Apparatus and method for control of print gap
Gas bearing systems, print gap control systems, and methods of print gap control are provided. The gas bearing systems can accommodate one or more print module packages. The systems and methods can be used for inkjet and/or thermal printing applications such as manufacturing organic light emitting devices (OLEDs). Gas bearing systems can employ one or more of pressurized gas and vacuum. For oxygen-sensitive applications, an inert gas, such as nitrogen gas, can be employed as the pressurized gas. Fluid channels and apertures of the gas bearing systems can be varied in terms of size and relative position to one another. Fluid channels and apertures can be grouped and paired with one or more manifolds and ultimately a pressurized gas and/or vacuum source.
1. A method of fabricating a layer of an electronic product, the method comprising:
providing a deposition-printing environment that surrounds a printing system contained in a gas enclosure;
supporting a substrate with a gas bearing, wherein the gas bearing is in fluid communication with the deposition-printing environment that surrounds the printing system contained in the gas enclosure;
positioning a printhead of the printing system relative to a first surface of the substrate opposite a second surface of the substrate that is oriented towards the gas bearing;
printing a liquid ink on the first surface of the substrate while the printhead is positioned relative to the substrate, the liquid ink providing a film forming material; and
following the printing of the liquid ink, processing the liquid ink to solidify the film forming material, to thereby form the layer.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the deposition-printing environment that surrounds the printing system comprises providing a gas environment, the gas environment being different than ambient air outside of the gas enclosure, and wherein printing the liquid ink comprises ejecting droplets of the liquid ink using the printhead within the gas environment.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein providing the gas environment comprises providing a non-oxidizing gas environment, and wherein ejecting the droplets of the liquid ink using the printhead comprises ejecting the droplets within the non-oxidizing gas environment.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein providing the gas environment comprises providing an inert gas environment, and wherein ejecting the droplets of the liquid ink using the printhead comprises ejecting the droplets within the inert gas environment.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein providing the gas environment comprises providing a nitrogen gas environment, and wherein ejecting the droplets of the liquid ink using the printhead comprises ejecting the droplets within the nitrogen gas environment.
6. The method of claim 4 wherein providing the gas environment comprises providing a nitrogen gas environment with at least one noble gas, and wherein ejecting the droplets of the liquid ink using the printhead comprises ejecting the droplets within the nitrogen gas environment with at least one noble gas.
7. The method of claim 4 , further comprising exhausting the gas environment to remove solvent vapors produced from deposition of the film-forming material.
8. The method of claim 4 , further comprising controlling the temperature of the substrate by heat transfer provided by a bearing gas during at least one of the printing or the processing.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a glass substrate.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the printhead is an inkjet printhead.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gas bearing comprises a plurality of pressurized gas channels.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein supporting the substrate with the gas bearing comprises using a plurality of pressurized gas channels and vacuum channels to support the substrate at a controlled height.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein positioning the printhead relative to the first surface of the substrate comprises controlling a print gap between the printhead and the substrate.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein controlling the print gap comprises regulating the print gap to be within a tolerance of +/−5 microns.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein controlling the print gap comprises regulating the print gap to be within a tolerance of +/−7 microns.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the deposition-printing environment comprises regulating at least one of pressure or constituency of a gas within the deposition-printing environment.
17. A method of fabricating a layer of an electronic product, the method comprising:
providing a deposition-printing environment that surrounds a printing system contained in a gas enclosure;
supporting a substrate with a gas bearing, wherein the gas bearing is in fluid communication with the deposition-printing environment that surrounds the printing system contained in the gas enclosure;
positioning a printhead of the printing system relative to a first surface of the substrate opposite a second surface of the substrate that is oriented towards the gas bearing;
printing a liquid ink on the first surface of the substrate while the printhead is positioned relative to the substrate, the liquid ink providing a film forming material; and
following the printing of the liquid ink, processing the liquid ink to solidify the film forming material, to thereby form the layer;
wherein positioning the printhead relative to the first surface of the substrate comprises controlling a print gap between the printhead and the substrate during the printing of the liquid ink.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein providing the gas environment comprises providing an inert gas environment, wherein ejecting the droplets of the liquid ink using the printhead comprises ejecting the droplets within the inert gas environment, and wherein the method further comprising exhausting the gas environment to remove solvent vapors produced from deposition of the film-forming material.
19. A method of fabricating a layer of an electronic product, the method comprising:
providing a deposition-printing environment that surrounds a printing system contained in a gas enclosure;
supporting a substrate with a gas bearing, wherein the gas bearing is in fluid communication with the deposition-printing environment that surrounds the printing system contained in the gas enclosure;
positioning a printhead of the printing system relative to a first surface of the substrate opposite a second surface of the substrate that is oriented towards the gas bearing;
printing a liquid ink on the first surface of the substrate while the printhead is positioned relative to the substrate, the liquid ink providing a film forming material; and
following the printing of the liquid ink, processing the liquid ink to solidify the film forming material, to thereby form the layer;
wherein the method further comprises controlling temperature of the substrate using heat transfer provided by a bearing gas during at least one of the printing or the processing.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein positioning the printhead relative to the first surface of the substrate comprises controlling a print gap between the printhead and the substrate during the printing of the liquid ink.
21. The method of claim 20 , where providing the gas environment comprises providing an inert gas environment, and wherein ejecting the droplets of the liquid ink using the printhead comprises ejecting the droplets within the inert gas environment.
22. A method of fabricating a layer of an electronic product, the method comprising:
providing an inert deposition-printing environment that surrounds a printing system contained in a gas enclosure;
supporting a substrate with a gas bearing, wherein the gas bearing is in fluid communication with the deposition-printing environment that surrounds the printing system contained in the gas enclosure;
positioning a printhead of the printing system relative to a first surface of the substrate opposite a second surface of the substrate that is oriented towards the gas bearing;
printing a liquid ink on the first surface of the substrate while the printhead is positioned relative to the substrate, the liquid ink providing a film forming material; and
following the printing of the liquid ink, processing the liquid ink to solidify the film forming material, to thereby form the layer;
wherein the method further comprising exhausting the inert gas environment to remove solvent vapors produced from deposition of the film-forming material.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein positioning the printhead relative to the first surface of the substrate comprises controlling a print gap between the printhead and the substrate during the printing of the liquid ink.
24. The method of claim 22 , wherein the method further comprises controlling temperature of the substrate using heat transfer provided by a bearing gas during at least one of the printing or the processing.