DE1615287A1 - Device for applying thin layers to glass or other materials under vacuum - Google Patents

Description

DR. MCILLER- BO RE DiPL-PHYSDRMANITZ DIPL-CHEM-Dr ₁ DEUFEL DlPL-ING. FINSTERWALD DiPL-IMaGRAMKOW

2 March 5, 197Ö

• Λ & LAVERBEL

166, Chaussee de la Hulpe ,. WATERMAEL-BOITSi ^{1 LOCATION}

Belgium

Device for applying thin layers to glass or other materials under vacuum.

The invention relates to a device for surface coating Clay objects by applying coating materials in a vacuum.

It is known to have objects to be coated in one To arrange vacuum vessel opposite a source from which Atoms or molecules of the substance to be deposited either by thermal evaporation or by cathode sputtering be emitted.

According to the invention there is provided an apparatus which is particularly suitable for the applications at which by means of the known methods layers or coatings with different compositions on an object must be applied.

The device according to the invention consists of a chamber, in which a partial vacuum can be maintained, one

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Holding device for an object to be coated in the chamber and a rotary support rotatable in the chamber, the separate amounts of coating substances that interact with each other Distance to angularly distributed around the axis of rotation of the carrier Places are arranged, carries or can carry and rotated while maintaining a partial vacuum in the chamber can be to the substance quantities one after the other in a working position for coating one of the holding device to bring the object carried

Because of this design, a number of considerable advantages are achieved

There can be several different sources of coating substances in a relatively small chamber can be attached, and * it is possible to use different covers, or to apply coatings with very short time intervals between successive coating processes, because the vacuum does not have to be interrupted and built up again. The device can be configured in this way be that any source with a coating substance during the emission of atoms or molecules from the source very much is close to the surface to be coated. One or more covering or shielding devices can be provided to prevent substance emitted during a given coating operation from being on the source or the sources are deposited with coating material which is / are not in use at the time. Due to the rotatable design of the carrier, this cover can be achieved in a very simple manner.

The carrier can be driven by a stepper motor. The various operating positions of the carrier can can be precisely defined, e.g. by means of a stop or locking device.

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The carrier can be designed in such a way that it holds a lot or amounts of metal or other materials, e.g. Dielectric, for evaporation and / or a lot or Amounts of clay metal in the form of an electrode or part of an electrode (e.g. as an electrode for coating) for coating objects by cathodic sputtering. The carrier or carriers can or can depending on Case old devices for supplying electrical energy for thermal evaporation or for cathode sputtering to be killed. The carrier can also be provided with "cleaning electrodes", i.e. H. Electrodes for exercise a cleaning effect caused by glow discharge a surface to be coated.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention fixed electrical contacts are provided, by which electrically conductive members on the carrier cooperate in such a way that electric current flowing through the fixed contacts to an emission 9BlIe on the * carrier SEN can ₉ if A IE Yes this Que He moved into a working position.If currents of different voltages or with different characteristics are required for different sources with coating substance on the carrier, different pairs of fixed terminals can be connected to different current sources and a pair of terminals working together with these terminals at each emission division on the carrier Contacts may be provided which are designed or attached in such a way that they only come into contact with the appropriate pair of fixed contacts at a time.

When the carrier is designed such that it carries one or more amounts of substance that are liable to be deposited are determined by means of thermal evaporation, it is advantageous to have a device for supplying this substance to be provided in the carrier, which no interruption of a

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Vacuum therein required. The device can can also be designed in such a way that cooling fluid for the sputtering electrodes is applied to the electrodes during operation can be fed to the device and kept in circulation The rotary carrier can for this purpose with hollow stubs shafts or axles may be provided in opposite directions Walls of the vacuum chamber are stored. These shafts or axles can be used in a coolant circuit to be switched on »

Hollow stub shafts closed at their inner ends or axles can, however, also be used to accommodate electrical Contacts and elements of a cooling circuit system are used, so that these contacts and elements from outside are accessible to the vacuum chamber. Thermally to be evaporated substances can also through hollow axes or the container Shaft stubs are fed. The device can also be used to carry a continuous strip of material or Material band, e.g. B. a glass ribbon, so that this strip or this tape through the vacuum chamber can be performed while the vacuum is maintained therein. Such a device can for Coating of successive lengths of tape with different coating substances can be used while 8 I move the belt continuously. There is only a narrow uncoated layer between successive coatings Area occur that corresponds to the time interval that is required to gradually increase the wearer to move. For example, one from a plant to Flat glass manufacturing, incoming glass ribbon can be sent through the chamber to successive sections of the To coat glass ribbon with various coating substances, e.g. B. gold or titanium dioxide. Such a device however, it can also be used to access any

