A sputtering device

Abstract

This application provides a sputtering apparatus, comprising: a film-forming module, a transfer chamber, and a loading cavity. The film-forming module and the loading cavity are disposed around the transfer chamber, and a transfer device is disposed within the transfer chamber. The film-forming module contains a film-forming chamber, which has a substrate support portion and a driving portion. The substrate support portion is connected to the driving portion, and the substrate is positioned horizontally or vertically by the driving portion. A first clamping mechanism and a second clamping mechanism are disposed around the periphery of the substrate support portion. The first clamping mechanism includes a first contact component, and the second clamping mechanism includes a second contact component. The contact area between the first contact component and the substrate is larger than the contact area between the second contact component and the substrate. When the substrate is in a vertical position, at least the bottom side of the substrate is provided with the first clamping mechanism. This increased area of ​​the first contact component improves clamping stability, indirectly increasing the service life and reducing the risk of fragment breakage.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of display technology, and more specifically to a clamping mechanism and a sputtering device. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of flat panel displays (FPDs), sputtering equipment is used to deposit films on substrates to form electrodes or signal lines in subsequent processes. During sputtering, the substrate is placed on the substrate support of the film deposition module and fixed by a clamping mechanism. The substrate is positioned opposite a target mounted on a cathode. Material molecules generated by the target are ejected, and the overflowing molecules deposit a film on the substrate exposed through the opening in the mask. Current clamping mechanisms tend to deposit material molecules generated by the target on them. When the clamping mechanism separates from the substrate, the film deposited on the clamping mechanism easily detaches and falls onto the substrate, affecting the quality of the deposited film. Furthermore, the clamping mechanism can easily cause breakage.

[0003] Therefore, existing sputtering equipment needs to be improved. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the purpose of this application is to provide a sputtering device that aims to improve the uptime of the sputtering device and reduce operating costs.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this application adopts the following technical solution.

[0006] A sputtering apparatus comprising:

[0007] The system includes at least one film-forming module, a transfer chamber, and a loading chamber, wherein the film-forming module and the loading chamber are disposed around the transfer chamber, and the film-forming module and the loading chamber are respectively connected to the transfer chamber via gate valves.

[0008] The transmission chamber is equipped with a transmission device, which is used to transfer the substrate.

[0009] The film-forming module is provided with a film-forming chamber, which has a substrate support and a driving part. The substrate support is connected to the driving part, and the driving part drives the substrate to be in a horizontal or vertical state.

[0010] A clamping mechanism is provided around the periphery of the substrate support portion. The clamping mechanism includes multiple first clamping mechanisms and multiple second clamping mechanisms. Each first clamping mechanism includes a first contact component, and each second clamping mechanism includes a second contact component. The projected area of ​​the first contact component on the substrate is larger than the projected area of ​​the second contact component on the substrate. When the substrate is in a vertical position, at least the bottom side of the substrate is provided with the first clamping mechanism. This increases the contact area on the bottom side, thereby increasing the force-bearing area for clamping and achieving reliable support and fixation of the substrate.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the film-forming module has an air inlet connected to a gas source via a pipeline, through which sputtering gas and / or reactive gas are introduced into the film-forming chamber.

[0012] Preferably, the film-forming module has an air outlet, which is connected to a vacuum pumping device via a pipeline.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the substrate support includes at least one support platform, and the periphery of the support platform is provided with a first clamping mechanism and a second clamping mechanism. The combination of the first clamping mechanism and the second clamping mechanism is used to fix the substrate, and when the substrate is in a vertical state, at least the bottom side of the substrate is provided with the first clamping mechanism.

[0014] When the substrate is in a vertical position, the first clamping mechanism is provided on the bottom side of the substrate, and the first contact component fixes and supports the substrate.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the drive unit includes a rotary drive unit connected to a rotating shaft, which is connected to the substrate support unit via a connector.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the first contact member includes a base, a transition portion is provided on one side of the base, and an overlapping portion is provided on the side of the transition portion away from the base, the overlapping portion being used to contact the substrate;

[0017] Preferably, the length of the overlapping portion along the first direction is greater than the length of the base portion;

[0018] Preferably, the base, transition portion, and overlapping portion are integrally formed;

[0019] Preferably, the overlapping portion is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the plane of the base.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment, the contact area between the first contact component and the substrate is greater than the contact area between the second contact component and the substrate.

