WO2013145483A1

WO2013145483A1 - Deposition apparatus and deposition method

Info

Publication number: WO2013145483A1
Application number: PCT/JP2012/083432
Authority: WO
Inventors: 加奈子肥田; 良平垣内
Original assignee: 日東電工株式会社
Priority date: 2012-03-30
Filing date: 2012-12-25
Publication date: 2013-10-03
Also published as: TW201339334A; JP2013209702A

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to allow deposition to be performed in a desired manner by preventing a pot from approaching a base material to be treated before the deposition begins in proximity deposition and by causing the pot to approach the base metal to be treated when the deposition begins. A deposition apparatus (1) comprises a vacuum chamber (4), and a pot (5) that accommodates a deposition source (3) and is disposed in the vacuum chamber (4) so as to deposit a vaporized material from the deposition source (3) onto a base material to be treated (2). The deposition apparatus (1) comprises a gap changing device (7) that changes a gap between the base material to be treated (2) which is introduced into the vacuum chamber (4) and the pot (5).

Description

Vapor deposition apparatus and vapor deposition method

Cross-reference of related applications

This application claims the priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-080035, and is incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates to a vapor deposition apparatus and a vapor deposition method for vaporizing a vaporized material vaporized from a vapor deposition source on a substrate to be treated.

As a conventional vapor deposition apparatus, for example, a substrate to be treated is disposed in a vacuum chamber, a vapor deposition source is disposed at a predetermined interval from the substrate to be treated, and a vaporized material vaporized from the vapor deposition source is coated. Generally, a thin film having a predetermined thickness is formed by discharging toward a treatment substrate (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

More specifically, this vapor deposition apparatus is a so-called batch system. The vapor deposition apparatus has a crucible for accommodating a vapor deposition source and a heating element for heating the crucible in a vacuum chamber. The vapor deposition apparatus releases the vaporized material from the vapor deposition source by heating the crucible with the heat generated by the heating element. The vapor deposition apparatus forms a film by vapor-depositing this vaporized material on a substrate to be treated.

In addition to the batch system described above, some conventional vapor deposition apparatuses continuously perform vapor deposition by so-called roll-to-roll.

In vapor deposition using a vapor deposition apparatus, it is necessary to check the vapor deposition state (so-called film formation rate). For this reason, conventionally, a sensor for measuring the thickness of the film formed on the substrate to be processed is provided in the vacuum chamber. As this sensor, for example, a QCM (Quartz Crystal Microbalance) is used. This QCM can detect a film formation rate based on a change in frequency according to the amount of vaporized material deposited on a crystal resonator disposed at a predetermined position in a vacuum chamber.

By the way, in the conventional vapor deposition apparatus as described above, the vapor deposition source and the substrate to be processed are separated from each other, but this separation interval is as small as possible from the viewpoint of miniaturization of the apparatus and effective use of the vapor deposition source. It is desirable to become.

From this point of view, research and development in recent years is a technique called proximity deposition. This proximity vapor deposition uses, for example, a crucible having an accommodating portion for accommodating a vapor deposition source and a guide passage for guiding a vaporized material from the vapor deposition source to a substrate to be processed. In this proximity vapor deposition, the distance between the vapor deposition source and the substrate to be processed can be minimized by forming a guide passage in the crucible.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-163365

For example, it has been found that the following problems exist when proximity deposition is performed during so-called roll-to-roll continuous deposition. That is, the film formation rate is extremely reduced immediately after the start of vapor deposition (immediately after the start of conveyance from the state where the substrate to be treated is stopped). If the film formation rate is extremely lowered, a film having a desired thickness is not formed on the substrate to be processed, and the vaporized material is wasted.

