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WO2009002022A1 - Mask exchange apparatus for deposition chamber - Google Patents

Mask exchange apparatus for deposition chamber Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2009002022A1
WO2009002022A1 PCT/KR2008/003001 KR2008003001W WO2009002022A1 WO 2009002022 A1 WO2009002022 A1 WO 2009002022A1 KR 2008003001 W KR2008003001 W KR 2008003001W WO 2009002022 A1 WO2009002022 A1 WO 2009002022A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
mask
frame
movable
cabinet
exchange apparatus
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/KR2008/003001
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Ki Ju Park
Jong Hwan Kong
Nam Hoon Lee
Original Assignee
Doosan Mecatec Co., Ltd.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Doosan Mecatec Co., Ltd. filed Critical Doosan Mecatec Co., Ltd.
Publication of WO2009002022A1 publication Critical patent/WO2009002022A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
    • C23C14/00—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
    • C23C14/04—Coating on selected surface areas, e.g. using masks
    • C23C14/042—Coating on selected surface areas, e.g. using masks using masks
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
    • C23C14/00—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
    • C23C14/22—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the process of coating
    • C23C14/24—Vacuum evaporation
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10K—ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES
    • H10K71/00—Manufacture or treatment specially adapted for the organic devices covered by this subclass
    • H10K71/10—Deposition of organic active material
    • H10K71/16—Deposition of organic active material using physical vapour deposition [PVD], e.g. vacuum deposition or sputtering
    • H10K71/166—Deposition of organic active material using physical vapour deposition [PVD], e.g. vacuum deposition or sputtering using selective deposition, e.g. using a mask

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a mask exchange apparatus for a deposition chamber, and more particularly, to a mask exchange apparatus capable of easily exchanging a shadow mask used in a process of depositing an organic thin film, smoothly carrying out physical distribution, and reducing an installation space of a deposition line.
  • This flat panel display representatively includes a liquid crystal display, a plasma display panel, organic light emitting diodes and so on.
  • an organic light emitting diode comes into the spotlight as the next generation display device due to its advantages such as rapid response, low energy consumption, light weight, possibility of ultra slim structure because of no backlight required, and high brightness rather than an existing liquid crystal display.
  • Vacuum deposition of the organic light emitting device is performed by positioning a shadow mask (or a mask) between a substrate and a vacuum source and bonding the mask to the substrate.
  • the mask should be exchanged and aligned.
  • at least three masks should be used, since three colors of red, green and blue, should be deposited on different positions, respectively.
  • a method using a robot arm is commonly called a cluster system, in which a mask is placed in a respective process chamber, a substrate is transferred to a predetermined chamber with the mask placed therein, and then the substrate and the mask are aligned and bonded to perform the deposition.
  • An object of the present invention is to provide a mask exchange apparatus for a deposition chamber which can easily exchange a large mask for depositing an organic thin film on a substrate (or a glass panel).
  • Another object of the present invention is to provide a mask exchange apparatus for a deposition chamber which can smoothly carry out physical distribution in a deposition process and reduce an installation space of a corresponding deposition line.
  • a mask exchange apparatus for a deposition chamber which includes a frame detachably installed on one side of the deposition chamber, an upper portion of the frame being opened on one side thereof, a mask opening being formed in a portion of the other side opposite to one side, and the frame having at least two support columns on a bottom surface thereof and a support plate fixed to lower ends of the support columns; a movable cabinet installed in the frame via a cabinet lifting means so as to move the movable cabinet up and down with respect to the frame, both sides of the movable cabinet opposite to the mask opening being opened, and the movable cabinet having at least two mask loading parts having different height and provided on inner walls of the remaining sides; a mask transferring means, installed on both sides of the frame, for sequentially transferring a mask loaded on the mask loading part to the deposition chamber or transferring the mask from the deposition chamber to its original position, through the mask opening of the frame; and a controller each connected to the cabinet lifting means and the mask
  • the cabinet lifting means includes a driving motor having a body portion thereof fixed to the support plate and controlled by the controller, a movable part for moving the movable cabinet up and down with respect to the frame through the driving motor, and a guide part for guiding a lifting portion of the movable part.
  • the movable part has a screw bar coupled to an output end of the driving motor, a sleeve member slidably enclosing the screw bar, slidably penetrating the frame, and fixed to a lower portion of the movable cabinet, and a driven pin fixed to the sleeve member and a front end thereof movable along a valley of the screw bar.
  • the guide part has guide bars each having a lower end thereof fixed to a corner portion of the support plate and an upper end thereof fixed to a corner portion of the frame, and a guide plate slidably inserted to the guide bars, respectively, and having a center portion thereof fixed to the lower end of the sleeve member.
  • each of the guide bars has a bellows retractable upward and downward.
