TW201625358A - Crucible, a evaporation assembly having the same and a method using the same for evaporation purposes - Google Patents

Abstract

In general, the present disclosure relates to systems, apparatuses and methods for depositing materials. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a crucible for evaporating a source material. The crucible has a wall with an inner surface surrounding an inner volume for receiving the source material and one or more heat transfer elements arranged within the inner volume of the crucible.

Description

Crucible pan for evaporation purposes, evaporation assembly therewith and method of using same

The present disclosure generally relates to evaporators, crucibles, deposition of source materials, and systems, apparatus, and methods for depositing materials, such as organic materials. In particular, the present disclosure relates to an evaporation crucible for an organic material, for example, by using an evaporation assembly in a deposition system, particularly a device comprising an organic material therein.

The organic vaporizer is exemplified by an apparatus for producing organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). OLEDs are a special form of light-emitting diodes in which the light-emitting layer comprises a film of a specific organic compound. OLEDs are used in the manufacture of television screens, computer screens, cell phones, other handheld devices, etc. for displaying information. OLEDs can also be used as general space lighting. OLED displays may have a larger range of colors, brightness, and viewing angles than conventional liquid crystal displays (LCDs) because OLED pixels emit light directly without the use of backlights. Therefore, the energy loss of an OLED display is less than that of a conventional liquid crystal display. Furthermore, OLEDs that can be more easily fabricated on flexible substrates produce more applications. A typical OLED display example can include a plurality of layers of organic material between two electrodes deposited on a substrate to form a matrix display panel having individual energized pixels. The OLED is typically placed between two glass panels, and the edges of the glass panel are sealed to encapsulate the OLED therein.

One stage in the fabrication of OLED displays or OLED luminescent applications that present a variety of related challenges is the process of depositing organic materials to achieve a high degree of layer uniformity on the substrate. Furthermore, several specific cases of evaporating, for example, sensitive organic materials must be considered, for example by evaporation and deposition on a substrate in a vacuum.

Accordingly, there is a continuing need for new and improved systems, devices, and methods for forming a plurality of devices, such as high quality OLED display devices.

In view of the above, according to one aspect, a crucible is provided. The crucible comprises: a wall having an inner surface, the inner surface surrounding an inner space, the inner space for accommodating the source material and one or more heat transport elements, the one or more heat transport elements being arranged in the crucible In the space inside the pot.

Furthermore, an evaporation assembly for evaporating a source material is provided. The evaporation assembly includes one of the crucibles and at least one distribution assembly as described above, the at least one distribution assembly being adapted to direct the evaporated source material from the crucible to one of the substrates to be coated.

Furthermore, a method for coating a substrate with a source material evaporating from a crucible is provided, the crucible having a wall having an inner surface, the inner surface surrounding an inner space, and the inner space for accommodating the source The material includes at least one heat transport element in the inner space of the crucible. The method includes: providing a source material in a crucible; heating the source material by providing an indirect heating of the space inside the crucible, providing an indirect heating system for the space inside the crucible using the at least one heat transfer element; The source material has evaporated to one of the surfaces of the substrate.

Other aspects, advantages and features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the appended claims. In order to better understand the above and other aspects of the present disclosure, the preferred embodiments are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The detailed description is achieved by the various embodiments of the present disclosure, and one or more examples of the embodiments are illustrated in the drawings. In the description of the following figures, the same reference numerals are intended to refer to the same elements. In general, only the differences between the individual embodiments are described. The examples are provided by way of illustration of the disclosure and are not intended to be limiting. Furthermore, the features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used in other embodiments or in combination with other embodiments to achieve further embodiments. This means that the description includes such adjustments and changes.

According to embodiments herein, the technique of OLED fabrication includes depositing a source material on a substrate, such as an organic material. The deposition process is performed in a high hollow state. A crucible containing an organic material is heated to evaporate the organic material and the resulting vapor is deposited on the substrate. Since non-uniform evaporation may result in deposition of evaporated particles and is detrimental to the film deposited on the substrate, it is advantageous to monitor and control the evaporation process more closely. In order to better adjust the deposition rate, it may be advantageous to smoothly evaporate the organic material by slowly increasing the temperature to the evaporation temperature of the organic material in the evaporation crucible.

In the embodiments described herein, the term "evaporation" as used herein shall mean both processes of evaporating from a liquid to steam and subliming from a solid to steam.

The inventors of the present disclosure have discovered that uneven heat input to the source material can occur in conventional crucibles, resulting in uneven evaporation of the source material on the inside of the crucible. Unevenly large amounts of evaporation may have a negative impact on the uniformity of the film deposited on the substrate and may reduce the overall quality of the device that has been produced.

The present disclosure addresses and addresses such issues by providing improved systems, devices, and methods for uniformly depositing source materials on a substrate that improves the loss rate of the source material, such as organic materials. . In particular, the present disclosure provides an improved crucible for manufacturing a device in a deposition system by using an evaporation assembly. For example, in accordance with embodiments herein, a crucible comprising a source material can include one or more heat transport elements assembled to evenly redistribute heat supplied to the space within the crucible. Uniform heating of the space within the crucible improves uniform evaporation of the source material in the crucible and contributes to the overall uniformity of the layers deposited during the coating or device manufacturing process.

