JPS63464A - Vacuum forming device for thin film - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the quality deterioration of a thin film formed on a work by forming a vacuum vessel of a vacuum forming device for thin films into a specific construction to prevent the intrusion of harmful moisture and gas into the vessel at the time of an exchanging, etc., of the work in the vessel. CONSTITUTION:The body 11a of the vacuum vessel 11 of the vacuum forming device for thin films by a vapor deposition, sputtering, or ion plating method is so constructed that said body can be largely opened and closed by a large door 12. A frame part 13a projecting outward is provided to the large door 12 and further, a slender small window 13 and small door 14 are installed thereto. An evaporating source 6 and a mechanism for supporting the work are provided in the vacuum vessel 11. A device 17 for replenishing an evaporating material is disposed in the evaporating source 6. The exchange operation can be carried out through the small window 13 without the need for opening the large door 12 to exchange the work if such device is used. The replenishment of the evaporating material can be made while the large door 12 is held closed. To use the small window/3, an inert gas is ejected from many small holes 16a of the pipe 16 provided to the inside wall of the body 11a to maintain the pressure in the vessel under the atmospheric pressure or above. The deterioration of the vapor deposited film by the oxygen and moisture contained in the air to be intruded into the vessel 11 is thereby prevented.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] This invention provides an evaporation source and a workpiece that are disposed at a distance in a vacuum container, and the evaporation material from the evaporation source is attached to the workpiece. The present invention relates to a vacuum thin film forming apparatus for evaporation, sputtering, ion blating, etc., which forms thin films by evaporation or sputtering.

[Conventional technology]

Such a conventional batch type vacuum thin film forming apparatus includes a vacuum chamber 1 having a door 2 hinged to a main body 1a, as schematically shown in FIG.
It consists of an evacuation device 5 using a diffusion pump 3, a rotary pump 4, etc. to evacuate the inside thereof.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6 with s2 open, inside the vacuum container 1 there is an evaporation source 6 such as a crucible for evaporating the evaporation material, and above the evaporation source 6, although not shown. It is equipped with a mechanism to support a large number of workpieces.

Each time the workpieces are replaced, the inside of the vacuum container 1 is returned to atmospheric pressure and the door 2 is opened as shown in FIG. ” This door 2 is generally installed at the maximum vertical cross section of the vacuum container 1 so that not only the workpiece can be replaced, but also the evaporation source 6 can be replenished with evaporation material and the inside of the empty container 1 can be maintained. It is large and close to the size.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the conventional vacuum thin film forming apparatus as described in (2), after forming a thin film on a workpiece in the vacuum vessel 1 as described above, a new workpiece is inserted. Since the large door 2 is opened each time a replacement operation is performed, internal structures such as the inner wall of the vacuum container 1, the evaporation source S, and the workpiece support mechanism are directly exposed to the air in the work chamber.

As a result, moisture in the air is adsorbed by the evaporated substances deposited on these inner walls and internal structures, making it a gas that is difficult to exhaust during the first vacuum evacuation.Not only does the evacuation time take longer, but the gas is also absorbed during film formation. However, there is a problem in that it is gradually released and intercalates as an impurity in the coating, which particularly adversely affects the properties of the coating.

Especially when forming a TiN coating for decoration.

Sometimes the color turned dark.

Therefore, as a way to break the vacuum in the vacuum container and bring it to atmospheric pressure when replacing workpieces, there is a method of increasing the pressure while introducing an inert gas such as nitrogen gas into the vacuum container.
When the door was open, most of the air was replaced with the air inside the room, so it was not very effective.

This invention solves these problems, prevents harmful moisture and gas from entering the vacuum container, increases exhaust efficiency, and reduces impurities in the film coated on the workpiece. purpose.

[Means for solving problems]

Therefore, the vacuum thin film forming apparatus according to the present invention is.

A large door that opens and closes almost the entire vacuum container is equipped with a small window for changing workpieces and a small door that opens and closes this small window. This system is equipped with a gas outlet and an evaporation material replenishing device for replenishing the evaporation source with evaporation material.

[For production]

The vacuum thin film forming apparatus configured in this way does not require opening the large door when replacing workpieces, and instead introduces inert gas or dry air from the gas outlet to raise the pressure inside the vacuum container higher than atmospheric pressure. After that, you can open only the small door and do it from the small window.

In addition, the evaporation material is replenished to the evaporation source without opening the large door, using an evaporation material replenishment device provided inside the vacuum container.

Therefore, the air in the work chamber is prevented from flowing into the vacuum container, and the 9th evacuation can be performed in a short time.
Noxious gases are released during subsequent thin film formation and do not adversely affect film properties.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

1 and 2 are perspective views showing the outline of the external appearance of one embodiment of the present invention and only its vacuum container with the large door opened, and the same parts as in FIGS. 5 and 6 are the same. A code is attached.

