US3669060A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Mask changing mechanism for use in the evaporation of thin film devices
Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
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Filing: 1970-09-24
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Granted: 1972-06-13
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Expires: 1990-09-24
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for changing a mask used in the evaporation of thin film electronic components formed on flexible substrates by vapor deposition techniques, whereby a number of masks are successively brought into registration with a substrate for sequentially depositing a series of thin films of selected materials including semiconducting, insulating, or conducting materials through the mask onto the substrate. The apparatus is particularly concerned with alignment pins for enabling registration of successive patterns to be vacuum evaporated successively onto one area of a flexible substrate tape with an accuracy of + OR - 1 Mu . The area of the substrate tape may be changed and the process repeated time after time without opening the vacuum system.
Inventors
- 👤 Derrick J Page
- 👤 Paul O Raygor
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 11:53
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/04; C23C14/042
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
259 words
Apparatus for preparing an electronic component on a substrate by vapor deposition comprising a plurality of masks arranged in a series for sequential presentment at a deposition station, means including a rotatable wheel for mounting and moving each mask sequentially into and out of the deposition station, said means for mounting and moving comprising means for rotating the wheel including a servomotor and photodetection means operatively connected to the motor and a light source associated with the photodetection means, the wheel being located between the photodetection means and the light source, the wheel having opening means therethrough for transmitting a light beam from the light source to the photodetection means, and the number of opening means being equal to the number of masks on the wheel, whereby each mask on the wheel is brought into substantial registration with the substrate material at the deposition station when the light beam activates the photodetection means, means including a housing for storing a supply of substrate material which housing has a substrate-mounting surface spaced from the deposition station, means for holding a source of material to be deposited through the masks and onto the substrate material with the source being on the side of the masks opposite that of the housing, means for moving the substrate material into and out of registry with the deposition station, means for precisely aligning the mask and the substrate material, means for moving one of the housing and frame toward and away from each other, and walls forming an evacuable chamber for containing the foregoing elements.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
259 words
Apparatus for preparing an electronic component on a substrate by vapor deposition comprising a plurality of masks arranged in a series for sequential presentment at a deposition station, means including a rotatable wheel for mounting and moving each mask sequentially into and out of the deposition station, said means for mounting and moving comprising means for rotating the wheel including a servomotor and photodetection means operatively connected to the motor and a light source associated with the photodetection means, the wheel being located between the photodetection means and the light source, the wheel having opening means therethrough for transmitting a light beam from the light source to the photodetection means, and the number of opening means being equal to the number of masks on the wheel, whereby each mask on the wheel is brought into substantial registration with the substrate material at the deposition station when the light beam activates the photodetection means, means including a housing for storing a supply of substrate material which housing has a substrate-mounting surface spaced from the deposition station, means for holding a source of material to be deposited through the masks and onto the substrate material with the source being on the side of the masks opposite that of the housing, means for moving the substrate material into and out of registry with the deposition station, means for precisely aligning the mask and the substrate material, means for moving one of the housing and frame toward and away from each other, and walls forming an evacuable chamber for containing the foregoing elements.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the substrate material is disposed between the substrate-mounting surface and the mask at the deposition station.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for precisely aligning the mask and substrate material comprise guide pin means and the pin-receiving aperture means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for moving the housing is a lever and the housing is pivotally mounted on the lever.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the lever has bifurcated end portions over the deposition station and the housing is pivotally disposed between the bifurcated end portions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the housing has a trunion extending from each side thereof, and the trunions are mounted in trunion-receiving notches in the bifurcated end portions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the end portions have upper surfaces and the trunions have knife-edges mounted on the upper surfaces.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the upper surfaces have trunion-receiving notches in which the trunions are mounted for limited slideable movement.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the pin means extend downwardly from the substrate mounting surface and the guide-receiving means are pin-receiving aperture means in the frame.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the pin means include an alignment pin on opposite sides of the substrate-mounting surface, and the aperture means include an aperture on each side of the mask.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the axis of the pins are disposed in a vertical plane that passes through the axes of the trunions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the housing moving means iNcludes a lever having bifurcated end portions located above the deposition station, the housing is pivotally disposed between the bifurcated end portions, and the housing being mounted on the end portions for limited movement in response to alignment movement of the alignment pins with their corresponding apertures.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apertures of claim 1 wherein a shutter is disposed between the source of material and the mask-mounting frame.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
90 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a shutter is disposed for intermittent movement between first and second position being in alignment with the deposition station and the source of deposition material, the second position being out of such alignment, and the means for moving the masks sequentially into and out of the deposition station being operatively connected to the shutter to place the shutter in the first position during movement of the masks and to place the shutter in the second position when each mask is at the deposition station.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
92 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the photodetection means includes a pair of spaced photocells, the centers of the photocells being spaced by a distance equal to the width of the opening means, and differential amplifier means between the photocells and the servomotor for receiving signals from the photocells and transmitting a differential signal to the motor, whereby an unequal exposure of one photocell to the light beam as compared with the other photocells causes the motor to rotate the masking wheel until the photocells are equally exposed to the light beam.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-06-13 | 1975-12-13 | 1976-06-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-06-13 | 1979-12-13 | 1980-06-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-06-13 | 1983-12-13 | 1984-06-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |