JP4780474B2 - Thin film laminate manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a thin film laminate using a strip-like flexible substrate.

  As a substrate of a thin film laminate such as a semiconductor thin film, a rigid substrate is usually used. For example, a substrate of a photoelectric conversion element used for a solar cell or the like is light and easy to handle. In order to reduce costs due to mass production, a flexible substrate such as a resin is also used.

As an apparatus for manufacturing a thin film laminate using such a flexible substrate, the substrate in a state in which a strip-like flexible substrate is passed through a plurality of continuously formed film forming chambers and stopped in each film forming chamber. Developed a stepping roll type film deposition system that deposits a plurality of thin films with different properties on the substrate by repeating the operation of forming a film on the surface of the substrate and then transporting the substrate to the next deposition chamber. (See Patent Document 1).
JP-A-6-291349

  In such a stepping roll type film forming apparatus, a sealing member is brought into close contact with the belt-like flexible substrate in a stopped state at the substrate entrance / exit of each film forming chamber to make each film forming chamber airtight, and then the substrate surface A thin film is formed. An actuator such as an air cylinder is used as a driving source for the sealing member. Even if the sealing members in all the film forming chambers are driven simultaneously, the sealing member actually adheres to the substrate in the film forming chambers having a dozen or more chambers. Not all timings are the same. The belt-like flexible substrate is controlled by a tension control roller so as to be stretched at a constant tension from the unwinding roller to the winding roller, but the sealing member in the film forming chamber closest to the tension control roller is When the substrate first comes into close contact with the substrate, the sealing member comes into close contact with the substrate while the tension of the substrate is not controlled in the far deposition chamber. When the sealing member is in close contact with the substrate being weak and the substrate is slack, there is a problem that the film thickness distribution is disturbed or the film forming position is deviated. On the other hand, although this problem can be solved by providing a tension control roller for each film forming chamber, there is a problem that the apparatus scale becomes long and the control becomes complicated.

  In view of the above problems, the present invention can easily form a thin film having a uniform film thickness distribution at an accurate position of a strip-shaped flexible substrate when a thin film laminate is manufactured by a stepping roll method. It aims at providing the manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus of a thin film laminated body.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, a belt-like flexible substrate is passed through a plurality of continuously arranged film forming chambers and stopped at the substrate entrance / exit of each film forming chamber. A sealing member is brought into close contact with the substrate to form a film on the surface of each substrate with each film forming chamber being airtight, and then the airtight state is released by separating the sealing member from the substrate. A method of manufacturing a thin film laminate in which a plurality of thin films having different properties are stacked on the substrate by repeating the operation of transporting to the position of the film forming chamber, wherein the sealing member is in close contact with the substrate in each film forming chamber Then, when forming the airtight state, the formation is performed by sequentially providing a time difference from the film forming chamber on the winding side of the substrate toward the film forming chamber on the unwinding side.

  In this way, a time difference is sequentially provided from the film forming chamber on the winding side of the belt-shaped flexible substrate toward the film forming chamber on the unwinding side, and the sealing member of each film forming chamber is brought into close contact with the substrate to achieve an airtight state. In any film formation chamber, the tension of the substrate can be controlled immediately before the hermetic member is brought into close contact with the substrate to form an airtight state. Formation can be prevented, and thus a thin film having a uniform thickness distribution can be formed at an accurate position of the substrate.

  In the method for producing a thin film laminate according to the present invention, when the airtight state is released by releasing the sealing member from the substrate in each film forming chamber, the film forming chamber on the winding side is unwound from the film forming chamber on the unwinding side of the substrate. It is preferable to perform the release by sequentially providing a time difference toward the film chamber.