  • the mask transferring means includes a movable cabinet, a roller part, a driving motor and an air cylinder, in which the movable cabinet has guide slots which are provided on each side of the mask loading part, in which the roller part has a driving roller having a roller shaft thereof inserted through the guide slot of the movable cabinet, and at least two idler rollers having a roller shaft thereof inserted through the guide slot and connected to the driving roller via a movable belt, in which the driving motor is provided on one side of an outer wall of the frame by the medium of a guide means so that the driving motor is movable forward and backward with respect to the frame, together with the roller part, and the driving motor drives the driving roller under the control of the controller, and in which the air cylinder has a body portion thereof fixed to the outer wall of the frame via a bracket, and a movable rod thereof fixed to the body portion of the driving motor.
  • the mask loading part includes support pieces spaced apart from each other on both sides thereof, and restriction bosses formed on an upper portion of each of the support pieces, in which a distance between an outer surface of each of the restriction bosses and an inner wall of the movable cabinet is longer than a width of each roller.
  • the controller includes a microcomputer installed with an operation program for transferring the mask along a desired transfer path using the cabinet lifting means and the mask transferring means, a liquid crystal display unit electrically connected to the microcomputer for displaying information on the transfer of the mask, and a key input unit electrically connected to the microcomputer for controlling the connection of the controller with an external power source and resetting the transfer path of the mask.
  • the mask exchange apparatus further comprises a transmitter and a receiver which are electrically connected to the microcomputer so as to precisely control transfer of the mask.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the construction of a mask exchange apparatus for a deposition chamber according to the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is a front view illustrating a mask exchange apparatus for a deposition chamber according to the present invention
  • FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating masks loaded on mask loading parts of a mask exchange apparatus according to the present invention
  • FIG. 4 is a front view illustrating the state that a mask is transferred from one mask loading part to a deposition chamber through a mask opening of a frame by using a mask transferring means of an exchange apparatus according to the present invention
  • FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a movable part of a mask transferring means which is moved from a movable position to a retracted position after the used mask is retrieved from the deposition chamber to one mask loading part of a mask exchange apparatus according to the present invention
  • FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the state that a movable cabinet is lifted by using a cabinet lifting means of a mask exchange apparatus according to the present invention in order to align the other mask loading part with a mask opening of a frame;
  • FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the state that a mask is transferred from the other mask loading part to a deposition chamber through a mask opening of a frame by using a mask transferring means of a mask exchange apparatus according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a movable part of a mask transferring means which is moved from a movable position to a retracted position after the used mask is retrieved from the deposition chamber to the other mask loading part of a mask exchange apparatus according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the construction of a mask exchange apparatus for a deposition chamber according to the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is a front view illustrating the mask exchange apparatus according to the present invention.
  • the mask exchange apparatus for the deposition chamber includes, as shown in FIGs. 1 and 2, a frame 1, a movable cabinet 10, a mask transferring means 50 and a controller (not shown).
  • the frame 1 is detachably installed on one side of a deposition chamber (not shown) at least in a portion thereof.
  • the upper portion of the frame 1 is opened on one side thereof, and a mask opening 2 is formed in a portion of the other side opposite to one side.
  • the frame 1 has at least two support columns 3 on a bottom surface thereof and a support plate 4 fixed to lower ends of the support columns.
  • the movable cabinet 10 is installed in the frame 1 via a cabinet lifting means 20 so as to move the movable cabinet 10 up and down with respect to the frame 1. Both sides of the movable cabinet 10 opposite to the mask opening 2 are opened.
  • the movable cabinet 10 has at least two mask loading parts 11 having different height and provided on inner walls of the remaining sides.
  • the mask transferring means 50 is installed on both sides of the frame 1 to sequentially transfer the mask (not shown) loaded on the mask loading part 11 to the deposition chamber or transfer the mask from the deposition chamber to its original position, through the mask opening 2 of the frame.
  • the controller is each connected to the cabinet lifting means 20 and the mask transferring means 50 to control the operation thereof.
  • the cabinet lifting means 20 includes a driving motor 21 having a body portion thereof fixed to the support plate 4 and controlled by the controller, a movable part 30 for moving the movable cabinet 10 up and down with respect to the frame 1 through the driving motor, and a guide part 40 for guiding the lifting portion of the movable part.
  • the driving motor and the movable part in the lifting means 20 may be replaced with an air cylinder.
  • the movable part 30 has a screw bar (not shown) coupled to an output end of the driving motor 21, a sleeve member 31 slidably enclosing the screw bar, slidably penetrating the frame 1, and fixed to the lower portion of the movable cabinet 10, and a driven pin (not shown) having a rear end thereof fixed to a lower portion of the sleeve member and a front end thereof movable along a valley of the screw bar.
  • the guide part 40 has guide bars 41 each having a lower end thereof fixed to a corner portion of the support plate 4 and an upper end thereof fixed to a corner portion of the frame 1, and a guide plate 42 slidably inserted to the guide bars, respectively, and having a center portion thereof fixed to the lower end of the sleeve member 31.
