JP2019534938A - Material deposition apparatus, vacuum deposition system, and method for performing vacuum deposition - Google Patents

Abstract

A material deposition apparatus is described for depositing material on a substrate in a vacuum deposition chamber. The material deposition apparatus includes a first deposition source having one or more first openings, a second deposition source having one or more second openings, and one or more first openings. A shutter device having at least a first shutter having a shutter plate configured to be movable at an angle to one or more second openings and to a first park position. At least the first deposition source is a linear source having a plurality of apertures extending along a row, and at least the first shutter can be moved at the angle to be positioned in front of the plurality of apertures. [Selection] Figure 2B

Description

  Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a deposition apparatus for depositing one or more layers, particularly layers comprising organic materials, on a substrate. In particular, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a material deposition apparatus, a vacuum deposition system, and a method therefor for depositing material evaporated in a vacuum deposition chamber on a substrate, particularly for OLED manufacturing. Embodiments further relate to conditioning a material deposition apparatus.

  Organic evaporators are tools for organic light emitting diode (OLED) production. An OLED is a special type of light emitting diode whose light emitting layer includes a thin film of an organic compound. Organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) are used in the manufacture of information displays, such as television screens, computer monitors, cell phones, and other portable devices. OLEDs can also be used for general space illumination. Since OLED pixels emit directly and do not require a backlight, the range of colors, brightness, and viewing angles possible with OLED displays is wider than that of conventional LCD displays. Thus, the energy consumption of OLED displays is significantly less than that of conventional LCD displays. Furthermore, the fact that OLEDs can be manufactured on flexible substrates provides further applications.

  OLED materials are often co-evaporated. Two or more materials, e.g., three materials, are deposited to form one layer of the device layer structure. For co-deposition, an evaporation source assembly having two or more evaporation sources can be used. Co-evaporation has a high degree of difficulty in controlling the evaporation rate of two or more evaporation sources for depositing one layer. The evaporation rate of the first evaporation source and the evaporation rate of the second evaporation source must be adapted to each other. Furthermore, the uniformity of the individual evaporation sources is important, for example for linear sources, i.e. multiple sources producing a row of evaporating material, and area sources, i.e. sources producing evaporating material in a two-dimensional area. .

  In light of the above, a material deposition apparatus, a vacuum deposition system, and a method for conditioning a material deposition apparatus are provided.

  According to one embodiment, a material deposition apparatus is provided for depositing material on a substrate in a vacuum deposition chamber. The material deposition apparatus includes a first deposition source having one or more first openings, a second deposition source having one or more second openings, and one or more first openings. A shutter device having at least a first shutter configured to be movable at an angle to one or more second openings and to a first park position.

  According to one embodiment, a material deposition apparatus is provided for depositing material on a substrate in a vacuum deposition chamber. The material deposition apparatus includes a first deposition source having one or more first openings, a second deposition source having one or more second openings, and one or more first openings or one. A shutter device having at least a first shutter configured to be movable or rotated at an angle to selectively cover the second opening. . In addition, a first park position may be provided.

  According to one embodiment, a material deposition apparatus is provided for depositing material on a substrate in a vacuum deposition chamber. The material deposition apparatus includes a first deposition source having one or more first openings, a second deposition source having one or more second openings, a first shutter, and one or more firsts. An actuator for moving the first shutter at an angle before the one opening and before the one or more second openings.

  According to one embodiment, a vacuum deposition system is provided. The system includes a vacuum deposition chamber and a material deposition apparatus. A material deposition apparatus may be provided in accordance with any embodiment described herein. For example, the material deposition apparatus includes a first deposition source having one or more first openings, a second deposition source having one or more second openings, a first shutter, and one or more. And an actuator for moving the first shutter at an angle before the first opening and before the one or more second openings.

  According to one embodiment, a method is provided for conditioning a material deposition apparatus having at least a first deposition source and a second deposition source. The method includes shutting off material with a shutter at the first deposition source, conditioning the second deposition source, moving the shutter to the second deposition source at an angle, and a second deposition source. Depositing a layer of material on the substrate by shutting off the material, conditioning the second deposition source, moving the shutter at an angle, and co-evaporating the first and second materials And including.

  In order that the above features of the present disclosure may be understood in detail, a more specific description of the present disclosure, briefly outlined above, may be made by reference to the embodiments. The accompanying drawings relate to embodiments of the invention and are described in the following description.

1 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a material deposition apparatus, eg, an evaporation source, that can be used in the embodiments described herein. FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a material deposition apparatus, eg, a deposition source assembly, that can be utilized with embodiments described herein. 1 is a schematic partial view of a material deposition apparatus having a shutter according to embodiments described herein. FIG. 3A-3C are schematic views of a material deposition apparatus in which the shutter is shown in another position, according to embodiments described herein. 1 is a schematic partial perspective view of a material deposition apparatus having two shutters, according to embodiments described herein. FIG. FIG. 6 shows a schematic diagram of another material deposition apparatus, according to embodiments described herein. FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a material deposition apparatus according to embodiments described herein. 1 is a schematic side view of a material deposition apparatus having a support and a deposition source facing a side shield according to embodiments described herein. FIG. FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a vacuum deposition system according to embodiments described herein. FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of a method of operating a material deposition apparatus or a method of conditioning a material deposition apparatus, respectively, according to embodiments described herein.

  Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments. Each figure shows one or more examples of embodiments. Each example is presented for purposes of explanation and is not meant to be limiting. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used in any other embodiment or in combination with any other embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. It is possible. The present disclosure is intended to include such modifications and variations.

