Double-chamber coating equipment and coating method
The double-chamber coating equipment alternately coats the ALD cavity and the PVD cavity, which solves the problem of difficult to take into account both growth rate and adhesion in the prior art, and achieves high-efficiency and low-damage film growth.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202410171976.9
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-02-06
- Publication Date
- 2025-08-08
AI Technical Summary
In the prior art, the atomic layer deposition (ALD) has a slow growth rate and good adhesion, but is not suitable for industrial applications; the physical vapor deposition (PVD) rate is fast but has a large damage to the substrate, making it difficult to achieve both film thickness control and adhesion.
The dual-chamber coating equipment is used to carry out atomic layer deposition and physical vapor deposition in the ALD cavity and PVD cavity respectively. The substrate is transported in the vacuum transmission cavity through the pick-and-place parts, which achieves technical complementarity and alternately grow films to ensure adhesion and growth rate.
Good adhesion between the coating and the substrate is achieved, damage to the substrate during film growth is reduced, while ensuring the growth rate of the coating and the high-quality deposition of multi-layer films.
Smart Images
Figure CN120443140A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present application relates to the field of film coating technology, and in particular to a dual-chamber film coating device and a film coating method. Background Art
[0002] In the prior art, atomic layer deposition (ALD) or physical vapor deposition (PVD) is generally used, wherein atomic layer deposition (ALD) refers to a method of forming a thin film by alternately passing a gaseous precursor into a reaction chamber in pulses and causing a gas-solid chemical adsorption reaction on the surface of the deposition substrate. Physical vapor deposition (PVD) refers to a technology that uses physical methods to vaporize the surface of a material source (solid or liquid) under vacuum conditions, and deposits a thin film with certain special functions on the surface of the substrate through a low-pressure gas (or plasma) process. However, since atomic layer deposition (ALD) is chemical adsorption, it has good adhesion, but the growth rate is extremely slow. For thicker films, the deposition time is long, which is not conducive to industrial application; magnetron sputtering in physical vapor deposition (PVD) has a faster sputtering rate, but poor control accuracy of film thickness, greater damage to the substrate, and is not conducive to the deposition of thinner layers. Summary of the Invention
[0003] The purpose of the present application is to provide a dual-chamber coating device and a coating method, so as to ensure the coating growth rate while improving the adhesion of the coating and reducing damage to the substrate.
[0004] In order to achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following technical solutions:
[0005] A dual-chamber coating device, comprising:
[0006] An ALD chamber, a first pump communicating with the interior of the ALD chamber, and a first carrier and a first heating device disposed in the ALD chamber, wherein the first carrier is used to carry a substrate;
[0007] A PVD chamber, a second pump in communication with the interior of the PVD chamber, and a second carrier and a second heating device disposed in the PVD chamber, wherein the second carrier is used to carry a substrate;
[0008] a vacuum transfer chamber disposed between the ALD chamber and the PVD chamber, and a third pump communicating with the interior of the vacuum transfer chamber; two ends of the vacuum transfer chamber communicating with the ALD chamber and the PVD chamber, respectively; a first valve disposed between the vacuum transfer chamber and the ALD chamber, and a second valve disposed between the vacuum transfer chamber and the PVD chamber;
[0009] A pick-and-place member and a driving assembly are arranged in the vacuum transfer chamber, and the driving assembly can drive the pick-and-place member to move, so as to facilitate the pick-and-place member to extend into the ALD chamber or PVD chamber to clamp or place the substrate.
[0010] As can be seen from the above, when coating the surface of the substrate, a thin film can be first grown on the surface of the substrate by atomic layer deposition technology in the ALD chamber, and then the substrate can be moved to the PVD chamber by the drive component and the pick-and-place component to continue growing the coating by physical vapor deposition technology. This can ensure good adhesion between the coating and the substrate, and reduce damage to the substrate during the film growth process, while ensuring the growth rate of the coating, realizing the complementarity of atomic layer deposition technology and physical vapor deposition technology. Atomic layer deposition technology and physical vapor deposition technology can be alternately carried out to achieve stress compensation, and at the same time achieve alternating growth of the coating at the nanometer and micrometer levels. In addition, the setting of the vacuum transmission chamber prevents the substrate from being exposed to air during the process, and realizes the transmission and transportation of the substrate in a vacuum environment, thereby reducing pollution and achieving high-quality deposition of multi-layer thin films.
[0011] In one implementation, the pick-and-place member includes a robot;
[0012] The robot arm includes a plurality of clamping parts, and the plurality of clamping parts can clamp a base body together.
[0013] In one implementation, it further includes a flip motor for driving the pick-and-place member to flip.
[0014] In one implementation, the driving assembly includes a screw slide mechanism, the manipulator is placed on a slide, and the slide drives the manipulator to move in the vacuum transmission chamber.
