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Equipment log for the Karl Suss MA-6 Mask Aligner
| 2009-7-9 | Back-Side Alignment | The issue with the power supply has been resolved. |
| 2009-7-7 | Back-Side Alignment | Power supply went bad. Problem will be further investigated in the morning. |
| 2009-7-22 | Back-Side Alignment | The MA6 is back up. |
| 2009-7-21 | Back-Side Alignment | The problem that occurred today with the machine not turning on is the
product of either a bad relay or a power supply. We should have that
part
in stock. The tool will be examined tomorrow and the replacement part
should be installed.
|
| 2009-7-20 | Back-Side Alignment | The problem that occurred today with the machine not turning on is the
product of either a bad relay or a power supply. We should have that part
in stock. The tool will be examined tomorrow and the replacement part
should be installed.
|
| 2009-7-17 | Back-Side Alignment | The problem that occurred today with the machine not turning on is the product of either a bad relay or a power supply. We should have that part in stock. The tool will be examined tomorrow and the replacement part should be installed.
Thank you. |
| 2009-7-16 | Back-Side Alignment | Power supply / relay issue will be addressed by staff tomorrow. |
| 2009-7-14 | Back-Side Alignment | The problem that occurred today with the machine not turning on is the product of either a bad relay or a power supply. We should have that part in stock. The tool will be examined tomorrow and the replacement part should be installed.
Thank you.
|
| 2009-6-24 | Back-Side Alignment | If you are having difficulties with and/or inconsistent results with your
lithography processes, please contact the following processing team
members: Janet Cobb-Sullivan or Mikkel Thomas.
|
| 2009-6-23 | Information | If you are having difficulties with and/or inconsistent results with your lithography processes, please contact the following processing team members: Janet Cobb-Sullivan or Mikkel Thomas. |
| 2009-6-18 | Back-Side Alignment | The issue with the overcurrent issue caused by a misposition backside alignment camera has been fixed by a manual realignment which then reinitialized the system. The system is working properly. |
| 2009-6-11 | Miscellaneous | If you are instructed by staff to turn off the machine and turn it back on, DO ***NOT*** turn off the power supply underneath the tool. Additionally, if you are instructed by staff to restart the system, make *SURE* that you know what should appear on the screen for it to confirm that it will be working properly. |
| 2009-5-27 | Lamp Power Supply | A user reported the tool alarming because the power supply was providing too much power to the lamp. The power supply has been adjusted and tool has been recalibrated.
If the power supply starts alarming, DO NOT CONTINUE USING THE TOOL. Immediately stop, put a sign on the tool saying machine down, and call the staff. Continued use of the machine in that situation is a violation of cleanroom policy. |
| 2009-5-26 | Back-Side Alignment | The Karl Suss MA-6 Mask Aligner has been marked down by Eric Woods for the following reason:
The lamp power supply was alarming for CI2. The power level was too high. The power supply was adjusted to bring the power back into compliance, but it would not stabilize and drifted one way or another. The tool will be further examined tomorrow.
|
| 2009-5-19 | Calibration | The system has been calibrated. The new intensities are 5mW/cm2 for CI1 and 15mW/cm2 for CI2.
All the optical components have been cleaned. The system is now once again operational. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this matter, please contact the staff.
|
| 2009-5-12 | Back-Side Alignment | System does not support proximity mode. it is not available. |
| 2009-4-23 | Back-Side Alignment | The tool is operational. If you experience any problem with the tool, please contact the staff. |
| 2009-4-21 | Information | The tool is down because the EM general power safety relay still needs to be replaced. Additionally, there is an issue with the microscope position sensor. These issues are being investigated and will hopefully be resolved soon.
