CN208501092U - Depositing device for coating flexible substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

It describes a kind of for folding the depositing device (100) of coating flexible substrate (10) using layer heap.The depositing device includes: first volume barrel chamber room (110), accommodates for providing the holder of flexible base board；Deposition chambers (120), are arranged in the downstream of first volume barrel chamber room, and include the painting drum (122) for guiding flexible base board to pass through multiple sedimentation units (121)；Volume Two barrel chamber room, is arranged in the downstream of deposition chambers (120), and accommodates reel spool, for the wound flexible substrate on reel spool after deposit；And roll assembly, it is configured to that flexible base board (10) is transported to volume Two barrel chamber room from first volume barrel chamber room along the substrate transport path of part protrusion and portion concave.

Description

Depositing device for coating flexible substrate

Technical field

The embodiment of present disclosure is related to film deposition equipment, relates in particular to for being coated using stack of thin The equipment of flexible base board is specifically used for roll-to-roll (roll-to-roll；R2R) in depositing system.Some embodiments It is related to the equipment for using folded one or two main surface that flexible base board is respectively coated of layer heap, such as thin film solar Battery production, hull cell production and flexible display production.

Background technique

In encapsulation industry, semiconductor industry and other industries, the processing to flexible base board (such as plastic foil or foil) is In high demand.Technique may include the material coating flexible substrate with such as metal, semiconductor and dielectric substance, in substrate The etching and other technological operations of upper progress are to be used for various applications.The system for executing the task generally includes painting drum (for example, cylindrical roll (roller)), the painting drum are couple to the processing system with the roll assembly for conveying substrate, and And on painting drum coated substrate at least part.Roll-to-roll application system can provide high yield.

Wherein, such as chemical vapor deposition (Chemical Vapor Deposition；CVD) technique or physical vapor are heavy Product (Physical Vapor Deposition；PVD) coating processes of technique (especially sputtering technology) can be used for sinking thin layer In product to flexible base board.Roll-to-roll depositing system is it is understood that soft with quite long length (such as a km or longer) Property substrate is unfolded from holder, is coated using stack of thin, and roll on reel spool again.In the system of hull cell In making and in display industry and photovoltaic (photovoltaic；PV) in industry, the demand to roll-to-roll depositing system also exists Increase.For example, touch panel element, flexible display and flexible PV modules cause to depositing appropriate layer in R2R coating machine The increase of demand.

In some applications, it is folded that the layer heap with two or more layers can be deposited in the first main surface of flexible base board. Sometimes, second layer stacking can be deposited in the second main surface of the flexible base board opposite with the first main surface.When will be two sides On face when coated substrate, painting drum should be designed and operate with caution, to avoid the wounded substrate during coating the second main surface First has been coated with surface.

In view of above-mentioned, a kind of deposition of one or two main surface for using layer heap to fold coating flexible substrate is provided Equipment, wherein the layer has high uniformity and low per unit surface area defect number, to overcome at least one in this field A little problems.

Utility model content

In view of above-mentioned, a kind of depositing device for coating flexible substrate according to independent claims is provided.Into one Step design, advantage and feature are obvious from dependent claims, in the description and the appended drawings.

According to embodiments described herein, a kind of depositing device for coating flexible substrate is provided.The deposition Equipment includes: the first reel (spool) chamber, is accommodated for providing the holder of flexible base board；Deposition chambers are arranged in The downstream of a roll of barrel chamber room, and including for guiding painting drum (drum) of the flexible base board Jing Guo multiple sedimentation units；The Two reel chambers, are arranged in the downstream of deposition chambers, and accommodate reel spool, for after deposit in the reel spool Wound flexible substrate；And roll assembly, it is configured to flexible base board along part protrusion and the substrate transport path of portion concave Volume Two barrel chamber room is transported to from first volume barrel chamber room.

In the embodiment of one or more depositing devices disclosed herein, cleaning chamber is further included, it is described clear Clean chamber is arranged in the downstream of first volume barrel chamber room and the upstream of the deposition chambers, wherein mentioning in the cleaning chamber It is provided at least one cleaning device for cleaning the flexible base board.

In the embodiment of one or more depositing devices disclosed herein, wherein being mentioned in the upstream of the painting drum It is provided with the first cleaning device and the second cleaning device, first cleaning device is used to clean the first main table of the flexible base board Face, second cleaning device are used to clean the second main surface of the flexible base board.

In the embodiment of one or more depositing devices disclosed herein, wherein first cleaning device and described Second cleaning device is provided in the cleaning chamber.

In the embodiment of one or more depositing devices disclosed herein, further include clear after at least one is coated Clean device is placed in the downstream of the multiple sedimentation unit.

In the embodiment of one or more depositing devices disclosed herein, wherein at least one described cleaning device packet Containing the first adherency volume and the second adherency volume, wherein the viscosity of the second adherency volume is bigger than the viscosity of the first adherency volume.

In the embodiment of one or more depositing devices disclosed herein, annealing unit is further included, is used for The flexible base board is heated at the position of the multiple sedimentation unit upstream.

In the embodiment of one or more depositing devices disclosed herein, wherein the annealing unit includes following portion At least one of part: can heating roller and pharoid.

In the embodiment of one or more depositing devices disclosed herein, wherein the annealing unit be arranged in it is described In first volume barrel chamber room.

In the embodiment of one or more depositing devices disclosed herein, defect inspection device is further included, is used In the defect for detecting the flexible base board after deposit.

In the embodiment of one or more depositing devices disclosed herein, wherein the defect detector part includes light Source and photodetector.

In the embodiment of one or more depositing devices disclosed herein, wherein the defect detector part is arranged in In volume Two barrel chamber room.

In the embodiment of one or more depositing devices disclosed herein, monitoring device, the prison are further included Device arrangements are controlled in the downstream of the multiple sedimentation unit, wherein the monitor part be configured to for measure be deposited on it is described The electrical characteristics and/or optical characteristics of at least one layer on flexible base board.

In the embodiment of one or more depositing devices disclosed herein, at least one tonometry is further included Roller and at least one take-up roll, at least one described tonometry roller are used to measure the tension of the flexible base board, it is described at least One take-up roll is for tensing the flexible base board, wherein based on the flexibility measured by least one described tonometry roller The tension of substrate controls at least one described take-up roll.

In the embodiment of one or more depositing devices disclosed herein, wherein the multiple sedimentation unit is sputtering Sedimentation unit, and/or wherein the multiple sedimentation unit includes at least one AC sputtering source, the AC sputtering source is used for described Non-conducting material is deposited on flexible base board.

In the embodiment of one or more depositing devices disclosed herein, wherein the multiple sedimentation unit includes extremely A few DC sputtering source, the DC sputtering source are configured to for depositing conductive material on the flexible base board.

In the embodiment of one or more depositing devices disclosed herein, wherein the multiple sedimentation unit is at least One the first sedimentation unit is configured to for the silicon oxide layer deposited on the flexible base board, be arranged in it is described at least one the At least one second sedimentation unit of the multiple sedimentation unit in one sedimentation unit downstream is configured in the oxidation ITO layer is deposited on silicon layer, is arranged at least the one of the multiple sedimentation unit at least one second sedimentation unit downstream A third sedimentation unit is configured to for depositing the first metal layer in the ITO layer.

In the embodiment of one or more depositing devices disclosed herein, wherein the painting drum includes: bending Substrate, for contacting the flexible base board, wherein the curved substrate can surround rotary shaft Rotation, and include substrate-guided region；One group of gas vent is arranged in the curved substrate, and is suitable for Discharge air-flow；And gas distributing system, for the air-flow to be selectively provided to the first subgroup of the gas vent, and For selectively preventing gas from flowing to the second subgroup of the gas vent, wherein first subgroup of the gas vent Include at least one gas vent being located in the substrate-guided region, and the second subgroup packet of the gas vent Containing at least one gas vent for being located at the substrate-guided region exterior.

Depositing device described herein may be used in the method that layer heap folds coating flexible substrate, wherein flexible base board edge Part protrusion and the substrate transport path of portion concave be transported to volume Two barrel chamber room from first volume barrel chamber room.The method It include: the holder expansion flexible base board provided from first volume barrel chamber room；It is deposited in flexible base board and provides in chamber While painting drum guides, at least one first layer of sedimentary stacking in the first main surface of flexible base board；And After deposition, wound flexible substrate on the reel spool that is provided in volume Two barrel chamber room.

A kind of method for being directed at depositing device is described, wherein depositing device includes roll assembly, and roll assembly is configured to edge Part protrusion and the substrate transport path of portion concave flexible base board is transported to volume Two barrel chamber room from first volume barrel chamber room. The described method includes: at least one guide reel of roll assembly is defined as reference roller；And the first rotation relative to reference roller Axis is directed at the rotary shaft of two or more remaining guide reels of roll assembly, such as is parallel to the first rotary shaft of reference roller and prolongs It stretches.

Embodiment further relates to the equipment for implementing each disclosed method, and including for executing each retouched The environment division for the method characteristic stated.Hardware component, the computer by appropriate software programming, any group by the two can be passed through It closes or executes the method feature in any other manner.

Detailed description of the invention

The some indicating above of middle description embodiment and other more detailed designs, and reference will be described below Attached drawing is partly show.

Fig. 1 shows the schematic cross-section of the depositing device according to embodiments described herein；

Fig. 2 shows the schematic cross-sections according to the depositing device of embodiments described herein；

Fig. 3 shows the schematic cross-section of the depositing device according to embodiments described herein；

Fig. 4 shows the schematic cross-section of the depositing device according to embodiments described herein；

Fig. 5 shows the more detailed cross-sectional view of the depositing device according to embodiments described herein；

Fig. 6 show can be used in some embodiments described herein can heating roller schematic diagram；

Fig. 7 shows the schematic cross-section for the painting drum that can be used in some embodiments described herein；

Fig. 8 shows the schematic cross-section for the painting drum that can be used in some embodiments described herein；

Fig. 9 shows the amplification signal of a part for the deposition chambers that can be used in some embodiments described herein Figure；

Figure 10 shows exchange (the Alternating Current that can be used in some embodiments described herein； AC) the schematic diagram of sputtering source；

Figure 11 shows direct current (the direct current that can be used in some embodiments described herein；DC it) splashes Penetrate the schematic diagram in source；

Figure 12 shows the schematic diagram that can be used for double DC planar cathode sputtering sources in some embodiments described herein；

Figure 13 A to Figure 13 C shows the painting drum in deposition chambers according to embodiments described herein The exemplary diagrammatic layout of the sedimentation unit sequence of offer；

Figure 14 shows the flow chart for illustrating the method for coating flexible substrate；

Figure 15 shows the flow chart of the method for illustrating to be aligned depositing device.

Specific embodiment

With detailed reference to various embodiments, one or more examples in these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings. In being described below of attached drawing, similar elements symbol indicates same parts.In general, only describing the difference about individual embodiments It is different.Each example provides by way of illustration, is not meant as limiting.In addition, a part as an embodiment The feature for showing or describing can generate another embodiment for other embodiments or in conjunction with other embodiments.It says Bright book is intended to include such modifications and variations.

It should be noted that the flexible base board used in embodiments described herein is usually flexible.Term is " soft Property substrate " or " substrate " can be with term " foil " or the synonymous uses of term " web (web) ".Specifically, it should be appreciated that retouched herein The embodiment for the depositing device stated can be used for coating any kind of flexible base board, such as manufacturing with uniform thickness Plane coating, or for manufacturing coating patterns or coating on flexible substrates or on the top of primer coating structure with predetermined shape Structure.For example, electronic device can be formed on flexible substrates by masking, etching and/or deposition.For example, as described herein Flexible base board may include such as PET, HC-PET, PE, PI, PU, TaC, OPP, CPP, one or more metals, paper, above-mentioned material The combination of material, and have been coated with substrate (such as hard conating PET (for example, HC-PET, HC-TaC) or other similar material).? In some embodiments, flexible base board is that have index matching (index matched on two sides of flexible base board； IM) the COP substrate of layer.

Embodiments described herein generally relates to the equipment that coating flexible substrate is folded using layer heap.Such as this paper institute " layer heap folded " used can be regarded as two layers deposited on top of each other, three layers or more, wherein described two layers, three layers or More layers can be formed by identical material or by two kinds, three or more different materials.For example, it may include one or more that layer heap is folded A conductive layer (for example, metal layer) and/or one or more separation layers (for example, dielectric layer).In some embodiments, layer Stacking may include one or more hyaline layers (for example, SiO₂Layer or ITO layer).In some embodiments, layer heap is folded at least One layer can be conductive hyaline layer (for example, ITO layer).For example, ITO layer can be beneficial to capacitance touching control application (for example, being used for Touch panel).In some embodiments, patternable one or more layer.It in some embodiments, can be the of substrate One or more SiO is deposited in one main surface₂Layer then deposits one or more ITO layers, optionally followed by deposition one or more A metal layer (for example, layers of copper).In some embodiments, can also coated substrate the second main surface, such as according to herein The layer heap for making the identical layer heap of the second major face of substrate folded or different in the depositing device of described embodiment is folded.

According to some embodiments that can be combined with other embodiments described herein, depositing device can be configured to For 500m or longer, 1000m or longer or thousands of meters of substrate length.Substrate width can be 300mm or wider, specifically For be 500mm or wider, be more specifically 1m or wider.According to an example, substrate width is about 1.4m.For example, through Construction can be configured to the depositing device of the substrate width for about 1.4m for depositing one or more layers ITO (for example, being used for Capacitance touching control application).According to another example, substrate width is about 1.7m.For example, being configured to the substrate for about 1.7m The depositing device of width can be configured to for depositing one or more layers (for example, for fenestrated membrane application) on substrate.Substrate Width can be 3m or narrower, specifically 2m or narrower.In general, substrate thickness can be 20, and base or thicker and 1mm or thinner, tool It is to say to be to 200 for 50 for body.

According to some embodiments, some chambers of depositing device or whole chambers are configured to the vacuum evacuated Chamber.For example, depositing device may include component and equipment to allow at least part of processing system (such as in reel chamber Room neutralizes in the deposition chamber) generate or maintain vacuum.Depositing device may include vacuum pump, evacuate pipeline, vacuum seal and Like, for vacuum to be generated or maintained at least part of depositing device.For example, each chamber can have individually Corresponding vacuum pump or pumping plant for evacuating chamber out of the ordinary.In some embodiments, two or more turbine vacuum pumps It may be connected at least one vacuum chamber, be specifically connected to each vacuum chamber of depositing device.

According to some embodiments, the vacuum chamber of depositing device is suitable for operating under vacuum conditions, forms vacuum sealing Shell, that is, the vacuum with 10 millibars or smaller pressure can be evacuated to, specifically 1 millibar or smaller, or even 1 × 10 is evacuated to during deposition^-4With 1 × 10^-2Millibar between or smaller pressure.Different pressures range by special consideration should be given to and For can be 10^-3The PVD process (such as sputtering) carried out in millibar range, and the CVD work carried out usually within the scope of millibar Skill.In addition, vacuum chamber can be evacuated to 1 × 10^-6The background vacuum of millibar or smaller pressure.Background pressure refers to logical Cross the chamber for evacuating any entrance of no any gas and the pressure reached.

Fig. 1 schematically shows the depositing device 100 for using stack of thin coating flexible substrate 10.Depositing device 100 Multiple vacuum chambers including the pressure of subatmospheric power can be evacuated to.Depositing device 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes the first reel Chamber 110, the deposition chambers 120 for being arranged in 110 downstream of first volume barrel chamber room, and it is arranged in the second of 120 downstream of deposition chambers Reel chamber 150.First volume barrel chamber room 110 can be considered vacuum chamber, and first volume barrel chamber room 110 is configured to for accommodating storage Reel, the holder have the flexible base board on the holder；And volume Two barrel chamber room 150 can be considered Vacuum chamber, volume Two barrel chamber room 150 are configured to for accommodating reel spool, so as to after deposit on the reel spool Wind the flexible base board having been coated with.

Depositing device 100 may be constructed such that flexible base board 10 can be along substrate transport path from first volume barrel chamber room 110 are directed into volume Two barrel chamber room 150, and wherein substrate transport path may pass through deposition chambers 120.Flexible base board can deposit The folded coating of layer heap is used in chamber 120.The roll assembly comprising multiple volumes or roller can provide to convey base along substrate transport path Plate, wherein two or more rollers of roll assembly, five or more rollers can be arranged between holder and reel spool, or Ten or more rollers.In this disclosure, roll assembly is alternatively referred to as reel system.

According to some embodiments of this paper, substrate transport path can be part protrusion and portion concave.In other words It says, substrate transport path is partly bending to the right and partly bending to the left, so that the of some guide reels contact flexible base board One main surface, and the second main surface of the flexible base board for making some guide reels contacts opposite with the first main surface.For example, figure Second main surface of the first guide reel 107 contact flexible base board in 1, and flexible base board is guided by the first guide reel 107 While (" protrusion " part of substrate transport path) bending to the left.The of the second guide reel 108 contact flexible base board in Fig. 1 One main surface, and flexible base board (" recess " of substrate transport path bending to the right while being guided by the second guide reel 108 Part).It can provide compact depositing device, the depositing device is equally applicable to double-sided deposition, because substrate transport path exists (i.e. in the first main surface contact support surface of substrate in depressed section between first volume barrel chamber room and volume Two barrel chamber room In part) and in convex portion (i.e. substrate the second main surface contact support surface part in) direction is varied multiple times.