[0015] In one implementation, the first carrier platform and the second carrier platform both include a plurality of preset positions for placing the substrate; and / or, a first rotating member for driving the first carrier platform to rotate is further provided inside the ALD chamber; and / or, a second rotating member for driving the second carrier platform to rotate is further provided inside the PVD chamber; and / or, the first heating device is located on the lower side of the first carrier platform; and / or, the second heating device is located on the lower side of the second carrier platform.
[0016] In one implementation, a third valve is provided between the first pump and the ALD chamber; and / or, a fourth valve is provided between the second pump and the PVD chamber; and / or, a fifth valve is provided between the third pump and the vacuum transmission chamber; and / or, the number of the second pumps is multiple and at least one of the second pumps is a molecular pump.
[0017] In one implementation, the PVD chamber is further provided with a protective cover capable of covering the substrate on the second carrier, and the protective cover can be closed to isolate the substrate from the sputtering target gun; and / or,
[0018] A limit sensor or a mechanical limit part is also provided in the vacuum transmission cavity.
[0019] A coating method using the dual-chamber coating device as described above, comprising:
[0020] Close the first pump and open the first valve, place the substrate on the first supporting platform using the pick-and-place component, and then close the first valve;
[0021] Turning on a first pump and a first heating device to allow the substrate to grow a thin film in the ALD chamber using an atomic layer deposition technique;
[0022] Turn off the first pump, open the first valve, use the pick-and-place component to clamp the substrate and move it into the vacuum transmission chamber, and then close the first valve;
[0023] Open the second valve, place the substrate on the second supporting platform using the pick-and-place component, and then close the second valve;
[0024] The second pump and the second heating device are turned on to allow the substrate to grow a thin film in the PVD chamber through the physical vapor deposition technology.
[0025] In one implementation, the dual-chamber coating device further includes a flip motor for driving the pick-and-place member to flip;
[0026] Wherein, the substrate is caused to grow a thin film by atomic layer deposition technology in the ALD chamber, including: after one side of the substrate is in the ALD chamber for a first preset time period, a first valve is opened, the substrate is clamped by the pick-and-place member, and a flip motor drives the pick-and-place member to flip the substrate so that the substrate is turned over, and then the pick-and-place member is used to place the substrate on a first supporting platform, and the other side of the substrate is in the ALD chamber for a second preset time period; and / or,
[0027] The substrate is made to grow a thin film in a PVD chamber by physical vapor deposition technology, including: after one side of the substrate is in the PVD chamber for a third preset time period, the second valve is opened, the substrate is clamped by the pick-and-place component, and the flip motor drives the pick-and-place component to flip so that the substrate is turned over, and then the pick-and-place component is used to place the substrate on a second supporting platform, and the other side of the substrate is in the PVD chamber for a fourth preset time period.
[0028] In one implementation, the first carrier and the second carrier each include P preset positions for placing the substrate, where P ≥ 2. A first rotating member for driving the first carrier to rotate is further provided inside the ALD chamber, and a second rotating member for driving the second carrier to rotate is further provided inside the PVD chamber.
[0029] The method of placing the substrate on the first carrier using the pick-and-place component and then closing the first valve comprises: placing P substrates on the first carrier in sequence using the pick-and-place component and then closing the first valve;
[0030] After using the pick-and-place component to clamp the substrate and move it into the vacuum transmission chamber, closing the first valve and opening the second valve, using the pick-and-place component to place the substrate on the second supporting platform, and then closing the second valve; including: using the pick-and-place component to clamp a substrate and move it into the vacuum transmission chamber, closing the first valve, using the pick-and-place component to place the substrate on the second supporting platform, and repeating the above steps P-1 times until all P substrates are placed on the second supporting platform.
[0031] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the coating method provided in the present application are the same as those of the above-mentioned dual-chamber coating equipment, and will not be elaborated here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0032] The drawings described herein are used to provide a further understanding of the present application and constitute a part of the present application. The illustrative embodiments of the present application and their descriptions are used to explain the present application and do not constitute an improper limitation on the present application. In the drawings:
[0033] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a dual-chamber coating device provided in an embodiment of the present application;
[0034] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the first supporting platform or the second supporting platform supporting the substrate provided in an embodiment of the present application.
[0035] Reference numerals:
[0036] 1-ALD chamber, 2-first carrier platform, 3-first valve, 4-manipulator, 5-vacuum transfer chamber, 6-second valve, 7-PVD chamber, 8-second carrier platform, 9-first heating device, 10-third valve, 11-first pump, 12-third pump, 13-fifth valve, 14-second pump, 14a-molecular pump, 15-fourth valve, 16-second heating device, 17-substrate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0037] In order to make the technical problems, technical solutions and beneficial effects to be solved by this application more clearly understood, this application is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain this application and are not intended to limit this application.
