KR20240104917A - Atomic layer deposition apparatus and method for powder - Google Patents

Abstract

The atomic layer deposition apparatus for powder of the present invention includes a cylindrical process chamber in which a powder accommodating space capable of accommodating powder is formed; a rotating shaft formed by a first shaft and a second shaft on both sides of the process chamber; a gas supply unit formed on one side of the process chamber to form a supply line that supplies processing gas into the process chamber; a gas exhaust portion formed on the other side of the process chamber and having an exhaust line that exhausts the processing gas inside the process chamber to the outside; and a rotation drive unit coupled to at least one of the first shaft unit and the second shaft unit, and driving the process chamber to rotate the rotation shaft unit about a central axis.

Description

Atomic layer deposition apparatus and method for powder}

The present invention relates to an atomic layer deposition apparatus and method for powder, and more specifically, to an atomic layer deposition apparatus and method for powder that can uniformly coat powder.

Industries using powder are achieving continuous growth along with the rapid development of the powder coating market, including various types of powder catalysts, secondary battery electrodes, MLCC, power inductor, fuel cells, and displays, and there is a demand for high-quality powder coating compared to existing coatings. The field is gradually increasing. In response to this demand, powder coating using atomic layer deposition (ALD), which can produce high-quality thin films compared to existing wet processes, is receiving attention. In particular, the powder coating ALD process using atomic layer deposition is capable of producing high-quality thin films compared to existing wet processes, does not generate waste water, and has low impurity contamination, so demand is increasing in various application fields.

The ALD process is a vacuum process that deposits at the atomic layer level. It has excellent step coating characteristics and can control the thickness in units of several nm, making it a very advantageous method for coating small powder surfaces.

The flowdizing powder ALD process, which injects gas from the bottom and installs an impeller in the chamber to evenly mix the charged powder to induce uniform coating of the powder surface, has the advantage of very high uniformity and fast coating, but many There is a problem in that it is difficult to enlarge the equipment to coat a large amount of powder.

In particular, the amount of powder that can be processed compared to the size of the process chamber is very small compared to the chamber volume, and in the case of the rotary ALD process, which performs the process by rotating the equipment, it is easy to enlarge the equipment, but the source delivery direction is low. There is a problem in that it is difficult to ensure uniformity because it flows in from the side rather than the part, and as the vacuum is blocked after the source enters and the purge process is performed after rotation, the process cycle is longer compared to the flowdization method, which is ultimately directly related to the production yield of the facility, making it economical. There is a problem in reducing .

The present invention is intended to solve various problems including the problems described above. It is a flow-type powder atomic layer deposition facility that allows process gas to flow from the bottom of the process chamber, and agitates the powder by rotating the chamber, The purpose is to provide an atomic layer deposition apparatus and method for powder that can improve powder compaction, coat large amounts of powder, and reduce uniformity and process time. However, these tasks are illustrative and do not limit the scope of the present invention.

An atomic layer deposition apparatus for powder according to the spirit of the present invention for solving the above problems includes a cylindrical process chamber in which a powder accommodating space capable of accommodating powder is formed; a rotating shaft formed by a first shaft and a second shaft on both sides of the process chamber; a gas supply unit formed on one side of the process chamber to form a supply line that supplies processing gas into the process chamber; a gas exhaust portion formed on the other side of the process chamber and having an exhaust line that exhausts the processing gas inside the process chamber to the outside; and a rotation drive unit coupled to at least one of the first shaft unit and the second shaft unit, and driving the process chamber to rotate the rotation shaft unit about a central axis.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a gas feed through is coupled to the rotation shaft portion of at least one of the first shaft portion and the second shaft portion and transmits a reaction gas and a source gas supplied from the outside to the process chamber; may include.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the gas feed through is formed with an inlet through which the source gas and the reaction gas flow, respectively, and a first fixed flow path through which the reaction gas flows and a first fixed flow path through which the source gas flows. A fixing part in which a second fixing flow path is formed; and outlets through which the source gas and the reaction gas flow are formed, one side of which is coupled to the fixing part so as to be rotatable relative to the fixing part, and the other side is coupled to the rotating shaft to rotate the process chamber. It may include a rotating part that is rotated along and has a first rotating flow path in communication with the first fixed flow path and a second rotating flow path in communication with the second fixed flow path formed therein.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the gas supply unit includes a reaction gas supply line connected to the process chamber to supply a reaction gas to the powder accommodation space; and a source gas supply line connected to the process chamber to supply source gas to the powder accommodation space.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the gas exhaust unit includes an exhaust valve formed in at least a portion of the exhaust line to control a flow of the process gas exhausted to the gas exhaust unit; and a bellows pipe formed in at least a portion of the exhaust line so that the gas exhaust portion can be expanded and contracted according to rotation of the process chamber.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the process chamber includes: an internal reactor in which the powder receiving space is formed; a lower mesh structure coupled to the lower part of the internal reactor to prevent external leakage of the powder accommodated in the powder accommodation space; an upper mesh structure coupled to the upper part of the internal reactor to exhaust the gas supplied into the internal reactor to the outside and prevent the powder from leaking outside the process chamber; a showerhead coupled to the lower portion of the lower mesh structure to spray the processing gas into the powder receiving space; and an external reactor formed to surround the internal reactor on the inside, and coupled to the rotation shaft unit, the gas supply unit, and the gas exhaust unit on the outside.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the process chamber includes a chamber body in which the powder receiving space is formed, the rotation shaft part, the gas supply part, and the gas exhaust part are combined on the outside, and the powder charging part is formed on the upper part; a lower mesh structure formed on the lower part of the chamber body to prevent external leakage of the powder accommodated in the powder accommodation space; an upper mesh structure coupled to the upper part of the chamber body to exhaust the gas supplied into the process chamber to the outside and prevent the powder from leaking out of the process chamber; and a showerhead coupled to the lower portion of the lower mesh structure to spray the processing gas into the powder receiving space.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a vibration applying device is formed outside the powder accommodation space and applies vibration to the process chamber so that the powder adhered inside the process chamber can be separated.

