A vacuum chamber continuous feeding mechanism and a physical vapor deposition apparatus

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of vacuum deposition technology, and in particular to a continuous feeding mechanism for a vacuum chamber and a physical vapor deposition apparatus, comprising a transfer chamber having a cavity space inside, the cavity space having a first opening communicating with the vacuum chamber, and a second opening communicating with the outside; and a conveying assembly for carrying material along a predetermined conveying path P. i Move, and the conveying component moves along its conveying path P i The material undergoes reciprocating motion; the overall conveying path P of the material entering the vacuum chamber passes sequentially through the second opening, the cavity space, and the first opening; the first opening opens only when the vacuum level of the cavity space is lower than a preset value, and the second opening opens only when the first opening is closed. This invention, through the coordinated operation of the transmission chamber and the conveying components, achieves continuous material supply within the vacuum chamber without breaking the vacuum, and the target material can be efficiently positioned during the conveying process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vacuum deposition technology, and in particular to a continuous feeding mechanism for a vacuum chamber and a physical vapor deposition apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] In traditional equipment, changing the target in electron beam physical vapor deposition (EBPD) equipment requires breaking the vacuum in the chamber, restoring it to atmospheric pressure, opening the door, and manually changing the target, resulting in a long process cycle and low production efficiency. For example, Chinese patent CN216427394U discloses an E-Beam electron beam evaporation coating device, which requires opening the vacuum chamber and changing the material inside the vacuum chamber when changing the evaporation material.

[0003] To address the technical problems of traditional equipment, Chinese patent CN115279936A discloses a vapor deposition apparatus. This apparatus uses a pusher, guide plate, and lifting rod to sequentially deliver multiple targets pre-placed within a cavity to the designated process position. However, it still presents several inconveniences in actual operation: ① The number of targets within the cavity is limited. After all targets are used, it is still necessary to break the vacuum, open the door, and replenish the targets. It merely optimizes the vacuum breaking process from a single operation to several operations, essentially remaining the same; ② The targets are porous materials, and placing a large number in a high-vacuum cavity can affect the vacuum level; furthermore, the deposition chamber contains high temperatures and large amounts of gas during the process, which can affect the targets, causing surface contamination and impacting product quality; ③ Target replacement is manual, resulting in low automation, and the targets are easily contaminated, hindering automated production. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In this section, as well as in the abstract and title of this application, some simplifications or omissions may be made to avoid obscuring the purpose of this section, the abstract, and the title of this application, and such simplifications or omissions shall not be used to limit the scope of the invention.

[0005] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, one objective of this invention is to provide a continuous feeding mechanism for a vacuum chamber.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a continuous feeding mechanism for a vacuum chamber, comprising,

[0007] The transmission chamber has a cavity space inside.

[0008] The cavity space also has a first opening that communicates with the vacuum chamber, and a second opening that communicates with the outside; and,

[0009] Conveying assembly, used to carry materials along a set conveying path P i The conveying assembly moves along its conveying path P.i Reciprocating motion;

[0010] The overall conveying path P of the material entering the vacuum chamber passes sequentially through the second opening, the cavity space, and the first opening.

[0011] The first opening is opened only when the vacuum level in the cavity is lower than a preset value, and the second opening is opened only when the first opening is closed.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the vacuum chamber continuous feeding mechanism of the present invention, the conveying assembly has a double-layer structure, comprising a lower support plate and an upper pusher plate, wherein the pusher plate is positioned relative to the support plate along the conveying path P. i Reciprocating motion;

[0013] The support plate has a vertically extending feed trough adapted to the material, and the pusher plate has a vertically extending pusher trough adapted to the material.

[0014] As a preferred embodiment of the vacuum chamber continuous feeding mechanism of the present invention, the pushing groove has a groove wall that gradually increases in size along its conveying direction;

[0015] The conveying assembly also includes a pusher plate or a support plate for driving a pusher plate or a support plate along the conveying path P. i The second drive unit moves upward;

[0016] The pusher plate is relative to the support plate along the conveying path P i Perform linear motion, or the pusher plate moves relative to the support plate along the conveying path P. i It moves in a circular motion.

[0017] As a preferred embodiment of the vacuum chamber continuous feeding mechanism of the present invention, the conveying components are provided in j groups along the conveying direction of the total material conveying path P, and j≥2;

[0018] In this configuration, at least one set of the conveying components is disposed within the cavity space, and the other set of the conveying components is disposed outside the second opening;

[0019] Furthermore, in any two adjacent sets of conveying components, the discharge chute of the preceding set of conveying components is located on its conveying path P. i The endpoint X, and the pusher chute of the next set of conveying components on its conveying path P i+ The starting position Y satisfies:

[0020] The horizontal height of position X is not lower than the horizontal height of position Y, and the material discharge chute moved to position X and the material pusher chute moved to position Y have an intersecting area S in the vertical direction that can accommodate material passage, 1≤i<j.

[0021] As a preferred embodiment of the vacuum chamber continuous feeding mechanism of the present invention, it further includes a first sealing assembly, the first sealing assembly including a first sealing plate movable to adjust the size of a first opening, a second sealing plate movable to adjust the size of a second opening, and a first driving part for driving the first sealing plate and the second sealing plate.

[0022] As a preferred embodiment of the vacuum chamber continuous feeding mechanism of the present invention, wherein: the first sealing plate and the second sealing plate are each provided with a connecting section, a first sealing section and a second sealing section in the direction of movement, and the connecting section, the first sealing section and the second sealing section are all adapted to the size of the first opening and the second opening;

[0023] The first driving unit drives the first sealing plate and the second sealing plate to reciprocate in the vertical direction. When the connecting section of the second sealing plate aligns with the second opening to form a connection, the second sealing section of the first sealing plate aligns with the first opening to form a seal.

[0024] As a preferred embodiment of the vacuum chamber continuous feeding mechanism of the present invention, the first driving unit includes a driving shaft disposed outside the transmission chamber, two sets of driving gears rotating in the same direction and respectively disposed close to the first sealing plate and the second sealing plate, and a transmission component connected between the driving gears and the driving shaft.

[0025] The first and second sealing plates are respectively provided with racks adapted to the drive gear on one side, and the two sets of racks located on the first and second sealing plates respectively mesh with different sides of the drive gear.

[0026] As a preferred embodiment of the continuous feeding mechanism for the vacuum chamber described in this invention, wherein: the pusher plate and the support plate are connected along the conveying path P i The upper edge is slidably connected, and the support plate is relative to the transmission chamber in the conveying path P. i It moves back and forth along the upper straight line;

[0027] The second drive unit has a moving end that reciprocates in a linear direction. The moving end is connected to a pusher plate. The transmission chamber is provided with a blocking support plate along the conveying path P. i A movable limit stop;

[0028] A spring is connected between the pusher plate and the support plate, and the spring is always in a stretched state when the pusher plate and the support plate slide relative to each other.

[0029] The pusher plate and the support plate are also provided with mutually compatible elastic protrusions and slots. The maximum frictional resistance F1 between the elastic protrusions and the slots is greater than the sliding friction force F2 experienced by the support plate when it moves.

[0030] The advantages of the vacuum chamber continuous feeding mechanism of the present invention are as follows: By cooperating with the transmission chamber and the conveying components, the present invention can achieve the effect of continuous feeding in the vacuum chamber without breaking the vacuum, and the material can be efficiently positioned during the conveying process.