[0038] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being “fixed on” or “disposed on” another element, it may 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 may be directly connected to the other element or indirectly connected to the other element.
[0039] 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 technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined. "Several" means one or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.
[0040] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", etc., indicating directions or positional relationships, are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction. Therefore, they should not be understood as limitations on this application.
[0041] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "installed," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; they can refer to internal communication between two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.
[0042] See also Figure 1 The dual-chamber coating equipment provided in the embodiment of the present application includes an ALD chamber 1, a first pump 11, a first carrier 2, a first heating device 9, a PVD chamber 7, a second pump 14, a second carrier 8, a second heating device 16, a vacuum transmission chamber 5, a third pump 12, a first valve 3, a second valve 6, a pick-and-place component and a drive assembly.
[0043] The ALD chamber 1, first pump 11, first carrier 2, and first heater 9 are used to grow thin films on a substrate 17 using atomic layer deposition technology. The first pump 11 is connected to the interior of the ALD chamber 1 and can pump air from the chamber to achieve a certain vacuum level. The first carrier 2 and first heater 9 are both located within the ALD chamber 1. The first heater 9 is used to heat the ALD chamber 1 to a certain temperature. The first carrier 2 is used to support the substrate 17.
[0044] The PVD chamber 7, second pump 14, second carrier 8, and second heating device 16 are used to grow thin films on a substrate 17 using physical vapor deposition technology. The second pump 14 is connected to the interior of the PVD chamber 7 and can pump air from the chamber to achieve a certain vacuum level. The second carrier 8 and second heating device 16 are both located within the PVD chamber 7. The second heating device 16 is used to heat the interior of the PVD chamber 7 to a certain temperature. The second carrier 8 is used to support the substrate 17.
[0045] The vacuum transfer chamber 5 is located between the ALD chamber 1 and the PVD chamber 7. A third pump 12 is connected to the interior of the vacuum transfer chamber 5. The third pump 12 can pump air from the vacuum transfer chamber 5 to achieve a certain vacuum level. The vacuum transfer chamber 5 is connected to the ALD chamber 1 and the PVD chamber 7 at both ends. Specifically, one end of the vacuum transfer chamber 5 is connected to the ALD chamber 1, with a first valve 3 located between them. The other end of the vacuum transfer chamber 5 is connected to the PVD chamber 7, with a second valve 6 located between them.
[0046] The pick-and-place unit and the drive assembly are disposed within the vacuum transfer chamber 5. The drive assembly is capable of driving the pick-and-place unit to move. Specifically, the drive assembly is capable of driving the pick-and-place unit to move toward the ALD chamber 1 or toward the PVD chamber 7. The drive assembly drives the pick-and-place unit toward the ALD chamber 1 to facilitate the pick-and-place unit's insertion into the ALD chamber 1 to pick up or place the substrate 17. The drive assembly also drives the pick-and-place unit toward the PVD chamber 7 to facilitate the pick-and-place unit's insertion into the PVD chamber 7 to pick up or place the substrate 17.
[0047] When using the dual-chamber coating equipment provided by the present application, a thin film can be first grown on the surface of the substrate 17 using the atomic layer deposition technology in the ALD chamber 1. The thin film is in direct contact with the surface of the substrate 17. Due to the good adhesion of the thin film using the atomic layer deposition technology, the substrate is less damaged during the film growth process. After a thin film is grown on the surface of the substrate 17 in the ALD chamber 1, the first pump 11 can be closed, the first valve 3 can be opened, and the drive assembly can drive the pick-and-place component to move toward the ALD chamber 1. The pick-and-place component extends into the ALD chamber 1 to clamp the substrate 17 and then retract it into the vacuum transfer chamber 5. Then, the first valve 3 can be closed, and the drive assembly can drive the pick-and-place component to move toward the PVD chamber 7. The second valve 6 can be opened, and the pick-and-place component extends into the PVD chamber 7 to place the substrate 17 on the second carrier 8. After the pick-and-place component is retracted into the vacuum transfer chamber 5, the second valve 6 can be closed, and the second pump 14 and the second heating device 16 can be opened to allow the substrate 17 to continue to grow a coating on the above-mentioned thin film in the PVD chamber 7 using the physical vapor deposition technology. The growth rate of the coating film using physical vapor deposition technology is faster, which is conducive to improving the coating speed and efficiency. Optionally, after the substrate 17 is coated with a layer of coating using physical vapor deposition technology in the PVD chamber 7, the substrate 17 can be moved back to the ALD chamber 1 using the drive assembly and the pick-and-place component to continue growing a layer of coating using atomic layer deposition technology. In this way, the surface of the substrate 17 is coated alternately using atomic layer deposition technology and physical vapor deposition technology.
