JP2003147513A - Organic el element manufacturing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an organic EL element manufacturing apparatus which can efficiently perform the moving operation of a metal material evaporation source to supply a metal electrode material and an energization operation to a heat source while preventing the function of an organic thin film layer from being impaired at high temperature. SOLUTION: A power source side terminal 40 with an anode 41 and a cathode 42 separately disposed thereon from each other is provided in a vacuum chamber 15, and the power source side terminal 40 is urged in the returning direction by the restoration force based on the deformation of a spring 43. A metal material evaporation source 50 has connection terminals 52 and 53 which can be brought into contact with each power source side terminal 40 at the elevated position of an elevating/lowering tray 54, and a heating wire 51 stretched between the connection terminals 52 and 53. The metal material evaporation source 50 is connected or disconnected when it is driven in the advancing/ retracting direction to/from the power source side terminal 40, and directly heats the metal electrode material 18 at the temperature required for evaporation when the metal material evaporation source is connected.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing an organic EL element which emits light from an organic thin film layer by applying a voltage to the organic thin film layer sandwiched between a pair of electrodes, and more particularly, a metal electrode layer as an anode electrode. The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing an organic EL element, which is formed by vapor deposition of a metal material.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An organic EL element such as an organic EL (electroluminescence) display is a thin, all-solid-state surface-emitting display device, which requires no backlight, consumes less power, and has high reliability. In recent years, attention has been paid to the field of displays because high-definition and high-contrast high-quality display is possible.

The organic EL element 20 is, as shown in FIG.
It is manufactured by forming a transparent electrode 22 as an anode, an organic thin film layer 23, and a metal electrode 24 as a cathode in this order on a glass substrate 21. Insulating layers 25 and 26 are formed between the organic thin film layer 23 and the electrodes 22 and 24,
A sealing layer 27 and a sealing glass 28 are provided outside the metal electrode 24.
Can be formed. Transparent electrode 22 and metal electrode 24
A voltage is applied to the organic thin film layer 23 by injecting holes and electrons into the organic thin film layer 23 from each electrode and recombining them, so that the organic thin film layer 23 emits light. Such an organic EL device 20
For example, the transparent electrode 22 is formed by a vacuum evaporation method or a photoresist method, and the organic thin film layer 23 is formed by a vacuum evaporation method.

An example of a conventional apparatus for manufacturing an organic EL element is
It is shown in FIG. In the organic EL element manufacturing apparatus 1, the glass substrate 21 on which the transparent electrode 22 is already formed is carried in through the opening / closing door 2a, and the carrying-in / washing station 2 for cleaning the carried-in glass substrate 21.
The organic thin film deposition station 4 and the metal electrode formation station 6 are arranged in this order. Between adjacent stations 2, 4, 6 and the sealing box 8, there are provided gate valves 3, 5, 7 that can be switched between an open state and a closed state in which the container is hermetically closed. It is designed to maintain vacuum and prevent harmful contaminants from entering.

The glass substrate 21 with the transparent electrode 22 cleaned by the loading / cleaning station 2 has the transparent electrode 22 directed downward through the gate valve 3 opened after the inside of the loading / cleaning station 2 is evacuated. In the posture, it is transported to the adjacent organic thin film deposition station 4 without being exposed to the outside air. Oxygen molecules and water molecules that cause failure of the organic EL element 20 and shorten the life and lead to the appearance of defective products do not adhere to the glass substrate 21 or the transparent electrode 22 and enter the vapor deposition process of the organic thin film. Glass substrate 21
Are continuously carried by the carrying means at appropriate intervals. At the organic thin film deposition station 4, the organic raw material is
The organic evaporative gas generated by heating rises toward the transparent electrode 22 of the glass substrate 21 and is vapor-deposited from the lower surface side.

[0006] Specifically, in the vacuum deposition of an organic thin film, an evaporation source containing an organic raw material 13 which is a vapor deposition material is placed inside an evaporation cylinder 12 arranged in a vacuum chamber 10, and the organic raw material 13 is heated. The transparent electrode 22 is formed by evaporating the evaporated gas of the organic raw material 13 and attaching it to the surface of the vapor-deposited surface of the transparent electrode 22 which is arranged above the evaporation source.
The organic thin film layer 23 is formed on the upper surface in a predetermined pattern. The inside of the vacuum chamber 10 is a vacuuming means (cryopump).
A high vacuum can usually be maintained by 14.
The evaporation source may be the evaporation cell 11 that is formed of a container such as a crucible that is made of an appropriate material such as ceramic or transparent glass that contains the organic raw material 13. The evaporation cell 11 can be moved up and down by a drive means (not shown) between a raised position where a heating means for heating the organic raw material 13 is arranged and a lowered position where the evaporation cell 11 is replenished. Driven. Above the evaporation tube 12, a movable shutter (not shown) for controlling the evaporation timing and speed is provided at a position directly above the evaporation cell 11 or directly below the glass substrate 21.

The glass substrate 21 is carried to a position just above the evaporation tube 12 while being held by a substrate holder of an appropriate carrying means (not shown). The organic raw material 13 accommodated in the evaporation cell 11 is evaporated by heating to 200 ° C. to 300 ° C., for example. In the vacuum chamber 10,
Although only one evaporation tube 12 is accommodated, a plurality of evaporation tubes 12 may be accommodated side by side. In this case, each evaporation tube 1
At 2, the drive means for the evaporation cell 11 is arranged.

