Sputtering deposition

Abstract

A sputtering deposition apparatus, comprising: a substrate support assembly arranged to support a substrate; a target support assembly arranged to support at least one sputtering target for sputtering deposition of a target material onto a substrate; a plasma generating device arranged to provide plasma for the sputtering deposition; and a box arranged to accommodate the substrate with the deposited target material after the sputtering deposition. The box is removable from the sputtering deposition apparatus.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to deposition, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for sputter depositing a target material onto a substrate. Background Art

[0002] Deposition is a process by which a material is deposited on a surface, such as a substrate. An example of deposition is thin film deposition, in which a thin layer (typically from about one nanometer or even a fraction of a nanometer to several micrometers or even tens of micrometers) is deposited on a substrate, such as a silicon wafer or a coil. An example technique for thin film deposition is physical vapor deposition (PVD), in which a target material in a condensed phase is vaporized to generate a vapor that is then condensed onto the substrate surface. An example of PVD is sputtering deposition, in which particles are ejected from a target due to bombardment by energetic particles (e.g., ions). In an example of sputtering deposition, a sputtering gas, such as an inert gas, such as argon, is introduced into a vacuum chamber at low pressure, and the sputtering gas is ionized using energetic electrons to generate a plasma. The bombardment of the target by the ions of the plasma ejects the target material, which can then be deposited on the substrate surface. Sputtering deposition has an advantage over other thin film deposition methods, such as evaporation, in that the target material can be deposited without the need to heat the target material, which can in turn reduce or prevent thermal damage to the substrate.

[0003] The substrates may be stored in a dry or clean room before or after undergoing sputter deposition to reduce the risk of contamination. This may make the substrates difficult to handle.

[0004] During sputter deposition, the ejected target material and / or plasma may interact with or coat the chamber in which the deposition is taking place. This may reduce the efficiency of the sputter deposition process, for example, if the sputter deposition process is periodically stopped to clean the chamber. Summary of the invention

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sputtering deposition device, comprising:

[0006] a substrate support assembly arranged to support a substrate;

[0007] a target support assembly arranged to support at least one sputtering target, the at least one sputtering target being used to sputter deposit a target material onto a substrate;

[0008] a plasma generating device arranged to provide plasma for said sputtering deposition; and

[0009] a cassette arranged to receive the substrate with the deposited target material after said sputter deposition,

[0010] The box is removable from the sputtering deposition apparatus.

[0011] With this arrangement, a substrate with deposited target material within the cassette can be removed from the sputter deposition apparatus after the substrate has been processed. The cassette protects the substrate from contamination and allows the processed substrate to be handled or stored more easily than would otherwise be possible. For example, the cassette can be used to store atmosphere-sensitive substrates on conventional shelves rather than in a clean room or dry chamber.

[0012] In an example, the box includes a vacuum chamber arranged to contain at least a portion of the substrate with the deposited target material in a vacuum. This can further reduce contamination and / or other degradation of the deposited target material on the substrate, which can otherwise occur due to interaction between the deposited target material and the surrounding environment.

[0013] In an example, the box also includes a target support assembly and at least one sputtering target. In this way, the box can include sputtering deposition components that are consumed or changed during sputtering deposition. This can increase the efficiency of performing sputtering deposition. For example, after using at least one sputtering target to deposit target material on a substrate, a box including a target support assembly, at least one sputtering target, and a substrate with deposited target material thereon can be removed from a sputtering deposition device. Another box including its own target support assembly and at least one sputtering target can then be inserted into the sputtering deposition device for processing. This can be performed more efficiently than other methods, in which the deposition process is stopped to replenish at least one sputtering target that has been consumed by the sputtering deposition process before subsequently restarting the sputtering deposition. This further provides the flexibility of sputtering different target materials onto a substrate. For example, the target material to be deposited on the substrate can be changed directly by removing the box and replacing it with a different box containing a different sputtering target including a different material.

[0014] In an example, a plasma generating device is arranged to provide plasma in a deposition zone of a sputtering deposition device, and wherein the box includes the deposition zone. This allows sputtering deposition to be performed in the box. This can reduce the contact between debris in the deposition zone (e.g., material ejected from at least one sputtering target and / or ions of plasma) and the sputtering deposition device, because such debris can be accommodated in the box instead. This can reduce or eliminate the need to clean the sputtering deposition device, which may require stopping the sputtering deposition. Therefore, the efficiency of sputtering deposition can be improved. In these examples, the plasma generating device can be arranged to generate an electric field and / or a magnetic field for generating and transmitting plasma, and the housing of the box can include a transmissive region that at least partially transmits the electric field and / or the magnetic field to generate plasma in the deposition zone of the box. With this arrangement, the plasma can be located in a portion of the sputtering deposition device inside the box rather than outside the box. The contact between the plasma and the sputtering deposition device can be further reduced, which can further reduce the need to clean the sputtering deposition device. Therefore, the efficiency of sputtering deposition can be improved. The box can include a substrate, a substrate support assembly, a target support assembly, and at least one sputtering target supported by the target support assembly, and the box can be sealed under vacuum during sputtering deposition. Using such a box, the box can include consumables for sputtering deposition, which can further improve the efficiency of sputtering deposition. By sealing the box under vacuum during sputtering deposition, environmentally sensitive target materials can be deposited onto the substrate with improved quality. For example, this can reduce the rate at which the target material and / or substrate interacts with the surrounding environment.

[0015] In some examples, where the plasma generation device is arranged to provide plasma in a deposition region of the box, the box may include a hole for allowing the plasma to enter the deposition region of the box. The hole may be sealable. This provides further flexibility for sputtering deposition. For example, the plasma may be generated outside the box and then may enter the box. By generating the plasma outside the box, it is easier to control the properties of the plasma (e.g., plasma density) than otherwise. Therefore, this can improve the control of sputtering deposition of target material onto the substrate.

[0016] In examples, the plasma generation device is arranged to provide plasma for sputter deposition in a deposition zone of a sputter deposition device, wherein the deposition zone is outside the box. This may allow a more compact box to be provided than otherwise, for example, if the deposition zone is within the box. Therefore, the box can be stored and / or transported more efficiently than otherwise. In these examples, the sputter deposition device may be arranged to receive a box with a substrate disposed therein, and the sputter deposition device may include a transport assembly arranged to: transport at least a portion of the substrate from the box to the deposition zone to provide the sputter deposition in the deposition zone; and transport at least a portion of the substrate to the box after the sputter deposition. This may further increase the compactness of the box. For example, the transport assembly may be used to appropriately feed the substrate into and out of the deposition zone in the sputter deposition device, and the deposition zone may be larger than the box itself. In these examples, the sputter deposition device may be arranged to receive a box with at least one sputter target disposed therein, and the transport assembly may also be arranged to transport at least one sputter target from the box to the deposition zone to provide sputter deposition in the deposition zone. This may increase the efficiency of the sputter deposition process by providing the substrate to be processed together with at least one sputter target, while also increasing the compactness of the box, which may be smaller than the deposition area within the sputter deposition apparatus.

[0017] In an example, a substrate support assembly includes a conveyor system arranged to convey a substrate relative to at least one sputtering target during sputtering deposition. The conveyor system can improve control of the rate of substrate processing, and thus can improve control of sputtering deposition of target material onto the substrate. The conveyor system can increase the rate at which target material is deposited onto the substrate compared to a static substrate support. Thus, the efficiency of sputtering deposition can be improved.

