JP7011521B2 - Thin-film deposition source for vacuum-film deposition equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vapor deposition source for a vacuum vapor deposition apparatus.

A vacuum vapor deposition apparatus provided with this type of vapor deposition source is known, for example, in Patent Document 1. In this product, the material to be deposited is a rectangular glass substrate (hereinafter referred to as "substrate"), the relative movement direction of the substrate with respect to the vapor deposition source is the X-axis direction, and the width direction of the substrate orthogonal to the X-axis direction is the Y-axis direction. The vapor deposition source has a containment box for accommodating the vapor deposition material. A plurality of tubular injection nozzles for injecting sublimated or vaporized vaporized material are provided in a row at intervals in the Y-axis direction in the portion of the storage box facing the material to be vapor-deposited. ing. Then, in a vacuum chamber with a vacuum atmosphere, the evaporated substance is heated by a heating means such as a sheath heater or a halogen heater assembled in the storage box to sublimate or vaporize, and the sublimated or vaporized vaporized substance is injected from each injection nozzle. A predetermined thin film is formed by adhering and depositing on a substrate that moves relative to the vaporization source in the X-axis direction. In this case, it has been conventionally known that a mask plate that limits the range of adhesion of the vapor-deposited substance to the substrate is interposed between the vapor deposition source and the substrate to form a film on the substrate in a predetermined pattern.

On the other hand, as a vapor deposition source according to another form, a tank portion (accommodation portion) in which the vapor-deposited substance is accommodated, and a slit-shaped first opening arranged on the tank portion and having a predetermined width extending in one direction. A nozzle portion having a portion and a heat insulating portion having at least a second opening for exposing the first opening portion and provided to cover the outer wall of the tank portion and the nozzle portion are provided, and the tank portion and the nozzle portion are provided. Is known, for example, in Patent Document 2 (see, for example, FIGS. 3 and 4), which is formed of a conductive material and is made to generate heat by energization from a single power source.

Here, for example, in consideration of maintainability and simplification of the structure, the technique described in Patent Document 2 is applied to a vapor deposition source having a structure as described in Patent Document 1, that is, a storage box including an injection nozzle. Is formed of a conductive material such as carbon, and the storage box itself is heated by energization from a single power source to sublimate or vaporize the vapor-deposited substance and inject it from each injection nozzle. However, this turned out to cause temperature unevenness in the containment box. For example, if temperature unevenness occurs not only between the injection nozzles but also between the tip end portion and the base end portion of any of the injection nozzles, the sublimated or vaporized vaporized material enters the injection nozzles. A part of it collides with the inner wall surface of the injection nozzle when it passes through and scatters to the outside, but if the vaporized material that collided with the inner wall surface with a relatively low temperature resolidifies and accumulates, it causes nozzle clogging. do. In addition, when temperature unevenness occurs at the bottom of the storage box in which the vapor-deposited substance is installed, if the vapor-deposited substance in the relatively low temperature portion does not sublimate or vaporize forever, the vapor-filmed substance will remain. The vaporized material is wasted.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-77193 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-60865

The present invention has been made based on the above findings, and is for a vacuum vapor deposition apparatus capable of suppressing the occurrence of temperature unevenness in the storage box as much as possible when the storage box itself is heated by energization. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vapor deposition source of the above.

In order to solve the above problems, the vapor deposition source for the vacuum vapor deposition apparatus of the present invention, which is arranged in a vacuum chamber and vapor-deposits on an object to be vapor-deposited, has a conductive storage box for accommodating the vapor-deposited material and a power source. A power supply circuit that sublimates or vaporizes the vaporized material in the storage box by the heat generated by energizing the storage box, and injects the sublimated or vaporized vaporized material that is projected from the part of the storage box facing the object to be deposited. The power feeding circuit provided with the injection nozzle and energizing the portion of the storage box in which the injection nozzle is projected is characterized in that it is composed of a plurality of ones having different current input positions and output positions .