Term as used herein " upstream " and " downstream " can indicate chamber out of the ordinary or component out of the ordinary relative to along substrate Another chamber of transport path or the position of component.For example, during operation, substrate is via roll assembly along substrate transport path Deposition chambers 120 are guided through from first volume barrel chamber room 110, and are then routed to volume Two barrel chamber room 150.Therefore, it sinks Product chamber 120 is arranged in the downstream of first volume barrel chamber room 110, and first volume barrel chamber room 110 is arranged in the upper of deposition chambers 120 Trip.During operation, when substrate is guided by the first roller or the first component first or is conveyed through the first roller or the first component, and When then being guided by the second roller or second component or be conveyed through the second roller or second component, the second roller or second component are arranged in The downstream of first roller or the first component.

First volume barrel chamber room 110 is configured to accommodate holder 112, can wherein wind on holder 112 flexible Substrate 10.During operation, flexible base board 10 can be unfolded from holder 112, and along substrate transport path from the first reel Chamber is conveyed towards deposition chambers.As used herein term " holder " can be regarded as spool, deposit on said reel Contain flexible base board to be coated.Therefore, as used herein term " reel spool " can be regarded as being suitable for receiving having been coated with Flexible base board spool.Term " holder " alternatively referred to as " supplies volume " herein, and term " reel spool " exists Herein also referred to as " tightening volume ".

Can be in some embodiments in conjunction with other embodiments described herein, it is possible to provide holder driving Device is for rotating holder 112, so that flexible base board is unfolded from holder 112.In other words, holder 112 can be with It is active drive roller.

Deposition chambers 120 can be arranged in the positive downstream of first volume barrel chamber room 110, as shown in Figure 1.Alternatively, can be in the first volume One or more other vacuum chambers (for example, cleaning chamber) is arranged between barrel chamber room 110 and deposition chambers 120.In Fig. 1 Shown in embodiment, the flexible base board for leaving first volume barrel chamber room 110 across the passage aisle of such as slit can be directly entered Deposition chambers 120.

First volume barrel chamber room 110 may be structured to load lock chamber.In other words, first volume barrel chamber room 110 can pour in Air, such as to replace the holder in first volume barrel chamber room with new holder, without damaging in residual vacuum chamber Vacuum.Channel in wall between first volume barrel chamber room 110 and the vacuum chamber for being arranged in first volume barrel chamber room downstream or Opening can be sealed.Therefore, (for example, when flexible base board is from depositing during the replacement of the holder in first volume barrel chamber room When storing up reel expansion), other vacuum chambers (and specifically deposition chambers) of depositing device 100 can be maintained evacuation shape State.

Can be in some embodiments in conjunction with other embodiments described herein, bootable flexible base board 10 divides Opening (for example, slit) in the wall that vacuum chamber Chuan Guo do not made to be separated from each other.For example, in wall between two vacuum chambers Slit may be adapted to that substrate is directed to another vacuum chamber from a vacuum chamber respectively.In some embodiments, it is open There can be air locking, at least generally to separate the pressure condition of two vacuum chambers by opening connection.For example, if Different pressure conditions is provided by the chamber of opening connection, then the opening in wall can be designed to maintain the pressure out of the ordinary in chamber Power.

According to embodiments described herein, it is possible to provide at least one gap lock or load-lock valve, for making two Adjoining vacuum chambers are separated from each other, such as by first volume barrel chamber room and the vacuum chamber for being arranged in first volume barrel chamber room downstream Separation.At least one gap lock may be constructed such that flexible base board can be moved through from the lock of gap, and gap lock can quilt It is opened and closed to provide vacuum sealing.Thus, for example, while deposition chambers 120 can be maintained technology vacuum, it can Discharge first volume barrel chamber room 110.

For example, schematically indicating the sealing being arranged between first volume barrel chamber room 110 and deposition chambers 120 in Fig. 1 Device 105.However, it should be understood that can be between other adjoining vacuum chambers (for example, in deposition chambers 120 and volume Two barrel chamber room Between 150) air locking of other offer corresponding function is provided.It therefore, advantageously, can be independently (especially independently of heavy Product chamber) discharge or evacuate winding chamber (i.e. first volume barrel chamber room 110 and volume Two barrel chamber room 150).

Air locking 105 may include expandable seal, and expandable seal is configured to for substrate being pressed against flat close It seals on surface.Therefore, the opening in the wall between salable first volume barrel chamber room 110 and deposition chambers 120, or even when flexible base When plate is likely to be present in opening.Closing or opening air locking may be not necessarily required to remove flexible base board.

It is also possible, however, to use for selectively opened and closing gap lock other devices or equipment, wherein can be inserted into It is opened and closed when substrate and (there is open substrate path and vacuum seal).When being inserted into substrate for closing vacuum The substrate exchange that the gap lock of sealing element allows to be particularly easy to, because the substrate from new spool is attached to from previous spool Substrate.

Although described about flexible base board is directed to subsequent vacuum chamber from the first volume barrel chamber room air locking, Slit, opening or gap lock, but air locking, slit, opening or gap lock as described herein, which can also be used for deposition, to be set Between other standby chambers or multiple portions.

Deposition chambers 120 may include painting drum 122, and painting drum 122 is configured to for guiding flexible base board 10 to pass through Cross multiple sedimentation units 121.Painting drum 122 can be rotated around rotary shaft 123.Painting drum may include curved substrate support Surface (for example, outer surface of painting drum 122), it is single can be directed over multiple depositions for flexible surface in substrate Member 121.When guiding flexible base board to pass through multiple sedimentation units 121, flexible base board can be with the substrate of painting drum It directly contacts, painting drum can be cooled.When flexible base board is directly thermally contacted with painting drum, can be reduced during deposition soft The temperature of property substrate.

Flexible base board 10 can be made to be coated with one or more thin layers by multiple sedimentation units 121.For example, can be around painting Cloth roller 122 arranges the sedimentation unit of multiple sedimentation units 121 in a circumferential direction, as shown in Figure 1.Deposition chambers 120 can wrap Include two or more sedimentation units disposed adjacent one another along substrate transport path.Can coating flexible substrate the first main table Face, while the second main surface (i.e. the rear surface of flexible base board) of the flexible base board opposite with the first main surface can be with painting drum Curved substrate contact.

As painting drum 122 rotates, flexible base board is directed over sedimentation unit, and the sedimentation unit is rolled towards coating The curved substrate of cylinder so that when flexible base board moves through sedimentation unit at a predetermined velocity flexible base board the One main surface can be coated.

It in some embodiments, can be between holder 112 and painting drum 122 and/or under painting drum 122 One or more rollers (for example, guide reel) of trip arrangement roll assembly.For example, in the embodiment shown in figure 1, in holder Two guide reels are provided between 112 and painting drum 122, wherein at least one guide reel may be arranged in first volume barrel chamber room, And at least one guide reel may be arranged in the deposition chambers of 122 upstream of painting drum.In some embodiments, it is storing Offer three, four, five or more guide reel, especially eight or more guide reel between reel and painting drum. Guide reel can be drive roll or passive guide roller.

" active " roller or spool used herein can be regarded as the driving for actively movement or rotate with roller out of the ordinary The roller of device or motor.For example, drive roll can be adjusted to provide preset torque or desired speed.In general, 112 He of holder Reel spool 152 can provide as drive roll.In some embodiments, painting drum can be configured to as drive roll.In addition, main Dynamic roller can be configured to as substrate take-up roll, and substrate take-up roll is configured to for tensing base during operation with predetermined tension Plate." passive " roller used herein can be regarded as the roller or volume that do not have for actively mobile or rotation passive guide roller driver Axis.Passive guide roller can be rotated through the frictional force of over flexible substrate, flexible base board can directly contact during operation with the outer surface of roller.

In this disclosure, " volume " or " roller " can be regarded as providing the device on surface, along substrate in depositing device During transport path conveys flexible base board, a part of flexible base board or flexible base board can be contacted with the surface.It is referred to herein At least part of the roller shown may include the circular shape for contacting flexible base board before the deposition or later.It can surround directly The longitudinal axis forms generally cylindrical shape.According to some embodiments, roller can be guide reel, and guide reel tune is in conveying substrate (for example, during depositing operation or when substrate is present in depositing device) guides substrate.Roller is configured to expand (spreader) roller, that is, be suitable for the drive roll that flexible base board provides the tension of definition.Expansion roller is alternatively referred to as k roller.Such as Fig. 5 Shown in exemplary, expansion roller 117 may be arranged at the downstream of painting drum 122, specifically positive downstream.In addition, such as this paper institute The roller of description may be structured in coating the treatment tube (for example, painting drum) of support flexible base board, for along curved Deflection roll, regulating roller, holder, the reel spool etc. of bent substrate transport path deflection substrate.

In some embodiments, at least one deflection roll can be configured to for deflecting flexible base in the clockwise direction Plate, and at least one deflection roll can be configured to for deflecting flexible base board in the counterclockwise direction.For example, shown in Fig. 1 Embodiment in, the first guide reel 107 deflect in the counterclockwise direction flexible base board (that is, when flexible base board along substrate Transport path is bending to the left when mobile), and the second guide reel 108 deflects flexible base board (that is, when soft in the clockwise direction Property substrate is bending to the right when moving along substrate transport path).Wherein, the first guide reel 107 can revolve in the counterclockwise direction Turn, and the second guide reel 108 can rotate in the clockwise direction.It can provide the substrate conveying path of part protrusion and portion concave Diameter.The guide reel rotated in the clockwise direction during the conveying of flexible base board can referred to herein as " rotate clockwise Roller ", and the roller rotated in the counterclockwise direction during the conveying of flexible base board can referred to herein as " rotation counterclockwise Roller ".

In some embodiments, the first main table of at least one guide reel (for example, first guide reel 107) contact substrate Face, and the second main surface of at least one guide reel (for example, second guide reel 108) contact substrate is (that is, with the first main surface Opposite surface).Therefore, in order to reduce the risk of winding defect, it may be beneficial for cleaning two main surfaces of flexible base board.

According to some embodiments, roller as described herein can mount to low friction roller bearing, specifically have Duplex bearing roll structure.Therefore, it can be achieved that as described herein conveying arrangement the roller depth of parallelism, and can eliminate substrate conveying the phase Between lateral substrate " drift ".Therefore, advantageously, roll assembly as described herein is provided with low friction roller bearing High-precision reel system.

In some embodiments, it can also be configured to be used for along the guide reel of substrate transport path guidance flexible base board Carry out tonometry.According to exemplary embodiment, at least one tonometry roller can be provided in depositing device (for example, passive Roller).Advantageously, it is possible to provide the one, two or more tonometry roller on two sides of painting drum, these Power, which measures roller, allows the winding side in painting drum and the tonometry of expansion side.Specifically, tonometry roller can be constructed With the tension for measuring flexible base board.Therefore, it can preferably control base board convey, can control the pressure of the substrate on painting drum Power and/or damage to substrate can be reduced or avoided.

Can be in some embodiments in conjunction with other embodiments described herein, multiple sedimentation units can be through structure It makes with the first main surface for coating flexible substrate.It therefore, can be by multiple sedimentation units in deposition chambers in flexible base Sedimentary stacks in first main surface of plate.In other words, heavy being passed through along substrate transport path according to some embodiments During the conveying of the flexible base board of product equipment, the first major face of flexible base board can only be made to have layer heap folded.

It, can be by the flexible base board with the first main surface having been coated with again in order to be also coated with the second main surface of flexible base board It is secondary to be loaded into first volume barrel chamber room, and it is carried through depositing device in the opposite direction.In as used herein " phase negative side To " in, the second main surface of substrate (pass through depositing device for the first time with flexible base board opposite another main surface) along Towards multiple sedimentation units during the conveying of the flexible base board of substrate transport path.Therefore, by guiding identical flexible base board Depositing device is passed twice through, the double-sided deposition on flexible base board is possible.In some embodiments, in flexible base board first When secondary process depositing device, first layer is deposited in the first main surface of flexible base board and is stacked；And at second of flexible base board When by depositing device, the second layer is deposited in the second main surface of flexible base board and is stacked.First layer stacks and the second layer stacks Can have respective thickness and/or respective material sequence.In some embodiments, the flexibility for the main surface being had been coated with there are two having Substrate can be relative to the central plane substantial symmetry of substrate.

Can in some embodiments in conjunction with other embodiments described herein, painting drum can be actively Driving.In other words, it is possible to provide the driver for rotary coating roller.

It in some embodiments, can be the downstream of painting drum 122 and upstream arrangement one of volume Two barrel chamber room 150 Or multiple guide reels 113.For example, at least one guide reel can be arranged in deposition chambers 120 and be located under painting drum 122 Trip, for flexible base board 10 to be directed to the vacuum chamber for being arranged in 120 downstream of deposition chambers (for example, volume Two barrel chamber room 150)；Or at least one guide reel can be disposed in volume Two barrel chamber room 150 and be located at 152 upstream of reel spool, be used for Generally tangential side boots up flexible base board with the substrate of painting drum, smoothly to guide flexible base board Onto reel spool 152.At least one of these guide reels multiple have the function of discussing in further detail below.

Volume Two barrel chamber room 150 can be arranged in the positive downstream of deposition chambers 120.In other embodiments, it can deposit One or more vacuum chambers are arranged between chamber 120 and volume Two barrel chamber room 150.Volume Two barrel chamber room 150 can be configured to For accommodating reel spool 152 so as to after deposit in 152 wound flexible substrate of reel spool.Can respectively vacuum chamber it Between wall in, and specifically provide air locking in the wall for separating volume Two barrel chamber room 150 with deposition chambers.Example Such as, in the embodiment shown in figure 1, air locking 105 is provided between deposition chambers 120 and volume Two barrel chamber room 150.It is close Envelope device 105 may include expandable seal, and expandable seal is configured to for substrate being pressed against on the sealing surface.Therefore, The opening in wall between deposition chambers 120 and volume Two barrel chamber room 150 can be sealed, or even when flexible base board is likely to be present in When in opening.Closing or opening air locking may be not necessarily required to remove flexible base board.

Can be in some embodiments in conjunction with other embodiments described herein, it is possible to provide reel spool driving Device is for rotating reel spool 152 with the wound flexible substrate on reel spool 152.In other words, reel spool 152 can be Drive roll.

Volume Two barrel chamber room 150 may be structured to load lock chamber.Wherein, volume Two barrel chamber room may be constructed such that The reel spool for being wound with the flexible base board having been coated with can be unloaded from volume Two barrel chamber room, while volume Two barrel chamber room 150 can Pour in air.The air of volume Two barrel chamber room 150 is poured in, volume Two barrel chamber room 150 and is arranged in volume Two barrel chamber room Channel (for example, via air locking 105) between the vacuum chamber of upstream can be sealed.Therefore, with new reel spool During replacing reel spool, other vacuum chambers (and specifically deposition chambers) of depositing device can be maintained evacuation shape State.In some embodiments, volume Two barrel chamber room 150 may include gap lock or load-lock valve, it may for example comprise for example for Close and open the channel between the second deposition chambers and volume Two barrel chamber room or the air locking of slit.Substrate can be in sealer It is stopped in the opening when part is under sealing state.

During deposition, deposition chambers 120 be can be under medium vacuum or under high vacuum, such as 1 × 10^-2In the least Bar with 1 × 10^-4Under pressure between millibar, such as when using sputtering source.Pressure in sedimentation unit is than deposition chambers Pressure in main volume is high, such as is higher by an order of magnitude.For example, the pressure during sputtering sedimentation in sputtering sedimentation unit can be About 5 × 10^-3Millibar.The pressure in pressure and volume Two barrel chamber room 150 in first volume barrel chamber room 110 is deposited than during deposition Pressure in chamber is high, such as is higher by one or two order of magnitude.For example, in first volume barrel chamber room and/or volume Two barrel chamber room Background pressure can be at 10^-1Millibar and 10^-3Between millibar.It can provide one or more vacuum control units, such as at least In one vacuum chamber and/or at least one sedimentation unit.

Before the deposition, during and/or after, particle can be assembled on flexible substrates, if not removing particle, can lead Cause the pollution and damage to substrate surface.Specifically, when the flexible base board and guide reel for being formed with particle on flexible base board When support surface contacts, the surface of possible scuffing or wounded substrate.These problems are also referred to as " winding defect ".In more detail Ground, such defect can be the small area of 10 microns or the smaller order of magnitude, deposited in layer or even complete soft Property substrate is by concentrated wear.The possible source of these defects is, for example: the particle on the flexible base board of holder, And as caused by coating processes and it is attached to the particle of substrate.

To avoid the problem that winding defect, several method is taken.A kind of method is a kind of system, is being deposited in the system The main surface (for example, uncoated surface) for only having flexible base board during technique is directly contacted with roller surface.However, this Design may not be suitable for double-sided deposition technique and the thin film deposition processes using advanced tension force.Specifically, including In the depositing device of substrate transport path with depressed section and convex portion, two main surfaces of flexible base board can conveyed Period directly contacts with roller surface.Therefore, in order to reduce the risk of winding defect, one or two main surface for cleaning substrate can It can be beneficial.

In some embodiments, in order to avoid winding defect, depositing device may include at least one cleaning device, cleaning Device is configured to for cleaning substrate, especially in flexible base board on roller, or is directly connect with roller surface under high tension Substrate is cleaned before touching.

Can be in some embodiments in conjunction with other embodiments described herein, it is possible to provide the first cleaning device It cleans the first main surface (for example, being coated with first main surface that layer heap folds) of flexible base board, and/or can provide the second cleaning Device cleans the second main surface (for example, rear surface opposite with the first main surface of flexible base board) of flexible base board.

