JP2019517623A - High precision shadow mask deposition system and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A direct deposition system is disclosed that forms a pattern of high resolution material on a substrate. Vaporized atoms from the evaporation source pass through the pattern of through holes in the shadow mask and deposit on the substrate in a desired pattern. The shadow mask is held by the mask chuck such that the shadow mask and the substrate can be separated by a distance of less than 10 microns. Before reaching the shadow mask, the vaporized atoms pass through a collimator, which acts as a spatial filter to block any atoms that do not move along a direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate surface. The vaporized atoms passing through the shadow mask have little or no lateral spread after passing through the through holes, and the material deposits on the substrate in a pattern that is very faithful to the through hole pattern of the shadow mask.

Description

(Related application)
The present application claims priority to US Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 340,793 (Attorney Docket Number: 6494-208PR1), filed May 24, 2016, which is incorporated herein by reference. Be It also includes U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 15 / 597,635, filed May 17, 2017 (Attorney Docket No .: 6494-208US1), and U.S. Provisional Patent Application, filed May 23, 2017. Priority is claimed to application Ser. No. 15 / 602,939 (Attorney Docket No .: 6494-209 US1), both of which are incorporated herein by reference.

  The present invention relates generally to thin film deposition, and more particularly to deposition based thin film deposition.

  Shadow mask based deposition is a process in which a layer of material is deposited on the surface of a substrate such that the desired pattern of layers is defined during the deposition process itself. This is a deposition technique also called "direct patterning".

  In a typical shadow mask deposition process, the desired material is vaporized at a source remote from the substrate, with the shadow mask disposed between them. As the vaporized atoms of the material move towards the substrate, they pass through a set of through holes in a shadow mask located just in front of the substrate surface. The through holes (i.e. the openings) are arranged in a pattern suitable for the material on the substrate. As a result, the shadow mask blocks the passage of all vaporized atoms other than the vaporized atoms passing through the through holes, and the atoms passing through the through holes deposit on the substrate surface in a desired pattern. Shadow mask based deposition is similar to silk screen technology used to form patterns (e.g., spines, etc.) on garments and stencil products used to develop artwork.

  BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Integrated circuits (ICs) over the years to deposit patterns of material on a substrate due to the fact that shadow mask based deposition avoids the need to pattern the material layer after depositing the material layer, in part. It has been used in industry. As a result, its use eliminates the need to expose the deposited material to harsh chemistries (eg, acid based etchants, corrosive photolithographic development chemistries, etc.). Furthermore, shadow mask-based deposition requires less handling and processing of the substrate, reducing the risk of substrate breakage and improving manufacturing yield. Furthermore, many materials, such as organic materials, can not be exposed to photolithographic chemicals without damaging them, which requires depositing such materials with a shadow mask.

  Unfortunately, the feature resolution obtained by conventional shadow mask deposition is reduced because the deposited material tends to spread laterally after passing through the shadow mask, which is called "feathering". Feathering increases as the distance between the substrate and the shadow mask increases. To reduce feathering, this spacing is as small as possible without compromising the integrity of the chuck holding the substrate and the shadow mask. Furthermore, the non-uniformity of this separation across the deposition area causes fluctuations in the amount of feathering. Such non-uniformities may result, for example, from lack of parallelism between the substrate and the shadow mask, bending or sag of one or both of the substrate and the shadow mask, and the like.

  Unfortunately, it is difficult to place the shadow mask and the substrate close enough so that a significant amount of feathering does not occur. In addition, the shadow mask must be supported only at its periphery so as not to prevent the vaporized atoms from passing through the through-hole pattern. As a result, the center of the shadow mask may sag due to gravity, which further exacerbates the feathering problem.

  Thus, in practice, the critical surface shapes formed by prior art shadow mask based deposition techniques are typically separated by a relatively large area of open space to accommodate feathering, resulting in device density Is limited. For example, each pixel of an active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) display typically includes multiple regions of organic light emitting material that each emit light of a different color. Due to feathering problems, prior art AMOLED displays are typically limited to about 600 pixels per inch (ppi) or less, which is often used in close-to-eye augmented reality and virtual reality applications, etc. Insufficient for the use of Furthermore, the need for large gaps within and between pixels reduces the pixel fill factor and reduces the brightness of the display. As a result, the current density through the organic layer must be increased to provide the desired brightness which can adversely affect the lifetime of the display.

  Another method deposits a monochrome white light emitting organic layer over the entire display using a shadow mask having an aperture the same size as the active area of the display itself, and then red, green and blue over the OLED It is to pattern or deposit a color filter. These color filters can absorb all emitted white light except for the red, green or blue part of the spectrum (depending on the color filters) to create a full color image. However, because these color filters absorb up to 80% of the emitted light, they significantly reduce the brightness of the display, which again has to be operated at higher operating currents than the desired drive current.

  The need for processes that allow high resolution direct patterning remains unmet in the prior art.

  The present invention enables high resolution direct deposition of layers of patterned material on a substrate without some of the cost and penalty of the prior art. Embodiments of the present invention filter the propagation angle of vaporized atoms into a narrow range around a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate. As a result, feathering of material deposited outside the lateral dimension of the surface profile of the shadow mask is reduced. Embodiments of the present invention are particularly well suited for use in the deposition of photosensitive materials, such as organic light emitting materials. Embodiments are also well suited for the deposition of other thin film and thick film layers in packaging applications, integrated circuit processing applications, and the like.

  The invention further enables high precision alignment of the shadow mask with the substrate, which can be contacted or separated by only a few microns. The invention also provides for the reduction of the sag caused by the gravity of a shadow mask supported only at its periphery. Embodiments of the present invention are particularly well suited for applications requiring high density pattern material on a substrate, such as high density pixel displays (DPDs), high definition displays, and the like.

  An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is a direct patterning deposition system in which the material is vaporized at the source so that the material is deposited on the surface of the substrate after passing through the opening pattern of the shadow mask. Before reaching the shadow mask, the vaporized atoms pass through a collimator, which blocks all vaporized atoms except those with a propagation angle close to the normal of the substrate surface. As a result, the lateral offset between the openings and their respective deposited material regions is reduced compared to the prior art.

  The collimator includes a plurality of channels having a high aspect ratio, and the longitudinal axes of the channels are substantially aligned with the normal direction. As a result, those vaporized atoms moving along directions other than the direction close to the normal are shielded by the inner wall of the channel.

  In some embodiments, the source is sized and arranged to provide a conical vapor plume of vaporized atoms such that the entire substrate surface receives vaporized material simultaneously. In some of these embodiments, the source is moved along the path so that the thickness uniformity of the deposited material is improved over the two dimensional area of the substrate surface.

  In some embodiments, the source is a linear source emitting a fan-shaped steam plume, the linear source moving along a direction not aligned with its longitudinal axis. In some of these embodiments, the source is moved along a direction substantially orthogonal to both the longitudinal axis and the normal direction of the source. In some of these embodiments, the source travels along a non-linear path.

  In some embodiments, the source comprises a plurality of individual nozzles, each of which is conical in shape so as to collectively provide a substantially uniform flow of vaporized atoms across the area of the substrate surface. Release the plume.

  In some embodiments, the source is a two-dimensional planar source disposed opposite and parallel to the substrate such that when heated, the organic material vaporizes uniformly across the plane of the source. In some embodiments, relative movement between the source and the shadow mask is provided to improve thickness uniformity of deposited material across a two-dimensional area of the substrate surface.

  Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention comprises a first chuck having a first mounting surface for holding a substrate, and a second mounting surface for holding a shadow mask including a pattern of through holes. And a second chuck having a direct patterning deposition system. The second chuck includes a frame surrounding a central opening that exposes the pattern of through holes in the shadow mask. As a result, during deposition, vaporized atoms of material may pass through the second chuck and through holes and deposit in a desired pattern on the deposition area on the front surface of the substrate.

  The first chuck generates a first electrostatic force that is selectively applied to the back surface of the substrate. The first chuck is also dimensioned and positioned so as not to protrude from the front of the substrate. Similarly, the second chuck generates a second electrostatic force that is selectively applied to the back surface of the shadow mask. The second chuck is also dimensioned and positioned so as not to protrude from the front of the shadow mask. When the shadow mask and the substrate are aligned for deposition, neither portion of the first and second chucks will penetrate into the three dimensional space between the substrate and the shadow mask. As a result, the substrate and the shadow mask can be placed in close proximity or even in contact during deposition, thereby reducing feathering.

  In some embodiments, at least one of the first attraction force and the second attraction force is a force other than static electricity, such as vacuum generation force, magnetic force, and the like.

  In some embodiments, the second mounting surface is sized and positioned to create a tensile stress on the front surface of the shadow mask to reduce gravity sag in the central region thereof. In some such embodiments, the frame of the second chuck is shaped so that its mounting surface is inclined away from the upper end of the inner periphery of the frame. As a result, when the shadow mask is attached to the second chuck, the shadow mask bends slightly and tensile stress is generated on the front surface of the shadow mask. In some of these embodiments, the mounting surface is curved downward from the upper end of the inner periphery of the frame.

  One embodiment of the present invention is a system for depositing a first material on a plurality of deposition sites in a deposition area of a substrate, wherein the plurality of deposition sites are arranged in a first arrangement and the substrate is A first main surface including the deposition region and a second main surface, wherein the system is a source for supplying a first plurality of vaporized atoms of the first material, Each of the plurality of vaporized atoms of 1 propagates along a propagation direction characterized by a propagation angle relative to a first direction perpendicular to a first plane defined by the substrate; A shadow mask including a source and a plurality of through holes arranged in the first arrangement, wherein the range of propagation angles of vaporized atoms of the first range of angles includes the plurality of through holes; A shadow mask including the third main surface and the fourth main surface; A first chuck for holding a plate, the first chuck being sized and arranged to selectively apply a first attractive force to the first major surface, and the shadow mask A second chuck for holding, comprising a frame surrounding a first opening enabling the material to pass through the second chuck to a through hole, said third main surface A second chuck sized and positioned to selectively apply a second attractive force to the second chuck, and a plurality of channels, the collimator being between the source and the shadow mask, A collimator, wherein each of the plurality of channels is sized and arranged to pass only vaporized atoms having a propagation angle within a second angular range smaller than the first angular range; And before To align the substrate, a system and a positioning system for controlling the relative position of the second chuck and the first chuck.

  Another embodiment of the present invention deposits a first material on a plurality of deposition sites in a deposition area of a substrate, wherein the plurality of deposition sites are arranged in a first arrangement, and the substrate is disposed on a first side. A system including a first major surface and a second major surface having a directional length, the source supplying a first plurality of vaporized atoms, each of the first plurality of vaporized atoms A shadow including a source and a plurality of through holes arranged in the first arrangement, wherein the plurality of propagation angles move along a propagation direction defining the propagation angle, the plurality of propagation angles covering a first angular range A mask, wherein the shadow mask includes a third main surface and a fourth main surface including the through hole, and the shadow mask and the plurality of deposition sites are jointly smaller than the first angle range. A shadow mask defining an allowable angular range, and a first for holding the substrate And a second chuck for holding the shadow mask, the frame surrounding a first opening that allows the material to pass through the second chuck to the through hole. And when the shadow mask and the substrate are aligned, the shadow mask and the substrate jointly define a first region, and the first region comprises: (1) the first lateral length (2) having a second lateral length as described above, (2) having a thickness equal to the distance between the substrate and the shadow mask, and (3) the first chuck and the second chuck And a plurality of channels, with the first chuck and the second chuck being sized and arranged to allow the thickness to be less than 10 microns. Said collimator comprising Each of the plurality of channels has a length-to-width aspect ratio which defines the filtering angle range is less than the allowable angle range, comprising a collimator, a, is a system.

  Yet another embodiment of the present invention is a method for depositing a first material on a plurality of deposition sites arranged in a first arrangement of substrates, the substrate having a first lateral length. A first major surface and a second major surface, the second major surface including the first region, and the method being arranged in a source and a first arrangement Receiving a first plurality of vaporized atoms with a collimator positioned between the shadow mask having a plurality of through holes, wherein the shadow mask includes a third main surface and a fourth side including the through holes. A first chuck including a main surface, wherein the first plurality of vaporized atoms are characterized by a first range of propagation angles, and a first chuck selectively applying a first attractive force to the first main surface Holding the substrate, and selectively applying a second attractive force to the third main surface. Holding said shadow mask in a chuck, said second chuck enabling movement of particles of said material through said second chuck to said plurality of through holes, and said collimator Selectively passing a second plurality of vaporized atoms to the shadow mask via the second range, wherein the second plurality of vaporized atoms are narrower than the propagation angle of the first range. Positioning the substrate and the shadow mask such that the second major surface and the fourth major surface are separated by a distance of 10 microns or less, characterized by a propagation angle; Allowing at least a portion of two of the plurality of vaporized atoms to deposit on the substrate through the second chuck and the plurality of through holes.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the cross section of the salient features of a direct patterning deposition system according to the prior art. FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of a cross section of the salient features of the high precision direct patterning deposition system according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. Fig. 6 illustrates the operation of a method for depositing a layer of patterned material directly on a substrate according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a top view of a mask chuck according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a cross-sectional view of a mask chuck according to an exemplary embodiment. A cross-sectional view of the shadow mask 106 mounted on the mask chuck 206 is shown. FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of a cross-sectional view of a portion of a mask chuck 206 according to a first alternative embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of a cross-sectional view of a portion of a mask chuck 206 according to a second alternative embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of a top view of a mask chuck according to a third alternative embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of a cross-sectional view of a mask chuck according to a third alternative embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a cross-sectional view of a mask chuck according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of a cross-sectional view of the substrate chuck 204 while holding the substrate 102. A schematic view of a cross-sectional view of a portion of system 100 having substrate 102 and shadow mask 106 aligned for deposition of material 116 is shown. A schematic view of a magnified view of the pixel area of the substrate 102 and the corresponding opening 120 of the shadow mask 106 is shown. FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a cross-sectional view of a collimator according to an exemplary embodiment. A schematic view of the top view of the area of the collimator 208 is shown. A schematic of a cross-sectional view of the area of the collimator 208 is shown.

  FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of the cross section of the salient features of a direct patterning deposition system according to the prior art. System 100 is a conventional deposition system that deposits a desired pattern of material on a substrate by evaporating the material through a shadow mask placed in front of the substrate. System 100 includes a source 104 and a shadow mask 106 disposed within a low pressure vacuum chamber (not shown).

