JP2017509798A - Apparatus for processing a flexible substrate and method for cleaning a processing chamber thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

According to the present disclosure, an apparatus for processing a flexible substrate is provided. An apparatus is provided within the processing chamber, a coating drum within the processing chamber and configured to support a flexible substrate, one or more deposition sources disposed within the processing chamber, and a processing chamber. A shutter device configured to move the shield foil between the coating drum and the one or more deposition sources. [Selection] Figure 1A

Description

  Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a thin film processing apparatus, particularly an apparatus for processing a flexible substrate, and more specifically to a roll-to-roll (R2R) system. Embodiments of the present disclosure relate specifically to an apparatus and method for plasma cleaning of a processing chamber of an R2R chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system.

  Processing flexible substrates such as plastic films or plastic foils is in high demand in the packaging, semiconductor and other industries. Processing can consist of coating flexible substrates with desired materials, such as metal, semiconductor, and dielectric materials, etching, and other processing steps performed on the substrate for the desired application. Systems that perform this operation generally include a coating drum, such as a cylindrical roller, coupled to a processing system that transports the substrate on which at least a portion of the substrate is processed. Thereby, the roll-to-roll coating system can provide a high throughput system.

  Typically, a coating process such as a chemical evaporation process or a thermal evaporation process can be used to deposit a thin layer of material on a flexible substrate. However, roll-to-roll deposition systems are also experiencing strong demand growth in the display and photovoltaic (PC) industries. For example, touch panel elements, flexible displays, and flexible PV modules have increased the demand for depositing layers suitable for roll-to-roll coaters, especially at low manufacturing costs. However, such devices typically have several layers that are usually produced by a CVD process, and more particularly by a PECVD process.

  For example, a deposition apparatus having a CVD, PECVD and / or PVD source or the like can produce a deposition on the shield and / or peripheral components of the deposition source. For subsequent use of the equipment, cleaning procedures must be performed to avoid cross-contamination effects and ensure long-term process stability. Generally, for this purpose, the processing chamber is manually opened and cleaned. However, this is time consuming and can result in increased machine downtime, allowing processing on subsequent or replacement flexible substrates under the same conditions as before chamber ventilation. It becomes difficult to execute.

  Thus, there are techniques relating to effective equipment for processing flexible substrates, such as OLED structures, semiconductor structures and other modern and more sophisticated devices to ensure maximum substrate throughput and minimum machine downtime. Needed.

  In view of the above, an apparatus for processing a flexible substrate and a method for cleaning its processing chamber are provided. Further aspects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims, the description and the attached drawings.

  In one aspect, an apparatus for processing a flexible substrate is provided. An apparatus is provided within the processing chamber, a coating drum within the processing chamber and configured to support a flexible substrate, one or more deposition sources disposed within the processing chamber, and a processing chamber. A shutter device configured to move the shield foil between the coating drum and the one or more deposition sources.

  In another aspect, a shield foil for an apparatus for processing a flexible substrate is provided. The shield foil includes one or more notches corresponding to the location of one or more deposition sources of the apparatus.

  In yet another aspect, a method is provided for cleaning a processing chamber of a flexible substrate processing apparatus without breaking a vacuum in the processing chamber. The apparatus includes a shutter device provided within the processing chamber and configured to move the shield foil between the coating drum and the one or more deposition sources. The method includes guiding a shield foil between a coating drum and one or more deposition sources by means of a shutter device; initiating a first pump and purge process in the processing chamber; cleaning the processing chamber Or providing an etching gas; plasma cleaning the processing chamber; and initiating a second pump and purge process in the processing chamber.

  In yet another aspect, an apparatus for processing a flexible substrate is provided. An apparatus is provided within the processing chamber, a coating drum within the processing chamber and configured to support a flexible substrate, one or more deposition sources disposed within the processing chamber, and a processing chamber. Shutter device. The shutter device includes at least one arm having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion provides an axis of rotation of the arm and a shield foil is connectable to the second portion. The shutter device is configured to move the shield foil between the coating drum and the one or more deposition sources by rotation about an axis of rotation of the arm.

  Embodiments are also directed to apparatus for performing the disclosed methods and include apparatus portions for performing each of the described method steps. These method steps may be performed by means of hardware components, a computer programmed by appropriate software, by any combination of the two, or in any other manner. Furthermore, embodiments according to the invention are also directed to the manner in which the described apparatus operates. The method includes method steps that perform all functions of the device.

In order that the above features of the present invention may be understood in detail, the invention outlined above will be described in detail with reference to embodiments. The accompanying drawings relate to embodiments of the invention and are described in the following description.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a portion of a processing chamber of an apparatus for processing a flexible substrate according to embodiments described herein. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a roll-to-roll deposition apparatus for depositing or coating thin films according to embodiments described herein. FIG. FIG. 3 shows a side cross-sectional view of a coating drum of an apparatus for processing a flexible substrate according to embodiments described herein. FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a shutter device of the apparatus for processing the flexible substrate shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 shows a detailed perspective view of an apparatus for processing a flexible substrate with shutter devices in different positions. FIG. 4 shows a front cross-sectional view of a coating drum of an apparatus for processing a flexible substrate according to embodiments described herein. FIG. 2 shows a top view of a portion of an apparatus for processing a flexible substrate according to embodiments described herein. FIG. 6 shows a side cross-sectional view of a processing portion of another apparatus for processing a flexible substrate according to embodiments described herein. FIG. 8 illustrates a front view of the apparatus of FIG. 7 and a shield foil having a cutout according to embodiments described herein. FIG. 6 shows a side cross-sectional view of a processing portion of yet another apparatus for processing a flexible substrate according to embodiments described herein. 2 shows a flowchart of a method for cleaning a processing chamber of a flexible substrate processing apparatus according to embodiments described herein.

  Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated. Within the following description of the drawings, the same reference numbers refer to the same components. Generally, only the differences with respect to the individual embodiments are described. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, but is not intended to limit the invention. In addition, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used in or combined with other embodiments to yield further embodiments. This specification is intended to include such modifications and variations.

