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
  • C23C14/24—Vacuum evaporation
• • 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
  • C23C14/04—Coating on selected surface areas, e.g. using masks
  • C23C14/042—Coating on selected surface areas, e.g. using masks using masks
• • 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
  • C23C14/06—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the coating material
  • C23C14/12—Organic material
• • 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
  • C23C14/24—Vacuum evaporation
  • C23C14/243—Crucibles for source material
• • 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
  • C23C14/50—Substrate holders
• • 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
  • C23C14/568—Transferring the substrates through a series of coating stations
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H10K—ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES
  • H10K71/00—Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass
  • H10K71/10—Deposition of organic active material
  • H10K71/16—Deposition of organic active material using physical vapour deposition [PVD], e.g. vacuum deposition or sputtering
  • H10K71/164—Deposition of organic active material using physical vapour deposition [PVD], e.g. vacuum deposition or sputtering using vacuum deposition

Definitions

• Embodiments of the present invention relate to a vacuum deposition system and a method for depositing a material.
• Embodiments of the present invention particularly relate to a vacuum deposition system having a material deposition arrangement in a vacuum chamber and a method for depositing material on a substrate in a vacuum chamber.
• Organic evaporators are a tool for the production of organic light-emitting diodes (OLED).
• OLEDs are a special type of light-emitting diodes in which the emissive layer comprises a thin-film of certain organic compounds.
• Organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) are used in the manufacture of television screens, computer monitors, mobile phones, other hand-held devices, etc., for displaying information.
• OLEDs can also be used for general space illumination.
• the range of colors, brightness, and viewing angles possible with OLED displays are greater than that of traditional LCD displays because OLED pixels directly emit light and do not use a back light. Therefore, the energy consumption of OLED displays is considerably less than that of traditional LCD displays.
• a typical OLED display may include layers of organic material situated between two electrodes that are all deposited on a substrate in a manner to form a matrix display panel having individually energizable pixels.
• the OLED is generally placed between two glass panels, and the edges of the glass panels are sealed to encapsulate the OLED therein.
• OLED displays or OLED lighting applications include a stack of several organic materials, which are for example evaporated in vacuum. The organic materials are deposited in a subsequent manner through shadow masks. For the fabrication of OLED stacks with high efficiency, the co-deposition or co-evaporation of two or more materials, e.g. host and dopant, leading to mixed/doped layers is desired. Further, it has to be considered that there are several process conditions for the evaporation of the very sensitive organic materials.
• a vacuum deposition system for depositing material on a substrate.
• the vacuum deposition system includes a vacuum chamber having a chamber volume, and a material deposition arrangement for providing material to be deposited.
• the material deposition arrangement is located within the vacuum chamber during deposition.
• the vacuum deposition system further includes a substrate support for supporting a substrate with a substrate size within the vacuum chamber.
• the ratio of chamber volume to substrate size is 15 m or less, in particular 10 m or less.
• a vacuum deposition system for depositing material on a vertically oriented substrate is provided.
• the vacuum deposition system includes a vacuum chamber having a chamber volume, wherein the vacuum chamber provides a pressure level of 10 - " 5 J to 10 - " 7' mbar.
• the vacuum deposition system further includes a material deposition arrangement for providing material to be deposited.
• the material deposition arrangement is located within the vacuum chamber during deposition and includes a crucible for evaporating material, a linear distribution pipe in fluid communication with the crucible. The distribution pipe provides outlets for guiding the evaporated material in the vacuum chamber.
• the material deposition arrangement is movable, in particular rotatable, within the vacuum chamber.
• the vacuum deposition system further includes a substrate support for supporting the substrate with a substrate size within the vacuum chamber. The ratio of chamber volume to substrate size is 15 m or less, in particular 10 m or less.
• a method for depositing a material on a substrate in a vacuum deposition system includes a vacuum chamber with a chamber volume and a material deposition arrangement.
• the method includes providing a substrate to be processed having a substrate size in the vacuum chamber, wherein the substrate is provided in the vacuum chamber with a chamber volume to substrate size ratio of 15 m or less, in particular 10 m or less.
• the method further includes evaporating material in the material deposition arrangement; and guiding the evaporated material to the substrate.
• Embodiments are also directed at apparatuses for carrying out the disclosed methods and include apparatus parts for performing each described method step.
• inventions may be performed by way of hardware components, a computer programmed by appropriate software, by any combination of the two or in any other manner. Furthermore, embodiments according to the invention are also directed at methods for operating the described apparatus. It includes method steps for carrying out every function of the apparatus.
