JP4889607B2 - Supply device, vapor deposition device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vapor deposition apparatus.

The organic EL element is one of the display elements that have attracted the most attention in recent years, and has excellent characteristics such as high brightness and fast response speed. In the organic EL element, a light emitting region that emits three different colors of red, green, and blue is disposed on a glass substrate. The light emitting region is an anode electrode film, a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, an electron transport layer, an electron injection layer and a cathode electrode film laminated in this order, and is a color former added in the light emitting layer. Color is red, green, or blue.
A hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and the like are generally made of an organic material, and a vapor deposition apparatus is widely used for forming a film of such an organic material.

Reference numeral 203 in FIG. 4 is a conventional vapor deposition apparatus, in which a vapor deposition vessel 212 is disposed inside a vacuum chamber 211. The vapor deposition container 212 has a container main body 221, and the upper part of the container main body 221 is closed by a lid portion 222 in which one or more discharge ports 224 are formed.
A powdery organic vapor deposition material 200 is disposed inside the vapor deposition vessel 212.

Heaters 223 are disposed on the side and bottom surfaces of the vapor deposition vessel 212, the inside of the vacuum chamber 211 is evacuated, and when the heater 223 generates heat, the vapor deposition vessel 212 is heated and the organic vapor deposition material 200 in the vapor deposition vessel 212 is heated. Is done.
When the organic vapor deposition material 200 is heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the evaporation temperature, the vapor of the organic material is filled in the vapor deposition vessel 212 and discharged from the discharge port 224 into the vacuum chamber 211.

  A holder 210 is disposed above the discharge port 224. If the holder 210 holds the substrate 205, the organic material vapor discharged from the discharge port 224 reaches the surface of the substrate 205, and a hole injection layer or a hole is formed. Organic thin films such as a transport layer and a light emitting layer are formed.

An organic thin film can be sequentially formed on a plurality of substrates 205 by passing the substrates 205 one by one over the discharge port 224 while releasing the organic material vapor.
However, in order to form a film on a plurality of substrates 205, it is necessary to dispose a large amount of organic material in the vapor deposition container 212. In an actual production site, the organic vapor deposition material 200 in the vapor deposition vessel 212 is exposed to a high temperature for a long time because the film formation process is continuously performed for 120 hours or more while heating the organic material to 250 ° C. to 450 ° C. Thus, it reacts with moisture in the vapor deposition vessel 212 and changes its quality, or decomposition by heating proceeds.
As a result, the organic vapor deposition material 200 is deteriorated compared to the initial state, and the film quality of the organic thin film is deteriorated.

A device is known in which an organic vapor deposition material passing through a groove between ridges is supplied to a heating vessel little by little by rotating a rotating shaft (screw) having a ridge formed in a spiral shape in a cylinder. (For example, Patent Documents 1 and 3) According to this apparatus, since the organic vapor deposition material is not heated in large quantities at a time, the organic vapor deposition material is unlikely to deteriorate.
However, when the heating container is heated, the rotating shaft is also easily heated, and the organic vapor deposition material evaporates in the groove between the protrusions before reaching the heating means. It becomes difficult to arrange in.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-14334 JP 2006-307239 A JP 2007-70687 A

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to efficiently form a film by arranging organic vapor deposition materials little by little in a heating container.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a tank having an opening formed on a bottom surface, a connection pipe having one end connected to the opening of the tank and the other end exposed to an external space of the tank, and the connection A rotating shaft inserted into a tube; rotating means for rotating the rotating shaft; the rotating shaft having a central axis; and a ridge formed in a spiral shape around the central axis; A supply device in which the internal space of the tank is connected to an external space through which the other end of the connecting pipe is exposed, and the protrusion is made of a ceramic material mainly composed of Si ₃ N _4. It is the comprised supply apparatus.
This invention is a supply apparatus, Comprising: The said center axis | shaft is a supply apparatus comprised with the said ceramic material same as the said protrusion.
The present invention includes a coil, a high-temperature body positioned in an electromagnetic field forming space inside the coil, and an AC power source connected to the coil, and when an AC voltage is applied to the coil from the AC power source, the high temperature A supply device in which a body is induction-heated, wherein a tip of the central axis is a supply device located in the electromagnetic field forming space.
The present invention includes a vacuum chamber, a discharge device, and the supply device, a space in which the high temperature body of the supply device is disposed is connected to an internal space of the discharge device, It is a vapor deposition apparatus in which the discharge port which connects the internal space of the said vacuum chamber and the internal space of the said discharge | release apparatus was formed.

