JP2023006678A - Film deposition device and film deposition method - Google Patents

Abstract

To uniformly deposit a film on a substrate moving relatively.SOLUTION: A film deposition device comprises: a film deposition unit for depositing a film on a substrate moving relatively in a moving direction, and adjustment means for adjusting a position relationship between the substrate and a mask. The film deposition unit includes a first unit and a second unit respectively including at least one evaporation source emitting an evaporation substance. A film is deposited by the first unit and the second unit in any of a first state in which the mask is overlaid on a first area of the substrate by the adjustment means, and a second state in which the mask is overlaid on a second area of the substrate by the adjustment means.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

The present invention relates to a film forming apparatus and a film forming method.

In the manufacture of organic EL displays and the like, a thin film is formed on a substrate by depositing a vapor deposition material emitted from an evaporation source onto the substrate. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-200001 discloses that a plurality of evaporation sources are used to form a film on a rotating substrate.

JP 2019-218623 A

By the way, in recent years, from the viewpoint of improving production efficiency, etc., there has been a demand for larger substrates on which films are to be formed. In order to form a film on a large-sized substrate, it is conceivable to form a film while relatively moving the substrate and the evaporation source. However, with the above conventional technology, it becomes difficult to rotate the substrate stably when the size of the substrate increases, and it may not be possible to form a uniform film on the substrate.

The present invention provides a technique for uniformly forming a film on a relatively moving substrate.

According to one aspect of the invention,
a film forming unit that forms a film on a substrate that relatively moves in the moving direction;
A film forming apparatus comprising adjusting means for adjusting the positional relationship between the substrate and the mask,
The film forming unit includes a first unit and a second unit each including at least one evaporation source that emits a vapor deposition material;
In both the first state in which the mask is superimposed on the first region of the substrate by the adjusting means and the second state in which the mask is superimposed on the second region of the substrate by the adjusting means, the Film formation by one unit and film formation by a second unit are performed,
A film forming apparatus characterized by the following is provided.

According to the present invention, a uniform film can be formed on a relatively moving substrate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The top view which shows typically the structure of the film-forming apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view schematically showing the configuration of the film forming apparatus of FIG. 1; The perspective view which shows the structure of a film-forming unit typically. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the configuration of an evaporation source; The figure explaining arrangement|positioning of an evaporation source and a monitoring apparatus. FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing the configuration of a film forming unit according to one embodiment; (A) and (B) are cross-sectional views taken along the line II of FIG. 6 for explaining the film forming operation by the film forming unit; FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the distribution of film thickness in the moving direction of the substrate; Operation explanatory drawing of a film-forming apparatus. Operation explanatory drawing of a film-forming apparatus. 1A is an overall view of an organic EL display device, and FIG. 1B is a view showing a cross-sectional structure of one pixel; FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the scope of claims. Although multiple features are described in the embodiments, not all of these multiple features are essential to the invention, and multiple features may be combined arbitrarily. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings, the same or similar configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

<First embodiment>
<Overview of deposition equipment>
FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing the configuration of a film forming apparatus 1 according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view schematically showing the configuration of the film forming apparatus 1 of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. In each figure, arrows X and Y indicate horizontal directions perpendicular to each other, and arrow Z indicates a vertical direction.

The film forming apparatus 1 is a film forming apparatus that performs vapor deposition while moving an evaporation source with respect to a substrate. The film forming apparatus 1 is used, for example, for manufacturing a display panel of an organic EL display device for smartphones, and a plurality of the film forming apparatuses 1 are arranged side by side to constitute the manufacturing line. Glass, resin, metal, or the like can be appropriately selected as the material of the substrate on which vapor deposition is performed in the film forming apparatus 1, and a material in which a resin layer such as polyimide is formed on glass is preferably used. Organic materials, inorganic materials (metals, metal oxides, etc.) and the like are used as the deposition material. The film forming apparatus 1 can be applied to, for example, display devices (such as flat panel displays), thin film solar cells, electronic devices such as organic photoelectric conversion elements (organic thin film imaging elements), and manufacturing apparatuses for manufacturing optical members. In particular, it is applicable to manufacturing equipment for manufacturing organic EL panels. In this embodiment, the film forming apparatus 1 forms films on G8H size glass substrates (1100 mm×2500 mm, 1250 mm×2200 mm), but the size of the substrate on which the film forming apparatus 1 forms films can be set as appropriate. is.

The film forming apparatus 1 includes a film forming unit 10 (evaporation source unit), a moving unit 20, and a plurality of support units 30A and 30B (hereinafter collectively referred to as support units 30). ) and The film forming unit 10, the moving unit 20 and the supporting unit 30 are arranged inside a chamber 45 which is maintained under vacuum during use. In this embodiment, a plurality of support units 30A and 30B are provided in the upper part of the chamber 45 with a space therebetween in the Y direction, and the film forming unit 10 and the moving unit 20 are provided below them. Further, the chamber 45 is provided with a plurality of substrate loading ports 44A and 44B for loading and unloading the substrate 100 . In this embodiment, "vacuum" refers to a state filled with gas having a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure, in other words, a reduced pressure state.

The film forming apparatus 1 also includes a power source 41 that supplies power to the film forming unit 10 and an electrical connection section 42 that electrically connects the film forming unit 10 and the power source 41 . The electrical connection portion 42 is constructed by an electrical wiring passing through the inside of a horizontally movable arm, and power can be supplied from the power supply 41 to the film forming unit 10 moving in the XY directions as described later. ing.

The film forming apparatus 1 also includes a control unit 43 that controls the operation of each component. For example, the control unit 43 may include a processor represented by a CPU, memories such as RAM and ROM, and various interfaces. For example, the control unit 43 implements various processes by the film forming apparatus 1 by reading programs stored in the ROM into the RAM and executing the programs.

<Support unit>
The support unit 30 supports the substrate 100 and the mask 101 and adjusts their positions. The support unit 30 includes a substrate support section 32 , a position adjustment section 34 and a mask support section 36 .

