JP5325031B2 - Vacuum film forming apparatus and vacuum film forming method - Google Patents

Description

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

  Conventionally, a so-called roll-to-roll method has been used as a method for continuously forming a functional film such as a thin-film solar cell or organic EL on the surface of a flexible belt-like sheet substrate. It has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3).

International Publication No. WO2006 / 088024 JP 2009-30754 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-325732

However, in Patent Documents 1 and 3 , only one process for film formation such as vapor deposition is performed, and a plurality of processes are performed sequentially and continuously in a plurality of chambers having different atmospheres and degrees of vacuum. It was very difficult.
In other words, since the slit is simply opened between the chambers, the atmosphere from the adjacent chamber is mixed in, and a sufficient degree of vacuum cannot be achieved. It was difficult.

Therefore, a method is provided in which gate valves made of elastic cylinders are respectively provided at the inlet and outlet of each chamber, and the belt-like sheet base material travels in a plurality of chambers to perform different atmosphere / vacuum steps without mutual interference. Has been proposed (see Patent Document 2).
However, since contact is not allowed for thin-film solar cells, organic EL, and flexible devices, it is difficult to apply a gate valve that directly presses and seals. Alternatively, it is necessary to previously provide an extra portion in contact with the elastic cylinder of the gate valve on the seat base material, resulting in waste. Furthermore, many gate valves and actuators having a relatively complicated structure are required.

Accordingly, the present invention includes a plurality of chambers which vacuum is different, and comprises a plurality of chambers atmosphere different, with a flexible belt-like sheet substrate which is continuously fed to penetrate running the plurality of chambers a vacuum deposition apparatus for forming a film on the sheet substrate, between adjacent chambers, communicatively connected via a differential pressure unit having an exhaust function, the differential pressure unit, the vacuum chamber is evacuated under reduced pressure An internal metal block body, a plane slit-like pass line that penetrates the vacuum chamber, a porous roller that contacts the sheet base material passing through the pass line while adsorbing, and the sheet base material through the porous body and a pressing roller for clamping partially pressed from the opposite side of the rollers, the slit-like path line is set to the minimum spacing dimension within limits not in contact with the sheet base material passing, next Between the chambers, the slit-like pass lines having a minimum space dimension and the vacuum chamber having a large space are alternately arranged, and the chambers having different atmospheres are blocked from each other by the labyrinth groove effect. In addition, the degree of vacuum is maintained by gradually changing the pressure between the chambers having different degrees of vacuum.
Further, the sheet base material includes a plurality of chambers having different degrees of vacuum and a plurality of chambers having different atmospheres, and a flexible belt-like sheet base material that is continuously supplied is caused to travel through the plurality of chambers. A vacuum film forming apparatus for forming a film on a metal, wherein adjacent chambers are connected to each other via a differential pressure unit having an exhaust function, and the differential pressure unit is a metal having a vacuum chamber in which exhaust pressure is reduced. A block-shaped block body and a plane slit-like pass line that passes through the vacuum chamber, and the slit-like pass line is set to a minimum interval dimension within a limit that does not come into contact with the sheet substrate that passes therethrough, and is adjacent to each other. Between the chambers, the slit-like pass lines having a minimum interval dimension and the vacuum chamber having a large space are alternately arranged, and the above-described channels having different atmospheres due to the labyrinth groove effect. Nba blocked to each other, and in which is configured to maintain the degree of vacuum in portions gradually changing the pressure between the chambers having different vacuum level.
Further, the exhaust function of the differential pressure unit is configured to discharge and remove impurities and foreign matters generated in the chamber.

Then, the vacuum deposition method of the present invention, by interposing the differential pressure unit having an exhaust function, a plurality of chambers which vacuum is different, and successively communicatively connected to a plurality of chambers atmosphere different, flexible The strip-shaped sheet base material is continuously run through the chamber and the differential pressure unit in the exhaust, and in the differential pressure unit between the adjacent chambers, the sheet base material is Passing alternately through a slit-like pass line that is set to the minimum distance within the limit that does not contact the material and a vacuum chamber that forms a larger space than the pass line, the labyrinth groove effect causes the atmosphere to pass blocking the differences to the chamber to each other, and, by small portions stepwise change the pressure between the chambers having different vacuum to maintain the vacuum, der method of forming a film on the sheet substrate .

