DE102016120006A1 - Coating device with a gas inlet element arranged under the substrate in the direction of gravity - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for coating one or more substrates (1) with a gas inlet element (2) for introducing a mask (3) masking the substrate (1) and a mask (3) to form a coating (4, 4 '). condensing or reacting gaseous starting material into a process space (6) arranged between the gas inlet element (2) and a substrate holder (5) for holding the one or more substrates, and with one from a storage position outside the process space (6) into a screen position into the process space ( 6) bringable screen element (7) having a closed screen surface which lies in the screen position between the gas inlet member and the mask. The substrate holder (5) is arranged opposite to the effective direction of gravity (G) above the gas inlet member (2). The screen element (7) has on its side facing the substrate holder (5) side of the screen surface on a recess (8,12) for collecting from the mask (3) solving particles of the coating (4 ') or is at least partially with an electrostatically chargeable Cloth (12) clothed.

Description

Field of engineering

The invention relates to a device for coating one or more substrates, comprising a gas inlet member for introducing a gaseous starting material condensing or reacting on the substrate and a mask masking the mask into a coating between the gas inlet member and a substrate holder for holding the one or more substrates arranged process space and with a can be brought from a storage position outside the process space in a screen position in the process space screen element having a closed screen surface, which lies in the screen position between the gas inlet member and the mask.

State of the art

A device of the type described above is in the EP 2 536 865 B1 described. A substrate holder is arranged in a process chamber in the direction of gravity below a gas inlet member. At least one substrate is applied to the substrate holder. Gaseous starting materials, for example vapors transported by means of a carrier gas, are fed into the process chamber through the gas inlet element. The vapors condense on the surface of the substrate to a particular organic layer. In order to structure this layer into separate sub-layer sections, for example for the production of OLED screens, a contact mask is applied to the substrate before the coating, so that the coating takes place only in the windows of the contact mask. However, a coating also takes place on the web sections of the mask.

During the Subtratwechsels or the mask change the tempered gas inlet member is shielded by a screen element from the likewise tempered substrate holder. A first section of the process chamber, which is in particular heated and which contains the gas inlet member, is thus separated from a second section of the process chamber, which is, for example, cooled.

It may be technologically necessary to reverse the device with respect to the effective direction of gravity, so that the substrate holder holding the substrate - is arranged above the gas inlet member - with respect to the gravity effect. While in the orientation described above, the mask is held by gravity on the substrate or susceptor, it may be necessary in the upside-down orientation, the substrate and the mask by supplemental means, in particular forces on the downwardly facing support surface of the substrate holder to tie up. In particular, the mask is held mechanically supported only at the edge, so that it can bend downwards in the middle region after being released from the substrate. This mechanical deformation can lead to detachment of the deposited on the webs of the mask layer.

From the US 5,407,485 . US 2010/044213 and US 8,617,314 In each case, a method for the production of semiconductor layers is known, in which the gas inlet member is arranged below a substrate holder. Between substrate holder and gas inlet member, a shielding element can be brought.

Summary of the invention

The invention has for its object to provide measures to avoid that fall when handling the mask of the coating of the mask webs detaching particles on the gas inlet member.

The object is achieved by the invention specified in the claims. The dependent claims represent advantageous developments, but at the same time also form independent solutions to the problem.