The substrate support portion 32 supports the substrate 100 . In this embodiment, the substrate supporting portion 32 supports the substrate 100 so that the longitudinal direction of the substrate 100 is the X direction and the lateral direction of the substrate 100 is the Y direction. For example, the substrate support section 32 may support the substrate 100 by holding the edge of the substrate 100 at a plurality of locations, or may support the substrate 100 by attracting the substrate 100 with an electrostatic chuck or the like. good.

The position adjuster 34 adjusts the positional relationship between the substrate 100 and the mask 101 . In this embodiment, the position adjusting unit 34 adjusts the positional relationship between the substrate 100 and the mask 101 by moving the substrate supporting unit 32 that supports the substrate 100 . However, the positional relationship between the substrate 100 and the mask 101 may be adjusted by moving the mask 101 . The position adjustment section 34 includes a fixed section 341 fixed to the chamber 45 and a movable section 342 that supports the substrate support section 32 and moves relative to the fixed section 341 . The movable part 342 moves the substrate 100 supported by the substrate supporting part 32 in the X direction by moving in the X direction with respect to the fixed part 341, and changes the rough positional relationship between the substrate 100 and the mask 101 in the X direction. adjust. Further, the movable part 342 includes a mechanism for moving the supporting substrate supporting part 32 in the XY directions in order to perform precise positional adjustment (alignment) between the substrate 100 and the mask 101 . Since a known technique can be adopted for a specific alignment method, detailed description is omitted. Also, the movable part 342 moves the substrate supporting part 32 in the Z direction to adjust the positional relationship between the substrate 100 and the mask 101 in the Z direction. A known technique such as a rack and pinion mechanism or a ball screw mechanism can be appropriately applied to the movable portion 342 .

The mask supporter 36 supports the mask 101 . In this embodiment, the mask supporter 36 supports the mask 101 so that the mask 101 is positioned in the center of the chamber 45 in the X direction. For example, the mask support section 36 may support the mask 101 by holding the edge of the mask 101 at a plurality of locations.

The film forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment is a so-called dual-stage film forming apparatus 1 capable of supporting a plurality of substrates 100A and 100B with a plurality of supporting units 30A and 30B. For example, while vapor deposition is being performed on the substrate 100A supported by the support unit 30A, the alignment of the substrate 100 and the mask 101 supported by the support unit 30B can be performed, and the film formation process can be efficiently performed. can be executed. Hereinafter, the stage on the support unit 30A side may be referred to as stage A, and the stage on the support unit 30B side may be referred to as stage B.

Further, in the present embodiment, during film formation, substantially half of the substrate 100 is superimposed on the mask 101 by the support unit 30 . Therefore, a suppression plate (not shown) is appropriately provided inside the chamber 45 for suppressing adhesion of the vapor deposition material to the portion of the substrate 100 that is not overlapped with the mask 101 during film formation.

<Movement unit>
The moving unit 20 includes an X-direction moving section 22 that moves the film forming unit 10 in the X direction, and a Y-direction moving section 24 that moves the film forming unit 10 in the Y direction.

The X-direction moving part 22 includes, as components provided in the film forming unit 10 , a motor 221 , a pinion 222 attached to a shaft member rotated by the motor 221 , and a guide member 223 . The X-direction moving portion 22 includes a frame member 224 that supports the film forming unit 10, a rack 225 that is formed on the upper surface of the frame member 224 and meshes with the pinion 222, and a guide rail 226 on which the guide member 223 slides. include. The film forming apparatus 10 moves in the X direction along the guide rail 226 by engaging the pinion 222 rotated by driving the motor 221 with the rack 225 .

The Y-direction moving part 24 includes two support members 241A and 241B that extend in the Y-direction and are spaced apart in the X-direction. The two support members 241A and 241B support short sides of the frame member 224 of the X-direction moving section 22 . The Y-direction moving unit 24 includes a driving mechanism such as a motor and a rack-and-pinion mechanism (not shown), and moves the frame member 224 in the Y direction with respect to the two support members 241A and 241B, thereby moving the film forming unit. 10 is moved in the Y direction. The Y-direction moving section 24 moves the film forming unit 10 in the Y direction between a position below the substrate 100A supported by the support unit 30A and a position below the substrate 100B supported by the support unit 30B. .

<Deposition unit>
FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of the film forming unit 10. As shown in FIG. The film forming unit 10 includes a plurality of evaporation sources 12a to 12f (hereinafter collectively referred to as evaporation sources 12, and the same applies to these constituent elements) and a plurality of monitoring devices 14a to 14f (hereinafter , and when collectively referred to as a monitoring device 14 , the same applies to these constituent elements), and a suppression unit 16 .

Also refer to FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the configuration of the evaporation source 12. As shown in FIG. The evaporation source 12 evaporates and emits the vapor deposition material. Each evaporation source 12 includes a material container 121 (crucible) and a heating section 122 .

The material container 121 accommodates a vapor deposition substance inside. An upper portion of the material container 121 is formed with a discharge portion 1211 through which the vaporized deposition material is discharged. In this embodiment, the discharge part 1211 is an opening formed in the upper surface of the material container 121, but it may be a cylindrical member or the like. Alternatively, a plurality of discharge portions 1211 may be provided in the material container 121 .

The heating unit 122 heats the deposition material contained in the material container 121 . The heating unit 122 is provided so as to cover the material container 121 . In this embodiment, a sheathed heater using a heating wire is used as the heating unit 122, and FIG. 4 shows a cross section of the sheathed heater when the heating wire is wound around the material container 121.

Heating of the deposition material by the heating unit 122 is controlled by the control unit 43 . In this embodiment, each of the plurality of evaporation sources 12 has a material container 121 and a heating unit 122 independently. Therefore, the control unit 43 can independently control the evaporation of the vapor deposition material by the plurality of evaporation sources 12 .

