Abstract: An apparatus includes a substrate support having an outer surface for guiding the substrate through a first vacuum processing region and at least one second vacuum processing region. First and second deposition sources correspond to the first processing region and at least one second deposition source corresponds to the at least one second vacuum processing region, wherein at least the first deposition source includes an electrode having a surface that opposes the substrate support. A processing gas inlet and a processing gas outlet are arranged at opposing sides of the surface of the electrode. At least one separation gas inlet how one or more openings, wherein the one or more openings are at least provided at one of opposing sides of the electrode surface such that the processing gas inlet and/or the processing gas outlet are provided between the one or more openings and the surface of the electrode.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to organic light emitting diode (OLED) structures and methods for their manufacture. To increase the lifetime of an OLED structure, an encapsulating layer may be deposited over the OLED structure. The encapsulating layer may fully enclose or “encapsulate” the OLED structure. The encapsulating layer may have a substantially planar surface opposite to the interface between the OLED structure and the encapsulating layer. The planar surface permits successive layers to be evenly deposited over the OLED structure. The encapsulating layer reduces any oxygen penetration into the OLED structure and may increase the lifetime of the OLED structure.

Abstract: Methods for encapsulating OLED structures disposed on a substrate using a soft/polymer mask technique are provided. The soft/polymer mask technique can efficiently provide a simple and low cost OLED encapsulation method, as compared to convention hard mask patterning techniques. The soft/polymer mask technique can utilize a single polymer mask to complete the entire encapsulation process with low cost and without alignment issues present when using conventional metal masks. Rather than utilizing a soft/polymer mask, the encapsulation layers may be blanked deposited and then laser ablated such that no masks are utilized during the encapsulation process.

Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for the coating of substrates, which comprises an evaporation source and a vapor barrier between the evaporation source and the substrate. The vapor barrier is maintained at a temperature which is at least equal to or above the vaporization temperature of the material to be vaporized. The vapor barrier is implemented as a quartz valve, which includes a spherical closure part connected with a movable rod. In a first position this spherical closure part closes a vapor conducting tube, which is connected with the evaporation source, and, in a second position, the spherical closure part abuts a spherical calotte which seals off a quartz tube.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cleaning method in which from a vacuum coating chamber (3) of a coating installation (1) for the coating of substrates (2) with alkali- or alkaline earth-metals, residues of alkali- or alkaline earth-metals are removed. For this purpose into the chamber (3) a gas from the group of N2, O2 or air is introduced, which reacts with the alkali- or alkaline earth-metals to form the corresponding solid compounds. Water can additionally be introduced into the vacuum coating chamber (3). After the alkali- or alkaline earth-metals have reacted with the gas, the corresponding solid compound is removed from the vacuum coating chamber.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to organic light emitting diode (OLED) structures and methods for their manufacture. To increase the lifetime of an OLED structure, an encapsulating layer may be deposited over the OLED structure. The encapsulating layer may fully enclose or “encapsulate” the OLED structure. The encapsulating layer may have a substantially planar surface opposite to the interface between the OLED structure and the encapsulating layer. The planar surface permits successive layers to be evenly deposited over the OLED structure. The encapsulating layer reduces any oxygen penetration into the OLED structure and may increase the lifetime of the OLED structure.

Abstract: A method of cleaning a patterning device, the patterning device having at least organic coating material (OLED material) deposited thereon, where the method includes the step of providing a cleaning plasma for removing the coating material from the patterning device by means of a plasma etching process. During the step of removing the coating material from the patterning device, the temperature of the patterning device does not exceed a critical temperature causing damage to the patterning device, while maintaining a plasma etching rate of at least 0.2 ?m/min. In order to generate a pulsed cleaning plasma, pulsed energy is provided. The method can be carried out in a direct plasma etching process or in a remote plasma etching process. Different etching processes may be combined or carried out subsequently.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to organic light emitting diode (OLED) structures and methods for their manufacture. To increase the lifetime of an OLED structure, an encapsulating layer may be deposited over the OLED structure. The encapsulating layer may fully enclose or “encapsulate” the OLED structure. The encapsulating layer may have a substantially planar surface opposite to the interface between the OLED structure and the encapsulating layer. The planar surface permits successive layers to be evenly deposited over the OLED structure. The encapsulating layer reduces any oxygen penetration into the OLED structure and may increase the lifetime of the OLED structure.

Abstract: A deposition rate monitor device for monitoring the deposition rate of a vapor on a substrate is provided, including: a piezoelectric crystal monitor device including a piezoelectric crystal monitor provided in a housing, wherein the housing includes a vapor inlet aperture, and at least one elongated shielding device having a first end and a second end, the first end encompassing the vapor inlet aperture.

Abstract: The present invention refers to a method as well as an apparatus for depositing a layer at a substrate, the layer containing at least two components co-deposited by at least two evaporation sources, wherein the mixture of the components regarding the content of the components is set by tilting the evaporation sources to predetermined angle and/or by positioning the evaporation sources at a predetermined distance with respect to the substrate and/or wherein evaporation plumes of the evaporation sources are arranged such that the maxima of the evaporation plumes are separated locally with respect to the substrate.

