JP2013253271A - Film deposition apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow the observation of an evaporation state for a long period of time in such a state that the influence by sticking or the like of a film deposition material is reduced.SOLUTION: In a film deposition apparatus, since a plurality of pipes 51 constituting a stain preventing part 50 are provided to extend along the optical axis O of a lens 22, the inside of each of the plurality of pipes 51 forms an optical path L along the optical axis O, and it is possible to image a state in the vicinity of a film deposition material Ma without narrowing the imaging area of the lens 22. Further, sticking of the film deposition material particles Mb to the lens 22 can be effectively prevented by providing the plurality of pipes 51 between the lens 22 and the imaging area. Furthermore, since the film deposition material particles Mb can prevent an obstruction of the field of vision by the lens 22, the evaporation state of the film deposition material can be observed for a long period of time in such a state that the influence by sticking or the like of the film deposition material is reduced.

Description

  The present invention relates to a film forming apparatus such as an ion plating apparatus using plasma.

  As a method for forming a film forming material on the surface of the object to be processed, for example, a plasma beam generator (plasma source) is applied to the film forming material placed on a hearth (anode) placed in a vacuum vessel. There is an ion plating method in which a film forming material is ionized and diffused by irradiating with a plasma beam, and the ionized film forming material is attached to the surface of an object to be processed. In this film forming apparatus using the ion plating method, it is known that the evaporation state of the evaporation material affects the film formation state, so a method for installing a camera for observing the evaporation state of the evaporation material Is used. Here, when a camera is provided in the vacuum vessel, the lens is soiled due to scattering of the evaporation material and the like, so that a favorable imaging environment cannot be provided, and various studies have been made. For example, in Patent Document 1, a glass shield plate is provided between the evaporation material placed on the hearth and the CCD camera. When the evaporation material adheres and the shield plate becomes cloudy, the shield plate rotates to evaporate. A configuration is shown in which the field of view of the CCD camera is maintained by moving an area where no material is attached in front of the CCD camera.

JP 11-43764 A

  In recent years, there has been a demand for extending the operating time of the film forming apparatus, and in response to this, there is a demand for observing the evaporation state for a long time. However, according to the method described in Patent Document 1, since the shield plate provided in front of the CCD camera must be periodically replaced, it is necessary to perform maintenance regularly to some extent, and the maintenance interval is prolonged. It's not easy.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a film forming apparatus capable of observing the evaporation state for a long period of time in a state in which the influence of adhesion of the film forming material is reduced.

  In order to achieve the above object, a film forming apparatus according to the present invention is a film forming apparatus that heats a film forming material with a plasma beam and deposits particles evaporated from the film forming material on an object to be formed. A vacuum vessel for forming a vacuum environment; a plasma source for generating the plasma beam in the vacuum vessel; and a particle generating means for holding the film forming material and generating the particles by irradiation of the plasma beam. An image pickup means for picking up an image pickup area on the particle generation means side, and a dirt preventing member provided between the image pickup area and the image pickup means, and the optical axis of the image pickup means is provided by the dirt preventive member. When viewed from the direction, a plurality of optical paths are formed along the optical axis toward the imaging unit.

  In the film forming apparatus, a plurality of optical paths are formed along the optical axis by the antifouling member between the imaging region on the film forming material side and the imaging means. By forming a plurality of optical paths along the optical axis as described above, each optical path has a smaller optical path diameter, and the intrusion of particles vaporized from the film forming material into the optical path is suppressed. It is possible to prevent particles from the film forming material from adhering to the means. Therefore, it is possible to observe the evaporation state for a long time in a state in which the influence due to adhesion of the film forming material is reduced.

  Here, as a configuration that effectively exhibits the above-described operation, specifically, an aspect in which the plurality of optical paths are formed along the optical axis over the entire length of the optical axis dirt prevention member.