The vacuum container 11 of this vacuum thin film forming apparatus also has a large door 12 that is hinged to the main body 11a for opening and closing substantially the entire body, and the large door 12 has a frame portion 1B that protrudes outward. ,
An elongated /Ii window 13 parallel to the upper end surface and a small door 14 for opening and closing this small window 13 are provided.

This tJNm14 is hinged to one end of the frame 13a, and when the small window 13 is closed, it is hermetically fixed to the frame 13a by a locking means (not shown) via a sealing member such as a gasket.

Inside this vacuum container 11, an evaporation source 6, a workpiece support mechanism (not shown), etc. are arranged as in the conventional example described above, and inert gas (for example, nitrogen: N2) flows in from a gas supply pipe 15. Or multiple air outlets I that blow out dry air.
A pipe 16 having Eia is connected to the main body 11. An evaporation material replenishing device 17 for replenishing evaporation material to the evaporation source 6 is disposed below the large door 12 along the inner wall of the evaporation source 6 .

As this evaporative material replenishing device 17, for example, a vibrating parts feeder having a spiral guide is used.

When using this vacuum thin film forming apparatus, there is no need to open the large door 12 when replacing workpieces, and by opening only the small door 14, the workpieces can be taken in and out through the small window 13. .

At this time, a large number of outlets 16 of the pipe 16. If an inert gas or dry air is blown into the vacuum container 11 from the vacuum container 11 to make the internal pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure in the work chamber, the air in one work chamber will hardly flow into the vacuum container 11.

Replenishment of evaporation material to the evaporation source 6 can also be carried out automatically using the evaporation material replenishing device 17 with the large door 12 closed, or by remote control from the outside.

Next, an example of a mechanism for supporting a workpiece within the vacuum vessel 11 and an embodiment of an ion blating apparatus according to the present invention using the mechanism will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the main parts of the workpiece support mechanism 20, in which rollers 30 are attached at intervals to connecting pins 22 of a chain 21 stretched endlessly around a pair of sprockets, which will be described later. It is pivoted on.

A notched groove 30b is provided in a boss portion 30a formed on the opposite side of the roller 30 from the chain 21, and a clip 31 made of a plate spring is fixed thereto.

A support shaft 32 is detachably inserted into this clip 31 so that it rotates integrally with the roller 30, and a plurality of workpiece fixtures 33 are fixed to this support shaft 32 at intervals. are doing.

The workpiece fixture 33 includes a cylindrical base 33a that is fitted into the support shaft 32, and a cylindrical base 33a that extends radially from the base 33a.
Book rod? S3b and a locking piece 33 formed by a substantially triangular plate spring fixed to the tip of each rod 35b.
c, and each locking piece 33c holds the workpiece 4.
0 is supported by point contact (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-33350).

FIG. 4 is a sectional view schematically showing the arrangement inside the vacuum chamber of the ion blating apparatus according to the present invention using this workpiece support mechanism 20, and the portions corresponding to FIGS. 1 to 3 are shown. are given the same reference numerals, and their explanation will be omitted.

This ion blating apparatus has the above-mentioned workpiece support mechanism 20 disposed above the evaporation source 6 in the vacuum container 11, and the workpiece support mechanism 20 is spaced apart in the direction where the difference in the amount of evaporation of the evaporation material 7 is likely to occur. A pair of sprockets 23 and 24 are provided rotatably by shafts 23a and 24a, respectively, and a chain 21 is endlessly stretched around the sprockets 23 and 24, and a large number of sprockets are connected using the connecting pin 22 (FIG. 3). The rollers 30 are each rotatably supported.

Guide rails 25 and 26 are fixedly installed below the upper and lower running parts of the chain 21 over a predetermined area so as to roll the rollers 30 into contact with each other.

Therefore, the sprocket 2 is driven by a drive source (not shown).
3. When 24 is rotated in the direction of arrow A.

The upper running part of the chain 21 runs in the direction of arrow B, and the lower running part runs in the direction of arrow C, and each roller 30 moves in the same direction as the chain 21, while moving on the guide rail 25.
6 and rotate as shown by the arrow.

As a result, each support shaft 32 and the workpiece mount 33 shown in FIG. 3 also move and rotate together with the roller 30.

As the evaporation source 6, an electron beam evaporation source (EB gun) is used in this example, and an electron beam is emitted from a heater 6a heated by an evaporation source power source 43, and is deflected by a magnet (not shown) and grounded. The evaporation material 7 on the crucible 6b is irradiated, heated and evaporated.

On the other hand, from the high-voltage DC power supply 44, the sprocket 23. Chain 21. Roller 30° support shaft 32.
A high voltage having a polarity opposite to the ionization polarity of the evaporated particles of the evaporation material 7 is applied to each workpiece 40 (FIG. 3) via the workpiece support 33.

Further, above the workpiece support mechanism 20, a heater 45 is provided for heating the workpiece to activate its surface and promote attachment of evaporated particles.

Although not shown, an ionization electrode may be provided between the evaporation source 6 and the workpiece support mechanism 20 as needed to promote ionization of the evaporated particles of the evaporation material 7.