1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of a crucible 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The crucible 100 includes a wall having an inner surface, the inner surface surrounding the inner space 150, and the inner space 150 for containing the source material. The crucible as shown in Fig. 1 is depicted as two halves which are mirror symmetrical with respect to the plane of symmetry 101. According to embodiments described herein, the crucible may be part of an evaporation assembly, which may further include one or more distribution components. The one or more distribution components may, for example, comprise one or more distribution tubes having an outlet (for example a nozzle) that directs the evaporated source material from the crucible to the substrate. According to the embodiment as shown in Fig. 1, the crucible 100 and the distribution tube can be connected to each other via a connector 103, for example, providing a form-fit connection. In the embodiments herein, the connection between the crucible and the distribution tube may additionally or alternatively include a flange unit. According to embodiments herein, the crucible and the distribution tube can be provided as separate units that can be separated and connected or assembled in a flange unit, for example for operation of the evaporation assembly.

According to embodiments herein, the wall of the crucible 100 can include a bottom wall 167 and a top wall 168. Bottom wall 167 and top wall 168 may be connected to each other via side walls 161-166. The space 150 within the crucible 100 may be surrounded by a bottom wall 167, a top wall 168, and side walls 161-166, respectively, or a corresponding portion of the side walls. According to embodiments herein, at least the top wall 168 can include an opening 104 to allow the evaporated source material to exit the crucible and, for example, into the distribution assembly. In particular, the opening of the crucible can be connected to a distribution tube that directs the evaporated source material to the substrate.

According to the embodiment as shown in Fig. 1, the external heating unit 125 can be provided in a wall or wall of the crucible 100. In the embodiments described herein, the heating unit can be exemplified by one or more heaters. The external heating unit can extend at least along a portion of the wall of the crucible 100. According to some applications herein, the crucible 100 may further include a cover 127. The cover 127 can be assembled to reflect thermal energy back to the interior of the crucible 100, which is provided by the external heating unit 125. According to embodiments herein, the mask can support efficient heating of the organic material in the space 150 within the crucible 100.

According to some embodiments described herein, the one or more heating units surrounding at least a portion of the crucible do not extend into the space within the crucible. According to embodiments described herein, providing 3% to 10% of the maximum value of the total heating power of the evaporation source material is produced in the space within the crucible, and 3% to 10% of the maximum value is, for example, 5%. The source material is contained in the crucible. Providing the heating unit in the space within the crucible may interfere with the temperature adjustment of the heating unit provided on the outer side of the crucible, around at least a portion of the crucible.

According to some embodiments described herein, the distribution tube may also include a heating unit that facilitates accurate temperature control of the vaporized material from which the evaporated material is directed to the substrate. One or more thermal masks may also be provided around the distribution tube. The one or more thermal shields can reduce energy loss from the evaporation assembly while reducing overall energy loss during the coating/manufacturing process. In another aspect, particularly for depositing organic materials, thermal radiation from the evaporation component can be reduced, particularly during deposition. Accurate control of the temperature of the substrate and the mask is particularly advantageous for display manufacture. Thermal radiation from the evaporation component can be reduced or avoided by applying one or more thermal masks. Accordingly, some embodiments described herein include one or more thermal shields.

According to embodiments herein, the thermal shield may include a plurality of shielding layers to reduce heat radiation to the outer side of the crucible and distribution assembly. As a further alternative, the (such) thermal mask may comprise a masking layer that is actively cooled by a fluid such as air, nitrogen, water or other suitable cooling fluid. According to still other embodiments, which may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the one or more thermal shields provided for the evaporation assembly may comprise sheet metal surrounding a corresponding portion of the evaporation assembly, such as a distribution tube and / or shabu-shabu 100. For example, the sheet metal may have a thickness of 0.1 mm to 3 mm, and may be selected from at least one material selected from the group consisting of ferrous metals (SS) and non-ferrous metals (Cu). Groups of, Ti, Al), and/or may be separated from each other by a slit of 0.1 mm or more.

According to embodiments herein, the crucible 100 as shown in FIG. 1 may include one or more heat transport elements 170 disposed in the interior space 150 of the crucible 100. The heat transport element 170 is assembled to provide indirect heating of the space within the crucible. In the embodiments described herein, the heat from the one or more heat transport elements 170 is provided directly to the source material in the space 150 within the crucible 100, which may be powder, liquid, and/or Or in the form of pellets. In the embodiments described herein, the heat transport element is assembled to passively receive heat and may not need to be directly connected to, for example, a heating unit and/or a power supply.

According to embodiments herein, the heat transport element 170 can, for example, receive heat from the wall and/or from the outside of the crucible. During the OLED deposition process, the heat from the wall and/or from the outside of the crucible is dispersed in the space inside the crucible by the heat transport element 170 to ensure more uniform heating and evaporation of subsequent source materials. . According to some embodiments described herein, the heat transport element is arranged in the space within the crucible such that the temperature is compared to a predetermined temperature and/or to another particular location in the space within the crucible The temperature measured at any particular location in the space within the crucible differs by a maximum temperature difference of 10 ° C or less, for example 5 ° C or less, for example 0.5 ° C to 3 ° C. Further, the maximum temperature difference may be additionally or selectively 4% or less, for example, 2% or less, for example, 0.2% to 1.1%.

In the embodiment as shown in FIG. 1, heat transfer element 170 projects from the wall into space 150 within crucible 100. In particular, the embodiment as shown in FIG. 1 includes a first heat transport element 171 and a second heat transport element 172. The first heat transport element 171 and the second heat transport element 172 are cup-like for containing liquid in the respective first and second heat transport elements. According to embodiments herein, the liquid can be a source material. According to embodiments herein, the first heat transport element 171 and the second heat transport element 172 are coupled to at least a portion of any one or more of the side walls 161-166 of the crucible 100.