• Fig. la shows a schematic view of a vacuum deposition system according to embodiments described herein
• Fig. lb shows a schematic view of substrate and a substrate holding device for a vacuum deposition system according to embodiments described herein
• Fig. 2 shows a schematic view of a vacuum deposition system according to embodiments described herein;
• Fig. 3 shows a schematic cross-sectional side view of the vacuum deposition system according to embodiments described herein;
• Figs. 4a and 4b show a schematic view of a material deposition arrangement for a vacuum deposition system and a partial, more detailed view of the material deposition arrangement according to embodiments described herein;
• Fig. 5a shows a material deposition arrangement for a vacuum deposition system according to embodiments described herein;
• Fig. 5b shows a deposition system as known
• Figs. 6a to 6c show schematic views of distribution pipes of a material deposition arrangement for a vacuum deposition system according to embodiments described herein;
• Fig. 7 shows a flowchart of a method for depositing material on a substrate according to embodiments described herein.
• a vacuum chamber may be understood as being a chamber evacuable to a vacuum.
• the vacuum chamber as referred to herein may be evacuable to a vacuum of about 10 - " 2 mbar to about 10 - " 7 mbar or 10 - " 8 mbar.
• the vacuum chamber may be evacuable to a vacuum of about 10 "5 mbar to about 10 " mbar.
• the vacuum chamber may be provided with respective vacuum pumps, filters, sealing, sluices, particle traps, respectively equipped chamber walls and the like for ensuring and maintaining the vacuum in the vacuum chamber.
• vacuum chamber volume or “chamber volume” (which may be used synonymously herein) may be understood as being the evacuable volume of the vacuum chamber.
• the vacuum chamber volume or the chamber volume may be defined by vacuum tight chamber walls and sluices.
• the vacuum chamber volume may be a volume, which allows for housing a substrate support and a material deposition arrangement.
• a substrate support may be understood as being a device able to support a substrate in a vacuum chamber, such as a vacuum deposition chamber, in particular during deposition.
• the substrate support as referred to herein may be able to support a substrate holding device, such as a substrate carrier.
• the substrate support may include rails, roller systems, magnetic devices, clamp devices, positioning devices, and/or guiding devices for supporting the substrate or a substrate holding device.
• the substrate support may be adapted or suitable for supporting a substrate having a defined size.
• the dimensions of the substrate support may be adapted to the size of a substrate to be processed in a processing chamber, such as a vacuum processing chamber.
• the dimension of the substrate support in at least one direction exceeds the substrate size by up to 30% of the substrate size.
• the substrate may be processed while being held in a substantially vertical orientation, wherein the size of the substrate support exceeds the size of the substrate in the vertical direction by up to 30% of the substrate size.
• the substrate support size may be understood as corresponding to the dimension of the substrate support from a first side supporting a first side of the substrate to a second side supporting a second side of the substrate.
• the term substrate size as used herein may be understood as the area of a substrate, especially the area of the substrate, which faces a material deposition apparatus, when being arranged within a deposition system.
• the substrate size may be understood as corresponding to the area to be coated with material in a deposition system.
• a portion of the substrate size may be covered by a substrate support or a substrate holding device, such as a carrier.
• the substrate size is the area of a substantially rectangular, or substantially quadratic, substrate, wherein the thickness may be negligible.
• the substrate size in a vacuum deposition system as referred to herein may be formed by the size of two or more substrates, which can simultaneously be provided within the vacuum chamber.
• a vacuum deposition system is described as exemplarily shown in Fig. la.
• the vacuum deposition system 400 is shown schematically including a vacuum chamber 110 and a substrate support 600 within the vacuum chamber 110.
• the substrate support 600 may extend through the vacuum chamber 110.
• the substrate support 600 may allow a substrate to be guided into the vacuum chamber 110 and out of the vacuum chamber 110.
• the substrate support 600 may allow for guiding the substrate into and out of the vacuum chamber at the same side, or, alternatively may allow for guiding the substrate into and out of the vacuum chamber at different sides of the vacuum chamber.
• Fig. la shows the substrate 121 to be inserted into the vacuum chamber 110.
• a material deposition arrangement is not shown within the vacuum chamber 110.
• the substrate support 600 provides a first side 601 and a second side 602.
• Each of the first side 601 and the second side 602 is configured to support one edge of a substrate 121, or one edge of a substrate holding device.
• Fig. la shows exemplarily the substrate support 600 having two sides.
• the substrate support may only include one side, or more than two sides in other embodiments.
• the substantially vertical orientation of the substrate and the respective sides of the substrate support are only an example.
• Other or further configurations (such as a horizontal orientation, or an angled orientation with respectively adapted substrate supports) may be used in the vacuum deposition systems according to embodiments described herein.
• Fig. lb shows a substrate 110 being held by a substrate holding device 610, or carrier 610.
• the substrate holding device 610 may be a sort of frame carrying the substrate 110.
