Deposition system, shielding case set, substrate coating method and substrate

Abstract

A deposition system is described. The system includes a first vacuum chamber having a first deposition source therein, a substrate transport track configured to move a substrate past the first deposition source in a transport direction, and a shield transport track located between the substrate transport track and the first deposition source, configured to move a first shield in the transport direction in front of the substrate, therefore, the edge area of the substrate is protected. The protective cover includes a first protective frame surrounding a first main opening defining an element area on the substrate. A first monitoring opening is provided in the first guard frame, which is located alongside the first main opening and defines a first monitoring area outside the substrate element area.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to the generation of test structures or test components in deposition systems, particularly in in-line deposition systems. Embodiments of the present invention particularly relate to deposition systems, a set of protective shields, and methods for coating substrates. Embodiments of the present invention particularly relate to substrate processing for display applications, such as substrates for OLED display manufacturing, and especially the generation of OLED layer stacks. Background Technology

[0002] Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are a special type of light-emitting diode in which the light-emitting layer contains a thin film of certain organic compounds. OLEDs are used to manufacture television screens, computer monitors, mobile phones, and other handheld devices to display information. OLEDs can also be used for general ambient lighting. OLED displays can display a wider range of colors and brightness than traditional LCD displays because OLED materials emit light directly. OLED displays consume significantly less energy than traditional LCD displays.

[0003] Furthermore, OLEDs can be manufactured on flexible substrates, which further expands their application range. OLED displays may include a layer of organic material, such as electrodes made of metallic materials, located between two electrodes. OLEDs are typically placed between two glass panels, with the edges of the glass panels sealed to encapsulate the OLED internally. Alternatively, OLEDs can also be encapsulated using thin-film technologies, such as barrier films.

[0004] In the manufacture of OLED devices and other components, multiple material layers are deposited on a substrate. These multiple material layers can be deposited using multiple corresponding deposition sources, such as evaporation sources. Each deposition source can deposit different materials, thus possessing its own source conditions, for example, to optimize substrate processing. Independent source conditions allow for beneficial monitoring. For example, layer thickness or layer uniformity is typically monitored for individual sources. In particular, monitoring of operating conditions can be provided during the manufacturing process under production conditions.

[0005] In view of the above, it is beneficial to provide systems, shielding assemblies, apparatuses and methods that can individually monitor the process conditions of different layers deposited on a substrate. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The invention is set forth in the appended claims.

[0007] According to one embodiment, a deposition system is described. The system includes a first vacuum chamber containing a first deposition source, a substrate transport track configured to move a substrate along a transport direction past the first deposition source, and a shield transport track located between the substrate transport track and the first deposition source, configured to move a first shield in front of the substrate along the transport direction to protect an edge region of the substrate. The shield includes a first protective frame surrounding a first main opening defining a component region on the substrate. A first monitoring opening is disposed within the first protective frame, adjacent to the first main opening, and defines a first monitoring region outside the component region of the substrate.

[0008] According to one embodiment, a set of protective shields for protecting a substrate in a deposition system is described. The deposition system may be the deposition system described in one of the embodiments herein. Each shield in the set is configured to be movable in a transport direction and includes a protective frame surrounding a main opening to define a component region on the substrate. A monitoring opening is provided in the protective frame adjacent to the main opening, the monitoring opening being configured to define a corresponding monitoring area outside the substrate component region. The location of the monitoring opening for each shield in the set is unique among the shields.

[0009] According to one embodiment, a method for coating a substrate in a deposition system is described. The method includes moving the substrate along a transport direction past a first deposition source on a substrate transport track, and moving a first protective shield in front of the substrate on a protective shield transport track to protect edge regions of the substrate from coating by the first deposition source. The first protective shield includes a first protective frame surrounding a first main opening. The method further includes directing a first material toward the substrate from the first deposition source, the first material being deposited on a component region defined by the first main opening and a first monitoring region outside the component region defined by a first monitoring opening provided in the first protective frame adjacent to the first main opening. Attached Figure Description

[0010] To enable a detailed understanding of the above-described features, reference can be made to a more specific description of the embodiments, which is briefly summarized below. The embodiments are illustrated in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and are described below:

[0011] Figure 1 A plan view (upper part) schematically illustrates the deposition system according to an embodiment, and a front view (lower part) schematically illustrates a set of protective shields according to an embodiment;

[0012] Figure 2 A schematic front view of the protective cover in the deposition system according to an embodiment is shown;

[0013] Figure 3 A schematic illustration of a first portion of a protective shield and a substrate in a deposition system according to an embodiment;

[0014] Figure 3 B schematically illustrates the second part of the protective shield and the substrate in the deposition system according to an embodiment;

[0015] Figure 4 schematically illustrates the monitoring opening of the protective cover that defines the substrate monitoring area in the deposition system according to an embodiment;

[0016] Figure 5 This schematically illustrates a scenario where multiple material layers are deposited on the edge region of a substrate according to an embodiment;

[0017] Figure 6 The diagram illustrates the shaded area produced when operating a deposition source in a deposition system according to an embodiment;

[0018] Figures 7A to 7G illustrate a deposition system according to an embodiment, and a method for coating a substrate in the deposition system according to an embodiment; and

[0019] Figure 8 illustrates a method for coating a substrate in a deposition system according to an embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0020] Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments, one or more of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. In the following description of the icons, the same component symbols refer to the same components. Generally, only differences between the various embodiments are described. Each example is provided for explanation and is not intended to be limiting. Furthermore, features shown or described in one embodiment can be used or combined with other embodiments to produce further embodiments. It is contemplated that such modifications and variations be included in the description.

[0021] The process of manufacturing OLED displays can include the thermal evaporation of organic materials and the deposition of organic materials on a substrate in a high vacuum. Depending on the display technology, the organic layer on the substrate can be patterned during the deposition process using a shield with multiple pixel openings (also known as a "precision metal shield" or FMM), or alternatively, pixels can be formed on the substrate without using a precision metal shield.

[0022] During deposition, a protective shield can be positioned in front of the substrate to cover areas of the substrate that do not require coating. Specifically, the protective shield can be positioned in front of the substrate to cover one or more edge regions of the substrate. A protective shield provided to prevent evaporated material from reaching one or more edge regions of the substrate is also referred to herein as an "edge exclusion shield" or "edge exclusion barrier." An edge exclusion shield may be positioned in front of the substrate during material deposition at a deposition source. The edge exclusion shield may include a protective frame, for example, a protective frame having a rectangular main opening that defines a "component area," such as a pixel, on the substrate where elements need to be coated. The protective frame is configured to cover one or more substrate edges during material deposition.

[0023] If the substrate is movable relative to the deposition source in an in-line deposition process, the shield can move with the substrate relative to the deposition source. In the latter case, the shield can also be referred to as a "movable shield". A movable shield can shield the periphery of a glass substrate, such as a rectangular glass substrate. The terms "edge exclusion shield", "shield", "movable shield", or "edge exclusion shield" are used interchangeably to define the shield according to the embodiment.

[0024] Embodiments of this disclosure relate to substrate processing systems, deposition systems, substrate deposition systems, vacuum deposition systems, and / or substrate processing apparatuses, particularly in-line systems and apparatuses for sequentially depositing multiple materials on a substrate as it passes through a deposition system and multiple deposition sources. One or more movable protective shields are provided for in-line processing. In some embodiments, each movable protective shield may be associated with a corresponding deposition source.

