Pulsed laser deposition apparatus

By using the transmission unit and magnetohydrodynamic sealing structure of the scanning target holder device, the problems of low target material utilization and poor equipment stability are solved, achieving efficient target material utilization and equipment stability, and maintaining coating quality.

CN116005115BActive Publication Date: 2025-12-19SHENZHEN ARRAYED MATERIALS TECH CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202310090654.7
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2023-01-18
Publication Date
2025-12-19
Estimated Expiration
2043-01-18

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing pulsed laser deposition equipment suffers from low target utilization and poor equipment stability. In particular, bearings are expensive and easily damaged in high-temperature and high-vacuum environments, and lubricating grease affects the vacuum environment and film quality.

Method used

A scanning target holder device is adopted, and the target material’s revolution and rotation are realized through the first and second transmission units. Combined with a magnetic fluid sealing structure, the use of high-temperature bearings and lubricating grease in the coating chamber is avoided. The seal of the second transmission unit achieves dynamic sealing through the magnetic fluid sealing structure.

Benefits of technology

It improves equipment stability and target utilization, maintains coating quality, and reduces maintenance frequency and cost.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The application discloses a scanning target holder device and a pulsed laser deposition device. The scanning target holder device comprises a first transmission unit, a first main body and a hollow mounting cylinder, the first main body is mounted to the outside of a coating chamber, and the mounting cylinder is rotatable relative to the first main body; a second transmission unit is mounted to the mounting cylinder, the second transmission unit comprises a second main body and a mounting shaft, the mounting shaft is rotatable relative to the second main body, the mounting shaft is provided with an input part and an output part, the input part is located at the outside of the mounting cylinder, and the output part is located at the inside of the mounting cylinder; a support is used for supporting a target material, is mounted to the output part and is arranged in the coating chamber; a first driving part drives the second transmission unit to rotate so that the support revolves; and a second driving part is connected with the input part and drives the mounting shaft to rotate so that the support mounted on the output part of the mounting shaft rotates. The scanning target holder device can improve the stability of the device.
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Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of vacuum coating equipment, and in particular to a scanning target holder device and a pulsed laser deposition equipment. BACKGROUND

[0002] Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) is a means of bombarding an object with a laser and then depositing the bombarded substance on different substrates to obtain a deposit or a film. Existing pulsed laser deposition equipment uses focused laser light to be incident on a target surface, thereby sputtering material to be deposited on a substrate. Since the spot of the pulsed laser deposition is generally 2-4 mm and the size of the target is generally one inch, the utilization rate of the target is too low and the scope of application is small.

[0003] In order to improve the utilization rate of the target, the pulsed laser deposition equipment currently mainly uses gears and bearings to make the target holder revolve around a fixed point and rotate around its own axis in the cavity, thereby improving the utilization rate of the target. However, such a device may have problems such as the following:

[0004] 1. Since heat is generated when the laser ablates the target during pulsed laser deposition and the substrate needs to be formed into a film under high temperature conditions, the ambient temperature in the coating chamber may reach 600℃ or even higher. High-temperature bearings must be used in such a high-temperature environment, which are expensive and often worn out or damaged, affecting the stability of the equipment.

[0005] 2. Since pulsed laser deposition requires film formation in an ultra-high vacuum environment, if lubricating grease is used, the grease will volatilize and affect the vacuum environment in the coating chamber, affecting the quality of film formation. If lubricating grease is not used, the gears and bearings are easy to jam, affecting the stability of the equipment. SUMMARY

[0006] The present application aims to at least partially solve the problems of the prior art, and for this purpose, the present application proposes a scanning target holder device to improve the stability of the equipment. In addition, the present application also proposes a pulsed laser deposition equipment having the scanning target holder device.

[0007] The scanning target holder device according to one aspect of the present application is used for revolution and rotation of a target material in a coating chamber, and includes: a first transmission unit having a first body and a hollow mounting cylinder, the first body being mounted to an outer side of the coating chamber and being sealed with the coating chamber, the mounting cylinder being rotatable relative to the first body and being sealed with the first body; a second transmission unit mounted to the mounting cylinder and being sealed with the mounting cylinder, the second transmission unit having a second body and a mounting shaft, the mounting shaft being rotatable relative to the second body and being sealed with the second body, two ends of the mounting shaft in an axial direction being respectively provided with an input portion and an output portion, the input portion being located at an outer side of the mounting cylinder, and the output portion being located at an inner side of the mounting cylinder; a support for supporting the target material, the support being mounted to the output portion and being located in the coating chamber; a first driving portion connected with one of the mounting cylinder and the second body, and driving the second transmission unit to rotate so as to make the support revolve with the rotation of the second transmission unit; and a second driving portion connected with the input portion and driving the mounting shaft to rotate so as to make the support mounted to the output portion of the mounting shaft rotate with the rotation of the mounting shaft.

