CN114574815B

CN114574815B - Film forming apparatus

Info

Publication number: CN114574815B
Application number: CN202111416868.6A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 砂川贵宏; 佐藤功康; 相泽雄树; 合田晃宏
Original assignee: Canon Tokki Corp
Current assignee: Canon Tokki Corp
Priority date: 2020-11-30
Filing date: 2021-11-26
Publication date: 2023-11-28
Anticipated expiration: 2041-11-26
Also published as: CN114574815A; KR20220076341A; KR102699846B1

Abstract

The invention provides a film forming device for improving operability of an adhesion preventing plate during maintenance. An in-line film forming apparatus for forming a film on a substrate while conveying the substrate includes: a conveying unit for conveying the substrate; a vapor deposition unit including a vapor deposition source movable to a first position below the conveying unit and a second position displaced in a lateral direction with respect to the first position; and an adhesion preventing plate that allows the vapor deposition material discharged from the vapor deposition source to adhere to the substrate and prevents the vapor deposition material from adhering to the inner wall of the vapor deposition unit. The adhesion preventing plate is supported by the vapor deposition unit and is movable to a first position and a second position together with the vapor deposition unit.

Description

Film forming apparatus

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a film forming apparatus.

Background

Conventionally, an in-line apparatus for processing a substrate while conveying the substrate is known. Patent document 1 discloses the following technique: in-line substrate processing apparatuses, a film forming source can be moved from a film forming position inside a vacuum chamber to a maintenance position outside the vacuum chamber.

Prior art documents

Patent literature

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open publication 2016-14174

However, in such a film forming apparatus, an adhesion preventing plate may be provided in order to prevent deposition material from adhering to members other than a substrate such as a vacuum chamber. In the above-described conventional technique, when the film formation source is moved to the maintenance position, the adhesion preventing plate is left in the vacuum chamber on the substrate conveyance side, and therefore, it may be difficult to access the adhesion preventing plate when the adhesion preventing plate is maintained.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention provides a technology for improving operability of an adhesion preventing plate during maintenance.

Means for solving the problems

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a film forming apparatus in-line type for forming a film on a substrate while conveying the substrate,

the film forming apparatus includes:

a conveying unit for conveying the substrate;

a film forming source unit including a vapor deposition source, the film forming source unit being movable to a first position below the conveying unit and a second position displaced in a lateral direction with respect to the first position; and

an adhesion preventing plate which allows the deposition material discharged from the deposition source to adhere to the substrate and prevents the deposition material discharged from the deposition source from adhering to the inner wall of the film forming source unit,

it is characterized in that the method comprises the steps of,

the adhesion preventing plate is supported on the film formation source unit so as to be movable to the first position and the second position together with the film formation source unit.

The film forming apparatus is characterized in that.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

According to the present invention, the operability of the adhesion preventing plate during maintenance can be improved.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a front view schematically showing a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the film forming apparatus of fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a diagram schematically showing an internal structure of the film forming apparatus of fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating a movement operation of the vapor deposition source unit by the movement unit.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the structure of the adhesion preventing plate.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the structure of the adhesion preventing plate.

Fig. 7 (a) to (C) are diagrams schematically showing the arrangement of the adhesion preventing plate with respect to the conveying unit.

Fig. 8 is an operation explanatory view of the adhesion preventing plate.

Fig. 9 is a front view schematically showing a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the film forming apparatus of fig. 9.

Description of the reference numerals

1 a film forming apparatus, 2 a conveying unit, 3 a vapor deposition source unit, and 6 an adhesion preventing plate.

Detailed Description

The embodiments are described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are not intended to limit the invention according to the claims, and all combinations of features described in the embodiments are not intended to be essential to the invention. Two or more of the features described in the embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. The same or similar structures are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description thereof is omitted.

In each of the drawings, the X direction indicates the conveyance direction of the substrate, the Y direction indicates the width direction of the substrate, and the Z direction indicates the up-down direction.

First embodiment

[ outline of film Forming apparatus ]

Fig. 1 is a front view schematically showing a film forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment. Fig. 2 is a side view of the film forming apparatus 1 of fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a diagram schematically showing an internal structure of the film forming apparatus 1 of fig. 1.

The film forming apparatus 1 is an in-line film forming apparatus that performs vapor deposition on a substrate while conveying the substrate. The film forming apparatus 1 is used for manufacturing, for example, a display panel of an organic EL display device for a smart phone, and a plurality of film forming apparatuses can be arranged in parallel to form a production line.

