KR102430349B1 - Cluster deposition system - Google Patents

Abstract

A cluster deposition system is disclosed. According to an aspect of the present invention, as a cluster deposition system for performing deposition on the substrate while the substrate is continuously moved, the first logistics including a plurality of transfer chamber modules that are sequentially disposed to be spaced apart from each other so that the substrate moves line and; a second distribution line including a plurality of transfer chamber modules that are sequentially arranged to be spaced apart from each other so that the substrate moves, and are arranged parallel to the first distribution line; A first deposition space connecting the transfer chamber modules facing each other of the first distribution line and the second distribution line and sharing one wall of the transfer chamber module of the first distribution line, and the second distribution line a deposition chamber module partitioned into a second deposition space sharing one wall of the transfer chamber module; A cluster deposition system is provided, including an evaporation source moving the first deposition space and the second deposition space in the deposition chamber module.

Description

Cluster deposition system

The present invention relates to a cluster deposition system. More particularly, it relates to a cluster deposition system capable of increasing mass productivity by smoothly performing deposition on a large-area, high-weight substrate.

Organic Luminescence Emitting Device (OLED) is a self-luminous device that emits light by itself using the electroluminescence phenomenon that emits light when a current flows through a fluorescent organic compound. Therefore, a lightweight and thin flat panel display device can be manufactured.

A flat panel display using such an organic electroluminescent device has a fast response speed and a wide viewing angle, and thus is emerging as a next-generation display device.

In the organic electroluminescent device, the remaining organic layers excluding the anode and cathode electrodes, such as a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer, are organic thin films, and these organic thin films are deposited on a substrate by vacuum thermal evaporation. will be deposited

A cluster-type deposition system or an in-line deposition system is applied as an equipment system for forming an organic thin film or a metal thin film by the vacuum thermal deposition method. On the other hand, the cluster type deposition system is a method of depositing an organic thin film on a substrate by forming a plurality of vacuum chambers in a cluster type to form several organic thin films, respectively.

In the case of a cluster-type deposition system, several deposition chamber modules are attached centering on a transfer chamber module with a built-in robot arm in the center, and the robot arm performs deposition while loading/unloading a substrate into the deposition chamber module.

However, in recent years, as the size of the substrate increases and the weight increases, it becomes difficult to handle the substrate by the robot arm in the transfer chamber module. For example, in the case of an 8th-generation display glass substrate, the size of the glass substrate is 2200 mm × 2500 mm and its weight is approximately 300 kg, so it is difficult to handle the glass substrate by a robot arm.

Therefore, it is necessary to develop a deposition system capable of increasing mass productivity by smoothly performing deposition on a large-area, high-weight substrate.

Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2006-0088286 (published on Aug. 4, 2006)

An object of the present invention is to provide a cluster deposition system capable of increasing mass productivity by smoothly performing deposition on a large-area, high-weight substrate.

According to an aspect of the present invention, as a cluster deposition system for performing deposition on the substrate while the substrate is continuously moved, the first logistics including a plurality of transfer chamber modules that are sequentially disposed to be spaced apart from each other so that the substrate moves line and; a second distribution line including a plurality of transfer chamber modules that are sequentially arranged to be spaced apart from each other so that the substrate moves, and are arranged parallel to the first distribution line; A first deposition space connecting the transfer chamber modules facing each other of the first distribution line and the second distribution line and sharing one wall of the transfer chamber module of the first distribution line, and the second distribution line a deposition chamber module partitioned into a second deposition space sharing one wall of the transfer chamber module; A cluster deposition system is provided, including an evaporation source moving the first deposition space and the second deposition space in the deposition chamber module.

The cluster deposition system may further include a pre-alignment chamber module connected to a front end of the transfer chamber module, pre-aligning the substrate and supplying the pre-alignment chamber module to the transfer chamber module.

The transfer chamber module may have a rectangular cross-section. In this case, the pre-alignment chamber module is coupled to one sidewall of the transfer chamber module, and the deposition chamber module is perpendicular to the pre-alignment chamber module. It may be coupled to the other sidewall of the transfer chamber module forming.

A turn transfer chamber module for rotating the substrate introduced from the transfer chamber module may be disposed between the transfer chamber modules adjacent to each other of the first distribution line and the second distribution line.

