A linear evaporation source device with height-adjustable heating filaments

Abstract

The application discloses a linear evaporation source device with adjustable heating wire height, comprising a crucible, a nozzle assembly, an upper heating assembly, a lower heating assembly, an upper driving assembly for driving the upper heating assembly to move and a lower driving assembly for driving the lower heating assembly to move, the nozzle assembly is connected above the crucible, the upper heating assembly is arranged around the nozzle assembly, and the lower heating assembly is arranged around the crucible; the linear evaporation source device can change the temperature distribution of a filling area of the crucible and an upper nozzle area by adjusting the positions of the lower heating wire and the upper heating wire, reduces the risk of material denaturation and the probability of nozzle hole blockage, and improves film forming quality and energy utilization.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of linear vapor deposition technology, and more particularly to a linear evaporation source device with adjustable heating wire height. Background Technology

[0002] In the current display industry, OLED display technology, due to its ultra-thin and lightweight characteristics, high brightness, low power consumption, and fast response speed, has become the most promising emerging technology to replace LCD liquid crystal displays. OLED technology is in a stage of rapid development. Both domestically and internationally, OLED display products are generally produced using vacuum evaporation of organic materials, and the evaporation source is the core device for organic material evaporation. Currently, the OLED industry primarily uses dot-type evaporation sources and linear evaporation sources.

[0003] Existing linear evaporation sources have the following structures: Figure 8 and 9 As shown, crucible 7-1 is located in the center, containing the material to be vaporized 7-2 and a middle plate 7-3. Above it are the crucible lid 7-4 and the nozzle 7-5. Upper heating wires 7-6 are arranged around the crucible lid and nozzle, and lower heating wires 7-7 are arranged around the lower periphery of the crucible. The lower and upper heating wires heat the vaporization material in the crucible and the nozzle area above the crucible, respectively. The material in the crucible sublimates or melts upon heating, forming a gaseous substance, which is ejected through the nozzle and forms a film on the glass substrate above (not shown in the figure). The heating wires are completely fixed relative to the crucible and nozzle, and their height cannot be adjusted. However, in practice, the ideal height of the heating wire needs to be determined through process testing for different vaporization materials. If process testing reveals that the heating wire height is unsuitable for vaporizing a certain material, but cannot be adjusted, the line source will be unsuitable for that material, reducing the practicality of the evaporation source. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Based on the technical problems existing in the background technology, the present invention proposes a linear evaporation source device with adjustable heating wire height. By adjusting the positions of the lower heating wire and the upper heating wire, the temperature distribution in the filling area and the upper nozzle area of ​​the crucible can be changed, reducing the risk of material deformation and the probability of nozzle blockage, and improving film quality and energy utilization.

[0005] The present invention proposes a linear evaporation source device with adjustable heating wire height, comprising a crucible, a nozzle assembly, an upper heating assembly, a lower heating assembly, an upper driving assembly for driving the upper heating assembly to move, and a lower driving assembly for driving the lower heating assembly to move. The nozzle assembly is connected above the crucible, the upper heating assembly is arranged around the nozzle assembly, and the lower heating assembly is arranged around the crucible.

[0006] Furthermore, the linear evaporation source device also includes an outer frame, in which the crucible, nozzle assembly, upper heating assembly, and lower heating assembly are all disposed. The outer frame has a first notch near the connection between the upper heating assembly and the upper driving assembly, and a second notch near the connection between the lower heating assembly and the lower driving assembly.

[0007] Furthermore, the upper heating assembly includes an upper heating wire and an upper bracket for fixing the upper heating wire. The upper heating wire is arranged around the nozzle assembly, and the upper bracket is slidably disposed inside the outer frame.

[0008] Furthermore, the upper drive assembly includes an upper motor, an upper ball screw, and an upper support block. One end of the upper ball screw is connected to the output end of the upper motor, and the other end extends freely. One end of the upper support block is fixedly connected to the upper bracket through a point connection, and the other end of the upper support block is sleeved on the upper ball screw and screwed to the upper ball screw.

[0009] Furthermore, the upper drive assembly also includes an upper guide rail and an upper slider slidably disposed on the upper guide rail. The upper guide rail is fixed to the outer frame, and the upper bracket is fixed to the upper slider. The extension direction of the upper guide rail is parallel to the axial direction of the upper ball screw.

