JPH10204624A - Material supply device for vacuum film forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the temp. change of the front surface of powder or granular materials for vapor deposition during film formation so as to stabilize a film-forming rate and to improve the operating efficiency of a vacuum film forming apparatus by continuously supplying the materials for vapor deposition by a screw/transportation system from the through-hole disposed below a hearth at the time of supplying the materials for vapor deposition to the apparatus. SOLUTION: The hearth 2 of the film forming apparatus disposed in a vacuum vessel 1 is provided with the through-hole 2a at its center and a first cylindrical body 5 extending downward is connected thereto. A second cylindrical body 9 extending horizontal is disposed in the supply port for the materials for vapor deposition formed in mid-way in the axial direction of this first cylindrical body 5 and is connected to a storage hopper 12 for the materials on the outside of the vacuum vessel 1. The apparatus mechanism has first and second screws 6, 10 which are driven by respective first and second rotational driving mechanisms 7, 11 and transport the materials supplied to the hearth 2 from the storage hopper for the materials within the first and second cylindrical bodies 5, 9. The material supply device is usable for both of an ion plating apparatus and vacuum vapor deposition apparatus.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a material supply device of a vacuum film forming apparatus for forming a film on a substrate by heating and evaporating a powdery or granular vapor deposition material. The present invention relates to a material supply device of a vacuum film forming apparatus that can supply the material.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a vacuum deposition apparatus and an ion plating apparatus are known as vacuum film forming apparatuses. In such a vacuum film forming apparatus, heat is applied to a vapor deposition material arranged on a hearth to evaporate it, thereby forming a film on a substrate. As a heating source of the evaporation material, an induction heating device, an electron gun, and a plasma gun are known.

As a heating source of the ion plating apparatus, for example, a pressure gradient plasma source or H
CD plasma sources or RF devices are known. In such an ion plating apparatus having a plasma beam generator (plasma source), a plasma beam is generated between a hearth (anode) placed in a vacuum vessel and the plasma beam generator, and the The evaporation material placed thereon is heated and evaporated. Then, the evaporated metal particles from the vapor deposition material are excited and ionized by the plasma beam, and the particles adhere to the substrate surface to form a film on the substrate.

In such an ion plating apparatus, when performing ion plating continuously, it is necessary to continuously supply a deposition material to the hearth. As a material continuous supply apparatus of such an ion plating apparatus, for example, an apparatus in which a hopper is provided in a vacuum vessel and a granular deposition material is supplied to the hopper from above a hearth via a chute is known.

In such an apparatus, a vapor deposition material on a hearth is supplied with a vapor deposition material at a temperature lower than the temperature of the vapor deposition material.
This had an adverse effect on the deposition rate. In some cases, when a large amount of vapor deposition material is supplied onto the hearth, the temperature of the vapor deposition material on the hearth is greatly reduced, and the deposition is often interrupted once.

An apparatus for supplying a columnar vapor deposition material from below the hearth, which is not a powdery or granular vapor deposition material, is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application No. 6-270972.

Referring to FIG. 3, this device will be briefly described. The ion plating apparatus includes an airtight vacuum vessel 21. A plasma beam generator (for example, a pressure gradient plasma gun) 22 is attached to the vacuum vessel 21 via a guide portion 21a. A steering coil 23 for guiding a plasma beam is disposed outside the guide portion 21a. The plasma beam generator 22 includes a first intermediate electrode 2 for converging the plasma beam.
The fourth and second intermediate electrodes 25 are arranged concentrically. The first intermediate electrode 24 has a magnetic pole axis of the plasma beam generator 22.
A permanent magnet 24a is built in so as to be parallel to the central axis of the second intermediate electrode 25, and a coil 25a is built in the second intermediate electrode 25.

The plasma beam generator 22 is provided with an insulating tube (for example, a glass tube) 26 connected to a passage defined by the first and second intermediate electrodes 24 and 25. The Mo cylinder 26a is arranged. Then, a Ta pipe 26b is arranged in the Mo cylinder 26a. Space defined by Mo tube 26a and Ta pipe 26b is isolated by the LaB ₆ made of an annular plate 26c. One ends of the insulating tube 26, the Mo cylinder 26a, and the Ta pipe 26b are attached to the conductor plate 26d.
Carrier gas inlet 2 formed in conductor plate portion 26d
A carrier gas is introduced from 6e, and the carrier gas passes through the Ta pipe 26b.

A substrate 27 as an object to be processed is disposed in a vacuum vessel 21 and supported by a transfer device 28, and a DC power supply for negative bias is connected to the substrate 27. A hearth (anode) 29 is arranged on the bottom surface of the vacuum vessel 21 so as to face the substrate 27.