Between the turn transfer chamber module and the transfer chamber module of the previous stage, a complex chamber module that includes a buffer module in which the substrate stays for a while and a mask stock module in which a mask is stored may be disposed in parallel.

In the interior of the complex chamber module, a transverse support frame on which a substrate or a mask can be seated is arranged in several stages, and a lift that moves up and down may be arranged.

The cluster deposition system may further include a mask stock chamber module connected to the first deposition space and the second deposition space, respectively, and configured to draw a mask into and out of the first deposition space and the second deposition space.

While the substrate is loaded into the first deposition space and aligned with the mask, the evaporation source moves to the second deposition space to perform deposition on the substrate aligned with the mask in the second deposition space.

A plurality of the first distribution line and the second distribution line may be continuously arranged.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a tact time can be reduced by performing a transfer process or an alignment process for another substrate during the deposition process of one substrate for a large area and heavy substrate, and transfer to the substrate It is possible to increase the mass productivity by reducing the loss of evaporation material generated during the process or alignment process.

1 is a view for explaining the configuration of a cluster deposition system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a view for explaining a deposition sequence of a cluster deposition system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a diagram illustrating a modified example of a cluster deposition system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 illustrates a complex chamber module of a variant of the cluster deposition system of FIG. 3;

Since the present invention can apply various transformations and can have various embodiments, specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the detailed description. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and scope of the present invention. In describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known technology may obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the cluster deposition system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. A description will be omitted.

1 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of a cluster deposition system according to an embodiment of the present invention. And, FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a deposition sequence of a cluster deposition system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a diagram illustrating a modified example of the cluster deposition system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a complex chamber module of the modified example of the cluster deposition system of FIG. 3 .

1 to 4, the substrate 10, the robot arm 11, the transfer chamber module 12, the first distribution line 14, the second distribution line 16, the deposition chamber module 18, the first Deposition space 20 , second deposition space 22 , evaporation source 24 , aligner 26 , mask 28 , mask stock chamber module 30 , pre-align chamber modules 32 and 38 , buffer A chamber module 34 , a turn transfer chamber module 36 , a complex chamber module 40 , a transverse support frame 42 , and a lift 44 are shown.

The cluster deposition system according to the present embodiment is a cluster deposition system that performs deposition on the substrate 10 while the substrate 10 is continuously moved, wherein the substrate 10 is continuously disposed to be spaced apart from each other so that the substrate 10 moves. a first distribution line 14 including a plurality of transfer chamber modules 12; a second distribution line 16 including a plurality of transfer chamber modules 12 that are sequentially arranged to be spaced apart from each other so that the substrate 10 moves, and the first distribution line 14 and parallel to each other; One of the transfer chamber modules 12 of the first distribution line 14 is connected to the transfer chamber module 12 facing each other of the first distribution line 14 and the second distribution line 16 . The deposition chamber module 18 is divided into a first deposition space 20 sharing a wall and a second deposition space 22 sharing one wall of the transfer chamber module 12 of the second distribution line 16 . )class; and an evaporation source 24 moving the first deposition space 20 and the second deposition space 22 in the deposition chamber module 18 .

In the present embodiment, the chamber modules such as the transfer chamber module 12 and the deposition chamber module 18 include a chamber in which a vacuum is formed when processing the substrate 10 , and a process for the substrate 10 . It refers to a chamber-type module that performs a process on the substrate 10, including various instruments mounted inside the chamber.

The logistics lines 14 and 16 include a plurality of transfer chamber modules 12 that are successively arranged to be spaced apart from each other so that the substrate 10 moves, as shown in FIG. 1 , in this embodiment the first logistics The line 14 and the second distribution line 16 are arranged side by side parallel to each other.

The substrate 10 introduced into the cluster deposition system according to the present embodiment moves to the first distribution line 14 and the second distribution line 16, respectively, and the process for the substrate 10 is continuously performed.

The transfer chamber module 12 is a module for transferring the substrate 10 that has entered the chamber to the chamber module for performing each process, and a robot arm 11 is mounted therein to follow the logistics line. It serves to transfer the substrate 10 . Accordingly, the plurality of transfer chamber modules 12 are sequentially disposed to be spaced apart from each other to transfer the substrate 10 .