  The substrate 102 is a glass substrate suitable for forming an active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) display. The substrate 102 includes a surface 114 that defines a plane 108 and a normal axis 110. The normal axis 110 is orthogonal to the plane 108. The surface 114 has a plurality of deposition sites G for receiving a material emitting green light, a plurality of deposition sites B for receiving a material emitting blue light, and a material for emitting red light Containing multiple deposition sites R. The deposition sites are arranged in the plurality of pixel areas 112 such that each pixel area includes one deposition site for each color of light emitting material.

  The source 104 is a crucible for vaporizing the material 116, which is an organic material that emits light of the desired wavelength. In the illustrated example, the material 116 is an organic light emitting material that emits red light. In the illustrated example, the source 104 is a single chamber crucible centered with respect to the substrate 102. However, in some embodiments, source 104 comprises a plurality of chambers arranged in a one-dimensional and / or two-dimensional arrangement. As the material 116 melts or sublimes in the low pressure atmosphere of the vacuum chamber 110, vaporized atoms 122 of the material 116 are released from the source and propagate substantially ballistically towards the substrate 102. The vaporized atoms released from source 104 collectively define a vapor plume 124.

  Shadow mask 106 is a plate of structural material that includes openings 120. The shadow mask is substantially flat and defines a plane 118. A shadow mask is disposed between the source 104 and the substrate 102 such that it blocks the passage of all vaporized atoms except those passing through the opening. The shadow mask and the substrate are separated by a separation distance s (typically tens or hundreds of microns), planes 108 and 118 are substantially parallel, and opening 120 is aligned with deposition site R. There is.

  Ideally, when depositing the red light emitting material 116, the vaporized atoms only enter the deposition site R. Unfortunately, the steam plume 124 contains vaporized atoms that move along many different propagation directions 126, many of which are not aligned with the direction of the normal axis 110. As a result, most of the vaporized atoms passing through the opening 120 move along the propagation direction having a large lateral component. The point at which each vaporized atom is incident on the surface 114 is geometrically dependent on the propagation angle and the spatial relationship between the substrate and the shadow mask, specifically, the spacing s and the positional relationship between the opening 120 and the deposition site R. To be determined. For the purpose of the present specification including the appended claims, the term "propagation angle" is the direction perpendicular to the plane 108 of the substrate 102 (ie normal direction 128, It is defined as the angle formed by the propagation direction of vaporized atoms with respect to For example, vaporized atoms 122 move along the propagation direction 126 to generate a propagation angle θp with respect to the normal direction 128.

  The propagation angles of the vaporized atoms of the vapor plume 124 span a relatively wide angular range of -θm to + θm, which causes significant disadvantages for the direct deposition system of the prior art. In particular, it results in the deposition of material 118 on the outer front surface 114 around the opening 120, which is typically referred to as "feathering". Furthermore, the amount of feathering at the opening increases with the distance of the opening from the center of the substrate 102.

  In the case of an opening located near the center of the vapor plume 124, the vaporized atoms 122 reaching the shadow mask 106 have a propagation angle within a relatively small angular range. In other words, they are moving along a direction slightly offset from the normal axis 110. As a result, vaporized atoms passing through these openings show only minimal lateral drift (feathering) after passing through the shadow mask. Thus, in this region, the lateral length of the deposition material 116 is generally approximately aligned with the edge of the opening 120 (ie, it deposits primarily at the target deposition site R).

  However, for the openings further away from the center of the vapor plume 124, the vaporized atoms reaching the shadow mask 106 extend over a relatively wide angular range, including a propagation angle close to | θ m |. As a result, in these regions, the lateral distance traveled by the vaporized atoms after passing through the shadow mask becomes long, and the deposited material feathers far beyond the lateral length of the opening. . This results in a lateral offset Δf between the edge of the opening and the perimeter of the area where the material 116 is deposited. Thus, the deposited material extends beyond the target deposition area. In some cases, such feathering can result in the deposition of material on adjacent deposition sites (ie, deposition sites, B and / or G) intended for different light emitting materials, thereby causing color mixing. is there.

  Deviation from parallelism of faces 108 and 118 (ie relative pitch and / or yaw between mask and substrate), shadow mask and / or substrate non-flatness, and shadow mask and substrate Note that feathering is exacerbated by any additional misalignment between the shadow mask and the substrate, such as translational and / or rotational misalignment. Furthermore, in many prior art deposition systems (e.g., systems for depositing multiple materials, etc.), the source 104 is located off-center from the substrate, which leads to even greater feathering problems.

  Those skilled in the art will recognize that placing the shadow mask 106 in contact with the substrate 102 during deposition may alleviate or even eliminate the feathering problem entirely. Unfortunately, this is often undesirable or impossible for some reasons. First, prior art substrate and shadow mask chucks typically include features that project above the substrate and shadow mask, respectively. As a result, these features act as shielding elements that limit how close the substrate and shadow mask can be placed. Second, contact with the shadow mask can damage existing structures on the substrate surface. Third, damage to the shadow mask can occur due to contact with the substrate. Fourth, residues may remain on the shadow mask surface upon removal from contact with the substrate. The need for frequent cleaning of the shadow mask increases processing time and overall cost, and can also damage the mask during the cleaning operation. As a result, prior art shadow mask deposition has been substantially limited to non-contact configurations where feathering has a significant adverse effect. Fifth, conventional shadow masks are usually made of metal, so they are necessarily quite thick. When placed in contact with the substrate, a thick shadow mask produces shadows in each aperture area, resulting in thinner edges of the deposited features. In the case of thicker shadow masks as commonly used in the prior art, more material is lost because the walls of the openings and the edges of the sub-pixels become thinner.

  However, the present invention allows direct deposition without some of the disadvantages of the prior art. The first aspect of the invention significantly reduces feathering by causing only the vaporized atoms propagating along the direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the substrate to reach the shadow mask, whereby the aperture of the shadow mask It is to enable a pattern of deposited material with higher resolution and fidelity to the pattern.

  Another aspect of the present invention is that when using a non-metallic material such as silicon nitride for the shadow mask, it can be made extremely thin (≦ 1 micron), thereby significantly reducing the shadowing of the prior art shadow mask It is to become.

  Yet another aspect of the invention is that the sag caused by the gravity of the shadow mask can be reduced or eliminated by using a shadow mask chuck that is sized and positioned to counter the effects of gravity on the shadow mask. .

  Another aspect of the present invention is that the substrate and the shadow mask chuck without structures projecting above the top surface of the substrate and the shadow mask allow very small separation, or even contact, between the substrate and the shadow mask. That is to reduce feathering. Substrate / shadow mask contacts also increase their stability during deposition, improve material utilization by reducing waste, enable faster deposition and higher throughput, and allow deposition at lower temperatures Make it

  FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of the cross section of the salient features of the high precision direct patterning deposition system according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. System 200 includes a vacuum chamber 202, a substrate chuck 204, a source 104, a shadow mask 106, a mask chuck 206, a collimator 208 and a positioning system 212. System 200 operates to deposit a desired material pattern on a substrate surface without the need for subsequent subtractive patterning operations such as photolithography and etching.