[0018] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a box for insertion into a sputtering deposition apparatus, the box comprising:

[0019] substrate;

[0020] at least one sputtering target for sputter depositing a target material onto a substrate using a sputter deposition apparatus; and

[0021] A chamber is provided for storing the substrate with the deposited target material after said sputter deposition.

[0022] Such a box can be used to protect the substrate with the deposited target material from contamination. The substrate with the deposited target material can be handled and / or stored more easily than in other ways. For example, the box can be used to store environmentally sensitive substrates on conventional shelves instead of in a clean room or a dry room. By including at least one sputtering target in the box, the sputtering deposition device can perform sputtering deposition more efficiently than in other ways. For example, after using at least one sputtering target to deposit the target material on the substrate, the box including the target support assembly, at least one sputtering target and the substrate with the deposited target material on it can be removed from the sputtering deposition device. Then another box including its own target support assembly and at least one sputtering target can be inserted into the sputtering deposition device for processing. This can be performed more efficiently than other methods, in which the deposition process is stopped to replenish at least one sputtering target that has been exhausted by the sputtering deposition process before the sputtering deposition is subsequently restarted. This further provides the flexibility of sputtering different target materials onto the substrate. For example, the target material to be deposited on the substrate can be changed directly by removing the box and replacing it with a different box containing different sputtering targets including different materials.

[0023] In some examples, the chamber is a sealable chamber for containing a vacuum. This can allow environmentally sensitive target materials to be deposited onto a substrate with improved quality. For example, the rate of undesirable interaction of the target material and / or substrate with the surrounding environment can be reduced. Because the chamber is sealable, this also provides flexibility, as the box can be used for environmentally sensitive sputtering deposition of target materials onto a substrate (e.g., sealed chamber and under vacuum) or for sputtering deposition that is not environmentally sensitive, such as sputtering deposition of inert or non-reactive target materials onto a substrate. In some cases, the chamber can be a vacuum chamber, which can further reduce undesirable interactions of components within the chamber with the surrounding environment, such as if the components are reactive.

[0024] In an example, the chamber includes a substrate and at least one sputtering target before and after sputtering deposition. This can further improve the efficiency of the sputtering deposition process, which can be performed when the box is inserted into the sputtering deposition device. In some cases, the chamber may include a substrate and at least one sputtering target during the sputtering deposition, which can allow the sputtering deposition to be performed in the box. In these examples, the chamber may include a conveyor system, which is arranged to convey the substrate relative to the at least one sputtering target during the sputtering deposition. This can improve the control of the rate of substrate processing and therefore improve the control of sputtering deposition of target material onto the substrate. Compared with a static substrate support, the conveyor system can increase the rate at which the target material is sputtered onto the substrate. Therefore, the efficiency of the sputtering deposition can be improved. The conveyor system may include a roller. In this case, the conveyor system can be or form part of a "roll-to-roll" process arrangement, which can process the substrate in an efficient manner.

[0025] In an example, the box includes a hole for allowing the plasma generated by the sputtering deposition device to enter. The hole can be sealable. This provides further flexibility for sputtering deposition. For example, the plasma can be generated outside the box and then can enter the box. By generating the plasma outside the box, it is easier to control the properties of the plasma (such as plasma density) than otherwise. Therefore, this can improve the control of the sputtering deposition of the target material onto the substrate.

[0026] In examples, where the housing of the box includes a transmissive region that is at least partially transparent to an electric field and / or a magnetic field generated by a sputtering deposition apparatus for generating a plasma within the box. This can reduce contact between debris within the deposition region (e.g., material ejected from at least one sputtering target and / or ions of the plasma) and the sputtering deposition apparatus because such debris can instead be contained within the box. This can reduce or eliminate the need to clean the sputtering deposition apparatus, which may require stopping sputtering deposition. Thus, the efficiency of sputtering deposition can be improved.

[0027] In examples, the substrate is flexible and the chamber includes a reel for supporting the substrate with the deposited target material after sputter deposition. This can facilitate the use of a "reel-to-reel" process arrangement to sputter deposit the target material onto the substrate, which can efficiently process the substrate. This can additionally or alternatively provide an efficient way to support the substrate, which can be more compact than other arrangements. In these examples, the reel can be a second reel, and the box can include a first reel for supporting the substrate prior to said sputter deposition. This can further facilitate the use of an efficient "reel-to-reel" deposition process.

[0028] In an example, the box includes a transport assembly arranged to transport the substrate and / or at least one sputtering target out of the box. This may allow the substrate and / or at least one sputtering target to be easily removed from the box after the target material has been deposited sputtered on the substrate and / or after the material of the at least one target has been exhausted. In some cases, this may allow sputtering deposition to occur outside the box. As a result, the box may be more compact than when sputtering deposition is performed within the box.

[0029] In examples, the target material includes material for an electrode layer or an electrolyte layer of an energy storage device. Thus, in these examples, the cartridge can be used to fabricate an energy storage device.

[0030] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sputtering deposition device, comprising:

[0031] a cartridge support assembly arranged to support a cartridge comprising a substrate and at least one sputtering target for sputter depositing target material onto the substrate using a sputter deposition apparatus such that the cartridge is removable from the sputter deposition apparatus; and

[0032] A plasma generating device is arranged to provide plasma for said sputtering deposition.

[0033] By this arrangement, the substrate with the deposited target material in the box can be removed from the sputter deposition device after the substrate has been processed. The box protects the substrate from contamination and allows the processed substrate to be handled or stored more easily than otherwise. For example, the box can be used to store environmentally sensitive substrates on conventional shelves rather than in a clean room or dry room. The sputter deposition device according to the third aspect can facilitate such a sputter deposition process.

[0034] In an example, the plasma generation device is arranged to provide plasma for sputtering deposition in a deposition zone of a sputtering deposition device, wherein the box includes the deposition zone. This allows sputtering deposition to be performed in the box. This can reduce contact between debris in the deposition zone (e.g., material ejected from at least one sputtering target and / or ions of the plasma) and the sputtering deposition device, because such debris can be contained in the box instead. This can reduce or eliminate the need to clean the sputtering deposition device, which may require stopping the sputtering deposition. Therefore, the efficiency of the sputtering deposition can be improved.

[0035] In an example, a sputter deposition apparatus includes a transport assembly arranged to: transport at least a portion of a substrate from a box into a deposition zone of the sputter deposition apparatus to provide said sputter deposition within the deposition zone, wherein the deposition zone is external to the box; and transport at least a portion of the substrate into the box after the sputter deposition. This may allow a more compact box to be provided than would otherwise be possible, for example, if the deposition zone is within the box. Thus, the box may be stored and / or transported more efficiently than would otherwise be possible. For example, the transport assembly may be used to appropriately feed substrates into and out of a deposition zone in a sputter deposition apparatus, the deposition zone being larger than the box itself.

[0036] The transport assembly may further be arranged to transport the at least one sputtering target from the box into the deposition zone to provide sputtering deposition within the deposition zone. This may increase the efficiency of the sputtering deposition process by providing the substrate to be processed together with the at least one sputtering target, while also increasing the compactness of the box, which may be smaller than the deposition zone within the sputtering deposition apparatus.

