Process and Information Document #A-204

Cleanroom Facility, Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio

Polyimide Layer Spin Coating

This procedure uses the room small Brewer CEE spin coater unit.

The small Brewer CEE spin coater unit is located in the Cleanroom Class 1000 West area.

The unit requires power for operation, nitrogen gas for motor purge, local vacuum for chuck operation and negative pressure venting exhaust for the vacuum pump.

The essence of using the small Brewer CEE spin coater for polyimide coating is as follows:

1. Install appropriate size vac chuck on the unit. 2. Turn on nitrogen gas for motor purge and turn on local vac pump. 3. Place substrate on the vac chuck, centered. 4. Choose the spin program desired for polyimide spinning. 5. Dispense some barrier reagent into the center of the substrate making a centered, round puddle on top. 6. Close the lid. 7. Run the program. 8. When the cycle ends, open the lid and remove the substrate. 9. Place substrate on the hot plate to flash off the bulk of the polyimide reagent solvent. 10. Place substrate in the oven for the recommended hard curing profile.

The above information is intended to give a general overview of the process and not enough information has been given for anyone to use the Brewer spinner without additional formal training and certification. Should you need to do polyimide spin coating, please request formal training for the use of this machine from facility staff. Training sessions are scheduled as staff have time and you may have to wait a week or so until a time slot can be created and to allow for multiple users desiring the same training to be assembled into a group.

Only Cleanroom Staff are allowed to train users on the use of cleanroom facility equipment and processes. Please do not ask others in the department, your company or in your research group to assist you to avoid formal training and certification. If training is given by unendorsed individuals, both the trainer and trainee will lose cleanroom use privileges for a period of time deemed appropriate by facility staff. Only Cleanroom Staff are allowed to train users on the use of cleanroom facility equipment and processes. Please do not ask others in the department, your company or in your research group to assist you to avoid formal training and certification. If training is given by unendorsed individuals, both the trainer and trainee will lose cleanroom use privileges for a period of time deemed appropriate by facility staff.