[0021] Preferably, the first clamping mechanism further includes a base, a support, and a telescopic rod.

[0022] The base has a protrusion on one side, a first connecting part on the protrusion, and a second connecting part on the support base. The first connecting part is connected to the second connecting part via a pin shaft. The base has a support rod on the side away from the protrusion. The support rod fixes the first contact component or the second contact component. The base is rotatably mounted on the support base. One side of the telescopic rod is close to the side of the base away from the protrusion, and the other end is connected to a drive device.

[0023] Preferably, the first connecting part is a first through hole, and the second connecting part is a second through hole.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment, a reset device is provided between the base and the support, the reset device being a torsion spring or a magnetic component.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment, the length of the overlap portion of the second contact member is less than the length of the overlap portion of the first contact member;

[0026] Preferably, the overlap length L1 of the first contact component is more than 1.5 times the overlap length of the second contact component;

[0027] Preferably, the force-bearing area between the first contact component and the substrate is greater than the force-bearing area between the second contact component and the substrate.

[0028] Preferably, the contact area between the first contact component and the substrate is more than 1.5 times the contact area between the second contact component and the substrate.

[0029] Preferably, the ratio of the contact area between the first contact component and the substrate to the contact area between the second contact component and the substrate is between 1.5 and 3.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment, the first clamping mechanism is disposed on one side of the substrate support portion. When the substrate is in a vertical state, the first clamping mechanism is located on the bottom side of the substrate, and the ratio of the total length of the overlapping portion of the first contact member to the side length of the substrate on the overlapping side is less than 10%.

[0031] Preferably, the ratio of the total length of the overlapping portion of the first contact member to the side length of the substrate on the overlapping side is between 4% and 9%.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment, the number of the first clamping mechanisms is between 2 and 15.

[0033] Compared with the prior art, this application improves the mechanism of the substrate support portion of the sputtering apparatus for placing the substrate. Specifically, it optimizes the clamping mechanism disposed on the substrate support portion. This clamping mechanism includes multiple first clamping mechanisms and multiple second clamping mechanisms. The combination of the first and second clamping mechanisms is used to fix the substrate thereon. When the substrate is in a vertical state, the first clamping mechanism is disposed on the bottom side of the substrate, which is used to fix and support the substrate. The second clamping mechanisms are disposed on the other sides of the substrate. The first clamping mechanism has a first contact member, and the second clamping mechanism has a second contact member. The length of the overlap portion of the second contact member is less than the length of the overlap portion of the first contact member. When the width / height of the protrusion is the same, the contact area between the first contact member and the substrate is more than 1.5 times that of the second contact member and the substrate, thereby achieving reliable support and fixation of the substrate. Attached Figure Description

[0034] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this application or related technologies, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or related technologies will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0035] Figure 1 This is a top view schematic diagram of a sputtering apparatus according to an embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 2 This is a top view schematic diagram of a sputtering apparatus according to another embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 3 This is a side view of the substrate support portion connecting to the drive portion according to an embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 4 This is a top view of a substrate placed on a substrate support portion according to an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A side view of the implementation method;

[0040] Figure 6 and Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first contact component of the first clamping mechanism in an embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first clamping mechanism according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0042] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings.

[0043] It should be noted that, unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in the embodiments of this application should have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in the embodiments of this application do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Terms such as "comprising" or "including" mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the elements or objects listed after the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. Terms such as "connected" or "linked" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. Terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are only used to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0044] In the accompanying drawings, the dimensions of layers and regions may be exaggerated for clarity. It is understood that when a structure is referred to as being "on" or "below" another structure, the structure may be directly on or below the other structure, or there may be intermediate structures. The same reference numerals always indicate the same structure. Structures referred to herein include any of the following: membrane, element, device, component, assembly.

[0045] When a structure is referred to as being “connected” to another structure, it can be directly connected to the other structure or indirectly connected to the other structure by means of one or more intermediate structures placed between them.

[0046] The manufacturing process of an LED display panel includes the array substrate manufacturing stage, the light-emitting unit function manufacturing stage, and the module stage.

