Online film thickness measurement device and online film thickness measurement method

Abstract

An on-line film thickness measuring device and an on-line film thickness measuring method are provided. The on-line film thickness measuring device is used to be installed on a deposition chamber of vapor phase transport deposition. The deposition chamber is provided with a transparent window. The on-line film thickness measuring device includes a fixing frame, a measuring point positioning device, a film thickness tester, a first motion device and a second motion device. The fixing frame is installed on the deposition chamber. The measuring point positioning device has a light emitter and a light receiver. The film thickness tester has a detection head and a built-in standard distance measurement. The first motion device is configured to: drive the measuring point positioning device and the film thickness tester so that the point in the triangulation is on the axis of the detection head and the first motion device stops driving. The second motion device is configured to: based on the distance, the position of the detection head relative to the light emitter before movement, and the standard distance measurement, the second motion device controls the film thickness tester so that the film thickness tester is at a position in the height direction that is at a distance of the standard distance measurement from the point on the axis of the detection head, and measures the film thickness of the coating.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of thin-film solar energy, and more particularly to an on-line film thickness measuring device and an on-line film thickness measuring method. Background Art

[0002] For the film thickness test of the coating on the substrate of a thin-film solar cell, there are currently two film thickness test methods used in the production line.

[0003] One method is off-line testing, that is, the substrate is transferred from the production line to a separate detection station for fixation, and the test probe moves to complete the measurement of the film thickness of the coating. The result measured by this method has high accuracy, but due to being separated from the production line, the timeliness is low.

[0004] Another method is on-line testing. The film thickness tester is integrated into the deposition chamber. The detection head of the film thickness tester is fixed, and the detection head emits light downward along its own vertical axis and receives the light vertically reflected by the coating on the substrate along the axis to measure the film thickness. The film thickness tester has a built-in standard ranging. Only when the distance from the detection head to the coating on the substrate is the standard ranging can an effective measurement of the film thickness of the coating be carried out.

[0005] However, in the thin-film solar energy preparation process, VTD (Vapor transport Deposition) is its core coating equipment. However, due to the high heating source and film-forming temperature, for example, for CdTe coating, it reaches 700 °C or above, for PSCs coating, it reaches 400 °C, and for CIGS coating, it reaches 200 °C. This will cause thermal deformation of the substrate, and further cause the coating on the thermally deformed substrate to also deform.

[0006] In addition, after the coating material of the feed source is heated, it will volatilize and diffuse to various parts of the deposition chamber; during continuous production, there is a spacing between adjacent substrates transported by the transmission roller wheels, resulting in the transmission roller wheels in the deposition chamber gradually depositing the coating material. According to actual production experience, after the coating material completely volatilizes, the diameter of the transmission roller wheels will increase.

[0007] Because the detection head of the film thickness tester is fixed, in vapor transport deposition, whether it is the thermal deformation of the substrate or the increase in the diameter of the transmission roller wheels due to the deposition of the coating material, it will affect the distance between the detection head and the coating on the substrate. When the distance between the detection head and the coating on the substrate is not the standard ranging, the spectrum obtained by the film thickness tester through the emitted light and the received reflected light of the detection head will deviate. This deviation will reduce the accuracy of the film thickness of the coating constructed by the spectrum, and even the film thickness of the coating cannot be obtained. Summary of the Invention

[0008] In view of the problems existing in the background art, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an on-line film thickness measuring device and an on-line film thickness measuring method, which can improve the accuracy of measuring the film thickness of the coating on the substrate in the vapor phase transport deposition for on-line testing of the film thickness of the coating on the substrate.

