Evaporation equipment

Abstract

This application relates to a vapor deposition apparatus. It includes an evaporation source, a source nozzle, and a guiding mechanism. The evaporation source is used to evaporate the vapor deposition material. The source nozzle is disposed on the evaporation source nozzle and is used to determine the spray direction of the vapor deposition material. The guiding mechanism is disposed on the source nozzle and is used to guide the spray direction of the vapor deposition material. The spray direction of the source nozzle is a first direction, and the guiding direction of the guiding mechanism is a second direction, with an angle between the first direction and the second direction. In the process of co-evaporating multiple materials, by guiding the flow direction of different vapor deposition materials through the guiding mechanism, the thicknesses formed by the multiple vapor deposition materials on the substrate are made similar, thereby improving the uniformity of the film thickness.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing technology, and more particularly to a vapor deposition apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are widely recognized by the industry as the third generation of display technology due to their advantages such as thinness, self-illumination, wide viewing angle, fast response speed, low brightness, and low power consumption, and have become the main development direction in the field of display technology.

[0003] Today, as market demands for screen lifespan and image quality increase, manufacturers are developing different device structures to meet consumer needs. Different device structures place different requirements on vapor deposition equipment. When vapor deposition involves three or more materials, uniform mixing and doping are necessary to ensure good device lifespan and efficiency. However, current vapor deposition equipment exhibits significant differences in film thickness between various materials, resulting in low material mixing uniformity. Therefore, improving material doping uniformity and material utilization is a crucial issue that urgently needs to be addressed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a vapor deposition apparatus that can solve the problem of uneven material doping caused by limitations of vapor deposition equipment.

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides a vapor deposition apparatus for depositing vapor deposition materials onto a substrate, comprising:

[0006] Evaporation source, used for evaporating vapor deposition materials;

[0007] A source nozzle, disposed on the evaporation source, is used to determine the spray direction of the vapor deposition material;

[0008] A guiding mechanism, disposed on the source nozzle, is used to guide the spraying direction of the vapor-deposited material;

[0009] The spray direction of the source nozzle is a first direction, and the guiding direction of the guiding mechanism is a second direction, wherein there is an angle between the first direction and the second direction.

[0010] In one embodiment, the guiding mechanism includes a shielding member located between the nozzle and the substrate, and the shielding member and the source nozzle are spaced apart along a first direction. The shielding member is used to shield a portion of the vapor-deposited material sprayed by the source nozzle.

[0011] In one embodiment, the bottom surface of the shield is parallel to the opening surface of the source nozzle;

[0012] Alternatively, the bottom surface of the shielding member has a first angle with the opening surface of the source nozzle, the first angle ranging from 0° to 90°.

[0013] In one embodiment, the guide mechanism further includes a lifting assembly, one end of which is connected to the source nozzle and the other end of which is connected to the shielding member;

[0014] The lifting assembly can drive the blocking component to move in a first direction.

[0015] In one embodiment, the lifting assembly includes a first telescopic member and a second telescopic member, which cooperate to displace the blocking member;

[0016] Wherein, one end of the first telescopic member is connected to the source nozzle, the other end of the second telescopic member is movably connected to the second telescopic member, and the other end of the second telescopic member is connected to the shielding member.

[0017] In one embodiment, the lifting assembly further includes a first connector, one side of which is connected to the source nozzle and the other side of which is connected to the first telescopic member.

[0018] In one embodiment, the guiding mechanism includes a guiding nozzle connected to the source nozzle for guiding the spray direction of the source nozzle.

[0019] In one embodiment, the opening face of the guide nozzle has a second included angle with the opening face of the source nozzle, the second included angle ranging from 0° to 90°;

[0020] Alternatively, the jetting direction of the source nozzle has a third angle with the upper surface of the evaporation source, the third angle ranging from 0° to 90°.

[0021] In one embodiment, the vapor deposition apparatus further includes an opening and closing mechanism located on the evaporation source. The opening and closing of the opening and closing mechanism controls whether the vapor deposition material is deposited onto the substrate.

