JPH09157848A - Vapor depositing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To feed a gas uniformly in the width direction of a supporting body by a gas introducing tube, in a vapor depositing device in which vapor deposition is executed while a gas is introduced into vapor evaporated from a vapor depositing source by a gas introducing tube, moreover, to allow the steam to enter into the supporting body at a certain minimum incident angle and to for a vapor deposited film uniform in characteristics. SOLUTION: A gas flow part 16 of a gas introducing tube has a shape in which a gas passes through plural branching places to reach a blow-off hole, and moreover, a thermal insulating board 23 is attached to the vicinity of the blow-off hole 19 of the gas introducing tube. Then, the gas introducing tube is arranged so as to cover a part of the vapor depositing region of the supporting body, by which the minimum incident angle θmin of vapor to the supporting body is regulated.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vapor deposition apparatus, and more particularly to improvement of a gas introduction pipe for introducing gas into the vapor deposition apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in the field of video tape recorders, there has been a strong demand in recent years for high density recording in order to achieve high image quality. As a magnetic recording medium corresponding to this, a metal magnetic material is directly deposited on a non-magnetic support by plating or a vacuum thin film forming technique (vacuum deposition method, sputtering method, ion plating method, etc.) to form a magnetic layer. A so-called metal magnetic thin film type magnetic recording medium to be formed has been proposed.

This metal magnetic thin film type magnetic recording medium is not only excellent in coercive force, squareness ratio and electromagnetic conversion characteristics in a short wavelength region, but also can be thinned in a magnetic layer, and in addition, it is a coating type magnetic recording. Since it is not necessary to include a non-magnetic material such as a binder in the magnetic layer like a medium, it has various advantages such as a high packing density of the magnetic material.

Above all, a vapor deposition type magnetic tape (vapor deposition tape) in which a magnetic layer is formed by a vacuum vapor deposition method has already been put to practical use because of its high production efficiency and stable characteristics.

By the way, in the above vapor deposition tape, vapor deposition for forming a magnetic layer is performed by a can roll for guiding a non-magnetic support in a vacuum chamber, a magnetic material serving as a vapor deposition source,
It is performed by a vapor deposition apparatus having a heating means for heating the vapor deposition source.

In this vapor deposition apparatus, a vapor deposition film is formed by making a magnetic material serving as a vapor deposition source into a metal vapor by irradiating with an electron beam or the like and making it enter a non-magnetic support running along the outer peripheral surface of a can roll. To do.

Here, the magnetic characteristics of the metal magnetic thin film thus formed are affected by the angle of incidence of the metal particles on the non-magnetic support. Therefore, for the purpose of controlling the incident angle of the metal vapor, a shutter is generally provided near the can roll so as to cover a predetermined region of the support.

Further, in order to further improve the magnetic properties such as the coercive force and the saturation magnetic flux density of the magnetic layer, an oxygen gas introducing pipe having a slit-shaped blowout port along the width direction of the non-magnetic support is used, It is also practiced to oxidize metal vapor by oxygen gas supplied through the metal vapor. This oxygen gas introduction pipe is attached to a water-cooled shutter to prevent thermal deformation due to steam.

[0009]

However, it is difficult to form a metal magnetic thin film having uniform characteristics by using such a vapor deposition apparatus.

That is, as described above, in the vapor deposition apparatus, the oxygen gas introduction pipe is used to supply the oxygen gas to the metal vapor, but in this oxygen gas introduction pipe, the oxygen flow pressure inevitably becomes higher on the upstream side. , Oxygen gas is blown out unevenly. Therefore, the oxidation of the metal vapor becomes non-uniform.

Therefore, many studies have been made on the oxygen flow path of the oxygen gas introducing pipe. For example, an oxygen reservoir is provided in front of the outlet in the introducing pipe, the oxygen gas is once pooled in the oxygen reservoir, and then blown out from the outlet. An oxygen gas introducing pipe configured to do so, an oxygen gas introducing pipe having a double pipe structure, and the like have been proposed. However, in either case, it is not possible to sufficiently eliminate the bias of the oxygen gas blown out from the blowout port.