[0047] During the array substrate fabrication stage, driving circuits and corresponding signal lines are fabricated on the substrate. The fabrication of electrodes and signal lines is mostly achieved through film deposition (also known as coating) using a sputtering apparatus. During coating, the substrate is transported to the film deposition module of the sputtering apparatus via a transport device. Specifically, the substrate is placed horizontally on the substrate support of the film deposition module (using a mask opening) and fixed by a clamping mechanism on the substrate support. The substrate support is equipped with a rotation drive unit, which drives the substrate support and the substrate thereon to rotate so that they are opposite the target mounted on the cathode. A working gas (such as argon) introduced into the film deposition module is ionized to form plasma. Ions in the plasma are accelerated under the influence of an electric field, bombarding the surface of the target material. The sputtered atoms deposit on the substrate to form a thin film. During coating, the substrate is prone to breakage (scratches) or particle adhesion (which can subsequently cause reliability issues).

[0048] To address this, the applicant studied existing sputtering apparatuses. Currently, the substrate is transported to a substrate support via a transfer device, and the substrate is fixed using a clamping mechanism on the substrate support. It is then rotated to a vertical position (opposite to the target), and sputtered atoms are deposited on the substrate to form a thin film. The applicant found that abnormalities are prone to occur on the bottom side of the substrate (in the vertical position) (current practices mostly involve replacing the target and clamping mechanism). Therefore, the applicant further analyzed the structure of the bottom side. After the sputtering apparatus has been running for a period of time, the clamping mechanism there accumulates a large amount of material molecules (also known as deposited film) generated by the target. In the middle to late stages of the designed service life, after the coating is completed, when the clamping mechanism separates from the substrate, this deposited film is prone to detach and fall onto the substrate, affecting the quality of the coated film.

[0049] Based on this discovery, the applicant improved the existing sputtering apparatus and proposed a clamping mechanism and a sputtering apparatus. Through structural improvements to the clamping mechanism, the service life of the clamping mechanism (Clamp) was extended and its stability was enhanced.

[0050] The sputtering apparatus includes a film deposition module, a transfer chamber, and a loading chamber. The film deposition module and loading chamber are positioned around the transfer chamber, allowing for substrate scheduling and shortening the substrate movement distance via the intermediate transfer chamber. The transfer chamber is polygonal in shape. The film deposition module, loading chamber, and transfer chamber are connected by gate valves, which can (sealedly) isolate the film deposition module, loading chamber, and transfer chamber. A transfer device is installed inside the transfer chamber to transfer the substrate. The film deposition module contains a film deposition chamber, which includes a substrate support, a drive unit, and a cathode module. The substrate support is connected to the drive unit, which is used to rotate the substrate on the substrate support from a horizontal to a vertical position and from a vertical to a horizontal position. In the vertical position, the substrate is opposite the target / target material. Preferably, the substrate support has a support platform that can accommodate one substrate (its dimensions can be 1850mm × 1500mm, the 1850mm side is referred to as the long side, and the 1500mm side as the short side; when in a vertical position, the short side is located at the top and bottom). The cathode module is located in the film deposition chamber away from the transport chamber. The loading cavity can hold both undeposited and deposited substrates (in other embodiments, the undeposited and deposited substrates can be placed separately).

[0051] Next, we will combine the appendix Figures 1-8 This application describes the clamping mechanism and sputtering device proposed in this application.

[0052] like Figure 1 The diagram shown is a top view of the sputtering apparatus according to an embodiment of this application.

[0053] The sputtering apparatus 100 includes a film formation module 120, a transfer chamber 110, a loading chamber 130, and an unloading chamber 140. The film formation module 120, loading chamber 130, and unloading chamber 140 are arranged around the transfer chamber 110, allowing for substrate scheduling via the intermediate transfer chamber 110, shortening the substrate movement distance, and improving operating efficiency. Known sputtering apparatuses 100 also include gas supply units, etc., which will not be listed here.

[0054] The transfer chamber 110 is polygonal in shape. In this embodiment, the transfer chamber 110 is a regular pentagon (in other embodiments, the transfer chamber 110 is a regular hexagon). The film-forming module 120, the loading chamber 130, and the unloading chamber 140 are respectively connected to the transfer chamber 110 via gate valves 150. The gate valves 150 can (sealedly) isolate the film-forming module, the loading chamber, and the unloading chamber from the transfer chamber. The gate valve can be a pneumatic gate valve.

