Deposition system with vacuum pre-loaded deposition head

Abstract

A thin film deposition system includes a vacuum-preloaded gas bearing deposition head positioned in an external environment having an ambient pressure, the deposition head having an output face including a plurality of source openings through which gaseous materials are supplied and one or more exhaust openings. An exhaust pressure at the exhaust openings is less than ambient pressure, and a source pressure at the source openings is greater than that at the exhaust openings, with the pressure at the outermost source openings being greater than ambient pressure. A motion control system moves a substrate unit over the output face in the in-track direction without constraining its motion in a direction normal to the output face to a point where a center of gravity of the substrate unit is beyond the first edge of the output face.

1 . A thin film deposition system, comprising:
 a vacuum-preloaded gas bearing deposition head positioned in an external environment having an ambient pressure, the deposition head having an output face facing a first substrate surface of a substrate and being configured to expose the first substrate surface to a plurality of gaseous materials including one or more reactive gaseous materials, wherein the output face includes a plurality of source openings through which the gaseous materials are supplied and one or more exhaust openings;   wherein an exhaust pressure at the exhaust openings is less than ambient pressure and a source pressure at the source openings is greater than the exhaust pressure at the exhaust openings, and wherein the pressure at the outermost source openings is greater than ambient pressure;   a substrate unit including the substrate, the substrate having a length in the in-track direction;   a motion control system that moves the substrate unit over the output face of the deposition head in the in-track direction in accordance with a specified motion profile without constraining motion of the substrate unit in a direction normal to the output face of the deposition head, wherein the motion profile includes moving a center of gravity of the substrate unit beyond the first edge of the output face; and   wherein an integrated pressure across the output face provides a net force on the first substrate surface in a direction normal to the output face, wherein a sum of the forces on the substrate unit in a direction normal to the output face and a sum of moments on the substrate unit are zero at all positions in the motion profile and wherein a gap exists between the first substrate surface and the output face at all positions in the motion profile.   
     
     
         2 . The thin film deposition system of  claim 1 , wherein the length of the substrate is longer than the length of the output face in the in-track direction. 
     
     
         3 . The thin film deposition system of  claim 1 , wherein the output face includes:
 a first inert zone having wherein an inert gaseous material is supplied;   a second inert zone having wherein an inert gaseous material is supplied; and   a deposition zone located between the first inert zone and the second inert zone along the in-track direction where the first substrate surface is exposed to the one or more reactive gaseous materials to deposit a substance onto the first substrate surface.   
     
     
         4 . The thin film deposition system of  claim 3 , wherein the deposition zone is fully covered by the first substrate surface at all positions in the motion profile. 
     
     
         5 . The thin film deposition system of  claim 1 , wherein the source openings include two outermost openings and one or more inner source openings between the outermost source openings, and wherein the source pressure at outermost source openings is controlled independently of the source pressure at the one or more inner source openings. 
     
     
         6 . The thin film deposition system of  claim 1 , further including one or more outboard support elements located outboard of the deposition head in the in-track direction which are positioned to engage with the substrate to provide a support force that prevents the substrate from tipping. 
     
     
         7 . The thin film deposition system of  claim 6 , wherein the outboard support elements include shelves, rollers or gas bearings. 
     
     
         8 . The thin film deposition system of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate unit includes a backer device rigidly attached to a second substrate surface of the substrate, the second substrate surface being opposite to the first substrate surface. 
     
     
         9 . The thin film deposition system of  claim 8 , wherein the backer device is attached to the second substrate surface using a vacuum force. 
     
     
         10 . The thin film deposition system of  claim 8 , further including a counter moment inducing system that applies a counter moment to the substrate unit which is a function of the in-track position of the substrate unit. 
     
     
         11 . The thin film deposition system of  claim 10 , wherein the counter moment inducing system includes a first component attached to the backer device which engages with a second component mounted in a fixed position. 
     
     
         12 . The thin film deposition system of  claim 10 , wherein the counter moment inducing system includes a moveable counter mass which moves in an opposite direction to the substrate unit, and wherein the counter mass connects to the backer unit such that the counter mass transfers a torque to the backer unit. 
     
     
         13 . The thin film deposition system of  claim 10 , wherein the counter moment inducing system includes a torsion spring, a cantilever spring, a coil spring, a leaf spring, a magnetic actuator, an electromagnetic actuator, gas bellows, pneumatic cylinder. 
     
     
         14 . The thin film deposition system of  claim 1 , wherein the motion profile includes a repeating motion pattern that includes a forward motion portion that moves the substrate a forward distance in the in-track direction and a backwards motion portion that moves the substrate a backward distance in the in-track direction. 
     
     
         15 . The thin film deposition system of  claim 14 , wherein the forward distance is larger than the backward distance such that the repeating motion pattern provides a net forward motion.