The first heat transport element 171 and the second heat transport element 172 may be provided in the inner space 150 of the crucible 100 such that the first heat transport element 171 is arranged above the second heat transport element 172. In this particular embodiment, the designation "above" is intended to indicate that the first heat transport element 171 is arranged closer to the opening 104 of the crucible than the second heat transport element 172.

The first heat transport element 171 and the second heat transport element 172 may have the same shape or the first and second heat transport elements may differ in geometric and/or dimensionally related characteristics. In particular, according to embodiments herein, the heat transport element 170 has sheet-like portions 171a, 172a and tube-like portions 171b, 172b. The sheet-like portion 171a, 172a can be joined to the sidewalls 161-166 at least along a portion of the inner surface of the crucible 100. The tube-like portions 171b, 172b may be arranged at the center of the sheet-like portions 171a, 172a. The tube-like portions 171b, 172b can extend toward the opening 104 of the crucible 100 to provide a fluid exchange between the crucible and the distribution assembly, particularly between the crucible 100 and the distribution tube. In the embodiment herein, the centers of the openings of the tube portions 171b, 172b of the first heat transfer element 171 and the second heat transfer element 172 and the center of the opening 104 may be arranged along the central axis of the crucible 100. 105 alignment.

According to embodiments herein, source material, particularly liquid source material, may be provided in the space between the inner surface of the wall, the sheet-like portions 171a, 172a, and the tube-like portions 171b, 172b.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the first heat transporting element 171 and the second heat transporting element 172 are three different subspaces separating the inner space 150 of the crucible 100 into the inner space 150, three different subspaces. They are interconnected via respective tube-like portions 171b, 172b of the first heat transport element 171 and the second heat transport element 172. According to some embodiments herein, the crucible 100 may include only a single heat transport element disposed in the space within the crucible, dividing the inner space into two different subspaces, and the two different subspaces are by heat transport elements. Some of these tubes are interconnected. Similarly, according to other embodiments herein, the crucible may include three, four or more heat transport elements separating the space within the crucible into four, five or more different subspaces.

According to some embodiments described herein, the inner surface of the wall of the crucible 100 can have a first area of a first size and the one or more heat transport elements 170 can provide a second in the inner space 150 of the second size area. According to embodiments herein, the second area may have the same size as the first area. According to still other embodiments described herein, the combined dimensions of the first and second areas are at least twice the first size.

According to some embodiments herein, the one or more heat transport elements may be made of a material having a high thermal conductivity metal or alloy. For example, the heat transport element can include any one or more of the elements selected from the following: titanium, stainless steel, and diamond-like carbon (DLC). In embodiments herein, the material of the one or more heat transport elements may be inert to the source material such that the heat transport element does not react with the source material during the evaporation process. Depending on the evaporation temperature of the source material used, the material of the one or more heat transport elements should be stable and at least inert to the evaporation temperature of the source material, and the evaporation temperature of the source material can be, for example, 150 ° C and 650 ° C or More between.

Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of other crucibles in accordance with embodiments described herein. The crucible is shown in Fig. 2 as two halves which are mirror symmetrical with respect to the plane of symmetry 201. The crucible 200 can include one or more heat transport elements 270 that protrude from the wall into the space 250 within the crucible 200. In particular, the one or more heat transport elements can protrude from the side wall into the space within the crucible. Similar to the geometry of the crucible as shown in FIG. 1, the crucible 200 as shown in FIG. 2 may include a bottom wall 267 and a top wall 268 that are connected to each other via the side walls 261-266. The crucible 200 can include an opening 204 to allow the evaporated source material to exit the crucible and into the distribution assembly.

Similar to the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the distribution assembly can, for example, comprise one or more distribution tubes (not shown in Figure 2) having an outlet (e.g., a nozzle), The evaporated source material is directed from the crucible to the substrate. The crucible 200 and the distribution tube can be connected to each other via a form-fit connector 203. According to embodiments herein, the connection between the crucible and the distribution tube may additionally or alternatively comprise a flange unit. Similar to the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the crucible 200 and the distribution tube are provided as separate units that can be separated and connected or assembled to the flange unit, for example for operation of the evaporation source.

The crucible 200 according to embodiments herein may include one or more heat transport elements 270 arranged in the space 250 within the crucible. In the embodiment as shown in Figure 2, the one or more heat transport elements 270 are provided in six plates 271-276. Typically, the six panels are arranged in a space 250 within the crucible to direct the evaporated source material toward the distribution assembly. Each of the six plates 271-276 protrudes from the wall toward the center of the space 250 within the crucible 200. According to embodiments herein and as shown in more detail in FIG. 4, each of the six plates 271-276 can be arranged to be perpendicular to the respective side walls 261-266 of the crucible 200, and FIG. 4 is different from the first 2 Schematic diagram of the crucible shown in the figure. In the embodiments herein, the crucible 200 can have a hexagonal geometry. However, according to other embodiments herein, the crucible is not limited to a hexagonal geometry, but may include other geometric shapes such as rectangular, circular, elliptical or triangular.

Either or all of the six plates 271-276 can extend into or through the wall of the crucible 200. According to the embodiment as shown in FIG. 2, any one or more of the six plates 271-276 can extend through respective corresponding side walls 261-266 of the crucible 200. However, in the embodiments described herein, any one or more of the six plates 271-276 may pass completely through at least one of the bottom wall 267, the side walls 261-266, and the top wall 268.

