A bidirectional composite gradual change vacuum magnetron sputtering coating system

Abstract

The application discloses a bidirectional composite gradual-change vacuum magnetron sputtering coating system and belongs to the technical field of vacuum coating. The system comprises a coating chamber, a cathode device, a workpiece carrier for bearing a workpiece to be coated, and a driving device for driving the workpiece carrier to move. The cathode device is installed in the coating chamber. The driving device comprises a translation driving assembly and a deflection control assembly. The translation driving assembly is used for driving the workpiece carrier to reciprocate linearly to pass through the cathode device for coating. The deflection control assembly is used for adjusting and controlling the relative angle of the workpiece carrier relative to the cathode device. The application has the advantages of compact structure, high motion precision, good vacuum compatibility and flexible satisfaction of the diversified process requirements of complex gradual-change color coating of mobile phone back covers, wearable devices and the like.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vacuum coating technology, and specifically to a bidirectional composite gradient vacuum magnetron sputtering coating system. Background Technology

[0002] Vacuum coating technology (such as physical vapor deposition (PVD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) improves product performance by depositing a thin film on the product surface. In addition, since different film materials and thicknesses can make the product surface present different colors, vacuum coating technology is also widely used in the decoration industry, such as mobile phone back covers, wearable devices and decorative glass.

[0003] With the development of market demand in various industries, the appearance and color of products are receiving increasing attention, with products featuring gradient colors becoming increasingly popular. Due to the interference effect of light, thin films of different thicknesses selectively enhance or weaken light of different wavelengths. Therefore, gradient colors can be achieved by depositing film layers of different thicknesses on different parts of the product's surface. However, traditional vacuum coating technology usually adopts a static coating method, which achieves film deposition by fixing the relative position of the substrate and the target material, but it is difficult to achieve a continuous and precise gradient in film thickness.

[0004] Currently, the film thickness is usually controlled by changing the linear motion speed of the substrate by controlling the rotation speed of two transverse drive motors. However, this method can only change the film thickness of the substrate in the direction of motion. Since the distance between each point of the substrate and the cathode device is the same in the direction perpendicular to the linear motion, the film thickness in this direction is the same. Therefore, the gradient color film layer deposited by this method can only change gradually along the direction of motion and cannot achieve a multi-directional gradient color coating effect.

[0005] Furthermore, multi-directional gradient color coating effects can be achieved by designing shielding plates of specific shapes. The shielding plate is placed between the cathode target and the substrate to block some of the target particles sputtered onto the substrate surface. This results in a thinner film layer on the shielded portion of the substrate and a thicker film layer on the unshielded portion, achieving the gradient color appearance. For example, Chinese patent application CN112811828A discloses a gradient color solar front panel, its manufacturing method, and a solar module packaging structure, achieving the gradient color coating effect by using shielding plates of different shapes to correct film thickness. However, for diverse gradient color coating requirements, it is clearly difficult to design the shape of the shielding plate. Moreover, for color-changing coating requirements on large-area substrates, using only shielding plates makes it difficult to achieve precise control of the film thickness at various locations on the surface of a large-area substrate. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the existing technology and provide a bidirectional composite gradient vacuum magnetron sputtering coating system that can meet the diverse process requirements of complex gradient color coating and achieve precise and controllable deposition of film thickness gradient.

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0008] A bidirectional composite gradient vacuum magnetron sputtering coating system includes a coating chamber, a cathode device, a workpiece carrier for carrying the workpiece to be coated, and a drive device for driving the workpiece carrier to move. The cathode device is installed in the coating chamber. The drive device includes a translation drive component and a deflection control component. The translation drive component drives the workpiece carrier to reciprocate linearly to pass through the cathode device for coating. The deflection control component adjusts and controls the relative angle of the workpiece carrier with respect to the cathode device.

[0009] As a further improvement to the aforementioned bidirectional composite graded vacuum magnetron sputtering coating system: The deflection control component drives the workpiece carrier to swing around a preset axis to adjust and control the relative angle of the workpiece carrier with respect to the cathode device. The preset axis is parallel to the direction of the reciprocating linear motion of the workpiece carrier.

[0010] The translation drive assembly includes a bottom guide mechanism, a top guide mechanism, and a translation drive mechanism for driving the reciprocating linear motion of the workpiece carrier. The bottom guide mechanism and the top guide mechanism are respectively located at the bottom and top of the workpiece carrier to guide the reciprocating linear motion of the workpiece carrier. The workpiece carrier is mounted on the bottom guide mechanism in a manner that allows it to swing around a preset axis. The deflection control assembly is connected to the top guide mechanism and adjusts the position of the top guide mechanism to make the workpiece carrier swing around the preset axis.