  In the following description of the drawings, the same reference numbers refer to the same or similar components. Generally, only the differences will be described with respect to the individual embodiments. Unless stated otherwise, the description of a part or aspect of one embodiment is also applicable to the corresponding part or aspect in another embodiment.

  FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a material deposition apparatus 100 that can be utilized in the embodiments described herein. Specifically, the material deposition apparatus is configured to deposit material on a substrate in a vacuum deposition chamber. As exemplarily shown in FIG. 1, the material deposition apparatus includes at least one material deposition source 105 having a crucible 110 configured to evaporate the material. The material deposition apparatus further includes a distribution assembly 120, such as a distribution pipe. The dispensing assembly is configured to supply the evaporated material to the substrate. As illustratively shown in FIG. 1, at least one deposition source distribution assembly 120 includes a distribution pipe with one or more outlets or openings 126 provided along the length of the distribution pipe. Good. Typically, the dispensing assembly 120 is connected to the crucible 110.

  Specifically, an opening 113 may be provided at the bottom of the dispensing assembly 120. For example, the opening 113 provided at the bottom of the dispensing assembly 120 is disposed and configured such that fluid communication with the crucible 110 is possible, for example, through an opening provided in the top wall of the crucible. Can be.

  The crucible 110 is in fluid communication with the dispensing assembly. The evaporated material is directed toward the substrate within the dispensing assembly. For example, the dispensing assembly 120 directs the evaporated material through the opening 126 onto a substrate (not shown in FIG. 1). According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the material deposition apparatus may include a linear source. A plurality of openings 126 may be arranged in a row. Distributing assembly 120 produces a linear steam plume. The linear source can move, for example, perpendicular to the direction of the line. By moving the linear source, the evaporated material can be deposited on a rectangular substrate.

  According to further embodiments that can be combined with other embodiments described herein, a shutter or shutter assembly according to embodiments described herein may be provided with a point source.

  FIG. 2A shows a more detailed schematic top cross-sectional view of a material deposition apparatus, according to further embodiments described herein. Specifically, FIG. 2A shows a top cross-sectional view of a material deposition apparatus that includes a first deposition source 105A, a second deposition source 105B, and a third deposition source 105C. Three distribution assemblies, for example distribution pipes and corresponding evaporation crucibles, can be provided adjacent to each other. As a result, the material deposition apparatus may be provided as an evaporation source array capable of simultaneously evaporating two or more kinds of materials, for example. For example, co-evaporation can be used to deposit material layers during the manufacture of OLED displays. The material deposition apparatus can include more than one deposition source 105.

  A material deposition apparatus, or deposition source, is conditioned to provide processing conditions for material deposition. Advantageously, the multiple deposition sources of the material deposition apparatus are conditioned independently of one another. For example, the material evaporation uniformity of the deposition source is considered independently for each of the deposition sources of the material deposition apparatus. The uniformity of the deposition source can be considered, for example, the uniformity along the row of openings 126. Uniformity can be evaluated and / or adjusted along a line of linear sources.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, the deposition source may include a dispensing assembly as described herein and a crucible as described herein. For example, the first distribution assembly 120A, the second distribution assembly 120B, and the third distribution assembly 120C can be configured as distribution pipes as described herein.

  As shown in FIG. 2B, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, one or more shutters 210 can be moved at an angle 212. By moving the shutter at an angle, such as rotating the shutter about axis 211, it is possible to position the shutter in front of one or more openings 126 of the first distribution assembly. Alternatively, the shutter can be positioned in front of one or more openings 126 in the second distribution assembly or in front of one or more openings in the third distribution assembly. Furthermore, the shutter can be positioned at the park position. In the park position, the material deposition device opening is not covered by a shutter. The shutter does not block the guidance of material directed to the substrate in any distribution assembly of the material deposition apparatus.

  Positioning the shutter in front of one or more apertures of one dispensing assembly, ie, one or more apertures of one deposition source, allows for individual conditioning of multiple deposition sources. Further, the park position allows the material deposition apparatus to deposit material on the substrate by co-evaporation of two or more deposition sources.

  In this disclosure, a “material deposition source” can be understood as an apparatus or assembly that is configured to provide a source of material to be deposited on a substrate. Specifically, a “material deposition source” is an apparatus or assembly having a crucible configured to evaporate the material to be deposited and a dispensing assembly configured to supply the evaporated material to a substrate. Can be understood as The expression “distribution assembly configured to supply vaporized material to the substrate” means that the distribution assembly delivers gaseous raw materials in the deposition direction exemplarily shown in FIG. It can be understood as being configured to guide. As a result, gaseous raw materials, such as materials for depositing thin films of OLED devices, are directed into the distribution assembly and exhausted from the distribution assembly through one or more outlets or openings 126. For example, one or more outlets of a distribution assembly, such as a distribution pipe, can be nozzles that extend along the direction of evaporation. Typically, the evaporation direction can be essentially horizontal. The horizontal direction may correspond to, for example, the x direction shown in FIG. According to an exemplary embodiment, the evaporation direction has a slight deviation from the horizontal direction, for example less than 15 °, such as less than 7 °, in order to allow the substrate orientation to deviate slightly from vertical. It can be beneficial to do so.

