KR101863854B1 - Slot coater for manufacturing organic solar cell - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a slot coater for manufacturing an organic solar cell, which sets an origin (height at which a discharge end of a slot die and a coating subject come in contact) of the slot die as a mechanical absolute value. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the slot coater for manufacturing an organic solar cell includes: a stage holding a base material to be coated; a base plate moving from the upper part of the stage in a first direction; an ascending and descending plate installed by including an ascending and descending motor in the base plate and ascending and descending in a second direction crossing the first direction; and the slot die installed by including a guide member in the ascending and descending plate and moved in a third direction crossing the second direction by being connected to the actuator. The base plate includes a height standard unit on one side. The stage includes an origin setting unit coming in contact with a standard end of the slot die. The ascending and descending plate includes a displacement sensor facing the height standard unit. The displacement sensor senses the height (H) at which the standard end is separated from the height standard unit while the standard end is in the origin (H0) coming into contact with the origin setting unit.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a slot coater for manufacturing organic solar cells,

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a slot coater for manufacturing an organic solar cell, and more particularly, to a slot coater for manufacturing an organic solar cell implementing a thin film laminate coating.

According to a known method for manufacturing an organic solar cell, an anode electrode is coated on a substrate as a transparent material, a buffer layer is coated on the anode electrode, an organic active layer is coated on the buffer layer, a cathode electrode is coated on the buffer film, Laminating the organic active layer.

A slot coater for manufacturing organic solar cells is used in such a coating process. The slot coater includes a stage on which a substrate is placed, and a slot die that is disposed above the stage and moves in three dimensions along the x, y, and z axis directions with respect to the stage to laminate the materials on the substrate.

For laminate coating of materials, the origin of the slot die in the stage, i.e. the reference height setting, is required. The reference height of the slot die means the height spaced between the discharge end and the coating object. There are two methods of origin setting: non-contact height setting and contact height setting method.

The non-contact height setting method collects the feedback of the non-contact type height detecting sensor and controls the motor to set the reference height of the slot die, that is, the origin. In the contact height setting method, the slot die is brought into direct contact with the coating surface to mechanically set the reference height of the slot die, that is, the origin.

Since the method of setting the height of the non-contact type depends on the detection value of the height detection sensor, it is possible to cause an accident when the height detection sensor malfunctions, and the cost of the slot coater can be increased because the height detection sensor is expensive.

Since the contact height setting method mechanically sets the origin, the reference height (the height of the coating layer) of the slot die may be set differently depending on the type of the substrate to be coated as the coating layer is pressed due to the weight of the slot die. And the slot die may directly scratch the coating layer and the substrate, so that the substrate may be damaged.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a slot coater for manufacturing an organic solar battery which sets the origin of the slot die (the height at which the discharge end of the slot die and the coating object are in contact with each other) to a mechanical absolute value.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a slot coater for manufacturing an organic solar cell, which prevents damage to the substrate and the precoating layer, and eliminates the error with respect to the reference height of the slot die due to the pressing of the substrate and the precoating layer.

A slot coater for manufacturing an organic solar battery according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a stage for holding a substrate to be coated, a base plate moving in a first direction from above the stage, And a slot die connected to the actuator and being moved in a third direction intersecting the second direction, the slot die being provided with a guide member and being movable in a second direction crossing the first direction, Wherein the base plate has a height reference portion at one side thereof, the stage includes an origin setting portion contacting the reference end of the slot die, the lift plate having a displacement sensor facing the height reference portion, (H0) in which the reference end is in contact with the origin setting unit, It detects the part and spaced a height (H).

The reference end of the slot die may be formed as a discharge end of the slot die.

The origin setting unit may be disposed along the third direction at one side of the first direction of the stage, and may form a variable height along the first direction.

Wherein the origin point setting unit has a distance set in the first direction and a height set in the second direction when cutting in the first direction and the second direction, And may be formed in a triangular cross section having a set angle.

And the origin setting unit may be separated along the third direction as a whole or on both sides in the third direction.

Wherein the elevating motor includes a first motor and a second motor, wherein the displacement sensor includes a first sensor and a second sensor, and the base plate and the elevation plate are disposed on the first sensor side in the third direction, And may be connected to the second motor at the second sensor side.

