Automatic spraying equipment

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an automated spraying device, which includes: a spraying component, a solution processing component and a control module; the spraying component and the solution processing component are electrically connected to the control module respectively; the control module is used to control the spraying component to spray a sample to be processed to form a spray film layer; and is also used to control the solution processing component to perform solution processing on the spray film layer. In this way, by using the solution processing component to perform solution processing on the spray film layer after the sample to be processed is sprayed to form a spray film layer, the preparation requirements of different film layers can be met, thereby facilitating the large-scale application of the automated spraying device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of thin film spraying, and in particular to an automatic spraying device. Background Art

[0002] Spray coating technology has a wide range of applications in optics, biology, medicine and other fields due to its advantages such as large-area spraying, spraying on irregular curved substrates, and the ability to cooperate with mask plates to achieve patterned film formation.

[0003] At present, in order to meet the needs of large-scale and batch film production, automated spraying equipment has become an indispensable role. However, existing automated spraying equipment can usually only spray samples layer by layer, but cannot perform relevant solution treatment on the film layer during the spraying process, making it difficult to meet the preparation requirements of different film layers, limiting the large-scale application of automated spraying equipment. Summary of the invention

[0004] In order to solve the above technical problems or at least partially solve the above technical problems, the present disclosure provides an automated spraying equipment.

[0005] The present disclosure provides an automated spraying device, comprising: a spraying component, a solution processing component and a control module;

[0006] The spraying component and the solution processing component are electrically connected to the control module respectively;

[0007] The control module is used to control the spraying component to spray the sample to be processed to form a sprayed film layer, and to control the solution processing component to perform solution processing on the sprayed film layer.

[0008] Optionally, the automated spraying equipment further comprises a spraying chamber, a solution processing chamber, a stage and a conveying component;

[0009] The spraying assembly is located in the spraying chamber; the solution processing assembly is located in the solution processing chamber; the conveying component connects the spraying chamber and the solution processing chamber; and the stage can slide along the conveying component.

[0010] Optionally, there are multiple sample carriers, and / or the size of a single sample carrier is greater than or equal to the size of multiple samples to be processed.

[0011] Optionally, the solution treatment component comprises: a treatment solution storage device, a rinse solution storage device and an air drying device; the air drying device comprises a plurality of air outlets;

[0012] The processing solution storage device is used for containing the processing solution; the flushing solution storage device is used for containing the flushing solution; and the air-drying device is used for air-drying the flushed sample to be processed.

[0013] Optionally, the treatment solution storage device comprises a first liquid level sensor; and / or, the rinse solution storage device comprises a second liquid level sensor;

[0014] The first liquid level sensor and the second liquid level sensor are electrically connected to the control module.

[0015] Optionally, the treatment solution storage device comprises a first sealing cover and a first pneumatic switch, wherein the first pneumatic switch is used to control the first sealing cover to be opened or closed;

[0016] And / or, the flushing solution storage device includes a second sealing cover and a second pneumatic switch, and the second pneumatic switch is used to control the second sealing cover to be opened or closed.

[0017] Optionally, the solution processing assembly further comprises: a first mechanical arm and a position calibration unit;

[0018] The position calibration unit is used to clamp the sample to be processed to a preset calibration area; the first robotic arm is used to grab the sample to be processed for solution treatment, grab the sample to be processed to the preset calibration area, and grab the sample to be processed from the preset calibration area to the area where the spray assembly is located.

[0019] Optionally, an air compressor is also included;

[0020] The first mechanical arm includes a clamping claw; the clamping claw includes a flushing port and an air outlet;

[0021] The air compressor is communicated with the flushing solution storage device; the flushing solution storage device is communicated with the flushing port; the air compressor is communicated with the air outlet.

[0022] Optionally, the spraying assembly includes a spraying solution storage device, a liquid supply pump and a spray head;

[0023] The spray solution storage device is connected to the spray head through the liquid supply pump.

[0024] Optionally, the spray head is provided with a temporary storage structure for the spray solution;

[0025] The capacity of the spray solution storage device is greater than the capacity of the spray solution temporary storage structure.

[0026] Optionally, the spraying assembly further includes a second mechanical arm;

[0027] The second mechanical arm is electrically connected to the control module; the nozzle is fixed to the second mechanical arm; and the second mechanical arm is used to drive the nozzle to move along a preset trajectory.

[0028] Optionally, an air compressor is also included;

[0029] The air compressor is connected to the nozzle; the air compressor is used to ventilate the nozzle.

[0030] Optionally, a first air purification module is further provided in the spraying chamber; and / or a second air purification module is further provided in the solution processing chamber.

[0031] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure has the following advantages:

[0032] The automated spraying equipment provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a spraying component, a solution processing component and a control module; the spraying component and the solution processing component are electrically connected to the control module respectively; the control module is used to control the spraying component to spray the sample to be processed to form a spray film layer, and control the solution processing component to perform solution processing on the spray film layer. In this way, by using the solution processing component to perform solution processing on the spray film layer after the sample to be processed is sprayed to form a spray film layer, the preparation requirements of different film layers can be met, thereby facilitating the large-scale application of automated spraying equipment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.

[0034] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative labor.