[0010] Furthermore, the lower heating assembly includes a lower heating wire and a lower support for fixing the lower heating wire. The lower heating wire is arranged around the crucible, and the lower support is slidably disposed inside the outer frame.

[0011] Furthermore, the lower drive assembly includes a lower motor, a lower ball screw, and a lower support block. One end of the lower ball screw is connected to the output end of the lower motor, and the other end extends freely. One end of the lower support block is fixedly connected to the lower bracket through a point connection, and the other end of the lower support block is sleeved on the lower ball screw and screwed to the lower ball screw.

[0012] Furthermore, the lower drive assembly also includes a lower guide rail and a lower slider slidably disposed on the lower guide rail. The lower guide rail is fixed to the outer frame, and the lower bracket is fixed to the lower slider. The extension direction of the lower guide rail is parallel to the axial direction of the lower ball screw.

[0013] Furthermore, a middle plate is provided at the open end of the crucible. The height of the coverage area of ​​the upper heating wire in the upper heating assembly is set as a, the height of the coverage area of ​​the lower heating wire in the lower heating assembly is set as b, the total height from the top of the nozzle to the upper surface of the middle plate is set as c, and the height of the filling area in the crucible is set as d, where a is less than c and b is less than d.

[0014] Furthermore, a housing is provided on the outside of the outer frame, and the housing is in a vacuum state. The upper motor of the upper drive assembly is located on the outside of the housing and is connected through the housing via the upper magnetofluid. The lower motor of the lower drive assembly is located on the outside of the housing and is connected through the housing via the lower magnetofluid.

[0015] The advantages of the linear evaporation source device with adjustable heating wire height provided by this invention are as follows: By adjusting the positions of the lower and upper heating wires, the temperature distribution in the filling area and the upper nozzle area of ​​the crucible can be altered, reducing the risk of material denaturation and the probability of nozzle clogging, thereby improving film quality and energy utilization. The heating wire position can be adjusted from top to bottom according to the material consumption sequence, thus avoiding heat accumulation in the lower part of the filling area and minimizing the risk of material denaturation. By adjusting the position of the lower heating wire, heat can be provided to the material area that needs to be heated, while areas that do not need to be heated are not provided with heat, thereby reducing heat waste and improving energy utilization. When vaporizing different materials, by adjusting the lower heating wire to a suitable position, the optimal combination of material consumption sequence and heating area can be obtained. By adjusting the position of the upper heating wire, the material vapor pressure between the middle plate and the nozzle assembly can be controlled, improving film quality and material utilization. For materials prone to clogging, adjusting the position of the upper heating wire increases the heat in the area surrounding the nozzle assembly, reducing the probability of clogging. When vapor-depositing different materials, the optimal combination of material vapor pressure and heat distribution around the nozzle can be obtained by adjusting the upper heating wire to a suitable position. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 This is a top view;

[0018] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Sectional view of AA;

[0019] Figure 4 for Figure 2 Sectional view of BB;

[0020] Figure 5 for Figure 2 A magnified view of part C;

[0021] Figure 6 for Figure 3 A magnified view of part D;

[0022] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of one embodiment;

[0023] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an existing linear evaporation source;

[0024] Figure 9 for Figure 8 A sectional view;