The atomic layer deposition method for powder according to the spirit of the present invention for solving the above problems includes a powder preparation step of accommodating the powder in a process chamber in which a powder accommodating space capable of accommodating the powder is formed; A processing step of treating the powder by supplying a processing gas into the process chamber; and a powder collection step of collecting the processed powder, wherein the process processing step includes a source gas supply step of supplying the source gas to the powder receiving space through a source gas supply line formed in a lower portion of the process chamber. ; A first chamber rotation step in which the process chamber rotates around a rotation axis formed on both sides of the process chamber so that the powder accommodated in the powder accommodation space can be stirred inside the process chamber; A first purge step of exhausting the source gas inside the process chamber to the outside through a gas exhaust portion formed on the other side of the process chamber; A reaction gas supply step of supplying a reaction gas to the powder receiving space through a reaction gas supply line formed in the lower part of the process chamber; a second chamber rotation step in which the process chamber rotates around the rotation shaft portion so that the powder accommodated in the powder accommodation space is stirred and reacted inside the process chamber; and a second purge step of exhausting the reaction gas inside the process chamber to the outside through the gas exhaust unit.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the powder preparation step includes a powder charging step of charging the powder into an internal reactor in which the powder receiving space is formed; and a reactor coupling step of coupling the inner reactor to surround the inner reactor with an outer reactor in which the rotating shaft part, the gas supply part, and the gas exhaust part are coupled to the outside.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the powder collecting step includes a reactor separation step of separating the internal reactor from the external reactor; and a powder collection step of collecting the powder that has been processed in the internal reactor.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the powder preparation step may be characterized by charging the powder into the powder receiving space through a powder charging portion formed on the upper part of the chamber body in which the powder receiving space is formed. .

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the powder collecting step may be characterized in that the process chamber is rotated so that the powder charging unit faces downward, and the processed powder that is discharged by falling through the powder charging unit is collected. You can.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first chamber rotation step and the second chamber rotation step may be characterized in that the process chamber rotates 180 degrees to 360 degrees.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the processing step includes the source gas supply step, the first chamber rotation step, the first purge step, the reaction gas supply step, the second chamber rotation step, and the second chamber rotation step. The purge step can be repeated.

According to some embodiments of the present invention made as described above, the powder is compressed inside the chamber by rotating the chamber itself, and a uniform thin film can be coated on the fine powder without structures such as impellers or excitations that impede the inflow of gas. , A uniform powder coating process is possible through effective powder mixing through chamber rotation, and large amounts of powder can be coated.

In addition, more than 50% of the powder can be charged relative to the volume of the chamber, and processing is possible, which has the effect of dramatically increasing production yield. Of course, the scope of the present invention is not limited by this effect.

1 is a perspective view showing an atomic layer deposition apparatus for powder according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a side view showing an atomic layer deposition apparatus for powder according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an atomic layer deposition apparatus for powder according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a process chamber of an atomic layer deposition apparatus for powder according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a gas feed through of an atomic layer deposition apparatus for powder according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 6 is a perspective view showing an atomic layer deposition apparatus for powder according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 7 is a flowchart showing an atomic layer deposition method for powder according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an atomic layer deposition method for powder according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, various preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

The embodiments of the present invention are provided to more completely explain the present invention to those skilled in the art, and the following examples may be modified into various other forms, and the scope of the present invention is as follows. It is not limited to the examples. Rather, these embodiments are provided to make the present disclosure more faithful and complete and to fully convey the spirit of the present invention to those skilled in the art. Additionally, the thickness and size of each layer in the drawings are exaggerated for convenience and clarity of explanation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to drawings that schematically show ideal embodiments of the present invention. In the drawings, variations of the depicted shape may be expected, for example, depending on manufacturing technology and/or tolerances. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the specific shape of the area shown in this specification, but should include, for example, changes in shape resulting from manufacturing.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an atomic layer deposition apparatus 1000 for powder according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view showing the atomic layer deposition apparatus 1000 for powder, and FIG. 3 is an atomic layer deposition apparatus for powder. It is a cross-sectional view showing the apparatus 1000, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the process chamber 100 of the atomic layer deposition apparatus 1000 for powder according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, as shown in FIG. 1, the atomic layer deposition apparatus for powder according to some embodiments of the present invention largely includes a process chamber 100, a rotating shaft unit 200, a gas supply unit 300, and a gas exhaust unit. It may include 400 and a rotation driver 500.

As shown in FIG. 1, the process chamber 100 is formed with a powder receiving space (A) in which powder can be filled, and at least one of raw material gas, purge gas, and reaction gas is formed in the powder receiving space (A). It may be a type of cylindrical structure capable of being sealed that supplies a processing gas made by selecting one.