In the organic EL device manufacturing apparatus 1, a metal electrode 24 is formed on the organic thin film layer 23 via the gate valve 5 on the downstream side of the organic thin film deposition station 4 for performing the organic thin film deposition process. A metal thin film forming station 6 is provided. The metal electrode 24 is formed by the vapor deposition method, and therefore the metal thin film forming station 6 has the same structure as the organic thin film vapor deposition station 4. That is, also in the metal electrode forming station 6, a vacuum drawing means (cryopump) 19 capable of maintaining a high vacuum state in the vacuum chamber 15, a crucible-like container for containing the metal electrode material 18, and a heating means thereof. And a plurality of metal material evaporation sources 16 having the above, and a plurality of metal material evaporation sources 16 are arranged inside the evaporation cylinder 17.

A glass substrate 21 having a transparent electrode 22 and an organic thin film layer 23 (including insulating layers 25 and 26) is set in a vacuum chamber 15, and a metal electrode material 18 housed in a metal material evaporation source 16 is set. Is heated to the melting temperature of the metal electrode material 18 by a heating means described later to generate metal vapor, and the generated metal vapor is deposited on the organic thin film layer 23 to form the metal electrode 24. Aluminum is usually used as the metal electrode material 18. A seal filled with an inert gas such as vacuum gas or nitrogen gas for forming the sealing layer 27 and the sealing glass 28 via the gate valve 7 is further provided on the downstream side of the metal electrode forming station 6. It is connected to the stop box 8.

Although an electron beam irradiation method has been proposed for heating and vaporizing the metal electrode material 18, an indirect heating method by electric resistance is generally adopted in order to reduce the manufacturing cost of the device. An example of the metal material evaporation source 16 by the indirect heating method is
It is shown in FIG. The metal material evaporation source 16 includes a crucible 30 for containing a metal electrode material 18 made of shredded aluminum pieces, and a basket-shaped heating means for heating the crucible 30 from its surroundings in order to melt and evaporate the metal electrode material 18. It consists of a heater 31. The basket-shaped heater 31 is a heater for a single-layer power supply formed by knitting a basket-shaped tungsten fiber 32 that generates heat when energized, and has electrodes 3 at both ends.
3, 34 are formed. When the metal electrode material 18 is completely evaporated, the metal electrode material 18 can be prepared for vapor deposition simply by recharging the metal electrode material 18 into the crucible 30.
It is simple and advantageous in terms of supplementation. By energizing the electric resistance type cage heater 31 arranged so as to surround the crucible 30, the cage heater 31 is caused to generate heat, and the radiant heat heats the crucible 30 indirectly. It is of course possible to use a three-phase AC heater as the basket heater.

Although the melting temperature of aluminum is 660 ° C. and the evaporation temperature under 1 atm is 2300 ° C., even if the internal pressure such as the vacuum chamber 15 is 10 ⁻³ Pa or less, a substantial vacuum state is obtained. , The evaporation temperature of aluminum is 130
It reaches 0 ° C. Therefore, in the case of indirect heating, it is necessary to heat the electric resistance type basket heater 31 to a high temperature of 1700 to 2000 ° C. When the basket heater 31 is heated to a high temperature, the temperature of the transparent substrate provided in the vacuum chamber 15 is also 400 ° C.
Rises above. On the other hand, the heat resistant temperature of the organic thin film layer 23 is 80 to 100 ° C., and if the temperature is higher than this, the crystal structure of the organic thin film layer 23 will be changed or destroyed, and the original nature of the organic EL element 20. Function is impaired.

As another example of the method of heating the metal electrode material 18 by the indirect heating method, as shown in FIG. 11, the metal electrode material 18 is directly placed on the tungsten wire 36 which is electrically heated and formed into a coil shape. A material evaporation source 35 has been proposed. In the metal material evaporation source 35, the wire 36 is passed between the electrodes 37 and 38, and the metal electrode material 1
8 is mounted directly on the wire 36. Wire 3
Both end portions 36a of 6 are sandwiched between the electrode pieces 37a, 37b and 38a, 38b at the respective electrodes 37, 38 and pressed. Unlike the case of indirect heating, the wire 36
Since the metal electrode material 18 is directly heated by energizing the wire, the wire 36 is required to evaporate the metal electrode material 18
It can be immediately heated to a temperature of about 300 ° C. According to this method, the metal electrode material 18 can be evaporated without impairing the function of the organic thin film layer 23. However, since the metal electrode material 18 is directly placed on the wire 36 by hand, the metal material evaporation source There is a problem in that the work of setting and releasing 35 and replenishing the metal electrode material 18 is very inefficient. Also, for safety, the wire 3
Care must be taken in energizing the wire 36 so that the metal electrode material 18 can be replenished to the wire 36 only when the energization of 6 is off.

[0013]

Therefore, in an organic EL element manufacturing apparatus in which the metal electrode of the organic EL element formed by laminating a transparent electrode, an organic thin film layer, and a metal electrode is formed by a vapor deposition method, an advantage of direct heating is obtained. That is, by directly placing the metal electrode material piece on the heating wire, the temperature of the heating wire is stopped to rise to the temperature required for evaporation of the metal electrode material, and the function of the organic thin film layer is prevented from being impaired at high temperature. There is a problem to be solved in terms of devising the efficiency of the setting / release operation of the metal material evaporation source and the on / off operation of energization to the metal material evaporation source while securing the advantage of being.

