JP6055360B2 - Vacuum film forming equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vacuum film forming apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a roll-to-roll film forming apparatus for forming a film from a roll to a roll by coating, vacuum deposition, or the like.

  A film forming apparatus is used to form a film on the surface of a belt-like substrate by coating, sputtering, chemical vapor deposition, vacuum vapor deposition, or the like. As one type of film forming apparatus, there is known a roll-to-roll film forming apparatus that feeds a belt-shaped substrate from a supply roll (feeding roll) and winds the substrate after the film is formed on an end roll (winding roll). It has been. A film forming unit for forming a film on the substrate is provided between the supply roll and the end roll. The substrate sent out from the supply roll is conveyed toward the end roll via the film forming section. In this roll-to-roll film forming apparatus, a thin film is formed on the surface of the substrate while the substrate is continuously supplied to the film forming unit. Examples of such an apparatus are disclosed in JP 2010-007113 A and JP 2010-053439 A.

  For example, in the field of flexible electronic devices such as thin film solar cells and organic electroluminescence panels, a film forming process is known in which a plurality of layers are laminated on a substrate. One example thereof is a process in which a coating film is formed on one surface of the substrate by coating in the previous process, and a deposited film is further formed on the coating film by vacuum deposition in the next process. The coating film formed on the substrate cannot be brought into contact with the atmosphere because it may be altered when it comes into contact with the atmosphere.

  FIG. 7 shows a series-two series roll-to-roll film forming apparatus 51. This film forming apparatus 51 is for forming a thin film composed of a plurality of stacked films on a belt-like substrate (also referred to as a workpiece) W. The film forming apparatus 51 includes a coating apparatus 52 that performs a coating process and a vacuum deposition apparatus 53 that performs a vacuum deposition process. Both apparatuses 52 and 53 are configured as roll-to-roll film forming apparatuses. After the coating film CF is formed on one surface of the substrate W to be formed, a film DF is further formed by vacuum deposition. The coating device 52 includes a supply chamber 55 including a supply roll 54, a coating film chamber 57 including a coating film source 56, and a winding chamber 59 that can include a winding roll 58. The vacuum deposition apparatus 53 includes a supply chamber 60 that can include a supply roll 58, a deposition chamber 62 that includes a deposition film source 61, and a winding chamber 64 that includes a winding roll 63. In the coating device 52, the winding roll 58 that winds up the substrate W that has been coated is attached as a supply roll 58 to the vacuum vapor deposition device 53.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the coating process needs to be directed from top to bottom, and the vacuum deposition process needs to be directed from bottom to top. On the other hand, as described above, a vacuum deposited film needs to be further formed on the coating film formed on the substrate. The coating film and the vacuum deposition film need to be formed on the same surface of the substrate W. For this reason, the winding roll 58 of the coating device 52 needs to be attached to the vacuum vapor deposition device 53 after being turned upside down. It is very difficult to perform this reversal mounting operation without exposing the coating film to the atmosphere. This work impairs the productivity of products such as electronic devices.

JP 2010-007113 A JP 2010-053439 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described present situation, and when transferring a substrate to be formed from a pre-process to a post-process, the upper surface (front surface) and the lower surface (back surface) of the substrate can be easily reversed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a reversing mechanism that can be performed smoothly, and to provide a vacuum film forming apparatus including the reversing mechanism.

The reversing mechanism for the vacuum film-forming apparatus according to the present invention is:
An inversion chamber capable of internal vacuuming disposed between the upstream processing line and the downstream processing line;
An introduction port and a delivery port of a substrate to be formed, provided in the reversing chamber;
A rewinding roll provided in the reversing chamber;
The take-up delivery roll is configured to rotate to take up the substrate from the upstream processing line through the introduction port, and to reversely rotate to deliver the substrate to the downstream processing line through the delivery port. Has been
The front surface and the back surface of the substrate that is wound and fed by the winding and feeding roll are opposite to each other when passing through the introduction port and when passing through the delivery port.

  Preferably, the introduction port is configured to be connectable to the first film forming chamber for processing provided in the upstream processing line without being communicated with the atmosphere, and the delivery port is provided in the downstream processing line. It can be connected to the second film-forming chamber for processing without being communicated with the atmosphere.

