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A Customizable and Low-Cost Ultraviolet Exposure System for Photolithography.

David Eun Reynolds1, Olivia Lewallen2, George Galanis1

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|December 23, 2022
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Summary

Researchers developed an affordable, portable UV exposure system for microfluidic device fabrication. This user-friendly system offers comparable quality to commercial mask aligners at a fraction of the cost.

Keywords:
UV exposure systemdroplet microfluidicslow-costphotolithographyportable

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Area of Science:

  • Microfluidics
  • Photolithography
  • UV Curing

Background:

  • Microfluidic device fabrication relies on UV light for photoresist patterning.
  • Commercial mask aligners are expensive, large, and inaccessible for many research settings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop an inexpensive, customizable, and lightweight UV exposure system.
  • To provide an accessible alternative for microfluidic device fabrication.

Main Methods:

  • Fabricated a portable UV exposure system costing under $200.
  • Incorporated an adjustable wafer holder for optimal curing distance.
  • Utilized a light diffusing film to achieve high light uniformity across a 4" wafer.

Main Results:

  • Achieved light uniformity with ~2.9% intensity error, comparable to commercial systems (~4.0% error).
  • Successfully fabricated high-quality microfluidic devices and uniform microdroplets.
  • Demonstrated comparable results to those obtained using a commercial mask aligner (ABM 3000HR).

Conclusions:

  • The developed portable UV exposure system is a cost-effective and user-friendly solution for microfluidic device fabrication.
  • This system provides comparable photolithography quality to expensive commercial equipment.
  • Enables accessible microfluidic device fabrication in homemade cleanroom environments.