Evaporation equipment

Abstract

The invention provides evaporation equipment which comprises an evaporation source and a fixing structure, the evaporation source and the fixing structure are arranged in a spaced mode in the first direction, a first distance is formed between the surface of the side, facing the evaporation source, of the fixing structure and the end face of the side, close to the fixing structure, of a nozzle of the evaporation source, and the first distance ranges from 420.5 mm to 480.5 mm. The fixing structure is used for installing the substrate, namely, the third distance between the substrate and the end face of the evaporation source ranges from 420 mm to 480 mm, compared with the prior art, the distance between the substrate and the end face of the evaporation source is reduced, the deposition efficiency of steam on the substrate is improved, material waste caused by the low deposition rate of the steam is reduced, and the production cost is reduced. Therefore, the utilization rate of the evaporation material is improved, and the cost of the evaporation material is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application belongs to the field of evaporation technology, and more specifically, to an evaporation equipment. Background Art

[0002] The OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) device is usually formed on a substrate by an evaporation process, which specifically refers to heating the evaporation material under certain vacuum conditions to melt (or sublimate) the evaporation material into vapor composed of atoms, molecules or atomic groups, which is then deposited on the surface of the substrate to form a film, thereby forming the functional layer of the OLED device.

[0003] However, the current evaporation equipment has a low utilization rate of evaporation materials, resulting in a waste of material costs. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the embodiments of the present application is to provide an evaporation device to solve the technical problem of low utilization rate of evaporation materials existing in the prior art.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the technical solution adopted in the present application is: to provide an evaporation device, including an evaporation source and a fixed structure, the evaporation source and the fixed structure are arranged at intervals along the first direction, and the first distance between the side surface of the fixed structure facing the evaporation source and the end face of the nozzle of the evaporation source close to the fixed structure is in the range of 420.5mm-480.5mm.

[0006] In some embodiments, in the evaporation state, a mask plate is provided on the side of the fixed structure close to the evaporation source, and a second distance is provided between the end surface of the nozzle of the evaporation source close to the fixed structure and the bonding surface of the mask plate close to the fixed structure, and the second distance ranges from 420 mm to 480 mm.

[0007] Preferably, the second distance (D2) is in the range of 445mm-455mm.

[0008] In some embodiments, the first distance ranges from 445.5 mm to 455.5 mm.

[0009] In some embodiments, the position of the evaporation source and / or the fixed structure along the first direction is adjustable.

[0010] Preferably, a first bracket is provided on a side of the evaporation source away from the fixed structure, and the height of the first bracket ranges from 50 cm to 80 cm;

[0011] Preferably, the first bracket comprises a first part, an extension plate and a second part which are sequentially connected to each other in a direction away from the fixed structure, two ends of the first part are respectively connected to the evaporation source and the extension plate, the extension plate is used to adjust the height of the first bracket, and the extension plate is detachably connected to the first part and the second part;

[0012] Preferably, the extension plate is provided with a plurality of connection structures sequentially arranged along the extension direction of the extension plate, and the extension plate is connected to the first part and the second part respectively through at least two of the connection structures to adjust the height of the first bracket.

[0013] In some embodiments, an end surface of the nozzle of the evaporation source close to the fixed structure is perpendicular to the first direction.

[0014] In some embodiments, the evaporation source includes a crucible, a first heating element, and a second heating element. The crucible is located on a side of the nozzle away from the fixed structure. The first heating element and the second heating element are respectively sleeved on the outside of the crucible. The first heating element is located on a side of the second heating element close to the fixed structure.

[0015] The heating intensity of the first heating element is less than the heating intensity of the second heating element.

[0016] In some embodiments, the first heating element and the second heating element each include a heating wire;

[0017] Preferably, the length of the first heating element along the first direction is smaller than the length of the second heating element along the first direction;

[0018] And / or, the structural density of the first heating element is less than the structural density of the second heating element.

[0019] In some embodiments, the first heating element and the second heating element both include heating wires, the structural density of the first heating element is equal to the structural density of the second heating element, and along the first direction, the length of the first heating element is less than half the length of the second heating element.

[0020] In some embodiments, the evaporation device further comprises a cooling structure, wherein the cooling structure is installed on a side of the evaporation source facing the fixed structure and avoids nozzles of each of the evaporation sources;

[0021] Preferably, the evaporation device comprises three evaporation sources and two cooling structures, a nozzle is provided corresponding to each evaporation source, the two cooling structures are respectively arranged around the nozzles on both sides, and the middle nozzle is adjacent to the two cooling structures.

[0022] In some embodiments, the cooling structure includes a plurality of first flow channels connected in parallel.

[0023] In some embodiments, the cooling structure includes a plurality of first flow channels connected in parallel to each other and a plurality of second flow channels connected in parallel to each other; the first flow channels are respectively connected to the second flow channels, and the second flow channels are respectively connected to the first flow channels.

[0024] In some embodiments, the cooling structure includes a cooling plate, the cooling plate is an integrally formed structure, and the first flow channel and the second flow channel are located in the cooling plate;

[0025] Preferably, a reflective plate is provided on a side of the cooling plate facing the fixed structure, and the cooling plate is provided with a positioning structure for fixing the cooling plate and the reflective plate;

[0026] Preferably, the cooling plate has a convex portion and a flat portion on a side facing the fixed structure, the flat portion is arranged around the nozzle, the convex portion is located on a side of the flat portion away from the nozzle, and the first flow channel and the second flow channel are both formed in the convex portion.

[0027] In some embodiments, the evaporation source includes the nozzle, and the nozzle has a plurality of nozzles;

[0028] Preferably, the opening size of at least some of the nozzles in the same nozzle is different from the opening size of the remaining nozzles;

[0029] Preferably, the spacing between at least some of the adjacent two nozzles in the same nozzle is unequal;

[0030] Preferably, the centers of the nozzles in the same nozzle are not located on the same straight line, and the straight line is parallel to the length direction of the nozzle.

