U.S. patent application number 16/129039 was filed with the patent office on 2019-03-14 for method and device for homogeneously coating 3d substrates.
This patent application is currently assigned to FHR ANLAGENBAU GMBH. The applicant listed for this patent is FHR ANLAGENBAU GMBH. Invention is credited to Sven HABERLEIN, Roland MAUDRICH, Andreas VOGT.
Application Number | 20190078197 16/129039 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 65441876 |
Filed Date | 2019-03-14 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190078197 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
HABERLEIN; Sven ; et
al. |
March 14, 2019 |
METHOD AND DEVICE FOR HOMOGENEOUSLY COATING 3D SUBSTRATES
Abstract
A method and a device are provided for homogeneously coating
surfaces of 3D substrates in a vacuum chamber which has a
sputtering source, such as a planar source or a tube or double-tube
source, wherein individual substrates, with a curved substrate
surface directed toward the sputtering source, are able to be moved
past said source in a translational manner. The sputtering source
is fastened to a chamber wall within a vacuum chamber so as to have
two degrees of freedom such that the sputtering source is able to
be set both in terms of its spacing to a surface to be coated of a
substrate, which is moved past in front of said sputtering source
in a translational manner, and with respect to the surface normal
of the surface to be coated proceeding from a fixed point such that
the surface normal deviation is 0.degree. at all times.
Inventors: |
HABERLEIN; Sven;
(Ottendorf-Okrilla, DE) ; VOGT; Andreas; (Dresden,
DE) ; MAUDRICH; Roland; (Moritzburg, DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
FHR ANLAGENBAU GMBH |
Ottendorf-Okrilla |
|
DE |
|
|
Assignee: |
FHR ANLAGENBAU GMBH
Ottendorf-Okrilla
DE
|
Family ID: |
65441876 |
Appl. No.: |
16/129039 |
Filed: |
September 12, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C23C 14/54 20130101;
C23C 14/50 20130101; H01J 37/32403 20130101; C23C 14/3407 20130101;
C23C 14/3492 20130101; C23C 14/56 20130101; H01J 37/3417
20130101 |
International
Class: |
C23C 14/34 20060101
C23C014/34; C23C 14/56 20060101 C23C014/56; C23C 14/54 20060101
C23C014/54 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 14, 2017 |
DE |
10 2017 121 327.9 |
Claims
1. A method for homogeneously coating surfaces of 3D substrates in
a vacuum chamber which has a sputtering source, such as a planar
source or a tube or double-tube source, wherein the 3D substrates,
with a curved substrate surface to be coated directed toward the
sputtering source, are individually able to be moved past said
source in a translational manner, wherein the spacing between the
surface to be coated of the 3D substrate and an adaptable
sputtering source and the inclination angle of the adaptable
sputtering source to the 3D substrate are adapted steplessly during
the linear passage of individual 3D substrates through the vacuum
chamber along a process curve such that the spacing between the
surface to be coated of the 3D substrate to the adaptable
sputtering source remains constant, and such that the surface
normal of the adaptable sputtering source corresponds at all times
to the current surface normal of the surface to be coated of the 3D
substrate.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inclination angle
of the adaptable sputtering source is able to be set in a
predefined angle range.
3. A device for homogeneously coating surfaces of 3D substrates in
a vacuum chamber which has a sputtering source, such as a planar
source or a tube or double-tube source, wherein the 3D substrates,
with a curved substrate surface to be coated directed toward the
sputtering source, are individually able to be moved past said
source in a translational manner, wherein the sputtering source is
fastened to a chamber wall within a vacuum chamber so as to have
two degrees of freedom such that the sputtering source is able to
be set both in terms of its spacing to a surface to be coated of a
3D substrate, which is moved past in front of said sputtering
source in a translational manner, and with respect to the current
surface normal of the surface to be coated of the substrate
proceeding from a fixed point such that the deviation of the
current surface normal from the surface normal of the sputtering
source is 0.degree. at all times.
