JPH04214857A - Vacuum film forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To offer a vacuum film apparatus suitable for simultaneously vapor- depositing plural vapor depositing materials with different vapor depositing conditions and forming a film. CONSTITUTION:This apparatus is provided with a container 6 in which the outside of a vacuum film forming container 1 incorporated with depositing sources 2 and 3 (i.e., the conventional vacuum film forming apparatus) is provided with a container 6 incorporated with the other vapor depositing material of a simple substance, and the inside of the container 6 and the inside of the above vacuum film forming container 1 are connected by a vapor introducing pipeline 7. Furthermore, in this constitution, the vapor introducing pipeline 7 may be provided with a heater 11.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vacuum film forming apparatus suitable for simultaneously depositing a plurality of vapor deposition materials under different vapor deposition conditions.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this type of vacuum film forming apparatus includes a vacuum film forming container 1, a plurality of evaporation sources 2, 3, a substrate holder 4, and a substrate heater 5, as shown in FIG. It has a built-in exhaust valve 9 and a vacuum pump 10. Although not shown, each of the vapor deposition sources 2 and 3 is composed of a vapor deposition material, a crucible, and a heater (hereinafter, the term "evaporation source" refers to one having such a structure).

The vacuum film forming apparatus configured as described above creates a vacuum in the vacuum film forming container 1 using an exhaust valve 9 and a vacuum pump 10, and then independently controls each vapor deposition source 2, 3 to remove each vapor deposition material. A so-called MSD method is adopted in which the vapors are evaporated and deposited onto a substrate fixed to the substrate holder 4 to form a film.

0004

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] When a plurality of evaporation materials are used to simultaneously evaporate and form a film, according to the conventional vacuum film forming apparatus described above, when the evaporation conditions for each evaporation material are approximately the same, Although it is possible to form a film without any problem, it becomes difficult to form a film when the vapor deposition conditions of each vapor deposition material are significantly different.

For example, ZnS:M, which is a light emitting layer of an EL device,
n, CaS:Eu, SrS:Ce, or CdS/InP, CdS, and P, which are photosensors, solar cells, and TFTs.
bS, GaP which is the light emitting layer of LED or InP which is the radiation detector element, Hgx Cd1-x Te or Na
This is a case where a thin film of CsI or CuI, which is a photocathode material, is formed.

The vapor deposition conditions for these vapor deposition materials S, P, Hg, I, etc. are as follows:
, Ce, Cd, Pb, Ga, In, Te, Na, etc., it is difficult to simultaneously deposit these.

For example, when forming a sulfide thin film, S may be substituted with other vapor deposition materials Zn, Mn, Ca, Eu, Sr, Ce, Cd.
, Pb has a lower adhesion probability to the substrate, and therefore it is necessary to evaporate a larger amount of S than other evaporation materials. Additionally, S has a higher vapor pressure than other vapor deposition materials.

[0008] When such S is placed in a crucible of a conventional vacuum film deposition apparatus together with other vapor deposition materials and attempted to form a film, first of all, the amount of evaporation is large, so the liquid level of the molten sulfur in the crucible changes greatly. Because of this, the amount of evaporation becomes inconsistent. In addition, since the frequency of replenishing materials to the crucible increases, the inside of the vacuum film forming container 1 is exposed to the atmosphere each time the crucible is replenished. This causes a decrease in production efficiency due to maintenance.

Furthermore, since S has a high vapor pressure, it evaporates at a relatively low temperature (below 300 degrees Celsius), but since the evaporation sources of other evaporation materials are at high temperatures, the evaporation of S is affected by this heat. There is also the disadvantage that the amount changes, which reduces reproducibility.

[0010] In view of the problems of the prior art described above, the present invention
It is an object of the present invention to provide a vacuum film forming apparatus capable of simultaneously vapor depositing a plurality of vapor deposition materials having different vapor deposition conditions to form a film.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, a vacuum film forming apparatus according to the present invention has the following features as shown in FIG.
A vacuum film-forming container 1 (i.e., a conventional vacuum film-forming apparatus, the same shall apply hereinafter) that contains vapor deposition sources 2 and 3 is provided with a container 6 containing another single vapor deposition material, and the inside of this container 6 and the vacuum A configuration was adopted in which the inside of the film forming container 1 was connected through a steam introduction pipe 7.

Furthermore, in this configuration, the steam introduction pipe 7 may be provided with a heater 11, as shown in FIG.

0012

[Operation] According to the structure of the first invention, among a plurality of vapor deposition materials having different vapor deposition conditions, especially different vapor deposition materials (for example, S
, P, Hg, I, etc.) are contained in the external container 6 and controlled. Steam from this container 6 is introduced into the vacuum film forming container 1 (that is, into the conventional vacuum film forming apparatus) via the steam introduction pipe 7.

According to the configuration of the second invention, the steam introduction pipe 7
By heating the steam introduction pipe 7 with the heater 11 provided in the steam introduction pipe 7, it is possible to prevent the steam from condensing inside the steam introduction pipe 7.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. Items of the embodiment of the first invention will be listed for each figure.

