High-throughput film coating device and method
By designing a high-throughput thin film coating device, the coordinated control of the mask plate and linear heat source is used to achieve coordinated control of component gradients and temperature gradients during the growth of thin film materials, the problem that the existing technology is difficult to meet the multi-dimensional gradient conditions and improve the experimental efficiency.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202510310197.7
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-03-17
- Publication Date
- 2025-06-20
AI Technical Summary
The existing high-throughput film preparation technology is difficult to meet the experimental needs of multi-dimensional gradient conditions, resulting in inefficient experimental results.
A high-throughput thin film coating device is designed, including a sample table, a mask plate and a linear heat source. By controlling the movement of the mask plate and the temperature gradient of the linear heat source, the coordinated regulation of component gradient and temperature gradient during the growth of the film material is achieved.
In a single experiment, the experimental demand for multi-temperature points and multi-component growth of high-throughput film materials was achieved, which improved the experimental efficiency and met the experimental demand for multi-dimensional gradient conditions.
Smart Images
Figure CN120174304A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of high-throughput thin film preparation, and particularly relates to a high-throughput thin film coating device and a coating method. Background Art
[0002] With the rapid development of fields such as quantum computing and topological electronics, the demand for the rapid exploration and preparation of new materials such as thin film materials and low-dimensional quantum materials (such as two-dimensional superlattices and heterojunction thin films) has become increasingly urgent. High-throughput thin film preparation technology realizes continuous changes in material composition and structure through a single experiment, and has become the core means to accelerate the discovery of new materials.
[0003] High-throughput thin film preparation technology integrates and grows thousands or even millions of materials with different compositions, structures, and properties on a relatively small substrate at the same time, and obtains key information such as material composition, structure, and properties through automatic scanning or parallel rapid characterization technology, quickly constructs a multi-component material phase diagram or a material database, and quickly screens out materials with excellent performance or quickly finds the "composition-structure-property" correlation of materials, so as to improve the efficiency of material research and development. The mainstream technology of existing high-throughput thin film preparation is mainly based on the principle of constructing a component space gradient, and realizes component gradient configuration by adjusting the incident atom angle or dynamically controlling the thin film deposition time using a mask plate. However, a single component space gradient condition has been difficult to fully meet the experimental requirements of existing high-throughput thin film preparation.
[0004] Therefore, how to provide a high-throughput thin film coating device and a coating method that can provide multi-dimensional gradient conditions during the high-throughput thin film preparation process and further improve the experimental efficiency has become one of the technical problems that need to be solved urgently by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention
[0005] The present application aims to solve at least one of the technical problems in the related art to some extent.
[0006] To this end, the first object of the present application is to propose a high-throughput thin film coating device and a coating method that can provide multi-dimensional gradient conditions during the high-throughput thin film preparation process and further improve the experimental efficiency.
[0007] To achieve the above object, an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application proposes a high-throughput thin film coating device, including a target, a sample stage located below the target, and a mask plate located between the target and the sample stage; wherein,
[0008] At least one linear heat source is further provided in the sample stage, and the linear heat source is used to form a first temperature gradient along a first direction on the surface of the sample stage;
[0009] The mask plate further has at least one coating window, and the coating window penetrates the mask plate; the mask plate is further configured to be movable in a second direction, and when the mask plate moves in the second direction, the area of the vertical projection of the coating window on the sample stage gradually changes;
[0010] The included angle between the first direction and the second direction is between 0 and 90°, and both are parallel to the surface of the sample stage.
[0011] Optionally, the maximum vertical projection of the coating window on the sample stage is located within the surface of the sample stage.
[0012] Optionally, the coating device further includes a driving unit, and the driving unit is connected to an end of the mask plate away from the sample stage to drive the mask plate to move in the second direction.