  When releasing the airtight state by separating the sealing member of the film formation chamber from the substrate, if the airtight state is released simultaneously in all the film formation chambers, the substrate is stretched by a process such as CVD or sputtering. It becomes unstable, and when the substrate is transferred, the substrate is wrinkled on the transfer roller, the substrate is damaged due to contact with an apparatus structure such as a film forming chamber, or the substrate is dropped from the transfer roller. There's a problem. Therefore, in this way, a time difference is sequentially provided from the film forming chamber on the winding side of the belt-shaped flexible substrate toward the film forming chamber on the winding side, and the sealing member of each film forming chamber is separated from the substrate and is airtight. Since the tension of the substrate can be controlled until just before releasing the airtight state in any film forming chamber, the above-described problems can be avoided.

  Another aspect of the present invention is a manufacturing apparatus for a thin film laminate in which a plurality of thin films having different properties are stacked on a strip-shaped flexible substrate, and the substrate is continuously arranged so that the substrate passes through the substrate. A plurality of film forming chambers for forming a film on the surface of each of the film forming chambers, and in close contact with the substrate stopped at the substrate entrance / exit of each film forming chamber to make each film forming chamber airtight, and after film formation, the substrate A sealing member that releases the airtight state away from the substrate, substrate transport means that repeatedly transports the substrate from the deposition chamber to the next deposition chamber, and the sealing member that is in close contact with the substrate in each deposition chamber And a control means for controlling the formation of the airtight state by providing a time difference sequentially from the film forming chamber on the winding side of the substrate toward the film forming chamber on the unwinding side when forming the airtight state. It is characterized by comprising.

  As the control means, when the sealing member is separated from the substrate in each film forming chamber to release the airtight state, the film forming chamber on the substrate unwinding side sequentially moves toward the film forming chamber on the winding side. It is preferable to control to release the airtight state with a time difference.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when a thin film laminate is manufactured by the stepping roll method, a thin film laminate manufacturing method for easily forming a thin film having a uniform film thickness distribution at an accurate position of the belt-like flexible substrate. And a manufacturing apparatus can be provided.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a method for manufacturing a thin film laminate and a manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, although the photoelectric conversion element for solar cells is demonstrated here as an example of a thin film laminated body, this invention is not limited to a photoelectric conversion element, The thin film of a several different property on the surface of a strip | belt-shaped flexible substrate is demonstrated. The same effect can be obtained with other semiconductor thin films such as organic EL as long as the thin film stack is laminated.

  FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing an apparatus for manufacturing a thin film photoelectric conversion element of a stepping roll type, which is an embodiment of the apparatus for manufacturing a thin film laminate according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional plan view schematically showing the film forming chamber shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the thin film photoelectric conversion device manufacturing apparatus 10 includes an unwinding roller 11 that feeds a strip-shaped flexible substrate 1 from a raw material in which the strip-shaped flexible substrate is wound in a roll shape, and a strip-shaped flexible substrate. Mainly composed of a plurality of film forming chambers 41 to 53 for forming each layer constituting the thin film photoelectric conversion element on the surface of the conductive substrate 1 and a winding roller 12 for winding the substrate on which the thin film photoelectric conversion element is formed. ing.

  Note that the surface of the strip-shaped flexible substrate 1 and the axes of the unwinding roller 11 and the winding roller 12 are installed vertically. In addition, this apparatus can form a film from the unwinding roller 11a to the winding roller 12a and the unwinding roller 11b to the winding roller 12b so that a thin film can be simultaneously formed on the two strip-shaped flexible substrates 1a and 1b. Two systems are provided side by side.

  Between the unwinding roller 11 and the first film forming chamber 41 which is the first film forming chamber, there is a first feed roller 21 which sends the strip-shaped flexible substrate 1 to a predetermined position in the film forming chamber 41. Is provided. This feed roller 21 is provided with a first pinch roller 22 configured to control the tension of the substrate by sandwiching the belt-like flexible substrate 1 with the feed roller 21.

  The first film formation chamber 41 to the eleventh film formation chamber 51 are arranged in a line, and the central position of the plurality of film formation chambers, that is, between the fifth film formation chamber 55 and the sixth film formation chamber 56. A first tension monitoring roller 31 that measures the tension of the strip-shaped flexible substrate 1 and a pair of first EPC rollers 23 that control meandering of the strip-shaped flexible substrate 1 are installed.