Specifically, the inside of the process chamber 100 may be filled with powder, and the processing gas may be injected from at least one side of the process chamber 100 and moved into the process chamber 100 so that the processing gas is applied to the filled powder. Atomic layer deposition may be performed to coat the powder by contacting it.

For example, the process chamber 100 is a double cone-shaped chamber, which facilitates the movement of the powder within the process chamber 100 and maximizes the angle of the corner portion so that the processing gas can flow to the corner portion, By allowing the processing gas to flow through the central portion with a large cross-sectional area, the powder and the processing gas can be uniformly stirred, and a large volume of the powder can be processed.

The process chamber 100 is capable of processing powder with a capacity that the powder receiving space A can accommodate, for example, processing a small amount of powder less than 10 L or more than 10 L, and in particular, processing a large amount of powder more than 50 L. It can accommodate large amounts of powder.

The processing gas may include any one or more of a source gas, a reaction gas, and a purge gas.

1 to 3, the process chamber 100 includes an external reactor 110, an internal reactor 120, a lower mesh structure 130, an upper mesh structure 140, and a showerhead 150. can do.

The external reactor 110 is formed to surround the internal reactor 120 on the inside, and the rotation shaft unit 200, the gas supply unit 300, and the gas exhaust unit 400 may be coupled to the outside.

Specifically, the external reactor 110 may be formed to be coupled to structures on the outside of the process chamber 100, and the internal reactor 120 may be formed to be inserted and coupled to the inside.

For example, the external reactor 110 has a vertically symmetrical double cone shape and can be assembled from the top and bottom around the internal reactor 120. The lower part of the external reactor 110 may be connected to the gas supply unit 300, and the upper part may be connected to the gas exhaust unit 400. In addition, the rotation axis portion 200, which is the rotation axis of the process chamber 100, may be formed to be coupled to both sides of the external reactor 110 so that the process chamber 100 can be rotated.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the internal reactor 120 is a chamber in which a powder receiving space (A) is formed, and a mesh-shaped filter can be coupled to the upper and lower parts, and a shower head 150 is installed at the lower part. ) can be installed.

For example, the internal reactor 120 is formed by combining the upper reactor 121 and the lower reactor 122, which has the same coupling portion as the upper reactor 121, upward and downward, and the upper reactor 121 and the lower reactor 122 The coupling portion may be formed as a separate sealing portion.

The upper reactor 121 and the lower reactor 122 may be formed in different shapes, but are preferably formed in a symmetrical shape so that the powder and the processing gas flow uniformly even when the process chamber 100 rotates. It can be formed as much as possible.

The lower mesh structure 130 may be coupled to the lower part of the internal reactor 120 to prevent external leakage of the powder contained in the powder accommodation space (A).

The lower mesh structure 130 is formed inside the internal reactor 120 and can support the powder accommodated in the powder accommodation space A when the process chamber 100 is in the forward direction. That is, the powder may be formed to prevent the powder from falling below the lower mesh structure 130.

At this time, the forward direction may be a direction in which the reaction gas and the source gas are injected upward from the bottom of the process chamber 100.

A mesh network may be formed on at least a portion of the lower mesh structure 130. The powder may be loaded on the upper part of the mesh network of the lower mesh structure 130, and the processing gas supplied from the lower part of the lower mesh structure 130 flows between the mesh networks of the lower mesh structure 130 and is loaded on the upper part. It may be formed to be supplied to the powder.

The mesh network of the lower mesh structure 130 may include micro-holes. Accordingly, the processing gas supplied to the powder accommodation space A may move into the internal reactor 120 through the mesh network of the lower mesh structure 130.

The upper mesh structure 140 exhausts the processing gas supplied into the internal reactor 120 to the outside and may be coupled to the upper part of the internal reactor 120 to prevent the powder from leaking outside the process chamber 100. .

The upper mesh structure 140 may be connected to an exhaust unit that exhausts the processing gas after the powder accommodated in the powder accommodation space A is processed through the processing gas.

The upper mesh structure 140 may be at least partially formed of a mesh network so that the processing gas is exhausted but the powder is not exhausted, and may include a mesh frame that surrounds and supports the mesh.

In addition, the mesh network of the upper mesh structure 140 may change its position from the top to the bottom when the process chamber 100 rotates, and at this time, the powder may be loaded on the upper part of the upper mesh structure 140. there is.

The mesh network of the upper mesh structure 140 may include micro holes. Accordingly, processed gas or unreacted gas can be exhausted to the outside through the mesh network of the upper mesh structure 140.

The size of the microhole may be larger than the particles contained in the supplied gas, and may be smaller than the powder filled inside the reactor 100. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the loss of powder caused by nano- or micro-sized powder floating when pumping, process-treated gas, or unreacted gas is discharged.

The mesh network of the lower mesh structure 130 and the mesh network of the upper mesh structure 140 can be used by adjusting the opening ratio in various ways depending on the particle size of the powder used. Additionally, the material of the mesh networks may be coated with a material that is difficult to react with, such as AlOx or SiOx, on stainless steel, in accordance with the characteristics of the source gas used. Therefore, an anti-deposition film can be formed using various materials and various coatings depending on the type of processing gas.

The showerhead 150 is coupled to the lower part of the lower mesh structure 130 and can spray the processing gas into the powder receiving space (A).