In accordance with embodiments described herein, the wall of crucible 200 can include a plurality of slits to accommodate six plates 271-276. The slit can extend completely through the wall of the crucible 200. In the embodiments herein, the slits simplify the assembly procedure and ensure that heat is effectively conducted from the outside of the crucible to the inner space. For example, during the assembly of the crucible, the panels can be inserted into the slit and also welded from the outside to the crucible.

According to embodiments herein, any one or more of the six plates 271-276 may extend from about 0% to about 100% of the total length 269 of the space 250 within the crucible 200 in a longitudinal direction, this longitudinal The direction is parallel to the central axis 205 of the crucible 200. For example, any one or more of the six plates 271-276 can extend at least about 90% of the total length of the space within the crucible.

In the embodiments described herein, the plates may be arranged in a crucible such that the minimum absolute angle of intersection between two adjacent planes is between about 5° and about 175°, for example about 30. °, about 45° or about 60°, the planes of the two adjacent planes extend parallel to one of the plates 271-276.

Figure 3 is a schematic view of a crucible according to other embodiments herein. The crucible 300 includes all of the features described with respect to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2. However, compared to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the one or more heat transport elements 370 of the embodiment as shown in FIG. 3 includes a plurality of plates 371-388, in this particular example Eighteen plates arranged in the space 350 within the crucible 300. Similar to the embodiment shown in Figure 2, each of the plates 371-388 extends through the wall of the crucible 300. According to embodiments herein, increasing the number of plates may increase the surface area of the one or more heat transport elements in the space within the crucible. According to embodiments herein, having a plurality of heat transport elements selectively provides a crucible to be modular, meaning that heat transfer is based on a particularly advantageous application that considers heat distribution and space in the space within the crucible. The components can be added to and/or removed from the space inside the crucible.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the crucible 200 along the wiring A-A as shown in Fig. 2. Figure 4 illustrates six heat transport elements, such as plates 271-276, each protruding at an angle of about 90 relative to the corresponding side walls 261-266. Each of the one or more heat transport elements can extend completely through the wall of the crucible. As shown in Figure 4, each of the six plates 271-276 extends to the outer edge 290 of the crucible. In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, at least four of the six plates 272-273, 275-276 may protrude the same distance into the space within the crucible. According to some embodiments described herein, all six or more panels may protrude the same distance or each protrude a different distance into the space within the crucible. In the embodiments described herein, the particular configuration of the one or more heat transport elements can be adapted for a particular use and in particular the heat system in the space within the crucible is advantageously distributed.

In accordance with embodiments described herein, one or more heaters may be arranged around at least a portion of the wall. A mask reflecting the heat from the one or more heaters toward the interior of the crucible may be arranged around the one or more heaters.

Figure 5 is a schematic illustration of a crucible according to other embodiments described herein. The crucible 500 has a circular geometry defined by the wall 560 of the crucible 500. The crucible 500 can include a plurality of heat transport elements that can be arranged in the space within the crucible 500, such as plates 571-578. According to the embodiment as shown in Fig. 5, the heat transport elements in the form of eight plates are arranged in the inner space 550 of the crucible 500 such that the minimum absolute angle of intersection between two adjacent planes is At about 45°, the planes of the two adjacent planes extend parallel to one of the plates 571-578. The symmetrical configuration of these heat transport elements ensures uniform heat distribution in the space within the crucible. According to the embodiment as shown in Fig. 5, the eight plates 571-578 extend completely through the wall 560 of the crucible 500. According to other embodiments herein, one or more panels may be attached to the inner surface of the wall 560 of the crucible 500. According to some embodiments herein, the inner surface of the crucible may include a recess, the one or more heat transport elements being coupled to the recess. The recess may not extend completely through the wall of the crucible. For example, during the crucible assembly, the one or more heat transport elements can be disposed in the recess from the top and/or bottom of the crucible.

According to some embodiments described herein, the one or more heat transport elements may be disposed in the space within the crucible such that the space within the center of the inner space measured at diameter 580 of at least 10 mm does not include this Or any part of multiple heat transfer elements. According to embodiments herein, the space within the center of the crucible that does not include any portion of the heat transport element can be, for example, the shape of a sphere having a diameter from 10 mm to 35 mm.

Figure 6 is a schematic illustration of a crucible in accordance with other embodiments described herein. The crucible 600 can include one or more heat transport elements 670 that protrude from the wall into the space 650 within the crucible 600. According to the embodiment as shown in Figure 6, the one or more heat transport elements 670 are provided as one or more rods 671-675. Each of the bars 671-675 can be arranged to be perpendicular to at least one of the side walls 661-666 of the crucible 600. The crucible 600 has a hexagonal geometry. However, similar to any of the foregoing embodiments, the crucible is not limited to a hexagonal geometry, but may include other geometric shapes such as square, rectangular, triangular, circular, or elliptical.

According to the embodiment as shown in FIG. 6, each of the one or more rods 671-675 can extend completely through the interior space 650 of the crucible 600. Each rod can be, for example, two opposing side walls 661-664, 662-665, and 663-666 of interconnected crucible 600. In the embodiment herein, the rods are depicted as straight rods that extend through at least two side walls of the crucible. According to some embodiments herein, the one or more heat transport elements that may be provided in the shape of a rod, a plate, or any other shape may not be straight, but may be curved to further increase the space within the crucible. The surface area of the one or more heat transport elements.

Each of the side walls 661-666 of the crucible 600 can include a plurality of holes 669 to accommodate the five bars 671-675. The hole 669 extends completely through the wall of the crucible 600. These holes simplify the assembly process and ensure that the heat system is effectively transferred from the outside to the space inside the crucible. For example, during the setting of the crucible, the rod can be inserted into the hole 669 from the outside of the crucible and also welded from the outside of the crucible.