[0011] The bottom guide mechanism includes multiple guide support wheels, which are arranged sequentially at intervals in the reciprocating linear motion direction of the workpiece carrier. The bottom of the workpiece carrier is provided with a guide groove, which is supported on the guide support wheel and cooperates with the guide support wheel to enable the workpiece carrier to swing around the preset axis. The translation drive mechanism includes at least one drive component for driving the guide support wheel to rotate so as to drive the workpiece carrier to reciprocate linearly.

[0012] The deflection control assembly includes two guide units. Each guide unit includes a connecting seat and an arc-shaped guide rail fixedly disposed within the coating chamber. The connecting seat cooperates with the arc-shaped guide rail through a deflection guide mechanism and moves along the arc-shaped guide rail. The top guide mechanism is connected and fixed between the connecting seats of the two guide units. When the connecting seat moves along the arc-shaped guide rail, it causes the workpiece carrier to swing around the preset axis along the top guide mechanism. At least one of the guide units is connected to a position adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position of the connecting seat on the arc-shaped guide rail.

[0013] The position adjustment mechanism includes a motor, a gear, and an arc-shaped rack fixed on a connecting seat. The motor is connected to the gear and drives the gear to rotate. The gear meshes with the arc-shaped rack.

[0014] The top guiding mechanism includes a guide bracket, the two ends of which are respectively connected and fixed to the connecting seats of two guiding units. A permanent magnet guiding mechanism for guiding the reciprocating linear motion of the workpiece carrier is provided between the top of the workpiece carrier and the guide bracket. The permanent magnet guiding mechanism includes a first permanent magnet embedded in the guide bracket and a second permanent magnet located on the top of the workpiece carrier. The first permanent magnet and the second permanent magnet are non-contactly suspended and positioned by magnetic force. The deflection guiding mechanism includes multiple pulleys installed on the connecting seat. The multiple pulleys are respectively located on both sides of the arc-shaped guide rail and clamp the arc-shaped guide rail. Each pulley has an annular groove that fits into the arc-shaped guide rail.

[0015] The coating chamber is also equipped with two shielding plates located on both sides of the cathode device, which are situated in the space between the cathode device and the workpiece carrier.

[0016] A control method for a bidirectional composite gradient vacuum magnetron sputtering coating system is disclosed. During the coating process, the translation drive component drives the workpiece carrier to reciprocate linearly at a varying linear speed, while the deflection control component is not activated or maintains the workpiece carrier at a fixed angle. This allows the workpiece to be coated on the workpiece carrier to receive sputtering deposition from the cathode device at different positions, thereby forming a gradually changing film layer along the linear motion direction on the surface of the workpiece.

[0017] A control method for a bidirectional composite gradient vacuum magnetron sputtering coating system, wherein during the coating process, a translation drive component is controlled to drive the workpiece carrier to reciprocate linearly at a constant or variable linear speed, while a deflection control component is controlled to drive the workpiece carrier to oscillate at a variable oscillation angular velocity, so that the workpiece to be coated on the workpiece carrier is sputtered and deposited by the cathode device at different angles or positions and at different angles, thereby forming a film layer that is at least gradually varied along the direction perpendicular to the linear motion on the surface of the workpiece to be coated.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are as follows: The bidirectional composite gradient vacuum magnetron sputtering coating system of this invention comprises a translation drive component and a deflection control component. The translation drive component drives the workpiece carrier in reciprocating linear motion, allowing the workpiece to be coated to pass through the cathode device for coating. This reciprocating linear motion enables the workpiece carrier to pass through the cathode device multiple times for multi-layer deposition, enriching the means of controlling the film structure. Simultaneously, by controlling the movement speed of the translation drive component, the dwell time of different areas of the workpiece in front of the cathode device can be adjusted, providing a hardware foundation for subsequent film thickness gradients along the movement direction. By changing the deflection angle of the workpiece carrier, the distance of each point on the workpiece carrier relative to the cathode device and the incident angle of the sputtered particles can be changed, thereby creating different deposition conditions perpendicular to the movement direction, providing a hardware foundation for subsequent film thickness gradients in other dimensions. The translation drive component and the deflection control component work independently yet collaboratively, enabling this system to integrate both movement speed control and relative angle adjustment capabilities for coating parameter control in a single device. Compared to traditional coating equipment that can only fix the substrate angle or move in only one direction, this invention has a wider range of process adjustment methods, which can adapt to the needs of complex gradient color coating and greatly improve the process flexibility of the equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the coating system in Example 1.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of the coating system in Example 1.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a side cross-sectional view of the coating system in Example 1.