  It should be noted here that flexible substrates or webs as used in the embodiments described herein may be characterized in that they are typically bendable. The term “web” may be used synonymously with the term “strip” or the term “flexible substrate”. For example, a web as described in the embodiments herein can be a foil or another flexible substrate.

  As used herein, the term “shield foil” is intended to represent a foil that is typically made of a material different from that of the flexible substrate. For example, the foil can be made of a metal alloy such as, for example, stainless steel. According to embodiments herein, the shield foil may have a thickness of, for example, 10 μm to 300 μm, especially 50 μm to 125 μm. The term “shield foil” may be used synonymously with the term “sacrificial foil”.

  Embodiments described herein generally relate to an apparatus for processing a flexible substrate and a method for cleaning a processing chamber of a flexible substrate processing apparatus without breaking a vacuum in the processing chamber. The apparatus includes a shutter device within the processing chamber. The shutter device is configured to move the shield foil between the coating drum and the one or more deposition sources. In particular, the shield foil may cover the area under the deposition source, and the plasma cleaning can be performed without affecting the flexible substrate and / or the coating drum.

  In the embodiments described herein, the cleaning device can move the shield foil to protect the coating drum during the cleaning process, even when the processing chamber is sealed and evacuated, before cleaning. There is no need to break the vacuum. Furthermore, the present embodiment makes it possible to execute a cleaning process such as an NF3 cleaning process without removing the flexible substrate from a plasma cleaning region or the like, for example. Purging and venting of the chamber to remove the flexible substrate is not necessary. The length of a flexible substrate such as web foil could be up to several hundred meters. Some processes can do this without removing the flexible substrate, even if it becomes necessary to clean the middle, for example, before the entire substrate length is processed. Embodiments as described herein may be used in particular with web coating machines.

  A portion of the processing chamber of apparatus 100 for processing a flexible substrate, particularly for depositing a thin film on the flexible substrate, according to embodiments described herein is exemplarily shown in FIG. 1A.

  The apparatus 100 includes a processing chamber, a coating drum 110 located in the processing chamber and configured to support the flexible substrate 300, one or more deposition sources disposed in the processing chamber, and an interior of the processing chamber. And a shutter device 200 configured to move the shield foil 300 between the coating drum 110 and one or more deposition sources. Typically, the one or more deposition sources are located by a gap that exists between the coating drum 110 and the one or more deposition sources. The gap may have a width of about 0.5-50 mm. In some implementations, the shutter device 200 can be configured to move the shield foil 300 in the gap between the coating drum 110 and the one or more deposition sources. Typically, the apparatus 100 further includes a web guide system that includes several rollers, such as a deflection roller, a guide roller, a spreader roller, and a roller for unwinding and unwinding the web.

  According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the shutter device 200 can include at least one first portion and at least one second portion. . The first part may provide the axis of rotation of the shutter device 200. The shield foil 300 may be connectable to the second portion, for example, by at least one of clamping, gripping, gluing, magnetic force, soldering, and welding. The shield foil 300 may also be called “Jalology”. The shutter device 200 is sometimes called a “jalousie shutter”.

  The shield foil 300 attached to the second part can be moved between the coating drum 110 and one or more deposition sources by rotation around the rotation axis. When the shield foil 300 covers the area under the deposition source, plasma cleaning can be performed. The shield foil 300 can be moved automatically, for example, at the beginning of a started cleaning sequence.

  According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the shutter device 200 can be positioned below (downward) the coating drum 110. The shield foil 300 can be moved upwardly from below the coating drum 110 so as to be positioned between the coating drum 110 and one or more deposition sources. By positioning the shutter device 200 under the coating drum 110, any number of device parts, particularly moving device parts, on the coating drum 110 can be minimized. Furthermore, the particles emitted from the shutter device 200 and / or the shield foil 300 fall, for example, to the bottom of the processing chamber without reaching or crossing the deposition zone. In this respect, contamination of the deposition process due to impurities, particularly contamination of the coating layer, can be prevented. In short, particle risk is minimized. The shield foil is resistant to the cleaning material and thus the shield foil can be reused, i.e. the shield foil does not need to be replaced after each cleaning process.

  As shown in FIG. 1A, in some embodiments, the coating drum 110 may be surrounded by a shield structure vacuum flange 112. The vacuum flange 112 may have a process chamber cover attached thereto. Such a cover may include an opening for receiving a processing tool.

  According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the apparatus can include at least one spacer device 115 provided, for example, on the side of the coating drum 110. In some embodiments, the apparatus 100 can include one spacer device 115 on each side of the coating drum 110. The spacer device 115 may be circular or part of a circle and its diameter may be larger than the diameter of the coating drum 110. The spacer device 115 may be configured to support the shield foil 300, particularly as the shield foil 300 moves between the coating drum 110 and the one or more deposition sources 120. The spacer device 115 may provide a gap between the coating drum 110 or a flexible substrate disposed thereon and the shield foil 300. This minimizes the risk of damage to the coating drum 110 or flexible substrate because the shield foil 300 does not contact the coating drum 110 or flexible substrate when moving between the coating drum 110 and one or more deposition sources 120. Can be

  In some other implementations, the apparatus may not include at least one spacer device 115 when the shield foil 300 moves between the coating drum 110 and the one or more deposition sources 120. It can contact or contact the coating drum 110 or a flexible substrate disposed thereon. In this case, the shield foil 300 and the coating drum 110 carrying the flexible substrate move at the same speed. In short, the relative movement of the shield foil 300 relative to the coating drum 110 can be virtually nonexistent.

  FIG. 1B shows a schematic diagram of a roll-to-roll deposition apparatus 1000 for depositing or coating thin films according to embodiments described herein. The apparatus 1000 can include a shutter device according to embodiments described herein. The apparatus 1000 can include at least three chamber portions 1020A, 1020B, and 1020C. The chamber portion 1020C can be provided with a deposition source 6300 and an etching station 4300 that are processing tools. For the cleaning process described herein, for example, processing tools such as deposition source 6300 and etching station 4300 may be used as an etching tool for processing chamber cleaning. The flexible substrate 1060 is provided on a first roll 7640 having, for example, a winding axis. Flexible substrate 1060 is unwound from roll 7640 as indicated by the direction of substrate movement indicated by arrow 1080. Separation wall 7010 is provided for separation of chamber portions 1020A and 1020B. The separation wall 7010 may further be provided with a gap sluice 1400 for passing the substrate 1060 through. The vacuum flange 1120 provided between chamber portions 1020B and 1020C and described above with reference to FIG. 1A may be provided with an opening for receiving a processing tool.

