": "The 150 mJ/cm² sizing energy is a g-line number, measured on GCA and Nikon g-line steppers; the contrast curve on the same page gives a clearing dose E0 of 82 mJ/cm². Nothing equivalent is published at 365 or 405 nm." }, "peb": { "temp_c": null, "time_s": null, "notes": "Not addressed anywhere in this datasheet. The described process flow is softbake -> expose -> develop with no post-exposure bake step mentioned.", "source": null }, "floodExposure": { "dose_mJcm2": null, "notes": "Not applicable / not addressed - S1813 is a standard single-exposure positive photoresist in this datasheet, with no image-reversal or flood-exposure step described.", "source": null }, "develop": { "developer": "MICROPOSIT MF-319 metal-ion-free (MIF) developer family (stated as optimized for); also compatible with metal-ion-bearing (MIB) MICROPOSIT developers. Individual test figures cite MF-31 (i.e. MF-319) and MF-321 by name.", "dilution": "Test conditions in Tables 4, 7 and 8 use MF-319/MF-321 diluted 1:10 (\"MF-31/10\", \"MF-321/10\"); Table 1 does not name a specific developer or dilution.", "time_s": null, "method": "Double Spray Puddle (DSP) at 21°C in all cited process-condition tables", "rinse": null, "source": "e.g. Table 1, p.1: \"Develop 15 +50 sec. Double Spray Puddle (DSP) @ 21°C\"; Tables 4, 7, 8, p.3-4: \"MF-31/10 +30 DSP @ 21°C\" / \"MF-321/10 +30 DSP @ 21°C\"" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "time_s": null, "notes": "Not addressed in this datasheet.", "source": null }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "general-prototyping", "etch-mask" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": false, "platingSuitable": false, "stripper": "Datasheet states only that \"residue-free photoresist removal\" is achieved \"using standard MICROPOSIT removers\", without naming a specific product.", "storage": "\"Store products in tightly closed original containers at temperatures recommended on the product label\" (no specific temperature is given in the datasheet text itself). Shelf life/expiry is not otherwise quantified here.", "notes": "S1813 is a standard positive DNQ/novolak-class g-line resist — this specific TDS does not itself restate the chemical composition, but the Dow/Rohm and Haas MICROPOSIT S1818 MSDS composition table (mixed cresol novolak resin + diazo photoactive compound) covers the same S1800 G2 formulation family. Reach for S1813 when you want the series' balanced, best-documented option rather than pushing to the thin (S1805) or thick (S1818) ends of the family — it is the one grade whose exposure, contrast and develop behaviour the manufacturer actually measured in this datasheet. Its ~85 deg wall angle (Table 9) and single-tone positive process (no reversal/undercut step described) make it unsuited to lift-off without an added process (e.g. bilayer or image-reversal), and this datasheet makes no lift-off or electroplating claims. The published spin-speed figure (Figure 2) carries no accompanying numeric table - the only explicit numbers are the two reference coating thicknesses (12,300 A and 13,675 A) used across its process-condition tables. Develop time and post-exposure/hardbake steps are largely unaddressed or inconsistent across the datasheet's own example tables.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Mechanical Properties of Microposit S1813 Thin Layers", "authors": "Nikolaev et al.", "journal": "Advanced Structured Materials", "year": 2020, "doi": "10.1007/978-3-030-48161-2_9", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48161-2_9", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "Nanoindentation study of the mechanical properties of Microposit S1813 thin films (a book/proceedings chapter, not a standalone journal article)." }, { "type": "paper", "title": "Reduced Etch Lag and High Aspect Ratios by Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE)", "authors": "Gerlt et al.", "journal": "Micromachines", "year": 2021, "doi": "10.3390/mi12050542", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12050542", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "Uses 1.4 um Microposit S1813 (with AZ nLOF 2070) as an etch mask for a Bosch DRIE process; an added third step raises mask selectivity, reaching deep-silicon etch depths beyond 450 um." }, { "type": "paper", "title": "Fabrication of Large-Area Silicon Spherical Microlens Arrays by Thermal Reflow and ICP Etching", "authors": "Wu et al.", "journal": "Micromachines", "year": 2024, "doi": "10.3390/mi15040460", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/mi15040460", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "Thermally reflows Microposit S1813 into hemispherical microlenses, then transfers them by ICP etching into a 128x128 silicon spherical microlens array with nanometre-scale surface roughness." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "What exposure dose does MICROPOSIT S1813 need?", "a": "The datasheet gives a sizing (E-size) energy of 150 mJ/cm² on g-line (436 nm) exposure tools — while the contrast curve on the same page gives a clearing dose E0 of 82 mJ/cm². Exposure is optimized for 436 nm and usable across 350–450 nm. No i-line (365 nm) or h-line (405 nm) dose is published, and Table 6's Dill A/B coefficients are absorption parameters, not doses — don't treat them as one.", "source": "MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Series Photoresists datasheet (Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, ME06N041 Rev. 0, October 2006) — Table 9 + Figure 6 contrast curve, p.4" }, { "q": "Does S1813 need a post-exposure bake?", "a": "No PEB is described in this datasheet — the process flow is soft bake, expose, then develop. Table 6's Dill A/B coefficients at 365 and 436 nm are optical absorption parameters for lithography simulators, not a bake or a dose. If your process needs standing-wave control, a PEB would have to be developed on-tool.", "source": "MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Series Photoresists datasheet (Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, ME06N041 Rev. 0, October 2006) — process description + Table 6, p.3" }, { "q": "Which developer and develop time should I use for S1813?", "a": "S1813 is optimized for the MICROPOSIT MF-319 metal-ion-free developer and is also compatible with metal-ion-bearing MICROPOSIT developers. The datasheet's example conditions use MF-319/MF-321 diluted 1:10 by Double Spray Puddle at 21°C. Develop time varies between examples (15+50 s vs +30 s), so no single standard time is published — set it on-tool.", "source": "MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Series Photoresists datasheet (Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, ME06N041 Rev. 0, October 2006) — Tables 1, 4, 7, 8" }, { "q": "What thickness and spin speed does S1813 give?", "a": "On the Figure 2 spin-speed chart the S1813 G2 trace runs from about 1.9 µm at 2,000 rpm down to 1.03 µm at 7,000 rpm. Maximum coating uniformity is typically attained between 3,500 and 5,500 rpm; the coating soft bake for that chart was 115°C for 60 s on a hotplate. The two printed reference thicknesses (12,300 Å and 13,675 Å) are fixed-film conditions for other test figures, not spin-curve points.", "source": "MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Series Photoresists datasheet (Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, ME06N041 Rev. 0, October 2006) — Figure 2, p.2" }, { "q": "Can I use S1813 for lift-off?", "a": "Not without an added process. S1813's roughly 85° sidewall angle and single-tone positive process (no image-reversal or undercut step is described) make it unsuited to lift-off on its own; a bilayer or an image-reversal scheme would be required. The datasheet makes no lift-off or electroplating claim for S1813.", "source": "MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 Series Photoresists datasheet (Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, ME06N041 Rev. 0, October 2006) — Table 9 wall angle, p.4" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.nanophys.kth.se/nanolab/resists/S1813/Microposit_S1800_G2_Serie.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "ME06N041, Rev. 0, October 2006 (Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials)", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://kayakuam.com/products/microposit-s1800-g2-series-photoresists/", "what": "Confirms Kayaku Advanced Materials currently lists/sells the MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 series (used only to support 'status: active'); its content was not used for any numeric field." }, { "url": "https://aggiefab.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Microposit-S1818-G2-Positive-Photoresist-MSDS.pdf", "what": "Dow/Rohm and Haas MICROPOSIT S1818 MSDS states 'Mixed cresol novolak resin 15.0-25.0%, Diazo Photoactive Compound 1.0-10.0%' — the same S1800 G2 formulation family as S1813 — supporting the dnq-novolak chemistry entry above." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "s1805", "name": "Microposit S1805", "min_um": 0.41, "max_um": 0.67, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "s1818", "name": "Microposit S1818", "min_um": 1.5, "max_um": 2.65, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "s1822", "name": "S1822", "min_um": 1.5, "max_um": 3.2, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "s1822", "name": "S1822", "manufacturer": "Shipley Company", "productLine": "MICROPOSIT S1800 series", "aliases": [ "MICROPOSIT S1822", "MICROPOSIT S1822 PHOTO RESIST" ], "tone": "positive", "chemistry": "dnq-novolak", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not discussed anywhere in the document. S1800 is positioned as a standard positive resist for fine line/space IC masking (down to 0.48 µm in the worked S1813 example); no grayscale or 3-D patterning claim is made for the series or for S1822 specifically.", "status": "discontinued", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "MICROPOSIT S1822 was the thickest grade of Shipley's original (1993) MICROPOSIT S1800 positive photoresist series, coating roughly 1.5–3.2 µm — heavier than even S1818. The later 2006 G2 edition drops it — the closest surviving grade for a thick single coat is S1818 G2, at 1.5–2.65 µm.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 1.5, "max_um": 3.2, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span: the datasheet publishes no prose achievable-range statement for S1822. The range here is the span of the S1822 trace (topmost, open-square marker) in Figure 1, 'MICROPOSIT S1800 PHOTO RESIST UNDYED SERIES, Spin Speed Curves', p.2: 3.20 µm at 2,000 rpm to 1.50 µm at 7,000 rpm — the trace's actual plotted x-range, which runs 2,000-7,000 rpm only, not the chart's wider 1,000-8,000 rpm axis range." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "S1822", "points": [ { "rpm": 2000, "um": 3.2 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 2.5 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 2.1 }, { "rpm": 5000, "um": 1.85 }, { "rpm": 6000, "um": 1.65 }, { "rpm": 7000, "um": 1.5 } ], "source": "read from figure, 'MICROPOSIT S1800 PHOTO RESIST UNDYED SERIES, Spin Speed Curves' (Figure 1), p.2 of MICROPOSIT S1800 Series Photo Resists datasheet (Shipley Company, document code MPR S1800 1093, 1993 edition); identified as the topmost, thickest of five plotted traces (open-square marker, shared shape with S1811 — disambiguated by curve position, since S1822 is listed first in the legend and, consistent with it being the highest-viscosity/thickest-film grade in the family, plots as the uppermost curve at every spin speed with no crossings against S1818/S1813/S1811/S1805); read at gridline/marker crossings every 1,000 rpm from 2,000–7,000 rpm off a linear-linear chart (thickness 0–40,000 Å, spin speed 1,000–8,000 rpm); no numeric table or rpm-paired anchor is published anywhere else in the document for S1822 — visual chart-reading only, typical uncertainty ~10–15%.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Figure 1 ('MICROPOSIT S1800 PHOTO RESIST UNDYED SERIES, Spin Speed Curves', p.2) plots five undyed grades — S1822, S1818, S1813, S1811, S1805 — photoresist thickness (Å) vs spin speed (1000–8000 rpm). S1822 is identified as the topmost, thickest trace of the five. The legend reuses the same open-square marker for both S1822 and S1811, so marker shape alone cannot distinguish them; disambiguation here is by curve position — S1822 is listed first in the legend and, consistent with it being the highest-viscosity/thickest-film grade in the family (the curve ordering top-to-bottom is S1822 > S1818 > S1813 > S1811 > S1805), it plots as the uppermost, thickest curve on the chart. The trace plotted here was read from gridline/marker crossings at 1,000 rpm intervals from 2,000–7,000 rpm, spanning roughly 3.20 µm (2,000 rpm) down to 1.50 µm (7,000 rpm); no numeric table or rpm-paired anchor is published anywhere else in the document for S1822, so the values carry typical chart-reading uncertainty of about 10–15%. No single-point anchor (e.g. 'X µm at Y rpm') is stated anywhere else in the document for S1822. Softbake for the wafers used to generate Figures 1 and 2 was 115°C/60 s hotplate (Process Parameters box, p.2, keyed 'Refer to Figures 1 and 2') — this is the test condition tied to the figure that includes S1822, not a grade-specific recommendation, and is recorded separately below under softbake.", "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "\"MICROPOSIT S1800 SERIES PHOTO RESISTS work well with the hexamethyldisilazane based MICROPOSIT PRIMERS. Concentrated MICROPOSIT PRIMER is recommended when vacuum vapor priming. Diluted PRIMER is recommended for liquid phase priming applications.\" (Substrate Preparation, p.2 — series-wide statement covering S1822.)" }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 115, "time_s": 60, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "This is the coat/softbake condition printed in the 'Process Parameters (Refer to Figures 1 and 2)' box on p.2, i.e. the condition used to generate the undyed-series spin-speed chart that includes S1822 (Substrate: Silicon, Coat: SVG 81, Measure: Nanometrics 210). It is a documented test condition for the chart, not an explicit grade-specific recommendation for S1822.", "source": "Process Parameters box (\"Refer to Figures 1 and 2\"), p.2" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "basisCopy": "S1822 is absent from this edition's optical-constant table, which covers S1813, S1813 D1, S1811 J2 and S1818 J1, and the one sizing energy in it is S1813's. What is left is 350 to 450 nm, optimized at 436 nm." }, "peb": null, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "MICROPOSIT MF-319 Metal-Ion-Free (MIF) DEVELOPER family", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Develop Properties, feature list, p.1 (\"Optimized for use with the MICROPOSIT MF-319 Metal-Ion-Free DEVELOPER family\" / \"Compatible with Metal-Ion-Bearing MICROPOSIT DEVELOPERS\"); DEVELOP section, p.4" }, "hardbake": null, "descum": null, "applications": [], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "Standard MICROPOSIT REMOVERS — \"Residue-free photoresist removal using standard MICROPOSIT REMOVERS\" (Removal Property, feature list, p.1; series-wide, no specific remover product named).", "storage": "Store MICROPOSIT S1800 PHOTO RESISTS only in upright, original containers in a dry area at 50°-70°F (10°-21°C). Store away from light, oxidants, heat, and sources of ignition. Do not store in sunlight. Keep container sealed when not in use. (Storage section, p.5 — series-wide statement covering S1822.)", "notes": "S1822 was the thickest-film grade in Shipley's undyed MICROPOSIT S1800 series — a line that passed to Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials, then Dow, and eventually Kayaku Advanced Materials as the industry consolidated. It was the grade to reach for when S1818 could not lay down enough film in a single coat. Confirm availability before designing it in: the 2006 S1800 G2 edition lists only S1805, S1811, S1813 and S1818, and S1822 does not appear in it. Take the published numbers narrowly. The exposure dose, Dill optical parameters, contrast curve, masking-linearity and exposure- and focus-latitude data printed alongside S1822 are worked for S1813, and must not be carried into an S1822 process window. What does apply is series-wide: the g-line/broadband exposure range, HMDS priming, MF-319-family MIF developer compatibility, storage conditions, and S1822's position as the topmost, thickest trace in the undyed spin-speed chart (Figure 1). Like other thick-film DNQ positives of its era, S1822 is the kind of coating most likely to need an edge-bead removal step and a relaxation wait after spin-coating before bake — neither is specified for it, so establish both on your own tool. The dnq-novolak classification comes from Kayaku's series-wide S1800 G2 statement and the Dow/Rohm and Haas S1818 MSDS composition table (cresol novolak resin with a diazo photoactive compound).", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "title": "Turning traditionally nonwetting surfaces wetting for even ultra-high surface energy liquids", "authors": "Wilke et al.", "journal": "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences", "year": 2022, "doi": "10.1073/pnas.2109052119", "summary": "Spin-coats a 2.5 um layer of Microposit S1822 onto oxidized silicon and exposes it on an MLA150 maskless aligner to define the micropillar etch mask for the hemiwicking surfaces studied.", "note": "Maskless usage: patterned directly on an MLA150 maskless aligner, with no photomask.", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2109052119" }, { "type": "paper", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "title": "Milliwatt-level UV generation using sidewall poled lithium niobate", "authors": "Franken et al.", "journal": "Nature Communications", "year": 2026, "doi": "10.1038/s41467-026-68524-y", "summary": "Patterns alignment markers in S1822 on a thin-film lithium niobate chip and dry-etches them into the film, then reuses an S1822 layer over the electrodes as a barrier preventing breakdown during ferroelectric poling.", "note": "Two distinct S1822 roles in one flow: an etch mask, and a dielectric barrier during poling.", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-68524-y" } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Is MICROPOSIT S1822 still available?", "a": "S1822 is documented only in the superseded 1993 Shipley edition of the S1800 datasheet; the current 2006 S1800 G2 edition omits it entirely, listing only S1805 (0.41–0.67 µm), S1811, S1813 (1.03–1.9 µm) and S1818 (1.5–2.65 µm) in its undyed-series legend. For a thick single coat, S1818 G2 is the closest surviving grade.", "source": "MICROPOSIT S1800 Series Photo Resists datasheet (Shipley Company, MPR S1800 1093, 1993 edition) — undyed-series legend, p.2" }, { "q": "How thick a film does S1822 coat?", "a": "S1822 was the thickest of the five undyed grades in the 1993 series, plotting above even S1818 on Figure 1. Its trace runs from about 3.2 µm at 2,000 rpm down to 1.5 µm at 7,000 rpm. These are a figure read with roughly ±10–15% uncertainty and no numeric table anchor, so confirm the target thickness on-tool.", "source": "MICROPOSIT S1800 Series Photo Resists datasheet (Shipley Company, MPR S1800 1093, 1993 edition) — Figure 1 undyed-series spin-speed curves, p.2" }, { "q": "What exposure dose should I use for S1822?", "a": "No dose is published for S1822. The only sizing energy in the document — 150 mJ/cm² — is explicitly attributed to S1813, not S1822, and must not be borrowed; Table 1's Dill parameters likewise cover only other grades. The series is exposable across 350–450 nm, optimized for 436 nm (g-line); characterize a working dose on-tool.", "source": "MICROPOSIT S1800 Series Photo Resists datasheet (Shipley Company, MPR S1800 1093, 1993 edition) — Exposure section p.3; Table 2 (S1813-specific), p.4" }, { "q": "Which developer should I use for S1822?", "a": "The datasheet gives only a series-wide statement: the S1800 resists are optimized for the MICROPOSIT MF-319 metal-ion-free developer family and are also compatible with metal-ion-bearing MICROPOSIT developers. No S1822-specific dilution, develop time or method is published — every numeric develop example in the document is tied to S1813.", "source": "MICROPOSIT S1800 Series Photo Resists datasheet (Shipley Company, MPR S1800 1093, 1993 edition) — Develop Properties p.1; DEVELOP section p.4" }, { "q": "What soft bake does S1822 need?", "a": "The only soft-bake condition tied to S1822 is 115°C for 60 s on a hotplate — the coat/soft-bake condition in the Process Parameters box used to generate the undyed-series spin-speed chart that includes S1822 (silicon substrate, SVG 81 coater, Nanometrics 210). It is a documented test condition, not a grade-specific recommendation.", "source": "MICROPOSIT S1800 Series Photo Resists datasheet (Shipley Company, MPR S1800 1093, 1993 edition) — Process Parameters box, p.2" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://amolf.nl/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/datasheets_S1800.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "MPR S1800 1093 (printed at the foot of p.1, bottom-right corner)", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://www.nanophys.kth.se/nanolab/resists/S1813/Microposit_S1800_G2_Serie.pdf", "what": "The newer 2006 Rohm and Haas 'S1800 G2 Series' datasheet (ME06N041 Rev. 0), checked and found to NOT list S1822 in its undyed-series legend (only S1805/S1811/S1813/S1818 appear); cited for comparison to justify retaining this superseded 1993 edition as S1822's only located source, not as a data source for S1822 itself." }, { "url": "https://kayakuam.com/products/microposit-s1800-g2-series-photoresists/", "what": "Kayaku's MICROPOSIT S1800 G2 series page states the series-wide formulation (mixed cresol novolak resin + diazo photoactive compound); used as the basis for classifying S1822 as dnq-novolak, corroborated by the Dow/Rohm and Haas S1818 MSDS composition table." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "s1805", "name": "Microposit S1805", "min_um": 0.41, "max_um": 0.67, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "s1813", "name": "S1813", "min_um": 1.03, "max_um": 1.9, "doseBasis": "150 mJ/cm² @ 436 nm" }, { "slug": "s1818", "name": "Microposit S1818", "min_um": 1.5, "max_um": 2.65, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "su-8-2000-5", "name": "SU-8 2000.5", "aliases": [ "SU8 2000.5", "SU-82000.5", "MicroChem SU-8 2000.5" ], "manufacturer": "Kayaku Advanced Materials", "productLine": "SU-8 2000 series", "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "epoxy", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed. The datasheet presents SU-8 2000 as a high-contrast resist for near-vertical sidewalls and gives no dose-versus-remaining-thickness data.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "'Adhesion promoters are typically not required.' Clean and dry the substrate first — piranha (H2SO4 and H2O2) with a DI rinse, or RIE or an oxygen barrel asher. For applications that include electroplating, an HMDS pre-treatment is recommended." }, "rehydration": null, "floodExposure": null, "descum": null, "liftoffSuitable": false, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "Minimally cross-linked SU-8 2000 swells and lifts off in Remover PG at 50-80 °C for 30-90 min; with a 30-100 nm OmniCoat underlayer the lift-off is clean. Fully cured or hard-baked SU-8 2000 cannot be removed without OmniCoat. To rework fully cross-linked films: piranha, plasma ash, RIE (200 W, 80 sccm O2, 8 sccm CF4, 100 mTorr, 10 °C), laser ablation or pyrolysis.", "storage": "Store upright in tightly closed containers in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, light, acids, heat and ignition sources, at 4-21 °C (40-70 °F). Shelf life is thirteen months from date of manufacture.", "developerFamily": "solvent", "references": [], "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-13", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "summary": "SU-8 2000.5 is the thinnest grade of Kayaku's SU-8 2000 epoxy negative resist, coating about 0.5-0.75 µm between 3000 and 1000 rpm — a sub-micron film of the same permanent, cross-linked epoxy.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 0.51, "max_um": 0.76, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — the span of this grade's markers on Figure 1a (p.2): 0.51 µm at 3000 rpm to 0.76 µm at 1000 rpm. The sheet states only a series-wide '0.5 to >200 µm' single-coat range." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "SU-8 2000.5", "readFromFigure": true, "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 0.76 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 0.64 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 0.51 } ], "source": "read from figure — the round markers legended 'SU-8 2000.5' on Figure 1a 'SU-8 2000 Thickness vs. Spin Speed', p.2 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020. Three plotted markers at 1000, 2000 and 3000 rpm; no numeric table accompanies the chart. Reads are calibrated against the 0.2 µm axis ticks of the embedded chart image.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Only three speeds are plotted, and the curve is shallow: 0.76 µm at 1000 rpm, 0.64 µm at 2000 and 0.51 µm at 3000, so speed moves this grade by only a quarter of a micron across the whole chart. Kayaku's recommended program for the series: dispense 1 ml of resist per inch (25 mm) of substrate diameter, spread at 500 rpm for 5-10 s at 100 rpm/s, then spin at 2000 rpm for 30 s at 300 rpm/s, choosing the final speed from the spin chart. Remove the edge bead with EBR PG so the mask can seat in close contact.", "softbake": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Times are set by film thickness: 0.5-2 µm → 1 min at 95 °C. Use a level hotplate — convection ovens are not recommended because a skin can form and trap solvent. To check the bake, cool the wafer to room temperature and return it to the hotplate; if the film wrinkles, bake a few more minutes and repeat until it does not.", "source": "Table 2 'Soft Bake Times', p.3 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "binBasis": "spun-film", "bins": [ { "um_min": 0.5, "um_max": 2, "mJ_min": 60, "mJ_max": 180 }, { "um_min": 3, "um_max": 5, "mJ_min": 90, "mJ_max": 105 }, { "um_min": 6, "um_max": 15, "mJ_min": 110, "mJ_max": 140 }, { "um_min": 16, "um_max": 25, "mJ_min": 140, "mJ_max": 150 }, { "um_min": 26, "um_max": 40, "mJ_min": 150, "mJ_max": 160 } ], "source": "Table 3 'Exposure Dose', p.3 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020 — indexed by film thickness and shared by the six grades that sheet covers; no wavelength is attached to the table." } ], "basisCopy": "Dose follows the film you spin, not the grade name: 0.5-2 µm films take 60-180 mJ/cm². On glass and most metals multiply by 1.5-2." