Pulsed laser deposition device and deposition method thereof

Abstract

This invention discloses a pulsed laser deposition apparatus and its deposition method, comprising a frame, an internal coating vacuum chamber, a target cylinder, and a cathode target mounted on the target cylinder. The frame is equipped with a target cylinder rotation drive mechanism for driving the target cylinder to rotate. The coating vacuum chamber contains a substrate transfer device. The apparatus also includes a wide-line-beam pulsed laser and a reflector that works in conjunction with the wide-line-beam pulsed laser. The wide-line-beam laser beam is reflected by the reflector and then irradiates the axial surface of the cathode target facing the substrate. This apparatus utilizes the coordination of the wide-line-beam laser beam and the target movement. The uniformity of the film thickness in the direction parallel to the target is ensured by the consistency of the wide-line-beam laser distribution, and the uniformity of the film thickness in the direction perpendicular to the target is ensured by the uniformity of the substrate movement speed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of film coating, and in particular to a pulse laser deposition device and a deposition method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Pulsed Laser Deposition, referred to as PLD, is a process in which the laser beam irradiates the target material under sufficiently high laser energy density and short pulse time. The target material absorbs the laser energy and the temperature at the spot rises rapidly to above the evaporation temperature of the target material, resulting in high temperature and ablation. The target material vaporizes and evaporates, and atoms, molecules, electrons, ions, molecular clusters, and micrometer-sized droplets and solid particles escape from the surface of the target. These evaporated substances in turn continue to interact with the laser, and their temperature is further increased to form a regionalized high-temperature and high-density plasma. The plasma absorbs light energy through the inverse brecciated absorption mechanism and is heated to above 104K, forming a bright plasma flame with a dense core. After the plasma flame is formed, it continues to interact with the laser beam and further ionizes. The temperature and pressure of the plasma rise rapidly, and a large temperature and pressure gradient is formed in the normal direction of the target surface, causing it to expand outward isothermally (when the laser is acting) and adiabatically (after the laser is terminated) along this direction. At this time, the non-uniform distribution of the charge cloud forms a very strong accelerating electric field. The high-energy particles in the laser plasma bombard the substrate surface, causing different degrees of radiation damage, one of which is atomic sputtering. A thermal zone is formed between the incident particle flow and the sputtered atoms. Once the particle condensation rate is greater than the sputtering rate of the sputtered atoms, the thermal zone will dissipate and the particles will grow a thin film on the substrate.

[0003] At present, general laser pulse deposition equipment uses a point source laser to irradiate a moving target material. Through the optical path design, the laser beam is moved on the target surface or the substrate moves relative to the light spot to achieve uniform coating on different areas of the substrate surface.

[0004] Existing solution 1: Circular substrate coating: The laser beam scans left and right on the rotating target surface, while the substrate rotates to achieve uniform coating. The specific structure is as follows: Figure 5 shown.

[0005] Existing solution 2, rectangular substrate coating: The laser beam scans up and down on the rotating target surface, while the substrate moves at a uniform speed in parallel. The laser beam scanning speed is much faster than the substrate moving speed. At this time, a uniform film layer will be formed on the substrate. The specific structure is as follows: Figure 6 shown.

[0006] The disadvantage of the above scheme is that it is difficult to deposit thin films over a large area. Generally, the size of the deposition substrate is less than 200 mm. In addition, since the laser is a point light source, it only glows at a single point or multiple points (using multiple laser beams) on the target, and the film formation speed is slow. Summary of the invention

[0007] The technical problem solved by the present invention is to provide a pulse laser deposition device which can improve the coating rate, realize large-area deposition and ensure the uniformity of film thickness.

[0008] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the technical problem is: a pulse laser deposition device, comprising a frame, a coating vacuum chamber is arranged inside the frame, one side of the coating vacuum chamber is a substrate inlet, and the other side of the coating vacuum chamber is a substrate outlet, a target barrel is arranged in the vacuum chamber, a cathode target is sleeved on the target barrel, a target barrel rotation driving mechanism for driving the target barrel to rotate is arranged on the frame, a substrate transmission device is arranged in the coating vacuum chamber, and also includes a broad line beam pulse laser and a reflector matched with the broad line beam pulse laser;

[0009] After the broad line laser beam of the broad line beam pulse laser is reflected by a reflector, the broad line laser beam irradiates the axial surface of the cathode target material facing the substrate.