  A substrate 1060 is provided on the coating drum 1100 and moves through a deposition area corresponding to the location of the deposition source 6300. During operation, the coating drum 1100 rotates about the axis so that the substrate 1060 moves in the direction of arrow 1080. According to an exemplary embodiment, the substrate is from roll 7640 to coating drum 1100 and from coating drum 1100 to second roll 7640 ′, eg, having a winding axis that is wound after its processing. Guided through one, two or more rollers.

  In some implementations, the first chamber portion 1020A is separated in a slip-sheet chamber portion unit 1020A1 and a substrate chamber portion unit 1020A2. This allows the slip sheet rolls 7660/7660 'and the slip sheet roller 1050 to be provided as modular elements of the apparatus 1000. The apparatus 1000 can further include a preheating unit 1940 for heating the flexible substrate. Additionally or alternatively, a pretreatment plasma source 1920, such as an RF plasma source, can be provided to treat the substrate with the plasma prior to entering the chamber portion 1020C.

  According to further embodiments that can be combined with other embodiments described herein, optionally also an optical measurement unit 4940 for evaluating the results of substrate processing and / or charge on the substrate. Can be provided with one or more ionization units 4920.

  FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional side view of a coating drum 110 of an apparatus for processing a flexible substrate according to embodiments described herein. FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of the shutter device 200 of the apparatus of FIG.

  According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the shutter device 200 has at least one first portion 211 and at least one second portion 212. One arm 210 can be included. The first portion 211 can provide the rotation axis of the arm 210. The apparatus may have one first portion 211 provided on one of the sides of the coating drum 110 or two first portions 211, one for each side of the coating drum 110. You may have. The shield foil 300 may be connectable to the second portion 212 by, for example, at least one of clamping, gripping, gluing, magnetic force, soldering, and welding.

  By rotating the arm 210 about the axis of rotation defined by the first portion 211, the shield foil 300 attached to the second portion 212 can move between the coating drum 110 and the deposition source 120. In particular, it is possible to move within the aforementioned gap provided between the coating drum 110 and the deposition source 120. When the etching sequence is started, the arm 210 can move around the rotation axis 111 of the coating drum 110 and transport the attached shield foil 300 around the coating drum 110. In some implementations, the shield foil 300 can contact the coating drum 100 or a flexible substrate disposed thereon. When the shield foil 300 covers the area under the deposition source 120, plasma cleaning can be performed.

  According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the rotational axis of the arm 210 is substantially parallel to the rotational axis 111 of the coating drum 110. In particular, the rotation axis of the arm 210 can correspond to the rotation axis 111 of the coating drum 110. In some embodiments, the first portion 211 may be attachable to the rotating shaft 111 of the coating drum 110 that is rotatable about the rotating shaft 111. In some embodiments, a bearing, such as a bushing bearing or a roller bearing, may be provided to provide the rotatable arm 210. For example, the arm 210, particularly the first portion 211, can be attached to the rotating shaft 111 of the coating drum 110 via a bearing such as a bush bearing or a roller bearing.

  In some embodiments, the first portion 211 can extend substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis 111, and in particular, may extend from the rotation axis 111 of the coating drum 110 to at least its outer peripheral surface. . The length of the first portion can be at least the diameter of the coating drum 110.

  According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the second portion 212 can extend substantially parallel to the rotational axis 111 of the coating drum 110, in particular, It may extend along at least a part of the outer peripheral surface of the coating drum 110. In some implementations, the second portion 312 can extend along substantially the entire length of the outer peripheral surface of the coating drum 110. In some implementations, the second portion 212 can extend from the first portion 211.

  According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the first portion 211 can extend along a first direction and the second portion 212 can be Could extend along the second direction, in which case the second direction may be substantially perpendicular to the first direction. In some embodiments, the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis 111 of the coating drum 110 and / or the second direction is substantially parallel to the rotation axis 111 of the coating drum 110. I can be there.

  In principle, it may be possible to move the shield means perpendicular to the direction of conveyance of the flexible substrate in order to cover and protect the coating drum during the cleaning procedure, but in this case the curvature of the coating drum and the shielding foil The curvature is not parallel to the transport direction. The shield foil will need to be bent in its width direction. However, when the shield foil is rolled up on a roller such as the roll receiver 220, it will be bent along its length. Thus, hard materials such as shield foil made from metal can be destroyed.

  Referring to FIG. 3, a shutter device 200 is shown having an arm that includes two first portions 211 and one second portion 212 coupled to the two first portions 211. The first portion 211 may be disposed on the opposite side surface of the coating drum 110. In short, the first portion 211 could be provided on each side of the coating drum 110.

  The first portion 211 may include a bore or center bore 213 configured to provide a connection with a shaft or shaft, such as the rotational shaft 111 of the coating drum 110, for example. A bearing (not shown), such as a bush bearing or roller bearing, can be associated with the central bore 213, thereby allowing the first portion 211 to rotate. By way of example, a bearing could be placed inside the bore 213 or could be provided surrounding the bore 213.

  According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, shutter device 200 moves shield foil 300 between coating drum 110 and one or more deposition sources 120. A driver configured to be configured. In some implementations, the driver can be configured to rotate the arm 210 about the axis of rotation provided by the first portion 211. According to some embodiments, the driver may include a motor, such as an electric motor and / or a pneumatic motor.

