Ion beam etching system, cleaning mechanism and method of using ion beam etching system

Abstract

This application provides an ion beam etching system, a cleaning mechanism, and a method for using the ion beam etching system. The ion beam etching system includes: multiple process chambers, each equipped with a support stage and an etching mechanism. The support stage is used to support a substrate to be etched, and the etching mechanism is used to etch the substrate. Each process chamber has an inlet and an outlet. The cleaning mechanism includes a gas circulation chamber and a gas generating unit, which is configured to produce cleaning gas. The gas circulation chamber has multiple cleaning gas outlets and multiple waste gas inlets. The multiple cleaning gas outlets are connected to the multiple inlets in a one-to-one correspondence, and the multiple waste gas inlets are connected to the multiple outlets in a one-to-one correspondence, so that the cleaning gas can enter the process chambers and carry the waste gas generated during etching out to a receiving chamber for treatment. The cleaning gas outlets and waste gas inlets are equipped with first switching valves, and the multiple first switching valves are used to control the cleaning gas to sequentially enter different process chambers one by one.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of etching equipment technology, and in particular to an ion beam etching system, a cleaning mechanism, and a method of using the ion beam etching system. Background Technology

[0002] Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) and flat panel display devices based on light-emitting diode (LED) technologies are widely used in various consumer electronics products such as mobile phones, televisions, laptops, and desktop computers due to their advantages such as high image quality, energy saving, thin body and wide range of applications, becoming the mainstream of display devices.

[0003] OLED display panels require an array substrate, including driving circuitry, to drive the light-emitting units to emit light. The array substrate comprises stacked semiconductor layers, conductive layers, and insulating layers, which need to be patterned to meet application requirements. Etching is one of the key processes for patterning these semiconductor, conductive, and insulating layers; therefore, improving etching process performance is crucial for increasing the yield of the array substrate. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides an ion beam etching system, a cleaning mechanism, and a method for using the ion beam etching system, with the aim of improving the etching process yield.

[0005] An embodiment of the first aspect of this application provides an ion beam etching system for fabricating a display panel, the ion beam etching system comprising:

[0006] Multiple process chambers are provided, each containing a support stage and an etching mechanism. The support stage is used to support the substrate to be etched, and the etching mechanism is used to generate plasma to etch the substrate. Each process chamber has an air inlet and an air outlet.

[0007] A cleaning mechanism, comprising a gas circulation chamber and a gas generating unit, the gas circulation chamber having a receiving cavity, and the gas generating unit configured to produce cleaning gas and introduce the cleaning gas into the receiving cavity for processing;

[0008] The gas circulation chamber has multiple clean gas outlets and multiple waste gas inlets that are respectively connected to the receiving cavity. The multiple clean gas outlets are connected to the multiple air inlets in a one-to-one correspondence, and the multiple waste gas inlets are connected to the multiple exhaust outlets in a one-to-one correspondence, so that the clean gas can enter the process chamber and carry the waste gas generated by etching out to the receiving cavity; the gas circulation chamber has a pressure relief port that is connected to the outside.

[0009] The clean gas outlet and the waste gas inlet are equipped with first switching valves, and multiple first switching valves are configured to control the clean gas to enter different process chambers one by one in sequence.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the first aspect of this application, a first airflow guiding pump is also included. The first airflow guiding pump is disposed in the gas circulation chamber and is connected to a plurality of clean gas outlets and a plurality of waste gas inlets. The first airflow guiding pump is used to guide the clean gas in the containment cavity to selectively enter different process chambers.

[0011] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, a second airflow guiding pump is provided in the process chamber. The second airflow guiding pump is connected to the air inlet and the air outlet respectively, and is used to guide the waste gas out of the process chamber.

[0012] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the cleaning mechanism further includes an exhaust gas treatment component located in the receiving cavity, the exhaust gas treatment component being used to treat the exhaust gas.

[0013] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the exhaust gas treatment component is any one of a dry scrubber, a wet scrubber, an exhaust gas processor, or an adsorbent trap.

[0014] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, a plurality of clean gas outlets and a plurality of exhaust gas inlets are arranged in pairs, and the plurality of pairs of clean gas outlets and exhaust gas inlets are arranged at circumferential intervals along the gas circulation chamber.

[0015] According to any of the foregoing embodiments of the first aspect of this application, at least one filter element is provided in the receiving cavity; the filter element is located downstream of the exhaust gas inlet and upstream of the clean gas outlet;

[0016] Preferably, the filter element is any one of a nanofiltration membrane, a chemical adsorption filter element, a ceramic filter, a cyclone separator, or a particulate filter.

[0017] A second aspect of this application also provides a cleaning mechanism for an ion beam etching system. The ion beam etching system includes a process chamber, a support stage disposed within the process chamber, and an etching mechanism. The etching mechanism is used to etch a substrate to be etched located on the support stage. The cleaning mechanism includes:

[0018] The gas circulation chamber has a receiving cavity;

[0019] A gas generating unit configured to produce clean gas and introduce the clean gas into the receiving cavity;

[0020] The gas circulation chamber has multiple clean gas outlets and multiple waste gas inlets respectively connected to the receiving cavity; the multiple clean gas outlets are connected one-to-one with the air inlets of the multiple process chambers, and the multiple waste gas inlets are connected one-to-one with the exhaust ports of the multiple process chambers, so that the clean gas can enter the process chambers and carry the waste gas generated by etching out to the receiving cavity; the gas circulation chamber has a pressure relief port connected to the outside.