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given area of a strip or band or on each of successive faces of this strip or tape, one or more layers to apply existing coating while the tape or the Strip stands still. "

However, the device can also or additionally in this way be designed that an object, ζ. B. a glass plate, kept completely within the chamber to a or several superimposed layers with different Apply composition to a surface of this article.

It goes without saying that it is not essential that for all sources with a coating substance a common one Working position exists »For example, two different sources with coating substances at any given time within a ge. given working area of the surface to be coated and opposite this surface, in which case different coatings without any rotational movement of the carrier can be applied to the surface by these special sources «,

On the other hand, there are cases where different coatings are to be applied to a given surface _: while the different sources of coating substances have the same or substantially the same mutual relationship with respect to the surface to be coated. This is the case, for example, when multilayer coatings are applied to glass in order to form an interference filter or a semi-reflective layer comprising, for example, successive layers of copper, gold and silicon monoxide

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has, as it is required, a high degree of Maintain uniformity in deposition from one coating to the next

The term "mutual relationship" refers to a spatial relationship that is independent of the distance between the Emission source is from the area of the room on which the coating substance is to be deposited · A change in mutual relationship has a change in the location of the Coating area result in where this area through the Axis of an imaginary "ray" of atoms or molecules is cut by the emission source. For example, if the center of the emission source and one to be coated solid surface lie on a common axis perpendicular to this surface, then has a change dea distance from emission source and surface along it Axis no change in the mutual relationship resulting in "

A carrier device according to the invention can be in a simple Wise are formed in such a way that successive sources of coating substances by switching the carrier be brought into the same working position in the vacuum chamber or in working positions which the same mutual relationship to a given coating area exhibit·

The emission sources, i.e. the discrete amounts of coating substance are preferably so by the carrier kept the location of each source independent of one another be adjusted according to the required distance of the source from the object to be coated can when the source is in the working position. This distance affects the thickness of the emission formed precipitate. If different emission sources are used, it may therefore be necessary to use them

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To arrange sources at different distances from the part to be coated when a coating is formed which has several superposed layers of different thicknesses.

Εθ is particularly advantageous to provide a rotary Rager with spaced Drehendteilen \ between which one or more sputtering electrodes or one or more containers which are arranged to be thermally vaporized IJberzugssubstanz and extending parallel to the rotational axis of the carrier. The types of emission sources at given positions of the carrier can be changed in that the different types of emission sources are made interchangeable. .

Further details and advantages are given below explained with reference to the drawing; in this shows:

Pig. 1 shows a longitudinal section of a vacuum chamber with four sources of overcoat or _o BesohichtunÄSsubstanzen that, - ■■■ - .. '■■, ■■ ν · :: ^": ■ ..

Pig. 2A and 2B show a rope of the left side of a rope according to the invention Device and part of the right Side of this device after a modification, the upper parts (above line a-a) being shown in section, the

Pig. 3 and 4 side views of two further embodiments of the device according to the invention, and

Figures 5A and 53 together show a partial longitudinal section of a another embodiment of the invention Contraption.

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In compartment FIG. 1, the device has a vacuum chamber 1 in which thin layers can be deposited on a glass strip 2. The glass strip enters the chamber via the air ^{lock and leaves the chamber via the air lock 3 1} , rollers 4 being provided in the locks which carry the glass.

Within the chamber there is provided a rotary support 5 having end portions with four radial arms to which four sources of coating substances of various types are attached. These sources are labeled C, C, G ^p and Cr. The drawing is only intended to illustrate the general principle of the inventive device and is for this G _r unde greatly simplified. The sources for the coating substance are accordingly only shown as rectangles, each of these rectangles can be understood as an electrode or group of electrodes or as a tub or group of electrodes for receiving the substance intended for thermal evaporation. The source C is in the working position and the substance emitted by this source is deposited on the opposite surface of the glass strip 2 as it is moved through the chamber. That application of the substance. can of course also be done when the strip is at rest. Tue «
not in use.

