Overview of Spin Coater's Heat Problem
A spin coater can efficiently produce a coating film. Whether the coating film can be produced uniformly depends on conditions such as the viscosity of the chemical solution and the temperature. If these conditions change, a uniform film thickness cannot be achieved. Here, we introduce how to solve the heat problem of such spin coaters.
Heat Generation Affects Spin Coating
Every spin coater manufacturer faces the problem of spin coater heat generation.
A spin coater has a built-in motor that produces a coating at high speed. Heat is generated as the motor runs continuously, and the machine's temperature gradually increases. This temperature change causes a difference in film thickness between the beginning and end of the process.
The extent of this effect depends on the chemical solution and other conditions. Therefore, it is not known until a trial is made. For example, there may be a difference in film thickness between the first and tenth sheets of the coating process, and the difference in film thickness will appear uneven.
Therefore, it is recommended that measures be taken in advance to prevent the spin coater from overheating if delicate or continuous operation is anticipated.
A spin coater has a built-in motor that produces a coating at high speed. Heat is generated as the motor runs continuously, and the machine's temperature gradually increases. This temperature change causes a difference in film thickness between the beginning and end of the process.
The extent of this effect depends on the chemical solution and other conditions. Therefore, it is not known until a trial is made. For example, there may be a difference in film thickness between the first and tenth sheets of the coating process, and the difference in film thickness will appear uneven.
Therefore, it is recommended that measures be taken in advance to prevent the spin coater from overheating if delicate or continuous operation is anticipated.
How to Handle Heat Problem
So, let's look at how to cool down a spin coater.
Air-cooling system
The air-cooling system uses a fan inside the machine to release the accumulated heat. Continuous operation of a spin coater should be avoided because the heat generated will remain inside the machine. Instead, it is recommended to stop the machine for a while at intervals and resume operation after confirming that the machine has cooled down.
Water-cooling system
We adopt the water-cooling system, which circulates the cooling water to cool down the machine. Heat can be efficiently suppressed despite the higher cost since a chiller is required.
In addition, there are several ways to suppress the heat, such as adjusting the sample stage or running the spin coater after the heat has been generated by shakedown. These methods can also be applied to standard models.
If purchasing a new model, please consider the heat problem beforehand. Meanwhile, if you want to solve the heat problem for the existing spin coater, the above methods will be helpful.
If purchasing a new model, please consider the heat problem beforehand. Meanwhile, if you want to solve the heat problem for the existing spin coater, the above methods will be helpful.
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Conclusion
- Continuous operation heats up the motors and changes the spin-coating environment, resulting in a difference in film thickness on the substrates during the coating process.
- The water-cooling system uses the circulating cooling water to cool the machine.
- The air-cooling system uses a fan to dissipate the heat accumulated inside the motor.
- Spin-coating in a heated environment after shakedown can also alleviate the problem.
A spin coater is characterized by its ability to efficiently and uniformly produce a high-quality coating film. However, this process relies on the high-speed rotation of the built-in motor. Therefore, it is inevitable that heat generation will be a problem due to continuous operation.
The higher temperature means that the spin-coating environment is different when the first sheet of substrate is spin-coated and when the tenth sheet is spin-coated, resulting in uneven quality.
There are two common ways to deal with heat problems: the air-cooling system, in which a fan installed inside the machine dissipates the accumulated heat, and the water-cooling system, in which cooling water is circulated to cool the machine.
If you have problems with uneven film thickness due to heat generation in the motor, please contact us. We will propose solutions based on our know-how and experience gained over many years.
The higher temperature means that the spin-coating environment is different when the first sheet of substrate is spin-coated and when the tenth sheet is spin-coated, resulting in uneven quality.
There are two common ways to deal with heat problems: the air-cooling system, in which a fan installed inside the machine dissipates the accumulated heat, and the water-cooling system, in which cooling water is circulated to cool the machine.
If you have problems with uneven film thickness due to heat generation in the motor, please contact us. We will propose solutions based on our know-how and experience gained over many years.