[0055] The transfer chamber is equipped with a transfer device (such as a robotic arm, not shown in the figure), which transfers the substrate 200, for example, from the loading cavity 130 to the film forming module 120, or from the film forming module 120 to the unloading cavity 140. In this embodiment, the structure of the transfer device is not limited, as long as it can be used to transfer the substrate.

[0056] The transfer chamber is equipped with a vacuum device (not shown) to perform a rough vacuum evacuation of the transfer chamber 110. Preferably, the gate valve 150 has an opening, which can serve as an inlet / outlet for the transfer device to enter / exit the film-forming module for substrate transfer. The substrate can be a glass substrate or a substrate of other materials (such as a PI substrate, in which case the substrate is placed on a support plate, which can be made of glass). This embodiment has one film-forming module. Preferably, the loading chamber and unloading chamber are also equipped with vacuum devices (not shown) to perform rough vacuum evacuation of the loading chamber and unloading chamber, respectively. The transfer chamber can be equipped with a filter module to filter the gas in the transfer chamber. This allows the gas in the transfer chamber to be filtered simultaneously with the substrate transfer to the film-forming module, and the conditions for opening the gate valve between the transfer chamber and the film-forming module can be met as quickly as possible during the vacuum evacuation, improving transfer efficiency.

[0057] The film-forming module 120 has a film-forming chamber 120a, which includes a substrate support 160 and a driving unit. The substrate support 160 is connected to the driving unit (not shown). The driving unit is used to rotate the substrate on the substrate support from a horizontal state to a vertical state. In the vertical state, the substrate is opposite to the target / target material. In this embodiment, the substrate support can accommodate one substrate (its size can be 1850mm × 1500mm, the 1850mm side is called the long side, and the 1500mm side is called the short side. When in the vertical state, the short side is located at the top and bottom). In other embodiments, two or more substrates can be provided on the substrate support, depending on the application. The substrate support 160 has a support platform for placing the substrate.

[0058] The film-forming module 120 includes a cathode module 121 disposed within the film-forming chamber 120a on the side away from the transfer chamber 110. The cathode module 121 is arranged opposite to the surface of the vertically positioned substrate 200. The cathode module includes a target, a substrate plate, and multiple magnet assemblies (e.g., equally spaced), arranged sequentially from the substrate side away from the substrate. The substrate is within the range of the cathode module, specifically within the range of the multiple magnet assemblies on the cathode module side. The cathode module is electrically connected to a DC power supply, a pulse power supply, or an RF power supply, and is powered by it. The substrate plate supports the target and is connected to a power supply for applying a negative potential to the target. The cathode module can be any existing module and is not limited thereto.

[0059] The film deposition module has an air inlet (not shown) connected to a gas source via piping, through which gas (sputtering gas and reactive gas) is introduced into the film deposition chamber. During deposition, the input section injects sputtering gas and reactive gas into the film deposition chamber, and the power supply applies a sputtering voltage to the substrate. A magnet assembly forms a magnetic field on the target, and sputtering gas ions collide with the target on the substrate and eject particles, which are then deposited onto the substrate to form a thin film.

[0060] The film-forming module has an air outlet (not shown) which is connected to a vacuum pump via a pipeline.

[0061] As Figure 1 Variations of the implementation method, such as Figure 2 The diagram shown is a top view of a sputtering apparatus according to another embodiment of this application. Figure 1 The difference in the implementation method is that it has two film-forming modules, which can improve the coating efficiency of the substrate.

[0062] like Figure 3 The diagram shown is a side view of the substrate support portion 160 connecting to the driving portion according to an embodiment of this application.

[0063] The driving unit includes a rotary driving unit 122 connected to a rotating shaft 122a, which is connected to a substrate support unit 160 via a connector. The rotary driving unit rotates the substrate support unit 160 from a horizontal position to a vertical position for coating. After coating, the substrate support unit returns to its initial position (horizontal position). In the horizontal position, the substrate support unit 160 is stacked on a base 123, and its side can rotate along the rotating shaft 122a. After the substrate is placed on the substrate support unit 160, a clamping mechanism is provided on the substrate support unit to fix the substrate. After coating is completed, the clamping mechanism is unlocked, and the coated substrate is removed by a transfer device and transported to a preset position (such as the unloading cavity 140).