[0037] Other features will become apparent from the following description, given by way of example only, which refers to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] Figure 1a is a schematic diagram of a cartridge for insertion into a sputtering deposition apparatus prior to deposition of target material onto a substrate according to an example;

[0039] Figure 1b is the deposition period of the target material onto the substrate Figure 1a Schematic diagram of the box;

[0040] Figure 1c After the deposition of the target material onto the substrate Figure 1a and Figure 1b Schematic diagram of the box;

[0041] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a cartridge for insertion into a sputtering deposition apparatus after deposition of a target material onto a substrate according to further examples;

[0042] Figure 3a is a schematic diagram of a sputter deposition apparatus with a cartridge inserted therein according to an example;

[0043] Figure 3b is based on Figure 3a A schematic diagram of a sputtering deposition apparatus without an insert box;

[0044] Figure 4a is a schematic diagram of a sputter deposition apparatus with a cartridge inserted therein according to another example;

[0045] Figure 4b is based on Figure 4a A schematic diagram of a sputtering deposition apparatus without a box inserted therein; and

[0046] Figure 5 shows a schematic diagram of a sputtering deposition apparatus according to yet another example; DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] With reference to the accompanying drawings, details of the devices and methods according to the examples will become apparent from the following description. In this specification, many specific details of certain examples are set forth for the purpose of explanation. References to "examples" or similar language in the specification mean that the specific features, structures or characteristics described in conjunction with the example are included at least in the example, but not necessarily in other examples. It should also be noted that certain examples are schematically described, in which certain features are omitted and / or must be simplified in order to facilitate explanation and understanding of the concepts behind the examples.

[0048] Examples herein relate to a cassette arranged to hold a substrate having a deposited target material after the target material is sputter-deposited onto the substrate. Such a cassette may be inserted into a sputter deposition apparatus for receiving the substrate after sputter deposition, and subsequently removed from the sputter deposition apparatus. The cassette protects the substrate from contamination and may be easily handled and stored.

[0049] Boxes can be used to store substrates (or parts thereof) that are sensitive to the surrounding atmosphere or that are dangerous. For example, a sputtered layer of target material deposited on a portion of a substrate can react with molecules in contact with the layer, which can inappropriately affect the surface properties of the layer. However, by storing the substrate in a box, the layer can be prevented from contacting with such molecules. The environmental conditions in the box can be more easily controlled than in a larger space. For example, the conditions in the box (such as pressure, temperature, gas composition, etc.) can be adjusted to avoid or limit the degradation of undesirable substrates. Therefore, boxes can be used to store substrates that are sensitive to the atmosphere on conventional shelves, rather than in a clean room or drying room. In addition, boxes can be used to transport substrates to a desired location for subsequent processing without contacting the substrate with pollutants or atmospheric conditions that may damage or degrade the substrate or the sputtered layer of target material deposited on the substrate.

[0050] In some cases, sputter deposition of target material onto a substrate can occur within the cartridge itself, but with the cartridge inserted into a sputter deposition apparatus. This can reduce contact between the target material and / or plasma and the sputter deposition apparatus. As a result, the sputter deposition apparatus can be cleaned less frequently, thereby increasing the efficiency of the sputter deposition.

[0051] Examples of cartridges will be described first before subsequently describing examples of sputter deposition apparatuses into which the cartridges may be inserted. The cartridges and sputter deposition apparatuses described herein may be used for plasma-based sputter deposition for a variety of industrial applications, such as those that may be used for thin film deposition, such as in optical coatings, magnetic recording media, electronic semiconductor devices, light emitting diodes (LEDs), energy generation devices such as thin film solar cells, and energy storage devices such as batteries, such as thin film batteries. Thus, while the context of the present disclosure may in some cases relate to the production of energy storage devices or portions thereof, it should be understood that the apparatus and methods described herein are not limited to the production thereof.

[0052] According to the example, Figure 1a to Figure 1c (generally referred to as FIG. 1 ) is a schematic diagram showing a cassette 100 for insertion into a sputter deposition apparatus. Figure 1a The box 100 is shown before sputter deposition. Figure 1b shows the box 100 during sputter deposition, and Figure 1c The box is shown after sputter deposition.

[0053] 1 , a box 100 includes a substrate 102, at least one sputtering target 104 for sputtering a target material onto the substrate 102 using a sputtering deposition apparatus, and a chamber 106. In this case, the chamber 106 includes the substrate 102 and the at least one sputtering target 104 before and after the target material is sputtered onto the substrate. However, in other cases (e.g., Figure 2In the case of sputtering, the chamber may be arranged to store the substrate with the deposited target material after sputtering deposition. In this case, the chamber does not necessarily have to include the substrate before deposition, nor does it necessarily have to include at least one sputtering target.

[0054] The box 100 is, for example, any suitable container for accommodating a substrate after sputtering deposition, and is designed to be inserted into a sputtering deposition device. The box 100, for example, includes an element processed by a sputtering deposition device (including a substrate 102), and the element can be exhausted or otherwise changed by a sputtering deposition process. For example, the material of the sputtering target can be gradually exhausted by a sputtering deposition process, and the substrate 102 can be changed by the deposition of a target material layer on the surface of the substrate 102. The box 100 can be referred to as a card box. The box 100 of FIG. 1 is a cubic shape with a rectangular cross section (shown in FIG. 1). In this case, the box 100 has a cubic shell and is hollow. However, this is only an example, and in other examples, the box 100 may have other shapes. The hollow area in the box 100 corresponds to the chamber 106, which is a cavity of the box 100 in this example. At least one wall of the chamber 106 can be a wall of the box 100 (which can be referred to as a shell, a shell or a shell). This is shown in Figure 1, where the housing of the cartridge 100 corresponds to the perimeter of the chamber 106. However, in other cases, the chamber may be a separate chamber within the cartridge 100, for example having at least one wall that does not form part of the housing of the cartridge.

[0055] The chamber 106 may be a sealable chamber for containing a vacuum. For example, the pressure within the chamber 106 may be appropriately adjusted to create a vacuum condition within the chamber 106 when desired. The chamber may then be sealed to maintain the desired pressure.

[0056] In FIG. 1 , chamber 106 is a vacuum chamber and is therefore under vacuum conditions before, during, and after sputter deposition. This can reduce contamination of substrate 102 within chamber 106, for example due to reactions between substrate 102 and molecules, such as molecules of a gas within chamber 106. It should be understood that vacuum as referred to herein is not necessarily a perfect vacuum, but rather refers to an environment with a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure, such as a pressure low enough to avoid or at least significantly reduce undesirable interactions between substrate 102 and other materials, or a pressure suitable for sputter deposition. For example, a low pressure suitable for sputter deposition may be 3×10 -3 For example, the chamber 106 may be evacuated by a pump system (not shown) to a suitable pressure (e.g., less than 1×10 -5 Torr), and in use, a process or sputtering gas (e.g., argon or nitrogen) may be introduced into the chamber 106 using a gas feed system (not shown) to a level such that a pressure suitable for sputtering deposition (e.g., 3×10 -3In this case, the chamber 106 may be evacuated before or after the substrate 102 is loaded into the chamber 106.

[0057] In other cases, the chamber 106 may not be under vacuum conditions, and instead may be, for example, at atmospheric pressure. The use of vacuum or other means may depend on the substrate 102 and the target material deposited on the substrate 102. For example, in some cases, a vacuum may not be required because the substrate 102 and / or the target material to be deposited on the substrate 102 may be inert or unlikely to react with components in the surrounding environment. The target material may be or include the material of a sputtering target, for example if the sputtering deposition is a non-reactive sputtering deposition. However, in other cases, the target material may be obtained by a reaction or other interaction between the material ejected from the sputtering target 104 and a reactive material (e.g., a reactive gas). In these cases, the deposition may be considered a reactive sputtering deposition, and the target material may be derived from the material of at least one sputtering target.