[0031] Preferably, at least part of the nozzles in the same nozzle are distributed in a manner of alternating opening sizes.

[0032] In some embodiments, the evaporation device further comprises a crystal oscillator device, the crystal oscillator device comprises a crystal oscillator structure and a film thickness monitor, and the film thickness monitor and the crystal oscillator structure are connected via a cable;

[0033] Preferably, a second bracket is supported on a side of the crystal oscillator structure away from the fixed structure, and a height of the second bracket ranges from 110 cm to 140 cm;

[0034] Preferably, the length of the cable is greater than 150 cm.

[0035] The beneficial effect of the evaporation equipment provided by the present application is that a surface of a side of the fixed structure facing the evaporation source has a first distance from an end face of the nozzle of the evaporation source close to the fixed structure, and the first distance range is 420.5mm-480.5mm, wherein the fixed structure is used to fix the substrate, that is, the third distance range between the substrate and the end face of the nozzle of the evaporation source close to the fixed structure is 420mm-480mm. Compared with the prior art, the distance between the substrate and the end face of the nozzle of the evaporation source close to the fixed structure is reduced, the deposition efficiency of the steam on the substrate is improved, and the material waste caused by the slow deposition rate of the steam is reduced, thereby improving the utilization rate of the evaporation material and reducing the cost of the evaporation material. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0037] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the evaporation device provided in the embodiment of the present application;

[0038] Figure 2 The evaporation device provided in the embodiment of the present application includes a schematic structural diagram of a mask plate;

[0039] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of an evaporation source, a substrate and a crystal oscillator device in an evaporation device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of the first bracket;

[0041] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the circuit principle of the evaporation device provided in the embodiment of the present application;

[0042] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the structure of a crucible, a nozzle, and a cooling structure perpendicular to the second direction in the evaporation device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0043] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of a crucible and a nozzle perpendicular to a third direction in the evaporation device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0044] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of nozzle distribution in a vapor deposition device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0045] Fig. 9 It is a schematic diagram of the film thickness distribution at various locations on the substrate in the prior art;

[0046] Fig.10 A schematic diagram of the distribution of film thickness at various locations on a substrate deposited by the evaporation equipment provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0047] Fig.11 A schematic diagram of the structure of an evaporation source in an evaporation device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0048] Fig.12 A schematic diagram of the side structure of a crucible, a first heating element, and a second heating element in an evaporation device provided in an embodiment of the present application (wherein reference numerals 111 and 112 are used to indicate that two parts of the crucible correspond to the first heating element and the second heating element, respectively);

[0049] Fig.13 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of the cooling structure in the evaporation equipment provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0050] Among them, the reference numerals in the figure are:

[0051] 100, evaporation source; 110, crucible; 111, first part; 112, second part; 120, nozzle; 121, nozzle; 122, end face; 130, first heating element; 140, second heating element; 200, mask plate; 210, fitting surface; 300, detection device; 400, control device; 500, alignment device; 600, cooling structure; 610, cooling plate; 611, first flow channel; 612, second flow channel; 613, liquid inlet; 614, liquid outlet; 615, through groove; 616, positioning structure; 617, convex part; 618, flat part; 619, handle; 700, crystal oscillator device; 710, crystal oscillator structure; 720, film thickness monitor; 730, cable; 740, second bracket; 800, substrate; 810, deposition surface; 900, fixing structure; 1000, first bracket; 1001, first part; 1002, extension plate; 1003, second part; 1004, connecting structure; 1100, reflecting plate; Z, first direction; X, second direction; Y, third direction; D1, first distance; D2, second distance; D3, third distance. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] In order to make the technical problems, technical solutions and beneficial effects to be solved by the present application more clearly understood, the present application is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application and are not used to limit the present application.

[0053] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or indirectly on the other element. When an element is referred to as being "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or indirectly connected to the other element.

[0054] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0055] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of this application, the meaning of "plurality" is two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0056] Compared with traditional liquid crystal display devices, OLED display devices have the advantages of low energy consumption, low production cost, self-luminescence, wide viewing angle and fast response speed. It is one of the current hot research areas of display devices and is increasingly used in mobile phones, tablet computers and other fields. Due to its unique flexibility, its application range is becoming wider and wider.

[0057] At present, in the process of preparing OLED display devices, it is necessary to evaporate the deposition material onto the substrate. Evaporation refers to heating the crucible under certain vacuum conditions to melt (or sublimate) the deposition material in the crucible into vapor composed of atoms, molecules or atomic groups, which is finally deposited on the surface of the substrate through a nozzle to form a film, thereby forming the functional layer of the OLED device.

[0058] However, during repeated evaporation experiments, the inventors of the present application discovered that in the process of using existing evaporation equipment to evaporate the evaporation material onto the substrate, the utilization of the evaporation material was low, resulting in a waste of the cost of the evaporation material.

[0059] Based on this, an embodiment of the present application provides an evaporation device, which improves the structure of the evaporation device to improve the utilization rate of the evaporation material by the evaporation device and reduce the cost waste of the evaporation material.

[0060] See also Figure 1 , the evaporation equipment provided in the embodiment of the present application is now described.

[0061] The evaporation equipment includes an evaporation source 100 and a fixed structure 900. The evaporation source 100 and the fixed structure 900 are arranged at intervals along a first direction Z. The first distance D1 between a side surface of the fixed structure 900 facing the evaporation source 100 and an end surface 122 of the nozzle 120 of the evaporation source 100 close to the fixed structure 900 is in the range of 420.5 mm-480.5 mm.

[0062] Specifically, the first distance D1 may be 420.5 mm, 425.5 mm, 430.5 mm, 435.5 mm, 440.5 mm, 445.5 mm, 450.5 mm, 455.5 mm, 460.5 mm, 465.5 mm, 470.5 mm, 475.5 mm or 480.5 mm, etc.