Further, in this vapor deposition apparatus, the minimum incident angle of the metal vapor with respect to the non-magnetic support is regulated by the shutter provided near the can roll. The incident angle varies. This makes the growth direction of the deposited film non-uniform.

Therefore, the present invention has been proposed in view of such a conventional situation, and the vapor evaporated from the vapor deposition source is uniformly gasted in the width direction of the support by the gas introduction pipe. It is possible to supply the vapor and to allow the vapor to enter the support at a constant minimum incident angle, and to provide a vapor deposition apparatus capable of forming a vapor deposition film having uniform characteristics. And

[0014]

In order to achieve the above object, the vapor deposition apparatus of the present invention is provided with a can roll for guiding a support, a vapor deposition source, and between the can roll and the vapor deposition source. A vapor deposition apparatus comprising a gas introduction pipe, wherein vapor evaporated from a vapor deposition source is incident on a support surface traveling along the outer peripheral surface of a can roll to form a vapor deposition film. The tube has a gas flow path that reaches the outlet through a plurality of branch points, a heat shield plate is attached near the outlet, and the gas introduction pipe is arranged so as to cover a part of the vapor deposition region of the support. As a result, the minimum incident angle of vapor with respect to the support is regulated.

In such a vapor deposition apparatus, since the heat shield plate is attached in the vicinity of the blowout port of the gas introduction pipe, the blowout port of the gas introduction pipe is prevented from being thermally deformed by the heat of the steam. Further, since the oxygen gas introduction pipe has an oxygen flow path reaching the outlet through a plurality of branch points,
Gas is evenly blown out from the outlet through this oxygen flow path. Therefore, the gas is introduced uniformly into the steam by the gas introduction pipe.

Further, since the minimum incident angle of vapor with respect to the support is regulated not by the shutter but by the gas introduction pipe, the shutter can be freely moved and operated according to the amount of deposits from the vapor deposition source. Therefore, it is possible to prevent deposits attached to the shutter from entering the vapor deposition region, and the minimum incident angle of vapor with respect to the support is kept constant.

The gas introducing pipe may be provided with a cooling water passage to suppress heating by the heat.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described.

One form of the vapor deposition apparatus of the present invention is shown in FIG.
This vapor deposition apparatus vaporizes a metal magnetic material as a vapor deposition source and forms a metal magnetic thin film while introducing oxygen gas into the metal vapor.

[0020] The deposition apparatus, within a vacuum chamber 1 made by the exhaust device 2 and a high vacuum state (about 10 ^-3 ~10 ^-4 Pa), the supply of constant speed in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. A roll 12 and a take-up roll 13 that rotates at a constant speed in the clockwise direction in the figure are provided, and a non-magnetic support member 14 is sequentially run from the supply roll 12 to the take-up roll 13 in a tape shape. There is.

From the supply roll 12 to the take-up roll 1
A cooling roll (can roll) 9 having a diameter larger than that of each of the rolls 3 and 4 is provided in the middle of the traveling of the non-magnetic support 14 on the third side. The cooling roll 9 is provided so as to pull out the non-magnetic support 14 to the left in the drawing, and is configured to rotate at a constant speed in the counterclockwise direction in the drawing. The supply roll 12 and the winding roll 13 are
The cooling roll 9 and the cooling roll 9 each have a cylindrical shape having a length substantially the same as the width of the non-magnetic support 14, and the cooling roll 9 is provided with a cooling device (not shown) therein, and Deformation and the like of the support 14 due to temperature rise can be suppressed.

Further, between the supply roll 12 and the cooling roll 9 and between the cooling roll 9 and the winding roll 1
Rotating rolls 10 and 11 are provided between the three rolls 3, respectively, and a predetermined tension is applied to the non-magnetic support 14 which runs over the supply roll 12, the cooling roll 9, and the winding roll 13 in order. The magnetic support 14 is designed to run smoothly.