According to the vacuum film-forming apparatus of the present invention, the atmosphere of adjacent chambers is sufficiently blocked, or the flexible strip-shaped sheet base material is continuously penetrated while maintaining the vacuum degree of adjacent chambers at an optimum value. It can be run. In this way, functional films of high quality (high purity) can be efficiently laminated.
In particular, by dividing the atmosphere in each chamber by the differential pressure unit, it is possible to prevent the atmosphere in the adjacent chambers from being mixed, or to prevent foreign substances generated during the processing of the chamber from entering the adjacent chambers.

1 is an overall configuration explanatory view showing an embodiment of the present invention. It is whole structure explanatory drawing which shows other embodiment. It is whole structure explanatory drawing which shows another embodiment. It is principal part explanatory drawing which shows a modification. It is principal part explanatory drawing which shows a modification. It is a specific block diagram of the principal part. It is sectional drawing which shows an example of a differential pressure unit. It is structure explanatory drawing of the principal part. It is the perspective view which illustrated the perforated roller and components near it. It is a perspective view of the partial decomposition state which shows an example of a differential pressure unit. It is a dimensional relationship explanatory drawing of the principal part. It is sectional drawing of the principal part. It is sectional drawing of the modification of the principal part. It is sectional drawing which shows the other example of a differential pressure unit. It is sectional drawing which shows another example of a differential pressure unit. It is sectional drawing which shows another example of a differential pressure unit.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on the illustrated embodiment.
In FIG. 1 or FIG. 2, a plurality of chambers C ₁ , C ₂ , C ₃ , C ₄ , C ₅ , C ₆ (hereinafter simply referred to as chamber C) having different degrees of vacuum and atmosphere or different one of them. In addition, there are differential pressure units U ₁ , U ₂ , U ₃ , U ₄ , U ₅ (hereinafter simply referred to as differential pressure unit U) having an exhaust function between adjacent chambers C, C. And the flexible belt-like sheet base material 1 is sent out from the delivery chamber C _{1 as} shown in FIG. 4 to obtain a differential pressure unit U ₁ , a chamber C ₂ , and a differential pressure unit U _2. , The chamber C ₃ , the differential pressure unit U ₃ , the chamber C ₄ , the differential pressure unit U ₄ , the chamber C ₅ , and the differential pressure unit U ₅ are sequentially passed through to make a functional film on the sheet substrate 1. formed, the roll 8 is sent to the film formation equipment container chamber C ₆ as shown in FIG. 5 Taken (see FIG. 5 (a)), or folding (FIG. (B)), or housed in container with cut (FIG. (C)).

In FIG. 4A, the first chamber C ₁ is a delivery chamber for feeding out the flexible belt-like sheet base material 1 wound around the roll 6. Figure 4 Te at (b), the first chamber C ₁ is a chamber for feeding the paid out a sheet substrate 1, which is accommodated in the folded state. In FIG. 4C, the first chamber C ₁ is a delivery chamber that houses the plastic extruder 7 and feeds the sheet substrate 1 from the extruder 7.

Sheet base material 1 passes through the first differential pressure unit U _1, but fed to the second chamber C _2, a second chamber C ₂ of FIG. 1 has inner and DRY washer, 10 A cleaning chamber maintained at a vacuum of ~ 100 Pa. In that case, it is desirable to keep the delivery chamber C ₁ in a vacuum.
Further, since the second chamber C ₂ shown in FIG. 2 has a WET cleaning machine and is at atmospheric pressure, the delivery chamber C ₁ is also kept at atmospheric pressure.

1, At a 2, third chamber C ₃ is a inner dryer for performing water removal, a dry chamber and the degree of vacuum example 100 Pa, the second differential pressure unit U ₂ Are connected to the cleaning chamber C ₂ .
The fourth chamber C ₄ is a film forming chamber having a film forming machine and maintained at a high vacuum of 10 ⁻² to 10 ⁻³ Pa. In a high vacuum atmosphere containing Ar, O ₂ , and N ₂ , the film forming portion 2 is formed on the surface of the sheet base material 1 by a method such as vapor deposition, sputtering, or chemical vapor deposition (as shown in FIG. 11). To do.
The fifth chamber C ₅ is a patterning chamber having a laser machine and is set to atmospheric pressure.

