AND PROCESSING SYSTEM

FIELD

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to vertical substrate processing in a cluster tool, particularly in a cluster tool with horizontal substrate handling. Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to apparatuses for moving a substrate relative to a processing area and to deposition apparatuses for depositing material on a substrate. Embodiments of the present disclosure also relate to a shielding concept in a deposition apparatus, particularly for large area substrates. Specifically, embodiments relate to an apparatus for material deposition, a substrate processing system, and a method of substrate processing in a vacuum chamber.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Several methods are known for the deposition of a material on a substrate. For example, a substrate may be coated by using an evaporation process, a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process, such as a sputtering process, a spraying process, etc., or a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. A substrate on which material is deposited, i.e. a substrate to be coated, is introduced into a vacuum chamber of a vacuum processing system and positioned relative to a processing area of the vacuum chamber of the vacuum processing system. For example, a coating process can take place in the vacuum chamber.

[0003] For a sputter deposition process, material is ejected from a target positioned in the vacuum chamber. The material is deposited onto the substrate. The material ejection from the target can be provided in the vacuum chamber by bombarding the target with ions generated in a plasma region. When bombarding the target with ions generated in a plasma region, atoms of the target material are dislodged from a surface of the target and then the dislodged atoms form a material layer on the substrate. In a reactive sputter deposition chamber, the dislodged atoms can react with a gas in the plasma region, for example nitrogen or oxygen, to form an oxide, a nitride or an oxynitride of the target material on the substrate. The target typically forms a sputter cathode with the application of an electric potential difference, such that in the presence of the resulting electric field, ions generated in the plasma region accelerate or move towards the electrically charged sputter cathode and impact on said sputter cathode such that atoms from the cathode are dislodged. The sputter cathode thus provides the material for the material deposition and thus forms a material source. Further, other processes like etching, structuring, annealing, or the like can be further conducted in processing chambers.

[0004] Coating processes, i.e. material deposition processes, may be considered for large area substrates, e.g. in display manufacturing technology. Coated substrates can be used further in several technical fields with applications e.g. in microelectronics, in the production of semiconductor devices, for substrates with thin film transistors, but also for insulating panels, etc. The tendency towards larger substrates, e.g. in manufacturing larger displays results in larger vacuum processing systems.

[0005] A sputter cathode may include a cylindrical target and may be rotatable. Rotatable cathodes provide an improved material utilization. Target material can move past the plasma area of a sputter cathode by rotation of the target. Accordingly, uniform material utilization and, thus, high material utilization can be provided.

[0006] In a vacuum chamber of a vacuum processing system, one or more sputter cathodes may be present that may be cylindrical and rotatable. Thus, two or more sputter cathodes may form a cathode array wherein the single cathodes are typically cylindrical, rotatable cathodes.

[0007] In a static deposition, the substrate is statically positioned in front of a cathode or typically in front of a cathode array. A local non-uniformity of e.g. one or more rotatable or cylindrical sputter cathodes may result in a non-uniformity of a layer deposited on the substrate. The static deposition with a cathode array with cylindrical cathodes may create mura, i.e. the layer of material deposited onto the substrate is not uniform and the geometry of the cathode array affects the properties of the deposited material layer.

[0008] In light of the above, it is beneficial to provide apparatuses and systems configured in order to improve the quality and uniformity of the material layer deposited onto the substrate. SUMMARY

[0009] An apparatus for material deposition, e.g. on a substrate for display manufacturing, a substrate processing system, and a method of substrate processing in a vacuum chamber are provided. Further features, details, aspects and modifications can be derived from the claims, the description and the drawings.

[0010] According to one embodiment, an apparatus for material deposition is provided. The apparatus includes a vacuum chamber having a processing area, a support body for holding a substrate within the vacuum chamber and a mask system configured to mask the substrate supported on the support body. The apparatus further includes a movable shield assembly within the vacuum chamber and a static shield assembly within the vacuum chamber at a fixed position relative to the vacuum chamber. A first actuator is coupled to the support body, the mask system, and the movable shield assembly in a processing orientation of the support body. The first actuator is configured to move the support body, the mask system, and the movable shield assembly between a first position and a second position.

[0011] According to one embodiment, a substrate processing system is provided. The system includes a transfer chamber; and one or more apparatuses for material deposition according to any of the embodiments described herein and coupled to the transfer chamber.

