US3738928A - Sputter coating apparatus with end feed - Google Patents

Sputter coating apparatus with end feed Download PDF

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Publication number
US3738928A
US3738928A US00240002A US3738928DA US3738928A US 3738928 A US3738928 A US 3738928A US 00240002 A US00240002 A US 00240002A US 3738928D A US3738928D A US 3738928DA US 3738928 A US3738928 A US 3738928A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
rail
rails
chamber
apparatus defined
flanks
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00240002A
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English (en)
Inventor
H Glaser
H Beckmann
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Flachglas Wernberg GmbH
Original Assignee
Flachglas Wernberg GmbH
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from DE2116190A external-priority patent/DE2116190C3/de
Application filed by Flachglas Wernberg GmbH filed Critical Flachglas Wernberg GmbH
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3738928A publication Critical patent/US3738928A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
    • C23C14/00—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
    • C23C14/22—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the process of coating
    • C23C14/56—Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating; Arrangements for maintaining the vacuum, e.g. vacuum locks
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
    • C23C14/00—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
    • C23C14/22—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the process of coating
    • C23C14/34—Sputtering

Definitions

  • a r 2 1971 Germ n P 21 l 6 190 O carriage is horizontally displaceable above the workp a y pieces and is provided with a plurality of suspended sputter-coating cathodes connected together as a rack gill. whose lower end is guided between the lower rails.
  • a [58] Fie'ld 4/192 298 of the rails are formed as U-section channels to receive the workpieces between their flanks, which are pro- [56] References Cited vided with adjustable spacers in order to maintain an 1 UNITED STATES PATENTS exact positioning of the workpieces.
  • the present invention relates to an apparatus for the sputter-coating of a sheet-like workpiece and, more particularly to an apparatus for use in the sputtercoating of a glass, ceramic, or synthetic-resin plate.
  • BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION workpiece are lifted by a crane and then painstakingly fitted, usually with the help of a worker or two standing on top of the treatment chamber, down into the apparatus. Care must be exercised to prevent breaking of the workpieces, which often are as large as square meters. In order to increase efficiency by loading and unloading the treatment apparatus as quickly as possible all of the sheets are fitted into a large frame which is dropped by automatic means into the top of the treatment chamber. Such equipment is extremely costly and, when a workpiece of different thickness is used, it is often necessary to allow several days of downtime for readjustment of the spacing between parallel racks.
  • the electrodes are usually arranged horizontally in vertical planar arrays which are displaced vertically up and down next to the stationary workpiece, or more often between two workpieces.
  • the rack of electrodes sputtering cathodes
  • the rack of electrodes is mounted as a carriage on four vertical threaded spindles which are driven to raise and lower these electrodes.
  • the carriage for the electrodes rides on a pair of rails in the upper region of the treatment chamber.
  • These rails are independent of the upper guides so that the carriage will have no effect on these guides as it is reciprocated back and forth during the sputtering operations.
  • the rails are located on opposite sides and outwardly of the array of guides.
  • Each lower guide is preferably a straight upwardly open channel provided with a plurality of spaced-apart anti-friction rollers.
  • the upper guide is a downwardly open channel without rollers so that the workpiece (the body to be coated clipped to a rigid support plate or frame) can he slipped in the end of the apparatus, horizontally.
  • These various guide channels can be shifted transversely for any desired spacing of the workpieces from the electrodes.
  • the electrodes are arrayed in a plurality of racks which are straight for planar workpieces or curved for warped or intentionally profiled workpieces.
  • Each rack hangs through a respective slot formed in the carriage, and is blocked into an exact position in the slot.
  • the lower end of each rack is provided with rollers rotatable about vertical axis and rising on the outer edges of the lower guide channels.
  • FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through the apparatus according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a transverse section taken along line ll II of FIG. 1, the electrode racks being removed for simplification of the view;
  • FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a rack of electrodes according to the present invention.
  • the sputter-coating apparatus has a housing I with a removable end wall 6 that is held in place by means of wing nuts 39 to form an elongated gastight chamber in this housing. Plates 3 to be coated are held by adjustable clips 56 on rigid supports 2 in a vertical position, and the chamber is evacuated by a pump 40 connected at its rear end by means of a conduit 7.
  • each support plate 2 rides on rollers 17 journaled between the flanks 10 of an upwardly open U-section lower guide channel 9.
  • the flanks 10 of each channel 9 are provided with inwardly projecting alignment or spacer screws 11 which can be screwed in and out so that the plate 2 is snugly received in the channels 9, no rollers 17 being necessary. Adjustment screws 11 are also provided here to prevent lateral movement of a support plate 2.
  • the upper guide channels are secured at their ends by means of support blocks 12 to the roof or top of the housing 1 and to the lower guide channels 9 by means of respective uprights 14.
  • the channels 8 and 9 are parallel to each other.
  • the upright 14 defines, as seen in FIG. 1, the maximum left-hand travel of a plate between the guides 8 and 9.
  • a carriage 4 rides by means of a cylindrical wheel 41 allowing expansion of the carriage under heating and a circumferentially grooved wheel 42 on a round rail 18a supported on one side wall 43 of the housing and on a sharp-edged rail 18b secured to and defining the position of the other side wall 44 of the housing 1.
  • This carriage comprises a plurality of heavy steel plates 20 suspended by stout support beams 22 from a grid 45.
  • This grid has a length I substantially one-fifth of the length L of the housing 1, and is able to fit between the uprights 14 and the end wall having the conduit 7.
  • a reversible motor 46 carries a cable drum 19 on which is wound a cable 47 that is spanned over pulleys 48 and connected to one of the plates 20 of the carriage 4. As the motor rotates in one direction the carriage 4 travels in one longitudinal direction and when the motor is reversed, by means of simple limit switches, the carriage returns.
  • Each pair of plates 20 defines a slot 49 in which hangs a planar electrode rack 21 comprising three live cathodes connected by means of end contacts 25 and cables 30 to a three-phase alternating-current source 50 and hanging vertically between planes defined by flanking guides 8 and 9.
  • Four grounded electrodes 26 are interleaved with the electrodes to form a comb and all of the electrodes 5 and 26 are cylindrical sleeves through which water is circulated from a cooler 51 by a pump 52 through flexible conduits 31.
  • These elec trodes are arrayed parallel to each other in an upright position in a rectangular frame formed by horizontal cross pieces 24a and 24b interconnected by side members 23.
  • the lower crosspiece 24b is provided with four small horizontal rollers 36 which engage the flanks of the channels 9 so that the electrode assembly 21 does not wobble from side to side as it is displaced by the carraige 4 through the chamber 1.
  • the upper crosspiece 24 is provided with two outwardly projecting flanges 27 which lie on top of the confronting edgesof the plates 20. Spacer blocks 28 are employed to insure an exact positioning of the upper portion of each rack 21 relative to the respective slot 49. Screws 29 may be used to secure the flanges 27 to the plates 20.
  • the clips 56 ensure an exact positioning of each plate 3 on its frame 2.
  • a counterweight 35 suspended on a cable 34 from a pulley 53 is provided, with the cable 34 attached by means of a bracket 54 to the center of the respective conduit or cable.
  • depending side members 32 are provided on the carriage 4 with guide shields 33 which will prevent such kinking or interference.
  • a process gas such as argon is fed from a source 55 through conduits 37 into distributing pipes 38 which extend across the full width of the chamber 1 at its top and bottom adjacent the door 6.
  • the apparatus is operated as follows:
  • the suction pump 40 is actuated and once pressure in the chamber 1 has dropped below a predetermined level argon is admitted from the perforated pipes 38 to thoroughly sparge the chamber.
  • the power source 50 is now hooked up and the pump 52 is started in order to circulate cooling water through the cathodes 5.
  • the motor 46 is started to draw the carriage along the workpieces and thereby to sputter coat that face of each workpiece turned toward the cathodes 5. Cathodes of different metals are used to obtain multilayer coating.
  • the door 6 permits the workpieces to be loaded horizontally into the apparatus so that complicated equipment for lifting and guiding these workpieces 3 is not required.
  • a sputter-coating apparatus comprising:
  • suction means connected to said chamber for at least partially evacuating same
  • a rack of sputter-coating electrodes having an upper end attached to said carriage and a lower end engaged with said guide;
  • said means forming said guide is another such lower rail parallel to the first-mentioned lower rail, said apparatus including another such upper rail parallel to the firstmentioned upper rail, another such sheetlike workpiece being retained between the second-mentioned upper and lower rails.
  • each electrode rack includes a plurality of elongated vertical electrodes and upper and lower cross members interconnecting said electrodes at said upper and lower ends of said rack, said lower cross member being provided with'a plurality of rollers engaging the flanks of said workpieces resting on said rollers.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Physical Vapour Deposition (AREA)
US00240002A 1971-04-02 1972-03-31 Sputter coating apparatus with end feed Expired - Lifetime US3738928A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE2116190A DE2116190C3 (de) 1971-04-02 1971-04-02 Vorrichtung zum Beschichten großflächiger Platten wie Glasscheiben, Keramik- oder Kunststoffplatten und dergleichen mittels Kathodenzerstäubung