The changeover of the TSA to DUV will not occur until the BSA MA6 is back online and will be scheduled at that time. |
| 2009-4-20 | Miscellaneous | A safety relay for the emergency shutoff sub-system has failed. This relay controlled power to the entire tool. This relay is currently being sourced and a replacement will be ordered tomorrow. |
| 2009-4-15 | Back-Side Alignment | Users are NOT allowed to cut blue tape on the mask holder as this has resulted in the seal on the vacuum chuck getting cut. This is expensive to replace and it takes the machine down for a significant length of time. |
| 2007-7-3 | Miscellaneous | We are working on the loss of wafer vacuum error and will send out an
email when it is fixed. |
| 2007-6-21 | The problem with the wafer vacuum is still being worked on. We hope to
resolve the issue soon. |
| 2007-5-3 | We are continuing to work on fixing the backside alignment. If you really
need to do backside alignment, please contact Vinnie to discuss other
available options. |
| 2007-5-1 | The left-hand side backside alignment microscope is down. Repairs are in
progress. |
| 2007-4-2 | A user reported an overcurrent error over the weekend. This morning we
found that the overcurrent error was no longer there. Users are not
permitted to try and fix any problems with machines in the cleanroom.
The overcurrent error was due to a user error when using the back side
alignment. Please be aware of the position for the back side microscope. |
| 2007-3-13 | The MA-6 is back up. If you have any problems, please contact Vinnie. |
| 2007-3-12 | Miscellaneous | The Z-axis motor sensor is in the process of being repaired. We will email
the MA6 users when the machine becomes available again. |
| 2007-2-23 | The topside alignment microscope has been repaired. The loose bearing on
the base has also been fixed. |
| 2007-2-2 | Information | The 360nm filter for the mask aligner is
now available. The filter must be checked
out from the staff. Please contact Vinnie if
you need to use this filter. |
| 2007-10-23 | If you are using the Mask Aligner, and notice a "Z-axis over current
error", please do not try and restart the system. Instead, please call
Vinny immediately. |
| 2007-10-12 | The MA-6 is back up. Thank you for your patience while we fixed it. If you
notice any problems, please let a staff member know immediately. |
| 2007-10-11 | Please do not adjust the intensity of channel 2 on the MA-6. If you have
any questions, please contact Vinnie. |
| 2007-1-29 | Information | A user reported overcurrent error. If this
problem occurs, please report this problem
to a staff member immediately. Do not turn
the machine on and off, and do not try to
fix it yourself. |
| 2007-1-25 | Lamp Replacement | The lamp on the MA6 has been changed and the intensity for Cl1 is 5 mW/cm2 and
22 mW/cm2 respectedly. Please adjust your exposure time accordingly. |
| 2006-9-8 | A user complained that the mask holder shifted during exposure. We
replaced the mask holder frame, which should fix the problem. Please
inform the staff if the problem still occurs. |
| 2006-9-27 | The tool has been reset and should be fully operational. If you have any
problems, inform staff immediately. |
| 2006-9-26 | A user reported problem with the topside alignment microscope. The system
was reset this morning. If the users discover that the microscope is not
moving in the x or y direction, please check to see if the BSA button has
been pressed. Note that the button was accidentally pressed and this was
the cause of the problem. |
| 2006-9-22 | There is a problem with the stage; if you see a z-axis, call Vinny and he
will tell you how to fix the problem. We correct the problem in the near
future. |
| 2006-6-12 | Calibration | This is a reminder to users. Please be sure
to use the proper probe when measuring
the intensity of the lamp. |
| 2006-5-31 | Information | A user reported a over current error on the
system. The error was cleared, and the
system was made available again. |
| 2006-5-15 | Information | The system was logged down for a short
period of time on Friday due to a problem
with the back side aligment mode. If any
users want to do back side alignment,
please contact Vinnie. |
| 2006-3-17 | Information | A user reported a problem with the mask
vacuum. The access controller was not
working properly. We will replace the relay
on Monday. In the mean time, if you are
logged in, just tap the box to get the
vacuum sensor to work. If this does not
work, contact the staff. |
| 2006-1-26 | Information | The 360nm filter was delivered today. It is
now available to all users. Please
remember to be careful when handling the
filter. |
| 2005-8-8 | Information | A user reported a problem with one of the
alignment controllers. They reported that X
direction would not work. We found that
the controller was working properly. This
may be an intermittent problem. If any
users experience this type of problem,
please report it right away.