[0009] Accordingly, an on-line film thickness measuring device is provided. The on-line film thickness measuring device is used to be installed on a deposition chamber of vapor transport deposition. A plurality of driving rollers are installed in the deposition chamber, which are aligned in the height direction and arranged at intervals in the length direction. The deposition chamber is provided with an inlet and an outlet at both ends in the length direction. The deposition chamber is heated to maintain the deposition temperature inside the deposition chamber required for vapor transport deposition. The inside of the deposition chamber communicates with a feeding source for supplying carrier gas and vapor of coating material. The inside of the deposition chamber communicates with a vacuum pumping device for maintaining the vacuum degree inside the deposition chamber in a flow-through manner. The plurality of driving rollers are used to carry a plurality of substrates entering from the inlet and transport the plurality of substrates to the outlet at intervals in the length direction. At a deposition position between the outlet and the inlet, vapor of the coating material transported by the carrier gas passing through the deposition chamber is used to deposit a coating on the corresponding substrate reaching this position. A transparent window is provided on the top wall of the deposition chamber downstream adjacent to the deposition position. The on-line film thickness measuring device includes a fixing frame, a measuring point positioning device, a film thickness tester, a first motion device, and a second motion device. The fixing frame is installed on the top wall of the deposition chamber and is located on one side in the length direction of the transparent window. The measuring point positioning device has a light emitter and a light receiver. The light emitter and the light receiver are arranged such that the emitted light emitted by the light emitter can pass through the transparent window and be incident on the point of the coating of the substrate after deposition, and the reflected light reflected at the point can pass through the transparent window and be received by the light receiver, so that the measuring point positioning device can use the triangulation method to measure the distance from the light emitter to the point in the height direction. The film thickness tester has a detection head. The detection head is aligned with the transparent window in the height direction. The detection head emits light vertically downward along the axis and receives the light reflected vertically along the axis. The axis of the detection head is in a plane perpendicular to the length direction formed by the height direction and the width direction and is parallel to each other along the width direction with the first center line of the light emitter and the second center line of the light receiver. The distance between the axis of the detection head and the first center line of the light emitter is a first distance. The film thickness tester is used to measure the film thickness at the point of the coating on the axis of the detection head of the substrate after deposition. The film thickness tester is internally provided with a standard ranging. The first motion device is installed on the fixing frame. The first motion device is communicatively connected to the measuring point positioning device and the film thickness tester. The first motion device is connected to the measuring point positioning device and the film thickness tester. The first motion device is configured to: drive the measuring point positioning device and the film thickness tester to move vertically up and down together in the height direction, so that the point in the triangulation of the measuring point positioning device is on the axis of the detection head and the first motion device stops driving.The second motion device is installed on the first motion device. The second motion device is connected to the film thickness tester and can drive the film thickness tester in the height direction relative to the first motion device. The measuring point positioning device is communicatively connected to the measuring point positioning device, the film thickness tester, and the first motion device. The second motion device is configured to: after the first motion device stops driving the measuring point positioning device and the film thickness tester, based on the relationship among the distance obtained by triangulation to the point on the axis of the probe head, the pre-motion position of the probe head relative to the light emitter, and the standard ranging, the second motion device controls the film thickness tester to move vertically up and down in the height direction so that the film thickness tester is at a position in the height direction that is at a standard ranging distance from the point on the axis of the probe head that has reached, and then the probe head of the film thickness tester measures the film thickness of the deposited film.

[0010] An on-line film thickness measurement method uses the aforementioned on-line film thickness measurement device. The on-line film thickness measurement device is installed on the deposition chamber of vapor transport deposition. A plurality of driving roller wheels are installed in the deposition chamber and are aligned in the height direction and arranged at intervals in the length direction. The deposition chamber is provided with an inlet and an outlet at both ends in the length direction. The deposition chamber is heated to maintain the deposition temperature inside the deposition chamber required for vapor transport deposition. The inside of the deposition chamber is connected to a feed source for supplying carrier gas and vapor of the coating material. The inside of the deposition chamber is connected to a vacuum pumping device for maintaining the vacuum degree inside the deposition chamber in a flow-through manner. The plurality of driving roller wheels are used to carry a plurality of substrates entering from the inlet and transport the plurality of substrates to the outlet at intervals in the length direction. At the deposition position between the outlet and the inlet, the vapor of the coating material transported by the carrier gas passing through the deposition chamber deposits a film on the corresponding substrate that has reached that position. A transparent window is provided on the top wall of the deposition chamber immediately downstream of the deposition position.

[0011] The beneficial effects of the present disclosure are as follows.

[0012] In the on-line film thickness measuring device and the on-line film thickness measuring method of the present disclosure, through the cooperation of the measuring point positioning device and the first moving device capable of driving the measuring point positioning device and the film thickness measuring instrument to move vertically up and down in the height direction together, the position of the reflected point can be determined to be directly below the detection head, and further, the distance from the position of the reflected point directly below the detection head to the light emitter in the height direction can be determined. Based on the distance and the standard ranging built in the film thickness measuring instrument, the deviation in the height direction between the height (i.e., this distance) of the coating point on the substrate after deposition measured by the measuring point positioning device and the standard ranging built in the film thickness measuring instrument can be determined. Then, by comparing the pre-movement position of the detection head relative to the light emitter with this deviation, the second moving device can control the film thickness measuring instrument to move vertically up and down in the height direction, so that the film thickness measuring instrument is at a position in the height direction that is at a standard ranging distance from the point on the axis of the arrival detection head. Furthermore, the detection head of the film thickness measuring instrument measures the film thickness of the coating, realizing the on-line measurement of the film thickness of the coating on the substrate in vapor transport deposition (i.e., measuring at the deposition chamber). Thus, the detection head measures the film thickness of the coating at a height that is at a standard ranging distance from the point directly below the arrival detection head. This avoids the influence on the distance between the detection head and the coating on the substrate caused by either the thermal deformation of the substrate or the increase in the diameter of the driving roller due to the deposition of the coating material in the background art when the detection head of the film thickness measuring instrument is fixed. It ensures that the spectrum obtained by the detection head emitting light vertically downward along the axis and receiving the light reflected vertically along the axis from the point directly below the detection head does not deviate, thereby guaranteeing the accuracy of the film thickness of the coating constructed through the spectrum and realizing the effective measurement of the film thickness of the coating. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Figure 1 FIG. is a schematic diagram of an on-line film thickness measuring device according to the present disclosure. For clarity, the measuring point positioning device and the second moving device are not shown.