[0013] Optionally, the coating device further includes a cryogenic cold source, and the cryogenic cold source is in contact with the side of the sample stage where the temperature decreases to jointly form a second temperature gradient along the first direction on the surface of the sample stage with the linear heat source, and the value of the second temperature gradient is greater than the value of the first temperature gradient.
[0014] Optionally, the number of the linear heat sources includes a plurality of them, and each linear heat source extends vertically in the sample stage in a direction perpendicular to the first direction and is arranged at equal intervals in sequence along the first direction in the sample stage, and the temperatures of the plurality of linear heat sources decrease or increase in sequence along the first direction.
[0015] Optionally, the linear heat source includes one of a laser heat source, a resistance heat source, a radiation heat source, an electron beam heat source, and an infrared heat source.
[0016] Optionally, the coating device further includes a base, and the base is further provided with a groove; the sample stage is arranged on the groove and is in contact with the edge of the groove away from the linear heat source to block the opening part of the groove.
[0017] To achieve the above object, a high-throughput thin film coating method according to a second aspect embodiment of the present application includes using the coating device described in any one of the above, and further includes:
[0018] Setting a target material directly above the sample stage;
[0019] Driving the linear heat source to heat the sample stage to form a first temperature gradient along the first direction on the surface of the sample stage;
[0020] Drive a low-temperature cold source to cool the surface of the sample stage, so as to form a second temperature gradient along the first direction on the surface of the sample stage, and the low-temperature cold source is arranged on the side of the sample stage away from the linear heat source;
[0021] Drive the mask plate to move along the second direction to adjust the vertical projection area of the coating window on the sample stage, and at the same time drive the target element to pass through the coating window to deposit a film with a constant or varying component gradient on the surface of the sample stage.
[0022] Optionally, the first temperature gradient value and / or the second temperature gradient value of the surface of the sample stage in the first direction are constant, and the temperature is constant in the direction perpendicular to the first direction; the film deposited on the surface of the sample stage has a gradually changing component in the second direction and a constant component in the direction perpendicular to the second direction.
[0023] Optionally, the moving speed of the mask plate moving along the second direction is between 0.1 mm / min and 100 mm / min.
[0024] The high-throughput thin film coating device and coating method provided by the present application at least include the following beneficial effects:
[0025] The present application provides a high-throughput thin film coating device and coating method, including a target, a sample stage, and a mask plate that can linearly move between the target and the sample stage. Among them, at least one linear heat source is arranged in the sample stage, the mask plate is located between the sample stage and the target, and at least includes a coating window, and the target needs to physically vapor deposit a film on the surface of the sample stage through the coating window. The present application controls the setting position and direction of the linear heat source in the sample stage to control the temperature gradient on the surface of the sample stage, and controls the direction of the linear movement of the mask plate and the vertical projection area of the coating window on the sample stage to control the component gradient of the film coating on the surface of the sample stage, realizing the coordinated regulation of the component gradient and temperature gradient during the growth process of the thin film material, meeting the experimental requirements of multi-temperature points and multi-components for high-throughput thin film material growth in a single experiment, and improving the experimental efficiency.
[0026] The additional aspects and advantages of the present application will be partially given in the following description, partially become obvious from the following description, or be understood through the practice of the present application. Description of the Drawings
[0027] The above-mentioned and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present application will become obvious and easy to understand from the following description of the embodiments in conjunction with the drawings, where:
[0028] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of a high-throughput thin film coating device shown according to an embodiment of the present application.
[0029] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of a sample stage shown according to an embodiment of the present application.
[0030] Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a base shown according to an embodiment of the present application.
[0031] Figure 4 A schematic structural diagram of another high-throughput thin film coating device shown according to an embodiment of the present application.
[0032] Figure 5 A schematic flow diagram of a high-throughput thin film coating method shown according to an embodiment of the present application.
[0033] 10 thin film; 100 target; 200 sample stage; 210 linear heat source; 300 mask plate; 310 coating window; 400 drive unit; 500 low-temperature cold source; 600 base; 610 groove. Specific embodiments
[0034] The embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the drawings, where the same or similar reference numerals represent the same or similar elements or elements with the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the drawings are exemplary and are intended to explain the present application, and should not be construed as limiting the present application.
