CN102356455A

CN102356455A - In-line heat treatment apparatus

Info

Publication number: CN102356455A
Application number: CN2010800123656A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 康浩荣
Original assignee: Terra Semiconductor Inc
Current assignee: Tera Semicon Corp; Terra Semiconductor Inc
Priority date: 2009-03-23
Filing date: 2010-03-22
Publication date: 2012-02-15
Also published as: JP2012521653A; KR101055862B1; WO2010110558A2; TW201041045A; WO2010110558A3; KR20100106042A

Abstract

Disclosed is an in-line heat treatment apparatus in which a driving roller for loading and unloading substrates to and from a chamber for heat treatment has a rotating shaft provided with a heater to perform uniform heat treatment on the substrates and to improve the utilization of the space in the chamber. The in-line heat treatment apparatus according to the present invention continuously heat treats the substrates, and comprises: a chamber (110) which provides a space for heat treating the substrates, having a front opening and a rear opening facing each other; driving roller units (120), each of which comprises a driving roller (122) for supporting and moving the substrates, as well as a hollow rotating shaft (124) penetrating through the driving roller (122); and a heater (130) disposed inside the rotating shaft (124).; The driving roller units (120) are installed in a plurality of rows along the substrate moving direction to load and unload the substrates to and from the chamber (110), and both ends of the heater (130) are fixed at the outer wall of the chamber (110) so as to not be interlocked with the rotating shaft (124).

Description

Online annealing device

Technical field

The present invention relates to a kind of online annealing device of substrate.More particularly; Relate to a kind of online annealing device; It is provided with heater in order to heat-treat to the interior of rotating shaft that chamber loaded and unloaded the driven roller of carried base board, thereby can carry out uniform heat treatment to substrate, and can improve the chamber interior utilization of space.

Background technology

LCD), PDP (Plasma Display Panel: plasma display panel) and OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode: during flat-panel monitor, substrate is heat-treated technology Organic Light Emitting Diode) etc. when using substrate manufacture LCD (Liquid Crystal Display:.

For this reason, for substrate is heat-treated, used transfer mechanism as end effector that substrate is loaded into and heat-treated after the chamber in the prior art.But, in recent years along with the increasing areaization of substrate, when utilizing end effector to carry out the loading operation of substrate, base plate deformation or problem such as impaired appear.

Summary of the invention

Technical task

In order to address these problems; The annealing device of a kind of online (in-line) mode is disclosed; A plurality of driven rollers are arranged in the front and back of chamber continuously, and substrate is loaded in the chamber through driven roller and heat-treats, and heat treatment finishes the back and unloads through driven roller.

But there is following problem in online annealing device, owing to not only be provided with driven roller and the required equipment of operation driven roller in the chamber inboard, also is provided with heater and the required equipment of operation heater, so the cavity space stenosis.

When increasing the chamber scale in order to ensure cavity space, the problem that exists the chamber cost of manufacture to rise.

And, for large-area substrates is carried out heat treatment equably, need heater be set equably in chamber interior, but the problem that exists the chamber interior space to narrow down like this, thereby be difficult to be provided with heater.The problem solution

So; The present invention is intended to solve aforesaid prior art problems, and its purpose is, a kind of online annealing device is provided; Through on the rotating shaft of the driven roller that loads and unload large-area substrates to chamber, heater being set, handle thereby can carry out available heat to substrate.

In addition, its purpose is, a kind of online annealing device is provided, and through at the rotating shaft that loads and unload the driven roller of carried base board to chamber heater being set, thereby can improve the chamber interior utilization of space.

The invention effect

According to the present invention of structure as stated; Be provided with heater owing to being arranged in the inboard rotating shaft that is used to load and unload the driven roller of carried base board of chamber; And can carry out uniform heat supply to substrate, thereby has the effect of effectively heat-treating through the heater that is arranged on the rotating shaft.

In addition, according to the present invention, owing to heater is set in interior of rotating shaft from the driven roller of large-area substrates to chamber that load and unload, thus the equipment that can reduce chamber interior is provided with the space, improves the space availability ratio of chamber interior.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 is the sketch map of the structure of the online annealing device that relates to of expression one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is the exploded perspective view of the structure of the online annealing device that relates to of expression one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 3 is the details drawing of the A part of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is the sketch map that is illustrated in the connecting state of rotating shaft among Fig. 3, driving pulley and heater.

