KR20180086125A - A device for depositing material on a substrate, a system for depositing one or more layers on a substrate, and a method for monitoring a vacuum deposition system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an apparatus (100) for depositing material on a substrate (10). The apparatus 100 includes at least one deposition source 120 in a vacuum chamber 110 and at least one shaper device 130-shaper device 130 in at least one deposition source 120, And the camera device 140 in the vacuum chamber 110 and the camera device 140 is configured to block material accumulation on the shaper device 130 Lt; / RTI >

Description

A device for depositing material on a substrate, a system for depositing one or more layers on a substrate, and a method for monitoring a vacuum deposition system

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to an apparatus for depositing material on a substrate, a system for depositing one or more layers on a substrate, and a method for monitoring a vacuum deposition system. Embodiments of the present disclosure particularly relate to the deposition of organic materials in the manufacture of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) devices.

[0002] Techniques for layer deposition on a substrate include, for example, thermal evaporation, physical vapor deposition (PVD), and chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Coated substrates can be used in several applications and in some technical fields. For example, coated substrates can be used in the field of organic light emitting diode (OLED) devices. OLEDs can be used in the manufacture of television screens, computer monitors, mobile phones, other hand-held devices, etc. for displaying information. An OLED device, such as an OLED display, may include one or more layers of organic material, all located between two electrodes deposited on a substrate.

[0003] The evaporation source may be used to deposit layers on the substrate, such as one or more layers of organic material. The evaporated material may also be deposited on various components of a vacuum deposition system. The deposited material must be removed from at least some of the components at predetermined service intervals, for example, to ensure operability of the vacuum deposition system.

[0004] In view of the foregoing, there is a need for new devices for depositing materials on a substrate, systems for depositing one or more layers on a substrate, A method for monitoring the system is advantageous. The present disclosure is particularly directed to providing an apparatus, system, and method that can provide an efficient cleaning process to reduce the downtime of a vacuum deposition system.

[0005] In view of the foregoing, there is provided an apparatus for depositing material on a substrate, a system for depositing one or more layers on the substrate, and a method for monitoring a vacuum deposition system. Further aspects, benefits, and features of the present disclosure are apparent from the claims, the description, and the accompanying drawings.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus for depositing a material on a substrate is provided. The apparatus comprises a vacuum chamber, at least one deposition source in the vacuum chamber, a shaper device at the at least one deposition source, the shaper device configured to block at least a portion of the material emitted from the at least one deposition source, and And a camera device in the vacuum chamber, wherein the camera device is configured to monitor material accumulation on the shaper device.

[0007] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a system for depositing one or more layers on a substrate is provided. The system comprises an apparatus for depositing material on a substrate, a load lock chamber connected to a vacuum chamber for loading a substrate into a vacuum chamber, And an unload lock chamber connected to the vacuum chamber for unloading the substrate having layers thereon from the vacuum chamber.

[0008] According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for monitoring a vacuum deposition system is provided. The method includes depositing material on a shaper device configured to block at least a portion of the material emanating from the evaporation source, using evaporation source material for evaporation on the substrate, and using a camera device installed in the vacuum chamber And monitoring.

[0009] Embodiments also relate to apparatus for performing the disclosed methods, and include apparatus portions for performing each of the described method aspects. These methodological aspects may be performed by hardware components, by a computer programmed by appropriate software, by any combination of the two, or in any other manner. In addition, embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure also relate to methods for operating the described apparatus. The methods for operating the described apparatus include method aspects for performing all of the respective functions of the apparatus.

[0010] In the manner in which the above-recited features of the present disclosure can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the present disclosure, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings relate to embodiments of the present disclosure and are described below:
1 shows a schematic view of an apparatus for deposition of material on a substrate, according to embodiments described herein;
Figure 2 shows a schematic view of an apparatus for depositing material on a substrate, according to other embodiments described herein;
Figure 3 shows a schematic view of an apparatus for depositing material on a substrate, according to further embodiments described herein;
Figure 4 shows a schematic view of an evaporation source with a shaper device, according to embodiments described herein;
Figure 5 illustrates a system for depositing one or more layers on a substrate, according to embodiments described herein;
Figures 6A-6D illustrate schematic diagrams of the system of Figure 5 with an evaporation source at different positions, in accordance with the embodiments described herein; And
Figure 7 shows a flow diagram of a method for monitoring a vacuum deposition system, in accordance with embodiments described herein.

