A method for introducing a soft metal into a hard coating during a physical vapor deposition process. The method including steps of providing a substrate; depositing a bonding layer on the substrate; and depositing the hard coating on the bonding layer using vapor deposition wherein the soft metal forms islands in the hard coating.

A mask assembly includes: a mask frame that includes an opening area; a first mask arranged on the mask frame and that includes at least one first opening portion in an area corresponding to the opening area; and a second mask arranged on the first mask and that includes a plurality of second opening portions, wherein the plurality of second opening portions overlap the at least one first opening portion in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the first mask.

A mask assembly includes a first mask having a first opening and at least one second mask disposed on the first mask, each at least one second mask including a deposition area having second openings, an inner area surrounding the deposition area, and an outer area having third openings which surround the margin area. A line defining the outer boundary of an inner surface which defines the first opening overlaps the inner area when viewed in plan.

A mask manufacturing method includes the steps of: providing a substrate, wherein the substrate has a surface; forming a photoresist pattern on the substrate and covering a first part of the surface of the substrate with the photoresist pattern; providing a metal frame, wherein the metal frame has an inner wall enclosing a within-frame zone, and an area of the within-frame zone is smaller than an area of the surface of the substrate; assembling the metal frame and the substrate, so as to connect the inner wall with the surface and expose the photoresist pattern to the within-frame zone; and performing metal deposition in the within-frame zone and forming a deposited metal layer on the surface. The invention further provides a mask manufactured by the aforementioned mask manufacturing method.

A mask manufacturing method includes the steps of: providing a substrate, wherein the substrate has a surface; forming a photoresist pattern on the substrate and covering a first part of the surface of the substrate with the photoresist pattern; providing a metal frame, wherein the metal frame has an inner wall enclosing a within-frame zone, and an area of the within-frame zone is smaller than an area of the surface of the substrate; assembling the metal frame and the substrate, so as to connect the inner wall with the surface and expose the photoresist pattern to the within-frame zone; and performing metal deposition in the within-frame zone and forming a deposited metal layer on the surface. The invention further provides a mask manufactured by the aforementioned mask manufacturing method.

A method of fabricating a metal mask includes receiving a metal planar substrate and patterning the metal planar substrate. The metal planar substrate includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The patterning the metal planar substrate includes forming strip-shaped structures, forming through holes, and forming a blind hole in a direction from the first surface to the second surface. The through holes extend to the first surface and the second surface. The through holes and the strip-shaped structures are alternately arranged. The blind hole extends across the through holes.

A mask includes a first sub-mask, a second sub-mask facing the first sub-mask in a first direction and including a boundary surface contacting a boundary surface of the first sub-mask at a boundary portion, and a coupling bar disposed on a lower surface of the first sub-mask and a lower surface of the second sub-mask to connect the first sub-mask to the second sub-mask. Each of the first sub-mask, the second sub-mask, and the coupling bar includes openings. The openings of the coupling bar are aligned with part of the openings of the first and second sub-masks in a thickness direction of the coupling bar.

A method of fabrication in a vacuum chamber. The method comprises: deploying the wafer within the vacuum chamber; applying a mask in a first position over the wafer in the vacuum chamber; following this, performing a first fabrication step comprising projecting material onto the wafer through the mask while in vacuum in the vacuum chamber; then operating a mask-handling mechanism deployed within the vacuum chamber in order to reposition the mask to a second position while remaining in vacuum in the vacuum chamber, wherein the repositioning comprises receiving readings from one or more sensors sensing a current position of the mask and based thereon aligning the current position of the mask to the second position; and following this repositioning, performing a second fabrication step comprising projecting material onto the wafer through patterned openings in the repositioned mask while still maintaining the vacuum in the vacuum chamber.

A deposition mask according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first surface, a second surface that is located opposite the first surface, and two or more through-holes. Each of the through-holes includes a first recess that is located at the first surface and a second recess that is located at the second surface. The deposition mask has a first mask region having a first surface remaining ratio that represents a remaining area ratio of the second surface and a second mask region having a second surface remaining ratio that represents a remaining area ratio of the second surface and that is higher than the first surface remaining ratio.

A mask and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The method of manufacturing a mask includes forming a conductive layer on a pattern region and an auxiliary region around the pattern region of a substrate, placing the substrate including the conductive layer in a plating bath, forming a plating layer on the conductive layer, and separating the substrate and the conductive layer from the plating layer.