TW201718916A - Evaporative deposition with improved deposition source - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a deposition source for an evaporative deposition vacuum vessel and a method of evaporative deposition wherein a first receptacle is provided including a charge of a first material supported by the first receptacle. The first receptacle is heated to a temperature sufficient to evaporate the first material. The evaporated first material is caused to converge between the first receptacle and a substrate where the evaporated first material is deposited. A second receptacle can be provided that includes a charge of a second material supported by the second receptacle. The second receptacle can be heated to a temperature sufficient to evaporate the second material. The evaporated second material can also be caused to converge between the second receptacle and the substrate where the evaporated second material is deposited. While converging, the evaporated first and second materials can mix prior to being deposited on the substrate.

Description

Evaporative deposition technology with improved deposition source

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/219, 203, filed on Sep. 16, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

This application is directed to an evaporative deposition system, and more particularly to a deposition source that can be used in the evaporative deposition system.

Shadow mask deposition is well known in the art and has been used for many years in the manufacture of microelectronic components.

Heretofore, as best understood, prior art deposition sources of evaporative deposition systems deposit evaporative material over a large surface area of the substrate, requiring that such regions or portions of such regions remain in the path of the evaporating material for a sufficient period of time until Apply to the desired depth. A problem with this prior art method is the possibility of non-uniform deposition per unit area of the coated substrate and longer deposition time.

Various preferred and non-limiting examples as set forth in the following numbered clauses will now be described:

Clause 1: The deposition source 118 for the evaporative deposition vacuum vessel 110 includes a containment vessel including at least one receiving opening that is assembled to receive material to be vaporized. The receptacle includes at least one passageway configured to receive fluid and a member for introducing fluid into the passageway, thereby including evaporation of material in the receiving opening.

Item 2: The deposition source of item 1, wherein the member for introducing the fluid comprises: a fluid source and a fluid pump.

Clause 3: The deposition source of clause 1 or 2, further comprising a gap 158 defined by one or more shields above the receiving opening 152/176, the flow of the evaporation material 134/134' passing through Receive opening.

Clause 4: The deposition source of any one of clauses 1 to 3, wherein the one or more shields comprise at least one chimney guard 156 positioned above the receiving opening 152/176.

Clause 5: The deposition source of any one of clauses 1 to 4, wherein the one or more panels comprise at least one side panel 154 extending from a side of the container 136/166 and The chimney guard 156 is supported above the receiving opening 152/176.

Clause 6: The deposition source of any of clauses 1 to 5, further comprising a fluid channel 162 on the chimney panel 156.

Clause 7: The deposition source of any of clauses 1 to 6, further comprising a fluid channel 160 on the side shield 154.

Clause 8: The deposition source of any one of clauses 1 to 7, wherein the fluid is at a temperature below the temperature at which the fluid is introduced, but at a temperature sufficient to heat the material 134/134' to evaporation.

Clause 9: The deposition source of any one of clauses 1 to 8, further comprising: a second receiving container comprising at least one receiving opening, the at least one receiving opening being assembled to receive the same material to be evaporated or Different materials; and the second receiving container includes at least one channel that is assembled to receive the same fluid or different fluids.

Clause 10: The deposition source of any one of clauses 1 to 9, wherein: the container comprises two channels; and the fluid flows in opposite directions in the two channels.

Item 11: The evaporation deposition method comprises: (a) providing a first receiving container; (b) providing a feed of the first material supported by the first receiving container; (c) heating the first receiving container to be sufficient for the first a temperature at which the material evaporates; and (d) merging the evaporated first material between the first containment vessel and the substrate, the vaporized first material being deposited at the substrate.

Clause 12: The method of clause 11, wherein: step (a) comprises providing a second receiving container; step (b) comprises providing a feed of the second material supported by the second receiving container; and step (c) comprises The second receiving container is heated to a temperature sufficient to evaporate the second material; and step (d) includes converging the evaporated second material between the second receiving container and the substrate, the evaporated second material being deposited on the substrate At the office.

Clause 13: The method of item 11 or 12, wherein the step (d) comprises: evaporating the first material and evaporating the second material to join between the first container and the second container and the substrate.

The method of any one of clauses 11 to 13, wherein the first material and the second material are the same material or different materials.

The method of any one of clauses 11 to 14, wherein the step (c) comprises: heating the first receiving container with the first fluid; and heating the second receiving container with the second fluid.