Wherein the slot die includes an alignment sensor for sensing a pattern coated on the substrate in a multilayer coating, the actuator being moved in the third direction in response to detection of the alignment sensor, It can be aligned to the line coating layer.

The reference end of the slot die may be formed of a bracket protruding in the third direction from both sides of the discharge end of the slot die, and the bracket may have a corresponding surface that is in contact with the origin setting portion.

Wherein the origin setting unit is formed as a block disposed on both sides in the third direction from the first direction of the stage and the block has a variable height along the first direction so as to be in surface contact with the corresponding surface of the bracket .

Thus, in the embodiment of the present invention, the displacement sensor senses the height H spaced apart from the height reference portion in the origin (H0) state where the reference end contacts the origin setting portion, And the reference height H0 between the reference end of the slot die and the reference end of the slot die as a mechanical absolute value.

When the discharge end of the slot die ascends and descends after setting the origin, the displacement sensor senses a further changed height H from the height H (i.e., the origin H0), so that the coating target (substrate or wire coating layer) (Ha = H + [Delta] H).

According to an embodiment of the present invention, since the discharge port of the slot die is not in contact with the substrate or the coating layer, damage to the substrate and the coating layer is eliminated, and the reference height of the slot die (height between the discharging end and the coating object) The error can be eliminated.

1 is a perspective view of a slot coater for manufacturing an organic solar battery according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a perspective view showing the stage of FIG.
Fig. 3 is a front view of a state in which the lift plate is installed on the base plate with the first and second motors, with the slot die removed in Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is a state in which the slot die is installed on the lifting plate in Fig. 1 and aligned by an aligning actuator.
5 is a block diagram for controlling the slot coater for manufacturing the organic solar battery of FIG.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of setting the origin by contacting a slot die to the origin setting unit provided in the stage of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a plan view of a patterned organic solar cell with a slot coater for manufacturing an organic solar cell according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
FIG. 8 is a plan view showing another pattern of an organic solar cell with a slot coater for manufacturing an organic solar cell according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
9 is a perspective view of a slot coater for manufacturing an organic solar battery according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
10 is a side view of Fig.
11 is a front view of Fig.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily carry out the present invention. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

1 is a perspective view of a slot coater for manufacturing an organic solar battery according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 1, the slot coater 1 for manufacturing an organic solar battery according to the first embodiment is formed by coating an anode electrode, a buffer layer and an organic active layer with a thin film on a substrate forming one side of an organic photovoltaic cell (OPV) It can be effectively used to coat the cathode electrode with a thin film on a film forming the other side of the solar cell. An organic solar cell is formed by attaching a cathode electrode of a film to an organic active layer of a substrate.

The slot coater 1 for manufacturing an organic solar battery includes a stage 10, a base plate 20, a lifting plate 30 and a slot die 40. The base plate 20 is moved in the first direction (x-axis direction) on the stage 10 and the lifting plate 30 is moved in the second direction (x-axis direction) z axis direction), and the slot die 40 is moved in the third direction (y axis direction) intersecting the second direction (z axis direction) on the lifting plate 30. [

2 is a perspective view showing the stage of FIG. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the stage 10 is configured to hold a substrate S to be coated. For example, the stage 10 can fix the substrate S by vacuum adsorption or the like. The stage 10 forms an xy plane so as to adsorb the substrate S.

When the slot die 40 moves forward and backward in the x-axis direction, the stage 10 is not operated in the x-axis direction. The stage 10 has an origin setting section 11 that is in mechanical contact with a reference end of the slot die 40. [ By way of example, the reference end of the slot die 40 may be formed as the discharge end 41 of the slot die 40.

Fig. 3 is a front view of a state in which the lift plate is installed on the base plate with the first and second motors, with the slot die removed in Fig. 1; 1 and 2, the base plate 20 is formed in a plane corresponding to the approximately yz plane, and moves forward and backward in the first direction (x-axis direction) from above the stage 10. [

The base plate 20 is vertically disposed on the plane of the stage 10 and arranged in a vertical state corresponding to the xy plane of the stage 10 and moved in the x-axis direction. The configuration for advancing and retracting the base plate 20 in the x-axis direction may be a conventional configuration, and thus its specific configuration is omitted here.