[0025] Among them, 1-crucible, 2-nozzle assembly, 3-upper heating assembly, 4-lower heating assembly, 5-upper drive assembly, 6-lower drive assembly, 7-outer frame, 8-middle plate, 9-shell, 10-filling area, 11-temperature sensor, 31-upper heating wire, 32-upper bracket, 41-lower heating wire, 42-lower bracket, 51-upper motor, 52-upper ball screw, 53-upper support block, 54-upper guide rail, 55-upper magnetofluid, 56-upper reducer, 61-lower motor, 62-lower ball screw, 63-lower support block, 64-lower guide rail, 65-lower magnetofluid, 66-lower reducer, 71-first notch, 72-second notch. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The technical solution of the present invention will now be described in detail through specific embodiments. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, the present invention can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0027] Regardless of whether the material is sublimated or molten, the consumption sequence during vapor deposition is from top to bottom. For the lower heating wire, if it completely covers the filler area or is located at the bottom of the filler area, the lower part of the filler area will receive excessive heat. Since the material cannot be completely vaporized in a short time, heat will accumulate at the bottom, potentially causing material denaturation, terminating the vapor deposition process, and resulting in significant material waste. If the lower heating wire is located at the top of the filler area, after the upper material is consumed, the lower material will receive insufficient heat. In this case, the heating power may need to be increased to provide more heat, inevitably increasing energy consumption. For molten materials, they need to be melted into a liquid state before vapor deposition. The initial melting point after heating varies; some materials begin melting at the bottom, some in the middle, and some at the top. If the material begins melting at the top, but the lower part receives the same amount of heat, the lower material may denature due to heat accumulation before melting. The same principle applies to other situations. The existing lower heating wire is fixed and cannot be adjusted according to the melting position of the material. This may cause heat waste, or even heat accumulation and denaturation.

[0028] The upper heating wire generally serves two purposes: first, to ensure thorough heating and mixing of the material in the space between the middle plate and the nozzle, increasing the pressure of the material vapor; and second, to heat the area around the nozzle, reducing material adhesion to the nozzle's inner wall and preventing clogging. In reality, different vapor deposition materials have different characteristics. Some materials may require a specific vapor pressure to successfully form and grow a film on the substrate. If the vapor pressure is too low, the material ejection speed and quantity will be insufficient, affecting film adhesion and film uniformity. Conversely, if the vapor pressure is too high, excessive material will be ejected, leading to overconsumption and waste, reducing material utilization. Therefore, the heat in the area between the middle plate and the nozzle needs adjustment. It's important to note that the specific vapor pressure cannot be measured; it can only be judged by the quality of the film formation and the material utilization rate. Only by adjusting to a suitable vapor pressure can a good film quality and high material utilization rate be achieved. Some materials are more prone to clogging, in which case the area around the nozzle requires even more heat. The existing upper heating wire cannot be adjusted in position according to the characteristics of the material, which may affect the film formation quality and the probability of pore blockage. Therefore, this embodiment designs a scheme in which the upper heating wire and the lower heating wire can be moved and adjusted to solve the problems of energy accumulation or excessive material consumption caused by the existing fixed upper heating wire and lower heating wire.

[0029] like Figures 1 to 7 As shown, the present invention proposes a linear evaporation source device with adjustable heating wire height, including a crucible 1, a nozzle assembly 2, an upper heating assembly 3, a lower heating assembly 4, an upper driving assembly 5 for driving the upper heating assembly 3 to move, and a lower driving assembly 6 for driving the lower heating assembly 4 to move. The nozzle assembly 2 is connected above the crucible 1, the upper heating assembly 3 is arranged around the nozzle assembly 2, and the lower heating assembly 4 is arranged around the crucible 1.

[0030] Therefore, compared with the existing structure, this embodiment can change the temperature distribution in the filling area and the upper nozzle area of ​​the crucible 1 by adjusting the position of the lower heating wire 41 and the upper heating wire 31, thereby reducing the risk of material deformation and the probability of nozzle blockage, and improving film quality and energy utilization.

[0031] Specifically, the position adjustment of the lower heating wire 41 in the lower heating assembly 4 has the following effects: ① The heating wire position can be adjusted from top to bottom according to the material consumption sequence, thereby avoiding heat accumulation in the lower part of the filler area and minimizing the risk of material deformation; ② By adjusting the position of the lower heating wire, heat can be provided to the material area that needs to be heated, while no heat is provided to the area that does not need to be heated, thereby reducing heat waste and improving energy utilization. When vapor-depositing different materials, by adjusting the lower heating wire 41 to a suitable position, the optimal combination of material consumption sequence and heating area can be obtained.

[0032] Specifically, the position adjustment of the upper heating wire 31 in the upper heating assembly 3 has the following effects: ① By adjusting the position of the upper heating wire 31, the material vapor pressure between the middle plate 8 and the nozzle assembly 2 is controlled, improving the film quality and material utilization rate; ② For materials prone to clogging, adjusting the position of the upper heating wire 31 increases the heat in the area surrounding the nozzle assembly 2, reducing the probability of clogging. When vapor-depositing different materials, by adjusting the upper heating wire 31 to a suitable position, the optimal combination of material vapor pressure and heat distribution around the nozzle is achieved.

