TW201900901A - High-precision shadow mask deposition system and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A direct-deposition system forming a high-resolution pattern of material on a substrate is disclosed. Vaporized atoms from an evaporation source pass through a pattern of through-holes in a shadow mask to deposit on the substrate in the desired pattern. The shadow mask is held in a mask chuck that enables the shadow mask and substrate to be separated by a distance that can be less than ten microns. Prior to reaching the shadow mask, vaporized atoms pass through a collimator that operates as a spatial filter that blocks any atoms not travelling along directions that are nearly normal to the substrate surface. Vaporized atoms that pass through the shadow mask exhibit little or no lateral spread after passing through through-holes and the material deposits on the substrate in a pattern that has very high fidelity with the through-hole pattern of the shadow mask.

Description

High-precision shadow mask deposition system and method thereof

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

A shadow mask based deposition deposits a layer of material onto the surface of a substrate such that the desired pattern of the layer is defined during the deposition process itself. This deposition technique is sometimes referred to as "direct patterning." In a typical shadow mask deposition process, a desired material is vaporized at a source one distance from the substrate, with a shadow mask positioned between the source and the substrate. As the vaporized atoms of the material travel toward the substrate, they pass through a set of through holes in the shadow mask that are positioned directly in front of the surface of the substrate. Through holes (ie, voids) align the material into a desired pattern on the substrate. Therefore, the shadow mask blocks all vaporized atoms except the vaporized atoms passing through the via holes, and the vaporized atoms passing through the via holes are deposited on the surface of the substrate in a desired pattern. The deposition based on the shade mask is similar to the screen technique used to form patterns (eg, jersey numbers, etc.) on garments or stencil items used to develop artwork. For many years, shadow mask based deposition has been used in the integrated circuit (IC) industry to deposit material patterns onto substrates, in part because it avoids the need to pattern the material layer after depositing a layer of material. fact. Therefore, its use does not require the deposition material to be exposed to harmful chemicals (such as acidic etchants, caustic photolithographic development chemicals, etc.) to pattern it. In addition, deposition based on shadow masks requires less handling and handling of the substrate, thereby reducing the risk of substrate damage and increasing manufacturing yield. In addition, many materials, such as organic materials, cannot withstand photolithographic chemicals without damaging them, which necessitates deposition of such materials by shadow masks. Unfortunately, the resolution of features that can be obtained by conventional shadow mask deposition is reduced by the fact that the deposited material tends to spread laterally (referred to as "feathering") after passing through the shadow mask. The feathering increases with the amount of distance between the substrate and the shadow mask. To reduce feathering, this spacing is kept as small as possible without compromising the integrity of the chuck holding the substrate and the shadow mask. Furthermore, any non-uniformity in this spacing across the deposition zone will result in a change in the amount of feathering. This non-uniformity can be caused, for example, by non-parallelism between the substrate and the shadow mask, arching or sagging of one or both of the substrate and the shadow mask, and the like. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to position the shadow mask and substrate sufficiently close to avoid a large amount of feathering. In addition, the shadow mask must be supported only at the periphery of a shadow mask to avoid blocking vaporized atoms from passing through the via pattern. Therefore, the center of the shadow mask will sag due to gravity, which further exacerbates the problem of feathering. Thus, in practice, the key features formed by prior art shadow mask based deposition techniques are typically separated by relatively large open space regions to accommodate feathering, which limits the device density that can be obtained. For example, each pixel of an active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) display typically includes a plurality of regions of organic light emitting material each emitting a different color of light. Prior art AMOLED displays have typically been limited to about 600 pixels per inch (600 ppi) or less due to feathering problems, which is insufficient for many applications such as near-eye augmented reality and virtual reality applications. In addition, a large gap between pixels and between pixels results in a reduction in pixel fill factor, which reduces display brightness. Therefore, the current density through the organic layer must be increased to provide the desired brightness, which can negatively impact display life. An alternative method is to use a shadow mask having one of the apertures as large as the active area of the display itself to deposit a single-emitting white organic layer across the entire display and then pattern or deposit the red, green and blue filters. On top of the OLED. These color filters absorb all of the emitted white light except the red, green or blue portion of the spectrum (depending on the color filter) to allow for the generation of a full color image. However, such color filters absorb up to 80% of the emitted light, which significantly reduces the display brightness, again requiring operation above the desired drive current. In the prior art, the need to implement one of the programs for high-resolution direct patterning has not been met.

