Revised SOW-DevelopmentStation-ResistRemovalHood.pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK/SPECIFICATIONS:

DEVELOPMENT STATION-RESIST REMOVAL HOOD

Research Need:

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)/Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology (CNST) enables science and industry by providing essential measurement methods, instrumentation, and standards to support all phases of nanotechnology development from discovery to production. The Nanofabrication Operations Group of the CNST has the mission of advancing measurement science by developing novel nanofabrication and nanomanufacturing techniques. NIST’s CNST NanoFab seeks to acquire a solvent-based chemical hood with two heated photoresist removal tanks, a cascade de-ionized water rinse and a sink with de-ionized water, for installation into a class-100 multi-user CNST NanoFab cleanroom facility. The clean room facility is located at the NIST Gaithersburg, MD site and is used as a shared resource that is accessible to researchers from industry, academia, NIST, and other government agencies. The added capability will allow us to reproducibly remove photoresist from: full boat of 5-inch and 6-inch (6025 plates) in standard multi-photomask holders; and a full boat of 25 wafer semi-spec semiconductor silicon substrates with diameters of 100 mm and 150 mm. The solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood allows for repeatable lithographic processing of semiconductor substrates, thereby ensuring product performance, quality, and reliability. This capability will be available in the CNST NanoFab as a resource accessible to NIST and external researchers.

NIST’s CNST NanoFab seeks to acquire solvent-based chemical hood with two heated photoresist removal tanks, a cascade de-ionized water rinse and a sink with de-ionized water, that accommodates: single full boat of 5-inch masks in a single standard multi-photomask holder;

single full boat of ten 6-inch (6025 plates) photomasks in a standard 6025 multi-photomask holder;

and a full boat of 25 wafer semi-spec semiconductor silicon substrates with diameters of 100 mm and 150 mm. In support of a variety of NIST mission critical programs that are coupled to the CHIPS metrology R&D component, this system will be used to remove lithographically exposed photoresists from wafers and photomasks. The CNST NanoFab has numerous NIST mission-critical and external projects, including the NIST-on-a-chip nanophotonic and nanoelectronic efforts, that utilize lithographically precise feature definition of nanoscale fabricated photonic structures, and active structures for single-electron based nanoelectronic applications. The solvent photoresist removal chemical hood system will allow for efficient removal of polymerically coated wafers and lithographically patterned photoresists nanoscale features, which in turn allows for repeatability that’s required for manufacturing of well-defined devices and reliable production of nanoscale semiconductors. Therefore, the solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood is a crucial component for NIST researchers to reliably deliver state-of-the-art, standard reference test structures. The solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood shall accommodate full boxes of semi-spec substrate sizes up to 150 mm diameter semi-spec silicon substrates and full boxes of photomasks up to semi-spec 6-inch (6025) square photomasks.

This new solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood system will be used to simplify and standardize photoresist removal processes, help to minimize chemical usage, improve process repeatability, improve safety for the facility users. The overall performance and the success of the numerous existing and future NIST mission critical projects carried out in the CNST NanoFab will depend critically on the ability to reproducibly remove photoresist and other polymeric layers from substrates (photomasks and semiconductor substrates) with the solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood system.

In support of the CHIPS Act, the National Institute of Standards and Technology is acquiring nano fabrication and nano characterization equipment that will address the major metrology research and development grand challenges for the reliable production of next-generation microelectronic devices.

Minimum Requirements

The system shall meet or exceed the following technical specifications identified below. All items must be new. Used or remanufactured equipment will not be considered for award.

Experimental, prototype, or custom items will not be considered. The use of “gray market” components not authorized for sale in the U.S. by the proposer is not acceptable.

All line items shall be shipped in the original manufacturer’s packaging and include all original documentation and software, when applicable.

The solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood:

1. The solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood shall be constructed of stainless steel and other materials compatible with NMP-based chemistries.

2. The solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood shall contain two stainless steel heated tanks that are compatible with NMP-based photoresist removing solvents.

3. The stainless-steel heated tanks within the solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood shall be constructed of stainless steel.

4. The space between the two stainless-steel heated tanks within the solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood shall have a continuous stainless steel sloped section to efficiently collect the any dripping solvent.

5. The stainless-steel heated tanks within the solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood shall have recirculating pumps and filters.

6. The stainless-steel heated tanks within solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood shall be capable of achieving and continuously maintaining a temperature of 80 degree Celsius.

7. The stainless-steel heated tanks within solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood shall have over-temperature protection in compliance with NFPA 318.

8. The stainless-steel heated tanks within solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood shall have leak detection and low-liquid level sensors interlocked with tank heater controls.

9. The solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood shall be capable of transferring the contents from one of the heated tanks to the other.

10. The solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood shall be capable of transferring the contents of both heated tanks to a dedicated drain for waste collection into a carboy.

11. The solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood shall be equipped with a deionized-water-based dump-rinse tank.

12. The solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood shall be equipped with a sink, with deionized water gooseneck dispenser.

13. Within the solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood, the heated tanks, dump-rinse tank, and sink shall be capable of accommodating the full immersion of a single standard photomask cassette filled with 10 semi-spec 6025 (6-inch by 6-inch square, 0.250 inch thick) photomask plates.

14. The solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood shall have the following configuration from left to right:

a. Left-most shall be the sink with a deionized water gooseneck

b. Directly to the right of the sink shall be the cascading deionized-water dunk-rinse

c. Directly to the right cascading deionized-water dunk rinse shall be the heated bath with the recirculation and filtration

d. The right most slot shall be the heated tank

15. The heated tanks within the solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood shall have a stainless-steel cover that’s hinged and accommodates the semi-spec standard full mask and wafer Teflon boats and the respective Teflon handles.