[0010] Furthermore, a magnetron sputtering mechanism is arranged in the target material tube, and the magnetron sputtering mechanism includes an isolation support mechanism installed on the inner side of the target material tube, a cooling shaft is arranged in the middle of the isolation support mechanism, one end of the cooling shaft is a cooling water inlet, and the other end of the cooling shaft is a cooling water outlet; a magnet array assembly is arranged on the isolation support mechanism, and the magnet array assembly is arranged toward the substrate.

[0011] Furthermore, the substrate transmission device includes a plurality of driving rollers located at the lower part of the coating vacuum chamber and a guide bar located at the upper part of the coating vacuum chamber, the guide bar and the driving roller are arranged correspondingly, a driving wheel is arranged at the front end of the driving roller, an annular groove is arranged on the surface of the driving wheel, and a guide groove is arranged on the side of the guide bar facing the annular groove;

[0012] When the substrate is transported, the bottom end of the substrate is located in the annular groove, and the top end of the substrate is located in the guide groove.

[0013] Furthermore, the wide-line beam pulse laser is located outside the coating vacuum chamber, and a quartz glass window is provided on the frame, so that the wide-line laser beam emitted by the wide-line beam pulse laser can pass through the quartz glass window and irradiate the reflector.

[0014] The present invention also discloses a pulse laser deposition method, which uses the pulse laser deposition equipment described above. The method is as follows: under the drive of a substrate transmission device, the substrate enters a coating vacuum chamber from a substrate inlet of the coating vacuum chamber and is transmitted forward at a uniform speed. At the same time, a wide-line beam pulse laser emits a wide-line laser beam, which is projected onto a reflector and reflected by the reflector onto the surface of a cathode target facing the substrate, forming a linearly distributed plasma plume facing the substrate in the length direction of the cathode target surface. At the same time, the substrate moves at a uniform speed in a direction perpendicular to the cathode target, thereby forming a coating on the substrate surface. After the coating is completed, the substrate flows out from the substrate outlet.

[0015] The present invention also discloses a pulse laser deposition method, which adopts the pulse laser deposition equipment described above, and the method is as follows: under the drive of the substrate transmission device, the substrate enters the coating vacuum chamber from the substrate inlet of the coating vacuum chamber and is transmitted forward at a uniform speed, and at the same time, the wide-line beam pulse laser emits a wide-line laser beam, and the wide-line laser beam is shot onto the reflector and reflected by the reflector to hit the surface of the cathode target facing the substrate, forming a linearly distributed plasma plume facing the substrate in the length direction of the cathode target surface, thereby realizing pulse laser coating, and at the same time, the magnetron sputtering mechanism is connected to a negative potential, and the inside of the coating vacuum chamber is connected to a positive potential, and the surface of the substrate is magnetron sputtered. At the same time, the substrate moves at a uniform speed in a direction perpendicular to the cathode target, thereby completing the formation of a coating on the entire surface of the substrate, and the substrate after coating flows out from the substrate outlet.

[0016] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: the wide-line laser beam and target material movement are used in the device to coordinate, and the uniformity of the film thickness in the direction parallel to the target material is ensured by the consistency of the wide-line laser beam distribution, and the uniformity of the film thickness in the direction perpendicular to the target material is ensured by the uniformity of the substrate movement speed. At the same time, the coating speed is further improved by the combined action of pulsed laser deposition and magnetron sputtering. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the pulsed laser deposition equipment according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the pulsed laser deposition equipment according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0019] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the structure of the substrate transmission device of the pulsed laser deposition equipment of an embodiment of the present application.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic structural diagram of a magnetron sputtering mechanism of a pulsed laser deposition device according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0021] Figure 5It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the pulsed laser deposition equipment of Example 1 in the prior art.

[0022] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the pulsed laser deposition equipment of Example 2 in the prior art.

[0023] Marked in the figure are: frame 1, target material tube 2, target material tube rotation drive mechanism 3, wide line beam pulse laser 4, reflector 5, cooling shaft 6, isolation support mechanism 7, magnet array assembly 8, drive roller 9, drive wheel 10, annular groove 11, guide bar 12, guide groove 13, quartz glass window 14, substrate 15. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, the specific embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0025] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the embodiment of the present application discloses a pulse laser deposition device, including a frame 1, a coating vacuum chamber is arranged inside the frame 1, one side of the coating vacuum chamber is a substrate inlet, and the other side of the coating vacuum chamber is a substrate outlet, a target barrel 2 is arranged in the vacuum chamber, a cathode target is sleeved on the target barrel 2, a target barrel rotation driving mechanism 3 for driving the target barrel 2 to rotate is arranged on the frame 1, a substrate 15 transmission device is arranged in the coating vacuum chamber, and also includes a broad line beam pulse laser 4 and a reflector 5 matched with the broad line beam pulse laser 4;

[0026] After being reflected by the reflecting mirror 5 , the broad line laser beam of the broad line beam pulse laser 4 irradiates the axial surface of the cathode target material facing the substrate 15 .