First and foremost, it is proposed that a screen element, which has a closed screen surface, is brought from a custody position outside the process chamber into a screen position into the process chamber. The screen element then occupies a position above which the substrate holder, the substrate and the mask are arranged and below the screen element the gas inlet member. If the mask is now detached from the substrate, for example by a horizontal displacement of a mask holder engaging only at the edge of the mask, and if the mask bends as a result of the action of gravity, then particles dissolving from the top of the mask can fall off the mask but become collected by the provided on the screen plate means for collecting the particles. In a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the means for collecting the particles are formed by at least one recess on the side of the screen surface facing the substrate holder. The screen surface preferably has a floor plan that is larger than the outline of the mask. The falling of the mask at a correspondingly low total pressure in the process chamber particles can then collect in the recess. But it can also be provided that the shield plate is electrostatically chargeable with the means. For this purpose, it is provided in particular that the shielding element has an electrostatically chargeable film. This measure is particularly useful if it is to be ensured that even particles with a mean particle diameter of one micron or smaller accumulate on the screen surface. As a means for generating the electrostatic charge, a high voltage generator may be provided, with the selected surface portions of the screen surface, which are electrically isolated from the environment, can be statically charged. The attractive electrostatic forces which then act on the particles detaching from the mask give the particles a movement directed towards the screen element. The electrostatic potential is generated such that the particles do not charge when they touch the surface of the shielding element. The surface of the shielding element can therefore be designed to be electrically insulating. Underneath is preferably a metallization which can be brought to an electrical potential. For this purpose, it is provided, in particular, that the broad side surface of the screen element facing the substrate holder is coated or coated with electrostatically chargeable films. The shield element can occupy two positions. In a storage position, the screen element is located in a storage chamber. This chamber may be connected to the process chamber with an opening. This opening can be closed with a gate or a slide. Within the storage chamber, the screen element can be cleaned. There, in particular, means are provided for releasing the particles accumulated on the screen element from the screen element. Thus, for example, it is possible for gas discharge nozzles to be arranged inside the storage chamber or suction nozzles for removing the particles from the screen element using gas streams. However, means may also be provided for electrostatically charging the particles accumulated in the surface of the shielding element with the same potential with which the shielding element is charged to produce a repulsive force with which the electrostatically charged particles are repelled by the shielding element , In order to bring the screen element into the screen position, the slider or the gate must be opened. The shielding element is then brought into the process space between substrate holder and gas inlet member. The shield member may also be used to thermally shield the gas inlet member from the substrate holder. The substrate holder and the gas inlet member are preferably tempered to different temperatures, for example. Cooled or heated, so that without a located in the process space screen element radiant heat between substrate holder and gas inlet member is transmitted. It is provided in particular that the gas inlet member is heated and that the substrate holder is cooled. By means of an evaporator, which is preferably arranged outside the housing of the device, the above-mentioned organic vapors are generated, which are brought into the process space with a carrier gas. By means of a portioner, a predetermined rate of an organic powder is introduced into a carrier gas stream. The aerosol thus produced is brought by means of an aerosol line in an evaporator having heated surfaces with which the carrier gas and the particles transported in the carrier gas are heated. Instead of a powder and droplets of a liquid can be supplied to the evaporator. The solid or liquid particles are heated in the evaporator so that they reach a gaseous state. The vapors thus generated are transported by means of a supply line to the gas inlet member. By a plurality of gas outlet openings of the gas inlet member gaseous starting materials enter the process chamber. The gas outlet openings are arranged like a sieve on a gas outlet surface of the gas inlet member, which is opposite to a substrate support surface of the substrate holder. The areal extent of the gas outlet surface is preferably greater than the areal extent of the substrate resting on the substrate holder. The distance between the gas outlet surface and the substrate support surface is preferably smaller than the boundary layer forming in a gas flow above the substrate or smaller than a diffusion boundary layer forming there. For this purpose, the clear distance between gas inlet member and substrate holder is preferably <70mm. He can be at 25 to 50mm. The surface of the substrate holder or the surface of the gas outlet surface may be in the range of one to several square meters. The mask and the screen element have a similar ground plan surface, wherein the ground plan area of the screen element is at least as large as the ground plan area of the gas inlet member or the mask. To hold the mask to the downwardly facing side of the substrate to be coated, the mask may have magnetic zones. The magnetic zones may be formed by the mask having magnetized regions or by the mask having magnetizable regions. The substrate holder then has corresponding magnetic zones that are either magnetizable, so that the magnetic regions of the mask adhere to the substrate holder or are themselves magnetic, for example. By an electromagnet are magnetizable, so that the magnetizable zones of the mask at the magnetic zones of the substrate holder adhere. Between mask and substrate holder is the substrate to be coated. In the case of a substrate change, the screen element is first brought out of the storage chamber into a screen position in which it lies vertically below the mask. The mask is then removed from the substrate by a movement in the direction of the surface normal to the substrate support surface of the substrate holder. The magnetic adhesion of the mask on the substrate is released or on the substrate holder, so that the mask bulges downward as described above in the central region. The concomitant deformation of the webs of the mask co-coated in the coating of the substrate leads to a detachment of the layer deposited on the mask and to the formation of particles which accelerate downwards by gravity, where they are caught by the shielding element, so that they do not reach the gas inlet organ. The shield element may have a shield plate. The shield plate may have one or more recesses forming depressions in the direction of the substrate. In these wells, the particles can collect. If the substrate change or the lowering of the mask at a low total pressure within the process space, so even the smallest diameter particles move on a balistic trajectory of the mask to the screen element. In order to safely collect even small diameter particles at larger total pressures or smallest particles at subatmospheric pressure from the shielding element, it is provided that the shielding element can be charged electrostatically. This is preferably done by the high voltage generator. The recesses are preferably surrounded by an edge. The shielding element may moreover comprise a core with a heat insulating body, so that it can also be used for heat insulation, in particular for radiant heat transmission insulation.