  The plurality of optical paths may be formed by a plurality of pipes extending along the optical axis. In this case, a plurality of optical paths can be easily formed using a pipe, so that the evaporation state is reduced in the state where the influence due to the deposition of the film forming material is reduced without requiring a large apparatus or member as a contamination prevention member. Long-term observation is possible.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the film-forming apparatus which can observe an evaporation state for a long period in the state which reduced the influence by adhesion of evaporation material etc. is provided.

It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the structure of the film-forming apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is a schematic perspective view explaining the structure of an imaging means and a stain | pollution | contamination prevention member. It is a schematic sectional drawing along the optical axis O of the lens of the imaging means in FIG. It is a schematic perspective view explaining the modification of the stain | pollution | contamination prevention member of the film-forming apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure explaining the modification of the stain | pollution | contamination prevention member of the film-forming apparatus which concerns on this embodiment, and is a figure corresponding to FIG. It is a schematic perspective view explaining the other modification of the stain | pollution | contamination prevention member of the film-forming apparatus which concerns on this embodiment.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a film forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. The film forming apparatus 1 according to this embodiment is a so-called ion plating apparatus. FIG. 1 shows an XYZ orthogonal coordinate system for ease of explanation.

  The film forming apparatus 1 includes a main anode mechanism 2, a transport mechanism 3, a plasma gun 4, an auxiliary anode 6, and a vacuum container 10.

  The vacuum vessel 10 is made of a conductive material and connected to the ground potential. The vacuum container 10 has a transfer chamber 10a for transferring the film formation target 5 to be formed, and a film formation chamber 10b for diffusing the film formation material Ma. The transfer chamber 10a extends in a predetermined transfer direction (the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1) and is disposed on the film forming chamber 10b. In the present embodiment, the conveyance direction indicated by the arrow A is along the X axis.

  The transport mechanism 3 has a function of supporting the deposition target 5. The transport mechanism 3 includes a plurality of transport rollers 31 installed at equal intervals in a plurality of transport chambers 10a and a workpiece holding member 32 that holds the film deposition target 5, and the film deposition target 5 is formed. The workpiece holding member 32 is transported in the transport direction A in a state facing the exposed surface of the film material Ma.

The plasma gun 4 is a pressure gradient type plasma source, and its main body is provided on the side wall (plasma port 10c) of the film forming chamber 10b. Plasma gun 4 is provided with a glass tube 42 having one end closed by the cathode 41, in the interior of the glass tube 42, made of molybdenum (Mo) with a built-in pipe 44 made of LaB ₆ made of disk 43 and tantalum (Ta) The cylinder 45 is fixed to the cathode 41. The pipe 44 is provided for introducing a carrier gas G such as argon (Ar) into the plasma gun 4.

  A first intermediate electrode (grid) 46 and a second intermediate electrode (grid) 47 are concentrically disposed between the cathode 41 of the glass tube 42 and the plasma port 10c. An annular permanent magnet 46 a for converging the plasma beam is built in the first intermediate electrode 46. An electromagnet coil 47 a for converging the plasma beam is also built in the second intermediate electrode 47.

  A steering coil 48 for guiding the plasma beam P to the film forming chamber 10b is provided around the plasma port 10c to which the plasma gun 4 is attached. The steering coil 48 is excited by a power source for the steering coil, and thereby the emission direction of the plasma beam P is controlled. A variable power source is connected between the cathode 41 and the first intermediate electrode 46 and the second intermediate electrode 47 via resistors.

  The auxiliary anode 6 is a device for guiding the plasma beam P to a predetermined position C in FIG. The auxiliary anode 6 includes a conductive material (for example, copper) having high thermal conductivity, has an annular outer shape, and is disposed on the bottom side of the film forming chamber 10b so as to surround the predetermined position C. The auxiliary anode 6 has an annular hollow container, and a ferrite permanent magnet 6b and a coil 6a laminated concentrically with the permanent magnet 6b are accommodated in the hollow container. The coil 6a and the permanent magnet 6b have a function of controlling the direction of the plasma beam P in accordance with the amount of current flowing through the coil 6a.

