Evaporation equipment and evaporation process

Abstract

This invention relates to a vapor deposition equipment and process, comprising an evaporation device, a buffer device, and a vapor deposition apparatus. The evaporation device includes a heating chamber and a first heating module, which heats the object to be evaporated placed in the heating chamber to evaporate it into steam. The buffer device has a buffer chamber and multiple packing balls, with the inlet of the buffer chamber connected to the outlet of the heating chamber, and each packing ball filling the buffer chamber. The vapor deposition apparatus has a vapor deposition chamber, with the outlet of the buffer chamber located within the vapor deposition chamber for injecting steam into the vapor deposition chamber. The packing balls filling the buffer chamber effectively disperse the steam, resulting in more uniform dispersion within the buffer chamber. During vapor deposition, the object to be vaporized is placed at the outlet of the buffer chamber, allowing the material vapor to be deposited quickly and uniformly onto the object, thus improving the uniformity of the vapor deposition film thickness and the vapor deposition process rate, as well as increasing the utilization rate of the vapor deposition material.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of solar cell manufacturing equipment, and particularly relates to a vapor deposition equipment and vapor deposition process. Background Technology

[0002] Perovskite solar cells have advantages such as simple fabrication processes, low production costs, and wide availability of materials, making them highly cost-effective and increasingly favored by the industry. They are expected to gradually develop into the next generation of mainstream solar cells. With in-depth research and development, the photoelectric conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cell devices has also increased from 3.8% in 2009 to 26% in 2023.

[0003] Currently, perovskite thin films for perovskite solar cells can be prepared by vacuum evaporation. This involves depositing the perovskite film material directly onto the object to be evaporated using physical vapor deposition or chemical vapor deposition in a vacuum using a one-step co-evaporation or sequential evaporation method, followed by high-temperature annealing to form the perovskite thin film.

[0004] Equipment used for vacuum evaporation typically includes a carrier, a heating device, a support device, an evaporation chamber, and a vacuum device. The carrier and heating devices are located inside the evaporation chamber. The carrier is used to hold the perovskite material, and the heating device heats the carrier, thereby heating the perovskite material on the carrier and causing it to evaporate into vapor. The support device holds the evaporation substrate (i.e., the object to be evaporated), and the vacuum device provides a vacuum environment in the evaporation chamber, allowing the evaporated material vapor to be rapidly deposited onto the object to be evaporated.

[0005] However, during vapor deposition, uneven distribution of vapor on the object to be deposited can easily occur, resulting in different thicknesses of material deposited in different areas of the object. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This invention provides a vapor deposition equipment and process, which aims to make the vapor deposition material deposited more uniformly on the object to be vapor deposited.

[0007] To address the aforementioned problems, in one aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide a vapor deposition apparatus, including an evaporation device, a buffer device, and a vapor deposition apparatus; the evaporation device includes a heating chamber and a first heating module, the first heating module being used to heat an object to be evaporated placed in the heating chamber, so that the object to be evaporated evaporates to form steam; the buffer device has a buffer chamber and a plurality of packing balls, the air inlet of the buffer chamber being connected to the air outlet of the heating chamber, and each of the packing balls filling the buffer chamber to disperse the steam flowing from the air inlet of the buffer chamber to the air outlet of the buffer chamber; the vapor deposition apparatus has a vapor deposition chamber, the air outlet of the buffer chamber being located within the vapor deposition chamber for spraying steam into the vapor deposition chamber.

[0008] Optionally, the packing ball is a hollow ball with a hollow cavity, and the outer surface of the packing ball is provided with a plurality of vent holes, each of which is connected to the hollow cavity of the packing ball; the hollow cavity of each packing ball is connected to the buffer chamber through its own vent hole.

[0009] Optionally, there is a gap between two adjacent packing balls, allowing steam to pass between them.

[0010] Optionally, the multiple packing balls are divided into multiple packing layers, and the packing layers are arranged sequentially along the direction from the air inlet to the air outlet of the buffer chamber; each packing layer has at least one packing ball, and the packing balls in the same packing layer have the same outer diameter; along the direction from the air inlet to the air outlet of the buffer chamber, the outer diameter of the packing balls and the diameter of the vent holes in each packing layer gradually decrease, and the number of packing balls in each packing layer gradually increases.

[0011] Optionally, the buffer chamber includes a first buffer cavity, and the cross-sectional radius of the first buffer cavity gradually increases along the direction from the air inlet to the air outlet of the buffer chamber, and the packing balls of the packing layer are disposed in the first buffer cavity.

[0012] Optionally, the buffer device further includes a second heating module for heating the steam in the buffer chamber.

[0013] Optionally, the second heating module includes multiple heat exchange tube coils; the heat exchange tube coils are arranged sequentially at intervals along the direction from the air inlet to the air outlet of the buffer chamber; the heat exchange tube coils are connected sequentially; the inlet of one of two adjacent heat exchange tube coils is connected to the outlet of the other; the outlet of the heat exchange tube coil furthest from the air inlet of the buffer chamber is connected to the outlet of the heat exchange tube coil adjacent to it.

[0014] Optionally, the packing balls are placed on the heat exchange tube coils; any one of the heat exchange tube coils located between the two outermost heat exchange tube coils is disposed between two adjacent layers of packing balls and in contact with the packing balls.

[0015] Optionally, the second heating module includes a gas source, a heating source, and a vent pipe; the vent pipe is connected to the gas outlet of the gas source and the gas inlet of the buffer chamber respectively; the gas source can supply gas to the buffer chamber through the vent pipe; the heating device is used to heat the gas supplied from the gas source to the buffer chamber.

[0016] Optionally, the buffer device is located inside the vapor deposition chamber and is in sealed contact with the side wall of the vapor deposition chamber.

[0017] Optionally, the evaporation device is located outside the buffer chamber, and the evaporation device is located outside the vapor deposition chamber;

[0018] The evaporation device further includes a first valve, which is disposed between the air inlet of the buffer chamber and the air outlet of the heating chamber, and is used to control the connection and disconnection between the air inlet of the buffer chamber and the air outlet of the heating chamber; the number of evaporation devices is multiple.

[0019] To address the aforementioned problems, one aspect of this invention provides a vapor deposition process applied to any of the vapor deposition apparatuses described above, comprising the following steps: evacuating a buffer chamber, a vapor deposition chamber, and a heating chamber containing an object to be evaporated; when the vacuum level in the heating chamber reaches a first predetermined value, controlling a first heating module to operate to heat the object to be evaporated in the heating chamber, so that the object to be evaporated can vaporize and enter the buffer chamber and the vapor deposition chamber.