[0014] Figure 2 FIG. is a schematic perspective view for explaining the relationship among the measuring point positioning device, the film thickness measuring instrument, the first moving device, the second moving device, and the fixing frame.

[0015] Figure 3 FIG. is a schematic diagram for explaining that the measuring point positioning device is based on triangulation and the first moving device drives the measuring point positioning device and the film thickness measuring instrument to move together.

[0016] Figure 4 FIG. is a schematic diagram for explaining that the second moving device drives the film thickness measuring instrument to move relative to the measuring point positioning device and the first moving device. Among them, the empty arrow represents the moving direction of the detection head driven by the second moving device, and the text "not moving" represents that the second moving device does not need to drive the detection head to move.

[0017] Figure 5 It is an explanatory diagram for explaining the position of a determined point on a substrate.

[0018] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of multiple on-line film thickness measuring devices on a deposition chamber, where the on-line film thickness measuring devices are only schematically shown as squares.

[0019] Among them, the reference numerals are explained as follows:

[0020] X length direction

[0021] Y width direction

[0022] Z height direction

[0023] 100 On-line film thickness measuring device

[0024] 1 Fixing bracket

[0025] 2 Measuring point positioning device

[0026] 21 Light emitter

[0027] 211 First center line

[0028] α Angle between the incident light ray and the first center line

[0029] 22 Light receiver

[0030] 221 Second center line

[0031] 222 Lens

[0032] f Focal length

[0033] 223 Offset detector

[0034] β Angle between the reflected light ray and the offset detector

[0035] ΔYc Center distance between the first center line and the second center line

[0036] L Offset of the position of the reflected light ray on the offset detector relative to the second center line

[0037] d Distance from the light emitter to the point in the height direction

[0038] 3 Film thickness tester

[0039] 31 Probe

[0040] 311 Axis

[0041] ΔYt First spacing

[0042] 4 First motion device

[0043] 41 Motor

[0044] 42 Coupling

[0045] 43 Lead Screw

[0046] 44 Guide Rail

[0047] 45 Slide Block

[0048] 46 Fixed Block

[0049] 5 The Second Motion Device

[0050] 200 Deposition Chamber

[0051] 200a Top Wall

[0052] W Transparent Window

[0053] 200b Front Wall

[0054] 200c Left Wall

[0055] DP Deposition Position

[0056] 300 Driving Roller

[0057] 400 Inlet

[0058] 500 Outlet

[0059] 600 Substrate

[0060] P Point

[0061] 600a Substrate Head Edge

[0062] 600b Substrate Side Edge

[0063] 600c Substrate Corner Point Detailed Implementation Manner

[0064] The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure, and it will be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the present disclosure, and the present disclosure can be implemented in various forms. Therefore, the specific details disclosed herein should not be construed as limiting, but only as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching those of ordinary skill in the art to implement the present disclosure in various ways.

[0065] [On-line Film Thickness Measuring Device]

[0066] Referring to Figures 1 to 4 , the on-line film thickness measuring device 100 according to the present disclosure is for installation on the deposition chamber 200 of vapor phase transport deposition.

[0067] A plurality of driving rollers 300 are installed in the deposition chamber 200, aligned in the height direction Z and spaced in the length direction X. The deposition chamber 200 is provided with an inlet 400 and an outlet 500 at both ends in the length direction X. The deposition chamber 200 is heated to maintain the deposition temperature inside the deposition chamber 200 required for vapor transport deposition. The inside of the deposition chamber 200 communicates with a feed source (not shown) for supplying carrier gas and vapor of the coating material. The inside of the deposition chamber 200 communicates with a vacuum pumping device (not shown) for maintaining the vacuum inside the deposition chamber 200 in a flow-through manner. The plurality of driving rollers 300 are used to carry a plurality of substrates 600 entering from the inlet 400 and transport the plurality of substrates 600 to the outlet 500 at intervals in the length direction X. At the deposition position DP between the outlet 500 and the inlet 400, vapor of the coating material transported by the carrier gas passing through the deposition chamber 200 is deposited on the corresponding substrate 600 reaching this position. A viewing window W is provided on the top wall 200a of the deposition chamber 200 immediately downstream of the deposition position DP.

[0068] The on-line film thickness measuring device 100 includes a fixing frame 1, a measuring point positioning device 2, a film thickness measuring instrument 3, a first moving device 4, and a second moving device 5.

[0069] The fixing frame 1 is installed on the top wall 200a of the deposition chamber 200 and is located on one side of the viewing window W in the length direction X.