A main anode member 7 that holds the film forming material Ma when the surface of the film formation target 5 is formed is provided at a predetermined position C surrounded by the auxiliary anode 6. The main anode member 7 has a cylindrical outer shape, and the outer shape near the lower end is enlarged toward the lower end. In addition, a recess for holding the film forming material Ma is formed inside. The main anode member 7 functions as a hearth that holds the film forming material Ma and sucks the plasma beam P. That is, the main anode member 7 functions as a particle generating unit that holds the film forming material Ma and generates particles vaporized by the plasma beam P irradiation. Examples of the film forming material Ma include an insulating sealing material such as SiO ₂ and SiON, and a conductive material such as ITO.

  Further, inside the film forming chamber 10b, an imaging unit 20 and a stain prevention unit 50 that are characteristic of the present embodiment are provided. The imaging means 20 is composed of, for example, a CCD camera or the like, and includes a main body 21 and a lens 22. The imaging means 20 is provided in order to observe the surface condition of the film forming material Ma, and is provided inside the film forming chamber 10 b so that the image pickup region by the lens 22 is in the vicinity of the film forming material Ma of the main anode member 7. It is done. Therefore, the optical axis of the lens 22 extends toward or near the film forming material Ma, and the imaging region by the imaging unit 20 is in the vicinity of the main anode member 7 (particle generation unit side). Further, the dirt preventing means 50 is provided between the lens 22 of the imaging means 20 and the film forming material Ma.

  Here, the dirt preventing member 50 of the imaging unit 20 will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the configuration of the imaging unit 20 and the antifouling member 50, and FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view along the optical axis O of the lens 22 of the imaging unit 20 in FIG.

  The dirt prevention member 50 includes a plurality of pipes 51 and an exterior member 52 for bundling them. Each of the plurality of pipes 51 has a cylindrical shape, and is provided so that a hollow region extends along the optical axis O of the lens 22. The end of the pipe 51 on the lens 22 side extends to a region in contact with the surface 22 a of the lens 22. Further, the plurality of pipes 51 are accommodated in a cylindrical exterior member 52 that extends along the optical axis O of the lens 22. The end of the exterior member 52 on the lens 22 side is formed so as to cover the outer periphery of the lens 22.

  The material of the pipe 51 and the exterior member 52 is not particularly limited as long as it has heat resistance. The inner diameter of the pipe 51 is not particularly limited, but can be about 1 mm to several tens of mm. Moreover, about the length of the pipe 51, although it can change suitably, it is preferable that length is 5 cm or more.

  Here, when the lens 22 is viewed from the end surface 51a on the film forming material Ma side of the antifouling member 50 along the optical axis O, the interior of the exterior member 52 is partitioned by the pipe 51, and thus along the optical axis O. A plurality of optical paths L can be formed. That is, light that has entered the interior of any one of the plurality of pipes 51 from the end face 51 a of the antifouling member 50 travels along the optical path inside each pipe 51 along the optical axis O, and the light of the lens 22 of the imaging unit 20. Incident from the surface 22a. The light incident on the lens 22 is converted into image information in the main body 21 and output to the outside.

  In the film forming apparatus 1, the plasma beam P is irradiated from the plasma gun 4 to the film forming chamber 10 b and the auxiliary anode 6 is used to guide the plasma beam P toward the main anode member 7. Here, the main anode member 7 sucks the plasma beam P. When the film forming material Ma is made of an insulating material, when the main anode member 7 sucks the plasma beam P, the main anode member 7 is heated by the current from the plasma beam P, so that the surface portion of the film forming material Ma Is vaporized and ionized by the plasma beam P. As a result, the ionized film-forming material particles Mb move upward (in the positive direction of the Z axis) while being diffused into the film-forming chamber 10b, and are moved to the surface of the film-forming object 5 in the transfer chamber 10a. Adhere to a film. Thereby, a desired film is formed on the surface of the film formation target 5. At this time, in the transfer chamber 10a, a region D above the film formation chamber 10b and where the film formation material particles Mb adhere to the surface of the film formation target 5 to form the film formation target 5 is formed. It becomes a film part.