[0048] As can be seen from the above, when coating the surface of the substrate 17, a thin film can be first grown on the surface of the substrate 17 by atomic layer deposition technology in the ALD chamber 1, and then the substrate 17 can be moved to the PVD chamber 7 by the drive component and the pick-and-place component to continue growing the coating by physical vapor deposition technology. This can ensure good adhesion between the coating and the substrate 17, reduce damage to the substrate during the film growth process, and at the same time ensure the growth rate of the coating, thus achieving the complementarity of atomic layer deposition technology and physical vapor deposition technology. Atomic layer deposition technology and physical vapor deposition technology can be alternately carried out to achieve stress compensation, while achieving alternating growth of the coating at the nanometer and micrometer levels. In addition, the setting of the vacuum transmission chamber 5 prevents the substrate 17 from being exposed to air during the process, and realizes the transmission and transportation of the substrate 17 in a vacuum environment, thereby reducing pollution and achieving high-quality deposition of multi-layer thin films.
[0049] It should be noted that the substrate 17 can also first be coated using physical vapor deposition technology in the PVD chamber 7, and then the substrate 17 can be moved to the ALD chamber 1 using the drive assembly and the pick-and-place device to continue the coating growth on the substrate 17 using atomic layer deposition technology. Atomic layer deposition technology has good control over the growth of the coating, which facilitates the use of this technology to accurately control the thickness of the coating. Preferably, the coating on the surface of the substrate 17 includes multiple layers, and the layer of film in contact with the substrate surface and the layer farthest from the substrate surface are both grown in the ALD chamber 1.
[0050] In a specific embodiment, the pick-and-place member may include a manipulator 4, which can be used to accurately grasp or place the substrate 17, with precise and reliable movements and high operating speed. Furthermore, the manipulator 4 may include multiple clamping parts, which can jointly clamp the substrate 17. Specifically, the multiple clamping parts can be arranged in two rows relative to each other, with the two rows of clamping parts being relatively close to each other to jointly clamp the substrate 17, and the two rows of clamping parts being relatively far apart to place the substrate 17. In this arrangement, the clamping parts do not contact the upper or lower surfaces of the substrate 17, which can prevent the clamping parts from damaging the coating on the surface of the substrate 17 during the process of clamping the substrate 17.
[0051] Of course, the manipulator 4 may also include multiple suction cups to absorb the substrate 17 through the adsorption effect of the multiple suction cups. In this embodiment, the first loading platform 2 and the second loading platform 8 may be provided with an avoidance groove. When the multiple suction cups adsorb the lower surface of the substrate 17, the multiple suction cups are located in the avoidance groove to facilitate the placement of the substrate 17 on the first loading platform 2 or the second loading platform 8.
[0052] Considering that in some technical solutions, coatings need to be grown on both the upper and lower surfaces of the substrate 17, the dual-chamber coating apparatus also includes a flip motor that drives the pick-and-place unit to flip. After the pick-and-place unit clamps the substrate 17, the flip motor drives the pick-and-place unit to flip 180 degrees, thereby flipping the upper surface of the substrate 17 to the lower side and the lower surface of the substrate 17 to the upper side. In this way, after growing the coating on the upper surface, the substrate 17 can be flipped over and then the coating can be grown on the lower surface. In this embodiment, the substrate 17 can be grown and coated in the same chamber before and after turning over, and the pick-and-place component can be turned over in the ALD chamber 1 or the PVD chamber 7 after clamping the substrate 17, that is, after the pick-and-place component clamps the substrate 17 on the first carrier 2, the turning motor drives the pick-and-place component and the substrate 17 to turn over, and the turned-over substrate 17 is placed back on the first carrier 2 to continue growing the coating; or after the pick-and-place component clamps the substrate 17 on the second carrier 8, the turning motor drives the pick-and-place component and the substrate 17 to turn over, and the turned-over substrate 17 is placed back on the second carrier 8 to continue growing the coating. Alternatively, before and after turning over, the substrate 17 grows a coating in different chambers, that is, after the pick-and-place component clamps the substrate 17 on the first supporting platform 2, the flipping motor drives the pick-and-place component and the substrate 17 to turn over, and the flipped substrate 17 is then placed on the second supporting platform 8; or after the pick-and-place component clamps the substrate 17 on the second supporting platform 8, the flipping motor drives the pick-and-place component and the substrate 17 to turn over, and the flipped substrate 17 is then placed on the first supporting platform 2.
[0053] In the above embodiment, when the pick-and-place component includes the robot 4 , the flip motor can drive the multiple clamping parts of the robot 4 to flip, thereby flipping the base 17 clamped by the multiple clamping parts.