[0070] The measuring point positioning device 2 has a light emitter 21 and a light receiver 22. The light emitter 21 and the light receiver 22 are arranged such that the emitted light emitted by the light emitter 21 can pass through the viewing window W and be incident on the point P of the coating on the substrate 600 after deposition, and the reflected light reflected at the point P can pass through the viewing window W and be received by the light receiver 22, so that the measuring point positioning device 2 can measure the distance d from the light emitter 21 to the point P in the height direction Z by using the triangulation method.

[0071] The film thickness measuring instrument 3 has a probe head 31. The probe head 31 is aligned with the viewing window W in the height direction Z. The probe head 31 emits light vertically downward along the axis 311 and receives the light reflected vertically along the axis 311. The axis 311 of the probe head 31 and the first center line 211 of the light emitter 21 and the second center line 221 of the light receiver 22 are in a plane perpendicular to the length direction X formed by the height direction Z and the width direction Y and are parallel to each other along the width direction Y. The distance between the axis 311 of the probe head 31 and the first center line 211 of the light emitter 21 is the first spacing ΔYt. The film thickness measuring instrument 3 is used to measure the film thickness at the point P of the coating on the substrate 600 located on the axis 311 of the probe head 31 after deposition. The film thickness measuring instrument 3 is internally provided with a standard ranging Zb.

[0072] The first motion device 4 is installed on the fixed frame 1. The first motion device 4 is communicatively connected to the measuring point positioning device 2 and the film thickness tester 3. The first motion device 4 is connected to the measuring point positioning device 2 and the film thickness tester 3. The first motion device 4 is configured to: drive the measuring point positioning device 2 and the film thickness tester 3 to move vertically up and down together in the height direction Z, so that the point P in the triangulation of the measuring point positioning device 2 is on the axis 311 of the probe 31 and the first motion device 4 stops driving;

[0073] The second motion device 5 is installed on the first motion device 4. The second motion device 5 is connected to the film thickness tester 3 and can drive the film thickness tester 3 to move relative to the first motion device 4 and the measuring point positioning device 2 in the height direction Z. The second motion device 5 is communicatively connected to the measuring point positioning device 2, the film thickness tester 3 and the first motion device 4. The second motion device 5 is configured to: after the first motion device 4 stops driving the measuring point positioning device 2 and the film thickness tester 3, based on the relationship between the distance d obtained by triangulation to the point P on the axis 311 of the probe 31, the pre-movement position Z0 of the probe 31 relative to the light emitter 21, and the standard ranging Zb, the second motion device 5 controls the film thickness tester 3 to move vertically up and down in the height direction Z, so that the film thickness tester 3 is at a position in the height direction Z that is at a distance of the standard ranging Zb from the point P on the axis 311 of the probe 31 that has reached, and then the probe 31 of the film thickness tester 3 measures the film thickness of the coating.

[0074] During operation,

[0075] The measuring point positioning device 2 determines the distance d from the light emitter 21 to the reflected point P in the height direction Z by triangulation based on the emitted light of the light emitter 21 and the reflected light received by the light receiver 22, and determines the first interval ΔY1 in the width direction Y between the point P and the first center line 211 of the light emitter 21.

[0076] When the first interval ΔY1 is equal to the first distance ΔYt, the first motion device 4 does not need to drive the measuring point positioning device 2 and the film thickness tester 3 to move vertically in the height direction Z. At this time, the reflected point P is on the axis 311 of the probe 31, that is, the reflected point P is directly below the probe 31 that has reached;

[0077] When the first interval ΔY1 is less than the first distance ΔYt, the first motion device 4 drives the measuring point positioning device 2 and the film thickness tester 3 to move vertically upward in the height direction Z to move away from the substrate 600 while continuously measuring the changing distance d from the light emitter 21 to the reflected point P in the height direction Z and determining the changing first interval ΔY1. When the changing first interval ΔY1 is equal to the first distance ΔYt, the first motion device 4 stops. At this time, the reflected point P is on the axis 311 of the probe 31, that is, the point P is directly below the probe 31 that has reached;

[0078] When the first interval ΔY1 is greater than the first pitch ΔYt, the first moving device 4 drives the measuring point positioning device 2 and the film thickness measuring instrument 3 to move vertically downward in the height direction Z to approach the substrate 600 while continuously measuring the changing distance d from the light emitter 21 to the reflected point P in the height direction Z, and determining the changed first interval ΔY1. When the changed first interval ΔY1 is equal to the first pitch ΔYt, the first moving device 4 stops. At this time, the reflected point P is on the axis 311 of the probe head 31, that is, the point P is directly below the probe head 31 at this time;

[0079] After the first moving device 4 stops driving the measuring point positioning device 2 and the film thickness measuring instrument 3,

[0080] Based on the relationship between the pre-movement position Z0 of the probe head 31 relative to the light emitter 21 and the standard ranging Zb, it is determined whether the second moving device 5 drives the film thickness measuring instrument 3 to move up and down in the height direction Z,

[0081] If the pre-movement position Z0 of the probe head 31 relative to the light emitter 21 makes the probe head 31 at the standard ranging Zb, then the second moving device 5 does not need to drive and control the film thickness measuring instrument 3 to move vertically up and down in the height direction Z, and the probe head 31 of the film thickness measuring instrument 3 immediately measures the film thickness of the coating,

[0082] If the pre-movement position Z0 of the probe head 31 relative to the light emitter 21 makes the probe head 31 not at the standard ranging Zb, then the second moving device 5 needs to drive the film thickness measuring instrument 3 to move from the pre-movement position Z0 to the position of the standard ranging Zb in the height direction Z, and then the probe head 31 of the film thickness measuring instrument 3 measures the film thickness of the coating.