Fig. 2 schematically shows the depositing device 100 for coating flexible substrate 10, and depositing device 100 includes the first cleaning Device 171 and the second cleaning device 172.Most of feature of the depositing device of Fig. 2 corresponds to each of depositing device shown in FIG. 1 Other feature, therefore can refer to described above, details are not described herein.

The first cleaning device 171 be can provide to clean the first main surface of flexible base board, and can provide the second cleaner Part 172 cleans the second main surface of flexible base board.Can multiple sedimentation units the first cleaning device of upstream arrangement 171 and/ Or second cleaning device 172, so that the surface of flexible base board is cleaned before can depositing in the deposition chamber.

First main surface of substrate can be the substrate surface then coated in the deposition chamber, and the second of substrate is main Surface can be the substrate surface opposite with the first main surface.In some embodiments, the second main surface can be uncoated Substrate surface, and in other embodiments, the second main surface can be previously coated, such as in first time by heavy When product equipment.The particle that may be already present in the first main surface of flexible base board or other types can be removed before the deposition Pollutant so that the coating quality in the first main surface can be improved.It (or can be mentioned on the second major surface in the second main surface It is provided with coating) the second main table for removing may be already present on flexible base board before is contacted with the substrate of painting drum Particle or other kinds of pollutant on face, so that winding defect can be avoided by.

In other embodiments, it can only provide the first cleaning device or the second cleaning device is only provided.For example, can be only clear First main surface of clean substrate can only clean the second main surface contacted with the substrate of painting drum.

In some embodiments, the first cleaning device 171 and/or the second cleaner can be arranged in cleaning chamber 170 Part 172, and clean chamber 170 and may be provided in the downstream of first volume barrel chamber room 110 and the upstream of deposition chambers 120, such as Fig. 2 institute Show.It in other embodiments, can be in first volume barrel chamber room and in 112 downstream of holder, or in deposition chambers 120 simultaneously The first cleaning device 171 and/or the second cleaning device 172 are provided in 122 upstream of painting drum.Can with it is described herein its In some embodiments that his embodiment combines, individually cleaning chamber can not be provided.There is provided cleaning chamber 170 can have with Lower advantage: better vacuum is provided usually pouring in regular intervals between the first volume barrel chamber room 110 of air and deposition chambers Separation.Specifically, cleaning chamber may act as the further gas separation space between first volume barrel chamber room and deposition chambers. In some embodiments, the passage aisle of such as slit can be only provided between cleaning chamber and deposition chambers, it is soft for guiding Property substrate is passed through from the channel.Other advantage can be had by accommodating cleaning device in cleaning chamber 170, can be more easily The component of cleaning device is replaced, and deposition chambers can not be entered by the pollutant that cleaning procedure generates, it can also be from cleaning chamber It pumps out.

Can additionally or alternatively it exist in some embodiments in conjunction with other embodiments described herein Along the further cleaning device of offer at the other positions of substrate transport path.For example, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, Can the arranged downstream of multiple sedimentation units 121 coating after (after-coating) cleaning device 173.Cleaning device after coating 173 can be configured to the table for cleaning the coating being coated in the first main surface of flexible base board by multiple sedimentation units 121 Face.

Cleaning can be executed in the positive downstream of multiple sedimentation units 121, so that can contact having been coated with surface with roller surface The particle generated on the coating surface during coating is reliably removed before." positive downstream " can imply flexibility as used herein Substrate is directly cleaned after coating, and not by it is substrate-guided to can be applied on the surface being just coated with stressed guide reel or Pulley.The generation of winding defect can be reduced or avoided.

The purpose of cleaning device can be collects flexibility before winding under high tension by guide reel or deflecting substrate Particle or other kinds of pollutant on substrate.For example, flexible base board usually is drawn around painting drum under high tension, with Improve thermally contacting between flexible base board and painting drum, so that in the second main surface of the substrate of the upstream of painting drum Cleaning can be beneficial.It can reduce or avoid completely the generation of winding defect.

For example, as shown in Fig. 2, passing through cleaning device 173 after coating after deposition and before contacting any guide reel Clean (just having coated) first main surface of flexible base board 10.Cleaning device 173 is placed in multiple sedimentation units 121 after coating Positive downstream.It is not only restricted to any embodiment, cleaning device is usually configured to the rigid coating of cleaning flexible base board after coating Side.

In some embodiments, cleaning device 173 can be arranged to so that cleaning device 173 exists after coating after coating Flexible base board 10 is contacted at the position that flexible base board 10 is contacted with painting drum 122, such as in the rotation for surrounding painting drum 122 The downstream of the last one sedimentation unit in multiple sedimentation units 121 on the circumferencial direction of axis 123.In sedimentation unit at least Some units, specifically the sedimentation unit more than half in multiple sedimentation units 121 can be placed in painting drum 122 The lower section of rotary shaft 123, as shown in Fig. 2.

At least some of cleaning device is configurable as follows.It should be noted that cleaning device is also regarded as herein after coating Cleaning device.The function of cleaning device will illustrate referring to the first cleaning device 171.First cleaning device 171 may include particle position Move unit and particle dissipation unit.Particle displacement unit is expressed as the first adherency volume 175 with adherency or tacky surfaces, and And particle dissipation unit is expressed as the second adherency volume 176 with adherency or tacky surfaces.In some embodiments, second is viscous The viscosity of tableau 176 is bigger than the viscosity of the first adherency volume 175 (that is, the second adherency volume makes particle be adhered to the second adherency volume Ability is stronger than the ability for making particle be adhered to the first adherency volume of the first adherency volume).

The first cleaning device 171 including the first adherency volume 175 and the second adherency volume 176 can operate as follows.First is glued Tableau 175 is positioned to directly contact with the main surface of flexible base board to be cleaned 10.First adherency volume 175 is usually with anti-with offer Press the identical peripheral speed rotation of the peripheral speed of the guide reel positioned opposite on the surface (counter-pressure).First is viscous Tableau 175 can be driven by flexible base board, and the first adherency volume 175 is in friction with flexible base board and connects during the operation of depositing device Touching.

Due to the tacky surfaces of the first adherency volume 175, the particle on flexible base board is gathered by the tacky surfaces of the first adherency volume Collection.Therefore, particle temporarily sticks on the first adherency volume, and is rotated upwardly to the first adherency on the circumference of the first adherency volume The opposite side of volume.Second adherency volume 176 is through placement so that the second adherency volume is contacted with the first adherency volume 175.It is worth noting that, Second adherency volume 176 does not contact usually with flexible base board.In view of compared with the viscosity of the first adherency volume, the second adherency volume glues Property it is bigger, first adherency volume on particle is adhered to the second adherency volume tacky surfaces.

Therefore, particle will be retained on the surface of the second adherency volume, while the outer surface of the first adherency volume will be turned round with again Secondary contact flexible base board.Therefore, when the first adherency cigarette touching flexible base board, it will be not present any particle on the first adherency volume, And therefore contact of the first adherency volume with flexible base board will not result in any damage.It is glued on the contrary, particle is stored in second On tableau.Sometimes, the second adherency volume can be adhered to volume replacement by new second.

In some embodiments, cleaning device 173 and possible further clear after the second cleaning device 172, coating Clean device can have corresponding setting.For example, the substrate of painting drum 122 may act as cleaning device 173 after coating The counter-pressure surface of first adherency volume.

Can in some embodiments in conjunction with other embodiments described herein, at least one coating device can It additionally or alternatively include laser, laser can be extended to cover the entire width of flexible base board.The laser beam of extension Usually have enough energy so that particle is separated with the surface of flexible base board.Alternatively, can be controlled by automatic particle localization system Laser, automatic particle localization system may include camera and the controller for analyzing captured image.Positioning system can dispose In the upstream of cleaning device out of the ordinary.Particle localization system can position the independent particle on substrate.Laser can guide laser beam To the particle being located on flexible base board.

In some embodiments, laser beam is enough to separate particle with substrate.Can provide such as suction device into one The particle dissipation unit of step is used to particle for good and all removing substrate.Suction device can be placed in laser downstream.In embodiment party In formula, laser is controled and operated, so that being dissipated particle by laser beam.In this case, such as suction device Further memory device can be unnecessary.

In some embodiments, suction device may act as cleaning device.Embodiment without being limited thereto, usually may be most Further gas is provided between the latter sedimentation unit and cleaning device after the coating for being arranged in the unit positive downstream to separate Grade.

It can generated in some embodiments in conjunction with other embodiments described herein by ionized particles beam The ionized particles beam that unit generates can additionally or alternatively serve as one in cleaning device as described herein.Ion Change the entire width that the particle beams can be extended to cover flexible base board.Such as, it is possible to provide air knife (air blade) or nozzle array As outlet.Ionized particle stream can be used for separating particle with the surface of flexible base board.Beam may include nitrogen or be made of nitrogen.Or Person can control ionized particles beam by automatic particle localization system, and automatic particle localization system may include camera and be used for Analyze the controller of captured image.

Due to the potential high temperature during coating, and due to positioning of the cleaning device close to depositing operation, painting after coating Covering rear cleaning device can be configured to bear at least 50 DEG C, 70 DEG C or even 100 DEG C or higher temperature.Flexible base board temperature or The temperature of painting drum can be from -30 DEG C to+100 DEG C, specifically during operation (specifically on flexible substrates Sputtering sedimentation during) be from -15 DEG C to+30 DEG C.

Specifically, in the depositing operation that may include highly exothermic reaction, it may be necessary to cooling painting drum.For splashing It penetrates, process heat is mainly with the condensation energy of the particle on flexible base board and because heat caused by ion bombardment is related.It may Need to avoid the high temperature of flexible base board.Therefore, painting drum as disclosed herein may include cooling unit (not shown), Such as it is configured to for painting drum to be cool below the cooling unit of 0 DEG C of temperature.

Alternately or in addition, at least one of cleaning device may include cooling unit.Therefore, cleaning device can be kept The temperature of acceptable level is maintained in the evaporation for the unknown or undesirable gas for allowing automatically cleaning in future device.At high temperature When executing depositing operation, this cooling of cleaning device is particularly advantageous.

Can be in some embodiments in conjunction with other embodiments described herein, it is possible to provide pretreatment device 201, specifically the upstream of multiple sedimentation units 121 can provide pretreatment device 201, as Fig. 2 it is exemplary shown in.For example, Placement device 201 can be pre-processed in the deposition chambers 120 for being located at multiple 121 upstreams of sedimentation unit.In some embodiments, Pretreatment device 201 is arranged such that when the substrate of flexible base board and painting drum 122 contacts and can be pretreated. In some embodiments, it is possible to provide more than one pretreatment device.Pretreatment device 201 can be configured to activation flexible base board The first main surface, with the adhesiveness for promoting layer heap to be deposited folded.For example, pretreatment device may include DC glow discharge.

According to an example, pre-processing device 201 may include plasma source (for example, RF plasma source), plasma Body source is configured to for pre-processing flexible base board using plasma.For example, the pretreatment using plasma can provide use It is modified to enhance the adhesiveness of the film deposited on substrate surface in the surface of substrate surface, or base can be improved by another way Plate form is to improve processing.

According to another example, pre-processing device 201 can be ion source, specifically linear ion source (linear ion source；LIS).Pretreatment device 201 can be configured to flexible for precleaning direct before coating the first main surface First main surface of substrate.Pretreatment device 201 can be configured to the first main surface directing plasma towards flexible base board Jet stream exhausts hydrocarbon and activated surface with burning to promote the adhesiveness of layer to be deposited.In some embodiments, may be used Effective plasma cleaning to flexible base board is provided using argon ion.In some embodiments, combination of gases can be used (for example, combination of argon ion and oxonium ion) provides effective plasma cleaning.In some embodiments, such as base In the pretreatment of the substrate of PI, N₂It is also possible gas.

In some embodiments, it is possible to provide for adjusting at least one discharge assembly of the charge on flexible base board.Example Such as, a discharge assembly may be arranged at the upstream of multiple sedimentation units, such as in first volume barrel chamber room；And optionally, separately One discharge assembly may be arranged at the downstream of multiple sedimentation units.There is provided discharge assembly can be beneficial to improve the quality of processing result, Because such as positive charge and/or negative electrical charge can accumulate on flexible base board.Specifically, charge may originate from from holder exhibition When opening flexible base board.Then, even if when flexible base board is moved in deposition chambers, electrostatic charge can remain in substrate On, and therefore spuious particle can be attracted to the surface of flexible base board.Therefore, by providing electric discharge group as described herein Part, it is possible to provide the ion of opposite polarity, the ion are moved to the surface of flexible base board to neutralize charge.Therefore, it is possible to provide clean Only and the surface of flexible base board discharged, so that the quality of processing substrate (for example, coating) can be improved.

In this disclosure, be intended to indicate that can be by any device of electric field ionized gas for term " discharge assembly ". Discharge assembly can be passive unit or active cell or both.In addition, discharge assembly may include may be connected to power supply and The one or more of control unit neutralize device.One or more neutralizes device and may be provided as with one or more spikes Neutralize spray gun or ionization spray gun.In addition, power supply (specifically high voltage power supply) neutralization device can be connected to, with to one or Multiple spikes provide high voltage to realize the electrical breakdown of processing gas to generate ion, and the ion can be in the electric field towards flexible The surface of substrate is mobile to neutralize the charge on flexible base board surface.Control unit can start command or execute pre-programmed electric discharge Curve, so that generating negatively charged or positively charged ion stream by neutralization device, ion stream will flow to the surface of substrate, so that With the charge on the surface of substrate there is the ion of opposite polarity can be moved to the surface of substrate and neutralizes the charge of there.

Therefore, according to embodiments described herein, device can be alleviated by using electrostatic charge (for example, as herein Described discharge assembly) come reduce particle to production qualification rate influence.Can prevent granular materials because substrate expansion during by Substrate caused by substrate conveying spool used charges and is attracted.This facilitates the external contaminant at restricting substrate surface It is horizontal.

Fig. 3 schematically shows the depositing device for coating flexible substrate 10 according to embodiments described herein 100.Most of feature of the depositing device of Fig. 3 corresponds to the individual features of depositing device shown in FIG. 1, therefore can refer to above Illustrate, details are not described herein.

It, can be in multiple sedimentation units can be in some embodiments in conjunction with other embodiments described herein 121 upstream provides annealing unit 114.Annealing unit 114 can be configured to for the position in multiple 121 upstreams of sedimentation unit Flexible base board 10 is heated or annealed at place.From holder 112 wind flexible base board heating may be it is beneficial, with permission Flexible base board is deaerated before the deposition.In addition, including the synthetic materials such as such as PET, HC-PET, PE, PI, PU, TaC, COP Substrate may include considerable moisture (moisture).Moisture degassing pair during coating processes under high vacuum condition It may in the characteristic (such as layer adhesion, optical homogeneity, sheet resistance rate and other layer characteristic) that layer heap to be deposited is folded With negative effect.It therefore, may be beneficial to the flexible base board annealing of multiple 121 upstreams of sedimentation unit.

It can be by disposing annealing single in a vacuum chamber in one or more vacuum chambers of deposition chambers upstream Member 114 is reduced or avoided the damage caused by the vacuum condition in deposition chambers due to annealing process.For example, can be in the first volume Annealing unit 114 is provided in 112 downstream of holder in barrel chamber room 110, or can be in first volume barrel chamber room 110 and deposition chambers Annealing unit 114 is provided in (optional) the cleaning chamber disposed between 120.

In some embodiments, annealing unit 114 may include can be in heating roller 115 and pharoid 116 at least It one, is configured to for heat radiation to be oriented to flexible base board.In some embodiments, it is possible to provide additional with heating zone Heating chamber.In some embodiments, flexible base board can be annealed to 80 DEG C or higher by annealing unit 114, it is specific next Say 100 DEG C or higher, or even as high as 150 DEG C of temperature.

Can heating roller 115 can be passive guidance roller or drive roll, the passive guidance roller is suitable for along substrate conveying path Diameter guides flexible base board, without the roller driver of itself.In some embodiments, can heating roller can be for making flexibility Substrate is with the deflection roll of predetermined deflection angular deflection.In some embodiments, it can be heated by such as heat transfer medium of oil or water It can heating roller 115.However, this roller may need the rotation feedthrough (feedthrough) for the transmission medium by pipeline Vacuum sealing.

In some embodiments, can to can heating roller 115 provide electric heating device.Heating device may include first end and Second end, and heating device can be kept at first end and at second end.Electric heating device may be arranged at can be in heating roller.? It, can fixed heater part at first end and at second end in some embodiments.

In some embodiments, heating device can be irradiation heating device, such as infrared heating device, induction heating Device or similar heating device.According to some embodiments, electric heating device can be non-contact thermal device.It is non-contact Formula heating device can make can the surface of heating roller reach the temperature of definition without contacting flexible base board.In some embodiment party In formula, heating device can have both ends, and may be adapted at both ends be supported, keep or fix.In one embodiment, Heating device can have substantial cylindrical, and wherein the both ends of heating device are the both ends of the longitudinal axis of substantial cylindrical heating device.

In some embodiments, depositing device can have trap (trap) (for example, cold-trap), for (such as by using Can heating roller) steam to have deaerated is collected from flexible base board.Specifically, for collecting the trap for the steam that deaerated from flexible base board It may be arranged at the position opposite with the surface that the moisture of flexible base board can be evaporated, such as passing through annealing unit 114 to soft Property substrate heating during.