[0058] In the example of FIG. 1 , substrate 102 is a substrate web, although in other cases, the substrate may have a different form. For example, a substrate web refers to a flexible or otherwise bendable or pliable substrate. Such a substrate may be sufficiently flexible so that the substrate can be bent around a drum, such as as part of a roll-to-roll feed system. However, in other cases, the substrate may be relatively rigid or inflexible. In this case, the substrate may be conveyed by a conveying system without bending the substrate or without significantly bending the substrate.

[0059] Substrate 102 may be or include silicon or a polymer. In some examples, such as the production of energy storage devices, substrate 102 may be or include nickel foil; however, it should be understood that any suitable metal may be used in place of nickel, such as aluminum, copper or steel, or metallized materials including metallized plastics, such as aluminum on polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

[0060] The substrate 102 is supported by a substrate support system, which in this case includes a first reel 108 (eg, Figure 1a ) and a second reel 110 (as shown) for supporting the substrate 102 after sputtering deposition. Figure 1b and 1c ). However, this is merely an example, and in other cases, the substrate 102 may be supported by a different form of substrate support system. The reel is, for example, a cylindrical element on which the substrate 102 may be wound, and may be referred to as a spool.

[0061] The chamber 106 also includes a conveyor system, in which case the conveyor system forms part of a substrate support system. The conveyor system is arranged to convey the substrate 102 relative to the at least one sputtering target 104 during sputtering deposition. The conveyor system may include a curved member, such as a roller. Figure 1 shows such an example. In Figure 1, the conveyor system includes a roller 114; a first roller 112, which is arranged to feed or otherwise guide the substrate 102 from the first reel 108 onto the roller 114; and a second roller 116, which is arranged to feed or otherwise guide the substrate 102 from the roller 114 onto the second reel 110. In this case, the conveyor system 110 forms part of a "roll-to-roll" process arrangement, in which the substrate 102 is fed from the first reel 108, undergoes sputtering deposition, and is then unloaded onto the second reel 110 to form a loaded reel (such as a reel) of processed substrates. Figure 1c ).

[0062] The end of the substrate 102 may initially be guided from the first reel 108 toward (and in some cases through) the conveyor system by a feed mechanism (not shown). For example, the feed mechanism guides the end of the substrate 102 to the second reel 110 by the conveyor system. Subsequent movement of the substrate 102 may then be performed by the conveyor system (e.g., in conjunction with the rotation of the first reel 108 and the second reel 110) to gradually transfer the substrate 102 from the first reel 108 to the second reel 110. However, in other cases, the end of the substrate 102 or the lead or other material coupled to the end of the substrate 102 may have been at least partially wound around the second reel 110 or supported by the second reel 110. In this case, the box 100 may not include a feed mechanism. Instead, the substrate 102 may be gradually unwound from the first reel 108 to the second reel 110 by the conveyor system and by the rotation of the first reel 108 and the second reel 110.

[0063] The transport system is arranged to move relative to at least one sputtering target 104 in a transport direction D (in Figure 1b 104) to provide sputtering deposition of a target material onto the substrate 102, such as a material including or derived from at least one target 104. The conveying direction D may be considered to correspond to the general direction of movement of the substrate 102 from the first reel 108 to the second reel 110, which may be considered to be the general direction of movement of the substrate 102. In the case where the conveying system includes a roller (such as a roller 114), the conveying direction D may correspond to the direction of rotation of the roller, which may be taken as a tangent to the highest point of the roller. In this case, the conveying system may be arranged to convey the substrate 114 in the conveying direction D perpendicular to the rotation axis of the roller (in this case, the roller 114).

[0064] 1 , cassette 100 includes four sputtering targets 104a - 104d (collectively referenced 104 ), although this is merely an example. Sputtering targets 104 may include the same material as one another, or one or more of sputtering targets 104 may include a different material than another of sputtering targets 104 .

[0065] The sputtering targets 104 are supported by one or more target support assemblies 118. In some examples, the target support assembly 118 may include at least one plate or other support structure that supports or holds the sputtering targets 104. In FIG. 1 , there is one target support assembly per sputtering target. However, in other cases, there may be more or fewer target support assemblies per sputtering target. For example, a single target support assembly may support more than one sputtering target, such as all of the sputtering targets in a chamber.

[0066] The target material deposited on the substrate 102 may be or include the material of the sputtering target 104, or a material formed by the interaction of the material of the sputtering target 104 with another material. In some examples, the target material includes a material for an electrode layer or an electrolyte layer of an energy storage device. For example, to produce an energy storage device, the target material may be or include (or may be or include a precursor material for a cathode layer) a cathode layer of an energy storage device, such as a material suitable for storing lithium ions, such as lithium cobalt oxide, lithium iron phosphate, or an alkali metal polysulfide salt. In addition, or alternatively, the target material may be or include (or may be or include a precursor material for an anode layer) an anode layer of an energy storage device, such as lithium metal, graphite, silicon, or indium tin oxide. In addition, or alternatively, the target material may be or include (or may be or include a precursor material for an electrolyte layer) an electrolyte layer for an energy storage device, such as a material that is ionically conductive but also an electrical insulator, such as lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LiPON). For example, the material of at least one of the sputtering targets may be or include LiPO, which serves as a precursor material for depositing LiPON onto substrate 102, such as by reaction with a gas (eg, nitrogen) that may be fed into chamber 106 during sputtering deposition.

[0067] In this case, the box 100 can be used to store the sputtering target 104 and the substrate 102. The sputtering target 104 can be sensitive to atmospheric conditions. For example, the material of the sputtering target 104 can react with certain molecules in the air, or can undergo undesirable phase changes if stored in air at atmospheric pressure and temperature. For example, some materials (such as materials containing lithium) have relatively low sublimation points. Therefore, such materials can undergo sublimation at room temperature instead of being maintained in a solid phase (for sputtering deposition). However, the conditions within the box 100 can be arranged to avoid or limit undesirable changes in the material properties of the sputtering target 104 within the box 100, such as reactions and / or phase changes. Control of the conditions within the box 100 can be simpler than controlling environmental conditions within a larger space (such as environmental conditions of the entire sputtering deposition equipment).

[0068] In the case where the box 100 is used to deposit layers on the substrate 102 for use in an energy storage device, the deposited layers may be at risk of short circuits, for example, if there are any defects in the deposited layers. For example, defects in the deposition of the electrolyte layer may produce a short circuit between the cathode layer and the anode layer. For stacked layers with a larger surface area, the capacity of the battery is larger. Therefore, a short circuit may lead to a thermal runaway event, which may cause the material to spontaneously ignite. However, the box 100 can store a substrate 102 with a sufficiently small surface area so that after the layers are deposited on the substrate 102, the capacity of the stacked layers is small enough to reduce the risk of thermal runaway even in the presence of defects. Therefore, the safety of the sputtering deposition process can be improved.

[0069] In the example of FIG. 1 , sputter deposition occurs within the cartridge 100 (in this case, within the chamber 106) rather than outside. Thus, the cartridge 100 contains the material ejected during the sputter deposition, and the material can remain within the cartridge 100 rather than coating the sputter deposition device into which the cartridge 100 is inserted. Thus, this can eliminate or reduce the need to clean the sputter deposition device, thereby reducing the need to stop the operation of the sputter deposition device. This can improve the efficiency of the sputter deposition.

[0070] In this case, the plasma 120 is confined within the box 100 during sputter deposition (eg, Figure 1b 10). Ions of the plasma 120 bombard the sputtering target 104, causing material to be ejected from the sputtering target 104. When the substrate 102 is transported from the first reel 108 to the second reel 110 by the transport system, the ejected material can be deposited as a target material on the surface of the substrate 102. In other cases, the ejected material can interact with another material (e.g., a gas) before being deposited as a target material on the surface of the substrate 102. The plasma 120 can be generated within the box 100 during sputtering deposition, or can be generated outside the box 100 and then confined within the box 100.