[0063] In practical applications, the first direction Z is generally a vertical direction, the evaporation source 100 and the fixed structure 900 are placed in the vertical direction and spaced in the vertical direction, the evaporation source 100 is located at the top, and the fixed structure 900 is located at the bottom. The fixed structure 900 is used to install the substrate 800, and the substrate 800 is installed on the side of the fixed structure 900 facing the evaporation source 100. The thickness of the substrate 800 is generally 0.5 mm, so the third distance D3 between the substrate 800 and the end surface 122 of the nozzle 120 of the evaporation source 100 close to the fixed structure 900 is in the range of 420 mm-480 mm, for example, the third distance D3 can be 420 mm, 425 mm, 430 mm, 435 mm, 440 mm, 445 mm, 450 mm, 455 mm, 460 mm, 465 mm, 470 mm, 475 mm or 480 mm, etc.

[0064] The evaporation source 100 is used to contain the evaporation material, heat the evaporation material to melt (or sublimate) it into vapor composed of atoms, molecules or atomic clusters, and spray the evaporation material vapor toward the substrate 800 through the outlet, and finally deposit it on the surface of the substrate 800 to form a film.

[0065] In the evaporation equipment in the embodiment of the present application, a first distance D1 is provided between a surface of a side of the fixed structure 900 facing the evaporation source 100 and an end surface 122 of the nozzle 120 of the evaporation source 100 close to the fixed structure 900. The first distance D1 ranges from 420.5 mm to 480.5 mm, that is, a third distance D3 between the substrate 800 and the end surface 122 of the nozzle 120 of the evaporation source 100 close to the fixed structure 900 ranges from 420 mm to 480 mm. Compared with the prior art, the distance between the substrate 800 and the end surface 122 of the nozzle 120 of the evaporation source 100 close to the fixed structure 900 is reduced, the deposition efficiency of the vapor on the substrate 800 is improved, and the waste of materials caused by the slow deposition rate of the vapor is reduced, thereby improving the utilization rate of the evaporation material and reducing the cost of the evaporation material.

[0066] In some embodiments, the first distance D1 ranges from 445.5mm to 455.5mm. For example, the first distance D1 is 445.5mm, 446.5mm, 447.5mm, 448.5mm, 449.5mm, 450.5mm, 451.5mm, 452.5mm, 453.5mm, 454.5mm or 455.5mm, etc. By limiting the first distance D1 and the third distance D3 to about 450mm, the uniformity of the evaporation thickness can be ensured while improving the utilization rate of the evaporation materials.

[0067] In some embodiments, the second distance D2 ranges from 445mm to 455mm. For example, the second distance D2 is 445mm, 446mm, 447mm, 448mm, 449mm, 450mm, 451mm, 452mm, 453mm, 454mm or 455mm, etc. By limiting the second distance D2 and the third distance D3 to about 450mm, the uniformity of the evaporation thickness can be ensured while improving the utilization rate of the evaporation materials.

[0068] In some embodiments, see Figure 2 In the evaporation state, a mask plate 200 is provided on the side of the fixed structure 900 close to the evaporation source 100, and a second distance D2 is provided between the end surface 122 of the nozzle 120 of the evaporation source 100 close to the fixed structure 900 and the bonding surface 210 of the mask plate 200 close to the fixed structure 900, and the range of the second distance D2 is 420mm-480mm.

[0069] It should be noted that the evaporation state refers to the state in which the evaporation source 100 begins to evaporate onto the substrate 800 after the positional relationship among the evaporation source 100 , the fixing structure 900 and the substrate 800 is determined.

[0070] When assembling the substrate 800, the substrate 800 is first attached to the attaching surface 210 of the mask plate 200, and then the substrate 800 and the mask plate 200 are raised to the evaporation station together by the alignment device 500, so that the evaporation source 100 can be used to evaporate and form a film on the substrate 800. Of course, in other application scenarios, the first direction Z can also be set to a horizontal direction, that is, the evaporation source 100 and the mask plate 200 are arranged at intervals in the horizontal direction.

[0071] It should be noted that the second distance D2 between the end surface 122 of the nozzle 120 of the evaporation source 100 close to the fixed structure 900 and the bonding surface 210 of the mask plate 200 refers to the vertical distance between the end surface 122 of the evaporation source 100 for spraying steam toward the substrate 800 and the bonding surface 210 of the mask plate 200 for bonding with the substrate 800 along the first direction Z. Specifically, the substrate 800 has a deposition surface 810 bonded with the mask plate 200, and since the deposition surface 810 is bonded with the end surface 122, the second distance D2 between the bonding surface 210 and the end surface 122 is equal to the third distance D3 between the deposition surface 810 and the end surface 122.

[0072] In some embodiments, the position of the fixed structure 900 along the first direction Z is adjustable. Before evaporation, the first distance D1 is within the range of 420.5 mm to 480.5 mm by adjusting the positions of the fixed structure 900 and the substrate 800. Specifically, before evaporation, the deposition surface 810 of the substrate 800 is first attached to the attachment surface 210 of the mask plate 200, and then the fixed structure 900, the substrate 800 and the mask plate 200 are moved together to move the substrate 800 and the mask plate 200 to the evaporation station.

[0073] Specifically, the evaporation equipment may include an alignment device 500, through which the fixed structure 900, the substrate 800 and the mask plate 200 are driven to move synchronously to achieve alignment, thereby improving the utilization rate of the evaporation material and ensuring the deposition accuracy of the substrate 800. Among them, the alignment device 500 is a mechanism used in the existing evaporation equipment to achieve the correspondence between the fixed structure 900, the substrate 800 and the mask plate 200, which is not described in detail here. In addition, in some other embodiments, other additional lifting mechanisms can also be used to drive the fixed structure 900, the substrate 800 and the mask plate 200 to rise and fall synchronously to achieve the adjustment of the first distance D1. Specifically, the lifting mechanism can be a ball screw mechanism, an electric push rod mechanism, a linear motor, etc.