  Two positions of a second feed roller 24 and a first guide roller 26 that change the traveling direction of the belt-like flexible substrate 1 by 90 degrees are provided at positions that have left the eleventh film formation chamber 51. Between the second feed roller 24 and the first guide roller 26, a second tension monitoring roller 32 for measuring the tension of the strip-shaped flexible substrate 1 and a pair of first controls for controlling the meandering of the strip-shaped flexible substrate 1. A 2EPC roller 25 is installed.

  Even after the advancing direction is changed by the first guide roller 26, the plurality of film forming chambers of the twelfth film forming chamber 52 and the thirteenth film forming chamber 53 are arranged on one line. Between the film forming chambers 52 and 53, a second guide roller 27 and a second pinch roller 28 which are transported with the belt-like flexible substrate 1 interposed therebetween are installed. A take-up roller 12 is provided at a position leaving the thirteenth film formation chamber 53, and has a function of taking up the belt-like flexible substrate 1 and controlling the tension. Between the thirteenth film forming chamber 53 and the take-up roller 12, a third tension monitoring roller 33 that measures the tension of the strip-shaped flexible substrate 1 and a pair of first controls that control meandering of the strip-shaped flexible substrate 1. A 3EPC roller 29 is installed.

  Next, the structure of the film forming chambers 41 to 53 will be described. The structure of each film formation chamber differs depending on the type of thin film to be formed. Here, a film formation chamber in which an amorphous silicon layer is formed by plasma CVD in order to form a photoelectric conversion layer will be described. The same structure can be adopted for the film forming chamber for forming other thin films when the film forming chamber is airtight.

  As shown in FIG. 2 (a), two strip-like flexible substrates 1a and 1b are arranged in parallel, and each of the two substrates 1a and 1b has a U-shaped deposition chamber on the outside. Walls 60a and 60b are arranged. A sealing material 61 that maintains airtightness when attached to the substrate is attached to the end of the wall 60. A high voltage electrode 62 is installed inside the film forming chamber surrounded by the wall 60. A ground electrode 64 including a substrate heater 65 is disposed inside the two substrates 1a and 1b. That is, the high voltage electrode 62 and the ground electrode 64 are disposed so as to face each other with the substrate 1 interposed therebetween.

  The wall 60 of the film forming chamber is configured to move toward the strip-shaped flexible substrate 1 during film formation. As shown in FIG. 2 (b), the wall 60 of the film forming chamber has a sealing material 61 attached to the end of the wall 60 in close contact with the surface of the substrate 1, and further presses the substrate 1, so that the back surface of the substrate 1 is The film is moved until it contacts the ground electrode 64, and the film forming chamber is thereby made airtight.

  The film formation chamber is provided with an exhaust pipe (not shown) that exhausts the film formation chamber to create a vacuum atmosphere. The film forming chamber is provided with an introduction pipe (not shown) for introducing a reactive gas such as silane which is decomposed by the plasma 5 generated between the high voltage electrode 62 and the ground electrode 64 to form a thin film. ing. The wall 60 of the reaction chamber is configured to move to the original position shown in FIG.

  Further, the present apparatus 10 is provided with a control means (not shown) for controlling the movement of each wall 60 of the first to thirteenth film forming chambers 41 to 53. This control means controls the driving of the unwinding roller 11 and the winding roller 12 in order to carry and stop the belt-like flexible substrate 1, and measures the tension by the first to third tension monitoring rollers 31 to 33. Based on the result, the first feed roller 21, the second feed roller 24, the take-up roller 12 and the like are driven to control the tension of the substrate 1.