Preferably, an interposition sheet is provided in the inversion chamber,
The intervening sheet is superimposed on the processing surface in the upstream processing line of the substrate when the substrate is wound on the winding / unwinding roll.

The vacuum film-forming apparatus according to the present invention is
An upstream processing device;
A downstream processing device;
A reversing mechanism that is disposed between the two processing apparatuses and can reverse the front and back of the substrate to be processed;
The upstream processing apparatus has a supply chamber provided with a supply roll, and a first film forming chamber provided with a first film forming source,
The downstream processing apparatus has a second film forming chamber provided with a second film forming source, and a winding chamber provided with a winding roll,
The reversing mechanism is any of the reversing mechanisms described above.

  According to the present invention, in the vacuum film-forming apparatus, it is possible to easily and smoothly reverse the front surface and the back surface of the substrate.

FIG. 1 is a front view schematically showing the inside of a vacuum film forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention in one process of forming a substrate. FIG. 2 is a front view schematically showing the inside of a vacuum film forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention in another process of forming a substrate. FIG. 3 is a front view schematically showing the inside of a vacuum film forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention which is in still another step of the substrate film forming process. FIG. 4 is a front view schematically showing the inside of a vacuum film forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention in still another step of the substrate film forming process. FIG. 5 is a front view schematically showing the inside of a vacuum film forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention in still another step of the substrate film forming process. FIG. 6 is a front view schematically showing the inside of a vacuum film forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention which is in still another step of the substrate film forming process. FIG. 7 is a front view schematically showing the inside of a conventional vacuum film forming apparatus in the process of forming a substrate.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on preferred embodiments with appropriate reference to the drawings.

  The film forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 is an apparatus for laminating a plurality of thin films on a belt-like substrate W. In the film forming apparatus 1, a thin film is formed on one surface of the substrate W in an inert gas atmosphere, and a thin film is further formed on the thin film in a vacuum atmosphere. The apparatus 1 includes a coating apparatus 2 as an upstream processing apparatus that performs a coating process, and a vacuum deposition apparatus 3 as a downstream processing apparatus that performs a vacuum deposition process. Any of these apparatuses 2 and 3 is configured as a roll-to-roll film forming apparatus by connecting a substrate reversing mechanism 14 described later. A coating film CF is formed on one surface of the substrate W by the coating apparatus 2, and a deposition film DF is formed on the upper surface of the coating film CF by the vacuum deposition apparatus 3.

  The coating apparatus 2 has a supply chamber 5 having a supply roll 4 and a coating film chamber 7 as a first film forming chamber having a coating film source 6 as a first film forming source. The vacuum vapor deposition apparatus 3 has a vapor deposition chamber 11 as a second film forming chamber provided with a vapor deposited film source 10 as a second film forming source, and a winding chamber 13 provided with a winding roll 12. The film forming apparatus 1 also includes a substrate reversing mechanism 14. The substrate reversing mechanism 14 has a reversing chamber 9 provided with a take-up / feeding roll 8.

  The inversion chamber 9 is configured to be movable. The upstream portion of the reversing chamber 9 can be connected to the downstream portion of the coating film chamber 7 of the coating apparatus 2 (FIGS. 1 and 2). The downstream portion of the inversion chamber 9 can be connected to the upstream portion of the vapor deposition chamber 11 of the vacuum vapor deposition apparatus 3 (FIGS. 3, 4, 5, and 6). The reversing chamber 9 is equipped with casters 29 for easy movement.