[0071] In this case, the box 100 includes a hole 122 for allowing the plasma generated by the sputtering deposition device to enter. In the example of FIG. 1, the hole 122 is a door, which is, for example, a movable barrier at the entrance of the box 100. However, in other cases, the hole may have different forms, such as a hole or other opening. Such a hole may be sealable. For example, the sealing of the hole refers to closing the hole in a manner to prevent a given material (such as plasma 120) from entering or leaving the box 100. For example, the hole can be filled with a barrier, or the door can be moved to a closed position and sealed, such as using a suitable sealant or adhesive. The sealing of the box 100 can be performed reversibly to allow the box 100 to be reopened. In some cases, the hole 122 can also be configured to allow the substrate 102 to be removed from the box 100 via the hole 122 after sputtering deposition. However, in other cases, the box 100 may include additional holes or other openings, and the substrate 102 can be removed from the box 100 thereby.

[0072] In an example, the aperture 122 is opened when or after the cartridge 100 is inserted into the sputter deposition apparatus. With the aperture 122 open, a plasma generated away from the cartridge 100 may subsequently enter the cartridge 100 and be confined within the cartridge 100 to sputter deposit the target material onto the substrate 102 in the cartridge 100. After the sputter deposition has ceased, for example, after the substrate 102 has been transferred from the first reel 108 to the second reel 110, the aperture 122 may be closed and sealed. This may thereby prevent other materials from subsequently entering the cartridge 100. For example, the aperture 122 may be closed and / or sealed before the cartridge 100 is removed from the sputter deposition apparatus. Figure 1a and Figure 1c The aperture 122 is shown in a closed position, and Figure 1b The aperture 122 is shown in an open position.

[0073] After the hole 122 is closed, the pressure of the box 100 can be appropriately adjusted to reduce contamination. For example, the box 100 (or the chamber 106 of the box 100) can be evacuated after the hole 122 is closed and before the box 100 is removed from the sputtering deposition device. Therefore, the box 100 can be sealed under vacuum during sputtering deposition. The hole 122 can then be reopened to remove the substrate 102 from the box 100, such as for further processing. However, after sputtering deposition, the substrate 102 may not be removed from the box 100 immediately. On the contrary, the substrate 102 can be stored in the box 100 for a period of time before removal. The box 100 can also be used to transport the substrate 102. For example, the substrate 102 can be directly transported under the vacuum conditions in the box 100 (if the chamber 106 of the box 100 or the box 100 itself is kept under vacuum). The cartridge 100 and / or the sputter deposition apparatus may include a suitable gas coupling mechanism that may be used to pressurize and / or depressurize the cartridge 100 while the cartridge 100 is within the sputter deposition apparatus or otherwise (eg, before or after sputter deposition occurs).

[0074] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a cassette for insertion into a sputter deposition apparatus according to another example; Figure 2 Features in the drawings which are similar to corresponding features of Figure 1 are marked with the same reference numerals but increased by 100. A corresponding description shall apply. Figure 2 The cartridge 200 is shown after sputter deposition of target material onto a substrate 202 .

[0075] Figure 2 The box 200 is the same as the box 100 of FIG. 1 except that Figure 2 The cassette 200 includes a separate chamber 206 for storing the substrate 202 after sputter deposition. Figure 2 The cavity 124 of the cassette 200 includes the chamber 206, but the chamber 206 does not fill the entire cavity 124. In this case, the chamber 206 may be a removable chamber that can be removed from the cassette 200 after the substrate 202 (which may be a portion of a large substrate or the entire substrate 202) is stored therein after sputter deposition.

[0076] The chamber 206 may be a sealable chamber for containing a vacuum. For example, the chamber 206 may have at least one hole, for example, for allowing the substrate 202 to enter and / or for removing unwanted materials (e.g., excess gas) in the chamber 206 after sputter deposition. The hole may be the same, similar, or different from the hole 122 of the box 100 of FIG. 1. The hole may have different sizes and / or shapes, for example, to allow the substrate 202 and / or gas to enter and / or leave the chamber 206. For example, after the substrate 202 has entered the chamber 206 (after sputter deposition), the gas may be exhausted from the chamber 206 to create a vacuum in the chamber 206. In this way, the substrate 202 may be stored under vacuum conditions, which may reduce the degradation of the deposited layer on the substrate 202, which may otherwise occur, for example, due to the interaction between the layer and the gas molecules at atmospheric pressure. In other cases, a vacuum may be created in the chamber 206 before or during sputter deposition. The conditions in the chamber 206 may be different from other areas of the box 200. For example, chamber 206 may include a vacuum while other areas of cartridge 200 may be at atmospheric pressure. However, in other cases, conditions may be uniform within cartridge 200. For example, cavity 124 of cartridge 200 (including chamber 206) may be under a vacuum.

[0077] Figure 3a is a schematic diagram of a sputter deposition apparatus 126 with a cartridge 300 inserted therein, according to an example. Figure 3a The box 300 of FIG. 1 is the same as the box 100 of FIG. 1 , except that the housing of the box 300 includes a transmissive area 128 instead of the hole 122 . Figure 3a Features in the box 300 of Figure 1 that are similar to corresponding features of the box 100 of Figure 1 are marked with the same reference numerals but increased by 200; a corresponding description should be used.

[0078] Figure 3aThe sputtering deposition apparatus 126 of the embodiment includes a plasma generation device 130, which is arranged to provide a plasma 320 for sputtering and depositing a target material on a substrate 302. The plasma generation device 130 may include one or more antennas, and the RF power supply system may drive appropriate RF power through the antennas. In this way, an inductively coupled plasma 320 may be generated from a process or sputtering gas. In this case, the process or sputtering gas may be within the box 300. For example, the box 300 may include or may be connected to a suitable gas supply system to provide the process or sputtering gas within the box 300 (e.g., within the chamber 306). However, in other cases (such as the case of FIG. 1), the process or sputtering gas may be located outside the box, such as in other areas of the sputtering deposition apparatus 126. In this case, the plasma may therefore be generated outside the box and may then enter the box, such as via a hole. In this manner, the plasma generation device 130 can be arranged to provide a plasma 320 for sputter deposition within a deposition zone of the sputter deposition apparatus 126, where sputter deposition of target material onto the substrate 302 occurs, the sputter deposition including or otherwise derived from material of the sputter target 304. In this case, the box 300 includes the deposition zone. However, in other examples (such as the example of FIG. 4 ), the deposition zone can be located outside the box.

[0079] In some examples, plasma 320 can be generated by driving a radio frequency current through one or more antennas, such as at a frequency between 1 MHz and 1 GHz; at a frequency between 1 MHz and 100 MHz; at a frequency between 10 MHz and 40 MHz; or at a frequency of about 13.56 MHz or multiples thereof. The radio frequency power causes the process gas or sputtering gas to ionize to generate plasma 320.

[0080] One or more antennas of the plasma generation device 130 may be elongated antennas that may be elongated perpendicular to a conveying direction D in which the substrate 302 is conveyed during sputtering deposition. In this case, the elongated antenna may extend in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of a roller 314 used to convey the substrate 302 relative to the sputtering target 304 during sputtering deposition. While in some cases, the shape of the antenna may be linear, in other cases, the antenna may be curved. For example, the antenna may have a half-moon shape.

