JPH0224909B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Object of the Invention (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a sputtering device for depositing metal onto the surface of a long sample such as cloth or film.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, a winding type sputtering apparatus is known as an apparatus for forming a metal film on the surface of a long sample such as a film. As shown in FIG. 6, this device has a flat target 52 horizontally extended in a tank 51, and a long sample 54 sent out from a delivery roller 53 is placed in parallel at a position facing the target 52. The sheet is wound up by a winding roller 56 via a guide roller 55 provided therein. Therefore, since the area to which the sputtering metal flying out from the target 52 adheres is narrow, there is a problem that the winding speed cannot be increased. Also, since a flat target is used,
The sputtering pressure is as high as 10 ^-3 Torr,
There is also a problem that the color tone of the metal coating formed on the surface of the long sample 54 tends to be a little dark.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In order to solve the problems of the conventional device, the present inventors invented a new roll-up type sputtering processing device that uses a cylindrical target. Sputtering metal also adheres to the circumferential surface of the guide roller that guides the long sample so that it moves around the cylindrical target. Therefore, when operating for a long time, there is a risk of contamination of the sample due to metal adhering to the surface of the guide roller and an adverse effect on the sample due to heating of the guide roller. The present invention solves the problems in the conventional apparatus that the sputtering processing speed is slow and that the color tone of the metal coating formed by the sputtering processing tends to become darkish. It is a solution to a problem.

Structure of the Invention (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the present invention, a guide roller for guiding a long sample such as cloth or film around a cylindrical target is A large number of samples are arranged on a circumference centered on the cylindrical target so that the moving path of the sample is approximately circular surrounding the cylindrical target, and a diameter of the guide roller is provided between the guide roller and the target. A configuration was adopted in which an anti-adhesive member having the above width was disposed close to a position facing each guide roller, and a water-cooling pipe for cooling was attached to the anti-adhesive member.

(Function) In this invention, sputtering metal scatters radially from a cylindrical target,
Since the long sample moves around the target while being guided by the guide roller, the area to which the sputtering metal adheres becomes wider, and even if the winding speed of the long sample is increased, the metal coating of a predetermined thickness will not be able to reach the desired thickness. Formed on the surface of the sample. In addition, the sputtering metal scattered from the target located opposite the guide roller that guides the long sample adheres to the surface of the adhesion prevention member disposed between the guide roller and the target. Sputtering metal does not adhere. In addition, since the anti-adhesive member placed close to the guide roller is constantly cooled by the water-cooled pipe, sputtering metal adheres to the anti-adhesive member and heats the anti-adhesive member. This prevents the guide roller from being heated by the radiant heat and prevents sputtering metal from adhering to the guide roller. Therefore, contamination of the long sample due to adhesion of sputtering metal to the guide roller or adverse effects on the long sample due to heating of the guide roller can be reliably prevented.

(Example) Examples 1 to 4 which embody this invention will be described below.
This will be explained according to the diagram. Sputtering device main body 1
A base 2 and a casing 3 placed on the base 2 in an airtight manner with a packing (not shown) in between.
It is composed of. Two pairs of fixed pulleys 4 rotatably supported by a frame (not shown) are disposed above the casing 3, and the fixed pulleys 4 are connected to two wires 5 for suspending and supporting the casing 3.
One end is connected to a retaining ring 6 protruding from the upper part of the casing 3, and the other end is connected to a balance weight 7.
It is wrapped in a connected state. The total weight of both balance weights 7 is set to a value slightly lighter than the weight of the casing 3 so that the casing 3 can be moved up and down with a small force. A roller 9 is rotatably attached to the front surface of the casing 3 (lower side in FIG. 1) and can be engaged with a guide rail 8 that stands vertically close to the casing 3. Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the rear part of the casing 3 has a rack 12a that meshes with a pinion 11 attached to the rotating shaft of the motor 10, and a push-up member that is moved up and down by the forward and reverse rotation of the motor 10. An engaging portion 13 that can be engaged with the upper portion of 12 is provided in a protruding manner. The casing 3 is moved up and down by the up and down movement of the push-up member 12.