The negative end of the variable power supply 40 is connected to the conductor plate portion 26d, and the positive end is connected to the first and second intermediate electrodes 24 and 25 via resistors R1 and R2, respectively. On the other hand, an ammeter 41 is connected to the hearth 29, and the ammeter 41 includes a variable power supply 40 and a resistor R.
1 and R2. Further, the ammeter 41 is grounded via the resistors R3 and R4, and
It is connected to the. A voltmeter 4 is connected in parallel with the resistor R3.
2 (the resistor R3 is used as a standard resistor for voltage measurement and has a resistance of 1 M ohm or more).

Further, in the vicinity of the substrate 27, the substrate 2
A support plate member 43 is disposed outside the support 7, and a film thickness gauge 44 is disposed on the support plate member 43. In addition, a gas inlet 21b for introducing a carrier gas such as Ar gas is formed on a side wall of the vacuum vessel 21 and an exhaust port 21c for exhausting the inside of the vacuum vessel 21 is formed.

In the above-described ion plating apparatus, when a carrier gas is introduced from the carrier gas inlet 26e, a discharge starts between the first intermediate electrode 24 and the Mo cylinder 26a. As a result, a plasma beam 45 is generated. This plasma beam 45 is applied to the steering coil 23
And guided by the permanent magnet 31c in the magnet case 31,
It reaches the hearth 29 and the magnet case 31 used as an anode.

When a plasma beam is applied to the hearth 29, the columnar deposition material 39 that has penetrated the hearth 29 and has reached the upper surface of the hearth 29 is Joule-heated and evaporated.
These evaporated metal particles are excited by the plasma beam 45,
It is ionized and adheres to the surface of the substrate 27 to form a film on the substrate 27.

The vapor deposition material 39 is mounted on a push-up bar 35 serving as a support for the push-up bar 3.
5 is driven vertically by a drive mechanism 36 in the figure. The drive mechanism 36 includes an ammeter 41,
It is controlled based on the measurement results of the voltmeter 42 and the film thickness meter 44 and other predetermined film forming conditions, so that the distance between the voltmeter 42 and the plasma beam generator 22 becomes constant even when the amount of the deposition material 39 decreases. I have to. As a result, a film is formed on the substrate 27 with a uniform thickness. A detailed description of such a control operation is omitted here.

[0015]

However, in the above-mentioned ion plating apparatus, the vapor deposition material is columnar, so that powdery or granular vapor deposition material cannot be continuously supplied.

An object of the present invention is to provide a material supply device of a vacuum film forming apparatus capable of supplying a powdery or granular vapor deposition material from below a hearth.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a material supply apparatus for a vacuum film forming apparatus capable of replenishing a vapor deposition material without stopping the operation of the apparatus.

[0018]

According to the present invention, there is provided a heating source, and a hearth disposed in a vacuum vessel, wherein the heating source evaporates a vapor deposition material stored in the hearth.
In a vacuum film forming apparatus for forming a film on the substrate by adhering the evaporated substance to the surface of the substrate, a through-hole extending vertically is formed in the hearth, and the through-hole is connected to the through-hole. A supply unit having a first cylindrical body extending downward and supplying a powdery or granular vapor deposition material into the through-hole, the supply unit comprising: the first cylindrical body;
A first screw mechanism disposed in the first cylindrical body, a first rotary drive mechanism for driving the first screw mechanism, and a deposition material supply port formed in the first cylindrical body And a material supply device for a vacuum film forming apparatus.

It is preferable that a replenishing means is connected to the deposition material supply port of the first cylindrical body.

The replenishing means includes: a second cylindrical body connected to a deposition material supply port of the first cylindrical body; a second screw mechanism disposed in the second cylindrical body; It comprises a second rotary drive mechanism for driving the second screw mechanism, and a hopper connected to the second cylindrical body and filled with the powdery or granular vapor deposition material.

The replenishing means includes a second cylindrical body having one end connected to the vapor deposition material supply port of the first cylindrical body and the other end disposed obliquely above the second cylindrical body. And a hopper connected to a cylindrical body and filled with the powdery or granular vapor deposition material.

[0022] A part of the second cylindrical body and the hopper are disposed outside the vacuum vessel.

[0023]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Here, an example applied to the ion plating apparatus of FIG. 3 will be described.
First, the structure of the hearth 2 arranged in the vacuum vessel 1 and its peripheral portion will be described. The hearth 2 has a substantially cylindrical shape, and its upper surface is concave. At the center of the hearth 2, a through hole 2a extending in the vertical direction in the figure is formed. A passage 2b is formed in the hearth 2, and the passage 2b is connected to a cooling water circulation pipe (not shown).