[0035] Currently, the mainstream technology for high-throughput thin film preparation is mainly based on the principle of constructing a component space gradient. For example, the component gradient construction method of grazing incidence atomic deposition is adopted, that is, by adjusting the incident atom angle, the component gradient configuration is realized. However, the degree of change in the sample component gradient of this method is limited and cannot fully meet the experimental requirements. Or, a scheme of dynamically regulating the deposition time of the mask plate 300 is adopted, that is, by controlling the coating window 310 on the mask plate 300 to gradually block the sample stage 200, and then a sample component gradient is formed in the moving direction of the sample stage 200 along the mask plate 300. However, this method is difficult to meet the growth experimental requirements of existing low-dimensional materials.
[0036] Based on the above problems, the present application provides a high-throughput thin film coating device and a coating method. By performing temperature gradient regulation on the temperature of the sample stage 200 on the basis of the existing principle of constructing a component space gradient, the experimental requirements of multiple temperature points and multiple components for the growth of low-dimensional materials can be realized in a single experiment, and the experimental efficiency can be improved.
[0037] According to one aspect of the present application, a high-throughput thin film coating device is provided, as Figures 1 to 4 shown Figure 4It is a schematic structural diagram of a specific high-throughput thin-film coating device shown according to an embodiment of the present application. The coating device includes a target 100, a sample stage 200 located below the target 100, and a mask plate 300 located between the target 100 and the sample stage 200.
[0038] The mask plate 300 is provided with at least one coating window 310. The coating window 310 penetrates the upper and lower surfaces of the mask plate 300, so that during the coating process, target elements can be deposited on the sample stage 200 through the coating window 310 and continuously grow to form a thin film 10. Thus, by driving the mask plate 300 to move in the second direction, the actual opening area of the coating window 310 on the sample stage 200 can be controlled, so that the area of the vertical projection of the coating window 310 on the surface of the sample stage 200 gradually changes. During the coating process, the target elements will be physically vapor-deposited on the sample stage 200 through the coating window 310, realizing the control of the composition of the target elements in the thin film 10 formed on the sample stage 200. That is to say, by controlling the moving speed of the mask plate 300 in the second direction, the actual opening area of the coating window 310 on the sample stage 200 can be controlled, and further the composition gradient of the target elements in the second direction in the thin film 10 formed on the sample stage 200 can be controlled. Wherein, the second direction is the direction parallel to the surface of the sample stage 200 and the direction in which the composition of the target elements in the thin film 10 changes.
[0039] The sample stage 200 is also provided with at least one linear heat source 210. The linear heat source 210 is used to heat the sample stage 200 to form a first temperature gradient along the first direction on the surface of the sample stage 200. Thus, during the process of thin-film growth, the temperature gradient on the surface of the sample stage 200 will cause differences in the growth behavior and performance of the thin-film materials at different positions, such as differences in the thin-film growth rate and growth mode, etc., resulting in different positions on the thin film 10 of the sample stage 200 being able to simultaneously have different microstructures and different material properties, and further obtaining a thin film 10 with a certain performance gradient. Wherein, the first direction is the direction parallel to the surface of the sample stage 200. Since the linear heat source 210 is arranged in the sample stage 200 perpendicular to the first direction, different positions of the sample stage 200 in the direction perpendicular to the first direction can have the same temperature conditions, while the temperature changes in a gradient manner in the first direction.
[0040] Thus, in the present application, a first temperature gradient along the first direction is pre-formed on the surface of the sample stage 200, and during the growth process of the thin film material, the mask plate 300 is driven to move along the second direction, so as to further form a thin film 10 with a gradient change in composition in the second direction on the sample stage 200 with a gradient change in temperature in the first direction, such that the thin film 10 formed on the sample stage 200 has different thin film growth conditions at any position. Based on the gradient-varying composition variables and temperature variables of the thin film 10 at different positions, a binary database related to the thin film temperature and composition can be quickly constructed, and excellent materials can be quickly screened out from it or the "composition-structure-property" correlation of the materials can be quickly found, thereby improving the efficiency of material research and development.