4. The adaptable sputtering source as claimed in claim 3, wherein
the sputtering source is fitted on an end block and is connected by
the free end to a counter-bearing which, via a counter-bearing
receptacle, is supported on the end block, the latter being
connected via a tube connection to one end of a doubly angled
pivoting tube, the other end of which is coupled to a pivoting-tube
drive.
5. The adaptable sputtering source as claimed in claim 4, wherein
the axis of symmetry of the pivoting-tube drive at the same time
forms a virtual axis of rotation (D) about which the pivoting tube
is able to be pivoted, wherein the axis of rotation (D) at the same
time extends longitudinally through the sputtering source.
6. The adaptable sputtering source as claimed in claim 5, wherein
the pivoting-tube drive is coupled via a vacuum rotary
lead-through, in the form of a hollow shaft, to a
pivoting-motor/gearing unit which is arranged at the front free end
of a displacement tube.
7. The adaptable sputtering source as claimed in claim 6, wherein
the pivoting-motor/gearing unit is situated in an atmospheric
box.
8. The adaptable sputtering source as claimed in claim 3, wherein
the displacement tube is fastened to the inner side of the chamber
wall by way of a connection tube as a fixed point.
9. The adaptable sputtering source as claimed in claim 8, wherein
the displacement tube and the connection tube are sealed off from
the chamber atmosphere with the aid of a vacuum bellows.
10. The adaptable sputtering source as claimed in claim 3, wherein
the displacement tube is guided, together with the pivoting-tube
drive situated at the free end of said tube, on a displacement
bearing arrangement and is coupled to a linear drive.
11. The adaptable sputtering source as claimed in claim 10, wherein
the linear drive, in the form of a pneumatic or electric drive, is
coupled to the displacement tube via a displacement drive rod.
12. The adaptable sputtering source as claimed in claim 3, wherein
the sputtering source is a planar source or a tube or double-tube
source.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application claims priority to German
provisional patent application number 10 2017 121 327.9 filed on
Sep. 14, 2017, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in
its entirety.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] The invention relates to a method and a device for
homogeneously coating the surfaces of 3D substrates in a vacuum
chamber which has a sputtering source, such as a planar source or a
tube or double-tube source, wherein individual substrates, with a
curved substrate surface directed toward the sputtering source, are
able to be moved past said source in a translational manner.
[0003] Planar substrates are normally guided past fixedly installed
sputtering sources in a vacuum chamber in a linear movement, in
particular if these are very long, which can take place for example
in the roll-to-roll method for substrates without transverse
stability or via suitable guide devices for more stable substrates.
It goes without saying that a homogeneous coating with a high layer
quality of the layers applied to the substrate has to be ensured.
This requires not only a uniform media supply of sputtering gases
but also a spacing between the sputtering source and the substrate
to be coated which is constant as far as possible and a constant
speed of the substrate when the latter is being guided past the
sputtering source.
[0004] As sputtering sources, use is made of so-called planar
sources or tube or double-tube sources, which are provided with
corresponding targets as particle sources and process gas
supplies.
[0005] In the case of substrates having a surface to be coated
which has greater or less curvature, such as 3D substrates which
are individually guided past a fixedly installed sputtering source
in a linear movement, the homogeneity of the coating deteriorates
considerably. This is caused by the spacing between the sputtering
source and the surface to be coated of the substrate, which surface
is guided past said source, varying to a greater or lesser
extent.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The invention is therefore based on the object of providing
a method and a device for homogeneously coating 3D substrates, by
which homogeneous coating of the surface of individual 3D
substrates, even having highly curved substrate surfaces, is
ensured during a continuous translational movement past one or more
sputtering sources in a vacuum chamber.
[0007] The object on which the invention is based is achieved in a
method of the type mentioned in the introduction in that the
spacing between the surface to be coated of the 3D substrate and an
adaptable sputtering source and the inclination angle of the
adaptable sputtering source to the 3D substrate are adapted
steplessly during the linear passage of individual 3D substrates
through the vacuum chamber such that the spacing between the
surface to be coated of the 3D substrate to the adaptable
sputtering source remains constant, and such that the surface
normal of the adaptable sputtering source corresponds at all times
to the current surface normal of the surface to be coated of the 3D
substrate.