In this embodiment, two distribution lines are arranged to perform each process for the substrate 10 that is continuously supplied to two branches, but a plurality of first and second distribution lines can be continuously arranged. . That is, by arranging a plurality of distribution lines in parallel, it can be expanded as needed, so that it can be configured to perform a process for a plurality of substrate rows. At this time, the transfer chamber modules 12 facing each other of each distribution line are connected to each other by the deposition chamber module 18 .

A gate valve through which the substrate 10 moves may be provided on each wall of the transfer chamber module 12 , and the robot arm 11 mounted inside the transfer chamber module 12 enters the transfer chamber module 12 . The substrate 10 may be transferred to the adjacent deposition chamber module 18 , the buffer chamber module 34 , and the like through the gate valve.

The deposition chamber module 18 connects the transfer chamber modules 12 opposite to each other of the first distribution line 14 and the second distribution line 16 , and the transfer chamber module of the first distribution line 14 . The first deposition space 20 sharing one wall of (12) and the second deposition space 22 sharing one wall of the transfer chamber module 12 of the second distribution line 16 are partitioned.

By connecting the opposing transfer chamber modules 12 to the deposition chamber modules 18 , the deposition chamber modules 18 are orthogonally coupled to the mutually opposing transfer chamber modules 12 , and thus the robot of the transfer chamber module 12 . The arm 11 may transport the substrate 10 at a right angle to the deposition chamber module 18 .

By disposing the deposition chamber module 18 at a right angle to the transfer chamber module 12 as described above, the following effects can be obtained.

First, as the area and weight of the substrate 10 are recently increased, the range or weight that the robot arm 11 can handle the substrate 10 is limited. It can correspond to the substrate 10 having a large area and weight. That is, in order to transfer the substrate 10 to another chamber, only the rotation of the robot arm 11 at the center of the robot arm 11 and the expansion and contraction of the robot arm 11 at the center of the robot arm 11 are used. By simplifying the configuration of the robot arm 11 to enable entry and exit, it is possible to respond to the substrate 10 having a higher weight.

According to the present embodiment, the cross section of the transfer chamber module has a rectangular shape. After the substrate 10 enters the pre-alignment chamber modules 32 and 38, the robot arm 11 is a deposition chamber module 18 disposed at a right angle. ) rotates at a right angle, and then the robot arm 11 is stretched and contracted to transfer the substrate 10 to the deposition chamber module 18 . After the robot arm 11 rotates in a radial direction at right angles to each other from the rotation center of the robot arm 11, the substrate 10 can be moved in and out of the deposition chamber module 18 as the robot arm 11 expands and contracts, and the buffer chamber module ( 34), the substrate 10 may be transferred.

Second, when performing deposition on the large-area substrate 10 , the configuration for movement of the evaporation source 24 in the deposition chamber module 18 may be simplified. Referring to FIG. 2 , one evaporation source 24 disposed parallel to the width of the substrate 10 is reciprocally moved in the deposition space facing each other in the longitudinal direction of the substrate 10 to perform deposition on the substrate 10 . Since this can be done, the configuration of movement of the evaporation source 24 can be simplified.

The inside of the deposition chamber module 18 is divided into two deposition spaces 20 and 22, a first deposition space 20 sharing one wall of the transfer chamber module 12 of the first distribution line 14 and , is divided into a second deposition space 22 sharing one wall of the transfer chamber module 12 of the second distribution line 16 . In the first distribution line 14, the substrate 10 is supplied to the first deposition space 20, and in the second distribution line 16, the substrate 10 is supplied to the second deposition space 22, and in the two deposition spaces. A deposition process is performed for each substrate 10 .

An aligner 26 for aligning the substrate 10 and the mask 28 may be provided in the first deposition space 20 and the second deposition space 22, respectively, and the substrate 10 entering the deposition space ) is aligned with the mask 28 by the aligner 26 .

The deposition space refers to a virtual space in which deposition can be performed on one substrate 10 according to the movement of the evaporation source 24 . Referring to FIG. 1 , the substrate 10 in the first deposition space 20 is ) and the mask 28 are aligned, a deposition process for the substrate 10 is performed in the second deposition space 22 , and, conversely, the substrate 10 and the mask 28 are performed in the second deposition space 22 . ), the deposition process of the aligned substrate 10 may be performed in the first deposition space 20 while the alignment of the substrate 10 is performed, and thus the deposition process of the substrate 10 may be continuously performed.