According to embodiments herein, the crucible may include more than five rods that are discrete in the space within the crucible. In particular, according to embodiments herein, the rods may be arranged counterclockwise along the inner surface of the wall of the crucible one above the other. The particular arrangement of the bars in the space within the crucible can be varied for the same or different crucibles to achieve an advantageous distribution of heat in the space within the crucible.

Figure 7 is a schematic illustration of an evaporation assembly in accordance with an embodiment herein. The evaporation assembly can include one or more distribution components and one or more evaporation crucibles, such as one or more distribution tubes. Generally, in accordance with embodiments described herein, the distribution tube can include an interior space to receive and direct the vaporized source material from the crucible. In particular, the evaporation assembly 700 as shown in Fig. 7 includes at least one distribution tube 706 and at least one crucible 100, such as shown in Fig. 1. However, in accordance with other embodiments herein, the evaporation assembly can include any one or more crucibles, including any one or more of the heat transfer elements described herein.

The distribution tube 706 can be an elongated cube with a heating unit 715. As with the description of the crucible shown in Figure 1, the crucible 100 can be a reservoir of organic material to be evaporated by heat, via which the heat is passed from the one or more heat transport elements 170. The external heating unit 125 is provided. According to embodiments described herein, the heating unit of the distribution tube can heat the distribution tube and prevent vapors of organic material from condensing into the inner portion of the wall of the distribution tube 706, which is provided by the crucible 100.

According to embodiments described herein, the distribution tube can be a hollow cylinder. The name cylinder is understood to generally accept a circular bottom shape and a circular top shape, as well as a curved surface region or shell connecting the top circular and bottom circular shapes. In accordance with embodiments described herein, one or more thermal masks and/or cooling mask configurations may be provided for reducing heat transfer to the mask used to coat the substrate and/or during the coating process . For example, by having a through-thermal mask and a cooling mask configuration, heat transfer from the evaporation source to the substrate and/or the mask can be reduced, and the thermal mask and cooling mask configuration surrounds the distribution assembly. According to additional or alternative embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the name cylinder may be more understood in the mathematical sense as having any bottom shape, the same top shape, and joining the top and bottom shapes. The curved area or shell. The cylinder does not necessarily have to have a circular cross section. Instead, the bottom and top surfaces may have a different shape than a circle.

According to embodiments herein, which may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the distribution tube 706 provides a linear evaporation assembly. The distribution tube 706 includes a plurality of openings 712 that are aligned along the length of the distribution tube 706. According to selected embodiments, an elongated opening extending along the length of the distribution tube can be provided. For example, the elongated opening can be a slit. According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the distribution tube extends substantially perpendicularly. For example, the length of the distribution tube 706 can correspond at least to the height of the substrate to be deposited using the evaporation assembly. In many cases, the length of the distribution tube 706 will be at least 10% or even 20% longer than the height of the deposition substrate to facilitate uniform deposition at the top end of the substrate and/or at the bottom end of the substrate.

According to some embodiments, which may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the distribution tube may have a length of 1.3 m or more, such as 2.5 m or more. According to an assembly, as shown in FIG. 7, the crucible 100 is provided at the bottom end of the distribution tube 706. The organic material is evaporated in the crucible 100. The vapor of the organic material enters the distribution tube 706 at the bottom of the distribution tube and is directed upwardly and then substantially laterally through the apertures 712 in the distribution tube 706, for example, oriented substantially perpendicularly The substrate.

According to some embodiments, which may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the outlets (for example nozzles) are arranged to have a predominantly upwardly directed main evaporation direction, with the main evaporation direction being slightly upwardly oriented as 15° from the horizontal. In the range, for example, it is 3° to 7° upward. The substrate can be slightly tilted to be substantially perpendicular to the evaporation direction (for example, ± 10°), and the generation of unwanted particles can be reduced. For purposes of illustration, the crucible 100 and the distribution tube 706 in Figure 7 are shown without a thermal mask. Heating unit 715 and external heating unit 125 can be found in the schematic shown in FIG. However, according to embodiments herein, both the crucible and the distribution tube may include one or more heat shielding layers to reflect thermal energy to the space within the crucible and/or the distribution tube, the thermal energy being heated by one or more Unit provided.

In the embodiments described herein, the thermal mask can reduce energy losses from the evaporation assembly and reduce overall energy consumption. However, in other respects, particularly for depositing organic materials, the thermal radiation originating from the evaporation component can be reduced, particularly toward the thermal radiation of, for example, a mask used during the deposition/coating process. Especially for depositing organic materials on the shielded substrate, and even more for the manufacture of displays, the temperature of the substrate and the mask needs to be precisely controlled. Therefore, heat radiation originating from the evaporation component can be reduced or avoided.

8 and 9 illustrate top views of different evaporation assemblies in accordance with embodiments herein. For example, Figure 8 illustrates a portion of the evaporation assembly 800, including at least three crucibles 100. These crucibles have a hexagonal geometry. A portion of the evaporation assembly 900 as shown in Fig. 9 is exemplified by a crucible 901 having at least two triangles. According to some embodiments herein, the evaporation assembly can include a plurality of crucibles according to any of the embodiments described herein. For example, the evaporation assembly can include two, three, four or more crucibles that can be coupled to at least one or more distribution components.