[0008] In one development of the method, the inclination angle of
the adaptable sputtering source is able to be set in a predefined
angle range.
[0009] The object on which the invention is based is furthermore
achieved by a device in which the sputtering source is fastened to
a chamber wall within a vacuum chamber so as to have two degrees of
freedom such that the sputtering source is able to be set both in
terms of its spacing to a surface to be coated of a 3D substrate,
which is moved past in front of said sputtering source in a
translational manner, and with respect to the current surface
normal of the surface to be coated of the substrate proceeding from
a fixed point such that the current surface normal deviation in
relation to the surface normal of the sputtering source is
0.degree. at all times.
[0010] In a first development of the invention, the sputtering
source is fitted in a rotationally fixed manner on an end block and
is connected by its free end to a counter-bearing which, via a
counter-bearing receptacle, is supported on the end block, the
latter being connected via a tube connection to one end of a doubly
angled pivoting tube, the other end of which is coupled to a
pivoting-tube drive.
[0011] Furthermore, the axis of symmetry of the pivoting-tube drive
at the same time forms a virtual axis of rotation about which the
pivoting tube is able to be pivoted, wherein the axis of rotation
at the same time extends longitudinally through the sputtering
source. In this way, an angle setting of the sputtering source
about the axis of rotation is made possible.
[0012] In an advantageous refinement of the invention, the
pivoting-tube drive is coupled via a vacuum rotary lead-through, in
the form of a hollow shaft, to a pivoting-motor/gearing unit which
is arranged at the front free end of a displacement tube.
[0013] In order to be able to fit the pivoting-motor/gearing unit
outside the vacuum chamber, said unit is situated in an atmospheric
box.
[0014] Furthermore, the displacement tube is fastened to the inner
side of the chamber wall by way of a connection tube as a fixed
point. Consequently, the movement path of the substrate is uniquely
associated with the fixed point, with the result that exact
positioning of the sputtering source with respect to a process
curve extending directly in front of the substrate is possible.
[0015] The displacement tube and the connection tube are sealed off
from the chamber atmosphere with the aid of a vacuum bellows. In
order to ensure precise guidance, the displacement tube is guided,
together with the pivoting-tube drive situated at its free end, on
a displacement bearing and is coupled to a linear drive.
[0016] Preferably, the linear drive, in the form of a pneumatic or
electric drive, is coupled to the displacement tube via a
displacement drive rod.
[0017] Finally, the sputtering source may be a planar source or a
tube or double-tube source.
[0018] The invention makes it possible to adapt the
target-(sputtering source-) substrate spacing and the target
(sputtering source) angle and substrate angle steplessly and fully
automatically during the linear passage of individual 3D substrates
through the vacuum chamber, with the result that a homogeneous
coating, even with multiple layers, is achieved on the entire
surface to be coated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] The invention will be discussed in more detail below on the
basis of an exemplary embodiment. In the associated figures of the
drawing:
[0020] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a sputtering source according to
the invention, which is fastened to the inner side of a chamber
wall of a vacuum chamber;
[0021] FIG. 2 shows an end view of a sputtering source with an
illustration of the movement possibilities in relation to a 3D
substrate which is able to be transported past the sputtering
source in a rectilinear manner; and
[0022] FIGS. 3a-j show different movement phases of the sputtering
source while a 3D substrate is being transported past it.
[0023] According to the method according to the invention for
homogeneously coating surfaces of 3D substrates 17 in a vacuum
chamber (not illustrated), which has a sputtering source 1, such as
a planar source or a tube or double-tube source, wherein the 3D
substrates 17, with a curved substrate surface to be coated
directed toward the sputtering source 1, are individually able to
be moved past said source in a translational manner, the spacing
between the surface to be coated of the 3D substrate 17 and an
adaptable sputtering source 1 and the inclination angle of the
adaptable sputtering source 1 to the 3D substrate 17 are adapted
steplessly in a predefined angle range during the linear passage of
individual 3D substrates 17 through the vacuum chamber such that
the spacing between the surface to be coated of the 3D substrate 17
to the adaptable sputtering source 1 remains constant, and such
that the surface normal of the adaptable sputtering source 1
corresponds at all times to the current surface normal of the
surface to be coated of the 3D substrate 17.