  System 200 is described herein with respect to the deposition of a pattern of light emitting material on a glass substrate as part of the fabrication of an AMOLED display. However, after reading this specification, the present invention can be substantially embodied on any of various substrates, such as semiconductor substrates (eg, silicon, silicon carbide, germanium, etc.), ceramic substrates, metal substrates, plastic substrates, etc. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that any thin film and thick film material (organic or inorganic) can be directed to the formation of directly patterned layers. Furthermore, although the exemplary embodiment is a thermal evaporation system, one skilled in the art, after reading this specification, can direct the present invention to virtually any material deposition process such as electron beam evaporation, sputtering, and sputtering. Recognize that. Furthermore, although the illustrated example is a deposition system suitable for use in single substrate planar processing, the present invention provides other manufacturing such as cluster tool processing, track processing, roll to roll processing, reel to reel processing, etc. Also suitable for use in the method. As a result, the present invention is suitable for use in a myriad of applications including, but not limited to, packaging applications, IC manufacturing, MEMS manufacturing, nanotechnology device manufacturing, ball grid array (BGA) manufacturing and the like.

  In the illustrated example, the shadow mask 106 is a high precision shadow mask including the operation substrate 224 and the film 226, and the film 226 is suspended over a central opening formed in the operation substrate. The membrane 226 includes a through hole pattern 228. Shadow mask 106 includes two major surfaces, ie, a front surface 230 and a back surface 232. The front surface 230 is the top surface of the membrane 226 (ie, the membrane surface distal to the manipulation substrate 224), which defines a flat surface 118. The back surface 232 is the surface of the operation substrate 224 (ie, the substrate surface distal to the membrane 226). It should be noted that although the shadow mask 106 is a high precision film based shadow mask, the mask chuck according to the present invention can be used to hold virtually any type of shadow mask. Preferably, the membrane 226 comprises silicon nitride. However, other materials can be used without departing from the scope of the present invention. Preferably, the membrane 226 has a thickness of 1 micron or less. However, other thicknesses can be used for the membrane without departing from the scope of the present invention.

  As mentioned above, the use of shadow mask films having a thickness of 1 micron or less can reduce shadowing effects during direct deposition as compared to shadow masks of the prior art.

  Vacuum chamber 202 is a conventional pressure vessel for containing the low pressure environment required for deposition of material 116. In the illustrated example, the vacuum chamber 110 is a stand alone unit. However, it can also be implemented as part of a cluster deposition system or track deposition system in which a plurality of deposition chambers are arranged in a straight line, without departing from the scope of the present invention. In some embodiments, the vacuum chamber 110 allows for the formation of different patterns of different materials on the substrate 102, such as, for example, multiple light emitting sub-pixels emitting in different colors (eg, red, green and blue) Include any source / shadow mask combination.

  Controller 240 is, among other things, a conventional instrument controller that provides control signals 236 and 238 to substrate chuck 204 and mask chuck 206, respectively.

  FIG. 3 illustrates the operation of a method for depositing a layer of patterned material directly on a substrate according to an exemplary embodiment. The method 300 continues to refer to FIGS. 4A and 4B, 5, 6A and 6B, 7A and 7B, 8A and 8B, 9 and 10 and 11A, again with reference to FIG. This is described herein with reference to FIG. 11C. Method 300 begins with operation 301 where collimator 208 is mounted to collimator chuck 210.

  The collimator 208 is a mechanically robust plate that includes a plurality of channels separated by thin walls, as described in more detail below, and as described with respect to FIGS. 11A-11C. The collimator 208 is sized and arranged to function as a spatial filter to selectively pass vaporized atoms propagating along a direction generally perpendicular to the plane 108 (ie, having a very small propagation angle) . Thus, the collimator 202 reduces feathering across the substrate 102.

  The collimator chuck 210 is an annular clamping mechanism for holding and positioning the collimator with respect to the shadow mask 106.

  In operation 302, the shadow mask 106 is attached to the mask chuck 206.

  The mask chuck 206 is a fixture for holding the shadow mask 106 via the suction applied only to the back surface thereof. In the illustrated example, the mask chuck 206 holds the shadow mask 106 using electrostatic force. In some embodiments, the mask chuck 206 holds the shadow mask using various suction forces such as vacuum generation force, magnetic force, and the like. In another embodiment, the mask chuck 206 is a mechanical clamp.

  4A and 4B respectively show schematic views of a top view and a cross-sectional view of a mask chuck according to an exemplary embodiment. The cross section shown in FIG. 4B is a view from the line aa shown in FIG. 4A. The mask chuck 206 includes a frame 402, electrodes 404-1 and 404-2 and a pad 406.

  Frame 402 is a structurally rigid circular ring of electrically insulating material. Frame 402 encloses an opening 408 large enough to expose the entire through hole pattern 228. In some embodiments, the frame 402 has a shape other than circular, such as square, rectangular, irregularly shaped, and the like. In some embodiments, the frame 402 comprises a conductive material that is coated with an electrical insulator.

  The electrodes 404-1 and 404-2 are conductive elements formed on the surface of the frame 402. Electrodes 404-1 and 404-2 are electrically coupled to controller 240.

  Pad 406 is a structurally rigid plate of electrically insulating material disposed on electrodes 404-1 and 404-2. Each of the pads 406 includes a mounting surface 410 on which the shadow mask 106 is held when mounted to the mask chuck.

  FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the shadow mask 106 mounted on the mask chuck 206.

  The shadow mask 106 is held on the mask chuck 206 by the electrostatic force applied between the mounting surface 410 and the back surface 232. The electrostatic force is generated in response to the potential between the electrodes 401-1 and 404-2 generated by the control signal 238. When the back surface 232 contacts the mounting surface 410, a resonant charge region is generated in the operation substrate 224, as shown. As a result, an electrostatic force is selectively provided between the back surface 232 and the mounting surface 410.

  In general, the shadow mask 106 is supported only at its periphery. As a result, prior art shadow masks tend to sag under gravity. In some embodiments, a mask chuck according to the present invention includes one or more features that reduce or eliminate the sag caused by the gravity of the shadow mask when the shadow mask is mounted. As described in detail above, the shadow mask may sag several microns in the center due to the effects of its own mass and gravity. The sag caused by this gravity causes several important problems that exacerbate feathering. First, it widens the distance between the shadow mask and the substrate, which is generally at the center of the deposition area centered on the shadow mask. As mentioned above, feathering increases with the substrate / shadow mask separation distance. Second, it results in non-uniform separation between the substrate and the shadow mask, which causes a variation in the degree of feathering that occurs across the substrate surface. Due to the non-uniformity, it is difficult, if not impossible, to correct feathering with the inventive mask arrangement.

  Yet another aspect of the invention is that the mask chuck can include features that reduce the sag caused by the gravity of the shadow mask.

  In some embodiments, the mask chuck 206 includes a slight curvature (e.g., an upward slope) that biases the shadow mask upward to counteract the sag of the shadow mask due to gravity. In some embodiments, a fine support structure can extend across the opening of the mask chuck 206 to support the mask and reduce gravity sag. These features are described in more detail below with respect to FIGS. 6A and 6B and FIGS. 7A and 7B.

  FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of a cross-sectional view of a portion of a mask chuck according to a first alternative embodiment of the present invention. The cross section shown in FIG. 6A is a view from line aa shown in FIG. 4A. The mask chuck 600 includes a frame 402, electrodes 404-1 and 404-2 and a pad 702.