The method of any one of clauses 11 to 15, wherein the first fluid and the second fluid are the same fluid or different fluids; and the first fluid and the second fluid are heated to the same temperature or different temperatures.

The following disclosure will refer to the accompanying drawings in which the same reference

Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, an exemplary deposition system 100 for evaporative deposition of one or more materials onto a substrate 112 includes one or more deposition vacuum vessels 110. In the example shown in FIG. 1A, deposition system 100 includes deposition vacuum vessels 110a-110n. However, the number and configuration of deposition vacuum vessels 110 depends on the number of deposition events that are desired to be performed on substrate 112, and in this regard, deposition system 100 can include a single deposition vacuum vessel 110.

In use of deposition system 100, substrate 112 (continuous substrate sheets or separate, separate substrates) is translated through each deposition vacuum vessel 110 in any suitable and/or desirable manner. In one example, substrate 112 in the form of a continuous substrate sheet is translated through each deposition vacuum vessel 110 via a spool-to-reel mechanism that includes a dispensing spool 114 and a take-up spool 116. The exemplary deposition system 100 of Figure 1A includes a plurality of deposition vacuum vessels 110a-110n. However, deposition system 100 including a single deposition vacuum vessel 110 is contemplated.

Each deposition vacuum vessel 110 includes a deposition source 118, a substrate holder and alignment system 120, and a shadow mask 122 in the case where the deposition system 100 is a shadow mask vapor deposition system. Additional background information regarding deposition system 100 can be found in U.S. Patent No. 7,538,828.

An example of an improved deposition source 118 for use in depositing a vacuum vessel 110 will now be described.

Referring to FIG. 2, a schematic diagram of an exemplary deposition vacuum vessel 110 includes a substrate 112 and a shadow mask 122 that are coupled together and moved in a direction indicated by arrow 130 via a spool-to-reel mechanism. In one example, the substrate holder and alignment system 120 facilitates successful deposition of the evaporation material 132 from the deposition source 118 via the one or more holes 124 of the shadow mask 122 onto the substrate 112, the support being attached thereto The substrate holder and the substrate 112 of the alignment system and the shadow mask 122.

The evaporation material 132 is formed by evaporating a solid or liquid material 134 that has been deposited or placed in a receptacle 136 of the deposition source 118. To facilitate evaporation of material 134, in one example, receptacle 136 can be heated via circulating pump 140 using hot fluid from thermal fluid source 138. In one example, the hot fluid used to heat the receptacle 136 can be oil, and the hot fluid source 138 can be assembled to heat the oil to a temperature below the evaporation point of the oil, but heated to heat the material. 134 causes material 134 to evaporate and form a temperature of evaporation material 132 that is deposited on substrate 112 via one or more holes 124 of shadow mask 122. The description of a heated fluid source 138 that heats a fluid such as oil will not be construed as limiting, as it is contemplated that the hot fluid source 138 can heat any suitable and/or desirable fluid to a temperature sufficient to vaporize the material 134 of the deposition source 118.

Finally, vacuum pump 164 can be coupled to deposition vacuum vessel 110 and operative to sufficiently evacuate the interior of deposition vacuum vessel 110 to facilitate deposition of evaporation material 132 onto substrate 112 via one or more apertures 124 of shadow mask 122. .

Referring to Figure 3 and with continued reference to Figures 1A, 1B and 2, the container 136 is formed from a suitable thermally conductive material that can also be applied to the vacuum used to deposit the evaporation material 132 onto the substrate 112. use. In one example, the receptacle 136 is formed from copper. However, this is not to be construed in a limiting sense.

The receptacle 136 includes a plurality of channels 142 that extend through the receptacle 136. Each channel 142 includes an opening in a different side 144 and 146 of the receptacle 136. In the example illustrated in FIG. 3, the openings of each channel 142 are at sides 144 and 146 at opposite ends of the container 136, and the plurality of channels 142 can extend parallel to each other. However, this is not to be construed in a limiting sense.

In one example, one or more fluid input conduits 148 and one or more fluid return conduits 150 are utilized to supply thermal fluid to the thermal fluid source 138 via the circulation pump 140 and to return the thermal fluid from the thermal fluid source 138.