  According to the above configuration, first, in forming the thin film on the strip-like flexible substrate 1 in the stopped state in each of the first to thirteenth film forming chambers 41 to 53, the solid line arrow 110 in FIG. As shown in the figure, a time difference is sequentially provided from the thirteenth film forming chamber 53 on the winding roller 12 side toward the first film forming chamber 41 on the unwinding roller 11 side to move the wall 60 of each film forming chamber, and the sealing material 61 and the substrate 1 are brought into close contact with each other to make the film formation chamber airtight. That is, the sealing material 61 on the wall of the thirteenth film forming chamber 53 is first brought into close contact with the substrate 1, but if the tension of the substrate 1 passing through the remaining first to twelfth film forming chambers 41 to 52 is weakened. After the tension is controlled to a predetermined value by driving the second feed roller 24, the sealing material 61 on the wall of the next twelfth film forming chamber 52 is brought into close contact with the substrate 1. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the sealing material 61 from coming into close contact with the substrate 1 in a state where the tension is relaxed in the twelfth film forming chamber 52.

  Similarly, when the tension of the substrate 1 passing through the remaining film forming chambers decreases in order from the eleventh film forming chamber 51 to the first film forming chamber 41, the tension is set to a predetermined value by driving the first feed roller 21. After the control, by repeating the operation of bringing the sealing material 61 of the next film forming chamber into close contact with the substrate 1, the sealing material 61 can be brought into close contact with the substrate 1 having a predetermined tension in any film forming chamber. . Note that the tension control of the substrate 1 is not necessarily performed only by the first feed roller 21 or the second feed roller 24, and the tension control in the thirteenth film forming chamber 53 is performed by the third feed roller 28 and the winding roller 12. You can also

  In each of the first to thirteenth film forming chambers 41 to 53, a thin film is formed on the surface of the substrate 1 when the film forming chamber is airtight. When the airtight state is released after film formation, this time, as indicated by the broken-line arrow 120 in FIG. 1, the first film formation chamber 41 on the unwinding roller 11 side to the 13th film formation chamber on the take-up roller 12 side. A time difference is sequentially provided toward 53, the wall 60 of each film forming chamber is moved to the original position, and the sealing material 61 is separated from the substrate 1 to release the airtight state.

  That is, first, the sealing material 61 on the wall of the first film formation chamber 41 is separated from the substrate to release the airtight state of the first film formation chamber 41. At this time, the substrate 1 is heated by the substrate heater 65 during film formation. Therefore, it stretches and the tension is weakened. This is detected by a tension monitoring roller (not shown) provided between the unwinding roller 11 and the first feed roller 21, and the first feed roller 21 is driven so that the tension of the substrate 1 is predetermined. Control to value. Similarly, in the order from the second film formation chamber 42 to the fifth film formation chamber 45, when the tension of the substrate 1 passing through the film formation chamber is released by releasing the airtight state, the tension is increased by driving the first feed roller 21. Control to a predetermined value. Next, in the order from the sixth film forming chamber 46 to the eleventh film forming chamber 51, when the tension of the substrate 1 is weakened by releasing the airtight state, the first tension monitoring roller 31 detects the same and the same as above. To control the tension. Further, in the order from the twelfth film forming chamber 52 to the thirteenth film forming chamber 53, when the airtight state is released and the tension of the substrate 1 is weakened, it is detected by the second tension monitoring roller 32, and the second feed roller 24 The tension is controlled to a predetermined value by driving. When releasing the airtight state of the thirteenth film forming chamber 53, the third tension monitoring roller 33 can detect that the tension of the substrate 1 has weakened, and the tension control by the winding roller 12 is also possible. It is.

  Thus, even when the substrate 1 is stretched by the film forming process, the sealing material 61 is transferred to the substrate 1 while controlling the tension of the substrate 1 to a predetermined value by driving the first feed roller 21 and the second feed roller 24. Therefore, the tension of the entire substrate can be avoided from being extremely lowered.