[0064] The following description takes the example of placing a substrate 200 on the substrate support 160. The substrate 200 can be 1850mm × 1500mm in size, with the 1850mm side referred to as the long side and the 1500mm side referred to as the short side.

[0065] like Figure 4 The diagram shown is a top view of a substrate placed on a substrate support 160. The substrate support is generally rectangular and has a support platform on which the substrate is placed. A clamping mechanism is provided around the periphery of the substrate support 160, including multiple first clamping mechanisms 161 and multiple second clamping mechanisms 162.

[0066] The first clamping mechanism includes a first contact component, and the second clamping mechanism includes a second contact component. The area of ​​the first contact component projected onto the substrate is larger than the area of ​​the second contact component projected onto the substrate (i.e., the contact area of ​​the first contact component on the substrate is larger than the contact area of ​​the second contact component on the substrate; increasing the contact area improves the clamping force while accommodating more deposited film, preventing it from falling off). Preferably, only the first and second contact components are exposed, and the remaining components of the clamping mechanism are disposed within the substrate support portion, reducing the probability of film accumulation on the remaining components. The combination of the first and second clamping mechanisms is used to fix the substrate 200 placed on the support platform. In this embodiment, the first clamping mechanism 161 is disposed on one side of the substrate 200, and when the substrate 200 is in a vertical state, the first clamping mechanism is located on the bottom side (see...). Figure 5 The first clamping mechanism 161 is used to fix and support the substrate. The second clamping mechanism 162 is disposed on the remaining sides of the substrate 200. The number of first clamping mechanisms is greater than the number of second clamping mechanisms on the remaining sides. When the substrate 200 is in a vertical state, the gap between it and the target is G1, and the gap between the first contact component 161a of the first clamping mechanism 161 and the target is G2. With the first contact component 161a proposed in this application, the gap G2 between the first contact component 161a and the target is always within a preset threshold range within a preset life cycle. This avoids the gap G2 from becoming smaller due to the surface film of the first contact component 161a. During rotation (rotation to a vertical state or rotation to a horizontal state), the first contact component 161a is damaged by the target interference, causing the substrate to slide / fall and break.

[0067] The structure of the second clamping mechanism is similar to that of the first clamping mechanism, except that the dimensions of the first contact component and the second contact component are different. The structure of the first contact component is described below as an example.

[0068] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of the first contact component 161a according to an embodiment of this application.

[0069] The first contact member 161a includes a base 161a1, a transition portion 161a2 on one side of the base 161a, the transition portion 161a2 or a portion of the base 161a1 supporting the substrate when the substrate is in a vertical state, and an overlapping portion 161a3 on the side of the transition portion 161a2 away from the base 161a1, one side of the overlapping portion 161a3 (i.e., the overlapping surface 161a31) contacting the substrate to fix the substrate. The material of the first contact member may be polyimide. Preferably, the base 161a1, the transition portion and the overlapping portion 161a3 are integrally formed. The length L1 of the overlapping portion along the first direction (I direction) is greater than the length of the base.

[0070] like Figure 8 The diagram shows the structure of the first clamping mechanism.

[0071] The first clamping mechanism includes a base 163 and a support rod 163b.

[0072] The base 163 has a protrusion 163a on one side, which has a through hole. The base 163 is rotatably mounted on the support 165 through the through hole of the protrusion 163a via a pin 164. The side of the base 163 away from the protrusion 163a has a support rod 163b.

[0073] The support rod 163b is used to fix the first contact member 161a. One end of the telescopic rod 166 is connected to the drive device (not shown), and the other end is close to the base 163 (the body 163c of the base 163). The telescopic rod 166 is driven by the drive device to extend or retract towards the base 163, causing the base 163 to rotate along the pin 164. The rotation of the base 163 causes the first contact member 161a on it to rotate within a certain range (see...). Figure 8 (middle w).