• the substrate holding device 610 exemplarily shown in Fig. lb includes clamps 611 for attaching the substrate to the substrate holding device 610.
• the substrate holding device may use further or other techniques for carrying the substrate, such as rails, further clamps, magnetic or electric fields, pins, and the like.
• the substrate holding device may be an E-chuck.
• a vacuum deposition system for depositing material on a substrate.
• the vacuum deposition system includes a vacuum chamber having a chamber volume.
• the vacuum chamber of the vacuum deposition system is a processing chamber, where the deposition of a material on a substrate takes place.
• the process chamber may be a process chamber adapted for depositing organic material onto a substrate.
• the vacuum deposition system further includes a material deposition arrangement for providing material to be deposited on a substrate. Typically, the material deposition arrangement, or at least a part of the material deposition arrangement, is located within the vacuum chamber during deposition.
• the vacuum deposition system further includes a substrate support for supporting a substrate with a substrate size within the vacuum chamber.
• the substrate with a substrate size is the substrate to be coated by the material deposition arrangement.
• the ratio of the chamber volume to substrate size is 15 m or less, in particular 10m or less.
• the substrate size may be measured in m and the chamber volume may be measured in m 3 .
• Embodiments described herein particularly relate to evaporation of materials in a vacuum deposition system, e.g. to the evaporation of organic materials for OLED display manufacturing on large area substrates.
• large area substrates or substrate holding devices supporting one or more substrates i.e. large area carriers, may have a size of at least 0.174 m 2 .
• the vacuum deposition system may be adapted for processing substrates of GEN 5, which corresponds to about 1.4 m 2 substrates (1.1 m x 1.3 m), GEN 7.5, which corresponds to about 4.29 m 2 substrates (1.95 m x 2.2 m), GEN 8.5, which corresponds to about 5.7m 2 substrates (2.2 m x 2.5 m), or even
• the substrate support may be configured for supporting a substrate having a size of about 3 m x about 3 m.
• the substrate size i.e. the substrate area
• the substrate size may reach up to 15m , such as to a substrate size typically between about 1 m 2 to about 12 m 2 , more typically between about 1 m 2 to about
• the substrate thickness can be from 0.1 to 1.8 mm and the holding arrangement for the substrate, can be adapted for such substrate thicknesses.
• the substrate thickness can be about 0.9 mm or below, such as 0.5 mm or 0.3 mm, and the holding arrangement is adapted for such substrate thicknesses.
• the chamber volume to substrate size may typically be between about 0.3 m to about 15m, more typically between about lm to about 10 m, and even more typically between about 2 m and about 10 m. According to some embodiments, the chamber volume to substrate size ratio is typically less than 15 m or 10 m, more typically less than 5 m, and even more typically less than 3 m. According to some embodiments described herein, the chamber volume of a material deposition arrangement may typically be between about 3 m 3 and about 100 m 3 , more typically between about 3 m 3- and about 50 m 3 , and even more typically between about 5m 3 and about 30 m 3. In some embodiments, the chamber volume may be between 10 m 3 and 15 m 3 , such as about 12 m 3 and 13 m 3
• a material deposition system as described herein is beneficial regarding the CoO, in particular with regard to the space used for the material deposition system in a production line. For instance, a process chamber volume to substrate size ratio of less than 15 m results in less space being occupied by the material deposition system. Less space occupied by the material deposition system may allow for arranging more material deposition systems in a production line than known systems allow. Providing more material deposition systems in a production line makes the production more flexible and permits a higher throughput. The higher flexibility provided by the material deposition system according to embodiments described herein may be used to increase the spectrum of products offered. Increasing the throughput of coated substrates may increase the efficiency of the production. The described effects may further lead to an adapted, so to say reduced, cost of a single product allowing for offering lower costs to the clients.
• a plurality of features may be helpful for realizing or increasing the above described effects.
• the simultaneous providing of two substrates in a vacuum chamber, and in particular the deposition on a substantially vertically oriented substrate may increase the effects of the material deposition system according to embodiments described herein.
• a moveable material source arrangement which may be movable (e.g. translational, rotational, or both) within the vacuum chamber, as will be explained in detail below, may be helpful for realizing the herein described vacuum deposition system.
• an optimized distance between the substrate support and the material deposition arrangement (such as a material source) may enable the owner of a vacuum deposition system as described herein to benefit from the above described effects.
• an optimized nozzle design may allow for decreasing the distance between the substrate support and the material source without losses in quality and uniformity of the deposited material.
• a definitely directed plume of evaporated material to be deposited allows for adapting the vacuum chamber to the substrate size in an optimized manner and minimizing the chamber volume to substrate size ratio.
• features of a vacuum deposition system which may beneficially be used in a vacuum deposition system according to embodiments described herein, are described in the following.