Next, FIG. 4 shows, for example, main steps of the organic EL sealing film forming method, and an ITO film forming chamber C ₄₁ , an Al ₂ O ₃ film forming chamber C ₄₂ and a SiO ₂ film forming chamber C ₄₃ are provided. turn is arranged, it is communicatively connected at a differential pressure unit U _10, U _11, the belt-like sheet substrate 1, the differential pressure unit U _3, ITO film forming chamber C _41, differential pressure unit U _10, Al ₂ O ₃ film The forming chamber C ₄₂ , the differential pressure unit U ₁₁ , the SiO ₂ film forming chamber C ₄₃ , and the differential pressure unit U ₄ are sequentially sent in a penetrating manner, and a plurality of films are formed on the surface of the belt-like sheet substrate 1 by sputtering.

By the way, the degree of vacuum and atmosphere of each chamber C ₄₁ , C ₄₂ , C ₄₃ (however, including the value of the gas flow rate in the chamber are referred to as atmosphere) are different as follows. (The gas flow rate is expressed by numerical values at 1 atm and 0 ° C.)
(I) ITO film forming chamber C ₄₁
Degree of vacuum 0.2Pa
Gas ratio Ar: O ₂ = 2: 1
O ₂ gas flow rate (1-2) × 10 ^-2 cc / sec
(Ii) Al ₂ O ₃ film forming chamber C ₄₂
Degree of vacuum 0.5Pa
Gas ratio Ar: O ₂ = 2: 1
O ₂ gas flow rate (1-3) × 10 ^-1 cc / sec
(iii) SiO ₂ film forming chamber Film forming chamber C ₄₃
Degree of vacuum 0.3 Pa
Gas ratio Ar: O ₂ = 2: 1
O ₂ gas flow rate (4-5) × 10 ^-1 cc / sec

By the way, as described above, the differential pressure unit U shuts off the chambers C and C having different atmospheres so as not to affect each other, and further, between the adjacent chambers C and C having different degrees of vacuum. The chambers C and C are connected to each other while the pressure of the chambers C is gradually changed step by step so that the pressure between the chambers C and C is constantly maintained at a specified vacuum level. In addition, the differential pressure unit U has an exhaust function, and also performs an action of discharging and removing impurities and foreign matters generated in the chamber C. For example, the fifth differential pressure unit U ₅ shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 discharges and removes a gas containing impurities generated during patterning by a laser machine.
The high vacuum fourth chamber C ₄ in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 described above, the third chamber C ₃ and the fifth chamber C ₅ upstream and downstream thereof, and the differential pressure units U ₃ and U ₄ . Specific configurations and structures are illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 8. An example of the differential pressure unit U (U ₃ , U ₄ ) is shown in FIGS. 7 and 9 to 13.

The film forming chamber C ₄ is a high vacuum of 10 ⁻² to 10 ⁻³ Pa, and the pressure difference between the adjacent chambers C ₃ and C ₅ is large. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of differential pressure units U ₃ are connected in series to form a decompression unit group 4 which is provided on the inlet side of the high vacuum chamber C ₄ , while on the outlet side, A plurality of differential pressure units U ₄ are connected in series to constitute a pressure restoring unit group 5 and connected.
An inlet flange 3a projects from the inlet side of the chamber C (C ₄ ), and an outlet flange 3b projects from the outlet side (see FIG. 6). The differential pressure unit U (U ₃ , U ₄ ) integrally includes a metal block body 11 and connection flanges 14, 14 projecting from the block body 11. The two exhaust vacuum chambers 10 and 10 communicating with the outside through the exhaust hole 13 and the three drive roller cavities 16, 16 and 16 communicating with the outside through the exhaust hole 13 ′ are all included. The planar slit-like pass line 12 is formed through the vacuum chambers 10 and 10 and the vacant chambers 16, 16 and 16 and also through the connection flanges 14 and 14.