[0020] Optionally, while the step of controlling the operation of the first heating module is being performed, the buffer chamber, the vapor deposition chamber, and the heating chamber are kept evacuated; in the step of controlling the operation of the first heating module, when the vacuum level in the heating chamber is stable, the first valve of the heating device is opened to allow the steam in the heating chamber to enter the buffer chamber; when the vacuum level in the buffer chamber reaches a second predetermined value, the second heating module is controlled to operate to heat the gas in the buffer chamber; wherein, the first predetermined value is greater than the second predetermined value.

[0021] Optionally, the plurality of evaporation devices includes a first evaporation device and a second evaporation device; the heating chambers of the first evaporation device and the second evaporation device respectively hold objects of different materials to be evaporated; the step of controlling the first heating module to work when the vacuum degree in the heating chamber reaches a first predetermined value includes: when the vacuum degree in the heating chamber of the first evaporation device reaches the first predetermined value, heating the heating chamber of the first evaporation device and maintaining the temperature in the heating chamber of the first evaporation device at a first temperature; when the vacuum degree in the heating chamber of the second evaporation device reaches the first predetermined value, heating the heating chamber of the second evaporation device and maintaining the temperature in the heating chamber of the second evaporation device at a second temperature.

[0022] In the vapor deposition equipment and process provided by this invention, the material vapor entering the buffer chamber is effectively dispersed by the filler balls filled in the buffer chamber, so that the vapor is more evenly dispersed in the buffer chamber. During vapor deposition, the object to be vaporized is placed at the outlet of the buffer chamber, so that the material vapor is quickly and evenly deposited on the object to be vaporized. This not only improves the uniformity of the film thickness deposited on the object to be vaporized and the vapor deposition process rate, but also, since the object to be vaporized is very close to the steam outlet, the vapor from the buffer chamber is not easy to diffuse into the vapor deposition chamber, thereby greatly improving the utilization rate of the vapor deposition material and reducing the cleaning frequency of the vapor deposition chamber. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vapor deposition apparatus provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the evaporation device of a vapor deposition apparatus provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the buffer device in an embodiment of the vapor deposition equipment provided by the present invention. Figure 1 ;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the buffer device in an embodiment of the vapor deposition equipment provided by the present invention. Figure 2 ;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second heating module of the vapor deposition equipment provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the packing ball in a vapor deposition apparatus provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] The reference numerals in the accompanying drawings are as follows:

[0030] 100. Evaporation equipment;

[0031] 1. Evaporation device; 11. Heating chamber; 12. First heating module; 13. First valve; 14. First vacuum module; 15. Second valve; 16. Feed port;

[0032] 2. Buffer device; 21. Buffer chamber; 22. Packing balls; 221. Hollow cavity; 222. Vent hole;

[0033] 3. Evaporation equipment; 31. Evaporation chamber;

[0034] 200. Object to be vapor-deposited. Detailed Implementation

[0035] To make the technical problems solved, the technical solutions, and the beneficial effects of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0036] like Figures 1 to 5 As shown, in one embodiment, the vapor deposition equipment 100 includes an evaporation device 1, a buffer device 2, and a vapor deposition device 3; the evaporation device 1 includes a heating chamber 11 and a first heating module 12, the first heating module 12 being used to heat the object to be evaporated (i.e., vapor deposition material) placed in the heating chamber 11, so that the object to be evaporated evaporates to form steam; the buffer device 2 has a buffer chamber 21 and a plurality of packing balls 22, the air inlet 23 of the buffer chamber 21 being connected to the air outlet of the heating chamber 11; each packing ball 22 is filled in the buffer chamber 21 to disperse the steam flowing from the air inlet 23 of the buffer chamber 21 to the air outlet 24 of the buffer chamber 21; the vapor deposition device 3 has a vapor deposition chamber 31, the air outlet of the buffer chamber 21 being located in the vapor deposition chamber 31, for spraying steam into the vapor deposition chamber 31, the steam in the buffer chamber 21 can flow to the object to be vapor deposition 200, and finally deposit on the object to be vapor deposition 200. Here, "multiple" means two or more, and the meaning of "multiple" is the same in all embodiments, and will not be repeated hereafter.

[0037] In this embodiment, the material to be evaporated evaporates into steam in the heating chamber 11. The steam enters the buffer chamber 21 through the air inlet 23 and finally enters the vapor deposition chamber 31 through the air outlet 24. The packing balls 22 filled in the buffer chamber 21 can disperse the steam in all directions, making the steam more evenly distributed in the buffer chamber 21. During operation, the object to be vapor-deposited 200 can be placed at the air outlet 24 of the buffer chamber 21, so that the steam flowing to each area of ​​the object to be vapor-deposited 200 is more evenly distributed, thus making the thickness of the material deposited in each area of ​​the object to be vapor-deposited 200 more uniform. It should be understood that the vapor deposition equipment 100 also has a negative pressure device, which is connected to the vapor deposition equipment 3 and is used to evacuate the vapor deposition chamber 31.

[0038] Furthermore, the evaporation sources used in existing vapor deposition processes are large and complex, making it impossible to achieve large-area surface-source vapor deposition. This results in low film formation rates and low material utilization. Moreover, controlling the uniformity of the vapor deposition film thickness on the object to be vaporized is crucial and directly affects device efficiency. When the distance between the material to be evaporated and the object to be vaporized is too close (in existing technologies, no buffer chamber is provided), the material vapor is difficult to distribute evenly on the object, often leading to poor uniformity of the film thickness. When the distance between the material to be evaporated and the object to be vaporized is too far, the material tends to diffuse to the outer area of ​​the object, resulting in high material loss and low utilization. This is especially true for low-melting-point volatile materials, where the amount of material consumed by diffusion is even greater, and maintenance becomes more difficult. In this embodiment, the buffer chamber 21 and the packing balls 22 enable uniform mixing of material vapor within the buffer chamber. This reduces the distance between the material vapor outlet of the buffer chamber and the object to be vaporized, and ensures uniform distribution of material vapor on the object. Furthermore, it improves material utilization and facilitates vaporization of large-area surface sources (i.e., the surface area of ​​the object to be vaporized that is large enough for material deposition), thereby increasing vaporization efficiency and shortening process time.

[0039] In one practical application scenario, the air inlet 23 of the buffer chamber 21 is located below the air outlet 24 of the buffer chamber 21. Of course, in other application scenarios, the relative positions between the air inlet 23 and the air outlet 24 of the buffer chamber 21 can be different, and this embodiment does not limit this.

[0040] like Figure 6 As shown, in one embodiment, the packing ball 22 is a hollow sphere with a hollow cavity 221. The outer surface of the packing ball 22 has multiple vent holes 222, each of which communicates with the hollow cavity 221 of the packing ball 22. Each hollow cavity 221 of the packing ball 22 communicates with the buffer chamber 21 through its own vent hole 222, meaning the packing ball 22 has a hollow porous structure. Steam entering the buffer chamber 21 enters the hollow cavity 221 of the packing ball 22 through a vent hole 222, and then exits through other vent holes 222 of the packing ball 22. It should be noted that each packing ball 22 can be a hollow sphere. In this embodiment, the packing ball 22 adopts a hollow porous structure, allowing steam to diffuse through the micropores of the packing ball, resulting in a uniform steam flow and a more uniform film deposited on the object to be coated. Furthermore, the diffusion rate and uniformity of the airflow can be improved by adjusting the diameter of the vent holes in the packing ball 22. The diameter of the vent hole of the packing ball 22 can be adjusted by selecting different packing balls 22. That is, packing balls with the corresponding hole diameter (the hole diameter is the diameter of the vent hole) can be selected to fill the buffer chamber 21 according to actual needs.

[0041] Each vent 222 of a packing ball 22 is divided into an inlet and an outlet. During operation, steam enters the hollow cavity 221 of the packing ball 22 through the inlet and exits through the outlet. The direction of steam flow can be adjusted by setting the orientation of the outlet, which helps to make the steam more evenly distributed in the buffer chamber 21. At the same time, the number of outlets of a packing ball 22 is usually multiple, and the steam can flow in different directions when flowing out of the packing ball 22, which can make the steam more evenly distributed in the buffer chamber 21. Of course, the number of inlets of a packing ball 22 can also be one or more. In addition, for the same packing ball 22, the diameter of each vent can be the same.

[0042] In actual use, steam can flow out of the outlet of one packing ball 22 and directly enter the inlet of another packing ball 22 (defined as packing ball 22a), and then enter the hollow cavity 221 of packing ball 22a, and then flow out from the outlet of packing ball 22a; of course, steam can also flow out of the outlet of one packing ball 22 and directly enter the buffer chamber 21, and then flow from the buffer chamber 21 to the inlet of another packing ball 22 or other locations. In addition, for the packing ball 22 (defined as packing ball 22b) closest to the outlet 24 of the buffer chamber 21, the steam flowing out from its outlet can enter the buffer chamber 21 and then flow out from the outlet 24 of the buffer chamber 21. Of course, there is also a scenario where the outlet of the packing ball 22b (i.e. the opening formed by the outlet on the outer surface of the packing ball 22) is flush with the outlet 24 of the buffer chamber 21. In this case, the steam flowing out from the outlet can directly flow out from the outlet 24 of the buffer chamber 21.

[0043] It should be understood that for a packing ball 22, the packing ball 22 has multiple air outlets. In actual use, the steam flowing out from each air outlet of the packing ball 22 can directly enter the air inlet of another packing ball 22; or, the steam flowing out from each air outlet of the packing ball 22 can directly enter the buffer chamber 21, and then enter the air inlet of another packing ball 22 or other locations; or, the steam flowing out from some of the air outlets of the packing ball 22 can directly enter the air inlet of another packing ball 22, and the steam flowing out from other parts of the air outlets of the packing ball 22 can directly enter the buffer chamber 21.

[0044] In addition, during actual use, some air outlets of the packing balls 22 may be blocked by other objects, such as other packing balls 22 or the side walls of the buffer chamber 21. The side walls of the buffer chamber 21 surround and form the buffer chamber 21.

[0045] In one embodiment, the vents 222 are evenly arranged around the center of the packing ball 22. The hollow portion 221 of the packing ball 22 is concentrically arranged with the outer wall of the packing ball 22.

[0046] In one embodiment, there is a gap between two adjacent packing balls 22, allowing steam to pass between them. When steam in the heating chamber 11 enters the buffer chamber 21 through the inlet 23, the steam also flows from the gaps between the packing balls 22 to the outlet 24 of the buffer chamber 21. These stacked packing balls 22 allow steam to flow in all directions within the buffer chamber, resulting in a more uniform distribution of steam within the buffer chamber 21. Furthermore, it should be understood that one packing ball 22 can be adjacent to multiple packing balls 22 simultaneously.

[0047] In one embodiment, the packing ball 22 can be a sphere, in which case the central portion 221 can be a spherical space, and this spherical space is concentric with the packing ball containing it. Furthermore, adjacent packing balls 22 can be in contact with each other, wherein there is a gap between the two contacting packing balls 22.

[0048] It should be understood that when the packing ball 22 is a hollow sphere, there may or may not be a gap between adjacent packing balls 22. When the packing ball 22 is a solid sphere, there is a gap between adjacent packing balls 22.

[0049] In one embodiment, the plurality of packing balls 22 are divided into multiple packing layers, and the packing layers are arranged sequentially along the direction from the air inlet 23 to the air outlet 24 of the buffer chamber 21. Each packing layer contains at least one packing ball 22, and the packing balls 22 within the same packing layer have the same outer diameter. Along the direction from the air inlet 23 to the air outlet 24 of the buffer chamber 21, the outer diameter of the packing balls 22 in each packing layer gradually decreases, and the number of packing balls 22 in each packing layer gradually increases. Furthermore, the centers of the packing balls in the same packing layer can be located in the same plane. Using a multi-layer stacking method can extend the steam diffusion path and make the steam distribution more uniform.

[0050] Typically, the packing balls 22 within the same packing layer are arranged identically, meaning their material, the shape and size of their various structural components (such as the structures on the packing balls, hollow cavities, and vents) are all the same. When the outer diameter of the packing ball 22 is small, its inner diameter (i.e., the diameter of the hollow cavity 221) and the diameter of the vent 222 are also small. In this case, along the direction from the air inlet to the air outlet of the buffer chamber 21, the diameter of the vent 222 of the packing balls 22 in each buffer layer gradually decreases. Furthermore, the wall thickness of each packing ball 22 is the same.

[0051] When a packing layer has multiple packing balls 22, the packing balls 22 in the packing layer can be arranged in an array, such as in a rectangular array or in a circular array.

[0052] In some scenarios, when a packing layer has multiple packing balls 22, adjacent packing balls 22 can be in contact with each other.

[0053] The packing balls 22 typically fill the buffer chamber 21. For a packing layer, the outermost packing ball in the layer abuts against the side wall of the buffer chamber 21, and adjacent packing balls 22 in the layer abut against each other. It should be understood that when the number of packing balls 22 in a packing layer is small, each packing ball 22 in the layer can abut against the side wall of the buffer chamber 21; conversely, when the number of packing balls 22 in a packing layer is large, some packing balls 22 in the layer may not abut against the side wall of the buffer chamber 21. When the number of packing balls 22 in a packing layer is one, that packing ball 22 is the outermost packing ball in the packing layer.