• typically two, more typically three, of the herein described plurality of features of the vacuum deposition system may be used for even better realization of the chamber volume to substrate size ratio of 15 m or less, in particular 10 m or less.
• Fig. 2 shows a vacuum deposition system according to embodiments described.
• the deposition system 300 of Fig. 2 includes a material deposition arrangement 100 in a position in a vacuum chamber 110.
• the material deposition arrangement is configured for a translational movement and/or a rotation about an axis.
• the material deposition arrangement 100 may include one or more evaporation crucibles 104 and one or more distribution pipes 106. Two evaporation crucibles and two distribution pipes are shown in Fig. 2.
• the mask may be a pixel mask, e.g. a pixel mask having openings with the size (e.g. the diameter or the minimum dimension of the cross section) between typically about 10 ⁇ and about 50 ⁇ , more typically between about 15 ⁇ and 40 ⁇ , and even more typically between about 15 ⁇ and about 30 ⁇ .
• the size of the mask openings is about 20 ⁇ .
• the mask openings have an extension of about 50 ⁇ x 50 ⁇ .
• a distribution pipe can be understood herein to include an enclosure having openings such that the pressure in the distribution pipe is higher than the pressure outside of the distribution pipe, for example by at least one order of magnitude.
• the pressure in the distribution pipe may be between about 10- to about 10- mbar. In some embodiments, the pressure in the vacuum chamber may be between
• the substrates may be coated with organic material in an essentially vertical position.
• the view shown in Fig. 2 is a top view of an apparatus including the material deposition arrangement 100.
• the distribution pipe is a linear vapor distribution showerhead.
• the distribution pipe provides a line source extending essentially vertically.
• essentially vertically is understood particularly when referring to the substrate orientation, to allow for a deviation from the vertical direction of 20° or below, e.g. of 10° or below.
• the vacuum deposition system may be a vacuum deposition system for depositing material on an essentially horizontally oriented substrate. For instance, coating of a substrate in a vacuum deposition system may be performed in an up or down direction.
• Fig. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a vacuum deposition system 300 for depositing organic material in a vacuum chamber 110.
• the material source 100 is provided movable in the vacuum chamber 110, especially rotatable and/or provided on a track, e.g. a looped track or linear guide 320.
• the track or the linear guide 320 is configured for the translational movement of the material source 100.
• the material deposition arrangement may be adapted for being rotatable, especially rotatable about an axis of the material deposition arrangement.
• a drive for the rotational or translational movement can be provided in the material source 100 within the vacuum chamber 110 or a combination thereof.
• valve 205 for example a gate valve.
• the valve 205 allows for a vacuum seal to an adjacent vacuum chamber (not shown in Fig. 2).
• the valve can be opened for transport of a substrate 121 or a mask 132 into the vacuum chamber 110 or out of the vacuum chamber 110.
• a further vacuum chamber such as maintenance vacuum chamber 210 is provided adjacent to the vacuum chamber 110.
• the vacuum chamber 110 and the maintenance vacuum chamber 210 are connected with a valve 207.
• the valve 207 is configured for opening and closing a vacuum seal between the vacuum chamber 110 and the maintenance vacuum chamber 210.
• the material deposition arrangement 100 can be transferred to the maintenance vacuum chamber 210 while the valve 207 is in an open state.
• Another (e.g. fresh or fully filled) material deposition arrangement, such as a material source may be guided (e.g. from the maintenance vacuum chamber 210) to the vacuum chamber 110 through the valve 207.
• the valve can be closed to provide a vacuum seal between the vacuum chamber 110 and the maintenance vacuum chamber 210. If the valve 207 is closed, the maintenance vacuum chamber 210 can be vented and opened for maintenance of the material deposition arrangement 100 without breaking the vacuum in the vacuum chamber 110. A high process uptime may be the result.
• the arrangement of the vacuum chamber and the maintenance chamber may contribute to a chamber volume to substrate size ratio of 15 m or less.
• two substrates 121 are supported on respective transportation tracks within the vacuum chamber 110 in the embodiment shown in Fig. 2.
• transportation tracks for masks 131 are provided.
• the distance between at least one of the distribution pipes and the substrate support is less than 250 mm. In Fig.
• the distance is indicated by distance 101 between substrate support 126 and the outlet or a nozzle of a distribution pipe 106 of the material deposition arrangement, or material source 100.
• two tracks for providing masks 132 thereon are provided. Coating of the substrates 121 can be masked by respective masks 132.
• the masks 132 i.e. a first mask 132 corresponding to a first substrate 121 and a second mask 132 corresponding to a second substrate 121, are provided in a mask frame 131 to hold the mask 132 in a predetermined position.
• a substrate 121 can be supported by a substrate support 126, which is connected to an alignment unit 112.