[0054] In another embodiment, the drive assembly includes a screw-slide mechanism, with the manipulator 4 placed on the slide, which drives the manipulator 4 to move within the vacuum transfer chamber 5. Specifically, the rotation of the screw drives the slide to move along the length of the screw, which in turn drives the manipulator 4 to move closer to the ALD chamber 1 or PVD chamber 7, thereby facilitating the manipulator 4 to grasp or place the substrate 17. Of course, the drive assembly may also include a telescopic cylinder, a linear motor, or other mechanisms, wherein the telescopic cylinder may be an oil cylinder or a pneumatic cylinder.
[0055] Furthermore, when the drive assembly retracts the pick-and-place unit into the vacuum transfer chamber 5, a limit sensor or mechanical stop is provided to ensure that the unit retracts to a predetermined position within the vacuum transfer chamber 5. When the pick-and-place unit triggers the limit sensor or reaches the mechanical stop, it stops moving. Specifically, the mechanical stop can be a stop protrusion; the limit sensor can be a photoelectric switch, for example.
[0056] In order to improve production efficiency, multiple substrates 17 can be coated at the same time, wherein the first carrier 2 and the second carrier 8 each include multiple preset positions for placing the substrates 17, such as Figure 2 As shown, multiple substrates 17 can be placed simultaneously on the first carrier 2 and the second carrier 8, so that the coating process can be performed simultaneously on multiple substrates 17 in the ALD chamber 1 or the PVD chamber 7. For example, two, three, four, or five substrates 17 can be placed on the first carrier 2 and the second carrier 8, which is not limited here.
[0057] In addition, the ALD chamber 1 is further provided with a first rotating member that drives the first carrier 2 to rotate. This first rotating member can be specifically a motor or a rotary cylinder. As the first rotating member drives the first carrier 2 to rotate, the substrate 17 can be rotated to the side close to the first valve 3, making it easier for the robot 4 to pick up and place the substrate 17. Furthermore, when multiple substrates 17 are placed on the first carrier 2, the first rotating member can be used to drive the first carrier 2 to rotate, thereby sequentially rotating the multiple substrates 17 to the pick-up and placement positions of the robot 4. For example, when four substrates 17 are placed on the first carrier 2, after the robot 4 picks up each substrate 17, the first rotating member drives the first carrier 2 to rotate 90°, so that the next substrate 17 rotates with the first carrier 2 to the pick-up and placement position of the robot 4. In this solution, when n substrates 17 are placed on the first carrier 2, the robot 4 counts 1 each time it picks up a substrate 17, and the first rotating member drives the first carrier 2 to rotate by a first preset angle. When the count N = n, the count is automatically reset to zero.
[0058] A second rotating member is also provided inside the PVD chamber 7 to drive the first carrier 2 to rotate. The second rotating member can be specifically a motor or a rotary cylinder. As the second rotating member drives the second carrier 8 to rotate, the substrate 17 can be rotated to the side close to the second valve 6, making it easier for the robot 4 to pick up and place the substrate 17. In addition, when multiple substrates 17 are placed on the second carrier 8, the second rotating member can be used to drive the second carrier 8 to rotate, thereby sequentially rotating the multiple substrates 17 to the pick-up and placement positions of the robot 4. For example, when four substrates 17 are placed on the second carrier 8, after the robot 4 picks up each substrate 17, the second rotating member drives the first carrier 2 to rotate 90° so that the next substrate 17 rotates with the second carrier 8 to the pick-up and placement position of the robot 4. In this solution, when m substrates 17 are placed on the second carrier 8, the robot 4 counts 1 each time it picks up a substrate 17, and the second rotating member drives the second carrier 8 to rotate a second preset angle. When the count M = m, it automatically resets to zero.
[0059] Multiple substrates 17 are placed on the first carrier 2 or the second carrier 8. When the multiple substrates 17 on the first carrier 2 or the second carrier 8 are flipped over by the manipulator 4 and the flipping motor, the manipulator 4 counts 1 each time it flips a substrate 17. The first rotating member drives the first carrier 2 to rotate the first preset angle or the second rotating member drives the second carrier 8 to rotate the second preset angle. Then, the manipulator 4 flips the next substrate 17 until the count is equal to the number of substrates 17 placed on the first carrier 2 or the second carrier 8.
[0060] In another specific embodiment, the first heating device 9 is located under the first carrier 2. This arrangement can uniformly heat the interior of the ALD chamber 1. Of course, the first heating device 9 can also be located on the top wall or side wall of the ALD chamber 1, which is not limited here.
[0061] The second heating device 16 is located on the lower side of the second carrier 8, so that the interior of the PVD chamber 7 can be evenly heated. Of course, the second heating device 16 can also be arranged on the top wall or side wall of the PVD chamber 7, which is not limited here.
