Aperture masks for circuit fabrication
First Claim
1. A deposition system comprising:
- an aperture mask including alignment edges and a deposition pattern defined in relation to the alignment edges; and
an alignment fixture including at least three contact points, wherein exactly three of the contact points contact the alignment edges of the aperture mask to align the pattern for a deposition process.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In various embodiments, the invention is directed to aperture mask deposition techniques for use in creating integrated circuits or integrated circuit elements. In other embodiments, the invention is directed to different apparatuses that facilitate the deposition techniques. The techniques generally involve sequentially depositing material through a number of aperture masks formed with patterns that define layers or portions of various layers of a circuit. In this manner, circuits can be created using aperture mask deposition techniques, without requiring any etching or photolithography, which is particularly useful when organic semiconductors are involved. The techniques can be useful in creating circuit elements for electronic displays, low-cost integrated circuits such as radio frequency identification (RFID) circuits, and other circuits.
110 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A deposition system comprising:
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an aperture mask including alignment edges and a deposition pattern defined in relation to the alignment edges; and
an alignment fixture including at least three contact points, wherein exactly three of the contact points contact the alignment edges of the aperture mask to align the pattern for a deposition process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method comprising:
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aligning a pattern of an aperture mask relative to a deposition substrate by positioning alignment edges of the aperture mask and deposition substrate in contact with exactly three contact points; and
depositing material onto the substrate through the pattern of the aperture mask.
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10. A method comprising:
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forming a first pattern in a first mask substrate relative to alignment edges on the first mask substrate to define a first aperture mask;
aligning the pattern of the first aperture mask relative to a deposition substrate by positioning the alignment edges of the first aperture mask and alignment edges of the deposition substrate in contact with exactly three contact points; and
depositing material onto the deposition substrate through the pattern of the first aperture mask. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An integrated circuit comprising:
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a deposition substrate;
a patterned first electrode layer formed adjacent the deposition substrate;
a patterned organic semiconductor layer formed adjacent the first electrode layer; and
a second patterned electrode layer deposited adjacent the organic semiconductor layer, wherein each patterned layer is defined by a repositionable aperture mask. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A transistor comprising:
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a first patterned conductive layer;
a patterned dielectric layer formed over the deposited conductive layer;
a patterned organic semiconductor layer formed over the deposited dielectric layer; and
a second patterned conductive layer formed over the deposited organic semiconductor layer, wherein each patterned layer is defined by a repositionable aperture mask. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
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38. An aperture mask comprising:
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a crystalline wafer; and
apertures formed in the crystalline wafer and defining straight edges, wherein the straight edges of the apertures are not aligned with cleavage planes of the crystalline wafer.
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Specification