The cause of the extreme decrease in the film formation rate is estimated as follows. That is, if the crucible is close to the substrate to be processed in a stage before the start of vapor deposition (state where the substrate to be processed is stopped), the substrate to be processed is caused by the heat of the vaporized material released from the crucible and the crucible. A part of becomes excessively heated. If conveyance of the to-be-processed base material is started from this state, a part of the to-be-processed base material heated excessively will move, and the part of the to-be-processed base material which is not heated will adjoin to a crucible. It is considered that the film formation rate decreases due to the cooling trap generated at this time.

In addition, if the crucible and the substrate to be processed are close to each other before the vapor deposition starts, the crucible continues to discharge the vaporized material, so that the pressure between the crucible and the substrate to be processed is higher than the surroundings. It becomes a state. If conveyance of the substrate to be treated is started from this high pressure state, it is considered that a rapid pressure change occurs and causes a decrease in the film formation rate.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and in the vapor deposition by proximity vapor deposition, the crucible and the substrate to be treated are not brought close to each other before the vapor deposition is started, and the crucible is brought close to the substrate to be treated at the time of vapor deposition. Thus, it is an object to provide a vapor deposition apparatus and a vapor deposition method capable of performing desired vapor deposition.

The present invention is for solving the above-described problem, and contains a vacuum chamber and a vapor deposition source and a crucible provided in the vacuum chamber for vaporizing a vaporized material from the vapor deposition source onto a substrate to be processed. A vapor deposition apparatus comprising: a gap changing device that changes a gap between the substrate to be treated introduced into the vacuum chamber and the crucible.

Moreover, the vapor deposition apparatus according to the present invention can employ a configuration in which the interval changing device includes a moving mechanism that moves the crucible relative to the substrate to be processed.

Moreover, the vapor deposition apparatus according to the present invention can employ a configuration in which the interval changing device includes a moving mechanism that moves the substrate to be processed relative to the crucible.

In the vapor deposition apparatus according to the present invention, the crucible includes an accommodating portion that accommodates the vapor deposition source, a first guide passage that guides the vaporized material discharged from the vapor deposition source toward the substrate to be processed, A wall portion for partitioning the first guide passage, and a second guide passage that branches off from the middle portion of the first guide passage and communicates with the outside through the wall portion. In order to measure the thickness of the film formed by the vaporized material from the source adhering to the substrate to be processed, it is preferable to further include a sensor provided corresponding to the outlet of the second guide passage.

Further, the present invention is a vapor deposition method for vaporizing a vaporized material from a vapor deposition source onto a substrate to be treated using any one of the above vapor deposition devices, and the substrate to be treated by the interval changing device before vapor deposition is started. And maintaining the spacing between the crucible and the crucible at a predetermined first spacing, and at the start of vapor deposition, the spacing changing device causes the spacing between the substrate to be processed and the crucible to be smaller than the first spacing. Changing to the separation interval; maintaining the second separation interval; and evaporating the vaporized material from the vapor deposition source on the substrate to be treated while conveying the substrate to be treated.

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a vapor deposition apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of an interval changing device in the vapor deposition apparatus. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an interval changing apparatus for a vapor deposition apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The vapor deposition apparatus 1 in this embodiment is used for manufacturing an organic EL element and other elements by so-called proximity vapor deposition. This vapor deposition apparatus 1 enables continuous vapor deposition by roll-to-roll. The vapor deposition apparatus 1 conveys the substrate 2 to be processed, which is formed in a film shape and a belt shape, in a predetermined direction, and vaporizes the vaporized material evaporated from the vapor deposition source 3 on the substrate 2 to be processed. A thin film is formed.

More specifically, the vapor deposition apparatus 1 includes a vacuum chamber 4, a vacuum pump (not shown) connected to the vacuum chamber 4, and a delivery roller (see FIG. 5) that feeds the substrate 2 to be processed toward the vacuum chamber 4. (Not shown), a vapor deposition source 3, a crucible 5 housed in the vacuum chamber 4, and a sensor provided in the vicinity of the crucible 5 and for measuring the thickness of a thin film formed on the substrate 2 to be processed 6, a heater (not shown) for heating the crucible 5, an interval changing device 7 for changing the interval between the substrate 2 to be processed and the crucible 5, and the substrate 2 to be processed deposited in the vacuum chamber 4. A winding roller (not shown) for winding.