  • Each of the guide bars 41 may have a bellows retractable upward and downward.
  • the mask transferring means 50 includes the movable cabinet 10 having guide slots 10a which are provided on each side of the mask loading part 11, a roller part 51, a driving motor 21a and an air cylinder 60.
  • the roller part 51 has a driving roller 52 having a roller shaft 52a thereof inserted through the guide slot 10a of the movable cabinet 10, and at least two idler rollers 53 having a roller shaft 53a thereof inserted through the guide slot 10a and connected to the driving roller 52 via a movable belt 54.
  • the movable belt 54 and the driving roller 52 are meshed with each other in a contact portion thereof.
  • the movable belt 54 is made of stainless steel, resin, and so on.
  • a retracted position of the roller part 51 is positioned in the movable cabinet 10, but may be placed in a space between an inner wall of the frame 1 and an outer wall of the movable cabinet 10.
  • the driving motor 21a is provided on one side of the outer wall of the frame 1 by the medium of a guide means 65 so that the driving motor is movable forward and backward with respect to the frame 1, together with the roller part 51.
  • the driving motor 21a drives the driving roller 52 under the control of the controller.
  • the guide means 65 has a fixing piece 66 fixed to a body portion of the driving motor 21a, and a guide bar 67 having one end thereof fixed to a sidewall of the frame 1 and the other end thereof slidably penetrating the fixing piece 66.
  • the air cylinder 60 has a body portion thereof fixed to the outer wall of the frame 1 via a bracket 61, and a movable rod thereof fixed to the body portion of the driving motor 21a.
  • the air cylinder 60 and the controller are electrically connected to each other via a switching valve block (not shown) known in the art.
  • the switching valve block is coupled to a working fluid supply source (e.g., air compressor) via a supply hose (not shown) to supply air of constant pressure to the air cylinder 60.
  • the mask loading part 11 includes support pieces 12 spaced apart from each other on both sides thereof, and restriction bosses 12a formed on an upper portion of each support piece.
  • a distance between an outer surface of each of the restriction bosses and the inner wall of the movable cabinet 10 is longer than a width of each roller 52 and 53.
  • the controller includes a microcomputer (not shown) provided with an operation program for transferring the mask along a desired transfer path using the cabinet lifting means 20 and the mask transferring means 50, a liquid crystal display unit (not shown) electrically connected to the microcomputer for displaying information on the transfer of the mask, and a key input unit (not shown) electrically connected to the microcomputer for controlling the connection of the controller with an external power source and resetting the transfer path of the mask.
  • the mask exchange apparatus of the present invention may include a transmitter and a receiver so as to precisely control the transfer of the mask, which are not shown in the drawings.
  • the transmitter and the receiver are electrically connected to the microcomputer.
  • the transmitter and the receiver may be provided on a movable part (the movable cabinet and the roller part) and a stationary part (the frame), respectively.
  • the mask exchange apparatus of the present invention may be provided with an additional mask loading part 11 so as to properly cope with the deposition process.
  • a mask loading and unloading part (not shown) composed of a roller part and a motor connected to the roller part known in the art is installed in the deposition chamber of an inline deposition system or cluster deposition system, and then the mask loading and unloading part is electrically connected to the controller of the mask exchange apparatus of the present invention.
  • a mask loading and unloading command for the interested deposition process is input to the controller having the microcomputer which is previously installed with a mask loading and unloading program, so that the microcomputer of the controller sequentially performs the mask loading and unloading operation for the interested deposition process to each mask.
  • the roller part 51 is driven by the driving motor 21a of each mask transferring means 50 provided on both sides of the frame 1, so that the mask 13 loaded on the corresponding mask loading part 11 is transferred to the mask loading and unloading part in the deposition chamber (see FIG. 4).
  • a furnace of a furnace cell in the deposition chamber is filled with an interested organic solution, and a substrate, for example, a glass panel, which is provided through a substrate supply line, is positioned in the upper portion of the vacuum chamber, and then is aligned by a substrate align unit.
  • the glass panel is bonded onto the mask by a substrate mask bonding unit (not shown) known in the art (otherwise, the vacuuming process and the bonding process may be performed in reverse order), and then an electric current is applied to a heater of the furnace cell.
  • the organic solution is vaporized or sublimated from the furnace heated by the furnace cell to form an organic thin film of a predetermined pattern on a surface of the glass panel according to a mask pattern.
  • each roller part 51 is retracted to the inner wall of the movable cabinet 10 by the driving motor 21a of each mask transferring means 50 of the frame 1, and then the movable cabinet 10 is lifted by using the cabinet lifting means 20, so that the mask 13 loaded on the other mask loading part 11 of the movable cabinet 10 is aligned with the mask opening 2 of the frame 1 (see FIG. 6).