The vacuum chamber 10 has an oval cross-sectional shape when viewed from the side, and houses the porous roller 20 and the pressing roller 22. The pressing roller 22 acts to press the porous roller 20 through the traveling belt-like sheet base material 1. The drive roller vacant chamber 16 has an oval cross-sectional shape when viewed from the side, and has drive rollers 23 and 24 that are driven from the outside to rotate.
The block body 11 can be integrated with SUS material, but forged metal (cast iron) may be used. The inner surface is preferably subjected to Ni plating or the like to maintain vacuum performance with inexpensive cast iron. The exhaust holes 13 and 13 'communicate with the vacuum chamber 10 and the drive roller vacant chamber 16 inside the block body 11 and the outside to exhaust the air by an external exhaust means, and the inside is evacuated. Foreign matter is discharged.

The slit-like pass line 12 penetrates the block body 11 and is formed in the same plane. The slit-like pass line 12 is set to a minimum dimension interval so that the conductance Cx is minimized within a limit where it does not come into contact with the passing sheet base material 1. As shown in FIG. 11, the minimum dimension interval is set to a slit-like shape by setting the difference between the interval dimension (height dimension) H12 of the pass line ₁₂ and the thickness dimension H1 of the sheet base material to be used to about ₁ mm to 4 mm. the difference between the width W ₁ of the sheet substrate used as the width dimension W ₁₂ of the pass line 12 is obtained by setting the order of 2 mm to 8 mm.
The thickness difference between the dimension H ₁ of the sheet substrate used as the spacing dimension (height) H ₁₂ pass line 12 is set smaller than 1 mm, the sheet substrate used as the width dimension W ₁₂ of the slit-shaped pass line 12 When the difference in width W ₁ is set to be smaller than 2 mm, the sheet base material 1 passing through the slit-like pass line 12 may come into contact with the block body 11.

Further, the spacing dimension (height dimension) of the pass line 12 and the thickness difference of the dimension H ₁ of the sheet substrate used as H ₁₂ is set to be larger than 4 mm, a sufficient pressure gradient is obtained, and finally vacuum chamber 3 is difficult to achieve.
The conductance Cx is a coefficient indicating the ease of passage of gas through the pass line 12, and is expressed by Cx = Q / ΔP, where the gas flow rate Q and the pressure difference ΔP at both ends of the pass line 12 are used.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the perforated roller 20.
The perforated roller 20 is detachably attached to the cover plates 17 and 17 (see FIG. 10) of the block body 11 via mounting flanges 26 and 27 (having pivot holes). The perforated roller 20 is formed in a long cylindrical shape, and has a large number of small holes 21 communicating from the center of the cavity to the outer peripheral surface. The hollow central portion is evacuated and decompressed by a negative pressure applied to the rotary joint 28 from the outside. The perforated roller 20 may be drilled with a drill or the like to form a large number of small holes 21 in the radial direction, but is preferably manufactured using a material having continuous air holes such as sintered metal.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the main part, in which the pressing roller 22 is formed in a long cylindrical shape, both end side annular portions 22a that press against the sheet base material 1 at both end edges, and the sheet base material at the body part. 1 and a non-contact outer peripheral surface portion 22b that does not come into contact with 1.
The drive rollers 23 and 24 shown in FIG. 7 are formed in a columnar shape or a long cylindrical shape. Similarly to the outer peripheral surface shape of the pressing roller 22 shown in FIG. 12, one drive roller 24 has an annular guide portion at both ends contacting and pressing the sheet substrate 1 at both ends, and a sheet substrate 1 at the body. A non-contact body portion that does not come into contact with.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 10, a slit-like pass line 12 having the same plane is provided through the block body 11 from the inlet to the outlet, and the shapes and dimensions of the connecting flanges 14 and 14 on the inlet side and the outlet side. Is preferably formed in the same manner as the inlet flange 3a and the outlet flange 3b. In this way, as shown in FIG. 6, the differential pressure unit U can be easily connected to the chamber C (by bolt / nut coupling not shown) and the use conditions (degree of vacuum and Corresponding to the atmosphere, etc.), the differential pressure unit U can be easily increased or decreased.
It can be said that the exhaust function is constituted by the exhaust holes 13 and 13 'shown in FIG. 7, the vacuum pump (not shown) and the piping, etc., and each differential pressure unit U has the exhaust function.

