A magnetron sputtering coating machine for large-area uniform coating

Abstract

The application discloses a magnetron sputtering coating machine for large-area uniform coating, which comprises a machine shell, the upper surface of the machine shell is fixedly provided with guide rods, the outer surfaces of the two groups of guide rods are slidingly provided with sealing covers, the lower surfaces of the sealing covers are fixedly connected with corrugated washers, so that the sealing covers can block the upper ends of the sealing cavities through the corrugated washers by sliding along the guide rods, the sealing cavities are formed in the machine shell by being fixedly provided with two groups of sealing plates, the magnetron sputtering mechanisms are rotatably arranged in the sealing covers, so that the sealing covers can drive the magnetron sputtering mechanisms to be in communication with the sealing cavities while being perpendicular to the supporting mechanisms. Through the design of the magnetron sputtering mechanisms and the supporting mechanisms, the sealing cavities can be opened and closed and the supporting mechanisms can be lifted and lowered in the linear module linkage, and the multi-dimensional movement of the magnetron sputtering mechanisms and the cooperation of the vacuum and gas systems are combined, so that the efficient and uniform coating of large-area substrates is finally realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of magnetron sputtering coating machine technology, specifically a magnetron sputtering coating machine for large-area uniform coating. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of material surface treatment technology, magnetron sputtering coating is widely used in industries such as electronics, optics, and decoration due to its ability to produce high-quality thin films. However, traditional magnetron sputtering coating machines are prone to problems such as uneven film thickness, poor equipment adaptability, and complex operation procedures when coating large-area substrates, which restricts their application in high-end manufacturing scenarios.

[0003] For example, the national authorized patent announcement number CN201890921U discloses a magnetron sputtering moving target device for a vacuum coating machine. The magnetron sputtering target device for a vacuum coating machine of this invention includes a guide rail, a moving device, a magnetron sputtering target, a traction device, and a drive device. The guide rail is located above the vacuum coating chamber, the moving device is installed in the guide rail, and the magnetron sputtering target device is installed on the moving device. One end of the traction device is connected to the moving device, and the other end is connected to the drive device. The magnetron sputtering target device for a vacuum coating machine of this invention is a movable magnetron sputtering target, which has a simple structure, is easy to control, and produces uniform coating, making it particularly suitable for coating large-area workpieces.

[0004] However, the aforementioned magnetron sputtering moving target device for a vacuum coating machine only achieves unidirectional or bidirectional translation of the target material by sliding the moving device along the guide rail. The motion dimension is limited to a linear trajectory, and it cannot achieve complex movements such as multi-angle rotation and arc swing. For large-area workpieces, such as wide plates and curved components, it is difficult to dynamically match the distance between the target material and the workpiece surface and the sputtering angle, which easily leads to the problem of "thin film layer in the edge area and excessive deposition in the center area". The so-called "uniform coating" can only meet the requirements of low precision.

[0005] Furthermore, it is equipped with only a single magnetron sputtering target, which cannot achieve alternating sputtering of multiple targets. If a multilayer composite film is to be prepared, the coating process must be interrupted and the vacuum environment must be destroyed if the target needs to be changed. The operation is cumbersome and inefficient, which limits its application to coating of a single type of workpiece. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a magnetron sputtering coating machine for large-area uniform coating, so as to solve the problems mentioned in the background art, such as poor coating uniformity of large-area workpieces and lack of multi-target collaborative working ability, which limit the application scenarios of the aforementioned magnetron sputtering moving target device.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0008] A magnetron sputtering coating machine for large-area uniform coating includes: a housing, on the upper surface of which guide rails are fixedly installed, and on the outer surfaces of two sets of guide rails are slidably installed sealing covers. Corrugated gaskets are fixedly connected to the lower surface of the sealing covers, so that the sealing covers can seal the upper end of the sealing cavity through the corrugated gaskets by sliding guide rails. The sealing cavity is formed by two sets of sealing plates fixedly installed inside the housing.

[0009] The sealing cover is rotatably mounted with a magnetron sputtering mechanism, so that the sealing cover can drive the magnetron sputtering mechanism to connect with the sealing cavity and make it perpendicular to the support mechanism. The support mechanism is installed between two sets of sealing plates. The drive end of the support mechanism passes through one set of sealing plates and the housing through a sealing bearing and rotates to mesh with the rack. The rack is connected to the lower surface of the plate, and the connecting plate is fixedly installed on the lower surface of one end of the sealing cover.

[0010] Preferably, a linear module is fixedly installed at one end of the housing, and an mounting plate is fixedly installed at one end of the moving block of the linear module. The mounting plate is fixedly installed at the other end of the outer surface of the sealing cover, so that the linear module can drive the sealing cover to slide laterally on the outer surface of the guide rail rod through the moving block.

[0011] The linear module, during the process of driving the sealing cover to slide laterally to the left or right to expand and seal the sealing cavity, can also drive the rack to engage the drive end of the support mechanism, allowing it to be driven to perform vertical upward or downward lifting operations within the sealing cavity between the two sets of sealing plates.

[0012] Preferably, a compressed gas tank is fixedly installed at one end inside the housing, and a vacuum pump group is fixedly installed on the upper surface of the compressed gas tank. The vacuum pump group consists of a molecular pump, a Roots pump, and a mechanical pump. The suction pipe of the vacuum pump group and the exhaust pipe of the compressed gas tank are both connected to the sealing cavity through a sealing plate.

[0013] The vacuum pump unit's suction pipe and the compressed gas tank's exhaust pipe are both connected to and installed with solenoid valves at their middle ends.

[0014] Preferably, the compressed gas tank contains argon gas.