  • the driving motor 21a is moved forwards by the air cylinder 60 of each mask transferring means 50, so that each roller part 51 is moved under the edge of the interested mask 13. Then, the interested roller part 51 is moved by the driving motor 21a to complete the transfer of the mask 13 from the mask loading part 11 to the mask loading and unloading part in the deposition chamber (see FIG. 7). In this instance, the furnace of the furnace cell in the deposition chamber is filled with the organic solution corresponding to the deposition process.
  • the glass panel is bonded onto the mask by the substrate mask bonding part (not shown) known in the art (otherwise, the vacuuming process and the bonding process may be performed in reverse order), and then an electric current is applied to the heater of the furnace cell.
  • the organic solution is vaporized or sublimated from the furnace heated by the furnace cell to form an organic thin film of a predetermined pattern on a surface of the glass panel according to a mask pattern.
  • the bonding state of the mask and the glass panel is released by the substrate mask bonding unit, and then the used mask 13 is retrieved from the mask loading and unloading part in the deposition chamber to the corresponding mask loading part 11 of the movable cabinet 10 through the mask opening 2 of the frame 1 (see FIG. 8).
  • the present invention can easily exchange a large shadow mask to deposit an organic thin film on a substrate.
  • the present invention can smoothly carry out the physical distribution and reduce the installation space of a deposition line.
  • the present invention can be applied to a cluster deposition system, as well as an inline deposition system.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Physical Vapour Deposition (AREA)

Abstract

A mask exchange apparatus for a deposition chamber is disclosed. The mask exchange apparatus includes a frame detachably installed on one side of the deposition chamber, an upper portion of the frame being opened on one side thereof, a mask opening being formed in a portion of the other side opposite to one side, and the frame having at least two support columns on a bottom surface thereof and a support plate fixed to lower ends of the support columns; a movable cabinet installed in the frame via a cabinet lifting means so as to move the movable cabinet up and down with respect to the frame, both sides of the movable cabinet opposite to the mask opening being opened, and the movable cabinet having at least two mask loading parts having different height and provided on inner walls of the remaining sides; a mask transferring means, installed on both sides of the frame, for sequentially transferring a mask loaded on the mask loading part to the deposition chamber or transferring the mask from the deposition chamber to its original position, through the mask opening of the frame; and a controller each connected to the cabinet lifting means and the mask transferring means for controlling the operation thereof.

Description

Description
MASK EXCHANGE APPARATUS FOR DEPOSITION
CHAMBER
Technical Field
[1] The present invention relates to a mask exchange apparatus for a deposition chamber, and more particularly, to a mask exchange apparatus capable of easily exchanging a shadow mask used in a process of depositing an organic thin film, smoothly carrying out physical distribution, and reducing an installation space of a deposition line.
[2]
Background Art
[3] Recently, along with rapid progress of information communication techniques and expansion of its market, a flat panel display comes into the spotlight as a display device. This flat panel display representatively includes a liquid crystal display, a plasma display panel, organic light emitting diodes and so on.
[4] Among them, an organic light emitting diode comes into the spotlight as the next generation display device due to its advantages such as rapid response, low energy consumption, light weight, possibility of ultra slim structure because of no backlight required, and high brightness rather than an existing liquid crystal display.
[5] Vacuum deposition of the organic light emitting device is performed by positioning a shadow mask (or a mask) between a substrate and a vacuum source and bonding the mask to the substrate. In the case where different materials are to be deposited on predetermined portions of the substrate during the deposition process, the mask should be exchanged and aligned. In particular, in the case of a color organic light emitting device, at least three masks should be used, since three colors of red, green and blue, should be deposited on different positions, respectively.
[6] In order to perform the deposition process, a method of depositing a predetermined material on the substrate by fixing a vacuum source and masks in deposition chambers and moving the substrate through the respective deposition chambers and a method of depositing a predetermined material on the substrate by transferring the substrate together with a mask are used.
[7] A method using a robot arm is commonly called a cluster system, in which a mask is placed in a respective process chamber, a substrate is transferred to a predetermined chamber with the mask placed therein, and then the substrate and the mask are aligned and bonded to perform the deposition.
[8] In the case of the cluster system, however, the mask is placed in the respective process chamber using a robot arm. It is very difficult to smoothly transfer a large mask to the corresponding process chamber using the robot arm due to its weight. [9]
Disclosure of Invention
Technical Problem
[10] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems.
[11] An object of the present invention is to provide a mask exchange apparatus for a deposition chamber which can easily exchange a large mask for depositing an organic thin film on a substrate (or a glass panel).
[12] Another object of the present invention is to provide a mask exchange apparatus for a deposition chamber which can smoothly carry out physical distribution in a deposition process and reduce an installation space of a corresponding deposition line.