A bottomed cylindrical target 14 is removably suspended from the center of the cylindrical portion of the casing 3.
At least the surface of the target 14 is made of a metal for sputtering, and a support cylinder 16 in which ring-shaped permanent magnets 15 are fitted at predetermined intervals is disposed in its interior space. A bellows 17 is provided at the bottom of the support tube 16 to which compressed air is supplied from the outside.
is provided, and the support tube 1 is
6 can be moved up and down. A cage-shaped anode 18 having eight vertically extending linear parts is arranged around the cathode serving as the target 14 such that the linear parts are located on the same circumference with the target 14 as the center. has been done. A DC voltage of 50 to 1000 V is applied between the cathode as the target 14 and the anode 18.

Around the cylindrical target 14, six guide rollers 20 for guiding a long sample 19 such as cloth or film are arranged at equal intervals on the same circumference with the target 14 as the center. The guide roller 20 is disposed on the base 2 and is rotatably supported between an upper support frame 21a and a lower support frame 21b, each having a substantially hexagonal shape in plan. The struts 22 supporting the upper support frame 21a are disposed inside the guide rollers 20 in order to serve as an anti-adhesion member for preventing sputtering metal from adhering to the guide rollers 20. It is also formed wide. Each support column 22 is provided with a water cooling pipe 23 for cooling on the opposite side from the target 14.

Outside the circumference where the guide roller 20 is arranged, a delivery roller 24 for sending out the long sample and a take-up roller 25 for winding up the long sample 19 after sputtering processing are arranged vertically and freely rotatable. has been done. Both rollers 24 and 25 each have a drive shaft 27a disposed on the base 2 and driven by an external drive mechanism (not shown), and the upper support frame 21a.
The driven shaft 27b is rotatably attached to a support bracket 26 protruding from the support bracket 26, and the driven shaft 27b is detachably attached thereto. both rollers 24,
A pair of auxiliary guide rollers 28a and 28b are arranged between the guide rollers 20 that are close to the guide rollers 25, and the elongated sample 19 sent out from the delivery roller 24 passes through one of the auxiliary guide rollers 28a to the guide roller 2.
0, the long sample 19 after sputtering is wound up by the winding roller 25 via the other auxiliary guide roller 28b.
Further, a deposition prevention plate 29 is provided upright at a position corresponding to the distance between the auxiliary guide rollers 28a, 28b, and a water cooling pipe 23 is provided on the opposite side of the target 14, similar to the support 22.

A pipe 30 connected to a pump for reducing the pressure inside the sputtering apparatus body 1 is connected to the base 2. The pipe 30 is connected to a system connected to a diffusion pump 32 via a main extraction valve 31, and to a mechanical booster pump 3 via a rough extraction valve 33.
4 and a system connected to the rotary pump 35, and the diffusion pump 32
and a mechanical booster pump 34 are connected via an auxiliary valve 36. Further, a leak valve 37 is connected to the pipe 30.
Further, a pipe 40 connected to an argon (Ar) gas cylinder 38 and an oxygen gas cylinder 39 is connected to the casing 3 via valves 38a and 39a.

Next, the operation of the apparatus configured as described above will be explained.

First, when the leak valve 37 is opened and the pressure inside the casing 3 is in equilibrium with the atmospheric pressure, the motor 10
is rotated in the forward direction to push up the push-up member 12 and push up the second
The casing 3 is suspended upward as shown by the chain line in the figure. In this state, the feed roller 24 is moved to the drive shaft 27a.
Then, it is removed from the driven shaft 27b, and the long sample 19 is wound around the delivery roller 24. Next, long sample 19
is wound around the delivery roller 24 on the drive shaft 2.
7a and the driven shaft 27b, and while feeding it from one end side, guide it to the take-up roller 25 via the auxiliary guide roller 28a, the guide roller 20, and the auxiliary guide roller 28b. Attach to. Next motor 1
0 is reversely driven, and the push-up member 12 is driven by the pinion 11.
Then, the casing 3 is moved downward by the action of the rack 12a and placed on the base 2. The casing 3 is placed on the base 2 in a state where airtightness is maintained due to its own weight and the action of packing.

