KR100375078B1 - Depositing Method And Apparatus having a Substrate Transfer Mechanism with a Large Size Electro Luminousness Semiconductor - Google Patents

Abstract

A deposition processing apparatus and method having a substrate transport mechanism of a large area organic semiconductor substrate are disclosed. According to the present invention, there is provided a deposition processing apparatus having a substrate transport mechanism, comprising: a plurality of organic material deposition chambers for processing an EL material through a substrate loading chamber and a plasma processing chamber; A substrate transport chamber for transporting a substrate into the plurality of organic material deposition chambers; A substrate transport mechanism having a transport rail mounted to a substrate transport chamber for transporting a substrate to be deposited through a door connected to the organic material deposition chamber; A metal deposition chamber for forming a film of a conductive film which becomes a cathode of the EL element by deposition; And a control device for moving the substrate transport mechanism and having a control command for closing or opening the door connected to the organic material deposition chamber and the metal deposition chamber, thereby depositing the substrate transport mechanism and the organic material according to the control command of the control device. The chamber and the metal deposition chamber are characterized in that they operate independently.

Description

Depositioning apparatus and method having a substrate transport mechanism of a large area organic semiconductor substrate {Depositing Method And Apparatus having a Substrate Transfer Mechanism with a Large Size Electro Luminousness Semiconductor}

The present invention relates to a method and a device for transporting a substrate. More specifically, the present invention relates to a large area substrate having an EL element made of self-luminous organic material (hereinafter referred to as an organic EL material) by a small robot under vacuum. The present invention relates to a deposition processing apparatus and method having a substrate transport mechanism for a large area substrate to be transported in a linear form.

At present, the manufacturing technology of the organic semiconductor material is rapidly developing, but the equipment technology corresponding to the manufacturing of the organic semiconductor is less than the manufacturing technology of the organic material, which is an obstacle to the commercialization of displays using the organic semiconductor.

As an example, European Patent Application Publication No. EP 1113 087 A2 (04.07) relating to a film forming apparatus and a film forming method by Yamazaki Shunpei of SEL SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LDD. .2001). The organic semiconductor manufacturing equipment is a device using a cluster-type robot, the carrying room to form a thin film having a constant film thickness distribution with a high throughput; Export room; And a deposition chamber, wherein the carrying-in chamber, the carrying-out chamber, and the deposition chamber are connected in series, and configured to move the deposition source in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the deposition source and the deposition source having a longitudinal direction to the deposition chamber. And an electromagnet formed on the instrument and on top of the instrument.

However, this European patent application publication EP 1113 087 A2 has problems in commercializing the display because it does not consider the processability of the processable substrate, process time and process yield, which are essential requirements of organic semiconductor equipment for the commercialization of display products. Is pointed out.

The present invention is directed to a large area substrate having an EL element composed of organic EL materials under vacuum to cope with such a large area substrate and to shorten the process execution time while forming a film thin film having a constant film thickness distribution at a high throughput. It is to provide an apparatus and method for transporting a large area substrate to be transported in a linear form by a small robot.

1 is a view schematically illustrating a vapor deposition organic semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view schematically illustrating the substrate transport mechanism of FIG. 1; FIG.

3 is a view showing the structure of a substrate transport mechanism for a deposition process;

Figure 4 is a flow showing a film forming method according to the present invention,

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

8 substrate 10 substrate loading chamber

12: plasma treatment chamber

14,14 ', 14 ", 14' '': 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th conveying chamber

14a, 14b, 14c and 14d: Pump for conveying chamber

16: Substrate Unloading Chamber

22,24,26: first, second and third organic deposition chambers

22b, 24b, 26b: exhaust pump for first, second and third organic vapor deposition chambers

23a, 24a, 26a, and 30a: the doors of the first, second, third and fourth

30: metal deposition chamber for forming metal film

200: substrate transport mechanism 250: substrate transport chamber

According to the present invention for achieving the above object, in the deposition processing apparatus having a substrate transport mechanism,

A plurality of organic material deposition chambers for processing an EL material through a substrate loading chamber and a plasma processing chamber;

A substrate transport chamber for transporting a substrate into the plurality of organic material deposition chambers;

A substrate transport mechanism having a transport rail mounted to a substrate transport chamber for transporting a substrate to be deposited through a door connected to the organic material deposition chamber;

A metal deposition chamber for forming a film of a conductive film which becomes a cathode of the EL element by deposition;

And a control device for moving the substrate transport mechanism and having a control command for closing or opening the door connected to the organic material deposition chamber and the metal deposition chamber, thereby depositing the substrate transport mechanism and the organic material according to the control command of the control device. The chamber and the metal deposition chamber are characterized in that they operate independently.