[0025] Now for reference Figure 1 A schematic plan view of a deposition system 1000 is shown according to an embodiment. The deposition system includes a first vacuum chamber 11 housing a first deposition source 51, and optionally one or more further vacuum chambers housing one or more further deposition sources, such as a second deposition source 52. These deposition sources may be evaporation sources, particularly evaporation sources configured to coat a vertically or substantially vertically oriented substrate. The first deposition source may include at least one distribution tube with a plurality of nozzles, wherein the nozzles may be arranged in a substantially vertically extending row. For example, the first deposition source may be a line source for coating a vertical substrate. The first deposition source 51 may be configured to deposit a first material on the substrate, while the second deposition source 52 may be configured to deposit a second material on the substrate. A variety of different materials may subsequently be deposited on the substrate, including one or more metals and / or one or more organic materials, to provide layer stacks, such as OLED layer stacks, in element regions of the substrate.

[0026] The deposition system 1000 includes a substrate transport track 13 configured to move a substrate 110 in a transport direction 140 past a first deposition source 51 and optionally a further deposition source. The substrate transport track 13 may partially extend through a first vacuum chamber 11 and optionally a further vacuum chamber, and may include a substrate transport system configured for substrate transport, such as a roller transport system, one or more linear motors, and / or a magnetic levitation system adapted to move the substrate relative to the deposition sources. During transport and / or deposition, the substrate may be carried by a substrate carrier 720.

[0027] The deposition system 1000 further includes a protective shield transport track 12 extending between a substrate transport track 13 and a first deposition source 51 in a first vacuum chamber 11. The protective shield transport track 12 is configured to move a first protective shield 100 in front of the substrate 110 along a transport direction 140 to protect one or more edge regions of the substrate 110 and / or protect at least a portion of the substrate carrier 720. The first protective shield 100 may be a movable protective shield, particularly a movable edge exclusion protective shield, having a protective frame to cover one or more edge regions of the substrate, as described herein. The protective shield transport track 12 may extend between the substrate transport track 13 and the first deposition source 51 in the first vacuum chamber 11 and may include a protective shield transport system, such as a roller transport system, one or more linear motors, and / or a magnetic levitation system adapted to move the first protective shield 100 in front of the substrate 110, thereby covering one or more edge regions of the substrate during coating with the first deposition source 51, such as... Figure 1 As illustrated in the diagram.

[0028] The first protective cover 100 can move back and forth along the transport direction 140 on the protective cover transport track 12, as shown by arrow 14, so that the substrate subsequently moved by the substrate transport track 13 can be protected by the first protective cover 100 when coated with the first deposition source 51.

[0029] Specifically, the first shield 100 can move relative to the first deposition source 51 together with the substrate 110. The first shield 100 can move independently of the substrate along the shield transport track 12 by a (small) distance. During its movement past the first deposition source 51, the distance between the first shield 100 and the substrate 110 may be small, for example, 20 mm or less, particularly 10 mm or less, or even 6 mm or less, to provide reliable protection and minimize shadowing effects. If the deposited material propagates toward the substrate at an angle and there is a gap between the shield and the substrate, a "shadowing effect" occurs, creating shadowed areas on the substrate, as shown in Figures 4 to 5. Figure 6Further details are provided. In particular, a tilted deposition direction may result in the deposition of tilted layer portions on the substrate area behind the protective cover, and / or the deposition of tilted layer portions on uncovered substrate areas due to the blocking material at the edges of the protective frame.

[0030] In the embodiments described herein, the first protective cover 100 may not be attached to or otherwise mounted to the substrate or substrate carrier, but the first protective cover may be movable on a separate track independent of the substrate. Providing the first protective cover separately from the substrate is advantageous because it avoids the accumulation of different deposited materials on the first protective cover during transport of the substrate through different deposition sources. Accumulation of different deposited materials on a protective cover fixed to the substrate can lead to material peeling near the component areas of the substrate, as well as other effects that may negatively impact deposition quality. Therefore, in the embodiments described herein, the first protective cover 100 may be associated with the first deposition source 51 and may be held within the first vacuum chamber 11 (e.g., moving back and forth on the protective cover transport track 12, see...). Figure 1 (Arrow 14 in the image) Even if the substrate moves toward the second deposition source 52. However, the mobility of the shield on a separate track independent of the substrate creates a gap between the shield and the substrate, thus resulting in a shadowing effect under oblique deposition.

[0031] The shadowing effect complicates reliable monitoring of layer characteristics, such as the thickness of deposited layers, because the thickness of the substrate layer deposited near the edge of the shield may differ from the layer thickness at the center of the substrate element region. In particular, depending on the size of the gap between the shield and the substrate and the opening angle of the evaporation plume emanating from the deposition source, the shadowing effect can cause gradient or non-uniform layer regions near the edge of the shield, which can make layer data measurements at the boundaries or edges of the substrate unreliable and difficult.

[0032] The embodiments described herein address the aforementioned problems and enable high-quality deposition because the protective shield is separate from the substrate and can move on its own tracks, while also allowing reliable monitoring or measurement of layer properties, particularly layer thickness.

[0033] Figure 1 The lower left portion shows a front view of a first shield 100 (referred to herein as "Shield 100," since multiple shields in the deposition system may have similar configurations, so details of the first shield can also be applied to other selective shields) configured to cover the edge region of the substrate 110 during material deposition. See also... Figure 2The first protective cover 100 is described in further detail below. The first protective cover 100 includes a first protective frame 102 (also referred to herein as "protective frame 102") surrounding a first main opening 112 (also referred to herein as "main opening 112") defining a component region on the substrate. Furthermore, a first monitoring opening 130 is provided in the first protective frame 102 adjacent to the first main opening 112, the first monitoring opening 130 defining a first monitoring region 121 outside the substrate component region 120. Material deposited in the first monitoring region 121 of the substrate can be used to measure one or more properties of the first material layer deposited by the first deposition source 51, particularly the thickness of the first material layer.

[0034] Substrate 110 (e.g.) Figure 2 (As shown by the dashed line) can be positioned behind the protective cover 100, such that one or more edge regions of the substrate 110 are covered by the protective cover 100. It should be noted that... Figure 2 This is not drawn strictly to scale, and some dimensions may be exaggerated to aid in understanding this disclosure. As shown, the protective cover 100 includes a protective frame 102. The protective frame 102 may be the body of the protective cover 100 or contain its body. The protective frame 102 defines a main opening 112, the size of which is used to define a component region 120 on the substrate 110. The protective frame 102 may partially or completely (as shown) surround the main opening 112. The edge regions of the substrate 110, particularly... Figure 2 The portion of the substrate 110 positioned behind the protective frame 102, and / or the substrate carrier 720, shown in the image, can be substantially shielded by the protective frame 102. Therefore, the edge region of the substrate 110 is located outside the element region 120 and is substantially shielded by the deposition material of the first deposition source. The edge region of the substrate may surround the element region 120. The “element region” of the substrate can be understood as a substantially or completely continuous region of the substrate on which multiple electronic, optical, and / or optoelectronic components, such as OLED pixels and their corresponding electrical connections, will be formed. The element region 120 may be rectangular or have a diameter of 1m. 2 Or a larger surface area, especially several square meters.

