KR102638862B1 - Deposition apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The deposition apparatus includes a crucible; A heating element that heats the crucible and is shaped like a wire; and a heating wire bracket supporting the heating wire on the outside of the crucible, wherein the heating wire includes a plurality of unit heating wires spaced apart in the horizontal direction. an upper return heating wire connecting the top of adjacent unit heating wires; and a lower return heating wire connecting the lower portions of adjacent unit heating wires, wherein the heating wire includes an upper heating portion in which the unit heating wires are spaced apart at a first interval in the horizontal direction. and a lower heating unit located below the upper heating unit, wherein the number of unit heating wires in the upper heating unit is greater than the number of unit heating wires in the lower heating unit, and the unit heating wires in the lower heating unit are spaced apart in the horizontal direction at a second interval that is larger than the first interval. do.

Description

Deposition apparatus

The present invention relates to a deposition apparatus, in which a heater heats a crucible.

Deposition is a method of coating gaseous particles as a thin solid film on the surface of an object such as metal or glass.

Recently, as the use of OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes) displays has increased in electronic devices such as TVs and mobile phones, research on devices and processes for manufacturing OLED display panels has been active. In particular, the OLED display panel manufacturing process includes a process of depositing organic materials on a substrate such as a glass substrate in a vacuum.

Specifically, the deposition process includes a process of heating a crucible containing the organic material to evaporate the organic material into a gaseous state, and a process of depositing the organic material in the gaseous state on the substrate by passing through a nozzle.

The deposition device may install a heating unit such as a heater for heating the crucible on the outside of the outer circumference of the crucible.

An example of a heating unit is a heater for an evaporation source disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-1967040 B1 (announced on April 10, 2019), and is a spiral heater in which the heating wire surrounding the crucible is wound around the outer wall of the crucible in a spiral shape, and the spiral heater is fixed by a fixing member, and the fixing member includes a frame; and a holder member assembled to the frame, and the frame includes a plurality of ring-shaped members arranged along the circumferential direction of the spiral heater, and is wound. Holder members that hold the display wires in each row are assembled to the frame, and the holder members are rod-shaped with a plurality of recesses where the heating wires can be held, and the power connection part of the spiral heater is the uppermost heating wire end that is wound up in a spiral shape. and the uppermost heated wire end, which is drawn out from the lowermost heating wire end of the spiral and is wound up in a spiral shape, corresponding to the power connection part, and the lowermost heated wire end of the spiral, respectively, are provided in two holes provided in the annular member at the lowermost stage of the frame. inserted to prevent electrical short circuit.

Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-1967040 B1 (announced on April 10, 2019)

The heater for the evaporation source according to the prior art is composed of a spiral heater in which the heating wire surrounding the crucible spirally winds around the outer wall of the crucible, so the holder member may be damaged in the direction of thermal expansion of the heating wire, and the spiral heater may be damaged.

In addition, there is a problem that the number of parts is large and the structure is complex, as the fixing member includes a frame including ring-shaped members and a holder member made of multiple rod-shaped members assembled with the frame.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a deposition device that can minimize the number of parts of a hot wire bracket and has a simple structure.

A deposition device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a crucible; A heating element that heats the crucible and is shaped like a wire; and a heating wire bracket supporting the heating wire on the outside of the crucible, wherein the heating wire includes a plurality of unit heating wires spaced apart in the horizontal direction. an upper return heating wire connecting the top of adjacent unit heating wires; and a lower return heating wire connecting the lower portions of adjacent unit heating wires, wherein the heating wire includes an upper heating portion in which the unit heating wires are spaced apart at a first interval in the horizontal direction. and a lower heating unit located below the upper heating unit, wherein the number of unit heating wires in the upper heating unit is greater than the number of unit heating wires in the lower heating unit, and the unit heating wires in the lower heating unit are spaced apart in the horizontal direction at a second interval that is larger than the first interval. do.