[0081] exist Figure 3a In the example of the embodiment, the plasma generation device 130 is located on one side of the box 300, wherein the box 300 is inserted into the sputtering deposition device 126. However, in other examples, the plasma generation device may include at least two antennas arranged transversely to each other, such as on opposite sides of the box 300. For example, such antennas may extend parallel to each other. This allows, for example, the plasma 320 to be precisely generated near the box 300.

[0082] The sputter deposition apparatus 126 in the example of FIG3 may also include a confinement device (not shown). The confinement device may include one or more magnetic elements arranged to provide a confining magnetic field to at least partially confine the plasma 320 to a suitable region to provide sputtering deposition of target material onto the substrate 302 in use. For example, the confinement device may be used to at least partially confine the plasma to a box in the example in which the plasma is generated outside the box and then within the box.

[0083] exist Figure 3a , the sputter deposition apparatus 126 includes a cartridge 300, as the cartridge 300 has been inserted into the sputter deposition apparatus 126. The cartridge 300 is arranged to accommodate the substrate 302 having the deposited target material after the target material is sputter deposited on the substrate 302. The cartridge 300 is removable from the sputter deposition apparatus 126. For example, a removable cartridge 300 means that the cartridge 300 can be removed or otherwise extracted from the sputter deposition apparatus 126 without damaging the sputter deposition apparatus. For example, the sputter deposition apparatus 126 may include a removal mechanism for removing the cartridge 300 from the sputter deposition apparatus 126.

[0084] In this case (where the housing of the box 300 includes the transmissive region 128), the transmissive region 128 is at least partially transparent to the electric and / or magnetic fields generated and propagated by the sputter deposition device 126 to generate the plasma 320 within the box 300. The transmissive region 128, for example, includes or is formed of quartz. In this case, the electric and / or magnetic fields can be generated and propagated by the plasma generation device 130 for generating the plasma 320. In this case, the plasma generation device 130 is external to the box 300. However, the electric and / or magnetic fields can propagate within the box 300 via the transmissive region 128. In this way, the plasma 320 can be generated within the box 300, within what can be considered as the deposition zone of the box 300, in which the target material is sputter-deposited onto the substrate 302.

[0085] In such examples, the gas (e.g., air) may be evacuated from the box 300 prior to sputter deposition (and in some cases prior to loading the substrate 302 into the box 300). However, during sputter deposition, a suitable process or sputtering gas (e.g., argon or nitrogen) may be pumped into the box 300 to generate the plasma 320 within the box 300. For example, a reactive gas such as nitrogen, oxygen, ammonia, nitrogen oxides, and / or halogens may enter the box 300 via a suitable inlet and may interact with the material ejected from the sputter target 304 by the plasma 320 to perform reactive deposition of the target material onto the substrate 302. During reactive deposition, at least one non-reactive gas (e.g., argon) may also be injected into the box 300. In reactive deposition, the gas in the deposition zone (in this case within the box 300) that may be injected into the deposition zone may contain one or more chemical elements and / or molecules that may chemically react with the material ejected from the sputter target 304. Thus, the ejected material and the elements and / or molecules of the reactive gas may chemically react to produce one or more materials that are deposited on the substrate 302 as target materials.

[0086] In this example, the transmissive region 128 extends to less than the entirety of the housing of the cartridge 300. For example, the transmissive region 128 may be considered a transmissive window in one side of the cartridge 300. However, in other cases, all or a majority of the housing of the cartridge 300 may be transparent to such electric and / or magnetic fields.

[0087] Figure 3a The sputter deposition apparatus 126 also includes a substrate support assembly arranged to support the substrate 302 and a target support assembly 318 arranged to support at least one sputter target 304 for sputter deposition of target material onto the substrate 302 . Figure 3a The target support assembly 318 is electrically connected (at Figure 3a 304) to an electrode 132, through which a voltage may be applied to an electromagnet associated with the sputtering target 304. The voltage applied to the electromagnet is controlled by a suitable controller 134. Such a controller 134 may include a processor, such as a microprocessor, arranged to control the current through the electromagnet, which in turn controls the strength of the magnetic field provided by the electromagnet. Reference herein to control of the magnetic field may be taken to refer to control of any characteristic of the magnetic field, including the strength of the magnetic field.

[0088] As desired, the electromagnets may be controlled to provide biasing of each target, thereby allowing the magnetic fields associated with the different respective sputtering targets to be controlled, for example, to confine the plasma 320 to regions adjacent to the different sputtering targets. By controlling the magnetic fields associated with the different sputtering targets, the deposition of material from the different sputtering targets may in turn be controlled, for example, to deposit a greater amount of material from or derived from one sputtering target than from another sputtering target.

[0089] In this example, the box 300 itself includes a substrate support assembly, which includes a first reel 308 and a second reel 310, a first roller 312 and a second roller 316, and a roller 314. The box 300 also includes a target support assembly 318 and at least one sputtering target 304 supported by the target support assembly 318. However, in other cases, the box external area of ​​the sputtering deposition apparatus may include a substrate support assembly and / or a target support assembly. As explained with reference to Figure 1, the substrate support assembly may include a transport system arranged to transport the substrate relative to the at least one sputtering target 304 during sputtering deposition.

[0090] exist Figure 3a In an example of the present invention, the substrate 302 is within the box 300 during the entire sputter deposition process. In such an example, the box 300 can be sealed under vacuum during sputter deposition. This can further reduce contamination of the sputter deposition apparatus 126 by the material ejected during sputter deposition or the plasma 320 itself.

[0091] After transferring the substrate 302 from the first reel 308 to the second reel 310, the sputter deposition process can be stopped. For example, the plasma generation device 130 can be turned off. The cartridge 300 can then be removed from the sputter deposition apparatus 126 and can then be transferred for further processing or storage. After the cartridge 300 is removed from the sputter deposition apparatus 126, another cartridge can be inserted into the sputter deposition apparatus 126, which can be similar to Figure 3a The sputter deposition process may then be performed again using additional cartridges. This process may be repeated to deposit target material on multiple substrates, each stored in a different corresponding cartridge. The sputter deposition apparatus 126 may be cleaned between removal of one cartridge and insertion of a subsequent cartridge. However, the sputter deposition apparatus 126 may be cleaned less frequently than a sputter deposition apparatus without a cartridge because the cartridge 300 may limit contact between dirty parts of the sputter deposition process (e.g., material ejected from the sputter target 304 and plasma 320) and elements of the sputter deposition apparatus 126 (e.g., a housing of the sputter deposition apparatus 126, a plasma generation device 130, electronic circuitry for controlling sputter target bias or plasma generation (e.g., a controller 134 and electrodes 132), and / or magnetic elements for confining plasma).

[0092] After the target material is sputter-deposited onto the substrate 302, and after the cassette 300 containing the substrate 302 on which the target material is deposited is removed from the sputter deposition apparatus 126, the substrate 302 may subsequently be removed from the cassette 300. For example, the substrate 302 may be removed and subsequently incorporated into an energy storage device. The cassette 300 may then undergo a replenishment process, in which a replenished substrate on which the target material is to be deposited is loaded onto the first reel 308. If at least one of the sputtering targets 304 is depleted or exhausted, then at least one of the sputtering targets may be replaced by a replenished sputtering target. In some cases, at least one of the sputtering targets may be replaced by a sputtering target containing a different material, thereby allowing the cassette 300 to be reused to deposit a different target material onto a substrate. If the sputtering target is sensitive to atmospheric conditions, for example, if the sputtering target contains lithium, replenishment of at least one sputtering target may be performed under vacuum conditions. During such a replenishment process, the interior of the cassette 300 may be cleaned to remove debris from a previous sputtering deposition process. However, this can be performed while the sputter deposition apparatus 126 is being used to process another box, which means that the sputter deposition process can continue more efficiently than otherwise.