In the present embodiment, the substrates held on the substrate holding tray 100 are sequentially transported in the film forming apparatus 1, and the film forming apparatus 1 performs vapor deposition of the organic EL on the transported substrates. For example, in a step upstream of the step of being carried to the film forming apparatus 1, the substrate is held on the substrate holding tray 100 in a state of being superposed on the mask, and is carried to the film forming apparatus 1. Therefore, in the film forming apparatus 1, a thin film of the vapor deposition material having a predetermined pattern is formed on the substrate by using the mask. As a material of the substrate to be vapor-deposited in the film forming apparatus 1, glass, resin, metal, or the like can be appropriately selected, and a material having a resin layer such as polyimide formed on glass is preferably used. The evaporating substance is an organic material, an inorganic material (metal, metal oxide, or the like), or the like. The film forming apparatus 1 is applicable to a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing electronic devices such as a display device (flat panel display, etc.), a thin film solar cell, and an organic photoelectric conversion element (organic thin film image pickup element), and an optical member, and is particularly applicable to a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing an organic EL panel. In the following description, an example in which the film forming apparatus 1 forms a film on a substrate by vacuum deposition is described, but the form of the film forming method is not limited thereto, and various film forming methods such as sputtering and CVD can be applied.

The film forming apparatus 1 includes a transport unit 2, a vapor deposition source unit 3, an adhesion preventing plate 6, a moving unit 7, and a frame 101.

The frame 101 is provided to support the components such as the transport unit 2 of the film forming apparatus 1. In the example of fig. 1, the frame portion 101 includes columns and beams, and supports the carrying unit 2 and the vacuum pump 102. Further, a crane for work, a passage for maintenance by an operator, or the like may be provided in the frame portion 101.

The conveying unit 2 conveys the substrate. In the present embodiment, the conveyance unit 2 conveys the substrate by conveying the substrate holding tray 100 in a state where the substrate is held. The conveying unit 2 includes a conveying chamber 21 and a conveying roller 22.

The conveyance chamber 21 is a box-shaped chamber capable of holding the inside in a vacuum. The internal space 210 of the transfer chamber 21 is maintained in a vacuum atmosphere or an inert gas atmosphere such as nitrogen. In the present embodiment, the transfer chamber 21 is connected to the vacuum pump 102. In the present specification, "vacuum" refers to a state filled with a gas having a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure, in other words, refers to a reduced pressure state.

The transfer chamber 21 has a transfer opening 211 for transferring the substrate holding tray 100 and a transfer opening 212 for transferring the substrate holding tray 100. A communication opening 213 for communicating the internal space 210 with the internal space 310 of the vapor deposition source chamber 31 is formed in the lower portion of the transfer chamber 21. In addition, in order to keep the internal space 210 in vacuum in the carry-in opening 211 and the carry-out opening 212, a gate valve or the like, not shown, may be provided.

The conveyance roller 22 conveys the substrate holding tray 100 holding the substrate. The conveying roller 22 is provided in the internal space 210 of the conveying chamber 21. The conveying roller 22 is a cylindrical member formed of a metal material and rotatably supported, for example. The conveying roller 22 is driven by an electric motor, not shown, provided outside the conveying chamber 21, for example.

In the present embodiment, a reinforcing rib 23 is provided at the lower portion of the conveying unit 2.

The vapor deposition source unit 3 is a unit (film formation source unit) having a vapor deposition source 32 (film formation source) that emits a vapor deposition material to a substrate. In the present embodiment, the vapor deposition source units 3 are arranged in the substrate conveyance direction (X direction) with respect to the 1 conveyance unit 2, 3. However, the number of vapor deposition source units 3 may be appropriately set, and may be 2 or less or 4 or more. The vapor deposition source unit 3 is located below the transport unit 2 and connected to the lower portion of the transport unit 2 when the vapor deposition process is performed. The vapor deposition source unit 3 includes a vapor deposition source chamber 31 and a vapor deposition source 32.

The vapor deposition source chamber 31 is a box-shaped chamber capable of holding the inside in a vacuum. The internal space 310 of the vapor deposition source chamber 31 can communicate with the internal space 210 of the transfer chamber 21 via a communication opening 311 provided in the upper portion of the transfer chamber 21. The internal space 310 is maintained in a vacuum atmosphere or an inert gas atmosphere such as nitrogen gas in the same manner as the internal space 210 during operation.

