Evaporation machine and its feeding device, evaporation machine feeding method

Abstract

The application provides an evaporation machine and a feeding device thereof, and an evaporation machine feeding method. The evaporation machine feeding device comprises a feeding pipeline, a feeding pipeline comprises a feeding opening located outside an evaporation chamber and a feeding opening in communication with a crucible; a feeding screw is arranged in the feeding pipeline, the feeding screw comprises a feeding section and a compression section, and the feeding screw comprises helical blades; the feeding opening is in communication with the helical blades located in the feeding section, the compression section is located between the feeding opening and the feeding opening, and the spacing between the helical blades located in the compression section and the inner wall of the feeding pipeline gradually decreases in the direction close to the feeding opening. The evaporation machine feeding device provided by the application realizes the pre-compression of the evaporation material and the discharge of air through the compression section structure of the feeding screw, so that the evaporation quality is not affected. The design that the feeding opening is located outside the evaporation chamber makes it unnecessary to destroy the vacuum environment of the evaporation chamber for adding the evaporation material, and the production efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of vapor deposition equipment technology, and in particular to a vapor deposition machine and its feeding device and a feeding method for the vapor deposition machine. Background Technology

[0002] OLED organic materials are typically deposited using vacuum thermal evaporation. During the evaporation process, traditional evaporation machines require frequent opening of the evaporation chamber when adding material to the evaporation source crucible. This leads to difficulties in replacing the evaporation material and disrupts the vacuum environment within the evaporation chamber. It not only increases equipment restart time but also introduces oxygen or impurities, causing oxidation or contamination of the evaporation material and affecting the film quality. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the purpose of this application is to provide a vapor deposition machine and its feeding device and feeding method, which can continuously feed materials without breaking the vacuum.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides a vapor deposition machine, which includes a vapor deposition chamber and a crucible located within the vapor deposition chamber; the vapor deposition machine further includes a feeding device for adding vapor deposition material to the crucible, the feeding device comprising:

[0005] The feeding pipe includes a feeding port and an inlet. The feeding port is located outside the vapor deposition chamber and is used to add vapor deposition material into the feeding pipe. The inlet is connected to the crucible and is used to add vapor deposition material into the crucible.

[0006] A feeding screw is disposed within the feeding pipe. The feeding screw includes a feeding section and a compression section, and includes helical blades. The feeding port communicates with the helical blades located in the feeding section. The compression section is located between the feeding port and the feed inlet. The distance between the helical blades located in the compression section and the inner wall of the feeding pipe gradually decreases along the direction closer to the feed inlet. The distance between the helical blades located in the feeding section and the inner wall of the feeding pipe is greater than or equal to the maximum distance between the helical blades located in the compression section and the inner wall of the feeding pipe.

[0007] When the feeding screw rotates, the spiral blades convey the vapor deposition material toward the feed port.

[0008] In one embodiment, the feeding device further includes:

[0009] A first driving mechanism is connected to the feeding screw and is used to drive the feeding screw to rotate.

[0010] The second drive mechanism is used to push the feeding screw to move axially.

[0011] Preferably, the feeding screw includes a pushing section, which is located on the side of the spiral blade near the feed inlet, and the distance between the pushing section and the inner wall of the feeding pipe is greater than the distance between the spiral blade and the inner wall of the feeding pipe.

[0012] Preferably, the pushing section includes a tapered rod, the diameter of which gradually increases along the direction close to the feed inlet;

[0013] Preferably, the feeding pipe includes a feed pipe section that matches the shape of the pushing section, and the feed inlet is disposed in the feed pipe section;

[0014] Preferably, the feeding screw is provided with a check valve to prevent the vapor-deposited material from moving away from the feed inlet;

[0015] Preferably, the first drive mechanism includes a motor;

[0016] Preferably, the second drive mechanism includes a hydraulic cylinder.

[0017] In one embodiment, the feeding screw further includes a metering section, and the compression section is located between the metering section and the feeding section;

[0018] The distance between the spiral blades located in the metering section and the inner wall of the feeding pipe remains unchanged;

[0019] Preferably, the pitch of the helical blades located in the metering section remains unchanged.

