HERCULES

The HERCULES system combines EVG’s renowned optical mask alignment technology with integrated modules for wafer cleaning, resist coating, baking, and resist development. Built on a modular platform, it enables efficient cassette-to-cassette processing for a variety of wafer sizes, including thick, highly bowed, rectangular, and small-diameter wafers, as well as device trays. The system offers precise top-side and bottom-side alignment, with the ability to coat resists ranging from sub-micron to ultra-thick (up to 300 microns), ideal for interlayer and passivation applications. Its superior alignment stage design ensures highly accurate results at high throughput, making the HERCULES a reliable solution for advanced lithography needs.

Features:

• Production platform combines all advantages of EVG’s precision alignment and resist processing systems in a minimized footprint
• Versatile platform supports fully automated processing of various substrate shapes, sizes, highly warped mold wafers and even trays
• Coating of up to 52,000 cP enables manufacturing of ultra-thick resist features of up to 300 microns in height
• CoverSpinTM rotating cover for low resist consumption and optimized resist coating uniformity
• OmniSpray® coating for optimized coating of high topography surfaces
• NanoSpray® for coating and protection of via structures Automated mask handling and storage
• Optical edge exposure and/or solvent cleaning for edge bead removal
• Fragile, thin or warped wafer handling of multiple wafer sizes with bridge-tool system
• Rework sorting wafer management and flexible cassette system
• Multi-user concept (unlimited number of user accounts and recipes, assignable access rights, different user interface languages)

Applications:

• Photonics & Optics - Patterning of optical devices: e.g., AR/VR optics, waveguides, nanophotonics, plasmonics. The system supports structures down to ~40 nm and up, including 3D shapes. 
  
  
• MEMS / NEMS - Micro-electromechanical and nano-electromechanical devices that require fine patterning & high topography handling. Because HERCULES supports warped/thick wafers and high topography surfaces. 
  
  
• Bio / Biomedical Devices - Devices with micro-/nano-features for biotech applications.The integrated flow helps reduce contamination, improves throughput for specialized wafers.
  
  
• Advanced Packaging / Heterogeneous Integration - Patterning of resist layers, coating on non-standard shapes, wafer-level optics etc. 
  Especially surfaces that are difficult or non-standard (thick, bowed, rectangular).
  
  
• Nanoimprint Lithography (NIL) variant - In the HERCULES NIL variation: full-area imprinting of nanostructures (anti-reflective layers, color filters, patterned sapphire substrates etc) For example: anti-reflection, light-guiding plates for LEDs & display applications.