[0008] The scanning target holder device according to the first aspect of the present application has the beneficial effect of improving the stability of the device.

[0009] In some embodiments, the first body and the mounting cylinder are sealed by a magnetic fluid sealing structure; and / or, the second body and the mounting shaft are sealed by a magnetic fluid sealing structure.

[0010] In some embodiments, one end of the mounting cylinder facing the outer side of the coating chamber is provided with a mounting seat, and the second transmission unit and the second driving portion are respectively mounted to the mounting seat and rotate with the rotation of the mounting cylinder relative to the first body.

[0011] In some embodiments, the first driving portion includes a revolution driving motor, and the revolution driving motor is drivingly connected with the second transmission unit through a third transmission unit.

[0012] In some embodiments, the third transmission unit includes: a revolution driving gear coaxially connected with the revolution driving motor; a revolution driven gear coaxially connected with the second body; and the revolution driving gear and the revolution driven gear are engaged.

[0013] In some embodiments, the second transmission unit includes a plurality of mounting shafts, each of the mounting shafts being rotatable relative to the second body and being sealed with the second body.

[0014] In some embodiments, a fourth transmission unit is further included, and the second driving part is in transmission connection with the input part of each mounting shaft through the fourth transmission unit.

[0015] In some embodiments, the second driving part includes a rotation driving motor; the fourth transmission unit includes a rotation driving driving gear and a plurality of rotation driving driven gears; the rotation driving driving gear is coaxially connected with the rotation driving motor; the rotation driving driven gears are respectively coaxially connected with the input parts of the mounting shafts; and the rotation driving driving gear is respectively in mesh with each rotation driving driven gear.

[0016] In some embodiments, the output part of the mounting shafts extends into the coating chamber through the inside of the mounting cylinder.

[0017] The pulsed laser deposition apparatus according to the second aspect of the application, having a coating chamber, further comprises the scanning target holder device of any one of the above.

[0018] The pulsed laser deposition apparatus according to the second aspect of the application has the beneficial effect of improving the stability of the apparatus while maintaining the film quality. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0019] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a pulsed laser deposition apparatus having the scanning target holder device of the application.

[0020] Figure 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the scanning target holder device of the application.

[0021] Figure 3 is a sectional view of A-A in Figure 2 .

[0022] Figure 4 is an exploded view of the scanning target holder device of Figure 2 .

[0023] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the scanning target holder device of Figure 2 from another angle.

[0024] Figure 6 is a perspective view of the first transmission unit of Figure 5 .

[0025] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the second transmission unit of Figure 5 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Embodiments of the present embodiment are described below in detail, and examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which the same or similar components are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals throughout. The embodiments described below by referring to the drawings are merely examples for explaining the present embodiment and should not be construed as limiting the present embodiment.

[0027] In the description of the present embodiment, it should be understood that, in relation to the orientation description, for example, the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms such as upper, lower, front, back, left, right and the like is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and is merely for the purpose of facilitating the description of the present embodiment and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element indicated must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the present embodiment.

[0028] In the description of the present embodiment, the meaning of several is one or more, and the meaning of multiple is two or more. Greater than, less than, more than, and the like are understood as not including the number itself, and above, below, and the like are understood as including the number itself. If it is described as first, second, it is only for the purpose of distinguishing technical features, and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated or the order of technical features indicated.

[0029] In the description of the present embodiment, unless otherwise explicitly limited, the words such as provided, installed, connected and the like should be understood in a broad sense, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above words in the present embodiment in combination with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0030] Referring to Figures 1 to 7 and mainly referring to Figures 1 to 5, the scanning target holder device 100 according to the first embodiment (hereinafter, sometimes referred to simply as "the target holder device 100" for convenience of explanation) for revolution and rotation of the target material 300 in the film deposition chamber 201. The target holder device 100 includes a first transmission unit 101, a second transmission unit 102, a support 103, a first driving unit 104, and a second driving unit 105. The first transmission unit 101 has a first main body 106 and a hollow mounting cylinder 107. The first main body 106 is mounted to the outside of the film deposition chamber 201 and is sealed from the film deposition chamber 201. The mounting cylinder 107 is rotatable relative to the first main body 106 and is sealed from the first main body 106. The second transmission unit 102 is mounted to the mounting cylinder 107 and is sealed from the mounting cylinder 107. The second transmission unit 102 has a second main body 108 and a mounting shaft 109. The mounting shaft 109 is rotatable relative to the second main body 108 and is sealed from the second main body 108. The mounting shaft 109 has an input portion 110 and an output portion 111 at both ends in the axial direction, respectively. The input portion 110 is located outside the mounting cylinder 107, and the output portion 111 is located inside the mounting cylinder 107 (i.e., the side in communication with the film deposition chamber 201). The support 103 is for supporting the target material 300. The support 103 is mounted to the output portion 111 and is disposed inside the film deposition chamber 201. The first driving unit 104 is connected to one of the mounting cylinder 107 and the second main body 108. The first driving unit 104 drives the second transmission unit 102 to rotate, so that the support 103 revolves with the rotation of the second transmission unit 102. The second driving unit 105 is connected to the input portion 110 and drives the mounting shaft 109 to rotate, so that the support 103 mounted to the output portion 111 of the mounting shaft 109 rotates with the rotation of the mounting shaft 109.