Rest is located. The other sources are G, 0 ^J and CT

A shield 6 helps to prevent the sources C ² , V? and C ⁴ are coated with the substance emitted from the source C ^1. If another substance is to be applied either to the layer formed by means of the source C ¹ or to a subsequent part of the glass strip, the carrier 5 is moved further in order to bring the source selected from the three other sources into the working position,

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the vacuum in the chamber being maintained without interruption is obtained. As soon as the source C is out of the working position The emission of atoms or molecules is moved completed. The nature of the rotation of the carrier Storage and the way in which the sources are supplied with coating substance with electricity from outside the chamber will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments, which are shown in the other figures.

The Torrichtun "shown in Figures 2A and 2B includes a drum-shaped carrier for the emission sources of the substance to be applied on the _β barrel is provided with two hollow-mutes! Shafts 50, provided 5O ^ ¹ which extend through the walls 51a, 51b of a Vakuumkammer'-. A bearing 51c is provided between each stub shaft and the associated chamber wall, which bearing is suitably designed to ensure an airtight seal. Disks 52, 52 'with outer flanges 53, 53 * are welded to the shafts. These disks can have electrodes 54-57 or - as shown at 58 in FIG. 2b is shown - carrying a container for the coating substances to be thermally evaporated. The electrodes can, for example, comprise solid copper electrodes and gold-plated tungsten electrodes, and the container can contain, for example, silicon monoxide. The emission sources are connected to the disk flanges by means of head screws and nuts 59 »59 ', with insulating plates 60, 60 *, -61 · interposed. The electrodes and container (if used) form stiffeners _{0 between the two flanged discs}

The high and low voltage are supplied by means of arrangements of fixed contacts 62, 62; *} 63, 63 '· The ends of the electrodes and the container 58 are in, the way shaped and dimensioned and yes the fixed contacts

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are arranged in such a way that the connection of the various Sources of substances to be applied are automatically obtained with suitable voltage sources, when the sources are moved into the working position by rotation of the drum. The fixed contacts 62,62 »; 63.63 » are arranged next to an opening 64 in a shield which surrounds the drum and is indicated by dashed lines Lines 65a, 65b is shown.

The electrodes for cathode sputtering are cooled by means of Ul, which circulates through a longitudinal bore such as 66, which is provided in each electrode. The cooling liquid is supplied through the hollow stub shafts 50 and distributed to the various electrodes via leads 67 made of insulating material and with openings like 68 in the electrodes are connected. the The cooling liquid is discharged via corresponding lines 67 * and the opposite stub shaft 50 ».

It is advantageous to direct the coolant through all electrodes attached to the drum in order to avoid the Vacuum chamber to extract a maximum of heat. Will be a source of thermal evaporation, as it is at is shown in Fig. 2B is used, the outer ends of the respective lines 67, 67 'by means of Stopper closed.

In the apparatus shown in Figures 2A and 2B, each electrode on the drum is a cathode and the electrodes cooperate with a common anode (not shown), which is located somewhere in the vacuum chamber. The electrodes on the drum are fed with direct current. A container such as container 58 for a substance to be vaporized can be generated by means of direct current or alternating current.

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be fed. Since the container is only in its working position is heated, the respective contents of the container are in the solid state when the container assumes other positions *

The drum can be driven by an electric stepper motor (not shown) can be rotated. A pin 71 on the inside of the chamber wall 51a pivotally holds one attached roller 70. The roller is carried by an arm, which is biased in such a way that, during the rotation of the drum, the roller successively in retaining notches engages in a disk 69 on the stub shaft is attached. This causes the drum in its consecutive Work positions fixed in position «

A second shield 72, extending inwardly across the line of cathodes, is provided to prevent a source of emissions through the in Direction of the drum! Inner moving material one contaminated from another source *

Fig. 3 shows a drum-shaped carrier with a polygonal shaped ends that support the emission sources.