[0021] The clean gas outlet and the waste gas inlet are equipped with first switching valves, and multiple first switching valves are configured to control the clean gas to enter different process chambers one by one in sequence.

[0022] A third aspect of this application also provides a method of using an ion beam etching system for fabricating a display panel. The ion beam etching system is the ion beam etching system described in any of the first aspects above. The method of using the ion beam etching system includes:

[0023] Close the first switch valves of each of the clean gas outlets and each of the exhaust gas inlets, and keep the pressure relief port closed;

[0024] Turn on the gas generating unit to produce clean gas and introduce the clean gas into the receiving cavity;

[0025] The first switching valves of each of the clean gas outlets and each of the exhaust gas inlets are opened one by one, so that the multiple process chambers are connected to the receiving cavity in turn, so that the clean gas enters each of the process chambers in turn and carries the exhaust gas of each of the process chambers out to the receiving cavity in turn; wherein, the first switching valves of the clean gas outlets and exhaust gas inlets connected to the same process chamber are opened or closed simultaneously.

[0026] Open the pressure relief port to balance the gas pressure of the ion beam etching system.

[0027] According to an embodiment of the third aspect of this application, the method of using the ion beam etching system further includes:

[0028] The process chamber is configured to switch between cleaning mode and etching mode;

[0029] Each of the process chambers is switched to cleaning mode one by one in sequence. The process chambers in cleaning mode are connected to the receiving cavity. When one of the process chambers is in cleaning mode, the remaining process chambers are switched to etching mode, and the remaining process chambers are not connected to the receiving cavity.

[0030] The ion beam etching system provided in the first aspect embodiment of this application includes multiple process chambers. Each process chamber is equipped with a support stage and an etching mechanism. The support stage carries the substrate to be etched, and the etching mechanism generates plasma to complete the etching process on the substrate. Each process chamber has an inlet and an outlet. The cleaning mechanism includes a gas circulation chamber and a gas generating unit. The gas generating unit is configured to produce cleaning gas and introduce it into a receiving chamber. The gas circulation chamber has multiple cleaning gas outlets and multiple exhaust gas inlets respectively connected to the receiving chamber. The multiple cleaning gas outlets are connected one-to-one with the multiple inlets, and the multiple exhaust gas inlets are connected one-to-one with the multiple outlets, so that the cleaning gas... The system can enter the process chamber through the inlet and force the waste gas generated during etching to exit through the exhaust port, thereby increasing the flow rate of the waste gas and preventing it from accumulating in the process chamber for a long time. This makes it less likely for the waste gas to deposit on the surface of the substrate to be etched. The gas circulation chamber has a pressure relief port connected to the outside to balance the gas pressure of the ion beam etching system. The clean gas outlet and the waste gas inlet are equipped with first switching valves. Multiple first switching valves are configured to control the clean gas to enter different process chambers one by one in sequence, so that the clean gas can be circulated into each process chamber in turn. This improves the utilization rate of the clean gas and the process efficiency, optimizes the cleaning process of the waste gas, ensures the etching uniformity of the substrate to be etched in each process chamber, and thus improves the etching process yield. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Other features, objects, and advantages of this application will become more apparent from the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar features.

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an ion beam etching system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an ion beam etching system provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a cleaning mechanism provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0035] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the usage method of an ion beam etching system provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0036] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0037] 1. Process chamber; 11. Air inlet; 12. Exhaust outlet; 13. Etching chamber; 14. Plasma chamber; 15. Induction electrode; 151. Guide hole; 16. Second switching valve; 2. Support platform; 3. Etching mechanism; 4. Cleaning mechanism; 41. Gas circulation chamber; 411. Receiving cavity; 412. Clean gas outlet; 413. Waste gas inlet; 414. Pressure relief port; 415. Delivery pipeline; 42. Gas generation unit; 43. First switching valve; 5. Filter element; 100. Substrate to be etched. Detailed Implementation

[0038] The features and exemplary embodiments of various aspects of this application will now be described in detail. Numerous specific details are set forth in the following detailed description to provide a comprehensive understanding of this application. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this application can be implemented without some of these specific details. The following description of embodiments is merely intended to provide a better understanding of this application by illustrating examples. In the accompanying drawings and the following description, at least some well-known structures and techniques are not shown to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the application; and, for clarity, the dimensions of some structures may be exaggerated. Furthermore, the features, structures, or characteristics described below can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0039] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more; the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "inner," "outer," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on this application. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0040] The directional terms appearing in the following description refer to the directions shown in the figures and are not intended to limit the specific structure of the embodiments of this application. It should also be noted in the description of this application that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation" and "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0041] OLED display panels require an array substrate including a driving circuit to drive the light-emitting units to emit light. The array substrate includes stacked semiconductor layers, conductive layers, and insulating layers. For example, the array substrate may include a substrate and a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, and a third conductive layer stacked on one side of the substrate. An insulating layer is disposed between adjacent conductive layers. Exemplarily, a pixel circuit is disposed on the array substrate, and the pixel driving circuit includes a transistor and a storage capacitor. The transistor includes a semiconductor, a gate, a source, and a drain. The source and drain can be connected to the semiconductor through vias in the insulating layer. The storage capacitor includes a first electrode and a second electrode. As an example, the gate and the first electrode can be located on the first conductive layer, the second electrode can be located on the second conductive layer, and the source and drain can be located on the third conductive layer. In addition, OLED display panels typically include a touch layer structure. The first conductive layer, second conductive layer, third conductive layer and touch layer mentioned above are usually formed by magnetron sputtering to create a metal thin film. The metal thin film is then patterned to form conductive structures such as gate, capacitor plate, data signal line, voltage signal line and touch signal line.