Fig. 6 show can heating roller 115 side view, can heating roller can be used for according to the heavy of embodiments described herein In product equipment 100.For example, can heating roller 115 can be used as holder positive downstream deflection roll, as Fig. 3 it is exemplary shown in, or Deflection roll as the further arranged downstream along substrate transport path.It in some embodiments, can be in first volume barrel chamber Two or more are provided in room 110 and/or in other vacuum chambers (such as in the cleaning chamber in first volume barrel chamber room downstream) It is multiple can heating roller.Can heating roller 115 may include suitable for the roller surface 210 that is contacted with flexible base board 10.It can heating roller 115 Roller surface 210 may be adapted to guide flexible base board and as guide reel.Electric heating device 220 can be being provided in heating roller 115.Electricity Heating device 220 may be adapted to operate under vacuum conditions.

In Fig. 6, the outer surface of electric heating device is indicated with component symbol 225.The first end 250 of electric heating device 220 The front side of the generally cylindrical shape positioned at heating device can be regarded as with second end 260.It can be at first end 250 and second end Heating device is kept at 260.According to some embodiments, first end 250 is kept by the first retainer member 271, and second end 260 are kept by the second retainer member 272.

By that can stably keep during the operation of depositing device including electric heater in both ends support electric heater part Part 220 can heating roller 115, it is especially unrelated with the weight of flexible base board.According to some embodiments, it may be necessary to degree of precision Roller position, to ensure the reliable operation of depositing device 100.

Can be in some embodiments in conjunction with other embodiments described herein, in addition annealing unit 114 can be Ground alternatively includes pharoid 116.In some embodiments, pharoid may be structured to heating lamp (for example, Infrared lamp).In some embodiments, can heating roller 115 positive upstream or positive downstream arrange pharoid 116.Example Such as, as shown in figure 3, annealing unit 114 may include can heating roller 115 and be placed in can 115 positive downstream of heating roller radiant heating Device 116.

Pharoid 116 can be configured to lead heat radiation when flexible base board is directed over pharoid 116 To flexible base board 10.It can provide one, two or more guide reel to be used to that flexible base board to be guided to pass through pharoid 116, Such as pass through once or twice.Degassing efficiency can be improved.Reliably degassing can be carried out to flexible base board before coating and moved back in advance Fire, such as by the way that flexible base board is heated to 100 DEG C or higher or even as high as 150 DEG C temperature.

As shown schematically in figure 3, depositing device 100 can further comprise defect inspection device 154, for examining after deposit Survey the defect of flexible base board.It can be in the arranged downstream defect inspection device 154 of multiple sedimentation units 121.For example, such as the reality of Fig. 3 It applies shown in mode, defect inspection device 154 can be provided in volume Two barrel chamber room 150.In other embodiments, it is possible to provide two A or more defect inspection device.

Defect inspection device 154 can be configured to for deposit layer heap on flexible substrates it is folded in detection such as winding lack Sunken or coat the defect defect (for example, pin hole, crack or other openings).It can in-line (inline) operational deficiencies inspection device 154, that is, carry out defects detection during conveying flexible base board along substrate transport path after the deposition that layer heap is folded.For example, It can continuously check that the layer heap just coated is folded by defect inspection device 154.Wherein, defect inspection device 154 can be configured to It is operated under vacuum condition, i.e., checks substrate during conveying substrate passes through vacuum chamber (for example, volume Two barrel chamber room).

For example, using defect inspection device 154 detect deposited layer heap it is the defects of folded (for example, pin hole, crack or Opening), the defect has 50 depositions or smaller, and specifically 30, tool or smaller, more specifically 15, it is more or smaller, or very To 5 small or smaller sizes.Can determine one or more defects detected size (for example, maximum gauge) and/or every list The defects count of bit surface area.

In some embodiments, defect inspection device 154 can be optical defect and check device, specifically include light Source 155 and photodetector 156, such as camera.Estimate the defects of the folded quantity of deposited layer heap and approximate size may be Beneficial.In order to examine coating as a result, checking that the substrate having been coated with may be reasonable.In some embodiments, layer should be made The defects of the outermost layer (metal layer that can be such as Cu layers) of stacking quantity minimizes.In some embodiments, have Size (for example, maximum gauge) by 10 for example or bigger defect can damage the folded function of the layer heap that deposits.Therefore, defect Check that device can be configured to for detecting size be 10 measurement rulers or bigger defect, or even smaller defect.

In some embodiments, it can be configured to according to the depositing device of embodiments described herein for soft Property substrate the first main surface on sedimentary stack, specifically wherein the folded outermost layer of layer heap can be metal layer (for example, Cu Layer).Outermost layer quality can make outermost layer there is no having a size of 30 outer layers or bigger defect or pin hole, i.e., The every 625cm of outermost layer²It is the defect for being or pin hole to 30 cun that surface area (A4 paper product), which is 15 cun having less than 10 sizes, And/or the every 625cm of outermost layer²Surface area (A4 paper product) having less than 15 sizes be defect that 5 sizes are to 15 cun or Pin hole.Defect inspection device 154 can be configured to check whether folded these of the layer heap for giving and having been coated with or similar quality Characteristic.

Defect inspection device 154 can be configured to for carrying out optical transport measurement, specifically check such as metal The non transparent layer of layer.For example, light source 155 can be provided on the first side of flexible base board, and can be in second side of flexible base board Upper offer photodetector 156, so that transmission measurement can be carried out to the layer of flexible base board and/or deposition on flexible substrates.It is logical The increase for crossing the transmissivity of the flexible base board of photo-detector measurement may imply that the non transparent layer deposited on flexible substrates may Defect with such as pin hole or opening.

Can be in some embodiments in conjunction with other embodiments described herein, defect inspection device 154 can It is mounted between the first guide reel and the second guide reel, that is, in " free span " section of flexible base board, wherein flexible base board It is not contacted directly with one of guide reel.For example, can on the first side of flexible base board defective mounting check device 154 light Source 155, so that may pass through the free span section of flexible base board by the light beam that light source 155 generates and be transmitted.It can be in flexible base The photodetector 156 of defect inspection device is arranged on the other side of plate, has been propagated across so that can be detected by photodetector 156 The light beam of the free span section of flexible base board.In some embodiments, defect inspection device is mountable in sedimentation unit The upstream in downstream and reel spool, such as between two guidance volume of the positive upstream of reel spool.

In some embodiments, the width of the light beam generated by light source 155 may be adapted to the width of flexible base board, so that can Flexible base board is checked substantially on the entire width of flexible base board or at least on the entire width that institute's sedimentary stacks.Example Such as, the width of light beam can be 500mm or more, specifically 1m or more, be more specifically 1.2m and 1.8m it Between.In some embodiments, in the case where light source is specifically arranged in vacuum chamber, cooling fluid can for example be used (for example, with water) cools down light source.Such as, it is possible to provide water loop is for cooling down light source 155, specifically in 155 cloth of light source Offer when setting in vacuum chamber.It can provide the supply pipe for being supplied to cooling medium (for example, water) in vacuum chamber, example It such as include the vacuum feedthrough part across the wall of volume Two barrel chamber room.In addition, in some embodiments, it is possible to provide vacuum feedthrough part For further medium (for example, electricity) to be supplied in vacuum chamber.For example, for controlling light source and/or photodetector And/or the control cable and/or feed cable of power supply can be guided through vacuum chamber via one or more vacuum feedthrough parts The wall of room.

In some embodiments, it may include the photodetector 156 of one, two, three or more camera can cloth It sets outside vacuum chamber, such as after the one, two, three or more window provided in the wall of vacuum chamber Side.This allows easily into (access) photodetector 156 is connect to adjust, be aligned and to overhaul.In addition, working as photodetector 156 When being arranged in outside vacuum chamber, the vacuum feedthrough part for controlling photodetector and powering can not be provided.Further, Since the indoor available space of vacuum chamber may be limited, it may be difficult to provide photodetector 156 in vacuum chamber.Cause This, it is possible to provide more compact vacuum chamber.

Therefore, in some embodiments, light source 155 may be arranged in vacuum chamber, such as in volume Two barrel chamber room 150 It is interior, and photodetector 156 may be arranged at outside vacuum chamber, such as one or more in the wall of volume Two barrel chamber room 150 The rear of a window.Alternatively, to may be housed in vacuum provided in vacuum chamber close at least one of light source and photodetector It seals in shell, such as in the atmosphere box in the main volume for being located at vacuum chamber (such as volume Two barrel chamber room 150).For example, can Two, three or more window is provided in the roof of volume Two barrel chamber room 150 or in the wall of vacuum envelope, and Two or more cameras for having propagated across the light beam of flexible base board towards photodetector 156 can be booted up and pass through two Or more window.In some embodiments, photodetector 156 can be installed on the adjustable rod (bar) outside vacuum chamber, So that the distance between light source 155 and photodetector 156 can be adjusted optionally.

It for example, may be reasonable, example with the folded photodetector of installation at a distance of layer heap deposited Such as this depends on one or more parameters (such as focal length of inspection width, the number of cameras of photodetector, light beam).Cause This, in some embodiments, it may be unnecessary to the compatible camera of vacuum.Described array defect inspection device allows Accurate defects detection is carried out with high-resolution in R2R depositing device.

In other embodiments, light source 155 and photodetector 156 both may be arranged at outside vacuum chamber, such as The rear of one or more windows out of the ordinary.For example, reflector can be provided in vacuum chamber for back-reflection light beam, so that light Source 155 and photodetector 156 may be arranged on the same side of flexible base board, such as outside vacuum chamber.In other implementation In mode, light source 155 and photodetector 156 can be arranged in vacuum chamber, as Fig. 3 is schematically indicated.Defect inspection device Further setting is possible, for example including the light source provided outside vacuum chamber and provides the light inside vacuum chamber Detector.

Can be in some embodiments in conjunction with other embodiments described herein, depositing device 100 can be into one Step includes being arranged in the monitoring device 161 in multiple 121 downstreams of sedimentation unit, as Fig. 3 it is exemplary shown in.In some embodiments In, monitoring device 161 can be in-line monitoring device, and array monitoring device can be operated during the operation of depositing device, be had It is operated under vacuum conditions for body.Specifically, monitoring device 161 can be configured to be deposited on flexible base board for detecting On at least one layer one or more characteristics.For example, monitoring device 161 can be configured to for detecting or measuring by multiple The one or more characteristics for one or more layers that sedimentation unit 121 deposits.

It, can be in deposition chambers 120 can be in some embodiments in conjunction with other embodiments described herein And device 161 is monitored in 122 arranged downstream of painting drum.Arrangement one or more it can draw between painting drum and monitoring device Deflector roll (such as drive roll or passive guide roller).

Monitoring device can be configured to electrical characteristics and light for measuring the one or more layers of deposition on flexible substrates Learn at least one characteristic in characteristic.For example, can measure the electric conductivity of one or more layers with deposition on flexible substrates has The electrical characteristics of pass.Specifically, it can measure the sheet resistance of the one or more conductive layers of deposition on flexible substrates.Some , can be by applying potential or voltage between the position spaced apart of two in one or more layers in embodiment, and pass through survey Amount flows through the electric current of one or more layers between two positions spaced apart to measure the one or more being deposited on substrate The electrical characteristics of layer.

It in some embodiments, can be by causing local current (such as vortex (Eddy in one or more layers Current)), and by the intensity of the caused vortex of measurement, to measure the one or more layers being deposited on substrate such as The electrical characteristics of sheet resistance.Deposition on flexible substrates one or more is measured by causing vortex in one or more layers A layer of electrical characteristics can have the advantage that the measurement of spatial resolution of electrical characteristics can be possibly realized.For example, can be by causing and surveying Measure the sheet resistance in lateral side regions of the vortex to measure flexible base board in the lateral side regions of flexible base board.Similarly, can lead to Cross the sheet resistance in central area of the vortex to measure flexible base board in the central area for causing and measuring flexible base board.This Outside, can cause to be vortexed in a non contact fashion.Therefore, the risk that damage has been coated with substrate can be reduced.

In some embodiments, monitoring device 161 is alternatively or additionally configured to be deposited on for measurement soft One or more optical characteristics of one or more layers on property substrate.For example, can measure the transmissivity of one or more layers, anti- Penetrate rate and/or color value.Coating on substrate can by specified spectral reflectance degree and transmission values and obtained color value come Characterization, and the reliable in-line measurement of transmission and reflection can be during coating generates, control depositing operation is considered as Design.Layer uniformity and/or layer thickness value can be derived from the transmissivity and/or reflectance value of measurement.

Reflectance measurement on mobile flexible base board may be with challenge, because the flatness of substrate is small Deviation can cause the Geometrical change in the reflecting bundle path of detector, so as to cause the measurement result of mistake.It can be in flexible base board It is in measurement reflectance at the position of Mechanical Contact with the guide reel of depositing device, to ensure that substrate and the flat of roller surface connect Touching.Transmission measurement can be carried out at position between the first roller and the second roller.Region between first roller and the second roller can be described as " free span " section of flexible base board.

Can in some embodiments in conjunction with other embodiments described herein, monitor device 161 can be through structure It makes with one or more optical characteristics for measuring flexible base board or one or more coatings.In some embodiments, it supervises Controlling device may include at least one sphere structure.Sphere structure can be integrating sphere, such as Ulbricht (Ulbricht) ball.It can Sphere structure is disposed in free span areas between the first guide reel and the second guide reel.Sphere structure can be in sphere structure It is interior that uniform light scattering or light diffusion are provided.Incident light can be evenly distributed in sphere structure from the inner surface of sphere structure It is interior.By the diffused light that port emits from sphere structure can irradiate on flexible substrates, for measure flexible base board or one or At least one optical characteristics of multiple coatings.

In some embodiments, at least one monitoring device may include the layer measurement for measuring and assessing coating result System (layer measurement system；LMS), such as optical layer measuring system.It will be understood, therefore, that embodiment mentions Measured capabilities, such as the thickness for assessing one or more sedimentaries by using optical reflection and/or transmissive system are supplied Degree, such as transparent or semitransparent flexible base board or coating.

In some embodiments, it is possible to provide at least one monitoring device is used to measure the absolute thickness of one or more coatings Degree and/or the thickness uniformity.

In addition, specifically for thin substrate, such as come with a thickness of 200 bodies or lower or 100 or come or lower, or 50, or or it is lower, for example, about 25, the substrate of example, corrugationless processing substrate and substrate winding be beneficial and challenging.Root According to some embodiments, one or more take-up roll and/or one or more tonometry rollers can be used to provide corrugationless and open The substrate winding of power control and/or conveying (or substrate winding and/or conveying of the fold generation with reduction).

As schematically shown in fig. 4, according to some embodiments described herein, depositing device may include one or more Take-up roll and one or more tonometry rollers.Therefore, it is configured to flexible for guiding and conveying along substrate transport path The roll assembly of substrate can be operated under tension force.Take-up roll can be regarded as drive roll, including for driven roller (for example, tool Have adjustable driving force) driver.Tonometry roller can be regarded as include sensor roller, the sensor is for measuring The tension of a part of the flexible base board guided in roller surface.Winding angle around the flexible base board 10 of tonometry roller can be 90 ° or bigger, specifically 120 ° or bigger, or even as high as 180 °, to improve the reliability of measurement result.

In some embodiments, at least one of lower roll or multiple can be drive roll: holder 112 applies Cloth roller 122 and reel spool 152.In some embodiments, it is possible to provide additional drive roll.For example, reality shown in Fig. 4 It applies in mode, take-up roll 181 can be for example provided in the deposition chamber.Drive roll is marked in Fig. 4 with curve arrow.

In some embodiments, tonometry roller can be associated at least one of drive roll.In some embodiment party In formula, two or more drive rolls can be respectively provided with associated tonometry roller.In some embodiments, in addition to one All drive rolls except drive roll can be respectively provided with associated tonometry roller.Can not have that of association tonometry roller A drive roll can referred to herein as " home roll ".Flexible base board can be determined along the conveying of transport path by the revolving speed of home roll Speed (also referred to as " linear velocity "), the home roll can be rotated with desired speed.

It can upstream in drive roll associated with tonometry roller or arranged downstream tonometry roller.In general, actively Further drive roll is not provided between roller and associated tonometry roller.However, in some cases, can drive roll with One, two or more passive guide roller is provided between associated tonometry roller.It specifically, can be along substrate transport path Drive roll and tonometry roller are alternately provided, and passive guide roller can be arranged between the drive roll and tonometry roller, or The drive roll and tonometry roller can be not arranged between the two.

As an example, first tonometry roller 184 is associated with holder 112 in embodiment shown in Fig. 4, the Two tonometry rollers 185 are associated with take-up roll 181, and third tonometry roller 188 is associated with reel spool 152.Equally it is The painting drum of drive roll may be structured to determine the home roll of the conveying speed of flexible base board, and can not have associated Power measures roller.It should be understood that this arrangement is exemplary setting.For example, in other embodiments, another drive roll can be constructed For home roll.In addition, in some embodiments, it is possible to provide be more or less than three tonometry rollers, and/or can provide be more than or Additional take-up roll less than one.In other embodiments, the position out of the ordinary of tonometry roller and take-up roll and setting can It is different.It is shown in FIG. 4 one in many possible settings of the tension force of flexible base board, and will be described in more detail.

In embodiment shown in Fig. 4, the first tonometry roller 184 is associated with holder 112.First tonometry Roller 184 can be located at holder 112 downstream, one of them, two or more passive guide rollers may be arranged at holder 112 with Between first tonometry roller 184.For example, the first tonometry roller 184 can be in deposition chambers 120 and positioned at painting drum 122 upstreams, painting drum 122 are next drive rolls.