According to the present invention, when the storage box as a conductor having resistance is energized by each feeding circuit (for example, a direct current is passed), the storage box generates heat due to the Joule effect generated at that time. At this time, if the input position and output position of each power supply circuit with respect to the storage box and the energization current value from each power supply circuit are appropriately set, the distribution of the current flowing through the storage box including the injection nozzle is appropriately adjusted and the storage box is used. It is possible to suppress the occurrence of temperature unevenness as much as possible.

In the present invention, when the storage box has a box portion having an opening on one side and a lid portion forming a portion of the storage box in which the injection nozzle is projected and detachably closing the opening of the box portion. It is preferable that an insulating seal that electrically cuts the edges between the box portion and the lid portion is interposed, and at least one of the power feeding circuits is connected to the box portion . In this case, for example, a plurality of power feeding circuits having a power source may be connected to the lid portion. According to this, after the box portion and the lid portion are electrically cut off, the current distribution can be appropriately adjusted for each box portion and the lid portion to suppress the occurrence of temperature unevenness, and therefore, the temperature unevenness can be suppressed. It is advantageous because it can prevent the nozzle clogging and the residual vaporized material due to the generation.

Further, in the present invention, it is preferable that a recessed portion is locally formed on at least one of the box portion or the lid portion in the plate thickness direction or the direction orthogonal to the plate thickness direction. According to this, in the place where the dent is formed, the cross-sectional area becomes smaller and the resistance becomes larger, and the calorific value can be increased locally. Therefore, this should be adopted in the part where the temperature is relatively low. This is advantageous because it is possible to further suppress the occurrence of temperature unevenness.

By the way, the vapor deposition source for a general vacuum vapor deposition apparatus is installed in the vacuum chamber in a posture in which the portion of the storage box in which the injection nozzle is projected is located on the upper side in the vertical direction. At this time, if the bottom wall of the storage box has an inclined surface that inclines downward in the vertical direction from the side surfaces facing each other toward the central region thereof, for example, when the vapor deposition material is heated, a liquid such as a metal material is used. If it is transferred from the phase to the gas phase, the liquid phase is collected in the central region of the storage box along the inclined surface. Then, if the calorific value in this central region is locally increased by energization by any of the feeding circuits, the vaporized material can be reliably vaporized until the end, which is advantageous.

(A) is a partial perspective view showing a partially sectional view of the vacuum vapor deposition apparatus including the vapor deposition source according to the embodiment of the present invention, and (b) is a partial sectional view of the vacuum vapor deposition apparatus viewed from the front side. (A) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IIa-IIa of FIG. 1, and (b) is a bottom view seen from the box portion side of the lid portion. The plan view of the lid part of the containment box which concerns on a modification. Sectional drawing of the box part of the containment box which concerns on a modification.

Hereinafter, referring to the drawings, an example is a case where the film to be deposited is a glass substrate having a rectangular outline and a predetermined thickness (hereinafter referred to as “substrate Sw”), and a predetermined thin film is formed on one side of the substrate Sw. An embodiment of the vapor deposition source DS for the vacuum vapor deposition apparatus of the present invention will be described. In the following, the terms indicating the directions such as "up" and "down" are based on the attitude of the vapor deposition source shown in FIG.

With reference to FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b), Dm is a vacuum vapor deposition apparatus including the vapor deposition source DS of the present embodiment. The vacuum vapor deposition apparatus Dm includes a vacuum chamber 1, and a vacuum pump is connected to the vacuum chamber 1 via an exhaust pipe, although not particularly illustrated, and can be evacuated to a predetermined pressure (vacuum degree) and held. It has become like. Further, a substrate transfer device 2 is provided above the vacuum chamber 1. The substrate transfer device 2 has a carrier 21 that holds the substrate Sw in a state where the lower surface as a film forming surface is open, and the carrier 21 and thus the substrate Sw are predetermined in one direction in the vacuum chamber 1 by a drive device (not shown). It is designed to move at speed. Since a known substrate transfer device 2 can be used, further description thereof will be omitted. Further, in the following, the relative movement direction of the substrate Sw with respect to the vapor deposition source DS is defined as the X-axis direction, and the width direction of the substrate Sw orthogonal to the X-axis direction is defined as the Y-axis direction.

