JPS59162273A - Continuous producing device for thin film - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a titled device which reduces electric consumption during the formation of a thin film by the constitution in which a sputtering device prior to starting of sputtering is evacuated down to a prescribed pressure with an evacuating system having a large capacity and thereafter sputtering is performed while the inside thereof is evacuated with an evacuating system having a small capacity. CONSTITUTION:The pressure in a vacuum vessel 1 is evacuated down to order of about 10<-7>Torr by a vacuum pump 10 having a large capacity prior to starting of sputtering in a continuous producing device for a thin film provided with a delivery roll 2 for transferring a base body 7, a take-up roll 3, guide rolls 4, 4' and a can 5, etc. in the vessel 1. A variable leak valve 11 is then adjusted to introduce gaseous Ar from a cylinder 12 into the vessel 1 down to about 10<-3> Torr pressure. A valve 8 is thereafter closed, the pump 10 is stopped, a valve 13 is opened and while the pressure of the Ar in the vessel 1 is maintained under about 10<-2>Torr by evacuating the inside thereof with a vacuum pump 14 having a small capacity, a target 6 is connected to a high frequency power source, etc. and continuous sputtering is performed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a continuous thin film manufacturing apparatus that continuously forms thin films on a long substrate, and in particular, its purpose is to reduce the consumption of exhaust systems during thin film formation. do.

Generally, when forming a thin film on a long substrate using a sputtering apparatus, sputtering must be performed for a long time, during which time the sputtering chamber must be continuously evacuated. Also, before starting sputtering, the sputtering chamber must be evacuated to the required ultimate pressure as soon as possible.

Since it is necessary to quickly exhaust the gas adhering to the walls of the chamber and the gas adhering to the substrate, a large-capacity exhaust system is required. However, when performing sputtering, it is necessary to maintain the alco gas at a constant pressure, so a variable orifice, etc. is placed between the exhaust system and the suction or ivy chamber to limit the exhaust speed. is common. However, it is clear that it is not economical to use a suction pipe for a long time while operating a large-capacity exhaust system using a variable orifice, as the depletion force of the exhaust system becomes large. It is not ingenious from the point of view of energy saving either.

The present invention has been made in view of this point.

A detailed explanation will be given below using one drawing.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a conventional continuous thin film manufacturing apparatus.

In the figure, 1 is a vacuum container, 2 is a delivery roll that winds up the substrate 7, 3 is a take-up roll that winds up the substrate 7 on which a thin film has been formed, 4 and 4' are guide rolls, 5 is a can, and 6 is a target. be. Vacuum container 1.

Prior to sputtering, a vacuum pump 10 evacuates the pulp to a pressure of about 10-7 Tor'r via the pulp 8 and a variable orifice 9 for adjusting the evacuation speed.

During the exhaust process, the variable orifice 9 is fully opened.

It goes without saying that conditions should be maintained to obtain the maximum pumping speed. Next, adjust the variable leak pulp 11.

Argon gas 'jl' in the alcon gas cylinder 12
Material A is introduced into the container 1, and the argon gas pressure in the vacuum container 1 is maintained at ]×10 to −I×10 Torr. Next, adjust the variable orifice 9 to adjust the alcohol gas pressure in the vacuum container 1 to 5 x 10 to I x 10 T.
orr to an appropriate value, supply high-frequency switching or DC power to the target 7 6 from a power supply (not shown), perform glow emission between the coupe 6 and the inner wall of the vacuum container 1, and then set the target. Make the atoms of 6 pop out.

Atoms are attached to the substrate 7 moving in the can 5 to form an auxiliary film completely continuously on the surface of the substrate 7.

In such a continuous thin film manufacturing apparatus, generally a vacuum vessel 1
A large one is used, and the inner wall area of the empty container A is large, and gas emission is large, and there is also gas emission from the base.
In order to perform the evacuation process in a short time before starting the suction, the vacuum pump 10 needs to have a large capacity.

When performing suction using such a vacuum pump,
In order to maintain the argon gas pressure within the vacuum vessel 1 at an appropriate value, the exhaust speed is limited by adjusting the variable orifice. In this state, when 74 films are continuously formed on a long substrate.

