Primelite’s UV-LED Exposure System Advanced Light Engine ONE C (ALE/1C) is a potent spot light source powering many high-performance industrial UV exposure tools. Typically these are semi-automated and automated Mask Aligners for 6″ (150 mm) and 8″ (200 mm) wafers or broadband Wafer Stepper systems (1X Steppers / Mini-Steppers). With UV-LED technology at its core, it offers various advantages over conventional high-pressure mercury discharge lamps, such as excellent output stability and flexible spectrum control, reduced power consumption and heat generation, extended service life, and minimal overall maintenance.
ALE/1C UV-LED Exposure Systems use Primelite’s platform concept and can combine a maximum of three UV LEDs in the optical path. In most cases, these are i-line (CWL 365 nm), h-line (CWL 405 nm), and g-line (CWL 436 nm) emitters, exceeding the illumination power of conventional 1 kW mercury discharge lamps.
ALE/1C units follow a distributed design approach for easy system integration. Our compact UV-LED Exposure Subsystems (ESS) sit directly in the optical path of your equipment, where the design envelope is a challenge in most cases. You may install our separate Control Subsystem (CSS), which manages the power supply and cooling of the entire setup, at a more convenient location with fewer space restrictions. Combine the ALE/1C Exposure System’s light exit with various available light pipes, light guides, and additional optics.
There are two versions of the CSS available: A unit optimized for low footprint and a 4U 19″ rack mount version. Both ALE CSS versions feature the same control interfaces, cooling system connectors, and a system status indicator. Additionally, the rack mount version provides an exposure test key switch on the front to activate light output without the requirement of external control signals.
ALE/1C UV-LED Exposure Subsystems are light pipe coupled spot light sources. Connected to a separate Control Subsystem (CSS) and equipped with your choice of optics, our UV-LED Light Engines provide all the hard- and software necessary to control and drive the internal UV-LED emitters. Beneficial is the compact design of the UV-LED Exposure Subsystem, which facilitates easy system integration into your existing equipment (retrofitting) or new tool designs.
A considerable advantage is that all LED Modules are field-replaceable, and swapping LEDs is a matter of minutes with no need for special tools.
We offer a selection of homogenizing light pipes, flexible liquid light guides, and condensing optics which you can combine with ALE/1C Exposure Subsystems. These components may be particularly helpful if you need to transmit high-power radiation over long distances, increase uniformity, or want to adjust the collimation angle of the output radiation.
Our standard ALE/1C setup combines UV-LED emitters with peak wavelengths around the i-line (365 nm), h-line (405 nm), and g-line (436 nm) of the mercury spectrum. All UV-LED emitters are individually controllable, allowing you to switch between wavelengths without changing filters and customize the composition of your output spectrum.
Radiation [mW]1 | Optics | Broadband (350 - 450 nm) | i-line (365 nm) |
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ALE/1C (Performance Mode) | Ø8.0 mm HEX AR | 50,000 | 21,000 |
ALE/1C (Standard Mode) | Ø8.0 mm HEX AR | 40,000 | 17,000 |
1Deviation of ±10% possible.
The total output of our ALE/1C is up to 40 W in standard mode and up to 50 W in performance mode. The performance mode can be activated with an additional chiller in the cooling circuit that keeps coolant temperatures below 20°C.
Emitter Options | 3 LEDs with CWL 365 nm, 405 nm, and 436 nm | ||
Numerical Aperture | Variable: NA 0.6 (2α ~70°) with light pipe only and down to NA 0.15 (2α ~17°) with condenser | ||
Output Control |
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Communication Interfaces |
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Thermal Management |
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Dimensions (W H D) | ESS: | 20 X 13 X 20.5 cm | 7.9 X 5.1 X 8.1" |
CSS: | 20 X 15 X 45 cm | 7.9 X 5.9 X 17.7" | |
CSS (Rack): | 44 X 18 X 37 cm | 17.3 X 7.1 X 14.6" | |
Weight | ESS: | 5 kg | 11 lbs |
CSS: | 9 kg | 20 lbs | |
CSS (Rack): | 10 kg | 22 lbs | |
Power Supply | 110-240 VAC / 50-60 Hz / 1,000 W |