[0074] In some other embodiments of the present application, the evaporation source 100 may be set to be adjustable in position along the first direction Z, and the first distance D1 may be within a reasonable range by adjusting the position of the evaporation source 100. Specifically, the position of the evaporation source 100 may also be adjusted by a lifting mechanism. Alternatively, in some other embodiments of the present application, the positions of the evaporation source 100 and the fixed structure 900 may be both adjustable along the first direction Z, so that the first distance D1 may be within a reasonable range.

[0075] In some embodiments, see Figure 3A first bracket 1000 is provided on one side of the evaporation source 100 away from the fixed structure 900. The height of the first bracket 1000 is in the range of 50 cm to 80 cm. Specifically, the height of the first bracket 1000 may be in the range of 50 cm, 55 cm, 60 cm, 65 cm, 70 cm, 75 cm or 80 cm. By adjusting the height of the first bracket 1000, the distance between the evaporation source 100 and the substrate 800 can be adjusted.

[0076] In some embodiments, see Figure 3 and Figure 4 The first bracket 1000 includes a first part 1001, an extension plate 1002, and a second part 1003 which are sequentially connected to each other in a direction away from the fixed structure 900. The two ends of the first part 1001 are respectively connected to the evaporation source 100 and the extension plate 1002. The extension plate 1002 is used to adjust the height of the first bracket (1000). The extension plate 1002 and the first part 1001 and the second part 1003 are all detachably connected. The height of the first bracket 1000 can be adjusted by adjusting the connection position of the extension plate 1002 and the first part 1001, and / or adjusting the connection position of the second part 1003 and the first part 1001.

[0077] In some embodiments, see Figure 4 The extension plate 1002 is provided with a plurality of connection structures 1004 arranged in sequence along the extension direction of the extension plate 1002, and the extension plate 1002 is connected to the first part 1001 and the second part 1003 respectively through at least two of the connection structures 1004, so as to adjust the height of the first bracket (1000). In other words, different connection structures 1004 are connected to the first part 1001 and the second part 1003 respectively, so that the overall height of the first part 1001, the extension plate 1002 and the second part 1003 can be adjusted.

[0078] Specifically, the connection structure 1004 is a first mounting hole, the first part 1001 is provided with a second mounting hole, and the second part 1003 is provided with a third mounting hole. By connecting the second mounting hole with a different first mounting hole, the connection position of the extension plate 1002 and the first part 1001 is adjusted. By connecting the third mounting hole with a different first mounting hole, the connection position of the extension plate 1002 and the second part 1003 is adjusted.

[0079] In addition, in some embodiments of the present application, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3, a detection device 300 may also be provided, and the detection device 300 detects the first distance D1 or the third distance D3, and the alignment device 500 or the lifting mechanism adjusts the position of the fixed structure 900 or the evaporation source 100 according to the detection result of the detection device 300. Specifically, the evaporation device further includes a control device 400, and the detection device 300 and the alignment device 500 are both connected to the control device 400 for communication, and the detection device 300 feeds back the detection result to the control device 400, and the control device 400 controls the alignment device 500 according to the detection result to adjust the position of the substrate 800 and the fixed structure 900.

[0080] Specifically, the detection device 300 can be a distance sensor located on opposite sides of the evaporation source 100, such as an infrared distance sensor, a laser rangefinder, a photoelectric sensor, etc. The distance sensor detects the first distance D1 or the third distance D3 and feeds back to the control device 400. The control device 400 controls the alignment device to adjust the position of the substrate 800 and the fixed structure 900 according to the detection result.

[0081] Also, see Figure 3 and Figure 5 In some embodiments, the evaporation equipment may further include a crystal oscillator device 700 , and the crystal oscillator device 700 is used to detect the deposition thickness and deposition rate on the substrate 800 .

[0082] Specifically, the crystal oscillator device 700 includes a crystal oscillator structure 710 and a film thickness monitor 720, and the film thickness monitor 720 and the crystal oscillator structure 710 are connected via a cable 730. The film thickness monitor 720 ensures the high quality and consistency of the film by real-time monitoring and automatic control of the coating process, and the crystal oscillator structure 710 ensures the synchronous operation of the circuit system by providing a stable clock signal, and the two work together to improve production efficiency and product quality.

[0083] In some embodiments, see Figure 3 The side of the crystal oscillator structure 710 away from the fixed structure 900 is supported by a second bracket 740, and the height range of the second bracket 740 is 110cm-140cm. Specifically, the height of the second bracket 740 can be 110cm, 110.5cm, 120cm, 120.5cm, 130cm, 130.5cm or 140cm.

[0084] Preferably, the length of the cable 730 is greater than 150 cm. In the present application, since the height of the second bracket 740 is increased, and the film thickness monitor 720 is disposed outside the evaporation chamber, and the film thickness monitor 720 is fixed in position, a longer cable 730 is required to connect the crystal oscillator structure 710 and the film thickness monitor 720.

[0085] In some embodiments, see Figure 6 and Figure 7 , the end surface 122 of the nozzle 120 of the evaporation source 100 close to the fixed structure 900 is perpendicular to the first direction Z, that is, the evaporation source 100 outputs steam vertically to the deposition surface 810 of the substrate 800 through the nozzle 120 to form a film on the substrate 800. Among them, since the nozzle 120 outputs steam vertically to the substrate 800, the steam is evenly diffused outward with the center line of the nozzle 120 as the center, so that the steam is deposited on the substrate 800 to form a film with uniform thickness.

[0086] In some embodiments, see Figure 6 and Figure 7 The evaporation source 100 includes a nozzle 120, a nozzle 121 is formed at the nozzle 120, and an end surface 122 is an end surface of the nozzle 121 facing one end of the fixed structure 900. The steam formed by the evaporation source 100 is finally deposited on the surface of the substrate 800 through the nozzle 121 to form a film, thereby forming a functional layer of the OLED device.