As shown in FIG. 1, the crucible 5 includes an accommodating portion 11 that accommodates the vapor deposition source 3, a first guide passage 12 that guides the vaporized material released from the vapor deposition source 3 to the substrate 2, and a first And a discharge port 13 for discharging the vaporized material passing through the first guide passage 12 toward the substrate 2 to be processed, and a middle portion of the first guide passage 12. And a second guide passage 14 that branches off from the crucible 5 and communicates with the outside of the crucible 5.

The accommodating part 11 has a bottom wall part 16 and a side wall part 17 provided perpendicular to the low wall part 16 in order to accommodate the vapor deposition source 3. The housing portion 11 is surrounded by the

wall portions

16 and 17 to form a housing space for the vaporized material. The container 11 is configured to transmit the heat to the vapor deposition source 3 by being heated by a heater from the outside.

The first guide passage 12 is formed by a wall portion provided so as to cover the accommodating portion 11. The wall portion is formed of a first wall portion 21 formed integrally and continuously connected to a part of the side wall portion 17 of the housing portion 11, and a second wall extending so as to be substantially orthogonal to the first wall portion 21. It has the wall part 22 and the 3rd wall part 23 provided substantially parallel with respect to the 1st wall part 21, while being substantially orthogonal to the 2nd wall part 22. As shown in FIG. In addition, the 1st wall part 21 and the 3rd wall part 23 are connected by the 4th wall part 24 (refer FIG. 2) and the 5th wall part 25 (refer FIG. 3) of the same structure. The first guide passage 12 is formed in a space partitioned and covered by the first wall portion 21 to the fifth wall portion 25 described above.

With the above configuration, the first guide passage 12 guides the vaporized material released from the vapor deposition source 3 upward through the first wall 21 and laterally through the second wall 22. To do. Further, the first guide passage 12 guides the vaporized material downward through the third wall portion 23 and discharges the vaporized material toward the substrate 2 to be processed through the discharge port 13. The vaporized material discharged from the discharge port 13 adheres to the substrate 2 to be processed, and a film is formed on the surface thereof.

The second guide passage 14 is provided in the middle of the second wall portion 22. More specifically, the second guide passage 14 is configured by a hole (orifice) that passes through the second wall portion 22 and communicates with the outside. In the second guide passage 14, the opening portion of the hole on the inner surface side of the second wall portion 22 is an inlet 32 for the vaporized material. The opening portion of the hole on the outer surface side of the second wall portion 22 is an outlet 33 for the vaporized material. The diameter or width of the hole is constant from the inlet 32 to the outlet 33. In addition, it is desirable that the diameter or width of the hole be smaller than the size of the first guide passage 12.

In this embodiment, the sensor 6 is a crystal resonator (QCM). This sensor 6 is provided in the vacuum chamber 4 at a position close to the crucible 5. More specifically, the sensor 6 is disposed above the second guide passage 14 formed in the second wall portion 22 of the crucible 5. Further, the sensor 6 is arranged such that its detection surface 6 a faces the outlet 33 of the second guide passage 14. As described above, since the sensor 6 is arranged in the vicinity of the second guide passage 14, the vaporized material released from the second guide passage 14 to the outside of the crucible 5 is attached to the sensor 6, and the substrate to be treated is disposed. It becomes possible to detect the film forming rate for the material 2.

The interval changing device 7 can change the interval between the crucible 5 and the substrate 2 to be processed by moving the crucible 5 relative to the substrate 2 to be processed. As shown in FIG. 2, the gap changing device 7 includes a support member 35 that supports the crucible 5, a moving mechanism 36 that is connected to the support member 35 and moves the crucible 5 via the support member 35, And a support base 37 that supports the mechanism 36.