• the alignment units 112 which are configured for adjusting the position between a substrate 121 and a mask 132 relative to each other, allow for a proper alignment of the masking during the deposition process, which is beneficial for a good chamber volume to substrate size ratio, and, at the same time, a high quality, e.g. of the LED display manufacturing, or OLED display manufacturing.
• the material deposition system as described herein may be used in various applications. For instance, various applications may include OLED device manufacturing including processing steps, wherein one, two or more organic materials are evaporated simultaneously.
• the material deposition arrangement 100 may also be referred to as a material deposition arrangement array, e.g. wherein more than one kind of organic material is evaporated at the same time.
• the material deposition arrangement array itself can be referred to as a material source for two or more organic materials, e.g. the material deposition arrangement array may be provided for evaporating and depositing three materials onto one substrate.
• a material deposition arrangement array may be configured for providing the same material from different material sources simultaneously.
• the distribution pipe or evaporation tube of the material deposition arrangement can be designed in a triangular shape, so that it is possible to bring the openings or the nozzles of the distribution pipe as close as possible to each other. Bringing the openings or the nozzles of the distribution pipe as close as possible to each other allows for instance for achieving an improved mixture of the different organic materials, e.g. for the case of the co-evaporation of two, three or even more different organic materials.
• the triangular shape which will be explained in detail below, may also contribute to an improved chamber volume to substrate size ratio as provided by a material deposition system according to embodiments described herein.
• Fig. 2 provides a deposition apparatus with a movable source
• the skilled person may understand that the above described embodiments may also be applied in deposition apparatuses in which the substrate is moved during processing.
• the substrates to be coated may be guided and driven along stationary material sources.
• Fig. 3 shows a schematic cross-sectional side view of a material deposition system 500 according to embodiments described herein.
• the material deposition system 500 includes a vacuum chamber 110.
• a substrate 121 shown in vacuum chamber 110 can be supported by a substrate support having rollers 403 and 424.
• the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 shows two substrates 121 provided in the vacuum chamber 110.
• at least three substrates or at least four substrates can be provided.
• Sufficient time for exchange of the substrate i.e. transport of a new substrate into the vacuum chamber and of a processed substrate out of the vacuum chamber, can be provided even for a material deposition system 500 having a larger number of material deposition arrangements and, thus, a higher throughput.
• Fig. 3 shows the first transportation track for a first substrate 121 and a second transportation track for a second substrate 121.
• a first roller assembly is shown on one side of the vacuum chamber 110.
• the first roller assembly includes rollers 424.
• the transportation system includes a magnetic guiding element 524.
• a second transportation system having rollers and a magnetic guiding element is provided on the opposing side of the vacuum chamber.
• the rollers may be provided at a first side 601 of the substrate support and the magnetic guiding elements may be provided at a second side 602 of the substrate support, as exemplarily indicated in Fig. la.
• the substrate 121 is held by substrate holding device 421, or carrier 421.
• the plurality of features described with respect to Figs. 2 and/or 3 may contribute to providing a chamber volume to substrate size ratio of 15 m or less.
• the rotational material deposition arrangement which may also be denoted as a material source, helps with decreasing the ratio of chamber volume to substrate size.
• the two substrates present in the vacuum chamber having one material source arrangement in between may contribute to the described chamber volume to substrate size ratio.
• the ratio of chamber volume to substrate size may be further decreased, when two or more substrates are present in the vacuum deposition chamber forming together the substrate size. Further, the substrate support occupying minimal space within the vacuum chamber as well as the resulting delivery or transport of the substrate in the vacuum chamber are useful for achieving the chamber volume to substrate size ratio of 15 m or less.
• Fig. 4a shows a further feature of the plurality of features helping improving the chamber volume to substrate size ratio.
• Fig. 4a shows a side view of a material deposition arrangement 100 for a material deposition system according to embodiments described herein.
• the embodiment of a material deposition arrangement as shown in Fig. 4a may include a first material source with a first material evaporator 102a, a second material source with a second material evaporator 102b, and a third material source with a third material evaporator 102c.
• each of the material evaporators 102a, 102b, and 102c may provide a different material.
• each of the material evaporators may provide the same material, or a part of the material evaporators may provide the same material, whereas another part of the material evaporators provides a different material.
• the material evaporators 102a, 102b and 102c may be crucibles, which are configured for evaporating material to be deposited on a substrate.
• the material evaporators 102a, 102b, and 102c stand in fluid communication with distribution pipes 106a, 106b, and 106c, respectively.
• the material evaporated by one of the material evaporators may be released from the material evaporator and flow into the respective distribution pipe.
• each of the distribution pipes 106a, 106b, and 106c include a plurality of nozzles 712. Through the plurality of nozzles, the evaporated material is released and guided to the substrate to be coated (not shown).