  In some implementations, the driver can be coupled to the first portion 211 via a gear assembly. The gear assembly can include a first gear wheel 214 provided in the first portion 211. As an example, the first gear wheel 214 could be provided to at least partially surround the first portion 211, in particular the axis of rotation defined by the central bore 213. The gear assembly may also include a second gear wheel 215 that is directly or indirectly coupled to a drive mechanism such as, for example, a motor such as an electric motor and / or a pneumatic motor.

  According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the shutter device 200 can be one or more rolls configured to wind and / or unwind the shield foil 300. A receiving part 220 may be included. The one or more roll receivers 220 are configured to receive the shield foil 300, and in particular to receive or hold a roll on which the shield foil 300 is wound. Thereby, the roll containing the shield foil 300 can be easily replaced when necessary. In some embodiments, the first end of the shield foil 300 can be coupled to a roll receiver. As an example, the first end of the shield foil 300 can be coupled to the roll receiver 220 and the second end of the shield foil 300 can be coupled to the second portion 212 of the arm 210.

  According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, one or more roll receivers 220 can be provided within the processing chamber. Also, the shield foil 300 can be provided inside (e.g., completely) the processing chamber and is not provided outside thereof. From this point of view, it is not necessary to guide the shield foil from outside into the processing chamber, for example through a vacuum lock. This facilitates cleaning of the processing chamber without breaking the vacuum in the processing chamber.

  However, in other embodiments, at least one roll receiver can be provided outside the processing chamber. In such a case, the shield foil 300 could be supplied from the outside into the processing chamber, for example through an air lock. In this configuration, the first end of the shield foil 300 is still connectable to the roll receiver 220 and the second end of the shield foil 300 is the shutter device, in particular the second portion 212 of the arm 210. It may be connectable to.

  In some embodiments, at least one of the one or more roll receivers 220 can be provided under the coating drum 110. By positioning the one or more roll receivers 220 under the coating drum 110, the particles emitted from the one or more roll receivers 220 and / or the shield foil 300 do not reach the deposition zone or pass through the deposition zone. For example, it falls to the bottom of the processing chamber without crossing. Considering this, it is possible to prevent contamination of the deposition process, in particular the coating layer containing impurities.

  According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the roll receiver 220 is particularly shielded foil so as to receive the shield foil 300 or a roll comprising the shield foil 300. A receiving portion 222 configured to receive a roll having 300 wound thereon may be included.

  In an exemplary embodiment, the roll receiver 220 can have at least one attachment portion 221. The attachment portion 221 can be configured to provide a rotatable connection between the roll containing the roll receiver 222 or the shield foil 300 and the processing chamber. The roll receiving part 222 may be mounted inside the processing chamber, in particular via at least one attachment part 221. By way of example, the attachment portion 221 can include or be connectable to a bearing, such as a bushing bearing and / or a roller bearing, to provide a rotatable connection. In some embodiments, the attachment portion 221 can be configured such that at least the receiving portion 222 is rotatable about an axis of rotation. The axis of rotation of the receiving portion 222 can be substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the coating drum. In an exemplary embodiment, the receiving portion 222 may have two attachment portions 221, one for each side of the receiving portion 222.

  In other embodiments, the roll receiver may include an attachment portion and may not include a roll receiver. The roll receiver may include at least two independent, eg, uncoupled attachment portions. The roll receiving part may in particular comprise two attachment parts. The attachment portion may be configured to be connectable to a roll on which the shield foil 300 is wound, and may be particularly configured to be connectable to a side surface of the roll on which the shield foil 300 is wound. The attachment portion can be configured to provide a rotatable connection between the roll containing the shield foil 300 and the processing chamber. For such purposes, the mounting portion may include bearings such as bushing bearings and / or roller bearings, or may be connectable to such bearings.

  In some implementations, the shield foil 300 is provided on the roll receiver 220 and the first end of the shield foil 300 is coupled to the second portion 212 of the arm 210. As the arm 210 rotates about the axis of rotation 111, the shield foil 300 is unwound or unrolled from the roll receiver 220 and moves between the coating drum 110 and the one or more deposition sources 120, in particular the coating drum. Move within the gap between 110 and one or more deposition sources 120. This is further explained with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 4 shows a detailed perspective view of the processing part of the apparatus for processing a flexible substrate with the shutter device in different positions.

  For example, during the deposition process, the arm 210 of the shutter device 200 may be in the first position 240. In the first position 240, the shield foil 300 is not disposed between the coating drum 110 and the deposition source 120. By way of example, in the first position 240, the shield foil 300 can be in a rolled state or a rolled up state. In order to move the shield foil 300 between the coating drum 110 and the deposition source 120, the arm 210 can be moved or rotated from the first position 240 into the second position 250 (indicated by arrow 260). In particular, by moving the arm 210, the shield foil 300 is unwound from the roll receiving portion 220, unfolded, or stretched.

  In some implementations, the roll receiver 220 may have a force opposite to the movement of the shield foil 300 and / or arm 210, particularly the shield foil 300 and / or arm from the first position 240 into the second position 250. A retraction mechanism, such as, for example, a screw-based retraction mechanism, that provides a force opposite to the movement of 210 may be included. As a result, the shield foil 300 is subjected to tension and, as a result, between the coating drum 110 and the deposition source 210 without wrinkling and / or entanglement, for example, between the coating drum 110 and the deposition source 210. The shield foil 300 can be guided.

  For example, when the arm 210 returns from the second position 250 into the first position 240, such as after the cleaning process is complete, the shield foil 300 can be rewound or rewound onto the roll receiver 220. In some implementations, the roll receiver 220 can include the retraction mechanism described above so that the shield foil 300 can be wound, particularly in a tensioned state, to prevent wrinkling and / or entanglement.

  According to some embodiments, which may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the roll receiver 220 may not include a retraction mechanism, but the shield foil 300 may be applied to the roll receiver 210. A driver such as a motor for rewinding may be included.

  According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the arm 210 is at least about 90 degrees, in particular 130 degrees, 140 degrees, 143 degrees, 150 degrees or 180 degrees. It can be configured to rotate. In short, the angle or rotation angle between the first position 240 and the second position 250 is at least about 90 degrees, and in particular may be 130 degrees, 140 degrees, 143 degrees, 150 degrees or 180 degrees.