The lower return heating wire may include a first lower return heating wire formed below the unit heating wire of the upper heating unit, and a second lower return heating wire formed below the unit heating wire of the lower heating unit.

The size of the second lower return heating wire may be larger than the size of the first lower return heating wire.

The heating wire is located between the upper heating part and the lower heating part, and may further include a middle heating part in which the spacing between the unit heating wires gradually increases downward.

In the middle heating unit, one unit heating wire among adjacent unit heating wires may be long in the vertical direction, and another unit heating wire among adjacent unit heating wires may be long in an inclined direction.

The heater bracket may include an upper bracket formed with an upper fixing part to which the unit heater of the upper heating part is fixed, a lower bracket formed with a lower fixing part to which the unit heater of the lower heating part is fixed, and a lower bracket spaced apart from the upper bracket in the vertical direction.

The number of lower fixing parts may be less than the number of upper fixing parts.

In the lower heating part, one of the adjacent unit heating wires may extend downward to form a first power connection part, and another one of the adjacent unit heating wires may extend downward to form a second power connection part.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the upper and lower parts of the crucible can be heated to different temperatures with a single heating wire, and since the upper heating part and the lower heating part are supported on different heating wire brackets, it is easy to install the heating wire.

Additionally, the number of parts is fewer and the structure is simpler than in the case of including a frame including ring-shaped members and a plurality of rod-shaped holder members assembled with the frame.

In addition, the intermediate heating part can prevent sudden bending of the unit heating wire.

In addition, since the pair of power connection parts extend from the unit heating wires of the lower heating unit at a larger interval than the unit heating wires of the upper heating unit, electrical short circuits can be minimized.

1 is a cross-sectional view showing a deposition apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention,
2 is a side view of a heater according to an embodiment of the present invention,
Figure 3 is a partially cut away perspective view of the heater according to this embodiment when assembled with the upper bracket and lower bracket;
Figure 4 is a plan view showing an example in which the upper heating unit is assembled to the upper bracket according to this embodiment;
Figure 5 is a plan view showing an example in which the lower heating unit is assembled to the lower bracket according to this embodiment.

Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail along with the drawings.

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a deposition apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a side view of a heater according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 3 is a heater according to this embodiment assembled with an upper bracket and a lower bracket. It is a partially cut-out perspective view when it is installed, Figure 4 is a plan view showing an example of the upper heating part assembled to the upper bracket according to this embodiment, and Figure 5 is a plan view showing an example of the lower heating part being assembled to the lower bracket according to this embodiment. am.

The deposition apparatus has a space S1 formed therein and includes a crucible 2 and a nozzle plater 10 covering the space S1.

The crucible 2 can accommodate the deposition raw material 8 in the space S1. When the crucible 2 is heated, the deposition raw material 8 contained in the crucible 2 may be evaporated into a deposition material.

The deposition raw material 8 may be a metal material, and the crucible 2 may contain a metal material.

For example, the deposition raw material 8 may be Ag, Mg, LiF, etc., and the deposition raw material 8 may be determined depending on the structure of the OLED.

When the deposition raw material 8 is a metal material such as Ag or Mg, the deposition material may be a conductive gas.

The crucible 2 may include a container whose cross-sectional shape is shaped like a cup with an open top.

As an example, the crucible 2 may have a dual structure of an inner container and an outer container. The outer container may be arranged to surround the inner container, and the deposition raw material 8 may be contained in the inner container. The inner container can be inserted inside the outer container. The outer container may be formed thinner than the inner container.

The crucible 2 may include a cover portion 6. The cover portion 6 may protrude from the crucible 2 above the heating wire 40, which will be described later, and may be seated on the upper surface of the reflector 50. The cover portion 6 may protrude outward in a horizontal direction from the top of the container.

The cover portion 6 may be supported by being seated directly on the upper surface of the reflector 50, or may be supported by being seated on an insulating ring (not shown) disposed on the top of the reflector 50.