In the example shown in FIG. 3, hot fluid is introduced into the opening of one or more of the channels 142 on both sides 144 and 146 of the receptacle 136 via the input conduit 148. More specifically, in the example shown in FIG. 3, the hot fluid is introduced into the alternating passage 142 of the receptacle 136 in the opposite or countercurrent direction as avoidance of possible entry of the hot fluid through the input to the receptacle 136, for example. An auxiliary means for forming hot spots and cold spots in the receptacle 136 in the opening of each of the channels 142 on the same side of the side 144.

However, the description herein of the thermal fluid flowing in the countercurrent direction in the alternate passage 142 of the receptacle 136 is not to be construed in a limiting sense, as it is contemplated that the fluid can flow through each passage 142 in any suitable and/or desirable direction. .

In one example, the receptacle 136 can include one or more receiving openings 152 that can be recessed in the top surface of the receptacle 136. In this example, each receiving opening 152 can extend into the body of the receptacle 136 but not intersect the channel 142. Each receiving opening 152 can be configured to receive a feed of solid or liquid material 134 (FIG. 2) to be evaporated into an evaporative material 132 deposited on the substrate 112 via one or more holes 124 of the shadow mask 122. on. In another example, the top surface of the receptacle 136 can include one or more receiving openings 152. In this latter example, each receiving opening 152 can be formed as a tray that includes a planar substrate and a raised rim defining a perimeter of the receiving opening 152 for vaporizing to form a material 134 of the evaporation material 132. It is accommodated in the receiving opening.

In one example, deposition source 118 can include one or more selective side shields 154 and/or one or more selective chimney panels 156 that are collectively configured to form elongated gaps 158, evaporating Material 132 passes through the elongated gap for deposition onto substrate 112 via shadow mask 122. In one example, the optional sideguards 154 can extend perpendicularly from opposite sides of the container 136, and the optional chimney panel 156 can extend from the top edge of the side panel 154, taper inward toward each other Shaped and terminated in a spaced relationship without touching the top end to form a gap 158. Each combination of side guard 154 and chimney shroud 156 extending from the top edge of the side shrouds 154 can be a single piece.

Other configurations of one or more side shields 154 and/or one or more chimney panels 156 used to form gaps 158 are contemplated. For example, the side guard 154 can be omitted and the gap 158 can be formed separately from one or more chimney panels 156. In another example, the gap 158 can be formed via a single chimney shroud 156 that is formed from a single piece in a manner that defines the gap 158. In another example, the side panels 154 can be omitted and the chimney panels 156 can taper inwardly toward each other to define a gap 158.

Accordingly, the illustrated configuration of one or more side shields 154 and/or one or more chimney panels 156 used to form gap 158 is not to be construed in a limiting sense because of the presence of gap 158 and the evaporation of material 132. Flow restrictions and concentration to the gap 158 may be desirable. However, as discussed above, the use of side guard 154 and/or chimney shroud 156 is optional.

In one example, each side shield 154 can include a fluid channel 160 formed on a surface of the side shield (ideally opposite the evaporation material 132). Similarly, each chimney shroud 156 can include a fluid channel 162 formed on the surface of the chimney shroud (ideally opposite the evaporative material 132). Each fluid channel 160 and 162 can have an opening for coupling to the input conduit 148 and another opening for coupling to the return conduit 150 for receipt from the thermal fluid source 138 via the circulation pump 140 in the manner described above. Hot fluid. Additionally or alternatively, one or both fluid channels 160 and 162 can be coupled to different sources of thermal fluid (not shown). The purpose of the side and chimney guards 154 and 156 is to limit and concentrate the flow of the evaporating material 132 to the gap 158 so that the substrate 112 and the shadow mask 122 pass in the direction indicated by the arrow 130 in FIG. During the gap 158, a relatively uniform and thicker layer of evaporated material 132 is produced on the substrate 112.

The purpose of fluid channels 160 and 162 is to enable thermal fluid to circulate through the fluid channels to maintain the temperature of side shield 154 and chimney guard 156 above the dew point of evaporation material 132. At the temperature, thereby preventing the evaporation material 132 from condensing on the side guard 154 and the chimney guard 156.

Referring to FIG. 4 and with continued reference to all previous figures, another exemplary modified deposition source 118 includes a pair of receptacles 136 separated by a containment vessel 166 that is heated by a pair of heat on opposite sides of the receptacle 166. Separator 168 is separated from receptacle 136. The thermal separator 168 may be formed of any suitable and/or desirable material that can act as a thermal insulator between the receptacle 166 and the receptacle 136 in a vacuum environment that will be present inside the deposition vacuum vessel 110.