Figure 10 is a schematic illustration of a deposition system for depositing source material on a substrate in accordance with embodiments herein. The deposition system 1000 can, for example, include an evaporation assembly 700, similar to the evaporation assembly illustrated with respect to FIG. Evaporation assembly 700 includes, for example, crucible 100 as described with respect to Figure 1 and distribution tube 706, such as illustrated with respect to Figure 7. The distribution tube 706 as shown in Fig. 10 is supported by the support 1020. Again, according to some embodiments, the crucible 100 can also be supported by the support 1020. According to the embodiment as shown in FIG. 10, two substrates 1010 are provided in the vacuum chamber 1050. In general, a mask 1030 for masking layer deposition on a substrate can be provided between the substrate 1010 and the evaporation assembly 700. The organic material is evaporated from the crucible 100 and directed to the substrate 1010 via the distribution tube 706.

According to embodiments described herein, the evaporation assembly can include one or more crucibles and one or more distribution tubes, wherein the counterpart of the one or more distribution tubes can be fluidly circulated to the one or more crucibles Corresponding. A variety of applications for OLED device fabrication include several processing stages in which two or more organic materials are simultaneously vaporized. Thus, the two distribution tubes and the corresponding evaporation crucibles can be provided adjacent to each other. In such an embodiment, more than one organic material may, for example, be simultaneously evaporated.

According to embodiments described herein, the substrate coated with the organic material is in a substantially vertical position. That is, the viewing angle as shown in FIG. 10 is a top view of the deposition apparatus including the evaporation assembly 700. Distribution tube 706 provides a linear evaporation assembly that extends substantially vertically. According to embodiments described herein which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, it is understood in particular to mean that the direction of the substrate is substantially perpendicular to a deviation of 20° or below from the vertical, for example 10° or less. For example, this deviation may be provided by the substrate support having some deviation from the vertical direction that may result in a more stable substrate position. However, the substrate orientation during deposition of the source material is considered to be substantially vertical, unlike the horizontal substrate orientation. According to embodiments herein, the surface of the substrate is coated by an evaporation assembly that extends in a direction corresponding to a substrate dimension and translational motion along other directions corresponding to other substrate dimensions.

The deposition system 1000 as shown in FIG. 10 is particularly illustrative of an embodiment of a deposition system for depositing organic materials in a vacuum chamber 1050. The evaporation assembly 700 is provided on one of the tracks in the vacuum chamber 1050, such as an annular track or linear guide 1025. Track or linear guides 1025 are assembled for translational movement of the evaporation assembly 700. According to different embodiments, which may be combined with other embodiments described herein, a driver for translational motion may be provided in the evaporation assembly 700, provided in a track or linear guide 1025, provided in a vacuum chamber 1050, or a combination thereof. Furthermore, Fig. 10 shows a valve 1060, which is exemplified by a gate valve. Valve 1060 can be, for example, a vacuum seal that is provided to an adjacent vacuum chamber (not shown in Figure 10). The valve can be opened to transfer the substrate 1010 or the mask 1030 into or out of the vacuum chamber 1050, respectively.

According to some embodiments, which may be combined with other embodiments described herein, other vacuum chambers, such as maintenance vacuum chamber 1070, are provided adjacent to vacuum chamber 1050. The vacuum chamber 1050 and the maintenance vacuum chamber 1070 are connected by a valve 1080. Valve 1080 is assembled to open and close the vacuum seal between vacuum chamber 1050 and maintenance vacuum chamber 1070. When the valve 1080 is in the open state, the evaporation assembly 700 can be transferred to the maintenance vacuum chamber 1070. Thereafter, the valve can be closed to provide a vacuum seal between the vacuum chamber 1050 and the maintenance vacuum chamber 1070. If the valve 1080 is closed, the maintenance vacuum chamber 1070 can be vented and opened to maintain the evaporation assembly 700 without damaging the vacuum in the vacuum chamber 1050.

According to embodiments herein, the two substrates 1010 are supported on respective transport tracks in the vacuum chamber 1050. Furthermore, two rails are provided for setting the mask 1030 thereon. The substrate 1010 may be obscured by a respective mask 1030 during the coating process. According to an exemplary embodiment, such masks 1030 may be provided in the mask frame 1031 to support the mask 1030 in a predetermined position.

According to some embodiments, which may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the substrate 1010 may be supported by a substrate support 1026 that is coupled to the alignment unit 1012. The alignment unit 1012 can adjust the position of the substrate 1010 relative to the mask 1030. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment in which the substrate holder 1026 is coupled to the alignment unit 1012. Thus, the substrate is moved relative to the mask 1030 to provide proper alignment between the substrate and the mask during deposition of the organic material. The mask frame 1031 of the mask 1030 and/or the support mask 1030 can be selectively or additionally coupled to the alignment unit 1012 in accordance with further embodiments that can be combined with other embodiments described herein. The mask can be positioned relative to the substrate 1010 or both the mask 1030 and the substrate 1010 can be positioned relative to each other. The alignment unit 1012, which is assembled to adjust the position between the substrate 1010 and the mask 1030 relative to each other, provides proper alignment of the shadow during deposition, facilitating high quality or OLED display fabrication.

An example of the alignment of the mask and the substrate relative to each other includes an alignment unit that provides relative alignment in at least two directions defining a plane that is substantially parallel to the plane of the substrate and the mask flat. For example, the alignment can be performed at least in the x-direction and the y-direction, that is, two Cartesian directions defining the parallel planes described above. Generally, the mask and substrate can be substantially parallel to each other. In particular, the alignment can be further performed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the substrate and the plane of the mask. Thus, the alignment unit is assembled for at least X-Y alignment of the mask and substrate relative to each other, and in particular X-Y-Z alignment. A particular example that may be combined with other embodiments described herein is to align the substrate to the mask in the x-direction, the y-direction, and the z-direction, the mask being statically supported in the vacuum chamber 1050.