[0042] In related technologies, dry etching equipment includes a process chamber and an etching component located within the process chamber. The etching component includes an excitation electrode with a guide hole through which plasma can be sprayed onto the substrate to be etched. During the etching process, the plasma reacts with the substrate, generating waste gas within the process chamber. This waste gas is discharged from the process chamber after being purified by activated carbon adsorbents, plasma purification, or chemical adsorption neutralization. However, the decomposition process of the waste gas also prolongs its residence time within the process chamber, resulting in a limited discharge rate. Some waste gas may accumulate and deposit on the surface of the substrate, thus affecting the uniformity of the etching process and leading to problems such as localized under-etching of the substrate.

[0043] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application is proposed. Embodiments of this application provide an ion beam etching system, a cleaning mechanism, and a method for using the ion beam etching system. The following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, will illustrate various embodiments of the ion beam etching system, the cleaning mechanism, and the method for using the ion beam etching system.

[0044] Please refer to the following: Figures 1 to 4 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an ion beam etching system provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0045] like Figure 1 As shown, the ion beam etching system provided in this application is used for the fabrication of display panels. The ion beam etching system includes:

[0046] Multiple process chambers 1 are provided, each containing a support stage 2 and an etching mechanism 3. The support stage 2 is used to support the substrate 100 to be etched. The etching mechanism 3 is used to generate plasma to etch the substrate 100. Each process chamber 1 has an air inlet 11 and an air outlet 12.

[0047] The cleaning mechanism 4 includes a gas circulation chamber 41 and a gas generating unit 42. The gas circulation chamber 41 has a receiving cavity 411. The gas generating unit 42 is configured to produce cleaning gas and introduce the cleaning gas into the receiving cavity 411.

[0048] The gas circulation chamber 41 has multiple clean gas outlets 412 and multiple waste gas inlets 413, each communicating with the receiving cavity 411. The multiple clean gas outlets 412 are connected one-to-one with the multiple air inlets 11, and the multiple waste gas inlets 413 are connected one-to-one with the multiple exhaust ports 12, so that clean gas can enter the process chamber 1 and carry the waste gas generated during etching out to the receiving cavity 411. The gas circulation chamber 41 has a pressure relief port 414 communicating with the outside.

[0049] The clean gas outlet 412 and the exhaust gas inlet 413 are equipped with first switching valves 43. Multiple first switching valves 43 are configured to control the clean gas to enter different process chambers 1 one by one in sequence.

[0050] In the embodiments provided in this application, the ion beam etching system includes multiple process chambers 1. Each process chamber 1 is equipped with a support stage 2 and an etching mechanism 3. The support stage 2 supports the substrate 100 to be etched, and the etching mechanism 3 generates plasma to complete the etching process on the substrate 100. Each process chamber 1 has an inlet 11 and an outlet 12. The cleaning mechanism 4 includes a gas circulation chamber 41 and a gas generating unit 42. The gas generating unit 42 is configured to produce cleaning gas and introduce it into a receiving chamber 411. The gas circulation chamber 41 has multiple cleaning gas outlets 412 and multiple waste gas inlets 413 respectively connected to the receiving chamber 411. The multiple cleaning gas outlets 412 are connected one-to-one with the multiple inlets 11, and the multiple waste gas inlets 413 are connected one-to-one with the multiple outlets 12, so that... Clean gas can enter the process chamber 1 through the inlet 11 and force the waste gas generated during etching to exit through the exhaust port 12, thereby increasing the flow rate of the waste gas and preventing the waste gas from accumulating in the process chamber 1 for a long time, making it less likely for the waste gas to deposit on the surface of the substrate 100 to be etched. The gas circulation chamber 41 has a pressure relief port 414 connected to the outside to balance the gas pressure of the ion beam etching system. The clean gas outlet 412 and the waste gas inlet 413 are equipped with first switching valves 43. Multiple first switching valves 43 are configured to control the clean gas to enter different process chambers 1 one by one in sequence, so that the clean gas can be circulated into each process chamber 1 in turn, which improves the utilization rate of the clean gas and the process efficiency, optimizes the cleaning process of the waste gas, ensures the etching uniformity of the substrate 100 to be etched in each process chamber 1, and thus improves the etching process yield.