[0024] FIG. 1 illustrates a device for carrying out the method for
homogeneously coating surfaces of 3D substrates 17. According to
this, an elongate sputtering source 1, for example a planar source,
a tube source or a double-tube source, is fastened by one end to an
end block 5 or to a source connection adapter and is connected by
the other end to a counter-bearing 2 which, via a counter-bearing
receptacle 3, is likewise supported on the end block 5. In this
way, a sufficiently stable fastening of the sputtering source 1 is
ensured. Furthermore, the source connection adapter 5 is connected
to a gas distributor rail 4 which extends along the sputtering
source 1. The gas distributor rail 4 is connected via the source
connection adapter 5 to a corresponding source for sputtering
gas.
[0025] In the case of a sputtering source 1 in the form of a
double-tube source, as is schematically illustrated in FIG. 3, the
gas distributor rail 4 is situated between the two tubes, or on the
right and on the left next to the double-tube source, for the
purpose of supplying the sputtering gas required for the respective
sputtering task, such as krypton, argon, nitrogen, etc., into the
sputtering region (FIG. 1).
[0026] The source connection adapter 5 is furthermore connected via
a tube connection 6 and a vacuum seal to one end of a doubly angled
pivoting tube 7, the other end of which is coupled to a
pivoting-tube drive 8. Atmospheric pressure prevails in the
interior of the pivoting tube 7. The pivoting-tube drive 8 is
coupled via a vacuum rotary lead-through 9, in the form of a hollow
shaft, to a pivoting-motor/gearing unit 10 which is arranged at the
front free end of a displacement tube 11.
[0027] The axis of symmetry of the pivoting-tube drive at the same
time forms the virtual axis of rotation D about which the pivoting
tube 7 is able to be pivoted, and at the same time extends
longitudinally through the sputtering source 1. In this way,
pivoting of the pivoting tube 7 about the axis of rotation D at the
same time brings about rotation of the sputtering source 1 about
the same axis, albeit without at the same time changing the spatial
position in relation to a 3D substrate 17 which is able to be moved
past in front of the sputtering source 1 at a defined spacing.
[0028] A controlled linear positional change of the sputtering
source 1 with respect to a process curve 18 which extends so as to
be equidistant from the profile of the surface to be coated of the
3D substrate 17 can be brought about by longitudinal displacement
of the displacement tube 11. For this purpose, the other end of the
displacement tube 11 is fastened to the inner side of the chamber
wall 13 of a vacuum chamber (not illustrated in more detail) by way
of a connection tube 16 as a fixed point. The displacement tube 11
and the fixedly positioned connection tube 16 may, for example,
penetrate longitudinally in a telescopic manner and, at the
position of penetration, are sealed off from the chamber atmosphere
with the aid of a vacuum bellows 12. This allows longitudinal
displacement of the displacement tube 11 together with the vacuum
rotary lead-through 9 at the free end of said tube in a manner
guided by a displacement bearing arrangement 15, on the connection
tube 16, for example with the aid of a displacement drive rod 14 or
the like in conjunction with a pneumatic or electric drive (not
illustrated).
[0029] This construction allows the sputtering source 1, the pivot
axis of which is aligned with the axis of rotation D of the vacuum
rotary lead-through 9, firstly to be steplessly pivoted about the
axis of the vacuum rotary lead-through 9 in a predefined angle
range in order to set a predefined inclination angle of
.+-.0.degree.-approx. 45.degree., and secondly to be continuously
set at a spacing to the chamber wall 13, or to a 3D substrate 17 to
be coated, while the latter is being transported past the
sputtering source 1 in a linear movement (see arrow in FIG. 3a), as
can be seen from FIG. 3. The exact angle range and also the maximum
displacement of the displacement tube are directly dependent on the
curvature of the surface to be coated of the 3D substrate 17.