In addition, the deposition processing apparatus having the substrate transport mechanism according to the present invention is composed of a substrate loading chamber, a substrate transport chamber, a substrate unloading chamber, and a deposition chamber in a vacuum state. The substrate loading chamber is equipped with a batch of substrates in the form of a cassette, and the substrate of the cassette is transported with a first substrate from the substrate loading chamber to the substrate transport chamber.

The substrate transport chamber carries a plurality of substrates, and the first substrate is placed on the substrate transport roller, and the roller is rotated to be positioned at the organic deposition chamber. The first substrate also causes the cylinder to push up to place the substrate on the substrate hold. The substrate placed on the substrate holder is transported to the organic deposition chamber by operating a linear motion guide.

The first substrate transported from the substrate transport chamber into the deposition chamber is placed on the substrate hold in the chamber and then the LM guide is moved to its original position. Then, one second substrate is loaded again in the substrate loading chamber. Then, the deposited first substrate is returned to a predetermined position in the transport chamber, and then the rollers of the substrate transport chamber are operated so that the two first and second substrates are positioned at the positions of the first organic deposition chamber and the second organic deposition chamber. .

In this case, two first and second substrates are simultaneously loaded into positions of the first organic deposition chamber and the second organic deposition chamber. This process is continuously operated to move to the unloading chamber.

In other words, when the substrate is moved to the position of the first chamber in the first loading arrangement, the loading of the substrate of the loading arrangement is started and the first loading arrangement substrate is moved to the position of the second chamber and the second loading arrangement substrate is Going to the position of the first chamber, the third loading batch substrate is loaded. Its process occurs repeatedly. Subsequently, the processed substrate is continuously moved to the unloading chamber.

<Embodiment>

1,2 and 3 are cross-sectional views of the deposition processing apparatus provided with the substrate transport apparatus of the present invention. Note that the common sign is used for the common area. Moreover, the example which formed the EL film by the film is shown by embodiment.

Hereinafter, the thin film forming apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1,2 and 3.

1 and 2, reference numeral 8 denotes a substrate, 10 denotes a substrate loading chamber for installing the substrate 8, 12 denotes a plasma processing chamber, and 14, 14 ', 14 ", 14' &quot; , 3 and 4 conveying chambers, 14a, 14b, 14c and 14d are pumps for conveying chambers 14, 14 ', 14 "and 14' '', 16 are substrate unloading chambers and 22, 24 and 26 are EL, respectively. The first, second and third organic material deposition chambers 22b, 24b and 26b for treating the surface of the device's anode or cathode (anode in this embodiment) are the first, second and third organic material deposition chambers 22, respectively. , 24, 26 are exhaust pumps 23a, 24a, 26a, and 30a are doors connected to the first, second and third organic vapor deposition chambers 22, 24 and 26, and 30 is a metal film of organic EL material by deposition. Referred to as a metal deposition chamber for formation. Further, reference numeral 200 denotes a substrate transport mechanism for transporting the substrate into the first organic deposition chamber 22, and reference numeral 250 denotes a substrate transport chamber for transporting the substrate 8 to be deposited.

First, referring to FIG. 1, in the deposition process, the organic semiconductor manufacturing apparatus operates separately from each other without the substrate transfer mechanism 200 and the deposition processing chambers 22, 24, and 26 in a vacuum form. Optionally, the two substrate transfer mechanisms 200 and the deposition processing chambers 22, 24, and 26 may operate simultaneously to move the organic semiconductor. This will be described in detail.

On the substrate loading chamber 10 of FIG. 1, the substrate transport mechanism 200 is a plasma processing chamber 12.

And into the organic vapor deposition chambers 22, 24 and 26.