The present invention achieves high resolution direct deposition of one of the patterned material layers on a substrate without increasing cost and overcoming the disadvantages of the prior art. Embodiments of the present invention filter the propagation angle of vaporized atoms to a narrow range around one of the directions perpendicular to the surface of the substrate. Thus, the feathering of the deposited material outside the lateral dimension of the features of a shadow mask is mitigated. Embodiments of the invention are particularly suitable for depositing sensitive materials such as organic light-emitting materials. Embodiments are also well suited for deposition of packaging applications, integrated circuit processing applications, and other thin film and thick film layers in the like. The present invention further achieves high precision alignment of the shadow mask and substrate that can be contacted or spaced only a few microns apart. The present invention also mitigates the sag caused by the gravity of only one of the shaded masks supported at its periphery. Embodiments of the present invention are particularly well suited for applications requiring high density material patterns on a substrate, such as dense pixel displays (DPDs), high definition displays, and the like. One illustrative embodiment of the present invention is a direct patterned deposition system in which a material is vaporized at a source such that it is deposited on a surface of a substrate after passing through a pattern of apertures in a mask. The vaporized atoms pass through a collimator that blocks all vaporized atoms except for vaporized atoms having a propagation angle close to the direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate before it reaches the shadow mask. Thus, the lateral deviation between the pores and their respective regions of deposited material is reduced compared to the prior art. The collimator includes a plurality of channels having a high aspect ratio, wherein the longitudinal axes of the channels are substantially aligned with the vertical. Therefore, vaporized atoms that do not travel in a direction close to the vertical are blocked by the inner sidewalls of the channels. In some embodiments, the source is sized and configured to provide a vapor plume of vaporized atoms such that the entire substrate surface simultaneously receives vaporized material. In some of these embodiments, the source is moved along a path such that the uniformity of the thickness of the deposited material on the two-dimensional region of the substrate surface is improved. In some embodiments, the source emits a linear source of a fan-shaped vapor plume, wherein the linear source moves in a direction that is not aligned with its longitudinal axis. In some of these embodiments, the source is moved in a direction substantially orthogonal to both the longitudinal axis of the source and the vertical direction. In some of these embodiments, the source is moved along a non-linear path. In some embodiments, the source includes a plurality of individual nozzles, each of which emits a conical vapor plume such that the nozzles collectively provide a substantially uniform vaporized atomic flow over a region of the substrate surface. In some embodiments, the source is a two-dimensional planar source configured to be parallel to and facing the substrate such that the organic material is uniformly vaporized across the flat surface of the source when heated. In some embodiments, the relative motion between the source and the shadow mask is provided to improve the thickness uniformity of the deposited material on the two-dimensional region of the substrate surface. Another illustrative embodiment of the present invention is a direct pattern deposition system including: a first chuck having a first mounting surface for holding a substrate; and a second chuck having A second mounting surface for holding a shade mask including one of the through hole patterns. The second chuck includes a bracket that surrounds a central opening that exposes one of the through hole patterns in the shade mask. Thus, during deposition, vaporized atoms of material may pass through the second chuck and the vias to deposit in a desired pattern on a deposition area of the front surface of the substrate. The first chuck produces a first electrostatic force that is selectively applied to one of the back surfaces of the substrate. The first chuck is also sized and configured such that it does not protrude beyond the front surface of the substrate. In a similar manner, the second chuck produces a second electrostatic force that is selectively applied to one of the surfaces behind the shadow mask. The second chuck is also sized and configured such that it does not protrude beyond the front surface of the shade mask. When the shadow mask and the substrate are aligned for deposition, no part of the first chuck and the second chuck intrude into the three-dimensional space between the substrate and the shadow mask. Thus, the substrate and the shadow mask can be positioned in close proximity or even in contact during deposition, thereby reducing feathering. In some embodiments, at least one of the first suction force and the second suction force is a non-electrostatic force such as a vacuum generating force, a magnetic force, and the like. In some embodiments, the second mounting surface is sized and configured to create a tensile stress in the front surface of the shadow mask that reduces the gravitational sag caused by the central region of the shadow mask. In some such embodiments, the bracket of the second chuck is shaped such that its mounting surface slopes away from the top edge of the inner perimeter of the bracket. Therefore, when the shadow mask is mounted in the second chuck, the shadow mask becomes slightly arched, which causes one of the front surfaces of the mask to be tensilely stressed. In some such embodiments, the mounting surface curves downward from the top edge of the inner perimeter of the bracket. An embodiment of the invention is a system for depositing a first material on a plurality of deposition sites in a deposition region of a substrate, the plurality of deposition sites being configured in a first configuration, wherein the substrate comprises a first major surface and a second major surface comprising the deposition region, the system comprising: a source for providing a first plurality of vaporized atoms of the first material, each of the first plurality of vaporized atoms Propagating along a direction of propagation characterized by a propagation angle relative to one of a first direction perpendicular to a first plane defined by the substrate, wherein a range of propagation angles of the first plurality of vaporized atoms spans one a first angular range; a shadow mask comprising a plurality of through holes configured in the first configuration, wherein the shadow mask comprises a third major surface and a fourth major surface including one of the through holes; a first chuck for holding the substrate, the first chuck being sized and configured to selectively apply a first suction force to the first major surface; and a second chuck for holding The shade mask, the second card Included is a bracket that surrounds the material to pass through the second chuck to a first opening of the one of the through holes, the second chuck being sized and configured to selectively apply a second suction a third major surface; a collimator comprising a plurality of channels, the collimator being interposed between the source and the shadow mask, wherein each of the plurality of channels is sized and configured to only Passing a vaporized atom having a propagation angle smaller than a second angle of the first angular range; and a positioning system for controlling the relative positions of the first chuck and the second chuck to cause the mask The shadow mask is aligned with the substrate. Another embodiment of the present invention is a system for depositing a first material on a plurality of deposition sites in a deposition region of a substrate, the plurality of deposition sites being configured in a first configuration, wherein the substrate Including a first major surface and a second major surface having a first lateral extent, the system includes: a source operable to provide a plurality of vaporized atoms, each of the plurality of vaporized atoms defining a propagation angle One of the propagation directions travels, wherein the plurality of propagation angles span a first angular range; a shadow mask comprising a plurality of through holes configured in the first configuration, wherein the shadow mask comprises a third main a surface and a fourth major surface including one of the through holes, wherein the shadow mask and the plurality of deposition sites collectively define an acceptable angular range smaller than the first angular range; a first chuck for use Holding the substrate; a second chuck for holding the shadow mask, the second chuck comprising a bracket surrounding the material to pass the second chuck to the through holes a first opening; wherein When the mask is aligned with the substrate, the shadow mask and the substrate together define a second region, the second region (1) having a second lateral extent equal to or greater than one of the first lateral extents, and (2) having a thickness equal to a distance between the substrate and the shadow mask, and (3) not including the first chuck and the second chuck; wherein the first chuck and the second chuck are set Dimensions and configurations such that the thickness can be less than 10 microns; and a collimator positioned between the source and the shadow mask, the collimator including a plurality of channels, each of the plurality of channels having a defined One aspect of the filter angle range that is less than or equal to one of the acceptable angular ranges. A further embodiment of the present invention is a method for depositing a first material on a plurality of deposition sites disposed on a substrate in a first configuration, wherein the substrate comprises a first major surface and has a first a second major surface of a lateral extent, the second major surface comprising a first region, wherein the method comprises: receiving a first plurality of vaporized atoms at a collimator, the straightener being positioned at a source and having a configuration Between one of the plurality of through holes of the first configuration, wherein the shadow mask comprises a third major surface and a fourth major surface including the one of the through holes, wherein the first plurality The vaporized atom is characterized by a first range of propagation angles; the substrate is held in a first chuck, the first chuck selectively applying a first suction force to the first major surface; The cover is retained in a second chuck, the second chuck selectively imparting a second suction force to the third major surface, wherein the second chuck enables particles including the material to pass through the second chuck And the through holes; the second plurality of vaporized atoms are selectively Passing the collimator to the shadow mask, wherein the second plurality of vaporized atoms are characterized by a second propagation angle range that is narrower than the first propagation angle range; and positioning the substrate and the shadow mask Having the second major surface and the fourth major surface spaced apart by a distance of less than or equal to 10 microns; and enabling at least some of the second plurality of vaporized atoms to pass through the second chuck and the plurality of through holes Deposited on the substrate.

