There are three primary masks that are each associated with one of the wafer levels outlined below. The OUTLINE, TAB, RELEASE, and XZONE masks are extra masking levels that etch all layers on the wafer in preparation for the final release.
| Material layer | Lithography mask name | Field type | Lithography purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal1 | METAL1 | light | Defines the geometry of metal for electrical connections. Metal is 20 nm Ti, 20 nm Pt, 150 nm Au, 20 nm Pt, and 20 nm Ti. |
| Polyimide 1 | OUTLINE1 | dark | Defines the area to be released. |
| Polyimide 1 | TAB | light | Defines connective tabs to release area. |
| Polyimide 1 | OUTLINE2 | dark | Defines etch on either side of the connective tabs. |
| Polyimide 2 | VIA | dark | Defines via through holes from the polyimide 2 layer to the polyimide 1 layer. |
| Top metal | TOPMETAL | light | Defines the geometry of metal for electrical connections. Metal is 10 nm Ti and 90 nm Pt. |
| Substrate | RELEASE | light | Defines the area for laser release. |
| Substrate | XZONE | dark | Defines an exclusion zone during laser release. |
| Substrate | - | - | The substrate layer is removed by the end of the process. |
The below table summarizes Science’s naming conventions and design limitations for each masking level.
| Mneumonic mask name | GDS mask number | Min. feature width (µm) | Min. space (µm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| METAL1 | 10 | 4 | 6 |
| VIA | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| OUTLINE1 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| TAB | 21 | - | - |
| OUTLINE2 | 22 | - | - |
| TOPMETAL | 30 | 4 | 6 |
| RELEASE | 40 | - | - |
| XZONE | 41 | - | - |
OUTLINE, TAB, RELEASE, and XZONE masking levels
The final trench etch that separates the release area from the rest of the wafer is defined by the OUTLINE1 masking level which is itself defined by the TAB and OUTLINE2 masking levels. A full explanation of connective tabs can be found in the design standards section.
Mask to mask design rules
The TFE process has some rules specific to how each of the masks interact with one another.
| # | Rule | Min. Value (µm) | Function | Required? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | TOPMETAL encloses VIA | 10 | This ensures the metal layer completely fills the VIA mask hole. | No |
| B | METAL1 encloses VIA | 10 | This ensures the VIA mask only etches over the metal 1 layer. | No |
| C | Polyimide 2 alignment to polyimide 1 layer | ± 3 | The center of the polyimide 2 layer is deposited within ± 3 µm of the center of the polyimide 1 layer. | No |
| This example wafer features:
|
TOPMETAL encloses VIA - A
This guideline ensures the top metal layer completely fills the VIA mask hole.
METAL1 encloses VIA - B
This guideline ensures the the VIA mask only etches over the metal 1 layer.
Polyimide 2 layer alignment to polyimide 1 layer - C
The two polyimide layers are applied within a ± 3 µm tolerance.