A plate-shaped mask plate 3 is provided between the substrate Sw transported by the substrate transport device 2 and the vapor deposition source DS described later. In the present embodiment, the mask plate 3 is integrally attached to the substrate Sw and is conveyed together with the substrate Sw by the substrate transfer device 2. The mask plate 3 may be fixedly arranged in the vacuum chamber 1 in advance. A plurality of openings 31 penetrating in the plate thickness direction are formed in the mask plate 3, and the adhesion range of the vapor-deposited substance to the substrate Sw is limited at a position where these openings 31 do not exist, so that the substrate Sw is formed in a predetermined pattern. It is designed to be filmed. As the mask plate 3, a metal such as Invar, aluminum, alumina or stainless steel, or a resin such as polyimide is used. The bottom surface of the vacuum chamber 1 is provided with the vapor deposition source DS of the present embodiment facing the substrate Sw that is moved in the X-axis direction.

Also with reference to FIG. 2, the vapor deposition source DS has a storage box 5 for accommodating the vapor deposition material 4. The storage box 5 has a box portion 51 having an open upper surface and a plate-shaped lid portion 52 that detachably closes the upper surface opening of the box portion 51, and the vapor-deposited substance 4 is directly installed on the bottom surface of the box portion 51. It has become so. In this case, the box portion 51 and the lid portion 52 are formed of a conductive material such as carbon, and a frame-shaped insulator 53 as an insulating seal that electrically cuts the edges between the box portion 51 and the lid portion 52 is provided between the box portion 51 and the lid portion 52. (In this case, the insulator 53 serves to seal the inside of the storage box 5). The vapor-deposited substance 4 is appropriately selected (for example, Ag, Li, Mg, MoO ₃ ) according to the thin film to be formed on the substrate Sw, and a solid substance in the form of granules or tablets is used. Although not particularly illustrated and described, a dispersion plate is provided in the box portion 51 so that the sublimated or vaporized vapor-deposited substance 4 can be injected from each of the injection nozzles described later at a substantially uniform flow rate.

In the lid portion 52, injection nozzles 54 for injecting a sublimated or vaporized vaporized substance 4 composed of a cylinder having a predetermined height are arranged at predetermined intervals in the Y-axis direction (six in the present embodiment). It is set up. For example, in order to prevent problems such as film thickness distribution in the Y-axis direction and occurrence of mask blur when vapor-deposited on the substrate Sw, each injection nozzle 54 has a lid whose hole axis is installed in parallel with the substrate Sw. It may be inclined at a predetermined angle within the range of 30 degrees to 60 degrees with respect to the upper surface of the portion 52. Further, a pair of front and rear terminal portions 52a and 52b are formed on the lid portion 52 so as to project outward from both side surfaces in the Y-axis direction, and each pair of terminal portions 52a and 52b are formed with _a DC power supply 61. _The positive and negative output cables 61 from 62 are connected to each other, and the power feeding circuits Pc1 and Pc2 are configured including the lid portion 52.

In the above embodiment, two pairs of front and rear terminal portions 52a and 52b are provided so that the lid portion 52 including each injection nozzle 54 does not have temperature unevenness, and the two feeding circuits Pc1 and Pc2 are energized. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the lid portion 52 is energized by the feeding circuits Pc1 and Pc2 to experimentally obtain the actual temperature distribution in advance, and from this obtained one, for example, the position of the terminal portion. (Current input position and output position) and the number of power feeding circuits can be appropriately set to adjust the distribution of the current flowing through the lid portion 52. On the other hand, if it is not possible to suppress the occurrence of temperature unevenness in each of the injection nozzles 54 having a predetermined length projecting from the lid portion 52 by simply adjusting the current distribution, for example, the lid portion on which the injection nozzle 54 protrudes. A recessed portion 55 may be recessed in the plate thickness direction at a predetermined position on the lower surface of the lid portion 52 so that the plate thickness of the portion 52 is thinner than that of the other portions (see FIG. 2). According to this, in the place where 55 of the recessed portions are formed, the cross-sectional area becomes smaller and the resistance becomes larger, so that the calorific value can be locally increased.