• Fig. 4b shows an enlarged view of the section A of the third distribution pipe 106c shown in Fig. 4a.
• the partial view shown in Fig. 4b shows the distribution pipe 106c and one nozzle 712 of the plurality of nozzles of the distribution pipe 106c.
• the nozzle 712 provides an opening 713, or passageway, through which the evaporated material can pass.
• the opening 713 of the nozzle 712 provides an opening length 714, as shown in Fig. 4b.
• the opening length 714 may be measured along the longitudinal or length axis of the nozzle, in particular in a direction, which corresponds to the mean fluid direction exiting the nozzle.
• the opening length 714 of the nozzle may be substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal (or linear) direction of the distribution pipe.
• each nozzle of the distribution pipes may have an opening length to size ratio of 2: 1 or larger, (such as or larger, such as 2.5: 1, 3: 1, 5: 1 or even above 5: 1) or only a part of the nozzles of the distribution pipes may have the mentioned length to size ratio.
• the size of the nozzle may be described as the minimum dimension of the cross-section of a nozzle.
• the size of the nozzle may correspond to the diameter of the nozzle opening.
• substantially perpendicular may be understood as including a deviation from the strict perpendicular arrangement by up to 15°. According to some embodiments, further terms being denoted with “substantially” in the following description may include a deviation of up to 15° from the indicated angular arrangement, or a deviation of about 15% of one dimension.
• the nozzles of the material deposition arrangement or the distribution pipes referred to herein may be designed to form a plume having a cos 11 like shaped profile, wherein n is in particular larger than 4.
• the nozzle is designed to form a plume having a cos 6 like shaped profile.
• the nozzle achieving a cos 11 formed plume of evaporated material may be useful if a narrow shape of the plume is desired.
• a deposition process including masks for the substrate having small openings may benefit from the narrow cos 6 shaped plume and the material exploitation may be increased since the plume of evaporated material does not spread on the mask but passes the openings of the mask.
• the nozzle may be designed so that the relation of the length of the nozzle and the diameter of the passageway of the nozzle stand in a defined relation, such as 2: 1 or higher.
• the passageway of the nozzle may include steps, inclinations, collimator structure(s) and/or pressure stages for achieving the beneficial plume shape.
• Fig. 5a shows a material deposition arrangement according to embodiments described herein exemplarily including three material deposition arrangements 100a, 100b, and 100c.
• the material deposition arrangement may be a material deposition arrangement as described in embodiments herein.
• the deposition system of Fig. 5a further shows a substrate 121 to be coated with evaporated material and a mask 132 for masking the substrate 121.
• Fig 5a shows schematically how the evaporated material 802 exits and leaves the material deposition arrangements 100a, 100b, and 100c, in particular the nozzles of the material deposition arrangements.
• the evaporated material 802 spreads when leaving the material deposition arrangement and entering the vacuum volume of a deposition chamber.
• the nozzles having a length to size ratio of 2: 1 or larger allow for having a limited spread of evaporated material, e.g. by encompassing an angle of about 30° or less.
• a comparison with a deposition system as known shows in Fig. 5b that the evaporated material 803 encompasses an angle of about 60°.
• the material deposition arrangement according to embodiments described herein may provide a smaller distribution spread of the evaporated material, and allows for guiding the evaporated material more precisely to the substrate, and in particular more precisely to the mask openings for coating the substrate with high precision.
• a high precision of the material deposition may allow for decreasing the chamber volume to substrate size ratio, e.g. decreasing the chamber volume to substrate size ratio down to 15 m or less, in particular to 10 m or less.
• the distance between the distribution pipes 106a, 106b, and/or between the distribution pipes 106b and 106c may typically be less than 50mm, more typically less than 30mm, and even more typically less than 25mm.
• the distance between the different distribution pipes 106a, 106b, and 106c may be measured from the center point of the opening of a nozzle of the respective distribution pipe to the center point of the opening of a nozzle of another distribution pipe.
• the distance 200 between the nozzles of the distribution pipes may be a substantially horizontal distance.
• the material deposition arrangements or the material sources may be arranged so that the distribution direction (e.g. the mean distribution direction) of the vapor plume released from the nozzles is substantially parallel.
• the mean distribution direction of a nozzle may be described as running along the line with the minimum distance between the nozzle outlet and the substrate to be coated, in particular between a point of the nozzle outlet lying on the length axis or longitudinal axis of the nozzle and the substrate to be coated.
• Using the parallel arrangement of the distribution directions of the different nozzles and using in particular additionally a nozzle having a length to size ratio of 2: 1 or larger according to embodiments described herein, may help to improve the uniformity and the predictability of the behavior of the evaporated material, when released from the nozzle.
• the direction of the evaporated material being substantially parallel to the direction of another, or adjacent, evaporated material, may allow for having a regular and uniform impact of the evaporated material on a mask and/or on a substrate.