[0035] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of an automated spraying device provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0036] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a top view of an automated spraying device provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0037] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of another automated spraying equipment provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0038] Figure 4 A structural schematic diagram of the working principle of an air-drying device provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0039] Figure 5 A structural schematic diagram of the working principle of a flushing solution storage device provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0040] Figure 6 A structural schematic diagram of the working principle of a position calibration unit provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0041] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of a first mechanical arm provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0042] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a spray path provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0043] Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of an electron microscope structure of a sprayed film layer provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0044] Fig.10 A schematic diagram of the side structure of an automated spraying device provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] Among them, 01, sample to be processed; 02, air outlet; 03, flushing port; 04, preset calibration area; 110, spraying component; 111, spray solution storage device; 112, liquid supply pump; 113, nozzle; 114, second robotic arm; 120, solution processing component; 121, processing solution storage device; 122, flushing solution storage device; 123, air drying device; 124, first robotic arm; 1241, clamp; 125, position calibration unit; 130, control module; 140, spray chamber; 141, first air purification module; 142, second air purification module; 150, solution processing chamber; 160, stage; 170, transmission component; 180, air compressor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] In order to more clearly understand the above-mentioned objectives, features and advantages of the present disclosure, the scheme of the present disclosure will be further described below. It should be noted that the embodiments of the present disclosure and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other without conflict.

[0047] In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present disclosure, but the present disclosure may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein; it is obvious that the embodiments in the specification are only part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, rather than all of the embodiments.

[0048] The following is an exemplary description of the automated spraying equipment provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0049] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an automated spraying device provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1 The automated spraying equipment includes: a spraying component 110, a solution processing component 120 and a control module 130; the spraying component 110 and the solution processing component 120 are electrically connected to the control module 130 respectively; the control module 130 is used to control the spraying component 110 to spray the sample to be processed to form a spray film layer, and to control the solution processing component 120 to perform solution processing on the spray film layer.

[0050] The spraying assembly 110 is a structure for spraying the sample to be processed to form a sprayed film layer, including but not limited to spraying quantum dot detectors such as photovoltaic and photoconductive types. Exemplarily, the sample to be processed may include a substrate, and the sprayed film layer formed thereon may be a photoresist, a conductive ink, a transparent conductive oxide, an anti-reflective layer, a hydrophilic and hydrophobic coating, a superhard protective coating, etc., and the types of the sample to be processed and the sprayed film layer formed thereon are not limited.

[0051] Exemplarily, the solution treatment operation performed by the solution treatment component 120 on the sprayed film layer may include: using a treatment solution to perform solution treatment on the sprayed film layer, using a rinse solution to rinse the sprayed film layer after solution treatment, and air-drying the rinsed sprayed film layer, etc., which can be set according to the solution treatment requirements of the sprayed film layer and is not limited here.

[0052] Specifically, compared with the prior art, automated spraying equipment can usually only spray samples (or samples to be processed) layer by layer, but cannot perform solution treatment on the formed film layer during the spraying process, which makes it difficult to meet the preparation requirements of different film layers. In the process where the spray component 110 provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure sprays the sample to be processed, the control module 130 can control the solution treatment component 120 to perform solution treatment on a certain spray film layer formed on the sample to be processed, and then use the spray component 110 to continue spraying the spray film layer after solution treatment, or end the spraying. In this way, it is easy to meet the preparation requirements of different film layers, thereby overcoming the problems existing in the existing automated spraying equipment.

[0053] The automated spraying equipment provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a spraying component 110, a solution processing component 120 and a control module 130; the spraying component 110 and the solution processing component 120 are electrically connected to the control module 130 respectively; the control module 130 is used to control the spraying component 110 to spray the sample to be processed to form a spray film layer, and control the solution processing component 120 to perform solution processing on the spray film layer. In this way, by using the solution processing component 120 to perform solution processing on the spray film layer after the sample to be processed is sprayed to form a spray film layer, the preparation requirements of different film layers can be met, thereby facilitating the large-scale application of automated spraying equipment.

[0054] In some embodiments, Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a top view of an automated spraying device provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1 Based on Figure 2 The automated spraying equipment further includes a spraying chamber 140, a solution processing chamber 150, a stage 160 and a conveying component 170; the spraying assembly 110 is located in the spraying chamber 140; the solution processing assembly 120 is located in the solution processing chamber 150; the conveying component 170 connects the spraying chamber 140 and the solution processing chamber 150; the stage 160 can slide along the conveying component 170.

[0055] The spray chamber 140 is a structure for accommodating the spray assembly 110, and correspondingly, the solution treatment chamber 150 is a structure for accommodating the solution treatment assembly 120. It should be noted that the automated spraying equipment can avoid cross contamination of solutions generated by the spray assembly 110 and the solution treatment assembly 120 by providing the spray chamber 140 and the solution treatment chamber 150 which are separated from each other, thereby facilitating improving the purity of the prepared film layer and ensuring the quality of the prepared film layer.

[0056] Among them, one end of the conveying component 170 is located in the spraying chamber 140, and the other end is located in the solution treatment chamber 150, so as to connect the spraying chamber 140 and the solution treatment chamber 150. Specifically, the stage 160 is slidably connected with the conveying component 170, wherein for the spraying scene, the stage 160 can slide along the conveying component 170 to the spraying chamber 140, so as to use the spraying component 110 to spray the sample to be processed supported by the stage 160; for the solution treatment scene, the stage 160 can slide along the conveying component 170 to the solution treatment chamber 150, so as to use the solution treatment component 120 to perform solution treatment on the spray film layer formed by spraying the sample to be processed. Exemplarily, the conveying component 170 can be a slide rail, or other components known to those skilled in the art, which are not limited here.