[0031] According to the target holder device 100 of the present embodiment, the stability of the apparatus can be improved. Specifically, by providing the first transmission unit 101 having the hollow mounting cylinder 107 rotatable relative to the first main body 106 and mounting the second transmission unit 102 to the mounting cylinder 107 of the first transmission unit 101, the second transmission unit 102 can be rotated together with the mounting cylinder 107 relative to the first main body 106. Thus, the revolution of the second transmission unit is achieved. Further, by providing the second transmission unit 102 with the mounting shaft 109 rotatable relative to the second main body 108 and mounting the support 103 for supporting the target material 300 to the output portion 111 of the mounting shaft 109, the rotation of the target material 300 can be achieved.

[0032] Thus, by mounting the second transmission unit 102 to the first transmission unit 101, the revolution and rotation of the target material 300 can be achieved.

[0033] Further, in the target holder device 100 of the present embodiment, the second transmission unit 102 and the coating chamber 201 are sealed by sealing the mounting shaft 109 from the second main body 108. By positioning the input portion 110 of the mounting shaft 109 outside the mounting cylinder 107 and the output portion 111 inside the mounting cylinder 107, and connecting the input portion 110 of the mounting shaft 109 to the mounting shaft 109 outside the mounting cylinder 107 by the second driving portion 105, the mounting shaft 109 is driven outside the mounting cylinder 107 (i.e., outside the coating chamber 201) and the output portion 111 of the mounting shaft 109 inside the mounting cylinder 107 is rotated. Thus, even if other intermediate structures (e.g., transmission structures) are needed, they do not need to be provided inside the coating chamber 201 but can be added outside the coating chamber 201. Also, even if bearings, lubricating oil, lubricating grease, etc. are needed, they do not need to be provided inside the coating chamber 201 but can be added, for example, to the input portion 110 of the mounting shaft 109 outside the coating chamber 201, so that the film formation inside the coating chamber 201 is not affected by the additional intermediate structures, the stability of the film formation inside the coating chamber 201 is maintained, and the stability of the apparatus is improved.

[0034] Further, since the second transmission unit 102 is mounted as a whole on the mounting cylinder 107 of the first transmission unit 101, the revolution of the target material 300 by the first transmission unit 101 and the rotation of the target material 300 by the second transmission unit 102 are independent of each other. That is, the revolution of the first transmission unit 101 does not affect the rotation of the second transmission unit 102, so that the stability of the apparatus is further improved.

[0035] With continued reference to Figure 1 The target holder device 100 of the present embodiment is used, for example, in a pulsed laser deposition apparatus (PLD apparatus 200). The PLD apparatus 100 has a housing 202 that forms a coating chamber 201. The housing 202 is, for example, substantially cylindrical or spherical. The housing 202 can be formed, for example, of a known material such as 304 stainless steel by argon arc welding. Further, the surface of the housing 202 can be treated by glass bead blasting and electrochemical polishing.

[0036] The housing 202 can be provided with a plurality of flanges 203, among which can include flanges for mounting the target holder device 100, flanges for mounting the base 109, flanges for mounting various pumps (for example, sublimation pump, molecular pump, ion pump, etc.), flanges for serving as a window, flanges for connecting various devices (for example, electron gun, fluorescent screen, discharge electrode, gas inlet pipeline, various sensors, etc.), flanges for feeding and / or discharging, etc. These flanges 203 can be appropriately increased, reduced or combined, etc. according to the specific process requirements of the coating equipment.

[0037] With continued reference to Figure 1 and with reference to Figure 4 , the target holder device 100 is mounted to one of the flanges 203 of the housing 202 through the first body 106 of the first transmission unit 101. A first seal 112 is provided between the first body 106 and the flange 203 of the housing 202. The first seal 112 can be, for example, a metal sealing gasket. By using the metal first seal 112, the sealing between the first body 106 and the housing 202 can achieve a vacuum degree of less than, for example, 1.0 x 10 -10 Pa. The mounting cylinder 107 of the first transmission unit 101 is directly communicated with the inside of the coating chamber 201. A second seal 113 is provided between the second transmission unit 102 and the mounting cylinder 107. More specifically, the second body 108 of the second transmission unit 102 is mounted to the mounting cylinder 107, and the second seal 113 is provided between the second body 108 and the mounting cylinder 107. Similarly, the second seal 113 can be, for example, a metal sealing gasket, so that the sealing between the second body 108 and the mounting cylinder 107 can achieve a vacuum degree of less than, for example, 1.0 x 10 -10 Pa.