[0022] In one embodiment, the opening and closing mechanism includes a first opening and closing plate assembly and a second opening and closing plate assembly, the first opening and closing plate assembly and the second opening and closing plate assembly being distributed on both sides of the nozzle;

[0023] The opening and closing mechanism is opened by the cooperation of the first opening and closing plate assembly and the second opening and closing plate assembly, and closed by the separation of the first opening and closing plate assembly and the second opening and closing plate assembly.

[0024] In one embodiment, the first hinged plate assembly includes a first sub-hinged plate, a second sub-hinged plate, and a second connector, and all three are rotatably connected in pairs to form a first linkage structure.

[0025] The second hinged plate assembly includes a third hinged plate, a fourth hinged plate, and a third connector, all of which are rotatably connected in pairs to form a second linkage structure;

[0026] The first and second linkage structures move to enable the first and third sub-opening plates to engage or disengage.

[0027] In one embodiment, the first sub-opening plate has a first notch on the side near the substrate, and the third sub-opening plate has a second notch on the side away from the substrate. When the opening and closing mechanism performs a closing operation, the first notch and the second notch engage to achieve the cooperation between the first sub-opening plate and the third sub-opening plate.

[0028] In one embodiment, the evaporation apparatus further includes an angle adjustment mechanism disposed on the evaporation source and located on at least one side of the nozzle. The angle adjustment mechanism is used to adjust the evaporation angle of the nozzle, thereby adjusting the evaporation area of ​​the evaporation material.

[0029] Wherein, the vapor deposition angle is the included angle between the two sides of the fan-shaped area sprayed by the nozzle, and the vapor deposition area is the area formed by the vapor deposition material being deposited onto the substrate.

[0030] In one embodiment, the angle adjustment mechanism includes an angle plate and an adjustment assembly. The adjustment assembly includes a third telescopic member and a fourth telescopic member. One end of the angle plate is movably connected to the third telescopic member, and the other end of the angle plate is movably connected to the fourth telescopic member.

[0031] Both the first and second telescopic members are capable of displacement relative to the angle plate to control the size of the vapor deposition angle of the nozzle.

[0032] In one embodiment, the angle plate has an inverted L-shaped cross-section, with the long side of the angle plate connected to the evaporation source and the short side of the angle plate located within the spray range of the source nozzle.

[0033] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this application may include the following beneficial effects:

[0034] As can be seen from the above embodiments, this application sets up a guiding mechanism to guide the flow of different vapor deposition materials in the process of co-evaporation of multiple materials, so that the thickness of the multiple vapor deposition materials formed on the same substrate is similar. The smaller the difference in material thickness, the more uniform the material doping, thereby improving the uniformity of film thickness.

[0035] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this application. Attached Figure Description

[0036] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the vapor deposition apparatus in one embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the shielding member guiding the source nozzle in one embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 3 This is another structural schematic diagram of the shielding member guiding the source nozzle in one embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the shielding member and the lifting mechanism in one embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the guide nozzle and the evaporation source in one embodiment of this application;

[0042] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the guide nozzle and the source nozzle cooperating in one embodiment of this application;

[0043] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the open state structure of the first hinged plate assembly in one embodiment of this application;

[0044] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the open state structure of the second hinged plate assembly in one embodiment of this application;

[0045] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the closed state structure of the first opening and closing plate assembly in one embodiment of this application;

[0046] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an existing vapor deposition equipment;

[0047] Figure 10a A schematic diagram of the film thickness distribution of ternary co-evaporated materials in existing vapor deposition equipment;

[0048] Figure 11This is a schematic diagram of the vapor deposition apparatus in this application during ternary co-evaporation;

[0049] Figure 11a for Figure 11 The diagram shows the thickness distribution of the ternary co-evaporation material mixture in the vapor deposition apparatus.

[0050] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of another vapor deposition apparatus used in this application during ternary co-evaporation;

[0051] Figure 12a for Figure 12 The diagram shows the thickness distribution of the ternary co-evaporation material mixture in the vapor deposition apparatus.