Fig. 5 is the line cutaway view of the B-B line of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is the line cutaway view of the C-C line of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is the details drawing of the D part of Fig. 6, is the sketch map of an example of expression heater.

Fig. 8 is the details drawing of the D part of Fig. 6, is another routine sketch map of expression heater.

Reference numeral

100: online annealing device

110: chamber

112: the first openings

114: the second openings

116: the three openings

120: the driven roller unit

122: driven roller

124: rotating shaft

126: driving pulley

128: driving belt

130: heater

132: terminal

134: mounting flange

140: the interlock belt wheel

142: the interlock belt

150: motor

152: motor pulley

154: regulating wheel

160: fixed support

162: the hole

Embodiment

To achieve these goals, the online annealing device that the present invention relates to can carry out continuous heat treatment to substrate, it is characterized in that, comprising: chamber provides the space that said substrate is heat-treated, and mutually opposedly has formed opening in front and back; The driven roller unit comprises driven roller that supports and move said substrate and the rotating shaft that runs through the hollow shape of said driven roller; And heater, be configured in the inboard of said rotating shaft; Said driven roller unit is provided with a plurality of along the moving direction of said substrate; Be used for loading said substrate and unloading said substrate from said chamber to said chamber; And the two ends of said heater are fixed on the outer wall of said chamber, do not link in the action of said rotating shaft.

Said driven roller unit can be provided with the loading and the uninstall direction quadrature ground of said substrate.

A plurality of said driven rollers unit can link each other.

Also comprise: the interlock belt wheel is separately positioned on an end of a plurality of said rotating shafts; And the interlock belt, be used to link said a plurality of interlock belt wheel; Be driven through in said a plurality of interlock belt wheels any, said a plurality of driven rollers unit can link.

On an end of said rotating shaft, can link the driving pulley that is used to receive external motivating force.

On the two ends of said heater, can be provided with the terminal that is used to receive foreign current.

At the mounting flange that can be provided with on the two ends of said heater on the outer wall that said heater is fixed on said chamber.

Inside at said heater can be provided with: pipe is used to flow into cooling water or refrigerating gas; And heater wire, through external power source heating and wrap up the outer surface of said pipe.

On the two ends, inside of said heater, conductor can be provided with, the heater that generates heat from said conductor received current can be provided with in the central interior of said heater from outside received current.

The length of said heater can form corresponding with the length of said substrate.

Below, the structure that present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying.

Fig. 1 is the sketch map of the structure of the online annealing device 100 that relates to of expression one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is the exploded perspective view of the structure of the online annealing device 100 that relates to of expression one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 3 is the details drawing of the A part of presentation graphs 1.

Fig. 4 is the sketch map that is illustrated in the connecting state of rotating shaft 124 among Fig. 3, driving pulley 126 and heater 130.

Fig. 5 is the line cutaway view of the B-B line section of presentation graphs 3.

Fig. 6 is the line cutaway view of the C-C line section of presentation graphs 1.

Fig. 7 is the details drawing of the D part of Fig. 6, the sketch map of an example of expression heater 130.

Fig. 8 is the details drawing of the D part of Fig. 6, another routine sketch map of expression heater 130.

At first, online annealing device 100 of the present invention comprises: chamber 110 provides the space of heat-treating in inside; Heater (not shown) is arranged on the inside or the outside of chamber 110, is used for heated substrates (not shown); Gas supply pipe (not shown) is supplied with the gas that is used to form Technology for Heating Processing atmosphere; And blast pipe (not shown), be used to discharge gas.At this, the structure of heater, gas supply pipe, blast pipe is the known technology in present technique field, and the Therefore, omited is to its detailed description.

In addition, the material of the substrate that subtend online annealing device 100 of the present invention loads is not done special qualification, can load the substrate of multiple materials such as glass, plastics, polymer, silicon wafer, stainless steel.Below with at the flat-panel monitor as LCD or OLED, or the most frequently used rectangle glass in thin film silicon solar cell field is that example describes.