[0038] With continued reference to Figure 3In some embodiments, the first body 106 and the mounting cylinder 107 are sealed by a magnetic fluid seal structure (also referred to as "the first magnetic fluid seal structure 114" for ease of illustration). Specifically, magnetic fluid, also referred to as magnetic liquid or ferromagnetic fluid, is a liquid-like magnetic material that has both the magnetism of a solid and the fluidity of a liquid. In terms of form, the magnetic fluid is a colloidal mixture of solid and liquid phases that does not separate under the action of gravity, centrifugal force or electromagnetic force. As a magnetic fluid seal structure, it refers to a seal structure that utilizes the amorphous nature of magnetic fluid and its response characteristics to a magnetic field to apply it to a rotating shaft dynamic seal. Generally, a magnetic fluid seal structure includes a permanent magnet, a rotating body (such as the mounting cylinder 107 or the mounting shaft 109), a magnetic pole and a magnetic fluid. When the magnetic fluid is injected into the magnetic circuit composed of the permanent magnet, the rotating body and the magnetic pole, a plurality of stable "O-shaped" liquid sealing rings are formed in the sealing gap under the action of the magnetic field force, and the sealing gap is filled to achieve sealing. The first body 106 is, for example, in the form of a flange of a cylinder. The bearings (not labeled with reference numerals) are embedded in the axial ends in the first body 106. The mounting cylinder 107 is coaxially mounted in the first body 106 through the bearings and is rotatable relative to the first body 106. The inside of the first body 106, the bearings and the outside of the mounting cylinder 107 are filled with magnetic fluid (not labeled with reference numerals). In this way, the first magnetic fluid seal structure 114 is formed between the first body 106 and the mounting cylinder 107, and dynamic sealing between the first body 106 and the mounting cylinder 107 can be achieved.

[0039] Continuing to refer to Figures 4 to 6 In addition, in order to further improve the vacuum degree of the seal, the first cooling cavity 115 is provided in the first body 106, for example. The structure of the first cooling cavity 115 is not particularly limited, and for example, an annular cooling channel can be provided in the wall portion of the first body 106. In addition, the cooling medium in the first cooling cavity 115 is also not particularly limited, and for example, a cooling medium such as water or oil can be used. By providing the first cooling cavity 115 in the first body 106, the ambient temperature of the magnetic fluid can be reduced, the normal operation of the magnetic fluid can be maintained while the vacuum degree of the seal is improved, and for example, the vacuum degree of the seal between the first body 106 and the mounting cylinder 107 can be 1.0 x 10 -6 Pa or less.

[0040] Continuing to refer to Figures 3 to 6The outer side of the one end of the mounting cylinder 107, which faces the coating chamber 201, is provided with a mounting seat 116, and the second transmission unit 102 and the second driving part 105 are respectively mounted to the mounting seat 116 and rotate with the rotation of the mounting cylinder 107 relative to the first main body 106. Specifically, the mounting seat 116 can be, for example, a structure integrally formed with the mounting cylinder 107, or it can be a component directly mounted to the circumferential one end of the mounting cylinder 107. The mounting seat 116 can be, for example, in the shape of a ring and coaxial with the mounting cylinder 107. The second main body 108 is coaxially locked to the mounting seat 116, for example, through the second sealing member 113. Thus, the second main body 108 rotates coaxially with the mounting cylinder 107. In addition, the second driving part 105 can be directly mounted to the mounting seat 116 or indirectly mounted to the mounting seat 116 via the second main body 108. In other words, the second driving part 105 can be directly mounted to the second main body 108 and indirectly mounted to the mounting seat 116 via the second main body 108. Thus, the second driving part 105 rotates with the mounting cylinder 107.

[0041] That is, when the first driving part 104 is connected to one of the mounting cylinder 107 and the second main body 108 and drives the second transmission unit 102 to rotate, the second driving part 105 is also driven to rotate by the first driving part 104. Thus, the second transmission unit 102 and the second driving part 105 are a whole component, and the internal action, for example, the rotation of the second driving part 105 driving the mounting shaft 109 of the second transmission unit 102, is not affected by the driving action of the first driving part 104, which greatly improves the independence between the revolution and the rotation of the target holder device 100, thereby improving the stability of the equipment.

[0042] Further, it is to be noted that, when the first driving section 104 drives the second transmission unit 102 and the second driving section 105, the rotation is not continuously rotated, but the second transmission unit 102 and the second driving section 105 are driven in a swinging manner, i.e., the first driving section 104 switches between driving the second transmission unit 102 and the second driving section 105 clockwise and driving the second transmission unit 102 and the second driving section 105 counterclockwise. In this case, even if the second driving section 105 (e.g., the rotation driving motor 126 to be described later) has a cable or the like controlled thereby, the cable or the like will not be entangled, and thus the second driving section 105 (directly or indirectly) can be mounted to the mounting seat 116 without the cable or the like being entangled, so that the second transmission unit 102 and the second driving section 105 as a whole can be mounted to the mounting seat 116. In the case where the second transmission unit 102 and the second driving section 105 as a whole are mounted to the mounting seat 116, the rotation of the mounting shaft 109 will not be affected regardless of whether the rotation direction of the mounting cylinder 107 is the same as the rotation direction of the mounting shaft 109. In other words, in the case where the first driving section 104 swings to drive the second transmission unit 102 and the second driving section 105, the rotation of the mounting shaft 109 of the second transmission unit 102 will not be affected, so that the stability of the device is improved.