Abstract: An arrangement for the regulation of a gas stream or the like is provided, which comprises at least one vaporizer crucible for the vaporization of a material or at least one supply container with material vapor. The vaporized material or the material vapor is conducted via a vapor conduit to a substrate. The at least one vaporizer crucible or the at least one supply container is connected via a dosing pipe with the vapor conduit. A tappet projects into the dosing pipe. By means of a regulator the position of the tappet in the dosing pipe is regulated as a function of a measured variable.

Abstract: The present invention refers to a coating installation and a corresponding method or coating a substrate comprising the steps of: providing a substrate having at least one surface to be coated; depositing a patterned mask layer on the at least one surface of the substrate by using a printing method, the patterned mask layer comprising one or more balls; depositing at least one layer of coating material on the surface of the substrate having the patterned mask layer deposited thereon, depositing of the at least one layer being performed by at least one of the group comprising a vacuum deposition method, a sputtering method, an evaporation method, a plasma coating method, a CVD method, and a PVD method.

Abstract: A reactive gas distributor for a reactive gas treatment system is provided, comprising a housing, a reactive gas inlet provided at one side of the housing and fluidly connectable to a remote plasma source, and a plurality of reactive gas outlets at another side of the housing and arranged in a pattern.

Abstract: A processing system for processing a substrate includes a process chamber for receiving the substrate, a patterning device installed within the process chamber, and a mechanism for transferring the substrate into the process chamber and for aligning the substrate relative to the patterning device.

Abstract: A method of cleaning a patterning device, the patterning device having at least organic coating material (OLED material) deposited thereon, comprises the step of providing a cleaning plasma for removing the coating material from the patterning device by means of a plasma etching process. During the step of removing the coating material from the patterning device, the temperature of the patterning device does not exceed a critical temperature causing damage to the patterning device, while maintaining a plasma etching rate of at least 0.2 ?m/min. In order to generate a pulsed cleaning plasma, pulsed energy is provided. The method can be carried out in a direct plasma etching process or in a remote plasma etching process. Different etching processes may be combined or carried out subsequently.

Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for coating a substrate (4) by means of a vapor distributor (3). This vapor distributor (3) is connected with a vaporizer crucible (7) via an inlet (5). At least one valve (13) is disposed between the crucible (7) and the inlet (5). The vaporizer crucible (7) is located in a chamber (12) which can be evacuated or flooded by means of a vacuum valve (11).

Abstract: The invention relates to a cleaning method in which from a vacuum coating chamber (3) of a coating installation (1) for the coating of substrates (2) with alkali- or alkaline earth-metals, residues of alkali- or alkaline earth-metals are removed. For this purpose into the chamber (3) a gas from the group of N2, O2 or air is introduced, which reacts with the alkali- or alkaline earth-metals to form the corresponding solid compounds. Water can additionally be introduced into the vacuum coating chamber (3). After the alkali- or alkaline earth-metals have reacted with the gas, the corresponding solid compound is removed from the vacuum coating chamber.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to organic light emitting diode (OLED) structures and methods for their manufacture. To increase the lifetime of an OLED structure, an encapsulating layer may be deposited over the OLED structure. The encapsulating layer may fully enclose or “encapsulate” the OLED structure. The encapsulating layer may have a substantially planar surface opposite to the interface between the OLED structure and the encapsulating layer. The planar surface permits successive layers to be evenly deposited over the OLED structure. The encapsulating layer reduces any oxygen penetration into the OLED structure and may increase the lifetime of the OLED structure.

Abstract: A coating system or encapsulation module 1 is coupled with a substrate handling module 2, wherein substrates 3a to be encapsulated and substrates 3b that already have an encapsulation layer stack deposited thereon are handled in a nitrogen atmosphere. The substrate handling module 2 comprises a magazine 4 for storing substrates 3a to be coated and encapsulated substrates 3b. A handling device 5 unloads the substrates 3a to be coated from the magazine 4 and loads encapsulated substrates 3b into the magazine 4. The encapsulation module 1 has a first ink-jet coating chamber 10a. In said first ink-jet coating chamber 10a a photoresist layer is deposited on the substrate 3a by means of an ink-jet printing method. The ink-jet printing method is carried out in an atmosphere of about 10 mbar. Then the substrate 3a is transported into a first CVD (chemical vapor deposition) coating chamber 11a. In the CVD coating chamber 11a a first silicon nitride layer is deposited on the substrate 3a, i.e.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a thin-film encapsulation structure for electronic devices with organic substances, especially OLEDs or other organic optoelectronic devices as well as corresponding components and a process for the production with a primary, inorganic barrier layer (5), which is directly arranged on the device or the surface to be encapsulated; a planarization layer (6) arranged on the primary, inorganic barrier layer, the thickness of said planarization layer selected such that it is thicker than the simple value of the distance between highest peak and deepest valley of the surface of the primary barrier layer or the surface of the device under the primary barrier layer or the surface to be encapsulated, as well as a secondary barrier layer (14) arranged on the planarization layer.