[0057] In this way, by setting the stage 160 to slide along the conveying component 170, the sample to be processed can be driven to move therewith, thereby facilitating the spraying of the sample to be processed or the solution treatment of the sprayed film layer formed by the spraying, thereby improving the degree of automation of the automatic spraying equipment, and thus helping to improve the overall work efficiency.

[0058] In some embodiments, Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of another automated spraying device provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 Based on Figure 3 , there are multiple stages 160, and / or the size of a single stage 160 is greater than or equal to the size of multiple samples 01 to be processed.

[0059] For example, Figure 3 Taking the structure shown as an example, the figure shows that the number of the stage 160 and the conveying part 170 are both two, and the stage 160 is slidably connected to the conveying part 170 one by one. Specifically, after the sample 01 to be processed on one stage 160 is sprayed to form a spray film layer, it can slide to the solution treatment chamber. While the spray film layer formed by it is subjected to solution treatment, the sample 01 to be processed on another stage 160 can be sprayed in the spray chamber. In this way, by setting the number of stages 160 to be multiple, the samples 01 to be processed on different stages 160 can be alternately subjected to the steps of spraying and solution treatment, which greatly improves the production efficiency; in addition, it can also greatly increase the number of samples to be processed that can be supported to achieve large-scale spraying.

[0060] Each stage 160 can support multiple samples 01 to be processed of different sizes, or multiple samples 01 to be processed of the same size. For example, the figure shows that 9 samples 01 to be processed are arranged in 3 rows and 3 columns on each stage 160. It can be seen that the size of each stage 160 is larger than the size of the 9 samples 01 to be processed, so as to support at least 9 samples 01 to be processed, wherein the size of each sample 01 to be processed can be the same or different. The number of samples 01 to be processed that can be supported by a single stage 160, the size of each sample 01 to be processed, and the arrangement of the samples 01 to be processed are not limited.

[0061] In this way, by setting the size of a single stage 160 to be greater than or equal to the size of multiple samples 01 to be processed, the spraying requirements of samples 01 to be processed of different sizes and multiple samples 01 to be processed can be met at the same time, which helps to improve the spraying efficiency.

[0062] In some embodiments, the stage 160 is electrically connected to the control module 130 ; the stage 160 is made of metal material, and the control module 130 is used to heat the stage 160 .

[0063] Specifically, the control module 130 can control the stage 160 to rise to a preset temperature. Based on the principle of heat conduction, the stage 160 transfers heat to the sprayed film layer formed by the sample to be processed, so that the temperature of the sprayed film layer rises accordingly, thereby achieving heating of the sprayed film layer, which helps the sprayed film layer to be quickly formed at a more suitable temperature. It should be noted that the temperature of the stage 160 can be controlled within a corresponding temperature range according to the type of the sprayed film layer or the type of the sample to be processed. For example, if the sprayed film layer is a quantum dot film layer, the temperature of the stage 160 can be maintained at 40°C~60°C, which is not limited here.

[0064] In some embodiments, reference Figure 2The solution processing component 120 includes: a processing solution storage device 121, a rinsing solution storage device 122 and an air-drying device 123; the air-drying device 123 includes a plurality of air outlets; the processing solution storage device 121 is used to hold the processing solution; the rinsing solution storage device 122 is used to hold the rinsing solution; the air-drying device 123 is used to air-dry the sample to be processed after rinsing.

[0065] The treatment solution is at least used to change the chemical properties of the surface of the sprayed film layer, and correspondingly, the flushing solution is used to remove impurities on the surface of the sprayed film layer, and it will not produce chemical reactions on the sprayed film layer and related solutions remaining thereon.

[0066] Specifically, the sprayed film layer can be immersed in the treatment solution contained in the treatment solution storage device 121 and maintained for a preset time, such as 40 seconds, 1 minute or other durations, to perform solution treatment on it, and then the sprayed film layer is placed in the rinsing solution contained in the solution storage device 122 to rinse off the residual treatment solution on the sprayed film layer, and then the multiple air outlets in the air-drying device 123 are used to blow dry the rinsed sample to be treated from different directions, thereby completing a series of treatment operations on the sprayed film layer. It can be understood that the upper part of the air-drying device 123 can be provided with a hole to facilitate the insertion of related structures such as the first robot arm described later, and the air-drying device 123 can be shared by different types of sprayed film layers.

[0067] For example, taking the sprayed film layer as a quantum dot film layer, the treatment solution can be an acid-base solution, such as an acidic solution such as nitric acid and sulfuric acid, or an alkaline solution such as sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide, which is used to change the functional groups on the surface of the quantum dots, thereby affecting their doping state; or, the treatment solution can be a metal salt solution, such as copper salts, zinc salts, etc., which is used to form metal doping on the surface of the quantum dots, thereby changing their doping state; or, the treatment solution can be a ligand exchange solution, such as thiols, amines, etc., which is used to change the surface chemical properties of the quantum dots, thereby affecting their doping state. Correspondingly, the rinsing solution can be deionized water, methanol, ethanol, etc., and the types of the treatment solution and the rinsing solution can be configured according to the type of the sprayed film layer, which is not limited here.

[0068] Exemplarily, the number of the processing solution storage device 121, the rinsing solution storage device 122 and the air-drying device 123 can be multiple. Taking the processing solution storage device 121 as an example, the types of processing solutions contained in the multiple processing solution storage devices 121 are different, so that the sprayed film layer of the sample to be processed can be placed in different types of processing solutions in turn to realize multiple solution processing operations. The specific number of the processing solution storage device 121, the rinsing solution storage device 122 and the air-drying device 123 can be set according to the processing requirements of the sprayed film layer, and is not limited here.