  Pad 602 is similar to pad 406 described above. However, each pad 602 has a mounting surface designed to induce or increase tensile strain in the shadow mask when it is mounted to the mask chuck. The pad 602 has a mounting surface 604 that tapers linearly downward from the inner edge 606 (ie, the edge closer to the opening 408) to the outer edge 608. In other words, the mounting surface 604 is in the negative z-direction from point 614 to point 616 (ie, where it intersects the inner edge 606 at plane 610 to the outer edge 608 at plane 612) as shown. Is tapered. Thus, in the embodiment where the inner edge 606 is perpendicular to the plane 610, the inner edge 606 and the mounting surface 604 produce an interior angle θ such that they are acute.

  When the shadow mask 106 is held in the mask chuck 600, the back surface 232 is attracted to the mounting surface 604, thereby causing a curvature of the shadow mask that increases the lateral tension of the front surface 230 of the shadow mask. As a result, the membrane is pulled harder and the sag caused by gravity is reduced or eliminated.

  FIG. 6B shows a schematic view of a cross-sectional view of a portion of a mask chuck according to a second alternative embodiment of the present invention. The cross section shown in FIG. 6B is a view from line aa shown in FIG. 4A. The mask chuck 618 includes a frame 402, electrodes 404-1 and 404-2 and a pad 720.

  Pad 620 is similar to pad 406 described above. However, similar to pads 602, each pad 620 has a mounting surface designed to cause or increase tensile distortion in the shadow mask when the shadow mask is mounted on the mask chuck. The pad 620 has a mounting surface 622 that curves downward from the inner edge 606 to the outer edge 608 (ie, in the negative z-direction as shown). In other words, mounting surface 622 tapers in the negative z-direction from point 614 to point 616, as shown.

  When the shadow mask 106 is held by the mask chuck 618, the back surface 232 is attracted to the mounting surface 622, thereby causing a curvature in the shadow mask that increases the lateral tension of the front surface 230 of the shadow mask. As a result, the membrane is pulled harder and the sag caused by gravity is reduced or eliminated. In some embodiments, the amount of additional tension generated on the front surface 230 can be controlled by controlling the magnitude of the voltage difference applied to the electrodes 404-1 and 404-2.

  As will be apparent to one skilled in the art after reading this specification, in deposition systems where the mask is mounted upside down as compared to its orientation shown in FIG. The direction of) is reversed. Further, in such an arrangement, the substrate chuck 204 would typically need to be designed such that the substrate 102 is within the opening 408 and allow for substrate / shadow mask separation of 10 microns or less. .

  7A and 7B show schematic views of a top view and a cross-sectional view, respectively, of a mask chuck according to a third alternative embodiment of the present invention. The mask chuck 700 includes a mask chuck 206 and a support grid 702.

  The support grid 702 comprises a plate 704 and support ribs 706.

  Plate 704 is a rigid plate from which support ribs 706 extend. In some embodiments, the plate 704 and the support ribs 706 are machined from a solid body of structural material. Materials suitable for use in plate 704 and support ribs 706 include, but are not limited to, metals, plastics, ceramics, composites, glasses, and the like. Plate 704 is designed to be attached to frame 402 to position support grid 702 within opening 408 to mechanically support membrane 226 when shadow mask 106 is attached to mask chuck 700. It is done.

  The support ribs 706 are arranged to support the shadow mask 106 in the area between the through holes of the through hole arrangement 228. Typically, the through holes in the shadow mask are arranged in clusters corresponding to different die areas on the substrate. Because the die areas are typically separated by "lanes" for removal by dicing saws, the support ribs 706 are preferably arranged to match the placement of these lanes. However, it should be noted that the support grid 702 can use any suitable arrangement of support ribs.

  The support grids 702 are formed such that their top surfaces 708 are coplanar and define a plane 710. The plane 710 is above the mounting surface 410 at a distance equal to the thickness of the frame 224. As a result, support rib 706 contacts membrane 226 when frame 224 contacts mounting surface 410.

  In some embodiments, the shadow mask 106 is held upside down in the mask chuck 700 such that the membrane 226 contacts the mounting surface 410. In such an embodiment, the support grid 702 is designed to fit within the opening 408 so that the plane 710 is coplanar with the mounting surface 410. As a result, the membrane 226 is supported by the support grid 702 so that it is completely horizontal across the opening 408.

  At operation 303, the substrate 102 is mounted to the substrate chuck 204.

  The substrate chuck 204 is a platen for holding the substrate 102 using an attractive force applied only to its back surface. In the illustrated example, the substrate chuck 204 generates an electrostatic force to hold the substrate. However, in some embodiments, the substrate chuck 204 holds the substrate using various attractive forces such as vacuum generation force, magnetic force, and the like. For the purpose of the present description, including the appended claims, the term "magnetic force" includes any force resulting from the use of permanent magnets and / or electromagnets. Substrate chuck 204 is described in more detail below with respect to FIGS. 8A and 8B.

  In some embodiments, the substrate chuck 204 is sized and positioned to contact the substrate 102 only from the front surface to reduce interference with deposition of material on the opposite side of the substrate. In some embodiments, the substrate chuck 204 secures the substrate from both sides of the substrate using various means such as vacuum, mechanical clamps and the like. In some embodiments, the substrate chuck 204 includes an in situ gap sensor operating in conjunction with a positioning system 212 that controls the spacing and parallelism between the substrate 102 and the shadow mask 106.

  In the illustrated example, the substrate 102 is a glass substrate suitable for use in an active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) display. The substrate 102 includes two main surfaces, a back surface 115 and a front surface 114, on which a display element is defined. The front surface 114 defines a plane 108.

  FIG. 8A shows a schematic view of a cross-sectional view of a substrate chuck according to an exemplary embodiment. The substrate chuck 204 includes a platen 802 and electrodes 804-1 and 804-2.

  Platen 820 is a structurally rigid platform that includes substrate 806 and dielectric layer 808. Each of the substrate 806 and the dielectric layer 808 electrically isolates the electrodes 804-1 and 804-2 from each other and the substrate 102 when the substrate is mounted on the substrate chuck, glass, ceramic, anodized aluminum, Composite materials, including electrically insulating materials such as Bakelite.

  The electrodes 804-1 and 804-2 are conductive elements formed on the surface of the substrate 806 and overcoated with a dielectric layer 808 to embed them in the platen 802. Electrodes 804-1 and 804-2 are electrically coupled to controller 240. It should be noted that the electrodes 804-1 and 804-2 are depicted as simple plates. However, in practice, substrate chuck 204 can have electrodes of any shape, such as interdigital comb fingers, concentric rings, irregular shapes, and the like.

  The dielectric layer 808 is a structurally rigid glass layer disposed over the electrodes 804-1 and 804-2 to produce the mounting surface 810.

  FIG. 8B shows a schematic view of a cross-sectional view of the substrate chuck 204 while holding the substrate 102.

  In order to hold the substrate 102 on the substrate chuck 204, the control signal 236 generates an electrical potential between the electrodes 804-1 and 804-2. When the back surface 115 contacts the mounting surface 810 (ie, the top surface of the dielectric layer 808), a resonant charge region is created in the substrate 102 as shown. As a result, an electrostatic force is selectively applied to the back surface 115, thereby attracting it to the mounting surface 610.

  An exemplary embodiment includes a substrate chuck that uses electrostatic force to hold the substrate 114, but after reading this specification, the substrate can be a substrate chuck using attraction other than electrostatic force such as vacuum generation force, magnetic force, etc. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art how to identify, make and use alternative embodiments retained in

  In operation 304, the relative positions of substrate 102, source 104, shadow mask 106 and collimator 208 are controlled by positioning system 212.