[0083] In the on-line film thickness measuring device 100 of the present disclosure, since the on-line film thickness measuring device 100 is provided on the top wall 200a of the deposition chamber 200, the timeliness of the feedback of measuring the film thickness of the coating deposited by gas-phase transport can be improved; since the on-line film thickness measuring device 100 is adjacent to the deposition position DP of gas-phase transport deposition, immediately after the substrate 600 is coated, the film thickness of the coating is measured, further improving the timeliness of the feedback of measuring the film thickness of the coating deposited by gas-phase transport. Especially in the case where the driving roller 300 in the deposition chamber 200 does not stop transporting the substrate 600, the substrate 600 is thermally deformed, and the diameter of the driving roller 300 increases due to the deposition of the coating material, determining the film thickness of the coating on the substrate 600 just deposited in the deposition chamber 200 in real time in this case will further enhance the timeliness of the feedback of measuring the film thickness of the coating deposited by gas-phase transport.

[0084] In the on-line film thickness measuring device 100 of the present disclosure, through the cooperation of the measuring point positioning device 2 and the first moving device 4 capable of driving the measuring point positioning device 2 and the film thickness measuring instrument 3 to move vertically up and down along the height direction Z, it is possible to determine that the reflected point P is directly below the detection head 31, and further determine the distance d between the reflected point P directly below the detection head 31 and the light emitter 21 in the height direction Z. Based on the distance d and the standard ranging Zb built in the film thickness measuring instrument 3, it is possible to determine the deviation in the height direction Z between the height (i.e., the distance d) of the point P of the coating on the substrate 600 after deposition measured by the measuring point positioning device 21 and the standard ranging Zb built in the film thickness measuring instrument 3. Then, by comparing the pre-movement position Z0 of the detection head 31 relative to the light emitter 21 with this deviation, the second moving device 5 can control the film thickness measuring instrument 3 to move vertically up and down in the height direction Z so that the film thickness measuring instrument 3 is at a position in the height direction Z that is at a distance of the standard ranging Zb from the point P on the axis 311 of the arrival detection head 31. Furthermore, the detection head 31 of the film thickness measuring instrument 3 measures the film thickness of the coating, realizing the on-line measurement of the film thickness of the coating on the substrate 600 in vapor transport deposition (i.e., measuring at the deposition chamber 200). Thus, the detection head 31 measures the film thickness of the coating at a height that is at a distance of the standard ranging Zb from the point P directly below the arrival detection head 31. This avoids the influence on the distance between the detection head and the coating on the substrate caused by either the thermal deformation of the substrate or the increase in the diameter of the drive roller due to the deposition of the coating material in the background art when the detection head of the film thickness measuring instrument is fixed. This ensures that the spectrum obtained by the detection head 31 of the film thickness measuring instrument receiving the light vertically reflected from the point P directly below the detection head 31 along the axis 311 of the vertically downward emitted light does not deviate, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the film thickness of the coating obtained by spectral construction and realizing the effective measurement of the film thickness of the coating.

[0085] In the on-line film thickness measuring device 100 of the present disclosure, the measuring point positioning device 2 determines the point P to be on the axis 311 of the detection head 31 by triangulation so that the film thickness measuring instrument 3 measures the film thickness of the coating for the point P on the axis 311 of the detection head 31. When the measuring point positioning device 2 measures the film thicknesses of multiple points P along the same straight line in the length direction X (because the position of the axis 311 of the detection head 31 of the film thickness measuring instrument 3 is fixed and usually the attitude of the substrate 600 in the width direction Y is fixed during the transportation of the substrate 600 by the drive roller 300), the distribution of the film thicknesses on the same straight line can be used as an indirect basis for the combined influence of the thermal deformation of the substrate 600 on the same straight line and the increase in the diameter of the drive roller 300 due to the deposition of the coating material, providing a basis for the subsequent deposition temperature control and anti-deposition, cleaning or other treatments of the drive roller 300.

[0086] In one embodiment, as Figure 3 shown, the optical receiver 22 of the measurement point positioning device 2 has a lens 222 and an offset detector 223, and the lens 222 and the offset detector 223 are spaced by the focal length f of the lens 222 in the height direction Z.

