Soft bake

{
  "id": "MLC-T-CHM-010967",
  "term": "Soft bake",
  "field": "Chemistry",
  "definition": "A low-temperature heating step applied to a photoresist film after coating and before exposure, designed to remove residual solvent. This process improves adhesion to the substrate and enhances the uniformity of the resist film. The specific temperature and duration of the soft bake depend on the resist formulation and film thickness.",
  "subject": "Polymer",
  "see_also": [
    "adhesion",
    "annealing",
    "resist"
  ],
  "references": [
    "PAC, 2020, 92, 1861. 'Terminology of polymers in advanced lithography (IUPAC Recommendations 2020)' on page 1888 (https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2018-1215)"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/chemistry/soft-bake/"
}