The set point (i.e. target value) for substrate tension at the position of the first tonometry roller 184 can be preset.If The tension value higher than set point is measured by the first tonometry roller 184, then can reduce and be provided by 112 driver of holder Torque value.If measuring the tension value lower than set point by the first tonometry roller 184, can increase by holder The torque value that 112 drivers provide.Therefore, it can be ensured that the suitable tension of the flexible base board in holder downstream.Can avoid due to The substrate tension of extension and caused by flexible base board damage, such as rupture, crackle, pin hole or winding defect.In addition, can avoid Fold, ripple, sagging or defect caused by the excessively high substrate temperature of substrate caused by due to low substrate tension.

In the embodiment illustrated in fig. 4, painting drum 122 can be home roll, to determine flexible base board along substrate conveying path The conveying speed of diameter.The revolving speed of home roll can optionally be set.For example, the conveying speed of flexible base board can be 1m/ minutes or more, With 5m/ minutes or less, specifically about 2m/ minutes.Can the measured value based on associated tonometry roller to along base The driving of the every other drive roll of sheet conveying path carries out tension force.

As schematically shown in fig. 4, in some embodiments, the second tonometry roller 185 can be with such as take-up roll 181 Another drive roll association.Second tonometry roller 185 can be located at the positive downstream of painting drum 122 and the positive upstream of take-up roll 181. However, in other embodiments, it is one or more passive to arrange between painting drum 122 and take-up roll 181 respectively Roller.For example, the second tonometry roller 185 can be in deposition chambers 120 and positioned at 122 downstream of painting drum.Second tonometry Roller 185 can be configured to the substrate tension at the position in measurement 122 downstream of painting drum.

The set point (i.e. target value) of the substrate tension at the position of the second tonometry roller 185 can be preset.If passed through Second tonometry roller 185 measures the tension value higher than set point, then can reduce by the driver offer of take-up roll 181 Torque value.If measuring the tension value lower than set point by the second tonometry roller 185, can increase by take-up roll 181 Driver provide torque value.Therefore, it can be ensured that around the suitable tension of the flexible base board of painting drum.

It should be noted that high substrate tension can increase the risk of winding defect.For example, if under high tension by flexible base board pressure To roller surface, it can produce scratch or other winding defects.Therefore, low at the position that flexible base board is directly contacted with roller surface Substrate tension may be beneficial.On the other hand, when the substrate of the cooling of flexible base board and painting drum closely connects When touching, the high substrate tension around painting drum may be beneficial, because can more effectively cool down flexible base during deposition Plate.It therefore, is beneficial along the accurate control of the substrate tension of substrate transport path.

Therefore, the target value of the second tonometry roller 185 is high than the target value of the first tonometry roller 184.This be because Low substrate tension between holder 112 and the first tonometry roller 184 can be beneficial to reduce the risk of winding defect, and Higher substrate tension between painting drum 122 and take-up roll 181 can be beneficial to improve the base of flexible base board and painting drum 122 Thermo-contact between plate support surface.For example, the second tonometry of the expection substrate tension around painting drum 122 can be represented The target value of roller 185 can be 100N or bigger and 900N or smaller, specifically 200N to 400N.In some embodiments In, the target value of substrate tension may be beneficial lower than 200N.

As schematically shown in fig. 4, in some embodiments, third tension can be provided in the upstream of reel spool 152 to survey Roller 188 is measured, and third tonometry roller 188 can be associated with reel spool 152.It can be based on by third tonometry roller 188 The tension value of measurement drives the torque generated by reel spool 152 to control.If measured by third tonometry roller 188 To the tension value for being higher than set point, then it can reduce the torque value provided by reel spool 152.If passing through third tonometry roller 188 measure the tension value lower than set point, then can increase the torque value provided by reel spool 152.Therefore, it can be ensured that winding The suitable tension of the flexible base board of reel upstream.

There is provided one or more additional take-up rolls (for example, take-up roll 181) may be it is beneficial, in two drive rolls Between central section between using over long distances or using several passive guide rollers between described two drive rolls reducing substrate tension. For example, in some embodiments, at least one take-up roll can be arranged between painting drum and reel spool.In addition, mentioning It may be beneficial for providing one or more take-up rolls in the depositing device of part protrusion and the substrate transport path of portion concave 's.For example, the variation on orientation substrate and the macro-bending angle on differently curved direction can increase substrate tension, so that providing into one The drive roll of step may be advantageous.Further it is provided that additional take-up roll can have the advantage that the visual feelings in region out of the ordinary Substrate tension in different zones is set to different values along substrate transport path by condition.

Fig. 5 shows the schematic cross sectional views of the depositing device 100 according to embodiments described herein.Depositing device 100 include multiple vacuum chambers, these vacuum chambers include first volume barrel chamber room 110, cleaning chamber 170 (optional), deposit cavity Room 120 and volume Two barrel chamber room 150.In addition, depositing device 100 includes being configured to for soft along substrate transport path conveying The roll assembly of property substrate.

As is schematically illustrated in figure 5, vacuum chamber can be arranged with substantially linear setting.In other words, it is conveyed along substrate The second chamber (i.e. cleaning chamber 170) in path can be disposed in first chamber (i.e. the first reel along substrate transport path Chamber 110) side (for example, right side).It similarly, can along the third chamber (i.e. deposition chambers 120) of substrate transport path It is disposed in the side (i.e. right side) of the second vacuum chamber (i.e. cleaning chamber 170).Similarly, along the of substrate transport path Four chambers (i.e. volume Two barrel chamber room 150) can be disposed in the side (i.e. right side) of third vacuum chamber (i.e. deposition chambers 120). Therefore, substantially can linearly be arranged or Fig. 5 in the row that extends from left to right arrange vacuum chamber.Therefore, substrate conveying path The entire direction of diameter can equally extend from left to right.However, substrate transport path can be it is curved or can be in vacuum chamber out of the ordinary Direction is varied multiple times in interior, such as downwardly and upwardly and/or to right and left, as indicated in figure 5.

For example, in some embodiments, substrate transport path is alternately bent downwardly and is bent upwards.Therefore, may be used Space requirement is advantageously reduced.In the illustrative embodiments of Fig. 5, substrate transport path is extended downwardly from holder 112 To can heating roller 115, can heating roller 115 can be rotating roller counterclockwise.Then, substrate transport path can be towards guide reel 113 It is bent upwards, guide reel 113, which can be, rotates clockwise roller.Guide reel 113 can keep flexible base board downward again towards deflection roll Rotation, deflection roll can be rotating roller counterclockwise.Deflection roll can be towards between first volume barrel chamber room 110 and cleaning chamber 170 Slit in wall deflects flexible base board.Air locking can be provided in wall between first volume barrel chamber room 110 and cleaning chamber 170 105 (e.g., including expandable seal).From can heating roller 115 to the downstream of guide reel 113 or guide reel 113 path In, flexible base board can be heated by pharoid 116.

Rotating clockwise roller can contact with the first main surface of flexible base board, and first main surface, which can be, distinctly to pass through Main surface to be coated during crossing depositing device, and rotating roller can be contacted with the second main surface of substrate counterclockwise, described the Two main surfaces are the rear surfaces (can be or can not be the surface having been coated with) of substrate.Therefore it provides being configured to for clear First cleaning device 171 of clean first main surface and the second cleaning device 172 being configured to for cleaning the second main surface can It can be beneficial.The first cleaning device 171 and the second cleaning device can be arranged in cleaning chamber 170.First cleaning device 171 It may be arranged at mutual positive upstream or downstream with the second cleaning device 172.In embodiment shown in Fig. 5, rotate counterclockwise The roller surface of roller may act as the counter-pressure surface of the first cleaning device 171, and the roller surface for rotating clockwise roller may act as second The counter-pressure surface of cleaning device 172.The roller that rotates clockwise can be towards the wall between cleaning chamber 170 and deposition chambers 120 In Open Side Down deflection flexible base board.It can optionally be arranged in addition in cleaning the wall between chamber 170 and deposition chambers 120 Air locking, separate to improve the gas between cleaning chamber 170 and deposition chambers 120 and avoid being discharged by cleaning device Gas enter deposition chambers 120.

In deposition chambers 120, two or more and five or less can be provided in the upstream of painting drum 122 The guide reel of (specifically three), and can the downstream of painting drum 122 provide two or more and five or The less guide reel of (specifically three).If being described in more detail above, it is arranged in the guide reel of 122 upstream of painting drum In one may be structured to can be with the associated first tonometry roller 184 of holder 112.It is arranged in painting drum 122 just The guide reel of upstream may be structured to the substrate for flexible base board 10 to be smoothly directed to painting drum 122 Deflection roll.

In addition, being arranged at least one of the guide reel in 122 downstream of painting drum, it is specifically arranged in painting drum The guide reel of 122 positive downstream may be structured to the second tonometry roller 185.In addition, being arranged under the second tonometry roller 185 One in the guide reel of trip may be structured to take-up roll 181 associated with the second tonometry roller 185.Hereinbefore The concept of tension force is illustrated in greater detail, details are not described herein.As is schematically illustrated in figure 5, substrate transport path can be heavy 122 downstream of painting drum in product chamber 120 changes direction for several times.There are 120 ° or bigger by providing, specifically The guide reel of 150 ° or bigger, or even about 180 ° or bigger of winding angle can produce the change on the direction of substrate transport path Change.For example, the winding angle of the second tonometry roller 185 can be about 180 °.Flexible base board can change direction completely for several times, so that can The compact whole installation of depositing device is provided.It in some embodiments, can be in the deposition chambers 120 in 122 downstream of painting drum Middle offer monitors device 161.

In addition, two substitution winding passages are shown in FIG. 5.Specifically, roll assembly can be configured to provide the first volume Around channel, the first winding passages are represented as the solid line that guidance flexible base board passes through depositing device.In general, such as the exemplary institute of Fig. 5 Being configured with for the first winding passages shown is wound beneficial to thick film.Additionally or alternatively, roll assembly can be configured to provide by void Second winding passages 111 different from the first winding passages of line instruction.In general, the second winding passages may include than the first volume around The more rollers in channel.As Fig. 5 it is exemplary shown in the configurations of the second winding passages can be particularly useful for winding film.

The last one guide reel in deposition chambers 120 may be structured to deflection roll, for towards deposition chambers 120 with Opening in wall between volume Two barrel chamber room 150 deflects flexible base board.It in some embodiments, can be in deposition chambers 120 Air locking (optional) is provided in wall between volume Two barrel chamber room 150.

Specifically, according to some embodiments, depositing device as described herein can have modularized design.Example Such as, in some embodiments, it is possible to provide the second deposition chambers.It in this case, can be heavy with second in the first deposition chambers Connection chamber is provided between product chamber.In addition, the second deposition chambers can be connected to for volume Two barrel chamber room.For example, can be first The downstream of deposition chambers (for example, deposition chambers 120) connects chamber with the upstream arrangement of the second deposition chambers.Connection chamber can wrap The connection chamber ingress for receiving flexible base board from the first deposition chambers is included, and for flexible base board to be directed to the second deposition Connection chamber outlet in chamber.Therefore, the gas that can improve between the first deposition chambers and the second deposition chambers separates.It can be It connects and arranges one or more guide reels in chamber, flexible base board is upward deflected with the side in connection chamber outlet, so that flexible Substrate may pass through the channel (for example, small slit) between connection chamber and the second deposition chambers and smoothly enter the second deposit cavity Room.

In other embodiments, addition third deposition chambers may be reasonable.It in this case, can be heavy second Downstream offer the second connection chamber of product chamber, rather than volume Two barrel chamber room, and chamber downstream connection can be connected second Third deposition chambers and volume Two barrel chamber room.Therefore, depositing device can have flange or connection pedestal, another by connecting to allow Outer vacuum chamber extends depositing device by removing some vacuum chambers from depositing device 100 shown in fig. 5.Therefore, It should be understood that can provide other vacuum chamber for extending the opereating specification of depositing device.Therefore, it deposits as described herein The modularized design of equipment allows to adjust the size in base shape, to meet the requirement of user (for example, the space of factory is wanted It asks).

According to can be with some embodiments in conjunction with other embodiments described herein, depositing device can provide slotting Layer (interleaf) module (being not explicitly shown), such as it is provided at storage volume together in flexible base board and intercalation to be processed In the case where on cylinder 112.Therefore, intercalation can be provided between the adjacent layer of flexible base board, so that can avoid the one of flexible base board Layer directly contacting on holder with the adjacent layer of flexible base board.For example, first volume barrel chamber room 110 can be inserted equipped with first Layer module, for receiving intercalation, the intercalation is provided for the substrate on protection holder 112.Intercalation module can wrap Some intercalation guidance volumes are included, for intercalation to be directed to intercalation tightening when flexible base board is unfolded together with intercalation from holder Volume.Therefore, volume Two barrel chamber room 150 may also comprise intercalation module, and intercalation module includes intercalation guidance volume, for that will supply from intercalation The intercalation that supply should be rolled up is directed to winding reel 152.Therefore, the second intercalation module can provide intercalation, intercalation and processed substrate Together on reel spool, to protect the processed substrate on reel spool.It should be understood that first volume barrel chamber room 110 and the Two reel chambers 150 can have the holder and/or receiving element for installing intercalation tightening volume and intercalation supply volume respectively, and For installing the holder and/or receiving element of intercalation guidance volume out of the ordinary.

The basic setup of second deposition chambers can correspond to the setting of the first deposition chambers (i.e. deposition chambers 120), therefore With reference to being described above, details are not described herein.Specifically, the second deposition can be controlled with the mode for being similar to the first deposition chambers The tension of substrate in chamber.However, in some embodiments, pretreatment device can not be provided in the second deposition chambers 201, pretreatment device 201 can be provided in the first deposition chambers and in multiple sedimentation unit upstreams.In addition, in some implementations In mode, monitoring device only can be provided (for example, such as this paper institute in the second deposition chambers and in more than second a sedimentation unit downstreams The monitoring device 161 of description).It can be similar with more than first a sedimentation unit (i.e. multiple sedimentation units 120 as described herein) Ground configures more than second a sedimentation units.For example, in some embodiments, folded to the layer heap in more than second a sedimentation unit downstreams Monitoring may be sufficient.Or, it is possible to provide may be structured to it is described herein monitoring device 161 first monitoring device and Second monitoring device.In addition, in some embodiments, the sedimentation unit of a sedimentation unit more than first can be with more than second depositions The sedimentation unit of unit is different.For rest part, the second deposition chambers can have with the first deposition chambers (i.e. as retouched herein The deposition chambers 120 stated) similar or identical setting.

In some embodiments that can be combined with other embodiments described herein, can the second deposition chambers with Other air locking is provided in wall between volume Two barrel chamber room.It in some embodiments, can be in volume Two barrel chamber room And the defect inspection device 154 being such as described in more detail above in 152 upstream arrangement of reel spool.

Fig. 7 shows the schematic cross sectional views of the painting drum 122 according to embodiments described herein.Can with herein In some embodiments of described other embodiments combination, painting drum 122 may include curved substrate 401, for contacting flexible base board 10, wherein curved substrate 401 can be rotated around rotary shaft 123, and may include Substrate-guided region 403；One group of gas vent 404 is arranged in curved substrate 401 and is suitable for release air-flow； With gas distributing system 405, for air-flow to be selectively provided to the first subgroup of gas vent 404, and it to be used for selectivity Ground prevents gas from flowing to the second subgroup of gas vent 404, and wherein the first subgroup of gas vent 404 is included in substrate-guided area At least one gas vent in domain 403, and the second subgroup of gas vent include outside substrate-guided region 403 extremely A few gas vent.

In general, painting drum 122 can be rotated around rotary shaft 123.In some embodiments, painting drum 122 includes solid The part of fixed part and rotatable (for example, being rotated around fixed part).For example, painting drum 122 may include fixing internal portion Divide (in some embodiments may include the component of gas distributing system and gas distributing system) and surrounds inner fixed part The revolving outer part of rotation.

According to some embodiments, painting drum 122 includes curved substrate 401.Painting drum 122 it is curved Bent substrate may be adapted to (at least partly) contact with flexible base board during the operation of depositing device 100.According to Cylinder pair can be can be with the embodiment in conjunction with any other embodiment described herein, curved substrate Claim surface.Specifically, curved substrate can be selected from the group by following surface composition: periphery, recessed circle Column surface, the surface of cone and truncated cone surface.

According to some embodiments, curved substrate 401 can be during the operation of depositing device in contact position Set place's contact flexible base board.For example, the surface characteristic (such as roughness) of the curved substrate due to painting drum, Substrate can accurately be contacted with curved substrate.Curved substrate with roughness may imply that bending The microscopic view of substrate show " Shan Hegu ", wherein accurate between curved substrate and substrate Roughness of the contact in curved substrate has at the position on " mountain ".According to can be in conjunction with other embodiments Some embodiments, the roughness of the curved substrate of painting drum can be generally in about 0.1Rz and about 1.5Rz it Between in the range of, more typically between about 0.2Rz and about 0.8Rz.According to some embodiments, painting drum Contact between 122 and substrate allows substrate to be moved when painting drum 122 rotates.

During operation, substrate is guided on the substrate-guided region 403 in curved substrate 401.One In a little embodiments, substrate-guided region 403 can be defined as to the angular range of painting drum 122, in the angular range, base Plate contacts during the operation of painting drum with curved substrate surface, and can correspond to the winding angle of painting drum.

In some embodiments, the winding angle of painting drum can be for 120 ° or bigger, and specifically 180 ° or bigger, Or even 270 ° or bigger, as is schematically illustrated in figure 5.In some embodiments, the part of the top of painting drum can be It is not contacted with flexible base board during operation, wherein the winding zone of painting drum can cover at least entire lower half of painting drum Point.In some embodiments, painting drum can be wound in a manner of almost symmetry by flexible base board.