  Here, conventionally, when a camera is installed in the film forming chamber 10b for the purpose of observing the surface condition of the film forming material Ma, a camera such as film forming material particles Mb ionized and scattered by the plasma beam P is used. The problem that the field of view of the camera is hindered by the attachment of the lens to the lens has been addressed by providing a shield plate that needs to be replaced periodically in front of the camera. On the other hand, in the film forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the antifouling member 50 is provided between the lens 22 and the imaging region by the imaging means 20, that is, the vicinity of the film forming material Ma.

  Since the plurality of pipes 51 constituting the antifouling member 50 are provided so as to extend along the optical axis O of the lens 22, each of the plurality of pipes 51 forms an optical path L along the optical axis O. In addition, the situation in the vicinity of the film forming material Ma can be imaged without narrowing the imageable area of the lens 22. Further, by providing the plurality of pipes 51 between the lens 22 and the imaging region, it is possible to effectively prevent the deposition material particles Mb from adhering to the lens 22. This is because the film-forming material particles Mb hardly enter the inside of a pipe having a small inner diameter in vacuum engineering. For this reason, the film forming material particles Mb that enter the inside of the pipe 51 from the end surface 51a of the antifouling member 50 can be greatly reduced. Further, since it is possible to prevent the film forming material particles Mb from blocking the field of view by the lens 22, it is possible to maintain a state in which the influence due to the adhesion of the evaporation material or the like is reduced for a long period of time. In comparison with a shield plate that requires replacement, it is possible to observe the evaporation state of the film forming material for a long period of time without requiring maintenance or the like.

  Next, a modification of the film forming apparatus according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view for explaining the configuration of the imaging unit 20 and the antifouling member 50A according to the modification, and FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view along the optical axis O of the lens 22 of the imaging unit 20 in FIG. It is.

  As described above, the film-forming material particle Mb reaches the lens 22 by attaching the anti-smudge member that divides the optical path of the lens 22 into a plurality of parts between the lens 22 of the imaging unit 20 and the film-forming material Ma serving as the imaging region. Reaching can be prevented. Therefore, the antifouling member 50A according to the modified example is an exterior member that covers the outside of the lens 22 and extends along the optical axis O instead of the plurality of pipes 51 shown in the above embodiment as a member that divides the optical path into a plurality of parts. The interior of 52 is separated from each other by a plurality of partition plates 53.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of flat partition plates 53 extending along the optical axis O are provided so as to be orthogonal to each other. The lattice-shaped optical path partitioned by the plurality of partition plates 53 has an exterior member 52 so that each side has a quadrangular shape with one side of about 1 mm to several tens of mm when viewed from the end surface 53a side along the optical axis O. The inside is separated. As a result, each of the regions partitioned by the partition plate 53 of the antifouling member 50A forms an optical path L along the optical axis O, and the vicinity of the film forming material Ma of the main anode member 7 without narrowing the imaging region of the lens 22 The situation can be imaged. Further, the partition plate 53 that divides the interior of the exterior member 52 into a lattice shape is provided between the lens 22 and the imaging region, so that the deposition material particles Mb can be effectively prevented from adhering to the lens 22.

  Next, another modification of the film forming apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the configuration of the imaging unit 20 and the antifouling member 50B according to the modification.

  2 and 3 and the dirt preventing member 50A shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 are members that form a plurality of optical paths inside any exterior member 52 (pipe 51, dirt in the dirt preventing member 50). In the prevention member 50A, the partition plate 53 corresponds to each other over the entire length (in the direction of the optical axis O) of the contamination prevention member. That is, among the anti-smudge members, a plurality of optical paths are formed independently from the end surface 51a (53a) on the imaging region side to the surface 22a of the lens 22. However, these plural optical paths are provided for the purpose of preventing the intrusion into the film forming material particles Mb, and it is not important to make the optical paths to the lens 22 independent. That is, it is only necessary to divide the optical path along the optical axis O so that the optical path diameter is such that the film forming material particles Mb do not enter over a length that does not allow the film forming material particles Mb to enter.

  Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, when the exterior member 52 of the antifouling member 50B is attached until it reaches the outer periphery of the lens 22, a part of the region along the optical axis O (in FIG. It may be an aspect in which a plurality of pipes 54 are provided only on the end surface 54a side as an imaging region and a plurality of optical paths are formed. Even in such a configuration, the film forming material particles Mb are difficult to enter the optical path formed by the plurality of pipes 54, so that the field of view of the lens 22 is hindered by the film forming material particles Mb. Therefore, it is possible to observe the state of the film forming material Ma surface over a long period of time using the imaging means 20.

  Note that the region where the plurality of optical paths are formed by being divided by the plurality of pipes 54 needs to be on the imaging region side (the side opposite to the lens 22 side) of the antifouling member 50B as shown in FIG. It may be on the lens 22 side, or near the center of the antifouling member 50B along the optical axis O.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, the film-forming apparatus based on this invention is not limited above, A various change can be performed.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the imaging unit 20 and the antifouling member 50 are provided in the film forming chamber 10b has been described. However, there may be a configuration in which the imaging unit 20 is provided outside the film formation chamber 10b for reasons such as the arrangement of equipment. In this case, by changing the wall surface of the film forming chamber 10b intersecting the optical path connecting the lens 22 of the image pickup unit 20 and the image pickup region (near the film forming material Ma) to a light-transmitting material such as glass, for example. It is considered that the vicinity of the film forming material Ma inside the film forming chamber 10b is picked up by the image pickup means 20 provided outside. In the situation as described above, if the film forming material particles Mb adhere to the wall surface of the film forming chamber 10b through which the light incident on the lens 22 passes, imaging by the image pickup unit 20 becomes difficult as a result. By providing the antifouling member according to this embodiment between the wall surface 10b and the imaging region near the main anode mechanism 7 on which the film forming material Ma is placed, the film forming material particles Mb adhering to the wall surface are reduced. It is possible to observe the film forming material continuously for a long period of time.

  In the above embodiment, the case where the imaging unit 20 is a CCD camera has been described, but the imaging unit may be another type of camera.

  Moreover, although the said embodiment demonstrated the case where the shape of the pipe 31 and the exterior member 51 was a cylindrical shape, the shape of the pipe 31 and the exterior member 51 can be changed suitably. Similarly, from the viewpoint that it suffices to extend along the optical axis O and to divide the optical path into a plurality of sections, when the optical path is partitioned by the partition plate 33, the cross-sectional shape of the optical path is a quadrangular shape as in the above embodiment. It is not necessary to divide, for example, it can change suitably to other shapes, such as a triangle and a hexagon.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Film-forming apparatus, 2 ... Main anode mechanism, 3 ... Conveyance mechanism, 4 ... Plasma gun, 5 ... Film-forming object, 6 ... Auxiliary anode, 7 ... Main anode member, 10 ... Vacuum container, 20 ... Imaging means, 50: Antifouling member, Ma: Film forming material, Mb: Film forming material particles.

Claims (3)

A film forming apparatus for forming a film by heating a film forming material by a plasma beam and attaching particles evaporated from the film forming material to an object to be formed,
A vacuum vessel forming a vacuum environment;
A plasma source for generating the plasma beam in the vacuum vessel;
Particle generating means for holding the film forming material and generating the particles by irradiation with the plasma beam;
Imaging means for imaging the imaging region on the particle generating means side;
A dirt preventing member provided between the imaging region and the imaging means;
With
The film forming apparatus, wherein when seen from the direction of the optical axis of the imaging unit, a plurality of optical paths are formed along the optical axis toward the imaging unit by the anti-smudge member. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical paths are formed along the optical axis over the entire length of the optical axis and the antifouling member. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical paths are formed by a plurality of pipes extending along the optical axis.

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