On the outer periphery of the hearth 2, as shown, a magnet case 3 for constituting an auxiliary anode is arranged.
The magnet case 3 includes a hollow ring-shaped upper case 3a, a donut-shaped lower case 3b, and an annular permanent magnet 3c and an annular coil 3d arranged between the upper case 3a and the lower case 3b. The permanent magnet 3c is vertically magnetized in the figure. In the illustrated example, the upper side has the N pole, and the lower side has the S pole.
It is a pole. A pipe 3e for circulating cooling water is connected to a hollow portion of the upper case 3a. This pipe 3e
Are drawn out of the vacuum vessel 1 and connected to a cooling water circulation means (not shown).

The magnet case 3 is supported on a support 2c of the hearth 2 via an insulating plate 3f. And the support 2
c is supported on the bottom surface of the vacuum vessel 1 by the support member 2d.

The present embodiment is characterized in that the above-mentioned hearth 2 is provided with a means capable of continuously supplying a powdery or granular (hereinafter referred to as granular) vapor deposition material. This means includes a supply mechanism 4 having a first cylindrical body 5 connected to the through hole 2a and extending below the first cylindrical body 5 and supplying a granular vapor deposition material into the through hole 2a; The supply mechanism 4 has a second cylindrical body 9 connected to a vapor deposition material supply port formed in the middle of 5 and a replenishing mechanism 8 for replenishing the granular deposition material to the supply mechanism 4.

The supply mechanism 4 includes a first screw 6 disposed in the first cylindrical body 5 and a first rotation drive mechanism 7 for driving the first screw 6. The lower part of the first cylindrical body 5 is sealed to the vacuum vessel 11 and connected to the hole 1 a of the vacuum vessel 1, and the first rotation drive mechanism 7 is provided outside the vacuum vessel 1. In addition, the first cylindrical body 5 has a hearth 2
The side is connected via an insulator 5a, and the insulator 5b is interposed between the vacuum vessel 1 and the vacuum vessel 1.

On the other hand, the replenishing mechanism 8 includes a second screw 10 disposed in a second tubular body 9 extending horizontally, and a second rotation driving mechanism 1 for driving the second screw 10.
1 and a hopper 12 connected to the rear end of the second cylindrical body 9 and filled with a granular vapor deposition material. The middle of the second tubular body 9 is sealed in the vacuum vessel 1, and a part of the second tubular body 9 is led out of the vacuum vessel 1 through the hole 1 b of the vacuum vessel 1, The rotation drive mechanism 11 and the hopper 12 are provided outside the vacuum vessel 1. The second tubular body 9 is also connected to the first tubular body 5 via an insulator 9a, so that the insulator 9b is interposed between the second tubular body 9 and the vacuum vessel 1. Note that the hopper 12 is provided with a lid member 12a so as to be able to be sealed and evacuated by an exhaust pump 13.

Also, depending on the evaporation material, even if a small amount of air enters the vacuum vessel 1, there is a case where there is no problem in film formation.
In such a case, the exhaust pump may be omitted. This is because the second cylindrical body 9 is filled with the granular vapor deposition material by being compressed, so that even if there is air in the hopper 12, it hardly enters the vacuum vessel 1.

Further, since the vapor deposition material has relatively large grains,
If the confidentiality is poor even though the cylinder 9 is full of compression, a vacuum gate valve 14 may be provided between the hopper 12 and the second cylinder 9. The closing operation of the vacuum gate valve 14 is performed when the evaporation material in the hopper 12 runs out.
Then, the deposition material is replenished into the hopper 12. In this way, the deposition material can be continuously supplied into the hopper 12.

Further, if the hopper is manufactured in a size that can accommodate the vapor deposition material only for the continuous time of the film formation, the vacuum gate valve 14 becomes unnecessary.

In the replenishing mechanism 8, the second rotary drive mechanism 11 is driven intermittently or continuously to feed the granular deposition material in the hopper 12 upward from below the first cylindrical body 5. This makes it possible to perform a stable film forming operation with a small change in the temperature of the upper end portion of the deposition material. In the supply mechanism 4, the first rotation drive mechanism 7 is controlled by the control device described above (described with reference to FIG. 3), and control is performed such that the upper end of the granular deposition material in the hopper 12 is always constant. Will be Preferably, the hopper 12 is provided with a device for detecting the level of a granular vapor deposition material or a device for generating an alarm at a certain level or less.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the configuration of the replenishing mechanism 8 'is simplified. Therefore, the same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted. In this embodiment, the replenishing mechanism 8 ′ is configured such that a second cylindrical body 9 ′ connected in the middle of the first cylindrical body 5 extends obliquely upward, and the middle is sealed in the vacuum vessel 1, A part of the cylindrical body 9 ′ passes through the hole 1 b ′ of the vacuum vessel 1 and is led out of the vacuum vessel 1. Then, the second cylindrical body 9 outside the vacuum vessel 1
′ Is connected to a hopper 12 filled with a granular evaporation material. Since the second cylindrical body 9 'is slanted, the granular vapor deposition material becomes the first by the gravitational action.
Slides down into the cylindrical body 5 of FIG. Therefore, the screw and its rotation drive mechanism in the first embodiment are unnecessary. Also in this example, it is preferable to provide the hopper 12 with an exhaust pump 13, a granular vapor deposition material level detection device, or a device that generates an alarm at a certain level or less. The control of the first rotation drive mechanism 7 is the same as in the first embodiment.

