CN114875374B

CN114875374B - Transfer chamber, magnetron sputtering coating system and method

Info

Publication number: CN114875374B
Application number: CN202210594170.1A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 邱国维
Original assignee: Anhui Yueyue Electronic Equipment Co ltd
Current assignee: Anhui Yueyue Electronic Equipment Co ltd
Priority date: 2022-05-27
Filing date: 2022-05-27
Publication date: 2023-05-09
Anticipated expiration: 2042-05-27
Also published as: CN114875374A

Abstract

The invention discloses a transfer chamber for a magnetron sputtering coating system, the magnetron sputtering coating system and a method, wherein a plurality of connection ports for workpieces to enter and exit the transfer chamber are arranged on the side wall of the transfer chamber, a rotating platform capable of rotating around a vertical axis is arranged in the transfer chamber, and a transfer device for receiving the workpieces and moving the workpieces out of the transfer chamber through the connection ports is arranged on the rotating platform. The unit chambers can be adjusted correspondingly according to different installation sites.

Description

Transfer chamber, magnetron sputtering coating system and method

Technical Field

The application relates to the technical field of magnetron sputtering coating, in particular to a transfer chamber for a magnetron sputtering coating system, a magnetron sputtering coating system and a magnetron sputtering coating method.

Background

The magnetron sputtering coating technology is mainly applied to the fields of optical films, non-conductive films, electrochromic devices, display screens and the like. In the existing magnetron sputtering coating system, only one material of a coating target is generally used in one process chamber, when a plurality of materials are required to be continuously coated, the process chamber is increased, and the total length, the occupied area and the equipment cost of the corresponding magnetron sputtering coating system are correspondingly increased. The existing magnetron sputtering coating system is fixed in shape and cannot meet the requirements of different types of installation sites. When the magnetron sputtering coating system is built, the situation that the magnetron sputtering coating system is of a certain size and cannot be contained in the installation site is frequently encountered, and the cost performance of the magnetron sputtering coating system is reduced.

Disclosure of Invention

In order to solve the technical problems, the application discloses a transfer chamber, a magnetron sputtering coating system and a magnetron sputtering coating method, wherein the transfer chamber can be correspondingly adjusted according to different installation sites.

The utility model provides a transfer room for magnetron sputtering coating system, be provided with a plurality of mouthfuls of plugging into that supply work piece business turn over transfer room on the lateral wall of transfer room, the inside of transfer room is provided with the rotating platform that can rotate around a vertical axis, be provided with on the rotating platform and accept the work piece and will the work piece shifts out through the mouthfuls of plugging into transfer device of transfer room.

The following provides several alternatives, but not as additional limitations to the above-described overall scheme, and only further additions or preferences, each of which may be individually combined for the above-described overall scheme, or may be combined among multiple alternatives, without technical or logical contradictions.

Optionally, a first power mechanism for driving the rotating platform is arranged outside the transfer chamber, and the transfer device is provided with a second power mechanism.

Optionally, the transfer chamber is divided into a vacuum negative pressure area and a normal pressure area communicated with the external atmosphere, the rotating platform is positioned in the vacuum negative pressure area, and the second power mechanism is positioned in the normal pressure area.

Optionally, the first power mechanism has a first output shaft vertically extending into the transfer chamber and combined with the rotating platform, the first output shaft is of a hollow structure, and the normal pressure area is communicated with the outside atmosphere through an inner cavity of the first output shaft.

Optionally, the transfer device includes the transportation frame of fixing on rotating the platform, it includes base, roof-rack and connects the stand of both to transport the frame, be provided with on the base a plurality of be in on the same horizontal straight line by second power mechanism driven supporting wheel, be provided with guiding mechanism on the roof-rack.

Optionally, the transfer chamber is divided into a vacuum negative pressure area and a normal pressure area communicated with the external atmosphere, the base is of a hollow structure, and the internal space forms the normal pressure area.

Optionally, the first power mechanism is provided with a first output shaft which vertically extends into the transfer chamber and is combined with the rotating platform, the first output shaft is of a hollow structure, and an inner cavity of the first output shaft is communicated with an inner cavity of the base.

Optionally, the base has a first installation face and a second installation face of fixed upright and different in height, has vertical third installation face between first installation face and the second installation face, the supporting wheel is fixed on the third installation face.