|
| 2005-6-3 | A cleanroom user reported a problem with the X alignment of the MA-6
stage. This problem will be resolved sometime next week. |
| 2005-6-23 | A cleanroom reported that there was a problem with movement of the
stage. The x-axis of the stage have been readjusted and once again works
as intended. Remember, the stage does have limits to how far it can
move in both the x and the y direction. If you exceed these limits you
can cause damage to the stage. |
| 2005-5-2 | Over the weekend a cleanroom user reported that their sample was shifting
during alignment. In order to remedy this adjustments can be made to the
WEC pressure setting on the control panel of the MA-6. Also, if this
problem arises during your alignment check to make sure that the WEC head
is clear of any obstructions that could cause a vacuum loss. In this
case a piece of blue tape was found on the edge of the WEC head. If you
have any questions about obstructions to the WEC head or WEC pressure
setting please contact Vinny. |
| 2005-5-18 | The mask holder and chucks have been relocated for the MA-6 Mask
Aligner. Please be sure to properly store all chucks in their newly
designated locations. |
| 2005-5-16 | We fixed the MA6 problem today. There were several issues about the
machine that needed to be addressed to all the users. First, we DO NOT
ALLOW users to TURN OFF and TURN ON the machine without MiRC staff's
permission. If you do so, your access to the machine will be cut off, no
exception. Second, the PROXIMITY mode on the machine is not available
right now. If you want to use it, you need to contact Vinny and do it
under his supervision. Finally, all users MUST KNOW how to change the
contact mode such as Soft contact, Hard contact, Vacuum and Low vacuum
contact to suit with your exposure process. If you are not quite sure how
to do it, do not hesitate to request for a full training or check off on
the tool again.
|
| 2005-4-8 | A cleanroom user reported a vacuum problem occuring while they were
running the system. Due to the intermittent state of the vacuum we will
be scheduling some down time next week to take a more in depth look at
the situation. |
| 2005-4-7 | Today a cleanroom user reported a poor vacuum error on the MA6 mask
aligner. Upon investigation we found that photoresist had been left on
the vacuum chuck and the WEC head causing a leak in the seal. The
photoresist was removed and system was restored. |
| 2005-4-26 | There seems to be some minor confusion regarding how to properly change
out the new mask holder setup. If you have any questions or concerns
regarding this subject please contact Vinny. |
| 2005-4-20 | When using the new mask holder be sure not to tangle the vacuum line
while you are attempting to operate it. |
| 2005-4-15 | A new vacuum line and connection was installed yesterday. If you are
unsure of how to properly change out mask holders with the new connection
in place please contact Vinny for directions. |
| 2005-4-14 | Today the MA-6 mask aligner had its vacuum lines and connection replaced,
resolving all the vacuum issues that have been occuring on this system.
If you notice that you mask is still being dropped please contact MiRC
immediately. |
| 2005-4-13 | The MA6 Mask Aligner will be log down from 10am tomorrow until
further notice. We will replace the vacuum fitting on the machine in
order to work with vacuum fitting on the new mask holder. Please schedule
to use the machine accordingly. |
| 2005-4-12 | The MA6 will be down tomorrow as staff performs some maintenance and
premaintenance to ensure the proper functionality of this system. |
| 2005-3-9 | The lamp for the MA-6 Mask Aligner will be replaced first thing tomorrow
morning. Users are reminded that should periodically check the intensity
of the lamp with the intensity probe, any intensity fluctuations should
be reported to MiRC Staff. |
| 2005-3-28 | Today, a cleanroom user reported that there was a weak vacuum present at
the mask holder. A kink and small hole was detected in the physical
vacuum line causing this weak vacuum. The line was replaced, solving
this problem. If you notice any additional problems with vacuum or this
system in general please contact MiRC Staff. |
| 2005-3-22 | If any users wish to use the backside alignment feature please contact
Vinny in order to get proper instructions. |
| 2005-3-2 | The MA6 has been fixed and back was restored to normal operation. If you
have troubles to align your wafer, please contact Vinny.