Here, the loading chamber 10 is connected to the organic material deposition chamber 22 through the door 23a. The loading chamber 10 is also connected for injecting high purity nitrogen gas or noble gas. The substrate 8 is also placed in the substrate holder 206 (see FIG. 3) so that the film faces upward. This is because when the film is subsequently formed by evaporation, the substrate transport mechanism 200 and the organic material deposition chambers 22, 24, and 26 are not together but operate separately under vacuum, so that impurities (pollutants) or Adhesion of the same can be prevented.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating the transport of the substrate 8 of FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 2, the substrate 8 being conveyed is transferred from the substrate loading chamber 10 via the plasma processing chamber 12 by the substrate transport mechanism 200 on the substrate loading chamber 10 by an arrow L. Indicates to move as shown.

At this time, the door 23a is closed and the door 23b is opened by the control device, not shown, of the first organic material deposition chamber 22.

On the other hand, the substrate transport mechanism 200 is conveyed by the operation of the transport rail 210 mounted on the substrate transport chamber 250 for transporting the substrate 8 to be deposited.

Next, the organic material deposition chamber 24 is the conveying chamber through the corresponding door (24b)

Connected to 14, the organic material deposition chamber 24 follows the manufacturing process of the EL material.

Next, by the operation of the transport rail 210, the same EL material quality manufacturing process is followed in the organic substance deposition chamber 26 as well. Subsequently, the organic matter deposition chamber 26 passes through the transfer chamber 14 after the fabrication process is finished through the corresponding door 26c, and then the metal deposition chamber.

30 is connected.

The organic material deposition chambers 22, 24, and 26 may be changed in various ways depending on the fabrication process of the EL material, respectively. This type of pretreatment is effective when treating the anode surface of EL material.

In addition, in the portion where the film is to be formed in the metal deposition chamber 30, the hole injection layer and the electron transport layer are first applied on the entire surface of the substrate 8, at which time the red light emitting layer R is formed, and then green The light emitting layer G and the blue light emitting layer B are formed, and finally, the electron transport layer is formed. Other known materials may be used as the hole injection layer, the red light emitting layer, the green light emitting layer, the blue light emitting layer, and the electron transport layer.

The organic material deposition chambers 22, 24, and 26 have a structure that can be converted according to the organic material type of the film forming deposition source. That is, deposition source conversion is performed by the conveyance mechanism 200 in many deposition sources. Therefore, the deposition source is changed when changing the organic EL material for film formation.

Next, the metal deposition chamber 30 forms a film of a conductive film (the metal film is used as the cathode in Example 1), which becomes an anode or a cathode of the EL element by vapor deposition. The metal deposition chamber 30 is connected to the transfer chamber 16 through the door 30a. In a predetermined film forming portion of the metal deposition chamber 30, an Al-Li alloy film (alloy film of aluminum and lithium) is applied to the conductive film serving as the cathode of the EL element. The conductive film may be co-deposited with aluminum and an element of group 1 or 2 of the periodic table. Co-deposition refers to a deposition method in which cells are simultaneously heated and other materials are combined in a film forming step.

Next, the substrate completely sealed in the metal deposition chamber 30 is conveyed to a delivery chamber (not shown). The delivery chamber can also be connected to an exhaust pump to reduce the pressure. The delivery chamber is a mechanism used so that the metal deposition chamber 30 is not directly exposed to the atmosphere, and the substrate comes out of it.

Accordingly, since the processing is completed through the fact that the EL element is completely sealed in the sealed space without being exposed to the atmosphere, an EL display device of high reliability can be manufactured using the film forming apparatus shown in FIG.

3 is an enlarged perspective view of the substrate transport mechanism 200 of FIG. 1 according to the present invention.

First, a substrate holder 206 for a carrier on which the substrate 8 is placed is arranged in the first conveying chamber 14. The substrate 8 to be conveyed is placed on the substrate holder 206 and conveyed as indicated by the arrow M. FIG. The operation of the rails 202a, 204a, and 206a is carried into the first organic substance deposition chamber 22.

In Fig. 3, the conveying mechanism 200 is provided with respective first, second, third and fourth conveying chambers 14, 14 ', 14 ".