As shown in FIG. 10, the linear guide 1025 provides one direction of the translational movement of the evaporation assembly 700. A mask 1030 can be provided on either side of the evaporation assembly 700. According to embodiments described herein, the mask 1030 can extend substantially parallel to the translational motion. Furthermore, the substrate 1010 arranged on the opposite side of the evaporation source may also extend substantially parallel to the direction of the translational motion, and the evaporation source is exemplified by the evaporation assembly 700. According to a typical embodiment, the substrate 1010 can be moved into the vacuum chamber 1050 via the valve 1060 and exit the vacuum chamber 1050. The deposition system 1000 can include corresponding transfer tracks for transporting the respective substrates 1010. For example, the transfer track can extend parallel to the substrate position as shown in FIG. 10 and enter and exit the vacuum chamber 1050.

In general, other rails are provided for supporting the mask frame 1031 and the mask 1030. Some embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein may include four tracks in the vacuum chamber 1050. To move one of the masks 1030 away from the chamber, such as a cleaning mask, the mask frame 1031 including the mask can be moved onto the transport track of the substrate 1010. The respective mask frames can then exit or enter the vacuum chamber 1050 on the transfer track of the substrate. While it is possible to provide separate transport tracks for masking the frame 1031 to enter and exit the vacuum chamber 1050, if only two track systems extend into and out of the vacuum chamber 1050, and in addition the mask frame is, for example, The respective masks 1030 can be moved together by a suitable actuator or robot to each of the transfer tracks for the substrate, and the cost of ownership of the deposition system 1000 can be reduced. The transfer track of the substrate.

In accordance with embodiments herein, a method 1100 for coating a substrate with a source material evaporated from a crucible is provided. The crucible may be any one or more crucibles described above and generally includes a wall having an inner surface surrounding the inner space for receiving the source material and at least one heat transport element, the at least one heat transport element being arranged In the space inside the shabu-shabu. The method includes providing 1110 source material in a crucible, particularly in a space within the crucible. According to embodiments herein, the source material can be in the form of a powder, a liquid, and/or pellets. The method further includes heating the 1120 source material to an evaporation temperature by providing indirect heating of the space within the crucible. In particular, power can be supplied to the heater, which is arranged at least along the exterior of the wall of the crucible. The term "outer portion" as used herein shall mean any part of the crucible that is not in the space inside the crucible. For example, the exterior of the wall may for example be covered by a covering such that the heater is arranged between the exterior of the wall and the covering.

The heat source material can be completed under vacuum to aid in the desorption of any humidity from the powder and the temperature can be gradually increased. According to embodiments described herein, the temperature can be raised to a stand-by temperature, and evaporation of the source material occurs near the temperature at which it is to be used. The temperature to be used may be, for example, an evaporation temperature of from 90% to 95%. According to embodiments herein, the temperature may be controlled by one or more sensors and a temperature controller that acts on the power supply and the power supply is coupled to the heater.

In the embodiments described herein, the temperature can be gradually increased from the temperature to be used to the evaporation temperature to preferably adjust the deposition rate.

According to embodiments herein, providing indirect heating of the space within the crucible may further comprise generating 5% of the maximum of 1130 total heating power in the space within the crucible. In the embodiments described herein, most of the heating power is generated on the outside of the crucible and indirectly provided to the space inside the crucible to evaporate the source material. With the one or more heat transport elements, heat can be passively provided in the space within the crucible. In particular, heat from the heater can be transferred to the interior of the crucible via the crucible wall and/or the one or more heat transfer elements.

In the embodiments herein, the heat from the heater is uniformly dispersed in the space within the crucible via the wall and/or the one or more heat transport elements. In general, no heater is provided directly in the space inside the crucible because it may interfere with heater control on the outside of the crucible. According to embodiments herein, most of the heating power is provided to the heater on the outside of the crucible, and the thermal energy generated by the heater is conducted to the crucible by the wall and/or the one or more heat transport elements. In the space inside the pot.

According to embodiments herein, heating of the source material may further comprise moving the one or more heat transport elements from the first position to the second position to more evenly distribute heat in the space within the crucible.

The method for coating a substrate with a source material further includes guiding 1140 a film that has evaporated and/or sublimated the source material to the substrate to produce a film of the source material on the surface of the substrate. According to embodiments herein, directing the evaporated source material can include providing 1150 thermal energy to the evaporated source material. Still further, in embodiments herein, the source material may further include cooling 1160 vaporized material proximate the substrate to facilitate deposition of the source material on the surface of the substrate.

In conclusion, the present invention has been disclosed in the above preferred embodiments, and is not intended to limit the present invention. A person skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention is defined by the scope of the appended claims.

