Abstract: In a multi-mask alignment system and method, a carrier frame is provided having a number of apertures therethrough. A number of shadow mask-frame combinations are also provided. Each shadow mask-frame combination includes a first set of alignment features and each shadow mask-frame combination is positioned on a first side of the carrier with the frame supporting the shadow mask in alignment with one of the apertures. A single alignment stage is provided and a control system including a programmed controller is also provided. Under the control of the controller, the single alignment stage translates to each shadow mask-frame combination, one-at-a time, and adjusts the position of the shadow mask-frame combination based on positions of the first set of alignment features determined by the controller.

Abstract: In an apparatus and method for multi mask alignment, a carrier is provided that includes apertures therethrough. For each aperture, a combination frame and shadow mask that includes alignment features is positioned on spacers supported by the carrier with the shadow mask of the combination in coarse alignment with the aperture. Next, each combination frame and shadow mask is moved to a position spaced from the spacers whereupon the alignment system, under the control of a controller, individually aligns each combination frame and shadow mask to align the alignment features of the combination with reference alignment features associated with the combination. Each combination frame and shadow mask is then returned to a position on the spacers whereafter each combination frame and shadow mask is secured to the carrier. In an example, all of the combination frames and shadow masks can be aligned simultaneously.

Abstract: In a multi-mask alignment system and method, a carrier frame is provided having a number of apertures therethrough. A number of shadow mask-frame combinations are also provided. Each shadow mask-frame combination includes a first set of alignment features and each shadow mask-frame combination is positioned on a first side of the carrier with the frame supporting the shadow mask in alignment with one of the apertures. An alignment system is provided and a control system including a programmed controller is also provided. Under the control of the controller, the alignment system is caused to adjust the position of each shadow mask-frame combination with respect to the carrier based on positions of the first set of alignment features determined by the controller.

Abstract: In a system and method of shadow mask tensioning, an object having second set of alignment features is positioned on a side of shadow mask having a first set of alignment features such that the object and the shadow mask can move independently of each other and the first and second sets of alignment features are not in final alignment. Tension is then applied to the shadow mask to bring the first set of alignment features into final alignment with the second set of alignment features. The alignment features of the shadow mask can include at least one deposition aperture of the shadow mask.

Abstract: In a shadow mask-substrate alignment method, a substrate and a shadow mask each include a grate having a plurality of bars in spaced relation, wherein for each grate, each pair of spaced bars of each grate is separated by a gap. The spacing between at least three adjacent gaps is different or not of constant pitch, and at least one grate includes a gap that extends therethrough. The grate of the substrate and the grate of the shadow mask are positioned in a light path. Thereafter, the orientation of the substrate, the shadow mask, or both are caused to be adjusted to position the grate of the substrate, the grate of the shadow mask, or both until a predetermined amount of light or range of an amount of light on the light path passing through one or both of the grates is received by a light receiver.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for shadow mask tensioning, a shadow mask frame and an anchor frame are positioned in spaced relation defining a gap therebetween and a shadow mask is positioned on the shadow mask frame and the anchor frame with an interior portion of the shadow mask extending across the gap. An edge of the shadow mask is affixed to the anchor frame and the shadow mask is tensioned by urging the interior portion of the shadow mask into the gap. Once the shadow mask has been tensioned to a desired extent, the shadow mask is affixed to the shadow mask frame. Thereafter, the combination of the shadow mask affixed to the shadow mask frame is separated from the anchor frame.

Abstract: In a shadow mask-substrate alignment method, a substrate is provided that includes a grate having a plurality of spaced bars and a shadow mask is provided that includes a grate having a plurality of spaced bars. Also provided is a light source-light receiver pair that defines a path of light therebetween. The grate of the substrate and the grate of the shadow mask are caused to be positioned in the path of the light. Thereafter, the orientation of the substrate, the shadow mask, or both are caused to be adjusted to position the grate of the substrate, the grate of the shadow mask, or both until a predetermined amount of light or a predetermined range of an amount of light on the path passing through the grates is received by the light receiver.

Abstract: In a shadow mask-substrate alignment method, a light source, a beam splitter, a first substrate including a first grate, a second substrate including a second grate, and a light receiver are positioned relative to each other to define a light path that includes light output by the light source being reflected a first time by the beam splitter. The light reflected the first time passes through the first or second grate and is at least partially reflected a second time by the second or first grate back through the first or the second grate, respectively. The light reflected the second time passes at least partially through the beam splitter for receipt by the light receiver. The orientation of the first substrate, the second substrate or both is adjusted to position the first grate, the second grate, or both until a predetermined amount is received by the light receiver.

Abstract: In a system and method of depositing material on a substrate, a shadow mask, including one or more apertures therethrough, in intimate contact with the substrate is provided inside of a chamber or reactor. Material ejected from a solid target material is deposited on one or more portions of the substrate after passage through the one or more apertures of the shadow mask. Desirably, a target-to-substrate distance is within a mean free path length at a specified deposition pressure. Alternatively, an electric field acts on a process gas to create a plasma that includes ionized atoms or molecules of the material that are deposited on one or more portions of the substrate after passage through the one or more apertures of the shadow mask.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for shadow mask tensioning, a shadow mask frame and an anchor frame are positioned in spaced relation defining a gap therebetween and a shadow mask is positioned on the shadow mask frame and the anchor frame with an interior portion of the shadow mask extending across the gap. An edge of the shadow mask is affixed to the anchor frame and the shadow mask is tensioned by urging the interior portion of the shadow mask into the gap. Once the shadow mask has been tensioned to a desired extent, the shadow mask is affixed to the shadow mask frame. Thereafter, the combination of the shadow mask affixed to the shadow mask frame is separated from the anchor frame.