[13]
Technical Solution
[14] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mask exchange apparatus for a deposition chamber, which includes a frame detachably installed on one side of the deposition chamber, an upper portion of the frame being opened on one side thereof, a mask opening being formed in a portion of the other side opposite to one side, and the frame having at least two support columns on a bottom surface thereof and a support plate fixed to lower ends of the support columns; a movable cabinet installed in the frame via a cabinet lifting means so as to move the movable cabinet up and down with respect to the frame, both sides of the movable cabinet opposite to the mask opening being opened, and the movable cabinet having at least two mask loading parts having different height and provided on inner walls of the remaining sides; a mask transferring means, installed on both sides of the frame, for sequentially transferring a mask loaded on the mask loading part to the deposition chamber or transferring the mask from the deposition chamber to its original position, through the mask opening of the frame; and a controller each connected to the cabinet lifting means and the mask transferring means for controlling the operation thereof.
[15] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cabinet lifting means includes a driving motor having a body portion thereof fixed to the support plate and controlled by the controller, a movable part for moving the movable cabinet up and down with respect to the frame through the driving motor, and a guide part for guiding a lifting portion of the movable part.
[16] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the movable part has a screw bar coupled to an output end of the driving motor, a sleeve member slidably enclosing the screw bar, slidably penetrating the frame, and fixed to a lower portion of the movable cabinet, and a driven pin fixed to the sleeve member and a front end thereof movable along a valley of the screw bar.
[17] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, The guide part has guide bars each having a lower end thereof fixed to a corner portion of the support plate and an upper end thereof fixed to a corner portion of the frame, and a guide plate slidably inserted to the guide bars, respectively, and having a center portion thereof fixed to the lower end of the sleeve member.
[18] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the guide bars has a bellows retractable upward and downward.
[19] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mask transferring means includes a movable cabinet, a roller part, a driving motor and an air cylinder, in which the movable cabinet has guide slots which are provided on each side of the mask loading part, in which the roller part has a driving roller having a roller shaft thereof inserted through the guide slot of the movable cabinet, and at least two idler rollers having a roller shaft thereof inserted through the guide slot and connected to the driving roller via a movable belt, in which the driving motor is provided on one side of an outer wall of the frame by the medium of a guide means so that the driving motor is movable forward and backward with respect to the frame, together with the roller part, and the driving motor drives the driving roller under the control of the controller, and in which the air cylinder has a body portion thereof fixed to the outer wall of the frame via a bracket, and a movable rod thereof fixed to the body portion of the driving motor.
[20] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mask loading part includes support pieces spaced apart from each other on both sides thereof, and restriction bosses formed on an upper portion of each of the support pieces, in which a distance between an outer surface of each of the restriction bosses and an inner wall of the movable cabinet is longer than a width of each roller.
[21] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the controller includes a microcomputer installed with an operation program for transferring the mask along a desired transfer path using the cabinet lifting means and the mask transferring means, a liquid crystal display unit electrically connected to the microcomputer for displaying information on the transfer of the mask, and a key input unit electrically connected to the microcomputer for controlling the connection of the controller with an external power source and resetting the transfer path of the mask.
[22] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mask exchange apparatus further comprises a transmitter and a receiver which are electrically connected to the microcomputer so as to precisely control transfer of the mask. Brief Description of the Drawings
[24] The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
[25] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the construction of a mask exchange apparatus for a deposition chamber according to the present invention;
[26] FIG. 2 is a front view illustrating a mask exchange apparatus for a deposition chamber according to the present invention;
[27] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating masks loaded on mask loading parts of a mask exchange apparatus according to the present invention;
[28] FIG. 4 is a front view illustrating the state that a mask is transferred from one mask loading part to a deposition chamber through a mask opening of a frame by using a mask transferring means of an exchange apparatus according to the present invention;
[29] FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a movable part of a mask transferring means which is moved from a movable position to a retracted position after the used mask is retrieved from the deposition chamber to one mask loading part of a mask exchange apparatus according to the present invention;
[30] FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the state that a movable cabinet is lifted by using a cabinet lifting means of a mask exchange apparatus according to the present invention in order to align the other mask loading part with a mask opening of a frame;
[31] FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the state that a mask is transferred from the other mask loading part to a deposition chamber through a mask opening of a frame by using a mask transferring means of a mask exchange apparatus according to the present invention; and
[32] FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a movable part of a mask transferring means which is moved from a movable position to a retracted position after the used mask is retrieved from the deposition chamber to the other mask loading part of a mask exchange apparatus according to the present invention.
[33]
Mode for the Invention
[34] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to FIGs. 1 to 8. It is to be understood that the following examples are illustrative only and the present invention is not limited thereto.
[35] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the construction of a mask exchange apparatus for a deposition chamber according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a front view illustrating the mask exchange apparatus according to the present invention.
[36] The mask exchange apparatus for the deposition chamber according to the present invention includes, as shown in FIGs. 1 and 2, a frame 1, a movable cabinet 10, a mask transferring means 50 and a controller (not shown).
