Dust removal and cleaning device for air pipe in magnetron sputtering vacuum coating chamber

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of magnetron sputtering equipment maintenance, in particular to an air pipe dedusting and cleaning device in a magnetron sputtering vacuum coating chamber, which is used for dedusting and cleaning a vacuum chamber and comprises an industrial dust collector, a cleaning air pipe is slidably arranged at the bottom of the interior of the vacuum chamber, and a plurality of air suction holes are formed in the cleaning air pipe. The driving mechanism is arranged in the vacuum chamber, and the cleaning air pipe is driven by the driving mechanism to reciprocate on the bottom of the vacuum chamber, so that the air suction holes in the cleaning air pipe can cover the whole or main area of the bottom of the vacuum chamber, and online dust removal of deposited particulate matter is achieved. On the premise that the coating process is not interrupted, online, automatic and intelligent directional cleaning is carried out on the vacuum chamber, the film quality problem caused by particulate matter floating is fundamentally solved, and meanwhile the production efficiency and the process stability are remarkably improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of magnetron sputtering equipment maintenance technology, and in particular to a dust removal and cleaning device for the gas pipes inside a magnetron sputtering vacuum coating chamber. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of perovskite thin film preparation, vacuum chambers are crucial environments for achieving high-quality thin film deposition. However, in magnetron sputtering deposition processes, a large amount of particulate matter gradually accumulates inside the chamber over time. These particles mainly originate from the condensation of volatile materials during the process, substrate debris shedding, and minor wear on the chamber walls. During deposition within the chamber, the airflow is dynamic, and these airflow disturbances cause the bottom-deposited particles to float and potentially adhere to the surface of the growing perovskite film or become embedded within it. This leads to problems such as pinholes, defects, and uneven thickness, severely affecting the film's photoelectric properties and structural integrity, thereby reducing the stability of the deposition process and product yield.

[0003] To address this problem, existing technologies have adopted a variety of measures:

[0004] 1. Regular Shutdown for Manual Cleaning: After a process interruption, operators must open the vacuum chamber and remove particles deposited at the bottom by wiping and blowing. While this method can reduce particle accumulation to some extent, frequent shutdowns severely impact production continuity, significantly reduce process efficiency, and increase time and labor costs. Furthermore, the process of re-vacuuming after each cleaning not only consumes a large amount of energy but may also introduce new contaminants due to improper operation, affecting the stability of the chamber's cleanliness.

[0005] II. Installing Filters or Baffles: Some existing technologies attempt to reduce particulate matter floatation by installing simple filters or baffles within the chamber through physical barriers. However, perovskite coating processes have extremely high requirements for airflow distribution. The installation of filters or baffles can easily interfere with the normal airflow state within the chamber, disrupting the required airflow uniformity and potentially leading to abnormal film growth. Furthermore, these devices themselves can easily become new deposition carriers for particulate matter, failing to fundamentally solve the problem.

[0006] 3. Continuous Inert Gas Purging: Some methods employ continuous inert gas purging to suppress particulate matter float. While this method effectively controls particulate matter float, it significantly increases inert gas consumption, raising process costs. Excessive purging may also affect vacuum levels and thin film deposition rates, compromising process stability.

[0007] In summary, existing technologies have many shortcomings in solving the problem of particulate matter floating at the bottom of perovskite coating vacuum chambers, including affecting production continuity, interfering with the process environment, and having high costs. Therefore, in order to solve the above problems, we propose a dust removal and cleaning device for the gas pipes inside a magnetron sputtering vacuum coating chamber. Summary of the Invention

[0008] In view of this, the purpose of this invention is to provide a dust removal and cleaning device for the gas pipe inside a magnetron sputtering vacuum coating chamber, so as to solve the problems of film quality defects caused by floating particles at the bottom of the vacuum chamber in the prior art, and the production efficiency affected by the need to stop the machine for traditional cleaning methods.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a dust removal and cleaning device for the gas pipe inside a magnetron sputtering vacuum coating chamber, used for dust removal and cleaning of the vacuum chamber, comprising:

[0010] An industrial vacuum cleaner, wherein the industrial vacuum cleaner is disposed outside a vacuum chamber;

[0011] A cleaning air tube is slidably disposed on the bottom of the vacuum chamber, and the cleaning air tube is provided with multiple air intake holes;

[0012] A connecting pipe, which is used to connect an industrial vacuum cleaner to a cleaning air hose;

[0013] A drive mechanism, which is located inside the vacuum chamber, is used to drive the cleaning air tube to reciprocate at the bottom of the vacuum chamber;

[0014] The cleaning air pipe moves back and forth at the bottom of the vacuum chamber under the drive of the driving mechanism, so that the air inlet on the cleaning air pipe can cover the entire area at the bottom of the vacuum chamber, thereby achieving the cleaning and dust removal of deposited particles.