On the other hand, the box portion 51 is also projected outward from both side surfaces in the Y-axis direction to form a pair of front and rear terminal portions 51a, and the pair of terminal portions 51a are formed with positive and negative output cables 61 from the DC power supply ₆₃ . Is connected to form a feeding circuit Pc3 different from that of the lid 52. In this case, similarly to the above, the box portion 51 is energized by the power supply circuit Pc3 to obtain the actual temperature distribution experimentally in advance, and from this obtained value, the position of the terminal part (current input position and output position) and the power supply are supplied. When the number of circuits is appropriately set to adjust the distribution of the current flowing through the box portion 51, or for example, when the bottom wall of the box portion 51 where the vapor deposition material 4 is directly installed has temperature unevenness. Alternatively, the cross-sectional area of the bottom wall of the box portion 51 may be locally reduced. Since each of the DC power supplies 6 ₁ , 6 ₂ , 6 ₃ is provided outside the vacuum chamber 1 and is known by itself, further description thereof will be omitted.

When forming a film on the surface of the substrate Sw using the vapor deposition source DS, a predetermined vapor deposition substance 4, for example, a metal material such as Ag or Mg is housed in the box portion 51, and then the lid is interposed with the insulator 53 interposed therebetween. A portion 52 is attached and the inside thereof is sealed. Next, when the vacuum chamber 1 is evacuated to a predetermined pressure, the box portion 51 and the lid portion 52 are energized by the DC power supplies _{6 1} , 6 ₂ , 63 of the power supply circuits Pc1 to Pc3. Then, the box portion 51 generates heat due to the Joule effect generated when the box portion 51 as a conductor having resistance is energized, and the vapor-deposited substance 4 inside the box portion 4 is heated to a predetermined temperature (for example, 800 ° C to 1400 ° C) by heat transfer. It vaporizes through the liquid phase. At this time, the lid portion 52 itself also generates heat by energization from the power supply circuits Pc1 and Pc2 separate from the box portion 51, and by appropriately setting the energization current, the whole including each injection nozzle 54 is equivalent to the box portion 51. The temperature becomes almost uniform. Then, the vaporized vaporized substance is ejected from each injection nozzle 54, adheres to and deposits on the surface of the substrate Sw through the mask plate 3, and is formed into a film in a predetermined pattern.

According to the above embodiment, the box portion 51 and the lid portion 52 of the storage box 5 are energized from the plurality of power supply circuits Pc1 to Pc3, respectively, and the lid portion 52 alone is supplied from the plurality of power supply circuits Pc1 and Pc2, respectively. The combination of energizing and adjusting the current distribution and locally increasing the calorific value at the place where the recess 55 is formed makes it possible to use each of the box portion 51 and the lid portion 52, and thus the lid portion 52. It is possible to suppress the occurrence of temperature unevenness in the storage box 5 as much as possible, and it is possible to reliably prevent nozzle clogging and residual vaporized material due to the occurrence of temperature unevenness.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, various modifications are possible as long as they do not deviate from the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. In the above embodiment, the case where the storage box 5 is composed of the box portion 51 and the lid portion 52 and assembled with the insulator 53 interposed therebetween is described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the storage box is integrated. Can be. In this case, a plurality of power supply circuits are energized in the storage box to experimentally obtain the actual temperature distribution in advance, and from the obtained values, the position of the terminal portion (current input position and output position) and the number of power supply circuits are obtained. Should be set as appropriate. Further, in the above embodiment, the case where the DC power supplies 6 ₁ , _{6 2} and 63 are used as the power sources of the power supply circuits Pc1 to Pc3 has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the AC power supply having a predetermined frequency is not limited thereto. Can also be used.

Further, in the above embodiment, when heat is generated by energization from the power supply circuits Pc1 to Pc3, a recessed portion 55 is recessed in a predetermined position on the lower surface of the lid portion 52 in the plate thickness direction to locally increase the amount of heat generated. The explanation is given by taking as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, in the lid portion 520 according to the modified example, another recessed portion that is recessed in a direction orthogonal to the plate thickness direction (that is, from the longitudinal side surface of the lid portion 520 toward the inside thereof). The 550 may be formed locally. Also. The recess may be formed in at least one of the box and the lid.