Abstract: Electronic devices are formed on a substrate that is advanced stepwise through a plurality of deposition vessels. Each deposition vessel includes a source of deposition material and has at least two shadow masks associated therewith. Each of the two masks is alternately positioned within the corresponding deposition vessel for patterning the deposition material onto the substrate through apertures in the mask positioned therein, and positioned in an adjacent cleaning vessel for mask cleaning. The patterning onto the substrate and the cleaning of at least one of the masks are performed concurrently.

Abstract: A method of forming a shadow mask vapor deposited transistor includes shadow mask vapor depositing a semiconductor segment. An electrically conductive drain contact is shadow mask vapor deposited on a first part of the semiconductor segment and a first insulator is shadow mask vapor deposited on the drain contact. An electrically conductive source contact is shadow mask vapor deposited on a second part of the semiconductor segment spaced from the drain contact and a second insulator is shadow mask vapor deposited on the source contact. A third insulator is shadow mask vapor deposited over at least part of each of the first and second insulators and the semiconductor segment between the drain contact and the source contact. An electrically conductive gate contact is shadow mask vapor deposited on the third insulator and in spaced relation to the semiconductor segment between the drain contact and the source contact.

Abstract: In a shadow mask-substrate alignment method, a light source, a beam splitter, a first substrate including a first grate, a second substrate including a second grate, and a light receiver are positioned relative to each other to define a light path that includes light output by the light source being reflected a first time by the beam splitter. The light reflected the first time passes through the first or second grate and is at least partially reflected a second time by the second or first grate back through the first or the second grate, respectively. The light reflected the second time passes at least partially through the beam splitter for receipt by the light receiver. The orientation of the first substrate, the second substrate or both is adjusted to position the first grate, the second grate, or both until a predetermined amount is received by the light receiver.

Abstract: In a shadow mask-substrate alignment method, a substrate is provided that includes a grate having a plurality of spaced bars and a shadow mask is provided that includes a grate having a plurality of spaced bars. Also provided is a light source-light receiver pair that defines a path of light therebetween. The grate of the substrate and the grate of the shadow mask are caused to be positioned in the path of the light. Thereafter, the orientation of the substrate, the shadow mask, or both are caused to be adjusted to position the grate of the substrate, the grate of the shadow mask, or both until a predetermined amount of light or a predetermined range of an amount of light on the path passing through the grates is received by the light receiver.

Abstract: A system and method for providing an active array of temperature sensing and cooling elements, including an active heatsink which further includes an active temperature sensing layer, a thermoelectric cooling layer, and a heatsink, which further includes a plurality of cooling channels. The temperature sensing element within the active temperature sensing layer includes a plurality of switching transistors, a linear transistor, a current sense resistor, a thermistor, a voltage sensing bus, a voltage setting bus, a current measurement bus, a measurement switching bus, a sense control bus, a storage capacitor, and a supply voltage, all under the control of a process control computer. The method of using an active array of temperature sensing and cooling elements includes the steps of aligning the shadow mask, depositing the material, detecting a thermal gradient, and controlling the thermoelectric cooling.

Abstract: A method of forming a shadow mask vapor deposited transistor includes shadow mask vapor depositing a semiconductor segment. An electrically conductive drain contact is shadow mask vapor deposited on a first part of the semiconductor segment and a first insulator is shadow mask vapor deposited on the drain contact. An electrically conductive source contact is shadow mask vapor deposited on a second part of the semiconductor segment spaced from the drain contact and a second insulator is shadow mask vapor deposited on the source contact. A third insulator is shadow mask vapor deposited over at least part of each of the first and second insulators and the semiconductor segment between the drain contact and the source contact. An electrically conductive gate contact is shadow mask vapor deposited on the third insulator and in spaced relation to the semiconductor segment between the drain contact and the source contact.

Abstract: A shadow mask deposition system includes a plurality of identical shadow masks arranged in a number of stacks to form a like number of compound shadow masks, each of which is disposed in a deposition vacuum vessel along with a material deposition source. Materials from the material deposition sources are deposited on the substrate via openings in corresponding compound shadow masks, each opening being formed by the whole or partial alignment of apertures in the shadow masks forming the compound shadow mask, to form an array of electronic elements on the substrate.

Abstract: An electronic circuit with repetitive patterns formed by shadow mask vapor deposition includes a repetitive pattern of electronic circuit elements formed on a substrate. Each electronic circuit element includes the following elements in the desired order of deposition: a first semiconductor segment, a second semiconductor segment, a first metal segment, a second metal segment, a third metal segment, a fourth metal segment, a fifth metal segment, a sixth metal segment, a first insulator segment, a second insulator segment, a third insulator segment, a seventh metal segment, an eighth metal segment, a ninth metal segment and a tenth metal segment. All of the above segments may be deposited via a shadow mask deposition process. The electronic circuit element may be an element of an array of like electronic circuit elements.

Abstract: Evaporated receptacles for inkjet deposited polymeric light-emitting diode (PLED)/organic light-emitting diode (OLED) and a method of making the same. The evaporated receptacles are formed via a shadow mask vacuum deposition process. The method of forming a light-emitting display includes forming an electrode on a substrate, forming a receptacle structure over the electrode via a shadow mask vacuum deposition process, and delivering a quantity of polymeric solution, which contains a light-emitting material, into the receptacle via a standard inkjet deposition process.

Abstract: Electronic devices are formed on a substrate that is advanced stepwise through a plurality of deposition vessels. Each deposition vessel includes a source of deposition material and has at least two shadow masks associated therewith. Each of the two masks is alternately positioned within the corresponding deposition vessel for patterning the deposition material onto the substrate through apertures in the mask positioned therein, and positioned in an adjacent cleaning vessel for mask cleaning. The patterning onto the substrate and the cleaning of at least one of the masks are performed concurrently.