Vacuum transfer chamber and magnetron sputter coating system

Abstract

The application discloses a vacuum transfer chamber and a magnetron sputtering coating system. The vacuum transfer chamber comprises a vacuum cavity surrounded by a top wall, a bottom wall and a side wall, a reversing frame rotatably installed in the vacuum cavity around a vertical axis, the reversing frame is pivotally connected with the top wall and the bottom wall, a workpiece transfer port for aligning the reversing frame is arranged on the side wall, a first sealing assembly is arranged outside the vacuum cavity, the first sealing assembly comprises a first movable ring and a first stationary ring, the first stationary ring is fixedly connected with the top wall or the bottom wall, the first movable ring is connected with the reversing frame through a coupling, and the coupling has an elastic part for absorbing axial movement allowance. The vacuum transfer chamber provided by the application can absorb axial movement allowance through the elastic coupling after vacuumizing, ensures normal use of the reversing frame in the vacuum state, and realizes stable reversing of workpieces.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of magnetron sputtering coating technology, and in particular to a vacuum transfer chamber and a magnetron sputtering coating system. Background Technology

[0002] Magnetron sputtering coating systems are devices that form thin films by sputtering materials onto the surface of workpieces in a vacuum environment using physical and / or chemical methods. They are widely used in optics, electronics, and decorative industries. The vacuum transfer chamber is a crucial component of a magnetron sputtering coating system, used to transfer and switch workpieces between different chambers. By optimizing the workpiece transfer path, the overall production efficiency of the magnetron sputtering system can be significantly improved.

[0003] Existing vacuum transfer chambers typically include a built-in reversing frame and a drive mechanism located on the atmospheric side. The drive mechanism is generally connected to the reversing frame via a coupling and is used to drive the reversing frame to rotate around a vertical axis in a vacuum environment. However, before a workpiece is transferred into the vacuum transfer chamber, it needs to be pre-vacuumed. Pre-vacuuming can easily cause assembled components to jam, affecting the normal use of the reversing frame. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the problems of the prior art, this application provides a vacuum transfer chamber and a magnetron sputtering coating system to achieve stable reversal of workpieces.

[0005] A vacuum transfer chamber includes a vacuum chamber enclosed by a top wall, a bottom wall, and side walls, and a reversing frame rotatably mounted in the vacuum chamber about a vertical axis. The reversing frame is pivotally connected to the top wall and the bottom wall. A workpiece transfer port aligned with the reversing frame is provided on the side wall. A first sealing assembly is provided outside the vacuum chamber. The first sealing assembly includes a first moving ring and a first stationary ring. The first stationary ring is fixedly connected to the top wall or the bottom wall. The first moving ring is connected to the reversing frame via a coupling. The coupling has an elastic part that absorbs axial movement allowance.

[0006] Several alternative methods are provided below, but they are not intended as additional limitations on the overall solution above. They are merely further additions or optimizations. Provided there are no technical or logical contradictions, each alternative method can be combined individually with respect to the overall solution above, or multiple alternative methods can be combined with each other.

[0007] Optionally, the elastic part includes a bellows.

[0008] Optionally, the reversing frame includes a base frame, a top frame, and a column connecting the base frame and the top frame. The top frame or the base frame is connected to the first rotating ring via the coupling.

[0009] Optionally, the top frame is provided with a magnetic guide assembly to limit the workpiece from being biased, and the bottom frame is provided with drive wheels to support and drive the workpiece to move.

[0010] Optionally, the magnetic induction assembly and the drive wheel are arranged in pairs and on both sides of the commutator.

[0011] Optionally, the base frame is provided with a cavity communicating with the atmosphere, and a first power mechanism that is connected to the drive wheel is provided inside the cavity.

[0012] Optionally, one of the columns is located at the center of the reversing frame and is a hollow structure, the coupling is an axially through hollow structure, and the cavity is connected to the atmosphere in sequence through the column, the coupling and the sealing assembly.

[0013] Optionally, a second power mechanism is provided above the top wall and located on the atmospheric side, the second power mechanism being connected to the first dynamic ring drive.

[0014] Optionally, the first sealing component is a magnetohydrodynamic seal.

[0015] This application provides a magnetron sputtering coating system, including the aforementioned vacuum transfer chamber.

[0016] Compared to existing technologies, the vacuum transfer chamber provided in this application can absorb axial movement allowance through an elastic coupling after vacuuming, ensuring the normal use of the reversing frame under vacuum conditions, thereby achieving stable reversing of the workpiece. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the vacuum transfer chamber in this application;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a structural cross-sectional view of the vacuum transfer chamber in this application;

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the commutator structure in this application;

[0020] Figure 4 This is a structural sectional view of the commutator in this application;

[0021] Figure 5 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the vacuum transfer chamber in this application;

[0022] Figure 6 This is another partial cross-sectional view of the vacuum transfer chamber in this application;

[0023] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a magnetron sputtering coating system in one embodiment;

[0024] Figure 8This is a schematic diagram of the magnetron sputtering coating system in another embodiment;

[0025] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a leaf-type magnetron sputtering coating system in another embodiment.

