WO2016078693A1

WO2016078693A1 - Masking arrangement with separate mask for a coating process and web coating installation

Info

Publication number: WO2016078693A1
Application number: PCT/EP2014/074807
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jürgen Henrich
Original assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
Priority date: 2014-11-17
Filing date: 2014-11-17
Publication date: 2016-05-26
Also published as: JP2017533998A; TW201634716A; CN107002233A; KR20170084314A

Abstract

A mask module for masking a substrate is provided. The mask module includes a mask carrier and a mask. The mask carrier has a back side, a front side and mask carrier apertures. The back side may be designed for facing the substrate and the front side may be designed for facing a coating source. The mask is detachably attached to the back side of the mask carrier. The mask has mask apertures and covers a part of the mask carrier apertures. The mask apertures and the mask carrier apertures may be aligned to allow coating material to pass from the coating source through the mask apertures to the substrate. Further, a coating installation and method for coating a substrate are provided.

Description

MASKING ARRANGEMENT WITH SEPARATE MASK FOR A COATING

PROCESS AND WEB COATING INSTALLATION

FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the coating of substrates, specifically to web coating processes where a flexible substrate is guided through a coating installation, for instance in roll-to-roll processes. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to vacuum deposition, for example sputtering, of coating material onto a substrate. In some applications, the coating material shall form stripes on a flexible substrate, separated by gaps between the stripes.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Webs may need to receive coated stripes, separated by non-coated stripes or gaps, for instance for electronic applications, such as for forming capacitors. The webs may be made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) or PI (polyimide), and the coated stripes of a metal.

[0003] According to a known method, oil evaporation is used to define the stripes. Oil is sprinkled on the web by pipes to form stripes, and the material deposited on the web by sputtering will only adhere in stripes where no oil is present, whereas the deposited material can be removed later in the stripes of oil. However, this requires a separate oil evaporation compartment and a removal step to remove material and oil after sputter deposition. Even small remainders of oil on the web may deteriorate the operation of capacitors to be manufactured. The process is therefore not very efficient, prone to error, and uses a significant amount of space in a vacuum environment, leading to increased costs and possibly to decreased throughput. Additionally, the transition zone between the coated stripes and the uncoated stripe-like gaps in between may not be as sharp as desired, i.e., not as small as desired, or may be subject to variation along the web, and so the quality of the coated stripes may be insufficient.

[0004] Capacitors, for example can be produced on a web foil by providing a pattern of oil on the foil and depositing metal films in the region which is not covered by oil. Thereby, after the metal deposition process, the oil needs to be removed and.

[0005] Consequently, there is a need for improving the formation of structured coatings on a flexible substrate in a web coating process. SUMMARY

[0006] According to an embodiment, a mask module for masking a substrate is provided. The mask module includes a mask carrier and a mask. The mask carrier has a back side, a front side and mask carrier apertures. The back side may be designed for facing the substrate and the front side may be designed for facing a coating source. The mask is detachably attached to the back side of the mask carrier. The mask has mask apertures and covers a part of the mask carrier apertures. The mask apertures and the mask carrier apertures may be aligned to allow coating material to pass from the coating source through the mask apertures to the substrate.

[0007] According to further embodiments, a coating installation for coating a substrate of thickness ds is provided. The coating installation may be a web coating installation for coating a flexible substrate in a web coating process. The coating installation includes a mask module as described herein. Further, the coating installation includes a movable substrate support having a substrate support surface for supporting the substrate. The mask of the mask module is arranged at a distance d=ds+x from the movable substrate support surface of the movable substrate support, wherein x is in the range from 0.1 mm to 0.6 mm.

[0008] According to a further embodiment, web coating installation for coating a substrate is provided. The substrate may have a thickness ds. The substrate may be a flexible substrate. The web coating installation includes a rotatable substrate support. The rotatable substrate support may have a substrate support surface for supporting the substrate. The rotatable substrate support may be a coating drum. The web coating installation further includes a substrate mask and/or a rack for the substrate mask. The substrate mask may be the mask of a mask module as described herein, but could alternatively be a different kind of mask. The substrate mask and/or the rack is arranged at a distance d from the rotatable substrate support, in particular from the substrate support surface of the rotatable substrate support. The substrate mask and/or the rack may be arranged between a coating source and the rotatable substrate support.

[0009] According to a further embodiment, a method for coating a substrate is provided. The method includes providing a mask module. The mask module includes a mask carrier and a mask. The mask is detachably attached to a back side of the mask carrier and defines mask apertures. The back side of the mask carrier faces the substrate. The method further includes moving the substrate over a substrate support and between the substrate support and the mask.

The method further includes coating a surface of the substrate with coating material. The coating material passes through the mask apertures to the substrate. The distance x between the mask and the surface of the substrate that is coated may be in the range from 0.1 mm to 0.6 mm.

[0010] According to a further embodiment, a method for coating a substrate is provided. The substrate may have a thickness ds. The substrate may be a flexible substrate. The method includes moving the substrate between a substrate mask and a substrate support, wherein a substrate support surface of the substrate support moves together with the substrate in a region where the substrate contacts the substrate support surface. The substrate mask is statically arranged and has mask apertures. The substrate mask may be the mask of a mask module as described herein, but could alternatively be a different kind of mask. The method further includes coating a surface of the substrate with coating material. The coating material passes through the mask apertures to the substrate. A distance x between the substrate mask and the surface of the substrate that is coated may be in the range from 0.1 mm to 0.6 mm.

[0011] Embodiments are also directed to methods for operating the disclosed mask module and coating installations. These method steps may be performed manually or automated, e.g. controlled by a computer programmed by appropriate software, by any combination of the two or in any other manner.

[0012] Further advantages, features, aspects and details that can be combined with embodiments described herein are evident from the dependent claims, the description and the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] A full and enabling disclosure to one of ordinary skill in the art is set forth more particularly in the remainder of the specification including reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figs. 1-2 show a mask module according to embodiments described herein;

Fig. 3 shows a variant of mask carrier of a mask module according to embodiments described herein;

Fig. 4 shows a mask module, including the mask carrier of Fig. 3 and a mask, according to embodiments described herein;

Fig. 5 shows perspective view of a cross-section along the line A-A of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 shows the mask module of Figs. 1-2 with the mask attached to the mask carrier, and a guiding system for the mask module, according to embodiments described herein;

Fig. 7 shows a mask module and coating installation according to embodiments described herein;

Fig. 8 shows a schematic illustration of a coating installation according to embodiments described herein;

Figs. 9-10 show a coating installation according to embodiments described herein;

Figs. 11-12 schematically illustrate shapes and dimensions, and relations therebetween, with respect to embodiments of a mask module as described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] Reference will now be made in detail to the various exemplary embodiments, one or more examples of which are illustrated in each figure. Each example is provided by way of explanation and is not meant as a limitation. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used on or in conjunction with other embodiments to yield yet further embodiments. It is intended that the present disclosure includes such modifications and variations.

