2018 Neutronix-Quintel NxQ Model 9000 R2R enclosed roll-to-roll proximity photolithography exposure system

Neutronix-Quintel NxQ Model 9000 R2R enclosed roll-to-roll proximity photolithography exposure system

Designed for noncontact exposure of photoresist-coated continuous metal web, the system includes an enclosed exposure platform, mask/exposure stage, vacuum chuck and alignment hardware, integrated controls, mobile operator console, monitor, keyboard and stack-light status indicator.

Includes separate Northfield Automation unwind and rewind web-handling modules with roll spindles, rollers, control enclosures, emergency-stop controls and stack lights. The original process specification was developed around 320 mm-wide ferritic stainless-steel web, nominally 25-75 microns thick, in lengths from 50 to 200 m.

The signed purchase specification calls for a mercury-lamp proximity-exposure platform using a tool-specific 1 or 2 kW lamp, with provisions for 365 nm i-line and 436 nm g-line wavelength filters. The specified operating concept includes edge and pattern alignment, vacuum hold-down, stepped subfield alignment, noncontact exposure, vacuum release, web indexing and rewinding with interleave provisions.

Original design targets included:

• 300 × 300 mm full exposure field or four stepped 150 × 150 mm subfields
• Exposure-dose range of 50-400 mJ/cm²
• 3.0-micron line-and-space resolution with ±0.25-micron target tolerance
• ±2-micron layer-to-layer registration target
• 10-50 micron configurable mask-to-substrate proximity
• Minimum specified throughput of 0.375 m/min
• Web-speed selections including 0.2 and 0.5 m/min

These figures are original purchase-specification requirements and are not a representation of present accuracy, resolution, lamp condition, calibration or production performance. 

The specification also describes an optional Keyence ML-Z9500W/ML-Z9520W laser-ablation and scribing upgrade;

Main-system nameplate: Neutronix-Quintel NxQ 9000 R2R, Serial No. 802, 208 VAC, three-phase, 30 A, manufactured February 2018. Northfield Automation unwind/rewind modules are nameplated for 120 VAC, single-phase, 60 Hz service.