The base plate 20 forms a primary height with respect to the plane of the stage 10 and has a height reference portion 21 at one side thereof. The height reference portion 21 may be formed as a bent surface formed by bending the lower end of the base plate 20. That is, the height reference portion 21 is set to the xy plane having a uniform height along the y-axis direction with respect to the yz plane of the base plate 20.

The elevating plate 30 is mounted on the base plate 20 via a lift motor, a first motor M1 and a second motor M2. The lift plate 30 is lifted and operated in the second direction (z-axis direction) on the base plate 20 in accordance with the operation of the first and second motors M1 and M2.

Since the first and second motors M1 and M2 are installed on the base plate 20 on both sides in the y-axis direction, the first and second motors M1 and M2 are inclined toward either side of the lift plate 30 in the y- .

The discharging end 41 of the slot die 40 provided on the lifting plate 30 is moved to the origin point set in the mechanical contact with the origin point setting section 11 in accordance with the ascending and descending of the first and second motors M1, The height H spaced from the height reference portion 21 becomes the same throughout the entire range in the y-axis direction (see FIG. 3) in the state H0 (the virtual line state in FIG. 6). The reference height Ha = H + DELTA H between the substrate S or the coating layer C and the discharge end 41 is set to be the same throughout the entire range in the y-axis direction (see Fig. 4) .

Fig. 4 is a state in which the slot die is installed on the lifting plate in Fig. 1 and aligned by an aligning actuator. 1 and 4, the slot die 40 is installed on the lifting plate 30 via a guide member 44 disposed in the y-axis direction, and is connected to the actuator 42.

In the longitudinal direction of the guide member 44, the actuator 42 is connected to one side in the y-axis direction of the slot die 40. Thus, the actuator 42 can move the slot die 40 along the guide member 44 in the y-axis direction.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 3, the lifting plate 30 includes a displacement sensor, for example, a first sensor S1 and a second sensor S2, which face the height reference portion 21. The first and second sensors S1 and S2 are in the origin H0 state where the discharge end 41 of the slot die 40 contacts the origin point setting section 11 And the height H of the coated object.

The height H of the height reference portion 21 sensed by the first and second sensors S1 and S2 is the height of the reference point H0 between the base coat S or the coating layer C and the discharge end 41 Quot;) < / RTI > state. That is, when the first and second sensors S1 and S2 are in the state of origin (HO) between the substrate S or the coating layer C and the discharge end 41, (H).

1, 3 and 4, the first embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the reference height Ha of the discharge end 41 is set to be It is possible to set the origin H0 of the slot die 40 to a mechanical absolute value.

The reference height Ha = H + H between the coating target (substrate S or the coating layer C) and the discharge end 41 is set by the first and second motors M1 and M2, When the discharge end 41 of the die 40 ascends and descends, the height H changed from the height H (i.e., the origin HO) of the first and second sensors S1 and S2 By sensing, it becomes possible to know.

The base plate 20 and the lifting plate 30 are connected to the first motor M1 on the first sensor S1 side in the third direction (y-axis direction), and on the second sensor S2 side, (M2).

The first sensor S1 is moved in the y-axis direction from the origin H0 where the discharge end 41 of the slot die 40 is in contact with the origin point setting section 11 in accordance with the operation of the first motor M1 And a height H spaced apart from the height reference portion 21.

The second sensor S2 is moved in the y-axis direction from the origin H0 where the discharge end 41 of the slot die 40 comes into contact with the origin point setting section 11 in accordance with the operation of the second motor M2 And a height H spaced apart from the height reference portion 21.

Therefore, the first and second motors M1 and M2 and the first and second sensors S1 and S2 prevent the discharge end 41 of the slot die 40 from being set at different heights in the y-axis direction I will.

The slot die 40 has an align sensor 43 for detecting the position of the line coating layer C on the substrate S when the multilayer coating is performed. For example, the alignment sensor 43 may be provided in front of the slot die 40 to sense the position of the line coating layer C to be coated. The actuator 42 can be operated in the third direction (y-axis direction) in accordance with the detection of the alignment sensor 43 to align the discharge end 41 of the slot die 40 to the line coating layer C.

5 is a block diagram for controlling the slot coater for manufacturing the organic solar battery of FIG. The first and second sensors S1 and S2 and the alignment sensor 43 are connected to the input terminal of the control unit 50 and the first and second sensors S1 and S2 are connected to the output terminal of the control unit 50, (M1, M2) and an actuator (42) are connected.