The nozzle plater 10 may have a plate shape. The nozzle plate 10 may be provided with a nozzle 12.

The nozzle 12 may be formed integrally with the nozzle plate 10 and may be detachably coupled to the nozzle plate 10.

When the nozzle 12 is formed integrally with the nozzle plate 10, it may protrude from the upper surface of the nozzle plate 10.

When the nozzle 12 is detachably coupled to the nozzle plate 10, it may be fastened to the nozzle fastener 13 formed on the nozzle plate 10. The nozzle 12 may be detachably coupled by being screwed to the nozzle fastener 13.

The assembly of the crucible 2 and the nozzle plater 10 configured as described above can spray the conductive gas (i.e., deposition material) evaporated from the deposition raw material 8 to the nozzle 12, and the nozzle 12 The injected conductive gas is deposited in the form of a thin film on the substrate (not shown), and the assembly of the crucible 2 and the nozzle plate 10 provides a point evaporation source (20) that can deposit a metal thin film on the substrate. It can be configured.

The deposition device may include a heater 40 capable of heating the point evaporation source 20 and a reflector 50 surrounding the heater 40. The deposition apparatus further includes a point evaporation source 20, a heater 40, and a cooler 58 in which the reflector 50 is accommodated.

The heater 40 may heat the crucible 2 from the outside of the crucible 2. The heater 40 may be disposed on the outer periphery of the crucible 2.

The heater 40 may include a heating wire that heats the crucible 2. Hereinafter, the heater and the heating wire will be described using the same reference numerals.

The heater 40 includes an upper heating unit 42 and a lower heating unit 44.

The upper heating unit 42 is disposed on the upper outer circumference of the crucible 2 and can heat the upper portion of the crucible 2.

The lower heating unit 44 is disposed on the lower outer circumference of the crucible 2 and can heat the lower portion of the crucible 2.

The upper heating unit 42 and the lower heating unit 44 may be electrically connected. The upper heating part 42 and the lower heating part 44 may be formed as one piece. One of the upper heating part 42 and the lower heating part 44 may be formed to be longer than the other.

The lower heating unit 44 may extend from the upper heating unit 42 to be located below the upper heating unit 42 . The lower heating part 44 may be formed to be longer than the upper heating part 42.

The upper heating unit 42 and the lower heating unit 44 may be supported by at least one heating wire bracket 60. The heating bracket 60 may be installed on the reflector 50.

The heating bracket 60 may be arranged overall in a ring shape. The heating bracket 60 may be disposed on the outer circumference of the crucible 2. The heating wire bracket 60 can support the heating wire 40 on the outside of the crucible 2. The heating wire 40 may be fixed to the heating wire bracket 60. The heating wire bracket 60 can support the heating wire 40 to be spaced apart from the outer circumferential surface of the crucible 2, and the heating wire 40 can transmit radiant heat to the crucible 2.

A plurality of heating brackets 60 may be provided. The heating bracket 60 may include an upper bracket 60a supporting the upper heating unit 42 and a lower bracket 60b supporting the lower heating unit 44. The upper bracket 60a and the lower bracket 60b may be spaced apart in the vertical direction. A plurality of upper brackets 60a and lower brackets 60b may be spaced apart in the vertical direction.

Hereinafter, the same configuration of the upper bracket 60a and the lower bracket 60b will be described by referring to it as the heating wire bracket 60.

The reflector 50 may be surrounded around the outer circumference of the crucible 2. The reflector 50 may be spaced apart from the crucible 2. A heater accommodation space (S2) may be formed between the reflector 50 and the crucible 2. The heater accommodation space (S2) may be formed between the outer circumferential surface of the crucible (2) and the inner circumferential surface of the reflector (50). The reflector 50 may surround the outer circumference of the crucible 2 and the heat wire 40.