[0052] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0053] 1. Substrate; 1a. Evaporation center; 2. Evaporation source; 2a. First evaporation source; 2a1. First evaporation film thickness curve; 2b. Second evaporation source; 2b1. Second evaporation film thickness curve; 2c. Third evaporation source; 2c1. Third evaporation film thickness curve; 3. Source nozzle; 4. Guide mechanism; 41. Blocking component; 42. Lifting assembly; 420. First telescopic rod; 421. Second telescopic rod; 422. First connecting component; 43. Guide nozzle; 5. Opening and closing mechanism; 51. First hinged plate assembly; 510, first sub-hinged plate; 5100, first notch; 511, second sub-hinged plate; 512, second connector; 52, second hinged plate assembly; 520, third sub-hinged plate; 5200, second notch; 521, fourth sub-hinged plate; 522, third connector; 6, angle adjustment device; 61, angle plate; 62, third telescopic member; 63, fourth telescopic member; X, first direction; α, evaporation angle; m, distance between evaporation centers. Detailed Implementation

[0054] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The manner described in the following exemplary embodiments does not represent all manner consistent with this application. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses consistent with some aspects of this application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0055] This application provides a vapor deposition apparatus for depositing a vapor deposition material onto a substrate 1, comprising an evaporation source 2, a source nozzle 3, and a guiding mechanism 4. The evaporation source 2 is used to evaporate the vapor deposition material. The source nozzle 3 is disposed on the evaporation source and is used to determine the spray direction of the vapor deposition material. The guiding mechanism 4 is disposed on the source nozzle 3 and is used to guide the spray direction of the vapor deposition material. The spray direction of the source nozzle 3 is a first direction X, and the guiding direction of the guiding mechanism 4 is a second direction, wherein there is an angle between the first direction X and the second direction.

[0056] In a typical vapor deposition apparatus, the vapor deposition material is placed inside the evaporation source 2 for evaporation, and the evaporated vapor deposition material is ejected through the source nozzle 3. Since the amount and position of the vapor deposition material sprayed onto the substrate 1 by the source nozzle 3 are relatively fixed, the vapor deposition material layer on some parts of the substrate 1 is too thick or the difference in thickness between the deposited films is too large, resulting in low uniformity of the vapor deposition material doping.

[0057] In this application, reference is made to Figure 11 and Figure 12 By using guide mechanisms 4 with different structures to guide the source nozzle 3 in different ways, the difference in the thickness of the deposited film formed on the substrate 1 by different vapor deposition materials is reduced, thereby improving the uniformity of material doping.

[0058] The first guiding structure guides the source nozzle 3 by blocking the material it ejects. By blocking part of the vaporized material ejected from the evaporation center 1a through the guiding mechanism 4, the thickness of the vaporized material deposited on the substrate 1 is reduced, thereby improving the uniformity of doping with other vaporized materials on the substrate 1.

[0059] The second guiding mechanism 4 guides the source nozzle 3 by changing its spray direction. By changing the spray direction of the source nozzle 3, the vapor deposition material sprayed from the evaporation center 1a is vapor deposited towards the center of the substrate 1, as close as possible to the position where other vapor deposition materials have a larger deposition thickness, so as to reduce the thickness difference of the deposition film with other vapor deposition materials, thereby improving the uniformity of the vapor deposition material doping.

[0060] In some embodiments, multiple evaporation sources 2, source nozzles 3, and guide mechanisms 4 can be configured to meet the requirements of multi-element co-evaporation. Different evaporation sources are used to place different types of vapor deposition materials, and then multiple vapor deposition materials are deposited on the same substrate 1 after passing through multiple source nozzles 3 and guide mechanisms 4, thereby achieving multi-element co-evaporation.

[0061] It should be noted that in all embodiments described below, ternary co-evaporation is used as an example. That is, three evaporation sources 2 and three source nozzles 3 are provided, and the substrate 1 is placed directly above the three evaporation sources 2 to receive the three evaporation materials to complete the ternary co-evaporation.