[37] The frame 1 is detachably installed on one side of a deposition chamber (not shown) at least in a portion thereof. The upper portion of the frame 1 is opened on one side thereof, and a mask opening 2 is formed in a portion of the other side opposite to one side. The frame 1 has at least two support columns 3 on a bottom surface thereof and a support plate 4 fixed to lower ends of the support columns.
[38] The movable cabinet 10 is installed in the frame 1 via a cabinet lifting means 20 so as to move the movable cabinet 10 up and down with respect to the frame 1. Both sides of the movable cabinet 10 opposite to the mask opening 2 are opened. The movable cabinet 10 has at least two mask loading parts 11 having different height and provided on inner walls of the remaining sides.
[39] The mask transferring means 50 is installed on both sides of the frame 1 to sequentially transfer the mask (not shown) loaded on the mask loading part 11 to the deposition chamber or transfer the mask from the deposition chamber to its original position, through the mask opening 2 of the frame.
[40] The controller is each connected to the cabinet lifting means 20 and the mask transferring means 50 to control the operation thereof.
[41] The cabinet lifting means 20, the mask transferring means 50, the mask loading part
11 and the controller (not shown) will be described in detail with reference to FIGs. 1 and 2.
[42] The cabinet lifting means 20 includes a driving motor 21 having a body portion thereof fixed to the support plate 4 and controlled by the controller, a movable part 30 for moving the movable cabinet 10 up and down with respect to the frame 1 through the driving motor, and a guide part 40 for guiding the lifting portion of the movable part. The driving motor and the movable part in the lifting means 20 may be replaced with an air cylinder.
[43] The movable part 30 has a screw bar (not shown) coupled to an output end of the driving motor 21, a sleeve member 31 slidably enclosing the screw bar, slidably penetrating the frame 1, and fixed to the lower portion of the movable cabinet 10, and a driven pin (not shown) having a rear end thereof fixed to a lower portion of the sleeve member and a front end thereof movable along a valley of the screw bar.
[44] The guide part 40 has guide bars 41 each having a lower end thereof fixed to a corner portion of the support plate 4 and an upper end thereof fixed to a corner portion of the frame 1, and a guide plate 42 slidably inserted to the guide bars, respectively, and having a center portion thereof fixed to the lower end of the sleeve member 31. Each of the guide bars 41 may have a bellows retractable upward and downward.
[45] The mask transferring means 50 includes the movable cabinet 10 having guide slots 10a which are provided on each side of the mask loading part 11, a roller part 51, a driving motor 21a and an air cylinder 60.
[46] The roller part 51 has a driving roller 52 having a roller shaft 52a thereof inserted through the guide slot 10a of the movable cabinet 10, and at least two idler rollers 53 having a roller shaft 53a thereof inserted through the guide slot 10a and connected to the driving roller 52 via a movable belt 54. Preferably, the movable belt 54 and the driving roller 52 are meshed with each other in a contact portion thereof. The movable belt 54 is made of stainless steel, resin, and so on. A retracted position of the roller part 51 is positioned in the movable cabinet 10, but may be placed in a space between an inner wall of the frame 1 and an outer wall of the movable cabinet 10.
[47] The driving motor 21a is provided on one side of the outer wall of the frame 1 by the medium of a guide means 65 so that the driving motor is movable forward and backward with respect to the frame 1, together with the roller part 51. The driving motor 21a drives the driving roller 52 under the control of the controller. The guide means 65 has a fixing piece 66 fixed to a body portion of the driving motor 21a, and a guide bar 67 having one end thereof fixed to a sidewall of the frame 1 and the other end thereof slidably penetrating the fixing piece 66.
[48] The air cylinder 60 has a body portion thereof fixed to the outer wall of the frame 1 via a bracket 61, and a movable rod thereof fixed to the body portion of the driving motor 21a. The air cylinder 60 and the controller are electrically connected to each other via a switching valve block (not shown) known in the art. The switching valve block is coupled to a working fluid supply source (e.g., air compressor) via a supply hose (not shown) to supply air of constant pressure to the air cylinder 60.
[49] The mask loading part 11 includes support pieces 12 spaced apart from each other on both sides thereof, and restriction bosses 12a formed on an upper portion of each support piece. Preferably, a distance between an outer surface of each of the restriction bosses and the inner wall of the movable cabinet 10 is longer than a width of each roller 52 and 53. As a result, the roller part 51 of the mask transferring means 50 is freely movable from the lower portion of one mask loading part 11 to the lower portion of the other mask loading part 11, without colliding against the mask.
[50] The controller includes a microcomputer (not shown) provided with an operation program for transferring the mask along a desired transfer path using the cabinet lifting means 20 and the mask transferring means 50, a liquid crystal display unit (not shown) electrically connected to the microcomputer for displaying information on the transfer of the mask, and a key input unit (not shown) electrically connected to the microcomputer for controlling the connection of the controller with an external power source and resetting the transfer path of the mask.