Next, the pressure inside the sputtering apparatus main body 1 is reduced.
Since the diffusion pump 32 and the rotary pump 35 are always in operation, first the leak valve 37 is closed and then the roughing valve 33 is opened. Due to the action of the rotary pump 35, the mechanical booster pump 34 is operated in a state where the pressure inside the sputtering apparatus main body 1 becomes 20 Torr or less. Then, the roughing valve 33 is closed when the pressure inside the device main body 1 is 5×10 ^-2 Torr or less, and then the auxiliary valve 3
6. Open the main extraction valve 31 to further reduce the degree of vacuum inside the apparatus main body 1 to a high vacuum level of 10 ^-5 Torr.

When the exhaust speed is slow due to gas release from the long sample 19, the take-up roller 25 and the delivery roller 24
The evacuation speed can be increased by driving the elongated sample 19 to wind it up and unwind it. In this case, winding and unwinding are normally performed after the book removal valve 31 is in the open state. However, if there is a large amount of gas released, this is done after the mechanical booster pump 34 is activated. Note that winding and unwinding are performed at a speed of about 10 m/min.

Next, argon gas is fed into the apparatus main body 1 from the gas cylinder 38 and gradually discharged from the diffusion pump 32, thereby maintaining the inside of the apparatus main body 1 in a low-pressure argon gas atmosphere.

Next, water is supplied to the water cooling pipe 23 and the target 1
4 and the anode 18, and at the same time drive the delivery roller 24 and the take-up roller 25. Glow discharge occurs by applying a DC high voltage between the target 14 and the anode 18, and the argon gas in the sputtering device main body 1 is ionized by the discharge energy, and the ionized argon ions are accelerated toward the target (cathode) 14 side. The metal collides with the target 14 and knocks out metal from the surface of the target 14. The metal knocked out from the surface of the target 14 scatters radially from the target 14. The long sample 19 is attached to the auxiliary guide roller 28
a, guide roller 20, auxiliary guide roller 28b
Since the sputtering metal is taken up by the take-up roller 25 through a substantially circumferential moving path surrounding the target 14, the sputtering metal radially scattered from the target 14 adheres to the elongated sample 19 over a wide range. Even if the winding speed of the winding roller 25 is increased, a metal coating of a predetermined thickness is reliably formed on the surface of the long sample 19. 500 in conventional equipment
To form a film with a thickness of 2 angstroms
This could only be done at a winding speed of ~3m/min, but
In the apparatus of this example, a metal coating with a thickness of 500 angstroms was formed on the surface of the long sample 19 at a winding speed of 6 m/min. That is, the sputtering process can be performed two to three times faster than the conventional apparatus.

The sputtering metal scattered from the target 14 adheres to areas other than the surface of the long sample 19, but in the apparatus of this embodiment, the support 22 disposed inside the guide roller 20 (on the target 14 side) supports the guide roller 20. It plays the role of a cover, that is, an adhesion prevention plate, and is constantly cooled by the water cooling pipe 23, so sputtering metal adheres to the adhesion prevention member 22 and heats the adhesion prevention member 22. It is possible to prevent the guide roller 20 from being heated by the radiant heat and to prevent sputtering metal from adhering to the guide roller 20. Therefore, contamination of the elongated sample 19 due to adhesion of sputtering metal to the guide roller 20 or adverse effects on the elongated sample 19 due to heating of the guide roller 20 can be reliably prevented.

When forming a metal oxide film on the long sample 19 instead of forming the metal film constituting the target 14, the valve 39a leading to the oxygen gas cylinder 39 is also opened and the sputtering apparatus main body 1 is filled with argon gas. supply oxygen gas,
The target 14 and the anode 1 are kept in a low-pressure mixed atmosphere of argon and oxygen inside the main body 1 of the device.
DC high voltage is applied between 8 and 8. When argon gas and oxygen gas are present, the metal ejected from the target 14 in the same manner as described above is immediately oxidized by oxygen ions and becomes an oxide, which adheres to the long sample 19 in the oxide state. Long sample 1
A metal oxide film is formed on the surface of 9.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and can be embodied as follows, for example.

