JP4516870B2 - Method for simultaneously forming vapor deposition film on a plurality of substrates and transport tray - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention is applied to a process of forming a MgO film on a glass substrate when manufacturing a plasma display panel, etc., and a method for simultaneously forming a deposited film on a plurality of substrates, and a transport tray for carrying out the method About.

  Conventionally known methods for forming a vapor-deposited film on a substrate of this type and a transfer tray include those described in Patent Document 1, for example. In Patent Document 1, a rectangular frame body, and an inner peripheral portion and an inner peripheral portion facing each other of the frame body, both ends thereof are connected to each inner peripheral portion of the frame body via an elastic member, thereby providing tension. A method of forming a vapor deposition film such as an MgO film on a glass substrate using a transport tray composed of a thin-shaped member constructed with the addition of is described (for example, see FIG. 2).

The method described in Patent Document 1 can be temporarily evaluated as a method for forming a vapor deposition film on a substrate. However, this method does not assume the simultaneous formation of vapor-deposited coatings on a plurality of glass substrates, and when preparing a large number of panels such as six or eight from a single glass substrate, the vapor-deposited coatings are used. After forming, the glass substrate has a problem of requiring many times of cutting the glass substrate. In addition, as described in paragraph 0012 of the detailed description of the invention, this method holds the glass substrate by placing it on a window frame-shaped substrate receiver provided on the inner periphery of the rectangular frame. I have to. Therefore, for example, when a vapor deposition film is formed by heating a large glass substrate, the frame itself must be heated, so that the energy consumption is enormous and the frame is subject to thermal distortion. Had. In addition, there is a problem that mechanical stress generated in the initial stage cannot be relaxed by setting the glass substrate on the transfer tray. Furthermore, if thermal stress exceeding the allowable range occurs on the glass substrate, it cannot be alleviated, and the substrate holder cannot sufficiently absorb the bending due to the high heat of the glass substrate, so it should be ignored by heat spread. There is a problem that mechanical stress that cannot be generated occurs. As a result, there has been a problem that the glass substrate may be cracked by a thermal load.
JP 2000-199046 A

  Therefore, the present invention has a simple configuration, and allows a plurality of panels to be prepared from a plurality of glass substrates with energy saving without inducing a crack of the glass substrate due to a thermal load. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for simultaneously forming a vapor deposition film on a substrate and a transport tray for carrying out the method.

  As a result of various investigations in view of the above points, the present inventors have determined that a transport tray used for simultaneously forming a vapor deposition film on a plurality of glass substrates is a rectangular frame and an opposing frame. A plurality of thin bodies composed of a frame member and a thin frame member that is constructed by connecting each end of the frame body with each frame side via an elastic member to add tension. The member is allowed to function as a holding member capable of forming a state in which a plurality of glass substrates are placed on the transport tray, and to function as a mask member for defining a vapor deposition film forming region in the glass substrate, Knowledge that the above-mentioned purpose can be achieved by providing a partition member for partitioning adjacent glass substrates when a plurality of glass substrates are placed at a predetermined position of a predetermined thin member. did.

The method for simultaneously forming a vapor deposition film on a plurality of substrates according to the present invention based on the above knowledge, as claimed in claim 1, maintains a plurality of substrates horizontally and transports them to a vapor deposition chamber of a vacuum deposition apparatus. The transport tray used for forming the vapor deposition film on the substrate is divided into a rectangular frame, the frame sides facing each other of the frame, and both ends of each frame side of the frame and the elastic member. The thin member is constructed with a tension applied by connecting via a thin member, and the thin member is arranged between one opposing frame side and the frame side in parallel with the other frame side. More than two, the other opposing frame sides are installed between two or more parallel to one frame side, and each thin member is placed on a transport tray. And function as a holding member that can form a state where the film is formed, and define a deposition film forming region in the substrate When a plurality of substrates are placed on all or any of the thin members other than the thin members on both outer sides of the thin members that are installed at least three in parallel and function as mask members for A partition member for partitioning adjacent substrates is provided, and a vapor deposition film is formed from below the substrate in a state where the adjacent substrates are partitioned by the partition member.
The transport tray of the present invention is a transport tray used for forming a deposited film on a substrate by maintaining a plurality of substrates horizontally and transporting them to a deposition chamber of a vacuum deposition apparatus as described in claim 2. In addition, a quadrangular frame body, and the opposite frame sides of the frame body, and both ends of the frame body are connected to each frame side of the frame body via an elastic member to construct a tension. The thin member is composed of at least three parallel members between one opposing frame side and the frame side, and between the other opposing frame side and the frame side. In addition, two or more pieces are installed in parallel to one frame side, and each thin member is made to function as a holding member that can form a state in which a plurality of substrates are placed on the transport tray. , Function as a mask member for defining the deposited film formation region in the substrate, and at least In order to partition adjacent substrates when a plurality of substrates are placed on all or any of the thin members other than the thin members on both outer sides of the thin members laid in parallel with three or more A partition member is provided.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to prepare a plurality of panels from a plurality of glass substrates with energy saving without inducing a crack of the glass substrate due to a thermal load with a simple configuration. A method for simultaneously forming a deposited film on a single substrate and a transport tray for carrying out the method are provided.