list of figures

• 1 grob schematisch und nicht maßstabgerecht in der Art eines Vertikalschnitts ein erstes Ausführungsbeispiel, wobei eine Maske 3 mittels eines Maskenhalters 14 an einem Substrat gehalten wird, das an einer Substratanlagefläche eines Substrathalters 5 anliegt während eines Beschichtungsprozesses,
• 2 eine Darstellung gemäß 1, jedoch nach dem Beschichtungsprozess, wobei ein Schirmelement 9 in den Bereich unterhalb der Maske 3 gebracht worden ist und die Maske 3 durch Absenken der Maskenhalter 14 vom Substrat 1 gelöst worden ist,
• 3 ein zweites Ausführungsbeispiel eines Schirmelementes 7,
• 4 vergrößert, einen Querschnitt durch eine Maske 3 mit einer Magnetzone 17.

Embodiments of the invention are explained below with reference to accompanying drawings. Show it:

• 1 roughly schematically and not to scale in the manner of a vertical section, a first embodiment, wherein a mask 3 is held by means of a mask holder 14 on a substrate which abuts a substrate abutment surface of a substrate holder 5 during a coating process,
• 2 a representation according to 1 but after the coating process, a screen element 9 has been brought into the area below the mask 3 and the mask 3 has been detached from the substrate 1 by lowering the mask holder 14,
• 3 A second embodiment of a screen element 7,
• 4 enlarged, a cross section through a mask 3 with a magnetic zone 17th

Description of the embodiments

That in the 1 and 2 illustrated embodiment shows roughly schematically a vertical section through a process chamber of a coating apparatus which is disposed within a gas-tight housing to the outside. For clarity, the ratio of width B to height D not to scale.

Inside the case 27 is located - relative to the arrow G illustrated effective direction of gravity below a process space 6 - a gas inlet device 2 in the form of a showerhead, with which a gaseous starting material enters the process space 6 can be fed. A typical area diagonal of the process space 6 pointing gas outlet surface of the gas inlet member 6 is one to several meters.

The gas inlet organ 2 comes with a supply line 26 fed with the gaseous starting material. To avoid condensation of a vapor within the gaseous starting material on the supply line 26 or within the gas inlet organ 2 become the gas inlet organ 2 and the supply line 26 heated.

To generate the steam, a powder from a powder reservoir 22 by means of a carrier gas stream passing through a carrier gas supply line 21 into an aerosol generator 23 is fed. It is also envisaged that liquid droplets in the aerosol generator 23 be fed. In the aerosol generator 23 The powder particles or the liquid droplets are fed into a carrier gas stream, so that an aerosol is formed. The suspended particles transported in the carrier gas flow are passed through an aerosol line 24 an evaporator 25 fed. There, the suspended particles of the aerosol are vaporized by exposure to heat. The evaporator 25 has heat transfer surfaces which are heated to transfer heat to the carrier gas and the particles carried by the carrier gas, so that the particles evaporate.

By head-like or sieve-like in the gas outlet surface of the gas inlet member 2 arranged openings, the steam enters the process room 6 one. In a vertical distance D above the gas outlet surface 18 of the gas inlet organ 2 there is a substrate contact surface of a cooled substrate holder 5 , The vertical distance D lies in the range between 20 and 70mm. Preferably, the distance is D about 25mm. The distance D is smaller than the boundary layer forming during deposition and in particular less than 70 mm.

By means of a mask holder 14 becomes a contact mask against a surface of a voltage applied to the substrate contact surface substrate 1 brought. At the substrate 1 it is preferably a glass plate. The mask 3 has a large number of regularly arranged windows 15 and the windows 15 separating webs 16 , Some of the footbridges 16 can be magnetically formed. They may consist of magnetically polarized material or consist of magnetically polarizable material, for example Invar. The mask 3 is preferably by means of magnetic force in planar contact with the substrate 1 held. For this purpose forms the substrate holder 5 not shown magnets or magnetic zones to a vertically directed force of attraction on the mask 3 exercise.