[0020] In one embodiment, the feeding device further includes:

[0021] A segmented heater is disposed on the outer periphery of the feeding pipe and is used to heat the vapor deposition material inside the feeding pipe.

[0022] The segmented heater includes a first heating section for heating the feeding section, a second heating section for heating the compression section, and a third heating section for heating the metering section. The heating temperature of the third heating section is greater than that of the second heating section, and the heating temperature of the second heating section is greater than that of the first heating section.

[0023] Preferably, the feed inlet is connected to the bottom of the crucible, and the heating temperature of the third heating section is the same as the temperature of the bottom of the crucible.

[0024] In one embodiment, the vapor deposition material in the crucible includes an upper vapor deposition material, a middle vapor deposition material, and a lower vapor deposition material;

[0025] The feeding device further includes:

[0026] A main evaporation heater is disposed on the outer periphery of the crucible and is used to heat the upper vapor-deposited material inside the crucible;

[0027] A pre-evaporation heater is disposed on the outer periphery of the crucible and below the main evaporation heater, and is used to heat the middle layer vapor-deposited material inside the crucible;

[0028] Preferably, the heating temperature of the main evaporator heater is greater than the heating temperature of the pre-evaporator heater;

[0029] Preferably, the heating temperature of the pre-evaporation heater is greater than the temperature of the bottom of the crucible;

[0030] Preferably, the feed inlet is connected to the lower vapor-deposited material.

[0031] Based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides a feeding device for a vapor deposition machine, used to add vapor deposition material to a crucible located in the vapor deposition chamber, the feeding device comprising:

[0032] The feeding pipe includes a feeding port located outside the vapor deposition chamber and a feeding port communicating with the crucible. The feeding port is used to add vapor deposition material into the feeding pipe, and the feeding port is used to add vapor deposition material into the crucible.

[0033] A feeding screw is disposed within the feeding pipe. The feeding screw includes a feeding section and a compression section, and includes helical blades. The feeding port communicates with the helical blades located in the feeding section. The compression section is located between the feeding port and the feed inlet. The distance between the helical blades located in the compression section and the inner wall of the feeding pipe gradually decreases along the direction closer to the feed inlet. The distance between the helical blades located in the feeding section and the inner wall of the feeding pipe is greater than or equal to the maximum distance between the helical blades located in the compression section and the inner wall of the feeding pipe.

[0034] In one embodiment, the vapor deposition machine feeding device further includes:

[0035] A first driving mechanism is connected to the feeding screw and is used to drive the feeding screw to rotate, so that the spiral blades convey the vapor deposition material in a direction close to the feed port.

[0036] The second drive mechanism is used to push the feeding screw to move axially.

[0037] Preferably, the feeding screw includes a pushing section, which is located on the side of the spiral blade near the feed inlet, and the distance between the pushing section and the inner wall of the feeding pipe is greater than the distance between the spiral blade and the inner wall of the feeding pipe.

[0038] Preferably, the pushing section includes a tapered rod, and the distance between the tapered rod and the inner wall of the feeding pipe gradually increases along the direction close to the feed inlet;

[0039] Preferably, the feeding pipe includes a feed pipe section that matches the shape of the pushing section, and the feed inlet is disposed in the feed pipe section;

[0040] Preferably, the feeding screw is provided with a check valve structure to prevent the backflow of the vapor-deposited material;

[0041] Preferably, the first drive mechanism includes a motor;

[0042] Preferably, the second drive mechanism includes a hydraulic cylinder.

[0043] In one embodiment, the feeding screw further includes a metering section, and the compression section is located between the metering section and the feeding section; the distance between the helical blades located in the metering section and the inner wall of the feeding pipe remains unchanged;

[0044] The vapor deposition machine feeding device further includes a segmented heater, which is disposed on the outer periphery of the feeding pipe and is used to heat the vapor deposition material in the feeding pipe; the segmented heater includes a first heating section for heating the feeding section, a second heating section for heating the compression section, and a third heating section for heating the metering section, wherein the heating temperature of the third heating section is greater than the heating temperature of the second heating section, and the heating temperature of the second heating section is greater than the heating temperature of the first heating section;

[0045] Preferably, the feed inlet is connected to the bottom of the crucible, and the heating temperature of the third heating section is the same as the temperature of the bottom of the crucible.