[0026] The annotations in the figure are explained as follows:

[0027] 100. Vacuum transfer chamber; 110. Vacuum chamber; 111. Top wall; 112. Bottom wall; 113. Side wall; 114. Door panel; 1141. Workpiece transfer port; 120. Reversing frame; 121. Top frame; 122. Column; 1221. Central column; 123. Base frame; 1231. Cavity; 124. Magnetic guide assembly; 125. Drive wheel; 130. First sealing assembly; 131. First moving ring; 132. First stationary ring; 140. Coupling; 141. Elastic part; 1411. Bellows; 142. Extension section; 150. Bearing assembly; 151. Bearing seat; 152. Bearing inner ring; 153. Bearing outer ring; 160. Second sealing assembly; 161. Second moving ring; 162. Second stationary ring; 170. First power mechanism; 171. First motor; 172. Drive shaft; 173. Synchronous belt; 180. Second power mechanism; 181. Second motor; 182. Cam turntable; 1821. Inner ring of turntable; 1822. Outer ring of turntable;

[0028] 200. Unit compartment; 210. Isolator; 220. Port compartment; 230. Process compartment; 300. Workpiece;

[0029] 1. First coating production line; 2. Second coating production line; 3. Feeding side; 4. Discharge side. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0031] It should be noted that when a component is said to be "connected" to another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or it can be connected to a component in between. When a component is said to be "set on" another component, it can be directly set on the other component or it may be set to a component in between.

[0032] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the application. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0033] See Figures 1-6 This application provides a vacuum transfer chamber 100, including a vacuum chamber 110 and a reversing frame 120. The vacuum chamber 110 is surrounded by a top wall 111, a bottom wall 112, and a side wall 113. The reversing frame 120 is rotatably mounted inside the vacuum chamber 110 about a vertical axis and is used to carry a workpiece 300 and to reorient the workpiece 300. Specifically, the reversing frame 120 is pivotally connected to the top wall 111 and the bottom wall 112, and the side wall 113 is provided with a workpiece transfer port 1141 aligned with the reversing frame 120 to allow the workpiece 300 to enter and exit the vacuum chamber 110.

[0034] A first sealing assembly 130 is provided on the outside of the vacuum chamber 110. The first sealing assembly 130 includes a first rotating ring 131 and a first stationary ring 132. The first stationary ring 132 is fixedly connected to the top wall 111 or the bottom wall 112, and the first rotating ring 131 is connected to the reversing frame 120 through a coupling 140. This achieves vacuum sealing while effectively transmitting torque to drive the reversing frame 120 to rotate. Furthermore, the coupling 140 of this application has an elastic part 141. When subjected to axial pressure, the elastic part 141 can generate reversible elastic deformation, thereby absorbing axial movement allowance. The axial movement allowance refers to the space in which the first sealing assembly 130 and the coupling 140 can move axially (along their axial direction). During the vacuuming process, the vacuum chamber 110 will deform due to the pressure difference between the outside and inside, which can easily cause mechanical parts to get stuck, or even jam in severe cases, affecting the normal use of the commutator 120. The elastic part 141 allows the first sealing assembly 130 and the coupling 140 to adapt to the deformation of the vacuum chamber 110 during the vacuuming process, avoiding them from getting stuck or jammed, thereby ensuring the normal use of the commutator 120.

[0035] In terms of vacuum sealing, the first sealing component 130 can be a magnetic fluid seal, which uses the magnetic field generated between the first stationary ring 132 and the first moving ring 131 by the magnetic fluid medium to form a liquid sealing ring, thereby achieving a sealing effect.

[0036] See Figure 5In the illustrated embodiment, the elastic portion 141 of the coupling 140 includes a bellows 1411. Specifically, the coupling 140 includes a hollow shaft joint and a bellows 1411 axially disposed outside the shaft joint. The bellows 1411 has good flexibility and displacement compensation capability, and can provide the coupling 140 with greater expansion and contraction resistance and bending deformation resistance.

[0037] Furthermore, the coupling 140 includes an extension section 142 connected to the elastic part 141 to accommodate commutator 120s of different heights. The extension section 142 and the elastic part 141 can be separately disposed and can be connected to the elastic part 141 using fasteners.