An object of the present invention is to stop the temperature of the heating wire from rising to a temperature necessary for evaporation of the metal electrode material in an organic EL element manufacturing apparatus in which a transparent electrode, an organic thin film layer and a metal electrode are laminated. In addition, while maintaining the advantage of direct heating that prevents the function of the organic thin film layer from being damaged at high temperatures, it enables efficient operation for setting and energizing the metal material evaporation source, thus reducing the manufacturing cost of the organic EL element. An object of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing apparatus of an organic EL element that can contribute to reduction of

[0015]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an apparatus for manufacturing an organic EL device according to the present invention comprises an organic EL device having a transparent electrode, an organic thin film layer and a metal electrode laminated on a substrate. In an apparatus for manufacturing an organic EL device, in which a metal electrode is formed by vapor deposition of a metal electrode material in a vacuum chamber, a power source-side terminal in which an anode and a cathode are spaced apart from each other in the vacuum chamber, and An elevating tray that is driven so as to be able to approach and separate toward the power supply side terminal, a connection terminal that is placed on the elevating tray and is in contact with each of the power supply side terminals at a raised position of the elevating tray, and between the connection terminals. And a metal material evaporation source formed of an electric heating wire which is stretched and directly heats and evaporates the metal electrode material.

According to this organic EL element manufacturing apparatus, the lifting tray, both connecting terminals arranged on the lifting tray,
And a metal material evaporation source which is spread between the connection terminals and comprises a heating wire for directly heating and evaporating the metal electrode material, and an anode and a cathode are separated from each other in a vacuum chamber for setting to a power source. By being driven closer to the placed power source side terminal, the connection terminals of the metal material evaporation source come into contact with the power source side terminal, respectively, and the metal material evaporation source can be energized. By supplying power through the power source side terminal and the connection terminal, the heating wire generates heat, and the metal electrode material is directly heated by the heating wire. Since it is sufficient that the temperature of the metal material evaporation source rises to the minimum temperature required to evaporate the metal electrode material, the temperature does not become so high as to impair the function of the organic thin film. Also, when the metal electrode material is completely evaporated, the elevating tray is lowered to replace the metal electrode material, but this lowering automatically disconnects the connection with the power supply side terminal and releases the setting with the power supply. There is no risk of erroneous energization. Further, by removing the used metal material evaporation source including the elevating tray and replacing it with another metal material evaporation source having an unused metal electrode material, the replacement of the metal material evaporation source is performed quickly.

In this organic EL element manufacturing apparatus, the power source side terminal is held in the vacuum chamber by an elastic member, and the elasticity generated when the metal material evaporation source pushes the power source side terminal through the connection terminal. The connection terminal can be pressed against the power supply side terminal by the restoring force based on the deformation of the member. With this configuration, the magnitude of the force pressing the connection terminal of the metal material evaporation source against the power supply side terminal can be controlled by the distance that the elevating tray is moved up and down while deforming the elastic member.

In this organic EL element manufacturing apparatus, both of the connection terminals of the metal material evaporation source are provided with engaging legs that are housed in an insulating cylinder body that is positioned and supported by the elevating tray. Preferably. Since both connection terminals of the metal material evaporation source are connected only to the power supply side terminals, it is necessary to insulate the elevating tray.
By mounting the engaging legs provided on both connection terminals in an insulating cylinder that is positioned and supported by the lifting tray, the metal material evaporation source is attached to and removed from the lifting tray while being insulated from the lifting tray. Can be easily done by deciding the mounting position. As the insulating container, a glass evaporation cell for accommodating and evaporating the organic raw material used for manufacturing the organic EL element can be used as it is.

In this organic EL device manufacturing apparatus, an output member of an actuator provided outside the vacuum chamber is sealed and penetrated into the vacuum chamber, and the tip end of the output member is at the bottom of the elevating tray. In the engaged state, the metal material evaporation source can be driven toward and away from the power source side terminal. With this structure, the metal material evaporation source can be moved up and down in the vacuum chamber by the actuator provided outside the vacuum chamber. By providing the actuator outside the vacuum chamber, maintainability and workability such as maintenance are improved, and there is almost no possibility of contaminating the inside of the vacuum chamber.
The output member of the actuator, which extends through the bottom wall of the vacuum chamber and hermetically extends into the vacuum chamber, does not connect to the power source side terminal of the metal material evaporation source because the tip of the actuator simply engages the bottom of the lifting tray. The movement toward and away from each other can be reliably obtained with a simple structure.

