Vapor deposition apparatus and vapor deposition device

Abstract

This application discloses a vapor deposition apparatus and a vapor deposition device. The vapor deposition apparatus is used to deposit vapor deposition material onto the surface of a substrate to be vaporized, and includes: a lifting mechanism; a vapor deposition mechanism, disposed on the lifting mechanism, including a heating component, an evaporation source, and a nozzle assembly; the evaporation source is used to store the vapor deposition material, and the heating component is used to heat and vaporize the vapor deposition material; the nozzle assembly is connected to one end of the evaporation source and includes multiple nozzles arranged horizontally and spaced apart; the lifting mechanism is used to drive the vapor deposition mechanism to move back and forth in the vertical direction to spray the vapor deposition material onto the surface to be vaporized; the evaporation source includes at least a first region, a second region, and a third region distributed in the horizontal direction, and the heating component includes at least a first heating element, a second heating element, and a third heating element, which are arranged one-to-one with the first region, the second region, and the third region. Through the above arrangement, the problem of poor film thickness uniformity during the vapor deposition process can be solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of display technology, and in particular to a vapor deposition apparatus and vapor deposition equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Evaporation is a process in which the evaporation material is placed in a heated container and heated to evaporate or sublimate, so that the evaporation material adheres to the surface to be coated to form a film.

[0003] Currently, the widely used OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) deposition method is horizontal deposition, where the substrate is placed horizontally and the evaporation source sprays gaseous molecules vertically upwards, causing them to deposit on the substrate surface. However, during horizontal deposition, the substrate's center collapses due to its own gravity, leading to abnormal adhesion between the FMM (Fine Metal Mask) and the substrate during deposition. This results in various defects such as color mixing and PPA (Patterned Photoresist Alignment) misalignment. To solve the adhesion problem caused by substrate collapse, a deposition equipment has emerged in the industry where the substrate is perpendicular to the ground, the nozzles are arranged vertically, and the deposition material is sprayed horizontally.

[0004] However, this vapor deposition equipment suffers from poor film thickness uniformity of the vapor deposition material during the vapor deposition process. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a vapor deposition apparatus and vapor deposition equipment to solve the problem of poor film thickness uniformity of vapor deposition materials in related technologies.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, one technical solution adopted in this application is: providing a vapor deposition apparatus for depositing vapor deposition material onto the surface of a substrate to be vaporized within a vapor deposition chamber, wherein the surface to be vaporized is perpendicular to the ground; comprising:

[0007] Lifting mechanism;

[0008] A vapor deposition mechanism is mounted on the lifting mechanism. The vapor deposition mechanism includes a heating component, an evaporation source, and a nozzle assembly. The evaporation source stores vapor deposition material, and the heating component is located on one side of the evaporation source to heat and vaporize the vapor deposition material stored in the evaporation source. The evaporation source extends horizontally, and the nozzle assembly is connected to one end of the evaporation source and is in fluid communication with the evaporation source. The nozzle assembly includes multiple nozzles arranged horizontally and spaced apart from each other, and the spray direction of the nozzles is perpendicular to the surface to be vapor-deposited.

[0009] The lifting mechanism is used to drive the vapor deposition mechanism to move back and forth in the vertical direction so as to spray the vapor deposition material onto the surface to be vapor deposited.

[0010] The evaporation source includes at least a first region, a second region, and a third region distributed along a horizontal direction, and the heating assembly includes at least a first heating element, a second heating element, and a third heating element arranged along a horizontal direction, with the first heating element, the second heating element, and the third heating element corresponding one-to-one with the first region, the second region, and the third region.

[0011] In some embodiments, in the horizontal direction, the surface to be vapor-deposited has a first vapor-deposited area, a second vapor-deposited area, and a third vapor-deposited area that are respectively disposed in a one-to-one correspondence with the first region, the second region, and the third region;

[0012] The vapor deposition apparatus includes a controller, which is electrically connected to the heating component;

[0013] The controller is configured to adjust the heating power of at least one of the first heating element, the second heating element, and the third heating element when it detects that the difference in film thickness of the vapor-deposited material sprayed into any two of the first, second, and third vapor-deposited areas exceeds a preset value.

[0014] In some embodiments, the controller is configured to increase the heating power of the heating element corresponding to the region with the smallest film thickness when it detects that the difference in film thickness of the vaporized material sprayed into any two regions of the first, second, and third regions exceeds a preset value, so as to increase the amount of vaporized material ejected from the region corresponding to the region with the smallest film thickness in the first, second, and third regions.

[0015] And / or, reduce the heating power of the heating element corresponding to the area to be vaporized with the largest film thickness, so as to reduce the amount of vaporized material ejected in the first region, the second region and the third region corresponding to the area to be vaporized with the largest film thickness.

[0016] In some embodiments, the first heating element heats the first region using resistance heating; and / or,

[0017] The second heating element heats the second region using resistance heating; and / or,

[0018] The third heating element heats the third region using resistance heating.

[0019] In some embodiments, the lifting mechanism includes a lifting guide rail and a tray, the lifting guide rail extending in a vertical direction, the tray being slidably connected to the lifting guide rail, and the vapor deposition mechanism being disposed on the tray; the lifting guide rail has a first end and a second end opposite to each other, and the tray is configured to reciprocate between the first end and the second end in a vertical direction;

[0020] The vapor deposition apparatus includes a controller electrically connected to the lifting mechanism; the controller is configured to control the variable speed of the tray's movement within a stroke between the first end and the second end.

[0021] In some embodiments, along the vertical direction, the second end is located on the side of the first end away from the ground; the travel between the first end and the second end includes a first travel segment, a second travel segment, and a third travel segment arranged sequentially; the first travel segment is closer to the first end, and the third travel segment is closer to the second end;

[0022] In the first and third stroke segments, the vapor deposition material sprayed by the nozzle assembly does not contact the surface to be vapor deposited; in the second stroke segment, the vapor deposition material sprayed by the nozzle assembly contacts the surface to be vapor deposited.

[0023] The controller is configured to control the pallet to move at different speeds in the first stroke segment, the second stroke segment, and the third stroke segment.

[0024] In some embodiments, the controller is configured to control the tray to accelerate within the first stroke segment; and / or,

[0025] Control the tray to move at a constant speed within the second stroke segment; and / or,

[0026] The tray is controlled to decelerate within the third stroke segment.

[0027] In some embodiments, the controller is configured to adjust the movement speed of the tray when it detects that the difference in film thickness between any two locations of the vapor-deposited material sprayed onto the surface to be vapor-deposited exceeds a preset value in the vertical direction.

[0028] In some embodiments, the controller is configured to, when detecting in the vertical direction that the difference in film thickness between any two locations of the vapor-deposited material sprayed onto the surface to be vapor-deposited exceeds a preset value, reduce the movement speed of the tray at the location corresponding to the minimum film thickness; and / or increase the movement speed of the tray at the location corresponding to the maximum film thickness.

[0029] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, another technical solution adopted in this application is: to provide a vapor deposition apparatus, comprising:

[0030] Any of the vapor deposition apparatuses described above;

[0031] A vapor deposition chamber is provided, wherein a substrate is housed within the vapor deposition chamber; the substrate has a surface to be vapor-deposited, which is arranged perpendicular to the ground.

[0032] The vapor deposition apparatus is used to deposit vapor deposition material onto the surface to be vapor deposited.

[0033] The beneficial effect of this application is that, unlike the prior art, this application discloses a vapor deposition apparatus and vapor deposition equipment. A vapor deposition apparatus is used to deposit vapor deposition material onto the surface of a substrate to be vaporized within a vapor deposition chamber, the surface being vaporized being perpendicular to the ground. The vapor deposition apparatus includes: a lifting mechanism; a vapor deposition mechanism mounted on the lifting mechanism, the vapor deposition mechanism including a heating component, an evaporation source, and a nozzle assembly; the evaporation source is used to store vapor deposition material, the heating component is located on one side of the evaporation source and is used to heat and vaporize the vapor deposition material stored in the evaporation source; the evaporation source extends horizontally, the nozzle assembly is connected to one end of the evaporation source and is in fluid communication with the evaporation source; the nozzle assembly includes multiple nozzles arranged horizontally and spaced apart from each other, the spray direction of the nozzles being perpendicular to the surface to be vaporized; wherein, the lifting mechanism is used to drive the vapor deposition mechanism to move back and forth in the vertical direction to spray vapor deposition material onto the surface to be vaporized; the evaporation source includes at least a first region, a second region, and a third region distributed horizontally, and the heating component includes at least a first heating element, a second heating element, and a third heating element arranged horizontally, the first heating element, the second heating element, and the third heating element being arranged one-to-one with the first region, the second region, and the third region. By arranging multiple nozzles horizontally and using a lifting mechanism to drive the vapor deposition mechanism to move back and forth vertically, the problem of uneven film thickness in the vertical direction caused by gravity during the horizontal movement of the vapor deposition material in related technologies can be solved. Simultaneously, by configuring the heating components as a first, second, and third heating element arranged horizontally, the first, second, and third regions of the evaporation source can be heated separately. This allows for control of the amount of vapor deposition material ejected from different regions, thereby improving the uniformity of film thickness in the horizontal direction. This addresses the problem of poor film thickness uniformity in related technologies, enhances the vapor deposition effect, reduces optical color coordinate shift caused by abnormal film thickness, and improves the overall product yield. Attached Figure Description

[0034] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort, wherein:

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vapor deposition apparatus provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A side view of the vapor deposition unit of the provided vapor deposition equipment;

[0037] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A top view of the provided vapor deposition apparatus.

[0038] Icon labels:

[0039] 400. Evaporation equipment; 300. Evaporation chamber; 301. Housing; 200. Substrate; 201. Surface to be vaporized; 202. First vaporization zone; 203. Second vaporization zone; 204. Third vaporization zone; 100. Evaporation apparatus; 1. Lifting mechanism; 11. Lifting guide rail; 111. First end; 112. Second end; 113. First stroke section; 114. Second stroke section; 115. Third stroke section; 12. Tray; 2. Evaporation mechanism; 21. Heating assembly; 211. First heating element; 212. Second heating element; 213. Third heating element; 22. Evaporation source; 221. First area; 222. Second area; 223. Third area; 23. Nozzle assembly; 231. Nozzle. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0041] The terms "first," "second," and "third" used in the embodiments of this application are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first," "second," or "third" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or device that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may optionally include steps or units not listed, or may optionally include other steps or units inherent to these processes, methods, products, or devices.

[0042] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a mutually exclusive, independent, or alternative embodiment. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0043] See Figures 1 to 3 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vapor deposition apparatus provided in one embodiment of this application. Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A side view of the vapor deposition apparatus of the provided vapor deposition equipment. Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A top view of the provided vapor deposition apparatus.

[0044] See Figures 1 to 3 This application provides a vapor deposition apparatus 400, which includes a vapor deposition device 100 and a vapor deposition chamber 300. The vapor deposition chamber 300 contains a substrate 200, which has a vapor deposition surface 201. The vapor deposition surface 201 is arranged perpendicular to the ground. The vapor deposition device 100 is used to deposit vapor deposition material onto the vapor deposition surface 201.

[0045] Specifically, the vapor deposition chamber 300 is formed by the housing 301, and the substrate 200 is disposed in the vapor deposition chamber 300. In some embodiments, the vapor deposition apparatus 100 is disposed in the vapor deposition chamber 300 and is spaced apart on one side of the substrate 200 so as to perform vapor deposition on the surface 201 of the substrate 200 to be vapor deposited in the vapor deposition chamber 300 to complete the vapor deposition process.

[0046] In other embodiments, the vapor deposition apparatus 100 may be located partially or entirely outside the vapor deposition chamber 300, as long as the vapor deposition material sprayed by the vapor deposition apparatus 100 onto the vapor deposition surface 201 of the substrate 200 can be deposited on the vapor deposition surface 201 of the substrate 200 housed in the vapor deposition chamber 300, thus achieving vapor deposition on the vapor deposition surface 201.