In the present invention, the main component means that 50% by weight or more of the main component is contained, and the ceramic material mainly containing Si ₃ N ₄ means 50% by weight of Si ₃ N _4. It means the ceramic material to be contained.

  Since the vapor deposition material in contact with the rotating shaft is not heated, the vapor deposition material does not deteriorate. Since the vapor deposition material does not evaporate while moving from the tank to the evaporation chamber through the groove of the rotating shaft and does not clog in the middle, the necessary amount of vapor deposition material can be accurately placed in the evaporation chamber. Since the required amount of vapor deposition material can be accurately arranged in the evaporation chamber, the thin film to be formed has a predetermined thickness. Since only the necessary amount of vapor deposition material is heated, the vapor deposition material is unlikely to deteriorate.

Reference numeral 1 in FIG. 1 indicates an example of a film forming apparatus (organic EL manufacturing apparatus).
The film forming apparatus 1 includes a plurality of vapor deposition apparatuses 10a to 10c. Here, the vapor deposition apparatuses 10a to 10c are connected to the transfer chamber 2, and the transfer chamber 2 to which the vapor deposition apparatuses 10a to 10c are connected includes The carry-in chamber 3a, the carry-out chamber 3b, the processing chamber 6, the sputtering chamber 7, and the mask storage chamber 8 are connected. A plurality of masks are housed in the mask housing chamber 8 and are periodically replaced with the masks disposed in the vapor deposition apparatuses 10a to 10c and the sputtering chamber 7.

By the evacuation system 9, the inside of the transfer chamber 2, the inside of the vapor deposition apparatuses 10a to 10c, the inside of the processing chamber 6, the inside of the sputtering chamber 7, the inside of the mask storage chamber 8, the inside of the carry-in chamber 3a, and the inside of the carry-out chamber 3b A vacuum atmosphere is formed.
A transfer robot 5 is disposed inside the transfer chamber 2.

  The substrate with the lower electrode formed on the surface is carried into the carry-in chamber 3a, and the substrate is carried into the transfer chamber 2 from the carry-in chamber 3a by the transfer robot 5 in the vacuum atmosphere. Thus, organic thin films such as an electron injection layer, an electron transport layer, a light emitting layer, a hole transport layer, and a hole injection layer are formed inside the vapor deposition apparatuses 10a to 10c, and an upper electrode film is formed inside the sputtering chamber 7. The manufactured organic EL element is unloaded from the unloading chamber 3b.

For example, the lower electrode is formed in each of a plurality of regions on the surface of the substrate, and the light emitting layer is formed by forming two or more different colored layers (for example, red, green, and blue) on different regions.
If the selected electrode is energized while the upper electrode is energized, only the colored layer on the selected electrode emits light. In this way, full-color display is possible by forming the light emitting layer with two or more colored layers.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a vapor deposition apparatus 10b of the present invention used for forming a light emitting layer, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the vapor deposition apparatus 10b.
The vapor deposition apparatus 10b includes a vacuum chamber 11, a discharge apparatus 50, and one or more (here, three) supply apparatuses 20a to 20c. Each supply apparatus 20a-20c has the same structure, and attaches | subjects and demonstrates the same code | symbol to the same member.

  The supply devices 20 a to 20 c include a tank 31 (accommodating portion), a connection pipe 42, a rotation shaft 35, a rotation means 41, an evaporation chamber 21, a high temperature body 22, and a heating means 24.

The tank 31 has a container 32 and a lid 34. When the lid 34 is opened, the internal space of the tank 31 is connected to the atmosphere. When the lid 34 is closed, the opening of the container 32 is sealed, and the internal space of the tank 31 is closed. Is cut off from the atmosphere.
The bottom surface of the tank 31 (here, the bottom surface of the container 32) has a mortar shape, and an opening is formed at the lower end of the mortar-shaped bottom surface. The tank 31 is disposed with the bottom surface where the opening is formed facing downward, and the evaporation chamber 21 is disposed at a position below the opening.

