Vertical system with vacuum pre-loaded deposition head

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 a vertically-oriented 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 first substrate surface of the substrate being oriented vertically and having a length in an in-track direction;

a substrate positioner that engages with the substrate unit and applies a vertical force onto the substrate unit, wherein a line of action of the vertical force passes through a center of gravity of the substrate unit;

a motion control system that moves the substrate positioner, thereby moving the substrate unit relative to 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 in-track direction is parallel to the output face of the deposition head; 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 , 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.

7. The thin film deposition system of claim 6 , wherein the backer device is attached to the second substrate surface using a vacuum force.

8. The thin film deposition system of claim 6 , wherein the backer device further includes an adjustable counter mass that is adjustable to adjust a position of the center of gravity of the substrate unit to align it with the line of action of the vertical force provided by the substrate positioner.

9. The thin film deposition system of claim 6 , wherein the backer device includes a roller bearing which rotates around an axis extending in a cross-track direction, wherein the roller bearing fits within a yoke on the substrate positioner.

10. The thin film deposition system of claim 9 , wherein the axis of the roller bearing passes through the center of gravity of the substrate unit or passes above the center of gravity of the substrate unit.

11. The thin film deposition system of claim 6 , further including one or more flexures connecting the substrate unit and the substrate positioner, wherein the flexures are in a plane parallel to the output face.

12. The thin film deposition system of claim 11 , wherein the flexure constrain translation of the substrate unit in a plane parallel to the output face and constrain rotation of the substrate unit around an axis normal to the output face.

13. The thin film deposition system of claim 11 , wherein the plane of the flexures passes through the center of gravity of the substrate unit.

14. The thin film deposition system of claim 11 , wherein the flexure includes a means for conveying energy to the substrate unit or conveying electrical signals to or from the substrate unit.

15. The thin film deposition system of claim 11 , wherein the flexure includes a means for conveying fluid to or from the substrate unit.

16. The thin film deposition system of claim 1 , wherein the substrate positioner contacts the substrate unit along a line of contact extending in a cross-track direction.

17. The thin film deposition system of claim 16 , the substrate positioner includes one or more rollers, and wherein the line of contact is provided by the one or more rollers.

18. The thin film deposition system of claim 1 , wherein the substrate positioner applies the vertical force onto the substrate unit using one or more bearing devices.

19. The thin film deposition system of claim 18 , wherein the bearing device includes a rolling element bearing or a gas bearing.

20. The thin film deposition system of claim 18 , wherein the bearing device is capable of operating up to 350° C.

21. The thin film deposition system of claim 1 , further including a force mechanism that applies a force onto the substrate unit directed toward a center of the output face of the deposition head.