[0046] Based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides a method for feeding materials into a vapor deposition machine, which includes:

[0047] Evaporation material is added to the feeding pipe through a feeding port located outside the evaporation chamber, and the feeding pipe is equipped with a feeding screw;

[0048] The feeding screw is driven to rotate, and the spiral blades of the feeding screw are used to transport the vapor-deposited material to the feed port;

[0049] The feeding screw includes a feeding section and a compression section. In the compression section, the vapor-deposited material is compressed and air is discharged through a structure in which the distance between the spiral blades and the inner wall of the feeding pipe gradually decreases.

[0050] In one embodiment, the feeding screw further includes a metering section, and the compression section is located between the metering section and the feeding section;

[0051] Preferably, the feeding method for the vapor deposition machine further includes:

[0052] The compressed vapor-deposited material enters the metering section;

[0053] Drive the feeding screw to move axially, and push the vapor deposition material of the metering section to the bottom of the crucible through the feed port;

[0054] Preferably, the temperature gradient of the feeding pipeline is controlled by a segmented heater, so that the temperature of the feeding section, the temperature of the compression section, and the temperature of the metering section increase sequentially.

[0055] Preferably, the temperature of the metering section is the same as the temperature of the bottom of the crucible;

[0056] Preferably, temperature stratification is maintained within the crucible, with the upper vapor deposition material heated to the highest temperature by the main evaporation heater, the middle vapor deposition material heated to the second highest temperature by the pre-evaporation heater, and the lower vapor deposition material at the same temperature as the quantitative section.

[0057] The evaporation coating machine feeding device provided in this application achieves pre-compression of the evaporation material and air discharge through the compression section structure of the feeding screw, thus avoiding any impact on the evaporation quality. The design of the feeding port being located outside the evaporation chamber allows for the addition of evaporation material without disrupting the vacuum environment of the evaporation chamber, improving production efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0058] 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.

[0059] Figure 1 A cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of a vapor deposition machine provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0060] Figure 2 A cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of the feeding device of a vapor deposition machine provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0061] Figure 3 A partial structural schematic diagram of the feeding device of a vapor deposition machine provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0062] Figure 4 This is a schematic flowchart of a feeding method for a vapor deposition machine provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0063] Marker explanation:

[0064] 100. Evaporation machine; 1. Feeding device; 10. Evaporation chamber; 20. Crucible; 11. Feeding pipe; 111. Feeding port; 112. Feed inlet; 12. Feeding screw; 120. Spiral blade; 121. Feeding section; 122. Compression section; 123. Metering section; 124. Pushing section; 125. Check valve structure; 13. First drive mechanism; 14. Second drive mechanism; 15. Segmented heater; 151. First heating section; 152. Second heating section; 153. Third heating section; 161. Main evaporation heater; 162. Pre-evaporation heater. Detailed Implementation

[0065] 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.

[0066] 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.

[0067] Traditional vapor deposition machines require frequent opening of the deposition chamber to replenish material during the feeding process, disrupting the vacuum environment. This not only increases equipment restart time (typically requiring several hours to restore vacuum) but also introduces oxygen or impurities, causing oxidation or contamination of the deposited material and severely impacting film quality (such as pinholes and impurity defects). Related technologies require interrupting the vacuum for feeding, which cannot meet the continuity and stability requirements of high-precision vapor deposition processes (such as OLEDs and semiconductor thin films). Furthermore, traditional feeding methods rely on manual or simple mechanical feeding, resulting in low material delivery accuracy (often exceeding ±5%), easily leading to overfeeding or underfeeding, causing material waste or uneven film thickness. This has a significant economic impact, especially on high-cost materials (such as organic light-emitting materials and precious metals).

