Automatic sealing device for atomic layer deposition equipment

Abstract

The present invention relates to an automatic sealing device for atomic layer deposition equipment, comprising a vacuum chamber bottom plate, a coating chamber bottom plate and a displacement drive mechanism, wherein the vacuum chamber bottom plate is connected to the displacement drive mechanism, the vacuum chamber bottom plate can be displaced and seal the opening of the vacuum chamber under the drive of the displacement drive mechanism, the coating chamber bottom plate is arranged on the vacuum chamber bottom plate and can seal the opening of the coating chamber as driven by the displacement drive mechanism; a position adjustment mechanism is arranged between the coating chamber bottom plate and the vacuum chamber bottom plate, the position adjustment mechanism is used to adjust the relative position between the coating chamber bottom plate and the coating chamber. The advantages of the present invention are: realizing automatic sealing isolation and automatic alignment of the vacuum chamber from the atmosphere and the coating chamber, effectively reducing the possibility of film leakage, improving product quality, eliminating the need for frequent maintenance, reducing costs, and minimizing possible harm to the human body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of thin film preparation, in particular to an automatic sealing device for atomic layer deposition equipment. Background Art

[0002] In atomic layer deposition coating equipment, the isolation of the vacuum chamber from the atmosphere and the coating chamber is very important, which affects the rate and effect of atomic layer deposition.

[0003] The existing technology often uses a sealing ring to compress the vacuum chamber and the coating chamber, which requires high precision in parts processing and installation; it is not easy to adjust when a gap occurs; the sealing ring is easy to fall off and cause film leakage; and the sealing ring needs to be replaced regularly.

[0004] If the vacuum chamber is not well isolated from the atmosphere, the pumping rate will be affected, thus affecting the coating efficiency and film quality; if the vacuum chamber is not well isolated from the coating chamber, the film will enter the vacuum chamber from the coating chamber during the coating process, contaminating the components in the vacuum chamber, including the heater and the coating chamber fixed parts, etc., greatly increasing the time for later maintenance and shortening the service life of the components. It will also affect the efficiency of coating, increase the use of chemical sources, and increase the customer's operating and maintenance costs. If the overflowed film material is not properly cleaned and cleaned, it may cause certain harm to the human body. Summary of the invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an automatic sealing device for atomic layer deposition equipment based on the above-mentioned deficiencies of the prior art, which utilizes the execution action of the device itself to achieve automatic sealing and isolation of the vacuum chamber from the atmosphere and the coating chamber, and automatic alignment, thereby effectively reducing the possibility of film leakage.

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is achieved by the following technical solutions:

[0007] An automatic sealing device for atomic layer deposition equipment, used for sealing the vacuum chamber and coating chamber of the atomic layer deposition equipment, wherein the coating chamber is arranged inside the vacuum chamber, and the coating chamber and the vacuum chamber respectively have openings at corresponding positions, characterized in that: the automatic sealing device comprises a vacuum chamber bottom plate, a coating chamber bottom plate and a displacement driving mechanism, wherein the vacuum chamber bottom plate is connected to the displacement driving mechanism, the vacuum chamber bottom plate can be displaced and seal the opening of the vacuum chamber under the drive of the displacement driving mechanism, the coating chamber bottom plate is arranged on the vacuum chamber bottom plate and can seal the opening of the coating chamber as driven by the displacement driving mechanism; a position adjustment mechanism is arranged between the coating chamber bottom plate and the vacuum chamber bottom plate, and the position adjustment mechanism is used to adjust the relative position between the coating chamber bottom plate and the coating chamber.

[0008] The position adjustment mechanism includes a bearing seat, a slide seat and an elastic member. The slide seat is arranged on the bottom plate of the vacuum chamber. The outer side of the slide seat is connected to the slide seat through a sliding bearing. The outer side of the slide seat is connected to the bottom plate of the coating chamber. The elastic member is arranged between the slide seat and the bearing seat so that the two can move relative to each other. The bottom plate of the coating chamber can achieve position adjustment through the relative movement between the slide seat and the bearing seat.

[0009] A rolling bearing is connected to the inner side of the bearing seat, the rolling bearing is connected to a substrate rack turntable, the substrate rack turntable is connected to a rotation drive device, and the rotation drive device is located on the outer side of the vacuum chamber bottom plate; the substrate rack turntable can enter the interior of the coating chamber and rotate in the coating chamber under the drive of the rotation drive device.

[0010] The rolling bearing is provided with a sealing member at a position corresponding to the substrate rack turntable.

[0011] The outer ring of the slide seat is spherical, so that the coating chamber bottom plate can realize universal rotation on the spherical surface of the slide seat.

[0012] The sliding bearing is provided with a baffle corresponding to the coating chamber.

[0013] An elastic member is arranged between the vacuum chamber bottom plate and the pushing mechanism.

[0014] A sealing member which can be deformed under pressure is arranged on the bottom plate of the vacuum chamber.

[0015] The displacement driving mechanism is a pushing mechanism, and the position adjusting mechanism is a horizontal adjusting mechanism.