A crucible 14 is provided in the vacuum chamber 1 below the cooling roll 9 on the diagonal left side in the drawing, and a metal magnetic material is filled as a vapor deposition source 4 in the crucible 14. ing. The crucible 14 has a width substantially the same as the longitudinal width of the cooling roll 9.

On the other hand, an electron gun 3 for heating and evaporating the vapor deposition source 4 filled in the crucible 14 is attached to the side wall of the vacuum chamber 1. The electron gun 3 is arranged at a position such that the electron beam emitted from the electron gun 3 irradiates the vapor deposition source 4 in the crucible 14. Then, the metal vapor 5 melted and vaporized by the electron gun 3 is incident on the non-magnetic support 14 that runs at a constant speed on the outer peripheral surface of the cooling roll 9, and is deposited as a magnetic layer. .

An anti-adhesion plate 6 is provided near the cooling roll 9. The adhesion preventing plate 6 is for preventing unnecessary metal vapor from adhering to the formed metal magnetic thin film. The deposition preventive plate 6 is provided so as to cover a predetermined region of the non-magnetic support 14 on the delivery side of a region (deposition region, region A in the figure) where vapor deposition is performed on the non-magnetic support 14. .

An oxygen gas introducing pipe 8 penetrating the side wall of the vacuum chamber 1 is attached to the deposition preventive plate 6. The oxygen gas introduction pipe 8 is for supplying oxygen gas to the metal vapor 5. By adjusting the oxygen gas supply amount, the coercive force and saturation magnetic flux density of the metal magnetic thin film to be formed can be adjusted. The magnetic properties are controlled.

The oxygen gas introducing pipe 8 is constructed as shown in FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b). Of these, FIG. 2 (b) is a cross-sectional view of the oxygen gas introduction pipe 8 taken along the pipe, and FIG. 2 (a) shows the oxygen gas introduction pipe 8 along line A- in FIG. 2 (b). It is sectional drawing cut | disconnected by the A'line.

As shown in FIG. 2 (a), the oxygen gas introducing pipe 8 has an oxygen flow passage 16 formed as a fine groove on one side surface and is opposite to the side where the oxygen flow passage 16 is formed. The introduction pipe main body 26 having the cooling water passages 21 and 22 on the side, the lid portion 25 attached via the gasket 24 on the side of the introduction pipe main body 26 where the oxygen flow passage 16 is formed, and the cooling water passages 21 and 22. It has a heat shield plate 23 attached to the formed side.

In the introduction pipe body 26, as shown in FIG. 2B, the oxygen flow path 16 is formed as a narrow groove that passes through a plurality of branch points and reaches the outlet.

That is, the narrow groove serving as the oxygen flow path 16 is an oxygen inflow pipe 15 for supplying oxygen gas from the outside.
2 connected to the end of the introduction pipe side of the
The narrow grooves extending in the two directions and extending in the two directions are bent in the middle, and branched from this bent portion along the introduction tube main body 26 in two directions. The narrow groove branched in two directions further extends and repeats branching, and finally branches into 16 thin tubes.

The narrow groove branched into 16 pieces in this way is
The introduction tube main body 26 is connected to the oxygen reservoirs 17 and 18 formed by cutting the 16 narrow grooves in a stepwise manner. Further, the oxygen reservoir 18 is further connected to an outlet 19 provided in a slit shape between the introduction pipe main body 26 and the lid portion 25.

In such an oxygen flow path 16, since oxygen gas flows at the same pressure in the oxygen flow paths extending in two directions at each branch point, the finally branched 16 oxygen flow paths are also provided. Oxygen gas flows at the same pressure and oxygen pools 17, 18
Supplied to Therefore, this oxygen pool 17, 18
The oxygen gas pooled in is blown out uniformly from the outlet 19 in the width direction.

The oxygen flow path 16 is closed by a lid 25 attached via a gasket 24. The lid 25 is removable from the introduction tube body 26. Therefore, by removing the lid 25 and the gasket 24, it is possible to easily clean and remove the metal particles derived from the vapor deposition source that are clogged in the oxygen flow path 16 and the oxygen reservoirs 17 and 18. The lid 25
As the material of the gasket 24 between the inlet tube body 26 and the inlet tube main body 26, it is desirable to use copper or annealed material, particularly copper having a large thermal conductivity, because of its excellent airtight effect.