The vapor deposition source 32 emits a vapor deposition material for forming a film on the substrate conveyed by the conveying unit 2. For example, the vapor deposition source 32 includes a plurality of nozzles (not shown) arranged in the Y direction, and the vapor deposition material is discharged from each nozzle. The vapor deposition source 32 includes, for example, a storage portion for storing a vapor deposition material and a heater (not shown) for heating the vapor deposition material stored in the storage portion. The vapor deposition material stored in the storage portion is vaporized by heating by the heater, and thereby the vapor deposition material is discharged from the vapor deposition source 32.

The vapor deposition source unit 3 may include a shutter for shielding the vapor deposition source 32 when the vapor deposition source 32 is not used, an evaporation rate monitor for monitoring the evaporation amount of the vapor deposition material by the vapor deposition source 32, and the like (neither of which are shown).

In the present embodiment, more specifically, as shown in fig. 4, the vapor deposition source 32 is configured to be movable by the moving unit 7.

The adhesion preventing plate 6 prevents the deposition material discharged from the deposition source 32 from adhering to the inner wall of the deposition source chamber 31 or the transfer chamber 21. For example, the adhesion preventing plate 6 is supported by the vapor deposition source chamber 31. In the present embodiment, the adhesion preventing plate 6 is located in a range from the internal space 310 to the internal space 210 so as to cover the vapor deposition source 32, and has an opening formed in an upper portion. With this configuration, a part of the vapor deposition material adheres to the substrate through the opening, while the remaining vapor deposition material adheres to the adhesion preventing plate 6. In this way, the deposition preventing plate 6 allows deposition material to adhere to the substrate, and prevents deposition material from adhering to the inner wall of the deposition source chamber 31 or the transfer chamber 21, or the like. The specific structure of the adhesion preventing plate 6 will be described later.

The transfer chamber 21 or the vapor deposition source chamber 31 may be provided with an adhesion preventing plate in addition to the adhesion preventing plate 6. For example, an adhesion preventing plate may be provided on the top surface, the side surface, or the like of the inside of the conveyance chamber 21.

The moving unit 7 moves the vapor deposition source unit 3 relative to the transport unit 2. In the present embodiment, the moving unit 7 is provided below the vapor deposition source unit 3, and supports the vapor deposition source unit 3 and moves the vapor deposition source unit 3 in the up-down direction (Z direction) or the lateral direction (Y direction). The moving unit 7 includes a lateral moving portion 71 and a lifting portion 72.

The lateral movement portion 71 moves the vapor deposition source unit 3 in the lateral direction (Y direction). In the present embodiment, the lateral movement portion 71 moves the vapor deposition source unit 3 in the width direction (Y direction) of the substrate intersecting the conveyance direction (X direction) of the substrate. The lateral movement portion 71 includes a guide portion 711 provided on the ground surface and a driving portion 712 for moving the vapor deposition source unit 3 along the guide portion 711. As the driving unit 712, a known technique can be suitably used, but for example, a driving wheel that can run on a rail as the guide unit 711 may be rotated by a motor or the like.

The lifting unit 72 lifts the vapor deposition source unit 3. In the present embodiment, the lifting section 72 lifts and lowers the vapor deposition source unit 3 in the up-down direction (Z direction). The lifting section 72 includes a vapor deposition source unit support section 721 that supports the vapor deposition source unit 3, and a driving section 722 that lifts and lowers the vapor deposition source unit support section 721. The driving unit 722 may be a known technique, but may be an electric cylinder or the like to raise and lower the vapor deposition source unit support 721.

Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating the movement operation of the vapor deposition source unit 3 by the movement unit 7.

The state ST1 is a state in which the vapor deposition source unit 3 is located at a connection position POS1 (third position) to the transfer unit 2. The state ST1 is a state when the film deposition apparatus 1 performs vapor deposition on the substrate. In the state ST1, the vapor deposition source unit 3 is located below the transport unit 2, and the lower portion of the transport unit 2 is connected to the upper portion of the vapor deposition source unit 3.

The state ST2 is a state in which the vapor deposition source unit 3 moves from the connection position POS1 to the disconnection position POS2 (first position) therebelow. The vapor deposition source unit 3 is movable in the-Z direction from the connection position POS1 to the disconnection position POS2 by the lifting portion 72 of the moving unit 7.