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Times are set by film thickness: 0.5-2 µm → 1-2 min at 95 °C. Start directly after exposure. After 1 minute at 95 °C a latent image of the mask should be visible; if none appears, exposure, heating or both were insufficient.", "source": "Table 5 'Post Exposure Bake Times', p.4 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020" }, "develop": { "developer": "SU-8 Developer; ethyl lactate or diacetone alcohol may also be used", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": "immersion, spray or spray-puddle", "rinse": "Spray and wash the developed image with fresh SU-8 developer for about 10 s, then air-dry with filtered pressurised air or nitrogen.", "source": "Development section and Table 6 'Development Times for SU-8 Developer', p.4 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 150, "max": 250 }, "time_s": null, "timeRange_s": { "min": 300, "max": 1800 }, "method": null, "optional": true, "condition": "when the resist stays on the device", "notes": "Optional — only needed when the part will see heat in service. Bake about 10 °C above the highest expected operating temperature, typically 150-250 °C for 5-30 min depending on the degree of cure wanted. Separately, a 150 °C bake for a couple of minutes anneals surface cracks seen after development, at any thickness.", "source": "Hard bake (cure) section, p.5 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020" }, "applications": [ "mems-structural", "high-aspect-ratio", "electroplating-molding" ], "etchResistance": "Not characterised as an etch mask. Once cross-linked the film is described as chemically and thermally stable — 315 °C at 5 % weight loss, a glass transition of 210 °C — and extremely difficult to remove with solvent strippers.", "notes": "SU-8 2000.5 is SU-8 thinned down to 14.3 % solids and 2.49 cSt, which is what it takes to get the epoxy under a micron. The sheet presents the whole series for permanent applications, where the imaged film is cured and left on the device. The dose band the sheet gives for 0.5-2 µm films is unusually wide, 60-180 mJ/cm², so an exposure matrix is not optional here. Process is fast: 1 minute soft bake at 95 °C, 1-2 minutes post-exposure bake, 1 minute in SU-8 Developer. Like all SU-8 2000, once fully cross-linked it is very hard to strip, so plan an OmniCoat underlayer if it has to come off.", "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "No mask image shows up in my SU-8 2000.5 film during PEB. Is the dose too low?", "a": "It can be, or the bake was too cool: the datasheet reads no image during or after PEB as insufficient exposure, heating or both. SU-8 2000.5 coats at roughly 0.5–0.8 µm, so it runs off the 0.5–2 µm row: 60–180 mJ/cm² exposure and 1–2 min PEB at 95 °C. After 1 min at 95 °C a latent image of the mask should be visible. That dose row is wide, so run an exposure matrix, and scale up on anything but silicon — 1.5X on glass, Pyrex or ITO, 1.5–2X on nitride and metals.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2000.5–2015) Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, Aug 2020 — Table 3 Exposure Dose, p.3; Post Exposure Bake note, Table 4 and Table 5, p.4" }, { "q": "My SU-8 2000.5 pattern came out wrong. Can I strip it and recoat?", "a": "Only easily if it has not been fully cured. Remover PG swells and lifts minimally cross-linked SU-8 2000: heat the bath to 50–80 °C and immerse for 30–90 min, the time depending on thickness and cross-link density. Fully cured or hard-baked SU-8 2000.5 cannot be removed that way unless an OmniCoat layer (30–100 nm) went down first. Past that point the rework options are oxidizing acids such as piranha, plasma ash, RIE (200 W, 80 sccm O₂, 8 sccm CF₄, 100 mTorr), laser ablation or pyrolysis.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2000.5–2015) Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, Aug 2020 — Removal, p.5; rework and Plasma Removal, p.6" }, { "q": "SU-8 2000.5 lines are lifting off the wafer in the developer. What surface prep does Kayaku call for?", "a": "Start from a clean, dry substrate: a piranha (H₂SO₄ + H₂O₂) clean followed by a DI water rinse, or an RIE or O₂ barrel-asher clean. With that, adhesion promoters are typically not required. The one case where the sheet recommends HMDS pretreatment is electroplating.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2000.5–2015) Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, Aug 2020 — Substrate Preparation, p.2" }, { "q": "Is a 1 min soft bake really enough to dry SU-8 2000.5?", "a": "It is the published time for 0.5–2 µm films at 95 °C, on a level, well-controlled hotplate. Check it rather than trust it: take the wafer off after the prescribed time, let it cool to room temperature, then put it back on the hotplate. If the film wrinkles, give it a few more minutes and repeat the cool-down/heat-up cycle until it no longer wrinkles. Don't substitute a convection oven — a skin can form that traps solvent, leaving the film incompletely dried or needing longer bakes.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2000.5–2015) Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, Aug 2020 — Soft Bake and Table 2 Soft Bake Times, p.3" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/su-8-2000-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "su-8-2002", "name": "SU-8 2002", "min_um": 2.01, "max_um": 2.93, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2005", "name": "SU-8 2005", "min_um": 4.6, "max_um": 7.8, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2007", "name": "SU-8 2007", "min_um": 6.7, "max_um": 12.4, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2010", "name": "SU-8 2010", "min_um": 9.6, "max_um": 20.6, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2015", "name": "SU-8 2015", "min_um": 13.2, "max_um": 38.5, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2025", "name": "SU-8 2025", "min_um": 21.7, "max_um": 79.2, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2035", "name": "SU-8 2035", "min_um": 33, "max_um": 119, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2050", "name": "SU-8 2050", "min_um": 40.1, "max_um": 171, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2075", "name": "SU-8 2075", "min_um": 59, "max_um": 239, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2100", "name": "SU-8 2100", "min_um": 103, "max_um": 269, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "su-8-2002", "name": "SU-8 2002", "aliases": [ "SU8 2002", "SU-82002", "MicroChem SU-8 2002" ], "manufacturer": "Kayaku Advanced Materials", "productLine": "SU-8 2000 series", "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "epoxy", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed. The datasheet presents SU-8 2000 as a high-contrast resist for near-vertical sidewalls and gives no dose-versus-remaining-thickness data.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "'Adhesion promoters are typically not required.' Clean and dry the substrate first — piranha (H2SO4 and H2O2) with a DI rinse, or RIE or an oxygen barrel asher. For applications that include electroplating, an HMDS pre-treatment is recommended." }, "rehydration": null, "floodExposure": null, "descum": null, "liftoffSuitable": false, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "Minimally cross-linked SU-8 2000 swells and lifts off in Remover PG at 50-80 °C for 30-90 min; with a 30-100 nm OmniCoat underlayer the lift-off is clean. Fully cured or hard-baked SU-8 2000 cannot be removed without OmniCoat. To rework fully cross-linked films: piranha, plasma ash, RIE (200 W, 80 sccm O2, 8 sccm CF4, 100 mTorr, 10 °C), laser ablation or pyrolysis.", "storage": "Store upright in tightly closed containers in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, light, acids, heat and ignition sources, at 4-21 °C (40-70 °F). Shelf life is thirteen months from date of manufacture.", "developerFamily": "solvent", "references": [], "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-13", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "summary": "SU-8 2002 coats about 2.0-2.9 µm between 3000 and 1000 rpm, the thin-film grade of Kayaku's SU-8 2000 epoxy negative resist for permanent layers a couple of microns thick.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 2.01, "max_um": 2.93, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — the span of this grade's markers on Figure 1a (p.2): 2.01 µm at 3000 rpm to 2.93 µm at 1000 rpm. The sheet states only a series-wide '0.5 to >200 µm' single-coat range." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "SU-8 2002", "readFromFigure": true, "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 2.93 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 2.4 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 2.01 } ], "source": "read from figure — the square markers legended 'SU-8 2002' on Figure 1a 'SU-8 2000 Thickness vs. Spin Speed', p.2 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020. Three plotted markers at 1000, 2000 and 3000 rpm; no numeric table accompanies the chart. Reads are calibrated against the 0.2 µm axis ticks of the embedded chart image.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Three speeds are plotted: 2.93 µm at 1000 rpm, 2.40 µm at 2000 and 2.01 µm at 3000. Kayaku's recommended program for the series: dispense 1 ml of resist per inch (25 mm) of substrate diameter, spread at 500 rpm for 5-10 s at 100 rpm/s, then spin at 2000 rpm for 30 s at 300 rpm/s, choosing the final speed from the spin chart. Remove the edge bead with EBR PG so the mask can seat in close contact.", "softbake": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Times are set by film thickness: 0.5-2 µm → 1 min and 3-5 µm → 2 min at 95 °C; the table skips 2-3 µm, which is where this grade coats, so use 1-2 min and confirm with the wrinkle test. Use a level hotplate — convection ovens are not recommended because a skin can form and trap solvent. To check the bake, cool the wafer to room temperature and return it to the hotplate; if the film wrinkles, bake a few more minutes and repeat until it does not.", "source": "Table 2 'Soft Bake Times', p.3 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "binBasis": "spun-film", "bins": [ { "um_min": 0.5, "um_max": 2, "mJ_min": 60, "mJ_max": 180 }, { "um_min": 3, "um_max": 5, "mJ_min": 90, "mJ_max": 105 }, { "um_min": 6, "um_max": 15, "mJ_min": 110, "mJ_max": 140 }, { "um_min": 16, "um_max": 25, "mJ_min": 140, "mJ_max": 150 }, { "um_min": 26, "um_max": 40, "mJ_min": 150, "mJ_max": 160 } ], "source": "Table 3 'Exposure Dose', p.3 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020 — indexed by film thickness and shared by the six grades that sheet covers; no wavelength is attached to the table." } ], "basisCopy": "Dose follows the film you spin, not the grade name: the table gives 60-180 mJ/cm² for 0.5-2 µm and 90-105 mJ/cm² for 3-5 µm, and has no row for the 2-3 µm films this grade makes. On glass and most metals multiply by 1.5-2." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Times are set by film thickness: 0.5-2 µm → 1-2 min and 3-5 µm → 2-3 min at 95 °C; there is no 2-3 µm row. Start directly after exposure. After 1 minute at 95 °C a latent image of the mask should be visible; if none appears, exposure, heating or both were insufficient.", "source": "Table 5 'Post Exposure Bake Times', p.4 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020" }, "develop": { "developer": "SU-8 Developer; ethyl lactate or diacetone alcohol may also be used", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": "immersion, spray or spray-puddle", "rinse": "Spray and wash the developed image with fresh SU-8 developer for about 10 s, then air-dry with filtered pressurised air or nitrogen.", "source": "Development section and Table 6 'Development Times for SU-8 Developer', p.4 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 150, "max": 250 }, "time_s": null, "timeRange_s": { "min": 300, "max": 1800 }, "method": null, "optional": true, "condition": "when the resist stays on the device", "notes": "Optional — only needed when the part will see heat in service. Bake about 10 °C above the highest expected operating temperature, typically 150-250 °C for 5-30 min depending on the degree of cure wanted. Separately, a 150 °C bake for a couple of minutes anneals surface cracks seen after development, at any thickness.", "source": "Hard bake (cure) section, p.5 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020" }, "applications": [ "mems-structural", "high-aspect-ratio", "electroplating-molding" ], "etchResistance": "Not characterised as an etch mask. Once cross-linked the film is described as chemically and thermally stable — 315 °C at 5 % weight loss, a glass transition of 210 °C — and extremely difficult to remove with solvent strippers.", "notes": "SU-8 2002 fills the gap between the sub-micron 2000.5 and the 2005 grade, making permanent epoxy films of two to three microns. One quirk of the sheet matters for this grade specifically: its bake, dose and develop tables jump from a 0.5-2 µm row to a 3-5 µm row, and most SU-8 2002 coats fall between them. Development is 1 minute either side of the gap, so that step is unaffected, but bake and dose have to be bracketed — start between the two rows and let the latent image and the wrinkle test tell you when it is right. Kayaku's check for exposure is a visible mask image within a minute of the 95 °C post-exposure bake. As with every SU-8 2000 grade, the cross-linked film is permanent; use OmniCoat if it must be removed.", "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "SU-8 2002 coats at 2–3 µm, but the bake and dose tables jump from 0.5–2 µm to 3–5 µm. Which row applies?", "a": "Neither exactly — SU-8 2002 runs from about 2.9 µm at 1000 rpm to 2.0 µm at 3000 rpm, which falls in the gap. Bracket it: soft bake 1 min (0.5–2 µm) to 2 min (3–5 µm) at 95 °C, exposure 60–180 or 90–105 mJ/cm², PEB 1–2 or 2–3 min at 95 °C; develop is 1 min in both rows. Then let the film tell you: the wrinkle test confirms the soft bake, and a mask image visible after 1 min of PEB confirms dose and bake.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2000.5–2015) Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, Aug 2020 — Figure 1a, p.2; Tables 2–3, p.3; Tables 5–6 and PEB note, p.4" }, { "q": "Why are small holes and tight-pitch gaps in SU-8 2002 not clearing in the developer?", "a": "The 1 min immersion time for this thickness is only approximate — dissolution rate varies widely with agitation. Use strong agitation for high-aspect-ratio features, and for via or hole patterns and tight-pitch structures an ultrasonic or megasonic bath can help. Finish with a ~10 s spray of fresh SU-8 developer before drying with filtered air or nitrogen. SU-8 developer is the designed chemistry; ethyl lactate and diacetone alcohol are listed alternatives.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2000.5–2015) Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, Aug 2020 — Development, Table 6 and Rinse and Dry, p.4" }, { "q": "My SU-8 2002 sidewalls flare instead of standing vertical. What should I change on the exposure side?", "a": "Filter the short wavelengths. Kayaku recommends a long-pass filter that removes UV below 350 nm to get vertical sidewalls in SU-8 2000; with their suggested filter (Omega Optical PL-360-LP) the exposure time goes up by roughly 40 % to reach the optimum dose. Re-run the exposure matrix after adding the filter: the 2–3 µm film of SU-8 2002 sits between the 60–180 and 90–105 mJ/cm² table rows, and the datasheet expects an exposure matrix to set the optimum dose anyway.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2000.5–2015) Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, Aug 2020 — Exposure and Table 3 Exposure Dose, p.3" }, { "q": "There are fine surface cracks in my developed SU-8 2002. Can they be repaired?", "a": "Yes, with a short anneal. The datasheet notes that the hard-bake step is useful for annealing surface cracks seen after development, and recommends baking at 150 °C for a couple of minutes, regardless of film thickness. If the SU-8 2002 stays in the device, a fuller cure can follow: 150–250 °C for 5–30 min, set about 10 °C above the highest temperature the part will see in operation.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2000.5–2015) Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, Aug 2020 — Hard Bake (cure) and note, p.5" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/su-8-2000-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "su-8-2000-5", "name": "SU-8 2000.5", "min_um": 0.51, "max_um": 0.76, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2005", "name": "SU-8 2005", "min_um": 4.6, "max_um": 7.8, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2007", "name": "SU-8 2007", "min_um": 6.7, "max_um": 12.4, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2010", "name": "SU-8 2010", "min_um": 9.6, "max_um": 20.6, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2015", "name": "SU-8 2015", "min_um": 13.2, "max_um": 38.5, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2025", "name": "SU-8 2025", "min_um": 21.7, "max_um": 79.2, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2035", "name": "SU-8 2035", "min_um": 33, "max_um": 119, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2050", "name": "SU-8 2050", "min_um": 40.1, "max_um": 171, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2075", "name": "SU-8 2075", "min_um": 59, "max_um": 239, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2100", "name": "SU-8 2100", "min_um": 103, "max_um": 269, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "su-8-2005", "name": "SU-8 2005", "aliases": [ "SU8 2005", "SU-82005", "MicroChem SU-8 2005" ], "manufacturer": "Kayaku Advanced Materials", "productLine": "SU-8 2000 series", "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "epoxy", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed. The datasheet presents SU-8 2000 as a high-contrast resist for near-vertical sidewalls and gives no dose-versus-remaining-thickness data.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "'Adhesion promoters are typically not required.' Clean and dry the substrate first — piranha (H2SO4 and H2O2) with a DI rinse, or RIE or an oxygen barrel asher. For applications that include electroplating, an HMDS pre-treatment is recommended." }, "rehydration": null, "floodExposure": null, "descum": null, "liftoffSuitable": false, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "Minimally cross-linked SU-8 2000 swells and lifts off in Remover PG at 50-80 °C for 30-90 min; with a 30-100 nm OmniCoat underlayer the lift-off is clean. Fully cured or hard-baked SU-8 2000 cannot be removed without OmniCoat. To rework fully cross-linked films: piranha, plasma ash, RIE (200 W, 80 sccm O2, 8 sccm CF4, 100 mTorr, 10 °C), laser ablation or pyrolysis.", "storage": "Store upright in tightly closed containers in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, light, acids, heat and ignition sources, at 4-21 °C (40-70 °F). Shelf life is thirteen months from date of manufacture.", "developerFamily": "solvent", "references": [], "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-13", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "summary": "SU-8 2005 coats about 4.6-7.8 µm between 4000 and 1000 rpm, the thinnest grade on the SU-8 2000 chart plotted in 500 rpm steps, for permanent epoxy structures around 5 µm.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 4.6, "max_um": 7.8, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — the span of this grade's markers on Figure 1b (p.2): 4.6 µm at 4000 rpm to 7.8 µm at 1000 rpm. The sheet states only a series-wide '0.5 to >200 µm' single-coat range." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "SU-8 2005", "readFromFigure": true, "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 7.8 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 6.4 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 5.8 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 5.3 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 5.1 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 4.7 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 4.6 } ], "source": "read from figure — the green round markers legended 'SU-8 2005' on Figure 1b 'SU-8 2000 Thickness vs. Spin Speed', p.2 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020. Seven plotted markers at 500 rpm steps; no numeric table accompanies the chart. Reads are calibrated against the 5 µm axis ticks of the embedded chart image.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "From 7.8 µm at 1000 rpm the curve flattens quickly — above 2000 rpm every extra 500 rpm takes off only a few tenths of a micron, ending at 4.6 µm at 4000 rpm. Kayaku's recommended program for the series: dispense 1 ml of resist per inch (25 mm) of substrate diameter, spread at 500 rpm for 5-10 s at 100 rpm/s, then spin at 2000 rpm for 30 s at 300 rpm/s, choosing the final speed from the spin chart. Remove the edge bead with EBR PG so the mask can seat in close contact.", "softbake": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Times are set by film thickness: 3-5 µm → 2 min and 6-15 µm → 2-3 min at 95 °C. Use a level hotplate — convection ovens are not recommended because a skin can form and trap solvent. To check the bake, cool the wafer to room temperature and return it to the hotplate; if the film wrinkles, bake a few more minutes and repeat until it does not.", "source": "Table 2 'Soft Bake Times', p.3 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "binBasis": "spun-film", "bins": [ { "um_min": 0.5, "um_max": 2, "mJ_min": 60, "mJ_max": 180 }, { "um_min": 3, "um_max": 5, "mJ_min": 90, "mJ_max": 105 }, { "um_min": 6, "um_max": 15, "mJ_min": 110, "mJ_max": 140 }, { "um_min": 16, "um_max": 25, "mJ_min": 140, "mJ_max": 150 }, { "um_min": 26, "um_max": 40, "mJ_min": 150, "mJ_max": 160 } ], "source": "Table 3 'Exposure Dose', p.3 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020 — indexed by film thickness and shared by the six grades that sheet covers; no wavelength is attached to the table." } ], "basisCopy": "Dose follows the film you spin, not the grade name: 3-5 µm films take 90-105 mJ/cm² and 6-15 µm films 110-140 mJ/cm². On glass and most metals multiply by 1.5-2." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Times are set by film thickness: 3-5 µm → 2-3 min and 6-15 µm → 3-4 min at 95 °C. Start directly after exposure. After 1 minute at 95 °C a latent image of the mask should be visible; if none appears, exposure, heating or both were insufficient.", "source": "Table 5 'Post Exposure Bake Times', p.4 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020" }, "develop": { "developer": "SU-8 Developer; ethyl lactate or diacetone alcohol may also be used", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": "immersion, spray or spray-puddle", "rinse": "Spray and wash the developed image with fresh SU-8 developer for about 10 s, then air-dry with filtered pressurised air or nitrogen.", "source": "Development section and Table 6 'Development Times for SU-8 Developer', p.4 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 150, "max": 250 }, "time_s": null, "timeRange_s": { "min": 300, "max": 1800 }, "method": null, "optional": true, "condition": "when the resist stays on the device", "notes": "Optional — only needed when the part will see heat in service. Bake about 10 °C above the highest expected operating temperature, typically 150-250 °C for 5-30 min depending on the degree of cure wanted. Separately, a 150 °C bake for a couple of minutes anneals surface cracks seen after development, at any thickness.", "source": "Hard bake (cure) section, p.5 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020" }, "applications": [ "mems-structural", "high-aspect-ratio", "electroplating-molding" ], "etchResistance": "Not characterised as an etch mask. Once cross-linked the film is described as chemically and thermally stable — 315 °C at 5 % weight loss, a glass transition of 210 °C — and extremely difficult to remove with solvent strippers.", "notes": "SU-8 2005 is the grade for permanent epoxy structures around five microns, thicker than SU-8 2002 can reach. Its curve is flat above about 2000 rpm, which makes the thickness forgiving of small speed errors but means spin speed is a weak lever; to go meaningfully thicker, step to SU-8 2007 or 2010 rather than slowing down. A 5 µm film straddles the sheet's 3-5 and 6-15 µm rows, so bake about 2 minutes at 95 °C, expose in the 90-140 mJ/cm² band on silicon and more on glass or metals, post-bake 2-4 minutes, and develop 1-3 minutes in SU-8 Developer. The cured film is permanent — use OmniCoat underneath if it has to be released.", "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "SU-8 2005 images well on silicon but washes off gold and copper at the same dose. Why?", "a": "Metal substrates need more exposure. The datasheet's Table 3 doses are for silicon (1X); gold, copper, aluminium, nickel, NiFe, titanium and silicon nitride take 1.5–2X, and glass, Pyrex and ITO 1.5X. For SU-8 2005 the silicon starting point is 90–105 mJ/cm² in the 3–5 µm row or 110–140 mJ/cm² in the 6–15 µm row, depending on where your spin speed puts the film (about 4.6–7.8 µm across 4000–1000 rpm). Rerun the exposure matrix on the actual substrate.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2000.5–2015) Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, Aug 2020 — Figure 1b, p.2; Table 3 Exposure Dose, p.3; Table 4 Exposure Doses for Various Substrates, p.4" }, { "q": "Can I soft bake SU-8 2005 in a convection oven instead of on a hotplate?", "a": "Kayaku advises against it. In a convection oven a skin can form on the resist that blocks solvent from leaving, so the film ends up incompletely dried or needs extended bake times. Use a level hotplate with good temperature control and uniformity: 2 min at 95 °C for 3–5 µm films, 2–3 min for 6–15 µm. Confirm dryness by cooling the wafer, returning it to the hotplate and watching for wrinkles; if it wrinkles, bake a few more minutes and repeat.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2000.5–2015) Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, Aug 2020 — Soft Bake and Table 2 Soft Bake Times, p.3" }, { "q": "My contact mask won't sit flat on the SU-8 2005 wafer and resolution suffers. What's wrong?", "a": "Check the edge bead. Spin coating builds up a thicker rim of resist at the substrate edge; it contaminates the hotplate and holds the mask off the film. Remove it with a small stream of solvent (EBR PG) at the wafer edge, from the top or the back — most automated coaters can be programmed to do this. With the bead gone, the mask can come into close contact, which the datasheet credits with improved resolution and aspect ratio.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2000.5–2015) Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, Aug 2020 — Edge Bead Removal (EBR), p.3" }, { "q": "My SU-8 2005 is behaving differently from last year's bottle. Could it have aged?", "a": "Check the date of manufacture first: the published shelf life for SU-8 2000 is thirteen months from that date. Then check how the bottle was kept. Kayaku specifies upright, tightly closed containers in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight at 4–21 °C (40–70 °F), away from light, acids, heat and ignition sources.