[0068] Furthermore, when cold materials are directly introduced into a high-temperature crucible (typically >300℃), the large temperature difference can easily cause material splashing or thermal decomposition (such as carbonization of organic materials), resulting in pores or impurities in the vapor-deposited film. Simultaneously, traditional feeding devices lack designs for material compression and air removal, and residual air bubbles expanding at high temperatures can disrupt material uniformity. This application addresses these issues by implementing a segmented compression screw design, gradient heating, and crucible temperature stratification, achieving continuous quantitative feeding under vacuum conditions and optimizing material thermal stability. This fundamentally solves the pain points of low efficiency, poor precision, and high material loss inherent in traditional technologies.

[0069] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, this application provides a vapor deposition machine 100, which includes a vapor deposition chamber 10 and a crucible 20 located within the vapor deposition chamber 10. The vapor deposition machine 100 also includes a feeding device 1 for adding vapor deposition material to the crucible 20.

[0070] The feeding device 1 includes a feeding pipe 11 and a feeding screw 12. The feeding pipe 11 includes a feeding port 111 and a feed inlet 112. The feeding port 111 is located outside the vapor deposition chamber 10 and is used to add vapor deposition material to the feeding pipe 11. The feed inlet 112 is connected to the crucible 20 and is used to add vapor deposition material into the crucible 20. The feeding screw 12 is disposed inside the feeding pipe 11 and includes a feeding section 121 and a compression section 122. The feeding screw 12 includes a helical blade 120. The feeding port 111 is connected to the helical blade 120 located in the feeding section 121. The compression section 122 is located between the feeding port 111 and the feed inlet 112. The distance L1 between the helical blade 120 located in the compression section 122 and the inner wall of the feeding pipe 11 gradually decreases along the direction close to the feed inlet 112. The distance L2 between the spiral blade 120 in the feeding section 121 and the inner wall of the feeding pipe 11 is greater than or equal to the maximum distance between the spiral blade 120 in the compression section 122 and the inner wall of the feeding pipe 11. When the feeding screw 12 rotates, the spiral blade 120 conveys the vapor-deposited material in a direction closer to the feed port 112.

[0071] Specifically, the vapor deposition machine 100 includes a vapor deposition chamber 10, a crucible 20, and a feeding device 1. The feeding device 1 mainly consists of a feeding pipe 11 and a feeding screw 12. The feeding port 111 of the feeding pipe 11 is located outside the vapor deposition chamber 10, facilitating the addition of vapor deposition material outside the vacuum environment; the feeding port 112 is connected to the crucible 20 and is used to transport the material into the crucible. The feeding screw 12 is divided into a feeding section 121 and a compression section 122. The spiral blades 120 of the feeding section have a large distance between themselves and the inner wall of the pipe, facilitating the initial loose transport of the material; the distance between the spiral blades 120 of the compression section and the inner wall of the pipe gradually decreases, forming a compression channel, where the vapor deposition material is gradually compacted and internal air is expelled during transport. The rotation direction of the feeding screw 12 is designed towards the feeding port 112 to ensure unidirectional propulsion of the vapor deposition material.

[0072] For example, the vapor deposition chamber 10 adopts a vacuum-sealed structure, with a crucible 20 inside serving as a container for the vapor deposition material. The crucible 20 is typically made of a high-temperature resistant metal material, and its bottom is connected to the feeding device 1 via a feed inlet 112, ensuring that the vapor deposition material can be directly injected into the bottom of the crucible. The feeding pipe 11 penetrates the side wall of the vapor deposition chamber 10, forming a sealed channel that isolates the inside and outside. Its feed port 111 is located outside the chamber, facilitating the replenishment of vapor deposition material into the pipe without disrupting the vacuum environment. The feed inlet 112 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the crucible 20 via a flange or welding, forming an airtight connection.

[0073] In the vapor deposition machine 100 provided in this application embodiment, the compression section structure of the feeding screw 12 achieves pre-compression of the vapor deposition material and air discharge, avoiding the presence of air bubbles in the vapor deposition material that could affect the vapor deposition quality. The design of the feeding port 111 located outside the vapor deposition chamber 10 allows for the addition of vapor deposition material without disrupting the vacuum environment of the chamber, improving production efficiency. Furthermore, the gradient variation in the spacing of the spiral blades 120 optimizes the conveying efficiency of the vapor deposition material, preventing blockage problems caused by material accumulation.