On the other hand, the cooling water passages 21 and 22 provided on the side opposite to the side where the oxygen flow passage 16 is formed are for passing the cooling water for cooling the oxygen gas introducing pipe 8. . This prevents the oxygen gas introduction pipe 8 from being thermally deformed by the heat of the steam. In addition, this cooling water channel 2
Cooling water is supplied to 1 and 22 by cooling water inflow pipes 27 and 28 provided on both sides of the oxygen inflow pipe 15.

The heat shield plate 23 attached to the side where the cooling water passages 21 and 22 are formed protects the blowout port 19 of the oxygen gas introducing pipe 8 from the heat of the steam and prevents thermal deformation. It is for. This heat shield plate 23 is
A step is provided near the outlet 19 on the side where it is attached to the introduction pipe body 26 so that a gap is formed between the introduction pipe body 26 and the vicinity of the outlet 19, and the introduction pipe body 26 is provided at a portion other than the step portion 20. Is attached to.
In this heat shield plate 23, heat is prevented from being conducted from the heat shield plate 23 to the vicinity of the blowout port 19 of the introduction pipe body 26 by the gap formed by the step portion 20. The opposite side of the heat shield plate 23 where the step is provided is a tapered surface so that the heat shield plate 23 does not prevent the oxygen gas from being blown out from the blowout port 19. The heat shield plate 23 may be attached as a member separate from the introduction pipe body as described above, but may be integrally formed with the introduction pipe body. However, even in the case of integral molding, it is necessary to leave a gap between the heat shield plate and the heat shield plate in the vicinity of the blowout port to leave a gap.

A hole 29 for attachment is bored at one end of the oxygen gas introduction pipe 8 as described above, and the attachment jig for attaching the adhesion-preventing plate 6 is fitted into the hole 29 to support the attachment-proof plate 6. To be done. The oxygen gas introduction pipe 8 supported by the deposition preventive plate 6 is positioned so as to correspond to the final portion of the vapor deposition region of the nonmagnetic support 14. Therefore, in this device,
Minimum incident angle θmin of the metal vapor 5 incident on the vapor deposition region A
Are regulated by the oxygen gas introduction pipe 8.

That is, the vapor deposition on the non-magnetic support 14 is performed from the point where the surface of the non-magnetic support 14 begins to face the vapor flow side, and is ended at the point where it is shielded by the oxygen gas introduction pipe 8. At this time, the incident angle of the vapor flow gradually changes from a high angle to a low angle as the non-magnetic support 14 moves, and takes a minimum value θmin at the position where the oxygen gas introduction pipe 8 is arranged.

Further, in this vapor deposition apparatus, the drive shutter 7 is provided so as to partially overlap with the deposition preventive plate 6. In this drive shutter 7, the metal vapor 5 adheres to the oxygen gas introduction pipe 8, or the metal vapor 5 is mixed with the oxygen gas introduction pipe 8 and the deposition preventive plate 6.
This is to prevent the metal magnetic thin film from passing through the space and adhering to the metal magnetic thin film. The drive shutter 7 is movable to the introduction side and the delivery side of the non-magnetic support 14. Therefore, for example, when adhering matter derived from the vapor deposition source adheres to the edge of the drive shutter, the adhering matter can be adjusted to an appropriate position according to the adhering amount so that the adhering matter does not enter the vapor deposition region.

In the vapor deposition apparatus as described above, since the oxygen gas introduction pipe 8 has the heat shield plate 23 and the cooling water passages 21 and 22, the blow-out port 19 is not thermally deformed by the heat of the vapor, and the oxygen is not generated. Since the flow path 16 has a shape reaching the outlet through a plurality of branch points, the oxygen gas is uniformly supplied to the metal vapor 5 from the outlet of the oxygen gas introduction pipe 8 in the width direction of the non-magnetic support 14. can do. Moreover, since the oxygen gas introduction pipe 8 having the heat shield plate 23 and the cooling water passages 21 and 22 is less likely to be thermally deformed as described above, it can be located relatively close to the vapor deposition source. Therefore, the oxygen gas can be efficiently supplied to the metal vapor 5.