[0031] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, another objective of this invention is to provide a physical vapor deposition apparatus.

[0032] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a physical vapor deposition apparatus, including the aforementioned vacuum chamber continuous feeding mechanism, and further comprising,

[0033] A vacuum chamber having a vacuum cavity suitable for the deposition working environment, wherein a crucible adapted to the target material is provided at the deposition position of the vacuum cavity; and,

[0034] The lifting assembly is located at the bottom of the vacuum chamber;

[0035] The delivery assembly is provided in at least three sets, located in the cavity space, outside the second opening, and inside the vacuum chamber, respectively;

[0036] A conveying assembly located within the vacuum chamber is used to convey the target material to position Z below the crucible, and a lifting assembly is used to convey the target material at position Z into the crucible.

[0037] As a preferred embodiment of the physical vapor deposition apparatus of the present invention, the lifting assembly includes a fixed end fixedly connected to the bottom of the vacuum chamber, and a lifting end that reciprocates longitudinally relative to the fixed end.

[0038] In the delivery assembly located within the vacuum chamber:

[0039] The support plate is fixedly connected to the bottom of the vacuum chamber, and the support plate has a through groove at position Z that is adapted to the lifting end;

[0040] When the target material is positioned in the through groove, the lifting end pushes the target material upward through the through groove to the crucible for deposition.

[0041] In a preferred embodiment of the physical vapor deposition apparatus of the present invention, in the delivery assembly disposed within the vacuum chamber:

[0042] The pusher plate is relative to the support plate in the conveying path P i The upper part makes circular motion, and the second drive part has an intermittently rotating output end, which is fixedly connected to the rotation center of the pusher plate;

[0043] The intermittent period of the output terminal is adapted to the period of the reciprocating motion of the lifting end.

[0044] As a preferred embodiment of the physical vapor deposition apparatus of the present invention, it further includes:

[0045] The discharge assembly includes a boss located at the bottom of the pusher plate and a discharge chamber located on one side of the vacuum chamber.

[0046] The discharge chamber includes a third opening that communicates with the vacuum chamber and a fourth opening that communicates with the outside; and,

[0047] The second sealing assembly includes a third sealing plate movable to adjust the size of a third opening, and a fourth sealing plate movable to adjust the size of a fourth opening;

[0048] The third opening is opened only when the vacuum level in the discharge chamber is lower than a preset value, and the fourth opening is opened only when the third opening is closed.

[0049] Furthermore, in the delivery assembly located within the vacuum chamber:

[0050] The dimensions of the material discharge trough are matched with the dimensions of the boss.

[0051] In a preferred embodiment of the physical vapor deposition apparatus of the present invention, in the delivery assembly disposed within the vacuum chamber:

[0052] The pusher plate is equipped with multiple sets of pusher grooves.

[0053] The third opening is located directly below the discharge chute, and the target material waste falls into the third opening from the discharge chute; or,

[0054] The third opening is located below the discharge chute, and a guide plate connects the discharge chute and the third opening, allowing the target material waste to roll into the third opening via the guide plate; or,

[0055] A fourth set of conveying components is connected between the discharge chute and the third opening, and the target material waste is conveyed to the third opening through the fourth set of conveying components.

[0056] The physical vapor deposition apparatus of the present invention has the following advantages: by not placing the target material in the vacuum chamber in advance, the vacuum level will not be affected, and all targets will be free from contamination before the process begins; by setting the target replacement process to be fully automatic, the structure is simple and reliable, reducing human error and positioning error, and significantly improving production efficiency and stability; and the target material can be replaced and cleaned for an extended period of time without breaking the vacuum in the deposition chamber, achieving true continuous operation. Attached Figure Description

[0057] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the following description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0058] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the process of material entering the vacuum chamber in the continuous feeding mechanism of the vacuum chamber of the present invention; wherein, Figure 1 (a) is a schematic diagram showing the first opening closed and the second opening open before the material enters the transfer chamber; Figure 1 (b) is a schematic diagram showing the first and second openings being closed after the material enters the transfer chamber; Figure 1 (c) is a schematic diagram showing the first opening opening and the second opening closing after the material enters the transfer chamber; Figure 1 (d) is a schematic diagram of the first and second openings being closed after the material enters the vacuum chamber.

[0059] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the double-layer conveying assembly of the vacuum chamber continuous feeding mechanism of the present invention.

[0060] Figure 3 For the present invention Figure 2 The diagram shows a top view of several alternative embodiments of the conveying assembly; wherein, Figure 3 (a) is a schematic diagram when the pusher chute is set to a straight line shape; Figure 3 (b) is a schematic diagram when the pusher chute is set to a "U" shape; Figure 3 (c) is a schematic diagram of one embodiment when the pusher chute is set in a "V" shape; Figure 3 (d) is a schematic diagram when the pusher chute is set to a "C" shape; Figure 3 (e) is a schematic diagram of another implementation when the pusher trough is set to a "V" shape.

[0061] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the two adjacent sets of conveying components of the present invention when they are in operation.

[0062] Figure 5 This is a side cross-sectional view of the structure of two adjacent sets of conveying components of the present invention when they are engaged within the cavity of the transmission chamber; wherein... Figure 5 (a) is a state diagram when the intersection area S of adjacent conveyor components 300 is at its maximum; Figure 5 (b) is a state diagram when the intersection area S of adjacent conveyor components 300 is not at its maximum.

[0063] Figure 6 This is a top view of the structure when two adjacent sets of conveying components of the present invention are in operation.

[0064] Figure 7 This is a side cross-sectional view of the interaction process of two adjacent sets of conveying components according to the present invention; wherein, Figure 7 (a) is a schematic diagram of the material being conveyed on the previous set of conveying components 300. Figure 7 (b) is a schematic diagram of the material being transferred to the next set of conveyor components 300.

[0065] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the overall three-dimensional structure of the physical vapor deposition apparatus of the present invention.

[0066] Figure 9 For the present invention Figure 8 A magnified structural diagram of point A is shown.

[0067] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the overall three-dimensional structure of the physical vapor deposition apparatus of the present invention from another perspective.

[0068] Figure 11 For the present invention Figure 10 A magnified structural diagram of point B is shown.

[0069] Figure 12 This is a partial three-dimensional structural diagram of the conveying component shown in Embodiment 5 of the present invention.

[0070] Figure 13 For the present invention Figure 12 A magnified structural diagram of point C is shown.

[0071] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first sealing plate or the second sealing plate in Embodiment 4 of the present invention.

[0072] Figure 15 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the transmission chamber when it is sealed, as shown in Embodiment 4 of the present invention.

[0073] Figure 16 For the present invention Figure 15 A magnified structural diagram of point D is shown.

[0074] Figure 17 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the second opening when it is open, as shown in Embodiment 4 of the present invention.

[0075] Figure 18 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the first opening when it is open, as shown in Embodiment 4 of the present invention.

[0076] Figure 19 This is a schematic diagram of the physical vapor deposition apparatus of the present invention when the target material is not lifted in the vacuum chamber.

[0077] Figure 20 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the target material being lifted in the vacuum chamber of the physical vapor deposition apparatus of the present invention.

[0078] Figure 21 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of one embodiment of the delivery component in the vacuum chamber of the physical vapor deposition apparatus of the present invention.