In an organic EL element manufacturing apparatus in which a metal material evaporation source is moved up and down by an output member of an actuator, a gate valve that can be opened and closed between the vacuum chamber and a evacuable replenishment tank attached to the vacuum chamber. The transfer table can be transferred through the transfer table, the metal material evaporation source for replenishment can be placed on the transfer table, and the output member of the actuator is provided on the transfer table according to the position of the metal material evaporation source. It is preferable to form an insertion hole through which the hole can be inserted. The metal material evaporation source in which the metal electrode material has been consumed passes through the gate valve while being placed on the carrier,
It is transported to a vacuumed replenishment tank. After the gate valve is closed and the replenishing tank, which is released from the vacuum, is opened, the used metal material evaporation source can be replaced with a new metal material evaporation source for replenishment. The transport table on which the new metal material evaporation source is placed in the replenishment tank is fed into the vacuum chamber through the gate valve opened after the replenishment tank is evacuated. When the metal material evaporation source for replenishment is placed at a predetermined position, the output member of the actuator provided outside the vacuum chamber is driven through the insertion hole formed in the carrier, and the metal material evaporation source placed in the insertion hole. The metal material evaporation source is raised until the connection terminal of the metal material evaporation source comes into contact with the power source side terminal by engaging with the elevating tray. By replenishing the metal material evaporation source, it is possible to continuously operate the organic EL element manufacturing apparatus without releasing the vacuum in the highly vacuumed vacuum chamber, and further reduce the organic EL element manufacturing cost. Contribute to.

[0021]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of an organic EL element manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing an embodiment of an organic EL element manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention at an energized position where a metal material evaporation source is raised, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which the source is in a lowered non-energized position, and FIG. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus for manufacturing the organic EL element shown in FIG. The cross-sectional structure of the organic EL element is the same as the structure shown in FIG.
The L-element manufacturing apparatus may be the same apparatus as the apparatus shown in FIG. 9, and those having the same functions as these constituent elements and parts are designated by the same reference numerals.

In the organic EL element manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention, the substrate having the transparent electrode 22 and the organic thin film layer 23 formed on the glass substrate 21 is carried into the metal electrode forming station 6, and the organic electrode is formed in the metal electrode forming station 6. A metal electrode 24 is formed by further depositing a metal electrode material on the thin film layer 23. In the metal electrode forming station 6, as in the conventional configuration shown in FIG. 9, the evaporation cylinder 17 is vertically installed in the vacuum chamber 15, and the evaporation cylinder 17 is used for two substrates carried in during manufacturing. A power source side terminal 40 and a metal power source material evaporation source 50 are provided respectively. Since each power source side terminal 40 and the metal power source material evaporation source 50 have the same structure, one power source side terminal 40 will be described below.
The metal power source material evaporation source 50 will be described.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the power supply side terminal 40
The pair of electrodes constituting the above, that is, the anode 41 and the cathode 42 are placed horizontally apart from each other. Both electrodes 4
The interval between 1, 42 corresponds to the length of the metal material evaporation source 50 described later. Both electrodes 41 and 42 are supported on the wall portion 15a of the vacuum chamber 15 by springs 43 and 43, which are elastic members, respectively. Spring 4 as elastic member
Although 3 and 43 function as tension springs as will be described later, other than tension springs, compression springs and other appropriate materials can be used as the elastic members. Both electrodes 41,
In order to prevent the swing of 42, it is preferable to guide each electrode 41, 42 to the wall portion 15a of the vacuum chamber 15 by an appropriate guide mechanism (not shown) such as a guide hole or a guide groove.

The metal material evaporation source 50 has connection terminals 52 and 53 which are respectively in contact with the power supply side terminal 40, and a tungsten heating wire 51 stretched between the connection terminals 52 and 53. . The respective connection terminals 52, 53 fix the respective end portions 51a, 51a of the electric heating wire 51 with a set screw 52e.
(See Fig. 4) Upper conductor piece 5 sandwiched and tightened
2a, 53a and lower conductor pieces 52b, 53b. Both connection terminals 52, 53 of the metal material evaporation source 50
Means that only the upper conductor pieces 52a and 53a are connected to the power supply side terminal 40.
It is necessary to connect only to the above and to insulate the elevating tray 54 described later. The lower conductor pieces 52b and 53b are accommodated in the insulating container 57, for example, the evaporation cell 11 such as a glass crucible in which the organic material to be evaporated in the organic thin film forming station 4 is diverted as it is. The electric heating wire 51 is, for example, twisted in a coil shape, and the metal electrode material piece 18 to be evaporated is placed on the electric heating wire 51 and is directly heated by the electric heating wire 51 that generates heat when energized.

The metal material evaporation source 50 has an elevating tray 54 that supports the insulating container 57 in a positioned state.
The elevating tray 54 engages with an output rod 101 of an actuator, which will be described later with reference to FIG. 5, and is driven by the operation of the actuator so as to be able to approach and separate toward the power source side terminal 40. Receiving portions 56 are formed on both ends 55, 55 of the elevating tray 54, and the center leg 58 of the insulating container 57 is fitted into the receiving portions 56, whereby the heating wire 51 and both connecting terminals 52, 53 are formed. Also, the insulating container 57 can be positioned and supported. At the bottom of the elevating tray 54, a tubular portion 54a having the same size as that of the evaporation cell 11 is formed. By forming the tubular portion 54a, the metal material evaporation source 50 is refilled / replaced, which will be described later, when the evaporation cell 11 is removed. It becomes possible to divert the form of replenishment / replacement as it is.