The showerhead 150 is disposed below the lower mesh structure 130 and may be coupled to the lower part of the mesh network to supply one or more of a source gas, a purge gas, and a reaction gas from bottom to top.

Specifically, the showerhead 150 may be installed at the lower part of the process chamber 100 so that the processing gas supplied through the gas supply unit 300 can be evenly distributed, and the showerhead 150 may have a plurality of nozzles or It may include a spray hole.

As described above, when the capacity of the powder is relatively small, the atomic layer deposition apparatus 1000 for powder may be formed by combining the internal reactor 120 inside the external reactor 100 of the process chamber 100.

In addition, the process chamber 100 may be any cylindrical structure formed in a variety of shapes, such as a cylinder, polygonal cylinder, or elliptical cylinder.

A separate heating source, such as a jacket heater or a ceramic heater, is formed around the process chamber 100, so that the temperature of the process chamber 100 can be increased by more than 500 degrees from room temperature.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the rotating shaft portion 200 may include a support for the process chamber 100 formed by a first shaft portion 210 and a second shaft portion 220 on both sides of the process chamber 100. You can.

The rotation shaft unit 200 is a device that fixes the central axis of the process chamber 100 so that the process chamber 100 can rotate. For example, the rotating shaft portion 200 may be a coupling portion through which an external device can be coupled to the process chamber 100 and may be formed to have the same axis on both sides of the process chamber 100 .

The rotating shaft portion 200 may include a first shaft portion 210 and a second shaft portion 220, and the first shaft portion 210 and the second shaft portion 220 may be formed concentrically, and may include a process chamber ( 100) may be formed as a rotatable eccentric shaft.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 , the gas supply unit 300 may be formed on one side of the process chamber 100 to form a supply line that supplies processing gas into the process chamber 100 .

The gas supply unit 300 is connected to the showerhead 150 at the bottom of the process chamber 100, and forms a supply line capable of sequentially supplying the processing gas to the powder accommodated in the powder accommodation space (A). It may be a pipe or tube line, etc.

The gas supply unit 300 supplies the reaction gas and the source gas to the reaction gas supply line 310 and the source gas supply line 320, respectively, to prevent the gas from reacting before reaching the process chamber 100. You can.

Specifically, the gas supply unit 300 may include a reaction gas supply line 310 and a source gas supply line 320.

The reaction gas supply line 310 may be connected to the process chamber 100 to supply reaction gas to the powder accommodation space (A), and the source gas supply line 320 may supply source gas to the powder accommodation space (A). It can be connected to the process chamber 100 so that it can be connected to the processing chamber 100.

Depending on the process, the gas supply unit 300 may be formed of two or more reaction gas supply lines 310 and source gas supply lines 320. In this case, the source line and the reaction gas line may be separated. .

The gas supply unit 300 may supply an externally supplied reaction gas and source gas to the process chamber 100 through the supply line connected from the gas feed through 600 to the process chamber 100 .

In addition, although not shown, the gas supply unit 300 is formed as a stretchable bellows-type gas line, so that the reaction gas and the source gas can be supplied to the rotating process chamber 100.

The processing gas supplied through the gas supply unit 300 passes through the showerhead 150, the processing gas passing through the showerhead 150 rises, and the process chamber 100 rotates to surface the powder particles. An atomic layer can be deposited on.

That is, as the supply of the processing gas is repeated through the gas supply unit 300, a sequential gas supply cycle of source gas, purge gas, reaction gas, purge gas, etc. is basically performed using the showerhead 150 and the supply line. By repeating this, an atomic layer can be deposited on the powder particles in a time-division manner.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the gas exhaust unit 400 is formed on the other side of the process chamber 100, and an exhaust line can be formed to exhaust the process gas inside the process chamber 100 to the outside. there is.

The gas exhaust unit 400 may have an exhaust line, for example, a flow pipe, formed at the upper part of the process chamber 100 to exhaust the source gas, the reaction gas, and by-products.

Specifically, the gas exhaust unit 400 may include an exhaust valve 410 and a bellows pipe 420.

The exhaust valve 410 may be formed in at least a portion of the exhaust line to control the flow of the process gas exhausted to the gas exhaust unit 400.

For example, when the source gas or the reaction gas flows in, or during the adsorption and reaction process inside the process chamber 100, the exhaust valve 410 is blocked to seal the powder accommodation space A inside the process chamber 100. In the exhaust or purge process of the processing gas and by-products, the exhaust valve 410 may be opened to exhaust the gas through the exhaust line.

The bellows pipe 420 may be formed in at least a portion of the exhaust line so that the gas exhaust unit 400 can expand and contract as the process chamber 100 rotates.

Specifically, when the process chamber 100 is rotated, the gas exhaust unit 400 connected to the process chamber 100 may also be rotated along the process chamber 100. At this time, at least a portion of the gas exhaust unit 400 is formed of the bellows pipe 420, so that when the process chamber 100 rotates, the gas exhaust unit 400 can also rotate.

For example, as shown in FIG. 1, when the process chamber 100 rotates 180 degrees clockwise with the rotation axis unit 200 as the central axis, the gas exhaust unit 400 coupled to the upper part of the process chamber 100 ) is rotated 180 degrees by contraction of the bellows pipe 420 so that the upper part of the process chamber 100 and the exhaust valve 410 can be rotated downward, and again, the process chamber 100 rotates 180 degrees counterclockwise. When rotation occurs, the upper part of the process chamber 100 and the exhaust valve 410 may rotate upward due to the extension of the bellows pipe 420. Additionally, rotation in the opposite direction may be possible due to expansion and contraction of the bellows pipe 420.