[0015] Preferably, the cleaning air tube is U-shaped and reciprocating, and the air inlet on the cleaning air tube is oriented downward, left, or right, and all air inlets are oriented in the same direction to form a directional airflow field and improve particle capture efficiency.

[0016] Preferably, the connecting pipeline includes a main pipeline, one end of which is connected to an industrial vacuum cleaner, and the other end of which passes through a vacuum chamber and is connected to a branch pipeline. The branch pipeline is connected to one end of a cleaning air pipe via a flexible hose, which ensures that the cleaning air pipe maintains airflow during operation.

[0017] Preferably, a switch valve is installed on the main pipeline.

[0018] Preferably, the driving mechanism includes two tracks installed in the vacuum chamber. Above the tracks, there is a moving plate connected to the cleaning air pipe. The moving plate is slidably mounted on the tracks through rollers.

[0019] A servo motor is installed outside the vacuum chamber. The output shaft of the servo motor penetrates into the vacuum chamber and is fixedly connected to a gear. Teeth meshing with the gear are provided on one of the moving plates. The servo motor drives the gear to rotate, causing the moving plate to perform linear reciprocating motion along the tracks, thereby driving the cleaning air pipe to perform sweeping cleaning.

[0020] Preferably, it further includes a programmable controller and a detection module. The detection module is used to detect the deposition status of particles at the bottom of the vacuum chamber in real time and output a detection signal.

[0021] The programmable controller is communicatively connected to the industrial vacuum cleaner, the servo motor, and the detection module, and a judgment threshold is pre-stored inside the programmable controller.

[0022] Preferably, the programmable controller is configured to:

[0023] Receive the detection signal from the detection module and compare the value of the detection signal with the judgment threshold.

[0024] Based on the comparison result, jointly control the servo motor and the industrial vacuum cleaner to dynamically match the moving speed of the cleaning air pipe and the suction power of the industrial vacuum cleaner.

[0025] Preferably, the dynamic matching includes: when the value of the detection signal is greater than or equal to the judgment threshold, the programmable controller determines that the current area is a severely deposited area of particles, and controls any one or more of reducing the moving speed of the cleaning air pipe and increasing the suction power of the industrial vacuum cleaner.

[0026] Preferably, the detection module includes an optical sensor disposed inside the vacuum chamber. The optical sensor is configured to detect the deposition thickness of particles by means of laser scattering or image recognition.

[0027] Preferably, the judgment threshold is a light intensity threshold or an image gray level threshold.

[0028] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0029] First, significantly improve the cleaning effect and coating quality: Through the joint control of the movable cleaning air pipe and the industrial vacuum cleaner, online, dynamic, and active dust removal is achieved, which can timely remove particles at the bottom of the chamber, fundamentally reducing the risk of particles floating and adhering to the film surface due to air flow disturbance. This directly results in a reduction in pinholes and defects of the perovskite film, a significant improvement in the film thickness uniformity and optoelectronic properties, and a substantial increase in the product yield.

[0030] II. Intelligent and Adaptive Cleaning for Optimal Efficiency: A speed-suction matching mechanism based on deposit conditions is introduced. Compared to traditional fixed-parameter cleaning methods, this mechanism achieves intelligent and adaptive cleaning. In areas with thicker deposits, the system automatically reduces its movement speed or increases suction power to ensure thorough removal of particles; in areas with less deposits, it can pass through quickly, thereby improving overall cleaning efficiency. This optimization avoids energy waste and the problems of under- or over-cleaning, achieving the best balance between cleaning efficiency and effectiveness.