[0074] Preferably, a reset device (not shown) is provided between the base 163 and the support 165. Under normal conditions, this reset device causes the body 163c of the base 163 to approach or abut against the end of the support rod 163b. When unlocked, the drive telescopic rod 166, based on the drive device, extends towards the base 163, causing the base 163 to rotate along the pin 164. The rotation of the base 163 causes the first contact member on it to rotate as well. The overlapping portion of the first contact member disengages from the substrate and is unlocked. Then, the substrate is transferred to a predetermined position (e.g., to the unloading cavity) via a transmission device. This reset device can be a torsion spring or a magnetic component (e.g., permanent magnets are respectively provided on the base and the support, utilizing the magnetic repulsion between the two permanent magnets for reset).

[0075] The structure of the second clamping mechanism is similar to that of the first clamping mechanism, except that the dimensions of the first and second contact components are different (the length of the overlap portion of the second contact component is less than the length of the overlap portion of the first contact component by L1; preferably, the length of the overlap portion of the first contact component by L1 is more than 1.5 times the length of the overlap portion of the second contact component, thereby increasing the contact area (i.e., increasing the force-bearing area, avoiding damage to the substrate during film formation, and thus reducing the risk of fragmentation) while maintaining the same width / height W1 of the protrusion; the contact area S1 between the first contact component and the substrate is more than 1.5 times the contact area S2 between the second contact component and the substrate. Preferably, the ratio of the contact area S1 between the first contact component and the substrate to the contact area S2 between the second contact component and the substrate is between 1.5 and 3). This design achieves reliable support and fixation of the substrate by modifying only the existing clamping mechanism structure without increasing the number of first clamping mechanisms when the substrate is on the bottom side (adding a first clamping mechanism requires a matching drive device, which increases the number of control points, making control more difficult and increasing the probability of failure). By increasing the area (surface area) of the first contact component, it can accommodate more film (making it less prone to falling off), extending its service life. Preferably, there is no need to replace the first clamping mechanism in advance, avoiding two maintenance operations within the same preset service life and improving the equipment's uptime.

[0076] In addition, grooves 161a32 are provided on the surface of the first contact component to increase the surface area (preferably, grooves 161a32 may not be provided on the overlapping surface 161a31 side) and improve the ability to accommodate the film.

[0077] In other embodiments, where two or more substrates can be disposed on the substrate support, a matching support platform is provided, and each substrate is matched with multiple first clamping mechanisms. In the vertical state, a first clamping mechanism is disposed on the bottom side of the substrate (a first clamping mechanism can also be disposed on the long side of the substrate), and the substrate is rectangular. The first clamping mechanisms and second clamping mechanisms are spaced apart along the edge of the rectangular substrate. The substrate placed on it is fixed by the combination of the first and second clamping mechanisms.

[0078] In one embodiment, a first clamping mechanism is disposed on one side edge (also called one side) of the substrate support portion. The first clamping mechanism is configured such that the ratio of the overlap length of all first contact components (e.g., the total length of four overlap portions) to the short side is less than 10% (e.g., between 4% and 9%). A second clamping mechanism is disposed on three sides edge (also called three sides) of the substrate support portion. The first clamping mechanism includes a first contact component for contacting the substrate, and the second clamping mechanism includes a second contact component for contacting the substrate. The area of ​​the first contact component in contact with the substrate is larger than the area of ​​the second contact component in contact with the substrate. This extends the actual service life of the first clamping mechanism and reduces the risk of substrate breakage. The first clamping mechanism is used to fix the substrate and support the substrate when the substrate is in a vertical state (by using the first clamping mechanism to abut against the substrate or against the substrate and a support plate supporting the substrate). For example, 2-15 first clamping mechanisms (e.g., 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15) are provided on one edge of the substrate support portion. These first clamping mechanisms support the substrate when it is in a vertical position. In this embodiment, the first clamping mechanism abuts against the short side of the substrate, and second clamping mechanisms are provided on the other three sides of the substrate, with 2-10 second clamping mechanisms on each side. The first and second contact components are L-shaped. In this embodiment, the structures of the first and second clamping mechanisms are similar, the difference being that the first and second contact components are different.

[0079] In one embodiment, the number of second clamping mechanisms on each side is the same (e.g., 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10). For the substrate, the number of first clamping mechanisms is greater than or equal to the number of second clamping mechanisms on the remaining sides. Preferably, the number of first clamping mechanisms is greater than the number of second clamping mechanisms on any of the remaining sides.

