Lissy - Automation Platform for Spin Coating Research

The new Lissy System for Spin Coating Research from Zinsser Analytic is part of an automated R&D workflow that uses AI technology to speed up the search for new coating materials for silicon and optical glass components, providing a significant increase in the speed of discovery of promising new materials. 

The Zinsser Lissy system provides interfaces to import worklists, which have been created by the materials discovery platform (AI) or the user, using the Zinsser Worklist Creator software.

This versatile robotic platform is running two separate functions, which are part of the R&D process.

• Pipetting of substance formulations according to imported data, into specially designed reaction blocks. These are placed on heated shakers, which can be flooded with gas to create an inert atmosphere.
• Automated Spin Coating of substrate discs, which include a cleaning step before executing the spin coating. The three-point turning gripper can handle fragile substrate discs of different sizes reliably.

The system is equipped with two arms. The left arm features 8 dual-channel pipetting tips which allow transfer of liquids and gas dispense. The right arm contains grippers for microplates, reaction blocks and a specially designed three-point gripper for the substrate discs. The substrate cleaning is performed in an ultrasonic bath, followed by solvent dipping and an air-scarf drying station. A heating plate allows incubation of substrate discs and quartz microplates at temperatures up to 350 °C. The reagents vials are sealed against evaporation and will be opened automatically while the run. The system incorporates automated Spin Coating and UV/VIS Spectroscopy of the coating materials. Therefore the system allows complete hands-off operation.