[0043] With continued reference to Figure 3 , the second body 108 and the mounting shaft 109 can also be sealed by a magnetic fluid seal structure (also referred to as "second magnetic fluid seal structure 117" for ease of description). The second body 108 is, for example, in the form of a flange of a cylinder. The mounting shaft 109 is coaxially mounted to the second body 108 via bearings (not labeled) embedded in the two axial ends of the second body 108 and is rotatable relative to the second body 108. The inside of the second body 108, the bearings, and the outside of the mounting shaft 109 are filled with a magnetic fluid (not labeled). Thus, the second magnetic fluid seal structure 117 is formed between the second body 108 and the mounting shaft 109, and dynamic sealing between the second body 108 and the mounting shaft 109 is achieved.

[0044] With continued reference to Figure 5 , Figure 7Similarly, in order to further improve the vacuum degree of the seal, a second cooling cavity 118 is provided in the second body 108, for example. The structure of the second cooling cavity 118 is not particularly limited, and for example, an annular cooling channel can be provided in the wall portion of the second body 108. Furthermore, the cooling medium in the second cooling cavity 118 is not particularly limited, and for example, a cooling medium such as water, oil, or the like can be used. By providing the second cooling cavity 118 in the second body 108, the ambient temperature of the magnetic fluid can be reduced, and the vacuum degree of the seal can be improved while maintaining the normal operation of the magnetic fluid, and for example, the vacuum degree of the seal between the second body 108 and the mounting shaft 109 can be achieved to be 1.0 x 10 -6 Pa or less.

[0045] Continuing to refer to Figure 7 , and also referring to Figure 1 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 , the circumferential length of the mounting shaft 109 is greater than the height of the second body 108. The input portion 110 and the output portion 111 of the mounting shaft 109 respectively extend to the outside in the axial direction of the second body 108. The inner diameter of the mounting cylinder 107 is greater than or equal to the inner diameter of the second body 108, so that the output portion 111 of the mounting shaft 109 can extend into the mounting cylinder 107. In the case where the second transmission unit 102 is coaxially mounted to the one end of the mounting cylinder 107 in the axial direction by the second body 108, the output portion 111 of the mounting shaft 109 extends from the other side of the mounting cylinder 107 (i.e., the side opposite to the deposition chamber 201) through the inside of the mounting cylinder 107. Thus, in the case where the target holder device 100 is mounted to the housing 202 of the PLD apparatus 100 by the first body 106, the output portion 111 of the mounting shaft 109 directly extends into the deposition chamber 201 through the inside of the mounting cylinder 107.

[0046] By directly extending the output portion 111 of the mounting shaft 109 into the deposition chamber 201, on the one hand, the number of components that need to be accommodated in the deposition chamber 201 can be reduced in the target holder device 100, and on the other hand, these components do not need to be subjected to additional processing in the deposition chamber 201, for example, and for example, expensive and easily damaged high-temperature bearings do not need to be added in the deposition chamber 201, and lubricating grease does not need to be used in the deposition chamber 201. Thus, the film forming quality of the PLD apparatus 100 can be maintained and the stability of the apparatus can be improved.

[0047] For example, the bracket 103 for supporting the target material 300 can be directly fastened to the output portion 111 of the mounting shaft 109. The manner in which the bracket 103 is fastened to the output portion 111 of the mounting shaft 109 is not particularly limited, and for example, various known manners such as tightening with a set screw, locking with a nut, welding, clamping, and the like can be used.

[0048] In some embodiments, in order to reduce the frequency of replacement of the target material 300, the second transmission unit 102 can include a plurality of mounting shafts 109, each of which is rotatable with respect to the second body 108 and each of which is sealed with respect to the second body 108. For example, the second transmission unit 102 can include one second body 108 and a plurality of mounting shafts 109. The second body 108 has a plurality of mounting cavities 119 formed therein, which are uniformly spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the second body 108 with the axis of the second body 108 as the center. Each of the mounting cavities 119 has a bearing (not shown) embedded therein, and each of the mounting shafts 109 is coaxially mounted to the mounting cavity 119 of the second body 108 via the bearing and is rotatable with respect to the mounting cavity 119. The inside of each of the mounting cavities 119, the bearing accommodated in the mounting cavity 119, and the outside of each of the mounting shafts 109 are filled with a magnetic fluid (not shown), respectively. Thus, dynamic sealing between each of the mounting cavities 119 and each of the mounting shafts 109 can be achieved.

