Wet Benches (Nanopatterning Cleanroom)
Overview


The Nanopatterning Cleanroom has four wet benches each dedicated to specific chemical processing applications. The spinner bench features several hot plates that support e-beam lithography, including a custom triple resist hotplate designed and built by Tom Carver that has a Teflon coated precision flat surface with uniform and accurate surface temperatures. The solvent bench opposite the spinner bench supports various cleaning and liftoff processes and features a sonicator bath. The base and acid benches are used for chemical processing with alkaline and acidic substances respectively. The Nanopatterning Cleanroom provides users with a variety of general use chemicals, and also supports the use of external, user-supplied chemicals upon staff approval.
There are three kinds of hot plates available:
- Torrey Pines HP40A hotplates for general sample heating and resist baking;
- SCILOGEX SCI280 hotplate stirrer for heating chemical baths (Remover PG, etc.);
- Triple Hotplate: This custom triple resist hotplate was designed and built by Tom Carver. It is for baking resist, PMMA, e-beam resist, SU-8, and other spin-on polymers. The precision flat surface is coated with Teflon. The surface temperature is very uniform and accurate. It is not to be used at higher than 220C. Aluminum sheet metal squares are available for baking polymers that are not easily removed with solvents once baked.
Getting Started and Training Information
In order to become a qualified user of the NPC Wet Benches, you need to follow each of these steps in the order as listed here:
- Complete the process to become a lab member of SNSF and follow the instructions to activate a Badger account.
- Complete the process to become a Nanopatterning Cleanroom user.
- Read the following documents:
- Pass (100%) and complete the Wet Bench Safety Quiz and New User Intake Form.
- If you are using TMAH (including MF-319 and MF-312 developers), HF, or piranha, complete the Restricted Chemicals and High-Risk Procedures Prior Approval Form.
- Email nano-snpcleanroom-staff@lists.stanford.edu to schedule an in-person wet bench training session.
- There are two different wet bench trainings. One is for spinner and solvent benches. The other is for corrosive (acid and base) benches. Please specify which benches you need training on in your email.
- After completing the training session, you will be qualified to use the wet benches you were trained on.
- More specific wet bench processing training can be requested by emailing staff.
Please note that subsequent training may be required after the initial training depending on what processing you plan on doing. Before you start any new processes after completing the initial training, contact staff at nano-snpcleanroom-staff@lists.stanford.edu to check if further guidance or training may be required.
Spinner Trainings
To get trained on the new Cee Apogee Spinner (as of 9/19/2024):
- You must be a qualified user of the Nanopatterning Cleanroom with card access into the cleanroom before signing up for the training.
- Request for a training - email nano-snpcleanroom-staff@lists.stanford.edu to request a solvent and spinner bench training which will also cover how to use the spinner. The training is approximately 90 minutes.
Resources
Wet Bench Room Standard Operating Procedures
Headway Spinner Standard Operating Procedures
Triple Hotplate Standard Operating Procedures
Torrey Pines Hotplate Standard Operating Procedures
Scilogex Hotplate (for heated Remover PG) Standard Operating Procedures
Personal Use Chemical - New Chemical Intake Form
Personal Use Chemical - New Label Request Form
Restricted Chemicals and High-Risk Procedures Prior Approval Form
NPC Safety Data Sheets
Stanford EH&S Chemtracker Safety Database