Ossila's vacuum deposition masks have been specifically designed for our standardised 6-pixel substrates, which are used for the fabrication of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and photovoltaic devices. At Ossila, we offer a range of masks for sale which can be used in a variety of different applications. These include the deposition of electrodes of varying sizes for the screening of new materials, masks for the deposition of semiconducting active/interfacial materials, and masks for the deposition of our 6-pixel design. All masks are made from stainless steel with the option of an additional spacer layer. More information on the general specifications of the masks can be found below. The following masks are suitable for use with our S101 substrate design:
- Small-area electrode masks - For the deposition of small area electrodes for defining devices with an active area of 0.45mm2
- Standard electrode masks - Defines two electrode stripes that overlap with the predeposited ITO to form 6 individual pixels per substrate with an active area of 4.5mm2
- Reduced resistance electrode masks - Defines a single large electrode strip that overlaps the predopsited ITO to form 6 individual pixels with active areas of 4.5mm2
- Active material masks - For the deposition of semiconducting material onto individual electrodes
- TCO deposition masks - For deposition of transparent conducting films with the exact dimensions of our S101 design, is compatible with our ultra flat quartz, and silicon oxide.
Spacer Layers
Each mask has the option of the addition of a 200 µm spacer layer that can be placed between the mask and the substrate. This spacer layer reduces the direct contact between the surface of the substrate and the mask by over 98%. This is recommended for samples that are easily scratched or for porous samples that experience a large amount of out-gassing. For sputtering or other non-directional deposition techniques, the spacer layer is not recommended as the presence of a spacer layer will reduce the precision of your deposited edge.
Deposition Mask Specifications and Designs
General Specifications
| Material | Stainless steel |
| Outer Dimensions | 75mm x 75mm |
| Substrate Recesses | 12 |
| Recess Dimensions | 20.3mm x 15.3mm |
| Thickness | 1.9mm without spacer, 2.1mm with spacer |
Small-Area Electrode Mask
Ossila's small-area electrode mask has been designed for use with the most advanced materials, where small defects in deposited layers can significantly impact device performance and characterisation. By limiting the active area of the device, the probability of a defect being present within the device stack is reduced, allowing you to truly determine a material's maximum possible performance. Each individual pixel has an active area of 0.45mm2. The deposition pattern is shown to the right, overlaid onto our S101 substrate.
The schematic drawing of our small area electrode mask can be seen below:
Standard Electrode Mask
Ossila's standard electrode mask is our first and most popular pre-patterned electrode design, two electrode strips of 3mm width are used to complete 3 device stacks each producing a total of 6 individual pixels per substrate with a total active area of 4.5mm2. The deposition pattern is shown to the right overlaid onto our S101 substrate.
The schematic drawing of our standard electrode mask can be seen below:
Reduce Resistance Electrode Mask
Ossila's reduced resistance mask is a modified version of our standard electrode design, where a single electrode strip is used to define all 6 pixels. The advantage of using a wider strip for the electrode is that the reduction in sheet resistance within the film allows for small increases in the maximum achievable performance of devices. The active area of each pixel is the same as the standard electrode at 4.5mm2. The deposition pattern is shown to the right overlaid onto our S101 substrate.
The schematic drawing of our reduced resistance electrode mask can be seen below:
Active Material Mask
Ossila's active area deposition mask is used for depositing material directly where the pixels for each device are going to be. This mask is suited for the deposition of both interfacial layers and the active material being studied with the device, in addition this mask is compatible with all three electrode deposition masks. By limiting the area of deposition of interfacial and active materials the encapsulation of devices can be made more effective, this is due to the reduction in transport via interfaces between layers. The deposition pattern is shown to the right overlaid onto our S101 substrate.
The schematic drawing of our active area mask can be seen below:
TCO Deposition Mask
Ossila's transparent conducting oxide (TCO) deposition mask can be used to deposit additional layers on top of our pre-patterned S101 6-pixel substrates. In addition, this mask can be used to deposit the 6-pixel design onto other substrates -- such as our ultra flat quartz substrates, or silicon oxide substrates if you wish to fabricate devices using your own TCO layers. The deposition pattern is shown to the right overlaid onto our ultra flat quartz substrate.
