µMLA Maskless Aligner

CONFIGURABLE AND COMPACT TABLETOP MASKLESS ALIGNER WITH RASTER SCAN AND VECTOR EXPOSURE MODULES

Versatile Exposure Modes and Configurations

The µMLA offers flexibility through two distinct exposure modes:

Raster Scan Mode (standard): Ensures fast exposure with excellent image quality, maintaining consistent write times regardless of structure size and pattern density.

Vector Scan Mode (optional): Tailored for continuous, smooth curves, ideal for structures like waveguides, offering both speed and precision.

Three optical configurations enable a customizable balance between resolution and throughput, with easy switching to optimize for specific applications. Additional capabilities include:

Draw Mode: Allows real-time, on-the-fly adjustments to existing patterns and electrical contacts to nanowires or 2D materials.

Grayscale Mode: Supports 2.5D structuring for complex micro-optics.

The µMLA is a cutting-edge tabletop maskless lithography system, built on the robust µPG platform, which is the world’s best-selling maskless tabletop solution. Ideal as an entry-level tool for R&D and rapid prototyping, it enables high-precision microstructuring across diverse applications, including microfluidics (e.g., cell sorting devices, lab-on-a-chip), small-scale mask-writing, micro-optics and microlens arrays, sensor fabrication, MEMS, and patterning of 2D materials and fan-out electrodes.

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Direct-write Lithography

No mask-related costs, effort, or security risks

Exposure Quality

Edge roughness raster mode 100 nm; vector mode 30 nm; CD uniformity 200 nm

Exposure Speed

4″ wafer in 90 minutes

Grayscale Lithography

With up to 256 gray levels, the grayscale exposure capability is part of the standard configuration

Small Footprint

640 mm x 840 mm x 530 mm / 25″ x 33″ x 21″ – the smallest tabletop maskless lithography tool

Flexible Configuration

Choice of exposure wavelength; a choice of Raster and Vector Scan Modules

Flexible Use

Software enables easy switching for variable resolution and throughput speeds

User-friendly

Intuitive software and tool operation; easy handling of small samples

Plug-and-play Setup

Simplified plug-and-play installation reduces overall implementation time and saves costs

Raster Scan Exposure Mode

Fast with excellent image quality and fidelity; write time is independent of structure size or pattern density. LED light source at 365 nm or 390 nm

Optional Overview Camera

Fast and easy location of alignment marks or other features of interest on substrate

Vector Scan Exposure Mode

Patterning continuous structures consisting of curved lines – where smooth contours are required. Laser light source at 405 nm and/or 375 nm

Glovebox Integration

Glovebox for patterning of sensitive materials in a controlled Nitrogen environment

Optical Autofocus

Perfect exposure of small samples (<10 mm)

Exposure Area

Can be upgraded from 100 x 100 mm2 to 150 x 150 mm2

Three Optical Setups

Min. resolution of 0.6 µm, 1 µm and 3 µm; variable resolution within each mode

Draw Mode

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

Choice of Exposure, Wavelength and Source

Raster Scan Mode: LED light source at 365 nm or 390 nm. Vector Scan Mode: Laser light source at 405 nm and/or 375 nm

The μMLA also offers a standard Grayscale mode, which allows the creation of structures for a wide range of applications in micro-optics. This example shows micro-lenses written in 15 μm thick AZ4562, with a pitch of 30 μm and a radius of curvature of 16 μm.

A binary diffractive optical element (DOE) comprised of 1 µm² squares and exposed into 500 nm thick Shipley S1805.

A microfluidic system patterned using the μMLA.

Customer applications

Why customers choose our systems

"At DTU Nanolab, part of the Technical University of Denmark, we now have multiple maskless aligners from Heidelberg Instruments. These tools fit our research-based operation perfectly, while also providing versatile tools for many of our industrial customers. One specific observation we made since we got our maskless aligners was a significant drop in the number of new masks ordered for our mask aligners, which dropped from about 1 mask per day to about 1 mask per month. Overall, we are very happy with our maskless aligners, both from the personnel side and the user side."

Jens H. Hemmingsen, Process Specialist

DTU Nanolab, Lingby, Denmark

Technical Data

Writing Performance	Write Mode I *	Write Mode II *	Write Mode III *
2nd layer alignment over 50 x 50 mm² [nm]	1000	1000	2000
2nd layer alignment over 5 x 5 mm² [nm]	500	500	1000
CD uniformity [3σ, nm]	200	300	400
Address grid [nm]	20	50	100
Minimum lines and spaces [μm]	0.8	1.5	3
Minimum structure size [μm]	0.6	1	3

Write speed	with 390 nm LED / 365 nm LED	with 390 nm LED / 365 nm LED	with 390 nm LED
--	25 mm²/min at 2 µm	90 mm²/min at 4 µm	240 mm²/min at 6 µm
Optional write speeds at different minimum structure sizes with “Variable Resolution for Raster Scan Exposure Module”	18 mm²/min at 1 µm	60 mm²/min at 2 µm	160 mm²/min at 4 µm
Write speed	10 mm²/min at 0.6 µm	40 mm²/min at 1 µm	100 mm²/min at 3 µm

Writing performance	-	--	---
Available spot sizes in Vector Mode [µm]	0.6 / 1 / 2 / 5 / 10	1 / 2 / 5 / 10 / 25	3 / 5 / 10 / 25 /50
Maximum linear write speed in Vector Mode	200 mm/s	200 mm/s	200 mm/s
2nd layer alignment over 50 x 50 mm² [nm]	1000	1000	2000
2nd layer alignment over 5 x 5 mm² [nm]	500	500	1000
Address grid [nm]	20	20	20
Minimum feature size [µm]	0.6	1	3

System specifications	--
Maximum write area	150 x 150 mm2
Substrate thickness	0.1 to 12 mm
Minimum substrate size	5 x 5 mm2
Maximum substrate size	6″ x 6″

Installation requirements	--
Temperature stability	±1 °C
Cleanroom	ISO 6 recommended
Compressed air	6 - 10 bar
Electrical	230 VAC / 6A or 110 VAC / 12A (±5%, 50/60 Hz)

--	Raster scan exposure module	Vector exposure module
Light source	LED; 390 nm or 365 nm Laser;	405 nm and/or 375 nm

System dimensions (lithography unit)	--	---
Main system housing	640 mm (25") x 840 mm (33")	530 mm (21") x 130 kg (285 lbs)
µMLA	Width x Depth	Height x Weight

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* Only one write mode can be installed on the system

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Please note

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

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