[0015] Within the following description of the drawings, the same reference numbers refer to the same components. Generally, only the differences with respect to the individual embodiments are described. The structures shown in the drawings are not necessarily depicted true to scale, but serve the better understanding of the embodiments.

[0016] The term "flexible substrate", as used herein, may include, but is not limited to webs, foils or the like. A flexible substrate often consists of a continuous sheet of thin and flexible material. Materials of the flexible substrate may be plastics, such as PET or PI, or the like. The thickness of the flexible substrate may be less than 1 mm, more typically less than 500 μιη or even less than 100 μιη or less than 50 μιη, such as from 10 μιη to 30 μιη, e.g., 23 μιη. The flexible substrate may have a width of at least 0.5 m, more typically at least 1 m or even at least 4 m. The flexible substrate may have a length of at least 200 m, at least 500 m, at least 1 km, at least 25 km or even at least 60 km.

[0017] The term "web coating process" is used to indicate a continuous coating process on a moving, particularly flexible, substrate, but is not limited to the flexible substrate, being a web. A web coating process may include, e.g., a roll-to-roll process. The web coating process may at least partly be conducted in a vacuum environment, e.g., for depositing coating material on the flexible substrate such as by sputtering off a sputter target, and such a process will be called a vacuum coating process. Accordingly, a web coating installation or web coating apparatus with vacuum modules, e.g., vacuum chambers, will be called a vacuum coating installation or vacuum coating apparatus. Vacuum conditions in vacuum chambers or compartments thereof may at pressures below 10 mbar or even below 1 mbar.

[0018] Embodiments described herein relate to a coating installation, in particular a web coating installation, a method for coating a substrate, specifically a flexible substrate in a web coating installation, and to a mask module for masking a substrate in a coating process. One or more masks or mask modules may be statically arranged in the coating installation. A coating source may emit coating material towards the mask(s) or mask module(s), and a substrate moving under the statically arranged mask or mask module may thus receive a coating, e.g., a stripe coating.

[0019] According some embodiments described herein, a mask module is provided. The mask module may be specifically configured for a web coating process. The mask module may be specifically configured to be fixedly installed in a coating installation, in particular a web coating installation. The mask module includes a mask carrier and a mask. The mask carrier has a back side, a front side and mask carrier apertures. When the mask module is mounted in a coating installation for coating a substrate, such as a web or other flexible substrate, the back side of the mask carrier faces the substrate and the front side faces a coating source. More specifically, the back side of the mask carrier faces a front side of the mask, and a back side of the mask faces the substrate and/or a substrate support of a coating installation. The mask may be fully arranged between the mask carrier and the substrate or substrate support.

[0020] The mask is detachably attached to the back side of the mask carrier. The mask may be detachably plugged to the back side of the mask carrier. The plugging may be effected by friction and/or magnetic force. The mask carrier and mask module may include a plug connection or quick disconnect, including mechanical and/or magnetic couplings. The mask has mask apertures. The mask covers a part of the mask carrier apertures. The mask apertures and the mask carrier apertures may be aligned to allow coating material from the coating source to pass through the mask apertures and onto the flexible substrate in a web coating process. [0021] Figs. 1 and 2 show an embodiment of a mask module 10. The mask module 10 includes a mask carrier 100 and a mask 200, which is separate from the mask carrier. Figs. 1 and 2 show the mask carrier 100 and the mask 200 in a disassembled state, i.e., in a state where the mask is not attached to the mask carrier. Fig. 1 is a view on the back side 110 of the mask carrier 100 and on the back side 210 of the mask 200. The back side 110 of the mask carrier 100 and the back side 210 of the mask 200 are the sides facing a flexible substrate that moves under the mask 200 in a web coating process. Fig. 2 is a view on the front side 120 of the mask carrier 100 and on the front side 220 of the mask 200. The front side 120 of the mask carrier 100 and the front side 220 of the mask 200 are the sides facing a coating source in web coating process.

[0022] The mask carrier 100 has mask carrier apertures 130. The mask carrier apertures 130 in Figs. 12 are stripe-like, roughly rectangular openings going through the mask carrier 100 all the way from the front side 120 to the back side 110. The mask 200 has mask apertures 230 corresponding in number to the mask carrier apertures 130. The mask apertures 230 in Figs. 1-2 are also stripe-like, roughly rectangular openings going through the mask 200 all the way from the front side 220 to the back side 210. Such a type of mask will be called a stripe mask herein. The mask apertures are smaller than the mask carrier apertures 130. The mask apertures 230 of Figs. 1-2 are narrower and shorter stripe-like openings as compared to the mask carrier apertures 130.

[0023] When the mask 200 is plugged to the mask carrier 100 (see, e.g., Fig. 6), the mask apertures 230 are aligned to the mask carrier apertures 130, and the mask 200 covers part of the mask carrier apertures 130. The mask 200 extends beyond the long sides of the stripe-like mask carrier apertures 130, and, in the embodiment shown in Figs. 1-2, also beyond the short sides of the mask carrier apertures 130. In the embodiment of Figs. 1-2, the mask apertures 230 are the effective apertures which allow coating material from a coating source to pass through the mask module 10, but which are also defining and limiting where the coating material can pass through the mask module 10.

[0024] Fig. 3 shows a variant of a mask carrier 100. The mask carrier 100 of Fig. 1 has nine mask carrier apertures 130, of which the two outermost mask carrier apertures are narrower than the seven inner mask carrier apertures between the two outermost mask apertures. In Fig. 3, the mask carrier 100 has ten mask carrier apertures, which are all of the same shape and dimensions. Fig. 4 shows the mask carrier 100 of Fig. 3 and a corresponding mask 200 with ten mask apertures from the front side in an assembled state, i.e., in a state where the mask is plugged to the mask carrier. Fig. 6 shows the mask carrier 100 of Fig. 1 and a corresponding mask 200 with nine mask apertures from the back side in the assembled state.