The support member 35 includes a first support member 35 a connected to the crucible 5 and a second support member 35 b provided between the first support member 35 a and the moving mechanism 36.

As the first support member 35a, a long bar having a predetermined length is used. The first support member 35a has one end connected to the crucible 5 and the other end connected to the second support member 35b. The first support member 35a has screw portions (not shown) at both ends.

As the second support member 35b, a plate member having a predetermined area and thickness is used. The second support member 35b includes a connection hole (hereinafter referred to as “first connection hole”) 38 for connecting the moving mechanism 36 to the second support member 35b, and a connection hole (for connecting the first support member 35a). (Hereinafter referred to as “second connecting hole”) 39. The sensor 6 is fixed to one surface (back surface) of the second support member 35b.

The first connection hole 38 and the second connection hole 39 are formed so as to penetrate in the thickness direction of the first support member 35a. The first connection hole 38 and the second connection hole are formed as screw holes.

The second connection holes 39 are formed at predetermined two positions of the second support member 35b at a predetermined interval from the first connection holes 38. A threaded portion formed at the end of the first support member 35a is screwed into the second connecting hole 39.

The moving mechanism 36 includes a screw member 41 coupled to the second support member 35b, and a drive motor 42 that rotationally drives the screw member 41.

The middle part of the screw member 41 is screwed into the second connection hole 39 of the second support member 35b. Further, the screw member 41 has a retaining portion 43 at one end. The other end of the screw member 41 is connected to the drive motor 42.

The drive motor 42 has a main body 46 and a drive shaft 47 protruding from the main body 46. The main body 46 is supported by the support base 37. The drive shaft 47 is connected to the end of the screw member 41 via a connecting member 48.

The support base 37 has a first support portion 49 fixed in the vacuum chamber 4 and a second support portion 50 that supports the drive motor 42. The 1st support part 49 is comprised by the elongate plate shape. The first support portion 49 is disposed along the vertical direction, and the lower end portion thereof is fixed in the vacuum chamber 4.

The second support portion 50 is configured in a plate shape and is provided at the upper end portion of the first support portion 49. The second support portion 50 is provided so as to protrude in the horizontal direction from the upper end portion of the first support portion 49. The second support portion 50 is formed with an insertion hole (not shown) for inserting the drive shaft 47 of the drive motor 42. The second support portion 50 supports the drive motor 42 by inserting the drive shaft 47 of the drive motor 42 through the insertion hole and mounting the drive motor 42 on the upper surface thereof.

Hereinafter, a vapor deposition method for vaporizing a vaporized material on the substrate 2 to be treated using the vapor deposition apparatus 1 will be described.

In the stage before vapor deposition is started, the crucible 5 is arranged at a standby position indicated by a solid line in FIG. The distance between the crucible 5 and the substrate 2 to be processed at this standby position is hereinafter referred to as “first separation distance” (indicated by reference sign D1 in FIG. 1). The first separation interval D1 is maintained until vapor deposition is started. In addition, in this state, conveyance of the to-be-processed base material 2 is stopped.

When vapor deposition is started, the crucible 5 is moved downward by driving the drive motor 42 of the moving mechanism 36 in the interval changing device 7. Thereby, the crucible 5 is disposed at a position close to the substrate 2 to be processed (position indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 1). The distance between the crucible 5 and the substrate 2 to be processed at this proximity position is hereinafter referred to as “second separation distance” (indicated by reference sign D2 in FIG. 1). Naturally, the second separation interval D2 is smaller than the first separation interval D1.

And the to-be-processed base material 2 is conveyed in a predetermined | prescribed conveyance direction by being sent out from a sending roller and being wound up by a winding roller. Thereafter, the second separation interval D2 is maintained until the vapor deposition is completed. As a result, the vaporized material is discharged from the discharge port of the first guide passage 12 of the crucible 5 and sequentially deposited on the substrate 2 to be processed.