Related case statement This case claims the US non-provisional patent application No. 15/655 filed on July 20, 2017. No. 544 (agent file number: Priority of 6494-223US1), The full text of the case is incorporated herein by reference. The case also advocates the US non-provisional patent application No. 15/597 filed on May 17, 2017. No. 635 (agent file number: 6494-208US1) and US Non-Provisional Patent Application No. 15/602, filed on May 23, 2017, No. 939 (agent file number: Priority of 6494-209US1), The entire contents of both of these cases are incorporated herein by reference.  1 depicts a schematic diagram of one of the main features of a direct patterning deposition system in accordance with one of the prior art. System 100 is a conventional vapor deposition system, A desired material pattern is deposited on the substrate by vapor deposition material through a shadow mask positioned in front of a substrate. System 100 includes a source 104 and a shadow mask 106 disposed in a low pressure vacuum chamber (not shown).  The substrate 102 is adapted to form a glass substrate of one of an active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) display. The substrate 102 includes a surface 114 that defines a plane 108 and a vertical axis 110. Vertical axis 110 is orthogonal to plane 108. Surface 114 includes a plurality of deposition sites G for receiving a material that emits green light, A plurality of deposition sites B for receiving a material that emits blue light and a plurality of deposition sites R for receiving a material that emits red light. The deposition sites are disposed in the plurality of pixel regions 112, Each pixel region is made to contain one of the deposition sites for the luminescent material of each color.  Source 104 is used to vaporize material 116, Material 116 is an organic material that emits light of a desired wavelength. In the depicted example, Material 116 emits one of red light organic luminescent materials. In the depicted example, The source 104 is a single chamber 居 centered with respect to the substrate 102; however, In some embodiments, Source 104 includes a plurality of chambers configured in a one-dimensional and/or two-dimensional configuration. When the material 116 is melted or sublimated in the low pressure atmosphere of the vacuum chamber 110, The vaporized atoms 122 of the material 116 are ejected from the source and propagate toward the substrate 102 in a substantially ballistic manner. The vaporized atoms emitted by source 104 collectively define steam plumes 124.  The shadow mask 106 is a sheet of structural material comprising one of the apertures 120. The shadow mask is substantially flat and defines a plane 118. The shadow mask is positioned between the source 104 and the substrate 102. It is allowed to block the passage of all vaporized atoms other than the vaporized atoms passing through their pores. The spacing between the shadow mask and the substrate s (usually tens or hundreds of microns), The planes 108 and 118 are substantially parallel, And the pores 120 are aligned with the deposition sites R.  Ideally, When the red light material 116 is deposited, The vaporized atoms are only incident on the deposition site R. Unfortunately, The steam plume 124 includes vaporized atoms that travel along a plurality of different propagation directions 126. Many directions of propagation are not aligned with the direction of the vertical axis 110. therefore, Most of the vaporized atoms passing through the pores 120 travel in a direction of propagation having a substantial lateral component. The point of incidence of each vaporized atom on surface 114 is geometrically dependent on its propagation angle and the spatial relationship between the substrate and the shadow mask. Specifically, The spacing s and the alignment of the pores 120 with the deposition sites R. For the purpose of this specification (which includes the scope of the accompanying patent application), The term "propagation angle" is defined as the direction from which a vaporized atom is perpendicular to the plane 108 perpendicular to the substrate 102 (ie, 128 in the vertical direction, It is aligned with the direction of propagation of the vertical axis 110. E.g, The vaporized atom 122 travels in a direction of propagation 126, The direction of propagation 126 forms a propagation angle θp with respect to the vertical direction 128.  The propagation angle of the vaporized atom of the steam plume 124 spans a relatively large angular range of -θm to +θm, This has led to significant shortcomings of prior art direct deposition systems. In particular, It causes material 118 to deposit on surface 114 outside of the periphery of aperture 120, This is usually referred to as "feathering." In addition, The amount of feathering at a void increases with the distance of the pore from the center of the substrate 102.  For apertures positioned near the center of the steam plume 124, The vaporized atoms 122 that reach the shadow mask 106 have a propagation angle within a relatively small angular range. In other words, It travels in a direction that only slightly deviates from the vertical axis 110. therefore, The vaporized atoms passing through the pores exhibit only minimal lateral drift after passing through the shadow mask (ie, Feathering). therefore, In this area, The lateral extent of the deposited material 116 is typically nearly aligned with the edge of the aperture 120 (ie, It is mainly deposited on the target deposition site R).  however, For pores that are further away from the center of the steam plume 124, The vaporized atoms reaching the shadow mask 106 span a relatively large angular extent and contain a propagation angle that is closer to |θm|. therefore, In these areas, The lateral distance traveled by the vaporized atom after passing through the shadow mask is large, This results in the deposition of deposited material completely beyond the lateral extent of the pores. This results in a lateral offset δf between the edge of the aperture opening and the perimeter of the region in which the material 116 is deposited. therefore, The deposited material expands beyond the target deposition site. In some cases, This feathering can result in material deposition on adjacent deposition sites intended for different luminescent materials (ie, On the deposition site B and / or G), This leads to color mixing.  It should be noted that Any additional misalignment between the shadow mask and the substrate can exacerbate feathering. Such as the degree of parallelism from the planes 108 and 118 (ie, Relative spacing and/or deflection between the mask and the substrate), The unevenness of the shadow mask and/or the substrate and the translational and/or rotational misalignment between the shadow mask and the substrate. In addition, In many prior art deposition systems (eg, systems for depositing more than one material, etc.), The source 104 is eccentrically positioned relative to the substrate, This leads to even greater feathering problems.  Skilled practitioners should be aware that Having the shadow mask 106 in contact with the substrate 102 during deposition will alleviate or even completely eliminate the feathering problem. Unfortunately, due to many reasons, This is undesirable or not feasible in most cases. the first, Prior art substrate and shadow mask chucks typically include features that protrude beyond the substrate and the shadow mask, respectively. therefore, These features serve as a blocking element that limits the degree of close positioning of the substrate and the shadow mask. second, Contact with the shadow mask can cause damage to existing structural structures on the surface of the substrate. third, Damage to the shadow mask can be caused by contact with the substrate. fourth, Once the contact with the substrate is released, The residue will remain on the surface of the shade mask. then, Need to clean the shade mask frequently, This increases the program time and total cost, At the same time, the mask can be damaged during the cleaning operation. therefore, Prior art shadow mask deposition has been substantially limited to non-contact configurations in which feathering has a significant negative impact. fifth, Conventional shade masks are typically made of metal and are therefore necessarily quite thick. A thick shadow mask causes shadowing in each of the aperture regions when in contact with the substrate, This causes the edges of the deposition features to become thinner. For thicker shade masks (such as those commonly used in prior art shade masks), More material is lost due to the walls of the pores and the edges of the sub-pixels become thinner.  however, The present invention achieves direct deposition while overcoming some of the shortcomings of the prior art. A first aspect of the invention is: The feathering can be significantly reduced by allowing only vaporized atoms propagating in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the substrate to reach the shadow mask. Thereby the pattern of deposited material can have a higher resolution and fidelity relative to the aperture pattern of the shadow mask.  Another aspect of the invention is: Applying a non-metallic material such as tantalum nitride to a shadow mask to enable it to be extremely thin (≤ 1 micron), This results in a significantly reduced shade than prior art shade masks.  Yet another aspect of the invention is: The gravitational sag of the shadow mask can be reduced or eliminated by using a masked chuck that is sized and configured to counteract the gravitational effect of the shadow mask.  Another aspect of the invention is: The substrate and the shadow mask chuck do not have a structure protruding beyond the top surface of the substrate and the shadow mask to achieve a minimum spacing or even contact between the substrate and the shadow mask. Thereby reducing feathering. Substrate/shading mask contact can also increase the stability of the substrate during deposition, Improve material utilization by reducing waste, Faster deposition and higher throughput, And achieve lower temperature deposition.  2 depicts a schematic cross-sectional view of one of the main features of a high precision direct patterned deposition system in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. System 200 includes a vacuum chamber 202, Substrate chuck 204, Source 104, Shadow mask 106, Mask chuck 206, Collimator 208 and positioning system 212. System 200 is operable to vapor deposit a desired material pattern onto a substrate surface without the need for subsequent subtractive patterning operations such as photolithography and etching.  