[0079] Figure 22 This is a partial cross-sectional structural diagram of the physical vapor deposition apparatus of the present invention when the target material is not lifted.

[0080] Figure 23 For the present invention Figure 22 A magnified structural diagram of point E is shown.

[0081] In the diagram: 100, transfer chamber; 101, first opening; 102, second opening; 103, limiting baffle; 200, vacuum chamber; 201, crucible; 300, conveying assembly; 301, support plate; 301a, discharge chute; 301b, through groove; 302, pusher plate; 302a, pusher groove; 302b, elastic protrusion; 302c, slot; 302d, spring; 303, second drive unit; 400, first sealing assembly; 401, first sealing plate; 402, second sealing plate; L, connecting section; M 1. First sealing section; N. Second sealing section; 403. First driving unit; 403a. Drive shaft; 403b. Drive gear; 403c. Transmission component; 403d. Rack; 500. Lifting assembly; 501. Fixed end; 502. Lifting end; 600. Discharge assembly; 601. Boss; 602. Discharge chamber; 602a. Third opening; 602b. Fourth opening; 603. Guide plate; 700. Second sealing assembly; 701. Third sealing plate; 702. Fourth sealing plate; 800. Automatic material distribution device. Detailed Implementation

[0082] To make the objectives, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0083] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the invention. However, the invention may also be practiced in other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar extensions without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0084] Secondly, the term "one embodiment" or "embodiment" as used herein refers to a specific feature, structure, or characteristic that may be included in at least one implementation of the present invention. The phrase "in one embodiment" appearing in different places in this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a single or selective embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments.

[0085] Example 1

[0086] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 19 This is the first embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment provides a continuous feeding mechanism for a vacuum chamber, which can achieve the effect of continuous feeding within the vacuum chamber 200 without breaking the vacuum. It includes a transfer chamber 100 and a conveying component 300. The conveying component 300 conveys materials. The materials are first sent to the transfer chamber 100 connected to the vacuum chamber 200 as a transfer. After the transfer chamber 100 is evacuated, the materials in the transfer chamber 100 are then conveyed to the vacuum chamber 200. Compared with breaking the vacuum chamber 200 and re-evacuating it, evacuating the smaller transfer chamber 100 is relatively simple and more energy-efficient. Moreover, the materials can continue to be conveyed by the conveying component 300 during the evacuation of the transfer chamber 100, without interrupting the continuous feeding.

[0087] Specifically, the transfer chamber 100 has a cavity space inside, which also has a first opening 101 that can communicate with the vacuum chamber 200 and a second opening 102 that can communicate with the outside. The conveying assembly 300 is used to carry materials along a set conveying path P. i The material moves along the overall conveying path P into the vacuum chamber 200, passing sequentially through the second opening 102, the cavity space, and the first opening 101. For example... Figure 1 In this context, the overall conveying path P is the path through which materials enter the vacuum chamber 200 from the outside. That is... Figure 1 The material shown (located on the illustrated conveyor assembly 300) is... Figure 1 (a) is the starting point, and the route is as follows: Figure 1 (b) Figure 1 (c), until Figure 1 (d) The total movement path to the destination is P; the transport path is P. i The path of a single material movement carried by the i-th group of conveying components 300 (therefore, in this invention, the conveying path of any group of conveying components 300 not specifically designated is uniformly described as P). i (Referring to a substitute). For example, the first group of conveyor components 300 (self-contained). Figure 1 (a) is the starting point, to Figure 1 (b) The movement path between the endpoints is denoted as conveying path P1; the second group of conveying components 300... Figure 1 (b) is the starting point, to Figure 1 (d) The movement path between the endpoints is denoted as conveying path P2. That is, in this embodiment, materials can be conveyed and transferred through multiple sets of conveying components 300, so i takes an integer greater than or equal to 1, and the sum of the conveying paths of each set of conveying components 300 is P1 + P2 + ... + P i =Total transport path P.

[0088] Specifically, the first opening 101 opens only when the vacuum level in the cavity is lower than a preset value, and the second opening 102 opens only when the first opening 101 is closed. Figure 1 As shown in (a), before the second opening 102 is opened, the first opening 101 remains closed; after the second opening 102 is opened, as shown in (a), the first opening 101 remains closed. Figure 1 As shown in (b), the material is conveyed along the conveying path P1 into the cavity space of the transfer chamber 100 by the first group of conveying components 300, and then the second opening 102 is closed. A vacuum is then evacuated from the cavity space by a vacuum pumping device connected to the cavity space. Figure 1 As shown in (c), the first opening 101 is opened only after the vacuum level of the cavity space reaches a preset value that meets the environment requirements of the vacuum chamber 200, while the second opening 102 remains closed; Figure 1 As shown in (d), after the material is conveyed to the vacuum chamber 200 along the conveying path P2 by the second group of conveying components 300, the first opening 101 is closed first, and then the second opening 102 is opened for the next material conveying.

[0089] Furthermore, the conveying assembly 300 moves along the conveying path P i The reciprocating motion facilitates the return of the conveying component 300 to its original position, enabling continuous material feeding for the next transport. When the conveying component 300 returns, the closing states of the first opening 101 and the second opening 102 are reversed compared to the conveying sequence, as shown in the example below. Figure 1 In Figure 1 (d) Figure 1 (c) Figure 1 (b) Figure 1 (a) order.

[0090] refer to Figure 19 In one embodiment, the conveying assembly 300 is an inclined guide plate 603, under the action of its own gravity, the material can roll down and be conveyed along the guide plate 603 from a high position to a low position. However, it is difficult to ensure that the material maintains its initial motion posture during the movement, and it is not convenient to control sudden stops during the conveying process, and it is difficult to accurately position.

[0091] Example 2

[0092] Reference Figure 1 - Figure 3 , Figure 21 This is the second embodiment of the present invention. Unlike the previous embodiment, this embodiment provides a conveying assembly 300 with a double-layer structure, which facilitates the positioning of the target material during the conveying process and solves the problems of inaccurate positioning and easy material contamination caused by manual material replacement.

[0093] Specifically, the double-layer conveying assembly 300 includes a lower support plate 301 and an upper pusher plate 302. The lower support plate 301 supports the material, and the upper pusher plate 302 pushes the material. The pusher plate 302 is positioned relative to the support plate 301 along the conveying path P.i The material pusher plate 302 moves in a reciprocating motion. When it moves in the conveying direction, it pushes the material to slide on the support plate 301. When it moves back, the material pusher plate 302 can move back without pushing the material, and simply reset itself.

[0094] Furthermore, the support plate 301 has a vertically extending discharge trough 301a adapted to the material, and the pusher plate 302 has a vertically extending pusher trough 302a adapted to the material. The discharge trough 301a and pusher trough 302a can be adapted to different material shapes, generally in two forms: connected to the side of the support plate 301 or pusher plate 302, or not connected. In the connected case, the discharge trough 301a and pusher trough 302a have outward openings, such as... Figure 3 In several embodiments of the pusher trough 302a, both the discharge trough 301a and the pusher trough 302a can be straight lines. Furthermore, the pusher trough 302a can also have walls that gradually increase in size along its conveying direction, including "C," "U," and "V" shapes with the opening facing the conveying direction. In a non-connected configuration, the trough walls can have the same shape as described above, the difference being that the trough is not directly connected to the side of the support plate 301 or the pusher plate 302. Figure 2 The closed groove shown.