16. The solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood shall be mounted in a through-wall configuration with all utility connections in the rear panel.

17. The solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood shall be an open-face and sash-less design.

18. The solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood shall have at least one DI water spray nozzle.

19. The solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood shall have at least one high-purity nitrogen spray gun.

20. The solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood shall have the following footprint:

a. The overall depth of the system shall not exceed 44 inches.

b. The overall width of the system shall not exceed 72 inches.

c. The overall height of the system shall not exceed 80 inches.

21. The electrical utility requirement for the solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood shall accommodate standard 208VAC 3-phase US electrical supply.

22. All wiring methods used in the solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood shall be compliant with NFPA 79 and NFPA 318.

23. The solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood shall have exhaust pressure monitor interlocked with power.

24. The solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood shall have safety interlocks to keep NanoFab user community safe.

25. The solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood shall have CO2 fire suppression with UV/IR sensors in accordance with NFPA 318.

26. The solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood shall have a minimum of 1-year warranty from date of government acceptance. The vendor shall repair or replace at its cost, any defective items without any additional cost to the government including travel, labor, parts, or any other expense.

27. The seller shell coordinate shipment and installation of the solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood with the end user. The seller shall provide an onsite install and process engineer for the installation, process support and qualification of the solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood.

28. The seller shall provide training on the solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood for the end user. Training for up to 4 people shall be done at NIST at the time of installation. Training will include at least two days of detailed information to maintain, repair, and troubleshoot problems that can arise during normal operation.

29. Vendor shall provide list of included parts in recommended spares kit. If vendor offers different levels of recommended spares kits, provide information and pricing about all of them.

Warranty

The solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood shall have a minimum of 1-year warranty from date of government acceptance. The vendor shall repair or replace at its cost, any defective items without any additional cost to the government including travel, labor, parts, or any other expense.

Inspection/Acceptance

The solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood system shall meet or exceed the minimum specifications described above. The seller shall coordinate shipment of the automated development and chrome etch system with the end user.

Following vendor installation, testing of the automated development and chrome etch system will be performed on-site in the manner outlined below.

At the NIST CNST NanoFab, Semi-spec silicon wafers or semi-spec silicon wafers with dielectric films such as an insulating silicon dioxide layer will be RCA cleaned in the following manner:

a) The wafers will be placed into a SC-1 clean mixture, consisting of ammonium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide, for 10 minutes at 80 degrees Celsius.

b) Wafers will be rinsed in deionized (DI) water.

c) For processing of bare silicon substrates, the wafers will be placed into a room-temperature dilute hydrofluoric acid solution to remove native oxides, and then water rinsed.

d) The wafers will then be placed into a SC-2 clean mixture, consisting of hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide, for 10 minutes at 80 degrees Celsius.

e) Substrates will be DI water rinsed and nitrogen dried.

f) Substrates will then be vapor primed in an automated HMDS oven

g) Using our automated resist-coater, the substrates will then be coated with a positive tone photoresist

h) A wafer box of 25 substrates will be:

a. Exposed in the automated ASML5500 i-line projection stepper where critical dimensions down to 400 nm will be printed

b. Exposed in the MLA-150 maskless aligner where critical dimensions down to 1 micrometer will be printed

c. Not exposed and left as blanket coated wafers

i) The exposed substrates will undergo a post-exposure bake and developed using our automated development system.

j) The 25 blanket-coated and exposed substrates will then be loaded a standard 25 wafer cassette holder and immersed into the first resist removal bath at 80 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes. Directly following, the cassette of 25 wafers will be transferred into the second resist removal bath at 80 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes. The cassette of 25 wafers will then be transferred into the deionized-water cascade rinser, that will be end-user activated with a push of the button, until the resistivity reaches 14 MOhm-cm. The cassette of 25 wafers will be transferred into a spin-rinse-dryer.

k) Using optical and scanning electron microscopy, we will inspect that the photoresist was successfully removed from all regions on the substrate.

Resist removal from the photomask shall be accomplished using vendor supplied, industry standard semi-spec 6025 (6-inch square, 0.25 inch thick) quartz photomasks with a layer of chrome with a top-layer of positive tone photoresist, we will expose a resolution pattern onto the mask using our mask writer. The resolution pattern has feature dimensions down to 0.8 micrometers. Following the exposure, single standard photomask cassette filled with 10 semi-spec 6025 (6-inch by 6-inch square, 0.250 inch thick) photomask plates will be immersed into the first resist removal bath at 80 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes. Directly following, the cassette filled with 10 semi-spec 6025 (6-inch by 6-inch square, 0.250 inch thick) photomask plates will be transferred and immersed into the second resist removal bath at 80 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes. The cassette filled with 10 semi-spec 6025 (6-inch by 6-inch square, 0.250 inch thick) photomask plates will then be transferred into the deionized-water cascade rinser, that will be end-user activated with a push of the button, until the resistivity reaches 14 MOhm-cm. The dried using an automated spin-rinse-dryer. Using optical microscopy, we will inspect that the photoresist was successfully removed from all regions on the photomasks.

An extended inspection/acceptance period of seven (7) days shall be required.

Delivery

The solvent-based photoresist removal chemical hood shall be received within 7 months after award of the contract. The CNST NanoFab will require 30 days from delivery to site the system and connect facilities. Vendor is responsible for tool startup, demonstration of specifications, and training including travel, labor, or any other expense. During tool startup, vendor is responsible for running qualification substrates, working with NIST engineer, to demonstrate process capability.