System 200 is described herein in relation to depositing a pattern of luminescent material onto a glass substrate as part of fabricating an AMOLED display. however, Those skilled in the art should be clear after reading this manual. The invention can be directed to any of a variety of substrates, such as semiconductor substrates (eg, germanium, Tantalum carbide, Oh, etc.), Ceramic substrate, Metal substrate, The plastic substrate and the like) form a direct patterned layer of virtually any film and thick film material (organic or inorganic). In addition, Although the illustrative embodiment is a thermal evaporation system, However, those skilled in the art should understand after reading this manual. The present invention can be directed to virtually any material deposition procedure, Such as electron beam evaporation, Sputtering and the like. In addition, Although the depicted example is suitable for use in a single substrate planar processing deposition system, However, the invention is also suitable for use in other manufacturing methods. Such as cluster tool processing, Tracking processing, Roll processing, Tape and reel and so on. therefore, The invention is suitable for use in a variety of applications, It includes (but is not limited to) packaged applications, IC manufacturing, MEMS manufacturing, Nanotechnology device manufacturing, Ball grid array (BGA) fabrication and the like.  In the depicted example, The shadow mask 106 includes a high precision shadow mask for the processing substrate 224 and the film 226. It is suspended from a central opening formed in the disposal substrate. Film 226 includes a via pattern 228. The shadow mask 106 contains two major surfaces: Front surface 230 and rear surface 232. The front surface 230 is the top surface of the membrane 226 (ie, Far from the film surface of the disposal substrate 224), It defines a plane 118. The rear surface 232 is the surface of the handle substrate 224 (ie, Far from the substrate surface of film 226). It should be noted that Although the shade mask 106 is a film-based high precision shade mask, The mask chuck according to the invention can then be used to hold virtually any type of shade mask. Preferably, The film 226 includes tantalum nitride; however, Other materials may be used without departing from the scope of the invention. Preferably, The membrane 226 has a thickness of less than or equal to 1 micrometer; however, Films of other thicknesses can be used without departing from the scope of the invention.  As discussed above, Compared to prior art shade masks, The shading effect during direct deposition can be reduced by using a shadow mask having a thickness of 1 micron or less.  Vacuum chamber 202 is a conventional pressure vessel for holding one of the low pressure environments required to vaporize material 116. In the depicted example, The vacuum chamber 110 is a separate unit; however, It may also be part of a cluster deposition system or a tracking deposition system in which a plurality of evaporation chambers are configured as a linear chain without departing from the scope of the invention. In some embodiments, The vacuum chamber 110 includes different patterns that can form different materials on the substrate 102 (such as, for example, emitting different colors (eg, red, A plurality of vapor deposition sources/mask mask combinations of a plurality of light-emitting sub-pixels of light of green and blue).  Controller 240 provides control signals 236 and 238, respectively, to one of the substrate chuck 204 and the mask chuck 206, respectively.  3 depicts the operation of one method for depositing a layer of directly patterned material onto a substrate in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. With continued reference to FIG. 2 and with reference to FIG. 4A to FIG. 4B, Figure 5, 6A to 6B, 7A to 7B, 8A to 8B, Figure 9, Figure 9, Method 300 is described with respect to Figures 10 and 11A-11C. Method 300 begins at operation 301, The collimator 208 is mounted in the collimator chuck 210.  The collimator 208 is a mechanically robust plate comprising a plurality of channels separated by a thin wall. This will be described in more detail below with respect to FIGS. 11A through 11C. The collimator 208 is sized and configured to function as a spatial filter. It selectively causes vaporized atoms to propagate in a direction substantially perpendicular to plane 108 (ie, Passing vaporized atoms with very small propagation angles. therefore, The collimator 208 mitigates feathering across the entire substrate 102.  The collimator chuck 210 is for holding and positioning one of the annular clamping mechanisms of the collimator relative to the shade mask 106.  In operation 302, The shadow mask 106 is mounted in the mask chuck 206.  The mask chuck 206 holds one of the masks 106 of the shadow mask 106 by applying only one of its rear surfaces. In the depicted example, The mask chuck 206 uses electrostatic force to hold the shadow mask 106. In some embodiments, The mask chuck 206 generates force via, for example, a vacuum, A magnetic force or the like has a different suction to hold a shadow mask. In other embodiments, The mask chuck 206 is a mechanical clip.  4A-4B depict top and cross-sectional views, respectively, of a mask chuck in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. The cross section depicted in Figure 4B is taken through line a-a shown in Figure 4A. The mask chuck 206 includes a bracket 402, Electrodes 404-1 and 404-2 and pad 406.  The bracket 402 is a structural rigid ring of one of the electrically insulating materials. The bracket 402 surrounds the opening 408, The opening 408 is large enough to expose the entire via pattern 228. In some embodiments, The bracket 402 has a square, for example rectangle, One of the irregular shapes and the like is a non-circular shape. In some embodiments, Bracket 402 includes a conductive material coated with an electrical insulator.  Electrodes 404-1 and 404-2 are conductive elements formed on the surface of the stent 402. Electrodes 404-1 and 404-2 are electrically coupled to controller 240.  Pad 406 is a structural rigid plate of electrically insulating material disposed on electrodes 404-1 and 404-2. Each of the pads 406 includes a mounting surface 410, When the shadow mask 106 is mounted in the mask chuck, The shadow mask 106 abuts the mounting surface 410.  FIG. 5 depicts a cross-sectional view of one of the shade masks 106 mounted in the mask chuck 206.  The shadow mask 106 is held in the mask chuck 206 by applying an electrostatic force between the mounting surface 410 and the back surface 232. The electrostatic force is generated in response to a voltage potential between the electrodes 404-1 and 404-2, This voltage potential is generated by control signal 238. When the rear surface 232 is brought into contact with the mounting surface 410, The sympathetic charge region develops within the handle substrate 224, As shown in the figure. therefore, An electrostatic force is selectively applied between the rear surface 232 and the mounting surface 410.  usually, The shadow mask 106 is supported only around the perimeter of the shadow mask 106. therefore, The shadow mask of the prior art tends to sag under the force of gravity. In some embodiments, A mask cartridge according to the present invention contains one or more features, It reduces or eliminates the gravity of the shadow mask when mounting a shadow mask to cause sagging. As discussed in detail above, A shadow mask can be centered by a few micrometers due to its own mass and gravity. This gravity causes sagging to cause several major problems that exacerbate feathering. First of all, It increases the distance between the shadow mask in the center of the deposition area and the substrate, The deposition zone is typically centered on the shadow mask. As discussed above, Feathering increases with the spacing of the substrate/mask mask. Secondly, It results in a non-uniform spacing between the substrate and the shadow mask, This results in a change in the degree of feathering that occurs across the surface of the substrate. Even if non-uniformity is not impossible to compensate for feathering via an innovative mask layout, But it will be very difficult.  Yet another aspect of the invention is: A masked chuck can include features that mitigate the drooping of a shaded mask.  In some embodiments, The mask chuck 206 includes a slight curvature (e.g., an upward slope) that biases the shadow mask upward to offset the sagging of the shadow mask due to gravity. In some embodiments, A fine support structure can extend across the opening in the mask chuck 206 to support the mask and reduce gravity sag. These features will be described in more detail below with respect to Figures 6A-6B and 7A-7B.  6A-6B are schematic diagrams showing a cross-sectional view of one portion of a masking chuck in accordance with a first alternative embodiment of the present invention. The cross section depicted in Figure 6A is taken through line a-a shown in Figure 4A. The mask chuck 600 includes a bracket 402, Electrodes 404-1 and 404-2 and pad 602.  Pad 602 is similar to pad 406 described above; however, Each pad 602 has a mounting surface that is designed to induce or increase the tensile strain in the shadow mask when the shadow mask is mounted in the mask chuck. Pad 602 has a inner edge 606 (ie, The mounting surface 604 is tapered toward the outer edge 608 to the outer edge 608. In other words, Mounting surface 604 is from point 614 to point 616 in the negative z-direction (ie, Converging from the intersection of the inner edge 606 and the inner edge 606 to the intersection of the outer edge 608 at the plane 612, As shown in the figure. therefore, In embodiments where the inner edge 606 is perpendicular to the plane 610, Inner edge 606 and mounting surface 604 form an internal angle θ, Make it an acute angle.  When the shadow mask 106 is held in the mask chuck 600, The rear surface 232 is attracted to the mounting surface 604, Thereby causing the shadow mask to bend, It increases the lateral guiding tension in the front surface 230 of the shadow mask. therefore, The film is pulled tighter and gravity causes the sagging to be reduced or eliminated.  