[0051] In dry etching equipment, the main reason for the waste gas generated in process chamber 1 is the chemical reactions involved in the etching process. Ion beams or plasmas are used to chemically react with the substrate 100 to achieve dry etching of the substrate 100. These reactions release various waste gases. For example, during dry etching, commonly used gases such as fluorides (e.g., fluorine gas, hydrogen chloride, etc.) react with the substrate 100 (e.g., silicon, metal, etc.) to generate etching products. The byproducts of these chemical reactions are usually gaseous substances, referred to as waste gases. For example, when fluoride gas reacts with the substrate 100, volatile waste gases such as silicon fluoride and chlorides may be generated. Simultaneously, during the etching process, the surface of the substrate 100 may be sputtered or excited to generate some gases, especially under the action of high-energy ion beams. The surface of the substrate 100 may release some volatile substances, which are also part of the waste gases. When using plasma etching technology, the excitation of plasma causes gas molecules to split or ionize, generating free radicals, ions and decomposition products. These products become waste gas and need to be discharged from the process chamber 1 to prevent waste gas from depositing on the surface of the substrate 100 to be etched.

[0052] Specifically, such as Figure 1 As shown, the ion beam etching system has multiple process chambers 1, which can simultaneously etch multiple substrates 100 to be etched, thereby improving etching efficiency. Figure 1 As shown, a sensing electrode 15 is provided inside the process chamber 1, dividing the process chamber 1 into a plasma chamber 14 and an etching chamber 13, and has a guide hole 151. A support stage 2 and an etching mechanism 3 are disposed in the etching chamber 13. The support stage 2 is used to support the substrate 100 to be etched. The etching mechanism 3 is used to excite etching gas to generate plasma. Under the applied electric field of the sensing electrode 15, the plasma forms an ion beam through the guide hole 151. The sensing electrode 15 guides the ion beam to bombard the substrate 100 to be etched, thereby achieving etching. Each process chamber 1 is equipped with an air inlet 11 and an air outlet 12. The air inlet 11 is used to introduce clean gas, while the air outlet 12 is used to discharge the waste gas generated during etching.

[0053] like Figure 1 As shown, the cleaning mechanism 4 includes a gas generating unit 42 and a gas circulation chamber 41. The gas generating unit 42 generates cleaning gas and introduces it into the receiving cavity 411 of the gas circulation chamber 41 through a delivery pipeline 415. The cleaning gas is an inert gas such as nitrogen, helium, or argon. Optionally, the gas generating unit 42 can be a nitrogen generator, a helium generator, an argon generator, or an inert gas mixture generator, which is prior art and will not be described further in this application.

[0054] like Figure 1 As shown, within the gas circulation chamber 41, multiple clean gas outlets 412 and exhaust gas inlets 413 are provided. The multiple clean gas outlets 412 are connected one-to-one to the air inlets 11 of the process chamber 1 via conveying pipes 415, while the multiple exhaust gas inlets 413 are connected one-to-one to the exhaust outlets 12 via conveying pipes 415. Optionally, such as... Figure 1 As shown, both the air inlet 11 and the exhaust outlet 12 are equipped with second switching valves 16. When the process chamber 1 is in the etching state, the second switching valve 16 is closed; when the process chamber 1 needs to be cleaned, the second switching valve 16 is opened. Cleaning gas can effectively enter each process chamber 1, while simultaneously carrying the waste gas generated during the etching process into the receiving chamber 411 for treatment. In addition, the gas circulation chamber 41 is also provided with a pressure relief port 414 communicating with the outside to maintain stable gas pressure within the system.

[0055] To flexibly control the flow of clean gas, first switching valves 43 are installed on the clean gas outlet 412 and the exhaust gas inlet 413, respectively. These first switching valves 43 are configured to control the flow of clean gas. By selectively controlling the operating state of each first switching valve 43, clean gas can selectively and sequentially enter different process chambers 1, thereby sequentially completing the cleaning of multiple process chambers 1, improving the process efficiency of clean gas, ensuring that each process chamber 1 obtains clean gas when needed, and efficiently discharges exhaust gas. The ion beam etching system can effectively perform etching treatment of display panels while maintaining the cleanliness and stability of the internal environment of the system.

[0056] Process chamber 1 is configured to have etching and cleaning modes. Optionally, such as... Figure 1 As shown, there are two process chambers 1. When one process chamber 1 is in etching mode, the first switching valve 43 of the clean gas outlet 412 and the exhaust gas inlet 413 connected to it is closed. At the same time, the other process chamber 1 is switched to cleaning mode, and the first switching valve 43 of the clean gas outlet 412 and the exhaust gas inlet 413 connected to it is opened, so that the clean gas enters the process chamber 1 to complete the cleaning of the exhaust gas in the process chamber 1.

[0057] Optional, such as Figure 3 As shown, there are three process chambers 1. When one of the process chambers 1 is in cleaning mode, the first switch valve 43 of the cleaning gas outlet 412 and the exhaust gas inlet 413 connected to it is opened, allowing cleaning gas to enter the process chamber 1 to complete the cleaning of the exhaust gas in the process chamber 1. At the same time, the other two process chambers 1 are kept in etching mode, and the first switch valve 43 of the cleaning gas outlet 412 and the exhaust gas inlet 413 connected to these two are closed. This process continues until all three process chambers 1 are cleaned.