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2000.5–2015) Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, Aug 2020 — Storage, p.6" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/su-8-2000-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "su-8-2000-5", "name": "SU-8 2000.5", "min_um": 0.51, "max_um": 0.76, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2002", "name": "SU-8 2002", "min_um": 2.01, "max_um": 2.93, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2007", "name": "SU-8 2007", "min_um": 6.7, "max_um": 12.4, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2010", "name": "SU-8 2010", "min_um": 9.6, "max_um": 20.6, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2015", "name": "SU-8 2015", "min_um": 13.2, "max_um": 38.5, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2025", "name": "SU-8 2025", "min_um": 21.7, "max_um": 79.2, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2035", "name": "SU-8 2035", "min_um": 33, "max_um": 119, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2050", "name": "SU-8 2050", "min_um": 40.1, "max_um": 171, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2075", "name": "SU-8 2075", "min_um": 59, "max_um": 239, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2100", "name": "SU-8 2100", "min_um": 103, "max_um": 269, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "su-8-2007", "name": "SU-8 2007", "aliases": [ "SU8 2007", "SU-82007", "MicroChem SU-8 2007" ], "manufacturer": "Kayaku Advanced Materials", "productLine": "SU-8 2000 series", "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "epoxy", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed. The datasheet presents SU-8 2000 as a high-contrast resist for near-vertical sidewalls and gives no dose-versus-remaining-thickness data.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "'Adhesion promoters are typically not required.' Clean and dry the substrate first — piranha (H2SO4 and H2O2) with a DI rinse, or RIE or an oxygen barrel asher. For applications that include electroplating, an HMDS pre-treatment is recommended." }, "rehydration": null, "floodExposure": null, "descum": null, "liftoffSuitable": false, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "Minimally cross-linked SU-8 2000 swells and lifts off in Remover PG at 50-80 °C for 30-90 min; with a 30-100 nm OmniCoat underlayer the lift-off is clean. Fully cured or hard-baked SU-8 2000 cannot be removed without OmniCoat. To rework fully cross-linked films: piranha, plasma ash, RIE (200 W, 80 sccm O2, 8 sccm CF4, 100 mTorr, 10 °C), laser ablation or pyrolysis.", "storage": "Store upright in tightly closed containers in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, light, acids, heat and ignition sources, at 4-21 °C (40-70 °F). Shelf life is thirteen months from date of manufacture.", "developerFamily": "solvent", "references": [], "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-13", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "summary": "SU-8 2007 coats about 6.7-12.4 µm between 3500 and 1000 rpm on Kayaku's spin chart, the SU-8 2000 grade between 2005 and 2010 for permanent epoxy structures in the high single digits of microns.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 6.7, "max_um": 12.4, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — the span of this grade's markers on Figure 1b (p.2) from 1000 to 3500 rpm: 6.7 µm at 3500 rpm to 12.4 µm at 1000 rpm. The sheet states only a series-wide '0.5 to >200 µm' single-coat range." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "SU-8 2007", "readFromFigure": true, "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 12.4 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 10 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 8.3 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 7.4 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 6.9 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 6.7 } ], "source": "read from figure — the grey triangle markers legended 'SU-8 2007' on Figure 1b 'SU-8 2000 Thickness vs. Spin Speed', p.2 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020. Six of its seven plotted markers at 500 rpm steps; no numeric table accompanies the chart. Reads are calibrated against the 5 µm axis ticks of the embedded chart image. The 4000 rpm marker is left out; see the spin notes.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "The markers run from 12.4 µm at 1000 rpm to 6.7 µm at 3500 rpm. The chart's seventh marker, at 4000 rpm, sits higher than the 3500 rpm one, at about 7.2 µm — a film cannot get thicker as the wafer spins faster, so that point is not carried; treat the grade as bottoming out near 7 µm. Kayaku's recommended program for the series: dispense 1 ml of resist per inch (25 mm) of substrate diameter, spread at 500 rpm for 5-10 s at 100 rpm/s, then spin at 2000 rpm for 30 s at 300 rpm/s, choosing the final speed from the spin chart. Remove the edge bead with EBR PG so the mask can seat in close contact.", "softbake": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Times are set by film thickness: 6-15 µm → 2-3 min at 95 °C. Use a level hotplate — convection ovens are not recommended because a skin can form and trap solvent. To check the bake, cool the wafer to room temperature and return it to the hotplate; if the film wrinkles, bake a few more minutes and repeat until it does not.", "source": "Table 2 'Soft Bake Times', p.3 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "binBasis": "spun-film", "bins": [ { "um_min": 0.5, "um_max": 2, "mJ_min": 60, "mJ_max": 180 }, { "um_min": 3, "um_max": 5, "mJ_min": 90, "mJ_max": 105 }, { "um_min": 6, "um_max": 15, "mJ_min": 110, "mJ_max": 140 }, { "um_min": 16, "um_max": 25, "mJ_min": 140, "mJ_max": 150 }, { "um_min": 26, "um_max": 40, "mJ_min": 150, "mJ_max": 160 } ], "source": "Table 3 'Exposure Dose', p.3 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020 — indexed by film thickness and shared by the six grades that sheet covers; no wavelength is attached to the table." } ], "basisCopy": "Dose follows the film you spin, not the grade name: 6-15 µm films take 110-140 mJ/cm². On glass and most metals multiply by 1.5-2." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Times are set by film thickness: 6-15 µm → 3-4 min at 95 °C. Start directly after exposure. After 1 minute at 95 °C a latent image of the mask should be visible; if none appears, exposure, heating or both were insufficient.", "source": "Table 5 'Post Exposure Bake Times', p.4 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020" }, "develop": { "developer": "SU-8 Developer; ethyl lactate or diacetone alcohol may also be used", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": "immersion, spray or spray-puddle", "rinse": "Spray and wash the developed image with fresh SU-8 developer for about 10 s, then air-dry with filtered pressurised air or nitrogen.", "source": "Development section and Table 6 'Development Times for SU-8 Developer', p.4 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 150, "max": 250 }, "time_s": null, "timeRange_s": { "min": 300, "max": 1800 }, "method": null, "optional": true, "condition": "when the resist stays on the device", "notes": "Optional — only needed when the part will see heat in service. Bake about 10 °C above the highest expected operating temperature, typically 150-250 °C for 5-30 min depending on the degree of cure wanted. Separately, a 150 °C bake for a couple of minutes anneals surface cracks seen after development, at any thickness.", "source": "Hard bake (cure) section, p.5 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020" }, "applications": [ "mems-structural", "high-aspect-ratio", "electroplating-molding" ], "etchResistance": "Not characterised as an etch mask. Once cross-linked the film is described as chemically and thermally stable — 315 °C at 5 % weight loss, a glass transition of 210 °C — and extremely difficult to remove with solvent strippers.", "notes": "SU-8 2007 covers roughly 7-12 µm, and its whole range sits inside a single row of the sheet's process tables, which makes it simple to set up: soft bake 2-3 minutes at 95 °C, expose 110-140 mJ/cm² on silicon, post-bake 3-4 minutes, and develop 2-3 minutes in SU-8 Developer. That is the practical case for it over SU-8 2010, whose thicker coats push into the next row. The published spin chart has one inconsistent marker — its 4000 rpm point reads thicker than 3500 rpm — so do not expect to thin this grade much below 7 µm by spinning harder. The cured epoxy is permanent and hard to strip; plan OmniCoat if it must be removed.", "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "How fast should the latent image appear when my SU-8 2007 wafer goes onto the PEB hotplate?", "a": "With optimal exposure, a visible latent image appears within 5–15 seconds of the wafer going onto the PEB hotplate — and not before. If there is still no image after 1 min at 95 °C, exposure, heat or both were insufficient. SU-8 2007 coats about 6.7–12.4 µm, all inside the datasheet's 6–15 µm row, so the reference points are 110–140 mJ/cm² and a 3–4 min PEB at 95 °C, started directly after exposure. Use an exposure matrix to find the dose that hits that 5–15 s window.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2000.5–2015) Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, Aug 2020 — Figure 1b, p.2; Exposure note and Table 3, p.3; Post Exposure Bake note and Table 5, p.4" }, { "q": "My SU-8 2007 recipe works on silicon but underexposes on glass and ITO. How much more dose?", "a": "Kayaku lists 1.5X the silicon dose for glass, Pyrex and indium tin oxide, and 1.5–2X for silicon nitride and the metals (gold, aluminium, copper, nickel, NiFe, titanium). For SU-8 2007 the silicon baseline is the 6–15 µm row, 110–140 mJ/cm². The long-pass filter Kayaku recommends for vertical sidewalls (PL-360-LP, which removes UV below 350 nm) needs roughly 40 % more exposure time to reach the optimum dose.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2000.5–2015) Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, Aug 2020 — Exposure and Table 3 Exposure Dose, p.3; Table 4 Exposure Doses for Various Substrates, p.4" }, { "q": "Remover PG won't touch my hard-baked SU-8 2007. How do I get it off?", "a": "Remover PG only swells and lifts minimally cross-linked SU-8 2000; fully cured or hard-baked film cannot be removed with it unless OmniCoat (30–100 nm) was applied underneath, in which case a 50–80 °C Remover PG soak of 30–90 min can give a clean lift-off. Without OmniCoat, fully cross-linked SU-8 2007 has to be reworked by piranha or other oxidizing acids, plasma ash, RIE, laser ablation or pyrolysis. The published RIE condition is 200 W, 80 sccm O₂, 8 sccm CF₄, 100 mTorr, 10 °C.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2000.5–2015) Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, Aug 2020 — Removal, p.5; rework and Plasma Removal, p.6" }, { "q": "SU-8 2007 left in my device changes properties after thermal cycling. What hard bake should I use?", "a": "SU-8 2000 is a thermal resin, and its properties can keep changing whenever it sees a higher temperature than it has before. Kayaku's fix is a final cure about 10 °C above the maximum operating temperature of the device, typically somewhere in 150–250 °C for 5–30 min depending on the degree of cure needed. The step is generally only needed when the part sees thermal processing in normal use. Remember a hard-baked film is then very hard to strip.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2000.5–2015) Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, Aug 2020 — Hard Bake (cure) and Removal, p.5" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/su-8-2000-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "su-8-2000-5", "name": "SU-8 2000.5", "min_um": 0.51, "max_um": 0.76, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2002", "name": "SU-8 2002", "min_um": 2.01, "max_um": 2.93, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2005", "name": "SU-8 2005", "min_um": 4.6, "max_um": 7.8, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2010", "name": "SU-8 2010", "min_um": 9.6, "max_um": 20.6, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2015", "name": "SU-8 2015", "min_um": 13.2, "max_um": 38.5, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2025", "name": "SU-8 2025", "min_um": 21.7, "max_um": 79.2, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2035", "name": "SU-8 2035", "min_um": 33, "max_um": 119, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2050", "name": "SU-8 2050", "min_um": 40.1, "max_um": 171, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2075", "name": "SU-8 2075", "min_um": 59, "max_um": 239, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2100", "name": "SU-8 2100", "min_um": 103, "max_um": 269, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "su-8-2010", "name": "SU-8 2010", "aliases": [ "SU8 2010", "SU-82010", "MicroChem SU-8 2010" ], "manufacturer": "Kayaku Advanced Materials", "productLine": "SU-8 2000 series", "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "epoxy", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed. The datasheet presents SU-8 2000 as a high-contrast resist for near-vertical sidewalls and gives no dose-versus-remaining-thickness data.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "'Adhesion promoters are typically not required.' Clean and dry the substrate first — piranha (H2SO4 and H2O2) with a DI rinse, or RIE or an oxygen barrel asher. For applications that include electroplating, an HMDS pre-treatment is recommended." }, "rehydration": null, "floodExposure": null, "descum": null, "liftoffSuitable": false, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "Minimally cross-linked SU-8 2000 swells and lifts off in Remover PG at 50-80 °C for 30-90 min; with a 30-100 nm OmniCoat underlayer the lift-off is clean. Fully cured or hard-baked SU-8 2000 cannot be removed without OmniCoat. To rework fully cross-linked films: piranha, plasma ash, RIE (200 W, 80 sccm O2, 8 sccm CF4, 100 mTorr, 10 °C), laser ablation or pyrolysis.", "storage": "Store upright in tightly closed containers in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, light, acids, heat and ignition sources, at 4-21 °C (40-70 °F). Shelf life is thirteen months from date of manufacture.", "developerFamily": "solvent", "references": [], "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-13", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "summary": "SU-8 2010 coats about 9.6-20.6 µm between 4000 and 1000 rpm, the SU-8 2000 grade for permanent epoxy structures 10-20 µm tall.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 9.6, "max_um": 20.6, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — the span of this grade's markers on Figure 1b (p.2): 9.6 µm at 4000 rpm to 20.6 µm at 1000 rpm. The sheet states only a series-wide '0.5 to >200 µm' single-coat range." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "SU-8 2010", "readFromFigure": true, "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 20.6 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 15.9 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 13.2 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 11.6 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 10.6 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 10.1 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 9.6 } ], "source": "read from figure — the yellow diamond markers legended 'SU-8 2010' on Figure 1b 'SU-8 2000 Thickness vs. Spin Speed', p.2 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020. Seven plotted markers at 500 rpm steps; no numeric table accompanies the chart. Reads are calibrated against the 5 µm axis ticks of the embedded chart image.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "20.6 µm at 1000 rpm, falling to 13.2 µm at 2000 and 9.6 µm at 4000 — most of the range is below 2000 rpm, so a 10 µm coat is a fast spin and a 20 µm coat a slow one. Kayaku's recommended program for the series: dispense 1 ml of resist per inch (25 mm) of substrate diameter, spread at 500 rpm for 5-10 s at 100 rpm/s, then spin at 2000 rpm for 30 s at 300 rpm/s, choosing the final speed from the spin chart. Remove the edge bead with EBR PG so the mask can seat in close contact.", "softbake": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Times are set by film thickness: 6-15 µm → 2-3 min and 16-25 µm → 3-4 min at 95 °C. Use a level hotplate — convection ovens are not recommended because a skin can form and trap solvent. To check the bake, cool the wafer to room temperature and return it to the hotplate; if the film wrinkles, bake a few more minutes and repeat until it does not.", "source": "Table 2 'Soft Bake Times', p.3 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "binBasis": "spun-film", "bins": [ { "um_min": 0.5, "um_max": 2, "mJ_min": 60, "mJ_max": 180 }, { "um_min": 3, "um_max": 5, "mJ_min": 90, "mJ_max": 105 }, { "um_min": 6, "um_max": 15, "mJ_min": 110, "mJ_max": 140 }, { "um_min": 16, "um_max": 25, "mJ_min": 140, "mJ_max": 150 }, { "um_min": 26, "um_max": 40, "mJ_min": 150, "mJ_max": 160 } ], "source": "Table 3 'Exposure Dose', p.3 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020 — indexed by film thickness and shared by the six grades that sheet covers; no wavelength is attached to the table." } ], "basisCopy": "Dose follows the film you spin, not the grade name: 6-15 µm films take 110-140 mJ/cm² and 16-25 µm films 140-150 mJ/cm². On glass and most metals multiply by 1.5-2." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Times are set by film thickness: 6-15 µm → 3-4 min and 16-25 µm → 4-5 min at 95 °C. Start directly after exposure. After 1 minute at 95 °C a latent image of the mask should be visible; if none appears, exposure, heating or both were insufficient.", "source": "Table 5 'Post Exposure Bake Times', p.4 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020" }, "develop": { "developer": "SU-8 Developer; ethyl lactate or diacetone alcohol may also be used", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": "immersion, spray or spray-puddle", "rinse": "Spray and wash the developed image with fresh SU-8 developer for about 10 s, then air-dry with filtered pressurised air or nitrogen.", "source": "Development section and Table 6 'Development Times for SU-8 Developer', p.4 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 150, "max": 250 }, "time_s": null, "timeRange_s": { "min": 300, "max": 1800 }, "method": null, "optional": true, "condition": "when the resist stays on the device", "notes": "Optional — only needed when the part will see heat in service. Bake about 10 °C above the highest expected operating temperature, typically 150-250 °C for 5-30 min depending on the degree of cure wanted. Separately, a 150 °C bake for a couple of minutes anneals surface cracks seen after development, at any thickness.", "source": "Hard bake (cure) section, p.5 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020" }, "applications": [ "mems-structural", "high-aspect-ratio", "electroplating-molding" ], "etchResistance": "Not characterised as an etch mask. Once cross-linked the film is described as chemically and thermally stable — 315 °C at 5 % weight loss, a glass transition of 210 °C — and extremely difficult to remove with solvent strippers.", "notes": "SU-8 2010 is the 10-20 µm grade of the SU-8 2000 line, at 58 % solids and 380 cSt. Pick the process row by the film you actually spin: around 10 µm, bake 2-3 minutes at 95 °C, expose 110-140 mJ/cm², post-bake 3-4 minutes and develop 2-3 minutes; around 20 µm, add roughly a minute to each bake, expose 140-150 mJ/cm² and develop 3-4 minutes. On glass or metal substrates the dose rises 1.5-2 times. The sheet's own sanity check applies at every thickness — a mask image should appear within a minute of the 95 °C post-exposure bake. Plan OmniCoat underneath if the structure ever has to come off.", "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "Holes and trenches in my SU-8 2010 still have resist at the bottom after the published develop time. What helps?", "a": "The immersion times are approximate — 2–3 min for 6–15 µm and 3–4 min for 16–25 µm — because dissolution rate varies widely with agitation. Use strong agitation for high-aspect-ratio or thicker structures, and for via or hole patterns and tight pitch an ultrasonic or megasonic bath may help. Then spray-wash with fresh SU-8 developer for about 10 s and dry with filtered air or nitrogen. Ethyl lactate or diacetone alcohol are the listed alternative developers.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2000.5–2015) Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, Aug 2020 — Development, Table 6 and Rinse and Dry, p.4" }, { "q": "SU-8 2010 spans the 15 µm table boundary. How do bake and dose change between a fast and a slow spin?", "a": "SU-8 2010 runs from about 9.6 µm at 4000 rpm to 20.6 µm at 1000 rpm. At the thin end it is in the 6–15 µm row: 2–3 min soft bake, 110–140 mJ/cm², 3–4 min PEB, 2–3 min develop. Slow spins push it into the 16–25 µm row: 3–4 min soft bake, 140–150 mJ/cm², 4–5 min PEB, 3–4 min develop. All bakes are at 95 °C. Key the recipe to the measured film thickness, not to the bottle, and confirm the soft bake with the wrinkle test.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2000.5–2015) Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, Aug 2020 — Figure 1b, p.2; Tables 2–3, p.3; Tables 5–6, p.4" }, { "q": "I'm using SU-8 2010 as a plating mould. Does it need a primer?", "a": "For electroplating, yes — the datasheet recommends pretreating the substrate with HMDS for applications that include plating. Otherwise adhesion promoters are typically not required, provided the substrate is clean and dry: a piranha (H₂SO₄ + H₂O₂) clean and DI rinse, or an RIE or O₂ barrel-asher clean. Bear in mind that the usual plating seed metals (gold, copper, nickel) need 1.5–2X the silicon exposure dose.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2000.5–2015) Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, Aug 2020 — Substrate Preparation, p.2; Table 4 Exposure Doses for Various Substrates, p.4" }, { "q": "Can SU-8 2010 wafers wait between exposure and post-exposure bake?", "a": "The datasheet says PEB should take place directly after exposure, and it publishes no allowable hold time, so plan the run so wafers go straight from the aligner to a 95 °C hotplate: 3–4 min for 6–15 µm films, 4–5 min for 16–25 µm. The in-process check is the same either way — a mask image should be visible after 1 min of PEB; none during or after means exposure, heating or both fell short.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2000.5–2015) Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, Aug 2020 — Post Exposure Bake (PEB) and Table 5, p.4" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/su-8-2000-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "su-8-2000-5", "name": "SU-8 2000.5", "min_um": 0.51, "max_um": 0.76, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2002", "name": "SU-8 2002", "min_um": 2.01, "max_um": 2.93, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2005", "name": "SU-8 2005", "min_um": 4.6, "max_um": 7.8, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2007", "name": "SU-8 2007", "min_um": 6.7, "max_um": 12.4, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2015", "name": "SU-8 2015", "min_um": 13.2, "max_um": 38.5, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2025", "name": "SU-8 2025", "min_um": 21.7, "max_um": 79.2, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2035", "name": "SU-8 2035", "min_um": 33, "max_um": 119, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2050", "name": "SU-8 2050", "min_um": 40.1, "max_um": 171, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2075", "name": "SU-8 2075", "min_um": 59, "max_um": 239, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2100", "name": "SU-8 2100", "min_um": 103, "max_um": 269, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "su-8-2015", "name": "SU-8 2015", "aliases": [ "SU8 2015", "SU-82015", "MicroChem SU-8 2015" ], "manufacturer": "Kayaku Advanced Materials", "productLine": "SU-8 2000 series", "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "epoxy", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed. The datasheet presents SU-8 2000 as a high-contrast resist for near-vertical sidewalls and gives no dose-versus-remaining-thickness data.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "'Adhesion promoters are typically not required.' Clean and dry the substrate first — piranha (H2SO4 and H2O2) with a DI rinse, or RIE or an oxygen barrel asher. For applications that include electroplating, an HMDS pre-treatment is recommended." }, "rehydration": null, "floodExposure": null, "descum": null, "liftoffSuitable": false, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "Minimally cross-linked SU-8 2000 swells and lifts off in Remover PG at 50-80 °C for 30-90 min; with a 30-100 nm OmniCoat underlayer the lift-off is clean. Fully cured or hard-baked SU-8 2000 cannot be removed without OmniCoat. To rework fully cross-linked films: piranha, plasma ash, RIE (200 W, 80 sccm O2, 8 sccm CF4, 100 mTorr, 10 °C), laser ablation or pyrolysis.", "storage": "Store upright in tightly closed containers in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, light, acids, heat and ignition sources, at 4-21 °C (40-70 °F). Shelf life is thirteen months from date of manufacture.", "developerFamily": "solvent", "references": [], "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-13", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "summary": "SU-8 2015 is the thickest grade on Kayaku's SU-8 2000.5-2015 sheet, coating about 13-38 µm between 4000 and 1000 rpm for permanent epoxy structures in the tens of microns.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 13.2, "max_um": 38.5, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — the span of this grade's markers on Figure 1b (p.2): 13.2 µm at 4000 rpm to 38.5 µm at 1000 rpm. The sheet states only a series-wide '0.5 to >200 µm' single-coat range." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "SU-8 2015", "readFromFigure": true, "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 38.5 }, { "rpm": 1500, "um": 26.7 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 21.2 }, { "rpm": 2500, "um": 17.9 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 16 }, { "rpm": 3500, "um": 14.3 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 13.2 } ], "source": "read from figure — the blue square markers legended 'SU-8 2015' on Figure 1b 'SU-8 2000 Thickness vs. Spin Speed', p.2 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020. Seven plotted markers at 500 rpm steps; no numeric table accompanies the chart. Reads are calibrated against the 5 µm axis ticks of the embedded chart image.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "The steepest curve on the chart: 38.5 µm at 1000 rpm, 26.7 µm at 1500 and 21.2 µm at 2000, then flattening to 13.2 µm at 4000. Below 2000 rpm small speed errors move the thickness a lot. Kayaku's recommended program for the series: dispense 1 ml of resist per inch (25 mm) of substrate diameter, spread at 500 rpm for 5-10 s at 100 rpm/s, then spin at 2000 rpm for 30 s at 300 rpm/s, choosing the final speed from the spin chart. Remove the edge bead with EBR PG so the mask can seat in close contact.", "softbake": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Times are set by film thickness: 16-25 µm → 3-4 min and 26-40 µm → 4-5 min at 95 °C (6-15 µm → 2-3 min for the fastest spins). Use a level hotplate — convection ovens are not recommended because a skin can form and trap solvent. To check the bake, cool the wafer to room temperature and return it to the hotplate; if the film wrinkles, bake a few more minutes and repeat until it does not.", "source": "Table 2 'Soft Bake Times', p.3 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "binBasis": "spun-film", "bins": [ { "um_min": 0.5, "um_max": 2, "mJ_min": 60, "mJ_max": 180 }, { "um_min": 3, "um_max": 5, "mJ_min": 90, "mJ_max": 105 }, { "um_min": 6, "um_max": 15, "mJ_min": 110, "mJ_max": 140 }, { "um_min": 16, "um_max": 25, "mJ_min": 140, "mJ_max": 150 }, { "um_min": 26, "um_max": 40, "mJ_min": 150, "mJ_max": 160 } ], "source": "Table 3 'Exposure Dose', p.3 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020 — indexed by film thickness and shared by the six grades that sheet covers; no wavelength is attached to the table." } ], "basisCopy": "Dose follows the film you spin, not the grade name: 16-25 µm films take 140-150 mJ/cm² and 26-40 µm films 150-160 mJ/cm² (110-140 mJ/cm² at 6-15 µm). On glass and most metals multiply by 1.5-2." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Times are set by film thickness: 16-25 µm → 4-5 min and 26-40 µm → 5-6 min at 95 °C. Start directly after exposure. After 1 minute at 95 °C a latent image of the mask should be visible; if none appears, exposure, heating or both were insufficient.", "source": "Table 5 'Post Exposure Bake Times', p.4 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020" }, "develop": { "developer": "SU-8 Developer; ethyl lactate or diacetone alcohol may also be used", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": "immersion, spray or spray-puddle", "rinse": "Spray and wash the developed image with fresh SU-8 developer for about 10 s, then air-dry with filtered pressurised air or nitrogen.", "source": "Development section and Table 6 'Development Times for SU-8 Developer', p.4 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 150, "max": 250 }, "time_s": null, "timeRange_s": { "min": 300, "max": 1800 }, "method": null, "optional": true, "condition": "when the resist stays on the device", "notes": "Optional — only needed when the part will see heat in service. Bake about 10 °C above the highest expected operating temperature, typically 150-250 °C for 5-30 min depending on the degree of cure wanted. Separately, a 150 °C bake for a couple of minutes anneals surface cracks seen after development, at any thickness.", "source": "Hard bake (cure) section, p.5 of the SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020" }, "applications": [ "mems-structural", "high-aspect-ratio", "electroplating-molding" ], "etchResistance": "Not characterised as an etch mask. Once cross-linked the film is described as chemically and thermally stable — 315 °C at 5 % weight loss, a glass transition of 210 °C — and extremely difficult to remove with solvent strippers.", "notes": "SU-8 2015 bridges the thin SU-8 2000 grades and SU-8 2025, reaching almost 40 µm at 1000 rpm from a 1250 cSt resin. Most coats fall in the 16-25 or 26-40 µm rows of the process tables: bake 3-5 minutes at 95 °C, expose 140-160 mJ/cm² on silicon, post-bake 4-6 minutes and develop 3-5 minutes in SU-8 Developer with strong agitation for tall or narrow features. At the slow end of the curve the thickness is sensitive to spin speed, so check the first wafer. The cured epoxy stays on the device; use OmniCoat underneath if it has to be released.", "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "My SU-8 2015 spun at 1000 rpm still wrinkles after the listed soft bake. What's going on?", "a": "At 1000 rpm SU-8 2015 coats to about 38.5 µm, the top of the datasheet's 26–40 µm row, which calls for 4–5 min at 95 °C. Wrinkling on re-heat after a cool-down is the sheet's own sign the film is still wet: leave it on the hotplate a few more minutes and repeat the cool-down/heat-up cycle until the wrinkles stop. Bake on a level hotplate with good uniformity, not a convection oven, where a skin can trap solvent and stretch the bake further.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2000.5–2015) Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, Aug 2020 — Figure 1b, p.2; Soft Bake and Table 2 Soft Bake Times, p.3" }, { "q": "What dose does a thick SU-8 2015 film need, and how do I know it was enough?", "a": "Dose rises with thickness across this grade's range: 110–140 mJ/cm² for 6–15 µm, 140–150 for 16–25 µm and 150–160 for 26–40 µm, on silicon. The check comes on the PEB hotplate: a latent image should appear within 5–15 s at optimal exposure, and by 1 min at 95 °C at the latest — no image means too little exposure, heat or both. If you fit a sub-350 nm long-pass filter for vertical sidewalls, expect about 40 % longer exposure.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2000.5–2015) Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, Aug 2020 — Exposure and Table 3 Exposure Dose, p.3; Post Exposure Bake note, p.4" }, { "q": "Can I spin SU-8 2015 below 1000 rpm to get past 40 µm?", "a": "The datasheet doesn't support it. Its SU-8 2015 curve stops at 1000 rpm (about 38.5 µm), and every bake, dose and develop table in this sheet ends at the 26–40 µm row, so there is no published process beyond that. SU-8 2000 comes in twelve viscosities, and the thicker grades (2025–2075) have their own sheet with tables running to 225 µm — for a thicker single coat, move up a grade.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2000.5–2015) Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, Aug 2020 — Coat and Figure 1b, p.2; Tables 2–3, p.3; Tables 5–6, p.4; SU-8 2000 (2025–2075) Technical Data Sheet, Aug 2020 — Tables 2–3, p.3" }, { "q": "Deep SU-8 2015 structures take longer to clear than the develop table says. Normal?", "a": "It can be. The Table 6 times for this grade — 2–3 min (6–15 µm), 3–4 min (16–25 µm) and 4–5 min (26–40 µm) in SU-8 developer — are approximate, and actual dissolution rate varies widely with agitation. Kayaku recommends strong agitation for thick, high-aspect-ratio structures, and notes that an ultrasonic or megasonic bath may help with vias, holes or tight pitch. Rinse with a ~10 s spray of fresh developer before drying.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2000.5–2015) Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, Aug 2020 — Development, Table 6 and Rinse and Dry, p.4" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/su-8-2000-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "SU-8 2000, 2000.5-2015 Technical Data Sheet, ver. 1, August 2020", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "su-8-2000-5", "name": "SU-8 2000.5", "min_um": 0.51, "max_um": 0.76, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2002", "name": "SU-8 2002", "min_um": 2.01, "max_um": 2.93, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2005", "name": "SU-8 2005", "min_um": 4.6, "max_um": 7.8, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2007", "name": "SU-8 2007", "min_um": 6.7, "max_um": 12.4, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2010", "name": "SU-8 2010", "min_um": 9.6, "max_um": 20.6, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2025", "name": "SU-8 2025", "min_um": 21.7, "max_um": 79.2, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2035", "name": "SU-8 2035", "min_um": 33, "max_um": 119, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2050", "name": "SU-8 2050", "min_um": 40.1, "max_um": 171, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2075", "name": "SU-8 2075", "min_um": 59, "max_um": 239, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2100", "name": "SU-8 2100", "min_um": 103, "max_um": 269, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "su-8-2025", "name": "SU-8 2025", "manufacturer": "MicroChem", "productLine": "SU-8 2000 series", "aliases": [ "SU8 2025", "MicroChem SU-8 2025" ], "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "epoxy", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed by the datasheet. The document presents SU-8 2000 exclusively for binary, high-aspect-ratio, vertical-sidewall permanent structures (\"high aspect ratio imaging\", \"vertical sidewalls\"); it makes no mention of grayscale or partial-exposure profiling.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "SU-8 2025 is the thin-film choice within the SU-8 2000 epoxy family — reached for when a high-aspect-ratio permanent structure needs a coat in the tens-of-microns range rather than the far thicker films its higher-viscosity siblings (SU-8 2050 and 2100) deliver. SU-8 2025 is a mid-viscosity member of MicroChem's SU-8 2000 epoxy negative photoresist series, coating roughly 20-80 µm in a single pass for high-aspect-ratio, permanent microstructures.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 21.7, "max_um": 79.2, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span: the document states no single achievable-thickness range for SU-8 2025 specifically (only thickness-binned process tables shared across all four grades in this doc); the range here is the min/max of the SU-8 2025 curve in Figure 1 (4000 rpm to 1000 rpm)." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "SU-8 2025", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 79.2 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 40.8 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 28.2 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 21.7 } ], "source": "read from Figure 1 \"SU-8 2000 Spin Speed versus Thickness\", p.2 of MicroChem \"SU-8 2000 Permanent Epoxy Negative Photoresist Processing Guidelines for SU-8 2025, SU-8 2035, SU-8 2050 and SU-8 2075\". The chart plots four curves (SU-8 2075/circle, 2050/triangle, 2035/diamond, 2025/square), each with only 4 markers at 1000/2000/3000/4000 rpm. SU-8 2025 is the square-marker series and the lowest (thinnest-film) of the four at every rpm, consistent with its legend position (listed last: 2075, 2050, 2035, 2025) and Table 1's viscosity ordering (2025 = 4500 cSt, the lowest of the four, so it coats thinnest at a given speed). No numeric table accompanies the figure.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Recommended program (same for all grades in this document): dispense 1 ml of resist per inch (25 mm) of substrate diameter; spin at 500 rpm for 5-10 s at 100 rpm/s acceleration, then spin at the target speed (per Figure 1) for 30 s at 300 rpm/s acceleration. Edge bead removal (EBR) with MicroChem's EBR PG solvent stream at the wafer edge is recommended before soft bake, both to limit hotplate contamination and to let the photomask reach close contact with the wafer. Source: \"Coat\" / \"Recommended Program\" / \"Edge Bead Removal (EBR)\", p.2.", "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "\"Adhesion promoters are typically not required.\" HMDS pretreatment (MCC Primer 80/20) is recommended only \"for applications that include electroplating.\" Source: \"Substrate Preparation\", p.2." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Published only as a THICKNESS-BINNED table shared by all four grades covered in this document (SU-8 2025/2035/2050/2075), not a single value per grade: 25-40 µm → 0-3 min @65°C then 5-6 min @95°C; 45-80 µm → 0-3 min @65°C then 6-9 min @95°C; 85-110 µm → 5 min @65°C then 10-20 min @95°C; 115-150 µm → 5 min @65°C then 20-30 min @95°C; 160-225 µm → 7 min @65°C then 30-45 min @95°C. SU-8 2025's own spin curve spans roughly 22-80 µm (1000-4000 rpm), i.e. mostly the 25-40 and 45-80 µm bins. Convection ovens are explicitly not recommended (can skin over and trap solvent). A cool-down/re-heat 'wrinkle' check is described to confirm the film is fully dry.", "source": "Table 2 \"Soft Bake Times\", p.2 of the MicroChem SU-8 2000 (2025-2075) Processing Guidelines" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "binBasis": "spun-film", "bins": [ { "um_min": 25, "um_max": 40, "mJ_min": 150, "mJ_max": 160 }, { "um_min": 45, "um_max": 80, "mJ_min": 150, "mJ_max": 215 }, { "um_min": 85, "um_max": 110, "mJ_min": 215, "mJ_max": 240 }, { "um_min": 115, "um_max": 150, "mJ_min": 240, "mJ_max": 260 }, { "um_min": 160, "um_max": 225, "mJ_min": 260, "mJ_max": 350 } ], "source": "Table 3 'Exposure Dose' of the MicroChem SU-8 2000 (2025-2075) Processing Guidelines — one table indexed by film thickness, shared by SU-8 2025, 2035, 2050 and 2075. Not attributed to a specific wavelength (the document recommends i-line but states conventional UV, 350-400 nm, is most common)." } ], "basisCopy": "The dose table starts at 25 µm, above where SU-8 2025's own spin range begins at 21.7 µm. From 25 to 40 µm it asks 150–160 mJ/cm², and 150–215 mJ/cm² from 45 to 80 µm, which reaches this grade's 79.2 µm top end." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Also thickness-binned across the whole grade family: 25-40 µm → 1 min @65°C (optional stress-reduction step) then 5-6 min @95°C; 45-80 µm → 1-2 min @65°C then 6-7 min @95°C; 85-110 µm → 2-5 min @65°C then 8-10 min @95°C; 115-150 µm → 5 min @65°C then 10-12 min @95°C; 160-225 µm → 5 min @65°C then 12-15 min @95°C. After 1 minute of PEB at 95°C a latent mask image should already be visible; if not, exposure and/or heating was insufficient.", "source": "Table 5 \"Post Exposure Bake Times\", p.3" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "SU-8 Developer (MicroChem)", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": "immersion", "rinse": "IPA", "source": "\"Development\" and \"Rinse and Dry\" sections plus Table 6 \"Development Times for SU-8 Developer\", p.3-4" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 150, "max": 250 }, "time_s": null, "timeRange_s": { "min": 300, "max": 1800 }, "optional": true, "condition": "when the resist stays on the device", "notes": "Hard bake (cure) is optional and generally only needed if the finished device will see thermal processing in use; recommended final bake temperature is 10°C above the maximum expected device operating temperature. Typical range: 150-250°C for 5-30 minutes depending on degree of cure required. Separately, a short 150°C bake \"for a couple of minutes\" is recommended (all thicknesses) specifically to anneal any surface cracks seen after development.", "source": "\"Hard Bake (cure)\" section, p.4" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "high-aspect-ratio", "mems-structural", "electroplating-molding" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": false, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "MicroChem Remover PG swells and lifts only minimally cross-linked SU-8 2000. A fully cured/hard-baked film cannot be removed with Remover PG alone — it requires an OmniCoat (30-100 nm) sacrificial underlayer (heat Remover PG to 50-80°C, immerse 30-90 min) or an oxidizing strip (piranha etch, plasma ash, RIE, laser ablation, or pyrolysis). RIE recipe given: 200 W, 80 sccm O2, 8 sccm CF4, 100 mTorr, 10°C. Source: \"Removal\" / \"Plasma Removal\", p.5.", "storage": "Store upright in tightly closed containers, cool and dry, away from direct sunlight, at 40-70°F (4-21°C); away from light, acids, heat, and ignition sources. Shelf life is twelve months from date of manufacture. Source: \"Storage\", p.5.", "notes": "SU-8 2025 is the lowest-viscosity grade covered by this processing document (4500 cSt vs. up to 22,000 cSt for SU-8 2075) and spin-coats to roughly 20-80 µm depending on speed. Pick 2025 when your target film sits in the low tens of microns and you want the shortest bakes and best feature fidelity the 2000 family offers at that thickness; step up to SU-8 2050 or 2100 for progressively thicker single coats. Like every SU-8 2000 grade, it cross-links in two stages — exposure generates acid, and the post-exposure bake thermally drives the epoxy cross-linking — so PEB is a required processing step, not an optional cure. Soft-bake, PEB, dose and develop times are published only as thickness-binned ranges shared across the whole 2025-2075 family; treat the low end of the matching bin as a starting point and use the datasheet's cool-down/re-heat 'wrinkle' test to confirm the soft bake is complete. Once fully cross-linked, SU-8 is notoriously hard to strip: plain solvent remover only works on minimally exposed/baked film, and a hard-baked structure needs either a sacrificial OmniCoat layer beneath it or an oxidizing strip (piranha, plasma ash, RIE, laser ablation, pyrolysis) to remove. Edge bead removal before soft bake is recommended for every grade in this series to keep the photomask in close contact with the wafer and preserve resolution and aspect ratio in thick films.", "developerFamily": "solvent", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Negative photoresists for optical lithography", "authors": "Shaw et al.", "journal": "IBM Journal of Research and Development", "year": 1997, "doi": "10.1147/rd.411.0081", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1147/rd.411.0081", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "The IBM origin paper for the EPON-based epoxy negative resist that became SU-8, describing its formulation and use as a thick optical-lithography resist.", "note": "Family-level SU-8 reference (the foundational chemistry paper), cited here for the SU-8 2025 grade." }, { "type": "paper", "title": "SU-8: a low-cost negative resist for MEMS", "authors": "Lorenz et al.", "journal": "Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering", "year": 1997, "doi": "10.1088/0960-1317/7/3/010", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1088/0960-1317/7/3/010", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "Established SU-8 as a MEMS structural resist, producing thick high-aspect-ratio structures by near-UV lithography.", "note": "Family-level SU-8 reference, cited here for the SU-8 2025 grade." }, { "type": "paper", "title": "SU-8: a photoresist for high-aspect-ratio and 3D submicron lithography", "authors": "del Campo, Greiner", "journal": "Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering", "year": 2007, "doi": "10.1088/0960-1317/17/6/R01", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1088/0960-1317/17/6/R01", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "Widely cited review of SU-8 processing (coat, bake, expose, develop) for high-aspect-ratio and 3D microstructures across the SU-8 family.", "note": "Family-level SU-8 review, cited here for the SU-8 2025 grade." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "What is the exposure dose for SU-8 2025?", "a": "The datasheet publishes dose by film thickness, not per grade. SU-8 2025 coats roughly 22–80 µm, so its dose falls in the 150–160 mJ/cm² (25–40 µm) and 150–215 mJ/cm² (45–80 µm) bins. i-line (365 nm) is the recommended wavelength, though conventional UV (350–400 nm) is also used. Multiply by ~1.5× on glass/ITO and 1.5–2× on most metals versus silicon. No separate 405 nm (h-line) dose is published — characterize on-tool.", "source": "MicroChem SU-8 2000 (2025–2075) Processing Guidelines — Table 3 exposure dose + p.1 wavelength statement; substrate multipliers Table 4" }, { "q": "Does SU-8 2025 need a post-exposure bake, and why?", "a": "Yes — PEB is a required step, not an optional cure. SU-8 cross-links in two stages: exposure generates photoacid, and the post-exposure bake thermally drives the epoxy cross-linking. Times are thickness-binned; for SU-8 2025's ~22–80 µm range they run about 1 min at 65°C (optional stress-reduction step) then 5–7 min at 95°C. A latent mask image should be visible after ~1 min at 95°C; if not, exposure or heating was insufficient.", "source": "MicroChem SU-8 2000 (2025–2075) Processing Guidelines — Table 5 Post Exposure Bake Times, p.3" }, { "q": "What soft bake does SU-8 2025 need?", "a": "Soft-bake times are published per thickness bin, shared across the SU-8 2025–2075 grades. For SU-8 2025's typical films: 25–40 µm → 0–3 min at 65°C then 5–6 min at 95°C; 45–80 µm → 0–3 min at 65°C then 6–9 min at 95°C. Use a level hotplate — convection ovens are not recommended (a skin can trap solvent). Cool the wafer then reheat; if the film wrinkles, bake longer and repeat until wrinkles disappear.", "source": "MicroChem SU-8 2000 (2025–2075) Processing Guidelines — Table 2 Soft Bake Times, p.2" }, { "q": "Which developer does SU-8 2025 use?", "a": "SU-8 Developer (MicroChem), used undiluted by immersion, spray, or spray-puddle (ethyl lactate and diacetone alcohol also work). Immersion times are thickness-binned: 25–40 µm → 4–5 min; 45–75 µm → 5–7 min. Rinse ~10 s with fresh developer, then ~10 s IPA, then dry with filtered N2. A white film after the IPA rinse means underdevelopment — repeat the develop-and-rinse cycle rather than relying on IPA to finish.", "source": "MicroChem SU-8 2000 (2025–2075) Processing Guidelines — Development / Rinse and Dry + Table 6, p.3–4" }, { "q": "Why is my SU-8 2025 cracking after development?", "a": "Surface cracks after development come from film stress. The datasheet recommends a short 150°C bake for a couple of minutes (all thicknesses) specifically to anneal cracks seen after development. A full hard bake is otherwise optional and only needed if the device will see thermal processing in use — typically 150–250°C for 5–30 min, at roughly 10°C above the maximum expected operating temperature.", "source": "MicroChem SU-8 2000 (2025–2075) Processing Guidelines — Hard Bake (cure) section, p.4" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://amolf.nl/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/datasheets_SU-82000DataSheet2025thru2075Ver4.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "No revision/date string is printed in the document body (a 5-page processing-guidelines PDF with no header/footer revision code). The file name indicates 'Ver4'.", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "su-8-2000-5", "name": "SU-8 2000.5", "min_um": 0.51, "max_um": 0.76, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2002", "name": "SU-8 2002", "min_um": 2.01, "max_um": 2.93, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2005", "name": "SU-8 2005", "min_um": 4.6, "max_um": 7.8, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2007", "name": "SU-8 2007", "min_um": 6.7, "max_um": 12.4, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2010", "name": "SU-8 2010", "min_um": 9.6, "max_um": 20.6, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2015", "name": "SU-8 2015", "min_um": 13.2, "max_um": 38.5, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2035", "name": "SU-8 2035", "min_um": 33, "max_um": 119, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2050", "name": "SU-8 2050", "min_um": 40.1, "max_um": 171, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2075", "name": "SU-8 2075", "min_um": 59, "max_um": 239, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2100", "name": "SU-8 2100", "min_um": 103, "max_um": 269, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "su-8-2035", "name": "SU-8 2035", "aliases": [ "SU8 2035", "SU-82035", "MicroChem SU-8 2035" ], "manufacturer": "Kayaku Advanced Materials", "productLine": "SU-8 2000 series", "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "epoxy", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed. The datasheet presents SU-8 2000 as a high-contrast resist for near-vertical sidewalls and gives no dose-versus-remaining-thickness data.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "'Adhesion promoters are typically not required.' Clean and dry the substrate first — piranha (H2SO4 and H2O2) with a DI rinse, or RIE or an oxygen barrel asher. For applications that include electroplating, an HMDS pre-treatment is recommended." }, "rehydration": null, "floodExposure": null, "descum": null, "liftoffSuitable": false, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "Minimally cross-linked SU-8 2000 swells and lifts off in Remover PG at 50-80 °C for 30-90 min; with a 30-100 nm OmniCoat underlayer the lift-off is clean. Fully cured or hard-baked SU-8 2000 cannot be removed without OmniCoat. To rework fully cross-linked films: piranha, plasma ash, RIE (200 W, 80 sccm O2, 8 sccm CF4, 100 mTorr, 10 °C), laser ablation or pyrolysis.", "storage": "Store upright in tightly closed containers in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, light, acids, heat and ignition sources, at 4-21 °C (40-70 °F). Shelf life is thirteen months from date of manufacture.", "developerFamily": "solvent", "references": [], "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-13", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "summary": "SU-8 2035 coats about 33-119 µm between 4000 and 1000 rpm, the SU-8 2000 grade between 2025 and 2050 for thick permanent epoxy structures and high-aspect-ratio walls.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 33, "max_um": 119, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — the span of this grade's markers on Figure 1 (p.2 of the 2025-2075 sheet): 33 µm at 4000 rpm to 119 µm at 1000 rpm. The sheet states only a series-wide '0.5 to >200 µm' single-coat range." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "SU-8 2035", "readFromFigure": true, "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 119 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 58 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 44 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 33 } ], "source": "read from figure — the diamond markers legended 'SU-8 2035' on Figure 1 'SU-8 2000 Thickness vs. Spin Speed', p.2 of the SU-8 2000, 2025-2075 Technical Data Sheet, August 2020. Four plotted markers at 1000, 2000, 3000 and 4000 rpm; no numeric table accompanies the chart. Reads are calibrated against the 20 µm axis ticks of the embedded chart image; values are reads to about ±1 µm.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "119 µm at 1000 rpm drops by half to 58 µm at 2000 rpm, then 44 µm at 3000 and 33 µm at 4000 — only four speeds are plotted, and the gap between 1000 and 2000 rpm is where thickness is most sensitive. Kayaku's recommended program for the series: dispense 1 ml of resist per inch (25 mm) of substrate diameter, spread at 500 rpm for 5-10 s at 100 rpm/s, then spin at 2000 rpm for 30 s at 300 rpm/s, choosing the final speed from the spin chart. Remove the edge bead with EBR PG so the mask can seat in close contact.", "softbake": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Times are set by film thickness, at 65 °C and then at 95 °C: 25-40 µm → 0-3 min at 65 °C then 5-6 min at 95 °C; 45-80 µm → 0-3 then 6-9 min; 85-110 µm → 5 then 10-20 min; 115-150 µm → 5 then 20-30 min. Use a level hotplate — convection ovens are not recommended because a skin can form and trap solvent. To check the bake, cool the wafer to room temperature and return it to the hotplate; if the film wrinkles, bake a few more minutes and repeat until it does not.", "source": "Table 2 'Soft Bake Times', p.3 of the SU-8 2000, 2025-2075 Technical Data Sheet, August 2020" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "binBasis": "spun-film", "bins": [ { "um_min": 25, "um_max": 40, "mJ_min": 150, "mJ_max": 160 }, { "um_min": 45, "um_max": 80, "mJ_min": 150, "mJ_max": 215 }, { "um_min": 85, "um_max": 110, "mJ_min": 215, "mJ_max": 240 }, { "um_min": 115, "um_max": 150, "mJ_min": 240, "mJ_max": 260 }, { "um_min": 160, "um_max": 225, "mJ_min": 260, "mJ_max": 350 } ], "source": "Table 3 'Exposure Dose', p.3 of the SU-8 2000, 2025-2075 Technical Data Sheet, August 2020 — indexed by film thickness and shared by the four grades that sheet covers; no wavelength is attached to the table." } ], "basisCopy": "Dose follows the film you spin, not the grade name: 25-40 µm films take 150-160 mJ/cm², 45-80 µm 150-215, 85-110 µm 215-240 and 115-150 µm 240-260 mJ/cm². On glass and most metals multiply by 1.5-2." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Times are set by film thickness, as an optional 65 °C stress-reduction step followed by 95 °C: 25-40 µm → 1 min at 65 °C then 5-6 min at 95 °C; 45-80 µm → 1-2 then 6-7 min; 85-110 µm → 2-5 then 8-10 min; 115-150 µm → 5 then 10-12 min. Start directly after exposure. After 1 minute at 95 °C a latent image of the mask should be visible; if none appears, exposure, heating or both were insufficient.", "source": "Table 5 'Post Exposure Bake Times', p.4 of the SU-8 2000, 2025-2075 Technical Data Sheet, August 2020" }, "develop": { "developer": "SU-8 Developer; ethyl lactate or diacetone alcohol may also be used", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": "immersion, spray or spray-puddle", "rinse": "Spray and wash with fresh SU-8 developer for about 10 s, and again for another 10 s if needed, then air-dry with filtered pressurised air or nitrogen. A white film during an IPA rinse means the unexposed resist is under-developed: return it to SU-8 developer and repeat the rinse.", "source": "Development section and Table 6 'Development Times for SU-8 Developer', p.4 of the SU-8 2000, 2025-2075 Technical Data Sheet, August 2020" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 150, "max": 250 }, "time_s": null, "timeRange_s": { "min": 300, "max": 1800 }, "method": null, "optional": true, "condition": "when the resist stays on the device", "notes": "Optional — only needed when the part will see heat in service. Bake about 10 °C above the highest expected operating temperature, typically 150-250 °C for 5-30 min depending on the degree of cure wanted. Separately, a 150 °C bake for a couple of minutes anneals surface cracks seen after development, at any thickness.", "source": "Hard bake (cure) section, p.5 of the SU-8 2000, 2025-2075 Technical Data Sheet, August 2020" }, "applications": [ "mems-structural", "high-aspect-ratio", "electroplating-molding" ], "etchResistance": "Not characterised as an etch mask. Once cross-linked the film is described as chemically and thermally stable — 315 °C at 5 % weight loss, a glass transition of 210 °C — and extremely difficult to remove with solvent strippers.", "notes": "SU-8 2035 (7000 cSt, 69.95 % solids) sits between SU-8 2025 and 2050, and reaches 40-60 µm in the flat part of its curve. Its practical sweet spot is 2000-3000 rpm, where the curve has flattened and the 45-80 µm process row applies: 0-3 minutes at 65 °C then 6-9 minutes at 95 °C, 150-215 mJ/cm², post-bake 6-7 minutes at 95 °C, preceded by 1-2 minutes at 65 °C that the sheet marks optional for stress reduction, and 5-7 minutes in SU-8 Developer with strong agitation. Below 2000 rpm the film climbs quickly towards 120 µm and every step of the process lengthens. If surface cracks appear after development, the sheet anneals them with a couple of minutes at 150 °C. The cured epoxy is permanent — use OmniCoat underneath if it must be released.", "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "A white film appears on my SU-8 2035 when I rinse with IPA. What is it?", "a": "Underdeveloped resist. The datasheet reads a white film during the IPA rinse as unexposed SU-8 that hasn't fully dissolved. Put the wafer back in SU-8 developer (immerse or spray) until the film clears, then repeat the rinse. To avoid it, give thick SU-8 2035 the full Table 6 time — 4–5 min at 25–40 µm up to 10–15 min at 115–150 µm — with strong agitation, and finish with a ~10 s spray of fresh developer, plus a second 10 s spray if needed.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2025–2075) Technical Data Sheet, Aug 2020 — Development, Table 6, Rinse and Dry and note, p.4" }, { "q": "What are the 65 °C steps in the SU-8 2035 bake tables for, and can I skip them?", "a": "In PEB the 65 °C step is marked optional and is there for stress reduction: 1 min for 25–40 µm, 1–2 min for 45–80 µm, 2–5 min for 85–110 µm and 5 min for 115–150 µm, each followed by the 95 °C bake. The soft bake table also pairs a 65 °C time with the 95 °C one — 0–3 min for films up to 80 µm, rising to 5 min at 85–150 µm — so at the thin end of SU-8 2035 it can be dropped, while the thick end lists it explicitly.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2025–2075) Technical Data Sheet, Aug 2020 — Table 2 Soft Bake Times, p.3; Table 5 Post Exposure Bake Times, p.4" }, { "q": "My SU-8 2035 thickness falls between two table rows. Which one do I use?", "a": "The soft-bake, dose and PEB tables are binned 25–40, 45–80, 85–110 and 115–150 µm, leaving gaps at 40–45, 80–85 and 110–115 µm — and SU-8 2035 crosses all of them, from about 33 µm at 4000 rpm to about 119 µm at 1000 rpm. In a gap, bracket between the neighbouring rows (for example 150–160 vs 150–215 mJ/cm² at 40–45 µm), then confirm with the wrinkle test after soft bake and a visible mask image after 1 min of PEB.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2025–2075) Technical Data Sheet, Aug 2020 — Figure 1, p.2; Tables 2–3, p.3; Table 5 and PEB note, p.4" }, { "q": "Why does my 100 µm SU-8 2035 coat stay soft after a normal-looking soft bake?", "a": "Thick films need long bakes: 85–110 µm takes 5 min at 65 °C then 10–20 min at 95 °C, and 115–150 µm takes 5 min then 20–30 min. Use a level hotplate with good uniformity — in a convection oven a skin can form that traps solvent and extends the bake. Test the result: cool the wafer to room temperature, return it to the hotplate, and if it wrinkles keep baking a few more minutes and repeat until it no longer does.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2025–2075) Technical Data Sheet, Aug 2020 — Soft Bake and Table 2 Soft Bake Times, p.3" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/su-8-2000-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "SU-8 2000, 2025-2075 Technical Data Sheet, August 2020", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "su-8-2000-5", "name": "SU-8 2000.5", "min_um": 0.51, "max_um": 0.76, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2002", "name": "SU-8 2002", "min_um": 2.01, "max_um": 2.93, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2005", "name": "SU-8 2005", "min_um": 4.6, "max_um": 7.8, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2007", "name": "SU-8 2007", "min_um": 6.7, "max_um": 12.4, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2010", "name": "SU-8 2010", "min_um": 9.6, "max_um": 20.6, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2015", "name": "SU-8 2015", "min_um": 13.2, "max_um": 38.5, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2025", "name": "SU-8 2025", "min_um": 21.7, "max_um": 79.2, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2050", "name": "SU-8 2050", "min_um": 40.1, "max_um": 171, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2075", "name": "SU-8 2075", "min_um": 59, "max_um": 239, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2100", "name": "SU-8 2100", "min_um": 103, "max_um": 269, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "su-8-2050", "name": "SU-8 2050", "manufacturer": "Kayaku Advanced Materials", "productLine": "SU-8 2000 series", "aliases": [ "SU8 2050", "MicroChem SU-8 2050" ], "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "epoxy", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed in the datasheet. SU-8 2000 is a chemically-amplified negative epoxy resist optimized for binary high-aspect-ratio structures (near-vertical sidewalls, high contrast); the datasheet gives no partial-crosslink / grayscale dose-response data, so grayscale suitability cannot be confirmed from this source.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "SU-8 2050 is the mid-range thick-film workhorse of the SU-8 2000 family — the grade most MEMS and microfluidics processes default to when they need tall, robust structures without stepping up to the very thickest SU-8 2100/2150 coats. SU-8 2050 is a high-viscosity (12,900 cSt, 71.65% solids) grade in Kayaku Advanced Materials' SU-8 2000 epoxy photoresist series, formulated for thick, high-aspect-ratio, permanent MEMS and micromachining structures. It crosslinks via UV-generated photoacid followed by thermally-driven epoxy crosslinking during post-exposure bake, yielding a chemically and thermally stable, mechanically robust film that is normally left on the device rather than stripped.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 40.1, "max_um": 171, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span: the SU-8 2000 datasheet (April 2021) states only a family-wide \"0.5 to >200 µm single coat\" range covering all twelve viscosities (Description/Features, p.1), not an SU-8 2050-specific achievable range; the only 2050 thickness data is the multi-grade Figure 1 (Thickness vs. Spin Speed, p.2). min/max are the span of this recipe's own figure-read SU-8 2050 curve (40.1 µm at 4000 rpm to 171 µm at 1000 rpm)." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "SU-8 2050", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 171 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 75.5 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 53 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 40.1 } ], "source": "read from Figure 1 'SU-8 2000 Thickness vs. Spin Speed', p.2 of SU-8 2000 (2025-2100) Technical Data Sheet, Kayaku Advanced Materials, April 2021 — the chart plots four family curves (2025/2035/2050/2075) together with axis gridlines every 20 µm (0-240) and every 500 rpm (500-4500); no numeric table is published for this figure. The chart is drawn as vector paths rather than a raster image, so the marker positions read exactly. It plots exactly FOUR markers per series, at 1000/2000/3000/4000 rpm only. SU-8 2050 is the second-from-top series (triangle marker) by y-order at each rpm column, consistent with its rank between SU-8 2075 (top) and SU-8 2035 (third).", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Kayaku's stated 'Recommended Program' (family-wide, not thickness-specific): dispense 1 ml resist per inch (25 mm) of substrate diameter; spin at 500 rpm for 5-10 s at 100 rpm/s acceleration (spread step); then spin at 2000 rpm for 30 s at 300 rpm/s acceleration as a generic starting point — the actual final rpm/time should be taken from Figure 1 for the desired thickness. Edge-bead removal (EBR) with a solvent stream (Kayaku EBR PG) at the wafer edge is recommended so the mask can seat in close contact. Secondary/practical (Cornell Nanoscale Facility SOP, university source, not the vendor): pour SU-8 2050-or-thicker from stock into small working bottles at least 24 h before spinning to let entrained bubbles dissipate; for layers ≥150 µm, let the wafer rest on the spinner after spin-up so hanging edge resist can retract back onto the wafer before wiping the edge bead, since a fully removed edge bead will just reflow into the gap during softbake.", "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "Adhesion promoters are stated as 'typically not required' for standard use. Substrates should simply be clean and dry — piranha wet etch (H2SO4 + H2O2) + DI rinse, or RIE / O2 barrel-ashing, is recommended for best results. The one exception: for applications involving electroplating, a substrate pre-treatment with HMDS IS recommended." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Datasheet times are given per THICKNESS bracket, not per grade, so bake to the bracket matching the film actually coated. For a nominal SU-8 2050 film in the 45-80 µm range (matching ~3000 rpm per the spin curve above), Table 2 specifies 0-3 min at 65°C followed by 6-9 min at 95°C — two separate stages, the 65°C one optional. A level hotplate is required — convection ovens are explicitly not recommended, as a skin can form on the resist and trap solvent. Vendor's own optimization method: after the prescribed bake, remove the wafer and let it cool to room temperature, then return it to the hotplate; if the film wrinkles, continue baking a few more minutes and repeat the cool/reheat cycle until wrinkles disappear.", "source": "Table 2 'Soft Bake Times', p.3 of SU-8 2000 (2025-2100) Technical Data Sheet, Kayaku Advanced Materials, April 2021" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "binBasis": "spun-film", "bins": [ { "um_min": 25, "um_max": 40, "mJ_min": 150, "mJ_max": 160 }, { "um_min": 45, "um_max": 80, "mJ_min": 150, "mJ_max": 215 }, { "um_min": 85, "um_max": 110, "mJ_min": 215, "mJ_max": 240 }, { "um_min": 115, "um_max": 150, "mJ_min": 240, "mJ_max": 260 }, { "um_min": 160, "um_max": 225, "mJ_min": 260, "mJ_max": 350 }, { "um_min": 230, "um_max": 270, "mJ_min": 350, "mJ_max": 370 } ], "source": "Table 3 'Exposure Dose' of the SU-8 2000 (2025-2100) Technical Data Sheet, Kayaku Advanced Materials, April 2021 — indexed by film thickness and shared across the grades that document covers. Not explicitly attributed to a wavelength." } ], "basisCopy": "SU-8 2050's typical 45–80 µm coats take 150–215 mJ/cm²; the dose is indexed to the film you spun, so a 100 µm coat needs 215–240 mJ/cm² instead." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": null, "notes": "Datasheet times are per THICKNESS bracket, so use the bracket matching the film actually coated. For the 45-80 µm bracket (SU-8 2050's typical working range): 1-2 min optional PEB at 65°C for stress reduction, followed by 6-7 min at 95°C. PEB should start directly after exposure. A visible latent mask image should appear in the resist within 5-15 s of starting the 95°C PEB step if exposure/heating were adequate; if no image forms, exposure and/or bake was insufficient.", "source": "Table 5 'Post Exposure Bake Times', p.4 of SU-8 2000 (2025-2100) Technical Data Sheet, Kayaku Advanced Materials, April 2021" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "SU-8 Developer (Kayaku's proprietary PGMEA-based developer); other solvent developers such as ethyl lactate or diacetone alcohol are also stated to work", "dilution": "undiluted", "time_s": null, "method": "immersion (spray or spray-puddle also usable per datasheet)", "rinse": "Fresh SU-8 developer spray/wash ~10 s, optionally repeated, then air/N2 dry with filtered pressurized gas. A white film during an IPA rinse indicates under-development of the unexposed resist -- treat with more SU-8 developer and repeat, rather than relying on IPA to finish the job. Ultrasonic/megasonic agitation is recommended for high-aspect-ratio or tight-pitch structures.", "source": "Table 6 'Development Times for SU-8 Developer' (45-75 µm bracket: 5-7 min), p.4 of SU-8 2000 (2025-2100) Technical Data Sheet, Kayaku Advanced Materials, April 2021" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 150, "max": 250 }, "time_s": null, "timeRange_s": { "min": 300, "max": 1800 }, "optional": true, "condition": "when the resist stays on the device", "notes": "Optional and application-dependent, so no single figure is given: recommended final bake temperature is 10°C above the maximum expected device operating temperature; typical range is 150-250°C for 5-30 min depending on cure degree required. Separately, a short 150°C bake for 'a couple of minutes' is recommended specifically to anneal any surface cracks visible after development, and this applies to all film thicknesses.", "source": "Hard Bake (cure) section, p.5 of SU-8 2000 (2025-2100) Technical Data Sheet, Kayaku Advanced Materials, April 2021" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "mems-structural", "high-aspect-ratio", "microfluidics", "electroplating-molding" ], "etchResistance": "Described as chemically and thermally very stable once crosslinked: thermal stability to 315°C (5% wt. loss), and the Removal section states it is 'extremely difficult to remove... with conventional solvent based resist strippers.' This robustness makes cured SU-8 usable as a durable etch/plating mold in many wet-chemical processes, at the cost of being hard to strip afterward (see stripper field).", "liftoffSuitable": false, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "Minimally-crosslinked SU-8: Kayaku Remover PG, 50-80°C bath, 30-90 min immersion (swells and lifts off partially-cured material; if OmniCoat 30-100 nm sacrificial layer was applied first, Remover PG gives a clean full lift-off). Fully cured/hard-baked SU-8 CANNOT be removed with Remover PG at all unless OmniCoat was used underneath. To rework fully crosslinked SU-8: oxidizing acid solutions (piranha etch), plasma ash, RIE (200 W, 80 sccm O2, 8 sccm CF4, 100 mTorr, 10°C), laser ablation, or pyrolysis.", "storage": "Store upright in tightly closed containers, in a cool dry environment away from direct sunlight, light, acids, heat, and ignition sources, at 40-70°F (4-21°C). Shelf life is 13 months from date of manufacture.", "notes": "SU-8 2050 sits in the middle of the SU-8 2000 family by viscosity (12,900 cSt vs. 4,500 for 2025 and 22,000 for 2075) and covers roughly 45-165 µm in a single coat over the datasheet's plotted 1000-4000 rpm range (the family description states thicknesses down to 0.5 µm and beyond 200 µm are achievable across the whole SU-8 2000 line, implying lower speeds than plotted would push a single 2050 coat higher still, but that isn't shown numerically for this grade). Choose 2050 over the thinner SU-8 2025 when a structure needs more height and mechanical robustness, and over the much thicker SU-8 2100/2150 grades when their hour-long bakes and very deep develops would otherwise dominate the process. PEB is the step where crosslinking actually completes (thermally-driven, acid-catalyzed epoxy reaction) -- a visible latent mask image appearing within 5-15 s of starting the 95°C PEB is the datasheet's own go/no-go check for adequate exposure and heating. Thick films are prone to cracking and delamination from thermal stress; besides the softbake wrinkle-check cycle, a University of Cornell Nanoscale Facility SOP (secondary source, not the vendor) recommends gradual heating/cooling for any layer >=50 µm, since silicon cools faster than SU-8. The datasheet itself says PEB should take place directly after exposure, so plan the run so wafers go straight from the aligner to the hotplate rather than building in a hold. Because fully cross-linked SU-8 is essentially unstrippable with ordinary solvents, any process that will need to remove or release the structure later should plan for an OmniCoat sacrificial layer from the start, not as an afterthought.", "developerFamily": "solvent", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Negative photoresists for optical lithography", "authors": "Shaw et al.", "journal": "IBM Journal of Research and Development", "year": 1997, "doi": "10.1147/rd.411.0081", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1147/rd.411.0081", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "The IBM origin paper for the EPON-based epoxy negative resist that became SU-8, describing its formulation and use as a thick optical-lithography resist.", "note": "Family-level SU-8 reference (the foundational chemistry paper), cited here for the SU-8 2050 grade." }, { "type": "paper", "title": "SU-8: a low-cost negative resist for MEMS", "authors": "Lorenz et al.", "journal": "Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering", "year": 1997, "doi": "10.1088/0960-1317/7/3/010", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1088/0960-1317/7/3/010", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "Established SU-8 as a MEMS structural resist, producing thick high-aspect-ratio structures by near-UV lithography.", "note": "Family-level SU-8 reference, cited here for the SU-8 2050 grade." }, { "type": "paper", "title": "SU-8: a photoresist for high-aspect-ratio and 3D submicron lithography", "authors": "del Campo, Greiner", "journal": "Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering", "year": 2007, "doi": "10.1088/0960-1317/17/6/R01", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1088/0960-1317/17/6/R01", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "Widely cited review of SU-8 processing (coat, bake, expose, develop) for high-aspect-ratio and 3D microstructures across the SU-8 family.", "note": "Family-level SU-8 review, cited here for the SU-8 2050 grade." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "What soft bake time and temperature does SU-8 2050 need?", "a": "Soft-bake times are given per film-thickness bracket, not per grade. For a typical SU-8 2050 film in the 45–80 µm range (about 3000 rpm), the datasheet specifies 0–3 min at 65°C followed by 6–9 min at 95°C on a level hotplate. Convection ovens are not recommended — a skin can form and trap solvent. After baking, cool the wafer to room temperature and reheat; if the film wrinkles, continue baking a few minutes and repeat until wrinkles no longer appear.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2025–2100) Technical Data Sheet, April 2021 — Table 2 Soft Bake Times, p.3" }, { "q": "What is the exposure dose for SU-8 2050?", "a": "Dose is published by film thickness, not by grade. SU-8 2050's typical ~45–80 µm working range falls in the 150–215 mJ/cm² bracket. i-line (365 nm) is the recommended wavelength (conventional UV 350–400 nm is also used). Multiply by ~1.5× on glass/Pyrex/ITO and 1.5–2× on silicon nitride and most metals versus silicon. A 350 nm long-pass filter for vertical sidewalls needs ~40% more exposure. No separate 405 nm dose is published.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2025–2100) Technical Data Sheet, April 2021 — Table 3 Exposure Dose + Table 4 substrate multipliers" }, { "q": "Does SU-8 2050 need a post-exposure bake?", "a": "Yes — PEB is where cross-linking actually completes (a thermally driven, acid-catalyzed epoxy reaction), so it is essential. Times are thickness-binned; for the 45–80 µm bracket, an optional 1–2 min at 65°C for stress reduction then 6–7 min at 95°C, starting directly after exposure. A latent mask image should appear within 5–15 s of reaching 95°C; if none forms, exposure or heating was inadequate.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2025–2100) Technical Data Sheet, April 2021 — Table 5 Post Exposure Bake Times, p.4" }, { "q": "Which developer does SU-8 2050 use?", "a": "SU-8 Developer, Kayaku's PGMEA-based developer, used undiluted by immersion (spray or spray-puddle also work); ethyl lactate and diacetone alcohol are also stated to work. For the 45–75 µm bracket, immersion runs about 5–7 min. A white film during rinse means the unexposed resist is under-developed — apply more SU-8 developer rather than relying on IPA. Ultrasonic or megasonic agitation is recommended for high-aspect-ratio or tight-pitch structures.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2025–2100) Technical Data Sheet, April 2021 — Table 6 Development Times, p.4" }, { "q": "Why is my SU-8 2050 cracking or delaminating?", "a": "Thick SU-8 films are prone to cracking and delamination from thermal stress. The datasheet's soft-bake wrinkle test (cool then reheat, bake longer if it wrinkles) confirms the film is fully dry, and a short 150°C bake for a couple of minutes anneals cracks seen after development. For layers ≥50 µm a Cornell Nanoscale Facility SOP additionally recommends gradual heating and cooling, since silicon cools faster than SU-8.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 TDS Hard Bake section + Cornell Nanoscale Facility 'SU-8 Processing Suggestions' (v2, 2013), thermal-stress guidance" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://kayakuam.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/KAM-SU-8-2000-2025-2075-Datasheet.8.19.20-final.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "SU-8 2000, 2025-2100, Technical Data Sheet, Kayaku Advanced Materials, April 2021 (per footer on every page)", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://www.cnfusers.cornell.edu/sites/default/files/Equipment-Resources/SU8%20processing%20suggestions.pdf", "what": "Cornell Nanoscale Facility 'SU-8 Processing Suggestions' (v2, July 2013) -- used only for practical process tips not in the vendor datasheet: pre-spin bubble-dissipation wait time for SU-8 2050+, the ~10 min exposure-to-PEB delay for latent image formation, and thermal-stress/cracking guidance for thick and multi-layer coats. Not used for any headline numeric spec (spin curve, dose, bake time/temp all come from the Kayaku datasheet)." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "su-8-2000-5", "name": "SU-8 2000.5", "min_um": 0.51, "max_um": 0.76, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2002", "name": "SU-8 2002", "min_um": 2.01, "max_um": 2.93, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2005", "name": "SU-8 2005", "min_um": 4.6, "max_um": 7.8, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2007", "name": "SU-8 2007", "min_um": 6.7, "max_um": 12.4, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2010", "name": "SU-8 2010", "min_um": 9.6, "max_um": 20.6, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2015", "name": "SU-8 2015", "min_um": 13.2, "max_um": 38.5, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2025", "name": "SU-8 2025", "min_um": 21.7, "max_um": 79.2, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2035", "name": "SU-8 2035", "min_um": 33, "max_um": 119, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2075", "name": "SU-8 2075", "min_um": 59, "max_um": 239, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2100", "name": "SU-8 2100", "min_um": 103, "max_um": 269, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "su-8-2075", "name": "SU-8 2075", "aliases": [ "SU8 2075", "SU-82075", "MicroChem SU-8 2075" ], "manufacturer": "Kayaku Advanced Materials", "productLine": "SU-8 2000 series", "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "epoxy", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed. The datasheet presents SU-8 2000 as a high-contrast resist for near-vertical sidewalls and gives no dose-versus-remaining-thickness data.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "'Adhesion promoters are typically not required.' Clean and dry the substrate first — piranha (H2SO4 and H2O2) with a DI rinse, or RIE or an oxygen barrel asher. For applications that include electroplating, an HMDS pre-treatment is recommended." }, "rehydration": null, "floodExposure": null, "descum": null, "liftoffSuitable": false, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "Minimally cross-linked SU-8 2000 swells and lifts off in Remover PG at 50-80 °C for 30-90 min; with a 30-100 nm OmniCoat underlayer the lift-off is clean. Fully cured or hard-baked SU-8 2000 cannot be removed without OmniCoat. To rework fully cross-linked films: piranha, plasma ash, RIE (200 W, 80 sccm O2, 8 sccm CF4, 100 mTorr, 10 °C), laser ablation or pyrolysis.", "storage": "Store upright in tightly closed containers in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, light, acids, heat and ignition sources, at 4-21 °C (40-70 °F). Shelf life is thirteen months from date of manufacture.", "developerFamily": "solvent", "references": [], "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-13", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "summary": "SU-8 2075 is the thickest grade on Kayaku's SU-8 2025-2075 sheet, coating about 59-239 µm between 4000 and 1000 rpm for tall high-aspect-ratio epoxy structures.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 59, "max_um": 239, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span — the span of this grade's markers on Figure 1 (p.2 of the 2025-2075 sheet): 59 µm at 4000 rpm to 239 µm at 1000 rpm. The sheet states only a series-wide '0.5 to >200 µm' single-coat range." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "SU-8 2075", "readFromFigure": true, "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 239 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 110 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 76 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 59 } ], "source": "read from figure — the round markers legended 'SU-8 2075' on Figure 1 'SU-8 2000 Thickness vs. Spin Speed', p.2 of the SU-8 2000, 2025-2075 Technical Data Sheet, August 2020. Four plotted markers at 1000, 2000, 3000 and 4000 rpm; no numeric table accompanies the chart. Reads are calibrated against the 20 µm axis ticks of the embedded chart image; values are reads to about ±1 µm.