[0069] In some embodiments, Figure 4A schematic diagram of the working principle of an air drying device provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 Based on Figure 4 The automatic spraying equipment also includes an air compressor 180.

[0070] The air drying device 123 is connected to the air compressor 180. Exemplarily, the figure shows that the air drying device 123 includes three air outlets 02, which can be connected to the air compressor 180 through a connecting pipe, and the direction of the air outlet 02 to the sample to be processed 01 is indicated by an arrow. On this basis, the air compressor 180 can transport gas to each air outlet 02 through the connecting pipe, so that each air outlet 02 can discharge air, and then the rinsed sample to be processed 01 can be air-dried; in other embodiments, the air drying device 123 can also include four, six or other numbers of air outlets 02, which can be set according to the air drying requirements of the sample to be processed, which is not limited here.

[0071] In this way, the rinsed sample to be processed is air-dried by using the air-drying device 123, so that other operation steps can be performed on the sample to be processed after solution treatment, including but not limited to continuing to spray the next layer on the sample to be processed after solution treatment, or ending spraying, etc.

[0072] In some embodiments, the processing solution storage device includes a first liquid level sensor; and / or, the rinse solution storage device includes a second liquid level sensor; the first liquid level sensor and the second liquid level sensor are electrically connected to the control module.

[0073] The first liquid level sensor is used to sense the liquid level of the treatment solution contained in the treatment solution storage device, and correspondingly, the second liquid level sensor is used to sense the liquid level of the rinse solution contained in the rinse solution storage device. It is easy to understand that the first liquid level sensor and the second liquid level sensor can send the corresponding liquid level information sensed by each to the control module, so that the control module can control the treatment solution storage device or the rinse solution storage device to perform other operations based on the corresponding liquid level information.

[0074] For example, Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the working principle of a flushing solution storage device provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 5 , the figure shows that the flushing solution storage device 122 includes a second liquid level sensor 1221, a waste liquid barrel 1222, and a flushing solution 1223 contained in the flushing solution storage device 122; the waste liquid barrel 1222 is connected to the flushing solution storage device 122 through a drain regulating valve (not shown in the figure); the drain regulating valve is used to be controlled by the control module to open or close, and the waste liquid barrel 1222 is at least used to collect excess flushing solution 1223 based on the opening of the drain regulating valve.

[0075] Among them, in the rinsing solution storage device 122, the highest liquid level that the rinsing solution 1223 can reach is represented by H1, and the lowest liquid level that can be reached is represented by H2. Specifically, after the sprayed film layer of the sample to be treated 01 is treated with the treatment solution, the sample to be treated 01 can be immersed in the rinsing solution 1223 contained in the rinsing solution storage device 122. It can be seen that during this process, the liquid level of the rinsing solution 1223 will rise. If the second liquid level sensor 1221 senses that its liquid level reaches the highest liquid level H1, the rinsing solution 1223 will have an overflow risk. At this time, the drain regulating valve is controlled by the control module to open, and the rinsing solution storage device 122 is connected to the waste liquid barrel 1222, so that the rinsing solution storage device 122 can discharge a part of the rinsing solution 1223 to the waste liquid barrel 1222 to ensure that the liquid level of the rinsing solution 1223 is lower than the highest liquid level H1; on the contrary, if its liquid level does not reach the highest liquid level H1, the drain regulating valve is closed.

[0076] Exemplarily, the drain regulating valve can selectively control the flow rate of the discharged flushing solution 1223, such as: if the liquid level of the flushing solution 1223 exceeds the maximum liquid level H1 by a large amount, the drain regulating valve can control the flow rate of the discharged flushing solution 1223 to be larger; conversely, if the liquid level of the flushing solution 1223 exceeds the maximum liquid level H1 by a small amount, the drain regulating valve can control the flow rate of the discharged flushing solution 1223 to be smaller, which is not limited here.

[0077] Exemplarily, the flushing solution storage device 122 may also include a prompt module (not shown in the figure), and the prompt module is electrically connected to the control module. If the second liquid level sensor 1221 senses that the liquid level of the flushing solution 1223 contained in the flushing solution storage device 122 is lower than the minimum liquid level H2, it is difficult for the sample to be processed 01 to be completely immersed in the flushing solution 1223, and the control module can control the prompt module to make a voice reminder to prompt the operator to add liquid to ensure that the liquid level of the flushing solution 1223 exceeds the minimum liquid level H2. It should be noted that when the liquid level of the flushing solution 1223 is lower than the minimum liquid level H2, the control module can control the relevant components (such as the first mechanical arm described later) to stop performing the solution processing operation, and the operator can continue to perform the solution processing operation after adding liquid until the liquid level of the flushing solution 1223 exceeds the minimum liquid level H2.

[0078] It can be understood that the second liquid level sensor 1221 has the same working principle as the first liquid level sensor, and the treatment solution storage device may also include a waste liquid barrel and a drain regulating valve to achieve adjustment of the liquid level of the treatment solution; thereby, it can be ensured that the liquid level of the treatment solution contained in the treatment solution storage device and the liquid level of the rinse solution contained in the rinse solution storage device are both within the appropriate liquid level range, that is, between the lowest liquid level H2 and the highest liquid level H1, thereby avoiding the risk of solution overflow and helping the sample to be processed 01 to be fully immersed in the rinse solution or the treatment solution.

