JP2021138495A - Substrate carrier and film deposition apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a substrate carrier capable of carrying a flexible substrate without bending by its own weight even under a decompression environment, and a film deposition apparatus.SOLUTION: A substrate carrier is for carrying a flexible substrate by a plurality of carrier roller pairs through clamping at only both ends of the substrate in a width direction orthogonal to a carrying direction of the substrate. The carrier roller pair has: a first guide roller provided closer to a first face of the substrate and at one end of the substrate in the width direction; and a second guide roller provided in a manner opposed to the first guide roller closer to a second face opposite to the first face and at one end of the substrate in the width direction. The plurality of carrier roller pairs are provided at both ends of the substrate in the width direction, so that the plurality of carrier roller pairs are arranged to carry the substrate while bending at least a part of both ends of the substrate in the width direction of the substrate.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a base material transfer device and a film forming device for transporting a flexible base material.

Conventionally, a base material transfer device has been used to convey a flexible base material. This base material transfer device is used, for example, in a film forming apparatus for forming a thin film on a substrate in a film forming chamber by a sputtering method, a CVD method, or the like, and the film forming apparatus can be used for a display such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL. A flat panel for thin lighting is formed.

In recent years, since the base material has become thin and large in size, the base material may bend due to its own weight when the base material is conveyed, which may adversely affect the formation of a thin film or make it impossible to convey the base material. Therefore, columns and rollers that support the inside of the base material are required. However, since a thin film to be a product is formed inside the base material, it is necessary to prevent the columns and rollers from coming into contact with the inside of the base material. On the other hand, in the base material transport device 111 shown in Patent Document 1, as shown in FIG. 3, both ends in the width direction (Y-axis direction) of the base material orthogonal to the transport direction (X-axis direction) of the base material W are provided. The roller 111 supports the base material W from below, and the suction head 112 sucks and fixes the base material W from above the base material. As a result, it is possible to prevent the base material W from bending due to its own weight, so that the base material W can be transported without bending.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-2628

In the base material transfer device 111 of Patent Document 1, when a thin film is formed on the base material W, the base material W cannot be conveyed without bending. Specifically, the thin film is often formed in a vacuum environment or a reduced pressure environment, and in these environments, the base material W cannot be sucked and fixed by the suction head 112, so that the base material W can be formed. There is a risk of bending.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a base material transporting device and a film forming apparatus capable of transporting a flexible base material without bending under its own weight even in a reduced pressure environment. The purpose is to do.

In order to solve the above problems, the base material transfer device of the present invention sandwiches a flexible base material by a plurality of transport roller pairs only at both ends in the width direction of the base material orthogonal to the transport direction of the base material. The transport roller pair includes a first guide roller provided on one end of the base material in the width direction on the first surface side of the base material, and the first guide roller. On the second surface side opposite to the surface of the base material, a second guide roller provided at one end in the width direction of the base material so as to face the first guide roller is provided, and the transport roller is provided. A plurality of pairs are provided at both ends in the width direction of the base material, and the plurality of transport roller pairs are arranged so as to transport while bending at least a part of both sides of the base material in the width direction of the base material. It is characterized by being done.

According to the above-mentioned base material transfer device, the base material is arranged so that each of a plurality of transfer roller pairs is arranged so as to convey at least a part of both ends of the base material in the width direction of the base material while being curved. Since the base material is transported while being curved in the transport direction, the base material can be transported without bending due to its own weight even in a reduced pressure environment.

Further, the base material is conveyed so that the width direction of the base material faces the vertical direction.

According to this configuration, by transporting the base material so that the width direction of the base material faces the vertical direction, the base material is transported while leaning against the lower portion of one side end portion in the width direction, so that the base material is conveyed. It is possible to transport the base material without shifting the position in the width direction.

In order to solve the above problems, the film forming apparatus of the present invention is a film forming apparatus that forms a predetermined thin film on a flexible substrate conveyed by the substrate conveying apparatus, and faces the substrate. The electrodes are arranged so that the longitudinal direction of the electrodes is the same as the width direction of the base material orthogonal to the transport direction of the base material. The base material transfer device includes a first guide roller provided on one end of the base material in the width direction on the first surface side of the base material, and a first guide roller on the side opposite to the first surface. A transport roller pair composed of a second guide roller provided so as to face the first guide roller is provided at one end of the base material on the surface side of the base material in the width direction, and the transport roller pair has a transport roller pair. A plurality of both ends of the base material are provided, only both ends in the width direction of the base material are sandwiched, and at least a part of both sides of the base material in the width direction of the base material is conveyed while being curved. It is characterized by being placed.