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3738928A true US3738928A (en) 1973-06-12

Family

ID=5803722

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00240002A Expired - Lifetime US3738928A (en) 1971-04-02 1972-03-31 Sputter coating apparatus with end feed

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US3738928A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
BE (1) BE781443A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2132033B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1323274A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3891536A (en) * 1972-10-07 1975-06-24 Delog Detag Flachglas Ag Sputter-coating apparatus
US3976555A (en) * 1975-03-20 1976-08-24 Coulter Information Systems, Inc. Method and apparatus for supplying background gas in a sputtering chamber
US4194962A (en) * 1978-12-20 1980-03-25 Advanced Coating Technology, Inc. Cathode for sputtering
US4274936A (en) * 1979-04-30 1981-06-23 Advanced Coating Technology, Inc. Vacuum deposition system and method
US20140246311A1 (en) * 2013-03-01 2014-09-04 Poole Ventura, Inc. In-situ sputtering apparatus

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3891536A (en) * 1972-10-07 1975-06-24 Delog Detag Flachglas Ag Sputter-coating apparatus
US3976555A (en) * 1975-03-20 1976-08-24 Coulter Information Systems, Inc. Method and apparatus for supplying background gas in a sputtering chamber
US4194962A (en) * 1978-12-20 1980-03-25 Advanced Coating Technology, Inc. Cathode for sputtering
US4274936A (en) * 1979-04-30 1981-06-23 Advanced Coating Technology, Inc. Vacuum deposition system and method
US20140246311A1 (en) * 2013-03-01 2014-09-04 Poole Ventura, Inc. In-situ sputtering apparatus

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2132033A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1972-11-17
BE781443A (fr) 1972-07-17
FR2132033B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1975-10-24
GB1323274A (en) 1973-07-11

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