As shown in FIG. 5, an actuator 100 is attached to the bottom wall portion 15b of the vacuum chamber 15 on the outer side thereof, and an output rod 101 which is an output member of the actuator 100 is provided on the bottom wall portion 15b. It extends through the sealed structure 15c. Actuator 1
00 can be, for example, a screw-type actuator that converts the rotation of a screw shaft rotated by a motor into a linear movement in the axial direction of a nut body that is screwed onto the screw shaft and to which the output rod 101 is attached. However, the invention is not limited to this, and other types of actuators may be used. By providing the actuator 100 outside the vacuum chamber 15, maintainability and workability such as maintenance can be improved, and the possibility of contaminating the inside of the vacuum chamber 15 can be almost eliminated. By operating the actuator 100, the output rod 101 moves up and down in the vacuum chamber 15, and the fitting portion 103 formed at the tip portion 102 of the output rod 101 is fitted to the center rod 59 protruding from the bottom portion of the lifting tray 54. The metal material evaporation source 50 can be driven so that the metal material evaporation source 50 can be reliably brought into contact with or approached to or separated from the power source side terminal 40.

The metal material evaporation source 50 is connected to the actuator 10.
By driving toward the power source side terminal 40 by the operation of 0, the connection terminals 52 and 53 of the metal material evaporation source 50 come into contact with the power source side terminal 40, respectively. By this contact,
The metal material evaporation source 50 is set to the power source, and the heating wire 51 can be energized to generate heat. Since the metal electrode material 42 is directly heated by the heating wire 38, the heat generation temperature of the metal material evaporation source 38 is
It is sufficient to have the minimum temperature necessary to evaporate the. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the organic thin film layer 23 from reaching a temperature high enough to impair its function. When the operation of the actuator 100 is stopped after the evaporation of the metal electrode material 18 is completed, as shown in FIG. 2, the metal material evaporation source 50 descends as the output rod 101 moves backward. When the evaporation of the metal electrode material 18 is stopped midway, the metal material evaporation source 50 can be moved down even when the metal electrode material 18 remains on the heating wire 51. When the descending amount of the metal material evaporation source 50 becomes equal to or larger than the returning expansion and contraction amount of the spring 43, both connection terminals 52,
53 is disengaged from the electrodes 41 and 42 of the power supply side terminal 40, the electric power to the heating wire 51 is automatically cut off, and the setting of the metal material evaporation source 50 to the power supply is released. Further, since the metal material evaporation source 50 is detachably attached only because the center leg 59 of the elevating tray 54 is fitted to the fitting portion 103 of the output rod 101 of the actuator 100, the metal electrode material When 18 is completely evaporated, the used metal material evaporation source 50 is removed from the output rod 101, and another metal material evaporation source 50 having an unused metal electrode material 18 is attached to the output rod 101. It is possible to quickly replace the metal material evaporation source 50.

The power source side terminal 40 is connected to the spring 43 which is an elastic member.
Since the vacuum chamber 15 is held by the vacuum chamber 15, the connection terminals 52 and 53 are restored by the restoring force based on the deformation of the spring 43 that occurs when the power source side terminal 40 is pushed through the connection terminals 52 and 53 of the metal material evaporation source 50. It can be pressed against the power supply side terminal 40. With this configuration, the connection terminals 52 and 53 of the metal material evaporation source 50 necessary for reliable energization are connected to the power supply side terminals depending on the distance by which the metal material evaporation source 50 is moved up and down while deforming the spring 43. Four
It is possible to precisely control the magnitude of the force that pushes it to zero.

FIG. 4 shows how the connection terminals 52 (53) of the metal material evaporation source 50 are engaged with the insulating container 57. As shown in FIG. 4, the conductor piece 52 of the connection terminal 52
B is an engaging leg portion 52c formed by bending the end portion, and the engaging leg portion 52c is housed in the insulating container 57. By engaging the plate-like connecting terminal 52, the engaging leg portion 5 is formed.
Only by forming 2c, it is possible to stabilize the engagement of the conductor piece 52b with the insulating container 57 without having a complicated structure. By fitting the end portion 51a of the wire 51 into the valley portion 52d formed on the upper portion of the bent engaging leg portion 52c, the end portion 51a can be stably sandwiched when the conductor piece 52a is tightened. Also, the set screw 52e
In order to avoid collision with the electrodes 41, 42, it is preferable to house the head portion in the recess.

A metal material evaporation source replenishing mechanism is shown in FIGS. FIG. 5 is a view showing an example of a metal material evaporation source replenishing mechanism in the organic EL element manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention, which is a vertical cross section taken along the plane CC of FIG. 6, and FIG. 6 shows the metal shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane DD of the material evaporation source replenishing mechanism, and FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the plane EE of the metal material evaporation source replenishing mechanism shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.
As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the metal material evaporation source replenishing mechanism 60 in the organic EL element manufacturing apparatus 1 includes the vacuum chamber 15
Is equipped with a replenishment tank 61 which is attached from the side to the lower part thereof, and the replenishment tank 61 accommodates in its interior 62 a carrier table 63 on which the metal material evaporation source 50 for replenishment can be placed in a positioned state. . In order to maintain the vacuum in the vacuum chamber 15 at the time of connection with the vacuum chamber 15, the inside 62 of the replenishment tank 61 is
Can be evacuated through a suction pipe 64 (FIG. 5) attached to the bottom wall 61a of the replenishing tank 61. Refill tank 61
The vacuum can be shared with a vacuum pump for vacuuming the vacuum chamber 15.