[0035] The component region 120 can be blanket-coated using a first material emitted from a first evaporation source. Prior to deposition, multiple topological / geometric structures, such as strips with overhangs, can be formed on the substrate. These geometries enable the subsequent formation of (opto)electronic components, such as pixels formed from the (blanket-deposited) layers, through patterning and / or etching.

[0036] In a typical deposition process, one or more material layers may be deposited on the surface of a substrate, particularly on substrate areas not shielded by a protective frame, especially on the element area 120 defined by the main opening 112 in the protective frame 102.

[0037] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in addition to the main opening 112, the protective frame 102 also has a first monitoring opening 130. The first monitoring opening 130 is located next to the main opening 112. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the first monitoring opening 130 can be directly connected to the main opening 112, so that the main opening 112 and the first monitoring opening 130 form a common or unified opening. The protective frame 102 can partially or completely surround the main opening 112 and the first monitoring opening 130. According to some embodiments, the first monitoring opening 130 is located in close proximity to the first main opening 112, particularly without any gap in between.

[0038] exist Figure 1 and Figure 2 In this embodiment, the first monitoring opening 130 extends into the protective frame from the main opening in a slit-like manner, that is, it is located directly next to the main opening in the protective frame, so that the main opening and the first monitoring opening form a single, interconnected opening. For example, the first monitoring opening 130 may be a C-shaped, U-shaped, and / or substantially rectangular slit extending from the main opening into the protective frame. Figure 2 As shown, the first monitoring opening may be in the shape of a small rectangular hole and is connected to the edge of the first main opening, which may be in the shape of a large rectangular hole.

[0039] The deposited material deposited on the first monitoring region 121 of the substrate through the first monitoring opening 130 can be referred to as the (first) index material. The index material can be used to monitor, inspect, or evaluate the quality of the layer deposition, for example, by measuring the thickness of the material deposited through the first monitoring opening by a specific deposition source. Since the index material is deposited on the substrate outside the component region, it can be used for quality inspection without negatively impacting the actual components within the component region. Furthermore, the thickness of the (only) index material deposited through the first monitoring opening can be measured independently of other deposited materials that may be present within the component region, such as those deposited before or after the index material in the component region and / or other monitoring regions, and / or independently of geometries within the component region that may complicate thickness or uniformity measurements.

[0040] In some embodiments that can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the first main opening 112 is substantially rectangular in shape and surrounded by the first protective frame 102, while the first monitoring opening 130 extends from the first main opening into the first protective frame in a C-shape, U-shape, or rectangular shape. This opening configuration enables a reduction in substrate size and shield size (reducing the impact of shading effects compared to a case where the monitoring opening is far from the main opening), while enabling reliable monitoring of one or more layer properties.

[0041] The first main opening 112 can be a large opening, for example, with an opening size of 1m. 2 or above, especially 2m 2 Or above, and / or the first monitoring opening 130 can be a small opening, for example, with an opening size of 0.05m. 2 Or even smaller, especially 0.02m 2 Or smaller, 0.01m 2 Or smaller, especially 50cm 2 Or smaller, 25cm 2 Or smaller, 10cm 2 Or even smaller, even 5cm 2 Or smaller. According to some embodiments, the first monitoring opening 130 may be 1 cm. 2 or above, 2cm 2 or above, even 4cm 2 The opening size is either 1 or greater. The first monitoring opening 130 may be a rectangular opening with one opening edge, and the first monitoring opening may be connected to the (optional rectangular) first main opening with said opening edge.

[0042] In some embodiments that can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the substrate transport track and the shield transport track may extend substantially parallel within the first vacuum chamber 11 to provide a distance of 1 mm or more, 10 mm or less, particularly 2 mm or more, and 8 mm or less between the substrate and the first shield during deposition. Specifically, the gap between the substrate and the (protective edge) of the first protective frame may be 4 mm or more, 8 mm or less, particularly approximately 6 mm, as the substrate moves past the first deposition source. Gap sizes within the aforementioned range are sufficiently large to allow the shield to move smoothly, separate from the movement of the substrate, while ensuring a reasonably small shading effect.

[0043] In some embodiments, the deposition system further includes a second deposition source 52 and a second protective shield 100' associated with the second deposition source 52, such as Figure 1 The schematic diagram shown in the upper part of the figure. The substrate transport track 13 may extend over the second deposition source 52 and may be configured to move the substrate over the second deposition source 52 after the first material is deposited at the first deposition source 51, thereby depositing a second material on the substrate. The second material may be deposited on the element region 120 of the substrate, covering the first material deposited by the first deposition source.

[0044] The second shield 100' may be configured to protect the edge regions of the substrate when coating is performed using the second deposition source 52, and may be configured to allow deposition on the element regions 120 of the substrate, as is the case with the first shield 100. The second shield 100' may substantially correspond to the first shield 100 described above (except that the location and shape of the respective monitoring openings are optional), and therefore can be referred to the above explanation, which will not be repeated here.

[0045] Specifically, the second protective cover 100' includes a second protective frame 102', which partially or completely surrounds the second main opening 112' that defines the substrate element region 120, wherein a second monitoring opening 130' is provided in the second protective frame, particularly located next to the second main opening 112', and defines a second monitoring region 121' outside the substrate element region 120.

[0046] There is an offset between the position of the second monitoring opening in the second protective frame and the position of the first monitoring opening in the first protective frame. This offset is designed to be large enough that the second monitoring area 121' maintains a distance from the first monitoring area 121, or at least does not partially overlap (although there is a shadowing effect, see below), such as... Figure 1 The diagram shown in the lower middle part is as follows.

[0047] The size of the second main opening 112' of the second protective cover can correspond to the first main opening 112 of the first protective cover, so that the two protective covers can define corresponding component areas on the substrate, and the second material can be deposited in the component area 120 by the second deposition source, covering the first material deposited by the first deposition source.

[0048] The second monitoring opening 130' can be arranged in the second protective frame 102', adjacent to the second main opening 112', and specifically extends into the second protective frame in a cut-out manner from the second main opening 112'. The shape of the second monitoring opening may be similar to or correspond to the shape of the first monitoring opening, but located at a different position within the respective protective frame. In some embodiments, the second monitoring opening 130' may be positioned within the respective protective frame to allow a second material, instead of the first material, to be deposited in the measurement region of the second monitoring area 121', while the first material, instead of the second material, is deposited in the measurement region of the first monitoring area 121. In other words, the first and second materials may be deposited in each other's element regions, but not in their respective measurement regions of the first and second monitoring areas. Figure 1In this configuration, the first monitoring area 121 and the second monitoring area 121' are separated by a distance, and it is permissible for the monitoring areas to partially overlap due to the shading effect, as long as each monitoring area contains only one type of deposited material. Therefore, one or more characteristics of the deposited first material can be reliably inspected, controlled, and / or measured independently of other deposited materials (e.g., the second material), and one or more characteristics of the deposited second material can also be reliably inspected, controlled, and / or measured independently of other deposited materials (e.g., the first material).