  Positioning system 212 aligns substrate 102 with shadow mask 106 by controlling the position of substrate chuck 204. In some embodiments, the positioning system aligns the substrate with the shadow mask by controlling the position of the mask chuck 206. In some embodiments, the positions of both chucks are controlled to align the substrate and the shadow mask. Operation 304 and positioning system 212 are described in more detail below, with respect to FIGS. 1, 2, 9, 10 and 11A-11C.

  The positioning system comprises three six-axis manipulators and an optical alignment system to control the alignment between the substrate 102 and the shadow mask 106. Each of the six axis manipulators is operatively connected to each of the substrate chuck 204, the mask chuck 206 and the collimator chuck 210 to control its position along and around each of the x, y and z axes. Do. In some embodiments, the position of at least one of mask chuck 206 and collimator chuck 210 is not controlled by a six-axis positioner. In some embodiments, positioning system 212 also includes a rotational stage to control relative rotational alignment of substrate 102 and shadow mask 106.

  In operation 304, the deposition site R of the deposition region 216 is aligned with the opening 120, the planes 108 and 118 are parallel, and the spacing s between the substrate and the shadow mask is near zero (ie, in contact) ) Position system 212 positions the substrate and shadow mask so as to be within a few microns, possibly 1 to 5 microns. In some embodiments, s is another suitable separation distance. It should be noted that for the sake of clarity, the spacing s is drawn larger than typical.

  In some embodiments, it is an aspect of the invention that neither the substrate chuck 204 nor the mask chuck 206 include any structural elements that project beyond their respective mounting surfaces. As a result, the substrate and shadow mask can be aligned with little or no separation between them to reduce feathering during deposition. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that in conventional direct deposition systems, the spacing between the substrate and the shadow mask should be at least a few tens of microns, or even hundreds of microns.

  FIG. 9 shows a schematic view of a cross-sectional view of a portion of system 100 having substrate 102 and shadow mask 106 aligned for deposition of material 116.

  When the substrate and shadow mask are aligned, they together define an area 902 between them. Region 902 has a lateral length L 1, which is equal to the length of front surface 114. Region 902 also has a thickness equal to the spacing s1 between planes 108 and 118 (ie, the spacing between the substrate and the shadow mask).

  As no portion of the substrate chuck 204 extends beyond the plane 108 into the area 902, there is no obstruction between the substrate and the shadow mask. As a result, the spacing s1 between the substrate 102 and the shadow mask 106 can be very small (≦ 10 microns). In fact, the substrate and the shadow mask can be brought into contact with one another as required. The ability to perform direct patterning with substrate / shadow mask spacings of 10 microns or less is directly related to the prior art as it allows for significant reduction or even elimination of feathering in embodiments of the present invention. It is particularly advantageous over a patterned deposition system. In some embodiments, there is no spacing or zero clearance between the substrate and the shadow mask to completely eliminate feathering.

  At operation 305, source 104 generates steam plume 124. As explained above, with respect to FIG. 1, the propagation angles θp of the vaporized atoms of the vapor plume 124 span a relatively wide angular range of -θm to + θm. In the prior art, this large angular range exacerbates feathering, which causes lateral and rotational alignment between the substrate 102 and the shadow mask 106, the spacing s between them, and incidence on the shadow mask. Is a function of the range of propagation angles of vaporized atoms.

  However, in the present invention, the range of propagation angles of vaporized atoms reaching the substrate surface is reduced by placing a spatial filter (ie, collimator 208) in their path from source 104 to shadow mask 106. Thus, the inclusion of the collimator 208 in the system 200 greatly reduces feathering during direct deposition.

  FIG. 10 shows a schematic view of a magnified view of the pixel area 112 of the substrate 102 and the corresponding opening 120 of the shadow mask 106. As shown in the figure, for complete fidelity between the opening 120 and deposition of material on the deposition site R, the propagation angles of the vaporized atoms passing through the shadow mask 106 are in the tolerance range of -θa to + θa. It must be within. For the purpose of this specification, including the appended claims, the term “permissible angle range” is defined as the range of propagation angles that the shadow mask is desired to pass through, which is from −θa to + θa. It covers the angle range. Generally, the allowable angular range is the range of angles that allow material 116 to deposit only on deposition site R after passing through opening 120. In some embodiments, the allowable angular range includes a small guard band around the deposition site to allow for feathering that is less than half the spacing between the closest deposition sites. Vaporized atoms incident on the shadow mask having a propagation angle outside this range deposit on the surface 114 beyond the lateral length of the deposition site R.

  At operation 306, the steam plume 124 is filtered by the collimator 208 to produce a steam column 214.

  FIG. 11A shows a schematic view of a cross-sectional view of a collimator according to an exemplary embodiment. The collimator 208 includes a body 1102 that is patterned to form a plurality of channels 1104, each channel extending through the thickness of the body 1102.

  The main body 1102 is a glass plate suitable for planar processing. In the illustrated example, the body 1102 has a thickness of about 25 millimeters (mm). However, any practical thickness can be used without departing from the scope of the present invention. In some embodiments, the body 1102 comprises various structurally rigid materials suitable to withstand the temperatures associated with thermal and / or electron beam deposition without significant deformation. Materials suitable for use in body 1102 include, but are not limited to, semiconductors (eg, silicon, silicon carbide, etc.), ceramics (eg, alumina, etc.), composites (eg, carbon fibers, etc.), glass fibers, printed Including circuit boards, metals, polymers (eg, polyetheretherketone (PEEK), etc.) and the like.

  Channel 1104 is a through hole formed in body 1102 using conventional processing operations such as metal forming, drilling, electronic discharge machining, deep reactive ion etching (DRIE), and the like. In the illustrated example, the channel 1104 has a circular cross section about 3 mm in diameter. Thus, the aspect ratio of channel 1104 is approximately 8: 1. The aspect ratio is preferably at least 3: 1. Furthermore, when the aspect ratio exceeds 100: 1, the flow of vaporized atoms through the collimator begins to decrease to an undesirable level. However, height aspect ratios greater than 100: 1 are within the scope of the present invention. In some embodiments, channel 1104 has a cross-sectional shape other than circular (eg, square, rectangular, hexagonal, octagonal, irregular, etc.).

  The formation of the channels 1104 results in a plurality of walls 1106 present between the channels. Preferably, the wall 1106 is as thin as possible without sacrificing the structural integrity of the body 1102 to allow for high throughput. In the illustrated example, the walls 506 have an average thickness of about 500 microns. However, any practical thickness can be used for the wall 1106.

  11B and 11C show schematic top and cross-sectional views, respectively, of the region of the collimator 208. FIG. The channels 1106 are arranged in a honeycomb arrangement where the rows are periodic and the adjacent rows are offset by half a cycle from their adjacent rows. In some embodiments, the channels are arranged in various configurations, such as two-dimensional periodic, hexagonal closest packing, random, and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 11C, the aspect ratio of channel 1104 defines the filtering angle range. For the purpose of this specification including the appended claims, the term "filtering angle range" is defined as the range of propagation angles that will pass through the collimator 208, which ranges from -θ c to + θ c It spans. As a result, vaporized atoms having a propagation angle larger than | θ c | are blocked by the collimator.

  One skilled in the art will recognize that the dimensions provided above for body 1102, channel 1104 and wall 1106 are merely exemplary, and that other dimensions may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention.