The illustrative embodiments of painting drum shown in Fig. 7 further comprise being arranged in curved substrate One group of gas vent 404 in 401.Gas vent 404 is suitable at the position where gas vent out of the ordinary from painting drum 122 Gas distributing system 405 discharge gas, specifically in the direction for being approximately perpendicular to curved substrate 401 On.In the example of painting drum shown in Fig. 7, gas vent is distributed in the whole circumference of painting drum.In some implementations In mode, in the whole circumference that gas vent 404 can be distributed in painting drum in a manner of rule.

According to the embodiment that can be combined with any other embodiment described herein, any individual gas goes out Mouth, any subgroup of gas vent or all gas outlet can be selected from the group being made of the outlet of following form: opening, Hole, slit, nozzle, blast pipe, spray valve, pipeline tapping, aperture, jet blower, the outlet by porous material offer and similar shape The outlet of formula.According to some embodiments, outlet is the usually recess portion funnel-shaped or cup-shaped in surface, wherein from recess portion Bottom or laterally to recess portion supply gas.The gas vent of painting drum described herein is also possible to opening for porous layer Mouthful.According to some embodiments, gas vent indicated herein can have any suitable shape, such as roughly circular, annular, Ellipse, triangle, rectangle, square, polygon, irregular shape (such as irregular cycle irregularly has angular shape), from One gas vent is to the different shape of another gas vent and similar shape.According to some embodiments, gas vent It does not protrude into except surface.

Painting drum 122 according to some embodiments described herein further comprises gas distributing system 405.Root According to some embodiments, gas distributing system 405 includes gas source 408.Gas distributing system 405 allows to gas vent One subgroup selectively provides air-flow.For example, as exemplary shown in fig. 7 with gas vent 404 and gas distributing system 405 Gas vent 404 of the painting drum into the substrate-guided region 403 for being located at curved substrate provides air-flow.(face When) it is located at the first subgroup that the gas vent in substrate-guided region 403 is represented by gas vent.According to described herein Some embodiments, prevent gas from flowing to substrate-guided area to 405 being suitably selected for property of gas distributing system in painting drum The gas vent of painting drum outside domain 403.(interim) gas vent outside substrate-guided region 403 is represented by Second subgroup of gas vent.

During the rotation of painting drum, any single gas vent temporarily belongs to the first subgroup and the second subgroup.Change sentence It talks about, open gas vent can be closed in later moment, and vice versa.In the rotation phase of curved substrate Between enter substrate-guided region 403 gas vent be opened or be connected to gas source, that is, the member becomes the first subgroup.? The gas vent that substrate-guided region is left during the rotation of curved substrate is closed or disconnects with gas source, That is, the member becomes the second subgroup.

The gas distributing system 405 of painting drum may be adapted to selectively provide and prevent air-flow to defined gas from going out Mouthful.For example, the gas distributing system 405 of painting drum includes the fixed part for being arranged in painting drum 122 in the example of Fig. 7 Divide the gas source 408 in 406.Gas source 408 has the size of certain section of the circumference of the fixed part around painting drum.Coating The curved substrate 401 of roller can be rotated around the rotary shaft 123 of painting drum, specifically around painting drum Fixed part (including gas source) rotation.

According to some embodiments described herein, gas distributing system 405 may include gas passage 407.When out of the ordinary When gas vent is in substrate-guided region 403, gas passage 407 can be from the substrate of 408 guided bend of gas source Gas vent 404 on 401.Gas passage can be from the gas vent in the substrate 401 of 408 guided bend of gas source 404 the first subgroup.Gas distributing system 405 with gas source 408 and gas passage 407 can be described as the sum of part rotation What part was fixed.As gas passage 407 is rotated around gas source 408, gas distributing system 405 allows gas selectively Channel 407 is connected and disconnected from gas source 408 and connect.

According to some embodiments, gas distributing system 405, and specifically gas source 408 is provided to gas vent 404 Air-flow.It in some embodiments, is still to allow flexible base by the air-flow of gas distributing system 405 offer to gas vent 404 The air-flow that plate is contacted with curved substrate 401.For example, air-flow can be generally in about 10sccm and about 400sccm it Between, more typically between about 30sccm and about 300sccm.In some embodiments, painting drum 122 may be adapted to curved The flow of the gas of the following per unit area of bent substrate 401: it is generally in about 10sccm/m²With about 200 sccm/m²Between, more typically it is in about 30sccm/m²With about 120sccm/m²Between.In one example, painting drum can The flow of the gas of per unit area suitable for curved substrate can be typically about 100sccm/m²。

Can be in some embodiments in conjunction with other embodiments described herein, the quantity of gas vent can lead to Often between 20 and 100, more typically it is between 40 and 100, specifically for gas passage Painting drum (as exemplary shown in fig. 7).According to some embodiments, curved substrate can be separated into multiple Gas section.In some embodiments, each gas section has several gas vents.In some embodiments, it is located at The quantity of gas vent in substrate-guided region is between 5 and 20.The gas of the porous layer of painting drum is gone out 5000, more typically at least 6000 can be generally at least for the quantity of mouth, and even more typically at least 8000.According to some embodiments, the quantity of gas vent is between 20 and 100 or painting drum includes providing The porous layer of gas vent.

According to can go out with some embodiments in conjunction with other embodiments described herein, gas indicated herein Mouth can have the sectional dimension between about 0.1mm and about 1mm.Sectional dimension can be used as the gas at curved substrate Body outlet smallest cross-sectional and be measured.In some embodiments, the fluid conduction of gas vent can be generally in about 0.001 Between liter/second and about 0.1 liter/second, more typically between about 0.009 liter/second and about 0.05 liter/second.In an embodiment party In formula, the fluid conduction of gas vent can be about 0.01 liter/second.

According to some embodiments, during the operation of depositing device, providing air-flow on the direction towards substrate can be It is dynamic that gas bearing (bearing), especially fluid are generated between substrate and the curved substrate 401 of painting drum Mechanics or thermodynamic gas bearing.In some embodiments, gas bearing is also referred to as substrate and curved substrate supports A kind of thin or small air cushion except contact position between surface.It should be understood that the curved substrate with painting drum supports Substrate that is that surface contacts and having gas bearing between substrate and curved substrate, can be in curved substrate Certain contact positions (for example, the accurate location provided by the roughness of curved substrate) of support surface connect Touching, and can have gas bearing between contact position.In the contact position (area of such as curved substrate of substrate Domain or point) and curved substrate between, gas bearing can be formed by the air-flow discharged from gas vent.According to can be with Some embodiments that other embodiments described herein combine, the pressure in (multiple) gas bearing are generally in about Between 0.1 millibar to about 10 millibars, between about 1 millibar and 10 millibars more typically during deposition.

In some embodiments, the gas bearing between substrate and curved substrate is fillable because coating is rolled The roughness of curved substrate of cylinder and the roughness of substrate and existing gap, especially substrate with it is curved The outside of contact position between substrate.The thickness of gas bearing can correspond to the curved of the painting drum being in contact with each other The roughness of bent substrate and substrate.

According to some embodiments, multiple gas bearing are and be the air-flow by discharging from gas vent in substrate and bending Substrate between formed.

(multiple) gas bearing between substrate and curved substrate can improve between painting drum and substrate Thermal conductivity, such as on substrate sedimentary stack during cool down or heat the substrate.For example, painting drum may include temperature tune Section system is illustratively shown as humidity control system 430, such as cooling down or heating painting drum.It is provided by painting drum (multiple) gas bearing help to increase the thermal conductivity between substrate and painting drum.According to some embodiment party described herein The temperature of flexible base board can be maintained at the defined upper limit or less during deposition by formula.

Painting drum as exemplary shown in fig. 7 allows to solve the problems, such as some of other systems.For example, substrate damage can be reduced The risk of wound, because substrate can be guided in the substrate of painting drum under lower substrate tension.Specifically, soft Increased thermal conductivity improves the cooling of substrate between property substrate and painting drum, and can be not necessarily required under high substrate tension Substrate is pulled towards cooling substrate, to obtain sufficient cooling efficiency.Higher deposition rate (coating speed) Lead to the higher thermic load towards substrate.In order to use high deposition rate (for example, for accelerating coating processes), substrate and painting Appropriate thermo-contact between cloth roller is useful.

For example, the illustrative embodiments of painting drum 122 shown in Fig. 7 can for example advantageously serve to double-sided deposition work Skill.Wherein, the flexible base board coated on the first major surface can be conveyed by painting drum, to be also coated with substrate The second face.During the coating of the second main surface, the first main surface having been coated with can be with the curved substrate of painting drum 122 Support surface 401 contacts.Thus, for example when under early excessive tension in the curved substrate of painting drum or When guiding flexible base board on the surface of another roller, the risk for the first main surface of damage flexible base board having been coated with may be present.Root According to some embodiments, the film having been coated in the first main surface of flexible base board is in the second master of coating flexible substrate It is degassed before surface, such as via annealing unit 114.Degassing surface can lead to lower heat transmitting.According to described herein The painting drum of embodiment allow to increase the thermal conductivity between flexible base board and curved substrate, to compensate The lower heat transmitting of degassing web, specifically in double-sided deposition technique.

Include driver 410 (shown schematically in Fig. 7) according to the painting drum 122 of embodiments described herein, uses In rotary coating roller during operation, and for the mobile substrate contacted with painting drum.

According to can with some embodiments in conjunction with other embodiments described herein, be used for gas distributing system 405 gas can be selected from the group by following gas composition: inert gas, argon gas, helium, nitrogen, hydrogen, silane and above-mentioned Any mixture of gas.It in some embodiments, is the gas with following thermal conductivity from the gas that gas vent is discharged: extremely Few 0.01W/mK, more typically at least 0.1W/mK, and even more typically at least 0.15W/mK.

The gas bearing formed while substrate and painting drum contact can be sufficiently small (that is, comprising sufficiently small gas Amount) and do not influence vacuum environment generally, or can be sufficiently small not interfere the vacuum environment for coating processes at least.For spy Not sensitive technique, or if being still to reduce the pollution risk of vacuum environment, some embodiments can have further feature, Actively vacuum environment to be prevented to be contaminated.

For example, in some embodiments, Vacuum generating system (being not shown in Fig. 7) can generate system by being connected to vacuum The gas passage 407 of system provides suction.Vacuum generating system can be on the direction far from substrate and towards Vacuum generating system Suction is provided.The gas with the formation hot bearing of (multiple) fluid dynamics between substrate and painting drum discharged from gas source Vacuum available generation system removes.For example, gas can be removed before substrate leaves substrate-guided region 403.It is generated by vacuum The vacuum environment of system protection painting drum.

Fig. 8 shows the painting drum 122 that can be used in depositing device according to embodiments described herein.Fig. 8's Painting drum 122 be similar to Fig. 7 it is exemplary shown in painting drum.The feature described in Fig. 7 can also be applied to the reality of Fig. 8 Apply mode.The embodiment of the painting drum 122 of Fig. 8 further comprises sealing element.In some embodiments, sealing element can be by Multiple sealing units 413 form, such as sealing unit made of at least partly elastic material.It is close according to some embodiments Envelope unit 413 can be lip shape (lip) sealing unit.Sealing element can prevent or limit the vacuum environment for being diffused into deposition chambers In gas bearing gas flow.In some embodiments, sealing unit 413 reduces or prevents air flow direction deposition chambers Main volume can be disposed with painting drum 122 in deposition chambers.

It can be in the circumferencial direction for being generally perpendicular to painting drum 122 and the radial direction for being generally perpendicular to painting drum 122 Direction on arrange sealing unit 413.In some embodiments, sealing can be arranged in the width direction of painting drum 122 Unit 413.

Sealing unit can provide the bag portion (pocket) individually pressurizeed in the second main surface of substrate, and the of the substrate Two main surfaces are contacted with curved substrate 401.In some embodiments, it is formed between two sealing units Each bag portion can provide individual pressure.Pressure in individual bag portion can be based on the rotation position of bag portion.

In some embodiments, curved substrate can be separated in the width direction of painting drum, for example, So that painting drum adapts to the substrate of different in width.For example, painting drum is applicable to about 0.5m between about 2m, and more allusion quotation Substrate width of the type ground between about 1.2m and about 1.8m.Separate the appropriate distribution that segmentation can provide gas vent, it is such as curved The gas vent of different number in substrate, the gas vent of different densities, various sizes of gas vent or class Like distribution.In some embodiments, origin can be divided into different sections, these different sections of gas source are painting drum Difference segmentation (specifically in width direction) provides gas.

Can be in some embodiments in conjunction with other embodiments described herein, painting drum can have one Or multiple electrostatic chuck devices.Specifically, one or more electrostatic chuck devices can provide for keeping substrate and coating to roll The attraction of the curved substrate contact of cylinder is come.According to some embodiments, curved substrate it is every A segmentation may include individual electrostatic chuck tile.Individual electrostatic chuck tile can provide attraction appropriate, example to substrate Such as, based on the rotation position of painting drum.In some embodiments, individual electrostatic chuck tile is controlled to be based on drawing in substrate Lead in region or the position of external segmentation and operated.According to some embodiments, electrostatic chuck tile can control to be based on each It Fen Duan not be operated relative to the position of the gas source 408 of gas distributing system 405.In some embodiments, painting drum can Including sensor and control unit, for sensing the rotation position of painting drum, and the specifically rotation of each segmentation Position.Control unit can be based on the operation of the data control electrostatic chuck sensed.

According to some embodiments, painting drum may include the back structure for being used to support porous layer, and wherein porous layer can Form the substrate 401 of the recess of contact substrate.Porous layer can be further provided for for discharging gas towards substrate Gas vent 404.In some embodiments, back structure may include support rod, and is arranged between support rod and is used for gas The region of body release.Specifically, support rod and air relief areas can be arranged in an alternating manner in a circumferential direction.

According to some embodiments, porous layer can be made of porous materials, and porous material is provided by the porosity of material Multiple gas vents.Porous material may be adapted to discharge gas towards substrate, specifically He, Ar and/or H₂.For example, porous Material, which can have, to be generally between about 60% and about 85%, the density between more typically about 65% and about 75%.At one In example, porous material has about 70% density.In some embodiments, porous material can be agglomerated material.For example, Porous material can be metal, such as stainless steel, sintered stainless steel, aluminium, chromium or metal alloy.

According to some embodiments, porous material (such as polish and be processed similarly) can be handled, with more during influencing operation The roughness of Porous materials and the curved substrate contacted with flexible base board.It can implement with described herein other In some embodiments that mode combines, porous material can be coated with the material layer with the roughness lower than porous material.Example Such as, porous material can be coated with metal layer (such as Cr layers).Coating or even porous according to some embodiments, on porous layer Layer itself, can have handle into layer additional gas outlet, such as by drilling, be cut by laser and be processed similarly.

According to some embodiments described herein, painting drum 122 can be the painting drum of controlled temperature.Temperature Controlled painting drum allows substrate cooled.For example, painting drum may include humidity control system, such as temperature adjusts system System 430.The humidity control system 430 of painting drum may include being arranged in painting drum for cooling down or heating painting drum Channel system.The channel of the humidity control system of painting drum is close to the surface of painting drum and is set.Term " close " Surface orientation the distance between the side and curved substrate 401 for typically referring to channel are less than 5cm, more typically less than 2.5cm, and even more typically it is less than 1cm.Channel is typically suitable for receiving cooling fluid.

According to can with some embodiments in conjunction with other embodiments described herein, can control painting drum to protect Hold in certain temperature, the temperature is generally between about -30 DEG C and about+170 DEG C, more typically in about -20 DEG C with about+ Between 150 DEG C, and even more typically between about -20 DEG C and about+80 DEG C.Specifically, for being up to 100 DEG C of temperature Degree, or even more specifically, for the temperature for being lower than room temperature, cooling fluid is usually water-ethylene glycol mixture.In other application In, it specifically those of is heated in application on surface, cooling fluid is usually heat-transfer oil.Cooling fluid used is suitable for logical 400 DEG C are often up to, even more typically up to 300 DEG C of temperature.Workable heat-transfer oil is based on such as cycloalkanes or paraffin Made of petroleum.Alternatively, heat-transfer oil can be synthesis, such as isomery nanocrystal composition.

According to can with some embodiments in conjunction with other embodiments described herein, painting drum 122 can be usual Width with 0.1m to 4m, within the scope of more typically 0.5 to 2m (for example, about 1.4m).The diameter of painting drum can be greater than 1m, Such as between 1.5m and 2.5m.

As is schematically illustrated in figure 5, multiple sedimentation units 121 may include three or more 12 or less depositions Unit can arrange these sedimentation units on the circumferencial direction around painting drum 122.It similarly, is including the first deposit cavity In some embodiments of room and the second deposition chambers, a sedimentation unit more than second may include three or more and 12 or Less second sedimentation unit can arrange these the second sedimentation units on the circumferencial direction around the second painting drum.For example, Six the first sedimentation units can be arranged in the first deposition chambers and/or six second depositions can be arranged in the second deposition chambers Unit.

In some embodiments, sedimentation unit can be covered each by the lower half portion of painting drum out of the ordinary.In other words, soft Property substrate can contact in the upper angular zone of the curved surface of painting drum with painting drum, can be downward by the curved surface rotated It is directed through sedimentation unit, these sedimentation units can partly or wholly be provided in the lower half of the circumference of painting drum Point, and flexible base board can leave bending on taken to again up curved substrate second after angular zone Substrate.It in some embodiments, can be in the way of almost symmetry around painting drum out of the ordinary arrangement deposition Unit.It in other words, can be relative to the rotation for passing through painting drum out of the ordinary around the arrangement of the sedimentation unit of painting drum out of the ordinary The vertical plane of symmetry substantial symmetry of axis intersection.For example, can arrange that a total of six is heavy on the first side of vertical plane of symmetry Three sedimentation units in product unit, and remaining three sedimentation units can be arranged in second side of vertical plane of symmetry.