[0074] The vapor deposition machine 100 provided in this application embodiment is particularly suitable for the continuous feeding of high-purity vapor deposition materials (such as OLED materials), ensuring the stability of material supply during the vapor deposition process.

[0075] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the feeding device 1 includes a first driving mechanism 13 and a second driving mechanism 14. The first driving mechanism 13 is connected to the feeding screw 12 and is used to drive the feeding screw 12 to rotate. The second driving mechanism 14 is used to push the feeding screw 12 to move axially.

[0076] Optionally, the feeding screw 12 includes a pushing section 124, which is located on the side of the spiral blade 120 near the feed inlet 112. The distance between the pushing section 124 and the inner wall of the feeding pipe 11 is greater than the distance between the spiral blade 120 and the inner wall of the feeding pipe 11.

[0077] Optionally, the push section 124 includes a tapered rod, and the distance between the tapered rod and the inner wall of the feed pipe 11 gradually increases in the direction close to the feed inlet 112.

[0078] Optionally, the feeding pipe 11 includes a feed pipe section that matches the shape of the push section 124, and the feed port 112 is provided in the feed pipe section.

[0079] Optionally, a check structure 125 is provided on the feed screw 12 to prevent the vapor-deposited material from moving away from the feed inlet 112.

[0080] Optionally, the first drive mechanism 13 includes a motor.

[0081] Optionally, the second drive mechanism 14 includes a hydraulic cylinder.

[0082] Specifically, the first drive mechanism 13 drives the feeding screw 12 to rotate via a motor, thereby conveying the material; the second drive mechanism 14 pushes the screw axially via a hydraulic cylinder, which can push the vapor-deposited material into the bottom of the crucible. The pushing section 124 of the feeding screw 12 is designed as a tapered rod, with its small end close to the feed port 112, facilitating smooth material entry into the crucible. A check valve structure 125 (such as a one-way valve or an annular baffle) is located at the end of the screw to prevent material backflow. The feed pipe section of the feeding pipe 11 matches the shape of the pushing section 124 to ensure sealing.

[0083] For example, the first drive mechanism 13 uses a servo motor. The second drive mechanism 14 uses a hydraulic cylinder. The coordinated control of the servo motor and the hydraulic cylinder divides the material conveying process into two stages: "rotational conveying - axial pushing". The linear thrust of the cylinder is adjustable, suitable for vapor deposition materials of different viscosities, further improving the versatility of the device. The check valve structure 125 effectively prevents the backflow of vapor deposition material when the feed screw 12 stops or reverses.

[0084] The dual-drive mechanism enables coordinated control of the rotation and axial movement of the feeding screw 12, which can precisely control the conveying speed of the vapor-deposited material and complete the final pushing action of the material. The flared design of the conical pushing section reduces the frictional resistance between the vapor-deposited material and the tube wall, thus reducing energy consumption; the check valve structure 125 prevents the backflow of vapor-deposited material and avoids contamination of the vacuum environment.

[0085] In one embodiment, the feeding screw 12 further includes a metering section 123, and a compression section 122 is located between the metering section 123 and the feeding section 121. The distance between the helical blades 120 located in the metering section 123 and the inner wall of the feeding pipe 11 remains unchanged.

[0086] Optionally, the pitch of the helical blade 120 located in the metering section 123 remains unchanged.

[0087] Specifically, the compression section 122 is located between the feeding section 121 and the metering section 123. The distance between the helical blades 120 of the metering section 123 and the inner wall of the pipe is constant, forming a uniform conveying channel. The pitch of the helical blades 120 remains consistent, ensuring that the material is conveyed at a constant rate within the metering section 123.

[0088] For example, the helical blades 120 of the metering section 123 are designed with equal pitch and equal gap to ensure a stable plunger flow of material during delivery. The surface of the helical blades can be coated with a titanium nitride coating to improve wear resistance and corrosion resistance. The length of the metering section 123 can be designed according to the crucible capacity, for example, it can be 1.5-2 times the length of the compression section 122 to achieve precise metering control.