[0022] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Enlarged structural diagram at point A in the middle.

[0023] Figure 5 for Figure 3 Enlarged structural diagram at point B.

[0024] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the translation drive component in Example 1.

[0025] Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the deflection control component in Example 1.

[0026] Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the assembly structure of the connecting seat and the arc-shaped guide rail in Example 1.

[0027] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the coating layer in Example 2.

[0028] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the coating layer in Example 3.

[0029] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the coating layer in Example 4.

[0030] Legend: 1. Coating chamber; 2. Cathode device; 3. Workpiece carrier; 31. Guide groove; 4. Translation drive assembly; 41. Guide support wheel; 42. Drive component; 43. Guide bracket; 44. Permanent magnet guide mechanism; 5. Deflection control assembly; 51. Connecting seat; 511. Pulley; 52. Arc-shaped guide rail; 53. Motor; 54. Gear; 55. Arc-shaped rack; 56. Driving bevel gear; 57. Driven bevel gear; 6. Baffle plate. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0032] Example 1 like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the bidirectional composite gradient vacuum magnetron sputtering coating system of this embodiment includes a coating chamber 1, a cathode device 2, a workpiece carrier 3 for carrying the workpiece to be coated, and a drive device for driving the workpiece carrier 3 to move. The cathode device 2 is installed in the coating chamber 1. The drive device includes a translation drive component 4 and a deflection control component 5. The translation drive component 4 is used to drive the workpiece carrier 3 to reciprocate linearly to pass through the cathode device 2 for coating. The deflection control component 5 is used to adjust and control the relative angle between the workpiece carrier 3 and the cathode device 2. In this bidirectional composite gradient vacuum magnetron sputtering coating system, the drive device is composed of the translation drive component 4 and the deflection control component 5. The translation drive assembly 4 drives the workpiece carrier 3 in reciprocating linear motion, allowing the workpiece to be coated to pass through the cathode device 2 for coating. This reciprocating linear motion enables the workpiece carrier 3 to pass through the cathode device 2 multiple times for multi-layer deposition, enriching the means of controlling the film structure. Simultaneously, by controlling the movement speed of the translation drive assembly 4, the dwell time of each region of the workpiece in front of the cathode device 2 can be adjusted, providing a hardware foundation for subsequent film thickness gradients along the movement direction. By changing the deflection angle of the workpiece carrier 3, the distance of each point on the workpiece carrier 3 relative to the cathode device 2 and the incident angle of sputtered particles can be changed, thereby creating different deposition conditions perpendicular to the movement direction, providing a hardware foundation for subsequent film thickness gradients in other dimensions. The translation drive assembly 4 and the deflection control assembly 5 work independently yet collaboratively, enabling this system to integrate both movement speed control and relative angle adjustment capabilities for coating parameters in a single device. Compared to traditional coating equipment that can only fix the substrate angle or move in only one direction, this invention has a wider range of process adjustment methods, which can adapt to the needs of complex gradient color coating and greatly improve the process flexibility of the equipment.

[0033] In this embodiment, the deflection control component 5 drives the workpiece carrier 3 to swing around a preset axis to adjust and control the relative angle of the workpiece carrier 3 with respect to the cathode device 2. The preset axis is parallel to the direction of the reciprocating linear motion of the workpiece carrier 3. First, since the preset axis is parallel to the direction of the reciprocating linear motion of the workpiece carrier 3, the distance of each point on the surface of the workpiece carrier 3 relative to the cathode device 2 changes with the swing angle in a cosine manner during the swing process, and the swing amplitude of each cross section along the motion direction is consistent. This makes the film thickness gradient of the workpiece to be coated in the direction perpendicular to the motion direction (longitudinal) highly consistent and predictable, which facilitates precise control of the longitudinal film thickness distribution by controlling the swing angle. Second, the parallel axis ensures that the swing motion of the workpiece carrier 3 will not cause lateral offset or yaw during the reciprocating linear motion. The linear motion and the swing motion are completely decoupled, and the control algorithm is simple and reliable. In contrast, if the preset axis is not parallel to the direction of motion, the workpiece carrier 3 will generate complex spatial composite motions (such as simultaneous pitch and yaw) during oscillation. This results in complex and difficult-to-model distance changes between points on the surface and the cathode device 2, and may also cause motion interference between the workpiece carrier 3 and surrounding components, increasing control difficulty and reducing coating repeatability. Therefore, this embodiment sets the preset axis to be parallel to the direction of reciprocating linear motion, achieving significant benefits in simplifying mechanism design, reducing control complexity, and ensuring longitudinal gradient uniformity.