  Hereinafter, a method of simultaneously forming a vapor deposition film on a plurality of substrates according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, taking as an example the case of forming an MgO film on a glass substrate when manufacturing a plasma display panel.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of an embodiment of a transport tray for carrying out the method for simultaneously forming a vapor deposition film on a plurality of substrates of the present invention. The transport tray A shown in FIG. 1 includes a rectangular frame 1 made of stainless steel, titanium, or the like, and between the opposite frame sides of the frame 1, and both ends of each frame side of the frame 1. The thin member 2 is constructed with a tension applied by connecting via a spring 3 as an elastic member. The thin member 2 has three horizontal sides opposite to each other in the horizontal direction in FIG. 1 in parallel to the vertical frame sides and a horizontal direction between the vertical side frames and the frame sides. Four are installed in parallel to the frame side. The transport tray A shown in FIG. 1 can place two glass substrates for preparing one to three panels, and is adjacent when two glass substrates are placed. A partition member 4 made of a heat-resistant resin for partitioning glass substrates or a metal that has been subjected to a countermeasure such as surface treatment so as not to damage the glass substrates is a frame facing in the horizontal direction in FIG. A total of six protruding members are installed on the thin member 2 at the center of the thin member 2 that is installed between the side and the frame side in parallel with the vertical frame side.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing a state in which two glass substrates (X1, X2) are placed on the transport tray A shown in FIG. In the present invention, each thin member 2 functions as a holding member capable of forming a state in which two glass substrates (X1, X2) are placed on the transport tray A, and a glass substrate. Each of the X1 and the glass substrate X2 functions as a mask member for defining three vapor deposition film forming regions (Y portions indicated by oblique lines). Thereby, even when a large glass substrate is heated to form an MgO film in each vapor deposition film forming region, it is not necessary to heat the frame body, so that energy saving can be achieved. In addition, the thermal distortion of the frame can be suppressed. Moreover, the thin-shaped member which added tension to both ends relieves the mechanical stress which generate | occur | produces initially by setting a glass substrate to a conveyance tray. Further, since the heat capacity is small due to the thin body shape, the temperature difference with the glass substrate is reduced, so that the thermal stress generated in the glass substrate is reduced and the thermal stress generated in the glass substrate is reduced. Furthermore, the mechanical stress due to heat spread is alleviated by evenly absorbing the bending of the glass substrate due to high heat. Therefore, as in the method described in Patent Document 1, in addition to a mode in which the glass substrate is placed on a window frame-shaped substrate receiver provided on the inner peripheral portion of the frame, the thin member is a holding member for the glass substrate. Even if it is made to function as an aspect which fixes both ends of each frame side and the elastic member without using an elastic member, or by connecting only one end portion through the elastic frame and the frame side of the frame. It is possible to suppress the breakage of the glass substrate due to a thermal load that may occur in an embodiment in which tension is applied and the other end is fixed without interposing the frame side of the frame without an elastic member. In addition, the presence of the partition member 4 prevents the glass substrate X1 and the glass substrate X2 from contacting each other during the step of forming the MgO film, so that the occurrence of edge chipping or the like can be suppressed.

  By making the thermal expansion coefficient of the thin body member ± 20% of the thermal expansion coefficient of the glass substrate, the thermal stress and mechanical stress generated in the glass substrate are more effective when the glass substrate is heated to form the MgO film. Can be relaxed. Therefore, the crack of the glass substrate by a heat load, etc. can be suppressed more effectively. For example, when borosilicate glass is used as the glass substrate, the thin member is preferably made of a nickel-iron alloy whose thermal expansion coefficient approximates that of borosilicate glass.

  The thickness of the thin member is preferably 0.1 mm to 0.8 mm. If the thickness is less than 0.1 mm, the function as a glass substrate holding member may not be sufficient. On the other hand, if the thickness exceeds 0.8 mm, a gap is generated around the intersection of the thin member and the thin member. If the MgO component wraps around the mask portion (so-called “film sagging phenomenon”), there is a possibility that an accurate MgO film cannot be formed on the deposited film forming region of the glass substrate.