[0079] In some embodiments, the processing solution storage device includes a first sealing cover and a first pneumatic switch, and the first pneumatic switch is used to control the opening or closing of the first sealing cover; and / or, the flushing solution storage device includes a second sealing cover and a second pneumatic switch, and the second pneumatic switch is used to control the opening or closing of the second sealing cover.

[0080] Among them, the first pneumatic switch and the second pneumatic switch are provided with a pressure regulating valve and a cylinder, and the first pneumatic switch and the second pneumatic switch are both connected to the air compressor. For example, taking the first pneumatic switch as an example, the air compressor can be connected to the pressure regulating valve of the first pneumatic switch through a connecting pipe or other air circuit, and the on-off of the air circuit can be controlled under the action of the pressure regulating valve, such as: when the pressure regulating valve is opened, the air circuit is connected, and the air compressor can deliver the gas it produces to the cylinder in the first pneumatic switch through the connecting pipe, and then the gas pushes the related structures in the cylinder such as the piston, so that the first sealing cover is opened; on the contrary, when the pressure regulating valve is closed, the air circuit is disconnected, and there is no gas to push the piston in the cylinder, so that the first sealing cover is closed, and the working principle of the second sealing cover and the second pneumatic switch is the same. It can be understood that the activity state of the piston in the cylinder is associated with the working state of the first sealing cover. The specific association relationship can be referred to the above example, and it will not be repeated here.

[0081] For example, continue to refer to Figure 5 ,by Figure 5 Taking the flushing solution storage device shown as an example, the figure shows that the air compressor 180 is connected to the second sealing cover 1224.

[0082] Specifically, when it is necessary to flush the spray film layer after solution treatment, the air compressor 180 can be controlled by the control module to supply gas to the second pneumatic switch (not shown in the figure) to further control the opening of the second sealing cover 1224; and when the spray film layer is flushed, the air compressor 180 can stop supplying gas to the second pneumatic switch (not shown in the figure) to further control the closing of the second sealing cover 1224.

[0083] In this way, by controlling the first sealing cover of the treatment solution storage device to open, and the second sealing cover of the rinsing solution storage device to open, it is convenient for the two to perform solution treatment and rinsing on the sprayed film layer respectively; correspondingly, by controlling the first sealing cover of the treatment solution storage device to close, and the second sealing cover of the rinsing solution storage device to close, cross contamination between the treatment solution and the rinsing solution can be effectively avoided.

[0084] In particular, if a mechanical switch is used to control the first sealing cover or the second sealing cover, since the mechanical switch is usually provided with mechanical parts made of metal, it is easily corroded by the processing solution or the flushing solution, resulting in failure of the control function of the mechanical switch. In this regard, the embodiment of the present disclosure avoids the above problem by adopting pneumatic switches, such as the first pneumatic switch and the second pneumatic switch, without using mechanical parts made of metal.

[0085] In some embodiments, Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the working principle of a position calibration unit provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 and Figure 6 The solution processing component 120 also includes: a first robotic arm 124 and a position calibration unit 125; the position calibration unit 125 is used to clamp the sample to be processed 01 to the preset calibration area 04; the first robotic arm 124 is used to grab the sample to be processed 01 for solution processing, grab the sample to be processed 01 to the preset calibration area 04, and grab the sample to be processed 01 from the preset calibration area 04 to the area where the spray component is located.

[0086] It should be noted that, in a three-dimensional space, three directions perpendicular to each other, such as the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction, can be used to define a spatial rectangular coordinate system. For example, the X-axis and the Y-axis can both be in a horizontal plane, and the Z-axis can be a vertical direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane. On this basis, the first robotic arm 124 can set its specific coordinates during movement by means of software and / or hardware to configure its movement path. However, after the first robotic arm 124 grabs the sample 01 to be processed multiple times, the placement position of the sample 01 to be processed may be different. Errors may occur, such as: the coordinates of the initial position of the sample 01 to be processed on the stage may be (x, y, z), but the coordinates of the final placement position may be (x+△x, y+△y, z+△z), where △x, △y and △z are used to represent the offset in the corresponding direction. If the offset is too large, the sample 01 to be processed may not be grasped by the first robot arm 124, or the sample 01 to be processed may not be placed back to the initial position on the stage after being grasped by the first robot arm 124, or other adverse situations may occur.

[0087] To this end, after the sample 01 to be processed is air-dried, in order to ensure that the first robot arm 124 can accurately place it back to its initial position on the stage, the coordinates of the sample 01 to be processed need to be calibrated. Figure 6As shown, the first mechanical arm 124 grabs the sample to be processed 01 to the position calibration unit 125. At this time, the relevant structures of the position calibration unit 125, such as the positioning pin, will move toward the center (as shown by the arrow direction), that is, S210, until the sample to be processed 01 is engaged with the preset calibration area 04, that is, S220. Since the coordinates of the preset calibration area 04 are known, the coordinates of the sample to be processed 01 can be calibrated. In this way, by using the position calibration unit 125 to calibrate the coordinates of the sample to be processed 01, the accuracy of the first mechanical arm 124 putting the sample to be processed 01 back to the initial position on the stage is improved, which is conducive to the sample to be processed 01 to complete the subsequent steps smoothly.