[0062] In some implementations, refer to Figure 10 and Figure 10a In existing vapor deposition apparatuses, the first evaporation source 2a, the second evaporation source 2b, and the third evaporation source 2c each have only one source nozzle 3, and the source nozzle 3 is perpendicular or inclined along the length of the evaporation source. This results in poor overlap of the first evaporation film thickness curve 2a1 corresponding to the first evaporation source 2a, the second evaporation film thickness curve 2b1 corresponding to the second evaporation source 2b, and the third evaporation film thickness curve 2c1 corresponding to the third evaporation source 2c when vapor deposition is completed, and poor uniformity of the ternary mixed vapor deposition doping in the three evaporation film thickness curves.

[0063] Reference Figure 11 In this application, a guide mechanism 4 is provided on the first evaporation source 2a and the third evaporation source 2c distributed on both sides. The guide mechanism 4 can be configured as a shield 41. The shield 41 is installed between the source nozzle 3 and the substrate 1.

[0064] In some implementations, refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The bottom surface of the shielding member 41 is parallel to the opening surface of the source nozzle 3. The shielding member 41 can block part of the vapor deposition material sprayed from the evaporation center 1a of the first evaporation source 2a and the third evaporation source 2c, so that the thickness of the deposition film of the first vapor deposition material and the third vapor deposition material on the substrate 1 becomes thinner, thereby reducing the thickness difference between the deposition film of the first vapor deposition material and the deposition film of the second vapor deposition material on the substrate 1.

[0065] Reference Figure 11a The height of the first evaporation film thickness curve 2a1 and the third evaporation film thickness curve 2c1 at the evaporation center 1a decreases, and their overlap with the second evaporation film thickness curve 2b1 increases, thereby improving the uniformity of the doping of the vapor-deposited material and thus improving the service life of the substrate 1.

[0066] In some implementations, refer to Figure 3 The bottom surface of the shielding member 41 forms a first angle with the opening surface of the source nozzle 3, the first angle ranging from 0° to 90°. When the shielding member 41 is inclined relative to the source nozzle 3, the shielding member 41 can effectively block the vapor deposition material sprayed at the evaporation center 1a, thereby reducing the thickness of the first and second vapor deposition materials on the substrate 1. At the same time, it can also reduce the blocking effect on other positions on the source nozzle 3 outside the spray center, reduce the total volume of the blocked vapor deposition material, and thus improve the utilization rate of the vapor deposition material.

[0067] In some implementations, the first included angle can be any one of 15°, 25°, 35°, 45°, 55°, 65°, or 75°.

[0068] In some embodiments, the guide mechanism 4 further includes a lifting assembly 42. One end of the lifting assembly 42 is connected to the source nozzle 3, and the other end of the lifting assembly 42 is connected to the blocking member 41. The lifting assembly 42 can drive the blocking member 41 to move in the first direction X.

[0069] Reference Figure 2-4 The lifting component 42 moves the shielding component 41 closer to or further away from the source nozzle 3, so as to obtain the deposition film thickness of different vapor deposition materials by adjusting the shielding range of the shielding component 41 for the vapor deposition material, that is, to further improve the overlap of the first evaporation film thickness curve 2a1, the second evaporation film thickness curve 2b1 and the third evaporation film thickness curve 2c1.

[0070] In some embodiments, the lifting assembly 42 includes a first telescopic member and a second telescopic member, which cooperate to displace the blocking member 41. One end of the first telescopic member is connected to the source nozzle 3, and the other end of the second telescopic member is movably connected to the blocking member 41. The lifting assembly 42 has at least two first telescopic members and two second telescopic members.

[0071] In some embodiments, both the first and second telescopic members are configured as telescopic rods, and there are four of each. The interaction between the second telescopic rod 421 and the first telescopic rod 420 produces the following beneficial effects:

[0072] First, refer to Figure 2 By displacing the four second telescopic rods 421 relative to the four first telescopic rods 420, the shielding member 41 is displaced in the first direction X (closer to or further away from the source nozzle 3). This allows the shielding member 41 to adjust the shielding range of the vapor deposition material, thereby obtaining the deposition film thickness of different vapor deposition materials to suit the different evaporation film thickness curves required.