[0087] The shape of the nozzle 120 may be cylindrical, and the axial direction of the nozzle 120 is parallel to the first direction Z, and the end face 122 of the nozzle 120 is perpendicular to the axial direction of the nozzle 120. Alternatively, the shape of the nozzle 120 may also be conical or truncated cone, etc., as long as the end face 122 is perpendicular to the first direction Z. It can be understood that in other embodiments of the present application, under the premise of satisfying the uniformity of film thickness, the end face 122 may also be set to form an acute angle with the first direction Z, which is not the only limitation here.

[0088] In some embodiments, see Figure 8 The nozzle 120 has a plurality of nozzles 121 ; the opening size of at least some of the nozzles 121 in the same nozzle 120 is different from the opening size of the remaining nozzles 121 .

[0089] It should be noted that the opening size of at least some of the nozzles 121 in the same nozzle 120 is different from the opening size of the remaining nozzles 121, which means that the opening size of at least one of the nozzles 121 is different from the opening size of the remaining nozzles 121, for example, the opening size of only one nozzle 121 is different from the opening size of the remaining nozzles 121; for another example, the opening size of two or three nozzles 121 is different from the opening size of the remaining nozzles 121; for another example, the opening sizes of all the nozzles 121 are different.

[0090] The opening size of the nozzle 121 can be adjusted in actual application, for example, a regulating valve can be installed in the nozzle 121, and the opening size of the nozzle 121 can be adjusted by the regulating valve. For example, if it is found that the opening of the nozzle 121 at some positions is too large, resulting in excessive film thickness at the corresponding position on the substrate 800, and the opening size of the nozzle 121 at other positions results in too small film thickness at the corresponding position on the substrate 800, the opening of the nozzle 121 at the position with larger film thickness can be reduced, and the opening of the nozzle 121 at the position with smaller film thickness can be increased, so as to ensure that the uniformity of film thickness at various positions on the substrate 800 remains consistent.

[0091] Specifically, the regulating valve is a valve that can automatically control the opening size of the nozzle 121 .

[0092] In some embodiments, the nozzle 120 has a plurality of nozzle openings 121 , and the intervals between at least some adjacent nozzle openings 121 in the same nozzle 120 are unequal.

[0093] It should be noted that the spacing between at least some of the adjacent two nozzles 121 in the same nozzle 120 is not equal, which means that the spacing between at least two of the nozzles 121 is different from the spacing between the remaining two adjacent nozzles 121, or the spacing between two or three groups of adjacent two nozzles 121 is different from the spacing between the remaining two adjacent nozzles 121, or even the spacing between each two adjacent nozzles 121 is different from the spacing between the remaining two adjacent nozzles 121. It should also be noted that the spacing between two adjacent nozzles 121 refers to the distance between the center lines of the two adjacent nozzles 121.

[0094] In practical applications, after the position of the nozzle 121 is assembled, the position of the nozzle 121 is generally not adjustable. Of course, a sealing member may be provided outside the nozzle 121 to set the position of the nozzle 121 to be adjustable, and then the sealing member is used to ensure the sealing of the connection between the nozzle 121 and the crucible 110.

[0095] In the related art, in order to reduce the manufacturing cost and assembly cost of the nozzles 121, the nozzles 121 are generally set to be of the same size and the same spacing. However, since each nozzle 121 is located at a different position on the evaporation source 100, the temperature and / or density and / or deposition rate of the vapor of the evaporation material sprayed from each nozzle 121 are different. In addition, each nozzle 121 sprays steam to the substrate 800 to form a conical evaporation area. The evaporation areas of adjacent nozzles 121 may overlap, which will cause the film thickness at the position corresponding to each nozzle 121 on the substrate 800 to be different. In order to solve this technical problem, the spacing between each nozzle 121 can be adjusted to make the film thickness on the substrate 800 uniform.

[0096] In some embodiments, see Figure 8The nozzle 120 has a plurality of nozzles 121 , and the centers of the nozzles 121 in the same nozzle 120 are not located on the same straight line L1 , and the straight line L1 is parallel to the length direction of the nozzle 120 .

[0097] It should be noted that the centers of the nozzles 121 in the same nozzle 120 are not located on the same straight line L1, which means that the center of at least one nozzle 121 deviates from the straight line L1, and specifically, the centers of one, two, three or more nozzles 121 may deviate from the straight line L1. Specifically, the nozzles 121 are distributed at intervals roughly along the third direction Y, and the center position of the nozzle 121 is adjusted, that is, the position of the nozzle 121 is adjusted, so that the film thickness distribution of the substrate 800 along the second direction X is uniform.

[0098] In this embodiment, the opening size, arrangement spacing and center position of each nozzle 121 can be adjusted according to the actual distance from the end surface 122 of the nozzle 121 to the deposition surface 810 to improve the uniformity of the film thickness on the substrate 800.

[0099] See also Fig. 9 , is a schematic diagram of film thickness distribution on a substrate 800 in the prior art, specifically, normalized values ​​of film thickness at different positions obtained by multiple nozzles 120 under the same evaporation source 100, wherein the horizontal axis refers to the position coordinates of the film layer on the substrate 800, and the vertical axis is the normalized value of the film layer thickness, and each tested film thickness is divided by the maximum film thickness. It can be seen from the figure that the film thickness distribution is uneven at different positions, and in addition, the film thickness corresponding to adjacent nozzles 121 is roughly M-shaped. For this reason, in some embodiments, please refer to Figure 8 The evaporation source 100 includes a plurality of nozzles 121 , and the opening sizes of at least some of the nozzles 121 are alternately distributed.

[0100] Among them, at least some of the nozzles 121 are distributed in a manner of alternating opening sizes, which means that at least some of the nozzles 121 have opening sizes that are distributed in a regular pattern of large, small, large, small, etc., that is, two nozzles 121 with smaller openings are arranged on both sides of a nozzle 121 with a larger opening, and two nozzles 121 with larger openings are arranged on both sides of a nozzle 121 with a smaller opening. In this way, the film thickness area of ​​two adjacent nozzle 121 brackets can be uniformed by changing the opening size of the nozzle 121. Fig.10 This is a schematic diagram of the film thickness distribution on the substrate 800 after the size, spacing and position of the nozzles 121 are changed in the present application. It can be seen that the improved film thickness distribution is uniform.