A plurality of monitoring devices 14 respectively monitor the emission state of the vapor deposition material from the plurality of evaporation sources 12 . In this embodiment, six monitoring devices 14a-14f are provided. The monitoring devices 14a to 14c are housed in a housing 145a, and the monitoring devices 14d to 14f are housed in a housing 145b. The housings 145a and 145b are appropriately provided with openings for allowing the vapor deposition material to enter the inside so that the vapor deposition material emitted from each evaporation source 12 to be monitored can reach each monitoring device 14 .

The monitoring device 14 of this embodiment includes a crystal oscillator 143 (see FIG. 5) as a film thickness sensor inside a case 141 (see FIG. 5). Vapor deposition material discharged from the evaporation source 12 is introduced into the crystal oscillator 143 through an introduction portion 142 (see FIG. 5) formed in the case 141 and adheres to the crystal oscillator 143 . The frequency of the crystal oscillator 143 fluctuates depending on the deposition amount of the deposition material. Therefore, the control unit 43 can calculate the film thickness of the deposition material deposited on the substrate 100 by monitoring the frequency of the crystal oscillator 143 . Since the amount of deposited material adhering to the crystal oscillator 143 per unit time has a correlation with the amount of deposited material released from the evaporation sources 12, the released state of the deposited material from the plurality of evaporation sources 12 is monitored as a result. be able to. In the present embodiment, each monitoring device 14 independently monitors the discharge state of the vapor deposition material from each evaporation source 12, so that the output of each heating unit 122 of each evaporation source 12 can be adjusted more appropriately based on the result. can be controlled. Accordingly, the film thickness of the deposition material deposited on the substrate 100 can be effectively controlled.

In this embodiment, the film forming unit 10 forms a film on the substrate 100 while being moved in the X direction (moving direction) by the moving unit 20 . However, it is also possible to employ an evaporation source that is fixedly arranged with respect to the moving substrate 100 to form a film. That is, the film forming unit 10 may form a film on the substrate 100 that relatively moves in the moving direction.

The suppression unit 16 suppresses scattering of the vapor deposition material emitted from the plurality of evaporation sources 12 to the monitoring device 14 that does not correspond. Details will be described later.

<Arrangement of evaporation sources and monitoring devices>
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of the evaporation source 12 and the monitoring device 14. As shown in FIG. In this embodiment, the evaporation sources 12a to 12c are arranged in the Y direction, that is, in the width direction of the substrate 100 intersecting the direction of relative movement between the substrate 100 and the film forming unit 10. FIG. The evaporation sources 12d to 12f are arranged in the Y direction at positions separated from the evaporation sources 12a to 12c in the X direction. A plurality of monitoring devices 14 are provided outside the plurality of evaporation sources 12 in the Y direction.

Attention is now directed to two evaporation sources 12a-12b and two monitors 14a-14b. The evaporation sources 12a-12b are arranged along the Y-direction, and the monitoring devices 14a-14b are arranged along the X-direction intersecting the Y-direction. In this manner, since the arrangement direction of the evaporation sources 12a-12b and the arrangement direction of the corresponding monitoring devices 14a-14b intersect, they can be arranged compactly. For example, the monitoring devices 14a-14b are arranged in the Y-direction like the evaporation sources 12a-12b, and the evaporation is more compact in the X-direction than if the evaporation sources 12a-12b were spaced apart in the X-direction. Sources 12a-12b and monitors 14a-14b may be deployed. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the increase in the size of the chamber 45 in the X direction, that is, the direction in which the film forming unit 10 moves during film formation. In addition, even if the size of the chamber 45 in the X direction does not change, it is possible to prevent the movement range of the film forming unit 10 in the X direction from being restricted due to the growth of the film forming unit 10 in the X direction. can be done. Moreover, in this embodiment, since the evaporation source 12a and the monitoring device 14a are arranged so as to overlap in the X direction, they can be arranged more compactly in the X direction.

In this embodiment, the monitoring devices 14a and 14b are arranged in the movement direction of the film forming unit 10, but the arrangement direction is not limited to this. For example, the alignment direction of the monitoring devices 14a-14b may include a component in the Z direction. That is, the monitoring device 14a and the monitoring device 14b may be arranged at different heights. Also, the arrangement direction of the monitoring devices 14a and 14b may not be orthogonal to the X direction in a plan view, but may have a predetermined angle.

Attention is now directed to the three evaporation sources 12a-12c and the three monitors 14a-14c. The monitoring devices 14a-14b corresponding to the evaporation sources 12a-12b are arranged on the side where the evaporation source 12a is provided and outside the evaporation source 12a in the Y direction. Also, the monitoring device 14c corresponding to the evaporation source 12c is arranged on the side where the evaporation source 12c is provided in the Y direction and outside the evaporation source 12c. In other words, the monitoring devices 14a to 14c are separately arranged on both sides of the evaporation sources 12a to 12c in the Y direction. This allows the monitoring devices 14a to 14c to be compactly arranged in the X direction. Specifically, the monitoring devices 14a to 14c are arranged in the X direction more compactly than in the case where the monitoring devices 14a to 14c are arranged in the X direction and provided outside one of the evaporation sources 12a to 12c in the Y direction. be done. Further, in this embodiment, the evaporation source 12a and the monitoring device 14a are arranged so as to overlap in the X direction, and the evaporation source 12c and the monitoring device 14c are arranged so as to overlap in the X direction. The monitoring devices 14a-14c are arranged more compactly in the X direction.

Here, among the three evaporation sources 12a to 12c arranged in the width direction of the substrate 100, the evaporation source 12b arranged in the center has a higher film formation rate or deposition per unit time than the evaporation sources 12a and 12c on both sides. It may be set so that the amount of material released is small. As a result, variations in film thickness in the width direction of the substrate 100 can be reduced.

Next, attention is paid to the four evaporation sources 12a-12b, 12e-12f and the four monitoring devices 14a-14b, 14e-14f. The evaporation sources 12e to 12f are spaced apart from the evaporation sources 12a to 12b in the X direction. Monitoring devices 14a to 14b corresponding to the evaporation sources 12a to 12b are provided outside one of the plurality of evaporation sources 12 (+Y side). Monitoring devices 14e to 14f corresponding to the evaporation sources 12e to 12f are provided outside the plurality of evaporation sources 12 (on the -Y side). In this way, when a plurality of evaporation sources 12 are arranged in two rows spaced apart in the X direction, the monitoring devices 14 corresponding to the evaporation sources 12 in each row are separated on both outer sides of the plurality of evaporation sources 12 . By arranging them, the plurality of monitoring devices 14 can be arranged compactly in the X direction.