Each end of the drum consists of rods 80, which are in the Welded together in a way that they form a hexagon. The hexagon can according to the illustration in Fig. 3 be regular or also irregular «If the ends are formed as an irregular hexagon, so are the distances from different emission sources different to the axis of rotation, and these distances can individually according to the type of emission sources and the thickness of the layer to be applied. The hexagonal ends of those shown in FIG

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Drum are on hollow shafts or axles like 81 by means of Spokes 82 attached.

Electrodes 85 for cathode sputtering are in their respective position held by means of fastening devices, which are through unilaterally open slots in the bars 80 extend. The positions of the fasteners in these slots establish the spacing of the associated electrodes to the drum axis.

The drum is surrounded by a shield 84, 84 * which has two openings which correspond to two working positions, so that two objects can be coated at the same time if they are held in a suitable manner in front of the openings in the shield.

Fig. 4 shows one end of a simple rotating beam that Has rotating end parts with four radial arms which are attached directly to the stub shafts. The wave is on end shown with the reference numeral 91 «The outer ends of the radial arms are bent inwards, as shown at 90a, 30b, 90c and 90d to form flanges on which electrodes 92-95 by means of bolts (not shown) which go through the electrodes and through these flanges. The electrodes are in the form of rods and run perpendicular to the plane of the drawing Bars are beveled, as shown at 92a and 93a, and the previously mentioned bolt clamps these beveled side edge surfaces of the rods on insulating elements 96-99 «The outwardly protruding edges of these insulating elements serve as partitions and prevent that not in operation electrodes are contaminated by substances that are

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electrodes in operation or the electrode in operation are emitted. The containers for the substances to be thermally evaporated could equally well on simple rotary supports of this Type to be attached,

Figo 5 shows a device in which all electrical Connections and the connections se and lines for the cooling fluid outside of the represented by the walls 101 and i01b Vacuum chambers are arranged

The emission source carrier is in the form of a drum

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formed, which two cylindrical end parts 102, 102 », which are rotatably mounted in bearings 103, 103 * in the walls 10ia, 101b. The inner ends of the cylindrical. Parts are through plates 104 ,. 104 * closed. Boxes 105, 105 * for distributing the cooling fluid are attached to these plates. The boxes are made of an insulating material. A feed line 106 leads into the ; Box 105, and a discharge line 106 leads away from the box 105 '"

Sputtering electrodes and / or containers for thermal substances to be evaporated can be attached to the end parts 102, 102 * as shown

The figures show a / tub-shaped container 107, which consists of refractory material and which absorbs the material intended for evaporation and holds it on the rotating support. An electrical resistor in the form of a tape 108 is provided inside the container, which is immersed in the material to be evaporated. A The end of the tub is at an end portion 102 by means of a Connecting part 109 attached by the end part

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102 is screwed into a nut 110 which is embedded in the refractory material of the pan. An electrically conductive rod 111 extends through this connecting part. One end of the rod is connected to the electrical resistor 108, and the other end carries a contact 112. Insulating plates 113 »114 serve both as insulation and as an airtight seal. The other end of the trough-shaped container 107 is held on the end part 102 ¹ by means of an element 115 which ^{is screwed into a nut 110 1} which is embedded in the refractory material of the trough. The element 115 has interconnected tubes 116 and 120 through which the material intended for evaporation can be introduced into the tub without the vacuum having to be broken. The tube 116 has a stop ring 117, and insulating plates 113 ¹ , 114 are interposed at the connection point. The lower end of the tube 116 opens into a feed line 118 through which the material to be evaporated is fed in such a way that it reaches the trough along the path 119.

The lower parts of Figures 5A and 5B show a cathode rod 121, the ends of which are connected to the end portion 102, 102 * by straight tubes 122, 122 * which are screwed into sockets in the ends of the electrode. These tubes consist of electrically conductive material and are provided with stop rings 123, 123 ». The tubes 122, 122 'are connected to the boxes 105, 105' for coolant distribution by releasable connections 125, 125 * and guide the coolant to a longitudinal bore 124 in the electrode and away from this longitudinal bore. Insulating plates 113 * '»114 * *, 113 ¹¹¹ , 114'"'are provided at the joints between the tubes 122, 122' and the electrodes

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Tube 122 is provided with an electrical contact 126.

The contacts 112, 126 work with fixed contacts 127, 128 together, which are close to the working position of the metallization sources are arranged.