[0016] The advantages of the present invention are: it can realize automatic sealing isolation and automatic alignment of the vacuum chamber from the atmosphere and the coating chamber, effectively reduce the possibility of film leakage, improve product quality, eliminate the need for frequent maintenance, reduce costs, and minimize possible harm to the human body; it has low requirements for installation accuracy and does not require manual adjustment; it is not limited by sealing materials and can be used for the preparation of a variety of thin films and is suitable for high-temperature coating environments; it does not require consumables and has low costs; it has a compact structure and does not take up excess height space. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention in an unsealed state;

[0018] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention in a sealed state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The features of the present invention and other related features are further described in detail below through embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art:

[0020] like Figure 1-2 As shown, the marks 1-13 in the figure respectively represent: vacuum chamber bottom plate 1, bearing seat 2, rolling bearing 3, substrate rack turntable 4, sliding bearing 5, slide seat 6, coating chamber bottom plate 7, spring 8, rotation drive device 9, pushing mechanism 10, vacuum chamber 11, coating chamber 12, and sealing member 13.

[0021] Example: Figure 1 As shown, the automatic sealing device for atomic layer deposition equipment in this embodiment is used to realize automatic sealing and isolation of the vacuum chamber 11 from the atmosphere and the coating chamber 12, respectively, wherein the coating chamber 12 is fixedly arranged inside the vacuum chamber 11, the vacuum chamber 11 is used to provide the vacuum environment required for coating, the interior of the coating chamber 12 is the coating space, and the substrate can be coated inside the coating chamber 12. Openings are provided at the bottom of the vacuum chamber 11 and the coating chamber 12, and the openings are used for loading and unloading the coated substrates.

[0022] like Figure 1 As shown, the main body of the automatic sealing device in this embodiment includes a vacuum chamber bottom plate 1 for sealing and isolating the lower opening of the vacuum chamber 11 and a coating chamber bottom plate 7 for sealing and isolating the lower opening of the coating chamber 12.

[0023] Among them, the vacuum chamber bottom plate 1 is fixed on the pushing mechanism 10 as a displacement driving mechanism, and the vacuum chamber bottom plate 1 can be raised and lowered under the drive of the pushing mechanism 10. The bearing seat 2 with an L-shaped structure is fixed on the vacuum chamber bottom plate 1, and the two can be limited by setting a positioning pin. A slide seat 6 with a sliding bearing 5 is set on the outer side of the bearing seat 2, and the bearing seat 2 and the slide seat 6 can form a sliding fit through the sliding bearing 5, that is, the slide seat 6 can generate relative movement in the vertical direction of the bearing seat 2 through the sliding bearing 5. There is a spring 8 under the slide seat 6 for support, and the spring 8 as an elastic member can also limit the rotation of the slide seat 6. The outer ring of the slide seat 6 is spherical, which is connected to the coating chamber bottom plate 7, so that the coating chamber bottom plate 7 can achieve universal rotation on the spherical surface. When in use, due to the limited range of movement required by actual work, the relative movement between the slide seat 6 and the coating chamber bottom plate 7 can be limited to a certain extent by the shape of the slide seat 6. The lower plate opening (opening) of the coating chamber 12 and the coating chamber bottom plate 7 are circular and can rotate freely on the slide seat 6 without adjusting the direction to ensure the sealing effect. When in use, the spring 8 can also be replaced by elastic parts such as sealing rings and shaft seals.

[0024] like Figure 1 to Figure 2 As shown, a sealing member 13 is provided on the surface of the bottom plate 1 of the vacuum chamber, and the sealing member 13 can be deformed under pressure, thereby playing a sealing role. When in use, the sealing member 13 can be a sealing ring, an electrostatic ring, and a dust ring, or a combination of two or more. Figure 1As shown, the sealing member 13 of this embodiment adopts a combination of a sealing ring, an electrostatic ring and a dustproof ring.

[0025] like Figure 1 to Figure 2 As shown, when the pushing mechanism 10 brings the vacuum chamber bottom plate 1 and the upper components up, the coating chamber bottom plate 7 first contacts the lower plate of the coating chamber 12, and at this time, the sealing member 13 on the vacuum chamber bottom plate 1 contacts the vacuum chamber 11. Then the pushing mechanism 10 continues to rise, and the spring 8 starts to work. When the pushing mechanism 10 rises to the set upper limit, the vacuum chamber bottom plate 1 and the vacuum chamber 11 are sealed, and the coating chamber bottom plate 7 and the coating chamber 12 are also relatively sealed due to the spring 8.

[0026] When the coating chamber bottom plate 7 is not adjusted to a horizontal position during installation, it can be automatically adjusted to a horizontal position by the pressing force of the spring 8. Figure 2 As shown, under the action of the spring 8, the slide 6 can move up and down at the bearing seat 2 through the sliding bearing 5, so the horizontal position of the coating chamber bottom plate 7 connected to the slide 6 can be automatically adjusted to ensure the sealing effect and facilitate the installation operation.

