JPH10158837A - Substrate transporting device for inline sputtering system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve yield and productivity for a film forming process by eliminating abnormal discharge traces induced by movement of charges by contact of substrate transporting devices with each other with an inline sputtering system. SOLUTION: The transporting trucks 1 on which substrates 2 are set are passed one after another into a plasma discharge region 12. The transporting truces 1 are provided with insulators 4 projected in contact with the adjacent transporting trucks 1 in proximity to each other at least either before or after the transporting direction A. Even if the adjacent transporting trucks 1 in proximity to each other come into contact with each other, the insulators 4 disposed on the back plates 5 of the transporting trucks 1 existing on the front side are interposed between the transporting tricks 1 existing in the discharge region 12 and the transporting trucks 1 existing on the front side of the transporting direction in contact with each other and the transfer of the charges does not arise between both.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a substrate transfer device used for a vacuum film forming apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An in-line sputtering apparatus is used for forming a pixel electrode of a liquid crystal display. First, a method is used in which a film is formed on the entire surface of a substrate by an inline sputtering apparatus, and a predetermined patterning is performed on the substrate in a next photolithography step to form a pixel electrode.

An in-line sputtering apparatus is a kind of vacuum film forming method for forming a film while passing a carrier carrying a substrate through a discharge region of gas plasma. When a film is formed by a direct-current sputtering method, a configuration may be employed in which an intermediate electrode maintained at a positive potential is arranged between a target and a substrate for the purpose of reducing ion bombardment. .

FIGS. 4 and 5 show an in-line sputtering apparatus having such an intermediate electrode. The transport trolley 1 has a back plate 5 arranged in parallel to the transport direction [arrow A direction], and a holder 3 for attaching the substrate 2 to the back plate 5.

[0005] The holder 3 and the back plate 5 are conductors, and both are insulated by an insulating insulator or the like. Further, the carriage 1 is transported along a track by a driving device such as a motor in the transport direction [arrow A
Direction] It is configured to run by itself and pass through the discharge region 12.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, in a space maintained in a vacuum state, a discharge device including a sputtering target 9, a target backing plate, and a magnetic circuit 10 for stabilizing discharge is supplied by a DC power supply 11. A large negative voltage is applied to the sputtering target 9. 8 is an earth shield. The intermediate electrode 6 for the purpose of reducing ion bombardment during discharge is maintained at a positive potential by a DC power supply 7, and the intermediate electrode 6 is arranged between the sputtering target 9 and the substrate 2.

[0007] A glow discharge is generated between the sputtering target 9 to which the large negative voltage is applied and the intermediate electrode 6 maintained at a positive potential, and a discharge region 12 of gas plasma is generated.

When the carrier 1 passes through the discharge area 12,
The target material sputtered by ions of an inert gas such as argon is used as the sputtering target 9.
And a thin film is formed on the substrate 2.

At this time, if the sputtered target material is neutral, the target material adheres to the surface of the substrate 2 as it is. When the target material is positively ionized, the intermediate electrode 6 becomes a so-called grid electrode called a triode vacuum tube, and the positively ionized target material is accelerated and physically and chemically activated on the substrate 2. Adhere to.

Further, negative ions such as electrons generated in the discharge region 12 of the gas plasma and negatively ionized gas are captured by the intermediate electrode 6 maintained at a positive potential. Therefore, negative ions such as electrons and negatively ionized gas do not collide with the thin film on the substrate 2 on which the neutral or positive ion target material is deposited, and do not cause ion bombardment. A good quality thin film can be obtained.

[0011]

During the film formation on the surface of the substrate 2 while the carrier 1 passes through the discharge region 12, the substrate 2 is kept at a certain potential by positive ions and negative ions in the discharge region. Charges. Since the holder 3 and the back plate 5 are conductors, the holder 3 and the back plate 5 are in a state of being given a predetermined potential by the electric charge in the discharge region.

In such a sputtering apparatus, in order to increase the output and improve the utilization efficiency of the target material, the plasma gas and the like, the distance L between the transport vehicles 1 passing through the discharge region is kept as small as possible. It is efficient to move and convey continuously.

However, the distance L between the transport vehicles 1 is
If the distances are too close, there is a possibility that adjacent transport vehicles 1 may come into contact with each other during transport, as shown in FIG. 6, due to margins and variations in the stability of the performance of the transport drive device.

When the transport vehicles 1 come into contact with each other during transport,
A predetermined potential cannot be obtained between the holder 3 and the back plate 5 of the carrier 1 on which the substrate 2 on which the film is being formed is set in the discharge region 12. In addition, since there is a difference in potential between the transport vehicle 1 passing through the discharge region 12 and the adjacent transport vehicle 1 in contact therewith, the two transport vehicles move from one transport vehicle 1 to the other transport vehicle when they come into contact with each other. This causes rapid charge transfer.