[0047] Specifically, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the vapor deposition apparatus 100 includes a lifting mechanism 1 and a vapor deposition mechanism 2, with the vapor deposition mechanism 2 mounted on the lifting mechanism 1. The vapor deposition mechanism 2 includes a heating component 21, an evaporation source 22, and a nozzle assembly 23. The evaporation source 22 stores the vapor deposition material, and the heating component 21 is located on one side of the evaporation source 22 to heat and vaporize the vapor deposition material stored in the evaporation source 22, causing it to evaporate or sublimate into gaseous molecules. Specifically, as... Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the evaporation source 22 extends in a horizontal direction, and the nozzle assembly 23 is connected to one end of the evaporation source 22 and is in fluid communication with the evaporation source 22. The nozzle assembly 23 includes a plurality of nozzles 231, which are arranged in a horizontal direction and spaced apart from each other. The spraying direction of the nozzles 231 is perpendicular to the surface to be evaporated 201.

[0048] The lifting mechanism 1 drives the vapor deposition mechanism 2 to move back and forth in the vertical direction to spray vapor deposition material onto the substrate 200's vapor deposition surface 201. Specifically, the vapor deposition material stored in the evaporation source 22 is heated and vaporized by the heating component 21 to form gaseous molecules, which are then sprayed onto the vapor deposition surface 201 through the nozzle 231. The lifting mechanism 1 drives the vapor deposition mechanism 2 to move up and down in the vertical direction perpendicular to the ground, allowing the nozzle component 23 to move back and forth in the vertical direction, thereby spraying vapor deposition material onto the entire vapor deposition surface 201 so that the vapor deposition material can be deposited on the vapor deposition surface 201.

[0049] In some implementations, such as Figure 3 As shown, the evaporation source 22 includes at least a first region 221, a second region 222, and a third region 223 distributed along the horizontal direction. The heating assembly 21 includes at least a first heating element 211, a second heating element 212, and a third heating element 213 arranged along the horizontal direction. The first heating element 211, the second heating element 212, and the third heating element 213 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the first region 221, the second region 222, and the third region 223. That is, the first heating element 211 is arranged in a corresponding manner to the first region 221 and is used to heat the vapor-deposited material stored in the first region 221 of the evaporation source 22; the second heating element 212 is arranged in a corresponding manner to the second region 222 and is used to heat the vapor-deposited material stored in the second region 222 of the evaporation source 22; and the third heating element 213 is arranged in a corresponding manner to the third region 223 and is used to heat the vapor-deposited material stored in the third region 223 of the evaporation source 22.

[0050] It is understood that in this embodiment, by setting the substrate 200 to be deposited surface 201 perpendicular to the ground, arranging multiple nozzles 231 of the nozzle assembly 23 horizontally, and using vertical evaporation (the substrate 200 is set perpendicular to the ground, and the nozzle assembly 23 sprays evaporation material horizontally) in the evaporation device 100, the evaporation device 2 is moved back and forth in the vertical direction by the lifting mechanism 1, and the nozzle assembly 23 is movable in the vertical direction. This allows for uniform deposition of evaporation material at different positions on the substrate 200 to be deposited surface 201 in the vertical direction, ensuring that the amount of evaporation material attached to different positions on the surface 201 is basically consistent. This improves the uniformity of the film thickness of the evaporation material on the surface 201 in the vertical direction, and solves the problem in related technologies where the evaporation device 400 sets the nozzles 231 vertically, and the evaporation material is sprayed onto the surface 201 by the nozzles 231 in the horizontal direction. During the process of moving to the surface to be deposited 201, the film thickness of the deposited material on the surface to be deposited 201 is uneven in the vertical direction due to the influence of gravity. At the same time, by setting the heating component 21 to a first heating element 211, a second heating element 212, and a third heating element 213 arranged in the horizontal direction, the first region 221, the second region 222, and the third region 223 in the horizontal direction of the evaporation source 22 can be heated respectively. This allows for adjustment and control of the amount of deposited material ejected from different regions of the evaporation source 22 in the horizontal direction. Even if the film thickness uniformity in the horizontal direction is poor, the first heating element 211, the second heating element 212, and the third heating element 213 can be adjusted online to adjust the amount of deposited material ejected from the first region 221, the second region 222, and the third region 223, thereby improving the film thickness uniformity of the deposited material on the surface to be deposited 201 in the horizontal direction.

[0051] The above-mentioned settings can reduce or even eliminate the gravitational influence on the vaporized material during the spraying process in vertical evaporation deposition. Furthermore, the film thickness uniformity of the vaporized material on the surface 201 to be vaporized can be adjusted online, providing online adjustment space for film thickness uniformity in the product manufacturing process. This solves the problems of poor film thickness uniformity and decreased product yield in evaporation equipment 400 in related technologies, improves the evaporation effect, reduces optical color coordinate shift caused by abnormal film thickness, and helps improve the overall product yield. Through this structure, an adjustable range is provided for controlling the film thickness of the vaporized material, avoiding the situation where the current vertical evaporation deposition equipment 400 cannot adjust film thickness uniformity online.

[0052] Specifically, in some implementation methods, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the heating component 21 is fitted onto the bottom of the evaporation source 22 and partially covers the side of the evaporation source 22 to heat and vaporize the vaporized material stored inside the evaporation source 22. In some embodiments, the heating component 21 uses resistance heating, utilizing the heat generated by the current passing through the resistive material to heat the evaporation source 22.

[0053] Specifically, the first heating element 211 heats the first region 221 using resistance heating, and / or the second heating element 212 heats the second region 222 using resistance heating, and / or the third heating element 213 heats the third region 223 using resistance heating. For example, the first heating element 211 and / or the second heating element 212 and / or the third heating element 213 can be any one of resistance wire, resistance plate, resistance film, or resistance coating. The materials of the first heating element 211, the second heating element 212, and the third heating element 213 can be the same or different, and can be designed according to needs. By energizing the first heating element 211 and / or the second heating element 212 and / or the third heating element 213, the vapor-deposited material in the first region 221 and / or the second region 222 and / or the third region 223 can be heated under energized conditions.