[0015] Preferably, the magnetron sputtering mechanism includes a connecting ring, which is fixedly installed inside a sealing cover. A rotating ring is rotatably installed inside the sealing cover. A spherical cover is installed on the upper surface of the rotating ring. Three sets of U-shaped guide tubes are equidistantly installed on the outer surface of the spherical cover. The U-shaped guide tubes are curved and fit against the outer surface of the spherical cover. Guide wheels roll at both ends of the three sets of U-shaped guide tubes. Two sets of guide wheels are rotatably installed at both ends of the outer surface of a collar. The collar is fitted onto the outer surface of the magnetron sputtering head.

[0016] Preferably, a Y-shaped counterweight is fixedly installed on the outer surface of each of the three sets of magnetron sputtering heads. A stainless steel wire rope is fixedly connected inside the Y-shaped counterweight. The other end of the stainless steel wire rope passes through the positioning frame and is fixedly connected to the outer surface of the winding reel. The positioning frame is fixedly installed at the upper end of the outer surface of the U-shaped guide cylinder and is horizontally opposite to the winding reel. The winding reel is fixedly installed on the outer surface of the output shaft of the brake motor. The brake motor is fixedly installed between the tops of the three sets of U-shaped guide cylinders. This allows the brake motor to wind up the stainless steel wire rope by rotating the winding reel, which pulls the magnetron sputtering head to slide up and down inside the U-shaped guide cylinder through the guide wheel on the outer surface.

[0017] Preferably, a cone is fixedly installed on the upper surface of the take-up reel. The cone is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the stepper motor, and the stepper motor is fixedly installed on the upper surface of the sealing cover, allowing the output shaft to rotate through the sealing cover. This allows the brake motor to be driven to rotate by the stepper motor in the power-off self-locking state. The rotating brake motor can drive the ball cover and the magnetron sputtering head to rotate, enabling multi-angle and all-round sputtering coverage.

[0018] Preferably, the placement mechanism includes a fastening frame and a placement plate. The fastening frame is installed between two sets of sealing plates, while the placement plate is slidably installed between the two sets of sealing plates. Connecting arms are rotatably installed at the four corners of the upper and lower surfaces of the fastening frame and the placement plate. The four sets of vertically opposite connecting arms are rotatably connected. A set of rotating rods is rotatably connected between every two sets of longitudinally opposite and rotatably connected connecting arms. A transmission disc is fixedly installed at the lower end of the outer surface of the two sets of rotating rods. The positive and negative lead screws pass through the threads of the two sets of transmission discs, so that the positive and negative lead screws can synchronously drive the two sets of rotating rods to pull the connecting arms to the center or outward through the positive and negative threads on the outer surface, thereby realizing the lifting and lowering of the placement plate.

[0019] Preferably, the other end of the positive and negative lead screws is fixedly connected to a universal joint, and the other end of the universal joint is rotatably connected to the first bevel gear through a sealed bearing via a sealing plate. This allows the first bevel gear to rotate at one end of the sealing plate and simultaneously mesh with the second bevel gear. The second bevel gear is rotatably mounted in a Y-shaped frame, which is fixedly mounted at one end of the sealing plate. A rotating column is fixedly mounted at one end of the second bevel gear, and the rotating column rotates out of the housing and has a gear fixedly mounted at its end. The gear meshes with a rack.

[0020] Preferably, the gear rotating outside the housing is covered by a protective cover, which is fixedly installed at one end of the housing.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0022] 1. The sealing cover, guided by the guide rail rod, cooperates with the corrugated gasket to achieve precise sealing of the sealing cavity. The corrugated gasket forms a "self-tightening seal" under negative pressure; the greater the negative pressure, the tighter the seal. This completely solves the vacuum leakage problem caused by uneven mechanical pressure in traditional seals. Furthermore, the linkage between the vacuum pump unit and the solenoid valve can pump the sealing cavity to 10⁻³~10⁻ 5 The high vacuum environment of Pa, combined with the precise control of argon gas pressure to 0.1~10 Pa by the compressed gas tank, provides a stable gas environment for sputtering. This design ensures the stability of vacuum and working gas pressure during the coating process, and guarantees the uniformity and density of the film layer from the basic environmental level, avoiding film defects caused by gas pressure fluctuations.

[0023] 2. A 360° rotation is achieved through stepper motor drive, combined with arc-shaped sliding traction by brake motor, enabling the magnetron sputtering head to have composite motion capabilities of rotation, angle adjustment, and distance compensation. The three sets of equidistantly distributed sputtering heads can form a ring-shaped full coverage of large-area substrates. The arc trajectory of the U-shaped guide cylinder and the rolling of the guide wheel can adapt to the sputtering requirements of irregularly shaped workpieces such as curved surfaces and deep cavities. The Y-shaped counterweight balances the gravity to ensure smooth movement, effectively eliminating the problem of "thin edges and excessive center", so that the film thickness deviation is controlled within a high-precision range, meeting the uniform coating requirements of special workpieces such as wide plates and complex curved surfaces.

[0024] 3. When the linear module drives the sealing cap to slide, the meshing transmission between the connecting plate and the rack synchronously drives the placement mechanism to complete the lifting and lowering of the substrate, forming a closed-loop linkage of "sealing cap movement - substrate positioning". No additional independent drive device is required, which reduces the time difference of multi-system coordination. When the sealing cap is closed, the substrate is accurately lowered to the coating position, and when it is opened, it rises synchronously to the pick-up and put-down height, which greatly shortens the auxiliary operation time. At the same time, the multi-target design of the magnetron sputtering mechanism supports the synchronous or alternating sputtering of different target materials. Multilayer composite films can be prepared without interrupting the vacuum environment, which significantly improves the efficiency of mass production and reduces the cost of manual intervention. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall front view of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall rear view of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the overall side cross-section of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the vacuum pump unit and compressed gas tank of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the spherical cover and the U-shaped guide tube of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the magnetron sputtering mechanism of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the meshing structure of the rack and gear of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the support mechanism of the present invention.

