[labnetwork] Cleanroom equipment

[Grau, Jeffrey E]

Hello Iulian Codreanu, Ph.D.
Director, Penn NanoFab
	My name is Jeff Grau and I am the Lithography equipment engineer here at Purdue University. I am emailing you to help you with your POU abatement survey. I will include in this email all the specific lab equipment that I am responsible for at Purdue. I have been in the Litho end of engineering for over 34 years and I feel my comments and recommendations should help you in your final decisions. At this current time I have the ownership of 6 Karl Suss Aligners. Currently we have(4) MJB-3 aligners. I would consider these aligners the work horses of the clean room. They have the ability to expose pieces of wafers as well as whole 3 inch wafers. The up time on these tools is fantastic. Very little maintenance is needed to keep them up and running. We also have the MA-6 Suss aligner. This tool has had its problems over the past 4 years. Suss had been very slow with the support that is needed to keep the students research on schedule. We also have the Suss BA-6 Bonder. This tool as well has had its share of growing pains. I did not have any say in the purchase of these tools but myself, would try and stay away from the purchase of these 2 tools. I feel there are better companies out there that offer better service, support and equipment. I also have a Canon PLA-501F Aligner. This tool as well as the MJB3 is a work horse. The up time is second to none. In my 6 years of service here at Purdue, I needed to call service once. They came and adjusted the machine and it is still performing very well.
	I am the owner of (4) Specialty Coatings G3 resist spinners, and (3) 6000 series spinners. These spinners are very accurate, and very dependable. The overall cost of these spinners is by far a big factor in their purchase. They can be purchased for under $5000.00 and the overall customer support has been very good. These spinners have been performing very well here at Purdue.
	I am also the owner and operator of (2) TRE Electromask Systems. Both have the ability to pattern generate and to Image Repeat. One system is set up for 10x reduction the other for 5x reduction. Much like the Suss MJB3's these Electromask systems are work horses. They are both supported by Mario Portillo from High'born Technology. The up time of these two systems are light years ahead of the competition, and the overall refinement out way any other tool in its class. If service is needed, most times the problem can be resolved over the phone talking to Mario. Mario has been very supportive and positive in the upkeep of these tools. I have had the pleasure to operate GCA and Micronic laser Systems, and my tool of choice still remains as the TRE. 
	In the process end of mask making I have a YES Yield Engineering System Vacuum oven for image reversal. I have yet needed to call YES for support. We purchased this tool used and as is. The oven has been running everyday for the past 5 years and with no problems at all. We also acquired a newer APT Applied Process Technology automated mask processor. This tool was also purchased as an as is. A little elbow grease and cleanroom wipes brought this tool back to as new condition.
	I hope you find this information valuable, and if you have any further questions regarding any specific tools, I will be more than happy to help you. Have a real nice day...Jeff Grau, Purdue University