  Considering this, the shield foil 300 may cover the area under the deposition source 120, and the plasma cleaning can be performed without affecting the flexible substrate and / or the coating drum 110. In this regard, even when the processing chamber is sealed and evacuated, the shutter device 200 can move the shield foil 300 to protect the coating drum 110 during the cleaning process, so that a vacuum is applied before cleaning. There is no need to destroy. Furthermore, the present embodiment makes it possible to execute a cleaning process such as an NF3 cleaning process without removing the flexible substrate from a plasma cleaning region or the like, for example. Purging and venting of the chamber to remove the flexible substrate is not necessary.

  FIG. 5 shows another perspective view of a processing portion of an apparatus for processing a flexible substrate, including a shutter device.

  The shutter device of FIG. 5 may be configured as the shutter device 200 described above with reference to FIG. In FIG. 5, two first portions 211 are provided, one for each side of the coating drum 110. The roll receiver 220 can be applied under the coating drum 110. As an example, the first end of the shield foil 300 can be coupled to the roll receiver 220 and the second end of the shield foil 300 can be coupled to the second portion 212 of the arm 210.

  In some embodiments, the axis of rotation of the coating drum 111 can be or correspond to the axis of rotation of the arm 210 provided by the first portion 211. In particular, the rotating shaft 111 or its shaft can be configured to hold both the coating drum 110 and the arm 210, particularly the first portion 211 of the arm 210.

  FIG. 6 shows a plan view of a processing portion of an apparatus for processing a flexible substrate according to embodiments described herein.

  According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the first end of the shield foil 300 can be coupled to a roll receiver, particularly a receiver portion 222; The second end of the shield foil 300 may be connectable to the second portion 212 of the arm. In some embodiments, one or more guide rollers or deflecting rollers 223, 224 for guiding or deflecting the shield foil 300 may be provided between the roll receiver location and the second location 212. Will be able to. The rollers 223, 224 could be configured to provide a defined angle between the outer peripheral surface of the coating drum 110 and the top surface of the shield foil 300. By way of example, the defined angle can be a flat angle.

  The flexible substrate 400 can be disposed on the coating drum 110. The shutter device can be configured to move the shield foil 300 between the deposition source 120 and the flexible substrate 400, and in particular, moves the shield foil 300 within the gap between the deposition source 120 and the flexible substrate 400. It can be configured to be. This protects the flexible substrate 400 from cleaning substrates such as NF3 and SF6, so there is no need to remove the flexible substrate 400 from the processing chamber before starting a cleaning process such as a plasma cleaning process.

  FIG. 7 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of a processing portion of another apparatus 500 for processing a flexible substrate according to embodiments described herein. FIG. 8 shows a front view of a shield foil 300 having the apparatus 500 of FIG. 7 and a notch 301 according to embodiments described herein.

  According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the apparatus 500 can receive one or more rolls configured to wind and / or unwind the shield foil 300. Portions 510 and 520 can be included. In some implementations, the apparatus 500 can include a first roll receiver 510 and a second roll receiver 520. As an example, a first end of the shield foil 300 can be coupled to the first roll receiving portion 510 and a second end of the shield foil 300 can be coupled to the second roll receiving portion 520. . The roll receivers 510 and 520 can be configured as any of the roll receivers 220 described above.

  In some embodiments, a first roll receiver 510 is provided below the coating drum 110 and a second roll receiver 520 is provided on the coating drum 110. In short, the first roll receiving portion 510 and the second roll receiving portion 520 are provided on substantially opposite sides of the coating drum 110.

  In some embodiments, the first roll receiver 510 and / or the second roll receiver 520 may be a retracting mechanism that provides a force that tends to wind or roll up the shield foil 300, such as a spring-based A retraction mechanism etc. could be included. This allows the shield foil 300 to be tensioned so that the shield foil 300 can be guided between the coating drum 110 and the deposition source 210, in particular without wrinkling or entanglement between them.

  According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the shield foil 300 includes one or more notches 301. In some implementations, the one or more notches correspond to the location of the one or more deposition sources 120, respectively.

  In some implementations, the shutter device is configured to move the shield foil 300 between at least a first position and a second position. As an example, in the first position, the one or more notches can be positioned relative to the coating drum 110 to correspond to the position of the one or more deposition sources 120. The deposition process for treating the flexible substrate can be performed because the deposition source 120 faces the flexible substrate without the shield foil 300 being positioned between the deposition sources 120. In the second position, the shield foil 300 can be disposed between the deposition source 120 and the coating drum 110 to provide a shield. In particular, the shield foil 300 may cover the area under the deposition source 120 and the plasma cleaning can be performed without affecting the flexible substrate and / or the coating drum 110. More specifically, shield foil 300 may cover an area under all processing tools, such as deposition source 120, for example.

  In this regard, even when the processing chamber is sealed and evacuated, the shutter device can move the shield foil 300 to protect the coating drum 110 during the cleaning process, thus breaking the vacuum before cleaning. There is no need to do. Furthermore, the present embodiment makes it possible to execute a cleaning process such as an NF3 cleaning process without removing the flexible substrate from a plasma cleaning region or the like, for example. Purging and venting of the chamber to remove the flexible substrate is not necessary.

  According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the shield foil 300 is made of a metal alloy, in particular stainless steel. Accordingly, the shield foil 300 is resistant to cleaning substances used in cleaning processes such as NF3 and SF6.

  The shutter device can be configured to move the shield foil 300 between at least a first position and a second position. According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the shutter device is adapted to move the shield foil 300 between a first position and a second position. A configured driver may be included. In some implementations, the driver can be configured to drive and / or rotate the first roll receiver 510 and / or the second roll receiver 520. According to some embodiments, the driver may include a motor, such as an electric motor and / or a pneumatic motor.

  As an example, the driver can be configured to rotate the first roll receiver 510, which can be provided under the coating drum 110. The second roll receiving portion 520 can include a retraction mechanism that provides a force that tends to wind or roll up the shield foil 300, such as a spring-based retraction mechanism. This causes the shield foil 300 to be tensioned even when the first roll receiver 510 is rotated by the driver, so that the shield foil 300 is placed between the coating drum 110 and the deposition source 210, particularly those It is possible to guide without wrinkles or entrainment between the two.

