Wet Processing Tabletop Baths for Acids and Solvents
A wet processing tabletop bath is a compact, benchtop wet processing station that supports acid, base, and solvent chemistries at a scale suited to research labs, universities, and R&D facilities. Running a full semiconductor manufacturing line for small-batch proof-of-concept or prototyping work is expensive and inflexible, so Modutek’s tabletop baths scale wet processing down to a benchtop footprint without losing the temperature control, chemical compatibility, or process repeatability a full-size wet bench provides.
Support for Most Chemical Wet Processes
Modutek’s chemical wet processing tabletop baths are compact, self-supporting units that consist of a temperature remote control box and either a Teflon® tank for base processes, stainless-steel tank for solvent processes, or PVDF/natural polypropylene for acid processes.
The tanks are available as ambient or temperature-controlled models and can be static baths or recirculating baths with a filter.
Modutek’s Tabletop Baths Support the Following Chemical Wet Processes:
- KOH Etching
- Solvent Resist Strip
- Buffered Oxide Etch (BOE)
- Other Wet Processes Available
Wet Processing Tabletop Baths for Acids
Benefits
- Easy to Install
- Requires little space
- Ideal for R&D needs using acid applications
- Less expensive than manual wet processing bench
- Supports most common acid wet processes
- Fully customizable for specific applications
Features
- 360-degree serration overflow
- Condensing refluxor – optional
- Custom tank sizes available
- Low level, High Limit, High Temperature and Drain Interlock standand
Specifications
- Applications: KOH and TMAH
- Operating temperature range: 30 – 100º C
- Process temperature control: ± 0.5º C
- Heat-up rate: 2-3º C per minute (rate affected by size of system)
- One-year warranty
Construction Materials
- All PFA Teflon®
- Natural Polypro
- PVDF
Construction Materials
- All PFA Teflon®
- Natural Polypro
- PVDF
Options
- Teflon® gravity drain system
- Remote temperature control box with low voltage control circuit and high voltage heater circuit
- All components (Breakers, Controller, Transformer) meet safety requirements and are UL listed.
Wet Processing Tabletop Baths for Solvents
Benefits
- Easy to Install
- Requires little space
- Ideal for R&D needs using solvent applications
- Less expensive than a manual wet processing bench
- Supports most common solvent wet processes
- Fully customizable for specific applications
Features
- Grounded vessel
- 4-sided heating element
- 360º overflow weir
- Dual safety snap switch
- Radius corner design
- Electropolished
Specifications
- Applications: All solvents
- Solvents: IPA, Acetone, Resist Strippers
- Operating temperature range: 30 º – 100 ºC
- Process temperature control: ± 1 ºC (depends on controller and process)
- Heat-up rate: 2 º C per minute (rate affected by size of system, fluid, etc.)
Facility Requirements
- Electrical: 208VAC, 50 / 60 Hz, 1Ø (current requirements depends on bath size)
Construction Materials
- Process Vessel: 316L Stainless Steel Electropolished
- Outer Housing: Stainless steel or FM4910-approved material
- Process thermocouple: Teflon encapsulated J-type
- Insulation: High-density alumina silica fiber rated to 1260 º C
Facility Requirements
- Electrical: 208VAC, 50 / 60 Hz, 1Ø (current requirements depends on bath size)
Construction Materials
- Process Vessel: 316L Stainless Steel Electropolished
- Outer Housing: Stainless steel or FM4910-approved material
- Process thermocouple: Teflon-encapsulated J-type
- Insulation: High-density alumina silica fiber rated to 1260 º C
Options
- Liquid Level Sensor
- Stainless steel diffuser plate
- Process temperature controller
- Custom vessel sizes
- Remote temperature control box with low voltage control circuit and high voltage heater circuit
- All components (Breakers, Controller, Transformer) meet safety requirements and are UL listed.
Wet Processing Tabletop Bath FAQs
1. When Should a Lab Use a Wet Processing Tabletop Bath Instead of a Full Production Wet Bench?
A tabletop bath makes sense for proof-of-concept work, small-batch prototyping, or process development rather than production volume. It gives a lab the same core temperature control and chemical compatibility as a full-size wet bench without the equipment footprint or cost of a production line.
2. How Do I Choose Between an Acid Tabletop Bath and a Solvent Tabletop Bath?
The two models are built around different tank materials for chemical compatibility: a Teflon tank for base-class processes and a stainless-steel tank for solvent-class processes such as IPA or acetone. Which one fits depends on the specific chemistry your process runs, not the equipment size.
3. Can Modutek Customize a Tabletop Bath for a Specific Wet Process?
Yes. Tank size, temperature control range, and static versus recirculating configuration can all be adjusted to match a specific chemistry or experimental setup, rather than requiring a lab to work around a fixed standard configuration.
4. What Safety Features Are Built Into a Tabletop Bath?
Standard safety controls include low-level, high-limit, and high-temperature interlocks along with a drain interlock, the same category of protection used on Modutek’s full-size wet benches, scaled to a benchtop unit.
5. How Much Lab Space Does a Wet Processing Tabletop Bath Require?
Tabletop baths are self-supporting benchtop units, so they’re designed to fit within existing lab bench or fume hood space rather than requiring the dedicated floor footprint a production wet bench needs.
Request a Quote for a Wet Processing Tabletop Bath
Modutek has designed and built semiconductor wet processing equipment in San Jose, California, since 1980, including acid, base, and solvent tabletop baths used across research labs, universities, and R&D facilities worldwide.
Contact Modutek’s engineering team to discuss tank material, temperature range, and chemistry compatibility for your specific application.