[0095] The material discharge trough 301a is used to release material after it has moved to this position, while the material pusher trough 302a is used to prevent material from tipping over and to push the material in the conveying direction. The size of the material discharge trough 301a should be slightly larger than the size of the material to facilitate the material's entry and exit. By setting the material pusher trough 302a to have gradually increasing trough walls in the conveying direction, the trough walls can limit the material on both sides during material conveying to ensure that the material moves along the designated path and reduce deviation. Furthermore, because the trough walls of the material pusher trough 302a are gradually increasing, their maximum value can be greater than the material, and the contact position between the material and the trough wall will adaptively fit, maintaining stable limiting while facilitating the material's entry and exit from the material pusher trough 302a.

[0096] Preferably, the conveying assembly 300 also includes a pusher plate 302 or a support plate 301 for driving the conveying path P. i The second drive unit 303 moves upward. The second drive unit 303 can be precisely driven and controlled by electrical components such as motors or cylinders. It transmits power to the actuator end through gears, racks, or pneumatic methods. The actuator end of the second drive unit 303 is connected to the pusher plate 302 or the support plate 301. The pusher plate 302 or the support plate 301 can be configured to reciprocate independently in the conveying direction. For example... Figure 3 In the diagram, the black arrow indicates the conveying direction. The actuator of the second drive unit 303 reciprocates in this direction. When it moves in the conveying direction, it can drive the pusher plate 302 or the support plate 301 along the conveying path P.i move.

[0097] In a preferred embodiment, the pusher plate 302 is positioned relative to the support plate 301 along the conveying path P. i The material pusher plate 302 moves linearly along the upper edge, pushing the material along the support plate 301 via the pusher groove 302a until the pusher groove 302a moves to the discharge groove 301a, at which point the material disengages from the discharge groove 301a. The displacement distance between the pusher plate 302 and the support plate 301 can be precisely controlled by calculating the movement distance and setting displacement sensors. Then, the pusher plate 302 moves back to its original position along the straight line. The advantage of this movement method is that it can directly transport the material to the target position through the shortest possible path, and the reverse movement characteristic allows for return to the original position without continuously obstructing or interfering with the forward path. It is preferably configured in the conveying path P between the second opening 102 and the cavity space. i And the transport path P between the cavity space and the vacuum chamber 200 i The upper part can be moved in the opposite direction to facilitate the normal closing of the second opening 102 or the first opening 101.

[0098] refer to Figure 21 In another preferred embodiment, the pusher plate 302 is positioned relative to the support plate 301 along the conveying path P. i The material moves in a circular motion. The pusher plate 302 rotates in the same direction while still allowing the pusher chute 302a to move from the starting point to the discharge chute 301a and back to the starting point. During this process, the material can also move with the pusher chute 302a to the discharge chute 301a for release. Its advantage lies in its simple driving method and convenient control.

[0099] The rest of the structure is the same as in Example 1.

[0100] Example 3

[0101] Reference Figure 1 - Figure 7 This is the third embodiment of the present invention. Unlike the previous embodiment, this embodiment provides no less than two sets of conveying components 300, which enables stable transportation of materials inside and outside the cavity space and achieves stable material transfer between two adjacent sets of conveying components 300. When the first opening 101 or the second opening 102 is open, the conveying component 300 passes through and transfers the material to the next set of conveying components 300, and returns to its original position before the first opening 101 or the second opening 102 is closed, so that the next set of conveying components 300 can complete the subsequent conveying process.

[0102] Specifically, j sets of conveying components 300 are arranged along the conveying direction of the total material conveying path P, where j ≥ 2. At least one set of conveying components 300 is located inside the cavity space, and the other set of conveying components 300 is located outside the second opening 102. It is worth noting that the conveying components 300 located outside the second opening 102 can move to pass through the second opening 102 into the cavity space to cooperate with the conveying components 300 located inside the cavity space. However, after cooperation is completed, they can move in the opposite direction to exit the second opening 102. Similarly, the conveying components 300 located inside the cavity space can move to pass through the first opening 101 into the vacuum chamber 200, and then move in the opposite direction to exit the first opening 101. This does not affect the description of their actual location in this scheme.

[0103] Furthermore, in any two adjacent sets of conveying components 300, the discharge chute 301a of the preceding set of conveying components 300 is located on its conveying path P. i The endpoint X, and the pusher chute 302a of the next set of conveying components 300 on its conveying path P i+1 The starting position Y satisfies the following: the horizontal height of position X is not lower than the horizontal height of position Y, and the discharge chute 301a moved to position X and the push chute 302a moved to position Y have an intersecting area S in the vertical direction that can accommodate material, 1≤i<j, and the size of area S is not less than the maximum diameter of the material, so that the material can fall freely in the vertical direction. Figure 5 The diagram shows two states where the material transfer is satisfied in the intersecting area S of two adjacent conveying components 300. From the perspective of the diagram, the movement direction of both conveying components 300 is from right to left. To achieve a smooth transition, the rightmost side of the discharge chute 301a of the first conveying component 300 needs to exceed the rightmost side of the push chute 302a of the second conveying component 300 in the direction of movement. Figure 5 (a) The discharge chute 301a of the preceding conveying assembly 300 and the push chute 302a of the following conveying assembly 300 are completely aligned in the vertical direction, with the intersection area S being the largest. Figure 5 (b) As the discharge chute 301a of the previous conveying assembly 300 continues to move, the intersection area S with the push chute 302a of the next conveying assembly 300 gradually decreases, but the minimum value is not less than the diameter of the material, so as to meet the material transfer requirements. Figure 6 The diagram shows a top view of the intersection area S of two adjacent conveying components 300, where material transfer is achieved. The support plate 301 and discharge chute 301a (solid line) are located above the first conveying component 300. The pusher plate 302 and pusher chute 302a (dashed line; from the top view, the pusher plate 302 is below and not visible, hence also represented by a dashed line) belong to the second conveying component 300 and are located below. The intersection area S of the two adjacent conveying components 300 is shown below. Figure 6The area shown by the diagonal line is also included; furthermore, for ease of display, Figure 6 The visible portion of the next set of conveyor components 300 has been deepened and filled.

[0104] Taking the conveying components 300 on both sides of the second opening 102 as an example, after the conveying components 300 located outside the second opening 102 move into the cavity space, the pusher plate 302 pushes the material along the support plate 301 through the pusher groove 302a until the material moves to the discharge groove 301a at position X. The material then falls from the discharge groove 301a and falls onto the support plate 301 through the pusher groove 302a at position Y of another set of conveying components 300 in the cavity space.

[0105] Preferably, both the pusher chute 302a and the discharge chute 301a can be configured to be connected to the side. For example... Figure 7 The diagram illustrates the process of material being transferred from the previous set of conveying components 300 to the next set of conveying components 300. Figure 7 (a) is a schematic diagram of the material in the previous set of conveying components 300. Figure 7 (b) is a schematic diagram of material transfer to the next set of conveying components 300. The height D1 of the material and the height difference D2 between the top of the support plate 301 of the next set of conveying components 300 and the bottom of the support plate 301 of the previous set of conveying components 300 are such that as long as D1 > D2, the material is always limited by the trough wall during the process of falling from the previous set of conveying components 300 into the next set of conveying components 300, ensuring that the material slides in the vertical direction. The selectable range of the material height D1 is relatively large, and the previous set of conveying components 300 will not affect the material when it moves back because it has an opening. However, if the push trough 302a and the discharge trough 301a are designed to be not connected to the side, the selectable range of the material height D1 will be reduced in order to prevent the material from being blocked by the previous set of conveying components 300 when the next set of conveying components 300 pushes the material. In this case, the material lacks a continuous trough wall for guidance when falling, and is prone to deviating in the vertical direction, resulting in tipping or failure of transfer and getting stuck on the push plate 302 of the next set.