[0073] Secondly, refer to Figure 2 By maintaining the relative stillness of the four first telescopic rods 420 and the four second telescopic rods 421, the bottom surface of the shielding member 41 can be supported to be parallel to the opening surface of the source nozzle 3. This is used to block part of the vapor-deposited material sprayed by the evaporation center 1a, thereby reducing the thickness difference between the deposited films, improving the overlap between the first evaporation film thickness curve 2a1, the second evaporation film thickness curve 2b1, and the third evaporation film thickness curve 2c1, and thus improving the uniformity of the vapor-deposited material doping.

[0074] Finally, refer to Figure 3By adjusting the relative displacement of two adjacent first telescopic rods 420 and their cooperating two second telescopic rods 421, while the other two first telescopic rods 420 and two second telescopic rods 421 remain relatively stationary, one end of the shielding member 41 can be lowered or raised, thus achieving an inclined setting of the shielding member 41 relative to the source nozzle 3. This improves the utilization rate of the vapor-deposited material.

[0075] In some embodiments, the lifting assembly 42 further includes a first connector 422, one side of which is connected to the source nozzle 3, and the other side of which is connected to the first telescopic member.

[0076] The first connector 422 is detachably connected to the source nozzle 3. The first connector 422 facilitates quick and easy removal and installation of the baffle plate for cleaning and replacement, preventing the accumulated vapor deposition material at the bottom of the baffle plate from falling and clogging the source nozzle 3. It also allows for quick disassembly and installation of the lifting mechanism for maintenance, saving costs.

[0077] In some implementations, refer to Figure 4 The first connector 422 is configured as a ring, and the shielding member 41 is configured as a circular plate. The two are connected to the second telescopic rod 421 through the first telescopic rod 420.

[0078] In some embodiments, the first connector 422 is connected to the source nozzle 3, the lifting mechanism and the shield 41 by any one of the following methods: threaded connection, snap-fit ​​connection or sliding connection.

[0079] In some embodiments, the guiding mechanism 4 includes a guiding nozzle 43, which is connected to the source nozzle 3 and is used to guide the spray direction of the source nozzle 3.

[0080] The guide nozzle 43 guides the spray direction of the source nozzle 3, thereby changing the position of the vapor deposition material on the substrate 1, and thus adjusting the overlap of the first evaporation film thickness curve 2a1, the second evaporation film thickness curve 2b1 and the third evaporation film thickness curve 2c1.

[0081] In some embodiments, the opening surface of the guide nozzle 43 has a second included angle with the opening surface of the source nozzle 3, the second included angle ranging from 0° to 90°.

[0082] Reference Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 12Guide nozzles 43 are provided on the first evaporation source 2a and the third evaporation source 2c. Both guide nozzles 43 are inclined relative to the source nozzle 3, and the two guide nozzles 43 spray towards each other near the second evaporation source 2b. The inclined arrangement of the guide nozzles 43 makes the evaporation center 1a of the first evaporation source 2a and the third evaporation source 2c closer to the evaporation center 1a of the second evaporation source 2b. Therefore, the thickest position of the first and third vapor-deposited materials on the substrate 1 is close to the last position of the second vapor-deposited material on the substrate 1, i.e., as... Figure 12a The data shows that as the distance m between the evaporation centers 1a decreases, the overlap between the first evaporation film thickness curve 2a1, the second evaporation film thickness curve 2b1 and the third evaporation film thickness curve 2c1 increases, and the doping of the three evaporation materials becomes more uniform.

[0083] In some embodiments, the guide nozzle 43 and the source nozzle 3 are detachably connected. A threaded connection, snap-fit ​​connection, or interference fit connection can be used to adapt to different installation and production needs and different production environments.

[0084] In some embodiments, a seal is provided at the connection between the guide nozzle 43 and the source nozzle 3. The choice of seal can be determined according to different connection methods. For example, when the guide nozzle 43 and the source nozzle 3 are threadedly connected, the seal is configured as a sealing plate; when the guide nozzle 43 and the source nozzle 3 are snap-fitted, the seal is configured as a sealing ring.

[0085] The sealing element ensures airtightness between the guide nozzle 43 and the source nozzle 3, improving the stability of the device during the vapor deposition process.