The gas exhaust unit 400 may be further formed with a vent gas line 430 to adjust the internal pressure of the powder accommodation space A or to remove gas.

1 to 3, the rotation drive unit 500 is coupled to at least one of the first shaft unit 210 and the second shaft unit 220, and the process chamber 100 The rotation shaft unit 200 can be driven to rotate about the central axis.

The rotation driver 500 is a driving device capable of rotating the process chamber 100 and may include, for example, a servo motor coupled to the rotation shaft 200.

The rotation driver 500 is fixed to the outer housing or frame of the atomic layer deposition apparatus 1000 for powder, and rotates the process chamber 100 about the rotation shaft 200 by driving the rotation driver 500. It is a driving device that can

Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the powder from being compressed and compacted on the lower part or one surface of the process chamber 100, and accordingly, by blocking the inflow of the processing gas, the coating of the powder is not uniform and a CVD reaction or oxidation occurs. Reactions can be prevented from occurring.

The atomic layer deposition apparatus 1000 for powder according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a gas feed through 600.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the gas feed through 600 of the atomic layer deposition apparatus 1000 for powder according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the gas feed through 600 is coupled to at least one of the first shaft portion 210 and the second shaft portion 220 to the rotating shaft portion 200, and the reaction supplied from the outside Gas and source gas can be delivered to the process chamber 100

The gas feed through 600 may be formed to enable supply of the processing gas into the process chamber 100 when the process chamber 100 is rotated.

The gas feed through 600 may be formed by being coupled to any one of the first shaft portion 210 and the second shaft portion 220 formed on both sides of the process chamber 100, and preferably includes a rotation driver 500 for rotation. ) can be formed by being located on the opposite side of the

Specifically, the gas feed through 600 may include a fixed part 610 and a rotating part 620.

For example, one side of the fixing part 610 is connected to a gas cylinder (tank), mass flow meter (MFC), or canister through which gas is supplied, thereby forming inlets 613 and 614 through which the source gas and the reaction gas flow, respectively. A first fixed flow path 611 through which the reaction gas flows and a second fixed flow path 612 through which the source gas flows may be formed therein.

The rotating part 620 is formed with outlets through which the source gas and the reaction gas flow, and one side is coupled to the fixing part 610 through the bearing part 630 so as to be rotatable relative to the fixing part 610. You can.

The other side of the rotating part 620 is coupled to the rotating shaft part 200 and rotates according to the rotation of the process chamber 100, and has a first rotating flow path 621 and a second fixed flow path internally in communication with the first fixed flow path 611. A second rotation flow path 622 communicating with the flow path 612 may be formed.

That is, the source gas flows into the second fixed flow path 612 of the fixing part 610 through the source gas inlet 614, and flows into the source through the second rotating flow path 622 connected to the second fixed flow path 612. It can be supplied through the gas supply line 320.

In addition, the reaction gas flows into the first fixed flow path 611 of the fixing part 610 through the reaction gas inlet 613, and reacts through the first rotating flow path 621 connected to the first fixed flow path 611. It can be supplied through the gas supply line 310.

The first fixed flow path 611 and the second fixed flow path 612 are formed as different flow paths, and even if the fixed part 610 and the rotating part 620 rotate relatively, the central axis and the side portion of the fixed part 610 A flow path is formed along the circumference so that the flow can flow into the first rotation flow path 621 and the second rotation flow path 622, respectively.

The gas feed through 600 in FIG. 5 is shown as an example of the atomic layer deposition apparatus 1000 for powder, but the first fixed flow passage 611 and the second fixed flow passage 612 can be formed with minimal bending. , can be formed in various shapes and forms, including a fixing part 610 and a rotating part 620.

In addition, although not shown, when the gas feed through 600 is not formed, the gas supply unit 300 is formed as a bellows, and when the process chamber 100 is rotated, the gas supply unit 300 expands and contracts and the process chamber ( Can be rotated along 100)

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the vibration applying device 700 is formed outside the powder receiving space (A) to separate the powder adhered inside the process chamber 100. Vibration can be applied.

Specifically, the vibration applying device 700 is an air knocker formed on the upper part of the process chamber 100, and when vibration is generated in the process chamber 100 through the vibration applying device 700, the inner wall of the process chamber 100 The powder attached to the mesh may be separated from the inner wall of the process chamber 100, or the powder adhered to the mesh network may be separated by inducing shaking or shaking of the upper mesh structure 140 and the lower mesh structure 130. You can.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the atomic layer deposition apparatus 1000 is connected to the gas exhaust unit 400 and includes a powder trap 900 that collects powder contained in the exhaust gas or by-products. may include.

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing an atomic layer deposition apparatus 1100 for powder according to another embodiment of the present invention.

The atomic layer deposition apparatus 1100 includes a process chamber 100-1, a rotating shaft unit 200, a gas supply unit, a gas exhaust unit 400-1, a rotation driving unit, a gas feed through, a vibration applying device 700, and powder charging. It may include unit 800.

The process chamber 100-1 may include a chamber body 160, a lower mesh structure 130, an upper mesh structure 140, and a showerhead 150.