Optionally, a transition wheel connected with the transfer device is arranged on the inner side of each connection port.

Optionally, a plurality of rollers surrounding the vertical axis and used for supporting the rotating platform are arranged on the bottom wall of the transfer chamber.

Optionally, the transfer chamber comprises a vertical cylinder, a top plate and a bottom plate for sealing the top and the bottom of the cylinder, and the cross section of the cylinder is regular polygon.

Optionally, supporting feet are arranged on the bottom plate.

The transfer room of this application can change the orientation of adjacent unit room and the whole overall arrangement of equipment line in a flexible way, gets rid of longer equipment line among the prior art and to the restriction in place, and application scene is more extensive.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a transfer chamber for magnetron sputtering coating according to one embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a magnetron sputtering coating system according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the transfer chamber of FIG. 1 from another perspective;

FIG. 4 is a view of the structure of the transfer chamber of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the transfer chamber of FIG. 1 with the top plate and bowl removed;

FIG. 6 is a structural view of the second power mechanism of FIG. 5 from another perspective;

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a transfer chamber at a first output shaft according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 9 is a top view of a transfer device in a transfer chamber in accordance with one embodiment of the present application as docked to a port chamber;

FIG. 10 is a top view of the transfer device of FIG. 9 in rotational engagement with a first process chamber;

fig. 11 is a top view of the transfer device of fig. 10 in rotational engagement with a second process chamber.

Reference numerals in the drawings are described as follows:

100. a transfer chamber; 101. a cylinder; 102. a bottom plate; 103. a top plate; 110. a connection port; 111. a first port; 112. a second port;

120. rotating the platform; 130. a transition wheel; 131. a vacuum negative pressure region; 132. a normal pressure region; 140. a roller; 150. supporting feet;

200. a transfer device; 210. a transfer rack; 211. a base; 212. a top frame; 213. a column; 214. a first mounting surface; 215. a second mounting surface; 216. a third mounting surface;

300. a unit cell; 310. a process chamber; 320. a port chamber; 311. a first process chamber; 312. a second process chamber;

410. a first power mechanism; 411. a first output shaft; 412. a first motor; 420. a second power mechanism; 421. a support wheel; 422. a second motor; 423. a guiding mechanism.

Detailed Description

The following description of the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be made clearly and completely with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application, and it is apparent that the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present application, not all embodiments. All other embodiments, which can be made by one of ordinary skill in the art without undue burden from the present disclosure, are within the scope of the present disclosure.

It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being "connected" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or intervening elements may also be present. When an element is referred to as being "disposed on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or intervening elements may also be present.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein in the description of the present application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The term "and/or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

Referring to fig. 1 to 4, a transfer chamber 100 for a magnetron sputtering coating system is disclosed, wherein a plurality of ports 110 for workpieces (not shown) to enter and exit the transfer chamber 100 are provided on a circumferential side wall of the transfer chamber 100, each port 110 is communicated with a unit chamber 300, and the unit chamber 300 comprises a process chamber 310 responsible for coating and a port chamber 320 responsible for workpiece feeding and discharging. The transfer chamber 100 is responsible for receiving the workpieces and transferring them back to the respective cell chambers. The transfer room 100 is provided with at least two ports 110.

The transfer direction of the workpiece in the transfer chamber 100 is adjustable in such a manner that a rotating platform 120 rotatable around a vertical axis is provided in the transfer chamber 100, and a transfer device 200 for receiving the workpiece and moving the workpiece out of the transfer chamber 100 to other unit chambers 300 through the connection port 110 is provided on the rotating platform 120. The rotating platform 120 can change the space posture, and at this time, the transfer device 200 also changes the workpiece conveying direction due to the rotation of the rotating platform.

The unit cell 300 is provided with a transfer mechanism that engages the transfer device 200, and the work piece is presented through the docking port 110 in a situation that mates with the transfer device 200 and the transfer mechanism, and then exits the transfer device into the unit cell or exits the transfer mechanism into the transfer cell.

The transfer room 100 serves as a branching node in the topology, rotates and conveys the work to a unit room at a corresponding position. The number of ports 110, as well as the angle of each port, may be adjusted depending on the installation environment of the site. And one connection port can be connected with two or more unit chambers in series or connected with one unit chamber in a butt joint mode so as to adapt to different installation environments.