It, can be in two deposited adjacent lists can be in some embodiments in conjunction with other embodiments described herein Gas separation unit 510 is provided between member 512, to reduce processing gas respectively from a sedimentation unit to other sedimentation units The flowing of (for example, arriving deposited adjacent unit during operation).Deposited adjacent unit 512 is schematically shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 9 Between gas separation unit 510.

Gas separation unit 510 may be structured to gas separation wall, and the internal volume of deposition chambers is separated into multiple lists Only compartment, wherein each compartment may include a sedimentation unit.It can be respectively between two adjacent gas separation units 510 Arrange a sedimentation unit 512.In other words, sedimentation unit can be separated by gas separation unit 510 respectively.Therefore, it may be advantageous that, High gas separation can be provided between adjacent compartments/sedimentation unit.

According to sedimentation unit out of the ordinary can be accommodated with the embodiment in conjunction with other embodiments described herein Each of compartment can be evacuated independently of other other compartments for accommodating other sedimentation units, so that can optionally be arranged The sedimentary condition of each sedimentation unit 512.Different materials can be deposited on flexible substrates by deposited adjacent unit, these depositions Unit can be separated by gas separation unit 510.

According to some embodiments, gas separation unit 510 may include gas separation wall, the gas separation wall prevent or It reduces the gas flow deposited adjacent unit in a sedimentation unit or enters the main volume of deposition chambers.Gas separation is single Member 510 can be configured to the width for adjusting slit 511, and slit 511 is located at gas separation unit out of the ordinary and coating out of the ordinary is rolled Between cylinder.According to some embodiments, gas separation unit 510 may include the width being configured to for adjusting slit 511 Actuator.In order to reduce the flowing of the gas between deposited adjacent unit, and in order to increase the gas between deposited adjacent unit point From factor, the width of the slit 511 between gas separation unit and painting drum can be small, such as 1cm or smaller, tool 5mm or smaller for body, more specifically 2mm or smaller.In some embodiments, the length of slit 511 in a circumferential direction Spending (that is, length of the gas split tunnel out of the ordinary between two deposited adjacent compartments) can be for 1cm or bigger, specifically 5cm Or it is bigger, or even 10cm or bigger.In some embodiments, the length of slit even may respectively be about 14cm.It can pass through Increase the length of the slit 511 between two deposited adjacent units improve the gas between two deposited adjacent units separation because Number.It can provide 1/100 or preferably gas separation factor.During deposition in sedimentation unit, the average freedom of gas molecule Path length can be several centimetres of magnitude.Therefore, by providing the slit width having lower than 5mm between deposited adjacent unit With the slit 511 of the length greater than 10cm, any gas molecule is hardly propagated between sedimentation unit.

Can be in some embodiments in conjunction with other embodiments described herein, in multiple sedimentation units 121 At least one first sedimentation unit can be sputtering sedimentation unit.In some embodiments, in multiple sedimentation units 121 Each sedimentation unit is sputtering sedimentation unit.Wherein, one or more sputtering sedimentation units can be configured to for DC sputtering, AC sputtering, RF (radio frequency) sputtering, MF (intermediate frequency) sputtering, pulsed sputter, pulse DC sputtering, magnetron sputtering, reactive sputtering or above-mentioned The combination of sputtering.DC sputtering source may be adapted to conductive material (for example, with metal of such as copper) coating flexible substrate.Exchange (AC) sputtering source (for example, RF sputtering source or MF sputtering source) may be adapted to conductive material or with insulating materials (for example, dielectric material Material, semiconductor or metal) coating flexible substrate.

However, depositing device described herein is not limited to sputtering sedimentation, and it can be used in some embodiments His sedimentation unit.For example, in some embodiments, CVD deposition unit, hydatogenesis unit, PECVD sedimentation unit can be used Or other sedimentation units.Specifically, due to the modularized design of depositing device, operation is possible below: by from deposition Chamber radially removes the first sedimentation unit and by the way that another sedimentation unit to be loaded into deposition chambers, to use the second sedimentation unit Replace the first sedimentation unit.Therefore, deposition chambers can have sealing cover, and sealing cover can be opened and closed to replace one or more A sedimentation unit.

It, can be (for example, in deposition chambers in some embodiments that can be combined with other embodiments described herein In) at least one AC sputtering source is provided, for depositing non-conducting material on flexible substrates.It in some embodiments, can be At least one DC sputtering source is provided in deposition chambers, for depositing conductive material on flexible substrates.

In some embodiments, first sedimentation unit 301 of at least one of multiple sedimentation units 121 can be AC Sputtering source.In embodiment shown in Fig. 9, the first two sedimentation unit of multiple sedimentation units is AC sputtering source, such as hereafter The double target as sputter sources that will be described in further detail.The dielectric material of such as silica can be deposited on flexible substrates with AC sputtering source Material.For example, two deposited adjacent units (for example, first sedimentation unit 301) can be configured in reactive sputtering process directly The silicon oxide layer deposited in the first main surface of flexible base board.It can be sputtered by using two or more AC adjacent to each other Source, to increase the thickness of (for example, doubling) resulting silicon oxide layer.

Remaining sedimentation unit in multiple sedimentation units 121 can be DC sputtering source.In embodiment shown in Fig. 9, Being arranged in the second sedimentation unit 302 of at least one of multiple sedimentation units at least one 301 downstream of the first sedimentation unit can To be DC sputtering source, for example, being configured to the DC sputtering source for depositing ITO layer.In other embodiments, it is possible to provide warp Construction is with two or more DC sputtering sources for depositing ITO layer.In some embodiments, can by least one first The deposited on top ITO layer for the silicon oxide layer that sedimentation unit 301 deposits.

In addition, in some embodiments, being arranged at least one third at least one 302 downstream of the second sedimentation unit Sedimentation unit 303 (for example, three third sedimentation units) may be structured to DC sputtering unit, for example, for depositing the first metal The DC sputtering unit of layer (for example, layers of copper).Several layers of different metal can be deposited by least one third sedimentation unit 303, An or thick-layer of single metal (for example, Cu).

It in some embodiments, can be in the deposited on top of the ITO layer deposited by least one second sedimentation unit 302 The first metal layer.

Therefore, can sedimentary stacks in the first main surface of flexible base board in the deposition chamber, layer heap it is folded for example comprising Silicon oxide layer, ITO layer and the Cu layer deposited on top of each other.

It, then can be in the second deposition chambers in some embodiments for including the first deposition chambers and the second deposition chambers The other layer of middle deposition.For example, the 4th sedimentation unit of at least one of a sedimentation unit more than second may be structured to DC sputtering Unit, for example, the DC sputtering unit for the deposited on top second metal layer (for example, the 2nd Cu layers) in the first metal layer. In some embodiments, all sedimentation units more than second in a sedimentation unit, which can be, is configured to respectively for depositing gold Belong to the DC sputtering unit of layer.In addition, in some embodiments, same metal (for example, copper) can be deposited.Therefore, can be passed through A sedimentation unit deposits single thick metal layers (for example, thick copper layer) more than two.

Thus, for example in embodiment shown in Fig. 5, it is possible to provide 6 sedimentation units in total.The first two sedimentation unit (at least one the first sedimentation unit 301) is configured to for silicon oxide layer deposited, and (at least one second for subsequent sedimentation unit Sedimentation unit 302) it is configured to for depositing ITO layer, and remaining three sedimentation units (third sedimentation unit 303) can be through structure It makes for depositing thick copper layer.It should be understood that described arrangement is merely illustrative arrangement, and optionally to the total of sedimentation unit The modification for the material that quantity, the type of sedimentation unit, the sequence of sedimentation unit and sedimentation unit are deposited is possible.

It can deposit on flexible substrates including SiO₂The layer heap of layer, ITO layer and layers of copper is folded.Flexible base board can be at one The polymerizable substrate of index matching (index matched, IM) layer is provided in main surface or two main surfaces.For example, flexible Substrate can be the COP substrate with IM layers on both major surfaces.

The first major face for making flexible base board have layer heap it is folded after, can be with substrate that opposite direction coats single side again It is secondary to be fitted into first volume barrel chamber room.Hereafter, depositing device 100 is passed through by conveying flexible base board with second of opposite direction, it can also The layer heap for making the second major face of flexible base board have corresponding layer heap folded or different is folded.Therefore, dual coating can be manufactured Substrate, while can reduce or avoid completely winding defect.

Fig. 9 shows the enlarged view of a part of deposition chambers (for example, deposition chambers 120), in this figure, in deposit cavity Multiple sedimentation units (that is, six sedimentation units) are arranged in room.Gas separation unit is provided respectively between deposited adjacent unit 510.Therefore, as exemplary shown in fig. 9, painting drum can be surrounded for six compartments of six sedimentation units, specifically It is provided around the lower half portion of painting drum.It can transport flexible base board and pass through gas separation unit 510 and painting drum 122 Between slit 511.Sedimentation unit can be configured so that the heat provided during deposition can be reduced or minimized towards flexible base board Load.

At least one first sedimentation unit 301 may be structured to AC sputtering source 610, at least one second sedimentation unit 302 It may be structured to DC sputtering source 612 and at least one third sedimentation unit 303 may be structured to DC sputtering source 612.

Figure 10 illustrates in greater detail AC sputtering source 610 and Figure 11 illustrates in greater detail DC sputtering source 612.

AC sputtering source 610 shown in Fig. 10 may include two sputtering devices, that is, the first sputtering device 701 and the second sputtering Device 702.In the following description, " sputtering device " is understood to include the device of target 703, target 703 include to be deposited on Material on flexible base board.Target can be made of material to be deposited or be made of the ingredient in material at least to be deposited.? In some embodiments, sputtering device may include the target 703 for the rotatable target for being configured to have rotary shaft.In some realities It applies in mode, sputtering device may include penstock 704, and target 703 may be arranged in penstock 704.In some embodiments, it can mention It is provided for the magnet arrangement for generating magnetic field during the operation of sputtering device, such as in rotatable target.In magnet cloth It sets in the case where being provided in rotatable target, sputtering device can be described as sputter magnetron.It in some embodiments, can be It sputters device inside and cooling duct is provided, with the part of cooling sputtering device or sputtering device.

In some embodiments, sputtering device may be adapted to the supporting element for being connected to deposition chambers, for example, can be in sputter One end of part provides flange.According to some embodiments, sputtering device can be used as cathode or anode and is operated.For example, first Sputtering device 701 can be used as cathode and operated, and second sputtering device 702 can a time point at be used as anode and It is operated.When alternating current is applied between the first sputtering device 701 and the second sputtering device 702, in later point Place, the first sputtering device 701 may act as anode, and the second sputtering device 702 may act as cathode.In some embodiments, Target 703 may include silicon or be made of silicon.

Term " double sputtering devices " refers to a pair of of sputtering device, such as refers to the first sputtering device 701 and the second sputter Part 702.First sputtering device and the second sputtering device can form double sputtering devices pair.For example, two of double sputtering devices pair splash Emitter part can use simultaneously in same deposition technique, carry out coating flexible substrate.Double sputtering devices can be designed in a similar way. For example, double sputtering devices can provide identical coating material, can generally have identical size and be substantially the same shape.Double sputterings Device can be disposed adjacent one another, to form the sputtering source that may be arranged in deposition chambers.According to can with it is described herein other Two sputtering devices of some embodiments that embodiment combines, double sputtering devices include being made by identical material (for example, silicon) At target.

As, as can be seen that the first sputtering device 701 has first axle, first axle can be the first sputtering in Fig. 9 and Figure 10 The rotary shaft of device 701.Second sputtering device 702 has the second axis, and the second axis can be the rotation of the second sputtering device 702 Axis.Sputtering device provides material on flexible substrates to be deposited.For reactive deposition technique, it is eventually deposited at flexible base board On material can also comprise the compound of processing gas.It will be understood, therefore, that the target 703 being made of such as silicon or doped silicon Including silicon materials, and oxygen can be illustratively added as processing gas with final cvd silicon oxide.

According to embodiment as exemplary shown in fig. 9, flexible base board is applied roller 122 and is directed through double sputter Part.Wherein, coated window is by the first position 705 of the flexible base board on painting drum 122 and on painting drum 122 Flexible base board the second position 706 limit.Coated window (the flexible base i.e. between first position 705 and the second position 706 The part of plate) define can deposition materials substrate region.As can be seen that in Fig. 9 and discharged from the first sputtering device 701 The particle of deposition materials and the particle of the deposition materials discharged from the second sputtering device 702 reach the flexible base in coated window Plate.

Sputtering source 610 can be adapted such that the first axle of the first sputtering device 701 to the second axis of the second sputtering device 702 Distance be 300mm or smaller, specifically 200mm or smaller.In general, the first axle of the first sputtering device 701 is splashed with second The distance of second axis of emitter part 702 can be between 150mm and 200mm, more typically be between 170mm and 185mm, Such as 180mm.

According to some embodiments, the first sputtering device of cylinder sputtering device and the outer diameter of the second sputtering device can be It can be generally in the range of 90mm and 120mm, more typically between about 100mm and about 110mm.

In some embodiments, the first sputtering device 701 can be arranged equipped with the first magnet, and the second sputtering device 702 can arrange equipped with the second magnet.Magnet arrangement can be the magnetic for being configured to improve deposition efficiency for generating magnetic field Yoke.According to some embodiments, magnet arrangement can tilt toward each other.The magnet arrangement arranged in a manner of inclined toward each other It may imply that the magnetic field generated by magnet arrangement is oriented to toward each other in the context of this article.

According to some embodiments, sputtering device as described above can be used for depositing non-conductive and/or conductive material Onto flexible base board.For example, sputtering source 610 can provide the target of such as silicon, titanium, aluminium.With for introducing one or more processing The gas access of gas together, for example, can be deposited on flexible substrates by reactive sputtering process such as silica, silicon nitride, Titanium oxide, aluminium oxide and similar material.Specifically, AC sputtering source 610 can be used for reactive sputtering process, such as SiO₂It is anti- It should sputter.Therefore, according to can have with some embodiments in conjunction with other embodiments described herein, depositing device In addition equipment, such as gas access for processing gas (such as oxygen or nitrogen).

According to some embodiments, AC sputtering source 610 can be used for operating with intermediate frequency in the technique of two sputtering devices, such as In about 10kHz to the frequency range between about 50kHz.In one embodiment, AC sputtering source 610 may be adapted to two One in a sputtering device is used as anode, and corresponding another is used as cathode.In general, AC sputtering source 610 is suitable for making Obtaining can replace as the operation of the sputtering device of anode and cathode.Alive frequency is applied it means that corresponding to, originally Sputtering device as anode can be used as cathode, and originally the sputtering device as cathode can be used as anode to operate.

According to some embodiments, AC sputtering source 610 can be configured to be used for reactive deposition technique.It can provide for reacting The closed-loop control of depositing operation.Reactive deposition technique can be used for silicon oxide layer deposited, and wherein silicon is sputtered from sputtering device, and The processing gas of such as oxygen is provided from gas access.The case where low process gas flow and high electric field are applied to sputtering device Under, this technique is carried out with metal mode.In the case where more high technology air-flow, depositing operation becomes oxygen mode, in oxygen mould It, can depositing transparent indium silicon layer under formula.Therefore, the method for controlling reactive deposition technique can control depositing operation to mention with transition mode For that in the transition mode, the hyaline layer of such as silica can be deposited with quite high rate.

In some embodiments, depositing operation can be controlled by providing voltage supply, the voltage supply can pass through It is controlled using voltage and sputtering device is maintained at transition mode.Wherein, it is connected to being used for sputtering device confession for sputtering device The power supply of electricity can provide fixed voltage in the controlled lower operation of voltage, such as to sputtering device.However, working as to supplies voltages control When processed, voltage supply causes voltage to be controlled, and power is not kept constant, because a parameter can only be kept solid by power supply It is fixed.If controlled using voltage, power and thus bring deposition rate can change with processing gas used, and this It is not always acceptable.

Therefore, other than the control of the voltage of power supply, it is possible to provide power control is as closed control loop, wherein practical function Rate is monitored, and the flow of processing gas is controlled so that power is kept substantial constant.It can provide closed-loop control, it is described to close Ring control provides substantially constant deposition rate.Therefore, in some embodiments, reactive deposition technique is that voltage is controlled , and establish the oxygen flow for keeping sputtering power constant and adjust.

In some embodiments, processing gas may include oxygen, argon, nitrogen, hydrogen, H₂O and N₂At least one of O.In general, Oxygen be can provide as the reaction gas for being used for reactive deposition technique.It is provided in processing gas for the reaction process based on oxygen a small amount of Nitrogen can be beneficial to stablize generated plasma.

According to exemplary embodiment, sputtering device can be provided to as power supply to supplies voltages set-point value The upper limit of voltage.It can be by set-point value come the voltage of fixed power source.Plasma slab may depend on by the power that power supply provides The flowing of reaction gas in domain.For example, power may depend on oxygen stream, while by voltage for silicon oxide deposition technique The limitation of set-point value.The controller for providing closed-loop control controls process gas based on the actual power for being supplied to sputtering device Stream.

The flow for the processing gas being introduced into heating region can be with the output power for the power supply for being supplied to sputtering device It is proportional.Controller can control gas flow, so that actual power value is held substantially constant, the actual power value can be mentioned For for the signal from power supply to controller.