  In this disclosure, a “crucible” can be understood as an instrument having a reservoir for a material that evaporates by heating the crucible. Thus, a “crucible” can be understood as a raw material reservoir that can be heated to evaporate the raw material into a gas by at least one of evaporation and sublimation of the raw material. Typically, a crucible includes a heater for evaporating the raw material in the crucible into a gaseous raw material. For example, the material to be evaporated may initially be in powder form. The reservoir can have a volume for receiving a raw material to be evaporated, for example an organic material.

  In the present disclosure, a “distribution assembly” can be understood as an assembly configured to supply a substrate with a material evaporated from the distribution assembly, specifically a plume of evaporated material. For example, the dispensing assembly may include a distribution tube that may be elongated. For example, the distribution pipes described herein may provide a linear source having a plurality of apertures and / or nozzles arranged in at least one row along the length of the distribution pipe. As a result, the dispensing assembly can be, for example, a linear dispensing showerhead having a plurality of openings (or elongated slits) disposed therein. As used herein, a showerhead is understood as having a housing, cavity, or tube that can supply or direct the evaporated material, for example, from an evaporation crucible to a substrate. The pressure in the hollow space of the shower head can be higher by one digit or more than the outside of the space.

  According to embodiments that can be combined with any of the other embodiments described herein, the length of the distribution pipe may correspond at least to the height of the substrate on which the deposition is performed. Specifically, the length of the distribution pipe may be at least 10% longer and even 20% longer than the height of the substrate on which the deposition is performed. For example, the length of the distribution pipe may be 1.3 m or more, for example, 2.5 m or more. This can provide uniform deposition at the top and / or bottom of the substrate. According to an alternative configuration, the dispensing assembly may include one or more point sources that can be arranged along a vertical axis.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, according to an embodiment that can be combined with any of the other embodiments described herein, the distribution assembly of the at least one deposition source has a non-circular cross section perpendicular to the length of the distribution pipe. It can be configured as a distribution pipe having. For example, the cross section perpendicular to the length of the distribution pipe can be a triangle with rounded corners and / or a triangle with rounded corners. For example, FIG. 2A shows three distribution pipes having a substantially triangular cross-section perpendicular to the distribution pipe length. According to embodiments that can be combined with any other embodiment described herein, each dispensing assembly is in fluid communication with a respective evaporating crucible.

  For example, as described in connection with FIGS. 1, 2A, and 2B, a description of features of at least one deposition source 105 may include other depositions of material deposition apparatus 100 having two or more deposition sources 105. It should be understood that it can also be applied to sources.

  According to certain embodiments that may be combined with any other embodiment described herein, and as illustrated by way of example in FIG. 2A, an evaporator control housing 180 is adjacent to at least one material deposition source. It may be provided. Specifically, the evaporator control housing can be configured to maintain atmospheric pressure therein, and switches, valves, controllers, cooling units, cooling control units, heating control units, power supplies, and measurements It is configured to receive at least one element selected from the group consisting of devices.

  According to an embodiment that can be combined with any other embodiment described herein, the distribution assembly, in particular the distribution pipe, can be heated by a heating element provided inside the distribution assembly. The heating element can be an electric heater that can be provided by a heating wire, such as a coated heating wire, fastened to the tube or otherwise secured. With reference to FIG. 2A as an example, a cooling shield 138 may be provided. The cooling shield 138 may include sidewalls that are arranged such that a U-shaped cooling shield is provided to reduce thermal radiation toward the deposition area, ie, the substrate and / or mask. For example, the cooling shield can be provided as a metal plate to which a conduit for a cooling fluid such as water is attached or installed inside. Additionally or alternatively, a thermoelectric cooling device or other cooling device can be provided to cool the cooling shield. Typically, the outer shield, i.e. the outermost shield surrounding the inner cavity of the distribution pipe, can be cooled.

  In FIG. 2A, for illustrative purposes, the evaporated raw material exiting the outlet of the dispensing assembly is indicated by an arrow. Since the shape of the distribution assembly is basically triangular, the evaporation cones resulting from the three distribution assemblies are close to each other. Thereby, the mixing of the raw materials from the separate dispensing assemblies can be improved. Specifically, the outlets or nozzles of adjacent distribution pipes can be installed close to each other depending on the cross-sectional shape of the distribution pipe. According to certain embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the first outlet or nozzle of the first distribution pipe and the second outlet or nozzle of the second distribution pipe are: It can have a distance of 75 mm or less, for example 50 mm or less, or 35 mm or less.

  As further shown in FIG. 2A, a shield device, specifically a shaper shield device 137, can be provided, for example, attached to the cooling shield 138 or as part of the cooling shield. By providing a shaper shield, the direction of steam exiting the distribution pipe (s) through the outlet can be controlled. That is, the vapor discharge angle can be reduced. According to certain embodiments, at least a portion of the evaporated material supplied through the outlet or nozzle is blocked by the shaper shield. As a result, the width of the discharge angle can be controlled.

  As shown in more detail in connection with FIGS. 3A-7, a shutter or shutter assembly may be provided in and / or connected to the shaper shield device 137.

  FIG. 3A shows a portion of the material deposition apparatus 100. Deposition source opening 126 and shaper shield device 137 are shown. In the cross-sectional view of FIG. 3A, the side portion 317 of the shaper shield device 137 is shown. Two shutters 210 are provided. The shutter 210 can be moved at an angle, for example, can rotate around the axis 211. FIG. 3A shows a left opening 126, a central opening 126, and a right opening 126. These openings correspond to the respective evaporation sources. According to an embodiment, the evaporation source can be a plurality of point sources having respective apertures 126. According to other embodiments, the evaporation source can be a linear source, and each aperture 126 is one of a plurality of apertures that extend along a line perpendicular to the plane of the paper of FIGS. 3A-3C. is there.