[0025] A mask module with a mask carrier and a separable mask as described herein offers several advantages over the use of a mask which is built as one piece. For instance, to meet close tolerances for use in a coating process, a one-piece mask may be made from a material with good thermal conductivity such as copper (and thus can we temperature-stabilized well), but such materials may be rather soft. Sharp edges of mask apertures are good for good coating quality, but may easily deform if soft material such as copper is used, e.g., during handling or cleaning. In the mask module described herein, the mask carrier may be made from a soft material with good thermal conductivity, but the mask carrier need not have such sharp edges. A very thin mask can provide for sharp edges, and may be made of a harder material which need not necessarily have good thermal conductivity. The mask module of two-component type may thus be more robust for handling and/or cleaning. Further, the separate mask is easy to manufacture, e.g., by laser cutting or water cutting, and is thus cost- efficient to produce. The separate mask for use with the mask carrier may therefore be inexpensive to replace, and might be a disposable article, e.g., if cleaning were difficult or expensive. The production of a whole set of separate masks with different sizes of the mask apertures is also affordable, and so the sizes of coatings, e.g., the width of stripe-coatings, can be adjusted according to need. Moreover, since a very thin mask with sharp edges is advantageous for good coating quality, a used mask which has received a certain amount of coating and has become thicker for that reason may simply be replaced by a new mask, potentially without the need to also replace or even clean the mask carrier.

[0026] The mask may be very thin and blade-like, e.g., thin like a razor blade. The mask may be flat, but flexible so that the mask can be bent or even bends under its own weight. The mask may be a cuboid with high aspect ratio, i.e., the thickness of the mask may be at least two orders of magnitude (= a factor of at least one hundred) smaller than the width and the length of the mask. The mask may have the shape of cylinder surface. The thickness of the mask may be constant. According to some embodiments, the thickness of the mask is smaller than 1 mm, smaller than 0.5 mm or even smaller than 0.3 mm, or smaller or equal to 0.2 mm. The thickness of the mask may be in the range from 0.05 mm to 0.6 mm, specifically in the range from 0.1 to 0.3 mm. The mask is thinner than the mask carrier. The mask may be more than 10, 15, 20, 25 or even 30 times thinner than the mask carrier, wherein the thicknesses of the mask carrier and of the mask are measured from front side to back side. The mask carrier may be thicker than 3, 4, 5 or 6 mm. The thickness of the mask carrier (in a central portion where the mask contacts the mask carrier) may be in the range from 3 to 20 mm, in the range from 4 to 10 mm, and specifically in the range from 5 to 8 mm.

[0027] The mask module with a thin mask and a thicker mask carrier provides several advantages. A thin mask leads to steeper profiles of coated areas, e.g., coated stripes on a flexible substrate. A steeper profile means a shorter transition zone between an uncoated area and the coated area, leading to a higher quality of the coating pattern on the flexible substrate. This will further be explained with respect to Fig. 11 below. Further, a thin, separate mask may be inexpensive and easy to manufacture as explained above. At the same time, the thicker mask carrier provides rigidity to the mask, and thus to the mask module. This allows the mask module to be installed spatially fixed at a small distance to the moving flexible substrate in a web coating process, and to meet the close tolerances imposed by a small gap between the surface of the flexible substrate that is coated and the back side of the mask. Such a small distance between mask and flexible substrate also leads to steeper profiles of the coated areas, as will be explained with respect to Fig. 11 further below.

[0028] The mask carrier may include a mask alignment structure on the back side, wherein the mask is aligned with the mask carrier when the mask engages the mask alignment structure, particularly when the mask is plugged into the mask alignment structure. Specifically, the mask carrier apertures may be aligned with the mask apertures when the mask is engaged with the mask alignment structure. The mask alignment structure may include one or more recesses, formed into the back side of the mask carrier, e.g., one or more notches, grooves or slots. The mask may include a corresponding self-alignment structure. The self-alignment structure of the mask may include one or more protrusions, projections or other links, e.g., clips, flaps, rims or tongues. The self-alignment structure and the alignment structure may form a groove-and-tongue or key-and-slot connection. The self-alignment structure of the mask may be plugged into the alignment structure of the mask carrier, and a detachable connection between the mask and the mask carrier may be effected or at least assisted by friction. Alternatively, the self-alignment structure of the mask and the alignment structure of the mask carrier serve for mutual alignment only.

[0029] The mask carrier may include a mask attraction structure. The mask attraction structure exerts an attractive force to the mask when the mask is detachably attached to the mask carrier. The mask attraction structure may exert the attractive force mechanically, e.g., by fastening means that can be opened and closed. In some embodiments, the mask attraction structure may exert an attractive force by magnetism. The mask carrier may include a magnetic portion, for instance one or more permanent magnets, such as a plurality of permanent magnets arranged at the back side of the mask carrier. The magnetic portion, such as the permanent magnets, may be arranged in recesses of the back side. The magnetic portion may be flush with the back side. The magnetic portion, such as the permanent magnets, may be evenly distributed over the area of the back side, except in the areas of the mask carrier apertures. Alternatively, the mask carrier itself may be magnetic, and the whole back side of the mask carrier provides a magnetic portion. The mask may include or be made of a ferromagnetic material. The mask attraction structure may, alone or in combination with the mask alignment structure, provide for a detachable connection between the mask and the mask carrier.

[0030] In the embodiment of the mask module 10 shown in Figs. 1-4, the mask carrier 100 includes three notches 140 for mask alignment, and includes a plurality of small permanent magnets 150 for attracting the mask 200 by magnetic forces. The small permanent magnets are arranged in lines along the borders of the strip-like mask carrier apertures 130. The mask 200 may be ferromagnetic, e.g., made of invar, and includes three latches 240 for engaging the three notches 140 when the mask is plugged to the mask carrier. Figs. 4 and 6 show the mask 200 being plugged to the mask carrier 100, and the mask apertures 230 are aligned to the mask carrier apertures 130, the alignment being provided by the engaged notches 140 and latches 240. The mask 200 is pulled into contact with the mask carrier 100 by magnetic forces exerted by the small permanent magnets 150 (invisible in Figs. 4 and 6).

[0031] Fig. 5 shows, in a perspective view, a cross-section of the mask carrier 100 along the lines A-A shown in Fig. 1. The cross-section shows small permanent magnets 150 soldered into circular recesses on the back side 110 of the mask carrier 100, wherein the small permanent magnets and the solder do not project out from the back side 110, but are either flush with the back side 110 or fully immersed in the circular recesses.