Therefore, according to embodiments described herein, reactive deposition technique can be kept in the transition mode, and can At least one first sedimentation unit 301 by may be structured to AC sputtering source 610 deposits such as silica on flexible substrates The non-conductive layer of the high uniformity of layer.

Figure 11 shows the enlarged diagram that can be used for the DC sputtering source 612 of some embodiments described herein.One In a little embodiments, at least one second sedimentation unit 302 shown in Fig. 9 is configured to DC sputtering source 612, and/or at least one A third sedimentation unit 303 is configured to DC sputtering source 612.

DC sputtering source 612 may include at least one cathode 613, and cathode 613 includes for providing to be deposited on flexible base board On material target 614.At least one cathode 613 can be rotatable cathode, specifically substantially cylindrical yin Pole, the cathode can rotate around the axis of rotation.

Target 614 can be made of material to be deposited.For example, target 614 can be metal targets, such as copper or aluminium target Material.The magnet assembly 615 for limiting generated plasma can be arranged in rotatable cathode.

In some embodiments, DC sputtering source 612 may include single cathode, as Figure 11 it is exemplary shown in.In some realities It applies in mode, conductive surface (for example, wall surface of deposition chambers) may act as anode.It in other embodiments, can be adjacent to Cathode provides individual anode, such as with the anode of rod shape, so that can be at least one cathode 613 and individual anode Between establish electric field.Power supply be can provide for applying electric field between at least one cathode 613 and anode.DC electric field can be applied, To allow the conductive material of deposition such as metal.In some embodiments, at least one yin is applied to by pulse DC Pole 613.In some embodiments, DC sputtering source 612 may include more than one cathode (for example, two or more cathodes Array).

According to can with some embodiments in conjunction with other embodiments described herein, as described herein deposit Unit may be structured to double DC planar cathode sputtering sources 616, as Figure 12 it is exemplary shown in.For example, double DC planar cathodes may include First planar targets 617 and the second planar targets 618.First planar targets may include the first sputter material, and the second plane Target may include the second sputter material, and the second sputter material is different from the first sputter material.It, can be according to some embodiments Between one planar targets 617 and the second planar targets 618 provide protective cover 619, as Figure 12 it is exemplary shown in.It can be attached by protective cover (for example, clamping) is connect to cooling segment, so that the cooling of protective cover can be provided that.It more particularly, can be in the first planar targets It is constructed between the second planar targets and arranges protective cover, so that can prevent from providing from the first planar targets and the second planar targets Respective material mixing.In addition, protective cover can be configured such that in protective cover and painting drum as Figure 12 is exemplary shown Close clearance G is provided between the substrate on 122.Therefore, double DC planar cathodes can be valuably configured to for depositing two kinds not Same material.In general, as described herein, including AC sputtering source 610, DC sputtering source 612 or double DC planar cathode sputtering sources 616 Sedimentation unit be provided at compartment as described herein (between two gas separation units 510 i.e. as described herein The compartment of offer) in.

According to the embodiment that can be combined with other embodiments described herein, it should be appreciated that sedimentation unit, it is specific next Say be cathode (for example, AC sputtering source, DC rotatable cathode, double rotatable cathodes and double DC planar cathodes) to be interchangeable.Cause This, it is possible to provide general compartment design.In addition, sedimentation unit can be connected to process controller, process controller is configured to Individually control sedimentation unit out of the ordinary.Therefore, it may be advantageous that, it is possible to provide process controller run reaction process can fully automated.

Can be in some embodiments in conjunction with other embodiments described herein, depositing device can be used for manufacturing The transparent body used for touch panel.The first hyaline layer stacking can be deposited in the first main surface of flexible base board, wherein first Hyaline layer stacking may include one or more silicon-containing layers (for example, silicon oxide layer).It can sink on the top that the first hyaline layer stacks Product transparent conductive film (for example, ito film).Ito film can be provided according to predetermined pattern.In some embodiments, it is possible to provide monitoring Device be used to measure during deposition the first hyaline layer stack and the optical characteristics of at least one of transparent conductive film (for example, Transmission and/or reflection).In some embodiments, the deposited on top metal layer that can be stacked in hyaline layer.

Later, in some embodiments, it is folded or different that identical layer heap can be deposited in the second main surface of substrate Layer heap is folded, and the second main surface is the opposite main surface of flexible base board.It can be loaded by the surface for being coated single side with opposite direction Pass through the sedimentation unit provided in deposition chambers into depositing device, and by conveying flexible base board with opposite direction come coated substrate The second main surface so that can be coated with the folded or different layer heap of identical layer heap folded for the second main surface.

Due to being conveyed using the controlled flexible base board of the tension along portion concave and the substrate transport path of part protrusion, The flexible base board of dual coating can have low defect number.Furthermore, it is possible to provide there is the flexible base for the dual coating for reducing defect number Plate specifically before the deposition and/or after deposition, specifically exists because two main surfaces of substrate can be cleaned Before the main surface out of the ordinary of flexible base board is contacted with roller surface under high tension.

Figure 13 A to Figure 13 C shows the painting drum in deposition chambers according to embodiments described herein The exemplary diagrammatic layout of the sedimentation unit sequence of offer.Hereinafter, it is described shown in Figure 13 A to Figure 13 C from left to right not With the sequence of multiple sedimentation units 121 of layout example, that is, in Figure 13 A to Figure 13 C, the first sedimentation unit refers to most left Sedimentation unit, and the 6th sedimentation unit refers to most right sedimentation unit.In addition, in order to better understand, usual first deposition Unit is the first sedimentation unit along substrate transport portion, such as first layer to be deposited to substrate.

Specifically, Figure 13 A shows the multiple heavy of the offer of the painting drum in deposition chambers as described herein First illustrative diagram of product unit 121.As Figure 13 A it is exemplary shown in, according to can be with any other reality described herein The embodiment that the mode of applying combines, the first sedimentation unit, which can be, to be configured to for SiO₂The dual rotary sedimentation unit of deposition, Specifically AC sputtering source 610 as described herein.Second sedimentation unit, which can be, to be configured to for NbO_xDeposition DC rotating and depositing unit, specifically DC sputtering source 612 as described herein.Third sedimentation unit, the 4th sedimentation unit It can be and be configured to for SiO with the 5th sedimentation unit₂The dual rotary sedimentation unit of deposition, specifically as retouched herein The AC sputtering source stated.6th sedimentation unit can be the DC rotating and depositing unit for being configured to deposit for ITO, specifically DC sputtering source 612 as described herein.It therefore, can be in substrate under the first exemplary diagrammatic layout as shown in Figure 13 A Upper deposition has SiO₂First layer, NbO_xThe second layer, SiO₂Third layer, SiO₂The 4th layer, SiO₂Layer 5 and ITO Layer 6 layer heap it is folded.Such layer heap is folded can be for example used to provide on substrate (for example, pet substrate) with ITO top layer Hard conating.

Second exemplary layout of multiple sedimentation units 121 according to shown in as exemplary such as Figure 13 B, the first sedimentation unit can Being configured to for SiO₂The dual rotary sedimentation unit of deposition, specifically AC sputtering source 610 as described herein. In addition, the second sedimentation unit, third sedimentation unit and the 4th sedimentation unit are also possible to be configured to for SiO₂Pair of deposition Rotating and depositing unit, specifically AC sputtering source as described herein.5th sedimentation unit and the 6th sedimentation unit can be with It is the DC rotating and depositing unit for being configured to deposit for ITO, specifically DC sputtering source 612 as described herein.Cause This, under the second exemplary diagrammatic layout as shown in Figure 13 B, can deposit on substrate has SiO₂First layer, SiO₂? Two layers, SiO₂Third layer, SiO₂The 4th layer, the layer heap of the layer 6 of the layer 5 of ITO and ITO it is folded.Such layer heap is folded can Such as there are four SiO for tool on substrate₂The stacked on offer ITO Double Tops layer of refractive index matching layers heap of layer.

The third exemplary layout of multiple sedimentation units 121 according to shown in as exemplary such as Figure 13 C, the first sedimentation unit and Second sedimentation unit can be each dual rotary sedimentation unit being configured to for deposit dielectric layer, specifically such as this AC sputtering source described in text.Third sedimentation unit can be the DC rotating and depositing unit being configured to for depositing seed layer, Specifically DC sputtering source 612 as described herein.4th sedimentation unit, which can be, to be configured to for depositing silver-colored (Ag) With double DC planar cathode sputtering sources 616 as described herein on barrier layer.5th sedimentation unit and the 6th sedimentation unit can be with It is each dual rotary sedimentation unit being configured to for deposit dielectric layer, specifically AC as described herein splashes Penetrate source.Therefore, under the exemplary diagrammatic layout of third as shown in fig. 13 c, can be deposited on substrate with the first dielectric layer, Second dielectric layer, the third layer for seed layer (seed layer), the 4th layer including Ag and obstacle, the 5th dielectric The layer heap of layer and the 6th dielectric layer is folded.Such layer heap is folded for example can be used to provide Low emittance coating, and the coating is also referred to as For low E coating.

Figure 14 is the flow chart for showing the method 800 that coating flexible substrate is folded using layer heap.Basis can be used in the method The depositing device 100 of any embodiment described herein is carried out.Wherein, flexible base board is recessed along part protrusion and part Sunken substrate transport path is transported to the reel spool in volume Two barrel chamber room from the holder in first volume barrel chamber room.It is described Method includes: the holder expansion flexible base board provided from first volume barrel chamber room in block 810；Then, in box In 820, when the painting drum provided in by deposition chambers guides flexible base board, deposited in the first main surface of flexible base board At least one folded first layer of layer heap；Then, in box 830, after deposit, the winding volume provided in volume Two barrel chamber room Wound flexible substrate on cylinder.

Hereafter, the second main surface of coating flexible substrate can also be optionally stacked using the second layer by following steps: In box 840, reel spool is removed from volume Two barrel chamber room, the reel spool has soft on the reel spool Property substrate (flexible base board can have the first main surface having been coated with), and with opposite direction removed winding reel replacement the Holder in a roll of barrel chamber room；Then, in box 850, when guiding flexible base board to pass through deposition chambers, second The second layer is deposited in main surface to stack；Then, in box 860, on another reel spool for being provided in volume Two barrel chamber room Wound flexible substrate.

In addition, the method 900 of the depositing device alignment of coating flexible substrate will be used for by describing, flowed as shown in Figure 15 Journey illustrated example is shown.Specifically, the depositing device of any embodiment described herein can be existed using depositing device Sedimentary is aligned before stacking on flexible base board.Depositing device may include roll assembly, and roll assembly is configured to along part Flexible base board is transported to by protrusion and the substrate transport path of portion concave from the holder being arranged in first volume barrel chamber room The reel spool being arranged in volume Two barrel chamber room.

The alignment methods can include: in box 910, at least one of the roll assembly with the first rotary shaft is drawn Deflector roll is defined as reference roller；And in box 920, relative to reference roller the first rotary shaft alignment two of roll assembly or The rotary shaft of more remaining guide reels is extended with being parallel to the first rotary shaft of reference roller.It in other words, can be relative to one A home roll (i.e. reference roller) refers to the roller of roll assembly.

When the roll shaft of each remaining guide reel is aligned relative to the first rotary shaft of reference roller, the roller of all guide reels Axis is not parallel only with respect to reference roller, also relative to parallel to each other.It can provide the roll assembly with the alignment of excellent roller, and can keep away Exempt to act on the diagonal line pulling force of flexible base board.Specifically, the roller of roll assembly can be adjusted to the deviation to < 0.1mm/m length, Specifically in the horizontal and/or vertical.

In some embodiments, the roll shaft of guide reel can have along rotary shaft 1m or more and 2m or less Length, the specifically length of about 1.5m or about 1.8m.Depositing device can have the guidance more than 20 and less than 60 Roller, such as 30 guide reels, guide reel can be respectively relative to reference roller alignment, so as to substantially parallel with reference roller, and because This is substantially parallel to each other.

In view of embodiments described herein, it should be appreciated that compared with traditional depositing system, provide a kind of improvement Depositing device, for using layer heap to fold one or two main surface of coating flexible substrate, wherein each layer has high homogeneity With the low defect number of per unit surface area.

Although foregoing teachings are related to embodiment, can in the case where not departing from the base region of the utility model, Other and further embodiment are designed, and above range is determined by appended claims.

Claims (20)

1. one kind is for folding the depositing device (100) of coating flexible substrate (10) using layer heap, which is characterized in that the deposition is set It is standby comprising:

First volume barrel chamber room (110) accommodates the holder (112) for being used to provide the described flexible base board (10)；

Deposition chambers (120), are arranged in the downstream of first volume barrel chamber room (110), and include for guiding the flexibility Substrate passes through the painting drum (122) of multiple sedimentation units (121)；

Volume Two barrel chamber room (150), is arranged in the downstream of the deposition chambers (120), and accommodates reel spool (152), institute Reel spool (152) are stated for winding the flexible base board (10) on the reel spool (152) after deposit；With

Roll assembly is configured to the flexible base board along part protrusion and the substrate transport path of portion concave from described the A roll of barrel chamber room is transported to volume Two barrel chamber room.

2. depositing device according to claim 1, further includes cleaning chamber (170), the cleaning chamber is arranged in The downstream of first volume barrel chamber room (110) and the upstream of the deposition chambers (120), wherein in the cleaning chamber (170) In be provided at least one cleaning device for cleaning the flexible base board (10).

3. depositing device according to claim 1, wherein being provided with the first cleaning in the upstream of the painting drum (122) Device (171) and the second cleaning device (172), first cleaning device (171) is for cleaning the flexible base board (10) First main surface, second cleaning device (172) are used to clean the second main surface of the flexible base board (10).

4. depositing device according to claim 3, wherein first cleaning device (171) and second cleaning device (172) it is provided in cleaning chamber (170).

5. depositing device according to any one of claim 1 to 4 further includes cleaning device after at least one coating (173), it is placed in the downstream of the multiple sedimentation unit (121).

6. depositing device according to any one of claim 2 to 4, wherein at least one described cleaning device includes first Adherency volume (175) and the second adherency volume (176), wherein the viscosity of the second adherency volume (176) is than the first adherency volume (175) viscosity is big.

7. depositing device according to any one of claim 1 to 4 further includes annealing unit (114), in institute It states and heats the flexible base board at the position of multiple sedimentation units (121) upstream.

8. depositing device according to claim 7, wherein the annealing unit (114) includes at least the one of following component It is a: can heating roller (115) and pharoid (116).

9. depositing device according to claim 7, wherein the annealing unit (114) is arranged in first volume barrel chamber room (110) in.

10. depositing device according to claim 8, wherein the annealing unit (114) is arranged in the first volume barrel chamber In room (110).

11. depositing device according to any one of claim 1 to 4 further includes defect inspection device (154), use In the defect for detecting the flexible base board after deposit.

12. depositing device according to claim 11, wherein the defect detector part (154) include light source (155) and Photodetector (156).

13. depositing device according to claim 11, wherein the defect detector part (154) is arranged in the volume Two In barrel chamber room (150).

14. depositing device according to claim 12, wherein the defect detector part (154) is arranged in the volume Two In barrel chamber room (150).

15. depositing device according to any one of claim 1 to 4 further includes monitoring device (161), the prison Device arrangements are controlled in the downstream of the multiple sedimentation unit (121), wherein the monitor part (161) is configured to for measuring It is deposited on the electrical characteristics and/or optical characteristics of at least one layer on the flexible base board (10).

16. depositing device according to any one of claim 1 to 4 further includes at least one tonometry roller (184,185,188) and at least one take-up roll (181), at least one described tonometry roller is for measuring the flexible base board Tension, at least one described take-up roll is for tensing the flexible base board, wherein based on by least one described tonometry The tension of the flexible base board of roller measurement controls at least one described take-up roll.

17. depositing device according to any one of claim 1 to 4, wherein the multiple sedimentation unit (121) is sputtering Sedimentation unit, and/or wherein the multiple sedimentation unit includes at least one AC sputtering source (610), the AC sputtering source is used for Non-conducting material is deposited on the flexible base board (10).

18. depositing device according to claim 17, wherein the multiple sedimentation unit (121) includes that at least one DC splashes It penetrates source (612), the DC sputtering source is configured to for depositing conductive material on the flexible base board (10).

19. depositing device according to claim 17, wherein at least one first deposition of the multiple sedimentation unit is single First (301) are configured to that it is single to be arranged at least one described first deposition for the silicon oxide layer deposited on the flexible base board At least one second sedimentation unit (302) of the multiple sedimentation unit in first downstream is configured in the silicon oxide layer Upper deposition ITO layer is arranged at least the one of the multiple sedimentation unit at least one described the second sedimentation unit (302) downstream A third sedimentation unit (303) is configured to for depositing the first metal layer in the ITO layer.

20. depositing device according to any one of claim 1 to 4, wherein the painting drum (122) includes:

Curved substrate (401), for contacting the flexible base board (10), wherein the curved substrate supports table Face can be rotated around rotary shaft (123), and include substrate-guided region (403)；

One group of gas vent (404) is arranged in the curved substrate (401), and is suitable for release air-flow；With

Gas distributing system (405), for the air-flow to be selectively provided to the first son of the gas vent (404) Group, and for selectively preventing gas from flowing to the second subgroup of the gas vent (404), wherein the institute of the gas vent It states the first subgroup and includes at least one gas vent in the substrate-guided region (403), and the gas vent Second subgroup include positioned at the substrate-guided region exterior at least one gas vent.