[0058] In some optional embodiments, the ion beam etching system further includes a first gas flow guiding pump. The first gas flow guiding pump is disposed in the gas circulation chamber 41. The first gas flow guiding pump is connected to a plurality of clean gas outlets 412 and a plurality of waste gas inlets 413, respectively. The first gas flow guiding pump is used to guide the clean gas in the containment chamber 411 sequentially and selectively into different process chambers 1.

[0059] In these optional embodiments, the ion beam etching system includes several key components, including a first gas flow guiding pump, a process chamber 1, and a gas circulation chamber 41. The gas circulation chamber 41 stores and processes clean gas. The first gas flow guiding pump is installed within the gas circulation chamber 41 and connected via pipes to multiple clean gas outlets 412 and multiple waste gas inlets 413. The function of the first gas flow guiding pump is to adjust the gas flow direction as needed, ensuring that clean gas can flow out of the gas circulation chamber 41 and enter each process chamber 1 through different pipe paths, while providing sufficient power for the flow of clean gas and waste gas, increasing the waste gas discharge rate, and thus ensuring etching uniformity. Specifically, the first gas flow guiding pump can selectively guide clean gas to different process chambers 1 according to process requirements to optimize the etching process and ensure process efficiency. The gas environment within each process chamber 1 can be controlled in real time, thereby ensuring the purity and stability of the gas during the ion beam etching process. Meanwhile, the waste gas is guided to the containment cavity 411 through the waste gas inlet 413 for special treatment to ensure that the gas environment in the process chamber 1 is not polluted and to avoid interference with the etching process.

[0060] Optionally, the first airflow guiding pump is a reversible circulation pump.

[0061] In some optional embodiments, a second airflow guiding pump is provided inside the process chamber 1. The second airflow guiding pump is connected to both the air inlet 11 and the exhaust outlet 12. The second airflow guiding pump is used to guide the exhaust gas out of the process chamber 1.

[0062] In these optional embodiments, each process chamber 1 of the ion beam etching system is equipped with a second airflow guiding pump for efficiently guiding the discharge of waste gas. Specifically, the second airflow guiding pump is connected to the air inlet 11 and the air outlet 12 of the process chamber 1 via pipes. The air inlet 11 is used to introduce clean gas into the process chamber 1 to maintain the stability of the process environment, while the air outlet 12 is used to discharge waste gas. The function of the second airflow guiding pump is to ensure that the waste gas can be quickly guided from the process chamber 1 and discharged to the receiving cavity 411 for special treatment by controlling the flow of airflow, preventing the waste gas from accumulating in the process chamber 1, thereby ensuring etching uniformity and optimizing the effect of the ion beam etching process.

[0063] Optionally, the second airflow guiding pump is a reversible circulation pump.

[0064] In some alternative embodiments, the cleaning mechanism 4 further includes an exhaust gas treatment component. The exhaust gas treatment component is located in the receiving cavity 411. The exhaust gas treatment component is used to treat exhaust gas.

[0065] In these alternative embodiments, harmful substances, particles, or gases in the waste gas are effectively removed through physical, chemical, or adsorption interactions between the waste gas treatment component and the waste gas. The waste gas treatment component ensures comprehensive purification of the waste gas and prevents cross-contamination between different process chambers.

[0066] In some alternative embodiments, the exhaust gas treatment device is any one of a dry scrubber, a wet scrubber, an exhaust gas processor, or an adsorbent trap.

[0067] In these optional embodiments, users can flexibly select any of the above-mentioned waste gas treatment components according to the composition and treatment requirements of the waste gas generated during the actual etching process, to achieve better waste gas purification effect. For example, when using a wet scrubber, the waste gas comes into contact with water or other solutions, and the pollutants are absorbed by the solution; when using a dry scrubber, the waste gas is filtered through special filter media to remove harmful components.

[0068] In some alternative embodiments, multiple clean gas outlets 412 and multiple exhaust gas inlets 413 are arranged in pairs. The multiple pairs of clean gas outlets 412 and exhaust gas inlets 413 are arranged circumferentially at intervals along the gas circulation chamber 41 to optimize the airflow layout, ensure that the clean gas can smoothly enter different process chambers 1, and improve the cleaning efficiency and the process efficiency of the clean gas.

[0069] In some alternative embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, at least one filter element 5 is provided in the receiving cavity 411. The filter element 5 is located downstream of the exhaust gas inlet 413 and upstream of the clean gas outlet 412.

[0070] In these optional embodiments, the exhaust gas inlet 413 guides the exhaust gas in the process chamber 1 into the receiving chamber 411, while the clean gas outlet 412 introduces the clean gas filtered by the filter element 5 into the next process chamber 1. The placement of the filter element 5 ensures that impurities and contaminants are effectively removed after the exhaust gas is filtered, thereby preventing them from re-entering the airflow and preventing cross-contamination between the process chambers 1.

[0071] During operation, after the exhaust gas enters the receiving cavity 411 from the process chamber 1, it first passes through the filter element 5. The filter element 5 is used to capture small particles and pollutants in the exhaust gas, while preventing impure gas from entering the clean gas outlet 412, thereby ensuring the purity of the clean gas. The efficient purification of exhaust gas through the filter element 5 ensures the cleaning effect on the process chamber 1.

