| Description |
Photolithography is an essential process in the semiconductor industry. It is the method by which the transistor has chased Moore's law from the centimeter realm to the nanometer realm, a multi-millionfold reduction over the last 60 years. This continuous scaling has underpinned the rapid evolution of modern technology as access to ever increasing computational power has become a widespread commodity. Traditional tools for this process prove to be cost-prohibitive and bar those without large financial backing from exploring the potential applications of photolithography. We propose and construct a low-cost desktop-scale maskless photolithography stepper based on designs by the open source group HackerFab and validate its functionality by patterning UV curable resin. A digital micromirror device (DMD) is used to produce patterns without need for development of physical masks, increasing the variability and versatility of the device. We demonstrate the system's capability by producing features on the order of 10 μm and discuss its potential as an accessible educational and research tool for environments without conventional nanofabrication facilities. |