The connection pipe 42 is hermetically connected at the upper end to the opening of the tank 31, and the lower end is inserted hermetically into the evaporation chamber 21. Therefore, the lower end of the connection pipe 42 is exposed to the internal space of the evaporation chamber 21, that is, the external space of the tank 31.
The connecting pipe 42 is a straight pipe. The rotating shaft 35 has a central axis 37 made of a straight bar and a ridge 36 formed in a spiral around the central axis 37. Since the protrusions 36 are spiral, the groove between the protrusions 36 is also spiral.

  The rotating shaft 35 is inserted into the connecting pipe 42 so that at least a part of the region where the protrusions 36 are formed is located in the connecting pipe 42. Therefore, the internal space of the tank 31 and the internal space of the evaporation chamber 21 are connected via the groove between the protrusions 36.

FIG. 2 shows a state in which the lid 34 is closed after the lid 34 is opened and the organic material 39 is accommodated in the tank 31. Since the bottom surface of the tank 31 has a mortar shape as described above, the organic material 39 slides down toward the opening at the lower end of the mortar.
The vapor deposition material used in the present invention is a powdered organic material.

  The gap between the surface of the protrusion 36 and the inner wall surface of the connecting pipe 42 is smaller than the particle size of the organic material (for example, particle size of 100 μm or more and 200 μm or less), and the organic material 39 slipped down to the lower end of the mortar. Does not pass through the gap between the protrusion 36 and the inner wall surface of the connecting pipe 42 and does not fall.

  In addition, the angle of the protrusion 36 with respect to the horizontal plane is so small that the organic material 39 does not enter between the protrusion 36 and the groove of the protrusion 36 when the rotating shaft 35 is stationary. Therefore, when the rotating shaft 35 is stationary, the organic material 39 does not move below the opening of the tank 31 and remains in the tank 31.

  The rotating means 41 is connected to the rotating shaft 35. The ridge 36 is fixed to the center shaft 37. When the power of the rotating means 41 is transmitted to the rotation shaft 35, the ridge 36 rotates together with the center shaft 37, and the entire rotation shaft 35 rises and falls. Without rotating, it rotates around the central axis of the connecting pipe 42 while maintaining the state of being inserted through the connecting pipe 42.

  The rotation direction at this time is a direction in which the tip protrudes from the female screw by rotation when the rotation shaft 35 is assumed to be inserted into the female screw to be screwed. A force that moves downward along the slope of the ridge 36 is applied.

  Here, the rotating shaft 35 is inserted into the connecting pipe 42 so that the portion where the protrusion 36 is formed protrudes upward from the opening of the tank 31, and the organic material 39 accommodated in the tank 31 is the protrusion 36. The ridges 36 and the ridges 36 enter the grooves, and move downward along the ridges 36.

The slope of the ridge 36 is mechanically polished in advance. At least the protrusion 36 of the rotating shaft 35 is made of a ceramic material mainly composed of Si ₃ N ₄ . Since Si ₃ N ₄ has higher mechanical strength than alumina or the like, it is mechanically polished without breakage and the slope is smooth.
Accordingly, the organic material 39 passing through the groove between the protrusions 36 moves without being clogged on the way, falls from the lower end of the connection pipe 42, and is supplied into the evaporation chamber 21.

  Since the organic material 39 is not clogged in the middle, the relationship between the rotation amount of the rotary shaft 35 and the amount (for example, mass) of the organic material 39 supplied to the evaporation chamber 21 does not change. From this relationship, the amount of rotation of the rotating shaft 35 necessary for supplying the required amount of the organic material 39 to the evaporation chamber 21 is known.

  The high-temperature body 22 has a high-temperature container 22b and a protrusion 22a provided at a substantially central position of the bottom surface of the high-temperature container 22b. The opening of the high-temperature container 22b is larger than the opening at the lower end of the connecting pipe 42, and the protrusion 22a. This tip is smaller than the opening at the lower end of the connecting pipe 42.

  The high-temperature body 22 is disposed inside the evaporation chamber 21 so that the opening of the high-temperature container 22b is directed upward, and the center of the tip of the protrusion 22a is positioned vertically below the central axis of the connection pipe 42. The edge of the lower end opening of the tube 42 is located directly above the ring-shaped region between the edge of the opening of the high temperature vessel 22b and the outer periphery of the tip of the protrusion 22a.

  Since the organic material 39 falling from the lower end of the connecting pipe 42 is disposed between the side surface of the high temperature container 22b and the side surface of the protrusion 22a so as to surround the protrusion 22a, when the high temperature body 22 is heated as described later, The heating efficiency of the organic material 39 is high.

  The heating unit 24 includes a coil 25 wound around the evaporation chamber 21 and an AC power source 26 connected to the coil 25. When an AC voltage is applied from the AC power source 26 to the coil 25, the evaporation chamber An electromagnetic field is formed in the internal space of 21.

The lower end of the rotating shaft 35 protrudes below the ceiling of the evaporation chamber 21, and the lower end portion of the rotating shaft 35 (here, the lower end portion of the central shaft 37) and the high-temperature body 22 are the internal space of the evaporation chamber 21, that is, the electromagnetic field. It is located in the electromagnetic field formation space where is formed.
The protrusion 22a and the high temperature container 22b are each made of a high resistance conductive material such as stainless steel.

  On the other hand, the central shaft 37 is made of the same ceramic material as the protrusions 36, and the ceramic material is insulative. Therefore, the part located in the electromagnetic field formation space of the rotating shaft 35 is insulative, and when the electromagnetic field is formed inside the evaporation chamber 21, the high temperature body 22 is induction-heated, but the rotating shaft 35 is not induction-heated.

The vacuum chamber 11, the discharge device 50, the tank 31, and the evaporation chamber 21 are each connected to the vacuum exhaust system 9.
When the organic material 39 is disposed on the heated high-temperature body 22 in a state where a vacuum atmosphere is formed inside the evaporation chamber 21 by the vacuum exhaust system 9, vapor of the organic material 39 is generated inside the evaporation chamber 21. As described above, since the rotating shaft 35 is not induction-heated, the organic material 39 that contacts the rotating shaft 35 does not evaporate, and no steam is generated in the connection pipe 42 or the tank 31.

The evaporation chamber 21 is connected to the discharge device 50 via the switching device 65.
The switching device 65 includes pipes 59a to 59c having one end connected to the evaporation chamber 21 and the other end connected to the discharge device 50, and valves 57a to 57c provided between the one end and the other end of the pipes 59a to 59c. Have.

  In a state where a vacuum atmosphere is formed in the discharge device 50 and vapor is generated in the evaporation chamber 21, the valves 57a to 57c are opened and the evaporation chamber 21 is connected to the discharge device 50. Move to release device 50 through ~ 59c. When the valves 57a to 57c are closed, the evaporation chamber 21 is shut off from the discharge device 50, and the steam does not move.

  Here, a plurality of supply devices 20a to 20c are connected to one discharge device 50, and by selecting the valves 57a to 57c to be opened, the evaporation chamber 21 of the desired supply devices 20a to 20c is set to the discharge device. The vapor generated in the evaporation chamber 21 can be supplied to the discharge device 50.

The discharge device 50 includes a box-shaped discharge container (housing) 51 and a supply pipe (header) 52 disposed inside the discharge container 51, and the steam supplied to the discharge apparatus 50 is supplied from the supply pipe. 52.
An outlet 53 is formed in the supply pipe 52, and the vapor supplied to the supply pipe 52 is discharged from the outlet 53 into the discharge container 51.

  A discharge port 55 is formed in the discharge device 50, and a part or all of the discharge device 50 is disposed inside the vacuum chamber 11 such that each discharge port 55 is exposed to the internal space of the vacuum chamber 11. The vapor discharged into the discharge container 51 is discharged into the vacuum chamber 11 from the discharge port 55.

The substrate holder 15 inside the vacuum chamber 11 is disposed, and the substrate 81 carried into the vacuum chamber 11 is disposed on the substrate holder 15. The substrate holder 15 is located on the discharge device 50, and the substrate 81 disposed on the substrate holder 15 is located on the discharge device 50.
A mask 16 is disposed at a position between the substrate 81 disposed on the substrate holder 15 and the discharge device 50. The mask 16 has a plate-shaped shielding part 18 and an opening 17 formed in the shielding part 18.

  One or both of the substrate holder 15 and the mask 16 are connected to the alignment means 60. The alignment unit 60 moves the substrate 81 relative to the mask 16 together with the substrate holder 15 while observing the alignment marks formed on the substrate 81 and the mask 16 to perform alignment.

Next, a preliminary test before actual film formation using the vapor deposition apparatus 10b of the present invention will be described.
Usually, the thickness of the thin film to be formed is predetermined.

  In the preliminary test, the same organic material 39 as that used for actual film formation is stored in the tank 31, and the film formation conditions such as the pressure in the vacuum atmosphere and the heating temperature of the high temperature body 22 are the same as those in the actual film formation process. Then, the vapor is generated by supplying the organic material 39 to the evaporation chamber 21, and the substrate (the mask 16 and the substrate if the mask 16 is used in the film forming process) is disposed on the discharge device 50. Is released from the discharge device 50 to form a thin film, and the supply amount of the organic material 39 into the evaporation chamber 21 and the film thickness of the formed thin film are examined, and is necessary for film formation with a predetermined film thickness. Then, the supply amount (required supply amount) of the organic material 39 is obtained.

  As described above, since the relationship between the rotation amount of the rotation shaft 35 and the supply amount of the organic material 39 to the evaporation chamber 21 does not change, the rotation shaft 35 for supplying the necessary supply amount of the organic material 39 from the relationship. The amount of rotation (necessary amount of rotation) is known.

Next, based on the result of the preliminary test, the process of forming a light emitting layer with the vapor deposition apparatus 10b of the present invention will be described.
The number of supply devices 20a to 20c connected to the emission device 50 is equal to or more than the number of colors of the colored layers constituting the light emitting layer. For example, the colored layer has three colors of red, green, and blue.

The organic material 39 is a mixture in which an organic dye having the same color as that of the colored layer is added as a dopant to an organic light emitting material (host) that is a main component.
After the organic materials 39 of different colors are respectively stored in the tanks 31 of the supply devices 20a to 20c, the lid 34 of the tank 31 is closed, and the tank 31, the evaporation chamber 21, the vacuum chamber 11, and the discharge device 50 are switched. The apparatus 65 is evacuated to form a vacuum atmosphere at a predetermined pressure (for example, 10 ⁻⁵ Pa).

While maintaining the vacuum atmosphere of the vacuum chamber 11, the tank 31, the discharge device 50, and the evaporation chamber 21, the evaporation chamber 21 of each of the supply devices 20 a to 20 c is shut off from the discharge device 50. It is heated to a temperature (for example, 200 ° C. to 300 ° C.).
One of red, green, and blue is the first color, and one of the remaining two colors is the second color and the other is the third color.

While the valve of the evacuation system 9 connected to the evaporation chamber 21 of the supply device 20a containing the first color organic material 39 is closed, the rotation shaft 35 of the supply device 20a is rotated by the necessary amount of rotation. Then, the necessary supply amount of the organic material 39 obtained in the preliminary test is disposed on the high temperature body 22 heated to a predetermined temperature, and the vapor of the necessary supply amount of the organic material 39 is generated.
When the vacuum exhaust system 9 is connected to the discharge device 50, the valve of the vacuum exhaust system 9 connected to the discharge device 50 is closed.

  After a predetermined time has elapsed since the organic material 39 was placed on the high temperature body 22 or when the pressure in the evaporation chamber 21 reaches a predetermined pressure, the valve of the vacuum exhaust system 9 connected to the evaporation chamber 21 and the discharge device 50 are connected. The evaporation chamber 21 in which the vapor of the first color organic material 39 is generated is connected to the discharge device 50 while the valves of the connected vacuum exhaust system 9 are closed, and the vapor is discharged from the discharge port 55.

  At least before the start of the discharge of the vapor from the discharge port 55, the substrate 81 is carried into the vacuum chamber 11 and placed in the substrate holder 15, and the region where the colored layer of the first color is to be formed is the opening 17. Align so as to face each other.

  Until a predetermined time elapses from the start of the discharge of the vapor, or until the end of the film formation in which the vapor generated from the required amount of the organic material 39 is not released from the discharge port 55 because the pressure inside the evaporation chamber 21 becomes lower than the predetermined pressure. When the aligned mask 16 and the substrate 81 are arranged on the discharge device 50, a colored layer of a first color having a predetermined thickness is formed in a predetermined region of the substrate 81.

  When the colored layer having the determined film thickness is formed, the evaporation chamber 21 that has generated the vapor of the first color organic material 39 is shut off from the discharge device 50, and the evaporation chamber 21, the vacuum chamber 11, and the discharge are released. The apparatus 50 is evacuated to discharge the vapor of the first color organic material 39 from the vapor deposition apparatus 10b.

Next, the substrate 81 and the mask 16 are aligned so that the region where the colored layer of the second color is to be formed faces the opening 17.
The same process as when the colored layer of the first color is formed by the supply device 20b containing the organic material 39 of the second color instead of the supply device 20a containing the organic material 39 of the first color. Then, the vapor of the required amount of the organic material 39 of the second color is generated, and the vapor is discharged from the discharge device 50. When the aligned mask 16 and the substrate 81 are arranged on the discharge device 50 from the start of vapor discharge to the end of film formation, a predetermined film is formed in the region where the colored layer of the second color is to be formed. A thick colored layer of the second color is formed.

  After the film formation is completed, the vapor is discharged from the vapor deposition apparatus 10b, and the region where the third color layer is to be formed is aligned with the opening so that the third color organic material 39 is accommodated. The supply device 20c generates the required amount of the vapor of the organic material 39 of the third color, releases the vapor from the discharge device 50, and aligns the mask 16 from the start of the vapor discharge to the end of the film formation. If the substrate 81 is placed on the discharge device 50, a third color layer having a thickness determined to form a third color layer is formed. A light emitting layer composed of a colored layer is formed.

  The substrate 81 on which the light emitting layer is formed is removed from the substrate holder 15 and carried out of the vacuum chamber 11, the substrate is replaced with the new substrate 81 carried into the vacuum chamber 11 and placed on the substrate holder 15, and the above-described light emitting layer. By repeating the above, the light emitting layer can be formed on the plurality of substrates 81.

  When the temperature of the wall surface exposed to the internal space of the evaporation chamber 21 (for example, the tip of the rotating shaft 35 or the inner wall surface of the evaporation chamber 21) is low, the vapor generated in the evaporation chamber 21 is deposited and precipitates are generated. After the deposition process of the plurality of substrates 81 is performed, the deposit layer becomes thick, and when the precipitate falls on the high temperature body 22, the organic material 39 exceeding the necessary supply amount is disposed on the high temperature body 22 and colored. The film thickness of the layer exceeds the determined film thickness.

  In the present invention, infrared rays (radiant heat) emitted from the high-temperature body 22 are incident on all the wall surfaces exposed inside the evaporation chamber 21, and all the exposed wall surfaces are heated to a temperature higher than the temperature at which the organic material 39 evaporates. The Therefore, no vapor is deposited, and the colored layer has a precisely determined film thickness.

As described above, the central shaft 37 is made of the same ceramic material as that of the protrusions 36 and mainly composed of Si ₃ N ₄ . Since the ceramic material has high heat insulating properties, even if the tip of the rotating shaft 35 (tip of the central shaft 37) becomes high temperature, the other parts of the central shaft 37 and the protrusions 36 are at a temperature at which the organic material 39 evaporates. The organic material 39 that does not reach and contacts the protrusion 36 does not evaporate. Therefore, the relationship between the rotation amount of the rotating shaft 35 and the supply amount of the organic material 39 does not change.

  In the present invention, the plurality of substrates 81 can be formed while the mask 16 is placed on the discharge device 50. However, when the film formation is repeated, the organic material 39 adheres to the mask 16 and the film formation accuracy deteriorates. Therefore, it is desirable to replace the mask 16 when the predetermined number of substrates 81 have been formed.