[0106] The rest of the structure is the same as in Example 2.

[0107] Example 4

[0108] Reference Figure 1 - Figure 7 , Figure 12 - Figure 18 This is the fourth embodiment of the present invention. Unlike the previous embodiment, this embodiment provides a first sealing component 400, which solves the problem of automatically controlling the closing state of the first opening 101 and the second opening 102, and can accurately control the opening and closing timing of the first opening 101 and the second opening 102 to ensure the vacuum environment of the vacuum chamber 200.

[0109] Specifically, the first sealing assembly 400 includes a first sealing plate 401 movable to adjust the size of the first opening 101, a second sealing plate 402 movable to adjust the size of the second opening 102, and a first driving part 403 for driving the first sealing plate 401 and the second sealing plate 402. In this embodiment, a first sealing frame is provided on one side of the first opening 101, which is slidably connected to the first sealing plate 401. The first sealing frame is filled with a sealing gasket, so that the connection between the first sealing plate 401 and the first sealing frame forms a sealing structure. A second sealing frame is provided on one side of the second opening 102, which is slidably connected to the second sealing plate 402. The second sealing frame is also filled with a sealing gasket, so that the connection between the second sealing plate 402 and the second sealing frame forms a sealing structure. When the first sealing plate 401 completely covers and blocks the first opening 101, the first opening 101 is completely closed, and the second sealing plate 402 closes the second opening 102 in the same way.

[0110] Furthermore, both the first sealing plate 401 and the second sealing plate 402 have a connecting section L, a first sealing section M, and a second sealing section N sequentially distributed in the direction of movement. The connecting section L, the first sealing section M, and the second sealing section N are all adapted to the size of the first opening 101 and the second opening 102. When the connecting section L covers the first opening 101 or the second opening 102, the first opening 101 or the second opening 102 is fully open. When the first sealing section M and the second sealing section N cover the first opening 101 or the second opening 102, the first opening 101 or the second opening 102 is fully closed.

[0111] The first driving unit 403 drives the first sealing plate 401 and the second sealing plate 402 to reciprocate in the vertical direction. When the connecting section L of the second sealing plate 402 aligns with the second opening 102 to form a connection, the second sealing section N of the first sealing plate 401 aligns with the first opening 101 to form a seal. That is, when the second sealing plate 402 moves to its highest position during its reciprocating motion, the first sealing plate 401 moves to its lowest position during its corresponding reciprocating motion.

[0112] Furthermore, the first drive unit 403 includes a drive shaft 403a disposed outside the transmission chamber 100, two sets of drive gears 403b rotatably connected to the outside of the transmission chamber 100 and respectively disposed near the first sealing plate 401 and the second sealing plate 402, rotating in the same direction, and a transmission component 403c connected between the drive gears 403b and the drive shaft 403a. In this embodiment, the first drive unit 403 is driven by a motor, the drive shaft 403a is connected to the output end of the motor, the transmission component 403c is a transmission belt, and the drive shaft 403a rotates alternately in both directions by the motor.

[0113] Preferably, one side of the first sealing plate 401 and the second sealing plate 402 is provided with racks 403d that are adapted to the drive gears 403b. The two sets of racks 403d located on the first sealing plate 401 and the second sealing plate 402 respectively mesh with the different sides of the drive gears 403b. In this way, the two sets of drive gears 403b rotating in the same direction can drive the first sealing plate 401 and the second sealing plate 402 to move in opposite directions through the racks 403d. The first sealing plate 401 and the second sealing plate 402 move in opposite directions when they reach the highest or lowest position. At this time, the motor performs alternating forward and reverse rotation. Specifically, when the second sealing plate 402 moves from a high position to a low position, the first sealing plate 401 moves from a low position to a high position.

[0114] The remaining structure is the same as in Example 3.

[0115] Working principle: In the initial stage of material conveying, both the first sealing plate 401 and the second sealing plate 402 are aligned with the corresponding first opening 101 and second opening 102 through the first sealing section M to form a seal. Then, the motor drives the drive shaft 403a to rotate forward. The drive shaft 403a drives the drive gears 403b on both sides to rotate forward through the transmission component 403c. The drive gears 403b drive the first sealing plate 401 and the second sealing plate 402 to move in opposite directions through the rack 403d: the second sealing plate 402 moves downward and the first sealing plate 401 moves upward. The second sealing plate 402 moves down to align with the connecting section L and the second opening 102, and the first sealing plate 401 moves up to align with the second sealing section N and the first opening 101. Thus, the second opening 102 opens and the first opening 101 closes. During the opening of the second opening 102, the first opening 101 remains covered by the first sealing section M and the second sealing section N, and the first opening 101 is always sealed, which meets the requirements. In this way, after the second opening 102 is opened, the material is conveyed to the cavity space of the transmission chamber 100 through the conveying assembly 300.

[0116] Then, the motor drives the drive shaft 403a to reverse, at which point the second sealing plate 402 moves upward and the first sealing plate 401 moves downward. The first sealing plate 401 and the second sealing plate 402 return to a state where they are both aligned with the corresponding first opening 101 and second opening 102 through the first sealing section M to form a seal, and the first opening 101 remains sealed during this process. At this time, a vacuum is drawn into the transfer chamber 100, and the drive shaft 403a can continue to rotate in the original direction. The transfer chamber 100 is evacuated before the first sealing plate 401 moves downward to the connecting section L and intersects with the first opening 101. When the first sealing plate 401 moves downward to the connecting section L and aligns with the first opening 101, the second sealing plate 402 moves upward to the second sealing section N and aligns with the second opening 102 to form a seal, and the second opening 102 remains sealed during this process, meeting the opening requirements of the first opening 101. At this time, the material is transported to the vacuum chamber 200 through the conveying assembly 300.

[0117] Finally, the motor drives the drive shaft 403a to rotate forward, causing the second sealing plate 402 to move downwards and the first sealing plate 401 to move upwards. The second sealing plate 402 moves downwards until the first sealing section M aligns with the second opening 102, sealing it completely. During this process, the second opening 102 remains sealed. The first sealing plate 401 moves upwards until the first sealing section M aligns with the first opening 101, returning to the initial stage of material conveying. Then, the next material conveying cycle can begin. This cooperative structure of the first sealing plate 401 and the second sealing plate 402 ensures the correct sequence of closing and opening of the first opening 101 and the second opening 102, and maintains a seal within the cavity of the transfer chamber 100 when the first opening 101 and the second opening 102 are closed.

[0118] Example 5

[0119] Reference Figure 1 - Figure 18 This is the fifth embodiment of the present invention. Unlike the previous embodiment, this embodiment provides a preferred implementation of the conveying component 300, which can complete the overall movement of the pusher plate 302 and the support plate 301 and the pushing movement of the pusher plate 302 through one round-trip motion.