[0087] In the triangulation of the measurement point positioning device 2, referring to Figure 3 either of the left and right figures of, the angle α between the incident light ray and the first center line 221, the center distance ΔYc between the first center line 211 and the second center line 221, the first distance ΔYt (the distance between the axis 311 of the probe head 31 and the first center line 211 of the light emitter 21), and the height direction Z between the lens 222 and the offset detector 223 are all known. The offset L of the position of the reflected light ray on the offset detector 223 relative to the second center line 221 is determined by the optical receiver 22. Based on the focal length f and the offset L, the angle β between the reflected light ray and the offset detector 223 can be determined based on the triangular relationship (such as the shaded triangle in the enlarged view of Figure 3 ). In this way, when the center distance ΔYc between the first center line 211 and the second center line 221 is known, the angle α between the incident light ray and the first center line 221 is known, and the angle β between the reflected light ray and the offset detector 223 can be determined, the distance d from the light emitter 21 to the point P in the height direction Z can be determined through the triangular relationship, that is, the distance d from the light emitter 21 to the point P in the height direction Z is measured by the triangulation method (here, the connection line between the offset detector 223 and the light emission point of the light emitter 21 is in the Y direction). Further, since the distance d is determined, based on the angle α between the incident light ray and the first center line 221, the first interval ΔY1 is also determined. Referring to Figure 3 the left and right figures of, based on the relationship between the first interval ΔY1 and the first distance ΔYt, it is also possible to determine whether the point P is on the axis 311 of the probe head 31.

[0088] Further, the offset detector 223 can be, but is not limited to, a CCD detector or a CMOS detector.

[0089] Further, the probe head 31 of the film thickness tester 3 is a sensor that emits and reflects laser coaxially in the height direction Z. For example, the probe head 31 is a FILMETRICS film thickness measuring instrument.

[0090] In one example, the first motion device 4 uses a lead screw nut slider to drive and connect the measurement point positioning device 2 and the film thickness tester 3. Using a lead screw nut slider drive can improve the displacement accuracy of the first motion device 4 to drive the measurement point positioning device 2 and the film thickness tester 3 to move vertically up and down together in the height direction Z.

[0091] In one example, referring to Figure 1, the first motion device 4 includes a motor 41, a coupling 42, a lead screw 43, a guide rail 44, a slider 45, and a fixed block 46. The motor 41 is installed on the fixed frame 1. The coupling 42 connects the motor 41 and the lead screw 43 so that the motor 41 drives the lead screw 43 to rotate. The lead screw 43 extends vertically downward along the height direction Z. The guide rail 44 is installed on the fixed frame 1 and is located on both sides of the lead screw 43 along the width direction Y. The slider 45 is slidably engaged with the guide rail 44 and is connected to the lead screw 43 via a nut (not shown) so that the rotation of the lead screw 43 is converted into the vertical up and down translation of the slider 45 along the guide rail 44. The fixed block 46 is fixed to the slider 45 and is fixedly connected to the measuring point positioning device 2 and the film thickness tester 3.

[0092] As Figure 2 shown, in one example, the second motion device 5 is installed on the fixed block 46. For example, the second motion device 5 is a linear motor, a linear cylinder, or a device using a lead screw-nut-slider drive.

[0093] In one example, referring to Figure 1 and Figure 5 , the inner surface of the left wall 200c at the entrance 400 of the deposition chamber 200 is used as the position reference point in the length direction X. Based on the distance X1 between the inner surface of the left wall 200c and the axis 311 of the probe head 31 and the speed at which the plurality of drive rollers 300 transport the substrate 600 in the length direction X, the first time when the leading edge 600a of the substrate enters from the inner surface of the left wall 200c and reaches the axis 311 of the probe head 31 can be determined. Further, based on the speed at which the plurality of drive rollers 300 transport the substrate 600 in the length direction X and the second time point when the point P determined by the measuring point positioning device 2 is on the axis 311 of the probe head 31, the time difference determined by the first time point and the second time point and the speed at which the plurality of drive rollers 300 transport the substrate 600 in the length direction X can be used to determine the position Xp of the point P on the substrate 600 relative to the leading edge 600a of the substrate. The inner surface of the front wall 200b of the deposition chamber 200 is used as the position reference point in the width direction Y. Based on the distance Y1 between the axis 311 of the probe head 31 and the inner surface of the front wall 200b and the distance Y2 determined between the substrate 600 and the inner surface of the front wall 200b, the position Yp of the point P on the substrate 600 relative to the side edge 600b of the substrate can be determined. That is, taking the Figure 4 lower right corner point 600c of the substrate as the origin of the local coordinates of the substrate 600.

[0094] As Figure 6As shown, there are multiple online film thickness measurement devices 100, which are arranged at intervals along the width direction Y on the same side of the window W. As previously described, each online film thickness measurement device 100 measures the distribution of film thickness at multiple points P located on the same straight line extending along the length direction X, while multiple online film thickness measurement devices 100 measure the distribution of film thickness at points P located on multiple straight lines distributed along the Y direction. This allows for full-area film thickness measurement on a single substrate 600, enabling online real-time analysis of overall film thickness uniformity and even real-time analysis of the combined effects of thermal deformation of the substrate 600 and the increase in diameter of the drive roller 300 due to deposition of the coating material.