|
| 2005-3-10 | The lamp on the MA-6 mask aligner has been replaced today. Everyone
should be testing the intensity of the new lamp in order to make
appropiate changes to their exposure times. |
| 2005-3-1 | If any MA-6 users wish to use proximity mode or low vac/vac mode please
contact Vinny. |
| 2005-2-8 | The MA-6 Mas Aligner was down today as MiRC staff fixed a relay problem
that was occuring. Because of this the focus for the top substrate is
once again working. Users are reminded that if you are having a problem
with vacuum/low vacuum mode to please contact Vinny. |
| 2005-2-7 | MiRC staff will be fixing the relay problem that has been occuring on the
MA-6 mask aligner, this will cause the machine to be marked down from 8
until 12 tomorrow morning. |
| 2005-2-4 | We have discovered the source of the problem. We are in the process of
ordering a replacement part. For now, the right focus for the top
substrate on both top and backside alignment is still in intermittent
mode.
|
| 2005-2-3 | We have installed the potentiometer for the right focus knob. There is
still a problem with the focus. Will continue investigating the problem
tomorrow. |
| 2005-2-28 | Today, a cleanroom user reported a problem with the 4" mask holder's
vacuum. The vacuum problem was resolved and the system is once again
ready for use. Remember when you are loading your mask that it has been
properly cleaned as this could cause a lack of vacuum on your mask. If
any user has any problems please contact MiRC Staff. |
| 2005-2-2 | Information | The potentiometer came in late today. We will install it onto the machine
tomorrow. |
| 2005-2-11 | We have made some adjustments to the left backside microscope. Users
should no longer have any more problems. If you discover any more
problems, please contact Vinnie. |
| 2005-2-1 | Back-Side Alignment | The focus on the back-side mircoscope has been fixed. If any additional
problems occur in the system please contact Vinny. |
| 2005-11-9 | Information | A user reported that the 365nm filter had
been damaged. We are currently in the
process of ordering a new filter. We will
notify all MA6 users when the new filter
arrives. |
| 2005-1-7 | Maskholder | A cleanroom user reported that the 3 inch chuck has produced errors
during the WEC performance step. Upon investigation we found that one of
the mask holder clips was actually thicker then the others. This odd
clip was replaced with a proper sized one and the errors that
were occuring are now resolved. |
| 2005-1-5 | Information | Please do not adjust the WEC pressure if you do not know how to do it
properly. We have discovered that some users have been adjusting the
pressure too low. |
| 2005-1-4 | Information | A cleanroom user reported the chuck not properly contacting his wafer. We
will be looking into this problem tomorrow. |
| 2005-1-31 | Back-Side Alignment | The MA-6 mask aligner will be brought down from 10-12 tomorrow morning
while its back-side microscope is being repaired. |
| 2005-1-27 | Today, a cleanroom user reported that when they attempted to grab an
image the left portion of the image was not as sharp as the right. MiRC
is currently investigating this issue. Look for a future email for
further updates. |
| 2005-1-26 | A cleanroom user reported troubles while attempting to focus on their
sample. Upon further investigation we found that the light bulb for the
microscopes had burned out. The bulb was change and the system is once
again focusing properly. |
| 2005-1-14 | Maskholder | If any user wants to use the vacuum/low vacuum setting for the 5 inch mask
holder you will have to contact Vinny first. |
| 2005-1-11 | Today, a cleanroom user reported that they were having problems with the
5 inch mask holder not being able to properly hold their mask. We later
found that the thickness of this user's mask was twice the size of the
normal masks. Please be mindful of this problem when you are having your
masks made, and provide the appropriate dimensions. |
| 2004-12-8 | Maskholder | We are in the process of ordering a new 5" maskholder. However, it will
take at least a month for the new maskholder to come in. Until then,
please remember that the old maskholder has been damaged, and thus will
not hold the masks in place all of the time. |
| 2004-12-7 | Maskholder | The 5" mask holder has been damaged, and is not level anymore. If you
attempt to use either the Vacuum or the Low Vacuum modes, then there is a
50% chance that the maskholder will not hold the mask. We will continue
to look into this issue tomorrow. |
| 2004-12-3 | Lamp Power Supply | A cleanroom user reported that the lamp power was off. We have restarted
the lamp power supply, and the system is functioning properly. Please
report any further issues to a cleanroom staff member. |
| 2004-12-14 | We have placed the order for the new 5" mask holder; however, it may take
up to several months to arrive. |
| 2004-12-10 | Several cleanroom users have reported issues with the 5" mask holder. We
are in the process of ordering a new mask holder; however, please be
aware that it will take 8 to 12 weeks for the new mask holder to arrive.