  When the reversing chamber 9 is connected to the coating film chamber 7, the winding feed roll 8 can operate as a winding roll for the coating apparatus 2 (FIG. 1). On the other hand, when the reversing chamber 9 is connected to the vapor deposition chamber 11, the take-up feed roll 8 can operate as a supply roll for the vacuum vapor deposition apparatus 3 (FIG. 6). In the reversing chamber 9, an intervening sheet supply roll 15, an upstream free roll 16, an upstream tension roll 17, a downstream tension roll 18, and a downstream free roll 19 are provided in addition to the take-up / feed roll 8. ing. In the vicinity of both ends of the peripheral surfaces of these free rolls and tension rolls, not shown ridges or steps are formed in the circumferential direction. The distance between the pair of ridges or steps is substantially equal to the width of the substrate W. When the substrate W is wound around the free roll and the tension roll, the vicinity of both side edges of the substrate W abuts on the ridges or steps. As a result, a gap is generated between the portion of the substrate W where the film is formed and the peripheral surfaces of the free roll and the tension roll. Thereby, the film is prevented from being damaged by contact with the peripheral surfaces of the free roll and the tension roll.

  A gate valve 20 is provided between the supply chamber 5 and the coating film chamber 7 in the coating apparatus 2. The gate valve 20 allows the chambers 5 and 7 to communicate with each other and to be shut off. A gate valve 21 is also provided between the vapor deposition chamber 11 and the winding chamber 13 in the vacuum vapor deposition apparatus 3. The gate valve 21 allows the chambers 11 and 13 to communicate with each other and be shut off.

  In the reversing chamber 9, an introduction port 24 for the substrate W is formed in the upstream portion, and a delivery port 25 for the substrate W is formed in the downstream portion. The introduction port 24 is equipped with a differential exhaust type valve (referred to as a differential exhaust valve) 22 through which the substrate W can pass, and the delivery port 25 is also equipped with a differential exhaust valve 23. The differential exhaust valve 22 of the introduction port 24 can be connected to a downstream portion of the coating film chamber 7. The differential exhaust valve 23 of the delivery port 25 can be connected to the upstream portion of the vapor deposition chamber 11. An opening / closing port 27 to which the differential exhaust valve 22 can be connected is formed in the downstream portion of the coating film chamber 7. An opening / closing port 28 to which the differential exhaust valve 23 can be connected is formed in the upstream portion of the vapor deposition chamber 11. By these differential exhaust valves, filling of inert gas, evacuation, desorption between chambers, and the like are performed smoothly and efficiently. The opening / closing ports 27 and 28 include a valve mechanism that can be airtightly closed and can be opened. For example, gate valves may be employed as the opening / closing ports 27 and 28. The above-described differential exhaust valve and gate valve can be hermetically closed while holding the substrate W.

  In the film forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1, the coating apparatus 2 executes a coating film forming process. The coating device 2 and the substrate reversing mechanism 14 are connected. Both the gate valve 20 between the supply chamber 5 and the coating film chamber 7 and the differential exhaust valve 22 between the coating film chamber 7 and the inversion chamber 9 are opened. The differential exhaust valve 23 in the downstream portion of the inversion chamber 9 is closed. The substrate W is sent from the supply roll 4 in the supply chamber 5 via the coating film chamber 7 to the winding / feeding roll 8 in the reversing chamber 9 in a substantially horizontal direction. Each inside of the supply chamber 5, the coating film chamber 7, and the inversion chamber 9 is in a nitrogen gas atmosphere. In the coating film chamber 7, the coating film CF is formed from above with respect to the upper surface of the substrate W by the coating film source 6. A mounting floor 30 for supporting the substrate W from below is provided at a position facing the coating film source 6. The substrate W is sent through between the coating film source 6 and the mounting floor 30.

  The interiors of the chambers 11 and 13 of the vacuum deposition apparatus 3 that are on standby are also in a nitrogen gas atmosphere. A slight substrate W for guiding is wound on the winding roll 12 in the winding chamber 13 for the future vapor deposition process. The leading end of the guide substrate W is drawn into the vapor deposition chamber 11.