[0072] In some alternative embodiments, the filter element 5 is any one of a nanofiltration membrane, a chemical adsorption filter, a ceramic filter, a cyclone separator, or a particulate filter.

[0073] In some optional embodiments, users can flexibly select any of the above-mentioned filter elements 5 according to the composition of the exhaust gas generated during the actual etching process and the treatment requirements, so as to achieve a better exhaust gas filtration effect.

[0074] A second aspect of this application also provides a cleaning mechanism 4 for use in an ion beam etching system. The ion beam etching system includes a process chamber 1, a support stage 2 disposed within the process chamber 1, and an etching mechanism 3. The etching mechanism 3 is used to etch a substrate 100 located on the support stage 2. The cleaning mechanism 4 includes:

[0075] The gas circulation chamber 41 has a receiving cavity 411.

[0076] The gas circulation chamber 41 has multiple clean gas outlets 412 and multiple waste gas inlets 413, each communicating with the receiving cavity 411. The multiple clean gas outlets 412 are connected one-to-one with the air inlets 11 of multiple process chambers 1, and the multiple waste gas inlets 413 are connected one-to-one with the exhaust ports 12 of multiple process chambers 1, so that clean gas can enter the process chambers 1 and carry the waste gas generated during etching out to the receiving cavity 411. The gas circulation chamber 41 has a pressure relief port 414 communicating with the outside.

[0077] The clean gas outlet 412 and the waste gas inlet 413 are equipped with first switching valves 43. Multiple first switching valves 43 are configured to control the clean gas to enter different process chambers 1 one by one in sequence.

[0078] In these optional embodiments, the cleaning mechanism 4 for the ion beam etching system includes a gas circulation chamber 41 and a gas generating unit 42. The gas generating unit 42 is configured to produce cleaning gas and introduce it into the receiving cavity 411 of the gas circulation chamber 41. The gas circulation chamber 41 has multiple cleaning gas outlets 412 and multiple waste gas inlets 413 respectively communicating with the receiving cavity 411. The multiple cleaning gas outlets 412 are connected one-to-one with multiple gas inlets 11, and the multiple waste gas inlets 413 are connected one-to-one with multiple exhaust ports 12, so that the cleaning gas can enter the process chamber 1 from the gas inlets 11 and force the waste gas generated by etching to be carried out from the exhaust ports 12, thereby improving the flow of waste gas. The gas circulation chamber 41 has a pressure relief port 414 connected to the outside to balance the gas pressure of the ion beam etching system. The clean gas outlet 412 and the waste gas inlet 413 are equipped with first switching valves 43. Multiple first switching valves 43 are configured to control the clean gas to enter different process chambers 1 one by one in sequence, so that the clean gas can be circulated into each process chamber 1 in turn, which improves the utilization rate of clean gas and process efficiency, optimizes the cleaning process of waste gas, ensures the etching uniformity of the substrate 100 to be etched in each process chamber 1, and thus improves the etching process yield.

[0079] The cleaning mechanism 4 provided in the second aspect embodiment of this application can be the cleaning mechanism 4 of the ion beam etching system provided in any of the first aspect embodiments described above. The cleaning mechanism 4 provided in the second aspect embodiment of this application can have the features of the cleaning mechanism 4 of the ion beam etching system provided in any of the first aspect embodiments described above.

[0080] like Figure 4 As shown, an embodiment of the third aspect of this application also provides a method of using a sub-beam etching system. Please refer to the following: Figures 1 to 4 The ion beam etching system can be any of the ion beam etching systems provided in the first aspect embodiments described above. The method of using the ion beam etching system includes:

[0081] Step S01: The first switch valve 43 of each clean gas outlet 412 and each exhaust gas inlet 413 is closed, and the pressure relief port 414 is kept closed.

[0082] Step S02: Turn on the gas generating unit 42 to produce clean gas and introduce the clean gas into the receiving cavity 411.

[0083] Step S03: Open the first switching valve 43 of each clean gas outlet 412 and each waste gas inlet 413 one by one, so that multiple process chambers 1 are connected to the receiving cavity 411 in turn, so that clean gas enters each process chamber 1 in turn and carries the waste gas of each process chamber 1 out to the receiving cavity 411 in turn. Among them, the first switching valve 43 of the clean gas outlet 412 and the waste gas inlet 413 connected to the same process chamber 1 are opened or closed simultaneously.

[0084] Step S04: Open the pressure relief port 414 to balance the gas pressure of the ion beam etching system.

[0085] In the method of using the ion beam etching system provided in this application embodiment, the sealing of the receiving cavity 411 is first ensured through step S01. Then, in step S02, the gas generating unit 42 produces cleaning gas and introduces the cleaning gas into the receiving cavity 411 for later use. Next, in step S03, the first switching valves 43 of each cleaning gas outlet 412 and each waste gas inlet 413 are opened one by one, so that multiple process chambers 1 are connected to the receiving cavity 411 in turn. This facilitates the sequential entry of cleaning gas into each process chamber 1 and the sequential removal of waste gas from each process chamber 1 to the receiving cavity 411, thereby improving the cleaning efficiency and process efficiency of the cleaning gas. The waste gas is effectively removed from the process chamber 1 and treated in the receiving cavity 411, thereby ensuring etching uniformity and optimizing the etching process performance. In addition, the pressure relief port 414 can be opened simultaneously in step S03 to maintain the gas pressure balance of the entire system.