[51] Alternatively, the mask exchange apparatus of the present invention may include a transmitter and a receiver so as to precisely control the transfer of the mask, which are not shown in the drawings. In this instance, the transmitter and the receiver are electrically connected to the microcomputer. Also, the transmitter and the receiver may be provided on a movable part (the movable cabinet and the roller part) and a stationary part (the frame), respectively.
[52] In the case where at least three deposited layers are formed in one deposition chamber, the mask exchange apparatus of the present invention may be provided with an additional mask loading part 11 so as to properly cope with the deposition process.
[53] The operation of the mask exchange apparatus of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGs. 3 to 8.
[54] First, a mask loading and unloading part (not shown) composed of a roller part and a motor connected to the roller part known in the art is installed in the deposition chamber of an inline deposition system or cluster deposition system, and then the mask loading and unloading part is electrically connected to the controller of the mask exchange apparatus of the present invention.
[55] Next, as shown in FIG. 3, after a mask 13 is loaded on each mask loading part 11 of the movable cabinet 10 of the mask exchange apparatus according to the present invention, a mask loading and unloading command for the interested deposition process is input to the controller having the microcomputer which is previously installed with a mask loading and unloading program, so that the microcomputer of the controller sequentially performs the mask loading and unloading operation for the interested deposition process to each mask.
[56] Then, the roller part 51 is driven by the driving motor 21a of each mask transferring means 50 provided on both sides of the frame 1, so that the mask 13 loaded on the corresponding mask loading part 11 is transferred to the mask loading and unloading part in the deposition chamber (see FIG. 4). In this instance, a furnace of a furnace cell in the deposition chamber is filled with an interested organic solution, and a substrate, for example, a glass panel, which is provided through a substrate supply line, is positioned in the upper portion of the vacuum chamber, and then is aligned by a substrate align unit.
[57] And then, after the interior of the deposition chamber is vacuumed by a vacuum generation unit (not shown), the glass panel is bonded onto the mask by a substrate mask bonding unit (not shown) known in the art (otherwise, the vacuuming process and the bonding process may be performed in reverse order), and then an electric current is applied to a heater of the furnace cell. Next, the organic solution is vaporized or sublimated from the furnace heated by the furnace cell to form an organic thin film of a predetermined pattern on a surface of the glass panel according to a mask pattern.
[58] The bonding state of the mask and the glass panel is released by the substrate mask bonding unit, and then the used mask 13 is retrieved from the mask loading and unloading part in the deposition chamber to the corresponding mask loading part 11 of the movable cabinet 10 through the mask opening 2 of the frame 1 (see FIG. 5).
[59] Then, each roller part 51 is retracted to the inner wall of the movable cabinet 10 by the driving motor 21a of each mask transferring means 50 of the frame 1, and then the movable cabinet 10 is lifted by using the cabinet lifting means 20, so that the mask 13 loaded on the other mask loading part 11 of the movable cabinet 10 is aligned with the mask opening 2 of the frame 1 (see FIG. 6).
[60] And then, the driving motor 21a is moved forwards by the air cylinder 60 of each mask transferring means 50, so that each roller part 51 is moved under the edge of the interested mask 13. Then, the interested roller part 51 is moved by the driving motor 21a to complete the transfer of the mask 13 from the mask loading part 11 to the mask loading and unloading part in the deposition chamber (see FIG. 7). In this instance, the furnace of the furnace cell in the deposition chamber is filled with the organic solution corresponding to the deposition process.
[61] And then, after the interior of the deposition chamber is vacuumed by the vacuum generation unit (not shown), the glass panel is bonded onto the mask by the substrate mask bonding part (not shown) known in the art (otherwise, the vacuuming process and the bonding process may be performed in reverse order), and then an electric current is applied to the heater of the furnace cell. Next, the organic solution is vaporized or sublimated from the furnace heated by the furnace cell to form an organic thin film of a predetermined pattern on a surface of the glass panel according to a mask pattern.
[62] Next, the bonding state of the mask and the glass panel is released by the substrate mask bonding unit, and then the used mask 13 is retrieved from the mask loading and unloading part in the deposition chamber to the corresponding mask loading part 11 of the movable cabinet 10 through the mask opening 2 of the frame 1 (see FIG. 8).
[63] While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment and the drawings. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and variations within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
[64]
Industrial Applicability
[65] As can be seen from the foregoing, the present invention can easily exchange a large shadow mask to deposit an organic thin film on a substrate.
[66] Also, the present invention can smoothly carry out the physical distribution and reduce the installation space of a deposition line.
[67] Also, the present invention can be applied to a cluster deposition system, as well as an inline deposition system.