[0031] 3. Ensuring process stability: The cleaning process is carried out in a closed chamber, which does not affect the vacuum level and internal airflow field, avoiding process fluctuations introduced by the cleaning operation and ensuring the stability and complexity of the coating process.

[0032] IV. High applicability and easy integration: The modular design makes the device easy to adapt to different models of coating equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0033] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 2 For the present invention Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the cleaning air pipe and drive mechanism inside the medium vacuum chamber;

[0036] Figure 3 This is a top view of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 4 This is a side view of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the trachea and inhalation port of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the control connection between the programmable controller and the detection module of the present invention.

[0040] In the diagram: 1. Vacuum chamber; 2. Industrial vacuum cleaner; 3. Cleaning air pipe; 4. Main pipe; 5. Branch pipe; 6. Hose; 7. Switch valve; 8. Track; 9. Moving plate; 10. Roller; 11. Servo motor; 12. Gear; 13. Programmable controller; 14. Detection module. Detailed Implementation

[0041] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0042] It should be noted that, unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in the embodiments of this invention should have the ordinary meaning understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in this invention do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Terms such as "comprising" or "including" mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the elements or objects listed following the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. Terms such as "connected" or "linked" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. Terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are used only to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0043] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 As shown, a dust removal and cleaning device for the gas pipe inside a magnetron sputtering vacuum coating chamber is used to clean the dust in the vacuum chamber 1, comprising:

[0044] Industrial vacuum cleaner 2, which is located outside the vacuum chamber 1;

[0045] Cleaning air pipe 3 is slidably installed on the bottom of the vacuum chamber 1, and multiple suction holes are opened on the cleaning air pipe 3.

[0046] Connecting tubing, used to connect industrial vacuum cleaner 2 to cleaning air hose 3;

[0047] A drive mechanism is located inside the vacuum chamber 1 and is used to drive the cleaning air tube 3 to reciprocate at the bottom of the vacuum chamber 1.

[0048] The cleaning air pipe 3 moves back and forth at the bottom of the vacuum chamber 1 under the drive of the driving mechanism, so that the suction hole on the cleaning air pipe 3 can cover the entire area at the bottom of the vacuum chamber 1, thereby achieving the cleaning and dust removal of deposited particles.

[0049] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cleaning air tube 3 is U-shaped and reciprocating. The air inlet on the cleaning air tube 3 is oriented downward, left, or right, and all air inlets are oriented in the same direction to form a directional airflow field. The direction of the air inlet can be downward, left, or backward depending on the device. Maintaining the consistency of direction to ensure that the airflow can flow in the same direction is the key to ensuring the cleaning function.

[0050] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the connecting pipeline includes a main pipeline 4, one end of which is connected to the industrial vacuum cleaner 2, and the other end of which passes into the vacuum chamber 1 and is connected to a branch pipeline 5. The branch pipeline 5 is connected to one end of the cleaning air pipe 3 through a flexible hose 6, which enables the cleaning air pipe 3 to maintain airflow during movement.

[0051] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a switch valve 7 is installed on the main pipeline 4, and the switch valve 7 is used to control the on / off state of the main pipeline 4.

[0052] It should be noted that the drive mechanism includes two tracks 8 installed inside the vacuum chamber 1. A movable plate 9 connected to the cleaning air pipe 3 is set above the tracks 8. The movable plate 9 is slidably installed on the tracks 8 via rollers 10. The movable plate 9 can slide smoothly on the tracks 8 due to the design of the rollers 10. The movable plate 9 is located above the tracks 8. Since cleaning can be performed without stopping the machine, it can be performed after the equipment has been used for a period of time or while working. Therefore, the particles deposited at the bottom of the chamber will not affect the normal movement of the rollers 10 on the tracks 8.

[0053] A servo motor 11 is installed on the outside of the vacuum chamber 1. The output shaft of the servo motor 11 passes into the vacuum chamber 1 and is fixedly connected to a gear 12. One of the moving plates 9 has teeth that mesh with the gear 12. The servo motor 11 drives the gear 12 to rotate, causing the moving plate 9 to move linearly back and forth along the track 8, thereby driving the cleaning air pipe 3 to sweep and clean.