[0086] For example, the first switch valve 43 of the first cleaning outlet and the first exhaust gas inlet 413 can be opened first, and the remaining first switch valves 43 can be closed, so that the cleaning gas enters the first process chamber 1 and carries the exhaust gas of the first process chamber 1 out to the receiving chamber 411 for treatment; then the first switch valve 43 of the first cleaning gas outlet 412 and the first exhaust gas inlet 413 can be closed, and the first switch valve 43 of the second cleaning gas outlet 412 and the second exhaust gas inlet 413 can be opened, while the remaining first switch valves 43 are kept closed, so that the cleaning gas enters the second process chamber 1 and carries the exhaust gas of the second process chamber 1 out to the receiving chamber 411 for treatment, and so on, until all etching chambers 13 are cleaned.

[0087] In some optional embodiments, the method of using the ion beam etching system further includes:

[0088] The working status of each process chamber 1 is obtained. Process chamber 1 includes cleaning mode and etching mode.

[0089] Each process chamber 1 is switched to the cleaning mode one by one in sequence. The process chamber 1 in the cleaning mode is connected to the receiving cavity 411. When one process chamber 1 is in the cleaning mode, the other process chambers 1 are switched to the etching mode, and the other process chambers 1 are not connected to the receiving cavity 411.

[0090] In these optional embodiments, the system first acquires the operating status of each process chamber 1. Each process chamber 1 has two operating modes: a cleaning mode and an etching mode. In cleaning mode, process chamber 1 primarily performs exhaust gas cleaning; while in etching mode, process chamber 1 is used to perform ion beam etching processes.

[0091] The system uses automated control to sequentially switch each process chamber 1 to cleaning mode. In cleaning mode, process chamber 1 is connected to the receiving cavity 411 through the air inlet 11 and the exhaust outlet 12. Clean gas from the receiving cavity 411 is guided into process chamber 1, effectively cleaning the waste gas within. Simultaneously, while process chamber 1 is operating in cleaning mode, all other process chambers 1 switch to etching mode. These process chambers 1 in etching mode are not connected to the receiving cavity 411, allowing for a reasonable switching between cleaning and etching modes among different process chambers 1. This ensures that the cleaning process does not affect the chamber currently undergoing etching, prevents contamination diffusion, and guarantees the efficient operation and etching accuracy of the entire system. Through this embodiment, the ion beam etching system can effectively manage the operating status of process chamber 1, optimize the alternation of cleaning and etching processes, and improve etching efficiency.

[0092] For example, when there are two process chambers 1, during the etching process in the first process chamber 1, the gas generating unit 42 can produce cleaning gas and store it in the receiving cavity 411 for later use. When the etching process in the first process chamber 1 is completed and switched to the cleaning mode, the second process chamber 1 is controlled to start the etching mode. At this time, the receiving cavity 411 is connected to the first process chamber 1 but not to the second process chamber 1, thus achieving cleaning of the first process chamber 1. When the cleaning process in the first process chamber 1 is completed and switched to the etching mode, the second process chamber 1 is controlled to switch to the cleaning mode. At this time, the receiving cavity 411 is not connected to the first process chamber 1 but is connected to the second process chamber 1, thus achieving cleaning of the second process chamber 1. Etching and cleaning are performed simultaneously, thereby improving etching efficiency.

[0093] An embodiment of the fourth aspect of this application also provides an array substrate for a display panel. The array substrate includes multiple film layers, at least one of which is formed by an ion beam etching system provided in any of the first aspects of the above-described embodiments, or at least one film layer of the array substrate is formed by a method of using an ion beam etching system provided in any of the third aspects of the above-described embodiments. Since at least one film layer of the array substrate in the embodiment of the fourth aspect of this application is formed by an ion beam etching system provided in any of the first aspects of the above-described embodiments, or at least one film layer of the array substrate is formed by a method of using an ion beam etching system provided in any of the third aspects of the above-described embodiments, the array substrate in the embodiment of the fourth aspect of this application has the beneficial effects of the ion beam etching system provided in any of the first aspects of the above-described embodiments, or the array substrate in the embodiment of the fourth aspect of this application has the beneficial effects of the magnetron sputtering method provided in any of the third aspects of the above-described embodiments, which will not be elaborated further here.

[0094] The fifth aspect of this application also provides a display panel including the array substrate provided in any of the fourth aspect embodiments. Since the display panel of the fifth aspect embodiment includes the array substrate of any of the fourth aspect embodiments, it has the beneficial effects of the array substrate of any of the fourth aspect embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0095] The display device provided in the sixth aspect of this application may include the display panel of any of the above embodiments. Since the display device provided in the sixth aspect of this application includes the display panel of any of the first aspects, it has the beneficial effects of the display panel of any of the first aspects, which will not be repeated here.

[0096] The display devices in this application include, but are not limited to, mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), tablet computers, e-books, televisions, access control systems, smart landline phones, control consoles, and other devices with display functions.