  According to the present disclosure, the embodiments described herein can be used as a point source for a material deposition apparatus that co-evaporates two or more materials, but a shutter device according to embodiments described herein can be It can also be used beneficially for linear sources. For example, the shutter device can be used for linear sources that are vertically or essentially vertically oriented. A shutter device having one or more shutters that are moved at an angle, eg, around an axis, can effectively block one or more rows of openings 126. Further, as described in more detail in connection with FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, the shutter device can be in the park position.

  FIG. 3A shows the positioning of the first shutter and the second shutter. The central opening 126 and the right opening 126 are blocked by a shutter. The left opening 126 or the row of left openings is not blocked. The evaporated material can be directed onto the substrate from the dispensing assembly corresponding to the left opening 126, ie, the left opening 126 or the left opening row 126. While the left deposition assembly or left deposition source corresponding to one or more left openings, respectively, can be conditioned, the central evaporation source and the right evaporation source do not contribute to the deposition of the layer on the substrate.

  FIG. 3B shows the positioning of the first shutter and the second shutter. Here, the central opening 126 is not blocked. An evaporation source between the left evaporation source and the right evaporation source can be conditioned while the left evaporation source and the right evaporation source do not contribute to the deposition of the layer on the substrate. FIG. 3C shows the positioning of the first shutter and the second shutter. Here, the right opening 126 is not blocked. The right evaporation source can be conditioned. For example, after conditioning the evaporation source following shutter positioning according to FIGS. 3A-3C (in any order), the first shutter and the second shutter can be moved to the park position, the left deposition source, the right deposition The deposition of a layer, for example an organic layer, may be provided by co-evaporation of the source and the deposition source between the left and right deposition sources.

  FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the shaper shield device 137. A portion of the shaper shield device 137 is cut away to show the shutter 210 of the shutter device according to the embodiments described herein. FIG. 4 shows the side 317 of the shaper shield device 137 and, for example, the top 417 of the shaper shield device. The shutter 210 extends along the line of the linear source provided by the aperture 126 shown in FIG. The shutter 210 can be moved to cover the aperture 126 (four apertures shown) extending along the line of the linear source.

  According to certain embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the shaper shield device may include a side 317, a top 417, and a bottom. The shaper shield device forms a shaper box. The shaper shield device can include a frame that extends from an opening or row of openings 126 in the direction of the substrate. The frame can surround an opening or a row of openings. The aperture or row of apertures 126 can be used for co-evaporation of two or more deposition sources.

  For example, a shutter device including one or more shutters 210 can be attached to a shaper shield device, that is, a shaper box. It is beneficial to attach a shutter device to the shaper shield device. This is because both components undergo maintenance such as regular cleaning. As a result, by attaching the shutter device to the shaper shield device, the shutter device can be disassembled together with the shaper shield device. In addition, as will be described in more detail in connection with FIG. 7, the shutter device is mounted on a deposition source device for convenient disassembly, whereby the shutter devices, eg, the first shutter and the second shutter, It can be removed in a short time. As a result, maintenance can be carried out quickly.

  FIG. 5 shows a portion of a material deposition apparatus according to a further embodiment. FIG. 5 shows a shaper shield device 137 having side portions 317. Further, the end of the top 417 is shown in FIG. Although the end of the top 417 may not be perfectly straight, the shaper box may be considered to be essentially rectangular in cross section and / or essentially cuboid.

  FIG. 5 shows a portion of a material deposition apparatus. Here, one or more openings 126 are provided by one or more nozzles 526 of the first deposition source, one or more openings 126 are provided by one or more nozzles 526 of the second deposition source, and One or more openings 126 are provided by one or more nozzles 526 of three deposition sources. According to embodiments described herein, the material deposition apparatus is provided with two or more deposition sources that co-evaporate different materials into a single layer on the substrate. Is formed.

  The shaper shield device 137 can be connected to the cooling shield 138 as shown in FIG. As a result, the shaper shield device 137 can be passively cooled by the cooling shield 138. The cooling shield 138 can provide active cooling.

  In accordance with certain embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, a material deposition apparatus for depositing a layer of material on a substrate, wherein a pattern mask, such as a fine mask, is disposed between the material deposition apparatus and the substrate. A material deposition apparatus provided with a metal mask (FMM) can be provided. A pattern mask such as FMM can define the pixel resolution of the display. As a result, the openings in the pattern mask can have dimensions of 2-3 microns and are arranged with a tolerance of 2-3 microns. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a shutter device with one or more shutters that can be moved at an angle, for example, can be rotated around an axis 211, specifically with respect to a linear source. It can be beneficially utilized for linear sources for the deposition of essentially vertically oriented vertical substrates. Shutter devices with rotating or swinging shutters extending along a row of apertures in a linear source can be easily positioned in front of the row, for example in the park position as shown in FIGS. Can be easily removed for maintenance. Individual conditioning of multiple linear sources is beneficial for vertical substrate processing. In the processing of a vertical substrate, it is very difficult for a large area substrate to perform vertical substrate alignment and pattern mask vertical alignment in the micrometer region.