The evaporation source 24 performs deposition on the substrate 10 while moving the first deposition space 20 and the second deposition space 22 in the deposition chamber module 18 .

FIG. 2 is a view for explaining a deposition sequence in the deposition chamber module 18 . Referring to FIG. 2 , the substrate 10 is loaded onto the aligner 26 in the second deposition space 22 and the mask 28 is ) and the substrate 10 are aligned, the evaporation source 24 reciprocates in the longitudinal direction of the substrate 10 in a state placed in parallel in the width direction of the substrate 10 in the first deposition space 20 . While performing deposition on the substrate 10 . When the deposition of the substrate 10 is completed in the first deposition space 20 , the deposition-completed substrate 10 is unloaded through the transfer chamber module 12 of the first distribution line 14 and another substrate 10 . It is loaded into the first deposition space 20 and alignment with the mask 28 is performed. While the other substrates 10 and the mask 28 are aligned in the first deposition space 20 , the evaporation source 24 moves to the second deposition space 22 and reciprocates in the longitudinal direction of the substrate 10 . Perform deposition for (10). As described above, by alternately performing deposition processes for the two substrates 10 with one evaporation source 24 , it is possible to prevent the evaporation material from being consumed during alignment of the substrate 10 and the mask 28 .

Hereinafter, a connection configuration of the cluster deposition system according to the present embodiment will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 1 .

Pre-alignment chamber modules 32 and 38 for pre-aligning the substrate 10 and supplying the pre-alignment chamber module 12 to the transfer chamber module 12 may be disposed at the front end of the above-described transfer chamber module 12 . . Since the substrate 10 loaded before the deposition process for the substrate 10 is carried out may be out of position, the substrate 10 is pre-aligned in the pre-alignment chamber modules 32 and 38 to prepare the substrate 10. put it in position.

On the other hand, the transfer chamber module 12 of each logistics line may be configured in a rectangular shape in cross section. The deposition chamber module 18 is coupled to the other sidewall of the transfer chamber module 12 at right angles to the pre-align chamber modules 32 and 38 . Accordingly, the substrate 10 can be transferred to a desired chamber module by right angle rotation and expansion and contraction of the robot arm 11 .

Between the transfer chamber modules 12 adjacent to each other of the first distribution line 14 and the second distribution line 16, the turn transfer chamber module 36 rotates the substrate 10 introduced from the adjacent transfer chamber module 12. can be combined. The turn transfer chamber module 36 is a chamber module that rotates the substrate 10 on which deposition is performed in the deposition chamber module 18 connected to the transfer chamber module 12 of the previous stage by 180 degrees, and the turn transfer chamber module 36 A deposition process for the substrate 10 in the same direction by entering the rotated substrate 10 into the transfer chamber module 12 at the rear stage and then into the deposition chamber module 18 connected to the transfer chamber module 12 at the rear stage. can be performed.

In addition, a buffer chamber module 34 in which the substrate 10 temporarily stays may be disposed between the turn transfer chamber module 36 and the transfer chamber module 12 of the previous stage. The buffer chamber module 34 includes the substrate 10 . ) is a place where it stays for a while before being transferred to another transfer chamber module 12 , and the robot arm 11 transfers the substrate 10 temporarily located in the buffer chamber module 34 to another chamber module. 1, when the robot arm 11 of the transfer chamber module 12 transfers the substrate 10 to the buffer chamber module 34, the robot arm 11 of the turn transfer chamber module 36 moves the substrate ( 10) is lifted and rotated and then transferred to the pre-alignment chamber module 38 at the rear end. The substrate 10 transferred to the pre-alignment chamber module 38 is pre-aligned and transferred to the transfer chamber module 12 at the rear stage.

In addition, the mask stock chamber module 30 may be attached to correspond to the first deposition space 20 and the second deposition space 22 of the deposition chamber module 18 described above.

Referring to FIG. 1 , to the deposition chamber module 18 , a mask stock chamber module 30 connected to the first deposition space 20 and the second deposition space 22 , respectively, is attached. As the deposition process is repeatedly performed, the mask 28 of the mask stock chamber module 30 may be replaced when it is necessary to replace the mask 28 .