• the different components of the different distribution pipes may have substantially the same impact angle on the mask and/or the substrate, in particular a substantially perpendicular impact angle on the mask and/or the substrate.
• the production of coating of one or more components may be performed in a more precise manner with the material deposition arrangement according to embodiments described herein.
• the material deposition arrangement including the above described parallel arrangement of distribution directions according to embodiments described herein can lead to a uniform mixture of the different components, if different components are used in the different material sources.
• more precision and a more uniform deposition may allow for decreasing the chamber volume to substrate size ratio, since less space has to be used for achieving a uniform deposition.
• the uniform mixture of different materials or the uniform deposition of a material on a substrate is only possible by providing a large space between material deposition arrangement and substrate.
• the distribution pipe may have a substantially triangular cross-section, which may be considered as a further feature helping to provide a chamber volume to substrate size ratio of 15 m or less.
• Fig. 6a shows an example of a cross-section of a distribution pipe 106.
• the distribution pipe 106 has walls 322, 326, and 324, which surround an inner hollow space 710.
• the wall 322 is provided at an outlet side of the material source, at which the nozzles 712 are provided.
• the cross-section of the distribution pipe can be described as being essentially triangular, that is the main section of the distribution pipe corresponds to a portion of a triangle and/or the cross-section of the distribution pipe can be triangular with rounded corners and/or cut-off corners. As shown in Fig. 6a, for example the corner of the triangle at the outlet side is cut off. [0046] Additionally or alternatively, in light of the triangular shape of the material source, the area, which radiates towards the mask, is reduced.
• the width of the outlet side of the distribution pipe e.g. the dimension of the wall 322 in the cross-section shown in Fig. 6a, is indicated by arrow 352. Further, the other dimensions of the cross-section of the distribution pipe 106 are indicated by arrows 354 and 355. According to embodiments described herein, the width of the outlet side of the distribution pipe is 30% or less of the maximum dimension of the cross-section, e.g. 30% of the larger dimension of the dimensions indicated by arrows 354 and 355. In light of the dimensions and the shape of the distribution pipe, the nozzles 712 of neighboring distribution pipes 106 can be provided at a smaller distance. The smaller distance improves mixing of organic materials, which are evaporated next to each other.
• the improved mixture provided by the triangular distribution pipes may be used for decreasing the distance between substrate support (or substrate during deposition) and the material source or material deposition arrangement.
• the decreased distance between substrate support and the material source may, in turn, be used for improving the chamber volume to substrate size ratio.
• Fig. 6b shows an embodiment where two distribution pipes are provided next to each other. Accordingly, a material deposition arrangement having two distribution pipes as shown in Fig. 6b can evaporate two organic materials next to each other. As shown in Fig. 6b, the shape of the cross-section of the distribution pipes 106 allows for placing nozzles of neighboring distribution pipes close to each other.
• a first nozzle of the first distribution pipe and a second nozzle of the second distribution pipe can have a distance of 30 mm or below, such as from 5 mm to 25 mm. More specifically, the distance of the first outlet or nozzle to a second outlet or nozzle can be 10 mm or below.
• the distance between a first nozzle of a first distribution pipe and a second nozzle of a second distribution pipe may be measured as the minimum distance between the longitudinal axes of the respective nozzles.
• the minimum distance between the longitudinal axes of the respective nozzles is measured at the outlet of the nozzles (i.e. the position, where the evaporated material leaves the nozzle).
• Fig. 6c shows a partial view C of the arrangement shown in Fig. 6b. The partial view C enlarged in Fig.
• 6c shows an example of two nozzles 106a and 106b, wherein the distance 200 between the nozzles is measured between the longitudinal axis 201 of the first nozzle of the first distribution pipe 106a and the longitudinal axis 202 of the second nozzle of the first distribution pipe 106b at the outlet of the respective nozzles.
• the longitudinal axis of a nozzle as referred to herein runs along the length direction of the nozzle.
• the opening or passageway of the nozzle through which the evaporated material flows during the evaporation process to reach the substrate to be coated, may have a size of typically about 1 mm to about 10 mm, more typically about 1 mm to about 6mm, and even more typically 2 mm to about 5 mm.
• the dimension of the passageway or opening may refer to the minimum dimension of a cross-section, e.g. the diameter of the passageway or the opening.
• the size of the opening or the passageway is measured at the outlet of the nozzle.
• the opening or passageway may be produced in the tolerance zone H7, e.g. produced with a tolerance of about 10 ⁇ to about 18 ⁇ .
• the material deposition arrangement or material source may be an evaporator or an evaporation crucible.
• the evaporation crucible may be configured to receive the organic material to be evaporated and to evaporate the organic material.