[0088] Specifically, refer to Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 After the stage slides to the solution treatment chamber, the first robot arm 124 grabs the sample to be processed on the stage, and places it in the treatment solution contained in the treatment solution storage device, the rinsing solution contained in the rinsing solution storage device, and the air-drying device in turn, wherein: in order to ensure that the sprayed film layer of the sample to be processed obtains a good solution treatment effect and a rinsing effect, the first robot arm 124 can grab the sample to be processed and shake it in the treatment solution and the rinsing solution respectively, so that the sprayed film layer is fully in contact with the treatment solution and the rinsing solution; when the sample to be processed is air-dried, the sample to be processed is placed in the position calibration part 125, and then the sample to be processed after position calibration is placed back on the stage. In this way, by using the first robot arm 124 to perform a series of processing operations on the sample to be processed, no manual operation is required, and it is convenient and fast, thereby improving the automation level of the automated spraying equipment.

[0089] In some embodiments, Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a first mechanical arm provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 7 The first mechanical arm 124 includes a clamp 1241; the clamp 1241 includes a flushing port 03 and an air outlet 02; the air compressor 180 is connected to the flushing solution storage device 122; the flushing solution storage device 122 is connected to the flushing port 03; the air compressor 180 is connected to the air outlet 02.

[0090] Among them, the clamp 1241 is a structure for grabbing the sample to be processed. Exemplarily, the clamp 1241 may include a clamp arm for grabbing and releasing the sample to be processed. The figure shows that the flushing port 03 is connected to the clamp arm in a one-to-one correspondence, and the flushing port 03 can be set on the inner side of the clamp arm. In this way, when the clamp arm grabs the sample to be processed, the air compressor 180 can ventilate the flushing solution storage device 122, drive the flushing solution contained in the flushing solution storage device 122 to be delivered to the flushing port 03, and then the flushing port 03 can accurately discharge the flushing solution to the spray film layer formed by the sample to be processed, so that the sample to be processed can remove the residual processing solution on the surface of the spray film layer; in addition, the figure shows that the air outlet 02 is located at the upper part of the clamp 1241. When the clamp arm grabs the sample to be processed, the air compressor 180 can deliver gas to the air outlet 02, and then the air outlet 02 can accurately discharge gas to the flushed spray film layer to ensure that the spray film layer can obtain a good air drying effect.

[0091] It is not difficult to know that the embodiment of the present disclosure can quickly remove the treatment solution remaining in the spray film layer of the sample to be processed by soaking the sample to be processed with the rinse solution contained in the rinse solution storage device. However, as the number of times the spray film layer is rinsed increases, the concentration of the treatment solution in the rinse solution contained in the rinse solution storage device increases, thereby causing the rinse solution to be contaminated. In this regard, in order to avoid the above problems, the embodiment of the present disclosure can use the rinse port 03 on the clamp 1241 to rinse the spray film layer of the sample to be processed, thereby ensuring the purity of the rinse solution, and further helping to improve the rinse effect of the spray film layer of the sample to be processed.

[0092] In addition, considering that the spray film layer of the sample to be processed is rinsed by the rinse port 03, there may be a problem of uneven rinsing of the spray film layer, and the embodiment of the present disclosure can be used in combination with the above two methods. It should be noted that when the above two methods are used in combination, the rinse solution storage devices 122 used in the two are different to ensure that the rinse solution discharged from the rinse port 03 has good purity.

[0093] In addition, the material of the clamping jaw 1241 is not easy to corrode, for example, it can be made of titanium alloy, plastic, stainless steel or other materials, which can prevent it from being corroded when it is inserted into the processing solution or the flushing solution. The specific type of its material is not limited here.

[0094] In some embodiments, reference Figure 3 The spraying assembly 110 includes a spraying solution storage device 111 , a liquid supply pump 112 and a spray head 113 ; the spraying solution storage device 111 is connected to the spray head 113 via the liquid supply pump 112 .

[0095] The spray solution storage device 111 is a structure for storing the spray solution. For example, the spray solution storage device 111 can be a water tank, a beaker, a bucket, etc. The type of the spray solution storage device 111 can be set according to the storage demand of the spray solution, and the number of the spray solution storage device 111 can be multiple to hold different types of spray solutions, which are not limited here.

[0096] Among them, the liquid supply pump 112 is used to transport liquid to the structure connected thereto based on the internal air pressure difference. It should be noted that the liquid supply pump 112 is usually provided with a temporary storage chamber, and the spray solution storage device 111 and the nozzle 113 can be connected to the temporary storage chamber through connecting pipes, and the connecting pipes extend into the spray solution. Specifically, the liquid supply pump 112 can extract the spray solution in the spray solution storage device 111 into the internal temporary storage chamber, and then further transport the spray solution in the temporary storage chamber to the nozzle 113, so that the nozzle 113 can spray the sample to be processed.

[0097] Exemplarily, the extraction speed of the liquid supply pump 112 may be 0 ml / min to 10 ml / min, or other speeds or speed ranges, and may be set according to the extraction requirements of the liquid supply pump 112 and is not limited here.

[0098] In some embodiments, the spray assembly further includes an isolation plate for separating the spray head from the spray solution storage device and the liquid supply pump.

[0099] Specifically, it can be seen that after the control module heats the stage, the spray solution that falls on the sample to be processed may volatilize due to the heat, and may even cause the volatilized droplets to enter each spray solution storage device. If the type of the volatilized spray solution is different from the type of the spray solution contained in a certain spray solution storage device, it may contaminate the spray solution contained in this spray solution storage device. In this regard, by using an isolation plate to separate the nozzle from the spray solution storage device and the liquid supply pump, cross-contamination of the spray solution can be avoided and the purity of the spray solution can be ensured.