[0041] Since both the first direction and the second direction are parallel to the surface of the sample stage 200, therefore, the present application does not specifically limit the angle between the first direction and the second direction. For example, the angle between the first direction and the second direction can be between 0 and 90°.
[0042] As an example, the first direction and the second direction are orthogonal to each other. Thus, when the linear heat source 210 is arranged on one side of the sample stage 200 perpendicular to the first direction (i.e., the second direction), the temperature on the surface of the sample stage 200 remains relatively constant in the second direction and varies in a gradient in the first direction. Similarly, when the mask plate 300 moves along the second direction, the composition of the target element in the thin film 10 deposited on the surface of the sample stage 200 varies in a gradient in the second direction. That is to say, in the first direction at any position of the thin film 10, while the thin film growth temperature varies in a gradient, the component content of the target element can remain uniform; similarly, in the second direction at any position of the thin film 10, while the component content of the target element varies in a gradient, the thin film growth temperature can remain relatively constant.
[0043] As an example, the range of the first temperature gradient along the first direction formed on the surface of the sample stage 200 is between 0 and 80 °C per millimeter, that is, a temperature difference adjustment of 0 °C to 80 °C can be achieved within each millimeter range along the first direction on the surface of the sample stage 200.
[0044] It should be noted that the present application does not specifically limit the specific shape of the coating window 310 on the mask plate 300, including but not limited to shapes such as rectangular, circular, trapezoidal, etc. The specific shape of the coating window 310 can be flexibly set according to the actual shape requirements of the thin film 10, but the maximum vertical projection of the coating window 310 on the sample stage 200 needs to be located within the surface of the sample stage 200.
[0045] In addition, the present application does not specifically limit the specific type and specific quantity of the target 100, which can be one target 100 or multiple targets 100.
[0046] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 shown, the number of linear heat sources 210 may include a plurality, and the plurality of linear heat sources 210 are arranged at equal intervals in sequence in the sample stage 200 along the first direction, so as to realize the refined temperature control of the surface of the sample stage 200. There are specifically two modes for the plurality of linear heat sources 210 to realize the refined temperature control mode of the surface of the sample stage 200, namely the constant temperature control mode and the gradient control mode.
[0047] Specifically, the constant temperature control mode is to control the temperature of each linear heat source 210 in the sample stage 200 and keep the temperature of the surface of the sample stage 200 constant. For example, control the temperature of each linear heat source 210 so that its temperature remains basically the same to meet the growth process requirements of thin film materials under a single temperature condition. Among them, the highest temperature on the surface of the sample stage 200 under the constant temperature control mode can reach 1000 °C.
[0048] The gradient control mode is to control the temperature of one or more linear heat sources 210 in the sample stage 200 and form a first temperature gradient along the first direction on the surface of the sample stage 200. For example, control a linear heat source 210 near the edge in the sample stage 200 to work, or control the temperature of each linear heat source 210 and make its temperature decrease in sequence along the first direction. Thus, a first temperature gradient along the first direction can be formed on the surface of the sample stage 200, and further meet the growth process requirements of thin film materials under multiple temperature conditions in a single coating experiment. Among them, the highest temperature on the surface of the sample stage 200 in the gradient control mode can reach 800 °C.
[0049] It should be noted that the present application may not specifically limit the specific type of the above-mentioned linear heat source 210. The linear heat source 210 may include, but is not limited to, one of a laser heat source, a resistance heat source, a radiation heat source, an electron beam heat source, and an infrared heat source.