The state ST3 is a state in which the vapor deposition source unit 3 has moved laterally from the disconnection position POS 2. In the state ST3, the vapor deposition source unit 3 is located at a maintenance position POS3 (second position) where maintenance of the transport unit 2 or the vapor deposition source unit 3 is performed. For example, in the case of performing maintenance of the transport unit 2, an operator can access the interior of the transport chamber 21 from a space below the transport unit 2 generated by the vapor deposition source unit 3 moving in the lateral direction. In addition, for example, when performing maintenance of the vapor deposition source unit 3, the operator can access the inside of the vapor deposition source chamber 31 from the longitudinal side of the vapor deposition source chamber 31 by moving the target vapor deposition source unit 3 to the maintenance position POS 3.

In the present embodiment, the moving unit 7 is provided for each of the plurality of vapor deposition source units 3. Therefore, the film forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment can move the plurality of vapor deposition source units 3 independently. The plurality of movement units 7 may be synchronized and the plurality of vapor deposition source units 3 may be moved together. Further, a smaller number of moving units 7 than the number of vapor deposition source units 3 may be provided, and the plurality of vapor deposition source units 3 may be moved by 1 moving unit 7.

[ Structure of adhesion prevention plate ]

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the structure of the adhesion preventing plate 6, and shows a state when the vapor deposition source unit 3 is connected to the transport unit 2. That is, the deposition source unit 3 is positioned at the connection position POS1, and the adhesion preventing plate 6 is shown. In the present embodiment, the adhesion preventing plate 6 includes an upper portion 61 and a lower portion 62.

The upper portion 61 includes a plurality of side wall members 611 to 618 forming side walls thereof. In addition, an opening 619 is formed in an upper portion of the upper portion 61. The opening 619 is provided so as to face the substrate conveyed by the conveying unit 2 when the vapor deposition process is performed (see fig. 3). The vapor deposition material discharged from the vapor deposition source 32 is attached to the substrate through the opening 619. The upper portion 61 further includes a connection portion 6110 for connection to the vapor deposition source chamber 31. The connection portion 6110 is attached to, for example, a frame provided so as to surround the upper portion 61, and is supported by the vapor deposition source chamber 31 by the frame, so as to be connected to the vapor deposition source chamber 31.

The lower portion 62 includes a plurality of side wall members 621 to 628 forming side walls thereof. The upper portion 61 includes a connection portion 6210 for connecting to the vapor deposition source chamber 31. The connection portion 6210 is attached to, for example, a frame provided so as to surround the lower portion 62, and is supported by the vapor deposition source chamber 31 by the frame, so as to be connected to the vapor deposition source chamber 31.

In the present embodiment, for example, the frame to which the connection portion 6110 is attached is supported so as to be movable in the up-down direction with respect to the vapor deposition source chamber 31, and the upper portion 61 is provided so as to be movable in the up-down direction with respect to the vapor deposition source chamber 31. On the other hand, for example, by fixing the frame to which the connection portion 6210 is attached to the vapor deposition source chamber 31, the lower portion 62 is provided in a state in which the movement in the up-down direction with respect to the vapor deposition source chamber 31 is restricted. That is, the upper portion 61 is provided so as to be relatively movable with respect to the lower portion 62.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the structure of the adhesion preventing plate 6, and shows a state in which the upper portion 61 is moved downward relative to the lower portion 62. For example, when the vapor deposition source unit 3 and the transport unit 2 are disconnected, that is, when the vapor deposition source unit 3 is located at the disconnection position POS2, the maintenance position POS3, or between them, the adhesion prevention plate 6 is in the state shown in fig. 6.

Fig. 7 (a) to 7 (C) are diagrams schematically showing the arrangement of the adhesion preventing plate 6 with respect to the conveying unit 2. Fig. 7 (a) shows the arrangement of the adhesion preventing plate 6 in a state where the vapor deposition source unit 3 is located at the connection position POS 1. In this state, the upper end of the upper portion 61 is close to the conveyance path of the substrate holding tray 100. By bringing the substrate holding tray 100 into close contact with the upper end of the upper portion 61, deposition material that has not adhered to the substrate can be more effectively prevented from adhering to the inner wall of the deposition source chamber 31 or the transfer chamber 21. In this state, the distance from the lower end of the conveyance unit 2 to the upper end of the adhesion preventing plate 6 is a distance Δz1.