[0049] The second transmission unit 102 can include, for example, four mounting shafts 109, which are spaced apart at 90° in the circumferential direction of the second body 108 with the axis of the second body 108 as the center.

[0050] Further, in the case where the second transmission unit 102 includes a plurality of mounting shafts 109, the supports 103 for supporting the target material 300 can also include a plurality of supports 103, each of which is directly fastened to the output portion 111 of each of the mounting shafts 109.

[0051] By providing the second transmission unit 102 with a plurality of mounting shafts 109, the frequency of replacement of the target material 300 can be reduced. Further, in the target holder apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, particularly in the case where the second transmission unit 102 has a plurality of mounting shafts 109, the stability of the apparatus (described later) can still be maintained.

[0052] Continuing to refer to Figures 3 to 5In some embodiments, the target holder apparatus 100 further comprises a third transmission unit 120. The first driving part 104 comprises a revolution driving motor 121 which is drivingly connected with the second transmission unit 102 through the third transmission unit 120. The third transmission unit 120 can comprise a revolution driving gear 122 and a revolution driven gear 123. The revolution driving gear 122 is coaxially connected with the revolution driving motor 121. The revolution driven gear 123 is coaxially connected with the second body 108. The revolution driving gear 122 and the revolution driven gear 123 are engaged. The revolution driving motor 121 can be mounted on the first body 106 of the first transmission unit 101 or on the housing 202 of the PLD apparatus 100 through a first mounting plate 124. The revolution driving gear 122 can be directly mounted on the output shaft of the revolution driving motor 121. The revolution driven gear 123 is, for example, in the shape of a ring and is coaxially locked to the outer periphery of the second body 108. Thus, the revolution driving motor 121 can drive the second body 108 of the second transmission unit 102 to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise around the first body 106 of the first transmission unit 101 with high precision through the third transmission unit 120.

[0053] In addition, since the third transmission unit 120 is arranged outside the coating chamber 201, it can be easily maintained, for example, by adding lubricating grease, without affecting the vacuum environment in the coating chamber 201.

[0054] Continuing to refer to Figures 3 to 5 In addition, in some embodiments, the target holder apparatus 100 further comprises a fourth transmission unit 125 through which the second driving part 105 is drivingly connected with the input part 110 of each mounting shaft. The second driving part 105 comprises a rotation driving motor 126. The fourth transmission unit 125 comprises a rotation driving gear 127 and a plurality of rotation driven gears 128. The rotation driving gear 127 is coaxially connected with the rotation driving motor 126. The rotation driven gears 128 are respectively coaxially connected with the input part 110 of each mounting shaft 109. The rotation driving gear 127 is respectively engaged with each rotation driven gear 128. The rotation driving motor 126 can be mounted on the second body 108 of the second transmission unit 102 or on the mounting base 116 through a second mounting plate 129. The output shaft of the rotation driving motor 126 is coaxial with the second body 108. The rotation driving gear 127 can be directly mounted on the output shaft of the rotation driving motor 126. That is, the rotation driving gear 127 is arranged coaxially with the second body 108 and is located between the plurality of rotation driven gears 128 and engaged with each rotation driven gear 128.

[0055] Therefore, the plurality of rotation-axis driven gears 128 can be driven to rotate by one rotation-axis driving gear 127, and the target holder apparatus 100 can be made more compact and cost can be reduced.

[0056] Note that in the conventional scanning-type target holder apparatus, when a plurality of target materials are to be mounted, a plurality of rotation axes and one revolution axis are also included. However, in the conventional scanning-type target holder apparatus, the rotation axes are provided at the end of the revolution axis, and the rotation axes are also linked by, for example, a plurality of gears. In the conventional scanning-type target holder apparatus, the rotation axes and the gears are accommodated in the film deposition chamber 201, and in this case, a high-temperature bearing or the like is used to support the rotation axes, and a lubricating grease or the like is used for the engagement of the gears. In particular, when a lubricating grease or the like is used in the film deposition chamber 201, the lubricating grease volatilizes due to the high temperature, which can affect the quality of the film formation.

[0057] In addition, note that one of the main reasons for using a lubricating grease is that the gears are likely to jam or seize. The gears jam or seize for the following reasons. The rotation axes and the plurality of gears are provided at the end of the revolution axis. Specifically, in the conventional scanning-type target holder apparatus, the rotation axes can be driven to continuously rotate in one direction (for example, clockwise) or switched in different directions, and the revolution axis also needs to be continuously switched in the driving direction. For example, after the revolution axis is driven to rotate 180° clockwise, it is switched to be driven to rotate 180° counterclockwise, and so on. When the revolution axis is switched in the driving direction, the rotation direction of the rotation axes and the revolution direction of the revolution axis are also switched from the same direction to the opposite direction (or from the opposite direction to the same direction). In this case, the transmission direction of the gears is also forcibly switched, which causes the gears to jam or seize. Therefore, in this case, in order to suppress the gears from jamming or seizing, a large amount of lubricating grease needs to be added.