[0050] In some embodiments, the number of coating windows 310 on the mask plate 300 may include a plurality, and the plurality of coating windows 310 are spaced apart from each other and symmetric with respect to the second direction as the axis. Thus, during the process of moving the mask plate along the second direction to perform coating on the sample stage 200, a plurality of mutually spaced thin films can be synchronously deposited on the sample stage 200 to increase the number of thin film samples under the same experimental conditions.
[0051] In some embodiments, the above coating device further includes a low-temperature cold source 500, and the low-temperature cold source 500 is arranged on the side of the sample stage 200 away from the linear heat source 210, that is, the side where the surface temperature of the sample stage 200 decreases, so as to increase the temperature gradient on the surface of the sample stage 200 and form a second temperature gradient.
[0052] As an example, on the surface of the sample stage 200, a second temperature gradient in the first direction ranges from 0 to 100 °C per millimeter, that is, along the first direction on the surface of the sample stage 200, a temperature difference adjustment of 0 °C to 100 °C can be achieved within a range of each millimeter, and a temperature range adjustment of -190 °C to 800 °C for the surface temperature of the sample stage 200 can be achieved.
[0053] As an example, as Figure 4 shown, the low-temperature cold source 500 can be composed of a coiled circulation pipe and a refrigerant filled in the circulation pipe. Among them, the refrigerant can include but is not limited to one of low-temperature circulating water or liquid nitrogen.
[0054] In some embodiments, as Figure 1 shown, the above-mentioned coating device further includes a base 600, and the base 600 is connected to the side of the sample stage 200 away from the linear heat source 210, and is used to provide bottom support for the sample stage 200. The low-temperature cold source 500 is connected to the base 600, so that the low temperature provided by the low-temperature cold source 500 can be transmitted to the surface of the sample stage 200 through the base 600, and further provide low-temperature support for forming a second temperature gradient on the surface of the sample stage 200.
[0055] Furthermore, as Figure 1 and Figure 3 shown, a groove 610 is further provided in the region of the base 600 close to the center. The sample stage 200 is arranged above the groove 610 and covers the top opening part of the groove 610, so that other regions of the sample stage 200 except the contact area with the base 600 are in a suspended state and do not contact the base 600, so that the low-temperature cold source 500 can be transmitted to the sample stage 200 through the base 600 in a single direction, ensuring the directionality of the second temperature gradient. At the same time, setting the groove 610 in the region of the base 600 close to the center can also reduce the contact area between the base 600 and the sample stage 200, and further reduce the influence of the base 600 on the surface temperature gradient of the sample stage 200.
[0056] In some embodiments, the above-mentioned coating device further includes a driving unit 400, and the driving unit 400 is connected to one end of the mask plate 300 away from the sample stage 200 to drive the mask plate 300 to linearly move in the second direction.
[0057] According to the second aspect of the present application, a high-throughput thin film coating method is also provided. As Figure 1 and Figure 5 shown, this coating method uses the coating device described in any of the above embodiments for coating.
[0058] Specifically, this coating method includes the following steps:
[0059] S1. Set the target 100 directly above the sample stage 200;
[0060] S2. Drive the linear heat source 210 to heat the sample stage 200 to form a first temperature gradient along the first direction on the surface of the sample stage 200;
[0061] S3. Drive the low-temperature cold source 500 to cool the surface of the sample stage 200 to form a second temperature gradient along the first direction on the surface of the sample stage 200;
[0062] S4. Drive the mask plate 300 to move along the second direction to adjust the vertical projection area of the coating window 310 on the sample stage 200, and at the same time drive the target 100 to deposit a film 10 with a constant or variable composition gradient on the surface of the sample stage 200 through the coating window 310.
[0063] Wherein, the speed of driving the mask plate 300 to move along the second direction can be between 0.1 mm / min and 100 mm / min.
