KR20080062212A - Apparatus for depositing organic film on substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for depositing an organic film on a substrate is provided to extend maintenance and repair cycles of sensing members by performing maintenance and repair of the sensing members without a vacuum break. An apparatus for depositing an organic film on a substrate(3) includes a process chamber, a source supply member(300), a plurality of sensing members(510), and driving members(530). The source supply member supplies organic material to a deposition surface of the substrate loaded in the process chamber. The plurality of sensing members measure the evaporation amount of organic material supplied to the substrate from the source supply member. The driving members move the sensing members between a standby position and a work position.

Description

Organic thin film deposition apparatus {APPARATUS FOR DEPOSITING ORGANIC FILM ON SUBSTRATE}

1 is a schematic perspective view of an organic thin film deposition apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention,

2 is a cross-sectional view showing the interior of the process chambers of FIG.

3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the mask attachment (removal) chamber of FIG. 2;

4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the deposition chamber of FIG. 2;

5 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line AA ′ of FIG. 4;

6 is a schematic operational state diagram of the deposition apparatus of the present invention.

<Description of Symbols for Main Parts of Drawings>

10: loading chamber 20: unloading chamber

30: cleaning chamber 40: process chamber

42: chamber with mask 44: deposition chamber

46 mask removal chamber 300 source supply member

510: sensing member 530: driving member

540: cleaning member

The present invention relates to an apparatus for processing a substrate, and more particularly, to an apparatus for depositing an organic thin film on a substrate used in the manufacture of an organic electroluminescent device.

Information processing devices are rapidly evolving to have various types of functions and faster information processing speeds. This information processing apparatus has a display device for displaying the operated information. In the past, a cathode ray tube monitor was mainly used as a display device, but a liquid crystal display (LCD) is mainly used. However, liquid crystal displays require a separate light source and have limitations in brightness, viewing angle, and large area, and in recent years, organic electroluminescence having advantages of low voltage driving, self-luminous, light weight, wide viewing angle, and fast response speed. Display devices using elements have been in the spotlight.

The organic electroluminescent device is generated by the recombination of the electrons and holes injected into the organic thin film as light, and can control the wavelength of light coming out according to the amount of dopant of the organic material, and full color ) Can be implemented.

Devices commonly used for depositing organic thin films include a transfer chamber for transferring a substrate between process chambers and a deposition chamber provided below the transfer chamber and in which the deposition process is performed. A deposition source for receiving an organic material (deposition material) is provided below the substrate in the deposition chamber, and a sensor for measuring an evaporation amount of the organic material supplied from the deposition source to the substrate is disposed on the side of the deposition source.

In general, because a single sensor is placed in the deposition chamber, the sensor must be replaced or maintained periodically after a period of use. In order to replace or maintain the sensor, the vacuum deposition chamber must be switched to a standby state (Vacuum Break), and thus, the continuity of the process can not be maintained, thereby reducing the efficiency of the process.

Therefore, the present invention was created to solve the problem in view of the conventional organic thin film deposition apparatus as described above, an object of the present invention is to provide an organic thin film deposition apparatus that can improve the efficiency of the process progress It is to provide.

In order to achieve the above object, the organic thin film deposition apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a process chamber comprising: a process chamber; A source supply member for supplying an organic material to the deposition surface of the substrate loaded in the process chamber; A plurality of sensing members measuring an evaporation amount of the organic material supplied from the source supply member to the substrate; And driving members for moving the sensing members to a standby position and a working position.

In the organic thin film deposition apparatus according to the present invention having the configuration as described above, the device is disposed at the standby position of the sensing members, respectively, it is preferable to further include a cleaning member for cleaning the sensing members.

According to one aspect of the invention, the sensing member of any one of the plurality of sensing members measures the amount of evaporation of the organic material supplied from the source supply member on the substrate at the working position, and the other sensing members are at the standby position. It is desirable to wait.

According to another feature of the invention, it is preferable that the sensing members located at the standby position are cleaned by the cleaning member.

According to another feature of the invention, the source supply member has a linear structure corresponding to one side of the substrate perpendicular to the transport direction of the substrate and disposed in parallel below the substrate, the sensing members are the source supply member It is preferable to be provided respectively at both sides along the longitudinal direction of.

Hereinafter, an organic thin film deposition apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, in adding reference numerals to the components of each drawing, it should be noted that the same reference numerals are assigned to the same components as much as possible, even if shown on different drawings. In addition, in describing the present invention, when it is determined that the detailed description of the related well-known configuration or function may obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

(Example)

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an organic thin film deposition apparatus 1 according to an exemplary embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the interior of the process chambers of FIG. 1.

1 and 2, the deposition apparatus 1 includes a plurality of chambers. The chambers include a loading chamber 10, a cleaning chamber 30, process chambers 40, and an unloading chamber 20, each process chamber 40 having a masked chamber 42, a deposition chamber ( 44 and a mask removal chamber 46. In each process chamber 40, one or more deposition chambers 44 may be provided. The mask attach chamber 42 or the mask removal chamber 44 may be provided with a mask chamber (not shown) in which masks are stored, respectively. In addition, other types of chambers may be further provided in addition to the above-described loading chamber 10, cleaning chamber 30, process chamber 40, and unloading chamber 20.