[0033] The following is a detailed explanation.

[0034] (A) In this embodiment, the linear evaporation source device also includes an outer frame 7. The crucible 1, nozzle assembly 2, upper heating assembly 3, and lower heating assembly 4 are all disposed in the outer frame 7. The outer frame 7 has a first notch 71 near the connection between the upper heating assembly 3 and the upper driving assembly 5, and a second notch 72 near the connection between the lower heating assembly 4 and the lower driving assembly 6. The outer frame 7 is not only used for the appearance of the crucible 1 and nozzle assembly 2, but also serves as a fixed base for the movement of the upper heating assembly 3 and the lower heating assembly 4. The first notch 71 and the second notch 72 are provided to provide space for the installation and movement of the upper heating assembly 3 and the lower heating assembly 4.

[0035] The outer frame 7 has a housing 9 on its outer side. The housing 9 is in a vacuum state. The upper motor 51 of the upper drive assembly 5 is located on the outside of the housing 9 and is installed through the housing 9 via the upper magnetofluid 55. The lower motor 61 of the lower drive assembly 6 is located on the outside of the housing 9 and is installed through the housing 9 via the lower magnetofluid 65.

[0036] A middle plate 8 is provided at the open end of the crucible 1. The height of the coverage area of ​​the upper heating wire 31 in the upper heating assembly 3 is set as a, the height of the coverage area of ​​the lower heating wire 41 in the lower heating assembly 4 is set as b, the total height from the top of the nozzle to the upper surface of the middle plate 8 is set as c, and the height of the filling area 10 in the crucible 1 is set as d. a is less than c, and b is less than d.

[0037] In existing linear evaporation sources, a and c are not significantly different, or even tend to be the same, and b is not significantly different, or even tends to be the same, as in d. The purpose of this existing setup is to enable the heating wire to heat the filling area and nozzle position in the crucible as a whole, thereby ensuring that the area to be heated is in the heating zone to the greatest extent. However, in this embodiment, a and b can be appropriately smaller, such as 1 / 2 or 1 / 3 of c and d, respectively. This not only reduces costs but also makes the temperature distribution change more obvious after the height of the heating wires (upper heating wire 31 and lower heating wire 41) is adjusted. This is because if the covered area is large, the impact of the heating wire height change on the temperature distribution will be smaller, and the impact of the heating wire height adjustment on the heating area and heat distribution cannot be fully reflected.

[0038] (A1) Specifically, the vertical movement of the upper heating component 3 is as follows:

[0039] The upper heating assembly 3 includes an upper heating wire 31 and an upper support 32 for fixing the upper heating wire 31. The upper heating wire 31 is arranged around the nozzle assembly 2, and the upper support 32 is slidably arranged inside the outer frame 7. Specifically, four upper heating wires 31 are connected end to end to form a hollow frame, and the nozzle assembly 2 is arranged in the hollow frame, forming a structure in which the upper heating wire 31 surrounds the nozzle assembly 2. By adjusting the up and down movement of the upper heating wire 31, different positions of the nozzle assembly 2 are heated to adjust the vapor pressure between the middle plate and the nozzle assembly, thereby achieving the effects of high film quality and high material utilization.

[0040] The upper drive assembly 5 includes an upper motor 51, an upper ball screw 52, ​​and an upper support block 53. One end of the upper ball screw 52 is connected to the output end of the upper motor 51, and the other end extends freely. One end of the upper support block 53 is fixedly connected to the upper bracket 32 ​​through a point connection, and the other end of the upper support block 53 is sleeved on the upper ball screw 52 and screwed to the upper ball screw 52.