[0033] In the diagram: 1. Housing; 101. Guide rail; 102. Linear module; 103. Mounting plate; 104. Sealing cover; 105. Corrugated gasket; 106. Protective cover; 107. Connecting plate; 108. Rack; 109. Sealing plate; 110. Vacuum pump assembly; 111. Solenoid valve; 112. Compressed gas tank; 2. Magnetron sputtering mechanism; 201. Connecting ring; 202. Ball cover; 203. Rotary ring; 204. Stepper motor; 205. U-shaped guide rail cylinder; 206. Rewind reel; 20 7. Conical cylinder; 208. Positioning frame; 209. Stainless steel wire rope; 210. Magnetron sputtering head; 211. Y-shaped counterweight; 212. Collar; 213. Guide wheel; 214. Brake motor; 3. Lifting mechanism; 301. Fastening frame; 302. Placement plate; 303. Connecting arm; 304. Rotating rod; 305. Gear; 306. Second bevel gear; 307. Y-shaped frame; 308. First bevel gear; 309. Universal joint; 310. Transmission disc; 311. Positive and negative lead screws. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0035] Please see Figures 1-8 This embodiment provides the following technical solution:

[0036] like Figures 1-4 As shown, a magnetron sputtering coating machine for large-area uniform coating includes: a housing 1, with guide rails 101 fixedly installed on the upper surface of the housing 1, and sealing covers 104 slidably installed on the outer surfaces of the two sets of guide rails 101. Corrugated washers 105 are fixedly connected to the lower surface of the sealing covers 104, so that the sealing covers 104 can seal the upper end of the sealing cavity through the corrugated washers 105 by sliding the guide rails 101. The sealing cavity is formed by two sets of sealing plates 109 fixedly installed in the housing 1.

[0037] The sealing cover 104 is rotatably installed with a magnetron sputtering mechanism 2, so that the sealing cover 104 can drive the magnetron sputtering mechanism 2 to connect with the sealing cavity and make it perpendicular to the support mechanism 3. The support mechanism 3 is installed between two sets of sealing plates 109. The drive end of the support mechanism 3 passes through one set of sealing plates 109 and the housing 1 through a sealing bearing and rotates to mesh with the rack 108. The rack 108 is connected to the lower surface of the connecting plate 107, which is fixedly installed on the lower surface of one end of the sealing cover 104.

[0038] Among them, a linear module 102 is fixedly installed at one end of the housing 1, and an mounting plate 103 is fixedly installed at one end of the moving block of the linear module 102. The mounting plate 103 is fixedly installed at the other end of the outer surface of the sealing cover 104, so that the linear module 102 can drive the sealing cover 104 to slide laterally on the outer surface of the guide rail rod 101 through the moving block.

[0039] In the process of the linear module 102 driving the sealing cover 104 to slide laterally to the left or right to expand and seal the sealing cavity, it can also drive the rack 108 to engage the drive end of the support mechanism 3, so that it can be driven to perform vertical upward or downward lifting operations in the sealing cavity between the two sets of sealing plates 109.

[0040] Among them, a compressed air tank 112 is fixedly installed at one end inside the housing 1, and a vacuum pump group 110 is fixedly installed on the upper surface of the compressed air tank 112. The vacuum pump group 110 is composed of a molecular pump, a Roots pump, and a mechanical pump. The suction pipe of the vacuum pump group 110 and the exhaust pipe of the compressed air tank 112 are both connected to the sealing cavity through the sealing plate 109.

[0041] The vacuum pump unit 110 and the exhaust pipe of the compressed gas tank 112 are both connected to a solenoid valve 111 at the middle end of their outer surfaces; the compressed gas tank 112 stores argon gas.