[0011] Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present disclosure, and one or more examples of various embodiments are illustrated in the drawings. In the following description of the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like components. In general, only differences for the individual embodiments are described. Each example is provided for the purpose of describing the present disclosure and is not intended as a limitation of the disclosure. Further, the features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment may be used with other embodiments or with other embodiments to produce yet another additional embodiment. The description is intended to cover such modifications and variations.

[0012] The material evacuated by the deposition source may be deposited on various components of a vacuum deposition system, such as, for example, a shaper device used to shape a plume of ejected material. The components can be cleaned from time to time to ensure operability of the vacuum deposition system. The present disclosure uses a camera device located within a vacuum chamber to monitor material accumulation on a shaper device. A cleaning process to remove the accumulated material from the shaper device may be performed based on the monitored material accumulation. The cleaning process can be performed in an efficient manner and the downtime of the vacuum deposition system can be minimized.

[0013] Figure 1 shows a schematic plan view of an apparatus 100 for deposition of a material on a substrate 10, in accordance with embodiments described herein.

[0014] The apparatus 100 includes a vacuum chamber 110, at least one deposition source 120 in a vacuum chamber 110, a shaper device 130 in at least one deposition source 120, Device 140 as shown in FIG. The camera device 140 is configured to monitor material accumulation on the shaper device 130. The shaper device 130 is configured to block at least a portion of the material emitted from the at least one deposition source (120). In particular, the shaper device 130 may be configured to define an angle of emission of material emitted from the at least one deposition source 120.

[0015] The material may be emitted from the at least one deposition source 120 in the discharge direction 1 toward the deposition region where the substrate 10 to be coated is located. For example, at least one deposition source 120 may provide a line source having a plurality of openings and / or nozzles arranged on at least one line along the length of the at least one deposition source 120. The material may be discharged through a plurality of openings and / or nozzles. The plurality of openings and / or nozzles may be shaped to define the discharge direction (1).

[0016] According to some embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the shaper device 130 may include a distribution cone or plume of material exiting the at least one deposition source 120, And may be configured to delimit. As an example, at least one deposition source 120 is an evaporation source, e.g., having a plurality of openings and / or nozzles, and the shaper device 130 is configured to range a distribution cone of material evaporated by the evaporation source . The shaper device 130 may be configured to have a larger angle than the predetermined angle, such as greater angles, such as 10 degrees or more, 20 degrees, or more, for a plane perpendicular to the substrate 10 or substrate surface Or even cuts off or blocks the material that is emitted at 30 degrees or more. In addition, the shaper device 130 may be configured to reduce heat radiation toward the deposition region. The shaper device 130 is further described with respect to FIG.

[0017] In some implementations, at least a portion of the shaper device 130 is arranged in a field of view 142 of the camera device 140 to monitor material accumulation on the shaper device 130. In particular, at least a portion of the shaper device 130 may be positioned in a direct line of sight to the camera device 140. By way of example, the camera device 140 may be arranged at a position above and / or behind the substrate 10 so that the camera device 140 does not interfere with the deposition process. In some embodiments, for example, a camera device 140 mounted on top of at least one deposition source 120 may be provided, and at least a portion of the shaper device 130 may be in the view 142 of the camera device 140 .

[0018] According to some embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the camera device 140 may include one or more cameras, such as image cameras, video cameras, high resolution cameras, infrared cameras , And any combination thereof. In some implementations, the camera device 140 may be configured to provide images at predetermined time intervals, such as once per second, once per minute, once per hour, or even once per day. In other implementations, camera device 140 may be configured to continuously monitor shaper device 130 and / or material accumulation. By way of example, camera device 140 may provide real-time monitoring of material accumulation.

[0019] In accordance with some embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the apparatus 100 further includes a monitoring device 150 configured to determine material accumulation on the shaper device 130. The monitoring device 150 may be connected to the camera device 140 by a wireless link and / or by a cable. As an example, a USB connection may be provided for connecting the camera device 140 and the monitoring device 150 for data transmission.