  FIG. 5 shows a shaper 536 connected to the nozzle 526. The shaper 536 can be provided individually. That is, for the plurality of nozzles 526 or openings 126, one shaper 536 is provided for each nozzle or opening. The cross section of the shaper 536 can be circular, oval, quadratic, rectangular, or the like. The shaper 536 extends from the nozzle 526 or the opening 126 toward the substrate. The shaper 536 limits the angle of the evaporation plume of the nozzle or opening. The limited angle of the emitted vapor is beneficial in order to allow accuracy in the 2 to 3 micron region of the pattern mask, eg FMM. For example, in the case of a substrate that is basically vertically oriented, the shaper 536 limits the angle at which evaporation is excluded in the horizontal and vertical directions with respect to a main evaporation direction that is basically horizontal. It can be a two-dimensional shaper. According to certain embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, shaper 536 is a separate shaper for opening 126 or nozzle 526. According to further embodiments that can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the shaper 536 can be heated. Heating the shaper 536 can be beneficial to reduce adhesion of evaporated material to the shaper.

  A circle 511 shown in FIG. 5 exemplarily shows the rotation of the right shutter 210 that rotates around the right axis 211. The movement of the shutter plate 510 of the shutter 210 can be provided along a circle or arc. A gap 513 is provided between the circle 511 and the surface of one or more shapers 536. As a result, a gap is provided between the shutter plate 510 and the surface of one or more shapers. According to certain embodiments that can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the gap can be 5 mm or less. Additionally or alternatively, the gap can be 0.5 mm or more. For example, the gap can be 2 mm to 4 mm.

  According to certain embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the shutter plate 510 of the shutter 210 may have a concave shape. The shutter plate can be bent inward toward the axis 211. This can improve the blockage of the evaporated material when the shutter 210 moves in front of the opening 126.

  Shutter 210, the first shutter and the second shutter, are shown in the park position in FIG. The shutter park position can be proximate to one or more sides 317 of the shield device or shaper shield device 137. As can be understood in connection with FIGS. 4 and 7, the shutter plate 510 is simply provided in front of the opening 126. The connection portion between the shaft 211 and the shutter plate shown in FIG. 5 (and other drawings) does not block the evaporation material from reaching the substrate. According to the embodiments described herein, the park location can be on the side of the frame defining the shield device or shaper shield device 137, eg, the left or right side of FIG. The park position can be provided, for example, on either side of the opening 126 or the row of openings 126 used for co-deposition.

  According to certain embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the shaper shield device 137 may include one or more additional walls 517. An additional wall 517, which can be provided by, for example, a sheet-like material, can create a housing or enclosure for the shield plate 510. The housing can be provided between a further wall, i.e. a sheet or surface of material, and the side 317 of the shield device 137. The enclosure or enclosure can provide space for the shutter in the power position, ie, the shutter plate.

  According to certain embodiments, the additional wall or surface may be passively cooled by the cooling shield 138, for example via a shield device or shaper shield device 137. The indirectly cooled surface of the shield device covers and / or surrounds the shutter 210, ie the shutter plate 510. The shutter plate 510 can be heated by blocking the evaporated material. A housing or enclosure having a cooled surface reduces the thermal load on the shutter plate 510, which has a high temperature that can affect the substrate during processing of the substrate, ie during co-evaporation of two or more deposition sources. According to further or alternative variations that may be combined with other embodiments or variations described herein, the shutter 210, and specifically the shutter plate 510, may be directly cooled, eg, actively.

  FIG. 6 shows the housing in the park position. This may also be used for other embodiments described herein, for example, material deposition devices that each have a separate shaper for the opening or nozzle. Further, the circle around the right axis 211 shown in FIG. 6 moves toward the nozzle 526 as compared to FIG. As a result, the gap between the aperture and / or nozzle of the embodiment described in connection with FIG. 6 can be similar to the gap 513 described in connection with FIG.

  FIG. 7 shows a material deposition apparatus 100. The material deposition apparatus includes two or more deposition sources 105. Each deposition source (one deposition source is shown in the side cross-sectional view of FIG. 7) can include a crucible 110, a dispensing assembly 120, and a respective opening 126, such as a nozzle. The material evaporated in the crucible 110 is guided by the distribution assembly 120 through the opening 126 and into the vacuum chamber. For example, the evaporated material can be directed toward the substrate or toward the side shield 710 shown in FIG. The evaporation direction can be horizontal or inclined slightly upward relative to the horizontal orientation, as shown in FIG. The evaporation direction can be inclined from 0 ° to 10 °.

  According to embodiments described herein, the material deposition apparatus may include a side shield 710. The side shield can be provided in front of the material source device when the material source device is in the rotational idling position. The side shield is provided so that when the material deposition device is in the idle position, the material deposition device is moved in front of the idle shield, e.g., moved in front of the idle shield at an angle. Can do. The side shield 710 may be an idle shield or generally a shield for a material deposition source device, eg, two or more deposition sources.

  According to certain embodiments, more than one evaporation source 105 can be mounted in an evaporator control housing 180, eg, an atmospheric box. The evaporator control housing can be connected to the outside of the vacuum chamber in which the material deposition apparatus is operating.

  Two or more evaporation sources can be supported by a support 780 for the material deposition apparatus. The support can be configured to translate the material deposition apparatus. The support can provide a housing for active and / or passive magnetic elements. Active and / or passive magnetic elements can provide magnetic levitation and / or magnetic drive of the material deposition apparatus. For example, referring to FIG. 7, the translational motion of the material deposition apparatus can be perpendicular to the page of FIG.

  FIG. 7 shows a shaper shield device 137 having a top 417. The shutter 210 can be mounted on the top 417 and the corresponding bottom. The shutter 210 may be mounted with a rotatable pin 722, for example. The cross-sectional view of FIG. 7 shows one shutter, one mounting device for the shutter, and an actuator for moving the shutter. A shutter device having two or more shutters 210 can include a corresponding number of components.