Contact 1.12 can only touch fixed contact 127, while contact 126 can only touch contact 128. The material in container 107 is through a current of low voltage is heated, and the electrode 121 zur.Kathodenzer, & deaf is fed with high voltage in the working position. This working position lies opposite an opening 129 in a shield 130, 131 ', which encloses the rotating beam «

The carrier can be designed in such a way that it accommodates several electrodes or containers for the material to be thermally evaporated _e - -

In the event that no tubular element like 115 for feeding material into the trough-shaped container: if you want to use the appropriate End of the container at the associated end part of the carrier attached by means of a simple connecting bolt will.

In each embodiment of the invention, can or can one or more cleaning electrodes can be used. For example, one or more "of the emission sources in each of the devices described by a cleaning electrode or by cleaning electrodes be replaced*

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In Figures 2 to 5, the actual position of an article with respect to an emission source during the application of a coating layer shown, but it goes without saying that the object is always arranged so that the one to be coated Area of the respective emission source used is opposite. The invention is particularly for use in coating sheet materials intended, for example for covering glass panes or glass strips. In these cases, the to be overdrawn The surface to be coated must be placed horizontally in the vacuum chamber, with the surface to be coated facing downwards and the emission sources can come into operation from a position below the plate, such as this is the case with the device shown in FIG. The area of the page to be coated is shown in generally be much larger than the area from which the emission source emits atoms or molecules will.

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Claims (1)

161528? Pa t e η ta ns p rii ο h β "1 Device for the coating of objects by deposition of coating or coating materials in a vacuum, not characterized by a chamber in which a directional vacuum can be maintained, a holding device for an object to be coated in the chamber and a rotating carrier rotatable in the chamber which carries or can carry separate quantities of coating substances which are arranged at mutual spacing at locations angularly distributed around the axis of rotation of the carrier and which can be rotated while maintaining a partial vacuum in the chamber to bring into a working position for coating a Gregenstandes carried by the holding eeih direction. β device according to claim 1, characterized in that ze i c. H. η et that on the carrier at least one Container is attached which can hold a coating substance to be evaporated and the ... an electric Heating device is assigned. ο Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it identifies net ',' that at least one cathode to form a coating on the carrier Cathodic sputtering is provided *. 4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, thereby g e k en η ζ e I net that on that Carrier cleaning electrodes are attached 098 2 4/0 368 5 · Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that fixed electrical contacts are provided with which electrically conductive parts on the carrier cooperate in such a way that electrical current can flow via the fixed contacts to an emission source on the carrier when this source moves in a working position 6. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that different groups of solid * Contacts are intended to be used with power sources of different voltages or other characteristics are connectable and that contacts are provided at different points as the carrier, which are different arranged or formed bind so that there are contacts located at different locations on the carrier work with different groups of permanent contacts. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier has mutually spaced end lines with which the ends of one or more electrodes and / or the ends of one or more containers for holding substances to be thermally evaporated are connected . 8β device according to one or more of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the carrier is mounted in bearings in opposite walls of the vacuum chamber. 9. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that 009824/0366 161528? the carrier has hollow shafts or axes and that devices are provided to supply cooling liquid to the emission sources on the carrier via these shafts or axes. ^: 10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that it is e k e η η ζ e i c h net that the stub shafts or axles are switched into a cooling circuit. 11. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized ge k e η η ζ e i Ch net, that the carrier has hollow stub shafts or axles, which are open to the outside of the vacuum chamber and that a shaft or axle is used to accommodate electrical contacts through which current is supplied to the emission sources on the carrier « 12. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that η ζ e ic h η e t, that the carrier has hollow stub shafts or axles and that a device for supplying substance to be thermally evaporated via a shaft or axle provided in a container on the carrier is· 13 «Device according to one or more of the preceding Claims, thereby g e k e η η ζ e lehn e t, that at least one electrode and / or at least one container for the substance to be thermally evaporated is or are adjustable on the carrier » to adjust the distance between the working position of the electrode or the container, or the Electrodes or the container and one to be coated To ensure object. .- = ■■ " 00 98 2 4/036 14. Device according to one or more of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the carrier is connected to a stepping motor. 15. Device according to one or more of the preceding Claims, characterized in that that isolating means are provided to prevent one from being emitted from an emission source Substance contaminates another emission source or another emission source; 009824/0366 Le see