[0012] According to one embodiment, a method of substrate processing in a vacuum chamber is provided. The method includes translating a support body supporting a substrate, a mask system and a movable shield assembly past a source assembly in an essentially vertical processing orientation; shielding at least the movable shield assembly with a fixed shield assembly; and depositing materials with the source assembly on the substrate with the source assembly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of an apparatus for material deposition according to embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0014] FIGS. 2 A to 2C show schematic top views of an apparatus for material deposition according to embodiments of the present disclosure and illustrate a shield concept for components within a vacuum chamber, e.g. internal walls of a vacuum chamber;

[0015] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a shield concept for an apparatus for material deposition according to embodiments of the present disclosure; [0016] FIG. 4 shows a further schematic view of a shield concept for an apparatus for material deposition according to embodiments of the present disclosure and illustrates a shielding path according to some embodiments described herein;

[0017] FIG. 5 schematically shows a processing system containing at least a deposition apparatus; and [0018] FIG. 6 shows a flow chart illustrating one or more methods of substrate processing in a vacuum chamber according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

PET ATT, ED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0019] Reference will now be made in detail to the various embodiments of the disclosure, some examples of which are illustrated in the figures.

[0020] The apparatuses and systems described herein are configured in order to move and process large area substrates that may in particular have a surface of 1 m ² or above. The term “substrate” may particularly embrace substrates like glass substrates for display manufacturing and may also embrace substrates like wafers, slices of transparent crystal such as sapphire or the like. However, the term “substrate” may embrace other substrates that can be inflexible or flexible, like e.g. a foil or a web. The substrate may be formed by any material suitable for material deposition. [0021] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a shielding concept, particularly for a PVD application, and including a bidirectional lateral movement of the substrate during deposition. In the material deposition system, a shielding is beneficial to protect equipment against side deposition, i.e. deposition of chamber components or components within the vacuum chamber other than the substrate to be coated. Side deposition may result in frequent maintenance cycles. Reduction of side deposition can increase the time period between maintenance cycles and, thus, the throughput of an apparatus for material deposition. Further, side deposition that can increase particle generation may be reduced. Yet further, the number of components that are to be cleaned in a maintenance step can be reduced. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a bidirectional lateral movement is provided, for example, by an actuator. The bidirectional lateral movement may improve layer uniformity during deposition. A shielding concept is provided, wherein the shielding system is divided into a movable shield assembly and a static shield assembly.

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an apparatus 100 for material deposition on a substrate 190. A substrate is moved relative to a processing area 131 inside a vacuum chamber 110. FIG. 1 shows a material deposition source 120. Particularly the material deposition source 120 is a sputter cathode of an array of cathodes, such as rotatable sputter cathodes. The processing area 131 is provided in an area in front of the material deposition source 120. The material deposition source may be a cathode of a cathode array for processing the substrate and in particular for processing one surface of the substrate.

[0023] The sources may provide the ejected material 130 as shown in FIG. 1. The apparatus 100 for material deposition on a substrate 190 includes the vacuum chamber 110. The substrate 190 can be supported by a support body 140. In some embodiments, the support body 140 may include a support surface 144. The support body 140 is located inside the vacuum chamber 110. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the apparatus includes a shaft 142 coupled to the support surface 144. The support body 140 may include the support surface 144 and the shaft 142 coupled to the support surface 144. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the shaft extends outside the vacuum chamber 110. In some embodiments, the shaft 142 is a hollow tube. For example, cables and/or pipes may be provided in the hollow tube. [0024] The support body 140 can include a plurality of elements, such as the support surface 144, the shaft 142, clamps 146, etc. Inside the vacuum chamber 110, a vacuum condition V may be provided, in particular during material deposition onto a substrate. Outside the vacuum chamber 110, atmospheric conditions A may be provided.

[0025] The apparatus 100 for material deposition further includes at least a first drive or a first actuator to move the substrate along an array of deposition sources as shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C. Further, a second drive or a second actuator is provided to move the support body 140 by an angle 150 as illustrated in FIG. 1. The second actuator moves the support body from a loading orientation, i.e. an orientation in which the substrate is loaded and/or unloaded from the support body. The loading orientation is a non-vertical orientation, i.e. an essentially horizontal orientation. The second actuator moves the support body between the loading orientation and a processing orientation. The processing orientation is shown with dash-dotted lines in FIG. 1. The processing orientation is a non-horizontal orientation, i.e. an essentially vertical orientation.