[0027] Specifically, in a preferred embodiment, the length of the broad-line laser beam may be equal to the axial length of the cathode target or the length of the broad-line laser beam may be greater than the axial length of the cathode target.

[0028] Specifically, it should be explained that the above-mentioned coating vacuum chamber is one of the chambers of the coating equipment. In a specific embodiment, the coating production line includes a feed chamber, a coating vacuum chamber and a discharge chamber connected in sequence from left to right, and the feed chamber, the coating vacuum chamber and the discharge chamber are all provided with a substrate 15 transmission device. The feed chamber includes a film feed chamber, a first buffer chamber and a first transition chamber arranged in sequence along the product movement direction. A first gate valve is arranged at the entrance of the film feed chamber, a second gate valve is arranged between the film feed chamber and the first buffer chamber, and a third gate valve is arranged between the first buffer chamber and the first transition chamber. The discharge chamber includes a second transition chamber, a second buffer chamber and a discharge chamber arranged in sequence along the product movement direction, a fourth gate valve is arranged between the second transition chamber and the second buffer chamber, a fifth gate valve is arranged between the second buffer chamber and the discharge chamber, and a sixth gate valve is arranged at the outlet end of the discharge chamber;

[0029] Specifically, during the specific operation, the first gate valve is opened, and a plurality of products to be coated follow the substrate 15 transmission device into the film feed chamber, the first gate valve is closed, the film feed chamber is vacuumized, and the film feed chamber is in a vacuumized state; then, the second gate valve is opened, and a plurality of products to be coated follow the substrate 15 transmission device into the first buffer chamber, the second gate valve is closed, the first buffer chamber is vacuumized to achieve a higher vacuum degree, and the film feed chamber is vacuum-broken at the same time; then, the third gate valve is opened, and a plurality of products to be coated follow the substrate 15 transmission device into the first transition chamber, the third gate valve is closed, and the first transition chamber is vacuumized; then, a plurality of products to be coated enter the coating vacuum chamber. The coating process is carried out in the cavity. After the coating is completed, multiple products to be coated follow the substrate 15 transmission device into the second transition chamber. Then, the fourth gate valve is opened, and multiple products to be coated follow the substrate 15 transmission device into the second buffer chamber. The fourth gate valve is closed, and the second buffer chamber is vacuumed. Then, the fifth gate valve is opened, and multiple products to be coated follow the substrate 15 transmission device into the sheet discharge chamber. The fifth gate valve is closed, and the sheet discharge chamber is vacuumed. Finally, the sixth gate valve is opened, and multiple products to be coated follow the substrate 15 transmission device out of the sheet discharge chamber. Then, the sixth gate valve is closed, and the sheet discharge chamber is vacuumed, waiting for the next product to enter the sheet discharge chamber.

[0030] That is, the arrangement of the above-mentioned coating production line can ensure that the coating vacuum chamber is in a completely vacuum environment. During the specific pulse laser deposition coating, driven by the substrate 15 transmission device, the substrate 15 enters the coating vacuum chamber from the substrate entrance of the coating vacuum chamber and is transmitted forward at a uniform speed. At the same time, the wide-line beam pulse laser 4 emits a wide-line laser beam, which is projected onto the reflector 5 and reflected by the reflector 5 to hit the surface of the cathode target facing the substrate 15, forming a linearly distributed plasma plume facing the substrate in the length direction of the cathode target surface. At the same time, the substrate moves at a uniform speed in a direction perpendicular to the cathode target, thereby forming a coating on the substrate surface. After the coating is completed, the substrate flows out from the substrate outlet.

[0031] In this structure, a wide-line laser beam and target material movement are used in the device. The uniformity of the film thickness in the direction parallel to the target material is ensured by the consistency of the wide-line laser beam distribution. The uniformity of the film thickness in the direction perpendicular to the target material is ensured by the uniformity of the substrate movement speed. Due to the use of the wide-line laser beam in this technical solution, deposition coating can be achieved on a substrate with a width of 2m-3m.

[0032] In this embodiment, a magnetron sputtering mechanism is arranged in the target material tube 2, and the magnetron sputtering mechanism includes an isolation support mechanism 7 installed on the inner side of the target material tube 2, a cooling shaft 6 is arranged in the middle of the isolation support mechanism 7, one end of the cooling shaft 6 is a cooling water inlet, and the other end of the cooling shaft 6 is a cooling water outlet, and a magnet array assembly 8 is arranged on the isolation support mechanism 7, and the magnet array assembly 8 is arranged toward the direction of the substrate 15.