[0032] An alignment structure on the mask carrier and a corresponding self- alignment structure on the mask allow for quick and easy attachment of the mask to the mask carrier, and also for quick and easy detachment. Further, the mask and the mask carrier will be aligned when the alignment structures engage. A mask attraction structure such as a magnetic portion of the mask carrier provide additional fixation to keep the mask and the mask carrier in alignment. Further, the mask attraction structure provides for close contact of the mask and the mask carrier, increasing heat conduction between these components of the mask module. These features assist in meeting close tolerances when the mask module is installed in a web coating installation very near to a moving flexible substrate during a web coating process.

[0033] The back side of the mask carrier may be curved, at least in a part designed for being arranged opposite to a curved substrate support surface. The back side may include or be a curved surface. The curvature may be constant. The curvature may be concave. Concave means that middle part of the back side is depressed towards the front side of the mask carrier. The curved back side of the mask carrier may have the inverse shape of a cylinder, at least in the parts where the mask contacts the mask carrier. The curvature of the back side of the mask carrier may be designed for matching the curvature of a substrate support surface of a substrate support of a coating installation, in particular for matching the cylindrical surface of a coating drum. When the mask is attached to the mask carrier, and the back side of the mask carrier contacts the front side of the mask, the back side of the mask may have the same form as the back side of the mask carrier.

[0034] Figs. 1, 3 and 5 show the back side 110 of the mask carrier 100 having a constant negative curvature, i.e., a concave curvature, along the width of the mask carrier in the region where the front side 220 of the mask 200 makes contact with the back side 110 of the mask carrier 100. This region will also be referred to as a central part 186 of the mask carrier 100. Figs. 4 and 6 show that the back side 210 of the mask 200 has the same negative constant curvature along the width of the mask 200 as the back side 110 of the mask carrier 100 in the region where the front side 220 of the mask 200 contacts the back side 110 of the mask carrier. The radius of curvature is designed to match the radius of (positive) curvature of a coating drum of a coating installation.

[0035] Designing the shape of the back side of the mask carrier and/or of the mask to match a substrate support surface allows for a small gap between the mask and a substrate supported by the substrate support surface along the entire width of the mask. This improves the quality of the coating pattern.

[0036] The mask carrier may have tapered portions on the front side. The tapered portions may surround the mask carrier apertures and be tapered towards the mask carrier apertures.

The thickness of the mask carrier at the circumference of the mask carrier apertures may smaller than 3mm, smaller than 2 mm, smaller than 1 mm, and may be in the range from 0.1 to 2 mm, particularly from 0.5 mm to 2 mm. The tapering angle may be from 20° to 60°, particularly from 25° to 50°, more particularly from 30° to 45°, such as about 45°. The tapering angle is the angle between the back side of the mask carrier and the tapered portion.

[0037] Figs. 2 and 4 show tapered portions 115 on the front side 120 of the mask carrier 100. The thickness of the mask carrier 100 decreases towards the mask carrier apertures 130.

[0038] The advantage of such tapered portions is that coating material arriving from a coating source is not shielded to the same extent as if the side walls of the mask carrier apertures were perpendicular to the back side of the mask carrier. More material arrives at the substrate to be coated, reducing the waste of coating material. Alternatively, the side walls of the mask carrier apertures could be perpendicular or nearly perpendicular. Particularly when the mask carrier is thick, e.g., thicker than 4 cm, 6 cm or more, such a design provides for a collimating effect. Only coating material flying substantially perpendicularly to the mask may reach the substrate, and the quality of the pattern profile improves, but at the price of wasting potentially expensive coating material.

[0039] The mask carrier may be coupled to a heat source or heat sink. In particular, the mask carrier may include one, two or more temperature stabilization channels for a heating fluid or for a cooling fluid. The temperature stabilization channel(s) of the mask carrier may be coupled to external pipes of the heat source for providing the heating fluid or to external pipes of the heat sink for providing a cooling fluid. The temperature stabilization channel(s) may extend inside the mask carrier along the length of the mask carrier. The temperature stabilization channel(s) may be, at least piecewise, straight. Straight channels or straight parts of channels are easier to manufacture, e.g., by drilling into the body of the mask carrier or by milling. The heat source or heat sink, the external pipes, connectors connecting the external pipes to the temperature stabilization channel(s) of the mask carrier, the temperature stabilization channel(s) may form a temperature stabilization system for keeping the mask carrier and the mask, and thus the mask module, at a constant temperature.

[0040] Figs. 1-5 show at least one temperature stabilization channel 160 running along or even around the outer parts of the mask carrier 100. Specifically, the mask carrier 100 has a central part 186, which is the part where the mask is attached, two frame portions 188 to the side of the central part, the frame portions 188 projecting out from the central part and extending along the length of the mask carrier 100, a first end portion 182 to be inserted first into a coating installation, and second end portion 184 where the at least one temperature stabilization channel 160 has two ends, and connectors 362 may be attached for connecting to pipes 364 of a heat source or a heat sink to let a heating or cooling fluid circulate through the temperature stabilization channel 160 (see Fig. 7). The temperature stabilization channel runs through the frame portions 188, and may run through the first end portion 182. The central part with the mask carrier apertures 130 is thermally coupled to the temperature stabilization channel 160.

[0041] The temperature stabilization system, in particular the temperature stabilization channel(s) of the mask carrier, allow for maintaining the mask module at a constant temperature, in particular at the same temperature as the substrate support of a coating installation, e.g., a coating drum. This is advantageous both for the deposition of the coating material on the substrate and for keeping the coating installation within the close tolerances described herein, specifically for allowing the coating process to be carried out with a very small gap between the substrate and the mask.

[0042] The mask carrier may include a guiding structure. The guiding structure is configured to engage with a rack of the coating installation. The mask carrier may be guided into the rack by the guiding structure and/or may be secured in a spatially fixed position in the rack by the guiding structure. The guiding structure may include frame portions of the mask carrier extending along the length of the mask carrier to the side of a central portion of the mask carrier. The guiding structure, in particular the frame portions, may further include rolls or wheels for engaging into rails of the rack and/or bearings for centering the guiding structure in the rails of the rack. The mask carrier may further include mask carrier alignment portions, e.g., recesses formed in the back side of the mask carrier at the first end portion and/or at the second end portion. Alignment pins of the coating installation may grip into such recesses to align the mask module, including the mask carrier and the attached mask.