The chamber body 160 has a powder receiving space (A) formed inside, a rotating shaft portion 200, a gas supply portion 300, and a gas exhaust portion 400-1 are coupled to the outside, and a powder charging portion ( 800) may be formed.

Specifically, the chamber body 160 has an upper mesh structure 140 coupled to the upper part, an openable and openable powder charging part 800 may be formed in the upper part of the upper mesh structure 140, and a lower mesh structure ( 130) is formed, and the showerhead 150 and the gas supply unit may be connected to the lower part of the lower mesh structure 130.

In addition, a rotation axis portion 200 formed of the first shaft portion 210 and the second shaft portion 220 is formed on both sides of the chamber body 160 to rotate the chamber body 160.

The roles and structures of the lower mesh structure 130, the upper mesh structure 140, the rotating shaft unit 200, and the gas feed through are the same as described above.

The powder charging unit 800 is formed at the upper part of the process chamber 100-1 to charge the powder into the powder receiving space A, or to rotate the process chamber 100-1 to load the powder charging unit 800. The powder can be collected by directing it downward.

For example, when charging the powder into the powder receiving space (A), the powder can be charged from the top using a separate powder feeder and collector, and when collecting the powder from the powder receiving space (A), the powder can be charged into the process chamber ( 100-1) can be rotated 180 degrees and a powder collector can be installed at the bottom to collect the powder.

The gas exhaust unit 400-1 may be formed on the side of the upper part of the chamber body 160, and the exhaust unit controls the opening and closing of the gas exhaust unit 400-1 to block the powder accommodation space (A) and the exhaust line. An expandable bellows pipe 420 may be formed so that the gas exhaust unit 400 can be rotated according to the rotation of the valve 430 and the process chamber 100-1.

The size of the exhaust line may change depending on the capacity of the process chamber 100-1.

The atomic layer deposition apparatus 1100 for powder may be configured to directly charge the powder into the chamber body 160 of the process chamber 100-1, as described above, when the capacity of the powder is relatively large. .

7 to 8 are flowcharts showing an atomic layer deposition method for powder according to various embodiments of the present invention.

The atomic layer deposition method for powder according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a powder preparation step (S100), a processing step (S200), and a powder collection step (S300).

The powder preparation step (S100) is a step of accommodating the powder in the process chamber 100 in which a powder accommodating space (A) capable of accommodating the powder is formed.

As shown in FIG. 8, the powder preparation step (S100) includes a powder charging step (S110) of charging the powder into the internal reactor 120 in which the powder receiving space (A) is formed, and a rotating shaft portion 200 to the outside, It may include a reactor coupling step (S120) in which the gas supply unit 300 and the gas exhaust unit 400 are coupled to surround the internal reactor 120 with the external reactor 110 coupled thereto.

Specifically, the powder charging step (S110) is an internal reactor 120 formed by an upper reactor 121 and an upper mesh structure 140 and a lower mesh structure 130 formed at the upper and lower portions, respectively. This is a step of loading the powder, and the reactor assembly step (S120) is a step of assembling the external reactor 110 from the upper and lower sides around the internal reactor 120 loaded with the powder.

Therefore, even when the capacity of the powder is relatively small, the powder can be charged and collected using the internal reactor 120 of the process chamber 100 in the powder preparation step (S100), making it possible to coat the powder. .

As shown in FIG. 7, the processing step (S200) is a step of processing the powder by supplying a processing gas into the inside of the process chamber 100.

The processing step (S200) is a step in which the processing gas is injected into the process chamber 100 and atomic layer deposition is performed to coat the powder by contacting the processing gas with the powder filled inside the process chamber 100. am.

Specifically, the process processing step (S200) and the source gas supply step (S210) are a step of supplying source gas to the powder receiving space (A) through the source gas supply line 320 formed at the bottom of the process chamber 100. .

In the source gas supply step (S210), the source gas is injected from an external source gas source into the process chamber 100 through the gas feed through 600 and the source gas supply line 320.

In the source gas supply step (S210), the source gas supply line 320 is connected to the lower part of the process chamber 100, so that the source gas is directed upward, so that it can be sprayed in the positive direction.

The first chamber rotation step (S220) is performed by rotating the rotation shaft portion 200 formed on both sides of the process chamber 100 around the central axis so that the powder accommodated in the powder accommodation space A can be stirred inside the process chamber 100. This is the step in which the process chamber 100 rotates.

The first chamber rotation step (S220) is a step of rotating the process chamber 100 so that the source gas can be uniformly adsorbed on the surface of the powder when supply of the source gas is completed.

The first chamber rotation step (S220) is a step of rotating the process chamber 100 by driving the rotation driver 500, for example, a servo motor, coupled to the rotation shaft unit 200 of the process chamber 100.

At this time, the source gas introduced into the process chamber 100 in the first chamber rotation step (S220) may be uniformly mixed between the rotating powders.

The first purge step (S230) is a step of exhausting the source gas inside the process chamber 100 to the outside through the gas exhaust unit 400 formed on the other side of the process chamber 100.

The first purge step (S230) is a step of purging the source gas and by-products inside the process chamber 100 by opening the exhaust valve 410.

The first purge step (S230) may further include a sequence of rotating the process chamber 100.

Next, the reaction gas supply step (S240) is a step of supplying the reaction gas to the powder accommodation space (A) through the reaction gas supply line 310 formed in the lower part of the process chamber 100.

