Spatial control of vapor condensation using convection

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide a device including a nozzle, a source of material to be deposited on a substrate in fluid communication with the nozzle, a delivery gas source in fluid communication with the source of material to be deposited with the nozzle, an exhaust channel disposed adjacent to the nozzle, and a confinement gas source in fluid communication with the nozzle and the exhaust channel, and disposed adjacent to the exhaust channel.

1 . A device comprising:
 a nozzle;   a heater to heat the nozzle;   a source of material to be deposited on a substrate in fluid communication with the nozzle;   a delivery gas source in fluid communication with the source of material to be deposited with the nozzle;   an exhaust channel disposed adjacent to the nozzle; and   a confinement gas source in fluid communication with the nozzle and the exhaust channel, and disposed adjacent to the exhaust channel.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a confinement gas from the confinement gas source is provided at a temperature lower than a delivery gas temperature. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a nozzle block, wherein the nozzle block comprises a delivery aperture and an exhaust aperture, wherein the delivery aperture is in fluid communication with the delivery gas source and the exhaust aperture is in fluid communication with the exhaust channel. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the nozzle block comprises a plurality of nozzles. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of nozzles are disposed in a staggered arrangement within the nozzle block. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein each delivery aperture and each exhaust aperture is between 5 and 5000 μm in width. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein a long axis of the exhaust aperture extends beyond that of the delivery aperture in a direction of printing. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the delivery aperture and the exhaust aperture are disposed on a protrusion of the nozzle block to position them in proximity with a substrate, and wherein regions between neighboring protrusions in an array contain reservoirs of confinement gas with flow paths to gas ambient surrounding the nozzle block. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a confinement gas from the confinement gas source has a higher average molar mass than a delivery gas from the delivery gas source. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the substrate holder is disposed a distance from the nozzle sufficient to position a substrate 10-1000 μm from the nozzle. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a temperature controller to control the operating temperature of at least one selected from the group consisting of: the substrate holder, and a nozzle block, wherein the nozzle block comprises a delivery aperture and an exhaust aperture, and wherein the delivery aperture is in fluid communication with the delivery gas source and the exhaust aperture is in fluid communication with the exhaust channel. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the width of each delivery aperture of the linear array is greater than or equal to 5 microns and less than or equal to 30 microns. 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 ejecting a delivery gas and a material to be deposited on a substrate from a nozzle;   providing a confinement gas having a flow direction opposing a flow direction of the delivery gas ejected from the nozzle; and   providing a vacuum source adjacent to a delivery gas aperture of the nozzle.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising providing the confinement gas at a temperature lower than the ambient temperature below the nozzle. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A nozzle assembly comprising:
 a plurality of nozzles, with each nozzle comprising at least three separate types of flow channels which include:
 a delivery channel to provide a delivery gas including an organic material; 
 exhaust channels arranged adjacent to the delivery channel to evacuate gas from an area disposed between the nozzle assembly and a substrate; and 
 confinement gas channels arranged adjacent to the exhaust channels to supply a confinement gas flow. 
   
     
     
         20 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the nozzles are arranged to form a two dimensional array. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 19 , further comprising a nozzle block, wherein the nozzle block comprises the plurality of nozzles arranged in a linear or two dimensional (2D) array, and gas channels disposed on a bottom surface of the nozzle block. 
     
     
         23 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the nozzle block includes confinement distribution channels that provide a low impedance path for the flow of confinement gas from a process chamber ambient to the confinement distribution channels of each nozzle assembly. 
     
     
         24 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the confinement distribution channels include recesses in a surface of the nozzle block adjacent to the substrate. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 19 , wherein a deposition pattern from each nozzle of the nozzle assembly is equivalent to one another. 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . (canceled)