SPIN COATER

No, a vacuum pump for substrate suction and a sample stage are also required. However, a vacuum pump is not required if you are not using vacuum suction to fix a substrate.

Yes, all of our spin coater models have a program memory function. You can register 100 patterns of 10-step recipes (100 patterns / 10 steps). You can simultaneously set rotation speed, acceleration/deceleration time and hold time for one-step operation. 20 steps / 50 patterns or 50 steps / 20 patterns programming is also available.

It is yes and no. When selecting a spin coater, please consider the size of the substrate. If you want to spin-coat a larger substrate, you need a spin coater with a larger cup to place the substrate in, which results in a larger machine body and a higher price.
Also, since a larger substrate is heavier, the spin coater needs a more powerful motor. However, the maximum rpm for spin coating will decrease. Please contact us if you feel that the standard model's speed is insufficient for your spin coating requirements.

We can accept this request but do not recommend it. Our standard models,ACT-220AⅡ, ACT-300AⅡ, ACT-400AⅡ, ACT-450AⅡ, ACT-500AⅡ, are desktop types, while our larger models, ACT-600AⅡand ACT-700AⅡ, accommodate larger substrates and are designed for floor-standing use.
The larger the inner diameter of the cup to which a substrate is attached, the heavier the spin coater, making it too heavy to be carried by one person. Also, since the spin coater becomes correspondingly taller, operating such a spin coater placed on a standard work table is difficult. Therefore, we recommend using the floor model rather than preparing a special stand for the spin coater.
In the case of customized orders, even if you request a desktop model with the same cup inner diameter as other standard models, we may quote a floor model or a model with a special stand for easier spin coating and transport, depending on the specification of the spin coater.

As long as there is a compatible sample stage, Yes.
Any spin coater cannot perform spin coating without a sample stage that supports the designated size of the substrate.
It is impossible to produce a sample stage that can accommodate all substrate sizes due to the spin coater mechanism. So please determine the substrate size you wish to spin coat first. If you have multiple substrate sizes, please let us know all of them.

It is possible to put the substrate on the cup. However, we specify the compatible substrate size in consideration of the safety of spin coating and the finish of the coating film. For example, the cup inner diameter of ACT-220AII is φ220mm, but the compatible substrate size is limited to φ100mm.
Larger substrates can be set, but we do not guarantee it. One of the reasons is that if the cup wall is too close to the substrate, the spin-coating liquid spun off by centrifugal force may bounce back onto the substrate, which may affect the finished product.

Please check that the diagonal line length is within the applicable round substrate size. For example, if a glass slide of □26 x 76 mm has a diagonal of 80 mm, it can be spin-coated with ACT-220AII, compatible with substrates up to φ100 mm.

Yes, our spin coaters have a safety cover. If the cover is opened during operation, the machine automatically shuts down. It is possible to prevent the safety cover from opening during operation as an optional feature. In addition, the substrate will not be spin-coated unless it is fixed to the sample stage by vacuum suction. The ACT-450AII and higher models are equipped with an emergency stop button as a standard feature.

Yes. We can provide a coverless spin coater if you do not need a safety cover. Please be careful not to get caught in the machine. Also, if you want to drop the spin-coating liquid on the substrate during operation, we recommend the spin coater with the safety cover, as the cover has a slide in the center to drop the liquid.

We accept custom orders to meet your needs. For example, we have received requests to add such features as automatic dripping, edge rinsing, back rinsing, clean unit, exhaust removal, and waste liquid recovery.

It is possible to change the cup size to φ 220 mm. However, ACT-220AII is a compact and low-cost model with a small chassis that does not have room for customized electrical components.
Except for customized orders for separating electrical components, there is no difference in external size and cost if the adopted cup size is either φ220 mm or φ300 mm for customized orders for high-revolution and automatic dripping functions.
Therefore, even if it is currently sufficient to spin-coat substrates up to φ100 mm (□70 mm), we often receive requests for a φ300 mm cup size, considering the possibility that the variety of substrates will increase. In addition, the heated stage is incompatible with a φ220 mm cup size due to the size of the heater.

They differ in their applications.
They all have in common that they use the centrifugal force of rotation to finish the substrate. However, each machine has its own specific purpose. A spin coater is mainly used to obtain a coating film. A spin cleaner removes dust and other impurities, a spin dryer is used for efficient drying, and a spin etcher is used in semiconductor manufacturing processes. These machines are customized from our standard spin coater.