According to the above-mentioned film forming apparatus, the base material is conveyed while being curved at least a part of both ends of the base material in the width direction of the base material, the electrodes face the base material, and the longitudinal direction of the electrodes is By arranging them in the same direction as the width direction of the base material, the distance between the electrode and the base material can be made uniform in the width direction of the base material, so that the thin film to be formed is in the width direction of the base material. It is possible to form a uniform and highly accurate thin film.

According to the base material transfer device and the film forming device of the present invention, a flexible base material can be conveyed without being bent by its own weight.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the film-forming apparatus provided with the substrate transfer apparatus according to 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the film-forming apparatus provided with the substrate transfer apparatus in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the conventional base material transfer apparatus.

[First Embodiment]
The film forming apparatus 200 provided with the substrate conveying apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1A is a front sectional view of a film forming apparatus 200 including the substrate transfer device 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a substrate transfer device 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. It is a top sectional view of the film forming apparatus 200 provided, and is the AA'arrow view in FIG. 1A. In this embodiment, a transport film forming apparatus for forming a thin film on the substrate W transported by the substrate transport device 100 by using the CVD method as the film forming apparatus 200 provided with the base material transport device 100 will be described as an example. do.

As shown in FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b), the transfer film forming apparatus includes a substrate transfer device 100 having a plurality of transfer roller pairs 1 including a first guide roller 11 and a second guide roller 12. It is composed of a film forming apparatus 200 having a film chamber 21 and an electrode 22, and the substrate W conveyed while being curved by the substrate conveying device 100 passes through the film forming chamber 21 of the film forming apparatus 200 to form a film. A plasma treatment for forming a thin film on the base material W is performed in the chamber 21 (a film forming process is performed), and a thin film is formed on the base material W.

Here, the base material W has a flexible and thin flat plate shape. Further, as the material, for example, glass, thin plate-shaped metal, resin or the like is used. Hereinafter, the surface having the base material W is referred to as a first surface, and the surface opposite to the first surface is referred to as a second surface.

In the following description, the transport direction of the base material W is the X-axis direction. Further, the width direction of the base material W orthogonal to the transport direction (X-axis direction) of the base material W is defined as the Y-axis direction, and the directions orthogonal to the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction are defined as the Z-axis direction. In the description of the transport film forming apparatus according to the second embodiment described later, the transport direction of the base material W faces the X-axis direction, and the width direction of the base material W orthogonal to the transport direction (X-axis direction) of the base material W faces. The vertical direction is the Z-axis direction, and the X-axis direction and the direction orthogonal to the Z-axis direction are the Y-axis directions.

The base material transfer device 100 provided in the main chamber 24 of the film forming apparatus 200 has a plurality of transfer roller pairs 1 including a first guide roller 11 and a second guide roller 12, and is described in detail below. According to the configuration described above, the base material W is conveyed while being curved at least a part of both sides in the Y-axis direction.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the first guide roller 11 is a guide roller provided at a position on the first surface side of the base material W through which one end of the base material W in the Y-axis direction passes. ..

The second guide roller 12 is a guide roller provided so as to face the first guide roller 11 described above with a gap corresponding to the thickness of the base material W in the Z-axis direction. That is, the second guide roller 12 is a base material on the second surface side of the base material W at one end of the base material W in the Y-axis direction and on the first surface side as shown in FIG. 1A. It is provided at a predetermined interval so as to face the first guide roller 11 provided at one end of the W in the Y-axis direction and to sandwich the base material W with the first guide roller 11. ing. Here, one end of the base material W on which the first guide roller 11 and the second guide roller 12 are provided in the Y-axis direction is a region where a thin film is formed on the base material W by the film forming apparatus 200 described later. It is one end of the both ends of the base material W in the Y-axis direction excluding. The first guide roller 11 and the second guide roller 12 face each other in the Z-axis direction if the base material W can be sandwiched between the first guide roller 11 and the second guide roller 12. It does not have to be provided.

