JPS6123011Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] This invention accommodates multiple pairs of electrodes supporting the substrate and opposing electrodes in the reaction chamber, supplies reaction gas into the reaction chamber from a common gas source, and applies voltage between each pair of electrodes. The present invention relates to a mass-production type thin film manufacturing apparatus that generates a glow discharge to decompose a reactive gas to produce, for example, a thin film of amorphous silicon for use in solar cells on a substrate.

As such a mass-produced vapor phase growth apparatus, for example, the structure shown in FIG. 1 can be considered. That is, a large number of pairs of electrodes 2 and 3 are accommodated in the reaction chamber 1 . The electrode 2 has a built-in heater and can heat the substrate 4 attached thereon. The reaction chamber 1 is evacuated through the exhaust port 5, a reaction gas such as SiH ₄ is introduced at low pressure through the inlet 6, and a high frequency power source 7 or a DC power source 8 is connected between the electrodes 2 and 3 to apply a voltage. and generates a glow discharge. As a result, an amorphous silicon film can be formed on the substrate 4. but,
In this device, the reaction gas flowing in from the inlet 6 has a complicated flow within the reaction chamber, so each substrate 4
The thin film does not grow uniformly on the surface.

In response to this problem, the present invention aims to provide a mass-produced thin film manufacturing apparatus that can produce uniform thin films on a large number of substrates.

The purpose of this is to divide the reaction chamber into a number of chambers of equal size and shape, house a counter electrode in a corresponding position within each chamber, and enable each chamber to be evacuated. This is achieved by connecting via channels with equal resistance.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 2, parts common to those in FIG. 1 are given the same reference numerals. The reaction chamber 1 is divided by an insulating partition wall 11, and a large number of small chambers 12 having the same size are formed. A pair of electrodes 2 and 3 to which a voltage can be applied by a high frequency power source 7 or a DC power source 8, respectively, are similarly arranged in each small chamber 12. The reaction gas is supplied to each chamber 12 via a supply pipe 9 and a branch pipe 10 from a gas source, such as a cylinder. The diameter of the branch pipe 10 is selected depending on its length, etc., so that the resistance to the gas flow until it enters the inlet 6 of each small chamber 12 is approximately equal. After evacuating each small chamber simultaneously by a vacuum system 21 connected to the exhaust port 5 on the other side of each small chamber 12 via an exhaust pipe 20, a reaction gas is introduced from the inlet 6, and a voltage is applied between the electrodes 2 and 3. is applied to generate a glow discharge, and a thin film is generated on the substrate 4 attached to the electrode 2. Since the dimensions of each small chamber, the electrode arrangement within the chamber, and the flow path resistance of the aiki system are the same, a thin film is generated on the substrate 4 of each small chamber 12 under the same conditions. Therefore, it is possible to simultaneously produce thin films of uniform thickness and quality on the substrates of a large number of small chambers.

The electrodes of the thin film manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention may be arranged vertically facing each other with the electrodes and the substrate surface being horizontal, or left and right facing arrangement with the electrodes and the substrate surface being vertical. The latter method is difficult to attach to the electrodes on the board, but
It is advantageous in that the floor area of the reaction tank is small, and the reaction by-products that adhere to the walls of the reaction tank do not adhere to the substrate surface when they peel off and fall, so there are no defects in the produced thin film. . Furthermore, this effect is great if the reactant gas is introduced from above and exhausted from below as shown in FIG.

As described above, the present invention divides the reaction tank into a number of small chambers and allows the plasma CVD reaction to proceed under the same conditions in each chamber, thereby producing thin films of the same quality on a large number of substrates. In particular, it can be used extremely effectively for mass production of amorphous silicon films for solar cells.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a layout diagram of a conventional example of a mass-produced thin film manufacturing apparatus, and FIG. 2 is a layout diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. 1... Reaction chamber, 2, 3... Electrode, 4... Substrate,
5... Exhaust port, 6... Inlet port, 7... High frequency power source, 8... DC power source, 9... Supply pipe, 10... Branch pipe, 12... Small chamber.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A voltage is applied between a number of electrodes housed in the reaction chamber to generate a glow discharge, decompose the reaction gas supplied into the reaction chamber, and generate the components of the reaction gas as a thin film on the substrate supported by the electrodes. In this method, the reaction chamber is divided into a number of small chambers having the same size and shape, and a counter electrode is housed in a corresponding position in each small chamber, and each small chamber can be evacuated.
A mass production type thin film manufacturing apparatus characterized in that the apparatus is connected to a common reactant gas source through a flow path having approximately the same resistance.