Sputtering time is long (7 holes due to long sputtering time) 0
10 consumption formula power increases, product cost increases.

It would also go against the recent trends in energy conservation.

The invention was not made in view of this point.

FIG. 2 shows five schematic diagrams of the continuous thin film manufacturing apparatus of the present invention.

It goes without saying that in FIG. 2, parts with the same numbers as in FIG. 1 are the same items or have the same functions. In the continuous thin film manufacturing apparatus shown in FIG. 2, a vacuum vessel 1 is
After fully exhausting all the gas inside, argon gas is introduced into the vacuum container 1 using the variable leak pulp 11 for introducing argon gas to a pressure of 1 x 10 to I x 10 Torr,
Thereafter, the pulp 8 is closed and the power supplied to the large capacity vacuum pump 10 is cut off. Subsequently, by opening the pulp 13 between the small-capacity vacuum pump 14 and the vacuum container 1, which had been started in advance, and evacuating, the alcohol gas in the vacuum container 1 is quickly brought to an appropriate pressure. In addition, since the vacuum pump 014 only needs to have a small capacity, power consumption can be reduced.

If we express everything explained above in concrete numerical values, is it 1+? Z
50μ as a base in a soldier container 1 with a total volume of
When a polyester film having a speed of 100 m is wound around the feed roll 2 to continuously form a thin film,
Use a vacuum pump 10 with an evacuation speed of 6000 liters/min, and evacuate for about 5 hours to reduce the pressure inside the vacuum container 1 to 1.
0 Set to one Torl. After that, open the valve 1-1 to introduce argon gas to a pressure of 10-3 Torr, close the pulp 8, open the valve 13, and increase the exhaust speed to 6.
The vacuum chamber 1 was evacuated by a vacuum pump 14 at a rate of 0.001 J Torr/min, and the argon gas pressure in the vacuum chamber 1 was maintained at f1O-2 Torr to perform sputtering. At this time, it took 10 hours to form a thin film on the entire surface of the 100 m long substrate. Furthermore, when an oil diffusion pump is used as the vacuum pump, the power required for the vacuum pump 10 is approximately 4.1<AI'H, the power required for the vacuum pump 14 is 600 WH, and the power required for the vacuum pump 14 is approximately 4.1<AI'H.
According to the invention for a sputtering time of hours (4000
-600)X10=34. ．． You can save electricity by 0001■.

Moreover, no deterioration was observed in the properties of the thin film created.Before spucking, vacuum pump 10 and vacuum pump 0 were used.
14, and when the pressure inside the vacuum container 1 reaches a predetermined value, the evacuation by the vacuum pump 10 is stopped and the valve 8 is also closed. , If the vacuum pump 14 is used for evacuation, Suba,
It is possible to shorten the evacuation time before refueling.

As described above, according to the present invention, power consumption is slightly reduced.

It can be seen that this is useful for reducing product costs. Furthermore, in a large continuous thin film manufacturing apparatus having a plurality of sputtering chambers, the effect is remarkable.

Its industrial value is enormous.

The present invention has been described above using one embodiment.

The gist of the present invention (d) is not limited thereto.

Naturally, various modifications of the vacuum container and the substrate feeding mechanism can be considered.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a mechanical diagram of a conventional continuous thin film manufacturing apparatus, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the continuous thin film manufacturing apparatus of the present invention. In the figure, 1: vacuum container, 2. Feed roll, 3: Take-up roll, 4, 4' Ni guide roll, 5° can, 6: Turquoise throat, 7 Two bases, 8.13: Valve, 9
: variable orifice, 10, 14 : vacuum pump, 1
1. Variable leak pulp, 12゛ argon gas cylinder.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1) A sputtering apparatus for completely continuously forming thin films on a long substrate, which is equipped with a large-capacity first exhaust system and a small-capacity second exhaust system, and is equipped with at least the above-mentioned first exhaust system before sputtering. Exhaust is performed by the exhaust system, and when the exhaust reaches a predetermined pressure, the valve of the first exhaust system is closed and the first exhaust system is stopped, and sputtering is performed while continuing exhaust through the second exhaust system. A continuous thin film manufacturing device characterized by: