JPH02118073A - Continuous vacuum deposition device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To hold a vapor depositing source chamber at high degree of vacuum even when the inside of a vapor deposition chamber is opened to the atmosphere by providing a partition equipping a freely opening and closing aperture part between the vapor depositing source chamber and the vapor deposition chamber in a device for continuously forming a vapor deposited film such as metal on a long-sized flexible base plate. CONSTITUTION:In the case of vacuum-depositing metal such as Al or nonmetal such as ceramics on a film 1 made of PE, etc., the film 1 is introduced into a vacuum deposition chamber 3a via the pressure-reducing chambers 2a, 2b whose pressure is successively reduced and wound on a cooling roll 5. A vapor deposited aluminum film is formed on the film 1 wound on the cooling roll 5 by the vapor of molten aluminum in a crucible 6 in a vapor depositing source chamber 3b. A partition 8 equipping an aperture part 8a is provided between the chamber 3a and the chamber 3b and a cover 9 for opening and closing the aperture part 8a is provided. When the opening of the chamber 3a to the atmosphere is made necessary, the aperture part 8a of the partition 8 is closed with the cover 9 and thereby vacuum in the chamber 3b can be held. Trouble such as burning of the crucible and deterioration of operation rate can be prevented when the inside of the chamber 3b is opened to the atmosphere.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention is applicable to vacuum evaporation equipment for depositing metals such as aluminum or non-metals such as ceramics onto plastic films such as polyester films, and various non-metallic materials other than plastics. The present invention relates to a vacuum evaporation apparatus that evaporates a metal material or a nonmetallic material onto a metal material or a metal material.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 2 shows an example of a conventional X-vacuum deposition apparatus for depositing aluminum onto a plastic film.

In a vacuum chamber a consisting of an upper chamber and a lower chamber (deposition chamber) g separated by a partition plate, a film b wound into a coil is unwound from an unwinding mc, while being fed from a crucible J in a lower chamber g. The evaporated aluminum vapor is deposited on one part of the cooling roll (deposition roll) and wound up on a 9-winder e. When the deposition of one coil is completed, the vacuum chamber a is opened to the atmosphere, a new film b wound into a coil is replaced, and then the vacuum is evacuated again using the pump d and the deposition operation is performed. The amount of aluminum in the crucible j consumed at one time is about IIK9, so there is no need to continuously supply it, but when it is opened to the atmosphere.

To prevent damage to the crucible J, eject the crucible each time and
After cleaning the inside, load new aluminum. In this way, the vapor deposition work using the vacuum vapor deposition apparatus shown in FIG. 2 includes mounting the film, cleaning the crucible, loading new vapor deposition material, evacuation, and heating.

Since it is a batch operation that repeats running, vapor deposition, and opening to the atmosphere,
It was extremely inefficient.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

The conventional one-batch one-coil type vacuum evaporation apparatus shown in FIG. 2 is inefficient and has poor productivity.

Therefore, in order to improve productivity, we created a decompression chamber divided into multiple stages by seal rolls and partition walls, evacuated each of these depressurization chambers, and created a pressure that gradually decreased from atmospheric pressure to vacuum. It has been considered to perform vacuum deposition by passing a flexible substrate such as a film through the substrate and continuously moving the substrate from the atmosphere to a vacuum and back to the atmosphere.

However, in the case of the batch method shown in Figure 2, the vacuum It is necessary to open the room to the atmosphere. Then, each time, the crucible was heated to 700 to 800℃ at 1 o'clock.
Since it is exposed to the atmosphere at a high temperature of 400 degrees Celsius, its lifespan is shortened due to burnout, etc. Also to prevent damage to the crucible.

It is also necessary to pump out the aluminum in the crucible and to maintain the crucible.

In order to solve the conventional problems as described above, the present invention has the following features:
It is an object of the present invention to provide a vacuum evaporation device that can keep only a portion of a crucible in a vacuum even if it becomes necessary to open a vacuum chamber to the atmosphere.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention continuously introduces a flexible substrate from the atmosphere into a vacuum chamber via a reduced pressure chamber, wraps the substrate around a cooling roll in the vacuum chamber, and places the substrate in a crucible. After the heated and evaporated deposition material is deposited on the substrate, the substrate is transported to the atmosphere through a reduced pressure chamber, and a partition wall having an opening is provided between the cooling roll and the crucible. The present invention proposes a continuous vacuum evaporation apparatus characterized in that the opening is provided with a lid that can be opened and closed to seal the opening.

[For production]

During the vapor deposition operation, the vapor deposition material passes from the crucible through the opening of the partition wall and is vapor deposited onto the traveling substrate wound around the cooling roll (evaporation roll).

When it is necessary to open the crucible to the atmosphere, such as when the running substrate is cut, the opening is sealed with a lid, only the part containing the crucible is evacuated, and the part containing the vapor deposition roll is opened to the atmosphere.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional side view showing one embodiment of the present invention.

This embodiment is an example of an apparatus for vapor depositing aluminum as a vapor deposition material onto a plastic film substrate.

The coiled plastic film is discharged from a dispensing device (not shown) placed in the atmosphere, passes between sealing rolls S1, 820, and sealing rolls S1. S
2. It enters a decompression chamber 2a surrounded by S3 and partition walls Wl and W2. The decompression chambers have a plurality of stages (6 to 7 stages) of almost the same structure arranged in series, and the plastic film 1 passes through them one after another and enters the vacuum chamber (evaporation chamber) 3 from the last decompression chamber 2b. . The above-mentioned decompression chambers 2a,..., 2
b and vacuum chamber 3.

They are each evacuated by a vacuum evacuation device 4, and the pressure gradually decreases from atmospheric pressure to vacuum.

The plastic film 1 is wound around a cooling roll (evaporation roll) 5 in the vacuum chamber 3, and after the aluminum evaporated from the crucible 6 is deposited thereon, it passes between the seal rolls 82 and S3 and is transferred to the decompression chambers 2b...2a. After.

Seal roll S2 above the decompression chamber 2a. From between S3.

It is discharged into the atmosphere and wound up by a winding device (not shown).

The vacuum chamber (evaporation chamber) 3 includes an upper deposition chamber 3a with a cooling roll (deposition roll) 5, and a lower deposition chamber 3b containing a graphite crucible 6 equipped with heating means such as high-frequency induction heating (not shown). The two are separated by a partition wall 8. The partition wall 8 is provided with an opening 8a through which the vapor of the aluminum 7 in the crucible 6 passes. And in the opening 8a.

A lid 9 is provided which can be moved horizontally and vertically (arrow A). A vacuum sealing mechanism (for example, an O-cylinder and a metal surface) capable of sealing the opening 8a is provided between the lower surface of the lid 9 and the upper surface of the partition wall 8.

During the vapor deposition operation, the lid 9 is positioned on the side of the opening 8a.

The vapor of aluminum 7 in the crucible 6 is vapor-deposited onto the plastic film 1 that is running around the vapor deposition roll 5.

At this time, the pulp V of the vacuum piping connected to the upper vapor deposition chamber 3a
l and pulp v in the vacuum piping connected to the lower deposition chamber 3b.
2 are in an open state, and the entire vacuum chamber (evaporation chamber) 3 is maintained at a pressure of about I.times.10-'Torr.

When it becomes necessary to open the vacuum evaporation apparatus (for example, the film runs out), the pulp v1 in the upper evaporation chamber 3a is closed and the internal pressure in the lower evaporation chamber 3b is reduced to a pressure at which the aluminum 7 does not evaporate (for example, I X 1O-2 Torr). After the temperature is increased to a certain level, the lid 9 is moved to the opening 8a by a moving means (not shown) to perform vacuum sealing, thereby sealing the opening 8a. In this way, only the lower vapor deposition chamber 3b is maintained at a pressure at which the aluminum 7 does not evaporate, while the reduced pressure chambers 2a, 2b and the upper vapor deposition chamber 3a are opened.

Carry out the necessary work (for example, connecting the film 1). When restarting the operation, the pulp v1 is opened and the decompression chambers 2a+2b and the upper vapor deposition chamber 3a are evacuated again. Once the required pressure is reached.

After the lid 9 is moved to the side of the opening 8a again by a moving means (not shown), the crucible 6 is evacuated to a pressure at which the aluminum 7 evaporates, and vapor deposition is restarted.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, the first effect can be obtained because the crucible does not need to be exposed to the atmosphere at a high temperature.

(1) No shortening of life due to oxidation of the crucible.

(2) The work of pumping out the aluminum inside the crucible can be done with a minimum number of times.

(3) The number of crucible maintenance tasks is reduced.

(4) The above +21, (31) shortens the operation interruption time and improves productivity.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional side view showing one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal side view showing an example of a conventional vacuum evaporation apparatus. 1...Plastic film 2a, 2b...
Decompression chamber 3... Vacuum chamber (vapor deposition chamber) 3b... Lower vapor deposition chamber 5... Cooling roll (vapor deposition roll) 7... Aluminum 8a... Opening 81.82. S3... Seal roll v1. v2...Length loop 3a...Upper deposition chamber 4...Evacuation device 6...Crucible 8...Deposition chamber partition 9...Lid wl, w2...Partition Figure 1 agent

Claims (1)

[Claims] A flexible substrate is continuously introduced from the atmosphere into a vacuum chamber via a decompression chamber, and in the vacuum chamber, the substrate is wrapped around a cooling roll, and the deposition material heated and evaporated in the crucible is deposited on the substrate. After that, the substrate is transported to the atmosphere through a reduced pressure chamber, and a partition wall having an opening is provided between the cooling roll and the crucible, and the opening can be sealed tightly. A continuous vacuum evaporation device characterized by having a lid that can be opened and closed.