Further, in this embodiment, the evaporation sources 12a-12c and the evaporation sources 12d-12f emit different vapor deposition substances. This enables co-evaporation in which two kinds of materials are vapor-deposited simultaneously to form a mixed film on the substrate 100 . Further, for example, after vapor deposition is performed by the evaporation sources 12a to 12c in a state in which scattering of the vapor deposition material from the evaporation sources 12d to 12f to the substrate 100 is blocked by shutters (not shown), the evaporation sources 12a to 12c are closed by shutters (not shown). Evaporation by the evaporation sources 12d to 12e may be performed in a state in which scattering of the evaporation material from the substrate 100 to the substrate 100 is blocked. Thereby, two layers of thin films can be formed on the substrate by one film forming unit 10 .

<Structure of Suppressor>
Please refer to FIGS. The suppressing portion 16 includes a plurality of plate members 161a to 161i (hereinafter collectively referred to as a plate member 161, and the same applies to a permitting portion 162, which will be described later). The plate member 161 is a plate-shaped member that suppresses scattering of the vapor deposition material from each evaporation source 12 to the monitoring device 14 that does not correspond. As an example, the plate member 161a suppresses scattering of the deposition material from the evaporation source 12a to the monitoring device 14 (for example, the monitoring device 14b) other than the monitoring device 14a. The plate member 161 enables each monitoring device 14 to monitor the release state of the deposition material from the evaporation source 12 to be monitored while the influence of the evaporation sources 12 other than the evaporation source 12 to be monitored is reduced. .

Here, focusing on the evaporation source 12b, the monitoring device 14a and the plate member 161f, the plate member 161f is provided so as to suppress scattering of the deposition material from the evaporation source 12b to the monitoring device 14a. As a result, the monitoring device 14a can monitor the discharge state of the deposition material from the evaporation source 12a while the influence of the evaporation source 12b is reduced. Further, another plate member 161 prevents the vapor deposition material from scattering from the evaporation sources 12c to 12f to the monitoring device 14a. For example, scattering of the deposition material from the evaporation source 12d to the monitoring device 14a is suppressed by the plate member 161d.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the evaporation source 12b is arranged at a position farther from the monitoring device 14b than the evaporation source 12a in the Y direction. The plate member 161f is arranged between the evaporation source 12a and the evaporation source 12b. The plate member 161f is formed with a permitting portion 162b that permits scattering of the deposition material from the evaporation source 12b to the monitoring device 14b. When the plate member 161f is provided to suppress scattering of the deposition material from the evaporation source 12b to the monitoring device 14a, scattering of the deposition material from the evaporation source 12b to the monitoring device 14b may also be suppressed. In the present embodiment, since the plate member 161f is provided with the permissive portion 162b, the deposition material scatters from the evaporation source 12b to the monitoring device 14b via the permissive portion 162b, so that the monitoring device 14b can monitor the evaporation source 12b. becomes.

In this embodiment, the plate member 161f is provided with a cylindrical portion as the allowance portion 162b. Specifically, this cylindrical portion is provided so as to surround an imaginary straight line Vb that connects the discharge portion 1211b of the evaporation source 12b and the crystal oscillator 143b, which is the depositing portion of the monitoring device 14b. In other words, the cylindrical portion is provided so that the imaginary straight line Vb does not pass through the plate member 161f and the cylindrical portion member itself formed thereon, but passes through the interior of the cylindrical portion. As a result, the directivity of the deposition material emitted from the evaporation source 12b is enhanced, so that the deposition material can easily reach the monitoring device 14b. Therefore, the monitoring device 14b can more accurately monitor the release state of the film material from the evaporation source 12b.

Note that the allowable portion 162b may be an opening formed in the plate member 161f. In this case, the opening may be formed in a region including a position through which the imaginary straight line Vb on the plate member 161f passes. If the allowable portion 162b is an opening, the plate member 161f can be easily processed, so the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

Here, focusing on the evaporation source 12b and the plate member 161f, the allowable part 162b has been described. Each plate member 161 is provided with portions 162a, 162c to 162f. In this embodiment, the other allowances 162a, 162c to 162f are also provided so that the imaginary straight lines Va, Vc to Vf are not physically blocked by some member.

<Second embodiment>
Next, the film forming apparatus 9 according to the second embodiment will be described. The film forming apparatus 9 differs from the film forming apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment in the configuration of the film forming unit. Hereinafter, the same reference numerals may be given to the same configurations as in the first embodiment, and the description thereof may be omitted.

FIG. 6 is a plan view schematically showing the configuration of the film forming unit 90 according to one embodiment. FIGS. 7A and 7B are cross-sectional views taken along the line II of FIG. 6 for explaining the film forming operation of the film forming unit 90. FIG. FIG. 7A shows a film formation operation by a unit 90B, which will be described later, and FIG. 7B shows a film formation operation by a unit 90A, which will be described later. In this embodiment, the film forming unit 90 includes seven evaporation sources 92a to 92g (hereinafter referred to collectively as evaporation sources 92). The plurality of evaporation sources 92 are arranged in three rows: evaporation sources 92a to 92c in one row, evaporation sources 92d to 92e in one row, and evaporation sources 92f to 92g in one row. In this embodiment, the plurality of evaporation sources 92 evaporate different evaporation materials for each column. In this embodiment, the evaporation sources 92a to 92c evaporate Ag, the evaporation sources 92d to 92e evaporate Mg, and the evaporation sources 92f to 92g evaporate LiF, respectively.