[0080] In one embodiment, the substrate support has a support surface capable of supporting multiple substrates. For example, it can support two substrates and fix the corresponding substrates to the support surface using matching clamping mechanisms (a first clamping mechanism and a second clamping mechanism). The substrate support can rotate based on the drive of a drive unit to change the substrates on it from a horizontal state to a vertical state.

[0081] During film deposition (e.g., when depositing a molybdenum film, a molybdenum target is used), the substrate is transferred to the substrate support of the film deposition module via a transfer device. Multiple first and second clamping mechanisms are driven by matching drive devices (such as cylinders or stepper motors) to mount the first and second contact components onto the edges of the substrate. This drive causes the substrate support to rotate, which in turn rotates the substrate from a horizontal to a vertical position. The first contact components serve to both fix and support the substrate. The contact area between the first and second contact components is larger than that between the second and second contact components. This design increases the contact area, thereby increasing the stress-bearing area and preventing the substrate from moving or shaking during support, reducing the risk of breakage due to stress. Furthermore, in the coating process, the increased volume of the first contact component allows for a larger film deposition capacity. Even if the first contact component vibrates or shakes when separating from the substrate after coating, the deposited film will not detach (compared to the current situation where particle-induced abnormalities on the substrate are caused by the target material, leading to premature target replacement (e.g., Mo target material), misjudging or prematurely replacing the target material). This effectively extends the lifespan of both the target material and the first clamping mechanism, thereby improving equipment uptime (reducing the frequency of clamping mechanism replacement; currently, for clamping mechanisms of the same size, the bottom-side clamping mechanism is replaced first, equivalent to two shutdowns within the preset lifespan, prioritizing maintenance or replacement of the bottom-side clamping mechanism before replacing clamping mechanisms in other locations). The film deposition chamber is a vacuum-sealed structure with complex components. Maintenance requires opening the chamber, followed by vacuum testing before coating can proceed, making the entire process cumbersome and time-consuming.

[0082] This application improves the structure of the first clamping mechanism. When the substrate is in a vertical position, the first clamping mechanism is located on the bottom side of the substrate. As the cumulative coating time increases, film accumulates on the surface of the first contact component of the first clamping mechanism on the bottom side, increasing the area of ​​the first contact component and improving its clamping stability, while also indirectly increasing its service life. On the other hand, the increased area of ​​the first contact component also increases the force-bearing area, thus distributing the pressure of the bottom clamping mechanism, making the substrate less susceptible to damage and reducing the risk of breakage. Preferably, the service life of the first clamping mechanism is extended (e.g., the service life of the first clamping mechanism is the same as or approximately the same as that of the second clamping mechanism, so that maintenance or replacement can be completed in one go, improving the uptime of the equipment), and the stability of the clamping mechanism is improved. Furthermore, when rotating from a vertical to a horizontal position or from a horizontal to a vertical position, interference caused by gap deformation due to film accumulation with the target material is avoided, preventing damage to the first contact component due to interference, which could lead to damage to the substrate in order to reliably clamp it.

[0083] As a variation of the above embodiment, the first clamping mechanism can be disposed on the side (long side) of the substrate support portion. When the substrate is in a vertical state, part of the first clamping mechanism is located in the lower middle part of the long side of the substrate, so as to clamp the substrate and prevent it from moving / sliding under the action of gravity. For example, the first clamping mechanism is disposed on both sides of the long side of the substrate, or the first clamping mechanism is disposed in the lower middle part of the long side of the substrate when the substrate is in a vertical state.

[0084] Although this application has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, many substitutions, modifications and variations of these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description.

[0085] It should be noted that the above description describes some embodiments of this application. Other embodiments are within the scope of the appended claims. In some cases, the actions or steps recorded in the claims can be performed in a different order than that shown in the above embodiments and still achieve the desired result. Furthermore, the processes depicted in the drawings do not necessarily require a specific or sequential order to achieve the desired result. In some embodiments, multitasking and parallel processing are also possible or may be advantageous.