[0038] See Figure 3 , 4 In the illustrated embodiment, the commutator 120 includes a base frame 123, a top frame 121, and a column 122. The column 122 connects the base frame 123 and the top frame 121, providing support. If the first sealing assembly 130 is located at the top of the vacuum chamber 110, the first stationary ring 132 is fixedly connected to the top wall 111, and the top frame 121 is connected to the first rotating ring 131 via a coupling 140. If the first sealing assembly 130 is located at the bottom of the vacuum chamber 110, the first stationary ring 132 is fixedly connected to the bottom wall 112, and the base frame 123 is connected to the first rotating ring 131 via a coupling 140.

[0039] For receiving and transferring workpiece 300, the top frame 121 is equipped with a magnetic guide assembly 124 to support the top of workpiece 300 and limit its offset; the bottom frame 123 is equipped with drive wheels 125 to support the bottom of workpiece 300 and drive its movement. The drive wheels 125 can guide workpiece 300 into or out of the vacuum transfer chamber 100 through the workpiece transfer port 1141 in either the forward or reverse direction. There are multiple drive wheels 125, arranged at linear intervals.

[0040] Furthermore, the magnetic induction components 124 are arranged in pairs, and the drive wheels 125 are also arranged in pairs. Correspondingly, the side wall 113 has a door panel 114, on which two workpiece transfer ports 1141 are provided, so that the reversing frame 120 can simultaneously receive two workpieces 300 and realize the reversal and transmission of the two workpieces 300, which is beneficial to improving work efficiency.

[0041] Specifically, the top frame 121 is a fixed plate, and the bottom frame 123 includes a main body open on both sides and partitions that close both sides, and has a cavity 1231 connected to the atmosphere. A first power mechanism 170 that is connected to the drive wheel 125 is installed in the cavity 1231. Multiple columns 122 are provided between the top frame 121 and the bottom frame 123 and are distributed at intervals along the same horizontal straight line. Two sets of magnetic induction components 124 are fixed to the bottom surface of the top frame 121 and symmetrically distributed on both sides of the columns 122. Two sets of drive wheels 125 are respectively installed on the partitions on both sides.

[0042] See Figure 4 , 6 One of the columns 122 is located at the center of the commutator 120 and is called the central column 1221. The central column 1221 has a hollow structure, and the coupling 140 has an axially through hollow structure. The cavity 1231 of the base frame 123 is connected to the atmosphere through the central column 1221, the coupling 140 and the first sealing assembly 130 in sequence, which facilitates the wiring of the first power mechanism 170 and avoids vacuum leakage caused by wiring.

[0043] Furthermore, the drive wheel 125 includes a driving wheel located inside the cavity 1231 and a driven wheel located outside the base frame 123. The first power mechanism 170 includes a first motor 171, a transmission shaft 172 and a synchronous belt 173. The output end of the first motor 171 is connected to the transmission shaft 172, and the transmission shaft 172 is linked to the drive wheel 125 through the synchronous belt 173.

[0044] Typically, the vacuum transfer chamber 100 also includes a second power mechanism 180 for driving the commutator 120 to rotate. The second power mechanism 180 is located outside the vacuum chamber 110 and is connected to the first rotating ring 131. Specifically, the second power mechanism 180 includes a second motor 181 and a transmission assembly. The transmission assembly can be a cam turntable 182, including an inner ring 1821 and an outer ring 1822. The outer ring 1822 is fixed to the first stationary ring 132, and the inner ring 1821 is connected to the first rotating ring 131 by fasteners. See [reference needed]. Figure 5 .

[0045] For ease of maintenance, the second power mechanism 180 is positioned above the top wall 111. Correspondingly, a bearing assembly 150 is provided between the base frame 123 and the bottom wall 112. Specifically, the bearing assembly 150 includes a bearing housing 151, and an inner bearing ring 152 and an outer bearing ring 153 mounted on the bearing housing 151. The bearing housing 151 is fixed to the bottom wall 112, and the inner bearing ring 152 is connected to the bottom of the base frame 123. The bearing assembly 150 can be a crossed rolling bearing.

[0046] Furthermore, a second sealing assembly 160 is provided on the outside of the bottom wall 112. The second sealing assembly 160 includes a second rotating ring 161 and a second stationary ring 162. The second stationary ring 162 is fixed to the bottom wall 112 and the outer ring 153 of the bearing, and the second rotating ring 161 is connected to the inner ring 152 of the bearing. The second sealing assembly 160 can be a magnetohydrodynamic seal.

[0047] The vacuum transfer chamber 100 provided in this application can absorb axial movement allowance through the flexible coupling 140 after vacuuming, ensuring the normal operation of the reversing frame 120 under vacuum conditions and achieving stable reversing of the workpiece 300. Applying the vacuum transfer chamber 100 of this application to a magnetron sputtering coating system can optimize the transmission path of the workpiece 300, eliminating the need for vacuum breaking, allowing for different processes, and improving production efficiency.