In addition, in Fig. 1 to Fig. 8, illustrate online annealing device 100 of the present invention and be single processing formula of a substrate of single treatment, but be not limited thereto.Therefore, online annealing device 100 of the present invention according to utilizing the object of the invention, also can be the batch processing formula that can handle a plurality of substrates simultaneously.

The online annealing device 100 that one embodiment of the invention relate to has been shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2.More particularly, Fig. 1 direction initialization diagram, the design feature of the online annealing device 100 that relates to outstanding one embodiment of the invention in Fig. 2, is decomposed the structure that the online annealing device 100 that one embodiment of the invention relate to is shown.

With reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the online annealing device 100 that one embodiment of the invention relate to can comprise chamber 110.Chamber 110 is constituted as, heat-treat technology during make the inner space airtight in fact, thereby can be provided for the heat treated space of substrate.The shape of chamber 110 is not limited to given shape, but preferred like Fig. 1 and cuboid shown in Figure 2.

Refer again to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, on the front surface of chamber 110, can form first opening 112 with Rack and height.First opening 112 like this can play the effect of the passage of mounting substrate.For heat-treat technology during airtight chamber 110 inside, need sealing first opening 112, therefore, on first opening 112, can be provided with the door (not shown) that opens and closes at above-below direction.

Refer again to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, (that is the opposition side of first opening 112) can form second opening 114 with Rack and height on the rear surface of chamber 110.Second opening 114 like this can play the channeling that unloads carried base board.Similar with first opening 112, for heat-treat technology during airtight chamber 110 inside, need sealing second opening 114, therefore, on second opening 114, can be provided with the door (not shown) that opens and closes at above-below direction.

Refer again to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, on the upper face of chamber 110, can form the 3rd opening 116 with Rack and height.Can keep in repair and change being arranged on chamber 110 inner inscapes (for example, gas supply pipe and blast pipe etc.) through above-mentioned the 3rd opening 116.Similar with first and second opening 112,114, for heat-treat technology during airtight chamber 110 inside, need sealing the 3rd opening 116, therefore, on the 3rd opening 116, can be provided with the lid that can open and close.

In addition, though not shown among Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, can be provided with the framework (not shown) that is used to support chamber 110 at the downside of chamber 110.The preferred stainless steel of such frame material, but be not limited thereto.

Secondly, refer again to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the online annealing device 100 that one embodiment of the invention relate to can comprise a plurality of driven rollers unit 120, and the moving direction along substrate is provided with a plurality of in chamber 110 inside in this driven roller unit 120.Following function can be carried out in a plurality of driven rollers unit 120 like this; The substrate that loads through first opening 112 is moved; And in the process that substrate is heat-treated supporting substrates, to finish heat treated substrate substrate moved to second opening 114 in order to unload then.

In order to carry out these functions smoothly, like Fig. 1 and shown in Figure 2, preferred a plurality of driven rollers unit 120 is arranged on respect to the direction of loading and unloading the direction quadrature of carried base board.And based on similar reason, preferred driven roller unit 120 is arranged on chamber 110 inside with equal height.

And, based on similar reason, preferred a plurality of driven rollers unit 120 interlocks (that is, during 120 actions of arbitrary driven roller unit, other driven roller unit 120 also follows by action).For this reason, online annealing device 100 can also comprise interlock belt wheel 140 and interlock belt 142, to after this stating.

In addition; Though not shown among Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, at the front side and the rear side of chamber 110, promptly the outside of first opening 112 and second opening 114 can be provided with a plurality of and the 120 different independent driven roller unit (not shown) in the inner driven roller unit that is provided with of chamber 110 respectively.

This independent driven roller unit can be so that load and unload carried base board to chamber 110.In order to improve this function, preferably link each other with independent driven roller unit in the chamber 110 inner driven roller unit that are provided with 120.

In addition, refer again to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, driven roller unit 120 can comprise driven roller 112 and rotating shaft 124.