We have received requests to dock a microprocessor-controlled spin coater with a substrate transfer robot to control the entire program with a PLC (sequencer). If you are interested in such a system, please let us know the details.

No, spin coating depends on whether the substrate fits the sample stage. If the substrate is too small for the suction area, the substrate cannot be held by vacuum suction. Conversely, if the substrate is too large, there is a risk of the substrate being blown away by the centrifugal force of the rotation. We manufacture a sample stage in accordance with the substrate size.

As long as each substrate is similar in size, this is possible. Although it is recommended to use a dedicated stage for each substrate, we can make a customized stage that can be used for multiple types of substrates. Please contact us for details.

Since a spin coater uses the centrifugal force generated by rotation to produce a thin film, uneven film thickness tends to occur at the four corners of a rectangular substrate off the inscribed circle, which are prone to receive uneven wind generated by the rotation. However, if the best spin-coating conditions can be obtained with a sealed sample stage that eliminates the effects of wind chill, films can be deposited quite uniformly at all four corners.

We recommend a centering jig that helps align the center of the substrate to the sample stage. We may include its price in the estimate if considered necessary.
One factor determining the quality of the spin coating is whether the substrate is properly centered. The larger the substrate, the more difficult it is to center visually. In particular, misalignment of the substrate has a negative effect on edge rinsing.

We sell our products directly to customers. It is also possible to distribute them via the customer's trading house.

Please contact us for delivery details.

Yes. However, since our standard models are designed to be easy for users to operate, we believe that toll-free telephone support is sufficient. There is an additional charge for on-site training.
If we deem it necessary to provide on-site training for a custom model, we will include the fee for such training in the estimate.

Yes, please feel free to contact us with the details of your problem, such as the experimental subject has changed, the substrate has changed, or the spin coating with a certain chemical solution does not work as expected.
For example, if a customer wants to form a film as thin as 5 um using the customer's spin coater, solution and substrate, we will advise the customer as follows;

● First, create a sample by setting the consistency to 50 cps, the rotation speed to 1000 rpm, the acceleration time (SL) to 3.0 seconds, and the hold time at the specified rotation (TM) to 30 seconds. Then, the chemical solution should be applied as evenly as possible on the substrate.
● If the thickness exceeds 5 um, increase the speed to 2000 rpm. Otherwise, lower the speed to 500 rpm.
● When you start to reduce the amount of applied chemical solution, change the acceleration time to 0.0 seconds so that the acceleration can be achieved in the shortest time.
● Since the film thickness varies according to the substrate wettability (liquid-drop contact angle) and other substrate conditions, perform some tests to obtain the ideal thickness.

Be careful not to allow the chemical solution to penetrate the vacuum line from the back of the substrate. After operation, remove the sample stage and use a non-woven cloth with solvent to wipe the axial part, where the sample stage is inserted, and the inner diameter of the sample stage.
This procedure will prevent many of the following frequently reported problems.

● The sample stage and main axis part stick together because the chemical solution has leaked into the vacuum line.
● The vacuum line becomes clogged, and substrate adsorption becomes impossible due to chemical penetration into the vacuum line.
● The solenoid valve inside the vacuum line malfunctions due to a chemical solution penetrating the vacuum line.
● Substrate adsorption pressure is not increased by dropping or bumping the sample stage.

If a chemical solution enters the vacuum line, the substrate size may not match the size of the suction surface.

Please rest assured that, as a manufacturer, we have the know-how and the ability to support spin coaters. Please let us know the model name and serial number marked on the back of the machine via this site.

Please rest assured that, as a manufacturer, we have the know-how and the ability to support spin coaters. Please let us know the model name and serial number marked on the back of the machine via this site.

If you only need a sample stage, please provide us with the model name and serial number marked on the back of the spin coater, as well as substrate details such as shape, material (silicon, glass, metal, film), and thickness. We can provide a better estimate if you also inform us of any special characteristics of the spin coating solution, such as strong acid, strong alkali, or high viscosity.

Yes, we offer a free two-week trial, although the available models and sample stages are limited. Return shipping is the responsibility of the customer. We also perform a spin coating sample test. If no demo sample stage is available that matches your substrate's size, we will produce a sample stage for a fee.