[0101] In some embodiments, see Fig.11 and Fig.12The evaporation source 100 includes a crucible 110, a first heating element 130 and a second heating element 140. The crucible 110 is located on the side of the nozzle 120 away from the fixed structure 900. The first heating element 130 and the second heating element 140 are respectively sleeved on the outside of the crucible 110. The first heating element 130 is located on the side of the second heating element 140 close to the fixed structure 900. The heating intensity of the first heating element 130 is less than the heating intensity of the second heating element 140. It should be noted that Fig.12 FIG. 1 is a side view of the crucible 110, the first heating element 130 and the second heating element 140. The crucible 110 is shielded by the first heating element 130 and the second heating element 140. Fig.12 The reference numerals 111 and 112 are mainly used to indicate that the two parts of the crucible 110 correspond to the first heating element 130 and the second heating element 140 respectively.

[0102] Among them, the crucible 110 is a container for the evaporation source 100 to contain the evaporation material, the first heating element 130 and the second heating element 140 are used to heat the crucible 110 respectively, and the temperature of the crucible 110 increases to melt (or sublimate) the evaporation material into vapor composed of atoms, molecules or atomic clusters, and spray it out through the nozzle 121 of the nozzle 120. The nozzle 120 is installed on the side of the crucible 110 facing the fixed structure 900.

[0103] In this embodiment, by setting the heating intensity of the first heating element 130 to be smaller than the heating intensity of the second heating element 140, the second heating element 140 is made to be the main component for heating the crucible 110, and the first heating element 130 is mainly used to maintain the temperature in the crucible 110. Since the first heating element 130 is closer to the substrate 800 than the second heating element 140, and the heating intensity of the first heating element 130 is smaller than before, the risk of heat radiation from the evaporation source 100 to the substrate 800 caused by the reduction of the third distance D3 between the evaporation source 100 and the substrate 800 can be reduced.

[0104] In specific practice, the heating intensity of the first heating element 130 can be changed by changing the heating method of the first heating element 130, and the heating intensity of the first heating element 130 can also be changed by changing the power and current of the first heating element 130, changing the material of the first heating element 130, and changing the shape and size of the first heating element 130.

[0105] As an example, the first heating element 130 and the second heating element 140 can be electrically connected to different power supply structures respectively, and different powers can be provided to the first heating element 130 and the second heating element 140 through the power supply structures so that the heating intensity of the first heating element 130 is less than the heating intensity of the second heating element 140.

[0106] As an example, different currents may be provided to the first heating member 130 and the second heating member 140 through the power supply structure, so that the heating intensity of the first heating member 130 is smaller than the heating intensity of the second heating member 140 .

[0107] As an example, the second heating element 140 may be made of a metal with a high melting point, such as tungsten, molybdenum, or tantalum, and the first heating element 130 may be made of a metal with a relatively low melting point, such as cobalt, titanium, or nickel.

[0108] As an example, the first heating element 130 and the second heating element 140 are both resistive heating elements, and the first heating element 130 and the second heating element 140 respectively include a first heating wire and a second heating wire wound outside the crucible 110. In order to design the heating intensity of the first heating wire to be lower than the heating intensity of the second heating wire, in addition to the above method, the length of the first heating wire along the first direction Z can also be designed to be smaller than the length of the second heating wire along the first direction Z and / or the structural density of the first heating wire can be designed to be smaller than the structural density of the second heating wire.

[0109] Among them, according to the resistance heating principle of the heating wire, when the structural density of the first heating wire is equal to the structural density of the second heating wire, the length of the first heating wire is less than the length of the second heating wire, then the heating intensity of the first heating wire is lower than the heating intensity of the second heating wire. Similarly, when the length of the first heating wire is equal to the length of the second heating wire, the structural density of the first heating wire is lower than the structural density of the second heating wire, then the heating intensity of the first heating wire is lower than the heating intensity of the second heating wire. In general, when the first heating element 130 and the second heating element 140 are both heating wires, the length of the first heating wire can be smaller than the length of the second heating wire and / or the structural density of the first heating wire can be smaller than the structural density of the second heating wire, so as to achieve the purpose of the heating intensity of the first heating wire being lower than the heating intensity of the second heating wire.

[0110] As an example, see Fig.12 The structural density of the first heating wire is the same as the structural density of the second heating wire. Along the first direction Z, the length of the first heating wire is less than the length of the second heating wire. The first heating wire and the second heating wire are arranged at an interval, thereby reducing the risk of heat radiation from the first heating wire to the substrate 800.

[0111] Preferably, the length of the first heating wire is less than half the length of the second heating wire, so that the second heating wire undertakes the main heating task of the crucible 110, and the first heating wire is mainly used to maintain the stability of the crucible 110 and ensure that the nozzle 121 has a sufficient temperature to prevent blockage at the nozzle 121.

[0112] In some embodiments, see Fig.11The crucible 110 includes a first portion 111 located on a side close to the fixed structure 900 and a second portion 112 located on a side away from the fixed structure 900 . The first heating element 130 is sleeved outside the first portion 111 , and the second heating element 140 is sleeved outside the second portion 112 .

[0113] In some embodiments, the evaporation source 100 further includes a plurality of nozzles 120, each of which is connected to the crucible 110. The evaporation source 100 further includes a nozzle heater, which is mounted on the crucible 110 and sleeved on the nozzle 120. The nozzle heater is used to heat the position of the nozzle 120 so that the nozzle 120 is always at a preset temperature, so that the temperature of the steam flowing out of the crucible 110 and passing through the nozzle 120 does not drop, thereby avoiding the phenomenon of pore blockage caused by condensation of steam at the nozzle 121 due to temperature drop, and further avoiding the situation of uneven coating thickness due to pore blockage at the nozzle 121. In the present application, although a nozzle heater is provided at the nozzle 120, since the heating intensity of the first heating element 130 is designed to be relatively low, the risk of thermal radiation of the evaporation source 100 to the substrate 800 as a whole can be reduced while avoiding pore blockage at the nozzle 121.

