Direct-write optical lithography: a fast and
flexible way to make microstructures
Dr Anthony Beguivin, Durham Magneto Optics Ltd
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Poor flexibility: need to manufacture
a new mask for each design

Not easy to perform greyscale
exposures: most masks are either
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“on” or “off”
Wafer size: typically up to 4”-8”
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Low end machines aren’t fully
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automated and require manual
adjustment
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High throughput: good choice for
high volume manufacturing
Optical lithography using a mask
aligner
Excellent flexibility: draw your design
on the computer and expose it
Poor flexibility: need to manufacture a new mask
immediately
for each design
 Greyscale exposures easy to perform:
Not easy to perform greyscale exposures: most
each pixel can be set to 256 intensity
masks are either “on” or “off”
levels for 3D patterning
Wafer size: typically up to 4”-8”
 Wafer size: up to 6”-8”
Miniature
display unit
Low end
machines
aren’t fully automated and
 Fully automated system: all
require manual adjustement
operations are controlled through
High throughput: good choice for high volume
software, no manual adjustment
manufacturing
needed
 Medium throughput: better choice
for R&D or low volume
manufacturing

Optical lithography using MicroWriter ML®3
www.durhammagnetooptics.com
MicroWriter ML®3
Baby
155mm x 155mm x
7mm
149mm x 149mm
1um
Yes
MicroWriter ML®3
Baby Plus
155mm x 155mm x
7mm
149mm x 149mm
1um and 5um
Yes
Yes
x10
Yes
x3 and x10
20mm2/minute at
1um resolution
20mm2/minute at 1um
resolution and
120mm2/minute at 5um
resolution
Overlay alignment accuracy at
best resolution
Minimum addressable grid
Motion stage minimum XY
step size
Optical surface profiler Z
resolution
Can be upgraded to
MicroWriter ML®3 Baby Plus?
±1um
±1um
25mm2/minute at 0.6um
resolution, 50mm2/minute
at 1um resolution, 100mm2
/minute at 2um resolution,
180mm2/minute at 5um
resolution
±0.5um
200nm
100nm
200nm
100nm
100nm
50nm
Not applicable
300nm
100nm
Yes
Not applicable
Not applicable
Can be upgraded to
MicroWriter ML®3?
Yes
Yes
Not applicable
Maximum substrate size
Maximum writing area
Exposure resolutions
Surface tracking autofocus
system?
Greyscale lithography?
Alignment microscope
objectives
Maximum writing speed
MicroWriter ML®3
230mm x 230mm x 15mm
195mm x 195mm
0.6um, 1um, 2um, 5um
Yes
100 nm alignment accuracy in x
Yes
300 nm alignment
in y
x3, x5, x10, accuracy
x20
www.durhammagnetooptics.com
MicroWriter ML®3: Photolithograpy system and optical surface profiler
Optical surface profiler Z
resolution
MicroWriter ML®3
Baby
Not applicable
MicroWriter ML®3
Baby Plus
300nm
www.durhammagnetooptics.com
MicroWriter ML®3
100nm
Application areas
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Microelectronics and semiconductors
Spintronics
MEMS / NEMS
Sensors
Microfluidics and lab-on-a-chip
Nanotechnology
Materials science
Graphene
and
other
2-dimensional
materials
www.durhammagnetooptics.com
For further information, visit our website
www.durhammagnetooptics.com
Email us: [email protected]
Or come talk to me!
GRAZIE!
www.durhammagnetooptics.com
www.durhammagnetooptics.com