As the area of the mask 28 bonded to the substrate 10 increases as the area of the substrate 10 increases, the weight of the mask 28 also increases, so that the force of the robot arm 11 increases the size of the mask ( 28) is difficult to replace, so the mask stock chamber module 30 is placed adjacent to the deposition chamber module 18 and the mask 28 is transferred by mechanical roller transfer or magnetic levitation method to remove the mask 28. It can be configured to be replaced.

3 shows a modified example of the cluster deposition system according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3 , instead of the above-described buffer chamber module without attaching the mask stock chamber module 30 to the deposition chamber module 18 , a buffer module in which the substrate 10 stays for a while, and a mask 28 . In a form in which the composite chamber module 40 is arranged in parallel with the mask 28 stock module for storage, the composite chamber module 40 has a buffer function in which the substrate 10 stays for a while and a storage function in which the mask 28 is stored. carry out

The complex chamber module 40, as shown in FIG. 4, has a lateral support frame 42 on which the substrate 10 and the mask 28 can be seated in several stages and a lift 44 that moves up and down may include, and by moving the lift 44 up and down to load or unload the substrate 10 and the mask 28 to or from the transverse support frame 42 as needed, the buffer function and the mask of the substrate 10 (28) can perform the storage function.

Although the above has been described with reference to specific embodiments of the present invention, those of ordinary skill in the art may vary the present invention within the scope without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention described in the claims below. It will be understood that modifications and changes can be made to

Many embodiments other than those described above are within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

10: board 11: robot arm
12: transfer chamber module 14: first logistics line
16: second logistics line 18: deposition chamber module
20: first deposition space 22: second deposition space
24: evaporation source 26: aligner
28: mask 30: mask stock chamber module
32, 38: pre-align chamber module 34: buffer chamber module
36: turn transfer chamber module 40: complex chamber module
42: transverse support frame 44: lift

Claims (9)

A cluster deposition system for performing deposition on the substrate while continuously moving the substrate horizontally, comprising:
a first distribution line including a plurality of transfer chamber modules spaced apart from each other so as to move the substrate and continuously arranged therein and into which a robot arm is mounted;
a second distribution line which is continuously spaced apart from each other so as to move the substrate and includes a plurality of transfer chamber modules in which a robot arm is mounted, and is disposed parallel to the first distribution line;
A first deposition space coupled at right angles to the transfer chamber modules facing each other of the first distribution line and the second distribution line, and sharing one wall of the transfer chamber module of the first distribution line, and the first a deposition chamber module partitioned into a second deposition space sharing one wall of the transfer chamber module of the second distribution line;
and an evaporation source that linearly reciprocates between the first deposition space and the second deposition space in the deposition chamber module in a longitudinal direction and performs deposition on a substrate that has entered the first deposition space and the second deposition space; cluster deposition system.
According to claim 1,
and a pre-alignment chamber module connected to a front end of the transfer chamber module, pre-aligning the substrate and supplying the pre-alignment chamber module to the transfer chamber module.
3. The method of claim 2,
The transfer chamber module is configured in a rectangular shape in cross section,
The pre-alignment chamber module is coupled to one sidewall of the transfer chamber module,
The deposition chamber module is coupled to the other sidewall of the transfer chamber module at a right angle to the pre-alignment chamber module.
According to claim 1,
A turn transfer chamber module for rotating the substrate introduced from the transfer chamber module is disposed between the transfer chamber modules adjacent to each other of the first distribution line and the second distribution line, characterized in that the cluster deposition system.
5. The method of claim 4,
A cluster deposition system, characterized in that between the turn transfer chamber module and the transfer chamber module of the previous stage, a complex chamber module including a buffer module for temporarily staying the substrate and a mask stock module for storing a mask is disposed.
6. The method of claim 5,
A cluster deposition system, characterized in that a transverse support frame on which a substrate or a mask can be seated is disposed in several stages and a lift moving up and down is disposed inside the complex chamber module.
According to claim 1,
and a mask stock chamber module connected to the first deposition space and the second deposition space, respectively, and configured to draw a mask into and out of the first deposition space and the second deposition space.
According to claim 1,
While the substrate is loaded into the first deposition space and aligned with the mask, the evaporation source moves to the second deposition space to perform deposition on the substrate aligned with the mask in the second deposition space , a cluster deposition system.
According to claim 1,
The first distribution line and the second distribution line, a cluster deposition system, characterized in that a plurality are continuously arranged.

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