  In operation 307, the openings 120 pass the vaporized atoms of the vapor column 214 to deposit on the deposition site R of the deposition region 216.

  In optional operation 308, positioning system 212 provides motion to collimator 208 to improve uniformity of vaporized atomic density over the lateral length of vapor column 214, thereby depositing over the deposition site on substrate 102. Improve the uniformity. In some embodiments, positioning system 212 operates to provide vibratory motion to collimator 208.

  Note that in the exemplary embodiment, source 104 is substantially a point source of material 116 because the open area of the crucible is much smaller than the area of substrate 102.

  In optional operation 309, the positioning system 212 moves the source 102 in the xy plane relative to the substrate to improve deposition uniformity.

  In some embodiments, source 104 is a linear deposition source that includes a plurality of nozzles that emit a fan-shaped vapor plume of vaporized atoms. In some embodiments, the positioning system 212 provides linear delivery along a direction not aligned with its longitudinal axis in the x-y plane to improve the uniformity of the material deposited on the substrate 102. Move the source. In some embodiments, this path is a line that is substantially orthogonal to both the linear arrangement of nozzles and the normal axis 110. In some embodiments, the linear source travels along a non-linear path in the xy plane.

  In some embodiments, source 104 includes a two-dimensional array of nozzles, each of which is a plurality of nozzles jointly cooperate to provide a substantially uniform flow of vaporized atoms across the area of the substrate surface. Emit each a conical steam plume to bring about. In some embodiments, the positioning system 212 moves the nozzles in a two dimensional arrangement to promote deposition uniformity. In some embodiments, a two-dimensional arrangement of nozzles is rotated in a plane to promote deposition uniformity.

  In some embodiments, source 104 is a two-dimensional planar source that includes a layer 116 of material distributed across its top surface. The source is disposed such that the top surface faces the substrate 102 in parallel. Upon heating, the material 116 vaporizes uniformly across the plane. An exemplary planar deposition source suitable for use in embodiments of the present invention is "Manufacturing OLEDs by using a novel planar deposition technique" by Tung et al. (Int. J. of Photoenergy, Vol. 2014 (18 ), Pp. 1-8 (2014)), which is incorporated herein by reference.

  In some embodiments, to improve the uniformity with which material 116 deposits over a two-dimensional area of surface 114, positioning system 212 supplies by moving at least one of the substrate / mask combination and the source. Relative movement is provided between source 104 and the combination of substrate 102 and shadow mask 106.

  The present specification only teaches some embodiments according to the present invention, and many variations of the present invention can be easily devised by those skilled in the art after reading this specification, and the present invention It should be understood that the scope of is determined by the following claims.

100 system 102 substrate 104 source 106 shadow mask 108 plane 110 normal axis 112 pixel area 114 surface 115 back surface 116 material 118 plane 120 opening 122 vaporized atoms 124 vapor plume 126 propagation direction 128 normal direction 200 system 202 vacuum chamber 204 substrate chuck 206 mask chuck 208 collimator 210 collimator chuck 212 positioning system 214 vapor column 216 deposition area 224 operation substrate 226 membrane 228 through hole pattern 230 front surface 232 back surface 236 control signal 238 control signal 240 controller 402 frame 404-1 electrode 404-2 electrode 406 pad 408 opening 410 mounting surface 600 mask chuck 602 pad 604 mounting surface 606 inner edge 60 Outer edge 610 flat 612 flat 614 point 616 point 618 mask chuck 620 pad 622 mounting surface 700 mask chuck 702 support grid 704 plate 706 support rib 708 top 710 flat 802 platen 802-1 electrode 804-2 electrode 806 substrate 808 dielectric layer 810 Mounting surface 902 area 1102 main unit 1104 channel 1106 wall

Claims (55)