[0026] According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, an essentially vertical or essentially horizontal orientation may deviate from a vertical or horizontal orientation, respectfully, by +- 15°.

[0027] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the one or more deposition sources may remain fixed with respect to the vacuum chamber during material deposition. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the y axis of e.g. a Cartesian coordinate system is typically oriented with a vertical orientation or an essentially vertical (vertical +-15°) orientation.

[0028] FIG. 1 shows the substrate 190 supported on the support surface 144 of the support body 140. The substrate 190 is partially covered by the mask system 145. The mask system 145 may include an edge exclusion mask covering an edge portion of the substrate 190. For example, an edge of 0.3 mm to a few mm of the substrate, for example, a large area substrate for display manufacturing, may be covered by the edge exclusion mask to prevent material deposition on the perimeter of the substrate. [0029] Embodiments described herein particularly relate to deposition of materials, e.g. for display manufacturing on large area substrates. According to some embodiments, large area substrates or carriers supporting one or more substrates may have a size of at least 0.5 m ² For instance, the deposition system may be adapted for processing large area substrates, such as substrates of GEN 5, which corresponds to about 1.4 m ² substrates (1.1 m x 1.3 m), GEN 6, which corresponds to about 2.7 m ² (1.5 m x about 1.8 m), GEN 7.5, which corresponds to about 4.29 m ² substrates (1.95 m x 2.2 m), GEN 8.5, which corresponds to about 5.7 m ² substrates (2.2 m x 2.5 m), or even GEN 10, which corresponds to about 8.7 m ² substrates (2.85 m x 3.05 m). Even larger generations such as GEN 11 and GEN 12 and corresponding substrate areas can similarly be implemented. According to yet further implementations, half sizes of the above-mentioned substrate generations can be processed. Alternatively or additionally, semiconductor wafers may be processed and coated in deposition systems according to the present disclosure.

[0030] Clamps 146 hold the substrate 190 to the support body 140. According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the substrate 190 may be loaded on the support body, for example, a pin array on the support body. The substrate may be aligned relative to the support body 140 and, thus, relative to the mask system 145. Thereafter, the substrate 190 can be clamped to the support body with clamps 146. For processing, the substrate is moved by an angle 150 from the loading orientation, i.e. an essentially horizontal orientation, to a processing orientation, i.e. an essentially vertical orientation. In the processing orientation, the substrate is provided in the processing area 131, for example, in front of one or more material deposition sources 120. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a movable shield assembly 160 is provided within the vacuum chamber 110. Further, a fixed shield assembly 170 is provided within the vacuum chamber 110.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C, the support body 140, the mask system 145, and the movable shield assembly 160 are coupled to the first actuator to move the support body, the mass system and the movable shield assembly relative to the one or more material deposition sources 120. The static shield assembly 170 remains static within the vacuum chamber 110. The movable shield assembly 160 and the static shield assembly 170 are provided to reduce or prevent deposition of material on interior surfaces of the vacuum chamber and/or on other components provided within the vacuum chamber 110.

[0032] According to one embodiment, an apparatus 100 for material deposition is provided. The apparatus for material deposition includes a vacuum chamber 110 having a processing area and a support body 140 for holding the substrate within the vacuum chamber 110. A mask system configured to mask the substrate supported on the support body is provided. A movable shield assembly and a static shield assembly are provided within the vacuum chamber. The static shield assembly is provided at a fixed position relative to the vacuum chamber. A first actuator is coupled to the support body, the mask system, and the movable shield assembly in a processing orientation of the support body, the first actuator configured to move the support body, the mask system, and the movable shield assembly between a first position and a second position. A second actuator is configured to move the support body by an angle from a loading orientation to a processing orientation.

[0033] According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments of the present disclosure, the second actuator is configured to move the support body by an angle from an essentially horizontal loading orientation to an essentially vertical processing orientation. According to some further additional or alternative implementations, in the processing orientation, the mask system is disposed between the support body and the movable shield and the movable shield is disposed between the mask system and the static shield. A source assembly including, for example, one or more material deposition sources 120, is provided in the vacuum chamber. In the processing orientation, the static shield is disposed between the movable shield and the source assembly. For example, the source assembly includes an array of rotatable sputter cathodes. The array may be stationary within the vacuum chamber and/or magnetron assemblies in the rotatable sputter cathodes are stationary within the vacuum chamber.