[0086] In some embodiments, the injection direction of the source nozzle 3 has a third angle with the upper surface of the evaporation source, the third angle ranging from 0° to 90°.

[0087] By directly tilting the source nozzle 3 on the evaporation source and cooperating with the guide nozzle 43, a larger tilt angle can be achieved to meet different evaporation requirements.

[0088] In some embodiments, the guide nozzle 43 and the source nozzle 3 are configured as an integral structure.

[0089] During production, the source nozzle 3 and guide nozzle 43 on the evaporation source are integrally formed, creating a directly inclined source nozzle 3. By changing the spacing of the evaporation centers 1a, the overlap of film thickness curves for different vapor-deposited materials is improved, thus enhancing the uniformity of material doping. This configuration eliminates the need for installation steps, effectively saving production time and increasing production efficiency. It also reduces production costs.

[0090] In some embodiments, the vapor deposition apparatus further includes an opening and closing mechanism 5 and an angle adjustment mechanism 6.

[0091] First, the opening and closing mechanism 5 is located on the evaporation source. The opening and closing of the mechanism controls whether the vapor deposition material is deposited onto the substrate 1. The opening and closing mechanism 5 includes a first opening and closing plate assembly 51 and a second opening and closing plate assembly 52, which are distributed on both sides of the nozzle. The first opening and closing plate assembly 51 and the second opening and closing plate assembly 52 cooperate to open the mechanism, and separate to close it.

[0092] The first hinged plate assembly 51 includes a first sub-hinged plate 510, a second sub-hinged plate 511, and a second connecting member 512, all three being rotatably connected in pairs to form a first linkage structure. The second hinged plate assembly 52 includes a third sub-hinged plate 520, a fourth sub-hinged plate 521, and a third connecting member 522, all three being rotatably connected in pairs to form a second linkage structure. The movement of the first and second linkage structures enables the first sub-hinged plate 510 and the third sub-hinged plate 520 to engage or disengage.

[0093] Secondly, the angle adjustment mechanism 6 is disposed on the evaporation source and located on at least one side of the nozzle. The angle adjustment mechanism is used to adjust the evaporation angle α of the nozzle, thereby adjusting the evaporation area of ​​the evaporation material. The evaporation angle α is the included angle between the two sides of the fan-shaped area sprayed by the nozzle, and the evaporation area is the area formed by the evaporation material being deposited onto the substrate 1.

[0094] Reference Figure 1 The height and width of the angle adjustment mechanism can control the size of the evaporation angle α. It is worth noting that in this embodiment, the height refers to the length of the angle adjustment mechanism 6 in the direction perpendicular to the substrate 1, and the width refers to the length of the angle adjustment mechanism 6 in the direction parallel to the substrate 1.

[0095] Specifically, the wider and taller the angle adjustment mechanism 6, the smaller the evaporation angle α, resulting in a smaller evaporation area of ​​the material on the substrate 1. Conversely, the shorter the width and lower the height of the angle adjustment mechanism 6, the larger the evaporation angle α, and the larger the evaporation area of ​​the material on the substrate 1. A larger deposition area allows more material to be deposited onto the substrate 1, thereby improving material utilization.

[0096] Since the opening and closing mechanism 5 is located between adjacent angle adjustment mechanisms 6, the installation height of the opening and closing mechanism 5 limits the range of height adjustment of the angle adjustment mechanism 6. That is, the lower the installation height of the opening and closing mechanism 5 (i.e., the closer it is to the evaporation source), the larger the range of height adjustment of the angle adjustment mechanism 6, the larger the evaporation area, and the higher the material utilization rate; the higher the installation height of the opening and closing mechanism 5, the smaller the range of height adjustment of the angle adjustment mechanism 6, the smaller the evaporation area, and the lower the material utilization rate.

[0097] However, the installation height of the opening and closing mechanism 5 must ensure its normal opening and closing while also preventing interference with the source nozzle 3 during the opening and closing process. In a typical vapor deposition apparatus, the opening and closing mechanism 5 is generally composed of two baffles. Due to the limitations of the structure of the opening and closing mechanism 5 itself, the required opening and closing space is relatively large, resulting in a high installation height. This, in turn, reduces the adjustment range of the angle adjustment mechanism and lowers the material utilization rate.