In addition, in the present embodiment, among the plurality of monitoring devices 94, the monitoring devices 94a, 94c to 94g are separately arranged on both sides of the plurality of evaporation sources 92 in the Y direction, but the monitoring device 94b is located outside the evaporation source 92d. It is provided in the area surrounded by ∼92g. Therefore, the arrangement of the monitoring device 94b prevents the film formation unit 90 from increasing in size in the X direction. Focusing on the two evaporation sources 92a-92b and the two monitoring devices 94a-94b, the evaporation sources 92a-92b are arranged in the Y direction, and the monitoring devices 94a-94b are arranged in a direction having an X-direction component and a Y-direction component. and these alignment directions intersect.

In this embodiment, the evaporation sources 92a to 92e constitute one unit 90A, and the evaporation sources 92f to 92g constitute another unit 90B. In this embodiment, the film forming unit 90 forms a film on the substrate 100 for each of these units. That is, in this embodiment, the unit 90A performs co-evaporation of Ag and Mg, and the unit 90B performs single evaporation of LiF. Further, the film forming unit 90 uses shutters 98A and 98B to form films for each of these units.

The shutter 98A has a blocking position (FIG. 7A) for blocking scattering of the deposition material from the evaporation sources 92a to 92e of the unit 90A to the substrate 100, and the permissible position (FIG. 7(B)) that permits the scattering of . In addition, the shutter 98B has a blocking position (FIG. 7B) for blocking scattering of the deposition material from the evaporation sources 92f to 92g of the unit 90B to the substrate 100, It is displaced between the permissible position (FIG. 7(A)) that permits scattering of the deposition material. Therefore, film formation can be performed by the evaporation sources 92a to 92e of the unit 90A by performing film formation with the shutter 98A at the allowable position and the shutter 98B at the blocking position. In addition, film formation can be performed by the evaporation sources 92f to 92g of the unit 90B by performing film formation with the shutter 98B at the allowable position and the shutter 98A at the blocking position.

<Emission direction of evaporation source>
FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the film thickness distribution in the moving direction (X direction) of the substrate 100 . Specifically, FIG. 8 shows the film thickness distribution of the deposition material discharged from each column of evaporation sources 92 when co-evaporation is performed by the unit 90A. A pattern PT1 shows the film thickness distribution when the direction of emission of the deposition material from the emission part 9211 of the evaporation source 92 is vertically upward. Note that the vapor deposition material can be emitted from the emitting portion 9211 with a spread over a certain range, but here, the direction in which the emitting portion 9211 points is called the emitting direction.

When the emission direction of the vapor deposition material is vertically upward, since the evaporation sources 92a to 92c and the evaporation sources 92d to 92e are separated in the X direction (moving direction) of the substrate 100, the apex of the film thickness distribution in the X direction is shifted. It will be. In this case, the mixing ratio of Ag and Mg in the X direction of the substrate 100 varies depending on the relationship between the deposition region, which is the region where the substrate 100 and the mask 101 are overlapped, and the movement start position and end position of the deposition unit 90. may be formed differently. That is, the deposition material deposited on the substrate 100 may vary in the X direction.

Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in the pattern PT2, each evaporation source 92 is arranged with the emission direction of the evaporation material inclined. As a result, the apexes in the X direction of the film thickness distribution of the vapor deposition substances discharged from the vapor sources 92a to 92c and the film thickness distributions of the vapor deposition substances discharged from the vapor sources 92d to 92e can be made to coincide or approach each other. As a result, variations in the X direction (moving direction) of the deposition material deposited on the substrate 100 can be suppressed.

In this embodiment, the evaporation sources 92a to 92c are arranged so that the emission direction of the vapor deposition material faces the evaporation sources 92d to 92e in the X direction (moving direction). Also, the evaporation sources 92d to 92e are arranged so that the emission direction of the vapor deposition material faces the evaporation sources 92a to 92c in the X direction (moving direction).

When tilting the discharge direction of the vapor deposition material, the evaporation source 92 itself may be tilted, or the shape of the discharge part 9211 may be adopted such that the discharge direction is tilted. For example, when the release part 9211 has a tubular shape, the release part 9211 may be configured such that the axial direction of the tube is inclined.

<Deposition process>
Next, a film forming process using the film forming apparatus 9 will be described. 9 and 10 are explanatory diagrams of the operation of the film forming apparatus 9 in the film forming process.

A state ST1 represents an initial state in which the substrates 100A and 100B are loaded into the film forming apparatus 9 and aligned with the masks 101A and 101B, respectively. Here, the substrate 100A on the stage A side is in a state where approximately half of the +X side in the X direction is covered with the mask 101A, and the substrate 100B on the stage B side is approximately half on the -X side in the X direction. A region is covered with the mask 101B. Further, the film formation unit 90 is located on the stage A side and at a position x1 on the -X side in the X direction from the film formation area, which is the area where the substrate 100A and the mask 101A are overlapped.

State ST2 is a state after film formation is performed on the substrate 100A while the film formation unit 90 moves to the +X side in the X direction. The film forming unit 90 moves from the position x1 to the position x2 on the +X side in the X direction with respect to the film forming area. Further, state ST3 is a state after film formation is performed on the substrate 100A while the film formation unit 90 moves to the -X side in the X direction. That is, the film forming unit 90 performs film formation on the substrate 100A while making one reciprocation between the position x1 and the position x2 by the moving unit 20 while transitioning from state ST1 to state ST3.

Note that although one reciprocating operation is shown here, the film forming unit 90 may perform film formation while repeating the reciprocating operation for a total of two reciprocating motions. For example, the film forming unit 90 may form a film by the unit 90B while reciprocating once in the X direction, and then form a film by the unit 90A while reciprocating once in the X direction. In this case, since film formation is performed by the unit 90A for one reciprocating motion, the effect of the positional difference in the X direction between the evaporation sources 92a to 92c and the evaporation sources 92d to 92e is reduced, and the deposition material adheres to the substrate 100A. The mixing ratio of Ag and Mg can be matched or approximated.

Further, for example, the film forming unit 90 may perform film formation by the unit 90B for the first forward trip, and film formation by the unit 90A for the first and second return trips. As a result, when the film thickness of the mixed film of Ag and Mg is desired to be thicker than the film thickness of LiF, more time can be secured for film formation by the unit 90A.