The receptacle 166 includes one or more passages 174 to facilitate the flow of hot fluid through the receptacle 166. In an example, thermal fluid source 170 and circulation pump 172 (similar to thermal fluid source 138 and circulation pump 140) can be utilized to supply thermal fluid to one or more input conduits 178 and one or more return conduits 180 The channel 174 of the container 166 is closed. The use of a source of thermal fluid 170 separate from the source of hot fluid 138 can have control of the heat supplied to the top surface of the vessel 166 for evaporating the material deposited on the top surface. In this manner, the heat supplied to the material deposited on the top surface of the container 166 and the material deposited on the top surface of each container 136 can be independently controlled. This is especially useful where the material deposited on the top surface of the receptacles 136 and 166 evaporates at different temperatures.

The top surface of the receptacle 166 can include one or more receiving openings 176, similar to one or more receiving openings 152 of the receiving container 136, wherein each receiving opening 176 can be recessed into the receiving container 166, or have a planar base and define The raised rim of the periphery of the receiving opening 176 is received. However, this is not to be construed in a limiting sense.

Referring to Figure 5, the deposition of different materials using deposition source 118 will now be described.

In one example, the top surface of the container 136 is fed as a powdered OLED material 134 and the top surface of the container 166 is fed as a powdered dopant 134'. The via 136 is heated to a temperature sufficient to vaporize the OLED material 134 deposited on the top surface of the receptacle 136 via the hot fluid introduced into the channel 142. At the same time, hot fluid is introduced into channel 174 to heat vessel 166 to a temperature sufficient to vaporize dopant material 134'. The evaporated dopant material 134' and the evaporated OLED material 134 merge and mix at the gap 158 to form an evaporation material 132 deposited on the substrate 112 via one or more holes 124 of the shadow mask 122.

As can be seen, the side shield 154 and the chimney shield 156 push the flow of the vaporized OLED material 134 toward the flow of the evaporated dopant material 134', thus the evaporated OLED material 134 and the evaporated dopant material. 134' meets at gap 158 and flows through the gap for deposition onto substrate 112 via shadow mask 122.

In one example, instead of two receptacles 136 and a single receptacle 166, as shown in the examples of Figures 4 and 5, it is contemplated that deposition source 118 can be considered to form an evaporation to be deposited onto substrate 112. Any configuration that is suitable and desirable for material 132 includes two receptacles 134/166 or more than three receptacles 134/166.

In one example, the temperatures of the receptacles 136 and 166 of Figures 4 and 5 can be independently controlled by the thermal fluid supplied to the passages 142 and 174 so that the feed of materials 134 and 134' can be used to achieve the desired Evaporate at a rate of doping level. In an example where X parts of dopant material 134' are required for each Y parts of OLED material 134, the temperatures of receiving vessels 136 and 166 can be controlled by the hot fluids output to channels 142 and 174 by thermal fluid sources 138 and 170. The temperature is independently controlled such that X parts of dopant material 134' are evaporated for each Y parts of OLED material 134.

In one example, a vacuum pump 164 is coupled to each deposition vacuum vessel 110 and is operative to facilitate evacuation of the interior of the atmosphere from the deposition vacuum vessel 110. Vacuum pump 164 is not shown in Figures 3 through 5 for simplicity of illustration.

In the example shown in Figures 3 through 5, side guard 154 and chimney guard 156 are optional. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 3, the side guard 154 and the chimney guard 156 may be omitted, so that the evaporative material 132 may be without the confluence provided by the side guard 154 and the chimney guard 156. It is deposited directly on the substrate 112 via the shadow mask 122.

Examples have been described with reference to various figures. Other artisans will recognize modifications and alterations after reading and understanding the foregoing examples. Therefore, the foregoing examples are not to be construed as limiting the disclosure.

100‧‧‧Deposition system
110‧‧‧(evaporative) deposition vacuum vessel
110a~110n‧‧‧deposition vacuum container
112‧‧‧Substrate
114‧‧‧Distribution reel
116‧‧‧Reel reel
118‧‧‧Sedimentary source
120‧‧‧Substrate holder and alignment system
122‧‧‧ Shadow mask
124‧‧‧ holes
130‧‧‧ arrow
132‧‧‧Evaporation materials
134‧‧‧(powdered) OLED material / (evaporation) material
134'‧‧‧ powdered dopant/doping (agent) material / (evaporation) material
136, 166‧‧ ‧ container
138, 170‧‧‧ Thermal fluid source
140, 172‧‧ Circulating pump
142, 174‧‧ channels
144, 146‧‧‧ side
148‧‧‧ (fluid) input catheter
150‧‧‧(fluid) return catheter
152, 176‧‧‧ receiving openings
154‧‧‧Side guard
156‧‧‧ Chimney guard
158‧‧ (small) gap
160, 162‧‧‧ fluid channel
164‧‧‧vacuum pump
168‧‧‧Hot separator
178‧‧‧Input catheter
180‧‧‧Return catheter

