A system for depositing a pattern of material on a first region of a substrate through an arrangement of through-holes in a shadow mask that includes a handle substrate and a membrane , wherein the substrate includes a first major surface and a second major surface that comprises the first region, and wherein the handle substrate has a first thickness, a central opening, and a third major surface and the membrane is suspended over the central opening and includes a fourth major surface that comprises the through-holes, the system comprising: a first chuck for holding the substrate, the first chuck being dimensioned and arranged to selectively impart a first attractive force on the first major surface; a second chuck for holding the shadow mask, the second chuck comprising a frame that surrounds a first opening that enables the material to pass through the second chuck to the through-holes, the second chuck having a mounting surface that defines a first plane and being dimensioned and arranged to selectively impart a second attractive force between the mounting surface and the third major surface; and an alignment system for controlling the relative position of the first chuck and the second chuck to align the shadow mask and the substrate; wherein the first chuck, second chuck, and alignment system collectively enable alignment of the substrate and shadow mask with a separation between them that is greater than 0 microns and less than or equal to 25 microns; wherein the system is characterized by the second chuck including a support grid that is attached to the frame via a plate , wherein the support grid is located within the first opening and includes a plurality of support ribs , each having a first surface , and wherein the plurality of first surfaces are coplanar in a second plane that is separated from the first plane by a distance equal to the first thickness. a first chuck for holding the substrate, the first chuck being dimensioned and arranged to selectively impart a first attractive force on the first major surface; a second chuck for holding the shadow mask, the second chuck comprising a frame that surrounds a first opening that enables the material to pass through the second chuck to the through-holes, the second chuck having a mounting surface that defines a first plane and being dimensioned and arranged to selectively impart a second attractive force between the mounting surface and the third major surface; and an alignment system for controlling the relative position of the first chuck and the second chuck to align the shadow mask and the substrate; wherein the first chuck, second chuck, and alignment system collectively enable alignment of the substrate and shadow mask with a separation between them that is greater than 0 microns and less than or equal to 25 microns; wherein the system is characterized by the second chuck including a support grid that is attached to the frame via a plate , wherein the support grid is located within the first opening and includes a plurality of support ribs , each having a first surface , and wherein the plurality of first surfaces are coplanar in a second plane that is separated from the first plane by a distance equal to the first thickness. <EOS>