[0020] In some implementations, the monitoring device 150 may be configured to determine one or more characteristics, such as the physical characteristics of the material deposited on the shaper device 130. One or more of the features may be selected from the group consisting of layer thickness, color, color spectrum, and any combination thereof. By way of example, the monitoring device 150 uses software to determine one or more characteristics of material accumulation on the shaper device 130. The software may include an algorithm configured for evaluation of data, such as image data, provided by the camera device 140. [ The software and in particular the algorithm may be configured to derive one or more features from the data provided by the camera device 140. The monitoring device 150 may include a user interface configured to display information about one or more features, such as a display. According to some embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the monitoring device 150 may be configured to determine the shape or contour of the shaper device 130. The material accumulation can be determined based on changes in shape or contour, for example, enlargement of the shape caused by material accumulation. By way of example, the reference shape may be compared to an actual or determined shape, and a material accumulation may be determined based on the comparison.

[0021] The monitoring device 150 may be configured to use the focus of the camera device 140 to determine the layer thickness of the material deposited on the shaper device 130. [ By way of example, the focus of the camera device 140 may have a fixed setting. The layer thickness can be derived from the amount of de-focusing caused by the accumulation of material on the shaper device 130. [ In another example, the focus of the camera device 140 can be changed while the material is being accumulated, e.g., using autofocus, so that the monitored portion of the shaper device 130, and particularly the accumulated material, is clearly reproduced. In other words, the image provided by the camera device 140 is a sharp or focused image. The layer thickness can be derived from the amount of change in focus caused by the accumulation of material on the shaper device 130.

[0022] Additionally or alternatively, the monitoring device 150 can be configured to determine the amount of accumulated material based on the color or color spectrum of the accumulated material. In particular, the color or color spectrum can be varied with the accumulation of material. The layer thickness can be derived from color or color spectra.

[0023] According to some embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the apparatus 100 may include a heating device 130 configured to heat the shaper device 130 to remove material deposited on the shaper device 130, . In particular, the collected material may be re-evaporated to clean the shaper device 130. Cleaning the shaper device 130 can prevent, for example, the nozzles of at least one deposition source 120 from being clogged by the condensed material. The heating device may be an electric heater or an induction heater.

[0024] In some implementations, the apparatus 100 is configured to adjust one or more process parameters for heating the shaper device 130 based on the monitored material accumulation. By way of example, one or more process parameters are selected from the group consisting of a heating start time, a maximum heating temperature, a temperature ramp rate, a heating duration, and any combination thereof. Optimal process parameters may be selected to remove the condensed material, since detailed information on material accumulation is available. In particular, when the shaper device 130 is heated, the temperature to be heated, how long to heat, and the like can be optimally determined.

[0025] In some implementations, the apparatus 100 may be configured to determine one or more process parameters for automatically heating the shaper device 130. In some embodiments, The monitoring device 150 may include a user interface, such as a display, configured to display one or more features determined by the monitoring device 150 and / or one or more determined process parameters. In some embodiments, heating of the shaper device 130 may be performed automatically, for example, during a service procedure.

[0026] In other implementations, one or more of the process parameters may be determined manually, e.g., by an operator. As an example, the monitoring device 150 may include a user interface configured to display one or more characteristics, such as the thickness of the accumulated material layer. An operator may select one or more process parameters based on one or more features.

[0027] The apparatus 100 can be used to transport a carrier 20 having a substrate 10 or a substrate 10 positioned thereon via a vacuum chamber 110 and in particular through a deposition zone along a transport path such as a linear transport path And a transport system configured to transport the substrate. The transfer system may be configured for transfer of the substrate 10 or the carrier 20 in the transfer direction 2, which may be the horizontal direction.

[0028] According to some embodiments, which may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the apparatus 100 is configured for deposition of material on the substrate 10 in a substantially vertical orientation. &Quot; Substantially vertical ", as used throughout this disclosure, refers to a deviation in the vertical direction or orientation, such as, for example, about 20 degrees or less, e.g., about 10 degrees or less, ≪ / RTI > Such a deviation can be provided, for example, since a substrate support having slight deviation from the vertical orientation can cause a more stable substrate position. In addition, when the substrate is tilted forward, fewer particles reach the substrate surface. However, for example, the substrate orientation during a vacuum deposition process is considered to be substantially vertical, which is contemplated to be different from a horizontal substrate orientation that can be considered to be horizontal, e.g., +/- 20 degrees or less.