Next, an experimental example in which a titanium nitride film was formed on a watch case using such an ion blating device will be described.

As shown in FIG. 3, the support shaft 32 to which a watch case is attached as the workpiece 40 is attached to the workpiece fixture 33 of the workpiece support mechanism 20, as shown in FIG. From A13, a predetermined number of watch cases to be installed between each roller 30 in the vacuum container 11 to form a coating were charged.

After the inside of the vacuum container 11 is evacuated to I x 10-' Torr by the exhaust device 5 shown in FIG.
While b is heated by an electron beam and titanium is evaporated, a voltage is applied to each watch case via the workpiece support mechanism 20 by the high-voltage DC power supply 44, and a reactant gas is introduced into the vacuum container 11 from a gas outlet (not shown). By adjusting the amount of nitrogen (N2) gas supplied as titanium nitride (Ti),
N) Set the ion blating conditions to form a film,
The treatment was carried out for 30 minutes.

Note that the outlet 16a of the inert gas blowing pipe may also be used as the reactant gas outlet.

After that, after a cooling process of 15 minutes, the pipe 16
Air outlet 16. Blow out nitrogen gas from the vacuum container 11
After making the inside pressure slightly higher than atmospheric pressure.

The flow rate of nitrogen gas supplied to this pipe per day was adjusted to an appropriate amount.

In this state, open only the small door 14 and remove the workpiece mount 33 to which the watch case with the titanium nitride coating is attached from the roller 30 together with the support shaft 32 through the small window 13. Then, the support shaft 32 with a new watch case attached was attached to the roller 30, and the workpiece was replaced.

- At this time, the pressure inside the vacuum container 11 was slightly higher than the atmospheric pressure inside the work chamber, so a small amount of nitrogen gas was blowing out from the small window 13.

After replacing the workpiece (watch case), stop blowing out the nitrogen gas, close the small door 14, and open the evaporator replenishing device (
The parts feeder) 17 was remotely operated from the outside to replenish the crucible 6a of the evaporation source 6 with the evaporation material (titanium) 7, and an evacuation process for the next ion blating was immediately started.

As a result of performing the ion blating operation one time in this way, the evacuation time (time until the pressure and force inside the vacuum container reach I×10''''' Torr) in each evacuation process was shorter than that of the conventional device. As can be seen from this table, the evacuation time is significantly reduced when using the ion blating device according to the invention.

Figure 7 shows the ion blating time and the composition of the film formed using the conventional device.
) A diagram showing the relationship with the intensity ratio analyzed by the method, FIG. 8 is a similar diagram when using the apparatus according to the present invention,
As is clear from this figure, it was confirmed that when the apparatus according to the present invention was used, the amount of oxygen, which was an impurity in the film, was significantly reduced.

Therefore, the titanium nitride film formed on the surface of the workpiece did not darken at all.

Although the present invention has been specifically described as being applied to an ion blating apparatus, it is not limited thereto, and may be applied to other batch-type vacuum thin film forming apparatuses that form a film on a workpiece in a vacuum container, such as Similar effects can be obtained when applied to vacuum evaporation equipment, sputtering equipment, etc.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, if the vacuum thin film forming apparatus according to the present invention is used, after one thin film forming process is completed,
The pressure inside the vacuum container is increased, and workpieces can be exchanged through the small window by opening only the small door while keeping the large door closed. During this operation, the inside of the vacuum container is free from moisture in the work room. Exposure to laden atmosphere is avoided.

Therefore, the next pumping time is significantly shortened, and
In the subsequent thin film forming step, there is no problem of impurities such as oxygen intervening in the formed film and deteriorating film characteristics.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing the external appearance of an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing only the vacuum container with the large door open, and Fig. 3 is a detailed view of the workpiece support mechanism. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the arrangement inside a vacuum container in an ion blating device to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the external appearance of a conventional vacuum thin film forming device. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing only the vacuum container with the door open. FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are diagrams showing the relationship between the ion blating time and the intensity ratio of the composition of the formed film analyzed by Auger method when using the conventional device and the device according to the present invention, respectively. . 5... Exhaust device 6... Evaporation source 7... Evaporation material 11... Vacuum container 12... Large door 13.
...Small window 14...Small door 16...Vibe 16a
... Inert gas outlet 17 ... Evaporation material replenishment device 20 ... Workpiece support mechanism 40 ... Workpiece Fig. 1 Evaporation source Evaporation material replenishment device Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Figure 6

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A vacuum thin film forming apparatus in which an evaporation source and a workpiece are arranged at a distance in a vacuum container, and a thin film is formed by attaching evaporated material from the evaporation source to the workpiece. A large door that opens and closes substantially the entire vacuum container is provided with a small window for changing the workpiece and a small door that opens and closes the small window, and an inert gas is provided inside the vacuum container. Alternatively, a vacuum thin film forming apparatus characterized in that a gas outlet for blowing out dry air and an evaporation material replenishment device for replenishing the evaporation source with evaporation material are arranged.