Further, in the above embodiment, as the box portion 51, a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape having a flat bottom wall on which the vapor-deposited substance 4 is directly installed has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, as shown in FIG. 4 , in the box portion 510 according to the modified example, the bottom walls thereof are inclined downward in the vertical direction from the side surfaces facing each other (for example, the longitudinal side surfaces of the box portion 510) toward the center thereof. It is formed by an inclined surface 511. According to this, for example, when the vapor-deposited substance 4 is heated, if it is transferred to the gas phase via the liquid phase like a metal material, the liquid phase is transmitted through the inclined surface 511 to the box portion 510. Collected in the central area. Then, if the calorific value in this central region is locally increased by energization by the feeding circuit, the vaporized substance 4 can be surely vaporized until the end, which is advantageous.

Further, in the above embodiment, a case where the film to be filmed is a glass substrate Sw and a film is formed while the glass substrate Sw is conveyed at a constant speed by the substrate transfer device 2 has been described as an example. Is not limited to the above. For example, the present invention is also a device in which a film-deposited object is used as a sheet-shaped base material, and the base material is moved between the drive roller and the take-up roller at a constant speed to form a film on one side of the base material. Applicable. Further, the substrate Sw and the mask plate 3 are integrally fixed in the vacuum chamber 1, and a driving means having a known structure is attached to the vapor deposition source DS to form a film while moving the vapor deposition source DS relative to the substrate Sw. The present invention can also be applied to this. That is, if the substrate Sw and the vapor deposition source DS are relatively moved, either or both of the substrate Sw and the vapor deposition source DS may be moved. Further, although the case where the injection nozzles 54 are provided in a row in the storage box 5 has been described as an example, a plurality of examples may be provided.

DS ... Evaporation source for vacuum vapor deposition equipment, Dm ... Vacuum vapor deposition equipment, Sw ... Substrate (material to be deposited) 1 ... Vacuum chamber, 4 ... Evaporated material, 5 ... Storage box, 51, 510 ... Box part, 52, 520 ... Cover, 53 ..._碍(insulation seal), 55 ... recess, 54 ... injection nozzle, 511 ... inclined surface, 61 to ₆₃ ... DC power supply (power supply), Pc1 to Pc3 ... power supply circuit.

Claims (4)

A vapor deposition source for a vacuum vapor deposition apparatus that is placed in a vacuum chamber to deposit a film on an object to be deposited.
A conductive storage box that houses the vapor-deposited material, a power supply circuit that has a power supply and sublimates or vaporizes the vaporized material in the storage box by the heat generated by energizing the storage box, and the part of the storage box facing the vaporized material. In those equipped with an injection nozzle that is projected onto the surface and injects a sublimated or vaporized vaporized substance.
A vapor deposition source for a vacuum vapor deposition apparatus , wherein a power feeding circuit that energizes a portion of a storage box in which an injection nozzle is projected is composed of a plurality of circuits having different current input positions and output positions . The vapor deposition source for the vacuum vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage box comprises a box portion having an opening on one side and a storage box portion in which the injection nozzle is projected, and the opening of the box portion is opened. In those having a lid that can be detachably closed,
A vapor deposition source for a vacuum vapor deposition apparatus, characterized in that an insulating seal that electrically cuts the edges between the box portion and the lid portion is interposed, and at least one of the power feeding circuits is connected to the box portion . The vacuum vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a recessed portion is locally formed on at least one of the box portion or the lid portion in the plate thickness direction or a direction orthogonal to the plate thickness direction. Deposition source. The vapor deposition source for the vacuum vapor deposition apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the portion of the storage box in which the injection nozzle is projected is installed in a posture of being located on the upper side in the vertical direction. In
A vapor deposition source for a vacuum vapor deposition apparatus, wherein the bottom wall of the storage box has an inclined surface that is inclined downward in the vertical direction from the side surfaces facing each other toward the central region thereof.

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