[0054] In one embodiment, the height of the buffer chamber 21 is 300 nm, where the height of the buffer chamber 21 is the distance between the air inlet and the air outlet of the buffer chamber. In this case, the packing layer can be three layers. The packing balls in the bottommost packing layer have an outer diameter of 60 mm and a vent diameter of 1 mm; the packing balls in the middle packing layer have an outer diameter of 20 mm and a vent diameter of 0.5 mm; and the packing balls in the topmost packing layer have an outer diameter of 5 mm and a vent diameter of 0.1 mm.

[0055] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in one embodiment, the buffer device 2 further includes a second heating module 25 for heating the steam in the buffer chamber 21. This prevents the steam from cooling and depositing inside the buffer chamber 21.

[0056] like Figure 5As shown, in one embodiment, the second heating module 25 includes a plurality of heat exchange tube coils 251; along the direction from the air inlet 23 to the air outlet 24 of the buffer chamber 21, the heat exchange tube coils 251 are arranged sequentially at intervals; the heat exchange tube coils 251 are connected sequentially; the inlet of one of two adjacent heat exchange tube coils 251 is connected to the outlet of the other; the outlet of the heat exchange tube coil 251 furthest from the air inlet of the buffer chamber 21 is connected to the outlet of the heat exchange tube coil 251 adjacent to it. Specifically, the heat exchange tube coil 251 furthest from the air inlet of the buffer chamber 21 is defined as tube coil a, and the heat exchange tube coil 251 adjacent to tube coil a is defined as tube coil b, then the outlet of tube coil a is connected to the inlet of tube coil b.

[0057] During operation, fluid at a certain temperature flows sequentially through each heat exchanger coil 251, thereby heating the steam in the buffer chamber 21. The heating element is heated internally by the coils, preventing steam deposition along the diffusion path, improving material utilization, and reducing maintenance.

[0058] In addition, the fluid typically flows in from the heat exchanger coil 251 (i.e., coil a) furthest from the inlet 23 of the buffer chamber 21 and flows out from the heat exchanger coil 251 furthest from the outlet of the buffer chamber 21. As steam flows from the inlet 23 to the outlet 24 of the buffer chamber 21, its temperature gradually decreases, while the fluid flows from the outlet 24 to the inlet 23 of the buffer chamber 21, its temperature gradually decreases. Therefore, the arrangement in this embodiment is more conducive to maintaining a consistent steam temperature in all areas of the buffer chamber 21, thereby improving the subsequent vapor deposition effect. Typically, the heat exchanger coils 251 are arranged at intervals along the vertical direction, with the inlet of the buffer chamber 21 located below the outlet. This allows the fluid to enter the second heating module 25 from the uppermost heat exchanger coil and exit from the lowermost heat exchanger coil, ensuring that the temperature of the upper layer inside the buffer chamber is higher than that of the lower layer, preventing steam from cooling and depositing at the outlet of the buffer chamber. Moreover, this design allows for a higher temperature of the upper packing balls, effectively preventing the vents from being blocked by steam deposits.

[0059] Furthermore, the fluid can be either a liquid or a gas. When the fluid is a liquid, it can be an oil, such as methyl silicone oil.

[0060] After the vapor deposition equipment 100 is assembled, the packing balls 22 are placed on the heat exchange tube coils 251. Additionally, any one of the heat exchange tube coils 251 located between the two outermost heat exchange tube coils 251 is positioned between adjacent layers of packing balls 22 and in contact with them. The two outermost heat exchange tube coils 251 are respectively the heat exchange tube coil furthest from the outlet 24 of the buffer chamber 21 and the heat exchange tube coil furthest from the inlet 23 of the buffer chamber 21. One or more packing layers can be provided between two adjacent heat exchange tube coils 251.

[0061] The heat exchange tube coil furthest from the outlet 24 of the buffer chamber 21 is defined as tube coil c. After the vapor deposition equipment 100 is assembled, tube coil c can be located below tube coil a. In this case, packing balls 22 can be not set below tube coil c, while packing balls 22 can be set above tube coil a. That is, tube coil a can also be set in two adjacent tube coils.

[0062] like Figure 5 As shown, in one embodiment, the heat exchanger coil 251 can be made by bending a pipe. The shape of the heat exchanger coil 251 is similar to a waveform, such as a square wave or a sine wave.

[0063] In one embodiment, the buffer device 2 is located inside the vapor deposition chamber 31 and is in sealed contact with the side wall of the vapor deposition chamber 31. Furthermore, the air inlet 23 of the buffer chamber 21 protrudes from the outer surface of the side wall of the vapor deposition chamber 31. In this case, a clearance window is provided on the side wall of the vapor deposition chamber 31 so that the air inlet 23 of the buffer chamber 21 protrudes from the outer surface of the side wall of the vapor deposition chamber 31.

[0064] In actual products, the vapor deposition chamber 31 needs to house corresponding components, such as a device to support the object to be vapor-deposited 200. This requires certain dimensions of the vapor deposition chamber 31. However, by placing the buffer chamber 21 inside the vapor deposition chamber 31, the overall volume of the vapor deposition equipment 100 can be reduced while minimizing the impact of the buffer chamber 21 on the dimensions of the vapor deposition chamber 31.

[0065] like Figure 3 As shown, in one embodiment, the buffer chamber 21 includes a first buffer cavity 211. Along the direction from the air inlet 23 to the air outlet 24 of the buffer chamber 21, the cross-sectional radius of the first buffer cavity 211 gradually increases. Packing balls 22 are disposed within the first buffer cavity 211. This arrangement allows the steam within the buffer chamber 21 to flow more rapidly towards the air outlet 24. Furthermore, the cross-section of the first buffer cavity 211 can be rectangular, circular, or other shapes; this embodiment does not impose a specific limitation.

[0066] like Figure 3As shown, in one embodiment, the buffer chamber 21 further includes a second buffer cavity 212. The outlet of the first buffer cavity 211 is connected to the inlet of the second buffer cavity 212. The direction from the first buffer cavity 211 to the second buffer cavity 212 is the same as the direction from the air inlet 23 to the air outlet 24 of the buffer chamber 21. Assuming the plane where the outlet of the first buffer cavity 211 is located is the first plane, the projections of each cross-section of the second buffer chamber 21 onto the first plane all overlap with the outlet of the first buffer cavity 211.

[0067] like Figure 3 As shown, in one embodiment, the buffer chamber 21 further includes a third buffer cavity 213, the outlet of which is connected to the inlet of the first buffer cavity 211. The direction from the third buffer cavity 213 to the first buffer cavity 211 is the same as the direction from the air inlet 23 to the air outlet 24 of the buffer chamber 21. Assuming the plane where the inlet of the first buffer cavity 211 is located is the second plane, the projections of each cross-section of the third buffer chamber 21 onto the second plane all overlap with the inlet of the first buffer cavity 211.