At first, the outer surface of the rotating shaft of stating behind driven roller 122 edges 124 forms, and contacts with the lower surface of substrate, can carry out and move the function that reaches supporting substrates.As shown in Figure 2, preferably each driven roller unit 120 comprises a plurality of driven rollers 122.Thereby, can more stably carry out moving of substrate and supporting through driven roller 122.

Like this, when each driven roller unit 120 comprised a plurality of driven roller 122, included a plurality of driven rollers 122 in each driven roller unit 120 can form with different in width according to the position is set, but preferred diameter were all identical.In addition, the quantity of included driven roller 122 preferably determines in the substrate that loads can be stablized the scope that moves and support in each driven roller unit 120.

In addition, like Fig. 7 and shown in Figure 8, in each driven roller unit 120 in included a plurality of driven rollers 122, be configured in to form to prevent to break away from the side of driven roller 122 outer peripheral faces on the outside, both sides and use flange 122a.Prevent to break away from and to carry out the function that prevents that substrate breaks away from from rotine positioning with flange 122a.

Secondly, rotating shaft 124 is provided with the mode that connects driven roller 122 central shafts, can carry out the function of rotation driven roller 122.More particularly, rotating shaft 124 is to receive actuating force from the outside and be that the center is rotated with its longitudinal axis, can make driven roller 122 rotations that form along its outer peripheral face.

In order to rotate driven roller 122, the two ends of rotating shaft 124 can through as after mechanism the mounting flange 134 stated rotatably be connected on the two side of chamber 110.And, in order to receive actuating force from the outside, on an end of rotating shaft 124, can be provided with driving pulley 126.Driving pulley 126 can be carried out the function that rotary driving force is passed to rotating shaft 124, for example, as shown in Figure 4, can receive motor-driven power and this actuating force is passed to rotating shaft 124 through motor pulley 152 and driving belt 128.

Driving pulley 126 can be arranged on arbitrary position of rotating shaft 124, but as shown in Figure 4, can preferably be located on an end of the chamber 110 outside rotating shafts 124 that extend.More particularly, the sidewall that an end of rotating shaft 124 can be through chamber 110 can be provided with driving pulley 126 to chamber 110 outside long extensions at the position of extending like this, so that receive actuating force from the outside.

And driving pulley 126 also can be arranged on the end of each rotating shaft 124, but as shown in Figure 2, can preferably be arranged on the rotating shaft 124 in a plurality of rotating shafts 124.The reason of She Zhiing is in order to make a plurality of driven rollers unit 120 be easy to mutual interlock like this.The interlock of such driven roller unit 120 reaches through following structure.

With reference to Fig. 4, as stated, online annealing device 100 can also comprise: interlock belt wheel 140 and interlock belt 142.Interlock belt wheel 140 is separately positioned on the end of a plurality of rotating shafts 124, can carry out the function that makes 120 interlocks of driven roller unit.Interlock belt 142 is configured to contact with the outer peripheral face of a plurality of interlock belt wheels 140, can play the function of a plurality of interlock belt wheels 140 of mutual binding.

Make the principle of driven roller unit 120 interlocks following through this interlock belt wheel 140 and interlock belt 142.At first, receive actuating force from the outside and when driving, the interlock belt 142 that contacts with its outer peripheral face is driven when a certain interlock belt wheel 140 in a plurality of interlock belt wheels 140.Thus, other interlock belt wheel 140 that contacts with interlock belt 142 drives successively, and a plurality of driven rollers of its result unit 120 links each other.

Through this principle, can know that then all driven roller unit 120 all can link as long as a certain interlock belt wheel 140 receives actuating force.As shown in Figure 4, the transmission of preferred such actuating force is carried out by driving pulley 126, and therefore, preferred driving pulley 126 only is arranged on the some rotating shafts 124 in a plurality of rotating shafts 124.