In the reaction gas supply step (S240), the reaction gas is injected from an external reaction gas source into the process chamber 100 through the gas feed through 600 and the reaction gas supply line 310.

In the reaction gas supply step (S240), the reaction gas supply line 310 is connected to the lower part of the process chamber 100, so that the reaction gas is directed upward and can be sprayed in the positive direction.

In the second chamber rotation step (S250), the process chamber 100 rotates around the rotation axis unit 200 so that the powder accommodated in the powder accommodation space (A) can be stirred and reacted inside the process chamber 100. This is the step.

At this time, the reaction gas introduced into the process chamber 100 in the second chamber rotation step (S250) may react with the source gas adsorbed on the surface of the powder and be deposited on the powder.

At this time, the reaction gas introduced into the process chamber 100 in the second chamber rotation step (S250) is uniformly mixed between the rotating powders, so that it can react uniformly on the surface of the powder.

The second purge step (S260) is a step of exhausting the reaction gas inside the process chamber 100 to the outside through the gas exhaust unit 400.

The second purge step (S260) is a step of purging the reaction gas and by-products inside the process chamber 100 by opening the exhaust valve 410.

The first purge step (S260) may further include a sequence of rotating the process chamber 100.

When the reaction gas and the source gas are supplied into the process chamber 100 in the source gas supply step (S210) and the reaction gas supply step (S240), the exhaust valve 410 of the gas exhaust unit 400 is closed. The processing gas may be introduced into the process.

In the first chamber rotation step (S220) and the second chamber rotation step (S250), the process chamber 100 may rotate 180 degrees to 360 degrees.

At this time, the inflow time of the reaction gas and the source gas, the number of rotations, and the rotation time of the process chamber 100 may vary depending on the sample. As shown in FIG. 7, the process step (S200) involves supplying the source gas. The step (S210), the first chamber rotation step (S220), the first purge step (S230), the reaction gas supply step (S240), the second chamber rotation step (S250), and the second purge step (S260) can be repeated. there is.

As shown in Figure 8, the powder collection step (S300) is a step of collecting the powder that has been processed.

Specifically, the powder collection step (S300) includes a reactor separation step (S310) for separating the internal reactor 120 from the external reactor 110 and a powder collection step (S320) for collecting the powder that has been processed in the internal reactor 120. ) may include.

For example, the reactor separation step (S310) is a step of separating the external reactor 110 and the internal reactor 120 from the external reactor 110 after the process is completed, and the powder collection step (S320) is a step of separating the internal reactor 110 from the external reactor 110. This is the step of separating the upper reactor 121 and the lower reactor 122 of (120) and collecting the coated powder.

The atomic layer deposition method for powder according to another embodiment of the present invention may include a powder preparation step (S100), a processing step (S200), and a powder collection step (S300).

The powder preparation step (S100) is a step of charging the powder into the powder receiving space (A) through the powder charging portion 800 formed on the upper part of the chamber body 160, where the powder receiving space is formed.

Specifically, in the powder preparation step (S100), the powder is charged into the powder charging portion 800 formed at the upper part of the process chamber 100-1, and the process chamber 100-1 is sealed, thereby forming a powder receiving space (A). ) is the step of loading the powder.

Therefore, even when the capacity of the powder is relatively large, the powder is directly charged into the chamber body 160 using the process chamber 100-1 in the powder preparation step (S100). Also, coating of the powder may be possible.

The processing step (S200) may include the same steps as described above.

In the powder collecting step (S300), the process chamber 100 is rotated so that the powder charging unit 800 faces downward, and the processed powder that falls and is discharged through the powder charging unit 800 is collected.

In the powder collection step (S300), the process chamber 100-1 is rotated 180 degrees so that the powder loading part 800 is directed downward, and a powder collector can be installed at the bottom to collect the pouring powder.

Through the present invention, it is possible to have the advantage of the flowdization method of spraying processing gas from the bottom of the existing chamber, and to prevent problems such as compaction that occur when using structures such as existing impellers, and to prevent the process chamber from being compacted. By directly rotating and stirring the powder, the mixing effect can be maximized and mass production can be possible.

The present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, but these are merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible therefrom. Therefore, the true scope of technical protection of the present invention should be determined by the technical spirit of the attached patent claims.

A: Powder accommodation space
100, 100-1: Process chamber
110: external reactor
120: internal reactor
130: Lower mesh structure
140: Upper mesh structure
150: shower head
200: Rotating shaft part
300: Gas supply unit
310: Reaction gas supply line
320: Source gas supply line
400: gas exhaust section
410: exhaust valve
420: Bellows pipe
430: Vent gas line
500: Rotation driving unit
600: Gas feed through
610: fixing part
620: Rotating part
700: Vibration applying device
800: Powder charging part
900: Powder Trap
1000, 1100: Atomic layer deposition device for powder

Claims (15)