[0097] Although this application has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, various modifications can be made thereto and components can be replaced with equivalents without departing from the scope of this application. In particular, the technical features mentioned in the various embodiments can be combined in any manner, provided there is no structural conflict. This application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An ion beam etching system, characterized in that, The ion beam etching system is used for the fabrication of a display panel, and the ion beam etching system includes: Multiple process chambers are provided, each containing a support stage and an etching mechanism. The support stage is used to support the substrate to be etched, and the etching mechanism is used to generate plasma to etch the substrate. Each process chamber has an air inlet and an air outlet. A cleaning mechanism, comprising a gas circulation chamber and a gas generating unit, the gas circulation chamber having a receiving cavity, and the gas generating unit configured to produce cleaning gas and introduce the cleaning gas into the receiving cavity for processing; The gas circulation chamber has multiple clean gas outlets and multiple waste gas inlets that are respectively connected to the receiving cavity. The multiple clean gas outlets are connected to the multiple air inlets in a one-to-one correspondence, and the multiple waste gas inlets are connected to the multiple exhaust outlets in a one-to-one correspondence, so that the clean gas can enter the process chamber and carry the waste gas generated by etching out to the receiving cavity; the gas circulation chamber has a pressure relief port that is connected to the outside. The clean gas outlet and the waste gas inlet are equipped with first switching valves, and multiple first switching valves are configured to control the clean gas to enter different process chambers one by one in sequence.

2. The ion beam etching system according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a first airflow guiding pump, which is disposed in the gas circulation chamber. The first airflow guiding pump is connected to a plurality of clean gas outlets and a plurality of waste gas inlets, and is used to guide the clean gas in the containment cavity to selectively enter different process chambers.

3. The ion beam etching system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, A second airflow guiding pump is provided in the process chamber. The second airflow guiding pump is connected to the air inlet and the air outlet respectively. The second airflow guiding pump is used to guide the waste gas out of the process chamber.

4. The ion beam etching system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cleaning mechanism also includes an exhaust gas treatment component located in the receiving cavity, which is used to treat the exhaust gas.

5. The ion beam etching system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The exhaust gas treatment device is any one of a dry scrubber, a wet scrubber, an exhaust gas processor, or an adsorbent trap.

6. The ion beam etching system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple clean gas outlets and multiple exhaust gas inlets are arranged in pairs, and the multiple pairs of clean gas outlets and exhaust gas inlets are arranged at circumferential intervals along the gas circulation chamber.

7. The ion beam etching system according to claim 6, characterized in that, At least one filter element is provided in the receiving cavity; the filter element is located downstream of the exhaust gas inlet and upstream of the clean gas outlet; Preferably, the filter element is any one of a nanofiltration membrane, a chemical adsorption filter element, a ceramic filter, a cyclone separator, or a particulate filter.

8. A cleaning mechanism, characterized in that, The cleaning mechanism is used in an ion beam etching system, which includes a process chamber, a support stage disposed within the process chamber, and an etching mechanism. The etching mechanism is used to etch a substrate to be etched located on the support stage. The cleaning mechanism includes: The gas circulation chamber has a receiving cavity; A gas generating unit configured to produce clean gas and introduce the clean gas into the receiving cavity; The gas circulation chamber has multiple clean gas outlets and multiple waste gas inlets respectively connected to the receiving cavity; the multiple clean gas outlets are connected one-to-one with the air inlets of the multiple process chambers, and the multiple waste gas inlets are connected one-to-one with the exhaust ports of the multiple process chambers, so that the clean gas can enter the process chambers and carry the waste gas generated by etching out to the receiving cavity; the gas circulation chamber has a pressure relief port connected to the outside. The clean gas outlet and the waste gas inlet are equipped with first switching valves, and multiple first switching valves are configured to control the clean gas to enter different process chambers one by one in sequence.

9. A method of using an ion beam etching system for fabricating a display panel, characterized in that, The ion beam etching system is the ion beam etching system according to any one of claims 1-7, and the method of using the ion beam etching system includes: Close the first switch valves of each of the clean gas outlets and each of the exhaust gas inlets, and keep the pressure relief port closed; Turn on the gas generating unit to produce clean gas and introduce the clean gas into the receiving cavity; The first switching valves of each of the clean gas outlets and each of the exhaust gas inlets are opened one by one, so that the multiple process chambers are connected to the receiving cavity in turn, so that the clean gas enters each of the process chambers in turn and carries the exhaust gas of each of the process chambers out to the receiving cavity in turn; wherein, the first switching valves of the clean gas outlets and exhaust gas inlets connected to the same process chamber are opened or closed simultaneously. Open the pressure relief port to balance the gas pressure of the ion beam etching system.

10. The method of using the ion beam etching system according to claim 9, characterized in that, The method of using the ion beam etching system also includes: The working status of each of the process chambers is obtained, and the process chambers include a cleaning mode and an etching mode; Each of the process chambers is switched to cleaning mode one by one in sequence. The process chambers in cleaning mode are connected to the receiving cavity. When one of the process chambers is in cleaning mode, the remaining process chambers are switched to etching mode, and the remaining process chambers are not connected to the receiving cavity.

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