[0049] In some embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, a set of protective shields is provided, including a first protective shield and a second protective shield, and one or more further protective shields, each shield being associated with a respective deposition source and configured to protect edge regions of the substrate from coating by material emitted from the respective deposition source. Figure 1 In an exemplary embodiment, the protective shield assembly further includes a third protective shield 100” associated with a third deposition source. The third protective shield 100” is configured similarly to the other protective shields and includes a third protective frame 112”, a third main opening, and a third monitoring opening 130”. The third monitoring opening 130” is located within the third protective frame 112”, but in a different position than the monitoring openings of the other protective shields. For further details regarding the third protective shield 100”, please refer to the explanations related to the first and second protective shields above, which will not be repeated here.

[0050] Each shield in the shield group can be configured as follows: the shield includes a protective frame surrounding a main opening defining a component region on the substrate, wherein the protective frame has a monitoring opening defining a corresponding monitoring area outside the component region on the substrate. The monitoring opening may be located next to the corresponding main opening, particularly extending into the corresponding protective frame in a slit-like manner. The monitoring opening of each shield in the group may be located in a unique position among the shields in the group. Except for the unique position of the corresponding monitoring opening, the shield group can be configured similarly or identically. In particular, the main openings of the shield group may have similar or identical dimensions and / or shapes to define a common component region on the substrate. The monitoring openings may optionally have different shapes and / or sizes, for example, to adapt to a specific opening angle or deposition material of the associated deposition source. Alternatively, at least some of the monitoring openings of the shield group may have similar or identical shapes and / or sizes, such as Figure 1 As shown schematically in the lower part.

[0051] According to the embodiments described in this invention, the protective shield assembly is in Figure 1The lower portion is shown schematically, exemplarily illustrating three protective shields, each associated with a corresponding deposition source. These shields are movable in front of and with the substrate 110, positioned between the substrate transport track and their respective deposition sources, to protect edge regions of the substrate as it passes their respective deposition sources. For example, each shield may have a support portion configured to interact with a corresponding shield transport system. The configurations of these shields are as described above, and... Figure 2 The first protective shield is associated with the group, and the monitoring opening of each protective shield in the group is located in a unique position among the protective shields in the group.

[0052] In particular, the monitoring opening of each shield may extend in a similar manner to the cut, especially in a C-shape, U-shape or rectangular shape, extending from the respective main opening to the respective protective frame.

[0053] The configuration and dimensions of the protective shield assembly, especially the dimensions of the main opening, are almost identical to each other, except for monitoring the location of the opening and selectively monitoring the shape / size of the opening.

[0054] In some embodiments, a unique location is selected for the monitoring opening within the protective frame of the shield, such that the monitoring area on the substrate defined by each monitoring opening respectively includes a measurement area on which only a single material from the relevant deposition source is deposited (see [link to relevant documentation]). Figure 1 (The lower right part). In other words, only one material emitted from a single deposition source can be deposited in the measurement area of ​​each monitoring region on the substrate. Layer properties provided by each deposition source, such as layer thickness, can be monitored, measured, and / or inspected individually.

[0055] Because the monitoring openings are located next to their respective main openings, especially if the monitoring openings are connected to the main openings, the shading effect can be kept small, and the size of the substrate and shield can be reduced compared to when the monitoring openings are located far from the main openings in the substrate edge region. A more compact deposition system can be provided, thus allowing for reliable monitoring of deposition properties.

[0056] In some embodiments that can be used in conjunction with other embodiments described herein, the monitoring opening of each shield in the group is located on the same side of its respective main opening in its respective protective frame (e.g., Figure 1 All monitoring openings of a set of protective covers are provided on the "left side" of their respective main openings, thereby defining multiple monitoring areas (121, 121', 121") arranged in rows on the substrate, particularly defining multiple monitoring areas arranged vertically on the side region of the substrate. If all monitoring areas are arranged in the same edge region of the substrate (e.g., in...), Figure 1On the side substrate edge (e.g., the front or rear edge during substrate transport), a substrate with a smaller overall edge area can be provided, because only one substrate edge (where the monitoring area is located) may need to be wider than the other substrate edges.

[0057] The unique location of the monitoring opening in the protective frame of the protective shield assembly can be selected such that the monitoring area defined by the monitoring opening each includes a measurement area where only a single material from the relevant deposition source is deposited, the thickness of which in the measurement area corresponds to the thickness of the blanket deposition layer of the material (in particular, the thickness is not reduced due to shading effects).

[0058] In some embodiments that can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the first monitoring opening 130 of the first protective shield 100 is located within the first protective frame and adjacent to the first main opening in the transport direction 140, and has an opening width (W) in the transport direction. The opening width (W) may be greater than the width of the shaded area (e.g., at least greater than 2 mm or at least greater than 5 mm), wherein the width of the shaded area is determined based on the gap distance between the first protective shield and the substrate and at least one opening angle (α) based on the evaporation plume emitted from the first deposition source. Specifically, the width of the shaded area can be calculated using a formula.

[0059] [(tan(α1)+tan(α2))*gap width]

[0060] (See also) Figure 6 (For more details). Angle α is the full opening angle of the evaporation plume, while angles α1 and α2 are the two half angles measured relative to the substrate normal. If the opening width (W) of the first monitoring opening is less than the width of the shaded area, the entire first monitoring area will be covered by material emitted from other deposition sources, and / or partially covered by the sloping layer of the first material due to the shadowing effect. Thus, there will be no suitable measurement area within the first monitoring area for reliably measuring the properties of the first material layer. The calculation of the shaded area width above assumes that the evaporation plumes of several deposition sources have equal opening angles, thus simplifying the calculation. Depending on the circumstances, the opening angles of one or more other deposition source evaporation plumes may be considered.

[0061] According to some embodiments, the protective shield group may include multiple protective shields, such as 5 or more, 6 or more, 7 or more, 8 or more, 9 or more, 10 or more, or even 11 or more. Each protective frame of the plurality of protective shields may include a monitoring opening provided at a unique location relative to the plurality of protective shields. The monitoring opening may, for example, be located in the same edge region, such as in the side edge region of the protective shield (e.g., the leading or trailing edge region in the transport direction), as... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown.

[0062] For example, and not limited to, the material layers deposited in the measurement areas can be subjected to thickness, uniformity, consistency, and / or other quality control tests. These tests can be performed during the deposition process and / or substrate manufacturing process, for example, after the substrate has been processed to deposit one or more material layers. Based on the test results, process parameters can be adjusted. For example, the deposition source can be controlled, such as adjusting the deposition rate to achieve the desired layer thickness. For example, the speed at which the substrate and / or shield are transported alongside the deposition source can be controlled, for example, to achieve the desired layer thickness. In particular, since each measurement area is provided in a unique location, this facilitates monitoring the material properties of individual layers during manufacturing, even though multiple material layers are deposited on the substrate in a layer stack.

[0063] According to an embodiment, the substrate 110 processed in the deposition system may include several monitoring regions corresponding to the number of shields in the group of shields and / or the number of deposition operations performed on the substrate. The monitoring regions may be located in the edge regions of the substrate, such as common edge regions, or even different edge regions. By providing monitoring regions in the same edge regions, the area utilization of the substrate can be improved. In particular, all monitoring openings may be located in the same edge regions, so that the processed substrate includes several monitoring regions corresponding to the number of shields in the same edge regions, such as the long edge region or the wide edge region of the processed substrate.