According to an example, the loading chamber 10, the cleaning chamber 30, the process chamber 40, and the unloading chamber 20 are sequentially arranged in a row, and the masked chamber 42 in the process chamber 40. ), The deposition chamber 44, and the mask removal chamber 46 are sequentially arranged in the same direction. The number of process chambers 40 may vary. For example, when the deposition apparatus 1 is a device used for manufacturing an organic electroluminescent device, about 20 process chambers 40 may be provided. Each chamber is provided with a door 52 to facilitate maintenance, etc., and a vacuum port (not shown) to which an exhaust pipe 54 having a vacuum pump (not shown) is installed to maintain a high vacuum in the chamber during the process. ) Is provided. Unlike the above, the arrangement of the chambers may vary. For example, the process chambers 40 may be arranged in a 'c' shape or arranged in a zigzag fashion so that the device is not very long in one direction.

The substrate 3 on which the deposition process is to be carried is loaded into the apparatus 1 through the loading chamber 10, and the substrate 3 on which the deposition process is completed is taken out of the apparatus 1 through the unloading chamber 20. The substrate 3 loaded into the loading chamber 10 is transferred to the cleaning chamber 30. The cleaning chamber 30 performs a process of cleaning the substrate 3 using plasma or ultraviolet rays. After cleaning, the substrate 3 is sequentially moved to the mask attaching chamber 42, the deposition chamber 44, and the mask removing chamber 46.

Openings 40a are formed in both sidewalls of the mask attachment chamber 42, the deposition chamber 44, and the mask removal chamber 46. The substrate 3 is moved to the adjacent chambers through the opening 40a. A mask 4 having a predetermined pattern formed in the mask attaching chamber 42 is attached to the substrate 3, a thin film is deposited on the substrate 3 in the deposition chamber 44, and a mask (in the mask removing chamber 46). 4) is removed from the substrate 3. Subsequently, the substrate 3 is moved to the next process chamber 40, and the above process of attaching, depositing, and removing the mask is continuously repeated.

During the deposition process, the process chamber 40 is maintained at a high vacuum. Often, when an abnormality occurs in any one of the chambers, it is necessary to repair the inside of the chamber. Repair is carried out with the chamber inside at atmospheric pressure. Since the insides of the chambers are communicated through the opening 40a, the pressure in all the chambers is changed to the normal pressure when maintenance is performed in either chamber. After the maintenance is completed, it takes a lot of time because all the chamber interior must be kept in vacuum again before starting the process. To prevent this, the apparatus 1 of the present invention has a gate valve 41 for opening and closing the opening 40a formed in the boundary wall between the respective process chambers 40, as shown in FIG.

3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the mask attachment 42 chamber and mask removal chamber 46 of FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 3, a mask mover 100 is provided in the mask attaching chamber 42 and the mask removing chamber 46. The mask mover 100 is movable up and down, and the mask 4 is placed on the mask mover 100. When the mask mover 100 is moved to a predetermined height in the mask attach chamber 42, the mask 4 is coupled to the substrate support 200 by a clamp (not shown) provided on the substrate support 200. Before the mask 4 is bonded to the substrate support 200, the substrate 3 and the mask 4 are aligned. When the mask mover 100 is moved to a predetermined height in the mask removal chamber 46, the mask 4 is separated from the substrate support 200 and placed on the mask mover 100. The above-described structure and method for combining the mask 4 and removing the mask 4 are just examples, and various other structures and methods may be used.

4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the deposition chamber of FIG. 2, FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line AA ′ of FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a schematic operation state diagram of the deposition apparatus of the present invention.

4 to 6, a lower surface of the deposition chamber 44 is provided with a source supply member 300 for supplying an organic material (deposition material). The source supply member 300 is installed to face the substrate 3 supported by the substrate support 200, and supplies an organic material to a surface on which the substrate 30 is deposited.

The source supply member 300 includes a vessel 310 and a heating member 320. The vessel 310 contains the organic material to be deposited. The container 310 has a cylindrical shape of a linear structure extending to correspond to the width of the substrate 3 (one side of the substrate perpendicular to the substrate transfer direction). A plurality of holes 312 are formed in the upper surface of the vessel 310 so that the vaporized organic material (plum) in the vessel 310 can be supplied onto the substrate 3. The heating member 320 provides heat to the organic material by heating the container 310 to generate a plume from the organic material. As the heating member 320, a coil-shaped heating wire may be used, and the heating member 320 may be disposed in the sidewall of the container 310 or may surround the sidewall of the container 310. Alternatively, a laser irradiation member (not shown) for irradiating a laser to the container 310 may be used instead of the heating member 320.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, sensing members 510 and 510 ′ are disposed at both sides of the source supply member 300 to measure the evaporation amount of the organic material supplied from the source supply member 300 to the substrate 3. As the sensing members 510 and 510 ', a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) may be used. The sensing members 510, 510 ′ may consist of a plurality of vibration correcting scales and typically may consist of six or twelve vibration correcting scales. Vibration-correcting scales (QCM) make electrodes by coating metal on both sides of a thin crystal plate, and applying an alternating voltage to it causes them to vibrate at the resonance frequency of the crystal. If the evaporated organic material is attached to the electrode of the vibration correcting scale and the change in the weight of the electrode occurs, the resonance frequency changes, thereby detecting the evaporation amount of the organic material by detecting the weight change occurring at the electrode.