Inside the replenishing tank 61, a pair of supports 65, 65 are provided along the carrying direction of the carrying table 63, and the carrying table 63 is arranged at equal intervals on each supporting body 65. It is supported in a mounted state by a plurality of support rollers 66 rotatably provided around the horizontal axis at the position. One row of the support rollers 66 (left side in FIG. 7) directly supports the conveyance table 63, and the other row of support rollers 66 (right side in FIG. 7).
Indirectly supports the carrier 63 via a rack member described later. The rows of the respective support rollers 66 have a vertical step by the thickness of the rack member, and the carrier table 63 is supported horizontally. A plurality of guide rollers 67 are spaced apart from each other on the support body 65 and are rotatably arranged around the vertical axis.
On both sides of the guide rollers 67, the guide rollers 67 are in contact with the side surfaces 68, 68 so as to prevent the carrier 63 from laterally swinging. It guides the transportation. A passage 69 that can be opened and closed by a gate valve 84 described later is formed between the vacuum chamber 15 and the replenishment tank 61, and when the gate valve 84 is open, the transfer table 63 is provided with the passage 69.
Through which the vacuum chamber 15 and the replenishing tank 61 can be moved.

In order to reciprocally convey the carrier 63 between the loading position in the replenishing tank 61 and the advance position in the vacuum chamber 15, the replenishing tank 61 is provided with a driving mechanism 70 for driving the carrier 63. Has been. The drive mechanism 70 includes an electric motor 71 such as a servomotor provided outside the replenishing tank 61.
An output shaft 72 that extends through the bottom wall 61a of the replenishment tank 61 in a sealed state and is driven by the electric motor 71, a pinion 73 attached to the tip of the output shaft 72, and one side of the carrier table 63. And a rack 74 formed with teeth that mesh with the pinion 73. When the electric motor 71 is driven in the drive mechanism 70,
The rotation of the output shaft 72 is converted into a horizontal linear motion of the carrier table 63 through the meshing engagement between the pinion 73 and the rack 74.
The meshing engagement between the pinion 73 and the rack 74 simplifies the structure of the drive mechanism 70 and ensures the operation.
When the carriage 63 is driven by the drive mechanism 70, the carriage 63 is guided by the support roller 66 and the guide roller 67 in a state of being regulated in the lateral direction and the vertical direction. It is transported straight along a fixed route with a low posture and low resistance.

When the used metal material evaporation source 50 and the unused metal material evaporation source 50 are replaced, the metal material evaporation source 50 is allowed to be taken in and out of the replenishment tank 61, so that the replenishment tank 61 can be sealed. An opening / closing door 80 is provided. That is, the wide wall hole 81 is formed in the upper wall 61b of the replenishment tank 61 over almost the entire area thereof, and the opening / closing door 80 is provided as a lid for covering the wide wall hole 81. The size of the wide-mouth hole 81 is such that the carrier table 63 itself can be taken out and mounted at the beginning of assembly. The opening / closing door 80 is attached to the replenishing tank 61 in a pressure-bonded state by a mounting tool 82. Replenishment tank 6
Opening and closing door 8 when the inside 62 of 1 is evacuated
An O-ring 83 (see FIG. 7) is arranged around the wide hole 81 in order to maintain a tight seal between 0 and the outside.

With respect to the passage 69 formed between the vacuum chamber 15 and the replenishing tank 61, a gate valve 84 which can switch the open / closed state of the passage 69 is provided. In order to open and close the gate valve 84, the output shaft 86 of the operating means 85 such as an actuator provided outside the replenishment tank 61 penetrates the bottom wall 61a of the replenishment tank 61 in a sealed state and the inside 62 of the replenishment tank 61 is closed. A valve 88 is provided at the tip of the output shaft 86 via a four-sided link mechanism 87. When the output shaft 86 is raised by the operation of the operating means 85 and the valve 88 abuts on the stopper 69b as the output shaft 86 rises, the valve 88 is pushed until the further raised output shaft 86 abuts the stopper 69b (FIG. 5). Around the opening 69a of the passage 69 via the four-sided link mechanism 87
(Fig. 6). The sealing surface of the valve 88 is O
A ring 89 (FIG. 6) is provided so that the vacuum inside the vacuum chamber 15 is not affected when the vacuum inside the refill tank 61 is released.

The metal base evaporation source replenishing mechanism 60 has a carrier table 63.
When loading, the gate valve 84 provided between the vacuum chamber 15 and the replenishing tank 61 attached to the vacuum chamber 15 is first closed. Next, passage 6
In the state where 9 is closed, the opening / closing door 80 provided in the replenishment tank 61 is opened, and the carrier 63 capable of mounting the metal material evaporation source 50 is accommodated in the replenishment tank 61.
Is placed on the carrier 63. The carrier 63 is already in the replenishment tank 61.
In the case where the metal material evaporation source 50 is accommodated in the transport table 63, the metal material evaporation source 50 can be immediately placed on the transport table 63 through the open / close door 80. Then, the opening / closing door 80 is closed and the replenishment tank 61 is sealed. The replenishing tank 61 is also sealed to the vacuum chamber 15, and the inside 62 can be re-evacuated by itself. The gate valve 84 is opened in a state where the inside 62 of the refill tank 61 is in a vacuum. Since the gate valve 84 allows passage of the transfer table 63 in the open state, the transfer table 63 is transferred from the return position in the refill tank 61 to the advanced position in the vacuum chamber 15 by the operation of the drive mechanism 70.