FIG. 1 shows a vacuum film forming apparatus in which a container 6 is separately disposed outside the vacuum film forming container 1 of a conventional vacuum film forming apparatus, and a linear steam introduction pipe 7 is connected from the top of the container 6 to the vacuum film forming apparatus. container 1
The configuration is such that it is installed inside. Although the "evaporation source" was previously defined as having a configuration including a heater, the heater 8 in this figure is specifically shown as being externally connected to the container 6 (the same applies to the following figures). Further, since the configuration of the conventional vacuum film forming apparatus 1 has already been explained with reference to FIG. 7, the explanation thereof will be omitted (the same applies hereafter).

FIG. 2 shows an example in which the container 6 is installed on the side of a conventional vacuum film forming apparatus, and the steam introduction pipe 7 is also bent into an appropriate shape.

[0017] Naturally, other applications to the conventional vacuum film forming apparatus are also possible. For example, the deposition sources 2, 3 may be an electron beam evaporator 12 (FIG. 3), a sputtering device (FIG. 5), or another vacuum deposition device.

FIG. 5 shows a recessed portion in the lower part of the container 6, and a heater 8 is placed inside the recessed portion.

FIG. 6 shows an example in which a valve 14 is provided in the middle of the steam introduction pipe 7 in the configuration of the embodiment shown in FIG. If the temperature of the heater 8 itself is controlled, there is no need for such a valve 14, but if this valve 14 is provided, the present invention can be used more effectively. Although not shown, a vacuum gauge is provided in the vacuum film forming chamber 1, and based on the detected pressure, the heating control of the heater 8 and the valve 14 are performed.
Opening/closing control will be performed.

The second invention is described in all the figures. That is, in FIGS. 1 to 6, each steam introduction pipe 7 is additionally provided with a heater 11. This heater 11 may not be provided, but in actual work, it is more effective to add it in order to prevent the steam from condensing in the steam introduction pipe 7. Furthermore, due to this effect, the piping can be extended longer, and the space of the device can be appropriately arranged.

[0021] The effects of the above embodiments will be shown below with experimental results. The experiment was conducted using a sulfide thin film (
A film of ZnS:Mn, which is the light emitting layer of a thin film EL element, is formed. After a transparent electrode and an insulating layer are deposited on a glass substrate, this glass substrate is attached to a substrate holder 4 in a vacuum film-forming container 1. Vapor deposition source 2 contains Zn, vapor deposition source 3 contains Mn.
are respectively filled as vapor deposition materials, and the external container 6 is filled with S.
filled with.

Driving the vacuum pump 10, the vacuum film forming container 1
The air inside and outside the container 6 is exhausted. Next, evaporation source 2,
3 and the vapor deposition source in the container 6 are heated while controlling each independently, Zn and Mn vapors are generated in the vacuum film forming container 1, and S vapor is generated in the other container 6. The steam S is introduced into the vacuum film forming container 1 through the steam introduction pipe 7. The vapors Zn, Mn, and S in the vacuum film forming container 1 are chemically bonded on the glass substrate to form a light emitting layer ZnS:Mn.

[0023] In such an experiment, a thin film can be formed with better reproducibility than in the past, and the control itself is easy.
Moreover, the number of times S is replenished is now reduced (in the above experiment, it was 1/8 of the conventional amount).

[0024]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the vacuum film forming apparatus of the first invention, a container for a vapor deposition source and a connecting steam introduction pipe are additionally provided outside the conventional vacuum film forming apparatus. Therefore, the vapor deposition material in the external container can be independently controlled without being influenced by the vacuum film forming apparatus. Therefore, even if a plurality of evaporation materials under different evaporation conditions are simultaneously formed into a composite film, a predetermined thin film can be produced with good reproducibility and economically.

According to the vacuum film forming apparatus of the second invention, clogging in the steam introduction pipe can be prevented. Therefore, it becomes possible to extend the piping length, and it also becomes possible to arrange the space of the entire device as appropriate.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a vacuum film forming apparatus that is a first embodiment of the first and second inventions.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a vacuum film forming apparatus which is a second embodiment of the first and second inventions.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another example of a conventional vacuum film forming apparatus to which the first and second inventions can be applied.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another example of a conventional vacuum film forming apparatus to which the first and second inventions can be applied.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of a vacuum film forming apparatus according to a third embodiment of the first and second inventions.

FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram of a vacuum film forming apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the first and second inventions.

FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram of an example of a conventional vacuum film forming apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Vacuum deposition container 6 External container 7 Steam introduction piping 11 Heater

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A vacuum film-forming container 1 containing a vapor deposition source is provided with a container 6 containing another single vapor-deposition material outside the vacuum film-forming container 1, and a vapor introduction pipe 7 connects the inside of this container 6 and the vacuum film-forming container 1. A vacuum film forming apparatus characterized by a configuration connected by. 2. The vacuum film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the steam introduction pipe 7 is equipped with a heater 11.