[0058] However, in the present embodiment, even if the second transmission unit 102 has a plurality of mounting shafts 109 (has a function of a rotation axis) and the second transmission unit 102 is connected to the second driving section 105 through a gear transmission structure, the occurrence of a gear jam or a gear seizure as in the conventional scanning-type target holder device can be suppressed. Specifically, as described above, in the target holder device 100 of the present embodiment, the second transmission unit 102 and the second driving section 105 are installed as a single unit to the mounting seat 116. In the case where the second transmission unit 102 and the second driving section 105 are installed as a single unit to the mounting seat 116, the rotation of the mounting shaft 109 is not affected regardless of whether the rotation direction of the mounting cylinder 107 is the same as the rotation direction of the mounting shaft 109. In other words, in the case where the first driving section 104 swingably drives the second transmission unit 102 and the second driving section 105, the engagement of the gears of the fourth transmission unit 125 that transmits the rotation of the second transmission unit 102 and the second driving section 105 is not affected, and thus the occurrence of a jam or a seizure between the driving gear 127 and the driven gear 128 of the fourth transmission unit 125 can be suppressed.

[0059] Further, compared with the revolution axis driving device of the conventional scanning-type target holder device, the first driving section 104 of the target holder device 100 of the present embodiment directly transmits the rotation of the second main body 108 of the second transmission unit 102 having the function of the revolution axis of the conventional scanning-type target holder device through the gear transmission structure of the third transmission unit 120, and thus in this case, the second transmission unit 102 (the second main body 108) as a whole can function as a revolution axis similar to that of the conventional scanning-type target holder device.

[0060] Thus, the target holder device 100 of the present embodiment can suppress the occurrence of a jam or a seizure of the gear structure of the fourth transmission unit 125 even if the second driving section 105 is connected to the plurality of mounting shafts 109 through the fourth transmission unit 125 having a gear transmission structure. Further, since the second driving section 105 is connected to the mounting shaft 109 through the fourth transmission unit 125 outside the film deposition chamber 201, even if it is necessary to inject lubricating grease or the like into the gear structure of the fourth transmission unit 125, the inside of the film deposition chamber 201 is not affected, and thus the stability of the transmission of the fourth transmission unit 125 can be improved while maintaining the film quality, and thus the stability of the target holder device 100 itself can be improved.

[0061] Thus, in the target holder device 100 of the present embodiment, not only the structure inside the film deposition chamber 201 can be simplified, but even if other intermediate structures such as the third transmission unit 120, the fourth transmission unit 125, and the like are required, they do not need to be provided inside the film deposition chamber 201 but can be added outside the film deposition chamber 201, so that maintenance of these intermediate structures inside the film deposition chamber 201 is not required, and the stability of film deposition inside the film deposition chamber 201 can be maintained.

[0062] Further, since the second transmission unit 102 is installed as a whole on the mounting cylinder 107 of the first transmission unit 101 as a component functioning as the revolution axis of the conventional scanning-type target holder device, and has the mounting shaft 109 as a component functioning as the rotation axis of the conventional scanning-type target holder device inside, the revolution of the target material 300 by the first transmission unit 101 and the rotation of the target material 300 by the second transmission unit 102 can be made independent of each other. That is, the revolution of the first transmission unit 101 does not affect the rotation of the second transmission unit 102, so that the stability of the apparatus can be further improved.

[0063] Further, since the first transmission unit 101 and the second transmission unit 102 use the magnetic fluid sealing structure and the second transmission unit 102 is directly mounted to the first transmission unit 101, the structure inside the film deposition chamber 201 can be simplified, and additional maintenance of the part of the target holder device 100 inside the film deposition chamber 201 is not required, so that the stability of the target holder device 100 can be improved while maintaining the stability of film deposition inside the film deposition chamber 201.

[0064] Other Embodiments

[0065] Note that, although the above embodiment describes that the first body 106 and the mounting cylinder 107 are sealed by the magnetic fluid sealing structure, the present embodiment is not limited thereto. As long as the first body 106 and the mounting cylinder 107 can be reliably sealed, other sealing methods can be used, for example, a seal ring that can resist wear can be fitted to the outer periphery of the mounting cylinder 107.

[0066] Further, note that, although the above embodiment describes that the second body 108 and the mounting shaft 109 are also sealed by the magnetic fluid sealing structure, the present embodiment is not limited thereto. As long as the second body 108 and the mounting shaft 109 can be reliably sealed, other sealing methods can be used, for example, a seal ring that can resist wear can be fitted to the outer periphery of the mounting shaft 109.