[0043] Figs. 1-7, and in particular Figs. 5, 6 and 7, illustrate a guiding structure 170 of the mask carrier 100. The guiding structure 170 includes the frame portions 188 of the mask carrier 100. Rolls 172 are attached to the frame portions 188. The rolls 172 may be anchored in recesses 171 formed in the sides of the frame portions 188. The rolls 172 stick out from the side surfaces of the mask carrier 100. Bearings 174 are arranged in recesses which are fabricated into the side surfaces of the mask carrier 100, i.e., into the sides of the frame portions 188. The rolls 172 can roll in rails 372 of a rack 370 of a coating installation, and the mask carrier, with the mask attached, can be slid into the rack, wherein bearings 174 center the mask carrier 100. The mask carrier may include mask carrier alignment portions 180, formed as recesses in, or holes through, the first end portion 182 and the second end portion 184. When the mask carrier 100 has been slid into the rack 370, alignment pins (not shown) can be inserted into the mask carrier alignment portions 180. The mask module 10 is then statically positioned in the coating installation and aligned with respect to a substrate support and/or a substrate to be coated. If there are several mask modules, the mask modules are also aligned with respect to each other, particularly the mask apertures of one mask module are aligned with the mask apertures of the other mask modules. Stripe coatings may be produced wherein each stripe has several layers.

[0044] The guiding structure of the mask carrier and the mask carrier alignment structure allow for easy handling and exchanging of mask modules as well as for exact positioning and alignment of mask modules. The mask carrier, particularly the frame portions, may further include handling portions, such as recesses designed for a crane or hoist to engage therewith. Such measures further facilitate handling and exchanging of the mask modules.

[0045] The mask module and its components may have at least one of the following exemplary shapes, dimensions and material compositions. The length of the mask carrier may be from 30 cm to 500 cm, e.g., from 70 cm to 150 cm. The width of the mask carrier may be from 10 cm to 100 cm, e.g., from 15 cm to 40 cm. The length of the mask may be from 25 cm to 450 cm, e.g., from 60 cm to 120 cm. The width of the mask may be from 5 cm to 80 cm, e.g., from 10 cm to 25 cm. The area of the front side of the mask may be such that the mask fully fits on the area of the mask carrier, i.e., on the back side of the mask carrier. The mask may be of rectangular shape. The mask apertures may be of rectangular shape. The length of the mask apertures may be in the range from 4 cm to 70 cm, e.g., from 8 cm to 20 cm. The longitudinal sides of the mask apertures, along which the length of the mask apertures is measured, may extend along the direction of the width of the mask and/or of the mask carrier when the mask is attached to the mask carrier. The width of the mask apertures may be in the range from 1 mm to 40 mm, e.g. in the range from 5 mm to 20 mm. The distance between the mask apertures, may be in the range from 5 mm to 100 mm, e.g., in the range from 10 mm to 25 mm. The width of the mask carrier apertures may in the range from 5 mm to 50 mm, e.g., from 6 mm to 25 mm. The length of the mask carrier apertures may be in the range from 4 cm to 75 cm, e.g., from 8.5 cm to 20.5 cm. The mask carrier apertures may be, in the length direction and/or in the width direction, be at least 2%, at least 5% or at least 10% larger than the mask apertures, and/or may be at most 30%, at most 15%, or at most 5% larger than the mask apertures. The mask may cover from 1% to 60 % of each mask carrier aperture, e.g., from 3% to 20%. The portions of the mask extending into the mask carrier apertures, at the longitudinal sides and/or at the transverse sides of the mask carrier apertures, may have a length of from 0.2 mm to 5 mm, e.g., from 0. 5 mm to 2 mm. The length w of the portions extending into the mask carrier apertures (and the inner circumference of which defines the mask apertures) may be in a relation to the thickness y2 of the mask carrier apertures at the circumference of the mask apertures, the relation being y2/w=tancc, where a is the tapering angle of tapered portions of the mask carrier. The mask may include from 2 to 100 mask apertures, e.g., from 2 to 40 mask apertures, such as from 6 to 30 mask apertures. The mask carrier may include a corresponding number of mask carrier apertures. The width of the mask apertures may be the same for all mask apertures, but may alternatively be different to produce coated stripes of different widths. The length of the mask apertures may be the same for all mask apertures, but may alternatively be different to produce coated stripes with different thicknesses. The shape, number and/or dimensions of the mask apertures of one mask module may be the same as the shape, number and/or dimensions of mask apertures of another mask module, but may alternatively be different, e.g., to produce coated stripes with different thicknesses. The mask may be ferromagnetic. The term "ferromagnetic" as used herein includes a kind of magnetism which is an echo of true ferromagnetism. In other words, the notion of a "ferromagnetic material" as used herein includes materials being compositions of truly ferromagnetic materials, such as iron, and other substances. For instance, the ferromagnetism in steels is suppressed as compared to pure iron, but such materials shall be understood as a ferromagnetic material herein. The mask may include or consist of a ferromagnetic metal. The mask may include iron, in particular as a main component, and at least one element of carbon, nickel, cobalt, magnesium, platinum, palladium, silicium, and combinations thereof. The mask may include or consist of one or more materials with very low coefficient of thermal expansion, e.g., with a coefficient of thermal expansion at 20°C of below 4- 10^"6 K^"1, in particular below 2- 10^"6 K^"1, more particularly below 1.2· 10^"6 K^_1.The mask may include or consist of invar, kovar, and alloys and combinations thereof. The mask apertures may be produced by laser cutting, offering a high precision. The mask carrier may be include or consist of, at least in a central portion where the mask carrier contacts the mask, a material with a thermal conductivity larger than 60 W- m^_1- K^_1, particulary larger than 200 more particularly larger than 300 W- m ¹ K \ For instance copper, and alloys thereof may be used. Copper and alloys thereof provide the advantage of high thermal conductivity for stabilizing the temperature of the mask module, including stabilizing the temperature of the mask which need not necessarily be of similarly good thermal conductivity. Copper is also inexpensive and easy to shape.

[0046] According to further embodiments, a coating installation is provided. The coating installation may be a vacuum coating installation. The coating installation may particularly be a web coating installation for coating a flexible substrate such as a web. The coating installation includes a movable substrate support. The movable substrate support has a substrate support surface for supporting the substrate. The substrate support surface may be in contact with a back side of the substrate, and may transport the substrate. The substrate support surface may be curved. The movable substrate support may be rotatable, and may, e.g., be a rotatable coating drum. The substrate support may include one or more temperature stabilization channels for circulating a heating or cooling fluid.