The of the carrier gas flow through the openings of the gas inlet member 2 in the process room 6 transported vapor, which is in particular a vapor of organic molecules, not only condenses in the region of the windows 15 on the substrate 1 but also in the area of the footbridges 16 on the mask 3 ,

After depositing the layer 4 on the substrate 1 and the layer 4 ' on the bars 16 becomes a door, a gate or a closure plate 20 that have an opening 11 a storage room 10 closes, opened. Inside the storage room 10 there is a screen element 7 , The screen element 7 has as well as the substrate 1 or the substrate 1 mask covering 3 a rectangular floor plan. The screen element 7 has a shield plate forming a closed surface 9 whose floor plan is larger than the floor plan of the mask 3 , By means not shown guide means, for example. A guide arm or guide rails, the screen element 7 from the storage room 10 in the process room 6 between gas inlet organ 2 and mask 3 brought.

Then the mask 3 from the coated side of the substrate 1 separated. For this purpose, first the electromagnets not shown in the drawings within the substrate holder 5 no longer energized, leaving the webs of the mask 3 no longer magnetically up against the substrate 1 be charged. This has the consequence that the central surface portion of the mask 3 detached from the substrate, because the mask holder 14 only at the edges of the mask 3 supportive attacks. To change the mask 3 or the substrate 4 becomes the mask holder 14 from in the 1 shown position in the in 2 lowered position shown.

The 1 shows the device in a position during the coating process.

The opening 11 with which the storage chamber 10 to the process chamber, which is the process room 6 includes, adjacent, is during the coating with a gate 20 locked. Will the gate 20 opened, the screen element 7 through the opening 11 from the storage room 10 in the process room 6 be driven. The floor plan of the shield plate 9 is sufficiently large to the gas inlet member 2 completely cover. The screen element 7 forms a screen plate 9 off, the screen element 7 gives a closed screen surface.

In the screen position is the shield plate 9 of the screen element 7 vertically below the mask 3 , The screen element 7 is formed such that when lowering the mask 3 and a concomitant deformation of the mask 3 from the surface of the mask 3 peeling particles of the coating 4 ' can catch.

For this purpose, it has the substrate holder 5 facing side of the screen means to accumulate from the mask 3 dissolving particle of the coating 4 ' , These means belong to the in the 1 and 2 illustrated embodiment, the edges 19 the screen plate 9 of the screen element 7 that a recess 8th the screen plate 9 surround. The screen plate 9 can one or more such recesses 8th have, which are arranged in a plane next to each other.

That in the 3 illustrated embodiment of a screen element 7 not only shows a heat-insulating insulating body 13 within the core, but also an electrostatically chargeable film 12 , with at least the substrate holder 1 facing side of the screen plate 9 is trained. The foil 12 is by means of a high voltage source, not shown, electrostatically charged. The electrostatic charge of the electrostatically chargeable foil 12 leads to the formation of electrostatic forces that are different from the mask 3 attracting detaching particles.

The 4 indicates with the reference number 17 a magnet zone of the mask 3 , which is made of Invar. The magnetic zone may consist of a ferromagnetic material. It can be magnetic. However, it is preferably only magnetizable.

The mask 3 can together with the screen element 7 from the process room 6 be promoted. This can be through the opening 11 respectively. The mask 3 can do this on the screen element 7 be filed.

With through the gate 12 closed opening 11 Can the inside of the storage room 10 arranged screen plate 9 of the screen element 7 be cleaned of the accumulated particles. This can be generated by means of a gas stream, which can be generated by nozzles, in particular gas outlet nozzles, but also suction nozzles. It is also a purely mechanical cleaning of the screen element 7 possible. But it is also possible that on the screen element 7 deposited particles by means of electrostatic forces from the surface of the shield plate 9 to remove.

The above explanations serve to explain the inventions as a whole, which further develop the state of the art independently, at least by the following feature combinations, namely:

A device characterized in that the substrate holder 5 against the effective direction of gravity G above the gas inlet organ 2 is arranged and that the screen element 7 on his to the substrate holder 5 Pointing side of the screen means 8,12 to accumulate from the mask 3 dissolving particle of the coating 4 ' having.

A device which is characterized in that the substrate holder 5 facing side of the shield surface at least one recess 8th has to catch the particles 4 ' ,

A device characterized in that the screen element 7 is electrostatically chargeable and means are provided to charge the screen surface.

A device characterized in that the screen element 7 from a storage room 10 through an opening 11 in a the process room 6 forming process chamber can be brought.

A device characterized in that the screen element 7 at least partially with an electrostatically chargeable film 12 is dressed.

A device characterized in that the screen element 7 a heat insulating body 13 having.

A device characterized in that the edge of the mask 3 from a mask holder 14 is held.

A device characterized in that the mask 3 magnetic or magnetizable zones 17 to force it with magnetic force on the downwardly facing broad side of the substrate to be coated 1 to keep.