[0120] Specifically, the pusher plate 302 and the support plate 301 are connected along the conveying path P. i The upper edge is linearly slidably connected, and the support plate 301 is relative to the transmission chamber 100 in the conveying path P. i The upper part moves back and forth along a straight line. The second drive unit 303 adopts a common motor screw drive and has a moving end that moves back and forth along a straight line. The moving end is connected to the pusher plate 302. A blocking support plate 301 is provided in the transmission chamber 100 along the conveying path P. i A movable limiting baffle 103. By setting the limiting baffle 103 to restrict the conveying endpoint of the support plate 301, taking the conveying assembly 300 conveying material into the cavity space as an example, when the support plate 301 moves through the second opening 102, so that the discharge chute 301a enters the cavity space and aligns with the push chute 302a of the next set of conveying assemblies 300, the support plate 301 is just blocked by the limiting baffle 103, and the limiting baffle 103 has a positioning function.

[0121] A spring 302d connects the pusher plate 302 and the support plate 301. The spring 302d is always in a stretched state when the pusher plate 302 and the support plate 301 slide relative to each other. The spring 302d pulls the pusher plate 302 to maintain it in the initial position relative to the support plate 301. When the pusher plate 302 and the support plate 301 slide relative to each other, the spring 302d is stretched to generate a rebound force so that the pusher plate 302 eventually returns to the initial position relative to the support plate 301.

[0122] Preferably, the pusher plate 302 and the support plate 301 are also provided with mutually compatible elastic protrusions 302b and slots 302c. When the elastic protrusion 302b is provided on the pusher plate 302, the slot 302c is provided on the support plate 301. The maximum frictional resistance F1 between the elastic protrusion 302b and the slot 302c in the conveying direction is greater than the sliding friction force F2 experienced by the support plate 301 when it moves. Therefore, when the pusher plate 302 moves under force, if the support plate 301 is only subjected to the resistance of the sliding friction force F2, the elastic protrusion 302b will not separate from the slot 302c, and the pusher plate 302 will drive the support plate 301 to move synchronously. Figure 12 The diagram shows the state when the support plate 301 is stopped by the limiting baffle 103. The resistance of the support plate 301 to the pusher plate 302 becomes greater than the maximum frictional resistance F1. The elastic protrusion 302b slides out of the slot 302c, and the pusher plate 302 can slide relative to the support plate 301, causing the spring 302d to stretch. When the pusher plate 302 moves to the alignment of the pusher groove 302a and the discharge groove 301a, the material is released. At this time, the moving end of the second drive unit 303 starts to move in the opposite direction. Under the elastic force of the spring 302d, the pusher plate 302 slides in the opposite direction relative to the support plate 301 until the elastic protrusion 302b re-enters the slot 302c. Then the support plate 301 moves in the opposite direction with the pusher plate 302, away from the limiting baffle 103, and returns to the initial position. Then the moving end of the second drive unit 303 turns to move in the forward direction again, starting the next material transport. This structure sets fixed points to limit the simultaneous and relative movement of the pusher plate 302 and the support plate 301, thus ensuring stable material transmission.

[0123] The remaining structure is the same as in Example 4.

[0124] Example 6

[0125] Reference Figure 1 - Figure 20 This is the sixth embodiment of the present invention. Unlike the previous embodiment, this embodiment provides a physical vapor deposition apparatus, which includes the aforementioned continuous vacuum chamber feeding mechanism, as well as a vacuum chamber 200, a lifting assembly 500, and a conveying assembly 300 disposed in the vacuum chamber. The material conveyed by the apparatus is a target material, which is a long cylindrical shape. Generally, the shape remaining after deposition is a short cylindrical section. After the target material is unloaded by the automatic feeding device 800, it is transported by the aforementioned continuous vacuum chamber feeding mechanism.

[0126] Specifically, the vacuum chamber 200 has a vacuum chamber that meets the requirements of the deposition working environment, and a crucible 201 adapted to the target material is provided at the deposition position of the vacuum chamber. An electron beam is generated by setting the deposition position, and the electron beam is directed towards the crucible 201. Deposition occurs after the target material enters the position of the crucible 201.

[0127] Furthermore, the delivery assembly 300 is provided with at least three sets, located respectively inside the cavity space, outside the second opening 102, and inside the vacuum chamber. In this case, the total delivery path P of the target material becomes from outside the second opening 102 through the cavity space, into the vacuum chamber, until it is finally moved into the crucible 201. Of course, the description of the location of the delivery assembly 300 here refers to each set of delivery assemblies 300 within its delivery path P. i The initial position. The conveying assembly 300, located within the vacuum chamber, is used to convey the target material to position Z below the crucible 201. The lifting assembly 500, located at the bottom of the vacuum chamber, is used to convey the target material at position Z into the crucible 201.

[0128] Preferably, the lifting assembly 500 is driven by an electric telescopic rod or a cylinder, including a fixed end 501 fixedly connected to the bottom of the vacuum chamber, and a lifting end 502 that reciprocates longitudinally relative to the fixed end. In the conveying assembly 300 located within the vacuum chamber: a support plate 301 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the vacuum chamber, and the support plate 301 has a through groove 301b at position Z that is adapted to the lifting end 502. The size of the through groove 301b can be smaller than the size of the push groove 302a. When the target material stops at the position of the through groove 301b, the lifting end 502 pushes the target material upward through the through groove 301b to the crucible 201 for deposition. Since the positions of the lifting assembly 500 and the crucible 201 are fixed, the target material can be accurately pushed into the crucible 201 simply by accurately stopping it at the position of the through groove 301b.

[0129] The rest of the structure is the same as in Example 5.

[0130] Example 7

[0131] Reference Figure 1 - Figure 23 This is the seventh embodiment of the present invention. Unlike the previous embodiment, this embodiment provides another preferred implementation of the conveying component 300, as well as the discharge component 600 and the second sealing component 700, to facilitate the discharge of the remaining target material waste after deposition from the vacuum chamber 200.

[0132] Specifically, in the conveying assembly 300 located within the vacuum chamber: the pusher plate 302 is positioned relative to the support plate 301 along the conveying path P. i The second drive unit 303 has an intermittently rotating output end that is fixedly connected to the rotation center of the pusher plate 302. The intermittent period of the output end is adapted to the reciprocating period of the lifting end 502. In this embodiment, the conveying assembly 300 adopts a double-layer structure with the pusher plate 302 rotating and the support plate 301 fixed. The second drive unit 303 is controlled by a motor to rotate intermittently. Since the support plate 301 is fixedly set, the through groove 301b can also be fixedly set to always be adapted to the position of the lifting assembly 500 and the crucible 201.

[0133] Similar to the principle of material transfer between two adjacent sets of conveying components 300 in Example 3, the conveying component 300 in the vacuum chamber moves the pusher trough 302a to a new position Y and stops it, while the discharge trough 301a in the cavity space moves to a new position X to release the material, thereby realizing the transfer of the target material.

