Spin coating is widely used for fabrication of thin polymer and elastomer films, yet reliable thickness verification of highly compliant materials remains challenging due to deformation from contact-based measurements and the cost and complexity of conventional optical metrology. Accurate thickness control is especially critical in soft elastomer applications such as dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs), where mechanical and functional performance scales strongly with film thickness. This work presents a low-cost, primarily 3D-printed benchtop spin coater with an integrated, minimally deforming optical thickness measurement system for soft-film fabrication workflows. The system is designed to manufacture films between 50 and 300 microns thick with repeatability within 10 microns. Thickness is measured in-situ by tracking displacement of a reflected laser beam via quadrant photodetector, avoiding significant deformation. Optical geometry, sensor linearity constraints, and structural validation via finite element analysis are discussed. Experimental validation using calibrated metal shims demonstrated a thickness resolution of 3.6-3.7 microns and best-case measurement repeatability of 13 microns (95 percent confidence interval). The platform repeatably produced silicone films within 9 microns of target thickness, demonstrating that accessible optical metrology can be integrated into a low-cost spin coating system for practical, thickness-controlled fabrication of compliant thin films without specialized industrial instrumentation.

翻译：旋涂法广泛应用于聚合物和弹性体薄膜的制备，然而，由于接触式测量导致的形变以及传统光学计量技术的成本和复杂性，高柔性材料的可靠厚度验证仍具挑战性。在介电弹性体致动器等软弹性体应用中，精确的厚度控制尤为关键，因为其力学和功能性能与薄膜厚度密切相关。本文提出了一种低成本、以3D打印为主的台式旋涂机，集成了形变最小的光学厚度测量系统，用于软薄膜制备流程。该系统设计可制造厚度为50至300微米的薄膜，重复性误差在10微米以内。通过四象限光电探测器跟踪反射激光束的位移实现原位厚度测量，避免了显著形变。本文讨论了光学几何结构、传感器线性约束以及通过有限元分析进行的结构验证。使用校准金属垫片进行的实验验证表明，厚度分辨率为3.6-3.7微米，最佳测量重复性为13微米（95%置信区间）。该平台可重复制备厚度与目标值相差9微米以内的硅胶薄膜，证明了无需专业工业设备即可将可获取的光学计量技术集成到低成本旋涂系统中，从而实现可控厚度的柔性薄膜的实用化制备。