[0064] Now for reference Figure 3 A and 3B show Figure 2 The cross sections of lines A-A' and B-B' in the diagram. Figure 3 A shows a cross-section through the protective frame 102 at the location with the first monitoring opening 130. Figure 3 B shows the cross-section through the protective frame without monitoring openings. As... Figure 3 A and Figure 3 As shown in Figure B, the portion of the substrate 110 below the first monitoring opening 130 is not shielded by the protective frame 102, while the portion below position 132 is shielded by the protective frame.

[0065] According to embodiments, the protective shield, particularly the protective frame, can be positioned at a specific distance from the substrate 110. For example, the deposition system according to embodiments may include a substrate transport track and a protective shield transport track to define the distance between the substrate and the protective shield, and / or be configured to provide the protective shield at a specific distance above the substrate surface. In particular, the protective frame may be configured not to contact the substrate surface to be protected.

[0066] According to an embodiment, the protective frame 102 may be structurally stable, rigid, and / or inflexible. In the deposition process according to an embodiment, the protective shield 100 can be transported independently of the substrate, particularly without contact with the substrate and / or without support from the substrate or structures connected to the substrate (such as a substrate carrier). By providing a protective frame comprising and / or made of rigid materials, such as metals, like aluminum alloys, or steel alloys, such as stainless steel, a structurally stable protective shield can be obtained.

[0067] According to an embodiment, the protective frame 102 may include a structural portion 210. The structural portion may extend from the outer edge of the protective frame 102 to a substantially central portion of the protective frame 102. The thickness of the structural portion 210 may be 2 mm or more, 5 mm or more, 7 mm or more, 10 mm or more, 15 mm or more, for example, about 18 mm or more.

[0068] According to an embodiment, the protective frame may include a tapered portion extending from the structural portion to an inner edge 220 of the protective frame, the inner edge 220 being adjacent to the main opening 112 and / or the monitoring opening. In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 A and Figure 3 As shown in B, the thickness of the tapered portion may gradually decrease towards the inner edge 220, resulting in a protective frame thickness of 2 mm or less, 1 mm or less, or even 0.8 mm or less at the edge. Advantageously, this low-thickness inner edge 220 can improve the deposition characteristics of the material layer deposited in the edge region.

[0069] According to an embodiment, during the deposition operation, the distance between the protective frame and the substrate can be 1 mm or more, 3 mm or more, or 4 mm or more. For example, the distance can be between 1 mm and 10 mm, particularly between 4 mm and 8 mm. It should be noted that, especially because the protective cover can move independently of the substrate, the distance may be particularly controlled during the substrate deposition operation and may vary during other operations (e.g., when the substrate is transferred to and / or from the vacuum chamber).

[0070] According to some embodiments, the surface of the protective frame 102 opposite to the substrate 110 may be substantially flat and / or substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate. In particular, in some embodiments, the distance between the protective frame 102 and the substrate 110 may remain substantially constant.

[0071] from Figure 3 A and Figure 3 It is clear from the comparison of B that... Figure 3The substrate 110 in the A-A' section region below the first monitoring opening 130 shown in A is exposed, while the substrate 110 in the B-B' section region, i.e., position 132, does not include the monitoring opening and is shielded by the protective frame 102.

[0072] Referring now to Figure 4, details of the first monitoring opening 130 are shown. Figure 4 illustrates the result of material layer deposition in a deposition process according to one embodiment, and specifically shows the first monitoring region 300 defined by the first monitoring opening 130. Specifically, Figure 4 may illustrate shading and overlap effects observable in certain deposition processes. Figure 3 As shown in Figure A, a certain distance is maintained between the protective frame 102 and the substrate 110. Therefore, the deposition of the material layer may extend beyond the edge of the protective frame 102, particularly beyond the edge of the component region 120 and / or the first monitoring opening 130. The effect of the difference between the size of the monitoring region and the size of the monitoring opening will be discussed in the reference... Figure 6 Further explanation will follow.

[0073] As shown in Figure 4, different regions can be defined for the material layer deposited on the substrate 110 through and / or adjacent to the first monitoring opening 130 (the corresponding considerations also apply to the monitoring openings of other protective covers). The first monitoring opening 130 defines a first monitoring region 300 on the substrate. The first monitoring region 300 can be defined as any region on the substrate 110 deposited through the first monitoring opening 130.

[0074] The first monitoring region 300 includes a measurement region 310. The measurement region 310 is suitable for measuring the material properties of a material layer. For example, the material layer deposited in the measurement region may correspond to the material properties of a stack of material layers deposited in the element region 120 in terms of thickness, material density, material composition, or similar properties. The measurement region 310 may be smaller than the first monitoring region 300.

[0075] Adjacent to the area substantially defined by the edge of the first monitoring opening 130, the first monitoring region 300 includes a shaded region 320. In the shaded region 320, a material layer may be partially deposited, and / or deposited with a thickness lower than that of the measurement region 310. For example, the thickness of the material layer in the shaded region 320 may be less than the thickness of the material layer deposited within the element region. Therefore, the shaded region 320 may not be suitable for reliably measuring the properties of the material layer.

[0076] Adjacent to the intersection of the first monitoring opening 130 and the main opening 112, the first monitoring region 300 may include an overlapping region 330 (an overlapping region being a specific type of "shaded area"). In the overlapping region, a first material layer deposited through the first monitoring opening 130 may overlap with a second material deposited in a previous or subsequent deposition operation, where no monitoring opening is present at the substrate location shown. The overlapping region can be considered a shaded area of ​​material deposited by other deposition sources. Therefore, an additional material layer may exist in the overlapping region 330, and the overlapping region 330 may not be suitable for reliably measuring the properties of the material layer.

[0077] As shown in Figure 4, the measurement area 310 according to the embodiment may be smaller than the first monitoring opening 130 and / or smaller than the first monitoring area 300. According to some embodiments, the size of the measurement area 310 may be less than 50%, 40%, 30%, 20%, or even 10% of the first monitoring area 300. For example, the width of the measurement area 310 (e.g., along...) Figure 1 The direction W shown can be 10 mm or less, 7 mm or less, 5 mm or less, 3 mm or less, or even 2 mm or less. A smaller monitoring area can help improve the space utilization of the substrate, for example, by increasing the area of ​​the component region.

[0078] Now for reference Figure 5 The processed substrate 400 is described. The processed substrate 400 may correspond to the substrate 110 processed in the deposition system according to the embodiment. Figure 5 The processed substrate 400 is shown along... Figure 2 The cross-section of line A-A' shown in the figure.

[0079] In the given example, the first material layer 410 is deposited in the first deposition operation. In the first deposition operation, the first monitoring opening 130 appears. Figure 5 The first protective cover 100 is placed in the protective frame of the substrate area shown in the image. Therefore, the first material layer 410 is deposited into the edge region of the substrate 110, beyond, for example, the deposition location of the second material layer 420.

[0080] In the second deposition operation, a second material layer 420 is deposited onto the substrate. During this second deposition operation, a second protective shield is provided, featuring a protective frame without monitoring openings at the indicated locations. Therefore, the second material is not deposited into the edge regions of the substrate.