[0064] In summary, the present application provides a high-throughput thin film coating device and a coating method, including a target 100, a sample stage 200, and a mask plate 300 that can linearly move between the target 100 and the sample stage 200. Among them, at least one linear heat source 210 is provided in the sample stage 200. The mask plate 300 is located between the sample stage 200 and the target 100 and includes at least one coating window 310. The target 100 needs to physically vapor deposit a film on the surface of the sample stage 200 through the coating window 310. The present application controls the setting position and direction of the linear heat source 210 in the sample stage 200 to control the temperature gradient on the surface of the sample stage 200, and controls the direction of the linear movement of the mask plate 300 and the vertical projection area of the coating window 310 on the sample stage 200 to control the composition gradient of the coating on the surface of the sample stage 200, realizing the coordinated regulation of the composition gradient and the temperature gradient during the growth process of the thin film material, meeting the experimental requirements of multi-temperature points and multi-components for high-throughput thin film material growth in a single experiment, and improving the experimental efficiency.
[0065] In the descriptions of the foregoing embodiments, the descriptions with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples", etc. mean that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, without contradiction, those skilled in the art may combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of different embodiments or examples.
[0066] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, the features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of the present application, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.
Claims
1. A high-throughput thin-film coating device, characterized in that: It includes a target material, a sample stage located below the target material, and a mask plate located between the target material and the sample stage; wherein, At least one linear heat source is also provided in the sample stage, and the linear heat source is used to form a first temperature gradient along a first direction on the surface of the sample stage; At least one coating window is provided in the mask plate, and the coating window penetrates the mask plate; the mask plate is also configured to be movable along a second direction, and when the mask plate moves along the second direction, the area of the vertical projection of the coating window on the sample stage changes gradually; The angle between the first direction and the second direction is between 0° and 90°, and both are parallel to the surface of the sample stage.
2. The coating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The maximum vertical projection of the coating window on the sample stage is located within the surface of the sample stage.
3. The coating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The coating device further includes a driving unit, which is connected to an end of the mask plate away from the sample stage to drive the mask plate to move along the second direction.
4. The coating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The coating device also includes a low-temperature cooling source, which contacts the side of the sample stage where the temperature is reduced, so as to form a second temperature gradient along the first direction on the surface of the sample stage together with the linear heat source, and the second temperature gradient value is greater than the first temperature gradient value.
5. The coating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of the linear heat sources includes multiple, each of the linear heat sources extends vertically in the first direction in the sample stage, and is arranged in sequence and at equal intervals along the first direction in the sample stage, and the temperatures of the multiple linear heat sources decrease or increase in sequence along the first direction.
6. The coating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The linear heat source includes one of a laser heat source, a resistance heat source, a radiation heat source, an electron beam heat source, and an infrared heat source.
7. The coating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The coating device also includes a base, and the base is also provided with a groove; the sample stage is arranged on the groove, and contacts with a side edge of the groove away from the linear heat source, and blocks the opening part of the groove.
8. A high-throughput thin-film coating, comprising a coating device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: include: placing a target material directly above the sample stage; Driving the linear heat source to heat the sample stage to form a first temperature gradient along the first direction on the surface of the sample stage; Driving a low-temperature cooling source to cool the surface of the sample stage to form a second temperature gradient along the first direction on the surface of the sample stage, wherein the low-temperature cooling source is disposed on a side of the sample stage away from the linear heat source; The mask plate is driven to move along the second direction to adjust the vertical projection area of the coating window on the sample stage, and the target material elements are driven to pass through the coating window to deposit a thin film with a constant or variable composition gradient on the surface of the sample stage.
9. The coating method according to claim 8, characterized in that: The first temperature gradient value and / or the second temperature gradient value of the surface of the sample stage in the first direction is constant, and the temperature perpendicular to the first direction is constant; the composition of the thin film deposited on the surface of the sample stage changes gradually in the second direction, and the composition perpendicular to the second direction is constant.
10. The coating method according to claim 8, characterized in that: The mask plate moves along the second direction at a speed ranging from 0.1 mm / min to 100 mm / min.