Fig. 7 (B) shows, as a different form from the present embodiment, a state in which the vapor deposition source unit 3 is located at the disconnection position POS2 in a configuration in which the relative positional relationship between the upper portion 61 and the lower portion 62 of the adhesion preventing plate 6 is unchanged. Here, when the adhesion preventing plate 6 is moved from the disconnection position POS2 to the maintenance position POS3 together with the vapor deposition source unit 3, it is necessary to avoid contact between the conveyance unit 2 and the adhesion preventing plate 6. In the case of the configuration shown in fig. 7 (B), in order to avoid contact between the transfer unit 2 and the adhesion preventing plate 6, it is necessary to make the movement distance Δz2 of the vapor deposition source unit 3 from the connection position POS1 to the disconnection position POS2 larger than the distance Δz1.

Fig. 7 (C) shows a state in which the vapor deposition source unit 3 is located at the disconnection position POS2 in a structure in which the upper portion 61 of the adhesion preventing plate 6 moves downward with respect to the lower portion 62. In the case of the configuration shown in fig. 7 (C), the movement distance Δz3 of the vapor deposition source unit 3 from the connection position POS1 to the disconnection position POS2, which is required to avoid contact between the transfer unit 2 and the adhesion preventing plate 6, is smaller than the distance Δz1. That is, in the case of the configuration shown in fig. 7 (C), the total of the movement distance of the vapor deposition source unit 3 and the distance by which the upper portion 61 moves downward with respect to the lower portion 62 may be larger than the distance Δz1. Therefore, the movement distance Δz3 of the vapor deposition source unit 3 is smaller than the distance Δz1, and as a result, is smaller than the movement distance Δz2.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the adhesion preventing plate 6 is movable together with the vapor deposition source unit 3 between the disconnection position POS2 and the maintenance position POS 3. This pulls out the adhesion preventing plate 6 together with the vapor deposition source unit 3, thereby improving the operability of the adhesion preventing plate 6 during maintenance. Therefore, the removal of the adhesion preventing plate 6 or the work on the adhesion preventing plate 6 can be performed more easily.

In addition, according to the present embodiment, when the adhesion preventing plate 6 is pulled out together with the vapor deposition source unit 3, the adhesion preventing plate 6 can be moved downward with respect to the vapor deposition source unit 3. Further, the upper portion 61 of the adhesion preventing plate 6 is movable downward with respect to the lower portion 62 and the vapor deposition source unit 3. This can avoid contact between the transfer unit 2 and the adhesion preventing plate 6 when the vapor deposition source unit 3 and the adhesion preventing plate 6 are moved together from the disconnection position POS2 to the maintenance position POS 3.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the movement distance Δz3 of the vapor deposition source unit 3 from the connection position POS1 to the disconnection position POS2 required to avoid contact between the transfer unit 2 and the adhesion preventing plate 6 is smaller than the distance Δz1 from the lower end of the transfer unit 2 to the upper end of the adhesion preventing plate 6. Therefore, the movement distance of the vapor deposition source unit 3 can be reduced as compared with a structure in which the relative positional relationship between the upper portion 61 and the lower portion 62 of the adhesion preventing plate 6 shown in fig. 7 (B) is unchanged. In addition, from another point of view, by the structure in which the adhesion preventing plate 6 is movable downward with respect to the vapor deposition source unit 3, it is possible to reduce the movement distance Δz3 of the vapor deposition source unit 3 required to avoid contact between the conveying unit 2 and the adhesion preventing plate 6 when the vapor deposition source unit 3 moves, and to bring the adhesion preventing plate 6 closer to the substrate when the vapor deposition process is performed.

[ description of operation of adhesion prevention plate ]

In the present embodiment, the upper portion 61 of the adhesion preventing plate 6 moves downward with respect to the lower portion 62 in conjunction with the downward movement of the vapor deposition source unit 3 with respect to the transport unit 2. The following describes the operation of the vapor deposition source unit 3 and the adhesion preventing plate 6 in conjunction with each other. Fig. 8 is an operation explanatory view of the adhesion preventing plate 6. Specifically, the upper portion 61 moves downward relative to the lower portion 62 in association with the movement of the vapor deposition source unit 3 from the connection position POS1 to the disconnection position POS 2.