[0034] FIG. 2 A shows the support body 140 supporting the substrate 190 in a centered position relative to the array of material deposition sources 120. The material deposition source 120 can be an array of rotatable sputter cathodes, for example, sputter cathodes having a cylindrical target rotating around a magnetic field of a magnetron (not shown). For example, the magnetrons may be static relative to the vacuum chamber 110 and direct material from the material deposition sources 120 towards the substrate 190. Based on the distance between the material deposition sources 120 a non-uniformity of the layer of deposited on the substrate 190 may occur. This may be referred to as mura. To reduce mura, i.e. to increase the layer uniformity, the substrate may be moved along the material deposition sources 120. This is exemplarily shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C.

[0035] The static shield assembly 170, as shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C, is stationary relative to the vacuum chamber 110, i.e. relative to walls of the vacuum chamber 110. The static shield assembly 170 prevents coating of deposition material on undesired components. The movable shield assembly 160 extends behind the static shield assembly 170. The movable shield assembly 160 also prevents coating of deposition material on undesired components. As shown in FIG. 2B, the support body 140 can be moved to a first position, for example, a left position as shown in FIG. 2B. The left portion of the movable shield assembly 160 moves behind the static shield assembly 170. A gap that would occur without the movable shield assembly 160 on the right- hand side in FIG. 2B prevents coating of components of the vacuum chamber while the support body 140 is provided on the left-hand side.

[0036] The support body 140 can be moved to a second position, for example, a position on the right-hand side as shown in FIG. 2C. The right portion of the movable shield assembly 160 moves behind the static shield assembly 170. A gap that would occur without the movable shield assembly 160 on the left-hand side in FIG. 2C prevents coating of components of the vacuum chamber while the support body 140 is provided on the right-hand side.

[0037] According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the first actuator is configured for a bidirectional lateral movement of the support body, the mask system, and the movable shield assembly between the first position and the second position.

[0038] FIG. 3 shows a schematic perspective view of the shield assemblies according to embodiments of the present disclosure. As exemplarily shown in FIG. 3, the static shield assembly 170 can include one or more portions. The fixed side shield assembly can be attached to the vacuum chamber by a holding unit 270. The mask system 145 can include an edge exclusion mask 345 and mask support 347. The movable shield assembly 160 can be provided at a side, particularly at both sides, of the mask system as also indicated in FIGS. 2A to 2C. Accordingly, the first portion of the movable shield assembly 160 can be provided at a first side of the mask system. A second portion of the movable shield assembly 160 (not shown in FIG. 3) can be provided on the opposite side of the mask system. In an area between the first portion of the movable shield assembly 160 and the second portion of the movable shield assembly 160, the mask system 145 can face the static shield assembly 170. A gap 240 between the mask system 145 and the static shield assembly 170 can be provided between the first portion and the second portion of the movable shield assembly. The gap 240 can have one or more angled portions to form a labyrinth shape. The labyrinth shape may reduce or prevent side deposition of chamber components. The material from the material deposition source may less likely travel through the labyrinth shape of the gap 240 having the one or more angled portions. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, side deposition can be reduced. Yet further, the gap 240 provides clearance between the mask system and the static shield assembly 170 during the lateral bidirectional movement. Particle generation by friction can be reduced or avoided.

[0039] According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the movable shield assembly includes a first portion provided at a first side of the mask system and a second portion provided at a second side of the mask system, the second side being opposite the first side, particularly the second side being horizontally opposite the first side.

