US 11,926,902 B2
Method and apparatus for load-locked printing
Sass Somekh, Los Altos, CA (US); Eliyahu Vronsky, Los Altos, CA (US); and Conor F. Madigan, San Francisco, CA (US)
Assigned to Kateeva, Inc., Newark, CA (US)
Filed by Kateeva, Inc., Newark, CA (US)
Filed on May 27, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/804,419.
Application 13/776,602 is a division of application No. 13/551,209, filed on Jul. 17, 2012, granted, now 8,720,366, issued on May 13, 2014.
Application 17/804,419 is a continuation of application No. 17/450,713, filed on Oct. 13, 2021.
Application 17/450,713 is a continuation of application No. 16/949,412, filed on Oct. 28, 2020, granted, now 11,230,757, issued on Jan. 25, 2022.
Application 16/949,412 is a continuation of application No. 15/409,844, filed on Jan. 19, 2017, granted, now 10,851,450, issued on Dec. 1, 2020.
Application 15/409,844 is a continuation of application No. 14/996,086, filed on Jan. 14, 2016, granted, now 10,519,535, issued on Dec. 31, 2019.
Application 14/996,086 is a continuation of application No. 13/776,602, filed on Feb. 25, 2013, granted, now 9,248,643, issued on Feb. 2, 2011.
Application 13/551,209 is a continuation of application No. 12/652,040, filed on Jan. 5, 2010, granted, now 8,383,202, issued on Feb. 26, 2013.
Application 12/652,040 is a continuation in part of application No. 12/139,391, filed on Jun. 13, 2008, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/142,575, filed on Jan. 5, 2009.
Prior Publication US 2022/0290286 A1, Sep. 15, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C23C 4/137 (2016.01); B05B 17/00 (2006.01); B05C 5/02 (2006.01); B05C 13/02 (2006.01); B05C 15/00 (2006.01); B05D 5/00 (2006.01); B41J 2/015 (2006.01); B41J 2/14 (2006.01); B41J 2/165 (2006.01); B41J 2/315 (2006.01); B41J 11/00 (2006.01); B41J 29/393 (2006.01); B41M 5/00 (2006.01); H01L 21/67 (2006.01); H01L 21/677 (2006.01); H01L 33/00 (2010.01); H05B 33/10 (2006.01); H10K 71/00 (2023.01); H10K 71/13 (2023.01)
CPC C23C 4/137 (2016.01) [B05B 17/0638 (2013.01); B05B 17/0646 (2013.01); B05C 5/0208 (2013.01); B05C 13/02 (2013.01); B41J 2/015 (2013.01); B41J 2/14 (2013.01); B41J 2/16505 (2013.01); B41J 2/315 (2013.01); B41J 11/0015 (2013.01); B41J 29/393 (2013.01); B41M 5/0011 (2013.01); B41M 5/0047 (2013.01); H01L 21/67201 (2013.01); H01L 21/67784 (2013.01); H01L 33/005 (2013.01); H05B 33/10 (2013.01); B05C 15/00 (2013.01); B05D 5/00 (2013.01); B41J 2202/09 (2013.01); B41J 2202/16 (2013.01); H10K 71/00 (2023.02); H10K 71/135 (2023.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for forming a film on a substrate, the method comprising:
floating a substrate on a flotation system in an isolated substrate-printing region having an inert gas environment, the flotation system comprising at least one gas inlet port and at least one gas outlet port; and
while floating the substrate in the substrate-printing region:
moving the substrate in a first direction and moving at least one print-head in a second direction, the first and second directions being substantially orthogonal to each other,
controlling a float height of the substrate using gas flow through the at least one gas inlet port and the at least one gas outlet port,
detecting a misalignment of the substrate in the first direction and in the second direction,
printing a material on a surface of the substrate using the at least one print-head; and
using the detected misalignment to control printing the material on the surface of the substrate.