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 8, chambers C ₃ and C ₅ having a relatively small degree of vacuum are disposed on the upstream side and the downstream side of the high vacuum film forming chamber C ₄ , respectively. In this case, it is desirable to arrange six vacuum chambers 10 on the upstream side and six on the downstream side around the film forming chamber C ₄ to reduce the pressure gradient.
That is, in the decompression unit group 4, the first vacuum chamber at the pressure P ₁ and the first pressure at the pressure P ₂ are sequentially decompressed from the pressure P ₀ (for example, 100 Pa) in the drying chamber C ₃ to the high vacuum P _{7 in a} plurality of stages. Two vacuum chambers, a _third vacuum chamber having a pressure P _{3 to} a sixth vacuum chamber having a pressure P ₆ are arranged in a line. Thus, P ₀ > P ₁ > P ₂ > P ₃ > P ₄ > P ₅ > between the pressures P _{1 to} P ₆ of each vacuum chamber 10 and the pressure P ₇ of the film forming chamber C _4. The relational expression of P ₆ > P is established.

In the pressure restoration unit group 5, the pressure P ₆ ′ is increased so that the pressure rises (restores) sequentially in a plurality of stages from the upstream high vacuum P ₇ to the pressure P ₀ ′ of the patterning chamber C ₅ . 7 A vacuum chamber 10 to a twelfth vacuum chamber 10 having a pressure P ₁ ′ is disposed and restored to the patterning chamber C _{5 having} an atmospheric pressure P ₀ ′.

In FIG. 8, the number of the vacuum chambers 10 on the upstream side and the downstream side of the film forming chamber C ₄ is six, but there may be a case where they are arranged differently. You can freely increase or decrease the number of upstream and downstream. In FIG. 1, FIG. 2 or FIG. 3, when the difference in the degree of vacuum between the adjacent chambers C and C is small or there is almost no pressure difference, the vacuum chamber 10 interposed between the chambers C and C is used. Reduce the number of. That is, the number of differential pressure units U is reduced.

Further, even when the atmospheres of the adjacent chambers C and C are not so different or when the necessity of discharging impurities / foreign matter is low, the number of differential pressure units U interposed between the chambers C and C (vacuum chamber 10 Conversely, if the atmospheres of the adjacent chambers C and C are significantly different or communicate with the chamber C that needs to discharge impurities / foreign matter, both chambers C and C The number of differential pressure units U interposed between C (the number of vacuum chambers 10) is increased.
If there is no pressure difference, no difference in atmosphere, and no need to discharge impurities / foreign matter between the delivery chamber C ₁ and the film-formation product storage chamber C ₆ , FIG. It may be possible to omit one to two chambers C.

  Next, FIG. 13 shows another specific example in place of FIG. 12. The pressing roller 22 is configured to have contact ring portions 22a, 22a and a center contact ring portion 22c on both sides, and two pieces are provided. The non-contact outer peripheral surface portions 22b and 22b may be recessed. That is, in the case where the film forming portions 2 and 2 are formed in two rows, the belt-shaped portion between them is (additionally) pressed and held by the central contact ring portion 22c.

14, FIG. 15 and FIG. 16 show different embodiments instead of FIG. That is, in the differential pressure unit U shown in FIG. 14, only one perforated roller 20 and one pressing roller 22 are provided inside the block body 11. The drive rollers 23 and 24 shown in FIG. 7 are omitted, and only one vacuum chamber 10 is formed in the block body 11.
The differential pressure unit U shown in FIG. 15 includes only one drive roller empty chamber 16 and one vacuum chamber 10, and includes a pair of drive rollers 23 and 24 and a pair of perforated rollers 20 and a pressure roller. 22 are included. In FIG. 16, one central vacuum chamber 10 and two upstream and downstream drive roller cavities 16 and 16 are formed, a pair of perforated rollers 20, a pressure roller 22, and two pairs of drives. Rollers 23 and 24 are included.
By using a compact and simple differential pressure unit U as shown in FIGS. 14, 15, and 16, when the pressure difference between adjacent chambers C and C is small or there is no difference in atmosphere, impurities / This is suitable when the necessity for removing foreign matter is low.