[0041] The upper motor 51 is inserted into the housing 9 via the upper magnetic fluid 55. The flange face of the upper magnetic fluid 55 on the atmospheric side is connected to the bottom plate of the housing, with an O-ring seal in between to ensure a vacuum seal. The upper motor 51 and the upper ball screw 52 are connected by a coupling. The end face of the upper support block 53 is machined into a spherical protrusion, and the contact form with the upper bracket 32 ​​is point contact, such as... Figure 5 and 6 As shown, this reduces heat conduction between the contact parts, and the upper support block 53 is made of a material with a high melting point and low thermal conductivity, such as ceramic. The upper bracket 32 ​​and the upper support block 53 can be connected by screws or other means.

[0042] The upper drive assembly 5 also includes an upper guide rail 54 and an upper slider slidably disposed on the upper guide rail 54. The upper guide rail 54 is fixed on the outer frame 7, and the upper bracket 32 ​​is fixed on the upper slider. The extension direction of the upper guide rail 54 is parallel to the axial direction of the upper ball screw 52.

[0043] (A2) Specifically, the vertical movement of the lower heating component 4 is as follows:

[0044] The lower heating assembly 4 includes a lower heating wire 41 and a lower support 42 for fixing the lower heating wire 41. The lower heating wire 41 is arranged around the crucible 1, and the lower support 42 is slidably disposed inside the outer frame 7. Specifically, four lower heating wires 41 are connected end to end to form a hollow frame, and the crucible 1 is disposed in the hollow frame, forming a structure in which the lower heating wire 41 surrounds the crucible 1. By adjusting the up and down movement of the lower heating wire 41, different positions in the filling area of ​​the crucible 1 are heated to adjust the temperature distribution in the filling area, thereby avoiding heat accumulation and preventing denaturation.

[0045] The lower drive assembly 6 includes a lower motor 61, a lower ball screw 62, and a lower support block 63. One end of the lower ball screw 62 is connected to the output end of the lower motor 61, and the other end extends freely. One end of the lower support block 63 is fixedly connected to the lower bracket 42 through a point connection, and the other end of the lower support block 63 is sleeved on the lower ball screw 62 and screwed to the lower ball screw 62.

[0046] The lower motor 61 is inserted into the housing 9 via the lower magnetic fluid 65. The flange face of the lower magnetic fluid 65 on the atmospheric side is connected to the bottom plate of the housing, with an O-ring seal in between to ensure a vacuum seal. The lower motor 61 and the lower ball screw 62 are connected by a coupling. The end face of the lower support block 63 is machined into a spherical protrusion, and the contact form with the lower bracket 42 is point contact, such as... Figure 5 and 6 As shown, this reduces heat conduction between the contact parts, and the lower support block 63 is made of a material with a high melting point and low thermal conductivity, such as ceramic. The lower bracket 42 and the lower support block 63 can be connected by screws or other means.

[0047] The lower drive assembly 6 also includes a lower guide rail 64 and a lower slider slidably disposed on the lower guide rail 64. The lower guide rail 64 is fixed on the outer frame 7, and the lower bracket 42 is fixed on the lower slider. The extension direction of the lower guide rail 64 is parallel to the axial direction of the lower ball screw 62.

[0048] It is understandable that the upper guide rail 54 and the lower guide rail 64 can share the same guide rail, since the upper slider and the lower slider are located at the upper and lower parts respectively and move up and down, and there is no interference problem between them; however, it is not ruled out that the upper guide rail 54 and the lower guide rail 64 may be used separately.

[0049] It should be noted that the up-and-down movement of the upper heating wire 31 and the lower heating wire 41 can be achieved based on the unidirectional upper drive component 5 and the lower drive component 6, or it can be achieved based on the two bidirectional upper drive components 5 and the two lower drive components 6. When there are two, the two upper drive components 5 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the upper heating component 3, and the two lower drive components 6 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the lower heating component 4. The specific structure is as described above.

[0050] (B) The specific driving process of the upper drive component 5 and the lower drive component 6

[0051] The upper drive component 5 and the lower drive component 6 work independently, and their driving processes are basically the same.