[0042] Through the design of the guide rail 101, linear module 102, sealing cover 104, corrugated gasket 105, connecting plate 107, rack 108, sealing plate 109, vacuum pump group 110, solenoid valve 111, compressed air tank 112, magnetron sputtering mechanism 2, and placement mechanism 3, before the equipment starts, the sealing cover 104 is located at the leftmost position of the guide rail 101, and the sealing cavity formed with the sealing plate 109 is in an unfolded state and not sealed. At this time, the placement mechanism 3 is located at the top of the sealing cavity, which makes it convenient for the operator to place the substrate to be coated on the placement mechanism 3. Then the linear module 102 can be started. The moving block of the linear module 102 drives the sealing cover 104 to slide to the right along the guide rail 101 through the mounting plate 103. The corrugated gasket 105 on the lower surface of the sealing cover 104 covers the sealing plate 109, the upper edge of the housing 1, and the periphery of the sealing cavity, completing the sealing of the upper end of the sealing cavity and forming a sealed space. At the same time, the connecting plate 107 on one end of the lower surface of the sealing cover 104 drives the rack 108 to move to the right synchronously and engage with the drive end of the placement mechanism 3, so that the placement mechanism 3 is lowered vertically downward, so that it is perpendicular to the magnetron sputtering mechanism 2 in the sealing cover 104. After the sealing cover 104 slides and seals the sealing cavity through the corrugated gasket 105, the control system can open the solenoid valve 111 corresponding to the vacuum pump group 110. The molecular pump, Roots pump, and mechanical pump are started in sequence, and the sealing cavity is evacuated to 10⁻³~10⁻ through the evacuation pipe. 5During this process, the corrugated gasket 105 will adhere more tightly to the upper surface of the housing 1, i.e., the periphery of the sealing cavity, due to the negative pressure, further enhancing the sealing effect and achieving a "self-tightening seal". The greater the negative pressure, the tighter the gasket adheres, effectively avoiding the vacuum leakage problem caused by uneven mechanical pressure in traditional sealing methods, ensuring that the sealing cavity works stably in a high vacuum environment, and providing a basic environmental guarantee for uniform film deposition. Then, the solenoid valve 111 of the vacuum pump group 110 can be closed and the solenoid valve 111 corresponding to the compressed gas tank 112 can be opened to introduce argon gas from the compressed gas tank 112 into the sealing cavity and maintain it at a working gas pressure of 0.1~10Pa. Then, the magnetron sputtering mechanism 2 can be started to generate plasma on the target surface. Argon ions bombard the target under the action of the electric field, causing the target atoms / molecules to detach and deposit onto the surface of the substrate below to form a thin film. During this process, the magnetron sputtering mechanism 2 can achieve all-round sputtering by multi-dimensional adjustment of rotation angle and tilt amplitude. This system breaks through the limitations of traditional fixed-target sputtering, achieving all-around coverage of large-area substrates. Especially for complex-shaped workpieces such as curved surfaces and wide areas, it can eliminate uneven film thickness by dynamically adjusting the sputtering angle and distance, meeting the requirements of high-precision coating. After the preset coating time is reached and the magnetron sputtering mechanism 2 is closed, the solenoid valve 111 of the compressed gas tank 112 can be closed, and then the solenoid valve 111 of the vacuum pump group 110 can be opened to remove residual gas. Then, clean nitrogen is introduced to restore normal pressure. After that, the linear module 102 can be started to drive the sealing cover 104 to slide to the left along the guide rod 101 to release the sealing cavity. At the same time, the rack 108 moves in the opposite direction to drive the lifting mechanism 3 to rise vertically to the high position. Then, it is easy for the operator to take out the coated substrate. The entire process is achieved by the linear module 102 linking the opening and closing of the sealing cavity and the lifting of the lifting mechanism 3, combined with the movement of the magnetron sputtering mechanism 2 and the vacuum and gas system, ultimately achieving efficient and uniform coating of large-area substrates.

[0043] like Figures 5-6 As shown, the magnetron sputtering mechanism 2 includes a connecting ring 201, which is fixedly installed inside the sealing cover 104. A rotating ring 203 is rotatably installed inside the sealing cover 104. A spherical cover 202 is installed on the upper surface of the rotating ring 203. Three sets of U-shaped guide cylinders 205 are equidistantly installed on the outer surface of the spherical cover 202. The U-shaped guide cylinders 205 are curved and fit against the outer surface of the spherical cover 202. Guide wheels 213 roll at both ends inside the three sets of U-shaped guide cylinders 205. Two sets of guide wheels 213 are rotatably installed at both ends of the outer surface of the collar 212, which is fitted onto the outer surface of the magnetron sputtering head 210.

[0044] Among them, Y-shaped counterweights 211 are fixedly installed on the outer surface of the three sets of magnetron sputtering heads 210. Stainless steel wire ropes 209 are fixedly connected inside the Y-shaped counterweights 211. The other end of the stainless steel wire ropes 209 passes through the positioning frame 208 and is fixedly connected to the outer surface of the take-up reel 206. The positioning frame 208 is fixedly installed at the upper end of the outer surface of the U-shaped guide cylinder 205 and is horizontally opposite to the take-up reel 206. The take-up reel 206 is fixedly installed on the outer surface of the output shaft of the brake motor 214. The brake motor 214 is fixedly installed between the tops of the three sets of U-shaped guide cylinders 205. This allows the brake motor 214 to wind up the stainless steel wire ropes 209 by rotating the take-up reel 206, so that it pulls the magnetron sputtering head 210 to slide up and down inside the U-shaped guide cylinder 205 through the guide wheel 213 on the outer surface.

[0045] The upper surface of the take-up reel 206 is fixedly mounted with a cone 207, which is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the stepper motor 204. The stepper motor 204 is fixedly mounted on the upper surface of the sealing cover 104 and the output shaft rotates through the sealing cover 104 in a sealed manner. This allows the brake motor 214 to be driven to rotate by the stepper motor 204 in the power-off self-locking state. The rotating brake motor 214 can drive the ball cover 202 and the magnetron sputtering head 210 to rotate, so as to achieve multi-angle and all-round sputtering coverage.