[0034] In this embodiment, the translation drive assembly 4 includes a bottom guide mechanism, a top guide mechanism, and a translation drive mechanism for driving the reciprocating linear motion of the workpiece carrier 3. The bottom guide mechanism and the top guide mechanism are respectively located at the bottom and top of the workpiece carrier 3 to guide the reciprocating linear motion of the workpiece carrier 3. The workpiece carrier 3 is mounted on the bottom guide mechanism in a manner that allows it to swing around a preset axis. The deflection control assembly 5 is connected to the top guide mechanism and adjusts the position of the top guide mechanism to make the workpiece carrier 3 swing around the preset axis, thereby adjusting and controlling the relative angle of the workpiece carrier 3 with respect to the cathode device 2. The bottom guide mechanism and the top guide mechanism are respectively located at the bottom and top of the workpiece carrier 3 and work together to guide the reciprocating linear motion of the workpiece carrier 3, ensuring the smoothness and straightness of the motion and avoiding swaying during long-stroke motion. The workpiece carrier 3 is mounted on the bottom guide mechanism in a manner that allows it to swing around a preset axis, which is parallel to the direction of the reciprocating linear motion of the workpiece carrier 3. This design allows the workpiece carrier 3 to swing around this axis while moving linearly. The deflection control component 5 is connected to the top guide mechanism. By adjusting the position of the top guide mechanism, the swing angle of the workpiece carrier 3 around the preset axis is precisely controlled, thereby changing the relative angle of the workpiece carrier 3 with respect to the cathode device 2. This technical solution achieves decoupled control of linear motion and swing motion: the bottom guide mechanism provides the swing fulcrum, and the position of the top guide mechanism determines the swing amplitude, making the angle adjustment independent of the linear motion, reducing control complexity, and improving angle positioning accuracy and repeatability.

[0035] In this embodiment, as Figures 1 to 3 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 The bottom guiding mechanism includes multiple guide support wheels 41, which are arranged sequentially at intervals along the reciprocating linear motion direction of the workpiece carrier 3. The bottom of the workpiece carrier 3 is provided with a guide groove 31, which is supported by the guide support wheels 41 and cooperates with them to allow the workpiece carrier 3 to swing around a preset axis. The translation drive mechanism includes at least one drive component 42 for driving the guide support wheels 41 to rotate and drive the workpiece carrier 3 to reciprocate linearly. The cooperation between the guide groove 31 and the guide support wheels 41 allows the guide support wheels 41 to drive the workpiece carrier 3 in low-friction rolling linear motion, and also allows the workpiece carrier 3 to swing freely around a preset axis. In other words, a single structure simultaneously achieves both linear guidance and swing fulcrum functions, eliminating the need for additional hinges or swing bearings, resulting in a compact structure and good vacuum compatibility. Preferably, the guide groove 31 is concave arc-shaped, and the axial surface of the guide support wheel 41 is convex arc-shaped, forming an arc-shaped contact mating surface between them, resulting in good accuracy and stability of both linear and swing motions.

[0036] This structure achieves low-resistance, high-stability linear transmission through rolling friction, and the spaced arrangement effectively distributes the load, preventing bending deformation during long-stroke motion. Furthermore, the cooperation between the guide groove 31 and the guide support wheel 41 allows the workpiece carrier 3 to swing freely around a preset axis, while restricting freedom in other directions, ensuring the uniqueness and stability of the swing axis. The translation drive mechanism includes at least one drive element 42, which drives the guide support wheel 41 to rotate, thereby driving the workpiece carrier 3 in reciprocating linear motion. By controlling the rotational speed of the drive element 42, the linear motion speed of the workpiece carrier 3 can be precisely adjusted, thus achieving a gradual change in film thickness on the workpiece to be coated in the direction of motion. This design is simple, reliable, suitable for vacuum environments, and easy to adjust in real time. The aforementioned drive element 42 is a motor.