Fig. 8 shows the movement mechanism 5 for moving the upper part 61 relative to the lower part 62. The moving mechanism 5 includes a movable plate 51, a lever 52, and a guide 53. The movable plate 51 is connected to the upper portion 61, and moves in the up-down direction together with the upper portion 61. The rod 52 is rotatably supported by a shaft member 521 provided in the vapor deposition source chamber 31. A roller 522 movable along a guide groove 511 formed in the movable plate 51 is provided at one end of the lever 52. At an end of the lever 52 opposite to the end at which the roller 522 is provided, a roller 523 movable along the guide 53 is provided. The guide 53 is provided inside the conveyance chamber 21, and includes an upper abutting portion 531 and a lower abutting portion 532 that abut against the roller 523.

In a state where the vapor deposition source unit 3 is located at the connection position POS1 (state ST 11), the upper portion 61 of the adhesion preventing plate 6 is not moved downward with respect to the lower portion 62 (see fig. 5). At this time, the position of the roller 523 of the lever 52 is defined by the guide 53 to be located below the shaft member 521. Therefore, the roller 522 provided at the end of the lever 52 opposite to the end where the roller 523 is provided is engaged with the guide groove 511 of the movable plate 51 connected to the upper portion 61 at a position above the shaft member 521. That is, the upper portion 61 is lifted by the lever 52.

In a state where the vapor deposition source unit 3 is lowered from the connection position POS1 (state ST 12), the lever 52 is rotated rightward in the illustrated direction by the guide 53. This rotation of the lever 52 is generated by a force applied to the roller 522 via the movable plate 51 by the self weight of the upper portion 61 or a force applied to the roller 523 from the lower abutment 532 of the guide 53. By this rotation, the upper portion 61 moves downward with respect to the lower portion 62.

Finally, in a state where the vapor deposition source unit 3 is located at the disconnection position POS2 (state ST 13), the upper portion 61 moves downward by a predetermined distance with respect to the lower portion 62. The predetermined distance may be, for example, a distance required to avoid contact between the conveyance unit 2 and the adhesion preventing plate 6 as shown in fig. 7 (C).

When the vapor deposition source unit 3 moves from the disconnection position POS2 to the connection position POS1, the upper portion 61 moves upward with respect to the lower portion 62 by the operation reverse to the above description. In short, when the vapor deposition source unit 3 starts to rise from the disconnection position POS2, the roller 523 comes into contact with the guide 53 at a certain height. Then, the lever 52 rotates leftward by the force received by the roller 523 from the upper abutting portion 531 of the guide 53. By this rotation, an upward force from the roller 522 is applied to the guide groove 511 of the movable plate 51, and the movable plate 51 and the upper portion 61 connected thereto move upward with respect to the lower portion 62.

According to the present embodiment, the vertical movement of the vapor deposition source unit 3 and the relative movement of the adhesion preventing plate 6 with respect to the vapor deposition source unit 3 are linked, and therefore, the adhesion preventing plate 6 can be moved together with the vapor deposition source unit 3 more easily.

Other embodiments

In the above embodiment, the adhesion preventing plate 6 is moved up and down with respect to the vapor deposition source unit 3, but a configuration may be adopted in which the adhesion preventing plate 6 is not moved up and down with respect to the vapor deposition source unit 3. However, as in the above embodiment, the deposition source unit 3 is moved relatively to the deposition source unit 6, so that the amount of lowering of the deposition source unit 3 required to avoid interference between the deposition prevention plate 6 and the transfer chamber 21 can be reduced.

In the above embodiment, the adhesion preventing plate 6 is divided into the upper portion 61 and the lower portion 62, but may be configured not to be divided up and down. That is, the entire deposition preventing plate 6 may be moved up and down with respect to the vapor deposition source unit 3 without moving the upper portion 61 with respect to the lower portion 62 and the vapor deposition source unit 3. However, in the above embodiment, the deposition source unit 3 is lowered by dividing the deposition preventing plate 6 into the upper portion 61 and the lower portion 62, which is required to avoid interference between the deposition preventing plate 6 and the transfer chamber 21.