[0081] According to an embodiment, the processed substrate 400 may include a reference. Figure 3 The areas and / or regions mentioned, particularly the shaded area 320, the measurement area 310, the overlapping area 330, and / or the element area 120. It should be noted that in... Figure 5 The layer stack shown, including a first material layer 410 and a second material layer 420, is exemplary, and further material layers, such as up to 11 layers or even more, may be provided. Figure 5 As shown, the material layer thickness within the shaded region 320 and / or overlapping region 330 may be non-constant, particularly gradually changing, while the material layer thickness in the measurement region 310 is substantially constant. The thickness of the first material layer 410 in the measurement region 310 may correspond to the thickness of the first material layer 410 in the inner layer stack of the component region 120.

[0082] Now for reference Figure 6 The substrate 110 is shown being processed in the deposition system 500. Figure 6 The source of the shaded area 320 (and / or overlapping area 330) shown in Figure 4 is explained.

[0083] The deposition system 500 includes a deposition source 510. The deposition source 510 may be one of a plurality of deposition sources, such as two or more deposition sources. The distance 522 between the deposition source 510 and the substrate 110 is [missing information].

[0084] According to some embodiments that can be combined with other embodiments described herein, one or more deposition sources in deposition system 500 may be evaporation sources, particularly substantially vertically extending line sources. Organic materials may be deposited onto the substrate as it moves past deposition source 510, which provides the line source. According to some embodiments that can be combined with other embodiments described herein, one or more deposition sources may also be metal sources and / or inorganic sources, such as cathodes for fabricating elements.

[0085] According to some embodiments, material emitted from deposition source 510 can move within the space between deposition source and substrate 110, for example, in the form of a plume, such as a steam plume and / or a particle plume. The plume may have a shape, such as, but not limited to, an essentially conical shape. Characteristics of the plume, such as its shape, can be controlled by deposition system 500, particularly by deposition source 510. Specifically, the deposition source can be configured to emit material to be deposited within an angular range limited by a maximum deposition angle, such as an angle defining the dimensions of the conical shape. In some embodiments, the maximum deposition angle can be equidistant, for example, the same angle in all directions when referring to the surface normal of the substrate.

[0086] According to the embodiments, such as Figure 6As shown, the shaded area 320 may be formed as the substrate and protective cover move relative to the deposition source 510 along the transport direction 140, while material is deposited at an angle to the substrate normal. The deposition source deposits material within angle α, meaning the material is deposited within an angle range limited by the maximum deposition angle, and essentially no material is deposited outside angle α. Figure 6 In the example shown, the material is deposited at an angle of approximately -45° to approximately 45° relative to the surface normal of the substrate. Similarly, the material can also be deposited at angles, particularly at maximum deposition angles of approximately -30° to approximately 30°, approximately -40° to approximately 40°, approximately -50° to approximately 50°, approximately -60° to approximately 60°, and approximately -70° to approximately 70°. When the substrate 110 and the protective frame 102 are located... Figure 6 At the position shown, the edge 220 of the protective frame 102 is aligned with the maximum deposition angle α1, where α1 can substantially correspond to α / 2. Accordingly, material is deposited below the edge of the protective frame, forming the left portion of the shaded area 320. Similarly, after the substrate 110 and the protective frame 102 have moved past the deposition source along the transport direction 140, the edge 220 obscures a portion of the substrate adjacent to the edge 220, forming the right portion of the shaded area 320.

[0087] exist Figure 6 In the simplified example shown, the width of the shaded area can be calculated using the following formula (1):

[0088] (1)

[0089] W is the width of the shaded area.

[0090] α is the full opening angle of the sedimentary plume.

[0091] α1 and α2 are the two "half-angles" of the deposition plume, measured relative to the substrate normal, and

[0092] d1 is the distance 520 between the protective frame and the substrate 110.

[0093] When the steam plume is rotationally symmetric with respect to the substrate normal, α1 = α2 = α / 2, and equation (1) simplifies to .

[0094] According to an embodiment, the width of the overlapping region, such as the overlapping region 330 described with reference to FIG. 4, can be determined as described with reference to determining the width of the shaded region 320, for example by applying formula (1). In some embodiments, the plume opening angles of the sedimentary sources may be similar or substantially equal. In the latter case, the widths of the overlapping region 330 and the shaded region 320 may be similar or substantially equal. In other cases, the opening angles of the sedimentary sources may be different, and the above formula can be adjusted accordingly.

[0095] Advantageously, by calculating the width of the shaded area 320 and / or the overlapping area 330 according to formula (1), the size of the first monitoring opening can be selected to provide a dimensionally optimized measurement area 310, so as to simultaneously provide reliable measurement and maximize the utilization of the substrate area. For example, the opening width of the first monitoring opening can be designed to be greater than the width of the shaded area determined according to formula (1) above, in particular at least 2 mm or more and not more than 20 mm, and in particular 5 mm or more and not more than 10 mm.

[0096] Referring now to Figures 7A to 7G, a deposition system 700 for processing multiple substrates 110 is described. Figure 6 The features and / or properties of the described deposition system 500 can also be applied to the deposition system 700. The deposition system 700 includes one or more vacuum chambers 702, a first deposition source 510, and optional further deposition sources disposed within the vacuum chambers 702. The first deposition source provides a first deposition region in a first angular direction, and an optional second deposition source provides a second deposition region. In the shown embodiment, an idle shield 710 associated with the first deposition source is configured to block material evaporating in a second angular direction from the first deposition source, for example, by defining an orifice 750. The idle shield 710 may be selective. The system further includes a substrate transport track 740 configured to move one of a plurality of substrates 110 by translation through the first deposition region and optionally through the second deposition region; and a shield transport track 730 located between the substrate transport track 740 and the first deposition source 510, configured to move the first shield 100 back and forth between a first protective position and a second protective position in the first deposition region by translation.

[0097] As shown in Figure 7A, substrate 110 can be carried on substrate carrier 720. The substrates in Figures 7A to 7G move from left to right along substrate transport track 740. Substrate 110 moves by translation, particularly in vertical orientation. First protective cover 100 moves to a first protective position. As shown in Figure 7A, the first protective position is configured to protect at least a portion of the substrate and / or substrate carrier from coating. In the first protective position, substrate 110 can be coated through the main opening of protective cover 100.

[0098] As shown in FIG. 7B, substrate 110 and first shield 100 move through the deposition area of ​​first deposition source 510 for substrate processing. Material can be deposited on the substrate as the substrate and shield move from left to right in FIG. 7B. Substrate carrier 720 and optional substrate portions (e.g., edge portions of the substrate) are protected by shield 100 from coating. As shown in FIG. 7C, after processing substrate 110, the substrate (e.g., supported by substrate carrier 720) is in a second substrate position relative to the deposition area of ​​first deposition source 510. Shield 100 is in the second shield position. As shown in FIG. 7D, first deposition source 510 is rotated such that a plume of volatile material is directed toward idle shield 710. Rotation of first deposition source 510 may be optional. As shown in FIG. 7E, substrate 110 further moves along a transport path, for example, toward another deposition source (not shown). First shield 100 is associated with first deposition source 510 and moves back to first shield position (see FIG. 7A). As shown in Figure 7E, the first protective cover 100 can wait for the second substrate 110' in the first protective cover position.