[0037] In this embodiment, as Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 7 As shown, the deflection control assembly 5 includes two guide units. Each guide unit includes a connecting seat 51 and an arc-shaped guide rail 52 fixedly disposed within the coating chamber 1. The connecting seat 51 cooperates with the arc-shaped guide rail 52 via a deflection guide mechanism and moves along the arc-shaped guide rail 52. A top guide mechanism is connected and fixed between the connecting seats 51 of the two guide units. When the connecting seat 51 moves along the arc-shaped guide rail 52, it causes the workpiece carrier 3 to swing around a preset axis, driven by the top guide mechanism. One of the guide units is connected to a position adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position of the connecting seat 51 on the arc-shaped guide rail 52. The arc-shaped guide rail 52 provides a precise arc motion trajectory, ensuring that the distance between each point on the surface of the workpiece carrier 3 and the cathode device 2 changes regularly when the carrier 3 swings, thereby forming a controllable film thickness gradient perpendicular to the linear motion direction (i.e., longitudinal direction). The guide unit is connected to a position adjustment mechanism for real-time adjustment of the position of the connecting seat 51 on the arc-shaped guide rail 52, achieving precise control of the swing angle. This structure transforms rotational motion into precise circular sliding, with high repeatability of the motion trajectory, which is beneficial for maintaining consistency of the gradient effect during mass production.

[0038] In this embodiment, the position adjustment mechanism includes a motor 53, a gear 54, and an arc-shaped rack 55 fixed on the connecting seat 51. The motor 53 is connected to the gear 54 and drives the gear 54 to rotate. The gear 54 meshes with the arc-shaped rack 55. This gear and rack transmission mechanism has advantages such as no slippage, accurate transmission ratio, and self-locking. When used with a servo motor or stepper motor, it can achieve precise open-loop or closed-loop control of the swing angle of the workpiece carrier 3. By controlling the rotation angle of the motor 53, the position of the connecting seat 51 can be precisely controlled, thereby controlling the swing angle of the workpiece carrier 3; by controlling the rotation speed of the motor 53, the swing angular velocity can be controlled to adapt to the process requirements of different gradient curves. This structure has good cleanliness and reliability in the coating chamber 1, which can meet the process requirements of high-precision gradient coating. Moreover, the design of the arc-shaped rack 55 saves space, making the overall structure more compact. In this embodiment, the motor 53 is connected to the gear 54 via a bevel gear pair. Specifically, a driving bevel gear 56 is connected to the output shaft of the motor 53, and the gear 54 is coaxially connected to a driven bevel gear 57. The driving bevel gear 56 and the driven bevel gear 57 mesh. Preferably, the front and rear ends of the arc-shaped rack 55 are provided with limiting block structures to restrict the gear 54 from disengaging, so that the actual swing angle of the workpiece carrier 3 is limited within a set range.

[0039] In this embodiment, the top guiding mechanism includes a guide bracket 43. Both ends of the guide bracket 43 are connected and fixed to the connecting seats 51 of the two guiding units, thereby rigidly connecting the two connecting seats 51 into one unit. This ensures that both move synchronously along the arc-shaped guide rail 52, avoiding twisting or jamming of the workpiece carrier 3 due to asynchronous movement of the two connecting seats 51. A permanent magnet guiding mechanism 44 is provided between the top of the workpiece carrier 3 and the guide bracket 43 to guide the reciprocating linear motion of the workpiece carrier 3. The permanent magnet guiding mechanism 44 includes a first permanent magnet embedded in the guide bracket 43 and a second permanent magnet located on the top of the workpiece carrier 3. The first and second permanent magnets are non-contactly suspended and positioned by magnetic force. This non-contact guiding method completely eliminates mechanical friction and gaps, avoiding particle contamination and jamming problems that may occur with traditional guide rails in a vacuum environment. It also compensates for the slight offset generated when the workpiece carrier 3 swings, ensuring smoothness of the lateral linear motion and guiding accuracy, significantly improving the reliability of the coating system and the controllability of the film thickness distribution. The permanent magnet guiding mechanism 44 also has the advantages of requiring no external energy, fast response, and low maintenance cost.

