-----Original Message-----
From: Derek Strembicke [mailto:strem@ieee.org]
Sent: Thursday, July 04, 2002 2:48 AM
To: mems-talk@memsnet.org
Subject: [mems-talk] Protecting MEMS devices after etching


"Hi all,

What methods do people use for protecting MEMS structures after etching
and before dicing.......................


Any thoughts or insights


Derek Strembicke
Principal MEMS/VLSI Design Engineer
Stremco Research
P.O. Box 2185
Huntsville, Al, 35804-2185

ph: (256) 653-3423
email: strem@ieee.org"


Hi Derek,

In the optical industry, it is common to use a protective coating such
as Shipley's FSC or MicroChem's MX 6C to protect devices during dicing.
These products are essentially photoresists without photoactive
compounds and can be removed with any common photoresist stripper
(Shipley recommends their Remover 1165 MicroChem recommends Remover PG,
both are NMP based removers). Since these products are made of the same
novolac resins as photoresists their processing and final physical
attributes will be the same but, since they are incapable of producing
an image, the cost is reduced. Further the Shipley materials add a blue
die for optical inspection. The one drawback on these items is that they
are designed for thin films. The Shipley FSC-L spins on at 1.8 microns
at 3000 rpm and the FSC-M reaches 3.3 microns at 3000 rpm. MicroChem's
MX 6C 3.0 will yield 3 microns at 3500 rpm and the MX 6C 5.0 is a five
micron version of the same product. These do not contain a dye. Please
feel free to contact me if you have any further questions.


Very Best Regards,
Rob Hardman
617-965-5511 ext.313
rhardman@microchem.com

www.microchem.com