[0054] In one specific embodiment, the first heating element 211, the second heating element 212, and the third heating element 213 all use resistance heating to heat the evaporation source 22. All three elements are resistance wires, and they are made of the same material and have the same shape. It can be understood that by using the same material and structure for the first heating element 211, the second heating element 212, and the third heating element 213, more uniform heating of the first region 221, the second region 222, and the third region 223 in the horizontal direction can be achieved. This improves the consistency of the amount of vaporized material ejected in the horizontal direction, which is beneficial for improving the uniformity of the film thickness in the horizontal direction of the surface to be vaporized 201.

[0055] In other embodiments, the first heating element 211, the second heating element 212, and the third heating element 213 can also be made of different materials and have different structures. For example, the first heating element 211 can be made of resistance wire, the second heating element 212 can be made of resistance film, and the third heating element 213 can be made of resistance coating. Alternatively, the first heating element 211, the second heating element 212, and the third heating element 213 can also use different heating methods to heat the evaporation source 22. For example, electromagnetic induction heating, infrared heating, and other heating methods can be used. The specific materials, structures, and heating methods of the first heating element 211, the second heating element 212, and the third heating element 213 can be designed as needed, as long as the first heating element 211, the second heating element 212, and the third heating element 213 can heat the first region 221, the second region 222, and the third region 223 of the evaporation source 22 respectively, thereby facilitating the control of the amount of vaporized material ejected from different regions of the evaporation source 22.

[0056] Specifically, in some implementation methods, such as Figure 3 As shown, in the horizontal direction, the substrate 200 has a first region 202, a second region 203, and a third region 204 that are respectively arranged to correspond one-to-one with the first region 221, the second region 222, and the third region 223 of the evaporation source 22. That is, in the horizontal direction, the first region 202 of the substrate 201 corresponds to the first region 221 of the evaporation source 22, the second region 203 of the substrate 201 corresponds to the second region 222 of the evaporation source 22, and the third region 204 of the substrate 201 corresponds to the third region 223 of the evaporation source 22.

[0057] The vapor deposition apparatus 100 also includes a controller (not shown), which is electrically connected to the heating assembly 21. Specifically, the controller is electrically connected to the first heating element 211, the second heating element 212, and the third heating element 213 of the heating assembly 21. The controller is configured to adjust the heating power of at least one of the heating elements 211, 212, and 213 when it detects that the difference in film thickness between any two of the vapor deposition areas sprayed into the first vapor deposition area 202, the second vapor deposition area 203, and the third vapor deposition area 204 exceeds a preset value. Specifically, in some embodiments, the preset value can be a specific numerical value or a range of values, which can be designed as needed. The specific numerical value or range of values ​​of the preset value can be set based on experience or can also be set according to the vapor deposition accuracy requirements of the vapor deposition surface 201.

[0058] It is understood that the heating power of the first heating element 211, the second heating element 212, and the third heating element 213 affects their heating effect on the vapor-deposited material stored in the first region 221, the second region 222, and the third region 223 of the evaporation source 22, which in turn affects the amount of vapor-deposited material ejected from the first region 221, the second region 222, and the third region 223 of the evaporation source 22, which are respectively corresponding to the first heating element 211, the second heating element 212, and the third heating element 213. By controlling the heating power of the first heating element 211, the second heating element 212, and the third heating element 213, the heating power of the first heating element 211, the second heating element 212, and the third heating element 213 can be adjusted in a timely manner when the difference in film thickness of the vapor deposition material sprayed into any two of the first vapor deposition areas 202, the second vapor deposition area 203, and the third vapor deposition area 204 exceeds a preset value. This ensures that the difference in film thickness of the first vapor deposition area 202, the second vapor deposition area 203, and the third vapor deposition area 204 in the horizontal direction does not exceed the preset value. The vapor deposition device 100 can control the difference in film thickness of the vapor deposition material in the horizontal direction during the vapor deposition process online, thereby improving the uniformity of film thickness of the vapor deposition material in the horizontal direction.

[0059] Specifically, in some embodiments, the controller is configured to increase the heating power of the heating element corresponding to the region with the smallest film thickness when it detects that the difference in film thickness of the vaporized material sprayed into any two of the first region 221, the second region 222, and the third region 223 exceeds a preset value. This increases the amount of vaporized material ejected from the region corresponding to the region with the smallest film thickness in the first region 221, the second region 222, and the third region 223, thereby increasing the film thickness of the vaporized material in the region with the smallest film thickness, so that the difference in film thickness between the vaporized material in the region with the largest film thickness and the region with the smallest film thickness does not exceed the preset value.

[0060] For example, if the film thickness of the vapor-deposited material in the second vapor-deposited area 203 is detected to be the largest and the film thickness of the vapor-deposited material in the first vapor-deposited area 202 is the smallest, and the difference in film thickness between the first vapor-deposited area 202 and the second vapor-deposited area 203 exceeds a preset value, the heating power of the first heating element 211 corresponding to the first vapor-deposited area 202 with the smallest film thickness is increased to increase the amount of vapor-deposited material ejected from the first region 221 corresponding to the first vapor-deposited area 202 with the smallest film thickness, thereby increasing the film thickness of the vapor-deposited material in the first vapor-deposited area 202, so that the difference in film thickness between the vapor-deposited material ejected to the first vapor-deposited area 202 and the second vapor-deposited area 203 does not exceed the preset value. That is, among the first vapor deposition area 202, the second vapor deposition area 203, and the third vapor deposition area 204, the difference in film thickness between the vapor deposition area with the largest film thickness and the vapor deposition area with the smallest film thickness does not exceed a preset value. In other words, the difference in film thickness between any two vapor deposition areas does not exceed a preset value, thereby improving the uniformity of film thickness of the vapor deposition material on the vapor deposition surface 201 of the substrate 200 in the horizontal direction, so that the film thickness of the vapor deposition material deposited on the vapor deposition surface 201 of the substrate 200 reaches the required thickness, thereby improving the vapor deposition effect.