14 '' 'and loading and conveying of the substrate 8 takes place. Each conveying chamber 14,

14 ', 14 ", 14' '' are pressure-reduced atmospheres and are connected to the organic deposition chambers 22, 24 and 26 for each deposition process by doors 22a, 24a and 26a. The transport of the substrate 8 in the 22, 24 and 26 is carried out by the conveyance mechanism 200 when the doors 22a, 24a and 26a are opened and closed. It is possible to use an exhaust pump such as an oil sealed rotary pump, a mechanical booster pump, a turbomolecular pump, and a cryopump at a low pressure, and it is preferable to use a cryopump effective for removing moisture.

A description of each of the organic material deposition chambers 22, 24, and 26 described above is given below.

In the substrate loading chamber 14, a batch substrate 8 is mounted in the form of a cassette, and the substrate 8 of the cassette is disposed in the substrate loading chamber 10 in the organic material deposition chamber.

One board 8 is transported to 22, and the transported board 8 is placed on the board holder 206 on the board transport roller 220 of FIG. 3, and the transport roller 220 rotates. It is placed at each position of the organic deposition chambers (22, 24, 26).

The substrate then causes the cylinder 210 to push up to place the substrate 8 on the substrate hold 208. The substrate 8 placed on the substrate holder 208 is transported to the organic material deposition chamber 22 by operating at least one linear motion guide (202, 204, 206). The substrate 8 transported into the organic deposition chamber 22 is placed in the substrate holder 206 within the chamber 22, and then the LM guides 202, 204, 206 move to their original positions. Then, one substrate 8 is reloaded in the substrate loading chamber 10, and the deposited substrate 8 returns to the position in the transportation chamber 250 and then the substrate transport roller of the transportation chamber 250 ( 220 is operated so that the two substrates 8 and 8 form the organic material deposition chamber 22 and the organic material deposition chamber.

It is placed at the position of (24). At this time, two substrates are simultaneously loaded into the organic deposition chamber 22 and the organic deposition chamber 24. This process is continuously processed (batch), the operation is moved to the unloading chamber (16).

4 is a flow for explaining a method for transporting a large area substrate for transporting the large area substrate by the substrate transport mechanism.

In Fig. 4, first, the large area substrate 8 having the EL elements is moved to the position of the substrate loading chamber 10 (S 10). When the loading of the substrate 8 is started by the substrate loading mechanism 200, the large area substrate 8 is positioned in the preparation region in the plasma processing region 12.

(S 12).

Thereafter, as the operation of the transport roller 220 of the substrate transport chamber 250, the substrate 8 is moved to the preparation region position of the first transport chamber 14 (S 14). At this time, the batch processing steps S 18 to S 22 of the batch processing A of the substrate transport chamber 250 operate. That is, the batch processing steps (S 18 to S 22) are operations of the substrate transport mechanism 200, in which the large area substrate 8 is moved into the first organic material deposition chamber 22 (S 16), and Step (S 18) in which the film is formed in the organic deposition chamber 22 and after the film is formed, the substrate 8 returns to the position of the first transport chamber 14 by the operation of the substrate transport mechanism 200. The substrate is loaded by the transport roller 220 of the substrate transport chamber 250 and moved in the direction of rotation of the roller (S 20).

Subsequently, when loading of the substrate 8 starts from the transport roller 220 of the substrate transport chamber 250, the substrate 8 is moved to the preparation region position of the second transport chamber 14 and then unloaded ( S 22).

Again, the loading and unloading processes of the batch processing steps S 18 to S 20 of the batch processing A occur repeatedly from the preparation area position.

Thereafter, the substrate 8 is moved to the position of the preparation region of the third conveying chamber 14 as the conveying roller 220 of the substrate conveying chamber 250, and then the substrate after the process is continuously unloaded.

The process ends by moving to (16) (S24).

In addition, in the deposition processing method having the substrate transport mechanism according to the present invention, as described above, the substrate 8 is the first organic material deposition chamber in the first loading batch step (S 18 to S 20)

Moving to the position of 14, the loading of the substrate 8 is started in the second loading batch steps S 18 to S 20; Again, the substrate 8 processed in the first loading batch steps S 18 to S 20 becomes the second

Move to the position of the organic deposition chamber 14; When the substrate 8 moves to the position of the second organic deposition chamber 14 ′ in the second loading batch steps S 18 to S 20, the substrate processed in the second loading batch steps S 18 to S 20 again. It moves to the position of this 3rd organic substance deposition chamber 14 ". The process is complete | finished by moving to the unloading chamber 16 after completion | finish of the process (not shown).