[0068] When the cross-section of the first buffer cavity 211 is rectangular, both the second buffer cavity 212 and the third buffer cavity 213 are cuboid spaces, and the sidewalls of both the second buffer cavity 212 and the third buffer cavity 213 are rectangular frames, wherein the sidewalls of the second buffer cavity 212 surround to form the second buffer cavity 212. When the cross-section of the first buffer cavity 211 is circular, both the second buffer cavity 212 and the third buffer cavity 213 are circular, and the sidewalls of both the second buffer cavity 212 and the third buffer cavity 213 are cylindrical structures.

[0069] In addition, the outlet of the second buffer chamber 212 is the air outlet 24 of the buffer chamber 21, and the inlet of the third buffer chamber 213 is the air inlet 23 of the buffer chamber 21. During operation, steam enters the buffer chamber 21 from the inlet of the third buffer chamber 213, then enters the first buffer chamber 211 from the third buffer chamber 213, and finally flows out of the buffer chamber 21 from the outlet of the second buffer chamber 212.

[0070] During vapor deposition, the surface of the object to be deposited (defined as the deposition surface) is located at the vapor deposition position. Before vapor deposition, the deposition surface and the vapor deposition position can be offset. In this case, assuming the deposition surface is in a third plane, the orthographic projection of the vapor deposition position onto the third plane is outside the deposition surface. Typically, before vapor deposition, the entire object to be deposited is offset from the vapor deposition position. In this case, the orthographic projection of the vapor deposition position onto the third plane and the orthographic projection of the object to be deposited onto the third plane do not overlap. In one working scenario, during vapor deposition, at least a portion of the object to be deposited can be located in a buffer chamber. Specifically, the deposition surface of the object is located in the buffer chamber, and the vapor deposition position is located within the buffer chamber 21. Furthermore, when the object to be deposited extends into the buffer chamber, there is a gap between the object and the side wall of the buffer chamber to prevent the object from sealing the buffer chamber, allowing the vapor in the buffer chamber to continuously flow towards the vapor deposition chamber. Typically, the air outlet of the buffer chamber is located above the air inlet of the buffer chamber. At this time, the object to be vapor-deposited is also located above the air inlet of the buffer chamber. Furthermore, the distance between the object to be vapor-deposited and the side wall of the buffer chamber usually refers to the distance between the two in the horizontal direction.

[0071] At this point, the device used to support the object to be vaporized within the vapor deposition chamber (defined as the support device) can drive the object to be vaporized to move up and down, so as to move the object out of the buffer chamber or from outside the buffer chamber to inside the buffer chamber. Of course, the support device can also be capable of driving the object to be vaporized to move horizontally.

[0072] In another scenario, during the vapor deposition process, the object to be vapor-deposited can also be located outside the buffer chamber. In this case, the object to be vapor-deposited is also spaced apart from the side wall of the buffer chamber in the horizontal direction. Additionally, in this scenario, the vapor deposition location is outside the buffer chamber.

[0073] During the vapor deposition process (i.e., when the deposition surface is at the vapor deposition position), regardless of whether the object to be vapor-deposited extends into the buffer chamber, the minimum single-sided distance between the object to be vapor-deposited and the side wall of the buffer chamber can be 2mm-5mm, for example, 2mm, 3mm, or 5mm. The deposition surface of the object to be vapor-deposited is spaced apart from the filler balls in the buffer chamber, and the distance between the deposition surface and the filler balls is usually 3cm-10cm, for example, 3cm, 5cm, or 10cm.

[0074] like Figure 1 As shown, in one embodiment, the evaporation device 1 is located outside the buffer chamber 21 and outside the vapor deposition chamber 31. Compared to a design that places the evaporation device 1 inside the vapor deposition chamber 31, this embodiment places the evaporation device 1 outside the vapor deposition chamber 31, which is beneficial to reducing the size of the vapor deposition chamber 31. Under the same conditions such as the negative pressure device, the arrangement in this embodiment is more conducive to maintaining the vacuum degree inside the vapor deposition chamber 31.

[0075] like Figure 1 As shown, in one embodiment, multiple evaporation devices 1 are provided, each evaporation device 1 is located outside the buffer chamber 21, and each heating chamber 11 is located outside the vapor deposition chamber 31. The evaporation device 1 also includes a first valve 13, which is disposed between the air inlet 23 of the buffer chamber 21 and the air outlet of the heating chamber 11, and is used to control the connection and disconnection between the air inlet 23 of the buffer chamber 21 and the air outlet of the heating chamber 11. When the air inlet 23 of the buffer chamber 21 is disconnected from the air outlet of the heating chamber 11, the heating chamber 11 and the buffer chamber 21 are not connected, and steam in the heating chamber 11 cannot enter the buffer chamber 21. When the air inlet 23 of the buffer chamber 21 is connected to the air outlet of the heating chamber 11, the heating chamber 11 and the buffer chamber 21 are connected, and steam in the heating chamber 11 can enter the buffer chamber 21.

[0076] Furthermore, the first valve 13 of any evaporator 1 can control the connection and disconnection between the heating chamber 11 and the buffer chamber 21 of that evaporator 1. The objects to be evaporated can be placed in the heating chambers 11 of each evaporator 1. Compared with a design with only one heating chamber 11, in this embodiment, with the same total mass of the objects to be evaporated, each heating chamber 11 can hold a smaller mass of the objects to be evaporated. During operation, it is not necessary to heat the objects to be evaporated in each heating chamber 11 simultaneously. Instead, the objects to be evaporated in the corresponding heating chamber 11 can be heated according to the needs, thereby effectively avoiding excessive steam volume that could adversely affect the vacuum level in the vapor deposition chamber 31.

[0077] In addition, the evaporation device 1 also includes a first vacuum module 14, which is used to evacuate the heating chamber 11.

[0078] In this embodiment, during operation, an appropriate amount of material to be evaporated can be added to each heating chamber 11 first, and then the heating chamber 11, buffer chamber 21, and vapor deposition chamber 31 are evacuated. When the vacuum degree in the heating chamber 11 reaches below 5E-4Pa, the first heating module 12 can be controlled to operate to heat the material to be evaporated in the heating chamber 11. When the vacuum degree in the buffer chamber 21 reaches below 5E-4Pa, the second heating module 25 can be controlled to operate to heat the steam in the buffer chamber 21. In addition, during operation, the temperature in the heating chamber 11 can be controlled between 150℃ and 250℃, and the vacuum degree in the heating chamber 11 can be controlled below 9.9E-2Pa.