  As another example, the driver can be configured to rotate the second roll receiver 520 that can be provided under the coating drum 110. The first roll receiving portion 510 may include a retraction mechanism that provides a force that tends to roll or roll up the shield foil 300, such as a spring-based retraction mechanism. This causes the shield foil 300 to be tensioned even when the second roll receiver 520 is rotated by the driver, so that the shield foil 300 is placed between the coating drum 110 and the deposition source 210, particularly those It is possible to guide without wrinkles or entrainment between the two.

  According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the shutter device is for moving the shield foil 300 between a first position and a second position. A wire or band may be included. The wire or band can have a first end, a second end, and an intermediate portion. The first end can be provided at or close to the first roll receiver 510 and the second end can be provided at or near the second roll receiver 520. The middle portion of the wire or band can be connectable to the shield foil 300 to move the shield foil 300 between the first position and the second position. Thereby, the shield foil 300 can be moved by movement of a wire or a band. The term “intermediate portion” of the shield foil 300 may refer to any portion of the shield foil 300 between the first end and the second end.

  The shutter device may include a driver configured to wind and / or unwind the wire or band to move the shield foil 300 between the first position and the second position. . In particular, the first or second end of the wire or band could be connected to the driver and the other end could be connected to the retracting device. Alternatively, the first end could be coupled to the first driver and the second end could be coupled to the second driver. In all cases, the shield foil 300 can be moved between a first position and a second position by winding and / or unwinding a wire or band. In some embodiments, the wire or band is made of steel, particularly stainless steel.

  In some implementations, the spacer device 115 can include a notch or chamfer on its outer peripheral surface for receiving and guiding the wire. The depth of the notch or chamfer can substantially correspond to the diameter of the wire to ensure the connection of the middle portion of the wire with the shield foil 300.

  FIG. 9 shows a side cross-sectional view of a processing portion of yet another apparatus 600 for processing a flexible substrate according to embodiments described herein.

  The apparatus 600 includes a processing chamber, a coating drum 110 in the processing chamber and configured to support a flexible substrate, one or more deposition sources 120 disposed in the processing chamber, and an interior of the processing chamber. And a shutter device configured to move the shield foil 300 between the coating drum 110 and the one or more deposition sources 120.

  In some embodiments, the coating drum 110 is contaminated or coated with deposited material at least some elements provided within the processing chamber, such as, for example, drivers for the coating drum 110, cooling means, electrical devices, and the like. To protect against this, it can be surrounded by a shield structure 112.

  According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the shutter device is configured to be movable along at least one guide rail 620 and the guide rail 620. And at least one carriage 621. The carriage 621 moves the shield foil 300 between the coating drum 110 and the one or more deposition sources 120, particularly in the gap between the coating drum 110 and the one or more deposition sources 120. May be connectable to the shield foil 300 so as to move. At least one guide rail 620 and at least one carriage 621 could be provided on only one side of the coating drum 110. Also, at least one guide rail 620 and at least one carriage 621 could be provided on each side of the coating drum 110. As an example, the guide rail 620 could be attached to the spacer device 115 as shown in FIG. The shutter device 115 could be configured as described above with reference to FIG.

  In some implementations, the shutter device can include one or more roll receivers 610 configured to wind and / or unwind shield foil 300. One or more roll receivers 610 could be configured to receive a shield foil 300, in particular a roll on which the shield foil 300 is wound. This would allow the roll containing the shield foil 300 to be easily replaced when needed. In some embodiments, the first end of the shield foil 300 could be connectable to the roll receiver 610. As an example, the first end of the shield foil 300 can be coupled to the roll receiving portion 610 and the second end of the shield foil 300 can be coupled to the carriage 621.

  According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, one or more roll receivers 610 could be provided inside the processing chamber. Also, the shield foil 300 can be provided inside (e.g., completely) the processing chamber and is not provided outside thereof. There is no need to guide the shield foil from the outside into the processing chamber, for example through a vacuum lock. This facilitates cleaning of the processing chamber without breaking the vacuum in the processing chamber.

  However, in other embodiments, at least one roll receiver 610 could be provided outside the processing chamber. In such a case, the shield foil 300 could be supplied from the outside into the processing chamber, for example through an air lock. In this configuration, the first end of the shield foil 300 may still be connectable to the roll receiving portion 610 and the second end of the shield foil 300 may be connectable to the shutter device, particularly the carriage 621. .

  In some embodiments, one or more roll receivers 610 could be provided under the coating drum 110. By positioning the one or more roll receivers 610 under the coating drum 110, the particles emitted from the one or more roll receivers 610 and / or the shield foil 300 do not reach or reach the deposition zone. For example, it falls to the bottom of the processing chamber without crossing. Considering this, it is possible to prevent contamination of the deposition process, in particular the coating layer containing impurities.

  The one or more roll receivers 610 can be configured as any one of the roll receivers 220 described above with reference to FIGS.

  In some implementations, the apparatus 600 can include a first roll receiver and a second roll receiver. By way of example, the first end of the shield foil 300 can be connected to a first roll receiving portion, and the second end of the shield foil 300 can be connected to a second roll receiving portion. The first roll receiver and the second roll receiver could be configured as any of the roll receivers 220 described above. The middle part of the shield foil 300 could be connectable to the carriage 621. Thereby, the shield foil 300 can be moved by movement of the carriage 621, particularly by movement of the carriage along the guide rail 620. The term “intermediate portion” of the shield foil 300 may refer to any portion of the shield foil 300 between the first end and the second end.

  In some embodiments, a first roll receiver is provided below the coating drum 110 and a second roll receiver is provided above the coating drum 110. In short, the first roll receiver and the second roll receiver are provided on substantially opposite sides of the coating drum 110.

