Abstract: A gas inlet manifold for a plasma chamber having a perforated gas distribution plate suspended by a side wall comprising one or more sheets. The sheets preferably provide flexibility to alleviate stress in the gas distribution plate due to thermal expansion and contraction. In another aspect, the side wall provides thermal isolation between the gas distribution plate and other components of the chamber.

Abstract: Embodiments of an ink jet printing system include a motion stage adapted to move a substrate having a display object in a printing direction and a first printing assembly mounted over the motion stage including a set of print heads aligned and arranged consecutively in the printing direction such that the display object moves under the print heads sequentially. Embodiments of a method of ink jet printing include moving a substrate under the print heads of printing assembly sequentially in a printing direction, activating alternate ink jetting channels within each print head of the first printing assembly, activating corresponding channels within adjacent print heads in the first printing assembly alternately, and depositing ink in alternating sub-pixels within one or more pixels on the substrate.

Abstract: Green inks for displays are provided. In one aspect, the green inks include one or more green organic pigments, one or more monomers, one or more polymeric dispersants, and one or more organic solvents. In another aspect, the green inks include one or more green organic pigments, one or more yellow pigments, one or more monomers, one or more oligomers, one or more polymeric dispersants, and one or more organic solvents. Methods of forming displays that include dispensing the green inks by inkjetting onto a substrate and displays that include the green inks are also provided.

Abstract: According to the present invention, multiple rows of nozzles within a print head may be arranged proximal to and offset from each other to facilitate inkjet printing. Print heads may comprise a single row of nozzles or may comprise a plurality of rows of nozzles. Each row of nozzles may be situated such that the immediately adjacent row of nozzles may be offset by a predetermined distance. In some embodiments, adjacent rows of nozzles may each print with the same color. In this way, adjacent offset rows of nozzles may be used in combination to dispense ink drops into sub-pixel wells in improved patterns and with improved ink distribution within the sub-pixel well. These offset print techniques may also enable tighter grouping of ink drops within a sub-pixel well and enable faster printing operations.

Abstract: A method of silicon layer deposition using a cyclical deposition process. The cyclical deposition process comprises alternately adsorbing a silicon-containing precursor and a reducing gas on a substrate structure. Thin film transistors, such as for example a bottom-gate transistor or a top-gate transistor, including one or more silicon layers may, be formed using such cyclical deposition techniques.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for controlling the quantity of fluid output (e.g., drop size) by individual nozzles of a print head to a very high precision at a frequency equal to the frequency at which fluid is normally dispensed. This is achieved by mapping fluid quantity control information into the data that represents the image to be printed. Data representative of an image is received and converted into pixel data. In at least one embodiment, the pixel data includes pixels represented by N bits, and the N bits may represent a drop size for the pixel and a union of the N bits may represent a nozzle status. A print head may be controlled based on the pixel data, and the print head may include nozzles that are each adapted to deposit at least one drop size quantity of a fluid on a substrate.

Abstract: Method of fabricating a thin-film transistor (TFT) in which a gate metal is deposited onto a substrate in order to form the gate of the thin-film transistor. The substrate may be an insulative substrate or a color filter. In a first method, the gate metal is subjected to an H2 plasma. After subjecting the gate metal to an H2 plasma, the gate insulating film is deposited onto the gate. In a second method, first and second layers of gate insulating film are respectively deposited on the gate at a first and second deposition rates. One layer is deposited under H2 or argon dilution conditions and has improved insulating conditions while the other layer serves to lower the overall compressive stress of the dual layer gate insulator. In a third method, an n+ silicon film is formed on a substrate by maintaining a flow of silane, phosphine and hydrogen gas into a processing chamber at substrate temperatures of about 300° C. or less.

Abstract: Embodiments of a cluster tool, processing chamber and method for processing a film stack are provided. In one embodiment, a method for in-situ etching of silicon and metal layers of a film stack is provided that includes the steps of etching an upper metal layer of the film stack in a processing chamber to expose a portion of an underlying silicon layer, and etching a trench in the silicon layer without removing the substrate from the processing chamber. The invention is particularly useful for thin film transistor fabrication for flat panel displays.

Abstract: An inkjet printing apparatus, a method for inspecting color filters, and a method for manufacturing a color filter panel using the same are disclosed. The inkjet printing apparatus includes a stage on which a substrate is mounted, an inkjet head for jetting color filter ink onto the substrate, and a color coordinate measurement unit spaced apart from the inkjet head to measure color coordinates of color filters.

Abstract: Black matrix compositions, methods for forming a black matrix, and apparatus for use in forming a color filter for a flat-panel display are disclosed. The compositions, methods and apparatus use an additive including polymerizable molecules, the polymerizable molecules each including polar portions and non-polar portions. The non-polar portions are ink-phobic and migrate toward the surface of the black matrix composition upon the surface being exposed to activation energy. The polar portions of the polymerizable molecules are ink-philic relative to the non-polar portions. Numerous other features are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided in which a substrate is aligned so that a longitudinal dimension of a plurality of sub-pixel wells formed on the substrate are substantially perpendicular to a printing direction. Ink is deposited in a subset of the sub-pixel wells via nozzles of a print head wherein each of a plurality of the nozzles deposits a plurality of ink drops in each of the subset of the sub-pixel wells. Numerous other aspects are disclosed.