[0079] In one embodiment, the first heating module 12 can also be an oil bath heating module, which can provide a more stable heating temperature for the object to be evaporated. The container inside the evaporation device for holding the object to be evaporated is typically a crucible, and the first heating module 12 heats the crucible, thereby heating the object inside the crucible.

[0080] In addition, the heating chamber 11 and the buffer chamber 21 are usually connected by a corresponding air guide pipe. The steam in the air guide pipe also needs to be heated by a corresponding heating module (defined as the third heating module). The third heating module can also be an oil heating module, which can heat the air guide pipe and thus heat the steam in the air guide pipe.

[0081] like Figure 2 As shown, the evaporation device 1 also includes a second valve 15. A feeding port 16 is provided on the side wall of the heating chamber 11. The second valve 15 is installed on the side wall of the heating chamber 11 and can control the opening or closing of the feeding port 16. When the feeding port 16 is open, the heating chamber 11 can communicate with the external space through the feeding port 16, at which time the object to be evaporated can be added into the heating chamber 11 through the feeding port 16. When the feeding port 16 is closed, the heating chamber 11 is not connected to the external space, at which time the object to be evaporated cannot be added into the heating chamber 11 through the feeding port 16. It should be understood that when evacuating the heating chamber 11, the second valve 15 needs to be controlled first to close the feeding port 16.

[0082] In one embodiment, the vapor deposition equipment 100 further includes a monitoring device for monitoring the vapor deposition rate. The monitoring device may include a crystal oscillator probe, which is installed inside the vapor deposition chamber 31.

[0083] It should be understood that the above-mentioned settings can also be replaced in other ways, such as:

[0084] In other embodiments, the second heating module may also employ other configurations. For example, the second heating module may include a gas source, a heating source, and a vent pipe. The vent pipe is connected to the gas outlet of the gas source and the gas inlet 23 of the buffer chamber 21. The gas source can supply gas to the buffer chamber 21 through the vent pipe. The heating source is used to heat the gas supplied from the gas source to the buffer chamber 21. The gas supplied from the gas source to the buffer chamber 21 may be an inert gas, defined as the carrier gas. After the heating source heats the carrier gas, the carrier gas can heat the steam inside the buffer chamber 21.

[0085] In other embodiments, the relative positions of the buffer chamber 21 and the vapor deposition chamber 31 can also be arranged in other ways, such as a portion of the buffer chamber 21 being located inside the vapor deposition chamber 31 and another portion of the buffer chamber 21 being located outside the vapor deposition chamber 31.

[0086] In other embodiments, the buffer chamber 21 may only have a first buffer cavity 211, in which case the inlet of the first buffer cavity 211 is the air inlet 23 of the buffer chamber 21, and the outlet of the first buffer cavity 211 is the air outlet 24 of the buffer chamber 21. Alternatively, the buffer chamber 21 may have only one of the second buffer cavity 212 and the third buffer cavity 213 in addition to the first buffer cavity 211, the second buffer cavity 212, and the third buffer cavity 213. Alternatively, the buffer chamber 21 may have other buffer cavities in addition to the aforementioned first buffer cavity 211, second buffer cavity 212, and third buffer cavity 213.

[0087] This invention also provides a vapor deposition process, which can be applied to the vapor deposition apparatus described in any of the above embodiments, wherein the vapor deposition process includes the following steps:

[0088] Step S1: Evacuate the buffer chamber, the vapor deposition chamber, and the heating chamber containing the object to be evaporated; Step S2: When the vacuum level in the heating chamber reaches a first predetermined value, control the first heating module to work to heat the object to be evaporated in the heating chamber, so that the object to be evaporated can enter the buffer chamber and the vapor deposition chamber after it is vaporized into steam.

[0089] In step S1, the same device can be used to evacuate the buffer chamber 21, the vapor deposition chamber 31, and the heating chamber 11. In this case, the aforementioned negative pressure device and the first vacuum module 14 can be the same device. Furthermore, in this scenario, the negative pressure device evacuates from one side of the vapor deposition chamber, meaning the evacuation port is located on the side wall of the vapor deposition chamber. During evacuation, the gas in the vapor deposition chamber is extracted first, then the gas in the buffer chamber, and finally the gas in the heating chamber. Alternatively, the negative pressure device can be connected to the buffer chamber 21, the vapor deposition chamber 31, and the heating chamber 11 respectively through corresponding air pipes, allowing the negative pressure device to evacuate all three chambers simultaneously. Of course, different devices can also be used to evacuate the buffer chamber 21, the vapor deposition chamber 31, and the heating chamber 11 separately; or, the vapor deposition chamber and the buffer chamber can be evacuated using the same device, while the heating chamber can be evacuated using a different device; or, the heating chamber and the buffer chamber can be evacuated using the same device, while the vapor deposition chamber can be evacuated using a different device.

[0090] In step S2, after the object to be evaporated is heated, it can evaporate to form steam. The steam will enter the buffer chamber 21 and then be guided and dispersed by the packing balls in the buffer chamber 21 to be evenly distributed in the buffer chamber. Finally, the steam in the buffer chamber will flow to the vapor deposition chamber to be deposited on the object to be vaporized.

[0091] In addition, the first predetermined value can be 5E-4Pa. After the vacuum degree in the heating chamber 11 reaches the first predetermined value, it is necessary to continue to evacuate the vapor deposition chamber 31 so that the vacuum degree in the vapor deposition chamber 31 is less than the vacuum degree in the buffer chamber 21. The vacuum degree in the buffer chamber 21 is less than the vacuum degree in the heating chamber 11. In this way, the vapor in the heating chamber 11 can flow into the buffer chamber 21 and finally flow from the buffer chamber 21 to the vapor deposition chamber 31.

[0092] Normally, while step S2 is being performed, the buffer chamber 21, the vapor deposition chamber 31, and the heating chamber 11 are kept evacuated.

[0093] Typically, the evaporation device is equipped with a first valve 13. In step S2, when the vacuum level in the heating chamber 11 stabilizes (defined as the first stable value), the first valve 13 of the heating device is opened to allow steam in the heating chamber 11 to enter the buffer chamber 21. When the vacuum level in the heating chamber 11 reaches stability, its actual vacuum level fluctuates within a certain range. For example, in some scenarios, when the vacuum level in the heating chamber 11 fluctuates within 10% above or below a certain value, it can be considered that the vacuum level in the heating chamber 11 has reached stability, and this value is the first stable value. Typically, the first stable value is less than or equal to 9.9E-2 Pa.

[0094] It should be noted that when the vacuum level in the heating chamber 11 reaches the first predetermined value and the object to be evaporated begins to be heated, the gas pressure in the heating chamber 11 will increase due to the steam formed by the vaporization of the object to be evaporated. While heating the object to be evaporated, the heating chamber 11 is kept under vacuum. This avoids drastic changes in gas pressure within the heating chamber 11, which helps the steam reach the object to be vaporized at a more uniform flow rate, thus facilitating control of the deposition thickness of the material on the object.