We apologize for any inconvenience. |
| 2004-11-8 | Maskholder | We have installed new clamps onto the 4" and 5" mask holders. From now
on, the clamp will stay in the compressed position once you pull it back.
After you turn on the vacuum, press the metal piece to release the clip. |
| 2004-11-30 | Maskholder | Due to the problems with the ICP, we were unable to work on the mask
holder vacuum issue today. However, we will fix this problem in the
coming days. |
| 2004-11-3 | Maskholder | Tomorrow, we will replace the faulty clamp on the 5" mask holder. This
will improve the performance of the mask holder. |
| 2004-11-29 | Maskholder | The MA-6 will be down tomorrow. We will be working on the mask holder
vacuum problem. We will send out an e-mail when the MA-6 is logged back
up. |
| 2004-11-22 | Maskholder | A cleanroom user reported issues with the mask vacuum. We will look into
this problem tomorrow. |
| 2004-11-1 | Maskholder | If you lose vacuum while trying to load a mask onto a mask holder, try
mounting another mask before contacting the MiRC staff. This will
determine if the problem is with the mask holder or the mask. If you
still receive vacuum errors, then notify a staff member. |
| 2004-10-8 | Back-Side Alignment | Backside alignment is currently unavailable on this machine. We have
removed the right backside microscope for further testing. We will send
out an e-mail once we have completed these tests and re-installed the
microscope onto the system. |
| 2004-10-28 | Information | Cleanroom users are reminded that NO user is allowed to restart the MA-6
mask aligner. Any questions about this policy should be directed to Gary
Spinner. |
| 2004-10-18 | Information | We have been experiencing an intermittent problem with the top substrate
right focus knob. Today, we spoke to Karl Suss about this issue. The MA-6
will be down tomorrow for maintenance tomorrow from 11:00 AM until 1:00
PM as we address this issue. |
| 2004-10-11 | Back-Side Alignment | We examined the system today, and the backside alignment microscopes are
now working properly. However, if you have any difficulties performing a
backside alignment, please contact Vinnie. |
| 2000-3-3 | Miscellaneous | A user reported an "OVERCURRENT" error message. We will be reviewing this problem further. |
| 2000-3-10 | Miscellaneous | Several people have experienced "OVERCURRENT" errors while loading wafers into the aligner. We have determined that this occurs when using a "Proximity" program or a program configured for "Proximity WEC" if the wafer is not centered in the machine. After the wafer is loaded, the aligner will press the wafer against the mask to make them parallel. Then it will lower it slightly for alignment. If you are using a "Proximity" program or certain other programs configured for "Proximity WEC" the aligner will extend the metal flags on the maskholder between the wafer and the mask before this process. The flags have metal balls in them that should separate the wafer from the mask. If the wafer is not centered, the balls will not be between the wafer and mask and errors will occur. Please see MiRC staff for help if you experience error messages or have trouble moving the sample during alignment. |
| 2000-3-1 | Miscellaneous | A user reported several error messages while operating the MA-6. This morning the system was working well. If you experience any more problems, please report it to MiRC staff. |
| 2000-2-22 | Maskholder | We have replaced the missing screw that secures that maskholder tray to the aligner. |
| 2000-2-1 | Back-Side Alignment | The MA-6 mask aligner would not start properly because the back-side alignment proximity flags were out of alignment. As a result of the mis-aligned flags, the back-side alignment mechanisms were running into each other causing an overcurrent error. The maskholder tray has been replaced. The new tray is made of stainless steel instead of plastic, so it should be stronger. |
| 2000-1-31 | The mask aligner is reporting an overcurrent error upon startup. We will investigate this more tomorrow |
| 2000-1-26 | The damaged mask holder tray will be replaced with a new aluminum tray. The aluminum tray will be installed as soon possible. |
| 2000-1-21 | Miscellaneous | A user reported a problem with the wafer holder slide. The holder tray had come off of its track and the track had become jammed under the maskholder. This problem has been repaired. |
| 2000-1-14 | Miscellaneous | The maskholder table was broken off a few days ago. It has been fixed. |
| 1999-9-2 | Miscellaneous | A cleanroom user reported that the system was experiencing an overcurrent condition when the chuck was placed into contact mode. The problem was traced to broken and bent limit flags that are attached to the mask holder. New flags have been ordered but ALL users will require recertification by James Zhou before they may use the aligner. |