The cooler 58 may block the heat (i.e., radiant heat) emitted by the heating wire 40 from being emitted to the outside of the deposition apparatus. Heat radiated from the heating wire 40 may be collected in the center of the heater receiving space (S2).

An accommodating space is formed inside the cooler 58, and the reflector 50 and the heat wire 40 may be disposed together with the crucible 2 in the accommodating space of the cooler 58.

The cooler 58 may include a refrigerant tube or a refrigerant channel through which a refrigerant such as coolant passes. Cooler 58 includes a coolant block containing refrigerant tubes or refrigerant channels.

The heating bracket 60 may include a guide bracket 62 and a ceramic bracket 64.

The guide bracket 62 and the ceramic bracket 64 may be internal/external double insulated guides.

The guide bracket 62 may be spaced apart from the crucible 2. The guide bracket 62 and the crucible 2 may be spaced apart in the horizontal direction.

The guide bracket 62 can determine the position of the heating wire 40 outside the heating wire 40. The outer surface of the heating wire 40 may be in contact with the guide bracket 62. The guide bracket 62 may be an outer heater bracket or an outer insulation guide disposed outside the ceramic bracket 64.

The guide bracket 62 may support the heating wire 40 on the outside of the heating wire 40 so that the heating wire 40 is not deformed in the radial outward direction.

A protrusion 63 may protrude in an angled shape from the outer peripheral surface of the guide bracket 62, and a fitting hole 53 into which the protrusion 63 is inserted may be formed in the reflector 50.

A plurality of protrusions 63 and fittings 53 may be provided.

The ceramic bracket 64 may be located inside the guide bracket 62. The ceramic bracket 64 may be an inner heater bracket or an inner insulation guide.

The ceramic bracket 64 may be made of a ceramic material that can increase the amount of radiant heat emitted from the heating element 40.

The ceramic bracket 64 may be disposed between the guide bracket 62 and the crucible 2. The ceramic bracket 64 can prevent the heating wire 40 from being deformed. The ceramic bracket 64 may support the heating wire 40 inside the heating wire 40 so that the heating wire 40 is not deformed in the radial inward direction.

A unit heating wire receiving groove 66 (see FIG. 1) may be formed between the guide bracket 62 and the ceramic bracket 64 to accommodate the unit heating wires 72 of the heating wire 40 in a 1:1 ratio.

One unit heating wire 72 can be accommodated by being inserted into one unit heating wire receiving groove 66.

The unit hot wire receiving groove 66 may be open in the vertical direction. A unit heating wire receiving groove 66 may be formed in the ceramic bracket 64. The ceramic bracket 64 may have unit heat wire receiving grooves 66 and protrusions 68 formed alternately in the circumferential direction. The unit hot wire receiving groove 66 and the protrusion 68 may be formed on the outer peripheral surface of the ceramic bracket 64. The protrusion may have a contact end 69 that contacts the inner circumference of the guide bracket 62.

The ceramic bracket 64 is formed with an opening open in the vertical and outward directions, and when the guide bracket 62 is in contact with the ceramic bracket 64, a unit is formed between the ceramic bracket 64 and the guide bracket 62. The hot wire receiving groove 66 may be open in the vertical direction.

The heating wire 40 may be formed of a conductive metal material that has resistance. The heating wire 40 may be thermally deformed and thermally expanded. Examples of heating wires 40 may be W, Ta, or Tl.

The heating wire 40 may have an overall zigzag shape.

The heating wire 40 may include a plurality of unit heating wires 72 that are long in the vertical direction and spaced apart in the horizontal direction, and a return heating wire connecting a pair of adjacent unit heating wires 72.

The plurality of unit heating wires 72 may be parallel, and a gap may be formed between them. The plurality of unit heating wires 72 may be spaced apart in the horizontal direction.

Even if the gap is thermally deformed and thermally expanded, a plurality of unit heating wires 72 may be formed in such a size that they do not contact each other.