Abstract: The invention provides an inkjet printing apparatus that includes at least one inkjet print head adapted to dispense fluids onto a substrate and at least one delivery aperture adapted to direct a gas toward the substrate. The apparatus may also include at least one recovery aperture adapted to draw materials away from the substrate and evaporate liquids from the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention provides inkjet print nozzle calibration systems and methods for calibrating an inkjet print nozzle. The systems may include an inkjet print nozzle adapted to dispense ink onto a substrate in response to a firing pulse voltage, a light source adapted to illuminate the dispensed ink, an imaging system adapted to measure a transmittance of light through the dispensed ink, and a controller adapted to controllably adjust the inkjet print nozzle based on the measured light transmittance. The methods may include dispensing ink onto a surface with an inkjet print nozzle set at a firing pulse voltage, measuring a light transmittance characteristic of the dispensed ink, determining a volume of ink dispensed based on the transmittance characteristic, and adjusting a fire pulse voltage of the inkjet print nozzle based on a difference between the determined volume of ink dispensed and an expected volume level of ink dispensed.

Abstract: Method of fabricating a thin-film transistor (TFT) in which a gate metal is deposited onto a substrate in order to form the gate of the thin-film transistor. The substrate may be an insulative substrate or a color filter. In a first method, the gate metal is subjected to an H2 plasma. After subjecting the gate metal to an H2 plasma, the gate insulating film is deposited onto the gate. In a second method, first and second layers of gate insulating film are respectively deposited on the gate at a first and second deposition rates. One layer is deposited under H2 or argon dilution conditions and has improved insulating conditions while the other layer serves to lower the overall compressive stress of the dual layer gate insulator. In a third method, an n+ silicon film is formed on a substrate by maintaining a flow of silane, phosphine and hydrogen gas into a processing chamber at substrate temperatures of about 300° C. or less.

Abstract: The invention provides a print head parking structure that includes a solvent and/or surface treatment bath for inkjet print heads. Print heads may be returned to the print head parking structure after a substrate has been printed, after one or more printing passes, and/or frequently enough to prevent ink from drying on or clogging the print heads. Once sealed within the print head parking structure, the print heads (or a portion thereof) may be dipped in a solvent bath or pool to dissolve or wash away any ink that has been deposited on the print heads.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of operating a inkjet printing system that may include a print head parking structure and a print head cleaning station. A print head parking structure may include a solvent and/or nozzle surface treatment bath for inkjet print heads. Print heads may be returned to the print head parking structure after a substrate has been printed, after one or more printing passes, and/or frequently enough to prevent ink from drying on or clogging the print heads. Once sealed within the print head parking structure, the print heads (or a portion thereof) may be dipped in a solvent bath to dissolve or wash away any ink that has been deposited on the print heads. The print heads may be coated with a surface treatment that improves jetting reliability. The print heads may be dried and moved to the print head cleaning station where they may be wiped and pre-jetting may be performed.

Abstract: The invention provides a print head parking structure that provides solvent and/or surface treatments for inkjet print heads. Print heads may be returned to the print head parking structure after a substrate has been printed, after one or more printing passes, and/or frequently enough to prevent ink from drying on or clogging the print heads. Once sealed within the print head parking structure, the print heads (or a portion thereof) may be sprayed with a solvent to dissolve or wash away any ink that has been deposited on the print heads.

Abstract: In a first aspect, a system is provided for inkjet printing. The system includes (1) a first set including a first inkjet print head having a first plurality of nozzles adapted to selectively dispense a first ink, and a second inkjet print head having a second plurality of nozzles adapted to selectively dispense a second ink, (2) a second set including a third inkjet print head having a third plurality of nozzles adapted to selectively dispense a third ink and a fourth inkjet print head having a fourth plurality of nozzles adapted to selectively dispense a fourth ink and (3) a stage adapted to support and transport the substrate below the first and second sets during a printing pass such that the first set and second sets are adapted to dispense respective first/second and third/fourth inks into adjacent color wells of a display pixel on a substrate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for fabricating a solar cell and forming metal contact is disclosed. Solar cell contact and wiring is formed by depositing a thin film stack of a first metal material and a second metal material as an initiation layer or seed layer for depositing a bulk metal layer in conjunction with additional sheet processing, photolithography, etching, cleaning, and annealing processes. In one embodiment, the thin film stack for forming metal silicide with reduced contact resistance over the sheet is deposited by sputtering or physical vapor deposition. In another embodiment, the bulk metal layer for forming metal lines and wiring is deposited by sputtering or physical vapor deposition. In an alternative embodiment, electroplating or electroless deposition is used to deposit the bulk metal layer.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for calibrating inkjet print nozzles that include dispensing a plurality of ink drops onto a surface with one or more inkjet print nozzles at a firing pulse voltage, measuring a parameter of the ink drops, and calibrating the firing pulse voltage of at least one of the one or more inkjet print nozzles based on the measured parameter of the ink drops.