Figure 6B depicts a schematic cross-sectional view of one of the portions of a mask chuck in accordance with a second alternative embodiment of the present invention. The cross section depicted in Figure 6B is taken through line a-a shown in Figure 4A. The mask chuck 618 includes a bracket 402, Electrodes 404-1 and 404-2 and pad 720.  Pad 620 is similar to pad 406 described above; however, Like pad 602, Each pad 620 has a mounting surface that is designed to induce or increase the tensile strain in the shadow mask when the shadow mask is mounted in the mask chuck. Pad 620 has a downward direction from inner edge 606 to outer edge 608 (ie, In the negative z direction, A curved mounting surface 622 is shown in the figures. In other words, Mounting surface 622 tapers from point 614 to point 616 in the negative z-direction, As shown in the figure.  When the shadow mask 106 is held in the mask chuck 618, The rear surface 232 is attracted to the mounting surface 622, Thereby causing the shadow mask to bend, It increases the lateral guiding tension in the front surface 230 of the shadow mask. therefore, The film is pulled tighter and gravity causes the sagging to be reduced or eliminated. In some embodiments, The amount of additional tension induced in the front surface 230 can be controlled by controlling the magnitude of the voltage difference applied to the electrodes 404-1 and 404-2.  Those skilled in the art should be clear after reading this manual. For a deposition system in which the mounting mask (compared to its orientation as depicted in Figure 1) is reversed, The direction in which the mounting surfaces 604 and 622 are tilted (or bent) will be reversed. In addition, In this configuration, It is often desirable to have the substrate chuck 204 designed to enable the substrate 102 to reside within the opening 408 such that a substrate/mask spacing is less than or equal to 10 microns.  7A-7B are schematic views, respectively, showing a top view and a cross-sectional view of a mask chuck in accordance with a third alternative embodiment of the present invention. The mask chuck 700 includes a mask chuck 206 and a support grid 702.  Support grid 702 includes 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 structural material. Materials suitable for use in the plate 704 and the support ribs 706 include, but are not limited to, metal, plastic, ceramics, Composite material, Glass and the like. Plate 704 is designed to be mounted to bracket 402 to position support grid 702 within opening 408, The film 226 is mechanically supported when the shadow mask 106 is mounted in the mask chuck 700.  The support ribs 706 are configured to support the shadow mask 106 in a region between the through holes of the through hole configuration 228. usually, The through holes of a shadow mask are configured to correspond to a cluster of different grain regions on the substrate. Since these grain regions are usually separated by "tracks" intended to be removed by a dicing saw, Therefore, the support ribs 706 are preferably configured to match the configuration of the lanes. however, It should be noted that Any suitable configuration of support ribs can be used to support the grid 702.  The support grid 702 is formed such that its top surface 708 is coplanar and defines a plane 710. The plane 710 is located at a distance above the mounting surface 410 that is equal to the thickness of the bracket 224. therefore, When the bracket 224 is in contact with the mounting surface 410, Support ribs 706 are in contact with membrane 226.  In some embodiments, The shadow mask 106 is held upside down in the mask chuck 700, The membrane 226 is brought into contact with the mounting surface 410. In these embodiments, Support grid 702 is designed to fit within opening 408, The plane 710 is made to be coplanar with the mounting surface 410. therefore, The membrane 226 is supported by a support grid 702. It is made completely horizontal throughout the opening 408.  In operation 303, The substrate 102 is mounted in the substrate chuck 204.  The substrate chuck 204 is for holding a platen of the substrate 102 via suction applied only to one of its rear surfaces. In the depicted example, The substrate chuck 204 generates an electrostatic force to hold a substrate. however, In some embodiments, The substrate chuck 204 generates a force via, for example, a vacuum, A magnetic force or the like has a different suction to hold a substrate. For the purpose of this specification (which includes the scope of the accompanying patent application), The term "magnetic force" encompasses any force caused by the use of permanent magnets and/or electromagnets. The substrate chuck 204 will be described in more detail below with respect to Figures 8A-8B.  In some embodiments, The substrate chuck 204 is sized and configured to contact the substrate 102 only from the front surface to mitigate interference with depositing material on the other side of the substrate. In some embodiments, The substrate chuck 204 secures the substrate from both sides of the substrate via different members such as a vacuum mechanical clip. and many more. In some embodiments, The substrate chuck 204 includes an in-situ gap sensor. It operates in conjunction with positioning system 212 to control the spacing and parallelism between substrate 102 and shadow mask 106.  In the depicted example, The substrate 102 is suitable for use in one of the active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) displays. The substrate 102 includes two major surfaces on which the display elements are defined: Rear surface 115 and front surface 114. The front surface 114 defines a plane 108.  8A depicts a schematic diagram of one cross-sectional view of one of the substrate chucks in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. The substrate chuck 204 includes a platen 802 and electrodes 804-1 and 804-2.  The platen 802 is a structural rigid platform comprising one of a substrate 806 and a dielectric layer 808. Each of the substrate 806 and the dielectric layer 808 includes, for example, glass. ceramics, Anodized aluminum, Composite material, One of Bakelite and the like is electrically insulating to electrically isolate electrodes 804-1 and 804-2 from one another and to electrically isolate electrodes 804-1 and 804-2 from substrate 102 when the substrate is mounted in a substrate chuck.  Electrodes 804-1 and 804-2 are conductive elements, It is formed on the surface of the substrate 806 and is covered by a dielectric layer 808 to be embedded within the platen 802. Electrodes 804-1 and 804-2 are electrically coupled to controller 240. It should be noted that Although electrodes 804-1 and 804-2 are depicted as simple plates, The substrate chuck 204 may actually have electrodes shaped in any manner. Such as an interdigitated finger, Concentric rings, Irregular shapes and so on.  Dielectric layer 808 is disposed over electrodes 804-1 and 804-2 to create a structurally rigid glass layer of one of mounting surfaces 810.  FIG. 8B depicts a schematic diagram of one of the cross-sectional views of the substrate chuck 204 while holding the substrate 102.  In order to hold the substrate 102 in the substrate chuck 204, Control signal 236 produces a voltage potential between electrodes 804-1 and 804-2. When the rear surface 115 is brought to the mounting surface 810 (ie, When the top surface of the dielectric layer 808 is in contact, The sympathetic charge region develops within the substrate 102, As shown in the figure. therefore, An electrostatic force is selectively applied to the back surface 115, The rear surface 115 is thereby attracted to the mounting surface 810.  Although the illustrative embodiment includes holding a substrate chuck of the substrate 102 via electrostatic force, However, those skilled in the art should clearly understand how to specify after reading this manual. Manufacture and use of alternative embodiments, Wherein, such as by a vacuum generating force, A non-electrostatic force of one of a magnetic force and the like holds a substrate in a substrate chuck.  In operation 304, The substrate 102 is controlled by the positioning system 212, Source 104, The relative positions of the shadow mask 106 and the collimator 208.  Positioning system 212 aligns substrate 102 and shadow mask 106 by controlling the position of substrate chuck 204. In some embodiments, The positioning system aligns the substrate and the shadow mask by controlling the position of the mask chuck 206. In some embodiments, The position of the two chucks is controlled to align the substrate and the shadow mask. The following will be compared to Figure 1. figure 2, Figure 9, Figure 9, Operation 304 and positioning system 212 are described in more detail in FIGS. 10 and 11A-11C.  The positioning system includes three six-axis manipulators and an optical alignment system for controlling the alignment between the substrate 102 and the shadow mask 106. Each of the six-axis manipulators and the substrate chuck 204, Each of the mask chuck 206 and the collimator chuck 210 is operatively coupled to control its along the x-axis, The position of each of the y-axis and the z-axis and around the x-axis, The rotation of each of the y-axis and the z-axis. In some embodiments, The position of at least one of the mask chuck 206 and the collimator chuck 210 is not controlled by a six-axis positioner. In some embodiments, Positioning system 212 also includes a rotary table for controlling the relative rotational alignment of substrate 102 and shadow mask 106.  In operation 304, The positioning system 212 positions the substrate and the shadow mask. Aligning the deposition sites R in the deposition region 216 with the apertures 120, The planes 108 and 118 are parallel. And the distance s between the substrate and the shadow mask is as close as possible to zero (ie, contact), Preferably, Within a few microns (eg, 1 micron to 5 microns). In some embodiments, s is another suitable spacing. It should be noted that For the sake of clarity, The spacing s is specifically depicted in a magnified manner.  One aspect of the invention is: In some embodiments, Both substrate chuck 204 and mask chuck 206 do not include any structural elements that protrude beyond their respective mounting surfaces. therefore, The substrate and the shadow mask can be closely spaced from one another or aligned with each other to reduce feathering during deposition. Skilled practitioners should be aware that In conventional direct deposition systems, The distance between the substrate and the shadow mask must be at least tens or even hundreds of microns.  