(1) As shown in FIGS. 5a to 5d, the support column 22 which also serves as a protection member may be formed to have a V-shaped cross section, an arc shape, a square shape, or a flat plate shape.

(2) It is not necessarily necessary to arrange the pillars 22 inside each guide roller 20 in order to play the role of a sticking prevention member for the guide rollers 20;
may be disposed outside the moving path of the elongated sample 19, and an anti-adhesion member may be disposed separately from the support column 22. In this case, the material of the anti-adhesion member is not limited to metal, but may be made of heat-resistant ceramics or the like. Furthermore, if the continuous operation time of the sputtering apparatus is short, the water cooling pipe 23 is not necessarily required if the adhesion prevention member is placed at a position away from the guide roller 20.

(3) The delivery roller 24 and the take-up roller 25 may be arranged on the same circumference where the guide roller 20 is arranged. In this case, it is necessary to provide an adhesion prevention member to prevent sputtering metal from adhering to the elongated sample 19 wound around the delivery roller 24 and the take-up roller 25.

(4) The metal constituting the target 14 is not particularly limited, and all metals (including alloys) that can be sputtered can be used. That is,
Single metals include gold, silver, aluminum, tin, zinc, titanium, nickel, copper, cobalt,
Chromium, etc., and alloys such as Hastelloy, Permalloy, and stainless steel are suitable in terms of corrosion resistance and color. The metal or alloy is selected depending on the purpose, color tone, cost, etc.

(5) Oxygen gas cylinder 3 in the apparatus of the above embodiment
It is also possible to attach a metal nitride film to the surface of the elongated sample 19 instead of the metal oxide film by connecting a nitrogen gas cylinder instead of the metal oxide film. Furthermore, an inert gas such as xenon may be used instead of argon gas.

(6) In addition to the above, instead of forming the sputtering device main body 1 from the base 2 and the casing 3 placed on the top surface thereof, it may include a bottomed casing and a lid body that airtightly covers the upper opening of the casing. It is also possible to arbitrarily change the shape, structure, etc. of each part without departing from the spirit of the present invention, such as by adopting a configuration in which the guide roller 20 is also actively driven.

Effects of the Invention As detailed above, according to the present invention, a long sample is moved to surround a cylindrical target, and sputtering metal scattered radially from the target is attached to the surface of the long sample. Therefore, the area to which the sputtering metal adheres becomes wider, and the winding speed of the long sample, that is, the sputtering processing speed can be increased. In addition, sputtering pressure can be reduced by using a cylindrical target.
Since the temperature can be lowered to as low as 10 ^-4 Torr, it is possible to prevent the color tone of the metal film formed on the surface of a long sample from darkening. Furthermore, it is possible to reliably prevent sputtering metal from adhering to the surface of the guide roller that guides the long sample and heating the guide roller, thereby preventing contamination of the sample or heating of the guide roller due to adhesion of sputtering metal to the guide roller. This has the excellent effect of reliably avoiding the accompanying adverse effects on the sample.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 4 show an embodiment embodying the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a plan sectional view, FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway front view, and FIG. 3 is an A-- A-line sectional view, Figure 4 is a partial perspective view showing the rack part, Figure 5 is a partial perspective view showing the rack part.
Figures a to d are plan cross-sectional views showing modified examples of support columns as adhesion-preventing members, and Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a conventional sputtering processing apparatus. Sputtering device body…1, casing…
3. Target...14, Anode...18, Long sample...
19, Guide roller...20, Support as anti-stick member...22, Water cooling pipe...23, Delivery roller...24,
Take-up roller...25.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 Guide roller 20 that guides a long sample 19 such as cloth or film around the cylindrical target 14
are arranged in large numbers on a circumference centered on the cylindrical target 14 so that the moving path of the elongated sample 19 is substantially circumferential surrounding the cylindrical target 14, and the guide roller 20 and the An anti-adhesive member 22 having a width equal to or larger than the diameter of the guide roller 20 is disposed close to the target 14 at a position facing each guide roller 20, and this anti-adhesive member 22 is provided with water cooling piping for cooling. A sputtering device characterized by being equipped with 23.