[0047] In some embodiments, the coating installation includes at least one coating source. The at least one coating source may provide a coating material or coating materials for coating the substrate. Coating sources may be sputter sources, evaporation sources, e.g. electron beam evaporation sources, plasma enhance chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) sources, or others. Additionally or alternatively, the coating installation may include at least one treatment device, such as an etchant source. The coating sources and/or treatment devices may be particularly adapted for use in vacuum conditions. For simplicity, reference will be made to coating source(s) herein, but it is to be understood that treatment devices could be employed instead or in addition. A sputter source may include a planar sputter target or rotatable sputter target. The coating installation may include 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or more coating sources. The coating sources may all be the same type of coating source, but could alternatively be different coating sources selected from the types described herein. The coating materials provided by each of the coating sources may be the same coating material, or else different coating materials may be provided by different coating sources. Coating materials may be gold, palladium, copper, aluminum and others, or alloys or combinations thereof.

[0048] The coating installation may include one or more deposition chambers, particularly one or more vacuum chambers. Deposition chambers may be divided into compartments by separation walls. Each deposition chamber or each compartment in a deposition chamber may include a deposition source. The coating installation may include several deposition modules, each including one or more deposition chambers or compartments thereof. The coating installation may further include substrate handling chambers such as a winding chamber and an unwinding chamber. The substrate handling chambers may also be vacuum chambers, or else could be at atmospheric pressure and be linked to vacuum chambers by vacuum locks allowing the substrate to pass into the vacuum part of the coating installation.

[0049] The coating installation includes at least one substrate mask, for instance, from 1 to 20 substrate masks, particularly from 1 to 10 masks. Particularly, the coating installation may include as many substrate masks as coating sources. In some embodiments of the coating installation, the substrate masks are statically arranged, particularly in deposition chamber(s), or compartments thereof, in particular in vacuum chamber(s). Therein, the term "statically arranged" means that the substrate masks are in a fixed position in the coating installation. Accordingly, the substrate masks are also called static substrate masks. The substrate mask(s) may be the masks of a mask module as described herein, but could also be a different kind of mask. A substrate mask may be arranged between a corresponding coating source and the movable substrate support, e.g., the rotatable coating drum. Several substrate masks and corresponding coating sources may be arranged around a coating drum.

[0050] Fig. 8 shows an embodiment of a coating installation 300' including a coating drum 306, a coating source 301, and a statically arranged substrate mask 10'. The substrate mask 10' is arranged between the coating source 301 and the coating drum 306. A web 20 is guided around the coating drum 306 which rotates around a rotation axis 305 and transports the web 20. The back side of the web 20 is in contact with a substrate support surface 307 of the coating drum 306. The web 20 moves through a gap x between the substrate mask 10' and the substrate transport surface of the coating drum 306, and the web 20 receives a patterned coating with coating material from the coating source 301, resulting in a coated web 20' .

[0051] Static substrate masks or mask modules as described herein, when compared to moving or revolving masks, need much less space, wherein space is particularly constrained and expensive in vacuum coating installations. Also, revolving masks make contact with the substrate, and so the speed of the revolving mask must precisely match the speed of the moving substrate. Such systems are prone to scratching of the substrate if the speed only slightly differs. The static substrate masks, particularly the masks of mask modules as described herein, do not contact the substrate, reducing the likelihood of scratching the substrate and ruining the patterns formed on the substrate. Further, the coating on the substrate, such as coated stripes, may be applied in one process step. With oil evaporation technique several steps are needed, one in which oil is deposited, then one in which coating material is deposited, and then one in which the oil and part of the coating material is removed again. The static (coating) masks therefore offer an efficient way of forming a patterned coating on a moving substrate.

[0052] According to some embodiments, the coating installation includes a mask module according to embodiments described herein. The coating installation may include 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or more such mask modules. Particularly, the coating installation may include as many mask modules as coating sources. In some embodiments of the coating installation, the mask module(s) are statically arranged in deposition chamber(s), or compartments thereof, in particular in vacuum chamber(s). Therein, the term "statically arranged" means that the mask modules are in a fixed position in the coating installation. Accordingly, the mask modules are also called static mask modules. The coating installation may include a rack for receiving a mask module. The coating installation may include as many racks as there are mask modules. The mask module(s) may be slid into the rails of the rack(s). The coating installation may include alignment pins engaging into mask carrier alignment portions to align and position the mask module(s). The mask module(s) may be arranged one after the other in a direction of substrate movement, and may particularly be arranged with their longitudinal sides in parallel at the movable substrate support. Specifically, the mask module(s) may be arranged around a coating drum.

[0053] Hereinafter the term "mask" is used both for the mask of the mask module as described herein and also for any other kind of substrate mask, including coating masks for coating the substrate and treatment masks for treating the substrate by a substance, e.g., an etchant. The mask may be arranged at a distance d=ds+x from the substrate support surface of the movable substrate support. Therein, ds is the thickness of the substrate that is coated, and, x is the dimension of a gap between the substrate and the mask. This means, that the back side of the mask is separated from the substrate support surface by a distance corresponding to sum of the thickness of the substrate and of the thickness of the gap between the front side of the substrate and the back side of the mask. The thickness x of the gap may be in the range from 0.05 mm to 2 mm, particularly in the range from 0.1 to 1 mm, more particularly in the range from 0.1 mm to 0.6 mm. The thickness ds of the substrate, e.g., of a web or other "endless substrate", may be in the range from 0.01 mm to 1 mm, particularly in the range from 0.02 mm to 0.3 mm, e.g., about 23 μιη. The distance d between the back side of the mask and the substrate support surface of the movable substrate support may in the range from 0.06 to 3 mm, particularly in the range from 0.15 mm to 1.3 mm, more particularly in the range from 0.2 mm to 0.8 mm. The masks of other mask modules, if present, may be arranged at the same distance from the substrate support surface of the movable substrate support.

[0054] The web coating installation may be a SmartWeb™, TopMet™ or TopBeam™ apparatus manufactured by Applied Materials, or other coating installation manufactured by Applied Materials.