The height H and the changed height H of the height reference portion 21 detected by the first and second sensors S1 and S2 in the state of origin H0 and the height H of the height detected by the alignment sensor 43, (C) is input to the control unit 50. [ The control unit 50 controls the first and second motors M1 and M2 and the actuator 42 according to the height H and the changed height H and the position to calculate the reference height Ha of the discharge end 41 + ΔH) and position can be adjusted.

1 and 2, the origin setting unit 11 is disposed along the third direction (y-axis direction) from one side of the stage 10 in the first direction (x-axis direction) A variable height H along the first direction (x-axis direction) can be formed in the origin (H0) state in which the origin point setting section 11 is contacted.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of setting the origin by contacting a slot die to the origin setting unit provided in the stage of FIG. 5; Referring to Fig. 6, the origin point setting section 11 is formed into a triangular cross section when it is cut into the first and second direction cross sections (xz cross section).

The origin setting unit 11 has a distance L set in the first direction (x-axis direction) and a maximum height H1 set in the second direction (z-axis direction) x, z-axis direction). Thus, the origin setting unit 11 can set the origin H0 of the slot die 40 to a mechanical absolute value within the maximum height H1 range.

The control section 50 stores data on the thickness of the base material S, the angle of the origin setting section 11, the distance L and the height of the distance L (origin D of the slot die H0) It has built-in. The discharging end 41 of the slot die 40 is moved by the first and second motors M1 and M2 to the origin point setting section 11 at a position corresponding to the thickness of the base material S or the line coating layer C The first and second sensors S1 and S2 sense the height H and input the control signals to the control unit 50. [

The detected height H is the origin H0 in which the discharge end 41 is in contact with the origin point setting section 11 corresponding to the thickness of the substrate S or the thickness of the line coating layer C. [ That is, the sensing height H of the first and second sensors S1 and S2 means the origin H0 of the origin point setting unit 11. [

The first and second motors M1 and M2 further control the slot die 40 at the height H which is the origin H0 so that the distance between the discharge end 41 and the base S or the discharge end 41 (Ha = H +? H) set between the first coating layer (C) and the line coating layer (C).

Thus, the discharge end 41 of the slot die 40 is not in contact with the substrate S and the line coat layer C. Therefore, the first embodiment can eliminate the error of the origin (H0) of the slot die 40 due to the pressurization of the substrate S and the precoating layer C without damaging the substrate S and the precoating layer C have.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 again, the origin setting unit 11 is integrally formed along the third direction (y-axis direction) (the solid line and the imaginary line portion) (A solid line portion except a virtual line).

When the origin point setting section 11 is divided into both sides in the y-axis direction as compared with the case where the origin point setting section 11 is integrally formed in the y-axis direction, the origin point setting section 11 is further freed from disturbance due to foreign matter or the like between the discharge end 41 and the origin point setting section 11 , The mechanical contact set between the discharge end 41 and the origin point setting section 11 can be more accurate.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a patterned organic solar cell with a slot coater for manufacturing an organic solar cell according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. Referring to Fig. 7, the slot coater 1 for manufacturing an organic solar battery according to the first embodiment forms a stripe pattern P1 for forming a coating layer of an organic solar cell on a substrate S. Fig.

The stripe pattern P1 may be formed in multiple layers, as shown in Fig. At this time, the alignment sensor 43 senses the pattern position of the line coating layer C, and the actuator 42 moves the slot die 40 in the y-axis direction by the control unit 50, The discharge end 41 of the slot die 40 is aligned with the pattern position of the slot die 40.

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing another pattern of an organic solar cell with a slot coater for manufacturing an organic solar cell according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Fig. 8, the slot coater 1 for manufacturing an organic solar battery of the first embodiment forms a curved pattern P2 of an organic solar battery on a base material S. Fig.