In one embodiment, the transfer chamber 100 comprises a vertical cylinder 101, a top plate 103 and a bottom plate 102 closing the top and bottom of the cylinder, the cross section of the cylinder 101 being a regular polygon. The above connection port 110 emphasizes the communication relationship between the transfer chamber 100 and the adjacent unit chambers 300 mainly from a functional point of view, and in terms of a specific structure, the door plate 500 is installed on the cylinder 101 corresponding to each side, the connection port 110 is opened on the door plate 500, and the connection port 110 is sealed when not abutting the unit chambers. It should be emphasized that the path of movement of the workpiece, viewed from above, is radially outwardly extending about the vertical axis and perpendicular to the respective side.

Referring to fig. 2-6, the transfer chamber 100 requires a negative pressure environment, and therefore the arrangement of the power mechanism for powering the rotary platform 120 and the transfer device 200 is particularly well-suited. In one embodiment, the first power mechanism 410 driving the rotating platform 120 is disposed outside the transfer room 100, and the transfer device 200 has the second power mechanism 420. Wherein the transfer chamber 100 is divided into a vacuum negative pressure region 131 and an atmospheric pressure region 132 communicating with the outside atmosphere, the rotary platform 120 is in the vacuum negative pressure region 131, and the second power mechanism is in the atmospheric pressure region 132.

Because the first power mechanism 410 is in the atmosphere, conventional power and transmission devices can be used. The first power mechanism 410 is provided with a first output shaft 411 which vertically extends into the transfer chamber 100 and is combined with the rotary platform 120, and a first motor 412 for providing power, wherein the first motor 412 and the first output shaft 411 are in belt transmission. The first output shaft 411 is of a hollow structure, and the normal pressure area 132 is communicated with the external atmosphere through the inner cavity of the first output shaft 411. So that the power device in the second power mechanism can also adopt the existing common power.

The transfer device 200 includes a transfer frame 210 fixed to the rotating platform 120, and the rotating platform 120 is a large disc. The transfer rack 210 comprises a base 211, a top rack 212 and a stand column 213 connecting the base 211 and the top rack 212, wherein a plurality of supporting wheels 421 which are positioned on the same horizontal line and driven by a second power mechanism 420 are arranged on the base 211, and a guiding mechanism 423 is arranged on the top rack 212. The supporting wheel 421 and the guide mechanism 423 support the bottom and top of the workpiece, respectively, and in actual operation, the supporting wheel 421 positively/negatively guides the workpiece into/out of the transfer chamber 100 through the docking port 110. The number of the supporting wheels 421 is a plurality of the supporting wheels 421 spaced apart along a straight line passing through the vertical axis. The guiding mechanism employs existing magnetic guiding mechanisms, for example.

The second power mechanism 420 includes a second motor 422 connected to a supporting wheel 421, and the supporting wheel 421 is located in the vacuum negative pressure region 131, and the second motor 422 is located in the normal pressure region 132 in combination with the vacuum negative pressure region 131 and the normal pressure region 132 described above. Referring to fig. 8, in an embodiment, the base 211 is of a hollow structure, the internal space forms the normal pressure area 132, and the normal pressure is formed in such a way that the first output shaft 411 extends into the inner cavity of the base 211.

In one embodiment, the base 211 has a first mounting surface 214 and a second mounting surface 215 with different heights, which are fixed to the upright posts 213, a third vertical mounting surface 216 is disposed between the first mounting surface 214 and the second mounting surface 215, and the supporting wheel 421 and the second motor 422 are respectively disposed on the third mounting surface 216, and the rotation axis of the supporting wheel 421 is perpendicular to the third mounting surface 216.

And the first mounting surface 214 and the second mounting surface 215 are arranged on both sides of the third mounting surface in the horizontal direction, the number of the upright posts 213 is four, two are arranged on one group, and two groups are respectively arranged on the first mounting surface 214 and the second mounting surface 215, so that the guide mechanism corresponds to the supporting wheel in the vertical direction (as shown in fig. 8).

Referring back to fig. 5, because of the large distance between the support wheel 421 and the ports 110, in one embodiment, the inside of each port 110 has a transition wheel 130 disposed on the base plate 102 and engaging the transfer device 200. The support wheel 421 and the transition wheel 130 are in the path of movement of the workpiece.