[0114] In some embodiments, see Fig.11 and Fig.13 The evaporation device further includes a cooling structure 600, which is installed on the side of the evaporation source 100 facing the fixed structure 900 and avoids the nozzle 120 of the evaporation source 100. The design of the cooling structure 600 can avoid the nozzle 120 on the one hand, so as to avoid the cooling structure 600 cooling the nozzle 120, thereby ensuring that the nozzle 120 is at a suitable temperature and does not block the hole. At the same time, the cooling structure 600 can also cool the evaporation source 100 to avoid the internal structure of the evaporation source 100 from being affected by excessive temperature. The service life; in addition, by installing the cooling structure 600 on the side of the evaporation source 100 facing the fixed structure 900, that is, installing the cooling structure 600 on the side of the evaporation source 100 facing the substrate 800, the risk of heat radiation from the evaporation source 100 to the substrate 800 can be reduced. It can be understood that in other embodiments of the present application, the cooling structure 600 may also be installed at other positions of the evaporation source 100 , such as covering the side of the crucible 110 except the nozzle 120 , which is not limited here.

[0115] In some embodiments, see Fig.11 The evaporation device includes three evaporation sources 100 and two cooling structures 600. A nozzle 120 is provided corresponding to each evaporation source 100. The two cooling structures 600 are respectively arranged around the nozzles 120 on both sides, and the middle nozzle 120 is adjacent to the two cooling structures 600.

[0116] Specifically, three evaporation sources 100 are arranged in sequence and spaced apart along the second direction X, one nozzle 120 is correspondingly arranged on each evaporation source 100, two cooling structures 600 are respectively arranged around the nozzles 120 located on both sides along the second direction X, and the nozzle 120 located in the middle along the second direction X is adjacent to the two cooling structures 600. In this way, not only one cooling structure 600 can be saved, but also the three evaporation sources 100 can be cooled.

[0117] In some embodiments, see Fig.13 The cooling structure 600 includes a plurality of first flow channels 611 connected in parallel. The plurality of first flow channels 611 can increase the coverage area of ​​the flow channels in the cooling structure 600, thereby enhancing the cooling effect of the cooling structure 600 and reducing the risk of heat radiation from the evaporation source 100 to the substrate 800.

[0118] In some embodiments, see Fig.13 The cooling structure 600 includes a plurality of mutually parallel first flow channels 611 and a plurality of mutually parallel second flow channels 612; the first flow channels 611 are respectively connected to the second flow channels 612, and the second flow channels 612 are respectively connected to the first flow channels 611, specifically, each first flow channel 611 is connected to all the second flow channels 612, and each second flow channel 612 is connected to all the first flow channels 611. The above arrangement can not only increase the cooling area of ​​the entire cooling structure 600 and achieve a better cooling effect, but also enable all parts of the first flow channel 611 to be connected to the second flow channel 612, and all parts of the second flow channel 612 to be connected to the first flow channel 611, reducing the phenomenon of flow channel blockage, thereby ensuring uniform flow velocity at all parts of the flow channel, good cooling effect, and uniform distribution of cooling effect at all parts.

[0119] As an example, see Fig.13 The first flow channel 611 extends along the third direction Y, and each first flow channel 611 is spaced apart along the second direction X; the second flow channel 612 extends along the second direction X, and each second flow channel 612 is spaced apart along the third direction Y. The first direction Z, the second direction X, and the third direction Y are perpendicular to each other.

[0120] As an example, see Fig.13 The cooling structure 600 has a through slot 615 for avoiding the nozzle 120, and each first flow channel 611 and each second flow channel 612 are arranged around the through slot 615. The first flow channels 611 and each second flow channel 612 are arranged around the through slot 615, which can reduce the influence of the cooling structure 600 on the temperature of the nozzle 120, and also make the cooling structure 600 have a good cooling effect on the position of the evaporation source 100 other than the nozzle 120.

[0121] In some embodiments, see Fig.13 The cooling structure 600 also has a liquid inlet 613 and a liquid outlet 614, which are located on the same side of the cooling structure 600 and are symmetrically arranged relative to the center line of the cooling structure 600. This arrangement can make the flow rate uniform everywhere inside the cooling structure 600.

[0122] In some embodiments, see Fig.11 The cooling structure 600 includes a cooling plate 610 , each first flow channel 611 and each second flow channel 612 are located on the cooling plate 610 , and the cooling plate 610 is an integrally formed structure, so that the problem of water leakage of the cooling plate 610 can be reduced.

[0123] Preferably, a reflective plate 1100 is provided on the side of the cooling plate 610 facing the fixed structure 900 , and a positioning structure 616 for fixing the cooling plate 610 and the reflective plate 1100 is provided on the cooling plate 610 .

[0124] Preferably, the cooling plate 610 has a convex portion 617 and a flat portion 618 on the side facing the fixed structure 900, the flat portion 618 is arranged around the nozzle 120, the convex portion 617 is located on the side of the flat portion 618 away from the nozzle 120, and the first flow channel 611 and the second flow channel 612 are both formed in the convex portion 617. Among them, the flat portion 618 is mainly used to place the reflector 1100.

[0125] In some embodiments, see Fig.13 The cooling plate 610 is provided with handles 619 on opposite sides along the third direction Y, and the user can flip the cooling plate 610 through the two handles 619 .

[0126] As an example, the cooling plate 610 is integrally formed by lathe processing, and each first flow channel 611 and each second flow channel 612 are processed by lathe processing. It can be understood that in other embodiments, the cooling plate 610 can also be integrally formed by injection molding.