[0040] FIG. 4 shows the side view of the shielding arrangement according to embodiments of the present disclosure between the first portion of the movable shield assembly and the second portion of the middle movable shield assembly. As shown in FIG. 4, according to some embodiments, the static shield assembly may include several portions, for example, a first static shield 372 and a second static shield 374. The gap 240 between the static shield assembly and the mask system illustrated in FIG. 4 includes five angular portions to form a labyrinth shape. According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, two or more angular portions or curved portions can be provided in the gap. [0041] According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, in a region in which the movable shield assembly is provided, for example, at a first portion of the movable shield assembly, the movable shield assembly can be provided between the mask system and the static shield assembly. Accordingly, a first gap is provided between the mask system and the movable shield assembly and a second gap is provided between the movable shield assembly and the static shield assembly. The first gap and the second gap can be provided to have a labyrinth shape as illustrated with respect to FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0042] According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, a gap is provided between the mask system and the static shield assembly, the first gap including at least two angled sections or curved sections. According to further additional or alternative implementations, a second gap is provided between the movable shield assembly and the static shield assembly, the second gap including at least two angled sections or curved sections.

[0043] Turning back to FIG. 1, the coating process is carried out when the substrate has a vertical orientation, shown with dashed lines in FIG. 1, with a material deposition source 120 also having a vertical orientation and being positioned in front of the substrate, e.g. with a vertically oriented cathode array positioned in front of and parallel to the substrate oriented vertically. The substrate 190 can be introduced into the vacuum chamber in a horizontal position through an opening of the vacuum chamber. The support body 140 and/or the support surface 144 of the support body 140 receives the substrate 190 in a horizontal position through said opening. The substrate 190 is supported by the support body 140 and e.g. clamps 146 at the edges can be present in order to fix the substrate 190 on the support body in particular at the edges of the substrate. A second actuator 164 may move the support body by an angle or may rotate the support body together with the substrate positioned on the support body, until the support body and the substrate are oriented vertically inside the vacuum chamber in a processing area 131 of the vacuum chamber 110. During the material deposition process, the first actuator 264 (see e.g. FIG. 2A) translates the support body together with the substrate, sweeping the support body with the substrate in front of the cathode array. In some embodiments, this sweeping occurs perpendicularly to the planar section shown in FIG. 1. With the sweeping translational movement, a more uniform material deposition is obtained, and the presence of mura is minimized or reduced.

[0044] When the sputtering is completed, the sweeping translating movement stops and the support body with the substrate is rotated back to a horizontal orientation from the vertical orientation in which the sputtering occurred. From this horizontal orientation, the processed substrate can then be moved to other locations of the processing system and in particular can be moved outside the vacuum chamber 110.

[0045] In alternative embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the movement by an angle 150 illustrated in FIG. 1 may not be only a rotation, but may as well include some translational component for better positioning of the substrate 190 in a processing area 131 of the vacuum chamber 110

[0046] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the first actuator 264 and the second actuator 164 can be positioned outside the vacuum chamber 110. In some embodiments, the support body 140 is a rigid body. Further, the shaft 142 can be a rigid body with a fixed and/or constant length. The shaft 142 may move a substrate relative to a processing area 131. The support surface 144 may in particular be a rigid body. Both translational movement and movement by an angle/rotational movement can be transmitted by the shaft 142 to the support body 140. The number and extension of moving parts inside the vacuum chamber 110 as well as the friction between moving parts inside the vacuum chamber 110 are reduced or minimized. Particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure may provide reduced particle generation as compared to an in-line deposition system, in which a carrier is transported through a vacuum chamber. Less abraded particles and/or material due to friction are released inside the vacuum chamber 110 and the quality of the layer of deposited material is improved due to less contamination. The amount of parts inside the vacuum chamber 110 is reduced.

[0047] In some embodiments, the deposition apparatus further includes a magnetic levitation system 180 inside the vacuum chamber configured to support the movable shield assembly 160. With said magnetic levitation system 180, the quantity of abraded particles that may contaminate the processing chamber is further reduced due to reduced friction. The movable shield assembly 160 is configured to be translatable together with the support body 140. Thus, the movable shield assembly 160 prevents in particular unwanted material deposition on parts inside the vacuum chamber 110 while allowing material deposition onto the substrate while the substrate is being translated in order to prevent or minimize mura. FIG. 1 shows a guide system or magnetic levitation system 180 for the movable shield assembly 160 and the support body. According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments, the movable shield assembly may include a guide system at one of the lower side or the upper side, particularly the lower side. Accordingly, a guide system at the upper side as shown in FIG. 1 may be omitted.