[0048] See Figure 7 The illustrated embodiment provides a magnetron sputtering coating system for double-sided coating, comprising a coating apparatus formed by multiple unit chambers 200 connected in series and a vacuum transfer chamber 100 as described in this application. The coating apparatus has an inlet side 3 and an outlet side 4, with two workpiece transfer ports on the outlet side 4. The vacuum transfer chamber 100 is connected to the outlet side 4. The coating apparatus includes a first coating production line 1 and a second coating production line 2, capable of processing two workpieces 300 simultaneously. Each workpiece 300 can be redirected via the vacuum transfer chamber 100 and then enter the first coating production line 1 and the second coating production line 2 for double-sided coating, resulting in high production efficiency.

[0049] See Figure 8 In another embodiment shown, each unit chamber 200 is divided into two cavities by a separator 210, forming an independent first coating production line 1 and a second coating production line 2, which can perform coating under different atmospheres to meet the requirements of different coating scenarios.

[0050] According to the actual coating process requirements, the coating device can be configured with different numbers of unit chambers 200. Among them, the unit chamber 200 located on the feeding side is a vacuum buffer chamber, and the remaining unit chambers 200 are process chambers. One of the process chambers is a coating chamber, and the remaining process chambers can be configured as heating chambers, cooling chambers, or other types as needed.

[0051] This application provides a magnetron sputtering coating system, including multiple process chambers 230 and a vacuum transfer chamber 100 as described in this application. Each process chamber 230 is connected to the vacuum transfer chamber 100 for transferring a workpiece 300 between the process chambers 230. Each process chamber 230 has a workpiece transfer port, which corresponds to the workpiece transfer port 1141 of the vacuum transfer chamber 100.

[0052] See Figure 9In another embodiment shown, a leaf-type magnetron sputtering coating system is provided, including a vacuum transfer chamber 100 with a regular polygonal cross-section, multiple process chambers 230 docking with each side of the vacuum transfer chamber 100, and port chambers 220 for inputting and / or outputting workpieces 300. The vacuum transfer chamber 100 allows for flexible changes to the orientation of adjacent process chambers 230 and the overall layout of the equipment line, making it applicable to a wider range of scenarios.

[0053] The technical features of the embodiments described above can be combined arbitrarily. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as the combination of these technical features does not contradict each other, it should be considered to be within the scope of this specification. When technical features of different embodiments are embodied in the same drawing, it can be regarded as the drawing also disclosing examples of combinations of the various embodiments involved.

[0054] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of this patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A vacuum transfer chamber, comprising a vacuum chamber enclosed by a top wall, a bottom wall, and side walls, and a reversing frame rotatably mounted within the vacuum chamber about a vertical axis, the reversing frame being pivotally connected to the top and bottom walls, and a workpiece transfer port aligned with the reversing frame being provided on the side walls, characterized in that, The vacuum chamber is provided with a first sealing assembly, which includes a first rotating ring and a first stationary ring. The first stationary ring is fixedly connected to the top wall or the bottom wall. The first rotating ring is connected to the reversing frame through a coupling. The coupling has an elastic part that absorbs axial movement allowance. The elastic part includes a bellows, and the elastic part is connected to the first moving ring; The coupling includes an extension section, one end of which is connected to the elastic part, and the other end of which is connected to the reversing frame.

2. The vacuum transfer chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reversing frame includes a base frame, a top frame, and a column connecting the base frame and the top frame. The top frame or the base frame is connected to the first rotating ring via the coupling.

3. The vacuum transfer chamber according to claim 2, characterized in that, The top frame is equipped with a magnetic guide assembly to limit the workpiece from deflection, and the bottom frame is equipped with drive wheels to support and drive the workpiece to move.

4. The vacuum transfer chamber according to claim 3, characterized in that, The magnetic guide assembly and the drive wheel are both arranged in pairs and are located on both sides of the commutator.

5. The vacuum transfer chamber according to claim 3, characterized in that, The base frame is provided with a cavity that communicates with the atmosphere, and a first power mechanism that is connected to the drive wheel is provided inside the cavity.

6. The vacuum transfer chamber according to claim 5, characterized in that, One of the columns is located at the center of the commutator and is a hollow structure. The coupling is an axially through hollow structure. The cavity is connected to the atmosphere in sequence through the column, the coupling and the sealing assembly.

7. The vacuum transfer chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that, It includes a second power mechanism disposed above the top wall and located on the atmospheric side, the second power mechanism being connected to the first dynamic ring drive.

8. The vacuum transfer chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first sealing component is a magnetohydrodynamic seal.

9. A magnetron sputtering coating system, characterized in that, Includes the vacuum transfer chamber as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

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