[0095] like Figure 6 As shown, the transparent window W is a single transparent window extending along the width direction Y.

[0096] In VTD, the deposition chamber 200 can be heated from outside the deposition chamber 200. The carrier gas can be nitrogen, neon, argon or krypton. The coating material can be, but is not limited to, CdTe, CIGS or PSCs. The substrate 600 can be glass, and further can be tempered glass. In one example, the drive rollers 300 in the deposition chamber 200 are all heated rollers. In one example, a vacuum pump (not shown) is connected to the interior of the deposition chamber 200 via the outlet 500 of the deposition chamber 200.

[0097] [Online film thickness measurement method]

[0098] The online film thickness measurement method according to the present disclosure employs the aforementioned online film thickness measurement device 100 .

[0099] The online film thickness measurement device 100 is installed in the deposition chamber 200 of vapor transport deposition (VTD). A plurality of drive rollers 300 are installed in the deposition chamber 200, which are aligned in the height direction Z and spaced apart in the length direction X. The deposition chamber 200 is provided with an inlet 400 and an outlet 500 at both ends of the length direction X. The deposition chamber 200 is heated to maintain the deposition temperature required for vapor transport deposition. The interior of the deposition chamber 200 is connected to a supply source (not shown) for supplying carrier gas and vapor of the coating material. The interior of the deposition chamber 200 is also connected to a vacuum pump that maintains the vacuum level inside the deposition chamber 200 in a flow-through manner. The device (not shown) is configured to carry a plurality of substrates 600 entering from the inlet 400 and transport the plurality of substrates 600 to the outlet 500 at intervals in the length direction X. A film is deposited on the corresponding substrates 600 arriving at the deposition position DP between the outlet 500 and the inlet 400 via the vapor of the coating material transported by the carrier gas entering the deposition chamber 200. A transparent window W is provided on the top wall 200a of the deposition chamber 200 immediately downstream of the deposition position DP.

[0100] For the descriptions of various features, effects, and operations of the on-line film thickness measuring device 100, please refer to the foregoing, and will not be elaborated herein. For the effects achieved by the on-line film thickness measuring method according to the present disclosure due to the use of the line film thickness measuring device 100, please refer to the foregoing, and will not be elaborated herein.

[0101] Multiple exemplary embodiments are described with the above detailed descriptions, but the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the explicitly disclosed combinations. Therefore, unless otherwise specified, the various features disclosed herein can be combined together to form multiple additional combinations that are not shown for the purpose of brevity.

Claims

1. An on-line film thickness measuring device, characterized in that the on-line film thickness measuring device (100) is used to be installed on the deposition chamber (200) of vapor transport deposition; a plurality of driving rollers (300) aligned in the height direction (Z) and arranged at intervals in the length direction (X) are installed in the deposition chamber (200). An inlet (400) and an outlet (500) are provided at both ends of the deposition chamber (200) in the length direction (X). The deposition chamber (200) is heated to maintain the deposition temperature inside the deposition chamber (200) required for vapor transport deposition. The inside of the deposition chamber (200) is communicated with a feeding source for supplying carrier gas and vapor of coating material. The inside of the deposition chamber (200) is communicated with a vacuum pumping device for maintaining the internal vacuum degree of the deposition chamber (200) in a flow-through manner. The plurality of driving rollers (300) are used to carry a plurality of substrates (600) entering from the inlet (400) and transport the plurality of substrates (600) to the outlet (500) at intervals in the length direction (X). At the deposition position (DP) between the outlet (500) and the inlet (400), vapor of the coating material transported by the carrier gas passing through the deposition chamber (200) deposits a coating on the corresponding substrate (600) reaching this position. A transparent window (W) is provided on the top wall (200a) of the deposition chamber (200) immediately downstream of the deposition position (DP); the on-line film thickness measuring device (100) includes a fixed frame (1), a measuring point positioning device (2), a film thickness measuring instrument (3), a first moving device (4) and a second moving device (5), the fixed frame (1) is installed on the top wall (200a) of the deposition chamber (200) and is located on one side of the transparent window (W) in the length direction (X), the measuring point positioning device (2) has a light emitter (21) and a light receiver (22). The light emitter (21) and the light receiver (22) are arranged such that the emitted light ray emitted by the light emitter (21) can pass through the transparent window (W) and be incident on the point (P) of the coating of the substrate (600) after deposition, and the reflected light ray reflected at the point (P) can pass through the transparent window (W) and be received by the light receiver (22), so that the measuring point positioning device (2) can measure the distance (d) from the light emitter (21) to the point (P) in the height direction (Z) by the triangulation method; The film thickness tester (3) has a detection head (31). The detection head (31) is aligned with the transparent window (W) in the height direction (Z). The detection head (31) emits light vertically downward along the axis (311) and receives the light reflected vertically along the axis (311). The axis (311) of the detection head (31) is in the plane formed by the height direction (Z) and the width direction (Y) perpendicular to the length direction (X) and is parallel to each other along the width direction (Y) with the first center line (211) of the light emitter (21) and the second center line (221) of the light receiver (22). The distance between the axis (311) of the detection head (31) and the first center line (211) of the light emitter (21) is the first spacing (ΔYt). The film thickness tester (3) is used to measure the film thickness at the point (P) of the coating on the substrate (600) on the axis (311) of the detection head (31) after the deposition is completed. The film thickness tester (3) is built-in with a standard ranging (Zb). The first motion device (4) is installed on the fixing frame (1). The first motion device (4) is communicatively connected to the measurement point positioning device (2) and the film thickness tester (3). The first motion device (4) is connected to the measurement point positioning device (2) and the film thickness tester (3). The first motion device (4) is configured to: drive the measurement point positioning device (2) and the film thickness tester (3) to move vertically up and down together in the height direction (Z) so that the point (P) in the triangulation of the measurement point positioning device (2) is on the axis (311) of the detection head (31) and the first motion device (4) stops driving. The second motion device (5) is installed on the first motion device (4). The second motion device (5) is connected to the film thickness tester (3) and can drive the film thickness tester (3) to move relative to the first motion device (4) and the measurement point positioning device (2) in the height direction (Z). The second motion device (5) is communicatively connected to the measurement point positioning device (2), the film thickness tester (3), and the first motion device (4). The second motion device (5) is configured to: after the first motion device (4) stops driving the measurement point positioning device (2) and the film thickness tester (3), based on the relationship between the distance (d) obtained by triangulation to the point (P) on the axis (311) of the detection head (31), the pre-motion position (Z0) of the detection head (31) relative to the light emitter (21), and the standard ranging (Zb), the second motion device (5) controls the film thickness tester (3) to move vertically up and down in the height direction (Z) so that the film thickness tester (3) is at a position in the height direction (Z) that is at a distance of the standard ranging (Zb) from the point (P) on the axis (311) of the detection head (31), and then the detection head (31) of the film thickness tester (3) measures the film thickness of the coating.