9 depicts a schematic diagram of a cross-sectional view of one of the portions of system 100, The substrate 102 and the shadow mask 106 are aligned for deposition of the material 116.  When the substrate and the shadow mask are aligned, They collectively define an area 902 between them. Region 902 has a lateral extent L1 that is equal to the lateral extent of front surface 114. Region 902 also has a distance s1 between planes 108 and 118 (ie, a thickness between the substrate and the shadow mask.  Because no portion of the substrate chuck 204 extends beyond the plane 108 into the region 902, Therefore, there is no obstacle between the substrate and the shadow mask. therefore, The distance s1 between the substrate 102 and the shadow mask 106 can be extremely small (≤ 10 microns). In fact, If desired, The substrate and the shadow mask can be brought into contact with each other. The ability to perform direct patterning with a substrate/mask spacing of 10 microns or less makes the embodiments of the present invention significantly superior to prior art direct patterned deposition systems, This is because it can significantly reduce or even eliminate feathering. In some embodiments, There is no gap or gap between the substrate and the shadow mask to completely eliminate feathering.  In operation 305, Source 104 produces steam plumes 124. As described above with respect to Figure 1, The propagation angle θp of the vaporized atom of the steam plume 124 spans a relatively large angular range of -θm to +θm. In the prior art, This large angle range exacerbates feathering, The feathering is based on the lateral and rotational alignment between the substrate 102 and the shadow mask 106, The distance between the substrate 102 and the shadow mask 106 varies depending on the range of s and the angle of propagation θp of the vaporized atoms incident on the shadow mask.  however, In the present invention, By using a spatial filter (ie, The collimator 208) is positioned in the vaporization atomic path from the source 104 to the shadow mask 106 to reduce the range of propagation angles of vaporized atoms that reach the surface of the substrate. therefore, The inclusion of collimator 208 in system 200 significantly reduces feathering during direct deposition.  10 is a schematic diagram showing an enlarged view of one of the pixel regions 112 of the substrate 102 and its corresponding aperture 120 of the shadow mask 106. As shown in the figure, For high fidelity between the deposition of the pores 120 and the material on the deposition site R, The propagation angle of the vaporized atoms passing through the shadow mask 106 must be within an acceptable range of -θa to +θa. For the purpose of this specification (which includes the scope of the accompanying patent application), Defining the term "acceptable angular extent" as the range of propagation angles desired to pass through the shadow mask, It spans the angular range from -θa to +θa. usually, The acceptable angular extent is such that the material 116 can only deposit at an angular extent on the deposition site R after passing through the pores 120. In some embodiments, The acceptable angular extent includes a small guard band around one of the deposition sites to allow for less than one-half of the feathering between the most recent deposition sites. Any vaporized atom incident on the shadow mask having a propagation angle outside this range will be deposited on the surface 114 beyond the lateral extent of the deposition site R.  In operation 306, The steam plume 124 is filtered by a collimator 208 to produce a steam column 214.  11A depicts a schematic diagram of one cross-sectional view of one of the collimators, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. Collimator 208 includes a body 1102 that is patterned to form a plurality of channels 1104, Each of the plurality of channels 1104 extends through the thickness of the body 1102.  The body 1102 is adapted to planarly process one of the glass sheets. In the depicted example, The body 1102 has a thickness of about 25 millimeters (mm); however, Any useful thickness can be used without departing from the scope of the invention. In some embodiments, The body 1102 includes a different structurally rigid material adapted to withstand the temperatures associated with heat and/or electron beam evaporation without significant deformation. Materials suitable for use in body 1102 include, but are not limited to, semiconductors (eg, germanium, Carbide, etc.) Ceramics (such as alumina, etc.), Composite materials (such as carbon fiber, etc.), glass fiber, A printed circuit board, metal, Polymers (such as polyetheretherketone (PEEK), etc.) and the like.  Channel 1104 uses a conventional processing operation (such as metal forming, drilling, Electronic discharge machining, Deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) and the like are formed to form via holes in the body 1102. In the depicted example, Channel 1104 has a circular cross section. It has a diameter of about 3 mm. therefore, Channel 1104 has approximately 8: 1 high aspect ratio. Preferably, The aspect ratio is at least equal to 3: 1. In addition, For more than 100: 1 aspect ratio, The vaporized atomic flow through the collimator begins to decrease to an undesired level; however, More than 100: A aspect ratio of 1 is within the scope of the present invention. In some embodiments, Channel 1104 has a non-circular cross-sectional shape (eg, square, rectangle, hexagon, Octagon, Irregular shape, etc.).  The formation of channel 1104 creates a plurality of walls 1106 that reside between the channels. Preferably, To achieve high throughput, Wall 1106 is as thin as possible without sacrificing the structural integrity of body 1102. In the depicted example, Wall 1106 has an average thickness of about 500 microns; however, Wall 1106 can use any useful thickness.  11B-11C depict top and cross-sectional views, respectively, of a region of the collimator 208. The channel 1104 is configured in a honeycomb configuration. The rows are periodic and adjacent rows are offset by half a cycle from their neighbors. In some embodiments, The channel is configured to be, for example, a two-dimensional cycle, The six parties are closely packed, One of the random and one of its similar configurations.  As depicted in Figure 11C, The aspect ratio of channel 1104 defines a range of filtering angles. For the purpose of this specification (which includes the scope of the accompanying patent application), The term "filter angle range" is defined as the range of propagation angles that will pass through the collimator 208, It spans the angular range from -θc to +θc. therefore, One of the vaporization atoms having a propagation angle greater than |θc| will be blocked by the collimator.  Skilled practitioners should be aware that The above is for the main body 1102 The dimensions provided by channel 1104 and wall 1106 are for illustrative purposes only. Other dimensions may be used without departing from the scope of the invention.  In operation 307, The pores 120 pass vaporized atoms of the vapor column 214, It is deposited on the deposition site R in the deposition region 216.  In operation 308 of the selection, Positioning system 212 applies motion to collimator 208 to improve the uniformity of the vaporized atomic density across the lateral extent of steam column 214, Thereby, the deposition uniformity of the deposition sites on the substrate 102 is improved. In some embodiments, Positioning system 212 is operable to impart an oscillating motion to collimator 208.  It should be noted that In the illustrative embodiment, Source 104 is essentially a point source for material 116, This is because the open area of the crucible is significantly smaller than the area of the substrate 102.  In operation 309 selected, Positioning system 212 moves source 104 relative to the substrate in the x-y plane to improve deposition uniformity.  In some embodiments, Source 104 is a linear evaporation source, It includes a plurality of nozzles that emit a fan-shaped vapor plume of one of the vaporized atoms. In some embodiments, Positioning system 212 moves the linear source in one of the x-y planes in a direction that is not aligned with its longitudinal axis to improve the uniformity of the deposited material on substrate 102. In some embodiments, This path is substantially orthogonal to the linear configuration of the nozzle and the line of either of the vertical axes 110. In some embodiments, The linear source is moved along a non-linear path in the x-y plane.  In some embodiments, Source 104 includes a two-dimensional configuration of the nozzles. Each nozzle emits a conical steam plume, The plurality of nozzles collectively provide a substantially uniform vaporization atomic flow over a region of the surface of the substrate. In some embodiments, Positioning system 212 moves the two-dimensional configuration of the nozzles to promote deposition uniformity. In some embodiments, The two-dimensional configuration of the nozzle rotates in a plane to promote deposition uniformity.  In some embodiments, Source 104 is a two-dimensional planar source, It comprises a layer of material 116 distributed across its top surface. The source is configured such that the top surface is parallel to and faces the substrate 102. Material 116 is uniformly vaporized across the plane as it is heated. Tung et al. in "OLED Fabrication by Using a Novel Planar Evaporation Technique" (Int.  J.  An exemplary planar vapor deposition source suitable for use in embodiments of the present invention is disclosed in of Photoenergy, Vol. 2014 (18), pp. 1 through 8 (2014), which is incorporated herein by reference. In some embodiments, to improve the uniformity of the material 116 deposited on the two-dimensional region of the surface 114, the positioning system 212 applies the source 104 to the substrate 102 and shades by moving at least one of the substrate/mask combination and the source. One of the relative movements between the combinations of masks 106. It is to be understood that the present invention is to be construed as limited by the scope of the invention, and the scope of the invention will be determined by the following claims.