[0040] In this embodiment, as Figure 8As shown, the deflection guiding mechanism includes multiple pulleys 511 mounted on the connecting seat 51. These pulleys 511 are distributed on both sides of the arc-shaped guide rail 52 and clamp the guide rail 52. Each pulley 511 has an annular groove that fits snugly onto the arc-shaped guide rail 52. This structure achieves low-friction, high-precision rolling guidance of the connecting seat 51 along the arc-shaped guide rail 52. The clamping design on both sides of the pulleys 511 effectively prevents the connecting seat 51 from detaching from the arc-shaped guide rail 52 during movement. The cooperation between the annular groove and the arc-shaped guide rail 52 ensures the accuracy and stability of the motion trajectory, maintaining good guiding performance even in a vacuum environment. Compared to sliding friction pairs, the rolling friction pulley 511 mechanism has a lower coefficient of friction, less driving force, and longer service life in a vacuum environment. It is also less likely to generate wear debris that contaminates the clean environment inside the coating chamber 1, which is beneficial for maintaining high vacuum and coating purity. The arrangement of multiple pulleys 511 also distributes the load and improves the load-bearing capacity. In this embodiment, four pulleys 511 are installed on the connecting seat 51, two of which are located on one side of the arc-shaped guide rail 52, and the other two are located on the other side of the arc-shaped guide rail 52.

[0041] In this embodiment, the coating chamber 1 is also equipped with two baffles 6 respectively disposed on both sides of the cathode device 2. The two baffles 6 are located in the space between the cathode device 2 and the workpiece carrier 3. The baffles 6 can selectively block sputtered particles from flying to the edge area or non-coating area of ​​the workpiece carrier 3. On the one hand, this prevents undesirable coatings caused by stray sputtering (such as back-side deposition or edge over-coating), and on the other hand, it can separate the film thickness monitoring area from the non-coating area, thereby improving the accuracy of film thickness detection. In addition, by adjusting the shape, spacing, or angle of the baffles 6 relative to the cathode device 2, the edge effect of the film thickness distribution can be modified. This works in conjunction with the speed control of the translation drive component 4 and the angle control of the deflection control component 5 to further improve the quality and yield of the bidirectional composite gradient coating.

[0042] In this embodiment, the translation drive component 4 achieves a gradual change in film thickness on the workpiece to be coated in the linear motion direction by changing the linear motion speed of the workpiece carrier 3. The deflection control component 5 achieves a gradual change in film thickness on the workpiece to be coated in the direction perpendicular to the linear motion direction by changing the swing angle of the workpiece carrier 3. Thus, bidirectional composite gradient coating is achieved through composite control. The translation drive component 4 achieves a gradual change in film thickness on the workpiece to be coated in the linear motion direction (i.e., lateral gradient) by changing the linear motion speed of the workpiece carrier 3; the deflection control component 5 achieves a gradual change in film thickness on the workpiece to be coated in the direction perpendicular to the linear motion direction (i.e., longitudinal gradient) by changing the swing angle of the workpiece carrier 3. Through composite control, bidirectional composite gradient coating is finally achieved.

[0043] Example 2 This embodiment describes the control method of the bidirectional composite gradient vacuum magnetron sputtering coating system in Embodiment 1. During the coating process, the translation drive component 4 drives the workpiece carrier 3 to reciprocate linearly at varying linear speeds. The deflection control component 5 is either not activated or maintains the workpiece carrier 3 at a fixed angle (i.e., no oscillation adjustment). This allows the workpiece to be coated on the carrier 3 to receive sputtering deposition from the cathode device 2 at different positions, thereby forming a gradually changing film layer along the linear motion direction on the surface of the workpiece. This method controls the deposition time by changing the passing speed of the workpiece carrier 3 in front of the cathode device 2: slower speeds result in longer deposition times and thicker films; faster speeds result in shorter deposition times and thinner films. Thus, a continuously gradient film layer along the linear motion direction is formed on the surface of the workpiece. This method is suitable for coating scenarios requiring only a single-direction (lateral) gradient, such as the unidirectional color transition of long decorative pieces. Compared to traditional uniform speed coating, this method achieves precise gradient film thickness through real-time speed adjustment, without requiring any hardware replacement, and allows for quick and flexible process switching.

[0044] In this embodiment, the thickness of the transverse coating layer is determined by the rotation speed of the drive component 42 (motor). The faster the rotation speed of the drive component 42, the thinner the coating layer; the slower the rotation speed of the drive component 42, the thicker the coating layer. The operator can obtain the desired gradient color by controlling the rotation speed of the drive component 42.

[0045] The formula for calculating the lateral movement speed of workpiece carrier 3 is: v .

[0046] The formula for calculating the rotational speed of the drive component 42 is: n m .

[0047] In the formula, v The speed of the workpiece carrier 3 (in m / s) is the movement speed of the workpiece carrier 3. n m The driving component rotates at 42 rpm. r For the radius of the guide support wheel 41, i The transmission ratio between the drive component 42 and the guide support wheel 41 (here) i =1, meaning the speed of the driving component 42 and the speed of the guide support wheel 41 are equal in magnitude and in the same direction. D0 is the set target film thickness, and D1 is the film thickness at different positions on the part to be coated. The above formula calculates the theoretical speed, ignoring slippage.