Figure 1 (Figures 1A and 1B) is a schematic illustration of an exemplary vapor deposition system;

Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary deposition vacuum vessel of the deposition system of Figure 1;

3 is an isolated perspective view of an exemplary deposition source that can be used in the deposition vacuum vessel shown in FIG. 2 to operatively cooperate with a substrate having a shadow mask, the substrate having a gap at the top of the deposition source. Pan up

4 is an isolated perspective view of another exemplary deposition source that can be used in place of the exemplary deposition source shown in FIG. 3;

5 is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary deposition source of FIG. 4 operatively mated with a substrate having a shadow mask that translates over a gap at the top of the deposition source.

110‧‧‧(evaporative) deposition vacuum vessel

112‧‧‧Substrate

118‧‧‧Sedimentary source

122‧‧‧ Shadow mask

130‧‧‧ arrow

132‧‧‧Evaporation materials

134‧‧‧(powdered) OLED material / (evaporation) material

134'‧‧‧ powdered dopant/doping (agent) material / (evaporation) material

136, 166‧‧ ‧ container

142, 174‧‧ channels

148‧‧‧ (fluid) input catheter

154‧‧‧Side guard

156‧‧‧ Chimney guard

158‧‧ (small) gap

160, 162‧‧‧ fluid channel

Claims (16)

A deposition source for an evaporative deposition vacuum vessel, the deposition source comprising: a receiving container including at least one receiving opening, the at least one receiving opening being assembled to receive a material to be evaporated; the receiving container comprising at least one a channel, the at least one channel being configured to receive a fluid; and a member for introducing the fluid into the channel, thereby evaporating the material included in the receiving opening. The deposition source of claim 1, wherein the means for introducing the fluid comprises: a fluid source; and a pump. The deposition source of claim 1, further comprising a gap defined by one or more shields above the receiving opening through which one of the evaporating materials flows. The deposition source of claim 3, wherein the one or more panels comprise at least one chimney panel, the at least one chimney panel being positioned above the receiving opening. The deposition source of claim 4, wherein the one or more shields comprise at least one side shield extending from a side of the receptacle and supporting the chimney over the receiving opening board. The deposition source of claim 4, further comprising a fluid channel on the chimney shield. The deposition source of claim 5, further comprising a fluid channel on the side shield. A deposition source as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid is at a temperature below the introduction of the fluid but at a temperature sufficient to heat the material to evaporation. The deposition source of claim 1, further comprising: a second receiving container including at least one receiving opening, the at least one receiving opening being assembled to receive the same material or a different material to be evaporated; and the second receiving The container includes at least one channel that is assembled to receive the same fluid or a different fluid. The deposition source of claim 1, wherein: the container comprises two channels; and the fluid flows in opposite directions in the two channels. An evaporation deposition method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a first receiving container; (b) providing a feed of a first material supported by the first receiving container; (c) providing the first receiving container Heating to a temperature sufficient to vaporize the first material; and (d) converging the vaporized first material between the first container and a substrate, the vaporized first material being deposited at the substrate. The method of claim 11, wherein: the step (a) comprises providing a second receiving container; the step (b) comprises providing one of the second materials supported by the second receiving container; the step (c) comprising The second receiving container is heated to a temperature sufficient to vaporize the second material; and step (d) includes converging the evaporated second material between the second receiving container and the substrate, the evaporated second Material is deposited at the substrate. The method of claim 12, wherein the step (d) comprises the vaporizing the first material and the evaporated second material joining between the first receiving container and the second receiving container and the substrate. The method of claim 12, wherein the first material and the second material are the same material or different materials. The method of claim 12, wherein the step (c) comprises: heating the first receiving container with a first fluid; and heating the second receiving container with a second fluid. The method of claim 15, wherein: the first fluid and the second fluid are the same fluid or different fluids; and the first fluid and the second fluid are heated to the same temperature or different temperatures.