The return heating wire may include an upper return heating wire (73) connecting one of the plurality of unit heating wires (72) to another one, and a lower liter heating wire (74) connecting another one of the plurality of unit heating wires (72). there is.

The upper return heating wire 73 may connect the upper part of the adjacent unit heating wire 72.

The lower return heating wire 74 may connect the lower part of the adjacent unit heating wire 72.

The plurality of unit heating wires 72 may have a vertically long rod shape. The heating wire 40 can be accommodated by inserting a plurality of unit heating wires 72 into the unit heating wire receiving groove 66 formed in the ceramic bracket 64.

The upper return heating wire 73 may be in a '∩' shape, and the lower return heating wire 74 may be in a 'U' shape.

The heating wire 40 may be in the order of one unit heating wire 72, an upper return heating wire 73, another unit heating wire 72, and a lower return heating wire 74.

As an example of the heating wire 40, each of the plurality of unit heating wires 72 and the plurality of return heating wires 73 and 74 may have a wire shape. The cross-sectional shape of the heating wire 40 may be circular.

When the cross-sectional shape of each of the plurality of unit heating wires 72 and the plurality of return heating wires 73 and 74 is circular, the plurality of unit heating wires 72 may have the same circumferential width and the same radial thickness. When the plurality of unit heating wires 72 are thermally expanded, the amount of expansion in the circumferential direction may be equal to the expansion amount in the radial direction, and the possibility that the plurality of unit heating wires 72 are in contact with the circumferential direction is low.

Hereinafter, the detailed structure of the heating wire 40 will be described.

The upper heating unit 42 and the lower heating unit 44 may have different unit heating wires 72 in number. The number of unit heating wires 72 of the upper heating unit 42 may be greater than the number of unit heating wires 72 of the lower heating unit 44.

The upper heating unit 42 and the lower heating unit 44 may have different distances at which the unit heating wires 72 are spaced apart in the horizontal direction.

The unit heating wires 72 of the upper heating unit 42 may be spaced apart at a first gap G1 in the horizontal direction, and the unit heating wires 72 of the lower heating unit 42 may be spaced apart from each other at a second gap G2 in the horizontal direction. may be spaced apart, and the second gap (G2) may be larger than the first gap (G2).

The upper heating unit 42 can intensively heat the upper part of the crucible 2 and the nozzle plate 10 and minimize the clogging phenomenon of the nozzle 12.

The heating wire 40 may further include an intermediate heating unit 46.

The middle heating unit 46 may connect the upper heating unit 42 and the lower heating unit 44. The unit heating wire of the middle heating unit 46 may connect the unit heating wire of the upper heating unit 42 and the unit heating wire of the lower heating unit 44.

The middle heating unit 46 is located between the upper heating unit 42 and the lower heating unit 44, and the gap G3 between the unit heating wires 72 may gradually increase downward.

In the middle heating unit 46, the unit heating wire 72 of one of the adjacent unit heating wires 72 is long in the vertical direction, and the unit heating wire of the other unit heating wire 72 (72b) among the adjacent unit heating wires 72 is long. Long deposition device in the inclined direction.

The lower return heating wire 74 may include a first lower return heating wire 74a and a second lower return heating wire 74b.

The first lower return heating wire 74a may be formed below the unit heating wire 72 of the upper heating unit 42.

The second lower return heating wire 74b may be formed below the unit heating wire 72 of the lower heating unit 44.

The size of the second lower return heating wire 74b may be larger than the size of the first lower return heating wire 74a.

Meanwhile, the heating wire 40 may include a pair of power connection parts 48 and 49 to which a power source is connected.

A pair of power connection parts 48 and 49 may be formed in one of the upper heating part 42 and the lower heating part 44. When one of the pair of power connection parts 48 and 49 extends from the upper heating part 42 and the other one of the pair of power connection parts 48 and 49 extends from the lower heating part 44. , the wire structure connected to the pair of power connectors 48 and 49 may be complex.