When the vapor deposition is finished, the delivery roller and the take-up roller are stopped to stop the substrate to be processed 2 being conveyed, and the crucible 5 is moved upward by the interval changing device 7 so that the first again. A separation interval D1 is ensured. By the above, vapor deposition of the vaporization material with respect to the to-be-processed base material 2 is complete | finished.

According to the vapor deposition apparatus 1 and the vapor deposition method according to the present embodiment described above, the crucible 5 and the substrate to be processed are moved by moving the crucible 5 with respect to the substrate 2 by the interval changing device 7, particularly the moving mechanism 36. Since the distance between the crucible 5 and the material 2 can be changed, the distance between the crucible 5 and the substrate 2 to be processed (first separation distance D1) is secured sufficiently large before the start of vapor deposition. Vapor deposition can be performed at a desired film formation rate by reducing the distance (second separation distance D2) from the processing substrate 2 to be close to each other.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the vapor deposition apparatus 1 according to the present invention, particularly the interval changing apparatus 7. The interval changing device 7 illustrated in FIG. 2 changes the interval between the two by moving the crucible 5 relative to the substrate 2 to be processed, but the interval changing device 7 in this example is the substrate 2 to be processed. The distance between the crucible 5 and the crucible 5 can be changed.

3 includes a roller 51 that supports the substrate 2 to be processed, and a moving mechanism that moves the substrate 2 to be moved relative to the crucible 5 by moving a part of the roller 51. 36.

The roller 51 includes a plurality of (two in the illustrated example) first rollers 51 a that can move up and down, and a plurality of (two in the illustrated example) second rollers 51 b that are fixed at predetermined positions in the vacuum chamber 4. Have. The first roller 51a is in contact with the surface of the substrate 2 to be processed. The second roller 51b is in contact with the back surface of the substrate 2 to be processed.

The moving mechanism 36 is a lifting mechanism that lifts and lowers the first roller 51a. The moving mechanism 36 includes a guide groove 53 that guides the shaft portion of the first roller 51a to move in the vertical direction.

When vapor deposition is performed using the interval changing device 7 in the present embodiment, the first roller 51a is moved downward by the interval changing device 7 before the start of vapor deposition. Thereby, the part of the to-be-processed base material 2 which is contacting the 1st roller 51a is pushed down by this 1st roller 51a. That is, the portion of the substrate 2 to be treated is provided at a standby position that is far away from the crucible 5. The interval between the crucible 5 and the portion of the substrate 2 to be processed in this state is the “first separation interval” (D1) in the present embodiment.

When starting the deposition, the moving mechanism 36 of the interval changing device 7 is driven, and the first roller 51 a is moved upward along the guide groove 53. At this time, the substrate 2 to which the predetermined tension is applied moves upward while keeping in contact with the first roller 51a as the first roller 51a moves upward. Thereby, the to-be-processed base material 2 is provided in the proximity position which can be vapor-deposited with respect to the crucible 5. FIG. The distance between the substrate 2 to be treated and the crucible 5 at this time is the “second separation distance” (D2) in the present embodiment.

When the substrate 2 to be processed is in a position close to the crucible 5, the first roller 51a is positioned above the substrate 2 to be processed (indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 3). It is in the position away from.

And the vaporized material discharged from the crucible 5 is vapor-deposited on the substrate 2 to be processed while the substrate 2 to be processed is conveyed in a predetermined conveying direction while maintaining the second separation interval D2.

According to the vapor deposition apparatus 1 and the vapor deposition method according to the present embodiment as described above, the crucible 5 and the object to be processed are moved by moving the substrate 2 to be processed with respect to the crucible 5 by the distance changing device 7, particularly the moving mechanism 36. Since the distance between the base material 2 and the base material 2 can be changed, a sufficiently large distance (first separation distance D1) between the crucible 5 and the base material 2 to be processed is secured before the start of vapor deposition. Vapor deposition can be performed at a desired film formation rate by reducing the distance (second separation distance D2) from the processing substrate 2 to be close to each other.

