Shadow mask alignment and management system
View Patent ↗A magnetic handling assembly for thin-film processing of a substrate, a system and method for assembling and disassembling a shadow mask to cover a top of a workpiece for exposure to a processing condition. The assembly may include a magnetic handling carrier and a shadow mask disposed over, and magnetically coupled to, the magnetic handling carrier to cover a top of a workpiece that is to be disposed between the shadow mask and the magnetic handling carrier when exposed to a processing condition. A system includes a first chamber with a first support to hold the shadow mask, a second support to hold a handling carrier, and an alignment system to align the shadow mask a workpiece to be disposed between the carrier and shadow mask. The first and second supports are moveable relative to each other.
1. A method of handling a shadow mask to cover a top of a workpiece for exposure to a processing condition, the method comprising:
disposing a handling carrier on a first support;
disposing a shadow mask on a second support;
aligning, with a computer-controlled multi-axis stage, a first pattern feature of the shadow mask to a second pattern feature of a workpiece by moving the first support a first distance relative to the second support based on a computerized pattern recognition system; and
coupling the aligned shadow mask with the handling carrier by moving the first support a second distance relative to the second support to bring a bottom surface of the aligned shadow mask into a magnetic field of the handling carrier, wherein the magnetic field of the handling carrier comprises a plurality of defined magnetic regions across a surface of the handling carrier over which the shadow mask is secured, wherein the plurality of defined magnetic region have different field strengths.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
disposing the workpiece on the handling carrier prior to aligning the first and second pattern features.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
suspending the shadow mask while disposed on the first support over the workpiece while aligning the first and second pattern features.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transferring the handling carrier from a first module storing a plurality of handling carriers to the first support with a robotic handler; and
transferring the shadow mask from a second module storing a plurality of shadow masks to the first support with the robotic handler.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
removing, neutralizing, or overcoming the magnetic field of the handling carrier to physically separate the shadow mask from the workpiece.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
disposing a second workpiece between the handling carrier and the shadow mask for assembly.