[0062] The first heating device 9 and the second heating device 16 can both be electromagnetic heating devices, resistance heating devices or thermal oil heating devices.
[0063] like Figure 1As shown, a third valve 10 is provided between the first pump 11 and the ALD chamber 1 so that the connection between the first pump 11 and the ALD chamber 1 can be controlled by the third valve 10. For example, when the first pump 11 is turned off, the third valve 10 can be closed. In addition, a fourth valve 15 is provided between the second pump 14 and the PVD chamber 7 so that the connection between the second pump 14 and the PVD chamber 7 can be controlled by the fourth valve 15. For example, when the second pump 14 is turned off, the fourth valve 15 can be closed. The number of second pumps 14 can be multiple, and at least one second pump 14 is a molecular pump 14a. A fourth valve 15 is provided between each second pump 14 and the PVD chamber 7. For example, the number of second pumps 14 is three, and the three second pumps 14 include two molecular pumps 14a. Of course, it can also be set according to actual conditions.
[0064] A fifth valve 13 is provided between the third pump 12 and the vacuum transmission chamber 5 , so as to control the on-off between the third pump 12 and the vacuum transmission chamber 5 through the fifth valve 13 .
[0065] Preferably, a protective cover capable of covering the substrate 17 on the second carrier 8 is also provided in the PVD chamber 7, and the protective cover can be closed to isolate the substrate 17 from the sputtering target gun. That is, after the protective cover is closed, the protective cover can cover the substrate 17 on the second carrier 8 to isolate the substrate 17 from the sputtering target gun. After the protective cover is opened, the coating material sputtered by the target gun can fall onto the surface of the substrate 17 for coating. The protective cover may include a cover body and a telescopic door slidably connected to the cover body, and the telescopic door can be driven to open or close by a motor, a cylinder, etc. With such an arrangement, in the PVD chamber 7, when the power of the sputtering target gun does not reach the assigned value at the initial stage of the process, the protective cover can be closed to isolate the substrate 17 and the sputtering target gun, thereby improving the coating quality.
[0066] The present application also provides a coating method using the dual-chamber coating apparatus provided in the above embodiments, including the following steps:
[0067] S1: Turn off the first pump 11 and open the first valve 3. Use the pick-and-place assembly to place the substrate 17 on the first carrier 2, and then close the first valve 3. Specifically, use the pick-and-place assembly to place the substrate 17 on the first carrier 2. During the placement of the substrate 17 on the first carrier 2, the pressure in the ALD chamber 1 can be maintained at 700 Torr to 900 Torr, preferably around 760 Torr.
[0068] S2: Turn on the first pump 11 and the first heating device 9 to allow the substrate 17 to grow a thin film in the ALD chamber 1 by atomic layer deposition technology;
[0069] A thin film is first grown on the surface of the substrate 17 in the ALD chamber 1 by atomic layer deposition technology. The thin film is in direct contact with the surface of the substrate 17. Due to the use of atomic layer deposition technology, the thin film has good adhesion and less damage to the substrate during the film growth process.
[0070] S3: Turn off the first pump 11, open the first valve 3, use the pick-and-place component to clamp the substrate 17 and move it into the vacuum transmission chamber 5, and then close the first valve 3;
[0071] After a thin film is grown on the surface of the substrate 17 by atomic layer deposition technology in the ALD chamber 1, the substrate 17 is moved into the vacuum transfer chamber 5 using a pick-and-place component, and the vacuum transfer chamber 5 and the ALD chamber 1 are isolated using the first valve 3.
[0072] S4: Open the second valve 6, place the substrate 17 on the second supporting platform 8 using the pick-and-place component, and then close the second valve 6;
[0073] Then, the pick-and-place unit is inserted into the PVD chamber 7 to place the substrate 17 on the second carrier 8 , and then the pick-and-place unit is retracted into the vacuum transfer chamber 5 .
[0074] S5: The second pump 14 and the second heating device 16 are activated to allow the substrate 17 to grow a thin film within the PVD chamber 7 via physical vapor deposition. A coating is then continuously grown on the substrate 17 within the PVD chamber 7 via physical vapor deposition. Physical vapor deposition (PVD) allows for a faster film growth rate, improving both coating speed and efficiency. During this step, if the pre-sputtering command is activated, the protective shield is closed until the sputtering target gun reaches its assigned power, at which point the shield is opened.
[0075] In the above-mentioned coating method, a thin film is first grown on the surface of the substrate 17 by atomic layer deposition technology in the ALD chamber 1, and then the driving component and the pick-and-place component are used to move the substrate 17 to the PVD chamber 7 to continue growing the coating by physical vapor deposition technology. This can ensure good adhesion between the coating and the substrate 17, reduce damage to the substrate during the thin film growth process, and at the same time ensure the growth rate of the coating, thereby realizing the complementarity of atomic layer deposition technology and physical vapor deposition technology. Atomic layer deposition technology and physical vapor deposition technology can be alternately performed to achieve stress compensation, and at the same time realize the alternating growth of the coating at the nanometer and micrometer levels.