[0095] Before the first valve 13 is opened, the heating chamber 11 and the buffer chamber 21 are separated, and the heating chamber 11 is also separated from the vapor deposition chamber 31, which makes it easier for the gas pressure in the vapor deposition chamber 31 to reach a lower value.

[0096] In step S2, the temperature of the heating chamber is 190°C to 210°C. For example, the temperature inside the heating chamber 11 can be maintained at 190°C, 200°C, and 210°C.

[0097] In the vapor deposition process provided in this embodiment, after step S1, when the vacuum level in the buffer chamber 21 reaches a second predetermined value, the second heating module 25 is controlled to operate to heat the gas in the buffer chamber 21; wherein, the first predetermined value is greater than the second predetermined value, that is, the buffer chamber is heated when the gas pressure in the buffer chamber drops to a lower value. In addition, the second predetermined value can be 5E-5Pa.

[0098] In addition, in this embodiment, the evaporation device 1 typically includes a first valve 13, which is not opened until the vacuum level in the buffer chamber 21 reaches a second predetermined value, so that the gas in the heating chamber 11 cannot enter the buffer chamber 21.

[0099] When the first valve 13 opens, the air pressure in the buffer chamber 21 increases. During subsequent operations, the vacuum level in the buffer chamber 21 typically needs to be maintained at a second stable value to control the amount of material deposited on the object to be vaporized. When the vacuum level in the buffer chamber 21 reaches a steady state, its actual vacuum level fluctuates within a certain range. For example, in some scenarios, when the vacuum level in the buffer chamber 21 fluctuates within 10% above or below a certain value, it can be considered that the vacuum level in the buffer chamber 21 has reached a stable state; this value is the second stable value. Furthermore, the second stable value is less than the first stable value. In actual operation, the second stable value that the vacuum level in the buffer chamber 21 needs to maintain can be 5E-3 Pa. Of course, if the vacuum level in the buffer chamber 21 fluctuates within 10% above or below 5E-3 Pa, it is also considered that the vacuum level in the buffer chamber 21 is maintained at 5E-3 Pa.

[0100] During the vapor deposition process, the vacuum level in the vapor deposition chamber 31 is maintained at a third stable value, which is lower than the second stable value. When the vacuum level in the vapor deposition chamber 31 reaches a steady state, its actual vacuum level fluctuates within a certain range. For example, in some scenarios, when the vacuum level in the vapor deposition chamber 31 fluctuates within 5% above or below the specified value, it can be considered that the vacuum level in the vapor deposition chamber 31 has reached stability; this value is the third stable value. Furthermore, the third stable value is lower than the first stable value. In actual operation, the third stable value that the vacuum level in the vapor deposition chamber 31 needs to maintain can be 5E-3 Pa. Of course, if the vacuum level in the vapor deposition chamber fluctuates within 10% above or below 5E-3 Pa, it is also considered that the vacuum level in the vapor deposition chamber 31 is maintained at 5E-3 Pa.

[0101] In one embodiment, when the vacuum level in the buffer chamber 21 is maintained at a second stable value, the object to be vaporized is controlled to move to the vaporization position (even if the deposition surface of the object is located at the vaporization position) so that material can be deposited on the object. This makes the thickness of the material deposited on the deposition surface more uniform and controllable. Controlling the object to be vaporized to move to the vaporization position actually involves controlling the operation of the support device to move the object to the vaporization position.

[0102] Of course, even when the vacuum level in the buffer chamber 21 is not maintained at the second stable value, the object to be vaporized can still be located at the vaporization position. In this case, a baffle is provided between the deposition surface and the filler layer (the filler layer closest to the deposition surface). The baffle blocks the deposition surface to prevent vapor material from depositing on it. When the vacuum level in the buffer chamber is maintained at the second stable value, the baffle can be removed (at which point the deposition surface and the baffle are offset), allowing material to be deposited on the deposition surface. The baffle is connected to a baffle drive assembly, which can drive the baffle to move so that it can block the deposition surface or offset it from the deposition surface.

[0103] In actual production, the material of the object to be evaporated can be of one type, such as formamidinium hydroiodate (FAI). In this case, the object to be evaporated can be placed in one evaporation chamber or in multiple evaporation chambers at the same time.

[0104] Of course, in actual production, the material of the object to be evaporated can be of various types, such as methylamine hydrochloride (MACl). In this case, only one type of material is used for the object to be evaporated in one evaporation chamber. This makes it easier to heat objects of different materials and avoids damage to the properties of the corresponding objects to be evaporated.

[0105] To this end, multiple evaporation devices are defined, including a first evaporation device and a second evaporation device; the heating chambers of the first evaporation device and the second evaporation device respectively place objects to be evaporated made of different materials; when the vacuum degree in the heating chamber reaches a first predetermined value, the steps of controlling the operation of the first heating module include: step S21, when the vacuum degree in the heating chamber of the first evaporation device reaches the first predetermined value, heating the heating chamber of the first evaporation device and maintaining the temperature in the heating chamber of the first evaporation device at a first temperature; step S22, when the vacuum degree in the heating chamber of the second evaporation device reaches the first predetermined value, heating the heating chamber of the second evaporation device and maintaining the temperature in the heating chamber of the second evaporation device at a second temperature.

[0106] The heating chamber of the first evaporator is defined as heating chamber A, the first heating module of the first evaporator is defined as heating module A, and the first heating module of the second evaporator is defined as heating module B.

[0107] The values ​​of the first and second temperatures can be selected according to actual needs. For example, when FAI is placed in heating chamber A and MACl is placed in heating chamber B, the first temperature is higher than the second temperature, and the first temperature can be between 190℃ and 210℃, while the second temperature can be between 140℃ and 160℃. Specifically, the first temperature can be 190℃, 200℃, or 210℃, etc., and the second temperature can be 140℃, 150℃, or 160℃, etc.

[0108] In step S21, heating heating chamber A actually refers to heating the object to be evaporated inside heating chamber A. Furthermore, during operation, heating chamber A is heated via heating module A. In step S22, heating heating chamber B actually refers to heating the object to be evaporated inside heating chamber B. Furthermore, during operation, heating chamber B is heated via heating module B.

[0109] In addition, when heating chamber A, the steam in the air duct (defined as air duct A) connecting heating chamber A and buffer chamber also needs to be heated to maintain the steam in air duct A at a third temperature, which is greater than the first temperature. Typically, the third temperature can be 1°C higher than the first temperature.

[0110] When heating chamber B, the steam in the air duct (defined as air duct B) connecting heating chamber B and buffer chamber also needs to be heated to maintain the steam in air duct B at a fourth temperature, which is higher than the second temperature and lower than the first temperature. Typically, the fourth temperature can be 5°C higher than the second temperature.