Further, while the film forming apparatus 1 reciprocates in the X direction, the film forming unit 90 may perform film formation by the unit 90B on the outward trip and film formation by the unit 90A on the return trip. Alternatively, the film forming unit 90 may perform film formation by the unit 90A and the unit 90B while making three or more reciprocations in the X direction. In any case, in the present embodiment, both the film formation by the unit 90A and the film formation by the unit 90B are performed with the mask 101A covering approximately half the +X side region of the substrate 100A in the X direction.

Further, in the present embodiment, the film forming unit 90 is set so as not to overlap the film forming region, which is the region where the substrate 100A and the mask 101A overlap in plan view, at the positions x1 and x2. That is, the film forming unit 90 reciprocates so as to completely pass through this film forming area in plan view. However, at the positions x1 and x2, at least a part of the film forming unit 90 may be arranged so as to overlap with the film forming regions in plan view.

A state ST4 shows a state in which the film forming unit 90 has moved from the stage A to the stage B. FIG. The film forming unit 90 is moved in the Y direction (the width direction of the substrate 100 ) by the Y direction moving part 24 of the moving unit 20 . Here, the film forming unit 90 moves from position y1 on the stage A side to position y2 on the stage B side in the Y direction.

State ST5 is a state after film formation is performed on the substrate 100B while the film formation unit 90 moves to the +X side in the X direction. The film forming unit 90 moves from position x1 to position x2 in the X direction. The state ST5 is also the state after the substrate 100A has moved in the X direction on the stage A. FIG. The substrate 100A is moved from a position where approximately half of the +X side is covered with the mask 101A to a position where approximately half of the -X side is covered with the mask 101A by the position adjustment section 34A of the support unit 30A. Further, after the substrate 100A is roughly moved in the X direction, the substrate 100A and the mask 101A are precisely aligned by alignment using a camera (not shown) or the like, and then the substrate 100A and the mask 101A are overlapped. be.

State ST6 is a state after film formation is performed on the substrate 100B while the film formation unit 90 moves to the -X side in the X direction. In other words, the film forming unit 90 performs film formation on the substrate 100B while making one reciprocation between the position x1 and the position x2 by the moving unit 20 while transitioning from state ST4 to state ST6. Note that the film formation unit 90 may perform film formation on the substrate 100B while making two or more reciprocations, as in the case of the transition from state ST1 to state ST3.

A state ST7 shows a state in which the film forming unit 90 has moved from the stage B to the stage A. FIG. Here, the film forming unit 90 moves from position y2 to position y1 in the Y direction. State ST8 is the state after film formation is performed on the substrate 100A while the film forming unit 90 moves to the +X side in the X direction, and state ST9 is the state after the film forming unit 90 moves to the -X side in the X direction. However, it is in a state after film formation has been performed on the substrate 100A. In other words, the film forming unit 90 forms a film on the substrate 100A while making one reciprocation between the position x1 and the position x2 by the moving unit 20 during the transition from the state ST7 to the state ST9. It should be noted that the film forming unit 90 can operate in the same manner as in the transition from state ST1 to state ST3. In any case, in the present embodiment, both the film formation by the unit 90A and the film formation by the unit 90B are performed with the mask 101A covering approximately half the region on the -X side of the substrate 100A in the X direction. .

The state ST8 is also the state after the substrate 100B moves in the X direction on the stage B. FIG. The substrate 100B is moved from a position where approximately half of the substrate 100B on the -X side is covered with the mask 101B to a position where approximately half of the substrate 100B on the +X side is covered with the mask 101B by the position adjustment section 34B of the support unit 30B. Further, after the substrate 100B is roughly moved in the X direction, the substrate 100B and the mask 101B are precisely aligned by alignment using a camera or the like (not shown), and then the substrate 100B and the mask 101B are superimposed. be.

A state ST10 shows a state in which the film forming unit 90 has moved from the stage A to the stage B. FIG. The operation of the film forming unit 90 here is the same as that of the transition from the state ST3 to the state ST4. The state ST11 is the state after the film forming unit 90 moves to the +X side in the X direction to form a film on the substrate 100B, and the state ST12 is the state after the film forming unit 90 moves to the -X side in the X direction. However, it is in a state after film formation is performed on the substrate 100B. In other words, the film forming unit 90 performs film formation on the substrate 100B while making one reciprocation between the position x1 and the position x2 by the moving unit 20 while transitioning from state ST10 to state ST12. It should be noted that the film forming unit 90 can operate in the same manner as in the transition from state ST1 to state ST3.

The state ST11 is also the state in which the substrate 100A is unloaded from the film forming apparatus 9 on the stage A. FIG. The state ST12 is also the state after the substrate 100A is unloaded from the film forming apparatus 9. FIG. In this way, the substrate 100A is transported out of the film forming apparatus 9 after the film formation is performed on each of the substantially half region on the +X side in the X direction and the substantially half region on the −X side in the X direction. be done.

Thus, in both the state in which the mask 101 is superimposed on approximately half the region on the +X side of the substrate 100 and the state in which the mask 101 is superimposed on approximately half the region on the −X side of the substrate 100, the unit Film formation by 90A and film formation by unit 90B are performed. Accordingly, film formation can be performed by both the unit 90A and the unit 90B even for a large-sized substrate 100. FIG. Specifically, when the size of the substrate 100 increases, it may not be possible to create a mask 101 of the same size as the substrate 100 due to the rigidity of the mask 101 . However, according to this embodiment, even if the mask 101 is smaller than the substrate 100, film formation can be performed on substantially the entire region of the substrate 100. FIG. In addition, since the relative movement between the substrate 100 and the film forming unit 90 is linear movement, the relative movement can be stably performed at a constant speed compared to rotational movement or the like. A uniform film can be formed. Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the film forming unit 90 moves, even if the substrate 100 is large, it is possible to stably move them relative to each other.