100‧‧‧ system

102‧‧‧Substrate

104‧‧‧ source

106‧‧‧Shade mask

108‧‧‧ plane

110‧‧‧ vertical axis

112‧‧‧Pixel area

114‧‧‧ front surface

115‧‧‧Back surface

116‧‧‧Materials

118‧‧‧ plane

120‧‧‧ pores

122‧‧‧vaporized atom

124‧‧‧Steam feather

126‧‧‧Driving direction

128‧‧‧Vertical direction

200‧‧‧ system

202‧‧‧vacuum room

204‧‧‧Substrate chuck

206‧‧‧mask chuck

208‧‧‧ collimator

210‧‧‧ collimator chuck

212‧‧‧ Positioning System

214‧‧‧Steam column

216‧‧‧Deposition area

224‧‧‧Disposal substrate/bracket

226‧‧‧ film

228‧‧‧through pattern/through hole configuration

230‧‧‧ front surface

232‧‧‧Back surface

236‧‧‧Control signal

238‧‧‧Control signal

240‧‧‧ Controller

300‧‧‧ method

301‧‧‧ operation

302‧‧‧ operation

303‧‧‧ operation

304‧‧‧ operation

305‧‧‧ operation

306‧‧‧ operation

307‧‧‧ operation

308‧‧‧ operation

309‧‧‧ operation

402‧‧‧ bracket

404-1‧‧‧Electrode

404-2‧‧‧electrode

406‧‧‧ pads

408‧‧‧ openings

410‧‧‧Installation surface

600‧‧‧mask chuck

602‧‧‧ pads

604‧‧‧Installation surface

606‧‧‧ inner edge

608‧‧‧ outer edge

610‧‧ plane

612‧‧‧ plane

614‧‧ points

616‧‧ points

618‧‧‧mask chuck

620‧‧‧ pads

622‧‧‧Installation surface

700‧‧‧mask chuck

702‧‧‧Support grid

704‧‧‧ board

706‧‧‧Support ribs

708‧‧‧ top surface

710‧‧‧ plane

802‧‧‧ platen

804-1‧‧‧electrode

804-2‧‧‧electrode

806‧‧‧Substrate

808‧‧‧ dielectric layer

810‧‧‧Installation surface

902‧‧‧Area

1102‧‧‧ Subject

1104‧‧‧ channel

1106‧‧‧ wall

B‧‧‧Deposition sites

G‧‧‧Deposition sites

L1‧‧‧ horizontal range

R‧‧‧ sedimentation sites

S‧‧‧ spacing

S1‧‧‧ spacing

Θ‧‧‧ inside corner

Θp‧‧‧ propagation angle

Δf‧‧‧ lateral offset

1 depicts a schematic diagram of one of the main features of a direct patterning deposition system in accordance with one of the prior art. 2 depicts a schematic cross-sectional view of one of the main features of a high precision direct patterned deposition system in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 3 depicts the operation of one method for depositing a layer of directly patterned material onto a substrate in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. 4A-4B depict top and cross-sectional views, respectively, of a mask chuck in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. FIG. 5 depicts a cross-sectional view of one of the shade masks 106 mounted in the mask chuck 206. Figure 6A depicts a schematic cross-sectional view of one of the portions of a mask chuck 206 in accordance with a first alternative embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6B depicts a schematic cross-sectional view of one of the portions of a mask chuck 206 in accordance with a second alternative embodiment of the present invention. 7A-7B are schematic views, respectively, showing a top view and a cross-sectional view of a mask chuck in accordance with a third alternative embodiment of the present invention. 8A depicts a schematic diagram of one cross-sectional view of one of the mask chucks in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. FIG. 8B depicts a schematic diagram of one of the cross-sectional views of the substrate chuck 204 while holding the substrate 102. 9 depicts a schematic diagram of one of a cross-sectional views of one portion of system 100 in which substrate 102 and shadow mask 106 are aligned for deposition of material 116. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an enlarged view of one of the pixel regions of the substrate 102 and its corresponding aperture 120 of the shadow mask 106. 11A depicts a schematic diagram of one cross-sectional view of one of the collimators, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. 11B-11C depict top and cross-sectional views, respectively, of a region of the collimator 208.

Claims (55)