A plurality of rows of the metal material evaporation sources 50 can be placed on the carrier table 63 so as to be separated from each other in the horizontal direction which is the carrier direction. In this embodiment, two metal material evaporation sources 50, 50 are used in the vacuum chamber 15 at the same time.
The locking portions 90 are provided in a 2 × 3 grid pattern so that they can be exchanged once. The locking portion 90, as shown in FIG.
Mounting holes 91 formed in the carrier 63 corresponding to the grid
And is provided as an adapter for engaging with and positioning the metal material evaporation source 50. When the locking portion 90 is fitted in the mounting hole 91, a vertical insertion hole 92 through which the center rod 59 of the metal material evaporation source 50 passes is formed in the center portion thereof, and the insertion hole 92 is a driving means. An output rod 101 vertically moving up and down of 100 can be inserted in an orthogonal state together with a fitting portion 103 formed at a tip portion 102 thereof. Metal material evaporation source 5 conveyed by the carrier 63
0 and 50 can be pushed up to the rising position U where the metal electrode material 18 is heated by the operation of the driving means 100 by engaging with the output rod 101 rising from below the driving means 100. Each metal material evaporation source 50 is placed on the carrier 63 with its longitudinal direction aligned with the carrier direction of the carrier 63. The power supply side terminal 40 is arranged in the vacuum chamber 15 in an orientation corresponding to the attitude of the metal material evaporation source 50.

The drive mechanism 70 is also used for carrying the carrying table 63 every time the metal material evaporation source 50 is replaced. In this case, the advance position of the transfer table 63 is a plurality of positions (corresponding to the position where the metal material evaporation source 50 is transferred to the position where the metal material evaporation source 50 engages or disengages with the fitting portion 103 of the driving means 100 in each row ( (See G1 to G3 in FIG. 6). Due to the transfer by the drive mechanism 70, the transfer table 63 is moved to a plurality of preset advance positions G1 to G in the vacuum chamber 15.
3, the metal material evaporation sources 50, 50 in each row placed on the carrier 63 at each stop are driven by the driving means 10.
It is brought to a position where it engages or disengages with the fitting portion 103 of 0. By detecting the advancing position of the carrier table 63 with the sensor, the movement of the metal material evaporation source 50 to the replacement position can be accurately controlled. In this way, by placing a plurality of rows of the metal material evaporation sources 50, 50 on the transfer table 63 so as to be separated from each other in the transfer direction, the used metal material evaporation source 50 can be replaced when the metal material evaporation source 50 is replaced. After being received by the carrier 63 from the fitting portion 103 of the driving means 100 while being placed on the locking portion 90, the carrier 63 is moved to the next advanced position (G2 or G3) by the drive mechanism 70, that is, The unused metal material evaporation sources 50, 50 in the next row are moved until the fitting portion 103 of the driving means 100 in the vacuum chamber 15 reaches the exchange position where the fitting portion 103 moves up and down. Carrier 63 in replenishing tank 61
The metal material evaporation source 50 is replenished once to the metal material evaporation source 50, and the used metal material evaporation source 50 is replaced.
It is possible to replace the metal material evaporation source 50 and use the same over a period of time.

The vacuum chamber 15 includes the vacuum chamber 15
The receiving portion 9 that supports the leading end portion of the transfer table 63 that has been transferred inside
5 are provided. The receiving portion 95 is provided on an extension line at the same height as the supporting roller 66 of the replenishing tank 61, and
A receiving roller 96 that supports the lower surface of the sheet 3 is provided. The receiving roller 96 can roll and support the transport base 63 with low friction. When the carrier table 63 is advanced from the replenishment tank 61 into the vacuum chamber 15, the front end is supported by the receiving portion 95, so that there is no inconvenience such as inclination due to its own weight, and the carrier table 63 is kept in a horizontal posture. You can

Drive mechanism 7 of metal material evaporation source replenishing mechanism 60
At a position where the transfer table 63 transferred by 0 occupies the vacuum chamber 15, the position of the insertion hole 92 of the locking portion 90 provided on the transfer table 63 is set to the fitting portion 10 of the driving means 100.
Same as the lifting position of 3. The fitting portion 103 that is raised by the operation of the driving means 100 is engaged with the metal material evaporation source 50 and passes through the insertion hole 92 of the locking portion 90, and the metal material evaporation source 5
0 is further raised by the fitting portion 103 and is carried to the raised position U. At the elevated position U, contact with the power source side terminal 40 of the metal material evaporation source 50 and energization. The heating and the like are as already described. When the metal electrode material 18 is completely evaporated, the driving means 100 moves the metal material evaporation source 50 downward to the exchange position F.
(See FIG. 5), and the used metal material evaporation source 50 is placed in a state of being engaged with the locking portion 90 on the transport base 63. Further, the driving means 100 can avoid the interference with the transport base 63, so that the fitting portion 103 can be lowered to the lowering position L (see FIG. 5) below the exchange position F. When exchanging the metal material evaporation source 50, the carrier table 63 may be moved to the next advanced position in the carrying direction, and the new metal material evaporation source 50 may be moved to the elevating position of the output rod 101.