At this moment, as shown in Figure 4, driving pulley 126 can be formed adjacent to each other with interlock belt wheel 140.At this point, considering the drive pulley 126 and pulley 140 driven linkage principle, can the outer wall of the chamber 110 is set

-shaped curved mounting bracket 160.Fixed support 160 rotatably combines with the rotating shafts 124 that extend to chamber 110 outsides, can be formed with the hole 162 that driving belt 128 passes through in its underpart.Thus, the actuating force of motor 150 is that medium is passed on the driving pulley 126 with driving belt 128, thereby can rotate rotating shaft 124 smoothly.And fixed support 160 can have open two sides.Thus, interlock belt 142 open two sides and passing through on fixed support 160, thus the interlock of driven roller unit 120 is more successfully carried out.

In addition, when driven roller unit 120 links with interlock belt 142 through interlock belt wheel 140, on chamber 110, can also be provided for the regulating wheel 154 of adjustment of tonicity.As shown in Figure 4, regulating wheel 154 is close to interlock belt 142 and is regulated the tension force of belt 142 that links, thereby realizes the transmission of actuating force easily.Preferred regulating wheel 154 constitutes a plurality of, and on the position between a plurality of interlock belt wheels 140, is close to interlock belt 142.

Certainly, as long as rotating shaft 124 can receive outside actuating force and rotate, and a plurality of rotating shaft 124 can link each other, and the inscape that then the present invention adopted and this action etc. are not limited to foregoing.

In addition, rotating shaft 124 not only can be carried out the function of rotation driven roller 122, and the portion within it of can also playing provides the function in the space that heater 130 is set.For this reason, as shown in Figure 5, rotating shaft 124 can form the hollow shape that is formed with the space along central shaft in the inboard.Observe the heater 130 of design feature of the present invention below.

With reference to Fig. 5, the online annealing device 100 that one embodiment of the invention relate to can comprise heater 130.Heater 130 can produce heat and this heat is imposed on substrate through the electric current of supplying with from the outside.This heater 130 is arranged in the inner space of rotating shaft 124, thereby can effectively carry out the heat treatment to substrate, improves the utilance of chamber 110 inner spaces.

And with reference to Fig. 5, the two ends of heater 130 are fixed on the both sides outer wall of chamber 110.Its reason is, when rotating shaft 124 rotates for moving substrate, prevents heater 130 rotations, make thus with after the heater 130 that is connected of outside terminal 132 grades stated easy to maintenance.For this reason, heater 130 can be configured in the inner space of rotating shaft 124, but its length is longer than the length of rotating shaft 124.Thus, extend to chamber 110 outsides through the two ends of rotating shaft 124 at the two ends of heater 130, and the two ends of the heater 130 that extends like this can be fixed on the both sides outer wall of chamber 110.

For heater 130 is fixed on the both sides outer wall of chamber 110, on the two ends of heater 130, mounting flange 134 can be set.Mounting flange 134 can be carried out following function, fixing two ends from the outstanding heater 130 of rotating shaft 124, thereby even rotating shaft 124 rotations, heater 130 does not rotate yet.When mounting flange 134 is arranged on the two ends of heater 130, as shown in Figure 3, can make mounting flange 134 be located at the side of the fixed support 160 that is provided with on chamber 110 outer walls.

In addition, on the extension at heater 130 two ends, terminal 132 can be set.This terminal 132 can be carried out the function that external power is passed to heater 130 and make heater 130 heatings.Terminal 132 to utilizing among the present invention is not done special qualification, can utilize multiple terminal.

In addition, the heater 130 that one embodiment of the invention relate to can have the structure of following shape: portion is provided with the pipe that flows into cooling water or refrigerating gas within it, and the heater wire that generates heat through external power source is set on the outer surface of this pipe.As long as can have form as stated, then the inner concrete structures of heater 130 are not done special qualification, but can be preferably as shown in Figure 7 structure.

With reference to Fig. 7, the first pipe 130a of hollow shape and separate the second pipe 130b of prescribed distance configuration around the outer peripheral face of the first pipe 130a and with the first pipe 130a is arranged in the central shaft internal configurations of heater 130.In addition, the outer peripheral face of the second pipe 130b also separates prescribed distance with the inner peripheral surface of rotating shaft 124, though not shown, at the coil form heater wire (not shown) that disposes in the space around the first pipe 130a that separates of the first pipe 130a and the second pipe 130b.Through adopting this structure, the heat that heater wire produces can be imposed on the substrate of driven rolls 122 supportings, thereby carry out the heat treatment of substrate.And, after heat treatment finishes, in order to unload carried base board, to interior side inflow cooling water or the refrigerating gas of the first pipe 130a, thus the inside of cooling chamber 110 rapidly.