2. The on-line film thickness measuring device according to claim 1, wherein The light receiver (22) of the measurement point positioning device (2) has a lens (222) and an offset detector (223). The lens (222) and the offset detector (223) are spaced by the focal length (f) of the lens (222) in the height direction (Z).

3. The on-line film thickness measuring device according to claim 2, characterized in that The offset detector (223) is a CCD detector or a CMOS detector.

4. The on-line film thickness measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that The probe head (31) of the film thickness tester (3) is a sensor that emits and reflects laser coaxially in the height direction (Z).

5. The on-line film thickness measuring device according to claim 4, characterized in that The probe head (31) is a FILMETRICS film thickness measuring instrument.

6. The on-line film thickness measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that The first motion device (4) uses a lead screw nut slider to drive and connect the measuring point positioning device (2) and the film thickness tester (3).

7. The on-line film thickness measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that There are multiple on-line film thickness measuring devices (100), and the multiple on-line film thickness measuring devices (100) are arranged at intervals in the width direction (Y) on the same side of the transparent window (W).

8. The on-line film thickness measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that The transparent window (W) is a single transparent window extending in the width direction (Y).

9. The on-line film thickness measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that The inner surface of the front wall (200b) of the deposition chamber (200) serves as a position reference point in the width direction (Y); The inner surface of the left wall (200c) at the entrance (400) of the deposition chamber (200) serves as a position reference point in the length direction (X).

10. An online film thickness measurement method, characterized in that, Using the on-line film thickness measuring device (100) described in any one of claims 1-9, The on-line film thickness measuring device (100) is installed on the deposition chamber (200) of vapor transport deposition; A plurality of driving roller wheels (300) are installed in the deposition chamber (200) and are aligned in the height direction (Z) and arranged at intervals in the length direction (X). The deposition chamber (200) is provided with an entrance (400) and an exit (500) at both ends in the length direction (X). The deposition chamber (200) is heated to maintain the deposition temperature inside the deposition chamber (200) required for vapor transport deposition. The inside of the deposition chamber (200) is connected to a feed source for supplying carrier gas and vapor of the coating material. The inside of the deposition chamber (200) is connected to a vacuum pumping device for maintaining the internal vacuum of the deposition chamber (200) in a circulating manner. The plurality of driving roller wheels (300) are used to carry a plurality of substrates (600) entering from the entrance (400) and transport the plurality of substrates (600) at intervals in the length direction (X) to the exit (500). At the deposition position (DP) between the exit (500) and the entrance (400), vapor of the coating material transported by the carrier gas passing through the deposition chamber (200) is used to deposit a coating on the corresponding substrate (600) reaching this position. A transparent window (W) is provided on the top wall (200a) of the deposition chamber (200) immediately downstream of the deposition position (DP).

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