[0086] The embodiments of this application are intended to cover all such substitutions, modifications, and variations that fall within the broad scope of the appended claims. Therefore, any omissions, modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the embodiments of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A sputtering apparatus, characterized in that, include: At least one film-forming module, a transfer chamber, and a loading chamber are provided, wherein the film-forming module and the loading chamber are disposed around the transfer chamber, and the film-forming module and the loading chamber are respectively connected to the transfer chamber via gate valves; The transmission chamber is equipped with a transmission device, which is used to transfer the substrate. The film-forming module is provided with a film-forming chamber, which has a substrate support and a driving part. The substrate support is connected to the driving part, and the driving part drives the substrate to be in a horizontal or vertical state. A clamping mechanism is provided around the substrate support portion. The clamping mechanism includes a plurality of first clamping mechanisms and a plurality of second clamping mechanisms. The first clamping mechanism includes a first contact component, and the second clamping mechanism includes a second contact component. The area of ​​the orthographic projection of the first contact component on the substrate is larger than the area of ​​the orthographic projection of the second contact component on the substrate. When the substrate is in a vertical state, at least the bottom side of the substrate is provided with the first clamping mechanism.

2. The sputtering apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The film-forming module has an air inlet, which is connected to an air source via a pipeline, through which sputtering gas and / or reactive gas are introduced into the film-forming chamber. Preferably, the film-forming module has an air outlet, which is connected to a vacuum pumping device via a pipeline.

3. The sputtering apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The substrate support includes at least one support platform. Each support platform is provided with a first clamping mechanism and a second clamping mechanism around its periphery. The combination of the first clamping mechanism and the second clamping mechanism is used to fix the substrate. When the substrate is in a vertical state, at least the bottom side of the substrate is provided with the first clamping mechanism. Preferably, when the substrate is in a vertical state, the first clamping mechanism is provided on the bottom side of the substrate, and the first contact component fixes and supports the substrate.

4. The sputtering apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The driving unit includes a rotary driving unit, which is connected to a rotating shaft, and the rotating shaft is connected to the substrate support unit via a connector.

5. The sputtering apparatus according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The contact area between the first contact component and the substrate is greater than the contact area between the second contact component and the substrate; Preferably, the first contact component includes a base, a transition portion is provided on one side of the base, and an overlapping portion is provided on the side of the transition portion away from the base, the overlapping portion being used to contact the substrate; Preferably, the length of the overlapping portion along the first direction is greater than the length of the base portion; Preferably, the base, transition portion, and overlapping portion are integrally formed; Preferably, the overlapping portion is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the plane of the base.

6. The sputtering apparatus as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that, The first clamping mechanism also includes a base, a support, and a telescopic rod. The base has a protrusion on one side, a first connecting part on the protrusion, and a second connecting part on the support base. The first connecting part is connected to the second connecting part via a pin shaft. The base has a support rod on the side away from the protrusion. The support rod fixes the first contact component or the second contact component. The base is rotatably mounted on the support base. One side of the telescopic rod is close to the side of the base away from the protrusion, and the other end is connected to a drive device. Preferably, the first connecting part is a first through hole, and the second connecting part is a second through hole.

7. The sputtering apparatus as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that, A reset device is provided between the base and the support, and the reset device is a torsion spring or a magnetic component.

8. The sputtering apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The length of the overlap portion of the second contact component is less than the length of the overlap portion of the first contact component; Preferably, the overlap length L1 of the first contact component is more than 1.5 times the overlap length of the second contact component; Preferably, the contact area between the first contact component and the substrate is more than 1.5 times the contact area between the second contact component and the substrate. Preferably, the force-bearing area between the first contact component and the substrate is greater than the force-bearing area between the second contact component and the substrate. Preferably, the ratio of the contact area between the first contact component and the substrate to the contact area between the second contact component and the substrate is between 1.5 and 3.

9. The sputtering apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The first clamping mechanism is disposed on one side of the substrate support portion. When the substrate is in a vertical state, the first clamping mechanism is located on the bottom side of the substrate. The ratio of the total length of the overlapping portion of the first contact member to the side length of the substrate on the overlapping side is less than 10%. Preferably, the ratio of the total length of the overlapping portion of the first contact member to the side length of the substrate on the overlapping side is between 4% and 9%.

10. The sputtering apparatus as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that, The number of the first clamping mechanisms is between 2 and 15.

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