[0076] In the above embodiment, when the first valve 3 is opened and the second valve is closed, the pressure difference between the ALD chamber 1 and the vacuum transfer chamber is within a first preset range; when the first valve 3 is closed and the second valve is opened, the pressure difference between the PVD chamber 7 and the vacuum transfer chamber is within a second preset range, so as to prevent the pressure difference between the vacuum transfer chamber and the ALD chamber 1 or the PVD chamber 7 from being too large.
[0077] In one specific embodiment, the dual-chamber coating apparatus further includes a flip motor that drives the pick-and-place unit to flip. In step S2, a thin film is grown on the substrate 17 in the ALD chamber 1 using atomic layer deposition technology, including: after one side of the substrate 17 is in the ALD chamber 1 for a first preset period of time, the first valve 3 is opened, the substrate 17 is clamped by the pick-and-place unit, and the flip motor drives the pick-and-place unit to flip the substrate 17 over. The substrate 17 is then placed on the first support platform 2 by the pick-and-place unit, and the other side of the substrate 17 is in the ALD chamber 1 for a second preset period of time. By using the flip motor to flip the pick-and-place unit, a coating can be grown on both the upper and lower surfaces of the substrate 17 in the ALD chamber 1.
[0078] In step S5, a thin film is grown on the substrate 17 in the PVD chamber 7 using physical vapor deposition technology. This includes: after one side of the substrate 17 is in the PVD chamber 7 for a third preset period of time, the second valve 6 is opened, the substrate 17 is clamped by the pick-and-place member, and the flip motor drives the pick-and-place member to flip the substrate 17 to turn it over. The substrate 17 is then placed on the second support platform 8 by the pick-and-place member, and the other side of the substrate 17 is in the PVD chamber 7 for a fourth preset period of time. In this way, the flip motor drives the pick-and-place member to flip, so that the coating can be grown on both the upper and lower surfaces of the substrate 17 in the PVD chamber 7.
[0079] In another preferred embodiment, the first carrier 2 and the second carrier 8 each include P preset positions for placing substrates 17, where P ≥ 2, meaning that P substrates 17 can be placed on each of the first carrier 2 and the second carrier 8. A first rotating member is further provided within the ALD chamber 1 to drive the first carrier 2 to rotate, and a second rotating member is further provided within the PVD chamber 7 to drive the second carrier 8 to rotate.
[0080] In step S1, placing the substrate 17 on the first carrier 2 using the pick-and-place member and then closing the first valve 3 includes sequentially placing P substrates 17 on the first carrier 2 using the pick-and-place member and then closing the first valve 3. Specifically, the robot 4 may count 1 each time it places a substrate 17 on the first carrier 2, and the first rotating member may drive the first carrier 2 to rotate by a first preset angle. When the count N equals P, the count is automatically reset to zero.
[0081] In steps S3 and S4, after the substrate 17 is clamped by the pick-and-place member and moved into the vacuum transmission chamber 5, the first valve 3 is closed and the second valve 6 is opened, the substrate 17 is placed on the second carrier 8 by the pick-and-place member, and the second valve 6 is closed; this includes: using the pick-and-place member to clamp a substrate 17 and move it into the vacuum transmission chamber 5, closing the first valve 3, using the pick-and-place member to place the substrate 17 on the second carrier 8, and repeating the above steps P-1 times until all P substrates 17 are placed on the second carrier 8. Specifically, using the pick-and-place member to clamp a substrate 17 and move it into the vacuum transmission chamber 5, closing the first valve 3, the first rotating member drives the first carrier 2 to rotate by a first preset angle, opening the second valve 6, using the pick-and-place member to place a substrate 17 on the second carrier 8, closing the second valve 6, the second rotating member drives the second carrier 8 to rotate by a second preset angle, and then opening the first valve 3, and repeating the above steps P-1 times. The number may be counted by 1 each time a substrate 17 is placed on the second carrier 8 , and when the count N=P, the number is automatically reset to zero.
[0082] In the description of the above embodiments, specific features, structures, materials or characteristics may be combined in an appropriate manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.
[0083] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included in the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.