[0052] The upper motor 51 is connected to the control system, which can control the rotation direction and number of revolutions of the upper motor 51. The upper motors 51 connected to both ends of the upper heating wire 31 are synchronously controlled, as are the lower heating wire 41, but the upper and lower motors are controlled separately. During the vapor deposition process, when the height of the upper heating wire 31 needs to be adjusted, for example, to increase by a mm, and the lead of the upper ball screw 52 is p mm, then the upper ball screw 52 needs to rotate a / p revolutions in the spiral upward direction. Assuming the speed ratio of the upper reducer 56 is n, then the upper motor 51 needs to rotate an / p revolutions in the forward direction. When the height of the upper heating wire 31 needs to be lowered, the direction is reversed. In the control system, a certain intermediate position of the upper heating wire 31 is set as the zero point position, that is, the initial position, and the distance of rising and falling is used as the measurement of the position mark. The selection of the zero point position is determined according to the results of the initial process test. After determining the zero-point position, when the upper heating wire 31 rises 3mm from the zero-point position, the corresponding position of the upper heating wire 31 is marked as 3; when it falls 3mm, the corresponding position of the upper heating wire 31 is marked as -3. For ease of adjustment, the input parameter of the control system is set to the position of the upper heating wire 31. For example, if the real-time position is -4, it means that the height of the upper heating wire 31 has decreased by 4mm compared to the zero-point position. If it is necessary to increase the height of the upper heating wire 31 by 6mm, then the final position of the upper heating wire 31 will be 2mm higher than the zero-point position. Therefore, the input parameter is set to 2, and the control system automatically rotates the motor forward 6 revolutions to complete the adjustment of the upper heating wire 31. The control system displays the position of the upper heating wire 31 in real time, allowing for adjustment at any time during the process.

[0053] During vapor deposition, the material in crucible 1 is typically consumed from top to bottom. Therefore, within one vapor deposition cycle, the initial position of the lower heating wire 41 can be set to cover the upper part of the filler area 10. Subsequently, as the material is consumed, the position is gradually lowered, for example, by 5 mm per hour. Specific data is determined by process testing. This ensures that the heating area always corresponds to the material's heating area. For molten materials, before vapor deposition consumption, the position of the lower heating wire 41 is adjusted according to the position where the material begins to melt after heating. This ensures full utilization of heat and prevents material denaturation due to heat accumulation, greatly improving the practicality of the evaporation source. For the upper heating wire 31, the film quality, material utilization rate, and pore blockage probability need to be checked during initial process testing. If the vapor-deposited material is not prone to pore blockage but the film-substrate adhesion and uniformity need to be improved, the position of the upper heating wire 31 can be appropriately lowered. Conversely, if the vapor-deposited material is prone to pore blockage, the position of the upper heating wire 31 needs to be appropriately raised. The specific adjustment range is determined by process testing.

[0054] (C) as an example

[0055] like Figure 7 As shown, temperature sensors 11 arranged in an array are used to detect the temperature of the filling area 10 and the nozzle assembly area, respectively. To more accurately measure the heating temperature of each area, the temperature sensors 11 cover the entire filling area 10. In this embodiment, it is preferable to set four rows. The temperature sensors 11 cover the entire nozzle area and the middle plate area, also set in four rows. Multiple temperature sensors 11 are distributed on both sides of the length direction of the crucible 1 and both sides of the length direction of the nozzle, monitoring the temperature of the upper part (nozzle area) and the lower part (filling area) in real time. The control system calculates the average value of the temperature measured by the temperature sensors 11 in each area to obtain the actual temperature of that area. For example, in the filling area 10, the temperature of the upper part is the average value of the temperature of the temperature sensors 11 in the first and second rows, the temperature of the middle part is the average value of the temperature of the second and third rows, and the temperature of the lower part is the average value of the temperature of the third and fourth rows. This makes the temperature measurement results as accurate as possible.

[0056] AlQ3 is a commonly used organic light-emitting material in the OLED industry. It is a sublimation material. Taking this material as an example, assuming that the average temperatures of the upper and lower parts are 350℃ and 300℃ respectively during stable evaporation, before heating begins, the zero point of the upper heating wire 31 is set to the exact center of height c, and the zero point of the lower heating wire 41 is set so that its center is aligned with the top of the filler region 10. Then, current is simultaneously applied to the upper heating wire 31 and the lower heating wire 41 to begin heating.