[0046] Through the design of the connecting ring 201, ball cover 202, stepper motor 204, U-shaped guide tube 205, take-up reel 206, cone 207, positioning frame 208, stainless steel wire rope 209, magnetron sputtering head 210, guide wheel 213, and brake motor 214, after the sealing cover 104 is closed, the connecting ring 201 is fixed inside the sealing cover 104, providing a stable mounting base for the entire magnetron sputtering mechanism 2. This allows the rotating ring 203 to drive the ball cover 202 to be rotatable inside the sealing cover 104, creating conditions for the rotational action of the mechanism. When rotational sputtering is required, the stepper motor 204 can be started, and its output shaft drives the fixedly connected cone 207 to rotate. Since the cone 207 is fixedly connected to the take-up reel 206, and the brake is engaged at this time... When motor 214 is in a power-off self-locking state, the rotational force is sequentially transmitted to the brake motor 214, ball cover 202, U-shaped guide cylinder 205, and three sets of magnetron sputtering heads 210, thereby driving the rotating ring 203 to rotate within the sealing cover 104. Ultimately, this causes the magnetron sputtering heads 210 installed in the collar 212 to rotate 360° around the central axis, allowing the three sets of magnetron sputtering heads 210 to achieve full annular coverage of the substrate, avoiding the "sputtering blind zone" caused by a fixed angle. When it is necessary to adjust the distance and angle between the magnetron sputtering head 210 and the substrate, the brake motor 214 can be activated to drive the winding reel 206 to wind or release the stainless steel wire rope 209. One end of the stainless steel wire rope 209 is fixed to the Y-shaped counterweight 211, and the other end is connected to the positioning frame 2. The 08 guide is connected to the take-up reel 206. When the take-up reel 206 winds up the wire rope, it pulls the Y-shaped counterweight 211, thereby driving the magnetron sputtering head 210 to slide up and down along the arc trajectory of the U-shaped guide cylinder 205 via the guide wheels 213 at both ends of the outer surface of the collar 212. This allows for precise adjustment of the distance and angle between the magnetron sputtering head 210 and the substrate, enabling it to adapt to complex-shaped substrates such as curved and irregular surfaces. When combined with rotation control, it ensures uniform film thickness regardless of whether the substrate is a large-area flat surface or an irregular curved surface, solving the problem of "thin edges and excessive center" in traditional fixed-target coating. The Y-shaped counterweight 211 balances the weight of the magnetron sputtering head 210, preventing it from becoming unbalanced during sliding. The system employs a stop mechanism to ensure a smooth and stable sliding process, precisely adjusting the position of the magnetron sputtering head 210 to maintain the optimal sputtering distance and angle with the substrate. This is achieved through the coordinated rotation driven by the stepper motor 204 and the sliding motion driven by the brake motor 214, enabling the magnetron sputtering head 210 to move at multiple angles and in all directions. This allows for comprehensive and uniform sputtering deposition of the substrate. Furthermore, the three sets of magnetron sputtering heads 210 can carry different targets, such as metals, ceramics, and compounds. This design allows for both simultaneous sputtering to improve efficiency and alternating sputtering to prepare multilayer composite films. This enables the equipment to handle not only conventional planar workpieces but also complex workpieces such as curved surfaces, deep cavities, and wide plates, while simultaneously meeting diverse fabrication needs from single-layer films to multilayer functional films.This significantly improves the practicality and cost-effectiveness of the equipment.

[0047] like Figures 7-8 As shown, the placement mechanism 3 includes a fastening frame 301 and a placement plate 302. The fastening frame 301 is installed between two sets of sealing plates 109, while the placement plate 302 is slidably installed between the two sets of sealing plates 109. Connecting arms 303 are rotatably installed at the four corners of the upper and lower surfaces of the fastening frame 301 and the placement plate 302. The four sets of vertically opposite connecting arms 303 are rotatably connected. A set of rotating rods 304 is rotatably connected between each pair of longitudinally opposite and rotatably connected connecting arms 303. A transmission disc 310 is fixedly installed at the lower end of the outer surface of the two sets of rotating rods 304. The positive and negative screws 311 pass through the threads in the two sets of transmission discs 310, so that the positive and negative screws 311 can synchronously drive the two sets of rotating rods 304 to pull the connecting arms 303 to the center or outward through the positive and negative threads on the outer surface, thereby realizing the lifting and lowering of the placement plate 302.

[0048] One end of the positive and negative lead screw 311 is fixedly connected to a universal joint 309. The other end of the universal joint 309 is rotatably connected to the first bevel gear 308 through the sealing plate 109 via a sealed bearing. This allows the first bevel gear 308 to rotate at one end of the sealing plate 109 and simultaneously mesh with the second bevel gear 306. The second bevel gear 306 is rotatably mounted inside the Y-shaped frame 307, which is fixedly mounted at one end of the sealing plate 109. A rotating column is fixedly mounted at one end of the second bevel gear 306. The rotating column rotates out of the housing 1 and has a gear 305 fixedly mounted at its end. The gear 305 meshes with the rack 108. The gear 305, which rotates outside the housing 1, is covered by a cover 106, which is fixedly mounted at one end of the housing 1.

[0049] Through the design of the fastening frame 301, placement plate 302, connecting arm 303, rotating rod 304, gear 305, second bevel gear 306, Y-shaped frame 307, first bevel gear 308, universal joint 309, transmission disc 310, and positive and negative lead screw 311, when the sealing cover 104 drives the rack 108 to move, the rack 108 will mesh with the gear 305, causing the gear 305 to drive the rotating column to rotate. The rotating column transmits power to the second bevel gear 306, and the second bevel gear 306 is positioned within the Y-shaped frame 307. Supported by 7, it rotates and meshes with the first bevel gear 308, thereby driving the first bevel gear 308 to rotate synchronously. When the first bevel gear 308 rotates, it drives the positive and negative lead screws 311 to rotate through the universal joint 309. The universal joint 309 can compensate for angular deviations during transmission and ensure stable power transmission. When the positive and negative lead screws 311 rotate, the positive and negative threads on their outer surfaces act on the two sets of transmission discs 310 respectively, causing the two sets of transmission discs 310 to move synchronously closer or further away along the lead screw axis. When the transmission disc 310 moves closer, it pushes the two sets of rotating rods 304 towards the center, causing the rotating rods 304 to pull the four sets of vertically opposite connecting arms 303 to rotate towards the center. Since the two ends of the connecting arms 303 are rotatably connected to the fastening frame 301 and the placement plate 302 respectively, and the fastening frame 301 is fixed between the two sets of sealing plates 109, the rotation of the connecting arms 303 will cause the placement plate 302 to slide downward along the sealing plate 109, i.e., descend. Conversely, when the transmission disc 310 moves away, the rotating rods 304 drive... The connecting arm 303 flips outward, and the placement plate 302 slides upward under the pull of gravity and the connecting arm 303, thus forming a mechanical linkage closed loop of "the sealing cover 104 moves to the left - the substrate rises, and the sealing cover 104 moves to the right - the substrate falls". No additional independent drive device is required, which simplifies the control system and avoids the time difference of multiple power source coordination. It ensures that the substrate accurately falls to the coating position when the sealing cover 104 is closed and rises to the pick-up and put-down height simultaneously when it is opened, which greatly improves the operation efficiency.