[0134] Furthermore, the discharge assembly 600 includes a boss 601 located at the bottom of the pusher plate 302 and a discharge chamber 602 located on one side of the vacuum chamber. The boss 601 is specifically a long strip of metal or other high-temperature resistant material, and its main function is to push away the remaining target material. After the lifting end 502 pushes the target material into the crucible 201, a short section of waste residue will remain. Figure 23 As shown, in this embodiment, the top of the lifting end 502 has a protrusion that engages with the bottom of the target material (i.e., the target waste). As the lifting end 502 retracts, when it reaches its lowest point, its top is aligned horizontally with the top of the through groove 301b, thus not obstructing the pusher plate 302. The waste target material bottom, under the support of gravity and the lifting end 502, will follow and move back to the through groove 301b. As the pusher plate 302 continues to rotate, the protrusion 601 rotates along with it, pushing the target waste at the through groove 301b along the surface of the support plate 301 until the target waste moves to the discharge trough 301a, where it detaches.

[0135] The discharge chamber 602 includes a third opening 602a that communicates with the vacuum chamber and a fourth opening 602b that communicates with the outside. The second sealing assembly 700 includes a third sealing plate 701 that is movable to adjust the size of the third opening 602a and a fourth sealing plate 702 that is movable to adjust the size of the fourth opening 602b.

[0136] The third opening 602a opens only when the vacuum level of the discharge chamber 602 is lower than a preset value, and the fourth opening 602b opens only when the third opening 602a is closed. In the conveying assembly 300 located within the vacuum chamber, the dimensions of the discharge trough 301a are adapted to the dimensions of the boss 601. The structural shape of the discharge chamber 602 can be the same as that of the transfer chamber 100, and the structural shape of the second sealing assembly 700 can be the same as that of the first sealing assembly 400, thereby enabling the removal of target material waste from the discharge chamber 602 outside the vacuum chamber 200 without disrupting its vacuum level. The process is similar to the target material conveying process described above via the transfer chamber 100, and will not be repeated here.

[0137] Preferably, in the delivery assembly 300 located in the vacuum chamber, the pusher plate 302 is provided with multiple sets of pusher grooves 302a, the interval of the multiple sets of pusher grooves 302a is adapted to the deposition time of the target material, so as to continuously deposit the target material.

[0138] In one alternative embodiment, the third opening 602a is located directly below the discharge trough 301a. The target material waste falls from the discharge trough 301a into the third opening 602a and is discharged freely by falling from the target material waste. This method is low-cost, but it imposes limitations on the positions of the discharge chamber 602 and the third opening 602a.

[0139] In another alternative embodiment, the third opening 602a is located below the discharge trough 301a, and a guide plate 603 is connected between the discharge trough 301a and the third opening 602a. The target material waste rolls into the third opening 602a through the guide plate 603. Since the use value of the target material waste is greatly reduced, it can be discharged directly by the rolling method of the guide plate 603. The structure is simple, but the method of guiding the discharge by the guide plate 603 makes the installation position of the discharge chamber 602 more flexible.

[0140] In another alternative embodiment, a fourth set (in addition to the three sets mentioned above) of conveying components 300 is connected between the discharge trough 301a and the third opening 602a. The target material waste is conveyed to the third opening 602a via the fourth set of conveying components 300. At this time, the total conveying path P of the target material becomes from outside the second opening 102 through the cavity space, into the vacuum chamber, into the crucible 201, until the target material waste is finally moved to the discharge chamber 602. The fourth opening 602b can be set to face downwards, and the target material waste entering the discharge chamber 602 can be automatically moved out under the action of gravity after the fourth opening 602b opens.

[0141] The rest of the structure is the same as in Example 6.

[0142] Referring to Table 1 below, comparative data on the implementation of this solution and two existing technologies are shown.

[0143] Table 1

[0144]

[0145] As shown in Table 1 above, the number of process cycles is calculated based on a 24-hour timeframe, assuming that the time required for vacuuming, heating, cooling, and breaking the vacuum in the 200°C vacuum chamber is consistent. Based on practical experience, the vacuuming time is taken as 1 hour, the heating time as 1 hour, the cooling time as 2 hours, the breaking the vacuum time as 0.5 hours, the coating deposition time as 1 hour, and the target material replacement time as 0.5 hours.

[0146] Comparative Example 1 adopts the scheme in publication number CN216427394U. For this type of traditional equipment, each deposition process requires: vacuuming, heating, coating deposition, cooling, vacuum breaking, and target replacement. One cycle takes 6 hours, and four coating deposition processes can be completed within 24 hours.

[0147] Comparative Example 2 adopts the scheme in Publication No. CN 115279936A. According to the structural diagram of the target replacement in the scheme, four targets are used for calculation. First, the initial process is: vacuuming-heating. Then, during the coating deposition, the temperature does not need to be cooled down immediately-vacuum breaking. This process continues until the four pre-placed targets are consumed before cooling down-vacuum breaking. Then, the process of vacuuming-heating and subsequent deposition is repeated. A total of nine coating deposition processes can be completed within 24 hours.

[0148] In this embodiment of the invention, there is no need to pre-place the target material. The target material can be continuously added through the transfer chamber 100. During the process of adding the target material from the transfer chamber 100 to the vacuum chamber 200, the transfer chamber 100 is first evacuated before being transported into the vacuum chamber 200. Since the space inside the transfer chamber 100 is much smaller than the space inside the vacuum chamber 200 (here, the space ratio is less than 1 / 5), the time required for evacuation is less than 1 hour, denoted as 0.2 hours. The same applies to breaking the vacuum in the transfer chamber 100, also denoted as 0.2 hours. The time for transporting the target material through the transport assembly 300 into the transfer chamber 100 is denoted as the same as the target replacement time, which is 0.5 hours. Therefore, the total time for evacuating, breaking the vacuum in the transfer chamber 100, and transporting the target material is 0.9 hours. Since the above processes only need to be performed simultaneously with the coating deposition in the vacuum chamber 200 (which requires 1 hour), the overall coating deposition process time will not be extended. Therefore, this invention does not involve the process steps of cooling down, breaking the vacuum chamber at 200°C and then re-vacuuming and heating. It only requires the initial step of: evacuating the vacuum chamber and heating it to the working environment. Subsequently, the process of: depositing the coating and changing the target material is repeated. The coating deposition process can be completed 15 times within 24 hours.

[0149] Furthermore, since the porous material target is not placed in the vacuum chamber beforehand, the vacuum level will not be affected, and all targets will be free from contamination before the process begins. By setting the target replacement process to be fully automated, the structure is simple and reliable, reducing human error and positioning error, and significantly improving production efficiency and stability. Moreover, the target can be replaced and cleaned for an extended period of time without breaking the vacuum in the deposition chamber, achieving true continuous operation.