The curved pattern P2 may be formed in multiple layers, as shown in Fig. At this time, the alignment sensor 43 senses the pattern position of the line coating layer C in the x-axis direction, and the actuator 42 controls the slot die 40 according to the position in the x- axis direction so that the discharge end 41 of the slot die 40 is aligned with the curve pattern P2 of the line coating layer C. [

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a slot coater for manufacturing an organic solar battery according to a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 10 is a side view of FIG. 9, and FIG. 11 is a front view of FIG. 9 through 11, the slot coater 2 for manufacturing an organic solar battery according to the second embodiment has a configuration in which the reference end of the slot die 40 is moved in the third direction from both sides of the discharge end 41 of the slot die 40 And is formed as a bracket 44 protruding and formed. The bracket 44 has a corresponding surface 441 corresponding to the origin setting portion 12. [ That is, the bracket 44 is provided on the slot die 40 at an outer periphery excluding the discharge end 41.

The origin setting section 12 is formed of a block 121 disposed on both sides in the third direction (y-axis direction) from one side of the stage 10 in the first direction (x-axis direction). The block 121 forms a variable height along the first direction (x-axis direction) so as to be in surface contact with the corresponding surface 441 of the bracket 44. [

The bracket 44 of the slot die 40 provided on the lifting plate is moved in the home position H0 state (state of FIGS. 10 and 11), which is in mechanical contact with the home position setting unit 12, The height spaced from the height reference portion is the same throughout the entire range in the y-axis direction. Also, the reference height between the substrate or the coating layer to be coated and the discharge end is set to be the same throughout the entire range in the y-axis direction.

As described above, the block 121 of the origin point setting unit 12 has a slope having a variable height, and the corresponding surface 441 of the bracket 44 provided on the side of the slot die 40 is located on the side of the block 121 So that the origin of the discharge end 41 of the slot die 40 is set. Therefore, the precision machined discharge end 41 can not be directly brought into direct contact with the block 121, so that it can be protected at the setting of the mechanical origin, and the substrate S can be protected because it does not come into contact with the substrate S.

While the present invention has been described in connection with certain exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

1, 2: Slot coater 10: Stage
11, 12: origin setting section 20: base plate
21: height reference part 30: lifting plate
40: Slot die 41: Discharge end
42: Actuator 43: Alignment sensor
44: Bracket 50:
121: block 441: corresponding face
C: Line coating layer H, H1: height, maximum height
H0: origin Ha: reference height
DELTA H: changed height L: distance
M1: first motor M2: second motor
P1: stripe pattern P2: curved pattern
S: substrate S1, S2: first and second sensors
θ: angle

Claims (9)

A method of forming a substrate having a predetermined distance in the first direction and cutting the substrate in a first direction (x-axis direction) and a second direction (z-axis direction) A stage having an origin point setting section formed in a triangular cross section having an angle set with respect to the first direction and the second direction;
A base plate moved in the first direction above the stage and having a height reference portion at one side;
A lift plate provided on the base plate through a lift motor and being raised and lowered in the second direction and having a displacement sensor facing the height reference portion;
(Y-axis direction) intersecting with the second direction, and a reference end formed as a discharge end is connected to the origin setting portion through a slot die; And
(H0) of the slot die with respect to the distance (L), the thickness of the base material, the angle (?) Of the origin point setting section, and the displacement sensor And a control unit for connecting the elevating motor to an output terminal,
The displacement sensor
(H), which is a reference point of the reference point, which is in contact with the origin setting unit, detects a height (H)
The control unit
The origin H0 is set to the detected height H,
(Ha = H + DELTA H) set between the discharge end and the base or discharge end and the line coating layer (C) is further accurately controlled by controlling the elevating motor at the height H which is the origin H0
Slot coater for manufacturing organic solar cells. delete The method according to claim 1,
The origin setting unit
And is disposed along the third direction from one side of the first direction of the stage. delete The method of claim 3,
The origin setting unit
And the first and second substrates are separated from each other along the third direction or both sides in the third direction. The method of claim 3,
Wherein the elevating motor includes a first motor and a second motor,
Wherein the displacement sensor includes a first sensor and a second sensor,
The base plate and the lift plate
The second motor is connected to the first motor at the first sensor side in the third direction,
And the second sensor is connected to the second motor
Slot coater for manufacturing organic solar cells. The method of claim 3,
The slot die
And an alignment sensor for sensing a pattern coated on the substrate in a multilayer coating,
The actuator
Wherein the slot coils are moved in the third direction according to the detection of the alignment sensor to align the discharge end of the slot die with the line coating layer. delete delete

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