[0029] The terms "vertical direction" or "vertical orientation" are understood to be distinguished from "horizontal direction" or "horizontal orientation". Refers to a substantially vertical orientation of the carrier 20 and the substrate 10, and may be a few degrees from an exact vertical or vertical orientation, e.g., a maximum of 10 degrees, or even a maximum The deviation of 15 [deg.] Is still considered to be "substantially vertical direction" or "substantially vertical orientation ". The vertical direction may be substantially parallel to gravity.

[0030] The embodiments described herein can be utilized for evaporation, for example, on large area substrates for display fabrication. In particular, the substrates on which the structures and methods according to the embodiments described herein are provided are large area substrates. For example, large area substrates or carriers, about ^{0.67 m 2 (0.73 x 0.92 m} ) approximately 4.29 m ² GEN 5, corresponding to the surface area of the GEN 4.5, about ^{1.4 m 2 (1.1 mx 1.3 m} ) corresponding to the surface area of the ( GEN corresponding to a surface area of 1.95 mx 2.2 m), GEN 8.5 corresponding to a surface area of approximately 5.7 m ² (2.2 mx 2.5 m), or even GEN corresponding to a surface area of approximately 8.7 m ² (2.85 mx 3.05 m) 10 < / RTI > Much larger generations such as GEN 11 and GEN 12 and corresponding surface areas can similarly be implemented. Half sizes of GEN generations can also be provided in OLED display manufacturing.

[0031] According to some embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the substrate thickness may be 0.1 to 1.8 mm. The substrate thickness may be approximately 0.9 mm or less, such as 0.5 mm. The term "substrate" as used herein may in particular encompass substantially unstable substrates, such as slices of transparent crystal, such as wafers, sapphire, or glass plates. However, the present disclosure is not limited to these, and the term "substrate" may also encompass flexible substrates such as webs or foils. The term "substantially unlikely" is understood to be distinguished from "flexible ". Specifically, a substantially unembossed substrate, such as a glass plate having a thickness of, for example, 0.9 mm or less, such as 0.5 mm or less, may have some degree of flexibility, wherein the flexibility of the substantially non- The properties are small compared to flexible substrates.

[0032] According to the embodiments described herein, the substrate may be made of any material suitable for material deposition. For example, the substrate can be a glass (e.g., soda-lime glass, borosilicate glass, etc.), metal, polymer, ceramic, compound materials, Of a material selected from the group consisting of other materials or combinations of materials.

[0033] According to some embodiments, the substrate 10 is dynamic or static during deposition of the material. Illustratively, a dynamic substrate and a static substrate are illustrated in Figs. 1 and 6, respectively. According to embodiments described herein, a dynamic deposition process may be provided, for example, for the fabrication of OLED devices.

[0034] Figure 2 shows a schematic side view of an apparatus 200 for depositing material on a substrate 10, according to other embodiments described herein.

[0035] According to some embodiments, the camera device 240 is configured to monitor material accumulation on the shaper device 130 based on reflections of the shaper device 130, provided by the substrate 10. In particular, the camera device 240 can be positioned within the vacuum chamber 110 such that at least a portion of the substrate 10 is arranged in the field of view 242 of the camera device 240. As an example, substrate 10 may be provided on the front side of at least one deposition source 120, as illustrated in FIG.

[0036] The substrate 10 can serve as a mirror. The camera device 240 may be "directed" to the substrate 10, for example, on at least one deposition source 120. By way of example, the camera device 240 can see the shooting direction, i. E., The emission direction 1, of at least one deposition source 120. Through reflection on the mirror surface, it is possible to observe the state of the shaper device 130. In particular, one or more features of shape and / or material accumulation of shaper device 130 may be determined and / or observed. In some implementations, the reflection of the shaper device 130 is provided by an uncoated, i.e., bare substrate, such as a glass substrate. In further implementations, the reflection of the shaper device 130 is provided by a coated substrate, such as a metal-coated substrate. The coated substrate may be a substrate having a high reflectivity, such as a metal-coated substrate. Material accumulation can be monitored before the deposition process begins.

[0037] The camera device 240 may be located at a remote position from the deposition area, such as at the top of at least one deposition source 120. The camera device 240 does not interfere with the deposition process, especially the deposition material. Material accumulation on the camera device 240 can be prevented.

[0038] According to some embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the camera device 240 may be configured to emit light in a direction of emission 1 of material emitted from at least one deposition source 120, . The camera device 240 and in particular the field of view 242 are oriented toward the deposition area such that the reflection of the shaper device 130 on the substrate surface can be captured by the camera device 240, As shown in FIG.