[0048] In this specific example of Embodiment 1, the coating layer deposited on the substrate (the part to be coated) is as follows: Figure 9 As shown.

[0049] Example 3 This embodiment describes the control method for the bidirectional composite gradient vacuum magnetron sputtering coating system in Embodiment 1. The method involves controlling the translation drive component 4 to drive the workpiece carrier 3 in reciprocating linear motion at a constant linear speed during the coating process. Simultaneously, the deflection control component 5 drives the workpiece carrier 3 in oscillating motion with varying angular velocities. This allows the workpiece to be coated on the carrier 3 to be sputtered and deposited by the cathode device 2 at different angles, thereby forming a gradually changing film layer on the surface of the workpiece perpendicular to the direction of linear motion. This method is suitable for coating scenarios requiring only a single-direction (longitudinal) gradient.

[0050] In this embodiment, the thickness of the longitudinal coating layer is determined by the relative angle between the workpiece carrier 3 and the cathode device 2. The operator can control the longitudinal swing angle of the workpiece carrier 3 through the motor 53 to adjust the angle between the workpiece carrier 3 and the cathode device 2, thereby obtaining different coating thicknesses and then obtaining the desired gradient color.

[0051] The formula for calculating the total transmission ratio of the deflection control assembly 5 during the longitudinal swing motion of the workpiece carrier 3 is as follows:

[0052] The formula for calculating the swing angle of workpiece carrier 3 is as follows:

[0053] The formula for calculating the angular velocity of the workpiece carrier 3 swing is:

[0054] Formula for calculating motor speed (53):

[0055] i 总 For the total transmission ratio (dimensionless) of deflection control component 5, z c1 For the number of teeth of the driving bevel gear 56, z c2 For the number of teeth of the driven bevel gear 57, z p1 For gear 54, z p2 This represents the total number of teeth on the 55-tooth arc rack (i.e., the total number of teeth if it were a complete gear). The swing angle of the workpiece carrier 3 (unit: rad). The value is the rotation angle of the motor (in rad). The angular velocity of the workpiece carrier 3 is oscillation (in rad / s). The angular velocity of motor 53 (in rad / s) Let H be the motor speed (rpm) and H be the longitudinal gradient color coating thickness coefficient (this coefficient is set according to the color requirements of each longitudinal gradient color coating, and is calibrated through actual experiments). Assume the angle of the arc-shaped rack 55 is π / 18 (rad). Due to the physical structure of the arc-shaped rack 55 and the limiting block structure at both ends of the arc-shaped rack 55 that restricts the disengagement of the gear 54, the actual swing angle of the workpiece carrier 3 is limited to a certain range. Therefore, the swing range of the workpiece carrier 3 is... π / 36≤ ≤π / 36, the swing angle is 0 when the workpiece carrier 3 is vertically upward, and all gears are assumed to be ideal transmissions.

[0056] In this specific example of Embodiment 1, the coating layer deposited on the substrate (the part to be coated) is as follows: Figure 10 As shown.

[0057] Example 4 This embodiment describes the control method of the bidirectional composite gradient vacuum magnetron sputtering coating system in Embodiment 1. During the coating process, the translation drive component 4 drives the workpiece carrier 3 to reciprocate linearly at varying linear speeds, while the deflection control component 5 drives the workpiece carrier 3 to oscillate at varying angular velocities. This allows the workpiece on the carrier 3 to be sputtered and deposited by the cathode device 2 at different positions and angles, thereby forming a film layer with gradient thicknesses in both the transverse and longitudinal directions on the surface of the workpiece. This method synergistically utilizes the deposition time gradient generated by the transverse velocity variation and the deposition rate gradient generated by the longitudinal angle variation to form a complex gradient color film layer with continuously varying thicknesses in both the transverse and longitudinal directions on the surface of the workpiece. Compared to existing technologies that only allow unidirectional gradient changes or require frequent masking plate replacements, this method offers advantages such as high process flexibility, fast response, and programmable control. It can rapidly switch between different gradient patterns using preset speed and angle curves, meeting the large-scale flexible manufacturing needs of personalized gradient color film layers for products such as mobile phone back panels, automotive trim strips, and wearable devices, significantly reducing process development cycles and production costs. Furthermore, this method can be used in conjunction with masking plate 6 to further optimize edge effects and improve product yield.

