MRI: Proposal for Purchase of Lithographic Mask Maker

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9871253 Mastrangelo In this proposal the PIs request either an upgrade or a new replacement for their mask- maker machine at the Solid-State Laboratory. Their machine was donated by Ford Motor Company in January of 1993. Since it was installed in their lab, this machine has served many users both internal and external to the solid-state laboratory and has become an essential piece of equipment. Currently, this machine serves 37 users with an annual usage of 500 mask plates per year. Since 1993, approximately 2000 mask plates have been made in this machine in support of as many as 200 different student projects from more than 10 different faculty members. Photolithographic masks are essential for solid state device work. Typically, as many as 20 masks per student per year are needed. Externally, each one of these cost about $400-$600. With our in-house system each mask is made at a cost of $50. If approximately 250 masks are made per year by the UM faculty this results in roughly $90,000 of savings per year. The high cost of mask making is a definite limiting factor in the research done at the Solid-State Laboratory, and their system has served us well in reducing these costs. While still useful, the current mask making machine is a 1986 model, and it is difficult to repair. According to the manufacturer, the machine will no longer be supported in a few months. This decision will have a major impact in all the research projects that utilize the machine, and unless this situation is remedied, the overall laboratory output will drop substantially. Therefore, they must request for funds to replace their existing system. The new system will directly support more than 100 students in three different laboratories and centers (Solid-State, Sensors and Circuits, and Radiation) of the EECS Department. ***