[0061] In other embodiments, the controller is configured to reduce the heating power of the heating element corresponding to the region with the largest film thickness when it detects that the difference in film thickness of the vaporized material sprayed into any two of the first region 221, the second region 222, and the third region 223 exceeds a preset value. This reduces the amount of vaporized material ejected from the region corresponding to the region with the largest film thickness in the first region 221, the second region 222, and the third region 223, thereby reducing the film thickness of the vaporized material in the region with the largest film thickness, so that the difference in film thickness between the region with the largest film thickness and the region with the smallest film thickness does not exceed the preset value.

[0062] For example, if the film thickness of the vapor deposition material in the third vapor deposition area 204 is detected to be the largest, and the film thickness of the vapor deposition material in the first vapor deposition area 202 is the smallest, and the difference in film thickness between the first vapor deposition area 202 and the third vapor deposition area 204 exceeds a preset value, the heating power of the third heating element 213 corresponding to the third vapor deposition area 204 with the largest film thickness is reduced, so as to reduce the amount of vapor deposition material sprayed in the third region 223 corresponding to the third vapor deposition area 204 with the largest film thickness, thereby reducing the film thickness of the vapor deposition material in the third vapor deposition area 204, so that the difference in film thickness between the vapor deposition material sprayed in the first vapor deposition area 202 and the third vapor deposition area 204 does not exceed the preset value, thereby improving the uniformity of the film thickness of the vapor deposition material on the vapor deposition surface 201 of the substrate 200 in the horizontal direction, and thus improving the vapor deposition effect.

[0063] In other embodiments, the heating power of the heating element corresponding to the region with the smallest film thickness can be increased, while the heating power of the heating element corresponding to the region with the largest film thickness can be decreased. This increases the amount of vapor deposition material ejected from the region corresponding to the region with the smallest film thickness in the first region 221, the second region 222, and the third region 223. At the same time, it decreases the amount of vapor deposition material ejected from the region corresponding to the region with the largest film thickness in the first region 221, the second region 222, and the third region 223. This makes it more efficient to ensure that the film thickness difference of the vapor deposition material sprayed to any two of the first region 202, the second region 203, and the third region 204 does not exceed a preset value. This further improves the uniformity of the film thickness of the vapor deposition material on the vapor deposition surface 201 of the substrate 200 in the horizontal direction, thereby improving the vapor deposition effect.

[0064] In other embodiments, the evaporation source 22 may have other numbers of regions distributed in the horizontal direction. For example, the evaporation source 22 may include any number of regions such as two, four, five, or six. The heating component 21 may also have other numbers of heating elements corresponding to the regions of the evaporation source 22, so as to heat different regions of the evaporation source 22 separately using different heating elements. For example, the evaporation source 22 may only include a first region 221 and a second region 222 distributed in the horizontal direction, and the heating component 21 may only include a first heating element 211 and a second heating element 212 arranged in the horizontal direction and corresponding one-to-one with the first region 221 and the second region 222; or, the evaporation source 22 may also include a fourth region or a fifth region, and the heating component 21 may also include a fourth heating element corresponding to the fourth region of the evaporation source 22 or a fifth heating element corresponding to the fifth region of the evaporation source 22. In the horizontal direction, the division of the regions of the evaporation source 22 and the specific number of heating elements of the heating component 21 can be designed as needed, and this application does not limit this. It is understandable that the more regions of the evaporation source 22 in the horizontal direction, the more heating elements in the heating component 21, which is more conducive to more precise control of the amount of vaporized material ejected from different regions of the evaporation source 22 in the horizontal direction. This is more conducive to the control of the film thickness uniformity of the substrate 200 to be vaporized surface 201 in the horizontal direction, and to improving the film thickness uniformity in the horizontal direction.

[0065] See Figure 2 and Figure 3In some embodiments, the lifting mechanism 1 includes a lifting guide rail 11 and a tray 12. The lifting guide rail 11 extends vertically and is specifically perpendicular to the ground. The tray 12 is slidably connected to the lifting guide rail 11, and the vapor deposition mechanism 2 is disposed on the tray 12. The lifting guide rail 11 has a first end 111 and a second end 112 that are opposite each other in the vertical direction. The tray 12 is configured to move back and forth between the first end 111 and the second end 112 of the lifting guide rail 11 in the vertical direction, thereby driving the vapor deposition mechanism 2 to move back and forth in the vertical direction, and then spraying vapor deposition material back and forth on the surface 201 of the substrate 200 to be vapor-deposited in the vertical direction. It is understandable that, since the multiple nozzles 231 of the nozzle assembly 23 are arranged horizontally, the vapor deposition mechanism 2 is driven by the tray 12 to move back and forth in the vertical direction. The nozzle assembly 23 can move back and forth in the vertical direction, thereby uniformly depositing vapor deposition material at different positions of the vapor deposition surface 201 of the substrate 200 in the vertical direction. This makes the amount of vapor deposition material attached to different positions of the vapor deposition surface 201 in the vertical direction basically consistent, which is beneficial to improving the uniformity of the film thickness of the vapor deposition material on the vapor deposition surface 201 in the vertical direction. This solves the problem in the related technology where the vapor deposition equipment 400 sets the nozzles 231 to be arranged vertically, resulting in uneven film thickness of the vapor deposition material deposited on the vapor deposition surface 201 in the vertical direction due to the influence of gravity of the vapor deposition material.

[0066] In some embodiments, the controller is electrically connected to the lifting mechanism 1. The controller is configured to control the movement speed of the tray 12 within the stroke between the first end 111 and the second end 112 to be variable. That is, the movement speed of the tray 12 within the stroke between the first end 111 and the second end 112 is not constant, so as to spray the vapor deposition material onto the surface 201 of the substrate 200 to be vaporized more efficiently and uniformly, thereby improving the vapor deposition efficiency.