Although the case where a plurality of types of thin films (colored layers) are formed in one vapor deposition device 10b has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and one supply device 20a to 20c is provided in one discharge device 50. Only one type of thin film can be formed.
The vapor deposition apparatus 10b of the present invention can be used not only for the light emitting layer but also for the formation of other organic thin films such as a hole transport layer, a hole injection layer, an electron injection layer, and an electron transport layer.

  One or a plurality of discharge devices 50 can be arranged inside one vacuum chamber 11. When a plurality of discharge devices 50 are arranged inside one vacuum chamber 11, the discharge devices 50 are sufficiently separated from each other so that the vapor discharged from each discharge device 50 is not mixed, or the vapor is not contained in the vacuum chamber 11. It is desirable to provide a shielding plate that shields the flow.

Although the above has described the case where the organic material 39 is prepared by mixing a host and a dopant in advance, the present invention is not limited to this.
For example, a plurality of supply devices 20a to 20c are connected to one discharge device 50, and the host and the dopant are accommodated in the tanks 31 of the different supply devices 20a to 20c.

  If the vapor of the host and the vapor of the dopant are generated by different supply devices 20 a to 20 c and are supplied to the same discharge device 50, the vapor is mixed inside the discharge device 50. A mixed vapor of host vapor and dopant vapor is released, and a thin film containing both the host and dopant is grown.

  Either one or both of the emission device 50 and the substrate holder 15 is connected to the swinging means 58, and the emission device 50 is kept stationary while the substrate 81 and the mask 16 are relatively stationary while the colored layer is grown. If one or both of the substrate holder 15 and the substrate holder 15 are reciprocated or circularly moved in a horizontal plane, and the substrate 81 held by the substrate holder 15 is moved together with the substrate holder 15 with respect to the discharge device 50, coloring is performed. The layer thickness is uniform.

  The direction of relative reciprocation between the substrate holder 15 and the discharge device 50 is not particularly limited. For example, when the supply pipe 52 has a plurality of branch pipes arranged substantially in parallel at a predetermined interval, The substrate 81 and the discharge device 50 are relatively moved in a horizontal plane in a direction intersecting the branch pipe.

  If the jet outlet 53 of the supply pipe 52 is provided at a position not facing the discharge outlet 55 of the discharge container 51, the vapor jetted from the jet outlet 53 is discharged from the discharge outlet 55 after filling the discharge container 51. Therefore, the release rate is stabilized. Specifically, when the discharge port 55 is provided on the ceiling of the discharge container 51, the jet port 53 is provided in a portion of the supply pipe 52 that faces the bottom surface or side surface of the discharge container 51.

  If the surface (front surface) on which the discharge ports 55 of the discharge device 50 (here, the discharge container 51) are formed is larger than the substrate 81, and the discharge ports 55 are arranged in a distributed manner at a predetermined interval on the front surface, A thin film can be formed over the entire surface of the substrate 81 while the substrate 81 is positioned on the discharge device 50. According to this method, it is not necessary to form a film while transporting the substrate 81, and the moving distance of the substrate 81 in the vacuum chamber 11 is shortened, so that the amount of dust generated by transporting the substrate 81 is small.

  When the temperature of the discharge device 50 is low, vapor is deposited in the discharge device 50, so that a heater 68 is attached to the wall surface of the discharge device 50 (for example, the wall surface of the discharge container 51), and the discharge device 50 is heated by the heater 68. However, it is desirable to supply steam to the discharge device 50.

  At this time, if the mask 16 is heated by the radiant heat from the discharge device 50, thermal expansion occurs and film formation accuracy is lowered. Therefore, a heat insulating material (cooling plate) 57 is disposed between the discharge device 50 and the mask 16. It is desirable to cover the heater 68 with a cooling plate 57.

An opening (vapor discharge port) through which the discharge port 55 is exposed is provided at a position on the discharge port 55 of the cooling plate 57, and the size of the opening is large enough that the vapor discharged from the discharge port 55 is not in contact. Then, the vapor does not deposit on the cooling plate 57.
The heating of the high temperature body 22 is not limited to induction heating, and may be heated by heat conduction from a heating means. Further, the organic material 39 may be directly heated by irradiating the organic material 39 with a laser beam or the like.
When the high temperature body 22 is heated by a method other than induction heating, when the entire rotation shaft 35 is outside the electromagnetic field forming space, the center shaft 37 may be made of a material that can be induction heated.