Further, in this vapor deposition apparatus, the minimum incident angle θmin is obtained by the oxygen gas introducing pipe 8 instead of the shutter 7.
Is regulated, the shutter 7 can be freely moved and operated in accordance with the amount of deposits from the vapor deposition source. Therefore, it is possible to prevent deposits attached to the shutter 7 from entering the vapor deposition region, and the minimum incident angle θmin of the metal vapor 5 with respect to the non-magnetic support 14 can be kept constant.

Therefore, it is possible to form a metal magnetic thin film having stable characteristics.

As the ferromagnetic metal material serving as a vapor deposition source, metals such as Fe, Co, and Ni, Co--Ni type alloys, and C are used.
o-Pt-based alloy, Co-Pt-Ni-based alloy, Fe-Co
Alloys, Fe-Ni alloys, Fe-Co-Ni alloys,
Fe-Ni-B type alloy, Fe-Co-B type alloy, Fe-
Examples thereof include Co—Ni—B based alloys and Co—Cr based alloys.

As the non-magnetic support, polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene,
Polyolefins such as polypropylene, cellulose derivatives such as cellulose triacetate, cellulose diacetate and cellulose acetate butyrate, vinyl resins such as polyvinyl chloride and polyvinylidene chloride, and plastics such as polycarbonate, polyimide, polyamide and polyamideimide are used. .

Although the vapor deposition apparatus of the present invention has been described above by taking the case of depositing a metal magnetic thin film as an example, the vapor deposition film formed by this vapor deposition apparatus is not limited to a metal magnetic thin film. Any vapor deposition film formed by vapor deposition while introducing a specific gas can be formed, and a vapor deposition film with a uniform gas introduction amount can be formed by the same action.

[0045]

As is clear from the above description, in the vapor deposition apparatus of the present invention, a gas inlet pipe for supplying gas to vapor evaporated from the vapor deposition source serves as a gas introduction pipe through a plurality of branch points. With an oxygen flow path to
Since a heat shield plate is installed near the gas outlet and this gas inlet pipe is arranged so as to cover a part of the vapor deposition region of the support, the minimum angle of incidence of vapor on the support is regulated. , It is possible to uniformly supply gas to the vapor evaporated from the vapor deposition source in the width direction of the support by the gas introduction pipe, and to make the vapor enter the support at a constant minimum incident angle. Can be made. Therefore, it is possible to form a vapor deposition film having uniform characteristics.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a vapor deposition device to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 shows an oxygen gas introduction pipe of the vapor deposition apparatus, and FIG. 2 (a) shows the oxygen gas introduction pipe as A- in FIG. 2 (b).
FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A ′, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along the pipe direction of the oxygen gas introducing pipe.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4 vapor deposition source 5 vapor 8 gas introduction pipe 9 can roll 14 support 16 oxygen channel 19 gas outlet 21 and 22 cooling water channel 23 heat shield plate

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A can roll for guiding a support, a vapor deposition source, and a gas introducing pipe provided between the can roll and the vapor deposition source, wherein the vapor evaporated from the vapor source is can roll. In the vapor deposition device that forms a vapor deposition film by making it incident on the surface of a support that travels along the outer peripheral surface of the gas introduction pipe, the gas introduction pipe has a gas flow path reaching a blowout port through a plurality of branch points, and a blowout port. A heat shield plate is attached in the vicinity, and the gas inlet pipe is arranged so as to cover a part of the vapor deposition region of the support, whereby the minimum incident angle of vapor with respect to the support is regulated. apparatus. 2. The vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the oxygen flow path of the gas introduction pipe is branched into two in sequence toward the outlet side. 3. The vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gas introduction pipe has a cooling water passage.