[0039] The at least one deposition source 120 is configured such that the emission direction 1 is approximately 0 deg. (I.e., the emission direction 1 is perpendicular to the substrate surface) relative to the surface perpendicular to the substrate surface, , Such as 3 [deg.] To 10 [deg.]. In some implementations, at least one deposition source 120, such as an evaporation source, is configured to provide the substrate 10 with a plume or distribution cone of material. The emission direction (1) can be defined as the main propagation direction of atoms or molecules forming a plume or distributed cone.

[0040] According to some embodiments, the apparatus 200 includes a transfer system 260 configured for non-contact levitation, transfer, and / or alignment of the carrier 20. The non-contact nailing, transfer and / or alignment of the carrier 20 is advantageous in that no particles are generated during transport, for example, due to mechanical contact with the guide rails. The transfer system 260 provides improved purity and uniformity of the layers deposited on the substrate 10 because particle generation is minimized when using contactless levitation, transfer, and / or alignment.

[0041] FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of an apparatus 300 for depositing material on a substrate, according to further embodiments described herein. The device 300 of FIG. 3 is similar to the device of FIG. 2, and the description of similar or identical aspects is not repeated.

[0042] According to some embodiments, the apparatus 300 includes a reflective device 370 installed within a vacuum chamber 110. In some embodiments, At least a portion of the reflective device 370 may be positioned within the visual field of the camera device 340 to monitor material accumulation on the shaper device 130 based on the reflection of the shaper device 130, 342). The reflective device 370 may be a mirror.

[0043] The monitoring of the shaper device 130 may be performed as described in connection with FIG. The camera device 340 may be mounted on at least one deposition source 120, e.g., on top of at least one deposition source 120. The camera device 340 can be located at a remote position from the deposition area, does not interfere with the deposition process, and does not particularly interfere with the deposition material. Material accumulation on the camera device 340 can be prevented.

[0044] FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram of an evaporation source 400 having a shaper device 420, according to embodiments described herein. In particular, at least one deposition source may be an evaporation source, and the shaper device 420 is configured to range the distribution cone of material evaporated by the evaporation source 400.

[0045] 4, the evaporation source 400 may include a dispensing assembly 430 connected to the evaporation crucible 440. The dispensing assembly 430 may be a separate, For example, the dispensing assembly 430 may include a dispensing pipe, which may be a elongate tube. For example, a distribution pipe as described herein may provide a line source having a plurality of openings and / or nozzles arranged in at least one line along the length of the distribution pipe. Alternatively, one elongate opening extending along at least one line may be provided. For example, the elongated opening may be a slit. According to some embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the lines may be essentially vertical.

[0046] In some implementations, the dispensing assembly 430 may include a dispensing pipe provided, for example, as a linear dispensing showerhead having a plurality of apertures disposed therein. The showerhead as understood herein has an enclosure, a hollow space, or a pipe through which material may be provided or guided, for example, from the evaporation crucible 440. The showerhead may have a plurality of openings (or elongated slits) such that the pressure in the showerhead is higher than the outside of the showerhead. For example, the pressure in the showerhead may be at least ten times higher than the outside of the showerhead.

[0047] According to some embodiments that may be combined with any of the other embodiments described herein, the length of the dispensing pipe may correspond at least to the height of the substrate to be coated. In particular, the length of the dispensing pipe may be at least 10% or even 20% longer than the height of the substrate to be coated. For example, the length of the distribution pipe may be 1.3 m or more, such as 2.5 m or more. Thus, uniform deposition at the upper end of the substrate and / or at the lower end of the substrate can be provided. According to an alternative arrangement, the dispensing assembly 430 may include one or more point sources that may be arranged along a vertical axis.

[0048] According to some embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the evaporation crucible 440 is in fluid communication with the dispensing assembly 430 and is provided at the lower end of the dispensing assembly 430. In particular, a connector, e.g., a flange unit, configured to provide a connection between the evaporation crucible 440 and the dispensing assembly 430 may be provided. For example, the evaporation crucible 440 and the dispensing assembly 430 may be provided as separate units, which may be separate and connected or assembled at the connector, for example, for operation of the evaporation source 400. The evaporation crucible 440 may be a reservoir for the material to be evaporated by heating the evaporation crucible 440, such as an organic material. The material to be evaporated may enter the dispensing assembly 430, particularly at the bottom of the dispensing pipe, and may be directed through the plurality of openings of the dispensing pipe in an essentially sideward direction, such as an essentially vertically oriented substrate Can be informed.