100, 200, 300, 500, 600, 901 ‧ ‧ 坩 pot
101, 201‧‧‧symmetric plane
103, 203‧‧‧Connecting parts
104, 204, 712‧‧‧ openings
105, 205‧‧‧ central axis
125‧‧‧External heating unit
127‧‧‧ hood
150, 250, 350, 550, 650 ‧ ‧ inner space
161-166, 261-266, 661-666‧‧‧ side wall
167, 267‧‧‧ bottom wall
168, 268‧‧‧ top wall
170, 270, 370, 670‧‧‧ heat transfer components
171‧‧‧First heat transfer element
171a, 172a‧‧‧ class plate parts
Section 171b, 172b‧‧‧
172‧‧‧Second heat transfer element
269‧‧‧ total length
271-276, 371-388, 571-578‧‧‧ boards
560‧‧‧ wall
580‧‧‧diameter
669‧‧‧ hole
671-675‧‧‧ stick
700, 800, 900‧‧‧ evaporation components
706‧‧‧Distribution tube
715‧‧‧heating unit
1000‧‧‧Deposition system
1010‧‧‧Substrate
1012‧‧‧Alignment unit
1020‧‧‧Support
1025‧‧‧Linear guides
1026‧‧‧Substrate support
1030‧‧‧ mask
1031‧‧‧mask frame
1050‧‧‧vacuum chamber
1060, 1080‧‧‧ valve
1070‧‧‧Maintenance vacuum chamber
1100‧‧‧ method
1110-1160‧‧‧ Process steps

The above-mentioned embodiments will be explained in more detail in the following description of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the following figures: FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a crucible according to the embodiment described herein; FIG. 2 is a diagram showing Schematic diagram of another crucible of the embodiment; FIG. 3 is a schematic view of still another crucible according to the embodiment described herein; FIG. 4 is a diagram of the embodiment according to the embodiment shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing another crucible according to the embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing another crucible according to the embodiment of the present invention; A schematic view of an evaporation assembly of an embodiment; FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate schematic views of portions of an evaporation assembly according to embodiments herein; and FIG. 10 illustrates a deposition source material according to embodiments herein. A schematic diagram of a deposition system; and FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a method for coating a substrate with a source material evaporated from a crucible according to embodiments herein.

100‧‧‧ 坩 pot

101‧‧‧symmetric plane

103‧‧‧Connecting parts

104‧‧‧Opening

105‧‧‧Center axis

125‧‧‧External heating unit

127‧‧‧ hood

150‧‧‧ inner space

161-166‧‧‧ Sidewall

167‧‧‧Bottom wall

168‧‧‧ top wall

170‧‧‧ Heat Transfer Element

171‧‧‧First heat transfer element

171a, 172a‧‧‧ class plate parts

Section 171b, 172b‧‧‧

172‧‧‧Second heat transfer element

Claims (20)

A crucible for evaporating a source material, wherein the crucible has a wall having an inner surface surrounding an inner space for containing the source of material and one or more heats A transmission element, the one or more heat transport elements being arranged in the inner space of the crucible. The crucible of claim 1, wherein the one or more heat transport elements are assembled to provide indirect heating of one of the inner spaces of the crucible. The crucible of claim 1, wherein the one or more heat transport elements are configured to passively receive heat from the wall and/or from an outside of the crucible, and are arranged to The heat that has been received is redistributed in the inner space of the crucible. The crucible of claim 2, wherein the one or more heat transport elements are assembled to passively receive heat from the wall and/or from one of the sides of the crucible, and are arranged to The heat that has been received is redistributed in the inner space of the crucible. The crucible according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: one or more heaters having a total heating power, wherein the one or more heaters are not provided in the inner space 5% of the maximum value of the total heating power in or in which is generated in the inner space. The crucible of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least one of the one or more heat transport elements is arranged to protrude from the wall of the crucible to the crucible Inside the space. The crucible of claim 6, wherein the at least one of the one or more heat transport elements arranged to protrude from the wall of the crucible into the inner space of the crucible is arranged, A space within a center of the interior space having a diameter measured at least 10 mm does not include any portion of the one or more heat conducting elements. The crucible of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the one or more heat transport elements protrude through the wall of the crucible. The crucible of claim 8, wherein the one or more heat transport elements are welded to the wall of the crucible from one of the sides of the wall. The crucible of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the wall of the crucible includes one or more slits for inserting the one or more heat transport elements. The crucible of claim 10, wherein the one or more heat transporting elements are inserted by arranging one of the crucibles at the bottom of the crucible. The crucible of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the wall of the crucible includes one or more openings for inserting the one or more heat transport elements. The crucible of claim 12, wherein the one or more openings are a plurality of circular openings. The crucible of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the one or more heat transport elements are provided in a cup-like shape for assembly with a liquid therein. The crucible according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the inner surface of the wall has a first area of a first size, and wherein the one or more heat transport elements provide a a second area, the second area being in at least one of the first size or at least twice the first size. An evaporation assembly for evaporating a source material, in particular an organic material, wherein the evaporation assembly comprises one of the crucibles and at least one distribution component according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the at least one The distribution component is adapted to direct the source material that has evaporated from the crucible to one of the substrates to be coated. The evaporating unit of claim 16, further comprising two or three crucibles according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the crucibles have a triangular shape or a hexagonal shape. A method for coating a substrate with a source material evaporated from a crucible, the crucible having a wall having an inner surface surrounding an inner space for containing the source material And including at least one heat transport element in the inner space of the crucible, wherein the method comprises: providing a source material in the crucible; and providing the inner space of the crucible by the at least one heat transport element Heating to heat the source material; and directing the evaporated source material to a surface of the substrate. The method of claim 18, wherein providing the inner space of the crucible for indirect heating comprises generating 5% of a maximum of one of the total heating powers in the inner space. A crucible for evaporating a source material, wherein the crucible has a wall having an inner surface surrounding an inner space for containing the source material and one or more heat transports An element, the one or more heat transport elements are arranged in the inner space of the crucible and are assembled to provide an indirect heating of the inner space of the crucible.