It is preferable that both of the pair of power connection parts 48 and 49 are located below the lower heating part 44.

In this case, the area around the top of the crucible 2 can be simplified, and the influence of the deposited material on the wire can be minimized.

In the lower heating unit 44, one (72a) of the adjacent unit heating wires 72 extends downward to form the first power connection part 48, and the other one (72b) of the adjacent unit heating wires 72 extends downward. It can be extended to form a second power connection unit 49.

In this case, electrical short circuits between the two power connection parts 48 and 49 can be minimized by extending from the unit heating wires 72 of the lower heating part 44 spaced apart by the second gap G2.

Meanwhile, the upper bracket 60a may be formed with an upper fixing part 66a to which the unit heating wire 72 of the upper heating part 42 is fixed.

The lower bracket 60b may be formed with a lower fixing part 66b to which the unit heating wire 72 of the lower heating part 44 is fixed.

The upper fixing part 66a and the lower fixing part 66b may be the unit hot wire receiving groove 66 shown in FIG. 1.

The number of lower fixing parts 66b may be less than the number of upper fixing parts 66a. The pitch of the lower fixing part 66b may be greater than the pitch of the upper fixing part 66a.

The above description is merely an illustrative explanation of the technical idea of the present invention, and various modifications and variations will be possible to those skilled in the art without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention.

Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are not intended to limit the technical idea of the present invention, but rather to explain it, and the scope of the technical idea of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments.

The scope of protection of the present invention should be interpreted in accordance with the claims below, and all technical ideas within the equivalent scope should be construed as being included in the scope of rights of the present invention.

2: Crucible 40: Heat ray
42: upper heating part 44: lower heating part
60: Heating bracket 72: Unit heating wire
73: Upper return heating wire 74: Lower return heating wire
G1: 1st gap G2: 2nd gap

Claims (6)

Crucible;
a wire-shaped heating wire that heats the crucible; and
It includes a heating wire bracket that supports the heating wire on the outside of the crucible,
The heating wire is
A plurality of unit heating wires spaced apart in the horizontal direction;
an upper return heating wire connecting the top of adjacent unit heating wires; and
It includes a lower return heating wire connecting the lower part of the adjacent unit heating wire,
The heating wire is
an upper heating portion in which the unit heating wires are spaced apart at a first interval in the horizontal direction;
a lower heating unit located below the upper heating unit; and
An intermediate heating part located between the upper heating part and the lower heating part and connecting the upper heating part and the lower heating part,
The number of unit heating wires in the upper heating unit is greater than the number of unit heating wires in the lower heating unit, and the unit heating wires in the lower heating unit are spaced apart in the horizontal direction at a second interval that is larger than the first interval,
The intermediate heating unit is a deposition device in which the spacing between the unit heating wires gradually increases downward. According to claim 1,
The lower return heating wire is
a first lower return heating wire formed below the unit heating wire of the upper heating unit;
It includes a second lower return heating wire formed below the unit heating wire of the lower heating unit,
A deposition apparatus wherein the radius of curvature of the second lower return heating wire is greater than the radius of curvature of the first lower return heating wire. delete According to claim 1,
The intermediate heating unit is a deposition device in which one unit heating wire among adjacent unit heating wires is long in the vertical direction, and another unit heating wire among adjacent unit heating wires is long in an inclined direction. According to claim 1,
The heated bracket is
an upper bracket having an upper fixing part to which the unit heater of the upper heating part is fixed;
A lower fixing part is formed to which the unit heater of the lower heating part is fixed, and includes a lower bracket spaced apart from the upper bracket in the vertical direction,
A deposition apparatus in which the number of lower fixing parts is less than the number of upper fixing parts. According to claim 1,
In the lower heating part, one of the adjacent unit heating wires extends downward to form a first power connection part,
A deposition device in which another one of adjacent unit heating wires extends downward to form a second power connection unit.

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