  An actuator 726 is provided below the bottom of the shaper shield device 137. A shaper shield device, i.e. a shaper box, can shield the actuator and / or shutter mounting from exposure to evaporated material. Actuator 726 can be a motor, such as a scraping coil motor. For example, the motor can engage the pin via a magnet 724. Alternatively, direct engagement between the actuator 726 and the pin 722 or shutter shaft may be provided.

  According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the shutter device includes one or more shutters 210 that can move at an angle. For example, the shutter can rotate around an axis. For example, the shaft can be provided by a pin 722.

  According to certain embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the material deposition source device may include a vertical shield 717. FIG. 7 shows a vertical shield 717 at the bottom of the shaper shield device and a vertical shield 717 at the top of the shaper shield device. One or more vertical shields can limit the evaporation angle of the material deposition apparatus in the vertical direction. For example, one or more vertical shields can limit the evaporation angle of the evaporation source 105, eg, two or more evaporation sources 105, in the vertical direction. The vertical shield can be a cover sheet.

  A shutter device according to embodiments described herein allows for the conditioning of a single deposition source among two or more deposition sources of a material deposition apparatus, i.e., evaluation of evaporation characteristics. The shutter device can include two shutters. Two shutters can block material from, for example, two deposition sources. As a result, a material deposition apparatus having three deposition sources can be conditioned. According to certain embodiments that can be combined with other embodiments described herein, a shutter device having a shutter that can move at an angle allows for easy shut-off of multiple openings and / or nozzles of a linear source To. The plurality of openings in each evaporation source or distribution assembly can be blocked by a single shutter, for example rotatable.

  A shutter device according to embodiments described herein allows the shutter to be moved to a park position, for example after deposition source uniformity and other conditioning have been individually adjusted. The park position is in the vicinity of the side of the shield device, specifically inside the housing formed by the shield device, by means of one or more shutters which can move at an angle, for example rotate. Is possible.

  FIG. 8 is a schematic top view of a deposition apparatus 1000 for depositing evaporated material on two or more substrates, eg, on a substrate 10 and a second substrate 11, according to certain embodiments described herein. The figure is shown.

  The deposition apparatus 1000 includes a vacuum chamber 1001. A material deposition apparatus 100, for example a deposition source according to any of the embodiments described herein, is disposed in the vacuum chamber 1001. Within the vacuum chamber 1001, there are provided a first deposition area 201 and a second deposition area 202, which may be located on both sides of the deposition source. The substrate 10 may be disposed in the first deposition area 201 and / or the second substrate 11 may be disposed in the second deposition area 202.

In this disclosure, a “material deposition apparatus” should be understood as an apparatus configured to deposit material on a substrate, as described herein. Specifically, a “material deposition apparatus” can be understood as an apparatus configured to deposit an organic material on a large area substrate, for example in the manufacture of OLED displays. For example, the “large area substrate” may have a main surface having an area of 0.5 m ² or more, specifically 1 m ² or more. In one embodiment, the large area substrate is a GEN4.5 equivalent to about 0.67 m ² substrate (0.73 × 0.92 m), about 1.4 m ² substrate (1.1 m × 1.3 m). GEN7.5 equivalent to a GEN7.5 equivalent to a substrate of about 4.29 m ² (1.95 m × 2.2 m), GEN8.5 equivalent to a substrate of about 5.7 m ² (2.2 m × 2.5 m) It may be GEN10 corresponding to a substrate of about 8.7 m ² (2.85 m × 3.05 m). Even larger generations, such as GEN11 and GEN12, and even the corresponding board area can be implemented in the same way.

  For example, the substrate is a group consisting of glass (eg, soda lime glass, borosilicate glass, etc.), metal, polymer, ceramic, composite material, carbon fiber material, or any other material or combination of materials that can be coated by a deposition process. It may be made from a material selected from:

In this disclosure, a “vacuum deposition chamber” should be understood as a chamber configured for vacuum deposition. In the present specification, the term “vacuum” can be understood as meaning industrial vacuum, for example having a vacuum pressure of less than 10 mbar. The pressure in the vacuum chamber described herein is typically between about 10 ⁻⁵ mbar and about 10 ⁻⁸ mbar, more typically between about 10 ⁻⁵ mbar and about 10 ⁻⁷ mbar. And even more typically, it may even be between about 10 ⁻⁶ mbar and about 10 ⁻⁷ mbar.

  In some embodiments, the material deposition apparatus 100 is configured to sequentially pass through a first deposition area 201 for coating the substrate 10 and a second deposition area 202 for coating the second substrate 11. It may be. While the deposition source passes through the first deposition area 201, the plurality of nozzles may be open or unblocked. Thereby, the evaporated material may be directed towards the substrate 10 arranged in the first deposition area 201. The substrate 10 may have a basically vertical orientation. For example, the substrate 10 may be held in a basically vertical orientation by a substrate carrier. The substrate carrier may be configured to carry the substrate 10 through the vacuum chamber 1001. The substrate carrier can be supported by a substrate carrier support in the vacuum chamber. For example, the substrate carrier support can be a system that magnetically levitates the substrate carrier.