A device which is characterized in that the substrate holder 5 pointing gas outlet surface 18 the gas inlet member 29 is at least as large as that to the gas inlet member 2 facing surface of the substrate to be coated 1 ,

A device, characterized in that the floor plan of the screen area is larger than the outline of the mask 3 ,

A use characterized in that when changing the mask 3 and / or the substrate 1 prior to dislodging the mask 3 from the substrate 1 the screen element 7 is brought into the screen position and when releasing the contact between the mask 3 and substrate 1 the means 8,12 differ from the mask 3 dissolving particles of the coating 4 ' so that the particles do not reach the gas inlet 2 reach.

All disclosed features are essential to the invention (individually, but also in combination with one another). The disclosure of the associated / attached priority documents (copy of the prior application) is hereby also incorporated in full in the disclosure of the application, also for the purpose of including features of these documents in claims of the present application. The subclaims characterize with their features independent inventive developments of the prior art, in particular to make on the basis of these claims divisional applications.

1

Substrat

2

Gaseinlassorgan

3

Maske

4

Beschichtung/Partikel

4'

Beschichtung/Partikel

5

Substrathalter

6

Prozessraum

7

Schirmelement

8

Ausnehmung

9

Schirmplatte

10

Verwahrkammer

11

Öffnung

12

elektrisch aufladbare Folie

13

Isolationskörper

14

Maskenhalter

15

Fenster

16

Steg

17

Magnetzone

18

Gasaustrittsfläche

19

Rand

20

Tor

21

Trägergaszuleitung

22

Pulverspeicher

23

Aerosolerzeuger

24

Aerosolleitung

25

Verdampfer

26

Zuleitung

27

Gehäuse

D

Abstand

G

Schwerkraft

List of reference numbers

1

substratum

2

Gas inlet element

3

mask

4

Coating / particle

4 '

Coating / particle

5

substrate holder

6

process space

7

screen element

8th

recess

9

faceplate

10

Verwahrkammer

11

opening

12

electrically rechargeable film

13

insulation body

14

mask holder

15

window

16

web

17

magnetic zone

18

Discharge area

19

edge

20

gate

21

Carrier gas supply line

22

powder storage

23

aerosol generator

24

aerosol line

25

Evaporator

26

supply

27

casing

D

distance

G

gravity

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• EP 2536865 B1 [0002]
• US 5407485 [0005]
• US 2010044213 [0005]
• US8617314 [0005]

Claims (12)

Apparatus for coating one or more substrates (1) with a gas inlet member (2) for introducing a gaseous substance condensing or reacting on a coating (4,4 ') on the substrate (1) and a mask (3) masking the substrate (1) Starting material in a between the gas inlet member (2) and a substrate holder (5) for holding the one or more substrates arranged process space (6) and with a from a Verwahrstellung outside the process space (6) in a screen position in the process space (6) can be brought screen element (7), which has a closed screen surface which lies in the screen position between the gas inlet member and the mask, characterized in that the substrate holder (5) against the direction of action of gravity (G) above the gas inlet member (2) is arranged and that the Screen element (7) on its side facing the substrate holder (5) side of the screen surface means (8,12) for collecting from the mask (3) releasing Particles of the coating (4 '). Device after Claim 1 , characterized in that the substrate holder (5) facing side of the screen surface has at least one recess (8) for collecting the particles (4 '). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the screen element (7) is electrostatically chargeable and means are provided to charge the screen surface. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the screen element (7) from a storage chamber (10) through an opening (11) in a process chamber (6) forming process chamber can be brought. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the screen element (7) is at least partially clothed with an electrostatically chargeable film (12). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shield element (7) has a heat insulating body (13). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the edge of the mask (3) is held by a mask holder (14). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mask (3) magnetic or magnetizable zones (17) to hold them with magnetic force on the downward facing to be coated broad side of the substrate (1). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that to the substrate holder (5) facing gas outlet surface (18) of the gas inlet member (29) is at least as large as the gas inlet member (2) facing the surface to be coated of the substrate (1). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ground plan of the screen surface is greater than the plan view of the mask (3). Use of a device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that when changing the mask (3) and / or the substrate (1) before bringing the mask (3) from the substrate (1) out of contact with the screen element (7) in the Umbrella position is brought and upon release of the contact between the mask (3) and substrate (1) the means (8,12) of the mask (3) dissolving particles of the coating (4 ') accumulate, so that the particles not to the gas inlet member ( 2) arrive. Device or use characterized by one or more of the characterizing features of any one of the preceding claims.

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