  However, considering the strength of the entire rotary shaft 35, it is desirable that the protrusion 36 and the central shaft 37 are integrally formed of the same ceramic material. Specifically, the rotating shaft 35 is formed by pouring and solidifying a molten ceramic material into a mold, removing the mold from the mold, and mechanically polishing the surface.

The ceramic material is not limited to a material mainly composed of Si ₃ N ₄ , but considering the functions of both mechanical strength and insulation, the present invention includes a ceramic material mainly composed of Si ₃ N _4. Most suitable.

  The inside of the evaporation chamber 21 may be evacuated by evacuating the vacuum chamber 11 in a state where the evaporation chamber 21 is connected to the discharge device 50 without connecting the evaporation chamber 21 directly to the evacuation system. In this case, the organic material 39 is heated inside the evaporation chamber 21 after stopping the evacuation inside the evaporation chamber 21 by shutting off the discharge device 50 from the evaporation chamber 21.

The installation location of the high temperature body 22 is not particularly limited, and the organic material 39 may be disposed obliquely below the lower end of the connection pipe 42 as long as the organic material 39 can be disposed on the high temperature body 22. The shape of the high-temperature body 22 is not particularly limited, and may be a plate shape as long as the organic material 39 can be disposed.
The mask 16 may be the same or different in forming each colored layer.
The color combinations of the colored layers are not limited to red, blue, and green, and may be other combinations such as red, blue, and yellow. Further, the number of colors of the colored layer is not limited to three colors, and may be two colors or four or more colors.

  The above describes the case where the first and second thin films (colored layers) are formed in different regions without being laminated, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the mask is not used or the opening of the mask. Two or more types of organic thin films (for example, a hole transport layer, a hole injection layer, an electron transport layer, an electron injection layer, etc.) are formed without changing the positional relationship with the substrate, and the organic thin films are stacked in the same place. You can also.

The vapor deposition material used in the present invention is not limited to an organic material, and an inorganic material can also be used. When supplying a vapor from the evaporation chamber 21 to the discharge device 50, if a carrier gas (for example, N ₂ ) is introduced into the evaporation chamber 21, the supply efficiency of the vapor is increased, but an organic thin film such as a colored layer is formed. In this case, the carrier gas is not preferable because it may be taken into the organic thin film.

Schematic plan view for explaining an example of a film forming apparatus Schematic perspective view of the vapor deposition apparatus of the present invention Sectional drawing of the vapor deposition apparatus of this invention Sectional drawing for demonstrating the vapor deposition apparatus of a prior art

Explanation of symbols

  10b …… Vacuum deposition apparatus 11 …… Vacuum chamber 15 …… Substrate holder 16 …… Mask 20a to 20c …… Supply device 21 …… Evaporation chamber 31 …… Tank 35 …… Rotation axis 36 …… Projection 37 …… Center axis 39 …… Organic material 42 …… Connection pipe 50 …… Discharge device 81 …… Substrate

Claims (4)

A tank with an opening on the bottom;
A connection pipe having one end connected to the opening of the tank and the other end exposed to the external space of the tank;
A rotating shaft inserted into the connecting pipe;
Rotating means for rotating the rotating shaft;
The rotating shaft has a central axis and a ridge formed in a spiral shape around the central axis,
A supply device in which the internal space of the tank is connected to an external space where the other end of the connection pipe is exposed, through a groove between the protrusions,
The protrusion is a supply device made of a ceramic material whose main component is Si ₃ N ₄ .   The supply device according to claim 1, wherein the central axis is made of the same ceramic material as the protrusions. A coil, a high-temperature body located in the electromagnetic field forming space inside the coil, and an AC power source connected to the coil,
The supply device according to claim 2, wherein when the AC voltage is applied to the coil from the AC power source, the high temperature body is induction heated.
A supply device in which a tip of the central axis is located in the electromagnetic field forming space. A vacuum chamber, a discharge device, and a supply device according to claim 3;
The space where the high temperature body of the supply device is arranged is connected to the internal space of the discharge device,
A vapor deposition apparatus in which the discharge device is formed with a discharge port connecting the internal space of the vacuum chamber and the internal space of the discharge device.

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