Claims

Claims
[1] A mask exchange apparatus for a deposition chamber comprising: a frame detachably installed on one side of the deposition chamber, an upper portion of the frame being opened on one side thereof, a mask opening being formed in a portion of the other side opposite to one side, and the frame having at least two support columns on a bottom surface thereof and a support plate fixed to lower ends of the support columns; a movable cabinet installed in the frame via a cabinet lifting means so as to move the movable cabinet up and down with respect to the frame, both sides of the movable cabinet opposite to the mask opening being opened, and the movable cabinet having at least two mask loading parts having different height and provided on inner walls of the remaining sides; a mask transferring means, installed on both sides of the frame, for sequentially transferring a mask loaded on the mask loading part to the deposition chamber or transferring the mask from the deposition chamber to its original position, through the mask opening of the frame; and a controller each connected to the cabinet lifting means and the mask transferring means for controlling the operation thereof.
[2] The mask exchange apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cabinet lifting means comprises a driving motor having a body portion thereof fixed to the support plate and controlled by the controller, a movable part for moving the movable cabinet up and down with respect to the frame through the driving motor, and a guide part for guiding a lifting portion of the movable part.
[3] The mask exchange apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the movable part has a screw bar coupled to an output end of the driving motor, a sleeve member slidably enclosing the screw bar, slidably penetrating the frame, and fixed to a lower portion of the movable cabinet, and a driven pin fixed to the sleeve member and a front end thereof movable along a valley of the screw bar.
[4] The mask exchange apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein The guide part has guide bars each having a lower end thereof fixed to a corner portion of the support plate and an upper end thereof fixed to a corner portion of the frame, and a guide plate slidably inserted to the guide bars, respectively, and having a center portion thereof fixed to the lower end of the sleeve member.
[5] The mask exchange apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of the guide bars has a bellows retractable upward and downward.
[6] The mask exchange apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mask transferring means includes a movable cabinet, a roller part, a driving motor and an air cylinder, in which the movable cabinet has guide slots which are provided on each side of the mask loading part, in which the roller part has a driving roller having a roller shaft thereof inserted through the guide slot of the movable cabinet, and at least two idler rollers having a roller shaft thereof inserted through the guide slot and connected to the driving roller via a movable belt, in which the driving motor is provided on one side of an outer wall of the frame by the medium of a guide means so that the driving motor is movable forward and backward with respect to the frame, together with the roller part, and the driving motor drives the driving roller under the control of the controller, and in which the air cylinder has a body portion thereof fixed to the outer wall of the frame via a bracket, and a movable rod thereof fixed to the body portion of the driving motor.
[7] The mask exchange apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mask loading part includes support pieces spaced apart from each other on both sides thereof, and restriction bosses formed on an upper portion of each of the support pieces, in which a distance between an outer surface of each of the restriction bosses and an inner wall of the movable cabinet is longer than a width of each roller.
[8] The mask exchange apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller includes a microcomputer installed with an operation program for transferring the mask along a desired transfer path using the cabinet lifting means and the mask transferring means, a liquid crystal display unit electrically connected to the microcomputer for displaying information on the transfer of the mask, and a key input unit electrically connected to the microcomputer for controlling the connection of the controller with an external power source and resetting the transfer path of the mask.
[9] The mask exchange apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a transmitter and a receiver which are electrically connected to the microcomputer, so as to precisely control transfer of the mask.
PCT/KR2008/003001 2007-06-27 2008-05-29 Mask exchange apparatus for deposition chamber WO2009002022A1 (en)

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KR10-2007-0063702 2007-06-27

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KR101456246B1 (en) * 2013-03-21 2014-11-03 주식회사 선익시스템 A Apparatus for Exchanging Shuttles

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JP2004055198A (en) * 2002-07-17 2004-02-19 Konica Minolta Holdings Inc Manufacturing device and method for display device having organic electroluminescent element
JP2004292863A (en) * 2003-03-26 2004-10-21 Ulvac Japan Ltd Equipment for mask and vacuum deposition system
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JP2005139493A (en) * 2003-11-05 2005-06-02 Kansai Tlo Kk Mask attachment and detachment device

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JPH09209127A (en) * 1996-02-05 1997-08-12 Idemitsu Kosan Co Ltd Vacuum vapor deposition apparatus and production of organic electroluminescence element by using this vacuum vapor deposition apparatus
US6885437B2 (en) * 2001-08-20 2005-04-26 Nikon Corporation Mask exchanging method and exposure apparatus
JP2004055198A (en) * 2002-07-17 2004-02-19 Konica Minolta Holdings Inc Manufacturing device and method for display device having organic electroluminescent element
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JP2005139493A (en) * 2003-11-05 2005-06-02 Kansai Tlo Kk Mask attachment and detachment device

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US9013242B2 (en) 2012-03-27 2015-04-21 Seiko Epson Corporation Resonator element, resonator, electronic device, electronic apparatus, and mobile object

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