The next generation of maskless lithography

Abstract

The essential goal for fast prototyping of microstructures is to reduce the cycle time. Conventional methods up to now consist of creating designs with a CAD software, then fabricating or purchasing a Photomask and finally using a mask aligner to transfer the pattern to the photoresist. The new Maskless Aligner (MLA) enables to expose the pattern directly without fabricating a mask, which results in a significantly shorter prototyping cycle. To achieve this short prototyping cycle, the MLA has been improved in many aspects compared to other direct write lithography solutions: exposure speed, user interface, ease of operation and flexibility.