[0050] Specifically, in this embodiment, the magnetron sputtering coating machine also has a central control system (not shown in the figure, but a PLC or industrial computer).

[0051] The control system is connected to the following components via electrical circuits, communication buses, and drive devices to enable command issuance and status monitoring:

[0052] Connected to linear module 102: The control system outputs control signals to the servo or stepper driver of linear module 102 to precisely control the moving speed and position of the moving block of linear module 102, thereby driving the opening and closing of sealing cover 104.

[0053] Connected to stepper motor 204: The control system outputs pulse and direction signals to the driver of stepper motor 204 to control its speed and rotation angle, thereby precisely driving the overall rotational motion of the magnetron sputtering mechanism 2.

[0054] Connected to brake motor 214: The control system outputs two signals:

[0055] One output goes to the driver of the brake motor 214 to control its forward and reverse rotation and speed, so as to realize the winding and unwinding of the stainless steel wire rope 209.

[0056] Another output controls the energization and de-energization of its brake mechanism to achieve free rotation or self-locking state.

[0057] Connected to vacuum pump group 110: The control system outputs start-stop control signals to the power controllers of molecular pump, Roots pump and mechanical pump, and receives their operating status (such as normal or fault) feedback signals to realize sequential start-stop linkage control of vacuum pumps.

[0058] Connected to solenoid valve 111: The control system outputs a switching signal to the coil of each solenoid valve 111 to control the opening and closing of the vacuum pipeline and gas pipeline, thereby realizing the automatic switching of processes such as vacuuming, gas filling, and pressure holding.

[0059] Connect to the sensor:

[0060] It is connected to a vacuum gauge and pressure sensor installed on the sealed cavity to read the vacuum level and working pressure value in the cavity in real time, forming the basis of closed-loop control.

[0061] It connects with the encoders installed on the linear module 102, stepper motor 204, and brake motor 214 to read the precise position information of each moving part in real time, thus forming a fully closed-loop motion control.

[0062] It connects to a film thickness tester (such as a quartz crystal monitor) to read thin film deposition rate and thickness data in real time, providing feedback for process optimization.

[0063] Brief description of the control logic: The control system coordinates the actions of all connected components according to the preset process formula. For example, it first drives the linear module 102 to close the sealing cover 104, then sequentially starts the mechanical pump, Roots pump, and molecular pump, and determines when a high vacuum is reached based on the feedback value of the vacuum gauge; then it closes the vacuum valve, opens the gas filling valve, and precisely adjusts the gas pressure to the set value based on the feedback from the pressure sensor; finally, it synchronously starts the stepper motor 204 and the brake motor 214, driving the magnetron sputtering head 210 to move along the preset composite trajectory to begin the coating process. The entire process is completed automatically without manual intervention.

[0064] Specifically, in this embodiment, the control system of the magnetron sputtering coating machine for large-area uniform film deposition uses the following film thickness distribution function to adjust the film thickness uniformity in real time:

[0065] ;

[0066] in:

[0067] T(x,y,t): The cumulative film thickness at point (x,y) on the substrate surface over time t, in nm;

[0068] N: Number of magnetron sputtering heads (N=3 in this equipment);

[0069] I0: Sputtering rate constant, which is related to the target material and power, in nm / (s·sr);

[0070] θ k (τ): The sputtering angle of the k-th sputtering head at time τ is determined by the arc of the U-shaped guide tube and the rotation angle;

[0071] d k (τ): The real-time distance from the k-th sputtering head to point (x,y), which is adjusted by the control of the steel cable retraction and extension by the brake motor;

[0072] R k (τ): The radial position of the kth sputtering head in the spherical coordinate system, which is determined by the rotation angle controlled by the stepper motor;

[0073] λ: Mean free path of sputtered particles in an argon atmosphere, pressure-dependent, unit: mm;

[0074] n: Sputtering angle distribution index, usually taken as n≈2~3, reflecting the distribution characteristics of the sputtering angle.

[0075] Equation derivation process:

[0076] This equation is based on the following physical model:

[0077] 1. Sputtering deposition rate model (based on Knudsen's law and perspective factor model):

[0078] ;

[0079] Where θ is the sputtering angle and R is the distance from the target to the substrate.

[0080] 2. Gas scattering effect (introducing an exponential decay term):

[0081] ;

[0082] Simulates the attenuation of sputtered particles in a gas, where λ is the mean free path.

[0083] 3. Multi-sputtering head superposition effect:

[0084] The contribution of each sputtering head is integrated and summed to demonstrate the advantages of multi-target collaborative sputtering.

[0085] 4. Motion trajectory embedding:

[0086] θ k (τ),d k (τ),R k (τ) are all time functions, determined by the motion control of the stepper motor and the brake motor, reflecting the dynamic adjustment capability of multi-dimensional motion.

[0087] Example (simulated control flow):

[0088] 1. Set the target film thickness T target ;

[0089] 2. Obtain θ in real time through sensor or model inversion. k ,d k ,R k ;

[0090] 3. Substitute into the equation to calculate the current film thickness distribution T(x,y,t);

[0091] 4. If the uniformity is not up to standard (e.g., deviation > 5%), adjust the stepper motor speed or the winding amount of the brake motor to change the movement trajectory of the sputtering head;

[0092] 5. Repeat until the film thickness uniformity meets the requirements.