The first guide roller 11 and the second guide roller 12 have a substantially cylindrical shape, and each includes a rotation shaft R as a shaft for rotating them. The first guide roller 11 and the second guide roller 12 are arranged so that the rotation axis R is orthogonal to the X-axis direction. Further, the first guide roller 11 and the second guide roller 12 drive a motor (not shown) connected to the first guide roller 11 and the second guide roller 12 by a control unit (not shown). By controlling, it is possible to rotate and stop around the rotation axis R as an axis. The rotating shaft R, the motor, and the control unit are arranged so as not to interfere with the formation of the thin film on the base material W by the film forming apparatus 200 described later.

The transport roller pair 1 is composed of two guide rollers, the first guide roller 11 and the second guide roller 12 described above, and as shown in FIG. 1A, the base material W is formed by the first guide roller 11. It is sandwiched from the first surface side by the second guide roller 12 from the second surface side.

As shown in FIG. 1B, a plurality of transport roller pairs 1 are provided at both ends of the base material W in the Y-axis direction, and the base material W is curved at least a part of both ends in the Y-axis direction. It is arranged so that it can be transported while being transported. Specifically, each of the plurality of transport roller pairs 1 has a transport roller in the direction of the first surface side and the direction of the second surface side so that the sandwiched base material W has a predetermined curvature. It is arranged in a one-to-one manner. Here, the direction on the first surface side is the upward direction in the Z-axis direction in FIG. 1A, and the direction on the second surface side is opposite to the direction on the first surface side. It is the downward direction in the Z-axis direction.

Each of the plurality of transport roller pairs 1 has a side surface in contact with the base material W, and is driven by the motor described above to rotate around the rotation axis R, thereby delivering the sandwiched base material W to the downstream side in the transport direction. And transport. At this time, the transport roller pairs are oriented in the direction of the first surface side and the direction of the second surface side so that each of the plurality of transfer roller pairs 1 can have a predetermined curvature on the base material W as described above. Since 1 is distributed and arranged, the base material W is conveyed by these plurality of transfer roller pairs 1 so that the base material W is conveyed while at least a part of both sides in the Y-axis direction is curved. NS. As shown in FIG. 1A, it is said that the base material W is conveyed while being curved at least a part of both ends of the base material W in the width direction of the base material W in the X-axis direction. On the other hand, the base material W is conveyed while drawing a substantially arc shape. The base material W shown in FIG. 1A is curved by the transport roller pair 1 once in the direction of the first surface side and once in the direction of the second surface side, for a total of two times. Further, if the plurality of transfer roller pairs 1 can transfer the base plate W while bending at least a part of both ends of the base material W in the Y-axis direction of the base material W, the base material W can be conveyed. It does not have to be provided so as to face both ends in the Y-axis direction.

When transporting the base material W, it is not necessary to connect all the first guide rollers 11 and the second guide rollers 12 to the motor and rotate them by driving the motor, and the base material W does not need to be rotated during the transport of the base material W. It is preferable that at least one of all the first guide rollers 11 and the second guide rollers 12 in contact with the motor is connected to the motor and rotated by its drive. Further, the diameters of all the first guide rollers 11 and the second guide rollers 12 do not have to be the same. Further, it is preferable that all the first guide rollers 11 and the second guide rollers 12 to which the motors are connected rotate at a speed at which the base material W can be conveyed at a uniform speed.

The film forming apparatus 200 has a film forming chamber 21 and electrodes 22, and forms a thin film on the substrate W conveyed by the substrate conveying apparatus 100 described above according to the configuration described in detail below.

The film forming chamber 21 provided in the main chamber 24 forms a decompression environment inside the main chamber 24 (the same applies to the inside of the main chamber 24), and deposits the film forming particles on the base material W on the base material W. A container for forming a thin film. Inside the film forming chamber 21, an electrode 22, a raw material gas supply unit (not shown), and a plasma forming gas supply unit (not shown) are provided. Then, the raw material gas is supplied from the raw material gas supply unit and the plasma forming gas is supplied from the plasma forming gas supply unit into the film forming chamber 21 maintained in the reduced pressure environment, and the plasma forming particles are generated by plasma treatment by the electrode 22. The film-formed particles are deposited on the base material W to form a thin film. Further, the film forming chamber 21 has an inlet portion 25 and an outlet portion 26, and the base material W is conveyed in the main chamber 24 and supplied from the inlet portion 25 into the film forming chamber 21 in the film forming chamber 21. After the film formation process is performed, the film is conveyed through the outlet portion 26. Further, it seems that the inside of the chamber (for example, the base material charging chamber and the base material discharging chamber) which is the pre-process and the post-process of the film-forming process in the film-forming chamber 21 is also maintained in an appropriate depressurized environment. The chambers of the pre-process and the post-process and the main chamber 24 are connected by a gate valve (not shown). The decompression environment inside the chamber including the film forming chamber 21 is formed by operating a vacuum pump (not shown), and the degree of decompression can be adjusted.