Referring to fig. 7, the supporting wheel 421 and the transition wheel 130 serve for transferring the workpiece, and in one embodiment, a plurality of rollers 140 disposed around a vertical axis for supporting the rotating platform 120 are disposed on the bottom wall of the transfer chamber 100. On the one hand, the multi-point support of the rotary platform 120 is realized, and on the other hand, the rotary platform 120 rotates more smoothly.

In one embodiment, the base plate 102 is provided with a plurality of support feet 150, with the number of support feet 150 being plural and disposed about a vertical axis. The first motor 412 and the first output shaft 411 are driven by a belt, so that the first motor 412 is eccentrically arranged relative to the vertical axis and is close to the edge of the cylinder 101, thereby being convenient for maintenance and reducing the height of the supporting leg 150.

Referring to fig. 2, 9 and 10, the present application also provides a magnetron sputtering coating system, which includes a plurality of process chambers 310 for performing coating operations, a port chamber 320 for inputting and/or outputting workpieces, and a transfer chamber 100 for interfacing the process chambers 310 and the port chamber 320. The construction of the transfer room 100 refers to the above-described embodiment.

The plurality of unit cells 300 may be connected in a relatively simple or more complex topology, such as a star, a multi-drop tree, or a chain, etc., as desired, and when structural branches are desired, the transfer cells 100 with the plurality of ports 110 may be utilized as branching nodes, with different branches being docked to the respective ports 110, possibly any one unit cell 300 for a particular branch, or a combination of multiple unit cells 300.

The direction of the adjacent unit chambers 300 and the overall layout of the equipment wires can be flexibly changed through the transfer chamber 100, so that the limitation of the longer equipment wires to the field in the prior art is eliminated, and the application scene is wider.

For the process chamber 310, the prior art may be adopted, and it is not emphasized whether to configure the corresponding magnetron sputtering coating device, even if only an installation space or isolation area is provided, the formation of the expected topology structure is not affected, and of course, when the magnetron sputtering coating device is used in combination with the specific technical field of the application, the magnetron sputtering coating device needs to be configured, and in different processes, the magnetron sputtering coating device can adopt the same or different targets as required to adapt to the coating effect expected by each process chamber 310.

In order to achieve preheating or vacuum variation in the port chamber 320 and the transfer chamber 100 to be connected to the process chamber 310 in terms of process flow, the port chamber 320 and the transfer chamber 100 are respectively provided with a vacuum line and a heating device.

Typically, the workpiece is introduced into the process chamber 310 prior to introduction into the process chamber, and particularly from outside the system, and sequentially through the port chamber 320 and the transfer chamber 100. The port chamber 320 is typically of a multi-stage configuration, facilitating a gradient, i.e., a stepwise change in temperature and vacuum, until it matches the ambient conditions of the process chamber 310.

Compared with the prior art, the magnetron sputtering coating system can be used for arbitrarily combining and splicing the process chamber, the transfer chamber and the port chamber according to the shape of the installation site, and is not limited by the shape of the installation site. Has the advantages of small occupied area, less unit chambers and lower equipment cost.

The application also provides a magnetron sputtering coating method, which at least comprises two coating procedures, and comprises the following steps:

referring to fig. 9 to 11, a workpiece to be coated is transferred to a first process chamber 311 through a first connection port 111 of a transfer chamber 100 to perform a first coating process;

after the first coating process is finished, the workpiece returns to the transfer chamber 100 from the first process chamber 311 and is then conveyed to the second process chamber 312 through the second connection port 112 of the transfer chamber 100 for the second coating process;

after the second coating process is completed, the workpiece is returned to the transfer chamber 100 from the second process chamber 312;

the film can be transferred to other process chambers through the transfer chamber 100 to continue the subsequent film plating process, or can be finished according to the actual process requirements.

The transfer path of the workpiece between the transfer chamber 100 and the first process chamber 311 is a first path; the transfer path of the workpiece between the transfer chamber 100 and the second process chamber 312 is a second path; the first path and the second path are arranged in a collinear manner or are arranged at an included angle.

The included angle between the first path and the second path is 30-90 degrees (calculated by acute angle or right angle).

Inside the magnetron sputtering coating system, any two process chambers 310 are directly connected or indirectly connected through at least one transfer chamber 100.