[0048] In some embodiments, the movable shield assembly 160 is configured to be translatable together with the support body by the use of linear guides. The static shield assembly 170 is stationary within the vacuum chamber 110 and is provided at least partially between the movable shield assembly 160 and the one or more material deposition source 120. While the movable shield assembly 160 can translate together with the support body 140 by a translational movement, the static shield assembly 170 is fixed with respect to the vacuum chamber 110. The static shield assembly 170 is configured in order to further reduce or minimize unwanted deposition of material outside the processing area 131.

[0049] FIG. 5 schematically shows a processing system 500 including one or more apparatuses for material deposition according to the present disclosure. The one or more deposition apparatuses are intended for the deposition of material on a substrate. The processing system 500 further includes a vacuum transfer chamber 310 coupled to the one or more deposition apparatuses.

[0050] The one or more apparatuses for material deposition include a motion mechanism 200 including a first actuator and a second actuator as described herein. FIG. 5 further shows a load lock chamber 320. The vacuum transfer chamber 310 is coupled to the load lock chamber 320. The vacuum transfer chamber can move substrates between the one or more vacuum chambers 110 and/or between a vacuum chamber 110 and a load lock chamber through openings. In some embodiments, the vacuum processing system 500 may include one or more support chambers 340 arranged to perform specific additional functions like storage of substrates. The processing system may include one or more load lock chambers 320 that are configured to receive a substrate under atmospheric pressure or not under vacuum conditions A and then to transfer the substrate into the vacuum transfer chamber under vacuum conditions V. Vice versa, the load chamber may also receive a substrate from the transfer chamber under a vacuum condition V and provide said substrate under atmospheric pressure or not under vacuum conditions A.

[0051] When the substrate is transferred to or is present in the vacuum transfer chamber 310 of a processing system 500, a mechanism, such as a robot, is configured to transfer the substrate to vacuum chambers 110 adjacent to the vacuum transfer chamber 310 for processing and/or storage. In some embodiments, the storage may take place in one or more support chambers 340. The substrate is transferred from the vacuum transfer chamber 310 to vacuum chambers 110 and/or to support chambers 340 through openings with a robot or the like.

[0052] In normal operating conditions of a processing system 500, a vacuum condition V is maintained inside the processing system 500 with the exception of load lock chambers 320, wherein a change from vacuum conditions V to atmospheric conditions or non-vacuum conditions A and vice versa is possible in order to insert and/or remove the substrate before or after processing without affecting the vacuum V in other parts of the processing system 500 and in particular in the vacuum chambers 110, and in the vacuum transfer chamber 310 of the processing system 500.

[0053] In some embodiments, substrates are introduced into the processing system 500 through a load lock chamber 320 in a horizontal position and may optionally be temporarily horizontally stored in one or more support chambers 340 before or after a processing in vacuum chambers 110 of the processing system 500. Substrates may be transferred back and forth between the one or more vacuum chambers 110 and/or between vacuum chambers 110 and the support chamber 340 of the processing system 500. In the one or more vacuum chambers 110, the substrate is moved by an angle 150 from a horizontal position to a vertical position for the deposition of a material layer by the apparatus for material deposition. The substrate is swept during material deposition by a translational movement for obtaining a more uniform layer of deposited material preventing or reducing mura. After the deposition, the substrate is transferred back into a horizontal position and then moved back into the vacuum transfer chamber 310 from the vacuum chamber 110 where processing took place. The substrate may be transferred into a further vacuum chamber 110, into a support chamber 340 and/or into a load lock chamber 320 where the substrate may be transferred back to non-vacuum conditions or atmospheric conditions A.

[0054] FIG. 6 shows a flow chart illustrating a method of substrate processing in a vacuum chamber. The method includes at operation 602 translating a support body supporting a substrate, a mask system and a movable shield assembly past a source assembly in an essentially vertical processing orientation. At operation 604, the at least one movable shield assembly is shielded with a fixed shield assembly. Material is deposited with the source assembly on the substrate with the deposition source at operation 606.

[0055] According to some implementations, which can be combined with other embodiments of the present disclosure, the method includes loading the substrate onto the support body in an essentially horizontal loading orientation of the support body. Further, additionally or alternatively, the support body supporting the substrate and the mask system can be moved from the loading orientation, e.g. an essentially horizontal orientation to the processing orientation, e.g. an essentially vertical orientation.

[0056] While the foregoing is directed to implementations of the present disclosure, other and further implementations of the disclosure may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.