A system for depositing a first material on a plurality of deposition sites in a deposition region of a substrate, the plurality of deposition sites being configured in a first configuration, wherein the substrate comprises a first major surface and a second major surface of the deposition region, the system comprising: a source for providing a first plurality of vaporized atoms of the first material, each of the first plurality of vaporized atoms propagating along a propagation direction, the The direction of propagation is characterized by a propagation angle relative to one of a first direction perpendicular to a first plane defined by the substrate, wherein a range of propagation angles of the first plurality of vaporized atoms spans a first angular range; a shadow mask comprising a plurality of through holes configured in the first configuration, wherein the shadow mask comprises a third major surface and a fourth major surface including one of the through holes; a first chuck For holding the substrate, the first chuck is sized and configured to selectively apply a first suction force to the first major surface; a second chuck for holding the shadow mask, The second chuck includes a bracket, and the second chuck The bracket surrounds the material through the second chuck to a first opening of the through hole, the second chuck being sized and configured to selectively apply a second suction to the third major surface a collimator comprising a plurality of channels, the collimator being interposed between the source and the shadow mask, wherein each of the plurality of channels is sized and configured to have only less than the first Passing a vaporized atom of one of the propagation angles in a second angular range; and a positioning system for controlling the relative positions of the first chuck and the second chuck to cause the shadow mask and the The substrate is aligned. The system of claim 1, wherein the first material is an organic material. The system of claim 2, wherein the first material is operable to emit light of one of the organic materials. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of deposition sites and the plurality of vias collectively define an acceptable angular extent, and wherein the second angular extent is less than or equal to the acceptable angular extent. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of channels is characterized by a height to width aspect ratio equal to or greater than about 3:1. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of channels is characterized by a height to width aspect ratio equal to or greater than 8:1. The system of claim 1, wherein the positioning system is operative to impart relative motion between the substrate and the collimator. The system of claim 1, wherein the first chuck, the second chuck, and the positioning system jointly implement the substrate and the substrate having a pitch of less than or equal to about 10 microns between the substrate and the mask The alignment of the shade mask. The system of claim 8, wherein the first chuck, the second chuck, and the alignment system collectively achieve a spacing between the substrate and the shadow mask of greater than 0 micrometers and less than or equal to about 10 micrometers. The substrate and the shadow mask are aligned. The system of claim 1, wherein the first chuck, the second chuck, and the alignment system together achieve a spacing between the substrate and the shadow mask in a range from about 2 microns to about 5 microns The substrate and the shadow mask are aligned. The system of claim 1, wherein the second suction force is an electrostatic force. The system of claim 1, wherein the second suction 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 configured to reduce the weight of the shaded mask causing sagging. The system of claim 13 wherein the bracket has a cross section defining a mounting surface extending between a first edge proximate one of the first openings and a second edge remote from the first opening When the shadow mask is held in the second chuck, the mounting surface is in contact with the third main surface, wherein the mounting surface and the first edge meet at a point in a first plane and the mounting surface And the second edge meets at a point in a second plane, and wherein the first plane is closer to the substrate than the second plane when the mask is aligned with the substrate. The system of claim 14, wherein the mounting surface is non-linear. The system of claim 1, wherein the second chuck further comprises a support grid in the first opening, the support grid being sized and configured to reduce the gravity of the shade mask causing sagging. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the first suction force and the second suction force is an electrostatic force. The system of claim 1 wherein the shadow mask comprises tantalum nitride. The system of claim 1 wherein the shadow mask has a thickness of less than or equal to 1 micron. A system for depositing a first material on a plurality of deposition sites in a deposition region of a substrate, the plurality of deposition sites being disposed in a first configuration, wherein the substrate comprises a first major surface and having a second major surface of a first lateral extent, the system comprising: a source operable to provide a first plurality of vaporized atoms, each of the first plurality of vaporized atoms extending a direction of propagation along one of the propagation angles Traversing such that the first plurality of vaporized atoms are characterized by a first plurality of propagation angles spanning a first angular extent; a shadow mask comprising a plurality of vias configured in the first configuration, wherein the masking The shadow mask includes a third major surface and a fourth major surface including the one of the through holes, wherein the shadow mask and the plurality of deposition sites collectively define an acceptable angular range that is less than the first angular range; a first chuck for holding the substrate; a second chuck for holding the shadow mask, the second chuck including a bracket surrounding the material to enable the material to pass the second card Disk to the through holes a first opening; wherein when the shadow mask and the substrate are aligned, the shadow mask and the substrate together define a first area, the first area (1) having a first horizontal range equal to or greater than a second lateral extent, (2) having a thickness equal to a distance between the substrate and the shadow mask, and (3) not including the first chuck and the second chuck; wherein the first The chuck and the second chuck are sized and configured to enable the thickness to be less than 10 microns; and a collimator positioned between the source and the shadow mask, the collimator including selectively enabling a second plurality of vaporized atoms passing through the plurality of channels, the first plurality of vaporized atoms comprising the second plurality of vaporized atoms, wherein each of the plurality of channels has a filter angle defined to be less than or equal to the acceptable angular range One of a range of aspect ratios, and wherein the second plurality of vaporized atoms are characterized by a second plurality of propagation angles less than or equal to the range of the filtered angle. The system of claim 20, wherein the substrate defines a first plane and a first direction perpendicular to the first plane, and wherein the source comprises a plurality of nozzles for emitting the plurality of vaporized atoms, the plurality of nozzles Configuring a second configuration, the second configuration having a first length along a second direction in a second plane substantially parallel to the first plane, and wherein the source is along the second plane The path moves, the path is not aligned with the second direction. The system of claim 20, wherein the deposition region has a first area in the first plane, and wherein the source comprises a first nozzle for emitting one of the plurality of vaporized atoms, and wherein the source is substantially Moving in a second plane parallel to the first plane. The system of claim 20, further comprising a positioning system operable to impart a relative movement between the collimator and the substrate. The system of claim 20, wherein the first chuck and the second chuck are sized and configured to enable the thickness to be zero microns such that the substrate and the shadow mask are in contact. The system of claim 20, wherein the first chuck and the second chuck are sized and configured to enable the thickness to be greater than 0 microns and equal to or less than 10 microns. The system of claim 20, wherein the second chuck is operable to apply a first suction force only to the third major surface. The system of claim 26, wherein the first suction force is an electrostatic force. The system of claim 26, wherein the first suction force is selected from the group consisting of a vacuum generating force and a magnetic force. The system of claim 26, wherein the first chuck is operable to apply a second suction only to the first major surface. The system of claim 29, wherein each of the first suction force and the second suction force is an electrostatic force. The system of claim 20, wherein the second chuck is sized and configured to reduce the gravity of the shadow mask when the shadow mask is retained in the second chuck. The system of claim 31, wherein the second chuck is sized and configured to mitigate the gravitational sag by causing a tensile stress in the fourth major surface. The system of claim 31, wherein the second chuck is sized and configured to affect a curvature of the shade mask. The system of claim 31, wherein the second chuck includes a support grid positioned within the first opening, and wherein the support grid is sized and configured to physically support the shade mask. The system of claim 20, wherein the shadow mask comprises tantalum nitride. The system of claim 20, wherein the shadow mask has a thickness of less than or equal to 1 micron. A method for depositing a first material on a plurality of deposition sites disposed on a substrate in a first configuration, wherein the substrate comprises a first major surface and a second major having a first lateral extent a surface, the second major surface includes the first region, wherein the method includes: providing a shadow mask including a plurality of through holes, the shadow mask having a third major surface and including the plurality of through holes a fourth main surface; the substrate is held in a first chuck, the first chuck selectively applies a first suction force to the first main surface; and the shadow mask is held in a second In the chuck, the second chuck selectively applies a second suction force to the third major surface, wherein the second chuck enables vaporized atoms of the material to pass through the second chuck to the plurality of passes Positioning the substrate and the shadow mask such that the second major surface and the fourth major surface are separated by a distance of less than or equal to 10 micrometers; and collimating between one source and the shadow mask Receiving a first plurality of vaporized atoms, wherein the first plurality of vapors The atoms are characterized by a first range of propagation angles; the second plurality of vaporized atoms are selectively passed through the collimator to the shadow mask, wherein the first plurality of vaporized atoms comprise the second plurality of vaporization atoms An atom, and wherein the second plurality of vaporized atoms are characterized by a second propagation angle range that is narrower than the first range of propagation angles; and enabling at least some of the second plurality of vaporized atoms to pass the second chuck And the plurality of through holes are deposited on the substrate. The method of claim 37, further comprising: providing the collimator such that the straightener includes a plurality of channels, each of the plurality of channels having a height to aspect ratio that determines one of the second range of propagation angles. The method of claim 38, wherein the aspect ratio is based on an acceptable angular extent defined by the substrate and the shadow mask. The method of claim 39, wherein the aspect ratio defines a range of filtering angles that is less than or equal to one of the acceptable angular ranges. The method of claim 37, further comprising: generating the first plurality of vaporized atoms at a source; and moving the source relative to the substrate. The method of claim 41, further comprising: providing the source as a linear configuration of one of the nozzles. The method of claim 41, further comprising: providing the source as a one-dimensional configuration of one of the nozzles. The method of claim 37, further comprising: applying a relative movement between the collimator and the substrate. The method of 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 greater than 0 microns and less than or equal to 10 microns. The method of 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 from about 2 microns to about 5 microns. The method of claim 37, further comprising: generating the second suction as an electrostatic force. The method of claim 47, further comprising: generating the first suction as an electrostatic force. The method of claim 37, further comprising: reducing the gravity of the shadow mask causing sagging. The method of claim 49, wherein the gravity causes the sagging to be caused by causing one of the fourth major surfaces to stretch strain. The method of claim 50, wherein the tensile strain in the fourth major surface is induced by affecting a curvature of the shadow mask. The method of claim 49, wherein the gravity causes sagging by mechanically supporting the shade mask in an area of the shade mask including the through holes. The method of claim 52, further comprising: providing the second chuck such that the second chuck comprises: a bracket circumferentially operable to enable particles comprising the material to pass through the second chuck a first opening of the through hole; and a support grid positioned in the first opening, wherein the support grid is sized and configured to physically support the shadow mask. The method of claim 37, wherein the shadow mask comprises tantalum nitride. The method of claim 37, wherein the shade mask has a thickness of less than or equal to 1 micron.