  The carrier or substrate carrier may be configured to support the substrate and / or mask in a non-horizontal orientation, specifically a basically vertical orientation. In the present specification, “essentially vertical orientation” means that the angle between the main surface of the substrate carrier and the gravity vector is + 10 ° to −10 °, specifically, 5 ° to − It may be understood as an orientation that is 5 °. In some embodiments, the orientation of the substrate carrier may not be (strictly) perpendicular during transport and / or deposition, but slightly, for example between 0 ° and −5 °, relative to the vertical axis. Specifically, it may be inclined at an inclination angle between -1 ° and -5 °. A negative angle represents the orientation of the substrate carrier, where the substrate carrier is tilted downward, i.e. the surface of the substrate being processed is facing downward. The deviation of the mask and substrate orientation from the gravity vector during deposition can be beneficial and can result in a more stable deposition process. Alternatively, a downward orientation may be appropriate to reduce particles on the substrate during deposition. However, it is also possible for the mask device to be in a strictly vertical orientation (+/− 1 °) during transport and / or deposition.

  In certain embodiments, a mask 20 may be disposed in front of the substrate 10 during deposition, ie, between the substrate 10 and the deposition source 100. For example, the mask 20 may be a fine metal mask with an opening pattern configured to deposit a complementary material pattern on the substrate. Alternatively, the mask may be an edge exclusion mask.

According to embodiments described herein, material deposition with a pattern mask such as a fine metal mask (FMM) can be performed on a large area substrate. As a result, the size of the area where the material is deposited is, for example, 1.4 m ² or more. Further, for example, a pattern mask for pixel generation of a display provides a pattern in the micron region. The positioning tolerance of the pattern mask opening in the micron region can be difficult if it covers a large area. This is especially true for substrates that are vertically or essentially vertically oriented. Even gravity acting on the pattern mask and / or each frame of the pattern mask can degrade the accuracy of the pattern mask positioning. Therefore, an improvement in the chucking apparatus for chucking the pattern mask to the substrate is particularly beneficial for processing vertical (basically vertical) substrates.

  In an embodiment, during deposition on the second substrate 11, a second mask 21 is disposed in front of the second substrate 11, that is, between the second substrate 11 and the material deposition source 105. It's okay. The material deposition source apparatus may rotate as described in connection with FIG. 7 (see axis 701), and then deposits on the first substrate in the first deposition area 201 and the second In the deposition area 202, deposition is performed on the second substrate. The material deposition apparatus can be moved along arrow H to deposit material on one substrate.

  In certain embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the material deposition source 105 is in fluid communication with each of the three or more evaporative crucibles 122 and one of the three or more evaporative crucibles 121, respectively. Three or more distribution pipes 121 may be included. The three or more distribution pipes may extend in a basically vertical direction and essentially parallel to each other. A nozzle may be provided in the distribution pipe along the length direction of the distribution pipe. For example, 10, 30, or more nozzles may be provided on the front wall of each of the two or more distribution pipes. The nozzle of the first distribution pipe, the nozzle of the second distribution pipe, and / or the nozzle of the third distribution pipe are inclined with respect to each other so that the respective plumes of evaporated material meet at the position of the substrate. It may be. As a result, the plurality of nozzles may include 90 or more nozzles, for example, about 150 nozzles. Using the deposition source 150 according to the embodiments described herein may be beneficial for the manufacture of high quality displays, specifically for the manufacture of OLEDs.

  In certain embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the first deposition area 201 may be provided on the opposite side of the second deposition area 202 in the vacuum chamber 1001. In some embodiments, the material deposition source 105 may be rotated from the first deposition area 201 to the second deposition area 202 at an angle that is essentially 180 degrees.

  According to embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the distribution or distribution assembly 120 may be an elongated tube that includes a heating element. The evaporation crucible 110 can be a reservoir for evaporating a material, for example an organic material, with a heating unit. For example, the heating unit may be provided in the housing of the evaporation crucible. According to embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the distribution pipe may provide a linear source.

  According to certain embodiments that can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the length of the distribution pipe may correspond to the height of the substrate on which the material is deposited. Alternatively, the length of the distribution pipe may be longer than the height of the substrate. This can provide uniform deposition at the top and / or bottom of the substrate. For example, the length of the distribution pipe can be 1.3 m or more, for example 2.5 m or more.

  According to certain embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the crucible 110, i.e., the evaporation crucible, may be provided at the lower end of the distribution pipe. For example, materials such as organic materials can be evaporated in an evaporation crucible. Evaporated material may enter the distribution pipe at the bottom of the distribution pipe and direct through a plurality of nozzles in the distribution pipe in a basically lateral orientation, for example, toward a substrate that is basically vertically oriented. May be.

  According to embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the material deposition apparatus 100 may be provided on a deposition source trajectory 30, such as a linear guide or loop trajectory. The deposition source trajectory 30 may be configured to translate the material deposition source 105, for example in the horizontal direction H.

  According to embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, a first valve 1002, eg, a gate valve, is provided that allows vacuum sealing to an adjacent vacuum chamber, eg, a routing chamber. Good. The first valve 1002 can be opened to transport the substrate or mask into or out of the vacuum chamber 1001.

  According to certain embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, an additional vacuum chamber, such as a maintenance vacuum chamber 1004, is provided adjacent to the vacuum chamber 1001, as exemplarily shown in FIG. It's okay. The vacuum chamber 1001 and the maintenance vacuum chamber 1004 may be connected to the second valve 1003. The second valve 1003 may be configured to open and close a vacuum seal between the vacuum chamber 1001 and the maintenance vacuum chamber 1004. While the second valve 1003 is open, the material deposition source 105 can be transferred to the maintenance vacuum chamber 1004. Thereafter, the second valve 1003 can be closed and a vacuum seal can be provided between the vacuum chamber 1001 and the maintenance vacuum chamber 1004. When the second valve 1003 is closed, the maintenance vacuum chamber 1004 can be ventilated and opened for maintenance of the material deposition source 105 without breaking the vacuum in the vacuum chamber 1001.

