SUSS MicroTec
MA 6 Mask
Plate 01Exposure using contact aligner (Suss MA6)
Micro System Integration Center(uSIC), Tohoku UnivWatch on YouTubePlate 02Karl Suss MA6 Mask Aligner - Standard Operating Procedures
InrfucirvineWatch on YouTube
Power
1000 Watt Power Supply[2]
Performance
with Infrared Alignment[7]
Optics
IR Back Side Illumination[2]
What it is
General reference — not yet source-verifiedThe SUSS MicroTec MA 6 Mask is a mask aligner used in photolithography to transfer circuit or pattern features from a photomask to a wafer by contactless or proximity alignment and exposure.
How it works
General reference — not yet source-verifiedA mask aligner holds a wafer and a photomask in a controlled optical and mechanical arrangement, aligns their patterns with microscope-assisted viewing, and then exposes the wafer so the mask pattern can be transferred into a resist-coated surface. In this class of tool, alignment accuracy and stable illumination are central to the process.
Where it fits in the process flow
General reference — not yet source-verifiedA mask aligner sits in the lithography section of the fabrication flow, after surface preparation and resist coating and before development and pattern transfer into the underlying film stack or substrate. It is used before downstream etch, deposition, or lift-off steps that rely on the resist pattern.
Applications
General reference — not yet source-verifiedMask aligners are used for photolithographic patterning in semiconductor and related microfabrication work, including device prototyping, process development, and production of structures that do not require the resolution of stepper-based projection lithography.
What do the numbers mean?
Power & electrical9
- 1000 Watt Power Supply[2]
- 50/60 Hz[7]
- 200–240V, 50/60Hz[8]
- Product Details
- up to 6" - 50/60 Hz - 230 V - HDD - Software - with Infrared Alignment - No BSA 2001 Vintage[7]
- Product Details
- 6" - 200–240V, 50/60Hz - 7-inch air chuck - UV lamp power supply: CIC1200/157308LS Topside alignment objectives (2): - MplanFL N 5x/0.15 - MplanFL N 10x/0.30 - LMPlanFL N 20x/0.40 2008 Vintage[8]
Wafer handling6
Optics & imaging6
Performance2
- with Infrared Alignment[7]
Control & software1
- Software[7]
Configuration & options7
What replaced it?
Alternatives
Tools documented as functional equivalents — same process step and wafer size, from a different manufacturer. Each equivalence cites its source.
- OAI 200— Same function class: Lithography, nullCompare in depthsource[9]
- Canon FPA 3000 i 5 + Fine Pattern— Same function class: Lithography, nullCompare in depthsource[10]
- OAI 806 Mask— Same function class: Lithography, nullCompare in depthsource[9]
What does it need to run?
Site utility requirements, footprint, and infrastructure needed to install and operate this tool. Sourced from public records.
- Configuration1000 Watt Power Supply[2]
- Configuration50/60 Hz[7]
- Voltage230 V[7]
- Configuration200–240V, 50/60Hz[8]
- UV lamp power supplyCIC1200/157308LS[8]
- Power Supply1000 Watt[2]
- Voltage / Frequency200-240V, 50/60Hz[8]
- Product Detailsup to 6" - 50/60 Hz - 230 V - HDD - Software - with Infrared Alignment - No BSA 2001 Vintage[7]
- Product Details6" - 200–240V, 50/60Hz - 7-inch air chuck - UV lamp power supply: CIC1200/157308LS Topside alignment objectives (2): - MplanFL N 5x/0.15 - MplanFL N 10x/0.30 - LMPlanFL N 20x/0.40 2008 Vintage[8]
Where are the manuals?
Publicly hosted documents referencing this tool, linked at their original location. Hosted by the linked institutions — availability may change.
- ManualManualuic.edu
Generated from public-source data on file. Enter your email to access — nothing is published; details are routed privately.
Not publicly documented
Field notes
No research found yet — worked with this tool? Share what you know.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of tool is this class of machine?General reference — not yet source-verified
It is a lithography mask aligner used to align a photomask to a resist-coated substrate and expose the resist with the mask pattern.
What process step does it perform?General reference — not yet source-verified
It performs optical pattern transfer by exposing photoresist through an aligned mask, creating a patterned resist image for later fabrication steps.
Where does this class fit in microfabrication?General reference — not yet source-verified
It is used early in the patterning sequence, after resist preparation and before development and downstream pattern transfer operations.
What kinds of substrates are processed on this class of tool?General reference — not yet source-verified
Such systems are used on substrates that need precisely aligned optical patterning, especially in semiconductor, microdevice, and precision microfabrication workflows.
What is the main function of alignment in this class of machine?General reference — not yet source-verified
Alignment places the mask pattern accurately relative to features already present on the substrate so the new exposure lands in the intended location.
Not publicly documented
The following facts about the MA 6 Mask are absent from this record as of this revision. First-hand knowledge or a citation closes a gap; every submission is reviewed before publication.
No publicly documented production dates or lifecycle milestones (introduction, end of production, EOL) for the MA 6 Mask are on record.
Answerable by: OEM historical records or a trade-press announcement
No publicly documented variants, configuration options, or revision breakpoints of the MA 6 Mask are on record.
Answerable by: an OEM product catalog or an engineer who ordered or specified the tool
The control-system platform and OS era of the MA 6 Mask are not on record.
Answerable by: an engineer who operated it or OEM installation records
No publicly documented failure modes or field errata for the MA 6 Mask are on record.
Answerable by: a field service engineer, process engineer, or maintenance technician
The process node or technology generation of the MA 6 Mask is not on record.
Answerable by: an OEM datasheet or a fab qualification report
No research found yet — worked with this tool? Share what you know.
Sources & citations
Sources (16)Every fact above is drawn from these public sources
- [1]Inventory photo
- [2]Inventory photo
- [3]Inventory photo
- [4]Inventory photo
- [5]Inventory photo
- [6]Inventory photo
- [7]inventory listing
- [8]inventory listing
- [9]Exposure | Stanford Nanofabrication Facility — snfguide.stanford.edusnfguide.stanford.edu
- [10]Equipment inventory listing
- [11]Equipment inventory listing
- [12]Karl Suss MA6 Mask Aligner | Nanotechnology Core Facility | University of Illinois Chicago — ncf.uic.eduncf.uic.edu
- [13]Suss MA6 Mask Aligner (system 2) — tmi.utexas.edutmi.utexas.edu
- [14]Tool Details - Harvard CNS — cns1.rc.fas.harvard.educns1.rc.fas.harvard.edu
- [15]Frontside/Backside Mask Aligner | Shared Materials Instrumentation Facility — smif.pratt.duke.edusmif.pratt.duke.edu
- [16]ece.utoronto.ca — ece.utoronto.caece.utoronto.ca
Last updated Oct 6, 2026.
Compare with similar tools
View all →
The OAI Model 200 is a tabletop mask aligner and UV exposure system designed for R&D and low-volume production.
The OAI 806 Mask Aligner is a manual wafer load mask aligner used for photolithography, supporting wafer sizes up to 6 inches with submicron alignment accuracy.
Canon FPA 3000 i 5 + Fine Pattern is a lithography aligner described with a 6-inch wafer size.