The electrode 22 is for forming a plasma. The electrode 22 in the present embodiment is an inductively coupled electrode having a substantially U-shaped shape, having two straight portions including a straight portion connected to the high frequency power supply 23 and a folded portion connecting them. .. The electrode 22 is provided so as to face the base material W, and is arranged so that the longitudinal direction (direction of the straight line portion) of the electrode 22 is parallel to the Y-axis direction. The high-frequency power supply 23 of the electrode 22, a part of the straight portion and the folded portion of the electrode 22 are provided so as to penetrate the film forming chamber 21 as shown in FIG. 1 (a). Further, when the surface of the base material W is conveyed in the vertical direction as in the present embodiment, the lower surface of the base material W is set as the film forming surface so that particles do not accumulate on the base material W. Therefore, it is preferable to install the electrode 22 below the position where the base material W passes.

The raw material gas supply unit is for supplying a material (for example, HDMS gas) for forming a thin film on the base material W into the film forming chamber 21. Further, the plasma forming gas supply unit is for supplying a plasma forming gas (for example, argon gas or hydrogen gas) for forming plasma into the film forming chamber 21. The raw material gas supply unit is, for example, a pipe-shaped long pipe in the Y-axis direction in which holes for supplying the raw material gas are provided at predetermined intervals so that the raw material gas can flow evenly in the Y-axis direction. Is preferable.

When the high frequency power supply 23 is switched on while the plasma forming gas supplied by the plasma forming gas supply unit is supplied into the film forming chamber 21, plasma is generated in the vicinity of the linear portion of the electrode 22. It has become. Then, by supplying the raw material gas from the raw material gas supply unit to the supply into the film forming chamber 21 in a state where plasma is generated, the raw material gas is excited and film-forming particles (for example, Si compound) are generated, and this A thin film is formed on the base material W by depositing the formed particles on the base material W. The plasma forming gas supply unit has a long pipe shape in the Y-axis direction, for example, having holes for supplying the plasma forming gas at predetermined intervals so that the plasma forming gas can flow evenly in the Y-axis direction. Is preferable.

As described above, according to the transfer film forming apparatus according to the first embodiment, the first transfer roller pair 1 can give a predetermined curvature to the base material W sandwiching only both ends in the Y-axis direction. By arranging each of the plurality of transport roller pairs 1 separately in the direction of the surface side and the direction of the second surface side, the base material W transported by the plurality of transport roller pairs 1 is transported while being curved. Therefore, the base material W can be transported without being bent by its own weight. That is, by transporting the base material W while intentionally bending it in the X-axis direction, the strength of the base material W in the Y-axis direction is increased, so that it is possible to suppress the base material W from bending in the Y-axis direction due to its own weight. It will be possible. Further, since the transport film forming apparatus in the present embodiment does not suck the base material W to suppress the bending, it is possible to transport the base material W without bending even in a reduced pressure environment. ..

Further, according to the transfer film forming apparatus according to the first embodiment, the transfer film forming apparatus can convey the base material W without the transfer roller pair 1 touching the film forming surface of the base material W. The base material W can be conveyed without interfering with the film. In addition, it is possible to prevent the film-formed surface from being scratched.

Further, according to the transport thin film apparatus in the first embodiment, the electrodes 22 are arranged so as to face the base material W and the longitudinal direction of the electrodes 22 is the same as the width direction of the base material W. As a result, as described above, the distance between the electrode 22 and the base material W in the Y-axis direction can be made uniform in a state where the base material W is curved at least a part of both ends in the Y-axis direction. It is possible to form a thin film with high accuracy in which the film thickness of the thin film formed on the material W is substantially uniform in the Y-axis direction.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, the transport film forming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The same components as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. The present embodiment has the same configuration as the first embodiment except that the base material W is transported so that the width direction of the base material W faces the vertical direction.

FIG. 2 is a plan sectional view of a film forming apparatus 200 (conveyed film forming apparatus) including the base material conveying device 100 according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

Since the transport film forming apparatus in the present embodiment transports the base material W so that the width direction of the base material W faces the vertical direction, the transport direction of the base material W is set to the X-axis direction as shown in FIG. The vertical direction in which the width direction of the base material W, which is orthogonal to the transport direction (X-axis direction) of the base material W, faces is the Z-axis direction, and the X-axis direction and the direction orthogonal to the Z-axis direction are the Y-axis directions. By transporting the base material W so that the width direction of the base material W faces the Z-axis direction by this transport film forming apparatus, the base material W is transported while being curved at least a part of both ends in the width direction.