[0049] According to some embodiments, the heating unit 410 may be provided to heat the dispensing assembly 430, and in particular the dispensing pipe (s). The heating unit 410 may be mounted or attached to the walls of the dispensing assembly 430. The dispensing assembly 430 can be heated to a temperature such that the vapor of material provided by the evaporation crucible 440 is not condense in the interior portion of the wall of the dispensing assembly 430. Further, a heat shielding portion may be provided around the distribution pipe to reflect the heat energy provided by the heating unit 410 back toward the distribution pipe.

[0050] The evaporation source 400 is also referred to as a shaper device 420 (also referred to as a " shielding device ", "shaper shielding device" or "hot shaper") for scoping the distribution cone of evaporated material provided on a substrate ). In addition, the shaper device 420 may be configured to reduce heat radiation toward the deposition area. In some implementations, the shaper device 420 may be cooled by the cooling element 422. For example, the cooling element 422 may be mounted on the back side of the shaper device 420 and may include a conduit for the cooling fluid.

[0051] By providing the shaper device 420, the direction (i.e., the direction of discharge) of the vapor exiting the distribution pipe or pipes through the outlets can be controlled, i.e., the angle of the vapor release can be reduced. In particular, at least a portion of the material that evaporates through the outlets or nozzles of the evaporation source 400 is blocked by the shaper device 420. The width of the emission angle can be controlled. By way of example, the shaper device 420 may be configured to have a greater or lesser angle than the predetermined angle, such as greater angles, such as 10 degrees or more, for the plane perpendicular to the substrate 10 or substrate surface, 20 DEG or greater, or even 30 DEG or greater. The shaper device 420 scatters the distribution cone of materials dispensed towards the substrates, i.e., the shaper device 420 is configured to block at least a portion of the material being ejected.

[0052] In some implementations, the evaporation source 400 may be configured for rotation about an axis, particularly during evaporation. For example, a rotary drive may be provided at the connections between the source cart (not shown) and the evaporation source 400. The rotary drive may be configured to turn the evaporation source 400 essentially parallel to the substrate before coating of the substrate is performed. Various applications for OLED device fabrication include processes wherein two or more organic materials are evaporated at the same time. In some embodiments, two or more distribution assemblies, particularly distribution pipes and corresponding evaporation crucibles, may be provided side by side. This evaporation source may also be referred to as an evaporation source array, e.g., where more than one kind of organic material is evaporated at the same time.

[0053] FIG. 5 illustrates a system 500 for depositing one or more layers of, for example, an organic material, on a substrate 10, in accordance with embodiments described herein. The system 500 illustratively illustrates a stationary substrate and a moving deposition source. However, the present disclosure is not so limited, and the deposition source may be static and the substrate may be moved during the layer deposition process, as exemplarily illustrated in connection with Figs. 1-3.

[0054] The system 500 includes an apparatus for depositing material on a substrate in accordance with embodiments described herein, a load lock chamber (not shown) coupled to a vacuum chamber 540 for loading the substrate 10 into a vacuum chamber 540 Lock chamber 502 connected to a vacuum chamber 540 for unloading a substrate 10 having one or more layers deposited thereon from a vacuum chamber 540. The vacuum chamber 540 may be a vacuum chamber. The system 500 may be configured for deposition of organic materials.

[0055] At least one evaporation source, in particular an evaporation source 400, is provided in the vacuum chamber 540. At least one deposition source may be provided on the track or linear guide 522. The linear guide 522 may be configured for translational movement of at least one deposition source. In addition, a drive for providing translational movement of at least one deposition source may be provided. The vacuum chamber 540 may be connected to the load lock chamber 501 and the unload lock chamber 502 through respective gate valves. The gate valves may allow for vacuum sealing between adjacent vacuum chambers and may be opened and closed to move the substrate and / or mask into or out of the vacuum chamber 540.