[0100] In some embodiments, the spray head is provided with a spray solution temporary storage structure (not shown in the figure); the capacity of the spray solution storage device is greater than the capacity of the spray solution temporary storage structure.

[0101] The spray solution temporary storage structure is used to temporarily store the spray solution. Specifically, by setting the capacity of the spray solution storage device to be larger than the capacity of the spray solution temporary storage structure, when the spray solution in the spray solution temporary storage structure is insufficient, the spray solution in the spray solution storage device can be promptly transported to the spray solution temporary storage structure by using a liquid supply pump, without the need to manually frequently add liquid to the spray solution temporary storage structure, which is conducive to improving the spraying efficiency.

[0102] Exemplarily, the capacity of the spray solution storage device may be 1000 ml, 2000 ml or other capacities, which are not limited herein.

[0103] In some embodiments, reference Figure 3 The nozzle 113 is provided with a piezoelectric ceramic structure (not shown in the figure).

[0104] Among them, the piezoelectric ceramic structure is used to generate mechanical vibrations, such as high-frequency resonance. Specifically, the piezoelectric ceramic structure can be controlled to resonate at high frequencies. Since the frequency of this mechanical vibration is high and exceeds the frequency of sound waves, ultrasonic waves can be formed. Therefore, during the vibration of the piezoelectric ceramic structure, the spray solution at the nozzle 113 can be driven to vibrate, so that the spray solution is dispersed into tiny droplets, thereby realizing the atomization of the spray solution.

[0105] The disclosed embodiment utilizes a piezoelectric ceramic structure to atomize the spray solution, thereby being able to accurately control the droplet size of the spray solution, thereby obtaining a spray film layer with uniform thickness, thereby improving the uniformity and density of the spray film layer, and at the same time being able to significantly improve the utilization rate of raw materials (such as spray solution), reduce waste, and reduce the cost of raw material application.

[0106] In some embodiments, reference Figure 3 , the air compressor 180 is connected to the nozzle 113; the air compressor 180 is used to ventilate the nozzle 113.

[0107] Specifically, the air compressor 180 ventilates the nozzle 113, driving the atomized spray solution at the nozzle 113 to spray along a preset direction, and then the spraying angle of the atomized spray solution can be precisely controlled so that the atomized spray solution is evenly distributed on the sample to be processed to form a film. The spraying direction of the atomized spray solution is not limited here.

[0108] In some embodiments, reference Figure 3 The spraying assembly 110 further includes a second robotic arm 114; the second robotic arm 114 is electrically connected to the control module 130; the spray head 113 is fixed to the second robotic arm 114; the second robotic arm 114 is used to drive the spray head 113 to move along a preset trajectory.

[0109] Specifically, compared with the single spraying path of existing automated spraying equipment, such as: only being able to spray at a fixed position and being unable to spray continuously along a certain path, resulting in the problem of uneven thickness of the sprayed film layer, the disclosed embodiment increases the spraying path by utilizing the second robotic arm 114 to drive the nozzle 113 to move along a preset trajectory, for example: being able to spray at a fixed position, spray along a bow-shaped path, spray along a U-shaped path, spray along a circular path, etc., so as to prepare a sprayed film layer with uniform thickness based on different spraying paths.

[0110] The movement trajectory of the second mechanical arm 114 is configured by the control module 130. For example, the second mechanical arm 114 can be controlled to drive the nozzle 113 to move in different directions, including but not limited to, moving along the X-axis direction, moving along the Y-axis direction, moving along the Z-axis direction, etc. in the spatial rectangular coordinate system, wherein the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction can be set according to actual needs and are not limited here.

[0111] For example, Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a spraying path provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in FIG. Figure 8 As shown in the figure, the zigzag spraying path formed by the spraying solution on the sample to be treated 01 is shown, and its related parameters such as horizontal length, vertical length, etc. can be set according to the spraying requirements, so as to facilitate the preparation of a patterned and highly uniform spray film layer.

[0112] For example, Fig. 9 This is a schematic diagram of the electron microscope structure of a sprayed film layer provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the figure, the dotted line box indicates the position of the sprayed film layer, and its thickness can be 200nm. It can be seen that the sprayed film layer prepared by the automated spraying equipment in the embodiment of the present disclosure has high uniformity and density.

[0113] In some embodiments, Fig.10 A schematic diagram of the side structure of an automated spraying device provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig.10 A first air purification module 141 is further provided in the spraying chamber 140 , and a second air purification module 142 is further provided in the solution processing chamber 150 .

[0114] Among them, the first air purification module 141 and the second air purification module 142 are structures for removing impurities in the air. Exemplarily, the first air purification module 141 or the second air purification module 142 can be a fan, wherein a filter can be provided inside the fan to capture impurities such as particulate matter and dust in the air. At the same time, the fan can also generate airflow to bring some impurities to the outside of the automated spraying equipment through air circulation. In other embodiments, the first air purification module 141 or the second air purification module 142 can also be other structures with air purification functions, which are not limited here.

[0115] In this way, the spray chamber 140 is equipped with a first air purification module 141, and the solution treatment chamber 150 is equipped with a second air purification module 142, so that the air in the spray chamber 140 and the solution treatment chamber 150 can be purified to prevent impurities from being deposited on the surface of the sprayed film layer, thereby improving the quality of the sprayed film layer.