One end of the driving arms 520 and 520 'is connected to the sensing members 510 and 510', and the other end of the driving arms 520 and 520 'is connected to the driving members 530 and 530'. The driving members 530 and 530 'rotate the driving arms 520 and 520', and the sensing members 510 and 510 'are moved to the standby position and the working position by the rotation of the driving arms 520 and 520'. In addition, cleaning members 540 and 540 'for cleaning the sensing members 510 and 510' are disposed at the standby positions of the sensing members 510 and 510 '.

The sensing member 510 ′ of any one of the sensing members 510, 510 ′ measures the evaporation amount of the organic material supplied from the source supply member 300 on the substrate at the working position, as shown in FIG. 5. The other sensing member 510 is waiting in the standby position. After being used for a period of time, the sensing member 510 'is moved to the standby position by the driving member 530', as shown in FIG. 6, and cleaned by the cleaning member 540 '. At this time, the sensing member 510 waiting at the standby position is moved to the working position by the driving member 530, and measures the evaporation amount of the organic material supplied from the source supply member 300 to the substrate. After the sensing member 510 is used for a certain period of time, the sensing member 510 is cleaned and the sensing member 510 'is moved to the work position through the above-described process. The process as described above is repeated to maintain the sensing members 510, 510 ′ without Vacuum Break, which switches the deposition chamber 44 from vacuum to standby, thereby maintaining continuity of process progression. The maintenance cycle of the sensing member can be extended.

On the other hand, when the substrate 3 on which the organic thin film is deposited is a small substrate, a deposition process is performed while the substrate support 200 is fixed at a position opposite to the source supply member 300. However, when the substrate 3 on which the process is performed is a large substrate, a deposition process is performed by predetermined regions while the substrate support 200 moves along the transfer guide 210. The substrate support 200 may be continuously moved at a constant speed, and the deposition process may be performed. The substrate support 200 may be moved while stopping for a predetermined time to perform the deposition process. During the deposition process, the substrate support 200 may be reciprocated in the deposition chamber 44. Unlike this, deposition may be performed while the container 310 is moved. However, in this case, since the configuration of the equipment is complicated, it is preferable that the deposition process is performed while the substrate support 200 is moved along the transfer guide 210.

When the plume generated from the deposition material is moved out of the substrate 3 and moved over the substrate 3 during the deposition process, the plum is deposited on the substrate support 200 or another structure. In addition, when the plume spreads to a large area in the deposition chamber 44, the plume flows into the mask attaching chamber 42 or the mask removing chamber 46 adjacent thereto through the opening 40a formed in the sidewall of the deposition chamber 44. (42, 46). To prevent this, the blocking plate 400 is provided at a position lower than the substrate 3 attached to the substrate support 200 in the deposition chamber 44. The blocking plate 400 has an opening 410 of a predetermined size at a position opposite to the source supply member 300. Since the plume is supplied to the upper portion of the deposition chamber 44 through the opening 410, the region where the plume generated from the organic material is reached is limited to only a predetermined region on the substrate 3.

The above description is merely illustrative of the technical idea of the present invention, and those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may make various modifications and changes without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are not intended to limit the technical idea of the present invention but to describe the present invention, 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 by the following claims, and all technical ideas within the scope equivalent thereto should be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention.

As described above, according to the present invention, the efficiency of the process progress can be increased by continuously proceeding the process without vacuum break.

In addition, according to the present invention, the maintenance period of the sensing member for sensing the evaporation amount of the organic material can be extended.

Claims (5)

An apparatus for depositing an organic thin film on a substrate, A process chamber; A source supply member for supplying an organic material to the deposition surface of the substrate loaded in the process chamber; A plurality of sensing members measuring an evaporation amount of the organic material supplied from the source supply member to the substrate; Drive members for moving the sensing members to a standby position and a working position; Organic thin film deposition apparatus comprising a. The method of claim 1, The device, And a cleaning member disposed at a standby position of the sensing members, the cleaning members cleaning the sensing members. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The sensing member of any one of the plurality of sensing members measures the amount of evaporation of the organic material supplied from the source supply member onto the substrate at the working position, and the other sensing members are waiting at the standby position. Thin film deposition apparatus. The method of claim 3, wherein And the sensing members located at a standby position are cleaned by the cleaning member. The method of claim 4, wherein The source supply member has a linear structure corresponding to one side of the substrate perpendicular to the transfer direction of the substrate and is disposed in parallel below the substrate, The sensing members are disposed on both sides along the longitudinal direction of the source supply member, characterized in that the organic thin film deposition apparatus.

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