[0056] In the present disclosure, a "vacuum chamber" will be understood as a vacuum process chamber or a vacuum deposition chamber. The term "vacuum" as used herein can be understood in the sense of a technical vacuum with a vacuum pressure of, for example, less than 10 mbar. The pressure in the vacuum chamber 540 can be from 10 ^-5 mbar to about 10 ^-8 mbar, especially from 10 ^-5 mbar to 10 ^-7 mbar, more particularly from about 10 ^-6 mbar to about 10 ^-7 mbar. The system 500 includes one or more vacuum pumps connected to the vacuum chamber 540 for generating a vacuum within the vacuum chamber 540 such as turbo pumps and / and cryo-pumps.

[0057] According to some embodiments, which may be combined with any of the other embodiments described herein, two substrates, e.g., a first substrate 10A and a second substrate 10B, Can be supported on the tracks. Also, two tracks may be provided for providing masks thereon. In particular, the coating of the substrates may include masking the substrates by respective masks, such as edge exclusion masks or shadow masks. According to some embodiments, in the mask frame 530 for holding the mask in a predetermined position, corresponding to the masks, e.g., the first mask 30A and the second substrate 10B corresponding to the first substrate 10A A second mask 30B is provided.

[0058] According to some embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the substrates may be supported by respective carriers, which may be connected to the alignment system 550, e.g., by coupling elements 552 . The alignment system 550 can adjust the position of the substrate relative to the mask. To provide proper alignment between the substrate and the mask during deposition of the material, the substrate can be moved relative to the mask. According to further embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, alternatively or additionally, a mask frame 530 holding a mask and / or mask may be coupled to the alignment system 550 . The mask may be positioned relative to the substrate, or both the mask and the substrate may be positioned relative to each other.

[0059] According to some embodiments, a source support 531 configured for translational movement of at least one deposition source along the linear guide 522 may be provided. The source support 531 may support the evaporation crucible 440 and the distribution assembly 430 provided on the evaporation crucible 440. The vapor generated in the evaporation crucible 440 may move upward and out of one or more outlets of the dispensing assembly 430. The dispense assembly 430 is configured to provide a plume of material to be evaporated, particularly the evaporated source material, from the dispense assembly 430 to the substrate.

[0060] The at least one deposition source includes a shaper device (420). Additionally, as depicted illustratively in FIG. 6C, when at least one deposition source is in a rotated position, it may be desirable to collect the evaporated source material that is emitted from at least one deposition source, A material collecting unit 560 may be arranged in the vacuum chamber 540. A heating device 570 for cleaning the shaper device 420 at the service position of at least one deposition source may be provided. The service position may be the position of at least one deposition source in the rotated position of the outlets of the dispensing assembly 430 as compared to the deposition position of the dispensing assembly 430 where the outlets are directed towards the substrate to be coated.

[0061] Figures 6A-6D illustrate schematic diagrams of the system of Figure 5 with at least one deposition source in different positions (the deposition source may be an evaporation source 400), in accordance with the embodiments described herein . The plume or distribution cone 518 is emitted by at least one deposition source.

[0062] 6A-6D illustrate at least one deposition source, particularly an evaporation source 400, at various positions within the vacuum chamber 540. As shown in FIG. The movement between different positions is indicated by arrows 102B, 102C, and 102D. In Figure 6a, at least one deposition source is shown in the first position. As shown in FIG. 6B, the left substrate in the vacuum chamber 540 is coated with a layer of material by translational movement of at least one deposition source, as indicated by arrow 102B. While the left substrate, e.g., the first substrate, is coated with a layer of material, the second substrate, e.g., the substrate on the right side of Figures 6A-6D, can be exchanged, as indicated by the dashed lines. After the first substrate is coated, the dispensing assembly of at least one deposition source may be rotated as indicated by arrow 102C in Figure 6C. During deposition of the material on the first substrate, the second substrate was positioned and aligned with respect to the second mask. 6C, the second substrate may be coated with a layer of material by translational movement of at least one deposition source, as indicated by arrow 102D in Fig. 6D. While the second substrate is coated with the organic material, the first substrate can be moved out of the vacuum chamber 540, as indicated by the dotted lines.

[0063] FIG. 7 shows a flow diagram of a method 700 for monitoring a vacuum deposition system, in accordance with embodiments described herein. The method may utilize the apparatus and system according to the present disclosure.

