The Cornell NanoScale Science and Technology Facility (CNF) has forged a new research partnership with the German company SUSS MicroTec, a supplier of equipment and process solutions for the semiconductor industry.

Cornell staff will perform research using SUSS lithography equipment, including enhanced contact aligner tool sets and a gamma spray coater. In turn, CNF will serve SUSS MicroTec as a support lab for research applications and customer demonstrations. The new equipment is expected to be available to CNF users early in 2011.

The lithography equipment to be installed at CNF includes two specialized mask aligner toolsets for the SUSS MA/BA6 aligner. The technology provides an inexpensive means of defining features of 10 nanometers or less with high reproducibility by using a full-size imprint stamp and MO Exposure Optics, a patented technique developed by SUSS MicroTec's affiliate company SUSS MicroOptics. This illumination technology extends the performance of standard lithography processes.

The Gamma lithography coater cluster will be used to support all resist processing operations at CNF. It includes facilities for development, baking and coating, including the SUSS spray coat module for high aspect ratio structures.

"The Gamma system manufactured by SUSS MicroTec will bring to CNF the high-end performance coat bake and develop capability that is really needed. Its stable, reproducible results and its process flexibility are a great match to the needs of our users," said Don Tennant, CNF director of operations.