  The vacuum vapor deposition apparatus used for carrying out the method for simultaneously forming vapor deposition films on a plurality of substrates of the present invention is not described with reference to the drawings, but may be known per se and described in Patent Document 1. The MgO component evaporated from the evaporation source is deposited on the two glass substrates (X1, X2) that have been transported to the deposition chamber while being maintained horizontally by the transport tray A from the lower side. As long as the device has a structure capable of forming an MgO film, any device may be used.

  In addition, the conveyance tray A shown in FIG. 1 can mount two glass substrates for preparing one to three panels, and each of the glass substrates X1 and X2 includes three glass substrates. By forming the MgO coating in the vapor deposition coating formation region Y, a total of six panels can be prepared from the two glass substrates (X1, X2), but like the transport tray B shown in FIG. In addition to the thin member 2 at the center of the thin member 2 which is installed in parallel between the frame sides in the horizontal direction in FIG. 1 in parallel with the vertical frame sides, in the vertical direction in FIG. If the partition members 4 are also provided on the two thin members 2 inside the thin members 2 that are installed in parallel between the frame sides and the frame sides in the horizontal direction between the opposing frame sides, one sheet A total of six panels can be prepared from a glass substrate. Further, like the transport tray C shown in FIG. 4, the partition members 4 for partitioning the adjacent glass substrates are originally provided in all the thin members 2, and the four sides of the glass substrate are surrounded by the partition members 4. You may do it. In addition, the thin member 2 can be attached to and detached from the frame body 1 together with the spring 3 so that any number of these members can be installed at any position on the frame side of the frame body 1 and the partition member 4 is provided. If the thin member 2 is detachable and can be provided in any number at any position on any thin member 2, any number of glass substrates of any size can be arbitrarily provided. As the MgO film can be formed by demarcating the number of vapor deposition film formation regions of any number and any size, a panel of any number and any size can be prepared from any number and any size glass substrate. can do.

  The present invention has a simple configuration, and allows a plurality of panels to be prepared from a plurality of glass substrates under energy saving without inducing a crack of the glass substrate due to a thermal load. The present invention has industrial applicability in that it can provide a method for simultaneously forming a deposited film on a substrate and a transport tray for carrying out the method.

It is a schematic plan view of one Embodiment of the conveyance tray for enforcing the simultaneous formation method of the vapor deposition film to the several board | substrate of this invention. It is a schematic plan view which shows the state which mounted the two glass substrates (X1, X2) on the conveyance tray A shown in FIG. It is a schematic plan view of other embodiment of the conveyance tray for enforcing the simultaneous formation method of the vapor deposition film on the several board | substrate of this invention. It is a schematic plan view of other embodiment of the conveyance tray for enforcing the simultaneous formation method of the vapor deposition film on the several board | substrate of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

A transport tray B transport tray C transport tray 1 frame 2 thin member 3 spring 4 partition member X1 glass substrate X2 glass substrate Y vapor deposition film formation region

Claims (2)

  Maintaining a plurality of substrates horizontally and transporting them to a vapor deposition chamber of a vacuum vapor deposition apparatus, a transport tray used for forming a vapor deposition film on the substrate is made up of a rectangular frame body and opposing frame sides of the frame body Between the frame sides, both ends thereof are connected to each frame side of the frame body through an elastic member to form a thin body member that is installed with tension applied thereto, and the thin body member is Between the opposite frame sides and the frame sides, three or more parallel to the other frame side, and between the other opposite frame sides and the frame sides, two or more parallel to one frame side are installed, The thin body member functions as a holding member that can form a state in which a plurality of substrates are placed on the transport tray, and also functions as a mask member for defining a vapor deposition film forming region on the substrate, At least three thin members on both outer sides of the thin member laid in parallel When a plurality of substrates is placed on all or any of the thin members, a partition member for partitioning adjacent substrates is provided, and the adjacent substrates are partitioned by the partition member, A method for simultaneously forming a vapor deposition film on a plurality of substrates, comprising forming a vapor deposition film from below the substrate.   A transport tray used for maintaining a plurality of substrates horizontally and transporting them to a deposition chamber of a vacuum deposition apparatus and forming a deposition film on the substrate, comprising a rectangular frame body and a frame facing the frame body Between the side and the frame side, each end of the frame body is connected to each frame side via an elastic member, and the thin body member is constructed by adding tension to the thin body member. Between one opposing frame side and the frame side, three or more parallel to the other frame side, and between the other opposing frame side and the frame side, two or more parallel to the one frame side are installed, Each thin member functions as a holding member capable of forming a state in which a plurality of substrates are placed on the transport tray, and also functions as a mask member for demarcating a deposited film formation region on the substrate. Thin bodies on both outer sides of the thin body member constructed at least three in parallel Conveying trays in all or any of the thin body member other than the member, when mounted with the plurality of substrates, characterized in that a partition member for partitioning the adjacent boards.

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