[0116] In some embodiments, the automated spraying equipment further includes an isolation housing (not shown in the figures).

[0117] The spray chamber and the solution treatment chamber are both located in the isolation shell. Specifically, the isolation shell accommodates the spray chamber and the solution treatment chamber, and further protects the spray assembly and the solution treatment assembly to isolate them from the external environment, thereby preventing the external environment from interfering with the spray process and the solution treatment process.

[0118] Exemplarily, the isolation shell may be transparent to facilitate observation by operators, and its shape may be a cuboid, a cylinder or other shapes, which are not limited here.

[0119] The disclosed embodiments also provide an automated spraying method, which is implemented based on any of the automated spraying equipment provided in the above embodiments and has corresponding beneficial effects.

[0120] In some embodiments, the automated spraying method comprises:

[0121] Control the second robot arm to move along a preset trajectory to drive the nozzle, and spray the sample to be processed to form a spray film layer; control the stage to slide to the solution processing chamber, and use the first robot arm to place the sample to be processed in the processing solution storage device, the flushing solution storage device and the air drying device in sequence; use the first robot arm to place the air-dried sample to be processed in the position calibration part; use the first robot arm to grab the sample to be processed from the preset calibration area to the stage; control the sample to be processed on the stage to spray the next layer or end the spraying; repeat the above operations for a preset number of times to complete the spraying.

[0122] Before controlling the second robot arm to move along the preset trajectory to drive the nozzle, it also includes: spraying preparation work, such as adding the spraying solution into the spraying solution storage device, heating the stage to the required temperature, placing the sample to be processed on the stage, etc., and solution processing preparation operation, such as adding the processing solution into the processing solution storage device, adding the rinsing solution into the rinsing solution storage device, etc. It can be seen that after the spraying preparation work and the solution processing preparation operation are completed, the automatic spraying equipment can be started to realize automatic spraying.

[0123] It should be noted that, in this article, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are only used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "include", "comprise" or any other variants thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article or device including a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements not explicitly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such process, method, article or device. In the absence of further restrictions, the elements defined by the sentence "comprise a ..." do not exclude the existence of other identical elements in the process, method, article or device including the elements.

[0124] The above description is only a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, so that those skilled in the art can understand or implement the present disclosure. Various modifications to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure will not be limited to the embodiments described herein, but will conform to the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An automated spraying equipment, characterized in that: include: Spraying components, solution handling components and control modules; The spraying component and the solution processing component are electrically connected to the control module respectively; The control module is used to control the spraying component to spray the sample to be processed to form a spray film layer, and control the solution processing component to perform solution processing on the spray film layer; It also includes a spray chamber, a solution processing chamber, a stage and a conveying component; The spraying assembly is located in the spraying chamber; the solution processing assembly is located in the solution processing chamber; The conveying component communicates the spraying chamber and the solution processing chamber; The loading platform can slide along the conveying component; The solution treatment component includes: an air drying device, a first mechanical arm and a position calibration unit; the air drying device is used to air dry the rinsed sample to be treated; the position calibration unit is used to clamp the sample to be treated to a preset calibration area; the first mechanical arm is used to grab the sample to be treated for solution treatment, grab the sample to be treated to the preset calibration area, and grab the sample to be treated from the preset calibration area to the area where the spraying component is located; The solution treatment component includes: a treatment solution storage device and a rinse solution storage device; the air drying device includes a plurality of air outlets; The treatment solution storage device is used to hold the treatment solution; the rinse solution storage device is used to hold the rinse solution; It also includes air compressors; The first mechanical arm includes a clamping claw; the clamping claw includes a flushing port and an air outlet; The air compressor is communicated with the flushing solution storage device; the flushing solution storage device is communicated with the flushing port; and the air compressor is communicated with the air outlet.

2. The automated spraying equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: There are multiple sample carriers, and / or the size of a single sample carrier is greater than or equal to the size of multiple samples to be processed.

3. The automated spraying equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The treatment solution storage device comprises a first liquid level sensor; and / or, the rinse solution storage device comprises a second liquid level sensor; The first liquid level sensor and the second liquid level sensor are electrically connected to the control module.

4. The automated spraying equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The treatment solution storage device comprises a first sealing cover and a first pneumatic switch, wherein the first pneumatic switch is used to control the first sealing cover to be opened or closed; And / or, the flushing solution storage device includes a second sealing cover and a second pneumatic switch, and the second pneumatic switch is used to control the second sealing cover to be opened or closed.

5. The automated spraying equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The spraying assembly includes a spraying solution storage device, a liquid supply pump and a spray head; The spray solution storage device is connected to the spray head through the liquid supply pump.

6. The automated spraying equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that: The spray head is provided with a temporary storage structure for the spray solution; The capacity of the spray solution storage device is greater than the capacity of the spray solution temporary storage structure.

7. The automated spraying equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that: The spraying assembly also includes a second mechanical arm; The second mechanical arm is electrically connected to the control module; the nozzle is fixed to the second mechanical arm; and the second mechanical arm is used to drive the nozzle to move along a preset trajectory.

8. The automated spraying equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that: It also includes air compressors; The air compressor is connected to the nozzle; the air compressor is used to ventilate the nozzle.

9. The automated spraying equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The spray chamber is further provided with a first air purification module; and / or the solution treatment chamber is further provided with a second air purification module.

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