In addition, the vapor deposition apparatus and vapor deposition method which concern on this invention are not limited to the structure of the said embodiment. Moreover, the vapor deposition apparatus and the vapor deposition method according to the present invention are not limited to the above-described effects. The vapor deposition apparatus and the vapor deposition method according to the present invention can be variously modified without departing from the gist of the present invention.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the example in which the interval between the crucible 5 and the substrate 2 to be processed is changed by moving the crucible 5 or the substrate 2 to be processed by the interval changing device 7 is shown. It is not limited. For example, the interval between the crucible 5 and the substrate 2 to be processed may be changed by using the interval changing device 7 illustrated in FIG. 2 and the interval changing device 7 illustrated in FIG.

In the above embodiment, the example in which the distance between the two is changed by moving the crucible 5 or the substrate 2 to be processed in the vertical direction is not limited thereto. For example, you may make it change the space | interval of both by moving the crucible 5 or the to-be-processed base material 2 to a horizontal direction (horizontal direction).

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Deposition apparatus, 2 ... To-be-processed base material, 3 ... Deposition source, 4 ... Vacuum chamber, 5 ... Crucible, 6 ... Sensor, 6a ... Detection surface, 7 ... Space | interval change apparatus, 11 ... Storage part, 12 ... 1st 13 ... discharge port, 14 ... second guide passage, 16 ... bottom wall portion, 17 ... side wall portion, 21 ... first wall portion, 22 ... second wall portion, 23 ... third wall portion, 32 ... inlet, 33 ... outlet, 35 ... support member, 35a ... first support member, 35b ... second support member, 36 ... moving mechanism, 37 ... support base, 38 ... first connection hole, 39 ... second connection hole, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 41 ... Screw member, 42 ... Drive motor, 43 ... Detachment part, 46 ... Main-body part, 47 ... Drive shaft, 49 ... 1st support part, 50 ... 2nd support part, 51 ... Roller, 51a ... 1st roller, 51b ... second roller, 53 ... guide groove

Claims

In a vapor deposition apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber and a crucible provided in the vacuum chamber for accommodating a vapor deposition source and vaporizing a vaporized material from the vapor deposition source on a substrate to be processed,
An evaporation apparatus comprising an interval changing device for changing an interval between a substrate to be treated introduced into the vacuum chamber and the crucible.
The said space | interval change apparatus is a vapor deposition apparatus of Claim 1 provided with the moving mechanism which moves the said crucible with respect to the said to-be-processed base material.
The said space | interval change apparatus is a vapor deposition apparatus of Claim 1 provided with the moving mechanism which moves the said to-be-processed base material with respect to the said crucible.
The crucible defines an accommodating portion that accommodates the vapor deposition source, a first guide passage that guides the vaporized material discharged from the vapor deposition source toward the substrate to be processed, and the first guide passage. And a second guide passage that branches from the middle portion of the first guide passage and communicates with the outside through the wall portion,
The apparatus further comprises a sensor provided corresponding to an outlet of the second guide passage in order to measure a thickness of a film formed by vaporizing material from the vapor deposition source adhering to the substrate to be processed. The vapor deposition apparatus of any one of 1-3.
A vapor deposition method for depositing a vaporized material from a vapor deposition source on a substrate to be treated using the vapor deposition apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
Before starting vapor deposition, maintaining the separation interval between the substrate to be processed and the crucible at a predetermined first separation interval by the interval changing device;
Changing the interval between the substrate to be processed and the crucible to a second separation interval smaller than the first separation interval by the interval changing device at the start of vapor deposition;
A vapor deposition method comprising: maintaining a second separation interval, and vapor-depositing a vaporized material from a vapor deposition source on the substrate to be treated while conveying the substrate to be treated.