As a result, according to the transfer film forming apparatus of the present embodiment, the first surface side can be provided with a predetermined curvature in the base material W sandwiching only both ends in the width direction by a plurality of transfer roller pairs 1. By arranging each of the plurality of transport roller pairs 1 separately in the direction of Even in a reduced pressure environment, the base material W can be transported without being bent by its own weight. Further, by transporting the base material W so that the width direction of the base material W faces the Z-axis direction, the base material W is transported while leaning against the lower portion of one side end portion in the width direction. Can convey the base material W without shifting in the width direction.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, electrodes 22 (electrodes 22a and 22b) may be provided so that thin films can be formed on both sides of the base material W. Specifically, in the transport film forming apparatus according to the first embodiment described above, it is necessary to install the electrode 22 below the base material W in order to prevent particles from accumulating on the base material W. In the transport film forming apparatus of the present embodiment, the base material W is transported so that the width direction of the base material W faces the Z-axis direction, so that even if a thin film is formed on both surfaces of the base material W. No particles are deposited on the base material W. As a result, electrodes 22 (electrodes 22a and 22b) are provided so that thin films can be formed on both sides of the base material W, and thin films can be formed on both sides of the base material W.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the drawings, the configurations and combinations thereof in each embodiment are examples, and the configurations may be added or omitted without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Replacements and other changes are possible. For example, each of the plurality of transport roller pairs 1 may be arranged so that the sides of both ends of the base material W in the width direction of the base material W are curved at least once. Further, although the base material transfer device 100 in the above embodiment has been described as being provided in the film forming apparatus 200 using the CVD method, it may be provided in the film forming apparatus performed by a film forming processing method such as sputtering or vapor deposition. good. Further, the base material transfer device 100 of the present invention is not limited to the film forming device, and may be used for an apparatus that requires the transfer of the base material W. Further, the substrate transfer device 100 of the present invention may be provided in the film forming apparatus 200 in which the substrate W is processed in a wet environment instead of a dry environment (decompression environment). Further, the electrode 21 is not limited to an inductively coupled electrode, and the shape and number thereof are not particularly limited. Further, a plurality of transport rollers to one pair may be provided with a transport belt for transporting the base material W. Also, the present invention is not limited by embodiments, but only by claims.

100 Substrate transfer device 1 Transfer roller vs. 11 1st guide roller 12 2nd guide roller 200 Film formation device 21 Film formation chamber 22 Electrode 22a Electrode 22b Electrode 23 High frequency power supply 24 Main chamber 25 Inlet 26 Exit R Rotating shaft W base material

Claims (3)

A base material transporting device that transports a flexible base material by a plurality of transport roller pairs by sandwiching and transporting only both ends in the width direction of the base material orthogonal to the transport direction of the base material.
The transport roller pair includes a first guide roller provided on one end of the base material in the width direction on the first surface side of the base material.
It has a second guide roller provided at one end in the width direction of the base material on the second surface side opposite to the first surface so as to face the first guide roller.
A plurality of transport roller pairs are provided at both ends in the width direction of the base material.
A base material transporting device, wherein the plurality of transport roller pairs are arranged so as to transport while bending at least a part of both ends of the base material in the width direction of the base material. The base material transporting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the base material is transported so that the width direction of the base material faces the vertical direction. A film forming apparatus for forming a predetermined thin film on a flexible substrate conveyed by a substrate conveying apparatus.
It has at least one electrode provided so as to face the substrate and has at least one electrode.
The electrodes are arranged so that the longitudinal direction of the electrodes is the same as the width direction of the base material orthogonal to the transport direction of the base material.
The base material transfer device includes a first guide roller provided on one end of the base material in the width direction on the first surface side of the base material, and a second surface side opposite to the first surface. A transport roller pair composed of a second guide roller provided so as to face the first guide roller is provided at one end of the base material in the width direction, and the transport roller pair is provided at both ends of the base material. A plurality of portions are provided so as to sandwich only both ends in the width direction of the base material and to convey at least a part of both sides of the base material in the width direction of the base material while bending. A featured film forming apparatus.

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