[0111] For objects of different materials to be evaporated, the first stable value of the vacuum degree in the heating chamber where these objects are placed can also be different. For example, when FAI is placed in heating chamber A and MACl is placed in heating chamber B, the vacuum degree in heating chamber A is kept at less than 9.9E-2Pa and the vacuum degree in heating chamber B is kept at less than 5E-2Pa.

[0112] In step S2, when heating chamber A, the first valve of the first heating device (defined as valve A) needs to be opened. By controlling the opening degree of valve A, the flow rate of steam from heating chamber A to the buffer chamber can be controlled. In this case, valve A is a flow control valve. In step S2, when heating chamber B, the first valve of the second heating module (defined as valve B) needs to be opened. By controlling the opening degree of valve B, the flow rate of steam from heating chamber B to the buffer chamber can be controlled. In this case, valve B is a flow control valve.

[0113] Specifically, when FAI is placed in heating chamber A and MACl is placed in heating chamber B, the flow rate of FAI into the buffer chamber can be 0.8 sccm - 1.2 sccm, and the flow rate of MACl into the buffer chamber can be 0.08 sccm - 0.12 sccm. For example, the flow rate of FAI into the buffer chamber can be 0.8 sccm, 1 sccm, and 1.2 sccm, and the flow rate of MACl into the buffer chamber can be 0.08 sccm, 0.1 sccm, and 0.12 sccm.

[0114] In addition, it should be understood that the aforementioned controls can all be executed by the control device of the vapor deposition equipment.

[0115] 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.

[0116] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A vapor deposition apparatus, characterized in that, This includes evaporation equipment, buffer equipment, and vapor deposition equipment; The evaporation device includes a heating chamber and a first heating module. The first heating module is used to heat the object to be evaporated placed in the heating chamber so that the object to be evaporated evaporates to form steam. The buffer device has a buffer chamber and a plurality of packing balls. The air inlet of the buffer chamber is connected to the air outlet of the heating chamber. Each packing ball is filled in the buffer chamber to disperse the steam flowing from the air inlet of the buffer chamber to the air outlet of the buffer chamber. The vapor deposition apparatus has a vapor deposition chamber, and the outlet of the buffer chamber is located inside the vapor deposition chamber for injecting steam into the vapor deposition chamber; The packing ball is a hollow sphere with a hollow cavity. The outer surface of the packing ball is provided with multiple vent holes, each of which is connected to the hollow cavity of the packing ball. The hollow cavity of each packing ball is connected to the buffer chamber through its own vent hole. And / or, there is a gap between two adjacent packing balls, so that steam can pass between the two adjacent packing balls. The multiple packing balls are divided into multiple packing layers, and the packing layers are arranged sequentially along the direction from the air inlet to the air outlet of the buffer chamber. Each packing layer has at least one packing ball, and the packing balls in the same packing layer have the same outer diameter. Along the direction from the air inlet to the air outlet of the buffer chamber, the outer diameter of the packing balls and the diameter of the vent holes in each packing layer gradually decrease, and the number of packing balls in each packing layer gradually increases.

2. The vapor deposition equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The buffer chamber includes a first buffer cavity. Along the direction from the air inlet to the air outlet of the buffer chamber, the cross-sectional radius of the first buffer cavity gradually increases, and the packing balls of the packing layer are disposed in the first buffer cavity.

3. The vapor deposition equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The buffer device further includes a second heating module, which is used to heat the steam in the buffer chamber; The second heating module includes multiple heat exchange tube coils; the heat exchange tube coils are arranged sequentially at intervals along the direction from the air inlet to the air outlet of the buffer chamber; the heat exchange tube coils are sequentially connected; the inlet of one of two adjacent heat exchange tube coils is connected to the outlet of the other; the outlet of the heat exchange tube coil furthest from the air inlet of the buffer chamber is connected to the outlet of the heat exchange tube coil adjacent to it; or, The second heating module includes a gas source, a heating source, and a vent pipe; the vent pipe is connected to the gas outlet of the gas source and the gas inlet of the buffer chamber respectively; the gas source supplies gas to the buffer chamber through the vent pipe; the heating device is used to heat the gas supplied from the gas source to the buffer chamber.

4. The vapor deposition equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The packing balls are placed on the heat exchanger coil; Each of the heat exchanger coils located between the two outermost heat exchanger coils is positioned between two adjacent layers of packing balls and is in contact with the packing balls.

5. The vapor deposition equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The buffer device is located inside the vapor deposition chamber and is in sealed contact with the side wall of the vapor deposition chamber; The evaporation device is located outside the buffer chamber, and the evaporation device is located outside the vapor deposition chamber; The evaporation device further includes a first valve, which is disposed between the air inlet of the buffer chamber and the air outlet of the heating chamber, and is used to control the connection and disconnection between the air inlet of the buffer chamber and the air outlet of the heating chamber. The number of evaporation devices is multiple.

6. A vapor deposition process, applied to the vapor deposition apparatus according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: The buffer chamber, the vapor deposition chamber, and the heating chamber containing the objects to be evaporated are evaporated. When the vacuum level in the heating chamber reaches a first predetermined value, the first heating module is controlled to work to heat the object to be evaporated in the heating chamber, so that the object to be evaporated can enter the buffer chamber and the vaporization chamber after it is vaporized into steam.

7. The vapor deposition process according to claim 6, characterized in that, While the step of controlling the operation of the first heating module is being performed, the buffer chamber, the vapor deposition chamber and the heating chamber are kept under vacuum. In the step of controlling the operation of the first heating module, when the vacuum level in the heating chamber is stable, the first valve of the heating device is opened to allow steam in the heating chamber to enter the buffer chamber. When the vacuum level in the buffer chamber reaches a second predetermined value, the second heating module is controlled to operate to heat the gas in the buffer chamber; wherein the first predetermined value is greater than the second predetermined value.

8. The vapor deposition process according to claim 7, characterized in that, The plurality of evaporation devices includes a first evaporation device and a second evaporation device; the heating chambers of the first evaporation device and the second evaporation device respectively hold objects of different materials to be evaporated; The step of controlling the first heating module to operate when the vacuum level in the heating chamber reaches a first predetermined value includes: When the vacuum level in the heating chamber of the first evaporator reaches a first predetermined value, the heating chamber of the first evaporator is heated, and the temperature inside the heating chamber of the first evaporator is maintained at a first temperature. When the vacuum level in the heating chamber of the second evaporator reaches a first predetermined value, the heating chamber of the second evaporator is heated, and the temperature inside the heating chamber of the second evaporator is maintained at a second temperature.

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