  In the reversing chamber 9, the substrate W is wound around the winding / unwinding roll 8 with an intervening sheet (also referred to as interleaf) P interposed. Here, the take-up and delivery roll 8 operates as a take-up roll. The substrate W is wound around a winding / feeding roll 8 that rotates clockwise with the coating film CF forming surface facing upward. The interposed sheet P is also wound up at the same time. The interposed sheet P prevents damage that may occur when the surface of the coating film CF of the substrate W comes into contact with the back surface of the substrate W.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, when the coating film formation on a predetermined amount of the substrate W is completed, preparation for vacuum deposition on the substrate W is made. In FIG. 2, the gate valve 20 in the upstream portion of the coating film chamber 7 and the differential exhaust valve 22 in the downstream portion are closed. An operator opens the coating film chamber 7 and cuts the substrate W. The gate valve 20 and the differential exhaust valve 22 that are closed prevent air from entering the supply chamber 5 and the inversion chamber 9.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the inversion chamber 9 is disconnected from the opening / closing port 27 of the coating film chamber 7 and connected to the opening / closing port 28 of the deposition chamber 11. One gate valve 20 and both differential exhaust valves 22, 23 are closed. An operator uses the glove box 31 provided in the inversion chamber 9 to cut the substrate W in the inversion chamber 9. A piece of the substrate touched by the atmosphere and held by the differential exhaust valve 22 is not used and is left until the end of the processing.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the worker uses the glove box 31 to transfer the substrate W on which the coating film CF has been wound around the take-up and feed roll 8 to the downstream tension roll 18 and the free roll 19. Wrap around. The differential exhaust valve 23 between the inversion chamber 9 and the vapor deposition chamber 11 is opened. The tip of the substrate W on which the coating CF has been formed is sent into the deposition chamber 11 through the differential exhaust valve 23 (FIG. 5). In this way, the substrate W that has been wound on the winding / feeding roll 8 with the coating film CF forming surface facing upward is wound in the reverse direction of the winding / feeding roll 8 (from left to right). ) In the same direction (from left to right). Accordingly, at this time, the coating CF forming surface of the substrate W faces downward. At the same time, the intervening sheet P is rewound from the take-up and feeding roll 8 to the intervening sheet supply roll 15.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the worker used the glove box 32 provided in the vapor deposition chamber 11 to wind the tip of the substrate W on which the coating film CF had been formed on the winding roll 12 described above. Connect to the unprocessed substrate W for guidance. Here, as described above, the surface of the substrate W on which the coating film CF is formed faces downward. In parallel with this operation, the differential exhaust valve 23 is closed. Next, the inside of the inversion chamber 9 is evacuated by a vacuum pump (not shown). Subsequently, the insides of the deposition chamber 11 and the winding chamber 13 are evacuated. Thereafter, the differential exhaust valve 23 is opened. This completes the preparation for vacuum deposition.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the substrate W is delivered from the take-up delivery roll 8. The interposed sheet P is rewound from the take-up / feeding roll 8 to the interposed sheet supply roll 15. The substrate W passes over the vapor deposition film source 10 and is taken up by the take-up roll 12. On the lower surface of the substrate W on which the coating film CF is formed, a film source from the vapor deposition film source 10 is vapor-deposited from below to form a vapor deposition film DF.

  The substrate reversing mechanism 14 according to the present embodiment is movable and is detachable between the coating film chamber 7 and the vapor deposition chamber 11. However, it is not limited to such a configuration. The substrate inversion mechanism 14 may be a vacuum film forming apparatus that is always connected between the chambers 7 and 11.

  In the present embodiment, the take-up and feeding roll 8 rotates clockwise to take up the substrate W from the coating apparatus 2. However, it is not limited to such a configuration. The take-up feed roll 8 may be rotated counterclockwise to take up the substrate W. In this case, the take-up and delivery roll 8 rotates clockwise and sends out the substrate W.

  In this embodiment, the film is formed on the surface of the substrate W from above in the previous process, and is formed on the surface from below in the subsequent process. However, it is not limited to such a configuration. It may be an apparatus in which the film is formed on the surface of the substrate W from below in the previous step and is formed on the surface from above in the subsequent step.

  In this embodiment, the posture of the substrate W when passing through the inlet 24 and the outlet 25 of the reversing chamber 9 is in a horizontal state. However, it is not limited to horizontal. Generally speaking, a take-up and delivery roll obtained by rotating and winding the substrate W after the pretreatment in the forward rotation direction rotates in the reverse direction and sends the substrate to a subsequent process. At this time, the orientation of the front and back surfaces of the substrate can be easily reversed.