At this, the heater wire material can comprise nichrome, and the material of first and second pipe 130a, 130b can comprise quartz.In addition, the structure that provides cooling water or refrigerating gas to flow into to the first pipe 130a can be utilized disclosed structure in korean patent application 2008-110813 number and korean patent application 2008-110814 number.

In addition, in the heater 130 that one embodiment of the invention relate to, on the portion two ends conductor 130d is set within it, central authorities of portion are provided with heater 130c within it.More particularly; With reference to Fig. 8; The conductor 130d that receives foreign currents through terminal 132 can be set on heater 130 inner two ends, and produce heat through the electric current that receives from conductor 130d and heat imposed on the heater 130c of substrate in heater 130 central interior settings.Through adopting this structure, can preferentially on heater 130c, produce heat, thereby can effectively carry out the heat treatment of substrate.

The material of heater 130c can comprise nichrome or kanthal (Kanthal), and the material of conductor 130d can comprise stainless steel (SUS).And in order more effectively to carry out the heat treatment of substrate, it is corresponding with substrate length that heater 130c is constituted.

The action of the online annealing device 100 of Gou Chenging is identical with the manner of execution of conventional online mode annealing device with the Technology for Heating Processing of passing through it as stated, and the Therefore, omited describes in detail.

When the heat that utilizes heater 130 to produce is in the present invention heat-treated substrate; Because the plate face of substrate is positioned at the position parallel with heater 130; Therefore the heat of heater 130 generations puts on whole base plate equably, thereby can realize heat treatment equably.

In addition, because heater 130 is configured in the inside of rotating shaft 124, thereby can reduce the space that is used to be provided with heater 130 in chamber interior.

The aforesaid preferred illustrated embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, but is not limited to said embodiment, in the scope that does not break away from thought of the present invention, can carry out various deformation through person of ordinary skill in the field of the present invention.Will be understood that these variation and change example, all belong in the claim scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. an online annealing device can carry out continuous heat treatment to substrate, it is characterized in that, comprising:

Chamber provides the space that said substrate is heat-treated, and mutually opposedly has formed opening in front and back;

The driven roller unit comprises driven roller that supports and move said substrate and the rotating shaft that runs through the hollow shape of said driven roller; And

Heater is configured in the inboard of said rotating shaft;

Said driven roller unit is provided with a plurality of along the moving direction of said substrate, is used for loading said substrate and unloading said substrate from said chamber to said chamber,

The two ends of said heater are fixed on the outer wall of said chamber, and not with the action of said rotating shaft interlock.

2. online annealing device as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that,

Said driven roller unit is configured to loading and the uninstall direction quadrature with said substrate.

3. online annealing device as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that,

A plurality of said driven rollers unit links each other.

4. online annealing device as claimed in claim 3 is characterized in that, also comprises:

The interlock belt wheel is separately positioned on an end of a plurality of said rotating shafts; And,

The interlock belt is used to link said a plurality of interlock belt wheel;

Through some being driven in a plurality of said interlock belt wheels, a plurality of said driven rollers unit links each other.

5. online annealing device as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that,

On an end of said rotating shaft, link the driving pulley that is used to receive external motivating force.

6. online annealing device as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that,

The two ends of said heater are provided with the terminal that is used to receive foreign current.

7. online annealing device as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that,

The two ends of said heater are provided with said heater are fixed on the mounting flange on the outer wall of said chamber.

8. online annealing device as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that, is provided with in the inside of said heater:

Pipe is used to flow into cooling water or refrigerating gas; And heater wire, through external power source heating and wrap up the outer surface of said pipe.

9. online annealing device as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that,

The two ends, inside of said heater are provided with the conductor from outside received current, are provided with the heater that generates heat from said conductor received current in the central interior of said heater.

10. online annealing device as claimed in claim 9 is characterized in that,

The length of said heater forms corresponding with the length of said substrate.