[0054] When cleaning is required, turn on the external industrial vacuum cleaner 2 and simultaneously turn on the servo motor 11. The servo motor 11 drives the gear 12 to rotate, which in turn causes the moving plate 9 to move left and right. Since the moving plate 9 is connected to the cleaning air pipe 3, the moving plate 9 will drive the cleaning air pipe 3 to move back and forth left and right. The flexible hose 6 ensures that the normal movement of the cleaning air pipe 3 is not obstructed, and that the air passage remains open throughout the movement. The cleaning air pipe 3 is covered with suction holes (such as...). Figure 5 The direction of this air vent varies depending on the equipment; it can be downward, left, or backward. Maintaining a consistent direction to ensure airflow is crucial for guaranteeing the cleaning function. The moving plate 9 drives the cleaning air tube 3 to move left and right at the bottom of the coating chamber to clean coating residue.

[0055] The above solutions provide one of the driving methods. If a hinge method is used, the internal transmission plate is also driven to move the cleaning air tube 3. It can move left and right or forward and backward (the specific direction of movement can be adjusted according to the actual application). The purpose is to ensure that the operating area of ​​the cleaning air tube 3 can cover all or most of the bottom area of ​​the cavity. During the movement of the cleaning air tube 3, these suction holes are directly facing the bottom of the cavity, which efficiently sucks in the deposited particles, thus achieving the cleaning function.

[0056] It should be noted that the system also includes a programmable controller 13 and a detection module 14. The detection module 14 is used to detect the deposition status of particles at the bottom of the vacuum chamber 1 in real time and output a detection signal.

[0057] The programmable controller 13 is communicatively connected to the industrial vacuum cleaner 2, the servo motor 11 and the detection module 14, and the programmable controller has a judgment threshold pre-stored inside.

[0058] The programmable controller 13 is configured as follows:

[0059] Receive the detection signal from the detection module 14 and compare the value of the detection signal with the judgment threshold;

[0060] Based on the comparison results, the linkage control servo motor 11 and industrial vacuum cleaner 2 are used to dynamically match the moving speed of the cleaning air tube 3 with the suction power of the industrial vacuum cleaner 2.

[0061] Dynamic matching includes: when the value of the detection signal is greater than or equal to the judgment threshold, the programmable controller 13 determines that the current area is a serious particulate matter deposition area, and controls to reduce the moving speed of the cleaning air tube 3 and control to increase the suction power of the industrial vacuum cleaner 2, or any one or more of these.

[0062] The detection module 14 includes an optical sensor disposed inside the vacuum chamber 1, which is configured to detect the particulate matter deposition thickness by means of laser scattering or image recognition.

[0063] The threshold is either the light intensity threshold or the image grayscale threshold.

[0064] An optical sensor is used as the detection module 14, which can be installed on the observation window at the top of the chamber, pointing towards the bottom area. The programmable controller 13 can be integrated into the electrical control cabinet (not shown in the figure) to receive the light intensity signal from the optical sensor in real time. The programmable controller has a preset light intensity threshold (representing the thickness of the deposit that needs to be cleaned more thoroughly). When the cleaning tube 3 moves to a certain area and the sensor signal intensity is greater than or equal to this threshold, the controller determines that the deposit in that area is severe and immediately sends a command to the servo motor 11 to reduce its speed (i.e., the moving speed of the cleaning tube 3). At the same time, it can send a command to the industrial vacuum cleaner 2 to increase its power. Conversely, when the signal intensity returns to normal, the controller commands the system to restore the standard moving speed and suction power. Through this threshold-based real-time feedback control, precise and efficient adaptive cleaning is achieved.

[0065] Those skilled in the art should understand that the discussion of any of the above embodiments is merely exemplary and is not intended to imply that the scope of the invention is limited to these examples; within the framework of the invention, the technical features of the above embodiments or different embodiments can also be combined, the steps can be implemented in any order, and there are many other variations of the different aspects of the invention as described above, which are not provided in detail for the sake of brevity.