[0067] Further, the first body 106 and the mounting cylinder 107 can be sealed by a seal ring or the like that is resistant to wear, and the second body 108 and the mounting shaft 109 can be sealed by a magnetic fluid seal structure. Alternatively, the first body 106 and the mounting cylinder 107 can be sealed by a magnetic fluid seal structure, and the second body 108 and the mounting shaft 109 can be sealed by a seal ring or the like that is resistant to wear. That is, the first body 106 and the mounting cylinder 107 can be sealed by a magnetic fluid seal structure, and / or the second body 108 and the mounting shaft 109 can be sealed by a magnetic fluid seal structure.

[0068] Further, although the third transmission unit 120 is described as including a gear transmission structure in the above embodiments, the third transmission unit 120 is not limited to this. The third transmission unit 120 can be, for example, a belt or a synchronous belt transmission structure.

[0069] Further, although the sun gear 121 and the sun gear 122 are described as being coaxially connected to the first body 106 in the above embodiments, the sun gear 121 and the sun gear 122 are not limited to this. For example, the sun gear 121 and the sun gear 122 can be fitted in the mounting cylinder 107 and connected coaxially to the mounting cylinder 107.

[0070] Further, although the fourth transmission unit 125 is described as including a gear transmission structure in the above embodiments, the fourth transmission unit 125 is not limited to this. The fourth transmission unit 125 can be, for example, a belt or a synchronous belt transmission structure.

[0071] Further, as described above, the target holder apparatus 100 of each of the above embodiments can be provided in a pulsed laser deposition apparatus. Specifically, a pulsed laser deposition apparatus (PLD apparatus 100) according to the second embodiment has a coating chamber 201 and the scanning target holder apparatus 100 of any one of the above embodiments.

[0072] As described above, according to the PLD apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, it is possible to improve the stability of the apparatus while maintaining the film quality.

[0073] While the embodiments of the present embodiment have been shown and described, it is understood that the embodiments can be changed, modified, replaced, and varied in various ways by those having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the principles and spirit of the present embodiment, and the scope of the present embodiment is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A pulsed laser deposition apparatus having a deposition chamber and a scanning target holder device for revolution and rotation of a target material in the deposition chamber, characterized in that, The scanning target holder device includes: a first transmission unit having a first body and a hollow mounting cylinder, the first body being mounted to and sealed with an outside of the coating chamber, the mounting cylinder being rotatable relative to the first body and sealed with the first body; a second transmission unit mounted to and sealed with the mounting cylinder, the second transmission unit having a second body and a mounting shaft, the mounting shaft being rotatable relative to the second body and sealed with the second body, both ends of the mounting shaft in an axial direction being provided with an input portion and an output portion respectively, the input portion being at an outside of the mounting cylinder, and the output portion being at an inside of the mounting cylinder; a support for supporting the target material, the support being mounted to the output portion and disposed in the coating chamber; a first driving portion connected with one of the mounting cylinder and the second body, the first driving portion driving the second transmission unit to rotate so that the support revolves with the rotation of the second transmission unit; a second driving portion connected with the input portion and driving the mounting shaft to rotate so that the support mounted to the output portion of the mounting shaft rotates with the rotation of the mounting shaft; one end of the mounting cylinder facing the outside of the coating chamber is provided with a mounting seat, the second transmission unit and the second driving portion are mounted to the mounting seat respectively and rotate with the rotation of the mounting cylinder relative to the first body; the second transmission unit includes a plurality of the mounting shafts, each of the mounting shafts being rotatable relative to the second body and sealed with the second body respectively; the scanning target holder device further includes a fourth transmission unit, the fourth transmission unit being disposed outside the coating chamber, the second driving portion being in driving connection with the input portion of each of the mounting shafts through the fourth transmission unit; the second driving portion includes a rotation driving motor; the fourth transmission unit includes a rotation driving master gear and a plurality of rotation driving slave gears; the rotation driving master gear is coaxially connected with the rotation driving motor; each of the rotation driving slave gears is coaxially connected with the input portion of each of the mounting shafts; the rotation driving master gear is in engagement with each of the rotation driving slave gears.

2. The pulsed laser deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first body and the mounting cylinder are sealed by a magnetic fluid sealing structure; and / or, the second body and the mounting shaft are sealed by a magnetic fluid sealing structure.

3. The pulsed laser deposition apparatus of claim 1, wherein a third transmission unit is further included; the first driving portion includes a revolution driving motor, the revolution driving motor being in driving connection with the second transmission unit through the third transmission unit.

4. The pulsed laser deposition apparatus of claim 3, wherein the third transmission unit includes: a revolution driving master gear coaxially connected with the revolution driving motor; a revolution driving slave gear coaxially connected with the second body; the revolution driving master gear is in engagement with the revolution driving slave gear.

5. The pulsed laser deposition apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by The output portion of the mounting shaft extends into the coating chamber through the inside of the mounting cylinder.

Citation Information

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