• the material to be evaporated may include at least one of ⁇ , NPD, Alq 3 , Quinacridone, Mg/AG, starburst materials, and the like.
• the substrate may be made from any material suitable for material deposition.
• the substrate may be made from a material selected from the group consisting of glass (for instance soda-lime glass, borosilicate glass etc.), metal, polymer, ceramic, compound materials, carbon fiber materials or any other material or combination of materials which can be coated by a deposition process.
• a vacuum deposition system for depositing material on a vertically oriented substrate.
• the vacuum deposition system includes a vacuum chamber having a chamber volume. Typically, the vacuum chamber provides a pressure level of about 10 - " 5 to about 10 - " 7 mbar, e.g. by means of vacuum pumps or particle traps or the like.
• the vacuum deposition system further includes a material deposition arrangement (or a material source) for providing material to be deposited.
• the material deposition arrangement may be located within the vacuum chamber and may include a crucible for evaporating material.
• the material deposition arrangement may further include a linear distribution pipe being in fluid communication with the crucible.
• the distribution pipe typically provides outlets (or nozzles) for guiding the evaporated material in the vacuum chamber.
• the material deposition arrangement may be movable within the vacuum chamber.
• the material deposition system may further include a substrate support for supporting the substrate with a substrate size within the vacuum chamber. According to embodiments described herein, the ratio of chamber volume to substrate size is 15 m or less.
• a method is provided for depositing a material on a substrate in a vacuum deposition system.
• the vacuum deposition system may include a vacuum chamber with a chamber volume and a material deposition arrangement.
• Fig. 7 shows a flow chart of a method 700 according to embodiments described herein.
• the vacuum deposition system mentioned in the method may be a vacuum deposition system as described above, and may especially be a vacuum deposition system including one or more of the features described with respect to Figs. 1 to 6.
• the method 700 includes providing a substrate to be processed having a substrate size in the vacuum chamber.
• the substrate is typically provided in the vacuum chamber with a chamber volume to substrate size ratio of 15 m or less.
• the substrate may be provided for being coated in a substantially vertical orientation.
• the method 700 includes evaporating material in the material deposition arrangement.
• one or more different materials may be evaporated simultaneously.
• evaporating a material may include evaporating a material for producing an OLED product.
• the material deposition arrangement may include a crucible, which may be heated to a temperature between about 100°C and about 600°C for evaporating the material to be deposited on the substrate.
• the evaporated material is guided to the substrate.
• the evaporated material may be guided through a plurality of nozzles allowing for a good mixture of materials to be released from different material deposition arrangements and allowing for decreasing the distance between substrate support and material source or material deposition arrangement.
• the method may further include moving the material deposition arrangement within the vacuum chamber.
• the material deposition arrangement may be moved in a translational movement, a rotational movement, or a combination of a translational and rotational movement.
• the material source is moved in a translational movement along a track, which has a curved course so that a change in the angular position of the material source is achieved by a translational movement.
• the method may further include providing two substrates within one vacuum deposition chamber and evaporating material from one or two material deposition arrangements for coating the two substrates in the vacuum chamber.
• one material deposition source may be movable arranged within the vacuum chamber and allows for guiding evaporated material alternately to one of the two substrates.
• providing the one or two substrate(s) may include providing the one or two substrate(s) in a substrate support.
• the substrate support is arranged in a distance from the outlet (or the nozzles) of the material deposition arrangement of about 250 mm or less.
• the vapor plume of the evaporated material may have a cos 11 like shape, wherein n is in particular larger than four, such as six.
• the nozzles of the deposition arrangement may be designed for allowing a cos 6 like plume shape.
• the nozzles may have an opening length to opening size ration of about 2: 1 or larger.
• two or more distribution pipes are provided, wherein the distance between two adjacent distribution pipes is about 30 mm or less.
• the nozzles of different distribution pipes may provide a substantially parallel mean distribution direction.
• the use of a material deposition system as described herein is provided.
• the material deposition system may be used in a cluster system for several deposition systems, maintenance chambers, load lock chambers, mask providing units, adjustment units, and the like.
• a plurality of features for a vacuum deposition system has been described above.
• a vacuum chamber for housing two substrates at the same time or having two substrate supports for two substrates
• a defined distance between the material deposition arrangement and the substrate support being e.g. less than 250 mm
• an improved nozzle design including a nozzle opening length to opening size ratio, a distance between nozzles of different distribution pipes, and a parallel arrangement of the distribution directions
• a movable material deposition arrangement or material source and a vertically arranged substrate during deposition were described.

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• 2014
  • 2014-12-05 KR KR1020177018668A patent/KR101932943B1/ko active IP Right Grant
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  • 2014-12-05 JP JP2017530018A patent/JP6550464B2/ja active Active
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