A cylindrical process chamber in which a powder accommodation space capable of accommodating powder is formed;
a rotating shaft formed by a first shaft and a second shaft on both sides of the process chamber;
a gas supply unit formed on one side of the process chamber to form a supply line that supplies processing gas into the process chamber;
a gas exhaust portion formed on the other side of the process chamber and having an exhaust line that exhausts the processing gas inside the process chamber to the outside; and
a rotation drive unit coupled to at least one of the first shaft unit and the second shaft unit, and driving the process chamber to rotate the rotation shaft unit about a central axis;
Atomic layer deposition device for powder, including. According to claim 1,
a gas feed through coupled to the rotating shaft of at least one of the first shaft and the second shaft, and delivering a reaction gas and a source gas supplied from the outside to the process chamber;
Atomic layer deposition device for powder, including. According to claim 2,
The gas feed through is,
a fixing part in which inlets through which the source gas and the reaction gas flow are formed, and a first fixed flow path through which the reaction gas flows and a second fixed flow path through which the source gas flows are formed; and
Outlets through which the source gas and the reaction gas flow are respectively formed, one side of which is coupled to the fixing part so as to be rotatable relative to the fixing part, and the other side is coupled to the rotating shaft according to the rotation of the process chamber. a rotating part that rotates and has a first rotating flow path in communication with the first fixed flow path and a second rotating flow path in communication with the second fixed flow path formed therein;
Atomic layer deposition device for powder, including. According to claim 1,
The gas supply unit,
a reaction gas supply line connected to the process chamber to supply reaction gas to the powder receiving space; and
a source gas supply line connected to the process chamber to supply source gas to the powder receiving space;
Atomic layer deposition device for powder, including. According to claim 1,
The gas exhaust unit,
an exhaust valve formed in at least a portion of the exhaust line to control a flow of the process gas exhausted to the gas exhaust unit; and
a bellows pipe formed in at least a portion of the exhaust line so that the gas exhaust portion can be expanded and contracted according to rotation of the process chamber;
Atomic layer deposition device for powder, including. According to claim 1,
The process chamber is,
an internal reactor in which the powder receiving space is formed;
a lower mesh structure coupled to the lower part of the internal reactor to prevent external leakage of the powder accommodated in the powder accommodation space;
an upper mesh structure coupled to the upper part of the internal reactor to exhaust the gas supplied into the internal reactor to the outside and prevent the powder from leaking outside the process chamber;
a showerhead coupled to the lower part of the lower mesh structure to spray the processing gas into the powder receiving space; and
an external reactor formed to surround the internal reactor on the inside, and coupled to the rotation shaft part, the gas supply part, and the gas exhaust part on the outside;
Atomic layer deposition device for powder, including. According to claim 1,
The process chamber is,
a chamber body in which the powder receiving space is formed, the rotating shaft part, the gas supply part, and the gas exhaust part being combined on the outside, and a powder charging part formed on the upper part;
a lower mesh structure formed on the lower part of the chamber body to prevent external leakage of the powder accommodated in the powder accommodation space;
an upper mesh structure coupled to the upper part of the chamber body to exhaust the gas supplied into the process chamber to the outside and prevent the powder from leaking out of the process chamber; and
a showerhead coupled to the lower part of the lower mesh structure to spray the processing gas into the powder receiving space;
Atomic layer deposition device for powder, including. According to claim 1,
a vibration applying device formed outside the powder receiving space to apply vibration to the process chamber so that the powder adhered inside the process chamber can be separated;
Atomic layer deposition device for powder, including. A powder preparation step of accommodating the powder in a process chamber in which a powder accommodating space capable of accommodating the powder is formed;
A processing step of treating the powder by supplying a processing gas into the process chamber; and
A powder collection step of collecting the processed powder;
Including,
The processing step is,
A source gas supply step of supplying source gas to the powder receiving space through a source gas supply line formed at a lower portion of the process chamber;
A first chamber rotation step in which the process chamber rotates around a rotation axis formed on both sides of the process chamber so that the powder accommodated in the powder accommodation space can be stirred inside the process chamber;
A first purge step of exhausting the source gas inside the process chamber to the outside through a gas exhaust portion formed on the other side of the process chamber;
A reaction gas supply step of supplying a reaction gas to the powder receiving space through a reaction gas supply line formed in the lower part of the process chamber;
a second chamber rotation step in which the process chamber rotates around the rotation axis portion so that the powder accommodated in the powder accommodation space is stirred and reacted inside the process chamber; and
a second purge step of exhausting the reaction gas inside the process chamber to the outside through the gas exhaust unit;
Including, atomic layer deposition method for powder. According to clause 9,
The powder preparation step is,
A powder charging step of charging the powder into an internal reactor where the powder accommodation space is formed; and
A reactor coupling step of coupling the inner reactor to surround the inner reactor with an outer reactor to which the rotating shaft part, the gas supply part, and the gas exhaust part are coupled to the outside;
Including, atomic layer deposition method for powder. According to claim 10,
The powder collection step is,
a reactor separation step of separating the internal reactor from the external reactor; and
A powder collection step of collecting the powder that has been processed in the internal reactor;
Including, atomic layer deposition method for powder. According to clause 9,
The powder preparation step is,
An atomic layer deposition method for powder, characterized in that the powder is charged into the powder accommodating space through a powder charging portion formed on an upper part of a chamber body in which the powder accommodating space is formed. According to claim 12,
The powder collection step is,
An atomic layer deposition method for powder, characterized in that the process chamber is rotated so that the powder charging unit faces downward, and the processed powder that falls and is discharged through the powder charging unit is collected. According to clause 9,
The first chamber rotation step and the second chamber rotation step are,
An atomic layer deposition method for powder, characterized in that the process chamber rotates 180 degrees to 360 degrees. According to clause 9,
The processing step is,
An atomic layer deposition method for powder, repeating the source gas supply step, the first chamber rotation step, the first purge step, the reaction gas supply step, the second chamber rotation step, and the second purge step.

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