In each embodiment, the lower portion of the first screw 6 and the rotary drive mechanism 7 and the hopper 1
2. Although a part of the second cylindrical bodies 9 and 9 'and the second rotation drive mechanism are provided outside the vacuum vessel 1, they may be provided inside the vacuum vessel 1. However, the examples of the respective embodiments described above are the best.

When the deposition material is a conductive material, the first and second screws 6 and 10 are made of an insulating material,
Or, the first and second screws 6, 10 and the first and second screws
It is necessary to connect the rotary drive mechanisms 7 and 11 via an insulating material.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the present invention is applied to an ion plating apparatus has been described, but a vacuum evaporation apparatus may be used. Further, although the description has been given of the example of the plasma beam generator as the heating source, an electron gun may be used, or an induction heating device may be provided in the hearth.

[0037]

As described above, according to the present invention, a granular vapor deposition material can be supplied from below the hearth, and the vapor deposition material can be supplied from below the hearth to achieve a stable formation. Membrane work can be performed. In addition, since the replenishment of the vapor deposition material into the vacuum vessel can be performed without stopping the operation of the apparatus, the operation of the apparatus is stopped every time the vapor deposition material is replenished as in the related art, and the vacuum vessel is opened to the atmosphere. In addition, there is no need to perform an evacuation operation, and the operation efficiency can be greatly improved.

Further, in the case where the second screw mechanism is provided in the second cylindrical body of the replenishing means, even if the evaporation material has a poor flowability, it can be reliably fed into the supply means and the airtightness can be improved. With a good evaporation material, there is no need to evacuate the hopper with a vacuum pump.

In addition, even for a vapor-deposited material having poor airtightness, if a vacuum gate valve is provided between the hopper and the second cylindrical body and a vacuum pump provided on the hopper is used, the operation of the apparatus can be improved. Can be continuously supplied to the hopper without stopping the operation.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a structure of an ion plating apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2, 29 Hearth 3, 31 Magnet case 3f, 5a, 5b, 9a, 9b Insulator 4 Supply mechanism 5 First cylindrical body 6 First screw 7 First rotation drive mechanism 8 Replenishment mechanism 9 Second cylinder Form 10 Second screw 11 Second rotation drive mechanism 12 Hopper 13 Exhaust pump 39 Evaporation material

Claims (5)

[Claims] A heating source; and a hearth disposed in a vacuum vessel, wherein the heating source evaporates a vapor deposition material stored in the hearth, and attaches the evaporated substance to a surface of the substrate. In the vacuum film forming apparatus for forming a film on the substrate, a through-hole extending vertically is formed in the hearth, and a first cylindrical body connected to the through-hole and extending downward therefrom is provided. Supply means for supplying a powdery or granular vapor deposition material into the through-hole, the supply means comprising: the first cylindrical body; and a first cylindrical member disposed in the first cylindrical body. A first screw drive mechanism, a first rotary drive mechanism for driving the first screw mechanism, and a deposition material supply port formed in the first cylindrical body. Material supply equipment for membrane equipment. 2. The material supply device according to claim 1, wherein
A material supply device for a vacuum film forming apparatus, wherein a replenishing means is connected to a deposition material supply port of the first cylindrical body. 3. The material supply device according to claim 2, wherein
The replenishing means includes: a second cylindrical body connected to the deposition material supply port of the first cylindrical body; a second screw mechanism disposed in the second cylindrical body; A second rotary drive mechanism for driving the screw mechanism, and a hopper connected to the second cylindrical body and filled with the powdery or granular deposition material. Material supply equipment for membrane equipment. 4. The material supply device according to claim 2, wherein
The replenishing means has one end connected to the deposition material supply port of the first cylindrical body, and the other end connected to the second cylindrical body disposed obliquely upward and the second cylindrical body. And a hopper filled with the powdery or granular vapor deposition material. 5. A material supply apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a part of said second cylindrical body and said hopper are disposed outside a vacuum vessel. Equipment material supply device.