[0033] During specific operation, driven by the substrate 15 transmission device, the substrate 15 enters the coating vacuum chamber from the substrate entrance of the coating vacuum chamber and is transmitted forward at a uniform speed. At the same time, the wide-line beam pulse laser 4 emits a wide-line laser beam, which is projected onto the reflector 5 and reflected by the reflector 5 to hit the surface of the cathode target facing the substrate 15, forming a linearly distributed plasma plume facing the substrate in the length direction of the cathode target surface, thereby realizing pulsed laser coating. At the same time, the magnetron sputtering mechanism is connected to a negative potential, and the inside of the coating vacuum chamber is connected to a positive potential, and the surface of the substrate 15 is magnetron sputtered. While working, cooling water is introduced into the cooling shaft 6 to cool the magnetron sputtering mechanism. At the same time, the substrate moves at a uniform speed in a direction perpendicular to the cathode target, thereby completing the coating on the entire surface of the substrate. The substrate after coating flows out from the substrate outlet.

[0034] In this structure, during the coating operation, the coating speed is further increased by the combined action of pulsed laser deposition and magnetron sputtering.

[0035] In this embodiment, the substrate 15 transmission device includes a plurality of driving rollers 9 located at the lower part of the coating vacuum chamber and a guide bar 12 located at the upper part of the coating vacuum chamber. The guide bar 12 and the driving roller 9 are arranged correspondingly. A driving wheel 10 is arranged at the front end of the driving roller 9. An annular groove 11 is arranged on the surface of the driving wheel 10. A guide groove 13 is arranged on the side of the guide bar 12 facing the annular groove 11.

[0036] When the substrate 15 is transported, the bottom end of the substrate 15 is located in the annular groove 11 , and the top end of the substrate 15 is located in the guide groove.

[0037] Specifically, the driving roller 9 can be driven to rotate by a driving motor, and the driving roller 9 is a magnetic fluid transmission mechanism.

[0038] During the transmission, the driving roller 9 drives the driving wheel 10 to rotate, thereby driving the substrate 15 to be transmitted forward. At the same time, during the transmission process, due to the setting of the annular groove 11 and the guide groove 13, the substrate can be confined in the annular groove 11 and the guide groove 13 during the transmission process, thereby ensuring the stability of the substrate during transmission and the accuracy of the coating operation.

[0039] In this embodiment, the wide-line beam pulse laser 4 is located outside the coating vacuum chamber, and a quartz glass window 14 is provided on the frame 1 so that the wide-line laser beam emitted by the wide-line beam pulse laser 4 can pass through the quartz glass window 14 and irradiate the reflector 5 .

[0040] Specifically, in this structure, the wide line beam pulse laser 4 is arranged outside the coating vacuum chamber. This arrangement can reduce the volume of the coating vacuum chamber as much as possible, thereby ensuring the vacuum degree inside the coating vacuum chamber and ensuring the uniformity of the coating.

[0041] The following is a specific embodiment of the coating operation in this application:

[0042] Embodiment 1:

[0043] Driven by the substrate 15 transmission device, the substrate 15 enters the coating vacuum chamber from the substrate entrance of the coating vacuum chamber and is transmitted forward at a uniform speed. At the same time, the wide-line beam pulse laser 4 emits a wide-line laser beam, which is projected onto the reflector 5 and reflected by the reflector 5 to hit the surface of the cathode target facing the substrate 15, forming a linearly distributed plasma plume facing the substrate in the length direction of the cathode target surface. At the same time, the substrate moves at a uniform speed in a direction perpendicular to the cathode target, thereby forming a coating on the substrate surface. The substrate after coating flows out from the substrate outlet.

[0044] In this method, a wide-line laser beam is used in coordination with the target material movement. The uniformity of the film thickness in the direction parallel to the target material is ensured by the consistency of the wide-line laser beam distribution. The uniformity of the film thickness in the direction perpendicular to the target material is ensured by the uniformity of the substrate movement speed.

[0045] Embodiment 2: Driven by the substrate 15 transmission device, the substrate 15 enters the coating vacuum chamber from the substrate entrance of the coating vacuum chamber and is transmitted forward at a uniform speed. At the same time, the wide-line beam pulse laser 4 emits a wide-line laser beam, which is projected onto the reflector 5 and reflected by the reflector 5 to hit the surface of the cathode target facing the substrate 15, forming a linearly distributed plasma plume facing the substrate in the length direction of the cathode target surface, thereby realizing pulsed laser coating. At the same time, the magnetron sputtering mechanism is connected to a negative potential, and the inside of the coating vacuum chamber is connected to a positive potential, and the surface of the substrate 15 is magnetron sputtered. At the same time, the substrate moves at a uniform speed in a direction perpendicular to the cathode target, thereby completing the formation of a coating on the entire surface of the substrate. After the coating is completed, the substrate flows out from the substrate outlet.