[0093] In other cases, at least one of the sputtering targets 304 within the box 300 may be replaced without replacing or removing the substrate 302. For example, initially, the box 300 may include a suitable sputtering target for depositing an anode layer onto the substrate 302. After the anode layer is deposited on the substrate 302, at least one of the sputtering targets 304 may then be replaced by another sputtering target containing a material for an electrolyte layer. The box 300 may then be reinserted into the sputtering deposition apparatus 126, and the electrolyte layer may be deposited on the anode layer. A similar process may then be performed to deposit a cathode layer on the electrolyte layer to produce a stack of layers for an energy storage device (e.g., a solid-state battery). In this case, during the deposition of the anode layer onto the substrate 302, the substrate 302 may be transferred from the first reel 308 to the second reel 310. Subsequently, during the deposition of the electrolyte layer onto the anode layer, the conveying direction D of the substrate 302 may be reversed, and the substrate 302 may be transferred from the second reel 310 back to the first reel 308. During the deposition of the cathode layer onto the electrolyte layer, the conveying direction D may be reversed again to transfer the substrate from the first reel 308 to the second reel 310. However, this is just an example. However, in other cases, the conveying direction may remain unchanged. In this case, the substrate 302 may be transferred from the second reel 310 back to the first reel 308 after the deposition of each layer.

[0094] exist Figure 3a In the example of FIG. 1 , the housing of the cartridge 300 includes a transmissive region 128. However, similar to Figure 3a The sputtering deposition equipment can be used with FIG. 1 and Figure 2128. In this case, a vacuum can be created in the sputtering deposition apparatus 126 after the cartridge is inserted into the sputtering deposition apparatus and before the aperture 122 of the cartridge is opened during the sputtering deposition process. After the target material is deposited on the substrate, the aperture 122 of the cartridge can then be closed and the sputtering deposition apparatus can then be returned to atmospheric pressure. The cartridge can then be removed from the sputtering deposition apparatus. When used with the cartridge 300, the vacuum can also be created in the sputtering deposition apparatus 126 after the cartridge is inserted into the sputtering deposition apparatus and before the aperture 122 of the cartridge is opened. After the target material is deposited on the substrate, the aperture 122 of the cartridge can then be closed and the sputtering deposition apparatus can then be returned to atmospheric pressure. The cartridge can then be removed from the sputtering deposition apparatus. When used with the cartridge 300, the vacuum can also be created in the sputtering deposition apparatus 126 after the cartridge is inserted into the sputtering deposition apparatus and before the aperture 122 of the cartridge is opened. Figure 3a A vacuum is created in the sputtering deposition apparatus 126 of the embodiment of the present invention, but this is not necessary when the plasma 320 is generated in the box 300 rather than outside the box 300.

[0095] Figure 3b Schematically shows Figure 3a The sputter deposition apparatus 126 is provided with a sputter deposition apparatus 126 without an inserted cartridge. The sputter deposition apparatus 126 includes a cartridge support assembly 136 arranged to support a cartridge, such as the cartridge described above, such that the cartridge can be removed from the sputter deposition apparatus 126. For example, the cartridge can include a substrate and at least one sputter target for sputter depositing a target material onto the substrate. The sputter deposition apparatus 126 also includes a plasma generation device 130 to provide plasma for sputter depositing the target material onto the substrate.

[0096] exist Figure 3b In the example of the sputtering deposition apparatus 126, the sputtering deposition apparatus 126 also includes a drive mechanism for driving the transport system of the cartridge 300 (once inserted into the sputtering deposition apparatus 126) so as to transport the substrate relative to the sputtering target. In this example, the drive mechanism includes drive rollers 138a-138e, which are respectively engaged with the first reel 108, the first roller 112, the roller 114, the second roller 116, and the second reel 110 to rotate the reels, rollers, and rollers of the cartridge 300. For example, the drive rollers may have a smaller diameter than the reels, rollers, and rollers of the cartridge 300 so that the drive rollers fit within and cooperate with the reels, rollers, and rollers of the cartridge 300, for example, by appropriate teeth. One or more of the drive rollers 138a-138e may be a spindle, such as a rod or pin, which serves as an axis around which the reels, rollers, and / or rollers of the cartridge 300 rotate.

[0097] exist Figure 3a and Figure 3b In the sputtering deposition apparatus 126 , sputtering deposition occurs within a box 300 . Figure 4a and Figure 4b is a schematic diagram of another example of a sputter deposition apparatus 426 in which sputter deposition occurs outside of a box rather than within the box. Figure 4a and Figure 4b The sputtering deposition apparatus 426 is similar to Figure 3a and Figure 3b Corresponding features of the sputter deposition apparatus 126 are labeled with the same reference numerals, but prefixed with a 4. A corresponding description shall apply.

[0098] exist Figure 4a 4 shows a sputtering deposition apparatus 426 that is inserted into the box 400 during sputtering deposition. The sputtering deposition apparatus 426 is shown in FIG. Figure 4a and 4b is shown in plan view, and Figure 3a and 3b A different sputter deposition apparatus 126 is shown in cross section.

[0099] exist Figure 4a 4, prior to inserting the cassette 400 into a sputter deposition apparatus 426, the cassette 400 includes a substrate 402. The substrate 402 is progressively unwound from a first reel 408 and from the cassette 400 into a deposition zone of the sputter deposition apparatus 426, where sputter deposition occurs. In this case, the sputter deposition apparatus 426 includes a plasma generation device 430 arranged to provide sputter deposition of a target material onto at least a portion of the substrate 402 within the deposition zone, the target material including or otherwise derived from the material of the sputter target 404. In this case, the deposition zone is external to the cassette 400.

[0100] After the target material is sputter deposited on the substrate 402, the substrate 402 is wound back into the box 400 and wound on the second reel 410. After processing the substrate 402, the box 400 can then be sealed with the processed substrate 402 inside. In some cases, the box 400 can be sealed under vacuum. The box 400 can then be removed from the sputter deposition apparatus 426.

[0101] In such an example, the sputter deposition apparatus 426 may be arranged to receive a box 400 with a substrate 402 disposed therein, and may include a transport assembly 140 for transporting at least a portion of the substrate 402 from the box 400 into a deposition region to provide sputter deposition within the deposition region (in this case, the sputter deposition is outside of the box 400). The transport assembly 140 is also arranged to transport at least a portion of the substrate 402 (after sputter deposition and having a target material deposited thereon) into the box 400. Figure 4a and Figure 4b In the example of FIG. 1 , the transmission assembly 140 includes a plurality of rollers 140 a - 140 g (collectively referred to as the transmission assembly 140 ). However, this is merely an example.

[0102] Thus, in these examples, the cartridge 400 may include at least one suitable aperture to allow the substrate 402 to exit the cartridge 400 and subsequently re-enter the cartridge 400 .

[0103] Figure 4b Show Figure 4a A sputtering deposition apparatus 426 is shown without an insert box therein. Figure 4b The sputtering deposition apparatus 426 includes a box support assembly 436 and a drive mechanism 438 for driving the transmission assembly 140. In this case, the drive mechanism 438 also drives the first reel 408 and the second reel 410. However, in other cases, the first reel 408 and / or the second reel 410 may be driven separately.