The present invention proposes a countermeasure for a large area where the display industry is to be enlarged, and the size of the robot must be increased, and as a result, the system's ability to cope has to be limited, which is a disadvantage in the cost of the display itself. The large area substrate is transported in a linear form as a countermeasure of the upstream deposition method of the existing cluster. In addition, the transport method of the substrate can have advantages in terms of system compatibility since the substrate manufacturing process has a linear form.

Although the present invention described above has been described in detail only with respect to the specific examples described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes are possible within the technical scope of the present invention, and such modifications and modifications belong to the appended claims. will be.

Claims (5)

A vapor deposition apparatus having a substrate transport mechanism, A plurality of organic material deposition chambers for processing an EL material through a substrate loading chamber and a plasma processing chamber; A substrate transport chamber for transporting a substrate into the plurality of organic material deposition chambers; A substrate transport mechanism having a transport rail mounted to a substrate transport chamber for transporting a substrate to be deposited through a door connected to the organic material deposition chamber; A metal deposition chamber for forming a film of a conductive film which becomes a cathode of the EL element by deposition; And a control device for moving the substrate transport mechanism and having a control command for closing or opening the door connected to the organic material deposition chamber and the metal deposition chamber, thereby depositing the substrate transport mechanism and the organic material according to the control command of the control device. A deposition processing apparatus having a substrate transport mechanism, wherein the chamber and the metal deposition chamber operate independently. The method of claim 1, The substrate transport mechanism includes a substrate hold for allowing a cylinder connected thereto to push up to place a substrate; And at least one linear motion (LM) guide for guiding the substrate on the substrate holder. The method of claim 1, In the substrate transport mechanism, the substrate transporting roller of the transport chamber is operated so that the two substrates are loaded at the positions of the organic material deposition chamber and the organic material deposition chamber, and the organic material deposition chamber and the organic material deposition chamber further include the batch processing independently. A deposition processing apparatus having a substrate transport mechanism. In the deposition processing method having a substrate transport mechanism of a semiconductor substrate, Moving the large area substrate having the EL element to the position of the substrate loading chamber (S 10); When the loading of the substrate is started by the substrate loading mechanism, placing the large area substrate in the preparation region in the plasma processing region (S 12); Moving the substrate to a position of a preparation region of the first conveying chamber as an operation of the conveying roller of the substrate conveying chamber (S 14); A step (S 16) of moving the large-area substrate into the first organic material deposition chamber as an operation of the substrate transport mechanism, forming a film in the first organic material deposition chamber (S 18), and after film formation, When the substrate transport mechanism moves to the position of the first transport chamber, the substrate is loaded by the transport roller of the substrate transport chamber and moved in the direction of rotation of the roller (S 20). Batch processing (A) steps (S 18 to S 20); Subsequent to the batch processing (A) step (S 18 to S 22), when the loading of the substrate starts from the transport roller of the substrate transport chamber, the substrate is moved to the preparation region position of the second transport chamber ( S 22); And, After the loading and unloading process of the batch processing step (S 18 to S 20) of the batch processing (A) is repeatedly executed from the preparation area position, the substrate is used as the transport roller of the substrate transport chamber, and the preparation area of the third transport chamber is obtained. And a step (S 24) of moving to a position. The method of claim 4, wherein As a method of transporting the substrate transport mechanism, when the substrate moves to the position of the first organic deposition chamber in the first loading arrangement step (S 18 to S 20), in the second loading arrangement (A) step (S 18 to S 20). Starting loading of the substrate; Moving the substrate processed in the first loading batch (A) step (S 18 to S 20) back to the position of the second organic material deposition chamber; When the substrate is moved to the position of the second organic material deposition chamber in the second loading batches (A) steps S 18 to S 20, the substrate processed in the second loading batches (A) steps S 18 to S 20 is returned. Moving to a position of a third organic deposition chamber; And, And moving the substrate, which has been moved in the substrate loading start step to the position of the third organic deposition chamber, continuously moving to the unloading chamber.