Unbranded Electronic Shutter Assembly Mask Aligner Semiconductor UV Optics DB9

Unbranded Electronic Shutter Assembly Mask Aligner Semiconductor UV Optics DB9

This is an unbranded electronic shutter assembly removed from a mask aligner UV exposure system. The assembly consists of two black anodized aluminum housing blocks mounted on an integrated baseplate, each containing a circular optical aperture fitted with a shutter disc. A rotary solenoid actuator mounted between the blocks controls shutter blade movement, and the assembly terminates in a DB9 (9-pin D-sub) male connector via a gray multi-conductor cable.

Specifications & What's Included

• Type: Electronic shutter assembly
• Configuration: Dual black anodized aluminum housing blocks on integrated baseplate
• Optical apertures: Two circular apertures, one per housing block, each with shutter disc/blade
• Actuator: Rotary solenoid with spring return
• Connector: DB9 male (9-pin D-sub)
• Cable: Gray multi-conductor cable with red and white leads
• Housing material: Black anodized aluminum
• Approximate dimensions: 7 in x 6 in x 5 in
• Mounting: Multiple tapped holes on baseplate for system integration
• Additional visible component: Small blue trim-pot or sensor component between the housing blocks
• No manufacturer markings or part numbers visible on the assembly

Applications

Electronic shutters like this assembly are a key component in photolithographic mask aligners — the equipment used in semiconductor wafer fabrication to expose photoresist-coated wafers to UV light through a patterned photomask. The shutter controls the precise timing and duration of UV exposure, which directly determines the accuracy of the features printed onto the wafer. Mask aligners were central to IC manufacturing from the 1960s through the 1990s and remain in use today in research, MEMS fabrication, university clean rooms, compound semiconductor production, and specialty microelectronics work where the feature sizes achievable with contact or proximity lithography are sufficient. Rotary solenoid shutters like this type are favored for their fast response and repeatable actuation, typically controlled by the aligner's exposure timer circuit via a standard connector such as the DB9 present here. This assembly would suit replacement or repair of a mask aligner shutter system, optical bench UV exposure setups, or adaptation into custom photolithography or UV inspection rigs.