[0099] According to one embodiment, a method for processing a first substrate among multiple substrates in an online deposition system is provided. The method includes moving the first substrate along a substrate transport track to a first substrate position corresponding to a first deposition source by translation within one or more vacuum chambers; moving a first protective shield to a first protective shield position by translation, the position being configured to protect at least a portion of the first substrate and / or a first substrate carrier from coating by the first deposition source; moving the first substrate onto the first substrate carrier and the first protective shield by translation, wherein the first substrate passes through a first deposition region of the first deposition source to deposit material onto the first substrate, wherein the first substrate is moved to a second substrate portion, and the first protective shield is moved to a second protective shield position, the second protective shield position being configured to protect at least a portion of the first substrate and / or the first substrate carrier from coating by the first deposition source; moving the first substrate toward a second deposition region of a second deposition source by translation; and moving the first protective shield from the second protective shield position back to the first protective shield position by translation.

[0100] As shown in Figure 7F, the first shield 100 and the second substrate 110' can be moved in the deposition system such that the first shield 100 is located at the first shield position, and the second substrate 110' is located at the first substrate position. Subsequently, the first deposition source 510 can be rotated from the second rotation position to the first rotation position, as shown in Figure 7G. Figure 7G corresponds to Figure 7A, where the second substrate is located at the first position. Therefore, by repeating the above sequence, the method can include moving the second substrate between the second substrate carrier and the first shield by translation, wherein the second substrate passes through the first deposition region of the first deposition source to deposit material on the second substrate. The first substrate on the first substrate carrier can be moved toward the second shield (e.g., Figure 1 As shown, the protective shield can be associated with a second deposition source. The first substrate can pass through a second deposition region of the second deposition source to deposit a second material on the first substrate.

[0101] According to some embodiments, the deposition system 700 is configured to move a first protective shield in front of the substrate and move it together with the substrate to protect the substrate during the deposition of a first material, and simultaneously move a second protective shield in front of the substrate and move it together with the substrate to protect the substrate during the deposition of a second material. For example, the first substrate shown in FIG7E can be transferred to a further vacuum chamber containing a second deposition source and a second protective shield 100' similar to the first protective shield 100.

[0102] According to some embodiments, the substrate carrier 720 may include an electrostatic chuck (E-chuck) that provides electrostatic force to hold the substrate to the substrate carrier, particularly on the support surface of the substrate carrier. For example, the substrate carrier includes an arrangement of electrodes configured to provide an attractive force to the substrate.

[0103] Referring now to Figure 8, a method 800 for coating a substrate in a deposition system is described. This method can be performed in any deposition system described herein, for example, in… Figure 1 The deposition system 1000 is shown in the image. Operations 810 to 830 can be performed essentially simultaneously.

[0104] In operation 810, the substrate moves along the transport direction on the substrate transport track and passes the first deposition source.

[0105] In operation 820, the first protective shield moves in front of the substrate on a protective shield transport track to protect one or more edge regions of the substrate and / or substrate carrier from being coated by the first deposition source. The first protective shield can be configured as described herein. Specifically, the first protective shield may include a first protective frame that partially or completely surrounds the first main opening, wherein a first monitoring opening can be provided in the protective frame.

[0106] In operation 830, the first material is directed from the first deposition source toward the substrate, particularly during the co-movement of the substrate and the first protective shield according to operations 810 and 820. The first material may be deposited on the substrate element region defined by the first main opening and on a first monitoring region outside the element region defined by the first monitoring opening disposed in the first protective frame and located next to the first main opening.

[0107] Method 800 can be carried out according to the aspects and / or embodiments relating to the deposition system described herein, particularly the aspects of the protective shield and / or a set of protective shields according to the embodiments described herein.

[0108] Advantageously, the thickness of the deposited material in the first monitoring region can indicate the layer thickness of the first material layer and / or possibly other properties of the first material layer. According to an embodiment, method 800 may include measuring the properties, particularly the thickness, of the first material layer in the first monitoring region after deposition. In particular, method 800 may include depositing multiple material layers on a substrate, each deposition operation using a different shield from a set of shields, each shield defining a unique monitoring region on the substrate. Therefore, the method may include measuring the properties of several, or even all, of the material layers deposited in the multiple monitoring regions after deposition.

[0109] In some embodiments that can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the first protective cover moves within a distance range from the substrate, said range being 2 mm to 10 mm, particularly within a distance range of 4 mm to 8 mm.

[0110] The method may further include, after depositing a first material layer at a first deposition source: moving a substrate to a second deposition source on a substrate transport track; moving a second protective shield in front of the substrate to protect one or more edge regions of the substrate from being coated by the second deposition source, the second protective shield including a second protective frame surrounding a second main opening; and directing a second material toward the substrate from the second deposition source, the second material being deposited on a component region defined by the second main opening and a second monitoring region defined by a second monitoring opening disposed in the second protective frame.

[0111] The first and second monitoring regions of the substrate may be spaced apart from each other or at least partially non-overlapping, such as Figure 1 The lower part of the diagram illustrates this. Each monitoring area may include a measurement area, where the material deposited by the corresponding deposition source in the measurement area is unaffected by shading effects. In other words, the layer thickness in the measurement area may correspond to the thickness of the blanket-covered deposition layer of the corresponding material, for example, in the central region of the element area.

[0112] In some embodiments, the method may include sequentially depositing multiple different materials through multiple deposition sources in an in-line deposition system onto a substrate, wherein the multiple materials are stacked on top of each other on element regions of the substrate to form a layer stack. Alternatively, only one of the multiple materials may be deposited separately in a measurement area defined by monitoring openings of a set of shielding shields.

[0113] The properties, particularly the thickness, of a first material in a first monitoring area can be measured. Specifically, the properties, particularly the thickness, of multiple different materials in multiple monitoring areas defined by multiple monitoring openings of a set of protective shields can be measured.

[0114] Although the foregoing has been explained in a substrate deposition process that utilizes a static deposition source and a protective shield and a substrate that move relative to the deposition source, the benefits of this disclosure can also be obtained in a process that utilizes a static protective shield and a substrate and a movable deposition source.

[0115] According to another aspect, a substrate manufactured according to any of the methods described herein is provided. The substrate may be the substrate 110 of the reference embodiments described herein. The substrate may be a processed substrate, for example, a substrate processed according to the methods described herein. For example, the substrate may be a reference... Figure 5 The described processing substrate 400.

[0116] According to an embodiment, the substrate may comprise at least three layers of material partially stacked on the component regions of the substrate and independently deposited at certain locations in the monitoring regions of the substrate's boundary regions. Similarly, the substrate may comprise at least four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, or even eleven layers of material stacked on top of each other on the component regions and independently deposited in at least a portion of the corresponding monitoring regions. The monitoring regions may be arranged in a column array manner in the boundary regions of the substrate.

[0117] According to an embodiment, each of the plurality of material layers can be progressively deposited onto the element region 120 of the substrate 110.