As a result, abnormal discharge marks are formed on the formed thin film, which leads to a decrease in yield and productivity as a film forming process. It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide a substrate transfer apparatus capable of obtaining a good film formation even when contact between transfer carriages having different potentials occurs.

[0016]

The present invention is characterized in that an insulator is provided on a part of the transfer device. According to the present invention, good film formation can be obtained even if contact between transport vehicles having different potentials occurs, film formation without generation of abnormal discharge traces can be realized, and yield and productivity as a film formation process can be improved. Can be improved.

[0017]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.
In an in-line sputtering apparatus in which a carrier truck on which a substrate is set passes one after another through a discharge region of gas plasma and a film is formed on the surface of the substrate, an adjacent carrier close to at least one of the front and rear in the carrying direction is provided on the carrier. An insulator that comes into contact with the carriage is provided so as to protrude.

According to this configuration, even if contact occurs between the charged transport vehicles, the contact comes into contact via the insulator, and abrupt transfer of charge from one transport vehicle to the other transport vehicle occurs. Does not occur. Therefore, even if the charged transport vehicles come into contact with each other, no abnormal discharge marks are formed on the formed thin film, and the yield and productivity of the film forming process can be improved.

Specifically, at least one of the back plate and the holder of the transport vehicle is provided with a protruding insulator that contacts an adjacent transport vehicle. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

4 and 5 showing the conventional example will be described with the same reference numerals. (Embodiment 1) FIGS. 1 and 2 show (Embodiment 1).

In the carrier 1, an insulator 4 is provided so as to protrude from a back plate 5 arranged in parallel with the carrier direction. The size of the substrate 2 used for the liquid crystal display is 360 m
The substrate 2 is set to a back plate 5 by a holder 3. Note that the insulator 4 is formed on the rear side in the transport direction of the transport vehicle 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, the transport carriage 1 having such a structure is continuously passed so as to pass through the discharge region 12, so that even if adjacent transport carriages 1 come into contact with each other during film formation. The insulator 4 provided on the back plate 5 of the transport vehicle 1 on the front side is interposed between the transport vehicle 1 in the discharge region 12 and the transport vehicle 1 on the front side in the transport direction. ,
No charge transfer occurs between the two.

An insulator provided on the back plate 5 of the transport vehicle 1 in the discharge region 12 is provided between the transport vehicle 1 in the discharge region 12 and the transport vehicle 1 on the rear side in the transport direction. 4 are in contact with each other, and no charge transfer occurs between them.

Accordingly, since there is no transfer of electric charge between the contacted carriages, abnormal discharge marks are not generated on the thin film formed on the surface of the substrate 2, the yield of the film forming process is improved, and the productivity is improved. Can be improved.

It should be noted that the insulator 4 is provided on the back plate 5 in the conveying direction.
The same effect can be expected even if the insulator 4 is provided in front of the back plate 5 in the transport direction, or the insulator 4 is provided before and after the back plate 5 in the transport direction. .

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 3 shows (Embodiment 2)
Is shown. In this (Embodiment 2), the holder 4 of the transport vehicle 1 is provided with an insulator 4 on the rear side in the transport direction. Also in this case, the same effect as in the first embodiment can be expected because the insulator 4 is interposed between the adjacent carriages 1.

Although the insulator 4 is provided on the rear side of the holder 3 with respect to the transport direction, the insulator 4 may be provided on the front side of the holder 3 with respect to the transport direction. The same effect can be expected even if the insulator 4 is provided in the first embodiment.

In each of the above embodiments, the insulator 4 is provided on either the back plate 5 or the holder 3.
The same effect can be expected by providing both the and the holder 3.

[0029]

As described above, according to the substrate transfer apparatus of the present invention, the transfer carriage is provided with at least one of the front and rear insulators in contact with an adjacent transfer carriage in a protruding direction. Even if a situation occurs in which a transport vehicle that is passing through the area comes into contact with an adjacent transport vehicle, the insulator will be interposed between them, and there will be no transfer of charge between the contacted transport vehicles. And a good thin film without abnormal discharge traces can be obtained. Therefore, the yield of the film forming process is improved, and the productivity can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a carrier according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of an in-line sputtering apparatus using the carrier according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a carrier according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a conventional carriage.

FIG. 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of an in-line sputtering apparatus using a conventional carrier.

FIG. 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional view showing a state in which adjacent transport vehicles are in contact with each other.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Transport cart 2 Substrate 3 Holder 4 Insulator 5 Back plate 12 Discharge area

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An in-line sputtering apparatus in which a carrier on which a substrate is set is successively passed through a discharge region of gas plasma to form a film on the surface of the substrate. A substrate transfer device of an in-line sputtering device provided with a protruding insulator provided in contact with an adjacent transfer carriage. 2. The transfer vehicle has a back plate disposed parallel to the transfer direction, and a holder for holding a substrate attached to the back plate, and at least one of the back plate and the holder. 2. The substrate transfer device for an in-line sputtering device according to claim 1, wherein an insulator that abuts on an adjacent transfer carriage is protruded.