Specifically, in order to suppress adhesion of the vapor deposition material to the inner wall of the vapor deposition source chamber 31, the lower end of the adhesion preventing plate 6 may be disposed relatively close to the bottom of the vapor deposition source chamber 31. Therefore, when the entire deposition preventing plate 6 is lowered relative to the vapor deposition source unit 3, the lowering of the deposition preventing plate 6 may not be obtained significantly, and the lowering of the vapor deposition source unit 3 may be increased. In contrast, when the upper portion 61 is lowered relative to the lower portion 62, the distance from the lower end of the upper portion 61 to the bottom of the vapor deposition source chamber 31 is relatively large, so that the lowering width of the upper portion 61 can be made large. Therefore, the amount of lowering of the vapor deposition source unit 3 does not need to be large. Therefore, by dividing the adhesion preventing plate 6 up and down, the amount of lowering of the vapor deposition source unit 3 required to avoid interference between the adhesion preventing plate 6 and the transfer chamber 21 can be reduced.

In the above embodiment, the upper portion 61 is moved relative to the lower portion 62 in the up-down direction in conjunction with the movement of the vapor deposition source unit 3, but the movement of the vapor deposition source unit 3 may be not in conjunction with the movement of the upper portion 61. For example, from the state shown in fig. 7 (B), the operator may manually move the upper portion 61 relative to the lower portion 62, or may move the upper portion 61 relative to the lower portion 62 using a motor or the like.

The manner of linking the movement of the vapor deposition source unit 3 and the movement of the upper portion 61 is not limited to the linkage by using a mechanical mechanism such as a link as in the above-described embodiment. For example, the film forming apparatus 1 may include a motor that moves the upper portion 61 relative to the lower portion 62. The control device of the film forming apparatus 1 may drive the motor for moving the upper portion 61 based on the fact that the lifting/lowering unit 72 starts lifting/lowering the vapor deposition source unit 3. That is, the movement of the vapor deposition source unit 3 and the movement of the upper portion 61 may be controllably linked.

In the above embodiment, the adhesion preventing plate 6 is disposed below the conveyance path of the substrate holding tray 100, but the adhesion preventing plate 6 may extend to the upper side of the substrate holding tray 100. That is, the adhesion preventing plate 6 may have an opening through which the substrate holding tray 100 passes in an upper portion of a side surface intersecting the substrate conveying direction, instead of the opening 619 through which the vapor deposition material passes as in the above embodiment.

The film forming apparatus 1 may further include a sensor for detecting a value related to the inclination of the vapor deposition source unit 3. In addition, the film forming apparatus 1 may stop the lifting operation of the vapor deposition source unit 3, that is, the movement operation between the connection position POS1 and the disconnection position POS2, when the value relating to the inclination of the vapor deposition source unit 3 detected by the sensor does not satisfy the predetermined condition.

For example, the sensor may be a sensor that directly detects the inclination of the vapor deposition source unit 3, such as a pendulum type or float type inclination sensor, or may be a sensor that indirectly detects the inclination, such as an acceleration sensor. For example, the sensor may be a sensor that detects a value (for example, a driving current value) related to a driving load of the driving units 722 on both sides or a load of the vapor deposition source unit 3 applied to the vapor deposition source unit supporting units 721 on both sides, and can grasp a value by which the vapor deposition source unit 3 is inclined.

For example, the film forming apparatus 1 may stop the lifting operation of the vapor deposition source unit 3 when the inclination of the vapor deposition source unit 3 detected by the sensor is equal to or greater than a threshold value. Alternatively, the film forming apparatus 1 may stop the lifting operation of the vapor deposition source unit 3 when the difference between the driving current value of the driving portions 722 on both sides and the load of the vapor deposition source unit 3 applied to the vapor deposition source unit support portion 721 is equal to or greater than a threshold value.

Second embodiment

Fig. 9 is a front view schematically showing a film forming apparatus 13 according to the third embodiment. Fig. 10 is a plan view of the film forming apparatus 13 of fig. 9, showing a state in which the vapor deposition source unit 3 at the center is located at the maintenance position POS 3. The present embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the film forming apparatus 13 includes a take-out unit 50. Hereinafter, the same components as those of the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

The take-out unit 50 takes out a predetermined component from above the vapor deposition source unit 3 located at the maintenance position POS 3. Examples of the predetermined members include a vapor deposition source chamber 31 and an adhesion preventing plate 6, which are accommodated in the vapor deposition source chamber 31 of the vapor deposition source unit 3. The take-out unit 50 is supported by the frame 101 so as to be movable above the vapor deposition source unit 3. The take-out unit 50 includes a holding portion 501, a vertical moving portion 502, and a horizontal moving portion 503.