[0046] In this method, pulsed laser deposition and magnetron sputtering work together to further increase the coating speed.

[0047] The specific embodiments described above further illustrate the objectives, technical solutions and beneficial effects of the present invention in detail. It should be understood that the above description is only a specific embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. Pulsed laser deposition equipment, characterized in that: The invention comprises a frame (1), wherein a coating vacuum chamber is arranged inside the frame (1), one side of the coating vacuum chamber is a substrate inlet, and the other side of the coating vacuum chamber is a substrate outlet, a target tube (2) is arranged inside the vacuum chamber, a cathode target is sleeved on the target tube (2), a target tube rotation driving mechanism (3) for driving the target tube (2) to perform rotational motion is arranged on the frame (1), a substrate (15) transmission device is arranged inside the coating vacuum chamber, and further comprises a broad line beam pulse laser (4) and a reflector (5) cooperating with the broad line beam pulse laser (4); After the broad line laser beam of the broad line beam pulse laser (4) is reflected by the reflector (5), the broad line laser beam irradiates the axial surface of the cathode target material facing the substrate (15); A magnetron sputtering mechanism is arranged in the target barrel (2), the magnetron sputtering mechanism comprising an isolation support mechanism (7) installed inside the target barrel (2), a cooling shaft (6) being arranged in the middle of the isolation support mechanism (7), one end of the cooling shaft (6) being a cooling water inlet, and the other end of the cooling shaft (6) being a cooling water outlet; a magnet array assembly (8) is arranged on the isolation support mechanism (7), the magnet array assembly (8) being arranged towards the substrate (15); The wide-line beam pulse laser (4) is located outside the coating vacuum chamber, and a quartz glass window (14) is provided on the frame (1), so that the wide-line laser beam emitted by the wide-line beam pulse laser (4) can pass through the quartz glass window (14) and irradiate the reflector (5).

2. The pulsed laser deposition device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The substrate (15) transmission device comprises a plurality of driving rollers (9) located at the bottom of the coating vacuum chamber and a guide bar (12) located at the top of the coating vacuum chamber, wherein the guide bar (12) and the driving roller (9) are arranged correspondingly, a driving wheel (10) is arranged at the front end of the driving roller (9), an annular groove (11) is arranged on the surface of the driving wheel (10), and a guide groove (13) is arranged on the side of the guide bar (12) facing the annular groove (11); When the substrate (15) is transported, the bottom end of the substrate (15) is located in the annular groove (11), and the top end of the substrate (15) is located in the guide groove.

3. A pulsed laser deposition method, using the pulsed laser deposition device according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that: The method is as follows: under the drive of a substrate (15) transmission device, the substrate (15) enters the coating vacuum chamber from the substrate inlet of the coating vacuum chamber and is uniformly transmitted forward; at the same time, a wide-line beam pulse laser (4) emits a wide-line laser beam, which is projected onto a reflector (5) and is reflected by the reflector (5) to hit the surface of a cathode target facing the substrate (15), forming a linearly distributed plasma plume facing the substrate in the length direction of the cathode target surface; at the same time, the substrate moves at a uniform speed in a direction perpendicular to the cathode target, thereby forming a coating on the substrate surface; and the substrate after coating flows out from the substrate outlet.

4. A pulsed laser deposition method, using the pulsed laser deposition device according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that: The method is as follows: under the drive of a substrate (15) transmission device, the substrate (15) enters the coating vacuum chamber from the substrate entrance of the coating vacuum chamber and is uniformly transmitted forward; at the same time, a wide-line beam pulse laser (4) emits a wide-line laser beam, which is projected onto a reflector (5) and is reflected by the reflector (5) to hit the surface of a cathode target facing the substrate (15), forming a linearly distributed plasma plume facing the substrate in the length direction of the cathode target surface, thereby achieving pulse laser coating; at the same time, a magnetron sputtering mechanism is connected to a negative potential, and the inside of the coating vacuum chamber is connected to a positive potential, and magnetron sputtering coating is performed on the surface of the substrate (15); at the same time, the substrate moves at a uniform speed in a direction perpendicular to the cathode target, thereby completing the coating of the entire surface of the substrate, and the substrate after coating flows out from the substrate exit.

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