  In some embodiments, the first roll receiver and / or the second roll receiver may be a retraction mechanism that provides a force that tends to wind or roll up the shield foil 300, such as a spring-based retraction mechanism. Etc. This allows the shield foil 300 to be tensioned so that it can be guided between the coating drum 110 and the deposition source 210, in particular without entrainment between them.

  According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the shield foil 300 includes one or more notches 301. In some implementations, the one or more notches correspond to the location of the one or more deposition sources 120, respectively.

  In some implementations, the shutter device carriage 621 is configured to move the shield foil 300 between at least a first position and a second position. As an example, in the first position, the one or more notches can be positioned relative to the coating drum 110 to correspond to the position of the one or more deposition sources 120. The deposition process for treating the flexible substrate can be performed because the deposition source 120 faces the flexible substrate without the shield foil 300 being positioned between the deposition sources 120. In the second position, the shield foil 300 can be placed between the deposition source 120 and the coating drum to provide a shield. In particular, the shield foil 300 may cover the area under the deposition source, and the plasma cleaning can be performed without affecting the flexible substrate and / or the coating drum. More specifically, shield foil 300 may cover an area under all processing tools, such as deposition source 120, for example.

  In this regard, even when the processing chamber is sealed and evacuated, the shutter device carriage 621 can move the shield foil 300 to protect the coating drum 110 during the cleaning process, so before cleaning. There is no need to break the vacuum. Furthermore, the present embodiment makes it possible to execute a cleaning process such as an NF3 cleaning process without removing the flexible substrate from a plasma cleaning region or the like, for example. Purging and venting of the chamber to remove the flexible substrate is not necessary.

  FIG. 10 shows a flowchart of a method for cleaning a processing chamber of a flexible substrate processing apparatus according to embodiments described herein.

  In general, the embodiments described herein relate to the flexible substrate apparatus described above by way of example, and in particular to a method and device for cleaning a processing chamber of such an apparatus. For example, FIG. 10 illustrates a method 700 for cleaning a processing chamber of a flexible substrate processing apparatus without breaking the vacuum in the processing chamber and / or without removing the flexible substrate. The method guides a shield foil provided within the processing chamber between the coating drum and the at least one deposition source (block 701); and initiates a first pump and purge process in the processing chamber. (Block 702); providing a cleaning or etching gas to the processing chamber (block 703); plasma cleaning the processing chamber (block 704); starting a second pump and purge process in the processing chamber (Block 705).

  Thereby, the order of the steps can be arbitrary, especially for the pump and purge steps, as long as a shield foil is provided between the coating drum and at least one deposition source during plasma cleaning.

  According to embodiments described herein, the above method for cleaning a processing chamber of a flexible substrate processing apparatus can include a number of additional steps and / or processes that can be initiated on demand.

  The block 701 that guides the shielding foil provided inside the processing chamber between the coating drum and the at least one deposition source may utilize any shutter device previously described with reference to FIGS.

  A first pump and / or purge procedure 702 may be initiated to remove residual process gas from the process chamber. In general, the pump first operates to evacuate a processing gas, eg, a highly reactive processing gas, from the processing chamber. An optional purge gas such as argon and nitrogen can then be introduced into the processing chamber to facilitate the purge process. The purge gas can then be pumped from the processing chamber. The pump always creates a medium in a high vacuum inside the processing chamber. For example, the vacuum inside the processing chamber can range from 50 10-1 mbar to 10-7 mbar, in particular from 10-2 mbar to 10 6 mbar, such as 10-3 mbar. According to some embodiments, some process residues, such as gases or solid materials, may need to be removed prior to the cleaning step to avoid undesired chemical reactions. This is typically done with a pump and purge process. According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the pump and purge processes described herein can be pumps, for example, up to 10-2 mbar or less. Multiple cycles can be included, such as at least two or at least three cycles of down and pressures as high as 10 to 20 mbar, eg, purging with an inert gas such as Ar or N2. However, for some embodiments, pumping alone or purging alone may be sufficient to prepare a processing apparatus for cleaning.

  Typically, the pump and / or purge procedure 702 can last in the range of 5 to 30 minutes, eg, 20 minutes. In addition, the procedure may include multiple successive pump and purge cycles, for example, three cycles lasting 5 minutes each. According to embodiments described herein, a detection mechanism (eg, in the form of a sensor) can detect whether a continuous pump and purge cycle is necessary to remove process gas from the process chamber. The detection mechanism may autonomously initiate the purge and / or cleaning process.

  In general, it may be desirable to cool the coating drum of a flexible substrate processing apparatus after a coating procedure that may involve a highly exothermic reaction. For example, cooling of the coating drum may occur in optional steps after and / or during the first pump and / or purge procedure.

  According to embodiments described herein, a plasma cleaning (eg, plasma etching) procedure 703 that can remove impurities and contaminants from the surface inside the processing chamber can be initiated. Typically, the plasma cleaning procedure is initiated after the first pump and / or purge procedure. Plasma cleaning can be initiated, for example, by applying an RF radio frequency (2 MHz-2.45 GHz) voltage that partially and / or fully ionizes the fluorinated gas introduced into the processing chamber. In the embodiments described herein, the processing chamber is maintained at a low pressure during the plasma cleaning procedure. For example, the processing chamber is maintained at a pressure ranging from 10-1 mbar to 10-4 mbar, such as 10-2 mbar.

  Typically, the intensity of the RF radio frequency (2 MHz-2.45 GHz) energy may be adjustable to control the contaminant removal rate inside the processing chamber. In general, sufficient RF radio frequency (2 MHz-2.45 GHz) energy can be applied to produce a high plasma density that can ensure fast contaminant removal. In addition, the high plasma density can avoid pollutant underlayers cross-linking in three dimensions to form new structures that are stable but not removed. In the embodiments described herein, sensors and controllers can be used to monitor and adjust the plasma density.

  According to the embodiments described herein, during the plasma cleaning procedure, the coating drum can typically be stationary. The shield foil generally covers the coating drum, thereby protecting the surface of the coating drum from the cleaning plasma. In contrast to flexible substrates that can react with and thereby be damaged by the cleaning plasma, the shield foil according to the embodiments described herein is inert to the cleaning plasma and can be reused in other cleaning procedures. sell. This reduces the amount of wasted material (substrate) and can significantly reduce CoO. Further, the risk of substrate damage such that the drum is exposed to the cleaning plasma through damaged portions of the substrate is reduced or avoided.