[0030] Said construction allows automatic simultaneous control of
both movements of the sputtering source during the linear passage
of the 3D substrate, as is correspondingly illustrated in FIG.
2.
[0031] FIGS. 3 a-j schematically show the different positions and
pivot angles of the sputtering source 1 while the 3D substrate 17,
with a concavely curved surface to be coated which is directed
toward the sputtering source 1, is being moved past the sputtering
source 1 in a linear movement from the left to the right (see arrow
in FIG. 3a). FIG. 3a shows the position of the 3D substrate 17
prior to the start of the coating with the sputtering source 1
pivoted to the right, said source then, with the further linear
movement of the 3D substrate to the right according to the diagram,
continuously pivoting to the left and simultaneously being pushed
forward toward the 3D substrate 17 (FIG. 3e) until the middle
position, and subsequently performing an opposite linear movement,
with the sputtering source 1 simultaneously being pivoted
increasingly further to the left.
[0032] Thus, while the 3D substrate 17, with its curved side to be
coated, is transported past the sputtering source (cf. FIGS. 3
a-j), it is possible by way of a controlled source movement by
means of pivoting and displacement to orient the sputtering source
1 along a process curve 18 in front of the surface to be coated
such that the surface normal F of the sputtering source 1
corresponds at all times to the current surface normal F' of the
surface to be coated of the substrate 17. This requires continuous
following-up of the angle setting and the spacing of the sputtering
source 1 to the 3D substrate.
[0033] A surface normal is to be understood as a vector which is at
all times orthogonal to a straight line, curve, plane or a curved
surface. In the case of a sputtering source 1 in the form of a
planar source, this is the surface of a planar target and, in the
case of a tube source, this is the surface of the tubular target
and, in the case of a double-tube source, this is the virtual
surface between the individual tubes of the double-tube source.
[0034] For a uniform coating of the 3D substrate 17, it is
essential both that the 3D substrate 17, or a sequence of 3D
substrates 17, is moved past in front of the sputtering source 1 at
a uniform speed using a suitable transport device, and that the
sputtering source 1 follows the process curve 18.
[0035] As a result of the simultaneous displaceability and
pivotability according to the invention of the sputtering source 1,
it is ensured that, while the 3D substrate 17 is being moved past
the sputtering source 1 in a linear movement, the sputtering source
1 can constantly be adapted steplessly, in terms of angle and
spacing, to the geometry even of particularly large 3D substrates
17 or substrates 17 with large surfaces to be coated.
[0036] The control of the pivoting-tube drive 8 for setting the
inclination angle of the sputtering source, and of the drive for
axially displacing the displacement tube with the aid of the
displacement drive rod 14 for the purpose of precisely setting the
spacing of the sputtering source 1 to the surface to be coated of
the substrate 17, can be realized by a positional control for the
follow-up control along the process curve, or in a
sensor-controlled manner, in that the spacing between the
sputtering source 1 and the surface to be coated of the substrate
17 and the angular position of the sputtering source 1 with respect
to the surface normal of the surface of the substrate 17 are
measured, wherein the angular deviation in relation to the surface
normal should be 0.degree. at all times.
[0037] It is self-evident that, instead of the substrate 17
illustrated in FIG. 3, which has a concavely or convexly curved
surface to be coated, it is also possible for other substrates with
other surface shapes, such as a wave-like surface, to be coated
equally well by way of the sputtering source 1 adaptable according
to the invention.
[0038] Moreover, the adaptable sputtering source 1 can be situated
in a vertical arrangement in front of a vertical chamber wall 13,
as is illustrated in FIG. 1, wherein then the substrates 17 to be
coated, with the surface to be coated in a vertical arrangement,
are moved past in front of the sputtering source 1 at a defined
spacing using a suitable transport device.
[0039] Equally, according to requirement, the sputtering source 1
may also be arranged in the vacuum chamber in another orientation,
such as a horizontal orientation.
* * * * *