  According to certain embodiments, a method for operating a material deposition apparatus, a method for operating a processing system, and a method for conditioning a material deposition apparatus having at least a first deposition source and a second deposition source are provided. FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method for conditioning a material deposition apparatus having at least a first deposition source and a second deposition source. Similar processes and / or further processes disclosed herein may be provided for other methods. As shown in box 902, the material is blocked at the first deposition source by a shutter. For example, the shutter is positioned before or at the one or more openings of the first deposition source. The shutter blocks the material from the first deposition source while the second deposition source can be conditioned. As shown in box 904, the shutter is moved to a second deposition source at an angle. For example, the shutter can rotate around an axis. The shutter is moved at an angle. In addition to rotation, a translational movement of the shutter can be provided according to the embodiments described herein, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein. The rotation shaft can be provided outside the shutter body, specifically, outside the shutter plate body.

  As shown in box 906, the material is blocked at the second deposition source by a shutter. As shown in box 904, the shutter was moved to the second deposition source to block the material. For example, the shutter is positioned before or at one or more openings of the second deposition source. The first deposition source can be conditioned while the shutter is blocking material from the second deposition source. As shown in box 908, the shutter is moved to a park position at an angle. The park position is a position where material from both the first deposition source and the second deposition source is not blocked. For example, the shutter can rotate around an axis. The shutter is moved at an angle. In addition to rotation, a translational movement of the shutter can be provided according to the embodiments described herein, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein. The rotation shaft can be provided outside the shutter body, specifically, outside the shutter plate body. As shown in box 910, for example, after conditioning of both deposition sources (boxes 902 and 906), a layer of material is deposited on the substrate by co-evaporation of the first deposition source and the second deposition source. The

  While the above description is directed to embodiments of the present disclosure, other and further embodiments of the present disclosure may be devised without departing from the basic scope of the disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure is determined by the following claims.

  Specifically, this disclosure discloses the present disclosure, including the best mode, using examples, and that any person skilled in the art can implement and use any described device or system. As well as implementing any method incorporated. Although various specific embodiments have been disclosed above, the mutually non-exclusive features of the above embodiments may be combined with each other. The patentable scope is defined by the claims. Other embodiments may have structural elements that do not differ from the literal words of the claims or include equivalent structural elements that do not differ substantially from the literal words of the claims. Are intended to be within the scope of the claims.

Claims (16)

A material deposition apparatus (100) for depositing material on a substrate in a vacuum deposition chamber comprising:
A first deposition source (105) having one or more first openings (126);
A second deposition source (105) having one or more second openings (126);
A shutter device having at least a first shutter (210) configured to be movable at an angle to the one or more first openings or the one or more second openings. apparatus.   The material deposition apparatus (100) of claim 1, wherein at least the first shutter is rotatable about an axis (211). A third deposition source (105) comprising one or more third openings (126), wherein the shutter device comprises:
The second shutter according to claim 1, further comprising a second shutter that can be moved at an angle to the one or more second openings, the one or more third openings, and a second park position. The material deposition apparatus (100). A first deposition source (105) having one or more first openings (126);
A second deposition source (105) having one or more second openings (126);
A first shutter (210);
An actuator for moving the first shutter at an angle before the one or more first openings or before the one or more second openings;
A material deposition apparatus (100) for depositing material on a substrate in a vacuum deposition chamber.   5. The shutter according to claim 1, wherein the shutter moves at an angle to the one or more first openings, the one or more second openings, or a first park position. 6. Material deposition apparatus (100). The material deposition apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a shaper shield apparatus.   The material deposition apparatus (100) according to claim 6, wherein at least the first shutter is mounted on the shaper shield apparatus.   The material deposition apparatus (100) of claim 7, wherein at least the first shutter is mounted on at least a top of the shaper shield apparatus.   The material deposition apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the shaper shield apparatus is connected to a cooling shield.   10. A material deposition apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the shaper shield device further comprises a side and a further wall forming a housing defining a park position.   The shaper shield device further comprises a side and a further wall forming a housing defining a park position, the shaper shield device is connected to a cooling device, and the side and the further wall are provided by the cooling device. 9. The material deposition apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 6 to 8, which is passively cooled.   At least the first deposition source is a linear source having a plurality of apertures extending along a row, and at least the first shutter can be moved at the angle to position in front of the plurality of apertures. Item 12. The material deposition apparatus (100) according to any one of Items 1 to 11. A vacuum deposition chamber;
A vacuum deposition system (100) comprising: the material deposition apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 11 in the vacuum deposition chamber.   The vacuum deposition system of claim 13, further comprising a substrate carrier support for supporting the substrate in a substantially vertical orientation.   15. A vacuum deposition system according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the material deposition apparatus comprises a support for the material deposition apparatus to translate during magnetic levitation. A method for conditioning a material deposition apparatus having at least a first deposition source and a second deposition source comprising:
Blocking material at the first deposition source with a shutter;
Conditioning the second deposition source;
Moving the shutter to the second deposition source at an angle;
Blocking material at the second deposition source;
Conditioning the second deposition source;
Moving the shutter at an angle;
Depositing a material layer on a substrate by co-evaporation of the first deposition source and the second deposition source;
Including methods.

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