[0058] In this specific example of Embodiment 1, the coating layer deposited on the substrate (the part to be coated) is as follows: Figure 11 As shown.

[0059] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For those skilled in the art, improvements and modifications obtained without departing from the inventive concept should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A bidirectional composite gradient vacuum magnetron sputtering coating system, comprising a coating chamber (1), a cathode device (2), a workpiece carrier (3) for supporting the workpiece to be coated, and a driving device for driving the workpiece carrier (3) to move, wherein the cathode device (2) is installed in the coating chamber (1), characterized in that: The driving device includes a translation driving component (4) and a deflection control component (5). The translation driving component (4) is used to drive the workpiece carrier (3) to reciprocate linearly to pass through the cathode device (2) for coating. The deflection control component (5) is used to adjust and control the relative angle of the workpiece carrier (3) with respect to the cathode device (2). The deflection control component (5) drives the workpiece carrier (3) to swing around a preset axis to adjust and control the relative angle of the workpiece carrier (3) with respect to the cathode device (2). The preset axis is parallel to the direction of the reciprocating linear motion of the workpiece carrier (3). The translation drive assembly (4) includes a bottom guide mechanism, a top guide mechanism, and a translation drive mechanism for driving the reciprocating linear motion of the workpiece carrier (3). The bottom guide mechanism and the top guide mechanism are respectively located at the bottom and top of the workpiece carrier (3) to guide the reciprocating linear motion of the workpiece carrier (3). The workpiece carrier (3) is mounted on the bottom guide mechanism in a manner that allows it to swing around a preset axis. The deflection control assembly (5) is connected to the top guide mechanism and adjusts the position of the top guide mechanism to make the workpiece carrier (3) swing around the preset axis. The bottom guide mechanism includes multiple guide support wheels (41), which are arranged sequentially at intervals in the reciprocating linear motion direction of the workpiece carrier (3). The bottom of the workpiece carrier (3) is provided with a guide groove (31), which is supported on the guide support wheel (41) and cooperates with the guide support wheel (41) to enable the workpiece carrier (3) to swing around the preset axis. The translation drive mechanism includes at least one drive member (42) for driving the guide support wheel (41) to rotate so as to drive the workpiece carrier (3) to reciprocate linear motion. The deflection control component (5) includes two guide units. Each guide unit includes a connecting seat (51) and an arc-shaped guide rail (52) fixedly disposed in the coating chamber (1). The connecting seat (51) cooperates with the arc-shaped guide rail (52) through a deflection guide mechanism and moves along the arc-shaped guide rail (52). The top guide mechanism is connected and fixed between the connecting seats (51) of the two guide units. When the connecting seat (51) moves along the arc-shaped guide rail (52), it carries the top guide mechanism to force the workpiece carrier (3) to swing around the preset axis. At least one of the guide units is connected to a position adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position of the connecting seat (51) on the arc-shaped guide rail (52).

2. The bidirectional composite gradient vacuum magnetron sputtering coating system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The position adjustment mechanism includes a motor (53), a gear (54) and an arc-shaped rack (55) fixed on a connecting seat (51). The motor (53) is connected to the gear (54) and drives the gear (54) to rotate. The gear (54) meshes with the arc-shaped rack (55).

3. The bidirectional composite gradient vacuum magnetron sputtering coating system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top guiding mechanism includes a guide bracket (43), the two ends of which are respectively connected and fixed to the connecting seats (51) of two guiding units. A permanent magnet guiding mechanism (44) for guiding the reciprocating linear motion of the workpiece carrier (3) is provided between the top of the workpiece carrier (3) and the guide bracket (43). The permanent magnet guiding mechanism (44) includes a first permanent magnet embedded in the guide bracket (43) and a second permanent magnet located on the top of the workpiece carrier (3). The first permanent magnet and the second permanent magnet are non-contactly suspended and positioned by magnetic force. The deflection guiding mechanism includes multiple pulleys (511) installed on the connecting seat (51). The multiple pulleys (511) are respectively located on both sides of the arc-shaped guide rail (52) and clamp the arc-shaped guide rail (52). Each pulley (511) has an annular groove that fits into the arc-shaped guide rail (52).

4. The bidirectional composite gradient vacuum magnetron sputtering coating system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The coating chamber (1) is also equipped with two shielding plates (6) located on both sides of the cathode device (2), and the two shielding plates (6) are located in the space between the cathode device (2) and the workpiece carrier (3).

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