Further, in the present embodiment, while film formation is being performed by the film formation unit 90 in stage B (states ST4 to ST6), positional adjustment of the substrate 100A and mask 101A is performed in stage A. Process can be done efficiently. The position adjustment of the substrate 100A and the mask 101A on the stage A may be performed when the film forming unit 90 moves in the Y direction (states ST4 to ST5, states ST6 to ST7).

<Method for manufacturing electronic device>
Next, an example of a method for manufacturing an electronic device will be described. The configuration and manufacturing method of an organic EL display device will be exemplified below as an example of an electronic device. In this example, a plurality of film forming apparatuses 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 are provided on the manufacturing line.

First, the organic EL display device to be manufactured will be described. FIG. 11A is an overall view of the organic EL display device 50, and FIG. 11B is a view showing the cross-sectional structure of one pixel.

As shown in FIG. 11A, in a display region 51 of an organic EL display device 50, a plurality of pixels 52 each having a plurality of light emitting elements are arranged in a matrix. Although details will be described later, each of the light emitting elements has a structure including an organic layer sandwiched between a pair of electrodes.

The term "pixel" as used herein refers to a minimum unit capable of displaying a desired color in the display area 51. FIG. In the case of a color organic EL display device, a pixel 52 is configured by combining a plurality of sub-pixels of a first light-emitting element 52R, a second light-emitting element 52G, and a third light-emitting element 52B that emit light different from each other. The pixel 52 is often composed of a combination of three types of sub-pixels, a red (R) light-emitting element, a green (G) light-emitting element, and a blue (B) light-emitting element, but is not limited to this. The pixel 52 may include at least one type of sub-pixel, preferably two or more types of sub-pixels, and more preferably three or more types of sub-pixels. Sub-pixels constituting the pixel 52 may be a combination of four types of sub-pixels, for example, a red (R) light-emitting element, a green (G) light-emitting element, a blue (B) light-emitting element, and a yellow (Y) light-emitting element.

FIG. 11B is a schematic partial cross-sectional view taken along the line AB of FIG. 11A. The pixel 52 includes, on a substrate 53, a first electrode (anode) 54, a hole transport layer 55, one of a red layer 56R, a green layer 56G, and a blue layer 56B, an electron transport layer 57, and a second layer. It has a plurality of sub-pixels composed of organic EL elements each having an electrode (cathode) 58 . Among these layers, the hole transport layer 55, the red layer 56R, the green layer 56G, the blue layer 56B, and the electron transport layer 57 correspond to organic layers. The red layer 56R, the green layer 56G, and the blue layer 56B are formed in patterns corresponding to light-emitting elements (also referred to as organic EL elements) that emit red, green, and blue, respectively.

Also, the first electrode 54 is formed separately for each light emitting element. The hole transport layer 55, the electron transport layer 57, and the second electrode 58 may be formed in common over the plurality of light emitting elements 52R, 52G, and 52B, or may be formed for each light emitting element. That is, as shown in FIG. 11B, the hole transport layer 55 is formed as a common layer over a plurality of sub-pixel regions, and the red layer 56R, the green layer 56G, and the blue layer 56B are separated for each sub-pixel region. The electron transport layer 57 and the second electrode 58 may be formed thereon as a common layer over a plurality of sub-pixel regions.

In addition, an insulating layer 59 is provided between the first electrodes 54 in order to prevent short-circuiting between the adjacent first electrodes 54 . Furthermore, since the organic EL layer is deteriorated by moisture and oxygen, a protective layer 60 is provided to protect the organic EL element from moisture and oxygen.

Although the hole transport layer 55 and electron transport layer 57 are shown as one layer in FIG. may be In addition, an energy band structure capable of smoothly injecting holes from the first electrode 54 to the hole transport layer 55 is formed between the first electrode 54 and the hole transport layer 55 . A hole injection layer having a Similarly, an electron injection layer may be formed between the second electrode 58 and the electron transport layer 57 as well.

Each of the red layer 56R, the green layer 56G, and the blue layer 56B may be formed of a single light-emitting layer, or may be formed by laminating a plurality of layers. For example, the red layer 56R may be composed of two layers, the upper layer being a red light emitting layer, and the lower layer being a hole transport layer or an electron blocking layer. Alternatively, the lower layer may be formed of a red light-emitting layer and the upper layer may be formed of an electron-transporting layer or a hole-blocking layer. By providing a layer below or above the light-emitting layer in this way, the light-emitting position in the light-emitting layer is adjusted, and the optical path length is adjusted, thereby improving the color purity of the light-emitting element.

Although an example of the red layer 56R is shown here, a similar structure may be adopted for the green layer 56G and the blue layer 56B. Also, the number of layers may be two or more. Furthermore, layers of different materials may be laminated such as the light emitting layer and the electron blocking layer, or layers of the same material may be laminated such as laminating two or more light emitting layers.

Next, an example of a method for manufacturing an organic EL display device will be specifically described. Here, it is assumed that the red layer 56R consists of two layers, a lower layer 56R1 and an upper layer 56R2, and the green layer 56G and blue layer 56B consist of a single light-emitting layer.

First, a substrate 53 on which a circuit (not shown) for driving the organic EL display device and a first electrode 54 are formed is prepared. The material of the substrate 53 is not particularly limited, and can be made of glass, plastic, metal, or the like. In this embodiment, a substrate in which a polyimide film is laminated on a glass substrate is used as the substrate 53 .

A resin layer such as acrylic or polyimide is coated on the substrate 53 on which the first electrode 54 is formed by bar coating or spin coating, and the resin layer is opened by a lithography method at the portion where the first electrode 54 is formed. is formed, and an insulating layer 59 is formed. This opening corresponds to a light emitting region where the light emitting element actually emits light. In the present embodiment, the large substrate is processed until the insulating layer 59 is formed, and the dividing step of dividing the substrate 53 is performed after the insulating layer 59 is formed.

The substrate 53 on which the insulating layer 59 is patterned is carried into the first film forming apparatus 1, and the hole transport layer 55 is formed as a common layer on the first electrodes 54 in the display area. The hole transport layer 55 is formed using a mask having openings for each of the display regions 51 that will eventually become the panel portion of each organic EL display device.