Incidentally, FIG. 6, 7, At a 8, from the upstream side to the downstream side along the pass line 12, or, from the downstream side to the upstream side, by looking at the situation where the gas flows, the spacing dimension H ₁₂ Since the extremely small pass line 12 and the vacuum chamber 10 (and the driving roller vacant chamber 16) forming a large space flow alternately, the fluid resistance is increased by the so-called “labyrinth groove effect” and one chamber is increased. There is an advantage that the fluid does not easily flow from C to the other chamber C, and the above-described blocking action of the differential pressure unit U is further amplified.

  Although the present invention can be freely applied to the formation of functional films other than the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, a plurality of functional films are continuously laminated as in the embodiment shown in FIG. When forming, a plurality of chambers C of different atmospheres (and vacuum degrees) are effectively cut off by the differential pressure unit U (the atmosphere is changed), and an efficient and stable high-quality thin-film solar cell or organic EL In particular, it is possible to stack a high-purity functional film easily and reliably.

As described above, the present invention includes a plurality of chambers C having different degrees of vacuum and / or atmosphere, and penetrates the plurality of chambers C through the continuously supplied flexible belt-like sheet base material 1. Since it is a vacuum film forming apparatus for forming a film on the sheet base material 1 by running, the adjacent chambers C 1 and C 2 are connected to each other via a differential pressure unit U having an exhaust function. The atmosphere and degree of vacuum between adjacent chambers C and C are reliably shut off, and the sheet base material 1 can be fed continuously, so that the inside of each chamber C can be maintained at the optimum atmosphere and degree of vacuum. As a result, efficient stacking of high-quality functional films could be realized. Furthermore, impurities and foreign matter in the chamber C can be discharged and removed by the exhaust function, the inside of the chamber C can be kept clean, and a higher quality functional film can be stacked.

  Further, the differential pressure unit U passes through a metal block body 11 having a vacuum chamber 10 in which exhaust pressure is reduced, a plane slit-like pass line 12 penetrating the vacuum chamber 10, and the pass line 12. The structure includes a perforated roller 20 that contacts the sheet base material 1 while adsorbing it, and a pressing roller 22 that presses the sheet base material 1 partially from the opposite side of the perforated roller 20 to sandwich it. Therefore, the sheet base material 1 can be smoothly fed, and in particular, the functional film (deposition unit 2) can be reliably fed without scratching (see FIGS. 12 and 13). Moreover, the labyrinth groove effect is exhibited, and a stepwise pressure change can be more reliably applied between the adjacent chambers C and C, and the atmosphere blocking effect is improved.

Further, since the slit-like pass line 12 is set to the minimum distance dimension H ₁₂ within a limit that does not contact the sheet base material 1 that passes through, the conductance Cx becomes extremely small, and efficient exhaust pressure reduction is performed. Can do.
Further, the pressing roller 22 includes a both-ends side annular portion 22 a that contacts the sheet base material 1 and a non-contact outer peripheral surface portion 22 b that does not contact the sheet base material 1. Since the film portion 2 is configured not to contact the film portion 2, the film formation portion 2 can be reliably transported (as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13) without being damaged.
Further, the differential pressure unit U has a pair of drive rollers 23 and 24 for applying a conveying force so that the sheet base material 1 travels in the pass line 12. It is possible to accurately hold the traveling sheet base material 1 and prevent the sheet base material 1 from being wrinkled or bent.