[0027] like Figure 1 As shown, a rolling bearing 3 is installed on the inner side of the bearing seat 2, and a substrate rack turntable 4 is installed on the rolling bearing 3. The substrate rack turntable 4 can hold a coated substrate rack. A rotation drive device 9 is connected below the substrate rack turntable 4, and the rotation drive device 9 is located on the atmosphere side outside the vacuum chamber bottom plate 1; the coated substrate rack is driven to rotate through the substrate rack turntable 4 under the drive of the rotation drive device 9. When in use, a key connection structure can be set at the bottom of the substrate rack turntable 4 to facilitate its rapid connection with the rotation drive device 9.

[0028] In this embodiment, if Figure 1 As shown, the coating substrates are fed in and out in the vertical direction through the openings opened at the lower parts of the vacuum chamber 11 and the coating chamber 12; and when the vacuum chamber 11 and the coating chamber 12 adopt a side opening structure, they can also be designed with reference to the structure in this embodiment to realize the horizontal feeding and unloading of the coating substrates. At this time, the pushing mechanism 10 is changed from the vertical displacement drive in this embodiment to the horizontal displacement drive, and the remaining mechanisms can be changed to the horizontal arrangement to meet the needs of feeding and unloading the coating substrates in the horizontal direction.

[0029] In the specific implementation of this embodiment: a seal is installed above the rolling bearing 3, and the seal is located between the rolling bearing 3 and the substrate holder turntable 4 to prevent the film material from overflowing from the rolling bearing 3 to the vacuum chamber 11 and the atmosphere. A baffle can be set above the sliding bearing 5, and the baffle is located between the sliding bearing 5 and the coating chamber 12 to prevent the film material from overflowing from the sliding bearing 5 to the vacuum chamber 11 and the atmosphere.

[0030] A spring may be arranged between the vacuum chamber bottom plate 1 and the pushing mechanism 10, so as to realize automatic adjustment of the horizontal position of the vacuum chamber bottom plate 1 within the deformation range of the spring.

[0031] The rotation driving device 9 may include a motor, a reducer, a magnetic fluid and related couplings to transmit its driving force to the substrate holder turntable 4 .

[0032] The supporting facilities of the vacuum chamber 11 and the coating chamber 12 may include equipment such as a vacuum pumping system, a power system, and electrical and software control systems.

[0033] Although the above embodiments have described in detail the concepts and embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, ordinary technicians in this field can recognize that various improvements and changes can still be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the claims, so they are not described one by one here.

Claims

1. An automatic sealing device for an atomic layer deposition device, used for sealing a vacuum chamber and a coating chamber of the atomic layer deposition device, wherein the coating chamber is arranged inside the vacuum chamber, and the coating chamber and the vacuum chamber respectively have openings at corresponding positions, characterized in that: The automatic sealing device comprises a vacuum chamber bottom plate, a coating chamber bottom plate and a displacement driving mechanism, wherein the vacuum chamber bottom plate is connected to the displacement driving mechanism, the vacuum chamber bottom plate can be displaced and seal the opening of the vacuum chamber under the drive of the displacement driving mechanism, the coating chamber bottom plate is arranged on the vacuum chamber bottom plate and can seal the opening of the coating chamber under the drive of the displacement driving mechanism; a position adjustment mechanism is arranged between the coating chamber bottom plate and the vacuum chamber bottom plate, the position adjustment mechanism is used to adjust the relative position between the coating chamber bottom plate and the coating chamber; The position adjustment mechanism comprises a bearing seat, a slide seat and an elastic member, wherein the slide seat is arranged on the bottom plate of the vacuum chamber, the outer side of the slide seat is connected to the bearing seat via a sliding bearing, the outer side of the slide seat is connected to the bottom plate of the coating chamber, and the elastic member is arranged between the slide seat and the bearing seat so that the two can move relative to each other; the bottom plate of the coating chamber can realize position adjustment through the relative movement between the slide seat and the bearing seat; An elastic member is arranged between the vacuum chamber bottom plate and the displacement driving mechanism.

2. The automatic sealing device for atomic layer deposition equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: A rolling bearing is connected to the inner side of the bearing seat, the rolling bearing is connected to a substrate rack turntable, the substrate rack turntable is connected to a rotation drive device, and the rotation drive device is located on the outer side of the vacuum chamber bottom plate; the substrate rack turntable can enter the interior of the coating chamber and rotate in the coating chamber under the drive of the rotation drive device.

3. The automatic sealing device for atomic layer deposition equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that: The rolling bearing is provided with a sealing member at a position corresponding to the substrate rack turntable.

4. The automatic sealing device for atomic layer deposition equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer ring of the slide seat is spherical, so that the coating chamber bottom plate can realize universal rotation on the spherical surface of the slide seat.

5. The automatic sealing device for atomic layer deposition equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sliding bearing is provided with a baffle corresponding to the coating chamber.

6. The automatic sealing device for atomic layer deposition equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: A sealing member which can be deformed under pressure is arranged on the bottom plate of the vacuum chamber.

7. The automatic sealing device for atomic layer deposition equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The displacement driving mechanism is a pushing mechanism, and the position adjusting mechanism is a horizontal adjusting mechanism.

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