The holding unit 501 holds a predetermined member. For example, the holding portion 501 may hold a predetermined member by moving its end portion in a predetermined direction such as a horizontal direction. Alternatively, the holding portion 501 may be provided with a hook for hooking a wire for hooking work, and may hold the wire by hanging a predetermined member with the wire. The holding unit 501 may be configured to be foldable so as to be able to accommodate different sizes.

The vertical movement portion 502 moves the holding portion 501 in the vertical direction. As the vertical movement portion 502, a known technique may be suitably used, and for example, an electric cylinder having a ball screw mechanism, a pneumatic balance cylinder, or the like may be used.

The horizontal movement portion 503 moves the holding portion 501 in the horizontal direction. Specifically, the horizontal moving unit 503 moves the vertical moving unit 502 in the horizontal direction, thereby moving the holding unit 501 in the horizontal direction. For example, the horizontal moving unit 503 includes an X-direction moving unit 5031 that moves the vertical moving unit 502 in the X-direction and a Y-direction moving unit 5032 that moves the vertical moving unit 502 in the Y-direction. In the present embodiment, the Y-direction moving portion 5032 moves the vertical moving portion 502 in the Y-direction, and the X-direction moving portion 5031 moves the Y-direction moving portion 5032 in the X-direction. The X-direction moving portion 5031 and the Y-direction moving portion 5032 may be formed by a known technique, but may be formed by, for example, a rack-and-pinion mechanism and an electric motor for rotating the gears. Further, a pulley type mechanism may be used, and the movement in at least one of the X direction and the Y direction may be performed by the manual force of the operator without a driving source.

For example, when a predetermined component is taken out from the vapor deposition source unit 3 located at the maintenance position POS3, the take-out unit 50 places the taken-out component on a maintenance table or the like, not shown. This makes it easier for the operator to perform maintenance than when the member to be maintained is in the vapor deposition source chamber 31.

In addition, a configuration in which a plurality of the take-out units 50 are provided may be employed. In this case, when the vapor deposition source units 3 on both outer sides are pulled out to the maintenance position POS3, the components can be taken out from the vapor deposition source units 3 in parallel. In the case where a plurality of the extracting units 50 are provided, for example, the track portion of the X-direction moving portion 5031 and the like may be shared.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

Claims

1. A film forming apparatus is an in-line film forming apparatus for forming a film on a substrate while conveying the substrate,

the film forming apparatus includes:

a conveying unit for conveying the substrate;

a film forming source unit including a vapor deposition source, the film forming source unit being movable to a first position below the transport unit and a second position displaced in a lateral direction intersecting a transport direction in which the transport unit transports a substrate with respect to the first position; and

it is characterized in that the method comprises the steps of,

2. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein,

the adhesion preventing plate is movable up and down with respect to the film forming source unit.

3. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein,

the adhesion preventing plate includes: a lower portion fixed to the film formation source unit; and an upper portion movable up and down with respect to the film formation source unit.

4. The film forming apparatus according to any one of claim 1 to 3, wherein,

the film forming source unit may be movable to a third position above the first position and connected to a lower portion of the carrying unit,

the deposition preventing plate moves downward with respect to the film forming source unit in conjunction with the movement of the film forming source unit from the third position to the first position.

5. The film forming apparatus according to any one of claim 1 to 3, wherein,

the adhesion preventing plate is moved downward with respect to the film formation source unit to a position where contact with the conveying unit can be avoided when the film formation source unit moves from the first position to the second position.

6. The film forming apparatus according to any one of claim 1 to 3, wherein,

the adhesion preventing plate includes: a sidewall covering the periphery of the vapor deposition source; and an opening through which the vapor deposition material discharged from the vapor deposition source passes and which faces the substrate.

7. The film forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein,

when the film formation source unit is located at a third position connected to the lower portion of the transport unit, the adhesion preventing plate is disposed such that the upper end of the adhesion preventing plate is located above the lower end of the transport unit.

8. The film forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein,

the distance from the lower end of the conveyance unit to the upper end of the adhesion preventing plate in the case where the film formation source unit is located at the third position is longer than the moving distance of the film formation source unit from the third position to the first position.

9. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein,

the film forming apparatus includes a detecting unit that detects a value related to an inclination of the film forming source unit.

10. The film forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein,

the film forming apparatus further includes a stopping means for stopping the lifting operation when the value relating to the inclination detected by the detecting means does not satisfy a predetermined condition when the film forming source unit is lifted and lowered between the first position and the third position.