[0127] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present application and is not intended to limit the present application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present application should be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A vapor deposition device, characterized in that: The invention comprises an evaporation source (100) and a fixed structure (900), wherein the evaporation source (100) and the fixed structure (900) are arranged at intervals along a first direction (Z), and a first distance (D1) between a surface of a side of the fixed structure (900) facing the evaporation source (100) and an end surface (122) of a nozzle (120) of the evaporation source (100) close to the fixed structure (900) is in the range of 420.5 mm to 480.5 mm.

2. The evaporation device according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the evaporation state, a mask plate (200) is provided on a side of the fixed structure (900) close to the evaporation source (100), and a second distance (D2) is provided between an end surface (122) of a nozzle (120) of the evaporation source (100) close to the fixed structure (900) and a bonding surface (210) of the mask plate (200) close to the fixed structure (900), and the range of the second distance (D2) is 420 mm-480 mm; Preferably, the second distance (D2) ranges from 445 mm to 455 mm; Preferably, the first distance (D1) ranges from 445.5 mm to 455.5 mm.

3. The evaporation device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The position of the evaporation source (100) and / or the fixed structure (900) along the first direction (Z) is adjustable; Preferably, a first bracket (1000) is provided on a side of the evaporation source (100) away from the fixed structure (900), and the height of the first bracket (1000) ranges from 50 cm to 80 cm; Preferably, the first bracket (1000) comprises a first part (1001), an extension plate (1002) and a second part (1003) which are sequentially connected to each other in a direction away from the fixed structure (900), two ends of the first part (1001) are respectively connected to the evaporation source (100) and the extension plate (1002), the extension plate (1002) is used to adjust the height of the first bracket (1000), and the extension plate (1002) is detachably connected to the first part (1001) and the second part (1003); Preferably, the extension plate (1002) is provided with a plurality of connection structures (1004) arranged in sequence along the extension direction of the extension plate (1002), and the extension plate (1002) is respectively connected to the first part (1001) and the second part (1003) through at least two of the connection structures (1004) to adjust the height of the first bracket (1000).

4. The evaporation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: An end surface (122) of the nozzle (120) of the evaporation source (100) close to the fixed structure (900) is perpendicular to the first direction (Z).

5. The evaporation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The evaporation source (100) comprises a crucible (110), a first heating element (130) and a second heating element (140); the crucible (110) is located on a side of the nozzle (120) away from the fixed structure (900); the first heating element (130) and the second heating element (140) are respectively sleeved on the outside of the crucible (110); and the first heating element (130) is located on a side of the second heating element (140) close to the fixed structure (900); The heating intensity of the first heating element (130) is smaller than the heating intensity of the second heating element (140).

6. The evaporation device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first heating element (130) and the second heating element (140) both include heating wires; Preferably, the length of the first heating element (130) along the first direction (Z) is smaller than the length of the second heating element (140) along the first direction (Z); And / or, the structural density of the first heating element (130) is smaller than the structural density of the second heating element (140).

7. The evaporation device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first heating element (130) and the second heating element (140) both comprise heating wires, the structural density of the first heating element (130) is equal to the structural density of the second heating element (140), and along the first direction (Z), the length of the first heating element (130) is less than half the length of the second heating element (140).

8. The evaporation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The evaporation device further comprises a cooling structure (600), wherein the cooling structure (600) is installed on a side of the evaporation source (100) facing the fixed structure (900) and avoids the nozzles (120) of each evaporation source (100); Preferably, the evaporation device comprises three evaporation sources (100) and two cooling structures (600), a nozzle (120) is provided corresponding to each evaporation source (100), the two cooling structures (600) are respectively arranged around the nozzles (120) on both sides, and the middle nozzle (120) is adjacent to the two cooling structures (600); Preferably, the cooling structure (600) comprises a plurality of first flow channels (611) connected in parallel with each other; Preferably, the cooling structure (600) comprises a plurality of first flow channels (611) connected in parallel to each other and a plurality of second flow channels (612) connected in parallel to each other; the first flow channels (611) are respectively connected to the second flow channels (612), and the second flow channels (612) are respectively connected to the first flow channels (611); Preferably, the cooling structure (600) comprises a cooling plate (610), the cooling plate (610) is an integrally formed structure, and the first flow channel (611) and the second flow channel (612) are located inside the cooling plate (610); Preferably, a reflective plate (1100) is provided on a side of the cooling plate (610) facing the fixed structure (900), and the cooling plate (610) is provided with a positioning structure (616) for fixing the cooling plate (610) and the reflective plate (1100); Preferably, the cooling plate (610) has a convex portion (617) and a flat portion (618) on the side facing the fixed structure (900), the flat portion (618) is arranged around the nozzle (120), the convex portion (617) is located on the side of the flat portion (618) away from the nozzle (120), and the first flow channel (611) and the second flow channel (612) are both formed on the convex portion (617).

9. The evaporation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The evaporation source (100) comprises the nozzle (120), and the nozzle (120) has a plurality of nozzles (121); Preferably, the opening size of at least some of the nozzles (121) in the same nozzle (120) is different from the opening size of the remaining nozzles (121); Preferably, the spacing between at least some of the two adjacent nozzles (121) in the same nozzle (120) is unequal; Preferably, the centers of the nozzles (121) in the same nozzle (120) are not located on the same straight line, and the straight line is parallel to the length direction of the nozzle; Preferably, at least some of the nozzles (121) in the same nozzle (120) are distributed in a manner in which the opening sizes are alternately arranged.

10. The evaporation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The evaporation equipment further comprises a crystal oscillator device (700), wherein the crystal oscillator device (700) comprises a crystal oscillator structure (710) and a film thickness monitor (720), wherein the film thickness monitor (720) and the crystal oscillator structure (710) are connected via a cable (730); Preferably, a second bracket (740) is supported on a side of the crystal oscillator structure (710) away from the fixed structure (900), and a height of the second bracket (740) ranges from 110 cm to 140 cm; Preferably, the length of the cable (730) is greater than 150 cm.

Images