[0098] In this application, reference is made to Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 By adopting a linkage structure through the first opening and closing plate assembly 51 and the second opening and closing plate assembly 52, the opening and closing mechanism 5 can reduce its footprint when opening and closing, and does not interfere with the source nozzle 3. Therefore, the first opening and closing plate assembly 51 and the second opening and closing plate assembly 52 can be installed at a lower height, making them closer to the evaporation source, thereby freeing up extra space for the angle adjustment mechanism 6 to adjust in the height direction, so as to achieve evaporation at the maximum evaporation angle α, expand the evaporation area of ​​the evaporation material on the plate, and thus meet the evaporation requirements of the large-size substrate 1.

[0099] In some embodiments, the first sub-opening plate 510 has a first notch 5100 on the side close to the substrate 1, and the third sub-opening plate 520 has a second notch 5200 on the side away from the substrate 1. When the opening and closing mechanism 5 performs a closing operation, the first notch 5100 and the second notch 5200 are engaged to achieve the cooperation between the first sub-opening plate 510 and the third sub-opening plate 520.

[0100] While the first notch 5100 and the second notch 5200 cooperate, the first sub-opening plate 510 covers the third sub-opening plate 520, which can effectively improve the sealing performance of the opening and closing mechanism 5 and prevent the vapor-deposited material from continuing to deposit on the substrate 1 through the gap.

[0101] In some embodiments, the angle adjustment mechanism includes an angle plate 61 and an adjustment assembly. The adjustment assembly includes a third telescopic member 62 and a fourth telescopic member 63. One end of the angle plate 61 is movably connected to the third telescopic member 62, and the other end of the angle plate 61 is movably connected to the fourth telescopic member 63. Both the first and second telescopic members are capable of displacement relative to the angle plate 61 to control the size of the vapor deposition angle α of the nozzle.

[0102] Specifically, the displacement between the angle plate 61 and the third telescopic member 62 is the adjustment range of the angle adjustment mechanism in the height direction. The shorter the distance between the third telescopic member 62 and the angle plate 61, the smaller the evaporation angle α, the larger the corresponding evaporation area, and the higher the material utilization rate.

[0103] The displacement between the angle plate 61 and the fourth telescopic member 63 is the adjustment range of the angle adjustment mechanism 6 in the width direction. The shorter the distance between the fourth telescopic member 63 and the angle plate 61, the smaller the evaporation angle α, the larger the corresponding evaporation area, and the higher the material utilization rate.

[0104] In some embodiments, the angle plate 61 has an inverted L-shaped cross-section, with the long side of the angle plate 61 connected to the evaporation source 2, and the short side of the angle plate 61 located within the spray range of the source nozzle 3.

[0105] The inverted L-shaped design allows the angle plate 61 to be adjusted in different directions.

[0106] Using the vapor deposition apparatus described in this application can solve the problem of poor material doping uniformity during ternary or multi-element co-evaporation processes in current large-generation production lines, which leads to low product life and efficiency.

[0107] The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application. Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this application should be understood in their ordinary sense by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in this application specification and claims do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are only used to distinguish different components. Similarly, the terms "a" or "one," etc., do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one, which will be separately stated if only "a" is referred to. "A plurality" or "several" means two or more. Unless otherwise indicated, the terms "front," "rear," "lower," and / or "upper," etc., are for ease of description only and are not limited to a location or spatial orientation. The terms "comprising" or "including," etc., mean that the elements or objects preceding "comprising" or "including" encompass the elements or objects listed following "comprising" or "including" and their equivalents, and do not exclude other elements or objects. The terms “connection” or “link” are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in this specification and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used herein refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0108] The specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative examples of the spirit of this application. Those skilled in the art to which this application pertains may make various modifications, additions, or use similar methods to replace the described specific embodiments, without departing from the spirit of this application or exceeding the scope defined by the appended claims.