  When the airtight state of all the film forming chambers is released, the belt-like flexible substrate 1 is transferred to the position of the next film forming chamber. Then, with respect to the stopped substrate 1, again, as indicated by a solid line arrow 110 in FIG. 1, a time difference is sequentially provided from the winding roller 12 side toward the unwinding roller 11 side to seal the sealing material 61 in each film forming chamber. Are brought into close contact with each other to make the film formation chamber airtight. In this way, in the first to thirteenth film forming chambers 41 to 53 arranged in series, the film formation is repeated while the formation and release of the airtight state are sequentially performed in a predetermined direction with a time difference. Thus, a thin film photoelectric conversion element in which a thin film such as a photoelectric conversion layer is laminated on the substrate 1 can be manufactured.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to said embodiment, In addition, various embodiment can be employ | adopted. For example, in FIG. 2, the film forming chambers are arranged outside the two strip-like flexible substrates 1a and 1b, but the film forming chambers may be arranged inside these. That is, a movable ground electrode is arranged outside the two substrates, a high voltage electrode surrounded by a wall is arranged inside, and the installation electrode pushes the substrate, so that the substrate is sealed at the end of the wall. Adhering to the material, an airtight state can be formed between the substrate and the wall.

It is a top view which shows typically one Embodiment of the manufacturing apparatus of the thin film laminated body which concerns on this invention. It is a cross-sectional top view which expands and shows typically the film-forming chamber of the apparatus shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Strip | belt-shaped flexible board | substrate 5 Plasma 10 Thin film photoelectric conversion element manufacturing apparatus 11 Unwinding roller 12 Winding roller 21, 24 Feed roller 22, 28 Pinch roller 23, 25, 29 EPC roller 26, 27 Guide roller 31-33 Tension Monitoring roller 41 to 53 Deposition chamber 60 Wall 61 Sealing material 62 High voltage electrode 64 Ground electrode 65 Substrate heater

Claims (4)

  A strip-shaped flexible substrate is passed through a plurality of film forming chambers arranged in succession, and a sealing member is brought into close contact with the substrate stopped at the substrate entrance / exit of each film forming chamber to make each film forming chamber airtight. After forming the film on the surface of the substrate and then releasing the sealing member from the substrate to release the airtight state, the operation of transporting the substrate to the position of the next film formation chamber is repeated, and the substrate is placed on the substrate. In the method of manufacturing a thin film laminate in which a plurality of thin films having different properties are stacked, when forming the airtight state by bringing the sealing member into close contact with the substrate in each film forming chamber, the film forming chamber on the winding side of the substrate A method for producing a thin film laminate, wherein the formation is performed by sequentially providing a time difference from the unwinding side to the film forming chamber on the unwinding side.   When releasing the airtight state by separating the sealing member from the substrate in each film forming chamber, the release is performed with a time difference sequentially from the film forming chamber on the unwinding side of the substrate toward the film forming chamber on the winding side. The method for producing a thin film laminate according to claim 1, wherein:   In an apparatus for manufacturing a thin film laminate in which a plurality of thin films having different properties are laminated on a strip-like flexible substrate, a plurality of components that are continuously arranged so that the substrate passes therethrough and are formed on the surface of the substrate. A sealing member that closes the film chamber and the substrate stopped at the substrate entrance / exit of each film forming chamber to bring each film forming chamber into an airtight state and releases the airtight state away from the substrate after film formation And substrate transport means for repeatedly transporting the substrate from the deposition chamber to the next deposition chamber, and when the sealing member is in close contact with the substrate in each deposition chamber to form the airtight state, And a control means for controlling to form the airtight state by sequentially providing a time difference from the film forming chamber on the substrate winding side toward the film forming chamber on the unwinding side. Manufacturing equipment.   When the control means releases the hermetic state by separating the sealing member from the substrate in each film forming chamber, a time difference is sequentially applied from the film forming chamber on the unwinding side of the substrate toward the film forming chamber on the take-up side. The apparatus for manufacturing a thin film laminate according to claim 3, wherein the control is performed so as to release the airtight state.

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