[0093] Technical effects:

[0094] Dynamically optimize film thickness uniformity: dynamically adjust the sputtering head trajectory by calculating the film thickness distribution in real time;

[0095] Supports coating of complex curved surfaces: equations are embedded in geometric relationships, suitable for curved surfaces and irregularly shaped workpieces;

[0096] Multi-target synergistic control: suitable for alternating or simultaneous sputtering of multiple targets, supporting the preparation of composite films;

[0097] No process interruption required: Real-time control avoids the need for downtime adjustments required in traditional methods.

[0098] Based on the above technical solution, the working steps of this solution are summarized as follows: Before the equipment is started, the sealing cover 104 is located at the leftmost side of the guide rail 101, and the sealing cavity formed with the sealing plate 109 is in the unfolded state. The placement plate 302 in the placement mechanism 3 is located at the top of the sealing cavity, which facilitates the operator to place the substrate to be coated on it. Then, when the linear module 102 is started, its moving block drives the sealing cover 104 to slide to the right along the guide rail 101 through the mounting plate 103 until the corrugated gasket 105 on the lower surface of the sealing cover 104 covers the sealing plate 109, the upper edge of the housing 1, and the periphery of the sealing cavity, thus completing the sealing of the sealing cavity and forming a sealed space. At the same time, the connecting plate 107 at one end of the sealing cover 104 drives the rack 108 to move together. As the device moves to the right, rack 108 meshes with gear 305 of the placement mechanism 3, transmitting power sequentially through rotating column, second bevel gear 306, first bevel gear 308, and universal joint 309 to the positive and negative lead screw 311. The positive and negative lead screw 311 drives two sets of transmission discs 310 closer together via positive and negative threads, thereby pushing rotating rod 304 to pull connecting arm 303 to rotate towards the center, causing placement plate 302 to slide downward along sealing plate 109, eventually perpendicular to magnetron sputtering head 210 inside sealing cover 104. After the sealing cavity is closed, the control system can open solenoid valve 111 of vacuum pump group 110, and then start molecular pump, Roots pump, and mechanical pump in sequence to evacuate the sealing cavity to 10⁻³~10⁻ 5Pa, and during this process, the corrugated gasket 105 fits tightly under negative pressure to enhance the sealing performance; then the solenoid valve 111 of the vacuum pump group 110 is closed, the solenoid valve 111 of the compressed gas tank 112 is opened, argon gas is introduced into the sealing cavity and the working gas pressure is maintained at 0.1~10Pa. Then the stepper motor 204 can be started to drive the cone 207, the winding reel 206 and the brake motor 214 in the power-off self-locking state to rotate, thereby driving the ball cover 202, the U-shaped guide cylinder 205 and the magnetron sputtering head 210 on the lower surface of the brake motor 214 to rotate 360° around the central axis to achieve annular sputtering coverage. During the sputtering process, the brake motor 214 can be started by turning off the stepper motor 204 to drive the winding reel 206 to wind up and unwind the stainless steel wire rope 209, so that the stainless steel wire rope 209 passes through the positioning frame 208. After being guided, the Y-shaped counterweight 211 is pulled, causing the magnetron sputtering head 210 to slide along the arc trajectory of the U-shaped guide cylinder 205 via the guide wheel 213. This allows for precise adjustment of the distance and angle with the substrate, enabling the two movements to work together to achieve multi-angle, all-round sputtering. This allows the target atoms / molecules to be uniformly deposited on the substrate surface to form a thin film. After the coating is completed, the solenoid valves 111 of the magnetron sputtering mechanism 2 and the compressed gas tank 112 can be closed, and the solenoid valve 111 of the vacuum pump group 110 can be opened to remove residual gas. Then, nitrogen is introduced to restore normal pressure. Subsequently, the linear module 102 can be restarted to drive the sealing cover 104 to slide to the left to release the seal. At the same time, the reverse transmission of the rack 108 can cause the connecting arm 303 of the placement mechanism 3 to flip outward, allowing the placement plate 302 to rise to the high position, so that the operator can take out the coated substrate.

[0099] In summary: the opening and closing of the sealing cavity and the lifting and lowering of the support mechanism 3 are achieved through the linkage of the linear module 102, and combined with the multi-dimensional movement of the magnetron sputtering mechanism 2 and the coordination of the vacuum and gas systems, the efficient and uniform coating of large-area substrates is finally realized.