  In this embodiment, the inversion chamber 9 is configured to be movable. However, it is not limited to such a configuration. The inversion chamber 9 may have a fixed configuration in which the reversing chamber 9 is always connected to both the coating film chamber 7 and the vapor deposition chamber 11 at the same time. That is, all the chambers may be fixed. In addition, it is possible to arbitrarily select a fixed type and a movable type chamber. For example, the inversion chamber 9 may be fixed to the floor, and the supply chamber 5, the coating film chamber 7, the vapor deposition chamber 11, and the winding chamber 13 may be configured to be movable.

  In the present embodiment, the coating apparatus 2 is provided with one coating film chamber 7, and the vacuum deposition apparatus 3 is provided with one deposition chamber 11. However, it is not limited to such a configuration. A plurality of coating film chambers may be arranged in series in the coating apparatus 2. A plurality of coating film chambers may be equipped with different coating film sources. A plurality of vapor deposition chambers may also be arranged in series in the vacuum vapor deposition apparatus 3. A plurality of vapor deposition chambers may be equipped with different vapor deposition film sources. A plurality of chambers may be arranged in parallel in each of the devices 2 and 3. In this case, the reversing mechanism 14 may be provided with a plurality of reversing chambers.

  In the present embodiment, the chamber is equipped with a gate valve. If necessary, a differential exhaust valve may be used instead of these gate valves.

  As a vacuum film forming apparatus according to this embodiment, a combination of a coating apparatus and a vacuum deposition apparatus is illustrated. However, it is not limited to such a configuration. For example, a combination of a vacuum sputtering apparatus and a vacuum deposition apparatus may be used.

  The reversing mechanism according to the present invention can be applied to various roll-to-roll vacuum film forming apparatuses.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Film forming apparatus 2 ... Coating apparatus 3 ... Vacuum vapor deposition apparatus 4 ... Supply roll 5 ... Supply chamber 6 ... Coating film source 7 ... Coating film chamber 8 ... Winding-out roll 9 ... Reversing chamber 10 ... Deposition film source 11 ... Deposition chamber 12 ... Winding roll 13 ... Winding chamber 14 ... Reversing mechanism 15 ... Intervention Sheet supply roll 16, 19 ... Free roll 17, 18 ... Tension roll 20, 21 ... Gate valve 22, 23 ... Differential exhaust valve 24 ... Inlet 25 ... Outlet 27 28 ... Opening / closing opening 29 ... Caster 30 ... Mounting floor 31, 32 ... Glove box CF ... Coating film DF ... Deposition film P ... Intervention sheet W ... Substrate

Claims (4)

An inversion chamber capable of internal vacuuming disposed between the upstream processing line and the downstream processing line;
An introduction port and a delivery port of a substrate to be formed, provided in the reversing chamber;
A rewinding roll provided in the reversing chamber;
The take-up delivery roll is configured to rotate to take up the substrate from the upstream processing line through the introduction port, and to reversely rotate to deliver the substrate to the downstream processing line through the delivery port. Has been
A vacuum film-forming apparatus configured such that the substrate that is wound and fed by the winding and feeding roll passes through the introduction port and passes through the delivery port so that the front surface and the back surface thereof are opposite to each other. Reversing mechanism for.   The inlet is configured to be connected to the first film forming chamber for processing provided in the upstream processing line without being communicated with the atmosphere, and the outlet is used for processing provided in the downstream processing line. The reversing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the reversing mechanism is configured to be connectable to the second film forming chamber without being communicated with the atmosphere. An interposition sheet is provided in the reversing chamber,
The reversing mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the intervening sheet is overlapped with a processing surface in an upstream processing line of the substrate when the substrate is wound on the winding and feeding roll. An upstream processing device;
A downstream processing device;
A reversing mechanism capable of reversing the front and back of the substrate to be processed, which is disposed between the two processes,
The upstream processing apparatus has a supply chamber provided with a supply roll, and a first film forming chamber provided with a first film forming source,
The downstream processing apparatus has a second film forming chamber provided with a second film forming source, and a winding chamber provided with a winding roll,
The vacuum film-forming apparatus whose said inversion mechanism is the inversion mechanism in any one of Claim 1 to 3.

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