  According to embodiments described herein, the plasma cleaning procedure can vary in duration depending on the degree of contamination and the size of the processing chamber. For example, the plasma cleaning procedure can last from 2 to 25 minutes, in particular from 5 to 20 minutes, for example 15 minutes. According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the time of the cleaning process can be about 10% to 15% of the time of the deposition process. In embodiments herein, the plasma cleaning procedure may also include a series of plasma cleaning cycles in which one or more pumps and / or purge cycles are inserted to remove the cleaning gas from the processing chamber. For clarity, these pump and / or purge cycles will be referred to hereinafter as the second pump and / or purge procedure.

  In the embodiments described herein, the detection mechanism detects whether contaminants are still left in the processing chamber, and another pump and / or purge procedure and / or another pump and / or purge. A further plasma cleaning procedure may be started depending on the procedure. The detection mechanism may initiate such a cleaning procedure many times until all of the contaminants, cleaning gas and / or processing gas has been removed from the processing chamber.

  According to embodiments described herein, processing of the flexible substrate may begin after the processing chamber has been cleaned to an acceptable or predetermined level and the second pump and / or purge procedure 704 is complete.

  Embodiments described herein generally relate to an apparatus for processing a flexible substrate and a method for cleaning a processing chamber of a flexible substrate processing apparatus without breaking a vacuum in the processing chamber. The apparatus includes a shutter device within the processing chamber. The shutter device is configured to move a shield foil between the coating drum and one or more deposition sources, which can also be provided inside the processing chamber. In particular, the shield foil may cover the area under the deposition source, and the plasma cleaning can be performed without affecting the flexible substrate and / or the coating drum. More specifically, shield foil 300 may cover an area under all processing tools, such as deposition source 120, for example.

  In this regard, even when the processing chamber is sealed and evacuated, a cleaning device can be provided inside the processing chamber to move the shield foil to protect the coating drum during the cleaning process, so that There is no need to break the vacuum before. Furthermore, the present embodiment makes it possible to execute a cleaning process such as an NF3 cleaning process without removing the flexible substrate from a plasma cleaning region or the like, for example. Purging and venting of the chamber to remove the flexible substrate is not necessary. The length of a flexible substrate such as web foil could be up to several hundred meters. Some processes can do this without removing the flexible substrate, even if it becomes necessary to clean the middle, for example, before the entire substrate length is processed. Embodiments as described herein can be used in web coating machines, particularly before the etching process is performed.

  While the above is directed to embodiments of the invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope of the invention is As defined by the following claims.

Claims (15)

An apparatus for processing a flexible substrate,
A processing chamber;
A coating drum in the processing chamber and configured to support the flexible substrate;
One or more deposition sources disposed in the processing chamber;
An apparatus comprising a shutter device provided within the processing chamber and configured to move a shield foil between the coating drum and the one or more deposition sources.   Further comprising one or more roll receivers configured to wind and / or unwind the shield foil, in particular at least one of the one or more roll receivers is provided under the coating drum, The apparatus of claim 1.   The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the one or more roll receivers are provided within the processing chamber. The roll receiving part is
A first roll receiving portion configured to wind and unwind the shield foil, in particular a first end of the shield foil is connectable to the first roll receiving portion. The roll receiving part of
A second roll receiving part configured to wind and unwind the shield foil, in particular a second end of the shield foil is connectable to the second roll receiving part; The device according to claim 2 or 3, comprising a roll receiving portion.   The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first roll receiver is provided below the coating drum and / or the second roll receiver is provided on the coating drum.   The shutter device includes at least one arm having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion provides a rotation axis for the arm, and the shield foil is coupled to the second portion. 6. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, which is possible.   The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the rotation axis of the arm is substantially parallel to the rotation axis of the coating drum, and in particular the rotation axis of the arm corresponds to the rotation axis of the coating drum.   The first portion extends substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the coating drum, in particular extends from the axis of rotation of the coating drum to at least the outer peripheral surface of the coating drum, and / or the second portion is The device according to claim 6 or 7, which extends substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the coating drum, in particular along at least a part of the outer peripheral surface of the coating drum.   The shutter device further includes a wire or band having a first end and a second end, the first end being provided to the first roll receiver, and the second end. Provided to the second roll receiver, wherein an intermediate portion of the wire or band is applied to the shield foil to move the shield foil between the coating drum and the one or more deposition sources. 6. A device according to claim 4 or 5, which is connectable.   The shutter device further includes a guide rail and a carriage configured to be movable along the guide rail, the carriage between the coating drum and the one or more deposition sources. 6. An apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, which is connectable to the shield foil for moving the shield foil.   11. The shutter device of claim 1 further comprising a driver configured to move the shield foil between the coating drum and the one or more deposition sources, in particular the driver is a motor. The device according to any one of the above.   12. Use in an apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising one or more notches, in particular the one or more notches respectively corresponding to the position of the one or more deposition sources. Shield foil for.   The shield foil according to claim 12, wherein the shield foil is made of a metal alloy, in particular stainless steel. A method for cleaning a processing chamber without breaking a vacuum in a processing chamber of a flexible substrate processing apparatus, wherein the apparatus is provided within the processing chamber and is coated with a coating drum and one or more depositions Including a shutter device configured to move the shield foil to and from the source;
Guiding the shield foil between the coating drum and the one or more deposition sources by the shutter device;
Initiating a first pump and purge process in the processing chamber;
Providing a cleaning or etching gas to the processing chamber;
Plasma cleaning the processing chamber;
Initiating a second pump and purge process in the processing chamber. Guiding the shield foil between the coating drum and the one or more deposition sources;
In particular, a gap provided between the coating drum or the flexible substrate disposed thereon and the one or more deposition sources without contacting the coating drum or the flexible substrate disposed thereon. 15. The method of claim 14, comprising guiding the shield foil.

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