[0100] All parts not described in this invention are the same as or can be implemented using existing technology. Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A magnetron sputtering coating machine for large-area uniform coating, characterized in that, include: The housing (1) has guide rails (101) fixedly installed on its upper surface. The outer surfaces of the two sets of guide rails (101) are slidably fitted with sealing covers (104). The lower surface of the sealing cover (104) is fixedly connected with a corrugated washer (105), so that the sealing cover (104) can block the upper end of the sealing cavity through the corrugated washer (105) by the sliding guide of the guide rails (101). The sealing cavity is formed by two sets of sealing plates (109) fixedly installed in the housing (1). The sealing cover (104) is rotatably installed with a magnetron sputtering mechanism (2), so that the sealing cover (104) can drive the magnetron sputtering mechanism (2) to communicate with the sealing cavity and make it perpendicular to the support mechanism (3). The support mechanism (3) is installed between two sets of sealing plates (109). The drive end of the support mechanism (3) passes through one set of sealing plates (109) and the housing (1) through a sealing bearing and rotates to mesh with the rack (108). The rack (108) is connected to the lower surface of the connecting plate (107), and the connecting plate (107) is fixedly installed on the lower surface of one end of the sealing cover (104). A linear module (102) is fixedly installed at one end of the housing (1). A mounting plate (103) is fixedly installed at one end of the moving block of the linear module (102). The mounting plate (103) is fixedly installed at the other end of the outer surface of the sealing cover (104), so that the linear module (102) can drive the sealing cover (104) to slide laterally on the outer surface of the guide rail rod (101) through the moving block. In the process of the linear module (102) driving the sealing cover (104) to slide horizontally to the left or right to expand and seal the sealing cavity, it can also drive the rack (108) to mesh with the drive end of the support mechanism (3) so that it can be driven in the sealing cavity between the two sets of sealing plates (109) to perform vertical upward or downward lifting operations. The magnetron sputtering mechanism (2) includes a connecting ring (201), which is fixedly installed inside a sealing cover (104). A rotating ring (203) is rotatably installed inside the sealing cover (104). A spherical cover (202) is connected to the upper surface of the rotating ring (203). Three sets of U-shaped guide cylinders (205) are equidistantly connected to the outer surface of the spherical cover (202). The U-shaped guide cylinders (205) are curved and fit against the outer surface of the spherical cover (202). Guide wheels (213) roll at both ends of the three sets of U-shaped guide cylinders (205). Two sets of guide wheels (213) are rotatably installed at both ends of the outer surface of a collar (212), which is fitted onto the outer surface of the magnetron sputtering head (210). Y-shaped counterweights (211) are fixedly installed on the outer surfaces of the three sets of magnetron sputtering heads (210). Stainless steel wire ropes (209) are fixedly connected inside the Y-shaped counterweights (211). The other end of the stainless steel wire ropes (209) passes through the positioning frame (208) and is fixedly connected to the outer surface of the winding reel (206). The positioning frame (208) is fixedly installed at the upper end of the outer surface of the U-shaped guide cylinder (205) and is horizontally aligned with the winding reel (206). Yes, the winding reel (206) is fixedly installed on the outer surface of the output shaft of the brake motor (214), and the brake motor (214) is fixedly installed between the tops of the three sets of U-shaped guide tubes (205), so that the brake motor (214) can wind up the stainless steel wire rope (209) by rotating the winding reel (206) and pull the magnetron sputtering head (210) to slide up and down in the U-shaped guide tube (205) through the guide wheel (213) on the outer surface; A cone (207) is fixedly installed on the upper surface of the take-up reel (206). The cone (207) is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the stepper motor (204). The stepper motor (204) is fixedly installed on the upper surface of the sealing cover (104) and the output shaft rotates through the sealing cover (104) in a sealed manner. This allows the brake motor (214) to be driven to rotate by the stepper motor (204) in the power-off self-locking state. The rotating brake motor (214) can drive the ball cover (202) and the magnetron sputtering head (210) to rotate, so as to achieve multi-angle and all-round sputtering coverage.

2. The magnetron sputtering coating machine for large-area uniform coating according to claim 1, characterized in that: A compressed gas tank (112) is fixedly installed at one end inside the housing (1). A vacuum pump group (110) is fixedly installed on the upper surface of the compressed gas tank (112). The vacuum pump group (110) is composed of a molecular pump, a Roots pump, and a mechanical pump. The suction pipe of the vacuum pump group (110) and the exhaust pipe of the compressed gas tank (112) are both connected to the sealing cavity through a sealing plate (109). Among them, the vacuum pump group (110)’s suction pipe and the exhaust pipe of the compressed air tank (112) are both connected to the middle end of the outer surface of the solenoid valve (111).

3. A magnetron sputtering coating machine for large-area uniform coating according to claim 2, characterized in that: The compressed gas tank (112) contains argon gas.

4. A magnetron sputtering coating machine for large-area uniform coating according to claim 1, characterized in that: The placement mechanism (3) includes a fastening frame (301) and a placement plate (302). The fastening frame (301) is installed between two sets of sealing plates (109), while the placement plate (302) is slidably installed between the two sets of sealing plates (109). Connecting arms (303) are rotatably installed at the four corners of the upper and lower surfaces of the fastening frame (301) and the placement plate (302). The four sets of vertically opposite connecting arms (303) are rotatably connected, and each pair of longitudinally opposite connecting arms (303) is rotatably connected together. Each of the connecting arms (303) is rotatably connected to a set of rotating rods (304), and the lower end of the outer surface of the two sets of rotating rods (304) is fixedly installed with a transmission disc (310). The two sets of transmission discs (310) allow the positive and negative screws (311) to pass through the threads in the center, so that the positive and negative screws (311) can synchronously drive the two sets of rotating rods (304) to pull the connecting arms (303) to rotate towards the center or outward through the positive and negative threads on the outer surface, thereby realizing the lifting and lowering of the placement plate (302).

5. A magnetron sputtering coating machine for large-area uniform coating according to claim 4, characterized in that: The other end of the positive and negative lead screw (311) is fixedly connected to a universal joint (309). The other end of the universal joint (309) is rotated through the sealing plate (109) and fixedly connected to the first bevel gear (308) via a sealed bearing. This allows the first bevel gear (308) to rotate at one end of the sealing plate (109) and simultaneously mesh with the second bevel gear (306). The second bevel gear (306) is rotatably mounted in the Y-shaped frame (307). The Y-shaped frame (307) is fixedly mounted at one end of the sealing plate (109). A rotating column is fixedly mounted at one end of the second bevel gear (306). The rotating column rotates out of the housing (1) and a gear (305) is fixedly mounted at its end. The gear (305) meshes with the rack (108).

6. A magnetron sputtering coating machine for large-area uniform coating according to claim 5, characterized in that: The gear (305) rotating outside the housing (1) is covered by a cover (106), which is fixedly installed at one end of the housing (1).

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