[0055] Fig. 9 exemplarily shows a web coating installation 300 for coating a web 20 in accordance with embodiments herein. The web coating installation 300 is constituted as a roll-to-roll system including an unwinding module 410, a winding module 420, and a process module 308 disposed therebetween. Process module 308 includes a first coating chamber 310, a second coating chamber 320, a third coating chamber 330, and a fourth coating chamber 340. The coating chambers 310, 320, 330, 340 are radially disposed about a coating drum 306. A plurality of process modules 308 may be disposed in series (not shown).

[0056] Process module 308 may further include auxiliary rollers 302, 304 for appropriately feeding the web 20 to the coating drum 306, and for facilitating feeding of a processed web 20' from process module 308 to the winding module 420. In the exemplary embodiment of Fig. 9, a first coating source in form of a sputtering system 312 is arranged in the first coating chamber 310, a second coating source in form of a sputtering system 322 is arranged in the second coating chamber 320, a third coating source in form of a sputtering system 332 is arranged in the third coating chamber 330, and a fourth coating source in form of a sputtering system 342 is arranged in the fourth coating chamber 340. In other embodiments, there may be more or less coating sources and/or coating chambers, e.g., three coating sources arranged in three coating chambers or in three compartments of a one process chamber.

[0057] The web coating installation 300 includes four mask modules, each statically arranged in a rack of a coating chamber. The mask modules may, e.g., be the four mask modules 10 as described herein, inserted into rails of four racks 370 as shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 9. The mask modules are arranged between the respective coating sources and the coating drum 306. The front sides of the mask carriers of the mask modules face the respective coating source, and the back sides of the mask carriers face the coating drum 306. Each mask of the four mask modules is attached to the respective mask carrier, the front side of the mask being in contact with the back side of the mask carrier, and the back side of the mask facing the coating drum 306. The web 20 moves through the process module 308, and in particular through the coating chambers 310, 320, 330 and 340, wherein the back side of the web contacts the coating drum, and the front side of the web faces the mask modules and coating sources. The mask modules are very closely arranged to the moving substrate. In particular, the gaps between the front side of the web and the back side of the four masks of the four mask modules may be smaller than 1 mm.

[0058] The web 20 that is unwound from unwinding roll 412 may receive a stripe coating, the coated stripes being used, for instance, as capacitors in electronic applications or as sensors for blood sugar measurements, and the processed web 20' with stripe-coating thereon is wound on a winding roll 422.

[0059] Fig. 10 shows a cross-section, perpendicular to the direction of web movement, through the coating drum 306 and through one of the mask modules 10 arranged radially around the coating drum 306. Fig. 10 gives an impression of how closely the distance between the mask 200 and the substrate support surface of the coating drum 306 is. The distance x described herein is barely discernible. Fig. 10 shows alignment pins 380 engaging into mask carrier alignment portions 180 for positioning and aligning the mask module 10.

[0060] The mask modules and the coating installations according to embodiments described herein provide for high-quality profiles of coating layers such as coated stripes on the substrate. Figs. 11 and 12 explain this in more detail.

[0061] In Fig. 11, a coating source (not shown) deposits coating material from the direction of the top of Fig. 11 onto a substrate. As shown in Fig. 11, the resulting coated layer has a nominal thickness di_ayer indicated on the right of Fig. 11. The transition zone is the zone of length c between the point of the layer profile where the layer has 5% of its nominal thickness and the point where the layer has 95% of its nominal thickness. The length c of the transition zone is also called "shadow size". The length c of the transition zone is short in a high quality profile, i.e., the profile approachs an ideal step-like profile between the coated stripe shown and the not coated stripe on the left of Fig. 11 separating it from the next coated stripe. The transition zone has two sub-zones, namely the 5%-50% transition zone with length a, and the 50%-95% transition zone with length b as shown in Fig. 11, wherein c=a+b. [0062] Further, a mask is shown at the top-left of Fig. 11. The thickness of the mask is denoted by y, and the distance from the back side of the mask to the front side of the substrate that is coated is denoted by y. Further, z denotes the sum of x and y. Without being wished to be bound to any particular theory, it is believed that, for a not point-like, but extended coating source, the length c of the transition zone (shadow size) may be approximated by the formula c~2x+y.

[0063] Fig. 12 illustrates exemplary positions and dimensions of a mask module with a mask carrier 100 and a mask 200 in accordance with embodiments described herein. In Fig. 12, the following features are shown: a substrate, such as the web 20, with back side 24 (being supported by a substrate support surface of substrate support; not shown) and front side 22, mask 200 with back side 210 and front side 220, mask carrier 100 with back side 110, front side 120, and tapered portion 115. The thickness of the substrate denoted by ds, the thickness of the mask is denoted by y, the thickness of the mask carrier (from front side 120 to back side 110) is denoted by yl, the thickness of the mask carrier at the circumference of the mask carrier aperture 130 is denoted by y2, the tapering angle between the tapered portion 115 and the back side 110 is denoted by a, the dimension of the gap between the front side 22 of the substrate and the back side 210 of the mask 200 is denoted by x, and the length of the portion of the mask 200 covering a part of the mask carrier aperture 130 is denoted by w.

[0064] The length w of portion extending beyond the mask carrier 100 into the mask carrier aperture 130 may be in relation to the thickness y2, the relation being w=y2/tancc, as shown in Fig. 12. If the tapering angle a and the thickness yl are sufficiently small (no collimating effect), the shadow size c will be determined by x and y, similarly as shown in Fig. 11. For instance, if x=0.4 mm, y=0.2 mm and with yl=6 mm and cc=40°, then c~2x+y=l mm. Therefore, embodiments of mask modules and coating installations as described herein can yield high-quality profiles with shadow sizes of 1 mm or less.

[0065] According to further embodiments, a method for coating a substrate is provided. The method may be a method for coating a flexible substrate, such as a web, in a continuous coating process. In the method, a substrate mask is provided. The substrate mask may be the mask of a mask module according to any of the embodiments described herein. The substrate mask or the mask module may be mounted statically in a coating installation according to any of the embodiments described herein. The method includes moving the substrate between (i) the substrate mask or the mask of the mask module and (ii) a substrate support. The substrate support may be a rotatable substrate support, e.g., a coating drum. The substrate support surface may be cylindrical. The substrate support surface may be rotated around a rotation axis of the substrate support.