  In addition, the vacuum film forming method of the present invention includes a flexible belt-like sheet in which a plurality of chambers C having different degrees of vacuum and / or atmospheres are sequentially connected by interposing a differential pressure unit U having an exhaust function. Since the base material 1 is a method of continuously running the chamber C and the differential pressure unit U in the exhaust gas alternately to form a film on the sheet base material 1, the adjacent chambers C, The atmosphere of C is cut off, and each chamber C is kept in an optimum atmosphere with high purity. Moreover, even if the degree of vacuum differs between the adjacent chambers C and C, each chamber C can be stably maintained at a predetermined pressure. Furthermore, impurities and foreign substances in the chamber C can be discharged and removed, and the high-quality functional film can be continuously manufactured with high efficiency while being kept in a clean space.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Band-shaped sheet base material 2 Film-forming part
10 Vacuum chamber
11 blocks
12 Pass line
20 Perforated roller
22 Press roller
22a Torus
22b Non-contact outer peripheral surface
23, 24 Drive roller C Chamber H ₁₂ Spacing dimension U Differential pressure unit

Claims (4)

A plurality of chambers which vacuum are different (C), and comprises a plurality of chambers (C) which atmosphere is different, the flexible belt-like sheet substrate (1) a plurality of chambers that are continuously fed (C ) To form a film on the sheet base material (1), and between adjacent chambers (C) and (C) via a differential pressure unit (U) having an exhaust function. communicating Te linked,
The differential pressure unit (U) includes a metal block body (11) having a vacuum chamber (10) in which exhaust pressure is reduced, and a plane slit-like pass line (12) penetrating the vacuum chamber (10). The porous roller (20) that adsorbs and contacts the sheet base material (1) passing through the pass line (12) and the film forming portion (2) of the sheet base material (1) are not contacted with each other. A pressing roller (22) that is partially pressed from the opposite side of the perforated roller (20), and the slit-like pass line (12) does not contact the sheet substrate (1) that passes therethrough. Is set to the minimum gap dimension (H ₁₂ ),
Arranged At a between adjacent said chamber (C) (C), and the slit-shaped pass line of the minimum spacing dimension (H ₁₂₎ (12), said vacuum chamber having a large space and (10), alternately The chambers (C) and (C) having different atmospheres are shut off from each other by the labyrinth groove effect, and the pressure between the chambers (C) and (C) having different degrees of vacuum is gradually changed step by step. And a vacuum film forming apparatus configured to maintain a degree of vacuum. A plurality of chambers (C) having different degrees of vacuum and a plurality of chambers (C) having different atmospheres are provided, and the flexible belt-like sheet base material (1) that is continuously supplied is replaced with the plurality of chambers (C). ) To form a film on the sheet base material (1), and between adjacent chambers (C) and (C) via a differential pressure unit (U) having an exhaust function. Connected
The differential pressure unit (U) consists of a metal block having an exhaust depressurized by a vacuum chamber (10) inside (11), the vacuum chamber and the flat slit-like path line passing through the (10) (12) The slit-like pass line (12) is set to a minimum distance dimension (H ₁₂ ) within a limit that does not come into contact with the sheet base material (1) that passes therethrough ,
Arranged At a between adjacent said chamber (C) (C), and the slit-shaped pass line of the minimum spacing dimension (H ₁₂₎ (12), said vacuum chamber having a large space and (10), alternately The chambers (C) and (C) having different atmospheres are shut off from each other by the labyrinth groove effect, and the pressure between the chambers (C) and (C) having different degrees of vacuum is gradually changed step by step. And a vacuum film forming apparatus configured to maintain a degree of vacuum. The vacuum film-forming apparatus of Claim 1 or 2 comprised so that the impurity and foreign material which generate | occur | produce in the said chamber (C) may be discharged | emitted and removed by the said exhaust function of the said differential pressure unit (U) . By interposing a differential pressure unit (U) having an exhaust function, a plurality of chambers (C) having different degrees of vacuum and a plurality of chambers (C) having different atmospheres are sequentially connected to each other, thereby forming a flexible belt-like sheet. The base material (1) is continuously run through the chamber (C) and the differential pressure unit (U) in the exhaust, and the differential pressure unit between the adjacent chambers (C) and (C) ( U), a slit-like pass line (12) set to the minimum distance dimension (H ₁₂ ) within the limit of not contacting the sheet base material (1) , and the pass Passing alternately through the vacuum chamber (10) that forms a larger space compared to the line (12), the chambers (C) and (C) having different atmospheres are blocked from each other by the labyrinth groove effect, And the pressure between the chambers (C) and (C) having different vacuum degrees A vacuum film-forming method characterized in that the degree of vacuum is maintained by gradually changing in steps and a film is formed on the sheet substrate (1) .

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