A system for depositing a first material on a plurality of deposition sites in a deposition area of a substrate, the system comprising:
The plurality of deposition sites are arranged in a first arrangement, and the substrate includes a first major surface and a second major surface including the deposition region,
The system
A source for supplying a first plurality of vaporized atoms of the first material, each of the first plurality of vaporized atoms being perpendicular to a first plane defined by the substrate A source, propagating along a propagation direction characterized by a propagation angle with respect to a first direction, the range of propagation angles of the first plurality of vaporized atoms covering the first angular range;
A shadow mask including a plurality of through holes arranged in the first arrangement, the shadow mask including a third main surface including the through holes and a fourth main surface;
A first chuck for holding the substrate, the first chuck being sized and arranged to selectively apply a first attractive force to the first major surface;
A second chuck for holding the shadow mask, comprising a frame surrounding a first opening that allows the material to pass through the second chuck to a through hole; A second chuck, sized and arranged to selectively apply a second attractive force to the major surfaces of 3;
A collimator comprising a plurality of channels, between the source and the shadow mask, each of the plurality of channels having a propagation angle within a second range of angles smaller than the first range of angles. A collimator, which is sized and arranged to pass only vaporized atoms;
A positioning system for controlling the relative position of the first chuck and the second chuck to align the shadow mask and the substrate;
System with   The system of claim 1, wherein the first material is an organic material.   The system of claim 2, wherein the first material is an organic material that acts to emit light.   The system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of deposition sites and the plurality of through holes jointly define a tolerance angle range, and the second angle range is less than or equal to the tolerance angle range.   The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of channels is characterized by an aspect ratio of about 3: 1 or greater.   The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of channels is characterized by an aspect ratio of 8: 1 or greater.   The system of claim 1, wherein the positioning system is operable to provide relative motion between the substrate and the collimator.   The first chuck, the second chuck, and the positioning system jointly enable alignment of the substrate with the shadow mask such that the distance between the substrate and the shadow mask is less than about 10 microns. The system of claim 1.   The first chuck, the second chuck and the positioning system cooperate to align the substrate and shadow mask such that the distance between the substrate and the shadow mask is greater than 0 microns and less than or equal to about 10 microns. The system of claim 8 which enables.   The position of the substrate and the shadow mask such that the first chuck, the second chuck, and the positioning system cooperate to ensure that the distance between the substrate and the shadow mask is in the range of about 2 microns to about 5 microns. The system of claim 1, which enables alignment.   The system of claim 1, wherein the second attractive force is an electrostatic force.   The system of claim 1, wherein the second attractive force is selected from the group consisting of a vacuum generating force and a magnetic force.   The system of claim 1, wherein the second chuck is sized and positioned to reduce the sag caused by the gravity of the shadow mask.   The frame has a cross-section defining a mounting surface extending between a first edge proximate to the first opening and a second edge distal to the first opening. When the shadow mask is held by the second chuck, the mounting surface is in contact with the third main surface, and the mounting surface and the first edge are at one point in a first plane. When the mounting surface and the second edge intersect at a point in a second plane and the shadow mask and the substrate are aligned, the first plane is the second plane. 14. The system of claim 13, closer to the substrate than.   15. The system of claim 14, wherein the mounting surface is non-linear.   2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second chuck further includes a support grid within the first opening, the support grid being sized and positioned to reduce sag due to gravity of the shadow mask. The system described in.   The system of claim 1, wherein each of the first attraction and the second attraction is an electrostatic force.   The system of claim 1, wherein the shadow mask comprises silicon nitride.   The system of claim 1, wherein the shadow mask has a thickness of 1 micron or less. Depositing a first material on a plurality of deposition sites in the deposition region of the substrate, the plurality of deposition sites being arranged in a first arrangement, the substrate having a first lateral length; A system comprising a major surface and a second major surface,
A source for supplying a first plurality of vaporized atoms, each of the first plurality of vaporized atoms being a first plurality of propagations wherein the first plurality of vaporized atoms spans a first angular range A source moving along a propagation direction defining a propagation angle as characterized by the angle;
A shadow mask including a plurality of through holes arranged in the first arrangement, the shadow mask including a third main surface and a fourth main surface including the through holes, the shadow mask and the shadow mask A shadow mask, wherein a plurality of deposition sites jointly define a permitted angular range smaller than said first angular range;
A first chuck for holding the substrate;
A second chuck for holding the shadow mask, comprising a frame surrounding a first opening that allows the material to pass through the second chuck to the through hole, the shadow mask When the substrate and the substrate are aligned, the shadow mask and the substrate jointly define a first region, the first region being (1) a second of the first lateral length or more (2) having a lateral length equal to the distance between the substrate and the shadow mask, and (3) excluding the first chuck and the second chuck, A second chuck, wherein the first and second chucks are sized and arranged to allow their thickness to be less than 10 microns;
A collimator positioned between the source and the shadow mask, the collimator comprising a plurality of channels for selectively passing a second plurality of vaporized atoms, the first plurality of vaporized atoms being The second plurality of vaporized atoms, wherein each of the plurality of channels has an aspect ratio that defines a filtering angle range that is less than or equal to the allowable angle range, and the second plurality of vaporized atoms include A collimator characterized by a second plurality of propagation angles that is less than or equal to said filtering angle range;
A system comprising:   The substrate defines a first plane and a first direction perpendicular to the first plane, and the source includes a plurality of nozzles for emitting the plurality of vaporized atoms, the plurality Nozzles are arranged in a second arrangement having a first length along a second direction in a second plane substantially parallel to the first plane, and the source further comprises: 21. The system of claim 20, wherein the system is movable along a path in the second plane and the path is not aligned with the second direction.   The deposition region has a first area in the first plane, the source includes a first nozzle for releasing the plurality of vaporized atoms, and the source is the first. 21. The system of claim 20, wherein the system is movable in a second plane substantially parallel to the plane of.   21. The system of claim 20, further comprising a positioning system, wherein the positioning system is operable to provide relative motion between the collimator and the substrate.   The first chuck and the second chuck are dimensioned and arranged to allow 0 microns thickness so that the substrate and the shadow mask are in contact. The system according to item 20.   21. The system of claim 20, wherein the first and second chucks are sized and positioned to allow the thickness to be greater than 0 microns and 10 microns or less.   21. The system of claim 20, wherein the second chuck is operable to apply a first attractive force only to the third major surface.   27. The system of claim 26, wherein the first attractive force is an electrostatic force.   27. The system of claim 26, wherein the first attractive force is selected from the group consisting of a vacuum generating force and a magnetic force.   27. The system of claim 26, wherein the first chuck is operable to apply a second attractive force only to the first major surface.   30. The system of claim 29, wherein each of the first attraction and the second attraction is an electrostatic force.   The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the second shadow mask is held by the second chuck, the second chuck is sized and arranged to reduce the sag caused by the gravity of the shadow mask. The system according to 20.   32. The system of claim 31, wherein the second chuck is sized and positioned to reduce sag caused by the gravity by creating a tensile stress on the fourth major surface.   32. The system of claim 31, wherein the second chuck is sized and positioned to provide curvature of the shadow mask.   34. The device of claim 31, wherein the second chuck includes a support grid located within the first opening, the support grid being sized and positioned to physically support the shadow mask. System described.   21. The system of claim 20, wherein the shadow mask comprises silicon nitride.   21. The system of claim 20, wherein the shadow mask has a thickness of 1 micron or less. A method for depositing a first material on a plurality of deposition sites arranged in a first arrangement of substrates, wherein the substrate has a first major surface and a first lateral length. Including two main surfaces, the second main surface including the first region;
The above method is
Providing a shadow mask including a plurality of through holes, wherein the shadow mask has a third major surface and a fourth major surface including the plurality of through holes;
Holding the substrate on a first chuck that selectively applies a first attraction to the first major surface;
Holding the shadow mask on a second chuck that selectively applies a second attractive force to the third main surface, the second chuck being configured to receive the plurality of the plurality of chucks via the second chuck. Allowing the transfer of vaporized atoms of said material to the through holes,
Positioning the substrate and the shadow mask such that the second major surface and the fourth major surface are separated by a distance of 10 microns or less;
Receiving a first plurality of vaporized atoms at a collimator located between a source and the shadow mask, wherein the first plurality of vaporized atoms are characterized by a first range of propagation angles; Stage,
Selectively passing a second plurality of vaporized atoms to the shadow mask through the collimator, wherein the first plurality of vaporized atoms include the second plurality of vaporized atoms;
The second plurality of vaporized atoms are characterized by a second range of propagation angles narrower than the first range of propagation angles;
Allowing at least a portion of the second plurality of vaporized atoms to deposit on the substrate through the second chuck and the plurality of through holes;
Method, including.   38. The method of claim 37, further comprising: providing the collimator to include a plurality of channels, each of the plurality of channels having an aspect ratio that determines the propagation angle of the second range.   39. The method of claim 38, wherein the aspect ratio is based on an acceptable range of angles, wherein the acceptable range of angles is defined by the substrate and the shadow mask.   40. The method of claim 39, wherein the aspect ratio defines a filtering angle range that is less than or equal to the allowable angle range. Generating the first plurality of vaporized atoms at a source;
Moving the source relative to the substrate;
39. The method of claim 37, further comprising   42. The method of claim 41, further comprising: providing the source as a linear arrangement of nozzles.   42. The method of claim 41, further comprising: providing the source as a two dimensional arrangement of nozzles.   40. The method of claim 37, further comprising the step of providing relative motion between the collimator and the substrate.   38. The method of claim 37, wherein the substrate and shadow mask are aligned such that the second major surface and the fourth major surface are separated by a distance greater than 0 microns and less than or equal to 10 microns.   38. The substrate according to claim 37, wherein the substrate and the shadow mask are aligned such that the second major surface and the fourth major surface are separated by a distance in the range of about 2 microns to about 5 microns. Method.   38. The method of claim 37, further comprising generating the second attractive force as an electrostatic force.   48. The method of claim 47, further comprising generating the first attractive force as an electrostatic force.   40. The method of claim 37, further comprising the step of reducing the sag caused by the gravity of the shadow mask.   50. The method of claim 49, wherein the sag caused by gravity is mitigated by creating a tensile strain on the fourth major surface.   51. The method of claim 50, wherein the tensile strain is generated on the fourth major surface by causing curvature of the shadow mask.   50. The method of claim 49, wherein mechanical support of the shadow mask in the area of the shadow mask that includes the through holes reduces sag due to the gravity. A frame surrounding a first opening operable to allow particles comprising the material to pass through the second chuck through the through hole;
A support grid disposed in the first opening and sized and physically positioned to physically support the shadow mask;
53. The method of claim 52, further comprising: providing the second chuck to include.   38. The system of claim 37, wherein the shadow mask comprises silicon nitride.   39. The system of claim 37, wherein the shadow mask has a thickness of 1 micron or less.