[0064] The method 700 includes, at block 710, evaporating material using an evaporation source for deposition on a substrate, and, at block 720, using a camera device installed within the vacuum chamber, Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > shaper < / RTI >

[0065] In some implementations, the method 700 includes determining one or more process parameters for the heating device based on the monitored material accumulation, and determining, by the heating device using one or more of the determined process parameters, And heating the shaper device. Optimal process parameters may be selected to remove the condensed material, since detailed information on material accumulation is available. In particular, when the shaper device is heated, the temperature to be heated, how long to heat, and the like can be optimally determined.

[0066] According to embodiments described herein, a method for monitoring a vacuum deposition system may be performed by computer programs, software, computer software products, and interrelated controllers, which may include a CPU, a memory, a user Interface, and input and output means for communicating with corresponding components of the apparatus for processing large area substrates.

[0067] The material evacuated by the deposition source may be deposited on various components of a vacuum deposition system, such as, for example, a shaper device used to form a plume of ejected material. The components can be cleaned from time to time to ensure operability of the vacuum deposition system. The present disclosure uses a camera device located within a vacuum chamber to monitor material accumulation on a shaper device. A cleaning process to remove the accumulated material from the shaper device may be performed based on the monitored material accumulation. The cleaning process can be performed in an efficient manner and the downtime of the vacuum deposition system can be minimized.

[0068] While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present disclosure, other and further embodiments of the present disclosure may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope of the present disclosure is defined in the following claims .

Claims (15)

An apparatus for depositing a material on a substrate,
A vacuum chamber;
At least one deposition source in the vacuum chamber;
A shaper device in the at least one deposition source configured to block at least a portion of the material emitted from the at least one deposition source; And
A camera device in the vacuum chamber,
Wherein the camera device is configured to monitor material accumulation on the shaper device,
Apparatus for deposition of material on a substrate. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein at least a portion of the shaper device is arranged within a field of view of the camera device for monitoring material accumulation on the shaper device,
Apparatus for deposition of material on a substrate. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the camera device is configured to monitor material accumulation on the shaper device based on reflection of the shaper device,
Apparatus for deposition of material on a substrate. The method of claim 3,
Wherein the camera device is positioned within the vacuum chamber such that at least a portion of the substrate is arranged in the field of view of the camera device.
Apparatus for deposition of material on a substrate. The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising a reflective device installed in the vacuum chamber,
Wherein at least a portion of the reflective device is arranged in the field of view of the camera device for monitoring material accumulation on the shaper device based on reflections of the shaper device,
Apparatus for deposition of material on a substrate. 6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
Wherein the camera device is mounted on the at least one deposition source,
Apparatus for deposition of material on a substrate. 7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
Wherein the camera device is aligned with a direction of emission of the material emitted from the at least one deposition source,
Apparatus for deposition of material on a substrate. 8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
Further comprising a monitoring device connected to the camera device by a wireless link or by a cable,
Wherein the monitoring device is configured to determine material accumulation on the shaper device,
Apparatus for deposition of material on a substrate. 9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
Further comprising a heating device configured to heat the shaper device to remove the material accumulated on the shaper device,
Apparatus for deposition of material on a substrate. 10. The method of claim 9,
Wherein the device is configured to adjust one or more process parameters for heating the shaper device based on the material accumulation,
Apparatus for deposition of material on a substrate. 11. The method of claim 10,
Wherein the one or more process parameters are selected from the group consisting of a heating start time, a maximum heating temperature, a temperature ramp rate, a heating duration, and any combination thereof.
Apparatus for deposition of material on a substrate. 12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11,
Wherein the at least one deposition source is an evaporation source, and
Wherein the shaper device is configured to delimit a distribution cone of the material evaporated by the evaporation source,
Apparatus for deposition of material on a substrate. A system for depositing one or more layers on a substrate,
13. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12;
A load lock chamber connected to the vacuum chamber for loading the substrate into the vacuum chamber; And
And an unload lock chamber coupled to the vacuum chamber for unloading the substrate having one or more layers deposited thereon from the vacuum chamber.
A system for depositing one or more layers on a substrate. A method for monitoring a vacuum deposition system,
Evaporating material using an evaporation source for deposition on a substrate; And
Monitoring material accumulation on a shaper device configured to block at least a portion of the material emitted from the evaporation source using a camera device installed in the vacuum chamber.
A method for monitoring a vacuum deposition system. 15. The method of claim 14,
Determining one or more process parameters for the heating device based on the monitored material accumulation; And
Heating the shaper device by the heating device using one or more determined process parameters,
A method for monitoring a vacuum deposition system.

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