[0067] Specifically, along the vertical direction, the second end 112 is located on the side of the first end 111 away from the ground, that is, the second end 112 is located at the top of the first end 111. In some embodiments, the travel between the first end 111 and the second end 112 includes a first travel segment 113, a second travel segment 114, and a third travel segment 115 arranged sequentially. The first travel segment 113 is close to the first end 111, the third travel segment 115 is close to the second end 112, and the second travel segment 114 is located between the first travel segment 113 and the third travel segment 115. In the first travel segment 113 and the third travel segment 115, the vapor deposition material sprayed by the nozzle assembly 23 does not contact the surface 201 to be vapor deposited. In the second travel segment 114, the vapor deposition material sprayed by the nozzle assembly 23 contacts the surface 201 to be vapor deposited. That is, when the tray 12 moves within the first stroke segment 113 and the third stroke segment 115, the vapor deposition material sprayed by the nozzle assembly 23 of the vapor deposition mechanism 2 located on the tray 12 will not be sprayed onto the surface to be vapor deposition 201. Only when the tray 12 moves within the second stroke segment 114 will the vapor deposition material sprayed by the nozzle assembly 23 of the vapor deposition mechanism 2 located on the tray 12 be sprayed onto the surface to be vapor deposition 201 of the substrate 200. That is, the surface to be vapor deposition 201 of the substrate 200 is within the spray range of the nozzle assembly 23 when the tray 12 moves within the second stroke segment 114.

[0068] In one specific implementation, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the horizontal dimension of the substrate 200 is basically the same as the width of the nozzle assembly 23, ensuring that the vapor deposition material sprayed by the nozzle assembly 23 can cover the vapor deposition surface 201 of the substrate 200 in the horizontal direction. The nozzle assembly 23 of the vapor deposition mechanism 2 is connected to the end of the evaporation source 22 away from the tray 12. The evaporation source 22 itself has a height, so there is a height difference between the tray 12 and the nozzle assembly 23. In the vertical direction, the height of the bottom of the substrate 200 is higher than the height of the end of the second stroke segment 114 near the first stroke segment 113, and the height of the top of the substrate 200 is higher than the height of the end of the second stroke segment 114 near the third stroke segment 115, so as to ensure that when the tray 12 moves vertically in the second stroke segment 114, the vapor deposition surface 201 of the substrate 200 can be located within the spray range of the nozzle assembly 23.

[0069] In some embodiments, the controller is configured to control the tray 12 to move at different speeds in the first stroke segment 113, the second stroke segment 114, and the third stroke segment 115. Specifically, in some embodiments, the controller is configured to control the tray 12 to accelerate in the first stroke segment 113; and / or, in some embodiments, the controller is configured to control the tray 12 to move at a constant speed in the second stroke segment 114; and / or, in some embodiments, the controller is configured to control the tray 12 to decelerate in the third stroke segment 115.

[0070] It is understandable that after the substrate 200 enters the vapor deposition chamber 300, the lifting mechanism 1 drives the evaporation source 22 and the nozzle assembly 23 to move vertically to the ground. When the tray 12 moves in the first stroke segment 113 and the third stroke segment 115, the vapor deposition material sprayed by the nozzle assembly 23 does not contact the vapor deposition surface 201 of the substrate 200. By controlling the tray 12 to accelerate in the first stroke segment 113, the nozzle assembly 23 can reach the second stroke segment 114 position as soon as possible, so that the vapor deposition material sprayed by the nozzle assembly 23 can contact the vapor deposition surface 201 of the substrate 200 as soon as possible, thereby improving the vapor deposition efficiency of the vapor deposition apparatus 100. Controlling the tray 12 to decelerate within the third stroke segment 115 prevents it from moving too fast and colliding with the second end 112 of the lifting guide rail 11, which would affect the stability of the tray 12 within the third stroke segment 115 and consequently the stability of the vapor deposition mechanism 2. This ensures that the nozzle assembly 23 can stably return to the second stroke segment 114 to re-spray the vapor deposition material onto the surface 201 to be vaporized. During the movement in the second stroke segment 114, the vapor deposition material sprayed by the nozzle assembly 23 contacts the surface 201 of the substrate 200 to be vaporized. Setting the speed of the tray 12 in the second stroke segment 114 to a constant speed, without changing its speed, is more conducive to uniformly spraying the vapor deposition material onto the surface 201 of the substrate 200. Therefore, the film thickness of the vapor deposition material attached to the upper and lower sides of the surface 201 to be vaporized on the substrate 200 is theoretically consistent, which is more conducive to improving the uniformity of the film thickness of the vapor deposition material on the surface 201 to be vaporized.

[0071] In some embodiments, the controller is configured to adjust the movement speed of the tray 12 when it detects that the difference in film thickness of the vapor-deposited material sprayed onto any two locations on the surface 201 to be vapor-deposited in the vertical direction exceeds a preset value. By adjusting the movement speed of the tray 12, the speed at which the nozzle assembly 23 passes over the surface 201 to be vapor-deposited on the substrate 200 is adjusted, thereby adjusting the film thickness at different locations on the surface 201 to be vapor-deposited on the substrate 200. This ensures that the difference in film thickness of the vapor-deposited material sprayed onto any two locations on the surface 201 to be vapor-deposited in the vertical direction does not exceed the preset value, resulting in a more uniform film thickness of the vapor-deposited material at different locations on the surface 201 to be vapor-deposited on the substrate 200, and improving the uniformity of the film thickness of the vapor-deposited material on the surface 201 to be vapor-deposited on the substrate 200 in the vertical direction.