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "239 µm at 1000 rpm, 110 µm at 2000, 76 µm at 3000 and 59 µm at 4000. The 1000 rpm point is thicker than the sheet's largest process row (160-225 µm), so bake, dose and develop at that speed are an extrapolation. Kayaku's recommended program for the series: dispense 1 ml of resist per inch (25 mm) of substrate diameter, spread at 500 rpm for 5-10 s at 100 rpm/s, then spin at 2000 rpm for 30 s at 300 rpm/s, choosing the final speed from the spin chart. Remove the edge bead with EBR PG so the mask can seat in close contact.", "softbake": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Times are set by film thickness, at 65 °C and then at 95 °C: 45-80 µm → 0-3 min at 65 °C then 6-9 min at 95 °C; 85-110 µm → 5 then 10-20 min; 115-150 µm → 5 then 20-30 min; 160-225 µm → 7 then 30-45 min. Use a level hotplate — convection ovens are not recommended because a skin can form and trap solvent. To check the bake, cool the wafer to room temperature and return it to the hotplate; if the film wrinkles, bake a few more minutes and repeat until it does not.", "source": "Table 2 'Soft Bake Times', p.3 of the SU-8 2000, 2025-2075 Technical Data Sheet, August 2020" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "binBasis": "spun-film", "bins": [ { "um_min": 25, "um_max": 40, "mJ_min": 150, "mJ_max": 160 }, { "um_min": 45, "um_max": 80, "mJ_min": 150, "mJ_max": 215 }, { "um_min": 85, "um_max": 110, "mJ_min": 215, "mJ_max": 240 }, { "um_min": 115, "um_max": 150, "mJ_min": 240, "mJ_max": 260 }, { "um_min": 160, "um_max": 225, "mJ_min": 260, "mJ_max": 350 } ], "source": "Table 3 'Exposure Dose', p.3 of the SU-8 2000, 2025-2075 Technical Data Sheet, August 2020 — indexed by film thickness and shared by the four grades that sheet covers; no wavelength is attached to the table." } ], "basisCopy": "Dose follows the film you spin, not the grade name: 45-80 µm films take 150-215 mJ/cm², 85-110 µm 215-240, 115-150 µm 240-260 and 160-225 µm 260-350 mJ/cm². On glass and most metals multiply by 1.5-2." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Times are set by film thickness, as an optional 65 °C stress-reduction step followed by 95 °C: 45-80 µm → 1-2 min at 65 °C then 6-7 min at 95 °C; 85-110 µm → 2-5 then 8-10 min; 115-150 µm → 5 then 10-12 min; 160-225 µm → 5 then 12-15 min. Start directly after exposure. After 1 minute at 95 °C a latent image of the mask should be visible; if none appears, exposure, heating or both were insufficient.", "source": "Table 5 'Post Exposure Bake Times', p.4 of the SU-8 2000, 2025-2075 Technical Data Sheet, August 2020" }, "develop": { "developer": "SU-8 Developer; ethyl lactate or diacetone alcohol may also be used", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": "immersion, spray or spray-puddle", "rinse": "Spray and wash with fresh SU-8 developer for about 10 s, and again for another 10 s if needed, then air-dry with filtered pressurised air or nitrogen. A white film during an IPA rinse means the unexposed resist is under-developed: return it to SU-8 developer and repeat the rinse.", "source": "Development section and Table 6 'Development Times for SU-8 Developer', p.4 of the SU-8 2000, 2025-2075 Technical Data Sheet, August 2020" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 150, "max": 250 }, "time_s": null, "timeRange_s": { "min": 300, "max": 1800 }, "method": null, "optional": true, "condition": "when the resist stays on the device", "notes": "Optional — only needed when the part will see heat in service. Bake about 10 °C above the highest expected operating temperature, typically 150-250 °C for 5-30 min depending on the degree of cure wanted. Separately, a 150 °C bake for a couple of minutes anneals surface cracks seen after development, at any thickness.", "source": "Hard bake (cure) section, p.5 of the SU-8 2000, 2025-2075 Technical Data Sheet, August 2020" }, "applications": [ "mems-structural", "high-aspect-ratio", "electroplating-molding" ], "etchResistance": "Not characterised as an etch mask. Once cross-linked the film is described as chemically and thermally stable — 315 °C at 5 % weight loss, a glass transition of 210 °C — and extremely difficult to remove with solvent strippers.", "notes": "SU-8 2075 is the most viscous grade on this sheet (22,000 cSt, 73.45 % solids) and makes the tallest single coats in it, from about 60 µm at 4000 rpm to beyond 200 µm at the slow end. Everything scales with that height. A 100 µm film bakes 5 minutes at 65 °C and 10-20 minutes at 95 °C, takes 215-240 mJ/cm², post-bakes 2-5 minutes at 65 °C and 8-10 minutes at 95 °C and develops for 7-10 minutes; a 200 µm film needs 30-45 minutes of soft bake, up to 350 mJ/cm² and around a quarter of an hour in developer with strong agitation. If surface cracks appear after development, the sheet anneals them with a couple of minutes at 150 °C. The cured structure is permanent — use OmniCoat underneath if it has to be released.", "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "At 1000 rpm SU-8 2075 comes out thicker than the datasheet tables go. What process do I use?", "a": "SU-8 2075 reaches about 239 µm at 1000 rpm, but the bake, dose and develop tables stop at the 160–225 µm row. That top row is the nearest published reference: soft bake 7 min at 65 °C then 30–45 min at 95 °C, 260–350 mJ/cm², PEB 5 min at 65 °C then 12–15 min at 95 °C, and 15–17 min in SU-8 developer. Above 225 µm there are no published numbers, so work outward from that row and confirm with the wrinkle test and the latent-image check.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2025–2075) Technical Data Sheet, Aug 2020 — Figure 1, p.2; Tables 2–3, p.3; Tables 5–6, p.4" }, { "q": "After 15 minutes in developer my 200 µm SU-8 2075 still leaves a cloudy film in the IPA rinse. What now?", "a": "That white film is underdeveloped, unexposed resist. Return the wafer to SU-8 developer until it clears and repeat the rinse. The published time for 160–225 µm is 15–17 min and is only approximate, since dissolution rate varies widely with agitation — use strong agitation for thick, high-aspect-ratio structures. An ultrasonic or megasonic bath energizes the solvent for more effective development of the unexposed resist, and Kayaku notes it may help with vias, holes and tight pitch.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2025–2075) Technical Data Sheet, Aug 2020 — Development, Table 6, Rinse and Dry and notes, p.4" }, { "q": "My thick SU-8 2075 shows surface cracks after development. How do I reduce or repair them?", "a": "Two published levers. Before development, the PEB table includes an optional 65 °C step specifically for stress reduction — 1–2 min at 45–80 µm up to 5 min at 115–225 µm — ahead of the 95 °C bake. After development, the datasheet recommends a short bake at 150 °C for a couple of minutes to anneal surface cracks, and notes this applies to all film thicknesses.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2025–2075) Technical Data Sheet, Aug 2020 — Table 5 Post Exposure Bake Times, p.4; Hard Bake (cure) note, p.5" }, { "q": "The sidewalls of my tall SU-8 2075 structures aren't vertical. What does Kayaku recommend?", "a": "Cut the UV below 350 nm. The datasheet recommends a long-pass filter (Omega Optical PL-360-LP) or a 365 nm cut-off filter for vertical sidewalls, and says exposure time rises by roughly 40 % to reach the optimum dose. For SU-8 2075 that dose already runs from 150–215 mJ/cm² at 45–80 µm to 260–350 mJ/cm² at 160–225 µm on silicon, so run an exposure matrix: optimal exposure gives a latent image 5–15 s after the wafer goes on the PEB hotplate, not before.", "source": "Kayaku SU-8 2000 (2025–2075) Technical Data Sheet, Aug 2020 — Exposure, note and Table 3 Exposure Dose, p.3" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://microresist.de/produkt/su-8-2000-series/", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "SU-8 2000, 2025-2075 Technical Data Sheet, August 2020", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "su-8-2000-5", "name": "SU-8 2000.5", "min_um": 0.51, "max_um": 0.76, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2002", "name": "SU-8 2002", "min_um": 2.01, "max_um": 2.93, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2005", "name": "SU-8 2005", "min_um": 4.6, "max_um": 7.8, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2007", "name": "SU-8 2007", "min_um": 6.7, "max_um": 12.4, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2010", "name": "SU-8 2010", "min_um": 9.6, "max_um": 20.6, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2015", "name": "SU-8 2015", "min_um": 13.2, "max_um": 38.5, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2025", "name": "SU-8 2025", "min_um": 21.7, "max_um": 79.2, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2035", "name": "SU-8 2035", "min_um": 33, "max_um": 119, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2050", "name": "SU-8 2050", "min_um": 40.1, "max_um": 171, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2100", "name": "SU-8 2100", "min_um": 103, "max_um": 269, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "su-8-2100", "name": "SU-8 2100", "manufacturer": "MicroChem", "productLine": "SU-8 2000 series", "aliases": [ "SU8 2100", "MicroChem SU-8 2100" ], "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "epoxy", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed by the datasheet. The document presents SU-8 2000 exclusively for binary, high-aspect-ratio, vertical-sidewall permanent structures (\"high aspect ratio imaging\", \"vertical sidewalls\"); it makes no mention of grayscale or partial-exposure profiling.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "SU-8 2100 is the very-thick-film grade of the SU-8 2000 family — the choice when a single coat must reach into the hundreds of microns, well beyond what SU-8 2025 or 2050 can lay down, at the cost of hour-scale bakes. SU-8 2100 is a very high-viscosity member of MicroChem's SU-8 2000 epoxy negative photoresist series, coating roughly 100-270 µm in a single pass for thick, permanent, high-aspect-ratio microstructures.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 103, "max_um": 269, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span: the document states no single achievable-thickness range for SU-8 2100 specifically (only thickness-binned process tables shared with SU-8 2150); the range here is the min/max of the SU-8 2100 curve in Figure 1 (3000 rpm to 1000 rpm), the blue trace isolated from the red SU-8 2150 trace by colour." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "SU-8 2100", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 269 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 137 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 103 } ], "source": "read from Figure 1 \"SU-8 2000 Spin Speed versus Thickness\", p.2 of MicroChem \"SU-8 2000 Permanent Epoxy Negative Photoresist Processing Guidelines for SU-8 2100 and SU-8 2150\". The chart plots only two curves, unambiguously distinguished by both colour and marker shape: SU-8 2150 = red triangles (top curve), SU-8 2100 = blue circles (bottom curve), matching Table 1's viscosity ordering (2100 = 45,000 cSt < 2150 = 80,000 cSt, so 2100 coats thinner at a given speed). Each curve has only 3 markers, at 1000/2000/3000 rpm — the blue trace does not extend to 3500 rpm despite the chart's wider axis range.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Recommended program (same for both grades in this document): dispense 1 ml of resist per inch (25 mm) of substrate diameter; spin at 500 rpm for 5-10 s at 100 rpm/s acceleration, then spin at the target speed (per Figure 1) for 30 s at 300 rpm/s acceleration. Edge bead removal (EBR) with MicroChem's EBR PG solvent stream at the wafer edge is recommended before soft bake, both to limit hotplate contamination and to let the photomask reach close contact with the wafer. Source: \"Coat\" / \"Recommended Program\" / \"Edge Bead Removal (EBR)\", p.2.", "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "\"Adhesion promoters are typically not required.\" HMDS pretreatment (MCC Primer 80/20) is recommended only \"for applications that include electroplating.\" Source: \"Substrate Preparation\", p.2." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Published only as a THICKNESS-BINNED table shared by both grades covered in this document (SU-8 2100 and 2150), not a single value per grade: 100-150 µm → 5 min @65°C then 20-30 min @95°C; 160-225 µm → 5-7 min @65°C then 30-45 min @95°C; 230-270 µm → 7 min @65°C then 45-60 min @95°C; 280-550 µm → 7-10 min @65°C then 60-120 min @95°C. SU-8 2100's own spin curve spans roughly 105-270 µm (1000-3000 rpm), i.e. mostly the 100-150 and 230-270 µm bins. Convection ovens are explicitly not recommended (can skin over and trap solvent). A cool-down/re-heat 'wrinkle' check is described to confirm the film is fully dry.", "source": "Table 2 \"Soft Bake Times\", p.2 of the MicroChem SU-8 2000 (2100-2150) Processing Guidelines" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "binBasis": "spun-film", "bins": [ { "um_min": 100, "um_max": 150, "mJ_min": 240, "mJ_max": 260 }, { "um_min": 160, "um_max": 225, "mJ_min": 260, "mJ_max": 350 }, { "um_min": 230, "um_max": 270, "mJ_min": 350, "mJ_max": 370 }, { "um_min": 280, "um_max": 550, "mJ_min": 370, "mJ_max": 600 } ], "source": "Table 3 'Exposure Dose' of the MicroChem SU-8 2000 (2100-2150) Processing Guidelines — one table indexed by film thickness, shared by SU-8 2100 and 2150. Not attributed to a specific wavelength (the document recommends i-line but states conventional UV, 350-400 nm, is most common)." } ], "basisCopy": "Dose tracks film thickness: SU-8 2100's 105–270 µm coats run 240–260 mJ/cm² near 100 µm, rising to 350–370 mJ/cm² by 250 µm." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "Also thickness-binned across both grades: 100-150 µm → 5 min @65°C (optional stress-reduction step) then 10-12 min @95°C; 160-225 µm → 5 min @65°C then 12-15 min @95°C; 230-270 µm → 5 min @65°C then 15-20 min @95°C; 280-550 µm → 5 min @65°C then 20-30 min @95°C. After 1 minute of PEB at 95°C a latent mask image should already be visible; if not, exposure and/or heating was insufficient.", "source": "Table 5 \"Post Exposure Bake Times\", p.3" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "SU-8 Developer (MicroChem)", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": "immersion", "rinse": "IPA", "source": "\"Development\" and \"Rinse and Dry\" sections plus Table 6 \"Development Times for SU-8 Developer\", p.3" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 150, "max": 250 }, "time_s": null, "timeRange_s": { "min": 300, "max": 1800 }, "optional": true, "condition": "when the resist stays on the device", "notes": "Hard bake (cure) is optional and generally only needed if the finished device will see thermal processing in use; recommended final bake temperature is 10°C above the maximum expected device operating temperature. Typical range: 150-250°C for 5-30 minutes depending on degree of cure required. Separately, a short 150°C bake \"for a couple of minutes\" is recommended (all thicknesses) specifically to anneal any surface cracks seen after development.", "source": "\"Hard Bake (cure)\" section, p.4" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "high-aspect-ratio", "mems-structural", "electroplating-molding" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": false, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "MicroChem Remover PG swells and lifts only minimally cross-linked SU-8 2000. A fully cured/hard-baked film cannot be removed with Remover PG alone — it requires an OmniCoat (30-100 nm) sacrificial underlayer (heat Remover PG to 50-80°C, immerse 30-90 min) or an oxidizing strip (piranha etch, plasma ash, RIE, laser ablation, or pyrolysis). RIE recipe given: 200 W, 80 sccm O2, 8 sccm CF4, 100 mTorr, 10°C. Source: \"Removal\" / \"Plasma Removal\", p.4.", "storage": "Store upright in tightly closed containers, cool and dry, away from direct sunlight, at 40-70°F (4-21°C); away from light, acids, heat, and ignition sources. Shelf life is thirteen months from date of manufacture — the SU-8 2025-2075 processing guidelines give twelve months instead, so the two documents disagree on shelf life. Source: \"Storage\", p.4.", "notes": "SU-8 2100 is the second-highest-viscosity grade in MicroChem's SU-8 2000 line (45,000 cSt) and is built for very thick, single-coat films — its own spin curve runs roughly 105-270 µm over 1000-3000 rpm. Reach for 2100 only when the device genuinely needs that film height; its long soft-bake and develop times and thick-film handling make the thinner SU-8 2025 and 2050 grades the better default whenever they can meet the thickness target. Like every SU-8 2000 grade, it cross-links in two stages — exposure generates acid, and the post-exposure bake thermally drives the epoxy cross-linking — so PEB is a required processing step, not an optional cure, and at this thickness the bakes run close to an hour (for SU-8 2100's own thickest bin, 230-270 µm: 7 min at 65 °C then 45-60 min at 95 °C soft bake, and 15-20 min PEB at 95 °C). Soft-bake, PEB, dose and develop times are published only as thickness-binned ranges shared with SU-8 2150; treat the low end of the matching bin as a starting point and use the datasheet's cool-down/re-heat 'wrinkle' test to confirm the soft bake is complete before proceeding. Once fully cross-linked, SU-8 is notoriously hard to strip: plain solvent remover only works on minimally exposed/baked film, and a hard-baked structure needs either a sacrificial OmniCoat layer beneath it or an oxidizing strip (piranha, plasma ash, RIE, laser ablation, pyrolysis) to remove. Edge bead removal before soft bake is especially important at this film thickness to keep the photomask in close contact with the wafer.", "developerFamily": "solvent", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Negative photoresists for optical lithography", "authors": "Shaw et al.", "journal": "IBM Journal of Research and Development", "year": 1997, "doi": "10.1147/rd.411.0081", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1147/rd.411.0081", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "The IBM origin paper for the EPON-based epoxy negative resist that became SU-8, describing its formulation and use as a thick optical-lithography resist.", "note": "Family-level SU-8 reference (the foundational chemistry paper), cited here for the SU-8 2100 grade." }, { "type": "paper", "title": "SU-8: a low-cost negative resist for MEMS", "authors": "Lorenz et al.", "journal": "Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering", "year": 1997, "doi": "10.1088/0960-1317/7/3/010", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1088/0960-1317/7/3/010", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "Established SU-8 as a MEMS structural resist, producing thick high-aspect-ratio structures by near-UV lithography.", "note": "Family-level SU-8 reference, cited here for the SU-8 2100 grade." }, { "type": "paper", "title": "SU-8: a photoresist for high-aspect-ratio and 3D submicron lithography", "authors": "del Campo, Greiner", "journal": "Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering", "year": 2007, "doi": "10.1088/0960-1317/17/6/R01", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1088/0960-1317/17/6/R01", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "Widely cited review of SU-8 processing (coat, bake, expose, develop) for high-aspect-ratio and 3D microstructures across the SU-8 family.", "note": "Family-level SU-8 review, cited here for the SU-8 2100 grade." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "What soft bake does SU-8 2100 need, and why does it take so long?", "a": "Soft-bake times are thickness-binned and stretch into hours at this film thickness. SU-8 2100's ~103–269 µm coat falls mostly in the 100–150 and 230–270 µm bins: 100–150 µm → 5 min at 65°C then 20–30 min at 95°C; 230–270 µm → 7 min at 65°C then 45–60 min at 95°C, on a level hotplate. Convection ovens are not recommended — the film can skin over and trap solvent. Use the cool-down/re-heat wrinkle test to confirm the bake is complete.", "source": "MicroChem SU-8 2000 (2100–2150) Processing Guidelines — Table 2 Soft Bake Times, p.2" }, { "q": "Does SU-8 2100 need a post-exposure bake?", "a": "Yes — the PEB thermally drives the epoxy cross-linking, so it is a required step, not an optional cure. Times are thickness-binned: 100–150 µm → 5 min at 65°C then 10–12 min at 95°C; 230–270 µm → 5 min at 65°C then 15–20 min at 95°C. A latent mask image should already be visible after 1 minute of PEB at 95°C; if it is not, exposure and/or heating was insufficient.", "source": "MicroChem SU-8 2000 (2100–2150) Processing Guidelines — Table 5 Post Exposure Bake Times, p.3" }, { "q": "Why is my SU-8 2100 cracking, and how do I fix it?", "a": "Thick SU-8 films crack from thermal stress. A short 150°C bake for a couple of minutes anneals surface cracks seen after development, and applies to all film thicknesses. Any optional hard bake otherwise runs 150–250°C for 5–30 min, at about 10°C above the maximum expected device operating temperature. Edge-bead removal before soft bake also matters at this thickness, to keep the photomask in close contact with the wafer.", "source": "MicroChem SU-8 2000 (2100–2150) Processing Guidelines — Hard Bake (cure) section, p.4" }, { "q": "How long does SU-8 2100 take to develop?", "a": "Development is immersion in SU-8 Developer, with thickness-binned times: 100–150 µm → 10–15 min; 160–225 µm → 15–17 min; 230–270 µm → 17–20 min. Rinse about 10 s with fresh developer, then about 10 s of IPA, then dry with filtered N2/air. A white film after the IPA rinse indicates underdevelopment — run another develop-and-rinse cycle rather than relying on IPA to finish.", "source": "MicroChem SU-8 2000 (2100–2150) Processing Guidelines — Table 6 Development Times + Rinse and Dry, p.3" }, { "q": "What exposure dose does SU-8 2100 need?", "a": "Dose is published per thickness bin: 100–150 µm → 240–260 mJ/cm²; 160–225 µm → 260–350 mJ/cm²; 230–270 µm → 350–370 mJ/cm². i-line (365 nm) is the recommended wavelength (conventional UV 350–400 nm is also used). Multiply by ~1.5× on glass/Pyrex/ITO and 1.5–2× on most metals and silicon nitride versus silicon. A >350 nm long-pass filter for vertical sidewalls needs ~40% more exposure.", "source": "MicroChem SU-8 2000 (2100–2150) Processing Guidelines — Table 3 Exposure Dose + Table 4 substrate multipliers, p.3" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://litho.nano.cnr.it/wp-content/datasheets/SU-82000DataSheet2100and2150Ver5.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "No revision/date string is printed in the document body (a 5-page processing-guidelines PDF with no header/footer revision code). The file name indicates 'Ver5' (a separate copy of the apparently same document is filenamed 'Ver5-1').", "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "su-8-2000-5", "name": "SU-8 2000.5", "min_um": 0.51, "max_um": 0.76, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2002", "name": "SU-8 2002", "min_um": 2.01, "max_um": 2.93, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2005", "name": "SU-8 2005", "min_um": 4.6, "max_um": 7.8, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2007", "name": "SU-8 2007", "min_um": 6.7, "max_um": 12.4, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2010", "name": "SU-8 2010", "min_um": 9.6, "max_um": 20.6, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2015", "name": "SU-8 2015", "min_um": 13.2, "max_um": 38.5, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2025", "name": "SU-8 2025", "min_um": 21.7, "max_um": 79.2, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2035", "name": "SU-8 2035", "min_um": 33, "max_um": 119, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2050", "name": "SU-8 2050", "min_um": 40.1, "max_um": 171, "doseBasis": null }, { "slug": "su-8-2075", "name": "SU-8 2075", "min_um": 59, "max_um": 239, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "su-8-3025", "name": "SU-8 3025", "manufacturer": "Kayaku MicroChem / MicroChem Corp.", "productLine": "SU-8 3000 series", "aliases": [ "SU8 3025" ], "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "epoxy", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed in the datasheet; SU-8 3000 is described as a chemically-amplified negative epoxy resist for binary, high-aspect-ratio, permanent structures, and no partial-crosslink/grayscale dose-response data is given.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "SU-8 3025 is the mid-viscosity grade of the newer SU-8 3000 series — the one to choose over an equivalent SU-8 2000 resist when a thick, high-aspect-ratio film keeps cracking or lifting, since the 3000 formulation was reworked to fix exactly that. SU-8 3025 is the third-lowest-viscosity member (4,400 cSt, 72.3% solids) of Kayaku MicroChem's five-grade SU-8 3000 permanent epoxy series (3005/3010/3025/3035/3050), an 'improved formulation' of SU-8 2000 offering better adhesion and lower coating stress for thick (family-wide 4-120 µm single-coat), high-aspect-ratio (>5:1), permanent MEMS structures that are imaged, cured, and left on the device rather than lifted off.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 23, "max_um": 58, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span of the SU-8 3025 trace in Figure 1, p.1" }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "SU-8 3025", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 58 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 37 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 25 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 23 } ], "source": "read from Figure 1, \"Spin speed vs. Thickness for SU-8 3000 resists (21°C US & EU)\", p.1 of the Kayaku Microchem/MicroChem \"SU-8 3000 Permanent Epoxy Negative Photoresist\" datasheet (no printed revision code). The chart plots five grades (3050/filled square, 3035/filled triangle, 3025/filled diamond, 3010/filled circle, 3005/open square), each with 4 markers at 1000/2000/3000/4000 rpm. SU-8 3025 is the filled-diamond series, 3rd from the top of five at every rpm, consistent with its legend position (3rd of 3050/3035/3025/3010/3005) and Table 1's viscosity ordering (3025 = 4400 cSt, the middle of the five grades). No numeric per-rpm table exists for SU-8 3025 alone in this datasheet — Tables 2/3/5/6 are thickness-binned ranges shared across the whole 3000 series, not per-grade spin data.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Recommended Program (family-wide, not grade-specific): dispense 1 ml resist per inch (25 mm) of substrate diameter; spin at 500 rpm for 5-10 s at 100 rpm/s acceleration (spread step); then spin at 3000 rpm for 30 s at 300 rpm/s acceleration as a generic starting point — the actual final rpm/time for a target SU-8 3025 thickness should be read from Figure 1 ('Spin speed vs. Thickness for SU-8 3000 resists', 21°C US & EU, p.1) or Figure 2 (23°C Japan & Asia, p.2), each of which plots all five grades (3005/3010/3025/3035/3050) as separate traces vs. 1000-5000 rpm with NO accompanying numeric table. Figure 1 (21°C US & EU) is the curve plotted above; the SU-8 3025 trace is the filled-diamond series, 3rd from the top of five, consistent with its legend position and Table 1's viscosity ordering (3025 = 4400 cSt, the middle of the five grades). Figure 2 (23°C Japan & Asia) is not shown here. No numeric table exists for SU-8 3025 alone — Table 1 (p.2) only ranks the five grades by viscosity. No edge-bead-removal step is described anywhere in this SU-8 3000 datasheet, and no resist rehydration hold is mentioned either.", "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "Adhesion promoters are stated as 'typically not required' for substrates cleaned per the recommended piranha (H2SO4+H2O2) wet etch or RIE/O2-barrel-ash prep. Exception: for applications requiring electroplating, the datasheet recommends pre-treating the substrate with MCC Primer 80/20 (HMDS)." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "95°C is fixed across all thickness brackets; only bake TIME varies by film thickness per Table 2: 4-10 µm -> 2-3 min; 8-15 µm -> 5-10 min; 20-50 µm -> 10-15 min; 30-80 µm -> 10-30 min; 40-100 µm -> 15-45 min. No single soft-bake time is quoted here, because the row that applies depends on the film thickness actually coated. Convection ovens are explicitly NOT recommended — a skin can form on the resist and trap solvent, incompletely drying the film. Vendor's own optimization check: after the prescribed bake, cool the wafer to room temperature, then return it to the hotplate; if the film wrinkles, continue baking and repeat the cool/reheat cycle until wrinkles no longer appear.", "source": "Table 2 'Soft Bake Times', p.2 of SU-8 3000 Permanent Epoxy Negative Photoresist datasheet, Kayaku MicroChem/MicroChem Corp." }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "binBasis": "spun-film", "bins": [ { "um_min": 4, "um_max": 10, "mJ_min": 100, "mJ_max": 200 }, { "um_min": 8, "um_max": 15, "mJ_min": 125, "mJ_max": 200 }, { "um_min": 20, "um_max": 50, "mJ_min": 150, "mJ_max": 250 }, { "um_min": 30, "um_max": 80, "mJ_min": 150, "mJ_max": 250 }, { "um_min": 40, "um_max": 100, "mJ_min": 150, "mJ_max": 250 } ], "source": "Table 3 'Exposure Dose', p.2 of the SU-8 3000 Permanent Epoxy Negative Photoresist datasheet, Kayaku MicroChem/MicroChem Corp. Brackets are indexed by film thickness and overlap exactly as printed. Not attributed to a specific wavelength — the document recommends i-line but states conventional UV (350-400 nm) is most common." } ], "basisCopy": "The bins overlap here, so a mid-range film matches more than one: 100–200 mJ/cm² for 4–10 µm, 125–200 mJ/cm² at 8–15 µm, and a flat 150–250 mJ/cm² across every bracket from 20 to 100 µm." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": null, "notes": "An optional 1-minute 65°C stress-reduction pre-bake step precedes the main PEB across ALL thickness brackets (65°C time is a constant 1 min; only the main 95°C step's time varies by thickness) per Table 5: 4-10 µm -> 1-2 min; 8-15 µm -> 2-4 min; 20-50 µm -> 3-5 min; 30-80 µm -> 3-5 min; 40-100 µm -> 3-5 min. No single PEB time is quoted here — the row that applies depends on the film thickness actually coated. PEB should start directly after exposure. A visible latent mask image should appear within 1 minute of starting the 95°C step if exposure and bake were adequate; no visible image means insufficient exposure and/or temperature.", "source": "Table 5 'Post Exposure Bake Times', p.3 of SU-8 3000 Permanent Epoxy Negative Photoresist datasheet, Kayaku MicroChem/MicroChem Corp." }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "SU-8 Developer (MicroChem's proprietary solvent-based developer); ethyl lactate and diacetone alcohol are also stated to work", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": "Spray/wash with fresh SU-8 developer for ~10 s, then a second spray/wash with isopropyl alcohol (IPA) for ~10 s, then air/nitrogen dry with filtered pressurized gas. A white film appearing during the IPA rinse indicates under-development — immerse or spray with more SU-8 developer and repeat the rinse. Ultrasonic or megasonic bath agitation is recommended for developing out vias/holes in high-aspect-ratio structures.", "source": "Develop and Rinse-and-Dry sections, p.3 of SU-8 3000 Permanent Epoxy Negative Photoresist datasheet, Kayaku MicroChem/MicroChem Corp." }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 150, "max": 200 }, "time_s": null, "optional": true, "condition": "for applications where the resist stays on the device", "notes": "Optional, for applications where the imaged resist is left as part of the final device: 'the resist may be ramp/step hard baked between 150-200°C on a hot plate or in a convection oven to further cross link the material. Bake times vary based on type of bake process and film thickness.' No single temperature or time is given, and unlike softbake/PEB/develop, no thickness-bracket table is published for hardbake either.", "source": "Hard Bake (cure) section, p.3 of SU-8 3000 Permanent Epoxy Negative Photoresist datasheet, Kayaku MicroChem/MicroChem Corp." }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "mems-structural", "high-aspect-ratio", "electroplating-molding" ], "etchResistance": "Listed under Features as 'Excellent dry etch resistance' (p.1, no numeric selectivity given). The Plasma Removal section (p.4) gives an RIE recipe (200 W, 80 sccm O2, 8 sccm CF4, 100 mTorr, 10°C) specifically for STRIPPING crosslinked SU-8 — i.e. cured SU-8 requires an aggressive dedicated RIE recipe to remove at all, consistent with strong etch resistance during normal device processing.", "liftoffSuitable": false, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "MicroChem's Remover PG, 50-80°C bath, 30-90 min immersion — swells and lifts off minimally-crosslinked SU-8 3000; achieves a clean, thorough lift-off of fully-crosslinked SU-8 3000 only if a 30-100 nm OmniCoat sacrificial layer was applied first. Will NOT remove fully-cured/hard-baked SU-8 3000 without OmniCoat underneath. To rework fully cross-linked material with no OmniCoat: oxidizing acid solutions (piranha etch), plasma ash, RIE (200 W, 80 sccm O2, 8 sccm CF4, 100 mTorr, 10°C), laser ablation, or pyrolysis.", "storage": "Store upright, in tightly closed containers, in a cool, dry environment away from direct sunlight, at 40-70°F (4-21°C). Store away from light, acids, heat, and sources of ignition. Shelf life is twelve months from date of manufacture.", "notes": "SU-8 3025 is the third-lowest-viscosity member (4,400 cSt, 72.3% solids) of Kayaku MicroChem's five-grade SU-8 3000 permanent epoxy series (3005/3010/3025/3035/3050), an 'improved formulation' of SU-8 2000 offering better adhesion and lower coating stress for thick (family-wide 4-120 µm single-coat), high-aspect-ratio (>5:1), permanent MEMS structures that are imaged, cured, and left on the device rather than lifted off. Within the 3000 series it is the mid-viscosity option — thicker-coating than 3005 and 3010, thinner than 3035 and 3050 — and it is generally preferred over the matching SU-8 2000 grades when a process suffers adhesion loss or stress cracking, since the 3000 line was reformulated specifically to reduce both. Figures 1-2 plot all five grades' film thickness against 1000-5000 rpm spin speed on one shared axis with no accompanying numeric table, and the five traces are separable only by viscosity ranking, consistent with SU-8 3025 being the middle grade by viscosity. Softbake time, PEB time, exposure dose, and develop time are all published as THICKNESS-BINNED ranges common to the whole 3000 series (not per-grade single values), so no single number is quoted for any of them and the full bracket table is printed with each step instead — reporting one number would be false precision without first knowing which bracket a real SU-8 3025 process actually lands in. As with the rest of the SU-8 family, fully cross-linked SU-8 3025 is notoriously difficult to strip: MicroChem's Remover PG only lifts minimally-crosslinked resist (or fully-crosslinked resist sitting over a sacrificial OmniCoat layer); a hard-baked film with no OmniCoat underneath requires piranha etch, plasma ashing, RIE, laser ablation, or pyrolysis to remove.", "developerFamily": "solvent", "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "My SU-8 3025 turns milky white during the IPA rinse. What went wrong?", "a": "The substrate is underdeveloped. The datasheet's rinse is a ~10 s spray of fresh SU-8 developer followed by a ~10 s IPA spray, and a white film in the IPA step means unexposed resist is still there. Immerse or spray with SU-8 developer again to finish the job, then repeat the rinse. SU-8 3025 films sit mostly in the 20–50 µm (5–8 min) and 30–80 µm (6–12 min) develop rows; those times are approximate and shift with agitation, so thick or high-aspect-ratio parts need strong agitation.", "source": "Kayaku MicroChem SU-8 3000 datasheet (no revision printed) — Develop, Table 6 and Rinse and Dry note, p.3" }, { "q": "My SU-8 3025 film doesn't match the spin chart. Am I reading the right curve?", "a": "Check which chart you used. The SU-8 3000 sheet prints two spin curves: Figure 1 for 21 °C (US & EU) and Figure 2 for 23 °C (Japan & Asia), and they differ noticeably — SU-8 3025 reads roughly 58 µm at 1000 rpm on Figure 1 but roughly 68 µm on Figure 2, with the gap narrowing at higher speeds. Pick the chart matching your region's material and lab temperature, then measure; the recommended program is a 500 rpm spread followed by 30 s at the final speed.", "source": "Kayaku MicroChem SU-8 3000 datasheet (no revision printed) — Coat, Recommended Program and Figure 1, p.1; Figure 2, p.2" }, { "q": "The SU-8 3025 bake and dose tables have overlapping rows. Which do I follow?", "a": "The rows overlap as printed — 20–50, 30–80 and 40–100 µm — so a 35 µm SU-8 3025 film matches two of them. Soft bake at 95 °C is 10–15 min (20–50 µm) or 10–30 min (30–80 µm); exposure is 150–250 mJ/cm² in both; PEB is 3–5 min at 95 °C, with an optional 1 min at 65 °C first for stress reduction. Start at the short end and let the film decide: no wrinkles after a cool-down and re-heat, and a mask image visible after 1 min of PEB.", "source": "Kayaku MicroChem SU-8 3000 datasheet (no revision printed) — Table 2 Soft Bake Times, soft bake note and Table 3 Exposure Dose, p.2; Table 5 and PEB note, p.3" }, { "q": "Do I need a primer for SU-8 3025 as a plating mould?", "a": "Only for plating. SU-8 3000 was formulated for improved adhesion, and on a clean, dry substrate — piranha clean and DI rinse, or RIE / O₂ barrel ashing — adhesion promoters are typically not required. For electroplating, the datasheet recommends pretreating with MCC Primer 80/20 (HMDS). Plating seed metals such as gold, copper and nickel also need 1.5–2X the silicon exposure dose.", "source": "Kayaku MicroChem SU-8 3000 datasheet (no revision printed) — description and Substrate Preparation, p.1; Table 4 Exposure Doses for Substrates, p.2" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "http://cleanroom.groups.et.byu.net/su8.parts/SU-8%203000%20Data%20Sheet-1.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": null, "accessedDate": "2026-07-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-10", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "Negative photoresists for optical lithography", "authors": "Shaw et al.", "journal": "IBM Journal of Research and Development", "year": 1997, "doi": "10.1147/rd.411.0081", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1147/rd.411.0081", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "The IBM origin paper for the EPON-based epoxy negative resist that became SU-8, describing its formulation and use as a thick optical-lithography resist.", "note": "Family-level SU-8 reference (the foundational chemistry paper), cited here for the SU-8 3025 grade; these foundational SU-8 papers predate the 3000 series but describe the same epoxy resist chemistry." }, { "type": "paper", "title": "SU-8: a low-cost negative resist for MEMS", "authors": "Lorenz et al.", "journal": "Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering", "year": 1997, "doi": "10.1088/0960-1317/7/3/010", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1088/0960-1317/7/3/010", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "Established SU-8 as a MEMS structural resist, producing thick high-aspect-ratio structures by near-UV lithography.", "note": "Family-level SU-8 reference, cited here for the SU-8 3025 grade; these foundational SU-8 papers predate the 3000 series but describe the same epoxy resist chemistry." }, { "type": "paper", "title": "SU-8: a photoresist for high-aspect-ratio and 3D submicron lithography", "authors": "del Campo, Greiner", "journal": "Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering", "year": 2007, "doi": "10.1088/0960-1317/17/6/R01", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1088/0960-1317/17/6/R01", "accessedDate": "2026-07-15", "summary": "Widely cited review of SU-8 processing (coat, bake, expose, develop) for high-aspect-ratio and 3D microstructures across the SU-8 family.", "note": "Family-level SU-8 review, cited here for the SU-8 3025 grade; these foundational SU-8 papers predate the 3000 series but describe the same epoxy resist chemistry." } ], "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "su-8-3050", "name": "SU-8 3050", "min_um": 44.3, "max_um": 101.3, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "su-8-3050", "name": "SU-8 3050", "manufacturer": "Kayaku MicroChem / MicroChem Corp.", "productLine": "SU-8 3000 series", "aliases": [ "SU8 3050", "MicroChem SU-8 3050", "Kayaku SU-8 3050" ], "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "epoxy", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed in the datasheet; SU-8 3000 is described as a chemically-amplified negative epoxy resist for binary, high-aspect-ratio, permanent structures, and no partial-crosslink/grayscale dose-response data is given.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "SU-8 3050 is the highest-viscosity grade of Kayaku's five-member SU-8 3000 series, an improved, lower-stress reformulation of SU-8 2000 for thick (roughly 44-101 µm per its own spin curve), high-aspect-ratio, permanent MEMS structures.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 44.3, "max_um": 101.3, "basis": "curve-span", "source": "curve-span: the family-wide 'The viscosity range of SU-8 3000 allows for film thicknesses of 4 to 120 µm in a single coat' (Product Description, p.1) is not SU-8 3050-specific. min/max are the span of this recipe's own SU-8 3050 curve: 44.3 µm at 4000 rpm to 101.3 µm at 1000 rpm, read from Figure 1 'Spin speed vs. Thickness for SU-8 3000 resists (21°C US & EU)', p.1." }, "spinCurves": [ { "label": "SU-8 3050", "points": [ { "rpm": 1000, "um": 101.3 }, { "rpm": 2000, "um": 67.4 }, { "rpm": 3000, "um": 50.3 }, { "rpm": 4000, "um": 44.3 } ], "source": "read from Figure 1, 'Spin speed vs. Thickness for SU-8 3000 resists (21°C US & EU)', p.1 of the Kayaku Microchem/MicroChem 'SU-8 3000 Permanent Epoxy Negative Photoresist' datasheet (no printed revision code) -- the same datasheet and figure used for SU-8 3025. The chart plots five grades (3050/filled square, 3035/filled triangle, 3025/filled diamond, 3010/filled circle, 3005/open square), each with 4 markers at 1000/2000/3000/4000 rpm. SU-8 3050 is the filled+stroked square marker and the topmost (largest thickness) of the five stacked markers at every rpm column, consistent with it being the highest-viscosity grade (12,000 cSt, Table 1) and its top-of-legend position.", "figureRead": true } ], "spinNotes": "Recommended Program (family-wide, not grade-specific): dispense 1 ml resist per inch (25 mm) of substrate diameter; spin at 500 rpm for 5-10 s at 100 rpm/s acceleration (spread step); then spin at 3000 rpm for 30 s at 300 rpm/s acceleration as a generic starting point -- the actual final rpm/time for a target SU-8 3050 thickness should be read from Figure 1 ('Spin speed vs. Thickness for SU-8 3000 resists', 21°C US & EU, p.1, the curve plotted above) or Figure 2 (23°C Japan & Asia, p.2, which is not plotted here). No numeric table exists for SU-8 3050 alone -- Table 1 (p.2) only ranks the five grades by viscosity (3050: 75.5% solids, 12,000 cSt, 1.153 g/ml density). No edge-bead-removal step is described anywhere in this SU-8 3000 datasheet, and no resist rehydration hold is mentioned either.", "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "Adhesion promoters are stated as 'typically not required' for substrates cleaned per the recommended piranha (H2SO4+H2O2) wet etch or RIE/O2-barrel-ash prep. Exception: for applications requiring electroplating, the datasheet recommends pre-treating the substrate with MCC Primer 80/20 (HMDS)." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": null, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "95°C is fixed across all thickness brackets; only bake TIME varies by film thickness per Table 2: 4-10 µm -> 2-3 min; 8-15 µm -> 5-10 min; 20-50 µm -> 10-15 min; 30-80 µm -> 10-30 min; 40-100 µm -> 15-45 min. The brackets are indexed by film thickness rather than by grade, and they overlap: this grade's own spin curve runs from 44.3 µm at 4000 rpm (which sits in the 20-50, 30-80 and 40-100 µm rows at once) to 101.3 µm at 1000 rpm (just past the top of the table), so bake to the row matching the thickness actually coated. Convection ovens are explicitly NOT recommended -- a skin can form on the resist and trap solvent, incompletely drying the film. Vendor's own optimization check: after the prescribed bake, cool the wafer to room temperature, then return it to the hotplate; if the film wrinkles, continue baking and repeat the cool/reheat cycle until wrinkles no longer appear.", "source": "Table 2 'Soft Bake Times', p.2 of SU-8 3000 Permanent Epoxy Negative Photoresist datasheet, Kayaku MicroChem/MicroChem Corp." }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "binBasis": "spun-film", "bins": [ { "um_min": 4, "um_max": 10, "mJ_min": 100, "mJ_max": 200 }, { "um_min": 8, "um_max": 15, "mJ_min": 125, "mJ_max": 200 }, { "um_min": 20, "um_max": 50, "mJ_min": 150, "mJ_max": 250 }, { "um_min": 30, "um_max": 80, "mJ_min": 150, "mJ_max": 250 }, { "um_min": 40, "um_max": 100, "mJ_min": 150, "mJ_max": 250 } ], "source": "Table 3 'Exposure Dose', p.2 of the SU-8 3000 Permanent Epoxy Negative Photoresist datasheet, Kayaku MicroChem/MicroChem Corp. Brackets are indexed by film thickness and overlap exactly as printed. Not attributed to a specific wavelength — the document recommends i-line but states conventional UV (350-400 nm) is most common." } ], "basisCopy": "SU-8 3050's thinnest coat, 44.3 µm, lands in three of the table's overlapping brackets at once — 20–50, 30–80 and 40–100 µm — and all three read 150–250 mJ/cm². The table stops at 100 µm; this grade spins to 101.3 µm." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": null, "timeRange_s": { "min": 180, "max": 300 }, "notes": "An optional 1-minute 65°C stress-reduction pre-bake step precedes the main PEB across ALL thickness brackets (65°C time is a constant 1 min; only the main 95°C step's time varies by thickness) per Table 5: 4-10 µm -> 1-2 min; 8-15 µm -> 2-4 min; 20-50 µm -> 3-5 min; 30-80 µm -> 3-5 min; 40-100 µm -> 3-5 min. The rows are indexed by film thickness rather than by grade, but every row covering this recipe's coating range (44.3-101.3 µm from its own spin curve) calls for the same 3-5 min at 95°C. PEB should start directly after exposure. A visible latent mask image should appear within 1 minute of starting the 95°C step if exposure and bake were adequate; no visible image means insufficient exposure and/or temperature.", "source": "Table 5 'Post Exposure Bake Times', p.3 of SU-8 3000 Permanent Epoxy Negative Photoresist datasheet, Kayaku MicroChem/MicroChem Corp." }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "SU-8 Developer (MicroChem's proprietary solvent-based developer); ethyl lactate and diacetone alcohol are also stated to work", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": "Spray/wash with fresh SU-8 developer for ~10 s, then a second spray/wash with isopropyl alcohol (IPA) for ~10 s, then air/nitrogen dry with filtered pressurized gas. A white film appearing during the IPA rinse indicates under-development -- immerse or spray with more SU-8 developer and repeat the rinse. Ultrasonic or megasonic bath agitation is recommended for developing out vias/holes in high-aspect-ratio structures.", "source": "Develop and Rinse-and-Dry sections, p.3 of SU-8 3000 Permanent Epoxy Negative Photoresist datasheet, Kayaku MicroChem/MicroChem Corp." }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 150, "max": 200 }, "time_s": null, "optional": true, "condition": "for applications where the resist stays on the device", "notes": "Optional, for applications where the imaged resist is left as part of the final device: 'the resist may be ramp/step hard baked between 150-200°C on a hot plate or in a convection oven to further cross link the material. Bake times vary based on type of bake process and film thickness.' No single temperature or time is given, and unlike softbake/PEB/develop, no thickness-bracket table is published for hardbake either.", "source": "Hard Bake (cure) section, p.3 of SU-8 3000 Permanent Epoxy Negative Photoresist datasheet, Kayaku MicroChem/MicroChem Corp." }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "mems-structural", "high-aspect-ratio", "electroplating-molding" ], "etchResistance": "Listed under Features as 'Excellent dry etch resistance' (p.1, no numeric selectivity given). The Plasma Removal section (p.4) gives an RIE recipe (200 W, 80 sccm O2, 8 sccm CF4, 100 mTorr, 10°C) specifically for STRIPPING crosslinked SU-8 -- i.e. cured SU-8 requires an aggressive dedicated RIE recipe to remove at all, consistent with strong etch resistance during normal device processing.", "liftoffSuitable": false, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "MicroChem's Remover PG, 50-80°C bath, 30-90 min immersion -- swells and lifts off minimally-crosslinked SU-8 3000; achieves a clean, thorough lift-off of fully-crosslinked SU-8 3000 only if a 30-100 nm OmniCoat sacrificial layer was applied first. Will NOT remove fully-cured/hard-baked SU-8 3000 without OmniCoat underneath. To rework fully cross-linked material with no OmniCoat: oxidizing acid solutions (piranha etch), plasma ash, RIE (200 W, 80 sccm O2, 8 sccm CF4, 100 mTorr, 10°C), laser ablation, or pyrolysis.", "storage": "Store upright, in tightly closed containers, in a cool, dry environment away from direct sunlight, at 40-70°F (4-21°C). Store away from light, acids, heat, and sources of ignition. Shelf life is twelve months from date of manufacture.", "notes": "SU-8 3050 is the highest-viscosity member (12,000 cSt, 75.5% solids, 1.153 g/ml) of Kayaku MicroChem's five-grade SU-8 3000 permanent epoxy series (3005/3010/3025/3035/3050), an 'improved formulation' of SU-8 2000 offering better adhesion and lower coating stress for thick (family-wide 4-120 µm single-coat), high-aspect-ratio (>5:1), permanent MEMS structures that are imaged, cured, and left on the device rather than lifted off. Within the 3000 series it is the thickest-coating grade at any given spin speed -- its own curve runs from 101.3 µm (1000 rpm) down to 44.3 µm (4000 rpm), stacked above 3035/3025/3010/3005 at every rpm column, consistent with its top rank by viscosity. It is generally preferred over the matching SU-8 2050 grade (SU-8 2000 series) when a thick, high-aspect-ratio process suffers adhesion loss or stress cracking, since the 3000 line was reformulated specifically to reduce both. Softbake time, PEB time, and develop time are all published as THICKNESS-BINNED ranges common to the whole 3000 series (not per-grade single values), and the brackets overlap, so each of those steps quotes the full bracket table and no single time is stated for the grade; exposure dose is likewise indexed to film thickness, and the datasheet does not attribute Table 3's doses to a single wavelength. As with the rest of the SU-8 family, fully cross-linked SU-8 3050 is notoriously difficult to strip: MicroChem's Remover PG only lifts minimally-crosslinked resist (or fully-crosslinked resist sitting over a sacrificial OmniCoat layer); a hard-baked film with no OmniCoat underneath requires piranha etch, plasma ashing, RIE, laser ablation, or pyrolysis to remove.", "developerFamily": "solvent", "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "My SU-8 3050 is still tacky after soft bake at 95 °C. How long does a 100 µm film really need?", "a": "The top row of the soft-bake table, 40–100 µm, spans 15–45 min at 95 °C, and SU-8 3050 lives almost entirely in the 30–80 and 40–100 µm rows (about 44–101 µm on the 21 °C chart). Confirm the bake instead of trusting the clock: cool the wafer to room temperature, return it to the hotplate, and if it wrinkles keep baking a few minutes and repeat. Use a level, uniform hotplate — a convection oven can form a skin that traps solvent and drags the bake out.", "source": "Kayaku MicroChem SU-8 3000 datasheet (no revision printed) — Figure 1, p.1; Soft Bake, Table 2 and note, p.2" }, { "q": "How do I tell whether my SU-8 3050 exposure was right before I develop?", "a": "Watch the PEB hotplate. Optimal exposure produces a visible latent image within 5–15 s of the wafer going on the hotplate, and not before. If there is no image during or after PEB (it should be clear after 1 min at 95 °C), exposure, temperature or both were short. For SU-8 3050's thickness range the dose table gives 150–250 mJ/cm² on silicon, and PEB is an optional 1 min at 65 °C for stress reduction followed by 3–5 min at 95 °C, straight after exposure.", "source": "Kayaku MicroChem SU-8 3000 datasheet (no revision printed) — Exposure note and Table 3 Exposure Dose, p.2; Post Exposure Bake note and Table 5, p.3" }, { "q": "Deep vias in SU-8 3050 won't clear. How long and how hard should I develop?", "a": "Plan on the long end. Table 6 gives 6–12 min for 30–80 µm and 7–15 min for 40–100 µm in SU-8 developer, and those are approximate since dissolution rate varies widely with agitation. Strong agitation is recommended for thick, high-aspect-ratio structures, and an ultrasonic or megasonic bath helps develop out vias and holes. Rinse with fresh developer for ~10 s, then IPA for ~10 s — a white film in the IPA means more developer time is needed.", "source": "Kayaku MicroChem SU-8 3000 datasheet (no revision printed) — Develop, Table 6, Rinse and Dry and note, p.3" }, { "q": "Can I strip SU-8 3050 once it has been hard baked?", "a": "Not with solvent alone. Remover PG at 50–80 °C for 30–90 min swells and lifts only minimally cross-linked SU-8 3000; it will not remove fully cured or hard-baked film unless OmniCoat (30–100 nm) was put down first. Otherwise rework means piranha or other oxidizing acids, plasma ash, RIE (200 W, 80 sccm O₂, 8 sccm CF₄, 100 mTorr, 10 °C), laser ablation or pyrolysis. If the SU-8 3050 is meant to stay, the published hard bake is a ramp or step to 150–200 °C on a hotplate or in an oven.", "source": "Kayaku MicroChem SU-8 3000 datasheet (no revision printed) — Hard Bake (cure), p.3; Removal and Plasma Removal, p.4" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "http://cleanroom.groups.et.byu.net/su8.parts/SU-8%203000%20Data%20Sheet-1.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": null, "accessedDate": "2026-07-22", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-22", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "familySiblings": [ { "slug": "su-8-3025", "name": "SU-8 3025", "min_um": 23, "max_um": 58, "doseBasis": null } ], "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "suex", "name": "SUEX", "manufacturer": "DJ MicroLaminates", "productLine": "SUEX Dry Film Sheets (TDFS)", "aliases": [ "SUEX TDFS", "SUEX Dry Film Sheets", "DJ MicroLaminates SUEX" ], "tone": "negative", "chemistry": "epoxy", "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed by either datasheet. Both the Thick and Thin SUEX Data Sheets describe SUEX only as a negative-tone, permanent structural/plating epoxy for 'plating, wafer level packaging and MEMS applications'; neither mentions grayscale or partial-exposure profiling.