Claims
1. A dual-chamber coating device, characterized in that: include: An ALD chamber, a first pump communicating with the interior of the ALD chamber, and a first carrier and a first heating device disposed in the ALD chamber, wherein the first carrier is used to carry a substrate; A PVD chamber, a second pump in communication with the interior of the PVD chamber, and a second carrier and a second heating device disposed in the PVD chamber, wherein the second carrier is used to carry a substrate; a vacuum transfer chamber disposed between the ALD chamber and the PVD chamber, and a third pump communicating with the interior of the vacuum transfer chamber; two ends of the vacuum transfer chamber communicating with the ALD chamber and the PVD chamber, respectively; a first valve disposed between the vacuum transfer chamber and the ALD chamber, and a second valve disposed between the vacuum transfer chamber and the PVD chamber; A pick-and-place member and a driving assembly are arranged in the vacuum transfer chamber, and the driving assembly can drive the pick-and-place member to move, so as to facilitate the pick-and-place member to extend into the ALD chamber or PVD chamber to clamp or place the substrate.
2. The dual-chamber coating equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pick-and-place member includes a robot; The robot arm includes a plurality of clamping parts, and the plurality of clamping parts can clamp a base body together.
3. The dual-chamber coating equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a turning motor for driving the pick-and-place component to turn over.
4. The dual-chamber coating equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The driving assembly includes a screw slide mechanism, the manipulator is placed on the slide, and the slide drives the manipulator to move in the vacuum transmission chamber.
5. The dual-chamber coating equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first carrier platform and the second carrier platform both include a plurality of preset positions for placing the substrate; and / or, a first rotating member for driving the first carrier platform to rotate is further provided inside the ALD chamber; and / or, a second rotating member for driving the second carrier platform to rotate is further provided inside the PVD chamber; and / or, the first heating device is located on the lower side of the first carrier platform; and / or, the second heating device is located on the lower side of the second carrier platform.
6. The dual-chamber coating equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: A third valve is provided between the first pump and the ALD chamber; and / or, a fourth valve is provided between the second pump and the PVD chamber; and / or, a fifth valve is provided between the third pump and the vacuum transmission chamber; and / or, there are multiple second pumps and at least one of the second pumps is a molecular pump.
7. The dual-chamber coating equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The PVD chamber is further provided with a protective cover capable of covering the substrate on the second carrier, and the protective cover can be closed to isolate the substrate from the sputtering target gun; and / or, A limit sensor or a mechanical limit part is also provided in the vacuum transmission cavity.
8. A coating method using the dual-chamber coating device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: include: Close the first pump and open the first valve, place the substrate on the first supporting platform using the pick-and-place component, and then close the first valve; Turning on a first pump and a first heating device to allow the substrate to grow a thin film in the ALD chamber using an atomic layer deposition technique; Turn off the first pump, open the first valve, use the pick-and-place component to clamp the substrate and move it into the vacuum transmission chamber, and then close the first valve; Open the second valve, place the substrate on the second supporting platform using the pick-and-place component, and then close the second valve; The second pump and the second heating device are turned on to allow the substrate to grow a thin film in the PVD chamber through the physical vapor deposition technology.
9. The film coating method according to claim 8, characterized in that: The dual-chamber coating device further includes a flip motor for driving the pick-and-place component to flip; Wherein, the substrate is caused to grow a thin film by atomic layer deposition technology in the ALD chamber, including: after one side of the substrate is in the ALD chamber for a first preset time period, a first valve is opened, the substrate is clamped by the pick-and-place member, and a flip motor drives the pick-and-place member to flip the substrate so that the substrate is turned over, and then the pick-and-place member is used to place the substrate on a first supporting platform, and the other side of the substrate is in the ALD chamber for a second preset time period; and / or, The substrate is made to grow a thin film in a PVD chamber by physical vapor deposition technology, including: after one side of the substrate is in the PVD chamber for a third preset time period, the second valve is opened, the substrate is clamped by the pick-and-place component, and the flip motor drives the pick-and-place component to flip so that the substrate is turned over, and then the pick-and-place component is used to place the substrate on a second supporting platform, and the other side of the substrate is in the PVD chamber for a fourth preset time period.
10. The coating method according to claim 8, wherein: The first carrier and the second carrier each include P preset positions for placing a substrate, where P ≥ 2. A first rotating member driving the first carrier to rotate is further provided in the ALD chamber, and a second rotating member driving the second carrier to rotate is further provided in the PVD chamber. The method of placing the substrate on the first carrier using the pick-and-place component and then closing the first valve comprises: placing P substrates on the first carrier in sequence using the pick-and-place component and then closing the first valve; After using the pick-and-place component to clamp the substrate and move it into the vacuum transmission chamber, closing the first valve and opening the second valve, using the pick-and-place component to place the substrate on the second supporting platform, and then closing the second valve; including: using the pick-and-place component to clamp a substrate and move it into the vacuum transmission chamber, closing the first valve, using the pick-and-place component to place the substrate on the second supporting platform, and repeating the above steps P-1 times until all P substrates are placed on the second supporting platform.