[0072] Specifically, in some embodiments, the controller is configured to reduce the movement speed of the tray 12 at the position corresponding to the position with the smallest film thickness when it detects that the difference in film thickness between any two positions of the vapor deposition material sprayed onto the surface 201 to be vaporized in the vertical direction exceeds a preset value. Specifically, when the nozzle 231 of the nozzle assembly 23 passes through the position with the smallest film thickness, the movement speed of the tray 12 is reduced, so that the nozzle assembly 23 passes through the position with the smallest film thickness slowly, thereby increasing the time required for the nozzle assembly 23 to pass through this position. This allows more vapor deposition material to be sprayed onto the position with the smallest film thickness on the surface 201 to be vaporized, increasing the amount of vapor deposition material at this position, thereby increasing the thickness of the vapor deposition material at the position with the smallest film thickness. As a result, in the vertical direction, the difference in film thickness between any two positions of the vapor deposition material sprayed onto the surface 201 to be vaporized does not exceed the preset value, that is, the difference in film thickness between the position with the largest film thickness and the position with the smallest film thickness on the surface 201 to be vaporized does not exceed the preset value, thus improving the uniformity of film thickness in the vertical direction.

[0073] In some embodiments, the controller is configured to increase the movement speed of the tray 12 at the position corresponding to the position with the largest film thickness when it detects that the difference in film thickness between any two locations of the vapor deposition material sprayed onto the surface 201 to be vapor deposition in the vertical direction exceeds a preset value. Specifically, when the nozzle 231 of the nozzle assembly 23 passes through the position with the largest film thickness, the movement speed of the tray 12 is increased, thereby causing the nozzle assembly 23 to pass through the position with the largest film thickness quickly. This reduces the time required for the nozzle assembly 23 to pass through this position, allowing less vapor deposition material to be sprayed onto the position with the largest film thickness on the surface 201 to be vapor deposition, thus reducing the amount of vapor deposition material at that position and reducing the thickness of the vapor deposition material at the position with the largest film thickness. Consequently, in the vertical direction, the difference in film thickness between any two locations of the vapor deposition material sprayed onto the surface 201 to be vapor deposition does not exceed a preset value, that is, the difference in film thickness between the position with the largest film thickness and the position with the smallest film thickness on the surface 201 to be vapor deposition does not exceed a preset value, improving the uniformity of film thickness in the vertical direction.

[0074] In other embodiments, the lifting mechanism 1 can also be configured with other structures. For example, the lifting mechanism 1 can adopt other structures such as a screw lifting mechanism, a hydraulic lifting mechanism, or a ball screw lifting mechanism to realize the reciprocating movement of the vapor deposition mechanism 2 in the vertical direction driven by the lifting mechanism 1, thereby spraying vapor deposition material onto the vapor deposition surface 201 of the substrate 200. The specific structure of the lifting mechanism 1 can be selected or designed as needed, and this application does not limit it in this regard.

[0075] In some embodiments, the controller may also be configured to, when detecting that the difference in film thickness of the vapor deposition material sprayed onto any two positions of the surface to be vapor deposition 201 in the vertical direction exceeds a preset value, reduce the movement speed of the tray 12 at the position corresponding to the minimum film thickness, and simultaneously increase the movement speed of the tray 12 at the position corresponding to the maximum film thickness. This increases the amount of vapor deposition material sprayed by the nozzle 231 of the nozzle assembly 23 when it passes the position with the minimum film thickness, thus increasing the thickness of the vapor deposition material at the position with the minimum film thickness. Simultaneously, it reduces the amount of vapor deposition material sprayed by the nozzle 231 of the nozzle assembly 23 when it passes the position with the maximum film thickness, thus reducing the thickness of the vapor deposition material at the position with the maximum film thickness. This ensures that the difference in film thickness of the vapor deposition material sprayed onto any two positions of the surface to be vapor deposition 201 in the vertical direction does not exceed the preset value, thereby more efficiently improving the uniformity of film thickness in the vertical direction. This ensures that the film thickness of the vapor deposition material at each position of the surface to be vapor deposition 201 of the substrate 200 in the vertical direction can reach its required thickness value, improving the vapor deposition effect and thus improving product yield.

[0076] Specifically, in some embodiments, a film thickness detection device (not shown) may be provided in the vapor deposition apparatus 100 to detect the film thickness of the vapor deposition material on the surface 201 to be vapor deposited in real time during the vapor deposition process. This facilitates the real-time adjustment of the vertical movement speed of the tray 12 and / or the real-time adjustment of the heating power of the first heating element 211, the second heating element 212, and the third heating element 213 when the film thickness difference of the vapor deposition material sprayed to different positions on the surface 201 to be vapor deposited exceeds a preset value. This allows for real-time online control of the film thickness difference of the vapor deposition material on the surface 201 to be vapor deposited in the horizontal and vertical directions, which is beneficial for improving the vapor deposition accuracy and ensuring that the vapor deposition material on the surface 201 to be vapor deposited on the substrate 200 has good film thickness uniformity in both the horizontal and vertical directions.

[0077] In some embodiments, the vapor deposition apparatus 100 may not include a film thickness detection device. Instead, after the vapor deposition apparatus 100 has deposited the vapor deposition material on the substrate 200's surface 201, the film thickness of the vapor deposition material on the substrate 200's surface 201 can be detected by other detection mechanisms in the later stages of the process. When the detection mechanism detects a large difference in the uniformity of the film thickness of the vapor deposition material in the horizontal direction, for example, when the difference in film thickness between any two of the first vapor deposition area 202, the second vapor deposition area 203, and the third vapor deposition area 204 of the surface 201 exceeds a preset value, the amount of vapor deposition material ejected from the corresponding location is adjusted by adjusting the heating power of the first heating element 211, the second heating element 212, and the third heating element 213, thereby ensuring the uniformity of the film thickness in the horizontal direction. When the testing agency detects a significant increase in the uniformity difference of the vapor-deposited material's film thickness in the vertical direction—for example, when the difference in film thickness between any two locations on the vapor-deposited surface 201 in the vertical direction exceeds a preset value—the film thickness of the vapor-deposited material on the surface 201 is controlled by adjusting the movement speed of the tray 12 and the movement speed of the nozzle assembly 23 as it passes through different locations on the vapor-deposited surface 201. Specifically, when passing through locations with larger film thickness, the movement speed of the tray 12 can be increased, causing the nozzle assembly 23 to pass through that location quickly, thereby reducing the amount of vapor-deposited material at that location. And / or, when passing through locations with smaller film thickness, the movement speed of the tray 12 can be decreased, causing the nozzle assembly 23 to pass through that location slowly, thereby increasing the amount of vapor-deposited material at that location, thus ensuring uniformity of film thickness in the vertical direction.

