Hello everyone,
In the SU-8 3000 specs it is claimed that "To remove minimally cross-linked SU-8 3000, or when using Omnicoat, heat the Remover PG bath to 50-80°C and immerse the substrates for 30-90 minutes."
I am concerned what does "minimally cross-linked SU-8 3000" technically mean. In the case of SU-8 resist, the crosslinking proceeds in two steps: (1) formation of a strong acid during the exposure step, followed by (2) acid-catalyzed, thermally driven epoxy cross-linking during the post exposure bake (PEB) step.
What is the most important parameter to be considered to make SU-8 layer "minimally cross-linked" - (1) reduce exposure dose or (2) reduce PEB temperature/time? In my experiment, the SU-8 layer will serve as a mask that must be eventually removed without using "hard" removing agent (such as Piranha solution, etc.)
Could you please share your experience on this matter. Thanks a lot for any advice.