[0118] The embodiments described herein can be used to deposit materials, such as organic, inorganic, or metallic materials, on large substrates, for example, in the manufacture of OLED displays. Specifically, the substrate to which the structures and methods described herein are intended can be a large substrate. For example, a large substrate can be GEN 4.5, with a corresponding surface area of ​​approximately 0.67 m². 2 (0.73m x 0.92m), GEN5, corresponding to a surface area of ​​approximately 1.4m². 2 (1.1m x 1.3m), GEN 7.5, corresponding to a surface area of ​​approximately 4.29m². 2 (1.95m x 2.2m), GEN 8.5, corresponding to a surface area of ​​approximately 5.7m². 2 (2.2m x 2.5m), or even GEN 10, with a corresponding surface area of ​​approximately 8.7m². 2 (2.85m x 3.05m). Even larger generations such as GEN 11 and GEN 12, and their corresponding surface areas, can be similarly achieved. Half-size of the GEN generation can also be provided in OLED display manufacturing.

[0119] According to certain embodiments that may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the thickness of the substrate can range from 0.1 to 1.8 mm. The thickness of the substrate can be about 0.9 mm or less, for example, 0.5 mm. The term “substrate” as used herein may specifically include substantially rigid substrates, such as glass sheets or other substrates. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the term “substrate” may also include flexible substrates, such as rolls or films. The term “substantially rigid” is understood to distinguish it from “flexible.” Specifically, a substantially rigid substrate may have a degree of flexibility, such as a glass sheet with a thickness of 0.9 mm or less, such as 0.5 mm or less, wherein the flexibility of a substantially rigid substrate is less than that of a flexible substrate.

[0120] According to one aspect, a method for processing a substrate is described. The method includes protecting a portion of the substrate with a first protective shield, depositing a first material layer onto the substrate, the first material layer being deposited in a component region defined by a main opening of the first protective shield and a first monitoring region defined by a first notch in the first protective shield, and then protecting a portion of the substrate with a second protective shield, depositing a second material layer onto the substrate, the second material layer being deposited in a component region defined by a main opening of the second protective shield and a second monitoring region defined by a second notch in the second protective shield. The first and second monitoring regions may be located at different locations on the substrate, and the first and second monitoring regions include respective measurement regions, wherein the material deposition in the measurement region defined by the first notch indicates the thickness of the first material layer, and the material deposition in the measurement region defined by the second notch indicates the thickness of the second material layer.

[0121] While the foregoing describes certain embodiments, other further embodiments may be designed without departing from the basic scope, the scope of which is determined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A sedimentation system, comprising: The first vacuum chamber contains the first deposition source; A substrate transport track is configured to move the substrate along the transport direction past the first deposition source; A protective cover transport track is located between the substrate transport track and the first deposition source, and is configured to move the first protective cover in front of the substrate along the transport direction to protect the edge region of the substrate; and The first protective cover includes: A first protective frame surrounds a first main opening defining a component region on the substrate. The first monitoring opening is provided in the first protective frame. The first monitoring opening is located next to the first main opening and defines a first monitoring area outside the component area on the substrate.

2. The deposition system of claim 1, wherein the first monitoring opening extends from the first main opening into the first protective frame in a slit manner.

3. The deposition system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first main opening is substantially rectangular in shape and surrounded by the first protective frame, and the first monitoring opening extends from the first main opening to the first protective frame in a C-shape, U-shape, or rectangle.

4. The deposition system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the area of ​​the first main opening is 1m². 2 Or larger, and the area of ​​the first monitoring opening is 0.01m². 2 Or smaller.

5. The deposition system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the substrate transport track and the shield transport track extend substantially parallel to each other in the first vacuum chamber to provide a distance of 1 mm or more and not more than 10 mm between the substrate and the first shield during deposition.

6. The deposition system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first monitoring opening is located in the first protective frame and is adjacent to the first main opening in the transport direction, and its opening width (W) in the transport direction is greater than the width of the shadow area determined according to the distance between the first protective cover and the substrate and according to the opening angle of at least the evaporation plume emitted by the first deposition source.

7. The deposition system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a second protective shield associated with a second deposition source, the second protective shield being designed to protect the edge region of the substrate when coating is performed using the second deposition source, the second protective shield including a second protective frame having a second monitoring opening for defining a second monitoring area outside the element region on the substrate.

8. The deposition system of claim 7, wherein the second protective shield comprises: The second protective frame surrounds the second main opening, the size of which is substantially corresponding to the first main opening of the first protective cover, wherein the second monitoring opening is disposed in the first protective frame and located next to the second main opening.

9. The deposition system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising a group of protective shields, including the first protective shield and at least two other protective shields, each protective frame of the protective shield group having a monitoring opening that defines a corresponding monitoring area on the substrate and is located at a unique position among the protective shields in the protective shield group.

10. The deposition system of claim 9, wherein the monitoring opening of each shield in the shield assembly is located on the same side of the main opening in its respective shield frame to define a plurality of monitoring areas arranged in a row on the substrate.

11. The deposition system of claim 9 or 10, wherein the unique location selection of the monitoring opening in the protective frame of the protective shield assembly is such that the monitoring area defined by the monitoring opening respectively includes a measurement area on which only material from the relevant deposition source is deposited.

12. The deposition system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising a substrate carrier having an electrostatic chuck for securing the substrate.

13. A protective shield assembly for protecting a substrate in a deposition system, each shield in the assembly being configured to be movable in a transport direction and comprising: A protective frame surrounds a main opening to define a component area on the substrate, wherein a monitoring opening is provided in the protective frame, the monitoring opening being located next to the main opening, the monitoring opening being configured to define a corresponding monitoring area outside the component area of ​​the substrate; The location of the monitoring opening in each of the protective shields in the protective shield group is unique among all the protective shields.

14. The protective shield assembly of claim 13, wherein the monitoring opening of each protective shield extends from its respective main opening to its respective protective frame in a slit-like manner.

15. The protective shield assembly according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the configuration and size of the protective shield assembly are substantially corresponding to each other, differing only in the position of the respective monitoring openings.

16. A method for coating a substrate in a deposition system, comprising: The substrate moves along the transport direction on the substrate transport track past the first deposition source; A first protective cover is moved in front of the substrate on a protective cover transport track to protect the edge area of ​​the substrate from being coated by the first deposition source. The first protective cover includes a first protective frame surrounding a first main opening. and The first material is directed to the substrate by the first deposition source, and the first material is deposited on the element region defined by the first main opening and on a first monitoring region outside the element region defined by the first monitoring opening located next to the first main opening.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the distance between the first protective cover and the substrate is 2 mm to 10 mm.

18. The method according to claim 16 or claim 17, further comprising: The substrate is moved along the substrate transport track past the second deposition source; A second protective shield is moved in front of the substrate to protect the edge region of the substrate from being coated by the second deposition source. The second protective shield includes a second protective frame surrounding the second main opening. and The second material is directed to the substrate by the second deposition source, and the second material is deposited onto the element region defined by the second main opening and the second monitoring region defined by the second monitoring opening disposed in the second protective frame, wherein the first monitoring region and the second monitoring region are spaced apart from each other or at least do not partially overlap.

19. The method of any one of claims 16 to 18, comprising sequentially depositing a plurality of materials on the substrate by moving the substrate in front of a plurality of deposition sources, wherein the plurality of materials are deposited in stacked layers on the element regions of the substrate, and wherein only one of the plurality of materials is deposited in a measurement region defined by a monitoring opening of a protective shield assembly including the first protective shield.

20. The method according to any one of claims 16 to 19, comprising: Measure the thickness of the first material within the first monitoring area.

21. A substrate manufactured by the method according to any one of claims 16 to 20.

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