[0104] exist Figure 4a and Figure 4b In the example of FIG. 4 , the target support assembly 404 and the sputtering target 404 are shown outside the box 400. The target support assembly 404 and / or the sputtering target 404 can be located outside the box 400 even before the box 400 is inserted into the sputtering deposition apparatus 426. However, in other cases, the target support assembly 404 and / or the sputtering target 404 can be inside the box 400 as soon as the box 400 is inserted into the sputtering deposition apparatus 426. The target support assembly 404 and / or the sputtering target 404 can then be transported from the box 400 and into a different portion of the sputtering deposition apparatus 426. Figure 5 Such an example is schematically shown. Figure 5 Features are marked with the same reference numerals but increased by 5. A corresponding description shall apply.

[0105] Before starting sputtering deposition Figure 5 500. In this example, the sputtering deposition apparatus 526 is arranged to accommodate a box 500 having at least one sputtering target 504 disposed therein. The sputtering deposition apparatus 526 also includes a transport assembly 142 arranged to transport the at least one sputtering target 504 from the box 500 to a deposition area to provide sputtering deposition within the deposition area (outside the box 500). The transport assembly 142 may be a separate assembly from the transport assembly 540 arranged to transport the substrate 502 out of the box 500, or may form part of the same transport assembly. The transport assembly 142 is Figure 5 Schematically shown in FIG, but may take any suitable form. For example, the transmission assembly 142 may include at least one additional roller.

[0106] exist Figure 5 In the embodiment of the present invention, at least one sputtering target 504 is transported from the box 500 and transported onto the target support assembly 518. However, in other examples, the box 500 may include both the at least one sputtering target 504 and the target support assembly 518. In this case, both the at least one sputtering target 504 and the target support assembly 518 may be transported out of the box 500.

[0107] After at least one sputtering target 504 is transferred out of the box 500, Figure 5The sputter deposition apparatus 526 of is arranged similarly to the sputter deposition apparatus 426 of FIG4. Thus, sputter deposition may occur as described with respect to FIG4.

[0108] After sputtering deposition has ceased, the at least one sputtering target 504 and / or target support assembly 518 may be transported back into the cassette 500 (e.g., via the transport assembly 142), or may remain in the sputtering deposition apparatus 526. Thus, the cassette 500 in these examples may include at least one suitable aperture to allow the at least one sputtering target 504 and / or target support assembly 518 to exit the cassette 500 and subsequently re-enter the cassette 500 (if it is desired that the at least one sputtering target 504 and / or target support assembly 518 re-enter the cassette 500).

[0109] The above examples should be understood as illustrative examples. Further examples are contemplated. For example, in Figures 1 to 3, the box includes a first roller and a second roller and a roller, which together form a conveyor system for conveying a substrate during sputtering deposition. However, in other examples, at least a portion of the conveyor system (and in some cases, the entirety of the conveyor system) may be located outside the box. For example, a sputtering deposition apparatus may include a first roller and a second roller and / or a roller, which may be inserted into the box when the box is inserted into the sputtering deposition apparatus.

[0110] In the above examples, the chambers of the box can be maintained under vacuum. In some cases, the box can have multiple chambers, at least one of which can be under vacuum, and can be opened or otherwise coupled to each other during sputtering deposition. For example, the box can have a chamber for holding a sputtering target and at least another chamber for holding a substrate before and / or after sputtering deposition.

[0111] It should be understood that any feature described with respect to any one example can be used alone or in combination with other features described, and can also be used in combination with one or more features of any combination of any other examples or other examples. In addition, equivalents and modifications not described above may also be adopted without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A sputtering deposition apparatus, comprising: a substrate support assembly arranged to support a substrate; a target support assembly arranged to support at least one sputtering target for sputter depositing a target material onto the substrate; a plasma generating device arranged to provide plasma for said sputtering deposition; as well as a cassette arranged to receive a substrate having deposited target material after said sputtering deposition, said cassette further comprising said target support assembly and said at least one sputtering target, Wherein after sputter deposition, the cassette is removable from the sputter deposition apparatus, wherein the cassette comprising the target support assembly, at least one sputter target and the substrate with deposited target material is removed.

2. The sputtering deposition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The cartridge includes a vacuum chamber arranged to contain at least a portion of a substrate having deposited target material in a vacuum.

3. The sputtering deposition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The plasma generation device is arranged to provide a plasma within a deposition region of the sputter deposition apparatus, and wherein the box comprises the deposition region.

4. The sputtering deposition apparatus according to claim 3, wherein: The plasma generation device is arranged to generate an electric field and / or a magnetic field for generating and propagating the plasma, and the housing of the box comprises a transmissive area, which is at least partially transparent to the electric field and / or the magnetic field to generate the plasma in the deposition area of ​​the box.

5. The sputtering deposition apparatus according to claim 3, wherein: The cassette includes the substrate, the substrate support assembly, the target support assembly, and at least one sputtering target supported by the target support assembly, and the cassette is sealed under vacuum during the sputtering deposition.

6. The sputtering deposition apparatus according to claim 3, wherein: The box includes an aperture for admitting the plasma into a deposition region of the box, wherein the aperture is sealable.

7. The sputtering deposition apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein: The plasma generating device is arranged to provide plasma for sputter deposition within a deposition zone of the sputter deposition apparatus, wherein the deposition zone is outside the box.

8. The sputtering deposition apparatus according to claim 7, wherein: The sputter deposition apparatus is arranged to receive the cassette with the substrate arranged therein, and the sputter deposition apparatus comprises a transport assembly arranged to: transferring at least a portion of the substrate from the cartridge into the deposition zone to provide the sputter deposition within the deposition zone; as well as After the sputtering deposition, at least a portion of the substrate is transferred into the cassette.

9. The sputtering deposition apparatus according to claim 8, wherein: The sputter deposition apparatus is arranged to receive the cassette having the at least one sputter target arranged therein, and the transport assembly is further arranged to: The at least one sputtering target is transferred from the cartridge into the deposition zone to provide the sputtering deposition within the deposition zone.

10. The sputter deposition apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the substrate support assembly comprises a transport system arranged to transport the substrate relative to the at least one sputter target during the sputter deposition.

11. A cartridge for insertion into a sputtering deposition apparatus, the cartridge comprising: substrate; at least one sputtering target for sputter depositing a target material onto the substrate using the sputter deposition apparatus; as well as a chamber for storing the substrate with the deposited target material after said sputtering deposition, An aperture for admitting a plasma generated by the sputter deposition apparatus, wherein the aperture is sealable.

12. The cartridge according to claim 11, wherein The chamber is a sealable chamber for containing a vacuum.

13. The cartridge according to claim 11, wherein The chamber is a vacuum chamber.

14. A cartridge according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein The chamber includes the substrate and the at least one sputtering target before and after the sputtering deposition.

15. The cartridge according to claim 14, wherein The chamber comprises a conveyor system arranged to convey the substrate relative to the at least one sputtering target during the sputtering deposition, wherein the conveyor system comprises a roller.

16. A cartridge according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein The housing of the box comprises a transmissive region which is at least partially transparent to the electric field and / or magnetic field generated by the sputter deposition apparatus for generating a plasma within the box.

17. A cartridge according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein The substrate is flexible and the chamber includes a reel for supporting the substrate with deposited target material after the sputter deposition.

18. The cartridge according to claim 17, wherein The reel is a second reel and the cassette includes a first reel for supporting the substrate prior to the sputter deposition.

19. A cartridge according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein The cassette comprises a transport assembly arranged to transport the substrate and / or the at least one sputtering target out of the cassette.

20. A cartridge according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein The target material includes a material for an electrode layer or an electrolyte layer of an energy storage device.

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