[0109] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

Claims

1. An evaporation apparatus for evaporating an evaporation material onto a substrate, characterized by The evaporation device comprises: an evaporation source for evaporating evaporation material; a source nozzle arranged on the evaporation source for determining the injection direction of the evaporation material; a guide mechanism arranged on the source nozzle for guiding the injection direction of the evaporation material; the injection direction of the source nozzle is a first direction, and the guide direction of the guide mechanism is a second direction, wherein the first direction and the second direction have an included angle therebetween; the guide mechanism comprises a shielding piece and a lifting assembly, the shielding piece is located between the source nozzle and the substrate and is arranged in the first direction away from the source nozzle, one end of the lifting assembly is connected with the source nozzle, and the other end is connected with the shielding piece, and the lifting assembly can drive the shielding piece to displace in the first direction to dynamically adjust the shielding range of the evaporation material.

2. The evaporation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bottom surface of the shielding piece is parallel to the opening surface of the source nozzle; alternatively, the bottom surface of the shielding piece and the opening surface of the source nozzle have a first included angle, and the range of the first included angle is 0° to 90°.

3. The evaporation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the lifting assembly comprises a first telescopic piece and a second telescopic piece, and the first telescopic piece and the second telescopic piece cooperate to enable the shielding piece to displace; wherein one end of the first telescopic piece is connected with the source nozzle, the other end of the second telescopic piece is movably connected with the second telescopic piece, and the other end of the second telescopic piece is connected with the shielding piece.

4. The evaporation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the lifting assembly further comprises a first connecting piece, one side of the first connecting piece is connected with the source nozzle, and the other side of the first connecting piece is connected with the first telescopic piece.

5. The evaporation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the evaporation device further comprises an opening and closing mechanism, the opening and closing mechanism is located on the evaporation source, and the opening and closing mechanism is opened and closed to control whether the evaporation material is evaporated to the substrate.

6. The evaporation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the opening and closing mechanism comprises a first opening and closing plate assembly and a second opening and closing plate assembly, and the first opening and closing plate assembly and the second opening and closing plate assembly are distributed on both sides of the nozzle; the first opening and closing plate assembly and the second opening and closing plate assembly are separated to realize the opening of the opening and closing mechanism.

7. The evaporation apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the first opening and closing plate assembly comprises a first sub-opening and closing plate, a second sub-opening and closing plate, and a second connecting piece, and the three are rotatably connected two by two to form a first connecting rod structure; the second opening and closing plate assembly comprises a third sub-opening and closing plate, a fourth sub-opening and closing plate, and a third connecting piece, and the three are rotatably connected two by two to form a second connecting rod structure; wherein the first connecting rod structure and the second connecting rod structure move to realize the cooperation or separation of the first sub-opening and closing plate and the third sub-opening and closing plate.

8. The evaporation apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a first notch is formed on the side of the first sub-opening and closing plate close to the substrate, and a second notch is formed on the side of the third sub-opening and closing plate away from the substrate, and when the opening and closing mechanism is closed, the first notch and the second notch are embedded to realize the cooperation of the first sub-opening and closing plate and the third sub-opening and closing plate.

9. The evaporation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein The evaporation device further comprises an angle adjusting mechanism arranged on the evaporation source and located at least at one side of the source nozzle, the angle adjusting mechanism being used to adjust the evaporation angle of the source nozzle, so as to adjust the evaporation area of the evaporation material. The evaporation angle is the included angle between two sides of the fan-shaped area sprayed by the source nozzle, and the evaporation area is the area formed by the evaporation material evaporated onto the substrate.

10. The evaporation apparatus according to claim 9, wherein The angle adjusting mechanism comprises an angle plate and an adjusting assembly, the adjusting assembly comprising a third telescopic member and a fourth telescopic member, one end of the angle plate being movably connected with the third telescopic member, and the other end of the angle plate being movably connected with the fourth telescopic member. The third telescopic member and the fourth telescopic member are capable of being displaced relative to the angle plate, so as to control the size of the evaporation angle of the source nozzle.

11. The evaporation apparatus according to claim 10, wherein The angle plate has an inverted L-shaped cross section, the long side of the angle plate being arranged in a spaced manner with the evaporation source, and the short side of the angle plate being located within the spraying range of the source nozzle.

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