[0057] First, let's look at heating wire 41. After being heated to 300℃ at the top of filler region 10, it reaches the sublimation point of the material, and the material begins to sublimate. If the total vapor deposition time is 20 hours and the total height of filler region 10 is 100mm, then after the material begins to sublimate, the height of the lower heating wire 41 can be set to decrease by 5mm per hour in the control system. This ensures that the temperature of the upper sublimation zone of filler region 10 remains near the material's sublimation point. After completing a vapor deposition process, check for material deformation. If material deformation still occurs, the hourly descent distance can be changed, such as 4mm or 6mm, to find the optimal heating wire movement distance for vapor deposition. The obtained data is stored in the control system and can be directly retrieved for subsequent vapor deposition of the same material.

[0058] Looking at the upper heating wire 31, after the material reaches its sublimation point and begins evaporation, the average temperature of the nozzle area and the middle plate area is first heated to 350℃ and then maintained constant. By adjusting the position of the upper heating wire 31, a series of data can be obtained, including the temperature of the nozzle area and the middle plate area and the corresponding height of the upper heating wire 31, while simultaneously checking the film properties. For example, by raising the position of the upper heating wire 31 by 6mm from the zero point, the adhesion of the film substrate and the uniformity of film formation during this period are checked. Then, by lowering the position of the upper heating wire 31 by 6mm from the zero point, the film properties are checked. By continuously adjusting the position of the upper heating wire 31, the optimal temperature distribution and the corresponding position of the upper heating wire 31 at a specific temperature are obtained. The temperature of the upper heating wire 31 can also be adjusted simultaneously with its position. For example, the position of the upper heating wire 31 can be lowered by 8mm from the zero point while the temperature is set to 340℃, or the position of the upper heating wire 31 can be raised by 5mm while the temperature is set to 335℃. The film quality can then be checked to obtain the lowest usable temperature for different heating wire positions. Using this lowest temperature for vapor deposition can reduce the energy consumption of the evaporation source and improve energy utilization while ensuring film quality. The obtained data is stored in the control system. When vapor depositing the same material subsequently, the upper heating wire 31 can be directly set to the optimal temperature position or the lowest temperature position to achieve the best vapor deposition results.

[0059] By adjusting the positions of the upper heating wire 31 and the lower heating wire 41, another important piece of information can be obtained: the relationship between the heating wire height and the material evaporation rate. Even if the temperatures of the upper heating wire 31 and the lower heating wire 41 remain constant, changes in their positions can still affect the evaporation rate. Changes in the height of the lower heating wire 41 cause changes in the temperature distribution, resulting in different saturated vapor pressures in the area above the filler region 10 and between the middle plate 8. This difference in the energy of the gaseous molecules after material sublimation leads to different velocities as they reach the vicinity of the middle plate 8. Changes in the temperature distribution in the upper part (nozzle and middle plate area) affect the ratio of heat received by the nozzle area and the middle plate area. Adjusting the heat received by the middle plate area can further increase or decrease the energy of the gaseous molecules before they exit the nozzle, while adjusting the heat in the nozzle area can change the velocity of the molecules in the space above after exiting the nozzle. Therefore, for a specific material, by testing the relationship between the height of the heating wires (upper heating wire 31 and lower heating wire 41) and the material evaporation rate, we can obtain correlation data between these two factors. For the lower heating wire 41, by controlling the position of the lower heating wire 41 to be close to or far away from the filler region 10, the heat received by the filler region 10 can be adjusted, thereby controlling the rate of material sublimation; for the upper heating wire 31, by controlling the position of the upper heating wire 31 to be close to the nozzle region or the middle plate region, the heat received by the two regions (nozzle region or middle plate region) can be adjusted, thereby adjusting the evaporation rate.

[0060] For existing evaporation sources, if the evaporation rate is to be adjusted, the temperature can generally only be changed by adjusting the heating wire current, which has a certain hysteresis. It usually takes several minutes or even tens of minutes for the temperature and the rate to stabilize. The evaporation source provided in this application can change the evaporation rate simply by adjusting the position of the heating wire without changing the heating wire temperature. Compared with the existing structure, it saves time and increases production capacity.