[0066] The embodiments of this invention are intended to cover all such substitutions, modifications, and variations falling within the broad scope of the appended claims. Therefore, any omissions, modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this invention should be included within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. A dust removal and cleaning device for the gas pipe inside a magnetron sputtering vacuum coating chamber, used for dust removal and cleaning of a vacuum chamber (1), characterized in that, include: An industrial vacuum cleaner (2) is disposed outside the vacuum chamber (1); Cleaning air pipe (3) is slidably disposed on the bottom of the vacuum chamber (1) and multiple suction holes are provided on the cleaning air pipe (3); A connecting pipe for connecting an industrial vacuum cleaner (2) to a cleaning air pipe (3); A drive mechanism is provided inside the vacuum chamber (1) for driving the cleaning air tube (3) to reciprocate at the bottom of the vacuum chamber (1); The cleaning air pipe (3) moves back and forth on the bottom of the vacuum chamber (1) under the drive of the driving mechanism, so that the suction hole on the cleaning air pipe (3) can cover the entire area of ​​the bottom of the vacuum chamber (1) to achieve cleaning and dust removal of deposited particles.

2. The dust removal and cleaning device for the gas pipe inside a magnetron sputtering vacuum coating chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cleaning air tube (3) is U-shaped and reciprocating. The air inlet on the cleaning air tube (3) is oriented downward, left or right, and all air inlets are oriented in the same direction to form a directional airflow field.

3. The dust removal and cleaning device for the gas pipe inside a magnetron sputtering vacuum coating chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connecting pipeline includes a main pipeline (4), one end of which is connected to an industrial vacuum cleaner (2), and the other end of which passes into a vacuum chamber (1) and is connected to a branch pipeline (5). The branch pipeline (5) is connected to one end of a cleaning air pipe (3) via a flexible hose (6). The flexible hose (6) ensures that the cleaning air pipe (3) can always maintain airflow during movement.

4. The dust removal and cleaning device for the gas pipe inside a magnetron sputtering vacuum coating chamber according to claim 3, characterized in that, A switch valve (7) is installed on the main pipeline (4).

5. The dust removal and cleaning device for the gas pipe inside a magnetron sputtering vacuum coating chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive mechanism includes two tracks (8) installed in the vacuum chamber (1), and a movable plate (9) connected to the cleaning air pipe (3) is provided above the tracks (8). The movable plate (9) is slidably installed on the tracks (8) by rollers (10). A servo motor (11) is installed outside the vacuum chamber (1). The output shaft of the servo motor (11) passes into the vacuum chamber (1) and is fixedly connected to a gear (12). One of the moving plates (9) has teeth that mesh with the gear (12). The servo motor (11) drives the gear (12) to rotate, causing the moving plate (9) to move linearly back and forth along the track (8), thereby driving the cleaning air pipe (3) to sweep and clean.

6. The dust removal and cleaning device for the gas pipe inside a magnetron sputtering vacuum coating chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a programmable controller (13) and a detection module (14), the detection module (14) being used to detect the deposition status of particles at the bottom of the vacuum chamber (1) in real time and output a detection signal; The programmable controller (13) is connected in communication with the industrial vacuum cleaner (2), the servo motor (11) and the detection module (14), and the programmable controller has a judgment threshold pre-stored inside.

7. The dust removal and cleaning device for the gas pipe inside a magnetron sputtering vacuum coating chamber according to claim 6, characterized in that, The programmable controller (13) is configured to: Receive the detection signal from the detection module (14) and compare the value of the detection signal with the judgment threshold; Based on the comparison results, the linkage control servo motor (11) and industrial vacuum cleaner (2) are used to dynamically match the moving speed of the cleaning air tube (3) with the suction power of the industrial vacuum cleaner (2).

8. The dust removal and cleaning device for the gas pipe inside a magnetron sputtering vacuum coating chamber according to claim 7, characterized in that, The dynamic matching includes: when the value of the detection signal is greater than or equal to the judgment threshold, the programmable controller (13) judges that the current area is a serious particulate matter deposition area, and controls to reduce the moving speed of the cleaning air tube (3) and control to increase the suction power of the industrial vacuum cleaner (2) by any one or more of the following:

9. A dust removal and cleaning device for the gas pipe inside a magnetron sputtering vacuum coating chamber according to claim 7, characterized in that, The detection module (14) includes an optical sensor disposed inside the vacuum chamber (1), which is configured to detect the particulate deposition thickness by means of laser scattering or image recognition.

10. A dust removal and cleaning device for the gas pipe inside a magnetron sputtering vacuum coating chamber according to claim 9, characterized in that, The judgment threshold is either a light intensity threshold or an image grayscale threshold.

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