Next, the substrate 53 with the holes up to the hole transport layer 55 formed thereon is carried into the second film forming apparatus 1 . The substrate 53 is aligned with the mask, the substrate is placed on the mask, and the portion of the substrate 53 on the hole transport layer 55 where the element emitting red light is arranged (the region for forming the red sub-pixel). , a red layer 56R is deposited. Here, the mask used in the second deposition chamber is a mask having openings formed only in a plurality of regions serving as red sub-pixels among a plurality of regions on the substrate 53 serving as sub-pixels of the organic EL display device. A fine mask. As a result, the red layer 56R including the red light-emitting layer is formed only on the red sub-pixel area among the plurality of sub-pixel areas on the substrate 53 . In other words, the red layer 56R is not formed on the blue sub-pixel region or the green sub-pixel region among the plurality of sub-pixel regions on the substrate 53, and is not formed on the red sub-pixel region. A film is selectively formed in the region where

Similarly to the deposition of the red layer 56R, the third deposition apparatus 1 deposits the green layer 56G, and the fourth deposition apparatus 1 deposits the blue layer 56B. After the formation of the red layer 56R, the green layer 56G, and the blue layer 56B is completed, the electron transport layer 57 is formed over the entire display area 51 in the fifth film forming apparatus 1. FIG. The electron transport layer 57 is formed as a layer common to the three color layers 56R, 56G and 56B.

The substrate on which the electron transport layer 57 is formed is transferred to the sixth film forming apparatus 1, and the second electrode 58 is formed. In this embodiment, each layer is formed by vacuum deposition in the first to sixth film forming apparatuses 1 to 1 . However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the deposition of the second electrode 58 in the sixth deposition apparatus 1 may be performed by sputtering. After that, the substrate on which the second electrode 58 is formed is moved to a sealing device, and the protective layer 60 is formed by plasma CVD (sealing step), whereby the organic EL display device 50 is completed. Although the protective layer 60 is formed by the CVD method here, it is not limited to this, and may be formed by the ALD method or the inkjet method.

1: film forming apparatus, 10: film forming unit, 12: evaporation source, 14: monitoring device, 20: moving unit, 30: supporting unit, 100: substrate, 101: mask

Claims (10)

a film forming unit that forms a film on a substrate that relatively moves in the moving direction;
A film forming apparatus comprising adjusting means for adjusting the positional relationship between the substrate and the mask,
The film forming unit includes a first unit and a second unit each including at least one evaporation source that emits a vapor deposition material;
In both the first state in which the mask is superimposed on the first region of the substrate by the adjusting means and the second state in which the mask is superimposed on the second region of the substrate by the adjusting means, the A film is formed by one unit and a film is formed by a second unit,
A film forming apparatus characterized by: The film forming apparatus according to claim 1,
In either the first state or the second state, the film forming unit
One reciprocation in the movement direction between the first position and the second position while performing film formation by the first unit;
One reciprocation in the movement direction between the first position and the second position while performing film formation by the second unit;
A film forming apparatus characterized by: The film forming apparatus according to claim 1,
In either the first state or the second state, the film forming unit
moving in the movement direction from the first position to the second position while performing film formation by the first unit;
moving in the movement direction from the second position to the first position while performing film formation by the second unit;
A film forming apparatus characterized by: The film forming apparatus according to claim 3,
In either the first state or the second state, the film forming unit moves from the second position to the first position in the movement direction while film formation is performed by the second unit. After moving, make one reciprocation in the movement direction between the first position and the second position while performing film formation by the second unit;
A film forming apparatus characterized by: The film forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A first thin film is formed on the substrate by film formation by the first unit,
A second thin film having a composition different from that of the first thin film is formed on the substrate by the film formation by the second unit.
A film forming apparatus characterized by: The film forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
the at least one evaporation source of the first unit evaporates a first material;
the at least one evaporation source of the second unit comprises an evaporation source emitting a second material and an evaporation source emitting a third material;
A film forming apparatus characterized by: The film forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
a first blocking position for blocking scattering of the vapor deposition material from the at least one evaporation source of the first unit to the substrate; and scattering of the vapor deposition material from the at least one evaporation source of the first unit to the substrate. a first shutter that is displaced between a first retracted position that allows
a second blocking position for blocking scattering of the vapor deposition material from the at least one evaporation source of the second unit to the substrate; and scattering of the vapor deposition material from the at least one evaporation source of the second unit to the substrate. a second shutter that is displaced between a second retracted position that allows
A film forming apparatus characterized by: The film forming apparatus according to claim 7,
When film formation is performed by the first unit, the first shutter is positioned at the first retracted position and the second shutter is positioned at the second blocking position,
When film formation is performed by the second unit, the first shutter is positioned at the first blocking position, and the second shutter is positioned at the second retracted position.
A film forming apparatus characterized by: The film forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
a plurality of the adjusting means are provided spaced apart in a width direction of the substrate intersecting the moving direction;
The film forming unit has a first width direction position for forming a film on a substrate whose positional relationship is adjusted by one of the plurality of adjusting means, and the positional relationship is adjusted by the other of the plurality of adjusting means. moving in the width direction between a second width direction position at which film formation is performed on the substrate,
A film forming apparatus characterized by: adjusting means for adjusting the positional relationship between the substrate and the mask so that the first state in which the mask is superimposed on the first region of the substrate or the second state in which the mask is superimposed on the second region of the substrate; ,
A film formation method for a film formation apparatus comprising a film formation unit that forms a film on a substrate that relatively moves in a movement direction,
The film forming unit includes a first unit and a second unit each including at least one evaporation source,
The film forming method is
a first film formation step of performing film formation by the first unit and film formation by the second unit by the film formation unit in the first state;
a step of adjusting the positional relationship between the substrate and the mask so that the substrate and the mask are in the second state by the adjusting means;
a second film forming step of performing film formation by the first unit and film formation by the second unit in the second state;
including,
A film forming method characterized by:

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