[0078] In this embodiment, after vapor deposition is completed on one substrate 200, the thickness difference of the vapor-deposited material detected by the detection mechanism in the later stage of the process can be used to adjust the movement speed of the tray 12 of the vapor deposition apparatus 100 and / or the heating power of different heating elements of the heating component 21 online. This allows for online control and elimination of thickness differences when the vapor deposition apparatus 100 vapor-deposits the next substrate 200, ensuring a consistent amount of vapor-deposited material on each position of the vapor-deposited surface 201 of the next substrate 200, and improving the uniformity of the vapor-deposited material thickness on the next substrate 200. In this embodiment, the vapor deposition apparatus 100 does not require a separate film thickness detection device, reducing the cost of the vapor deposition apparatus 100. Furthermore, it eliminates the need for real-time detection of the film thickness of the vapor-deposited material on the vapor-deposited surface 201 of the current substrate 200 during the vapor deposition process, which is beneficial for improving vapor deposition efficiency.

[0079] Specifically, whether or not a separate film thickness detection device is provided in the vapor deposition apparatus 100 can be selected and designed as needed, and this application does not limit this.

[0080] The above description is merely an embodiment of this application and does not limit the patent scope of this application. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made using the content of this application's specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A vapor deposition apparatus for depositing a vapor deposition material onto a substrate to be vaporized surface housed within a vapor deposition chamber, wherein the vapor deposition surface is arranged perpendicular to the ground; characterized in that, include: Lifting mechanism; A vapor deposition mechanism is mounted on the lifting mechanism; The vapor deposition mechanism includes a heating component, an evaporation source, and a nozzle component; the evaporation source is used to store vapor deposition materials, and the heating component is disposed on one side of the evaporation source to heat and vaporize the vapor deposition materials stored in the evaporation source; The evaporation source extends horizontally, and the nozzle assembly is connected to one end of the evaporation source and is in fluid communication with the evaporation source; the nozzle assembly includes a plurality of nozzles arranged horizontally and spaced apart from each other, and the spray direction of the nozzles is perpendicular to the surface to be evaporated. The lifting mechanism is used to drive the vapor deposition mechanism to move back and forth in the vertical direction so as to spray the vapor deposition material onto the surface to be vapor deposited. The evaporation source includes at least a first region, a second region, and a third region distributed along the horizontal direction, and the heating assembly includes at least a first heating element, a second heating element, and a third heating element arranged along the horizontal direction, with the first heating element, the second heating element, and the third heating element corresponding one-to-one with the first region, the second region, and the third region; The lifting mechanism includes a lifting guide rail and a tray. The lifting guide rail extends vertically, and the tray is slidably connected to the lifting guide rail. The vapor deposition mechanism is disposed on the tray. The lifting guide rail has a first end and a second end opposite to each other. The tray is configured to reciprocate between the first end and the second end along a vertical direction. The vapor deposition device includes a controller electrically connected to the lifting mechanism. The controller is configured to control the variable movement speed of the tray within its travel distance between the first end and the second end. Along the vertical direction, the second end is located on the side of the first end away from the ground; the travel between the first end and the second end includes a first travel segment, a second travel segment, and a third travel segment arranged sequentially; the first travel segment is closer to the first end, and the third travel segment is closer to the second end; In the first and third stroke segments, the vapor deposition material sprayed by the nozzle assembly does not contact the surface to be vapor deposited; in the second stroke segment, the vapor deposition material sprayed by the nozzle assembly contacts the surface to be vapor deposited. The controller is configured to control the pallet to move at different speeds in the first stroke segment, the second stroke segment, and the third stroke segment; In the horizontal direction, the surface to be coated has a first area to be coated, a second area to be coated, and a third area to be coated, which correspond one-to-one with the first area, the second area, and the third area; the controller is electrically connected to the heating component; the controller is configured to adjust the heating power of at least one of the first heating element, the second heating element, and the third heating element when it detects that the difference in film thickness of the coated material sprayed into any two of the first area to be coated, the second area to be coated, and the third area to be coated exceeds a preset value; The controller is configured to adjust the movement speed of the tray when it detects that the difference in film thickness between any two locations of the vapor-deposited material sprayed onto the surface to be vapor-deposited exceeds a preset value in the vertical direction.

2. The vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is configured to increase the heating power of the heating element corresponding to the region with the smallest film thickness when it detects that the difference in film thickness of the vaporized material sprayed into any two regions of the first, second, and third regions exceeds a preset value, so as to increase the amount of vaporized material ejected from the region corresponding to the region with the smallest film thickness in the first, second, and third regions. And / or, reduce the heating power of the heating element corresponding to the area to be vaporized with the largest film thickness, so as to reduce the amount of vaporized material ejected in the first region, the second region and the third region corresponding to the area to be vaporized with the largest film thickness.

3. The vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first heating element heats the first region using resistance heating; and / or, The second heating element heats the second region using resistance heating; and / or, The third heating element heats the third region using resistance heating.

4. The vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is configured to control the tray to accelerate within the first stroke segment; and / or, Control the tray to move at a constant speed within the second stroke segment; and / or, The tray is controlled to decelerate within the third stroke segment.

5. The vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is configured to, when detecting in the vertical direction that the difference in film thickness between any two locations of the vapor-deposited material sprayed onto the surface to be vapor-deposited exceeds a preset value, reduce the movement speed of the tray at the location corresponding to the minimum film thickness; and / or increase the movement speed of the tray at the location corresponding to the maximum film thickness.

6. A vapor deposition apparatus, characterized in that, include: The vapor deposition apparatus as described in any one of claims 1-5; A vapor deposition chamber, wherein a substrate is housed within the vapor deposition chamber; The substrate has a surface to be vapor-deposited, and the surface to be vapor-deposited is arranged perpendicular to the ground. The vapor deposition apparatus is used to deposit vapor deposition material onto the surface to be vapor deposited.

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