| 1999-8-5 | Miscellaneous | A user reported that the MA-6 would not expose. A message was being diplayed that the Mirror House was not moving properly. We located a cable that was preventing the Mirror House from moving. The mask aligner is now moving properly. |
| 1999-8-25 | Miscellaneous | Several cleanroom users are experiencing problems with back-side alignment. We have spoken to a Karl Suss equipment engineer. He will be shipping us a replacement EEPROM chip on Monday of next week. We are aware of the focusing problem on the left microscope. |
| 1999-8-13 | Back-Side Alignment | The mask aligner back side-alignment scopes will not move close enough together to perform back-side alignment on the smallest wafer chuck. We are continuing to work with Karl Suss to find a solution to this problem. |
| 1999-7-29 | Back-Side Alignment | 1) A user reported a "OVERCURRENT" error while using the back side alignment lamp housing. We have spent several hours examining the mask aligner and have spoken with Karl Suss about the problem. We do not have time to fix the problem at this time. Users should not move the right back side alignment lamp housing more than 50 mm left. The current position is shown on the mask aligner front panel display when the back side alignment lamp is being moved. 2) A user reported a "OVERCURRENT" error after loading his sample. We have contacted Karl Suss about the problem. There is a problem with the maskholder that is preventing the mask aligner from performing proximity alignment. We are ordering replacement parts for the maskholder. Until the 4" maskholder has been fixed it can not be used for proximity alignment. |
| 1999-7-27 | Back-Side Alignment | A user reported that the mask aligner displayed a motor overcurrent error when the right back side alignment camera was moved too far to the left. We suspect that a limit switch is not set up correctly and the alignment camera is being allowed to move further than it should. We hope to have the mask aligner back up tomorrow. |
| 1999-7-23 | Miscellaneous | A cleanroom user reported misconfiguration of software on computer. We discovered that the software was misconfigured by a user. Please do not change the configuration with out MiRC Staff approval. We will be investigating the overcurrent alarm on Monday. |
| 1999-5-26 | Maskholder | A user reported that the mask vacuum was not working. We found that one of the vacuum lines was kinked. We corrected the problem and the mask aligner is functioning properly. |
| 1999-3-9 | Information | There is now a Intensity log notebook located on the equipment. Please fill in the information when measuring the intensity. |
| 1999-3-5 | Lamp Replacement | The UV lamp for the Mask Aligner has not been replaced since the system was installed. According to the manufacturers of the equipment, the lamp must be replaced every 1000 hours in order to prevent optic damage. We, therefore, replaced the lamp and ordered a replacement. The intensity has been measured to be 21.6. |
| 1999-3-2 | Miscellaneous | The MA-6 was making a hissing sound when it was loaded. We corrected the problem. The vacuum knob on the front panel was not turned far enough. If you have a problem with a hissing sound, try adjusting the vacuum knob. |
| 1999-3-16 | Calibration | We checked the light intensity on the mask aligner. |
| 1999-2-8 | Back-Side Alignment | Problem: The leftside lamp was not burning. Solution: We replaced the backside alignment lamp and adjusted the intensity on the front of the equipment. |
| 1999-2-5 | Back-Side Alignment | The lower right lamp to the equipment was not working. We contacted Karl Suss and are continuing to work on this problem. |
| 1999-2-3 | Miscellaneous | We recalibrated the machine. |
| 1999-2-26 | Miscellaneous | The MA-6 was displaying an error message when it initialized after being turned on. We corrected the problem with the MA-6 not initializing correctly. We will be resolving the problem with the hissing nitrogen on Monday. |
| 1999-10-6 | Maskholder | New proximity flags for the four inch maskholder have arrived. We have installed them and performed several tests. If you experience any problems with the proximity flags or overcurrent errors, contact MiRC technical staff immediately. New flags cost approxatately $500 and take four to six weeks to get. |
| 1999-10-4 | Miscellaneous | The proximity flags have been received and installed. This has corrected the overcurrent problems.
We are now requiring users to check out the mask holder from Gary Spinner and return it promptly. |