Apogee Bake Plate
About
Process: These are digital hot plates optimized for controlled baking of photoresists, polymers, and thin films. They provide uniform heating with precise temperature and time control, essential for soft bake, post-exposure bake (PEB), hard bake, and curing steps in lithography workflows.
Hardware: Four Apogee hot plates (labeled 1–4) with flat, large-area heating surfaces. Digital temperature controllers for accurate setpoint and stability. Timer function for programmable bake cycles. Located in the resist fume hood for safe solvent evaporation and fume extraction during baking.
Key Features:
- Precise digital temperature control
- Uniform heating surface
- Timer for reproducible bake times
- Four units available for parallel processing or dedicated resists
- Cleanroom-compatible design
Applications:
- Soft bake of photoresists (solvent removal, adhesion)
- Post-exposure bake (PEB) for chemically amplified resists
- Hard bake / post-develop bake (pattern stabilization)
- Curing of spin-on dielectrics or polymers
- Pre-bake of adhesion promoters (HMDS)
Usage: Place substrate on hot plate (use vacuum chuck if available, or tweezers), set temperature and time, start bake, monitor process, remove after completion (allow cooling if needed), clean surface after use. Use in fume hood only. Never leave unattended at high temperatures.
Detailed Specifications
- Model: Apogee Bake Plates (four units)
- Location: Resist Fume Hood – Advanced Photo Bay (Bake Plates 1–4)
- Features: Digital temperature control, timer, uniform heating, cleanroom-compatible
- Temperature range: Ambient to high temperature (confirm max on each unit, typically ~200–300°C for resist baking)
- Restrictions: Use only for approved resists/polymers; avoid corrosive chemicals or direct contact with acids/bases; clean surface between users
- Other: Essential for consistent lithography results; multiple units allow dedicated bakes (e.g., one for SU-8, one for AZ)
Documentation
- SOP – Apogee Hotplate
- Training required – contact lab staff (Chandan Ramakrishnaiah or Shivakumar Bhaskaran)
Recipes & Data
- Standard Bake Recipes: Common settings include:
* Photoresist soft bake (AZ/SPR): 90–110°C, 60–90 s * Post-exposure bake (PEB): 100–130°C, 60–120 s * Hard bake: 120–180°C, 2–5 min * SU-8 curing: 95°C pre-bake + 150–200°C post-bake (multi-step) * HMDS vapor prime alternative: 120–150°C, 1–2 min
- Process Control: Verify temperature uniformity with thermocouple if critical. Measure resist thickness post-bake (ellipsometer/profilometer). Check for uniformity and cracking visually.
- Notes: Allow pre-heat stabilization (10–20 min) for best uniformity. Use foil or dedicated trays to protect plate from spills. Clean surface with IPA after each use. Avoid exceeding resist recommended temperatures.