[0150] It should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention, and all such modifications or substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A continuous feeding mechanism for a vacuum chamber, characterized in that: include, The transmission chamber (100) has a cavity space inside. The cavity space also has a first opening (101) that communicates with the vacuum chamber (200), and a second opening (102) that communicates with the outside; and, Conveying assembly (300) for carrying materials along a set conveying path P i The conveying assembly (300) moves along its conveying path P. i Reciprocating motion; The material enters the vacuum chamber (200) via the general transport path P, which passes through the second opening (102), the cavity space, and the first opening (101) in sequence. The first opening (101) is opened only when the vacuum level of the cavity space is lower than a preset value, and the second opening (102) is opened only when the first opening (101) is closed; The conveying assembly (300) has a double-layer structure, comprising a lower support plate (301) and an upper pusher plate (302), wherein the pusher plate (302) is positioned relative to the support plate (301) along the conveying path P. i Reciprocating motion; The support plate (301) has a material feeding groove (301a) that is adapted to the material through a vertical direction, and the pusher plate (302) has a pusher groove (302a) that is adapted to the material through a vertical direction. The conveying assembly (300) is provided with j sets along the conveying direction of the total material conveying path P, and j≥2; At least one set of the conveying components (300) is disposed within the cavity space, and the other set of the conveying components (300) is disposed outside the second opening (102); Furthermore, in any two adjacent conveying assemblies (300), the discharge chute (301a) of the preceding conveying assembly (300) is located on its conveying path P. i The endpoint X, and the pusher chute (302a) of the next set of conveying components (300) are in its conveying path P i+1 The starting position Y satisfies: The horizontal height of position X is not lower than the horizontal height of position Y, and the material discharge chute (301a) moved to position X and the material pusher chute (302a) moved to position Y have an intersecting area S in the vertical direction that can accommodate material passage, 1≤i<j.

2. The vacuum chamber continuous feeding mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The pusher trough (302a) has trough walls that gradually increase in size along its conveying direction; The conveying assembly (300) also includes a pusher plate (302) or a support plate (301) for driving the material in the conveying path P. i The second drive unit (303) moves upward; The pusher plate (302) is positioned relative to the support plate (301) along the conveying path P. i Making linear motion, or the pusher plate (302) relative to the support plate (301) along the conveying path P i It moves in a circular motion.

3. The vacuum chamber continuous feeding mechanism as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: It also includes a first sealing assembly (400), which includes a first sealing plate (401) movable to adjust the size of a first opening (101), a second sealing plate (402) movable to adjust the size of a second opening (102), and a first drive unit (403) for driving the first sealing plate (401) and the second sealing plate (402).

4. The vacuum chamber continuous feeding mechanism as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The first sealing plate (401) and the second sealing plate (402) are each provided with a connecting section (L), a first sealing section (M) and a second sealing section (N) in the direction of movement. The connecting section (L), the first sealing section (M) and the second sealing section (N) are all adapted to the size of the first opening (101) and the second opening (102). The first driving unit (403) drives the first sealing plate (401) and the second sealing plate (402) to reciprocate in the vertical direction. When the connecting section (L) of the second sealing plate (402) is aligned with the second opening (102) to form a connection, the second sealing section (N) of the first sealing plate (401) is aligned with the first opening (101) to form a seal.

5. The vacuum chamber continuous feeding mechanism as described in claim 4, characterized in that: The first drive unit (403) includes a drive shaft (403a) disposed outside the transmission chamber (100), two sets of drive gears (403b) rotatably connected to the outside of the transmission chamber (100) and disposed close to the first sealing plate (401) and the second sealing plate (402) respectively, and a transmission component (403c) connected between the drive gears (403b) and the drive shaft (403a). The first sealing plate (401) and the second sealing plate (402) are respectively provided with racks (403d) adapted to the drive gear (403b) on one side. The two sets of racks (403d) located on the first sealing plate (401) and the second sealing plate (402) respectively mesh with different sides of the drive gear (403b).

6. The vacuum chamber continuous feeding mechanism as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The pusher plate (302) and the support plate (301) are located on the conveying path P. i The upper edge is slidably connected, and the support plate (301) is relative to the transmission chamber (100) on the conveying path P. i It moves back and forth along the upper straight line; The second drive unit (303) has a movable end that reciprocates in a straight line. The movable end is connected to the pusher plate (302). The transmission chamber (100) is provided with a blocking support plate (301) along the conveying path P. i Movable limit stop (103); A spring (302d) is connected between the pusher plate (302) and the support plate (301). The spring (302d) is always in a stretched state when the pusher plate (302) and the support plate (301) slide relative to each other. The pusher plate (302) and the support plate (301) are also provided with mutually compatible elastic protrusions (302b) and slots (302c). The maximum frictional resistance F1 between the elastic protrusions (302b) and the slots (302c) is greater than the sliding friction force F2 experienced by the support plate (301) when it moves.

7. A physical vapor deposition apparatus, characterized in that: The vacuum chamber continuous feeding mechanism as described in any one of claims 1 to 6 further includes, A vacuum chamber (200) having a vacuum cavity conforming to the deposition working environment, wherein a crucible (201) adapted to the target material is provided at the deposition position of the vacuum cavity; and, A lifting assembly (500) is located at the bottom of the vacuum chamber; The delivery assembly (300) is provided with at least three sets, located in the cavity space, outside the second opening (102) and inside the vacuum chamber, respectively; The delivery assembly (300) located in the vacuum chamber is used to deliver the target material to position Z below the crucible (201), and the lifting assembly (500) is used to deliver the target material at position Z into the crucible (201).

8. The physical vapor deposition apparatus as described in claim 7, characterized in that: The lifting assembly (500) includes a fixed end (501) fixedly connected to the bottom of the vacuum chamber, and a lifting end (502) that reciprocates longitudinally relative to the fixed end (501). In the delivery assembly (300) located within the vacuum chamber: The support plate (301) is fixedly connected to the bottom of the vacuum chamber, and the support plate (301) is provided with a through groove (301b) at position Z that is adapted to the lifting end (502). When the target material is stopped at the position of the through groove (301b), the lifting end (502) pushes the target material upward through the through groove (301b) to the crucible (201) for deposition.

9. The physical vapor deposition apparatus as described in claim 8, characterized in that: In the delivery assembly (300) located within the vacuum chamber: The pusher plate (302) is relative to the support plate (301) in the conveying path P i The upper part makes circular motion, and the second drive unit (303) has an intermittently rotating output end, which is fixedly connected to the rotation center of the pusher plate (302); The intermittent period of the output end is adapted to the period of the reciprocating motion of the lifting end (502).

10. The physical vapor deposition apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that: It also includes, The discharge assembly (600) includes a boss (601) located at the bottom of the pusher plate (302) and a discharge chamber (602) located on one side of the vacuum chamber. The discharge chamber (602) includes a third opening (602a) that communicates with the vacuum chamber, and a fourth opening (602b) that communicates with the outside; and, The second sealing assembly (700) includes a third sealing plate (701) movable to adjust the size of a third opening (602a) and a fourth sealing plate (702) movable to adjust the size of a fourth opening (602b). The third opening (602a) is opened only when the vacuum level of the discharge chamber (602) is lower than a preset value, and the fourth opening (602b) is opened only when the third opening (602a) is closed. And in the delivery assembly (300) located within the vacuum chamber: The dimensions of the feed chute (301a) are adapted to the dimensions of the boss (601).

11. The physical vapor deposition apparatus as described in claim 10, characterized in that: In the delivery assembly (300) located within the vacuum chamber: The pusher plate (302) is provided with multiple sets of pusher grooves (302a). The third opening (602a) is located directly below the discharge chute (301a), and the target material waste falls into the third opening (602a) from the discharge chute (301a); or, The third opening (602a) is located below the discharge trough (301a), and a guide plate (603) connects the discharge trough (301a) and the third opening (602a). The target material waste rolls into the third opening (602a) via the guide plate (603); or, A fourth set of conveying components (300) is connected between the discharge trough (301a) and the third opening (602a), and the target material waste is conveyed to the third opening (602a) through the fourth set of conveying components (300).

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