To the best of our knowledge, the technical information provided here is accurate. However, Ossila assume no liability for the accuracy of this information. The values provided here are typical at the time of manufacture and may vary over time and from batch to batch.
About Ossila Founded in 2009 by organic electronics research scientists, Ossila aims to provide the components, equipment, and materials to enable intelligent and efficient scientific research and discovery. Over a decade on, we're proud to supply our products to over 1000 different institutions in over 80 countries globally. With decades of academic and industrial experience in developing organic and thin-film LEDs, photovoltaics, and FETs, we know how long it takes to establish a reliable and efficient device fabrication and testing process. As such, we have developed coherent packages of products and services - enabling researchers to jump-start their organic electronics development program. The Ossila Guarantee Free Worldwide Shipping Eligible orders ship free to anywhere in the world Fast Secure Dispatch Rapid dispatch on in-stock items via secure tracked courier services Quality Assured Backed up by our free two year warranty on all equipment Clear Upfront Pricing Clear pricing in over 30 currencies with no hidden costs Large Order Discounts Save 8% on orders over $10,300.00 and 10% on orders over $12,900.00 Expert Support Our in-house scientists and engineers are always ready to help Trusted Worldwide Great products and service. Have already recommended to many people. Dr. Gregory Welch, University of Calgary Wonderful company with reasonably priced products and so customer-friendly! Shahriar Anwar, Arizona State University The Ossila Team Prof. David Lidzey - Chairman As professor of physics at the University of Sheffield, Prof. David Lidzey heads the university’s Electronic and Photonic Molecular Materials research group (EPMM). During his career, David has worked in both academic and technical environments, with his main areas of research including hybrid organic-inorganic semiconductor materials and devices, organic photonic devices and structures and solution processed photovoltaic devices. Throughout his academic career, he has authored over 220 peer-reviewed papers. Dr. James Kingsley - Managing Director James is a co-founder and managing director of Ossila. With a PhD in quantum mechanics/nanotech and over 12 years’ experience in organic electronics, his work on the fabrication throughput of organic photovoltaics led to the formation of Ossila and the establishment of a strong guiding ethos: to speed up the pace of scientific discovery. James is particularly interested in developing innovative equipment and improving the accessibility of new materials for solution-processable photovoltaics and hybrid organic-inorganic devices. Dr. Alastair Buckley - Technical Director Alastair is a lecturer of Physics at the University of Sheffield, specialising in organic electronics and photonics. He is also a member of the EPMM research group with a focus on understanding and applying the intrinsic advantages of functional organic materials to a range of optoelectronic devices. Alastair’s experience has not been gained solely in academia; he previously led the R&D team at MicroEmissive Displays and therefore has extensive technical experience in OLED displays. He is also the editor and contributor of "Organic Light-Emitting Diodes" by Elsevier. Our Research Scientists Our research scientists and product developers have significant experience in the synthesis and processing of materials and the fabrication and testing of devices. The vision behind Ossila is to share this experience with academic and industrial researchers alike, and to make their research more efficient. By providing products and services that take the hard work out of the device fabrication process, and the equipment to enable accurate, rapid testing, we can free scientists to focus on what they do best - science. Customer Care Team The customer care team is responsible for the customer journey at Ossila. From creating and providing quotes, through to procurement and inventory management, the customer care team is devoted to providing first class customer service. The general day to day responsibilities of a customer care team member involves processing customers orders and price queries, answering customer enquiries, arranging the shipment of parcels and notifying customers of updates on their orders. Collaborations and Partnerships Please contact the customer care team for all enquires, including technical questions about Ossila products or for advice on fabrication and measurement processes. Location and Facilities Ossila is based at the Solpro Business Park in Attercliffe, Sheffield. We operate a purpose-built synthetic chemistry and device testing laboratory on site, where all of our high-purity, batch-specific polymers and other formulations are made. This is complemented by a dedicated suite of thin-film and organic electronics testing and analysis tools within the device fabrication cluster housed in a class 1000 cleanroom in the EPSRC National Epitaxy Facility in Sheffield. All our electronic equipment is manufactured on-site.