[0066] A substrate support surface of the substrate support may move together with the substrate in a region where the substrate contacts the substrate support surface. The substrate mask has mask apertures. The distance x between the front side of the substrate that is coated and the back side of the substrate mask or of the mask of the mask module may be in the range from 0.1 mm to 0.6 mm. Other dimensions and positions of components of the mask module and/or of the coating installation may be as described in detail herein. If a substrate mask different from the mask of the mask module is used, the thickness of the substrate mask at the circumferences of the mask apertures may be in the range from 0.05 to 0.5 mm, particularly from 0.1 to 0.3 mm. The method includes coating the front side of the substrate with coating material. Therein, the coating material passes through the mask apertures to the substrate. The substrate may receive a stripe coating, wherein the coated stripes exhibit a transition zone with a length of less than 1 mm.

[0067] The method may further include detachably attaching the mask to the mask carrier of the mask module, in particular plugging the mask to the mask carrier, e.g., by plugging the mask into a mask alignment structure of the mask carrier and/or to a mask attraction structure of the mask carrier. The method may further include arranging the mask module, with the mask attached to the mask carrier, in a coating installation.

[0068] Further embodiments are directed to the use of a mask module as described herein in a coating installation, in particular any coating installation described herein, wherein the mask module is mounted in a fixed position, and may be close to the substrate as described with respect to the embodiments herein. The mask module and the coating installation as described herein may be used in methods for coating a substrate according to any of the embodiments described herein. Further embodiments are directed to the mask of a mask module as described herein, to the mask carrier of a mask module as described herein, and to a set including the mask and the mask carrier of a mask module as described herein. Further embodiments are directed to a substrate, in particular a web, the substrate having coated stripes separated by non-coated stripes, wherein the transition zone between the coated stripes and the non-coated stripes is less than 1mm along the entire length of the substrate. The substrate may be free of oil residues. [0069] While the foregoing is directed to some embodiments of the invention, other and further embodiments may be devised without departing from the scope determined by the claims that follow.

Claims

1. A mask module (10) for masking a substrate, the mask module comprising a mask carrier (100) and a mask (200), wherein the mask carrier has a back side (110) for facing the substrate and a front side (120) for facing a coating source and has mask carrier apertures (130), and wherein the mask is detachably attached to the back side of the mask carrier, has mask apertures (230), and covers a part of the mask carrier apertures, wherein the mask apertures (230) and the mask carrier apertures are aligned to allow coating material to pass from the coating source through the mask apertures to the substrate.

2. The mask module according to claim 1, wherein the thickness (y) of the mask is smaller than 1 mm, particularly in the range from 0.05 to 0.5 mm, more particularly from 0.1 to 0.3 mm.

3. The mask module according to any of claims 1 or 2, wherein the mask carrier comprises a mask alignment structure (140) on the back side into which the mask is detachably plugged.

4. The mask module according to any of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the mask carrier comprises a magnetic portion (150) for attracting the mask to the back side of the mask carrier.

5. The mask module according to any of claims 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the back side of the mask carrier is a curved surface.

6. The mask module according to any of claims 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, wherein the mask carrier apertures are a plurality of strip-like mask carrier apertures arranged in parallel and separated from each other, and wherein the mask is a stripe mask extending beyond long sides of the strip-like mask carrier apertures so that the mask apertures are strip-like mask apertures narrower than the strip-like mask carrier apertures.

7. The mask module according to any of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, wherein at least one of the following holds: the mask comprises or is made of a ferromagnetic material, in particular invar; the mask carrier comprises or is made of copper, ... or another material with a thermal conductivity larger than 60 W-m^_1-K^_1 at least in the regions where the mask carrier contacts the mask; the mask carrier comprises at least one temperature stabilization channel (160) for a heating fluid or cooling fluid; the mask carrier has a thickness (yl) in the range from 1 to 10 mm between the front side and the back side, for example from 2 to 7 mm; the mask carrier has tapered portions (115) on the front side which are tapered towards the mask carrier apertures, wherein a tapering angle is optionally from 20° to 60°, for example from 30° to 45°; and the thickness (y2) of the mask carrier at the circumference of the mask carrier apertures is in the range from 0.1 to 2 mm.

8. The mask module according to any of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7, wherein the mask carrier comprises a guiding structure (170) for guiding the mask module into a rack of a coating installation.

9. A web coating installation (300', 300) for coating a substrate (20) of thickness ds, particularly a web coating installation for coating a flexible substrate in a web coating process, the web coating installation comprising: a rotatable substrate support (306) having a substrate support surface (307) for supporting the substrate, wherein the web coating installation further comprises: a substrate mask (10', 200) arranged at a distance d from the substrate support surface of the rotatable substrate support; and/or a rack (370) for supporting the substrate mask at the distance d from the substrate support surface of the rotatable substrate support.

10. The web coating installation according to claim 9, wherein the distance d is below 1 mm, particularly below 0.6 mm, or wherein the distance d equals the sum of the thickness of the substrate ds and a distance x, wherein the distance x is in the range from 0.1 mm to 0.6 mm.

11. The coating installation according to claim 9 or 10, comprising a mask module (10) according to any of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9, wherein the substrate mask is the mask (200) of the mask module.

12. The web coating installation according to any one of claims 9, 10 or 11, further comprising a coating source (301; 312, 322, 332, 342), wherein the rotatable substrate support is a rotatable coating drum for supporting and moving the substrate and wherein the substrate mask and/or the rack is arranged between the coating source and the rotatable coating drum.

13. A method for coating a substrate, the method comprising: moving the substrate between a substrate mask and a substrate support, wherein a substrate support surface of the substrate support moves together with the substrate in a region where the substrate contacts the substrate support surface, and wherein the substrate mask is statically arranged and has mask apertures; and coating a surface of the substrate with coating material, which passes through the mask apertures to the substrate.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein a distance x between the substrate mask and the surface of the substrate that is coated is in the range from 0.1 mm to 0.6 mm.

15. The method according to any one of claims 13 or 14, wherein the substrate support is rotatable and wherein moving the substrate between the substrate mask and the substrate support comprises rotating the substrate support surface about a rotation axis (305) of the substrate support.

16. The method according to any one of claims 13, 14 or 15, wherein the thickness of the substrate mask at circumferences of the mask apertures is in the range from 0.05 to 0.5 mm, particularly from 0.1 to 0.3 mm.

17. The method according to any of claims 13, 14, 15 or 16, wherein the substrate mask is part of a mask module which comprises a mask carrier and the substrate mask, wherein the substrate mask is detachably attached to a back side of the mask carrier, wherein the back side of the mask carrier faces the substrate, particularly wherein the substrate mask is the mask of the mask module according to any one of the claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9.