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "SUEX is DJ MicroLaminates' cationically-cured modified-epoxy dry-film photoresist, laminated — not spin-coated — onto a substrate as pre-cut sheets, spanning a thin-film line (20-75 µm) and a thick-film line (100 µm to 1 mm), for plating, wafer-level-packaging and MEMS structural applications.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 20, "max_um": 1000, "basis": "stated", "source": "Thin SUEX: 'Sheets are available in thicknesses from 20µm to 75µm...' (PRODUCT AVAILABILITY, p.1 of the Thin SUEX Data Sheet, Rev 6/2020) — Standard Thicknesses: 20, 25, 30, 50 and 75 µm (Table 1, p.2 additionally tabulates a 40 µm condition not listed among 'Standard Thicknesses'). Thick SUEX: 'Sheets are available in thicknesses from 100µm to 1mm...' (PRODUCT AVAILABILITY, p.1 of the Thick SUEX Data Sheet, June 2020) — Standard Thicknesses: 100, 125, 150, 200, 225, 250, 300, 350, 400 and 500 µm, with 'Custom thicknesses up to 1mm...available upon special request' stated in the same section. min_um=20 is the Thin sheet's stated floor; max_um=1000 is the Thick sheet's own stated ceiling (1 mm), taken verbatim from its opening availability sentence rather than the 500 µm standard-catalog subset." }, "coatingMethod": "dry-film-lamination", "spinCurves": [], "spinNotes": "Recommended hot-roll lamination conditions, stated identically in both the Thick and Thin datasheets: roller/plate temperature 60-70°C for all rolls (Thin datasheet: 'for all rolls and plates'); pressure 5-10 psi (30-65 kPa); speed 0.5-1.5 ft/min (0.15-0.5 m/min), with thicker films requiring slightly slower speeds. Source: 'LAMINATION' / 'Recommended conditions for hot roll lamination', p.1 of both the Thick SUEX Data Sheet (June 2020) and the Thin SUEX Data Sheet (Rev 6/2020). Pre-lamination substrate prep (both datasheets, 'SUBSTRATE PREPARATION', p.1) calls for the substrate to be free of organic contamination and metal oxides and cleaned/dried immediately before lamination, and mentions a 'dehydration bake' as sometimes needed before further cleaning/surface activation — but no dehydration-bake temperature or time is published anywhere in either datasheet, so no numeric pre-lamination substrate temperature is recorded. The clear PET cover sheet is removed immediately before lamination; sheets must not touch the substrate until <1 cm before the rollers; vacuum lamination is recommended over topography for thick films.", "adhesion": { "hmds": false, "notes": "'Adhesion promoters are typically not useful.' Source: 'SUBSTRATE PREPARATION', p.1 of both the Thick and Thin SUEX Data Sheets." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 80, "max": 85 }, "time_s": 300, "method": "hotplate", "optional": true, "condition": "normally not needed", "notes": "This is the post-lamination bake (PLB), not a softbake in the solvent-drying sense — the laminated sheet arrives solvent-free. It is normally not needed or recommended; run it only for improved adhesion and surface quality, on a hotplate at 80-85°C for 5 minutes.", "source": "'BAKE', p.1 of both the Thick SUEX Data Sheet (June 2020) and the Thin SUEX Data Sheet (Rev 6/2020)" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [], "doseVsThickness": [ { "wavelength_nm": 365, "binBasis": "sheet-sku", "conditionKey": "uv-filtered", "conditionLabel": "Through an i-line filter", "bins": [ { "um_min": 20, "um_max": 20, "mJ_min": 720, "mJ_max": 720 }, { "um_min": 25, "um_max": 25, "mJ_min": 725, "mJ_max": 725 }, { "um_min": 30, "um_max": 30, "mJ_min": 760, "mJ_max": 760 }, { "um_min": 40, "um_max": 40, "mJ_min": 790, "mJ_max": 790 }, { "um_min": 50, "um_max": 50, "mJ_min": 825, "mJ_max": 825 }, { "um_min": 75, "um_max": 75, "mJ_min": 920, "mJ_max": 920 }, { "um_min": 100, "um_max": 100, "mJ_min": 1000, "mJ_max": 1000 }, { "um_min": 150, "um_max": 150, "mJ_min": 1200, "mJ_max": 1200 }, { "um_min": 200, "um_max": 200, "mJ_min": 1350, "mJ_max": 1350 }, { "um_min": 250, "um_max": 250, "mJ_min": 1500, "mJ_max": 1500 }, { "um_min": 350, "um_max": 350, "mJ_min": 1900, "mJ_max": 1900 }, { "um_min": 500, "um_max": 500, "mJ_min": 2500, "mJ_max": 2500 } ], "source": "Table 1 'Process conditions for Thick/Thin SUEX TDFS on Silicon Wafers', p.2 — the UV-filtered (i-line) exposure row, labelled 'mJ/cm2 @ 365 nm', of both the Thick SUEX Data Sheet (June 2020) and the Thin SUEX Data Sheet (Rev 6/2020). Estimated doses on silicon." }, { "wavelength_nm": 365, "binBasis": "sheet-sku", "conditionKey": "unfiltered", "conditionLabel": "No filter", "bins": [ { "um_min": 20, "um_max": 20, "mJ_min": 325, "mJ_max": 325 }, { "um_min": 25, "um_max": 25, "mJ_min": 320, "mJ_max": 320 }, { "um_min": 30, "um_max": 30, "mJ_min": 335, "mJ_max": 335 }, { "um_min": 40, "um_max": 40, "mJ_min": 348, "mJ_max": 348 }, { "um_min": 50, "um_max": 50, "mJ_min": 370, "mJ_max": 370 }, { "um_min": 75, "um_max": 75, "mJ_min": 430, "mJ_max": 430 }, { "um_min": 100, "um_max": 100, "mJ_min": 450, "mJ_max": 450 }, { "um_min": 150, "um_max": 150, "mJ_min": 515, "mJ_max": 515 }, { "um_min": 200, "um_max": 200, "mJ_min": 575, "mJ_max": 575 }, { "um_min": 250, "um_max": 250, "mJ_min": 675, "mJ_max": 675 }, { "um_min": 350, "um_max": 350, "mJ_min": 900, "mJ_max": 900 }, { "um_min": 500, "um_max": 500, "mJ_min": 1150, "mJ_max": 1150 } ], "source": "Table 1 'Process conditions for Thick/Thin SUEX TDFS on Silicon Wafers', p.2 — the no-filter exposure row, labelled 'mJ/cm2 @ 365 nm', of both the Thick SUEX Data Sheet (June 2020) and the Thin SUEX Data Sheet (Rev 6/2020). Estimated doses on silicon." } ], "basisCopy": "Dose is published per sheet thickness at 365 nm, with a separate figure for filtered and unfiltered exposure: a 100 µm sheet takes 1000 mJ/cm² through an i-line filter, 450 mJ/cm² without one." }, "peb": { "temp_c": 85, "time_s": null, "timeRange_s": { "min": 1800, "max": 3600 }, "method": "oven", "notes": "Published only as THICKNESS-BINNED tables (Table 1), and the two product lines differ. Thick SUEX (100-500 µm) bakes at a constant 85°C with time scaling by thickness: 30 min (100 µm), 30 min (150 µm), 35 min (200 µm), 40 min (250 µm), 45 min (350 µm), 45 min (500 µm). Thin SUEX (20-75 µm) bakes for a constant 5 min across all thicknesses at 85-95°C. The general PEB prose (worded identically in both datasheets) separately recommends 'a 85°C oven bake for 30-60 minutes for lower stress or a 95°C bake for 5–10 minutes for speed', then to 'cool slowly over 3-5 hours for minimum cracks and best adhesion.' The PET coversheet must be removed before PEB.", "source": "Table 1 'Process conditions for Thick/Thin SUEX TDFS on Silicon Wafers', p.2; 'POST EXPOSURE BAKE (PEB)', p.1 — both the Thick SUEX Data Sheet (June 2020) and the Thin SUEX Data Sheet (Rev 6/2020)" }, "floodExposure": null, "develop": { "developer": "PGMEA (propylene glycol methyl ether acetate), two-bath system", "dilution": null, "time_s": null, "method": "immersion", "rinse": "IPA", "source": "'DEVELOPMENT' and 'RINSE/DRY', p.1; Table 1 'Devl Time Face Down', p.2 — both the Thick SUEX Data Sheet (June 2020) and the Thin SUEX Data Sheet (Rev 6/2020)" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "time_s": null, "optional": true, "notes": "Optional. The datasheet gives discrete named options rather than a single condition: 125°C/60 min, 150°C/30 min, or 150°C/15-20 min. Separately, 'a 200°C hard bake for 30 – 60 minutes is required to remove all volatile components from the film' if full outgassing is needed.", "source": "'HARD BAKE (Optional)', p.1 of both the Thick SUEX Data Sheet (June 2020) and the Thin SUEX Data Sheet (Rev 6/2020)" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "mems-structural", "electroplating-molding" ], "etchResistance": null, "liftoffSuitable": null, "platingSuitable": true, "stripper": "SUEX is not intended to be removed once processed: 'SUEX is generally used as a permanent highly cross-linked film and is not intended to be removed.' For film that has not been hard baked, an NMP-based remover may lift it from the substrate; hard-baked film is generally removed only with CO2 laser ablation equipment. Source: 'REMOVAL', p.1 of both the Thick SUEX Data Sheet (June 2020) and the Thin SUEX Data Sheet (Rev 6/2020).", "storage": "Store in the original black packaging in a standard, temperature-controlled environment between 18°C (65°F) and 25°C (77°F); shelf life is up to 2 years from date of manufacture under those conditions. Source: 'STORAGE', p.1 of both the Thick SUEX Data Sheet (June 2020) and the Thin SUEX Data Sheet (Rev 6/2020).", "notes": "SUEX is DJ MicroLaminates' cationically-cured epoxy dry-film photoresist, supplied as thin (20-75 µm) and thick (100 µm-1 mm) laminate sheets rather than spin-coated, making it a common choice for high-aspect-ratio MEMS structures, wafer-level-packaging molds, and electroplating templates where single-pass spin-coat thickness limits become impractical. Because it laminates onto the substrate via a heated roller rather than a spindle, its process is defined by roller temperature, speed and pressure instead of a spin curve, and its exposure dose, post-exposure bake and develop time are all published as thickness-binned tables rather than single values — treat the row matching the target sheet thickness as the starting point. The datasheet explicitly identifies the cured film as a permanent, highly cross-linked structural layer 'not intended to be removed', strippable only with an NMP-based remover before hard bake or by CO2 laser ablation after, so it is suited to permanent-structure and plating-mold applications rather than a sacrificial lift-off role.", "developerFamily": "solvent", "references": [ { "type": "paper", "title": "SUEX process optimization for ultra-thick high-aspect ratio LIGA imaging", "authors": "Johnson et al.", "journal": "Proc. SPIE 7972, Advances in Resist Materials and Processing Technology XXVIII", "year": 2011, "doi": "10.1117/12.882872", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1117/12.882872", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "Optimizes the processing of SUEX thick dry film sheets for ultra-thick, high-aspect-ratio X-ray LIGA imaging. Names this exact product in its title and is the closest thing in the literature to a process-development paper on the material itself.", "note": "SPIE conference proceedings, not a journal article. Verified via Crossref metadata (title, authors, venue, year); the SPIE full text was not fetchable in-session, so the summary paraphrases the title only." }, { "type": "paper", "title": "Dry Film Photoresist-Based Microfabrication: A New Method to Fabricate Millimeter-Wave Waveguide Components", "authors": "Farjana et al.", "journal": "Micromachines", "year": 2021, "doi": "10.3390/mi12030260", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12030260", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "Laminated SUEX dry film sheets to build a ridge gap waveguide resonator operating above 200 GHz, using a 40 um base layer and 200, 50 and 20 um sheets for the structure layers. A worked example of stacking several sheet thicknesses to reach a target structure height.", "note": "Names this exact product: 'SUEX epoxy dry film (DJ MICROLAMINATES Inc.) sheets of 6-inch wafer cut sizes and different thicknesses were used' (Materials). Cited as multi-layer lamination evidence; it is a device paper and does not characterize the resist itself." }, { "type": "paper", "title": "Dry Film Resist Laminated Microfluidic System for Electrical Impedance Measurements", "authors": "Cao et al.", "journal": "Micromachines", "year": 2021, "doi": "10.3390/mi12060632", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3390/mi12060632", "accessedDate": "2026-07-16", "summary": "A three-level lamination process for a microfluidic chip with embedded, vertically arranged microelectrodes, used for electrical impedance spectroscopy of trapped micro-objects. Demonstrates repeated lamination steps building a multi-level structure without spin coating.", "note": "Uses the SUEX K25 grade (25 um, the thin-film line of the two lines this page covers), named in Materials: '25 um thick SUEX K25 DFR and mr-Dev600 developer were purchased from micro resist technology GmbH' (a European distributor of DJ MicroLaminates' product)." } ], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "How do I laminate SUEX without trapping bubbles or wrinkles?", "a": "SUEX is applied with a heated roll laminator, not spin-coated: rollers at 60–70°C, 5–10 psi (30–65 kPa) and 0.5–1.5 ft/min (0.15–0.5 m/min), with thicker films run slightly slower. Peel the clear PET cover off immediately before lamination and keep the sheet from touching the substrate until under 1 cm from the rollers. Over topography, or for thick films, use vacuum lamination.", "source": "SUEX Data Sheets (Thick June 2020 / Thin Rev 6/2020) — LAMINATION, p.1" }, { "q": "Why is my SUEX cracking after post-exposure bake?", "a": "Cool slowly — the datasheet says to ramp down over 3–5 hours after PEB for minimum cracks and best adhesion. PEB itself is thickness-binned: thick SUEX bakes at 85°C for 30–45 min, thin SUEX for 5 min at 85–95°C; a lower-stress option is an 85°C oven for 30–60 min. Remove the PET coversheet before PEB.", "source": "SUEX Data Sheets (Thick June 2020 / Thin Rev 6/2020) — POST EXPOSURE BAKE (PEB), Table 1, p.1–2" }, { "q": "Does SUEX need a bake after lamination, and how do I improve adhesion?", "a": "A post-lamination bake is normally not needed or recommended, but for improved adhesion and surface quality you may bake the laminated article on a hotplate at 80–85°C for 5 min. Adhesion promoters are typically not useful; instead ensure the substrate is free of organic contamination and metal oxides and is cleaned and dried immediately before lamination.", "source": "SUEX Data Sheets (Thick June 2020 / Thin Rev 6/2020) — BAKE and SUBSTRATE PREPARATION, p.1" }, { "q": "How is SUEX developed?", "a": "Develop at room temperature in a two-bath PGMEA system, face down with mild agitation; develop time is thickness-binned (Table 1) rather than a single value — for example 35 min for a 100 µm thick sheet up to 140 min at 500 µm. Rinse by washing in isopropyl alcohol, then immerse in clean IPA for 1–5 minutes.", "source": "SUEX Data Sheets (Thick June 2020 / Thin Rev 6/2020) — DEVELOPMENT and RINSE/DRY, Table 1, p.1–2" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://djmicrolaminates.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Thick-SUEX-Data-Sheet-June-2020.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "June 2020 (Thick SUEX Data Sheet, Rev June 2020; sibling Thin SUEX Data Sheet, Rev 6/2020)", "accessedDate": "2026-07-11", "secondarySources": [ { "url": "https://djmicrolaminates.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Thin-SUEX-Data-Sheet-June-2020.pdf", "what": "Thin SUEX (20-75 µm) Data Sheet, Rev 6/2020 — the source of the thin-film Table 1 process conditions and the 20-75 µm stated thickness range; read jointly with the Thick datasheet since 'SUEX' is one product family spanning both sheets." } ] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-07-11", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "humanVerified": false }, { "slug": "ti-35e", "name": "TI 35E", "manufacturer": "MicroChemicals GmbH", "productLine": "TI series", "aliases": [ "TI 35E", "TI35E", "TI 35-E" ], "tone": "image-reversal", "chemistry": null, "photoimageable": true, "grayscaleSuitable": false, "grayscaleNote": "Not addressed. The process is a binary image-reversal sequence with a cross-linking reversal bake, and the datasheet's whole emphasis is on a controlled negative wall profile for lift-off, not on a graded dose response.", "status": "active", "successorSlug": null, "summary": "TI 35E is MicroChemicals' image-reversal resist, coating 3.0-4.5 µm and run with a 115-120 °C reversal bake and a flood exposure to produce the undercut wall that lifts off evaporated films up to 6 µm thick.", "thicknessRange": { "min_um": 3, "max_um": 4.5, "basis": "stated", "source": "stated — 'The viscosity of the resist leads to a thickness range depending on the spin-speed from 3.0-4.5 µm' (General Information, p.1), repeated as 'Resist thickness (µm) 3.0... 4.5' in the process overview table (p.6)." }, "spinCurves": [], "spinNotes": "No spin curve is plotted or tabulated. The datasheet gives the 3.0-4.5 µm range and one anchor inside it — 'With spin-speed of 3000 rpm a resist thickness of 3.6 µm will be achieved' (p.1) — which is a single point, not a sweep. The only other coating instruction is to hold the final speed for at least 30-40 s. Accel, dispense volume and edge-bead removal are not published. Note the edge effect the document does flag: on square substrates the film at the edges runs significantly thicker than 3-4 µm, which is why it tells you to double the post-exposure delay there.", "adhesion": { "hmds": true, "notes": "Two routes are given. Dehydrate on a hotplate at a minimum of 120 °C for 10 min (or 30 min in a furnace at the same temperature) to drive off adsorbed water, or prime with HMDS — 'only from vapor phase at an optimum substrate temperature of 125°C'. For SiNx surfaces the sheet adds that using ammonia during the PECVD deposition improves resist adhesion." }, "rehydration": null, "softbake": { "temp_c": 95, "time_s": 120, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "95 °C for 2 min on a hotplate. A furnace alternative of 95 °C for 20 min is given.", "source": "Processing the TI 35E, p.4" }, "exposureDose": { "doses": [ { "wavelength_nm": null, "value_mJcm2": 140, "source": "Processing the TI 35E, p.4 ('at a dose of 140 mJ/cm2') and the process overview table, p.6 ('100 .. 250, 140 (typ.)')" } ], "headlineBasis": "broadband, calibrated at 365 nm", "basisCopy": "140 mJ/cm² is the typical first exposure, with 100-250 mJ/cm² the working range. The lamp is broadband or g/h/i-line; the number is metered on the 365 nm line rather than specified as a monochromatic i-line dose." }, "holds": [ { "at": "after-expose", "label": "Hold", "duration": "≥10 min at room temperature", "source": "p.4: 'Keep the coated substrate at room temperature after the exposure for at least 10 minutes'" } ], "peb": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 115, "max": 120 }, "time_s": 120, "method": "hotplate", "notes": "This is the image-reversal bake, not a conventional post-exposure bake — it cross-links the exposed areas so they survive development, and it occupies the PEB position in the sequence. 115-120 °C for 2 min on a hotplate. The datasheet calls the step 'very temperature critical' and for that reason advises against doing it in a furnace at all (a 115 °C / 20 min furnace equivalent is given but not recommended). It must be preceded by a room-temperature hold of at least 10 minutes after exposure (p.4).", "source": "Processing the TI 35E, p.4, and the process overview table, p.6 ('Reversal Bake Time (Hot plate Temperature) — 2 min (115-120°C)')" }, "floodExposure": { "dose_mJcm2": 540, "notes": "Flood exposure without a mask, after the reversal bake. 540 mJ/cm² is typical and the step is deliberately forgiving — the datasheet puts the working range at 200-800 mJ/cm² and says it 'has not a dominant effect'. Push toward the high end when the film will later see deposition above 80 °C, or UV during plasma coating, to avoid nitrogen bubbles forming in the resist.", "source": "Processing the TI 35E, p.4, and the process overview table, p.6 ('Flood exposure (mJ/cm-2) (without any mask) — 540 (typ.), 200-800')" }, "develop": { "developer": "AZ 826 MIF (metal-ion-free), or a potassium- or sodium-based developer — AZ 400K diluted 1:4, or AZ 351B", "dilution": "AZ 400K at 1:4; no dilution is stated for AZ 826 MIF or AZ 351B.", "time_s": null, "method": null, "rinse": null, "source": "Processing the TI 35E, p.5, and the process overview table, p.6 ('Developer — Clariant AZ 351B, MIF Developers e.g. AZ 826')" }, "hardbake": { "temp_c": null, "tempRange_c": { "min": 140, "max": 145 }, "time_s": 120, "method": "hotplate", "optional": true, "condition": "only for hard etching — avoid for lift-off", "notes": "'Hardbake the coated substrate only when using the resist as an etching mask under harsh conditions' (Processing the TI 35E, p.5) — 140-145 °C for 2 min on a hotplate. The datasheet is blunt about the cost: the side-wall loses its undercut during this bake and lift-off becomes problematic afterwards. If a process needs both a hardbake and lift-off, it points to UV-curing after development instead. Two other bakes appear for specific etches, so check which one your process wants: 125 °C for 2 min for SiNx in 12.5 % HF buffered oxide etch (p.3), and — for mesa grooving — 120-145 °C for 2 min on p.3 against 140-145 °C for 2 min on p.5. Those last two describe the same application and do not agree; the tighter 140-145 °C window is the one the summary table carries, and the wider one opens the low end by 20 °C.", "source": "Processing the TI 35E, p.5, the fields-of-application section, p.3, and the process overview table, p.6" }, "descum": null, "applications": [ "lift-off", "image-reversal", "etch-mask" ], "etchResistance": "Built for wet chemistry. In 12.5 % HF buffered oxide etch, after a 125 °C / 2 min hardbake, the sheet reports no visible degradation over 10 min and structuring of SiNx to at least 100 nm. On thick thermal SiO2 in 20 % HF it again reports no visible degradation after 10 min, and says concentrated 50 % HF is possible for several minutes. For direct mesa grooving the TI series etches Si without an SiO2 mask, using HNO3 (70 %) : HF (50 %) : H2O at 75 : 10 : 25 to cut a groove up to 4 µm deep in 45 s.", "liftoffSuitable": true, "platingSuitable": null, "stripper": "AZ 100 remover, or acetone. For lifting off the deposited film the sheet lists PGMEA, NMP, MMP, EEP, DMF, acetone and ethyl lactate.", "storage": null, "notes": "TI 35E is run in image-reversal mode, which is why the exposure mask has to be inverted: the areas exposed through the mask are the ones that survive. The sequence adds two steps to an ordinary positive process — the reversal bake and a maskless flood exposure — and needs no new equipment beyond that. The payoff is the negative wall profile, and the first exposure is the knob that sets it: 140 mJ/cm² suits most work, and lowering it opens the undercut further, at the cost of eroding the areas that are supposed to clear if taken too far. At 3.6 µm coated from 3000 rpm the sheet rates the undercut for lifting off evaporated films up to 6 µm thick, with typical feature aspect ratios of 1.6 to 2.0; sputtered films reach roughly 1 µm instead, because the deposition is not directional, and may need ultrasonic help. One step is easy to skip and shouldn't be: after the first exposure the wafer rests at room temperature for at least 10 minutes so the nitrogen generated during exposure can diffuse out, doubled for square substrates whose edge bead runs thicker. The other trap is the reversal bake temperature, which the datasheet flags as the critical one and the reason it steers you off furnace baking.", "developerFamily": "tmah-or-buffered-alkaline", "references": [], "troubleshooting": [ { "q": "My TI 35E image-reversal results change from run to run — how tight is the reversal bake window?", "a": "Tight. The datasheet calls the reversal bake very temperature-critical: 115–120 °C for 2 min on a hotplate, and it advises against a furnace. MicroChemicals' image-reversal note asks for ±1–2 °C. Too cool, and even the exposed surface does not convert, so the film erodes in the developer and loses dimensional accuracy. Too hot converts the weakly exposed resist near the substrate, which shrinks the undercut and slows development. Thick, massive or poorly conducting substrates need their own bake optimisation.", "source": "TI 35E technical data sheet (MicroChemicals, revised 08/2016) — Processing the TI 35E, p.4; Overview, p.6; Image Reversal Resists and Their Processing (MicroChemicals) — The Image Reversal Bake Step, Influence of Substrate and Equipment, p.2" }, { "q": "Not enough undercut on TI 35E for lift-off — what do I change first?", "a": "The first (masked) exposure dose. The datasheet says it sets the undercut: lower it for more undercut, with 140 mJ/cm² (i-line calibrated) a good choice for most applications. Don't go too low, though: an underdosed first exposure dramatically increases erosion of the resist that should stay. Then use over-development. Once the pattern has cleared, keep developing for another 10–30 % of the total time to finish the sidewall profile. Check narrow resist lines don't lift as the undercut grows.", "source": "TI 35E technical data sheet (MicroChemicals, revised 08/2016) — Processing the TI 35E, pp.4–5; Image Reversal Resists and Their Processing (MicroChemicals) — The First Exposure, p.1; Formation of the Undercut, p.3" }, { "q": "Crater-like defects show up in TI 35E after development — where do they come from?", "a": "Nitrogen bubbles. TI 35E is DNQ-based and releases N2 on exposure; if the reversal bake softens the film before the gas has diffused out, bubbles form and later appear as craters. The datasheet asks for at least 10 min at room temperature between the first exposure and the reversal bake, doubled on square substrates where the edges coat much thicker than 3–4 µm. If a later deposition heats the film above 80 °C, or a plasma supplies UV, use a high flood dose to avoid N2 bubbles then.", "source": "TI 35E technical data sheet (MicroChemicals, revised 08/2016) — Processing the TI 35E, p.4; Image Reversal Resists and Their Processing (MicroChemicals) — Formation of Bubbles in the Resist Film, p.2" }, { "q": "TI 35E areas that should clear stay partly undeveloped after the flood exposure — is the flood dose too low?", "a": "Possibly, though the flood is forgiving. The datasheet's typical flood is 540 mJ/cm² without a mask, and anything from 200 to 800 mJ/cm² makes no dominant difference. MicroChemicals' image-reversal note adds that overexposure does not damage the process, since the reversal bake has made the first-exposed areas insensitive, though a high flood dose can release enough nitrogen to form bubbles or cracks. The film is also anhydrous after the reversal bake and must rehydrate before the flood, especially above about 3 µm. Develop in AZ 826 MIF, or AZ 400K diluted 1:4.", "source": "TI 35E technical data sheet (MicroChemicals, revised 08/2016) — Processing the TI 35E, pp.4–5; Overview, p.6; Image Reversal Resists and Their Processing (MicroChemicals) — The Flood Exposure, p.3" }, { "q": "After hard baking TI 35E, lift-off stopped working — why?", "a": "The hard bake removed the undercut. The datasheet reserves the hard bake (140–145 °C, 2 min on a hotplate) for harsh etch masks and mesa grooving, and warns the sidewall loses its undercut, which makes lift-off more problematic. For lift-off, skip it. If you need a hardened film and lift-off, or very high deposition temperatures, UV-cure the resist after development instead. Lift off in PGMEA, NMP, MMP, EEP, DMF, acetone or ethyl lactate.", "source": "TI 35E technical data sheet (MicroChemicals, revised 08/2016) — Processing the TI 35E, p.5; Overview, p.6" } ], "provenance": { "datasheetUrl": "https://www.microchemicals.com/dokumente/datenblaetter/tds/mc/en/tds_ti_35e.pdf", "datasheetVersionOrDate": "revised 08/2016", "accessedDate": "2026-09-10", "secondarySources": [] }, "tier": "datasheet", "dateAdded": "2026-09-10", "dateModified": "2026-09-28", "humanVerified": false } ] }