Wherein the process chambers 310 may have one or more targets, each of which may be operated individually or simultaneously, each process chamber 310 may be coupled to one or more transfer chambers 100.

Any of the port chambers 320 is connected to a corresponding process chamber 310 via a transfer chamber 100.

All the unit cells 300 are configured as an equipment line with respect to the overall layout and control, and the equipment line is arranged in a non-linear manner.

The equipment lines are arranged in a star shape centered about a transfer chamber 100, a plurality of process chambers 310 and at least one port chamber 320 are radially distributed about the transfer chamber 100.

The equipment lines are arranged in a multi-drop tree fashion with the port chambers 320 as root nodes and connected to a transfer chamber 100, the transfer chamber 100 connecting at least two process chambers 310 as fork nodes.

The controlled devices of the respective unit cells 300 are independently controlled, or are controlled in linkage.

Controlled devices generally refer to mechanical or electrical switches for driving movement of a component, or changing temperature, electric field, magnetic field, etc., independent control refers to operating one controlled device without necessarily being related to other controlled devices in control logic, linked control refers to operating one controlled device with necessarily being coordinated with another controlled device in control logic, e.g., when preheating of a workpiece in port chamber 320 begins, synchronous temperature increase begins in adjacent transfer chamber 100, etc.

The technical features of the above-described embodiments may be arbitrarily combined, and all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-described embodiments are not described for brevity of description, however, as long as there is no contradiction between the combinations of the technical features, they should be considered as the scope of the description. When technical features of different embodiments are embodied in the same drawing, the drawing can be regarded as a combination of the embodiments concerned also being disclosed at the same time.

The above examples only represent a few embodiments of the present application, which are described in more detail and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the claims. It should be noted that it would be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and improvements could be made without departing from the spirit of the present application, which would be within the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. The transfer chamber is used for a magnetron sputtering coating system and is characterized in that a plurality of connection ports for workpieces to enter and exit the transfer chamber are formed in the side wall of the transfer chamber, a rotating platform capable of rotating around a vertical axis is arranged in the transfer chamber, a transfer device for receiving the workpieces and moving the workpieces out of the transfer chamber through the connection ports is arranged on the rotating platform, a first power mechanism for driving the rotating platform is arranged outside the transfer chamber, and the transfer device is provided with a second power mechanism;

the transfer device comprises a transfer frame fixed on the rotary platform, the transfer frame comprises a base, a top frame and an upright post for connecting the base and the top frame, a plurality of supporting wheels which are positioned on the same horizontal straight line and driven by the second power mechanism are arranged on the base, and a guide mechanism is arranged on the top frame;

the transfer room is divided into a vacuum negative pressure area and a normal pressure area communicated with external atmosphere, the rotating platform is positioned in the vacuum negative pressure area, the second power mechanism is positioned in the normal pressure area, the base is of a hollow structure, the internal space forms the normal pressure area, the first power mechanism is provided with a first output shaft which vertically stretches into the transfer room to be combined with the rotating platform, the first output shaft is of a hollow structure, and the inner cavity of the first output shaft is communicated with the inner cavity of the base.

2. The transfer chamber of claim 1, wherein the first power mechanism has a first output shaft that vertically extends into the transfer chamber and is coupled to the rotating platform, the first output shaft is of hollow structure, and the atmospheric pressure region is in communication with the outside atmosphere through an inner cavity of the first output shaft.

3. The transfer chamber of claim 1, wherein the base has first and second mounting surfaces of different heights with a fixed upright, a third vertical mounting surface between the first and second mounting surfaces, and the support wheel is fixed to the third mounting surface.

4. The transfer chamber of claim 1, wherein the interior side of each port has a transition wheel that engages the transfer device.

5. The transfer chamber of claim 1, wherein a plurality of rollers are provided on a bottom wall of the transfer chamber about the vertical axis for supporting the rotating platform.

6. The transfer chamber of claim 1, wherein the transfer chamber comprises a vertical cylinder, top and bottom plates closing the top and bottom of the cylinder, the cylinder being of regular polygon cross section.

7. The transfer chamber of claim 6, wherein the floor is provided with support feet.

8. Magnetron sputtering coating system characterized by comprising a plurality of process chambers for coating operations, port chambers for inputting and/or outputting workpieces, and a transfer chamber according to any one of claims 1-7 interfacing the process chambers and the port chambers.