[0040]

In the apparatus for manufacturing an organic EL element according to the present invention, the temperature of the heating wire can be stopped to the temperature required for evaporation of the metal electrode material, so that the function of the organic thin film layer is impaired at high temperature. The advantage of direct heating, which is to prevent At the same time, since the metal material evaporation source is moved up and down to replenish the metal electrode material, and the metal material evaporation source is brought into contact with and separated from the power source side electrode, the energizing operation is performed, so that an efficient operation is performed. be able to. Further, the metal material evaporation source can be replaced in a state where the energized state is cut off, and the replacement / replenishment work can be safely performed without paying attention to the energized state.

In addition, in the organic EL element manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention, the replenishment of the metal material evaporation source from the outside
It can be performed from the replenishment tank with the operation of the L element manufacturing apparatus not stopped and the vacuum in the vacuum chamber maintained without being released, and it is not necessary to re-evacuate the vacuum chamber after replenishing and replacing the metal material evaporation source. The operating efficiency of the organic EL element manufacturing apparatus can be improved. Further, the mechanism for moving the metal material evaporation source after refilling to the heating position is composed of a simplified structure having a carrier for horizontally carrying and a driving means for operating vertically with respect to the carrier. Therefore, the metal material evaporation source after replenishment can be quickly raised to the heating position with a simple mechanism. As a result, the manufacturing cost of the organic EL element manufacturing apparatus is reduced and the operation efficiency is improved. Further, according to this organic EL element manufacturing apparatus,
By replenishing multiple metal material evaporation sources at once, it is possible to replace the metal material evaporation source multiple times.
It is also possible to stop the operation of the manufacturing equipment and release the vacuum in the vacuum chamber, or to eliminate the need to re-vacuate the vacuum chamber when restarting the operation, further improving the operating efficiency of the manufacturing equipment, and the manufacturing cost of the organic EL element. Can be further reduced, and the organic EL element can be manufactured at a lower cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing an embodiment of an organic EL element manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention at a current-carrying position where a metal material evaporation source is raised.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which a metal material evaporation source is in a lowered non-energized position in the apparatus for manufacturing an organic EL element shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an apparatus for manufacturing the organic EL element shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a connection terminal of a metal material evaporation source of the apparatus for manufacturing an organic EL element shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a view showing an example of a metal material evaporation source replenishing mechanism in the organic EL element manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention,
7 is a vertical cross section taken along a plane C-C in FIG. 6.

6 is a surface D- of the metal material evaporation source replenishing mechanism shown in FIG.
It is the cross-sectional view cut by D.

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the metal material evaporation source replenishing mechanism shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 taken along a plane EE.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of an organic EL element.

FIG. 9 is a schematic plan view showing an example of a conventional apparatus for manufacturing an organic EL element.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an example of a metal material evaporation source used in a conventional apparatus for manufacturing an organic EL element.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing another example of a metal material evaporation source used in a conventional apparatus for manufacturing an organic EL element.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Organic EL device manufacturing equipment 15 vacuum chamber 18 Metal electrode materials 20 Organic EL device 21 board 22 Transparent electrode 23 Organic thin film layer 24 metal electrodes 40 Power supply side terminal 41 Anode 42 cathode 43 Elastic member 50 Metal material evaporation source 51 heating wire 52, 53 connection terminal 52c engaging part 54 Lifting tray 55 Insulating container 60 Metal Material Evaporation Source Replenishing Mechanism 61 replenishment tank 63 carrier 84 Gate valve 92 insertion hole 100 driving means 101 Output rod 102 tip 103 Fitting part

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An apparatus for manufacturing an organic EL element, wherein the metal electrode of an organic EL element formed by laminating a transparent electrode, an organic thin film layer and a metal electrode on a substrate is formed by vapor deposition of a metal electrode material in a vacuum chamber. In the vacuum chamber, a power source side terminal in which an anode and a cathode are spaced apart from each other, an elevating tray driven to be able to contact and separate toward the power source side terminal, and placed in the elevating tray. In addition, a metal material evaporation source including a connection terminal that can contact each of the power supply side terminals at a raised position of the elevating tray and an electric heating wire that is stretched between the connection terminals and directly heats and evaporates the metal electrode material. An apparatus for manufacturing an organic EL element, wherein and are arranged. 2. The power source side terminal is held in the vacuum chamber by an elastic member, and is based on a deformation of the elastic member that occurs when the metal material evaporation source pushes the power source side terminal through the connection terminal. The apparatus for manufacturing an organic EL element according to claim 1, wherein the connection terminal is pressed against the power supply side terminal by a restoring force. 3. The connection terminals of the metal material evaporation source are each provided with an engaging portion housed in an insulating container positioned and supported by the elevating tray. 2. The apparatus for manufacturing an organic EL element described in 2. 4. An output member of an actuator provided outside the vacuum chamber extends through the vacuum chamber in a hermetically sealed manner, and the metal material evaporation source has a tip of the output member of the elevating tray. With the bottom engaged,
The organic E according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the organic E is driven so that it can be moved toward and away from the power source side terminal.
L element manufacturing equipment. 5. A carrier can be carried through a gate valve that can be opened and closed between the vacuum chamber and a refillable tank provided in the vacuum chamber, and the metal material evaporation source for replenishment can be the It is mountable on a carrier table, and further, the carrier table is formed with an insertion hole through which the output member of the actuator can be inserted according to the position of the metal material evaporation source. Item 4. The apparatus for manufacturing an organic EL element according to item 4.