[0061] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A linear evaporation source arrangement with height-adjustable heating filaments, characterized in that The linear evaporation source device comprises a crucible (1), a nozzle assembly (2), an upper heating assembly (3), a lower heating assembly (4), an upper driving assembly (5) for driving the upper heating assembly (3) to move, and a lower driving assembly (6) for driving the lower heating assembly (4) to move. The crucible (1) is provided with a middle plate (8) at an open end thereof, the height of a covering area of the upper heating wire (31) in the upper heating assembly (3) is a, the height of a covering area of the lower heating wire (41) in the lower heating assembly (4) is b, the total height from the upper part of the nozzle to the upper surface of the middle plate (8) is c, and the height of the filler area (10) in the crucible (1) is d, wherein a is less than c, and b is less than d.

2. The linear evaporation source arrangement with height-adjustable heating filaments according to claim 1, characterized in that The linear evaporation source device further comprises an outer frame (7), and the crucible (1), the nozzle assembly (2), the upper heating assembly (3), and the lower heating assembly (4) are all arranged in the outer frame (7), the outer frame (7) is provided with a first gap (71) near the connection between the upper heating assembly (3) and the driving end of the upper driving assembly (5), and the outer frame (7) is provided with a second gap (72) near the connection between the lower heating assembly (4) and the driving end of the lower driving assembly (6).

3. The linear evaporation source arrangement with height adjustable heating filaments according to claim 2, characterized in that The upper heating assembly (3) comprises an upper heating wire (31) and an upper support (32) for fixing the upper heating wire (31), the upper heating wire (31) is arranged around the nozzle assembly (2), and the upper support (32) is slidingly arranged on the inner side of the outer frame (7).

4. The linear evaporation source arrangement with height adjustable heating filaments according to claim 3, characterized in that The upper driving assembly (5) comprises an upper motor (51), an upper ball screw (52), and an upper support block (53), one end of the upper ball screw (52) is connected to the output end of the upper motor (51), the other end of the upper ball screw (52) is freely extended, one end of the upper support block (53) is fixedly connected to the upper support (32) through a point connection, and the other end of the upper support block (53) is sleeved on the upper ball screw (52) and is screwed with the upper ball screw (52).

5. The linear evaporation source arrangement with height adjustable heating filaments according to claim 4, characterized in that The upper driving assembly (5) further comprises an upper guide rail (54) and an upper sliding block slidingly arranged on the upper guide rail (54), the upper guide rail (54) is fixed on the outer frame (7), the upper support (32) is fixed on the upper sliding block, and the extension direction of the upper guide rail (54) is parallel to the axial direction of the upper ball screw (52).

6. The linear evaporation source arrangement with height adjustable heating filaments of claim 2, characterized in that The lower heating assembly (4) comprises a lower heating wire (41) and a lower support (42) for fixing the lower heating wire (41), the lower heating wire (41) is arranged around the crucible (1), and the lower support (42) is slidingly arranged on the inner side of the outer frame (7).

7. The linear evaporation source arrangement with height adjustable heating filaments according to claim 6, characterized in that The lower driving assembly (6) comprises a lower motor (61), a lower ball screw (62), and a lower support block (63), one end of the lower ball screw (62) is connected to the output end of the lower motor (61), the other end of the lower ball screw (62) is freely extended, one end of the lower support block (63) is fixedly connected to the lower support (42) through a point connection, and the other end of the lower support block (63) is sleeved on the lower ball screw (62) and is screwed with the lower ball screw (62).

8. The linear evaporation source arrangement with height-adjustable heating filaments of claim 7, characterized in that The lower driving assembly (6) further comprises a lower guide rail (64) and a lower sliding block slidingly arranged on the lower guide rail (64), the lower guide rail (64) is fixed on the outer frame (7), the lower support (42) is fixed on the lower sliding block, and the elongation direction of the lower guide rail (64) is parallel to the axial direction of the lower ball screw (62).

9. The linear evaporation source arrangement with height adjustable heating filaments of claim 2, characterized in that An outer side of the outer frame (7) is provided with a shell (9), the shell (9) is in a vacuum state, the upper motor (51) of the upper driving assembly (5) is arranged outside the shell (9) and is arranged through the shell (9) through the upper magnetic fluid (55), and the lower motor (61) of the lower driving assembly (6) is arranged outside the shell (9) and is arranged through the shell (9) through the lower magnetic fluid (65).

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