[0089] The metering section 123 enables precise material measurement, avoiding overfeeding or underfeeding. The constant pitch helical blades ensure uniform material delivery, making it particularly suitable for high-precision vapor deposition processes sensitive to material quantity (such as semiconductor thin film deposition). Furthermore, the combination of the metering and compression sections optimizes material density, ensuring that the material entering the crucible has consistent physical properties, thereby improving the uniformity and adhesion of the vapor-deposited film.

[0090] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the feeding device 1 further includes a segmented heater 15, which is disposed on the outer periphery of the feeding pipe 11 and is used to heat the vapor-deposited material inside the feeding pipe 11. The segmented heater 15 includes a first heating section 151 for heating the feeding section 121, a second heating section 152 for heating the compression section 122, and a third heating section 153 for heating the metering section 123. The heating temperature of the third heating section 153 is higher than the heating temperature of the second heating section 152, and the heating temperature of the second heating section 152 is higher than the heating temperature of the first heating section 151.

[0091] Optionally, the feed inlet 112 is connected to the bottom of the crucible 20, and the heating temperature of the third heating part 153 is the same as the temperature of the bottom of the crucible 20.

[0092] Specifically, the first heating section 151 of the segmented heater 15 corresponds to the feeding section 121, the second heating section 152 corresponds to the compression section 122, and the third heating section 153 corresponds to the metering section 123. The heating temperature gradient is: feeding section < compression section < metering section, where the temperature of the metering section is the same as the temperature at the bottom of the crucible 20. For example, the temperature of the feeding section is 100℃, the temperature of the compression section is 150℃, and the temperature of the metering section is 200℃. Each heating section of the segmented heater 15 can use resistance wire or electromagnetic induction coil, and the specific heating method is selected according to the melting point of the material, such as high-frequency induction heating for metallic materials. The segmented heater 15 can cause the vapor-deposited material (such as Alq3) to undergo a phase change process from solid (feeding section) → softened state (compression section) → semi-molten state (metering section) during the conveying process.

[0093] The segmented heating system enables gradient preheating of the vapor-deposited material, preventing sudden temperature changes and material splashing caused by cold material directly entering the high-temperature crucible. The temperature consistency between the metering section and the bottom of the crucible reduces thermal stress on the vapor-deposited material upon entry, ensuring stable melting. This design is particularly suitable for continuous feeding of low-melting-point organic materials, effectively preventing carbonization or decomposition and improving the purity of the vapor-deposited film.

[0094] In one embodiment, the crucible 20 is provided with an upper vapor deposition material, a middle vapor deposition material, and a lower vapor deposition material arranged from top to bottom.

[0095] The feeding device 1 also includes a main evaporation heater 161 and a pre-evaporation heater 162. The main evaporation heater 161 is disposed on the outer periphery of the crucible 20 and is used to heat the upper layer of vapor-deposited material inside the crucible 20. The pre-evaporation heater 162 is disposed on the outer periphery of the crucible 20 and below the main evaporation heater 161, and is used to heat the middle layer of vapor-deposited material inside the crucible 20.

[0096] Optionally, the heating temperature of the main evaporator heater 161 is greater than the heating temperature of the pre-evaporator heater 162.

[0097] Optionally, the heating temperature of the pre-evaporation heater 162 is greater than the temperature of the bottom of the crucible 20.

[0098] Optionally, the feed port 112 is connected to the lower vapor-deposited material.

[0099] Specifically, inside the crucible 20, the vapor-deposited material is divided into upper, middle, and lower layers. The main evaporation heater 161 is located in the upper layer, with the highest temperature (e.g., 300°C), and is used for direct evaporation of the material; the pre-evaporation heater 162 is located in the middle layer, with the second highest temperature (e.g., 250°C), and is used for pre-melting the material; the bottom of the crucible has the lowest temperature (e.g., 200°C), consistent with the temperature of the metering section. The feed inlet 112 is connected to the lower vapor-deposited material, ensuring that newly added material gradually heats up at the bottom.

[0100] The temperature stratification within the crucible enables stepped heating of the material: the upper high-temperature zone rapidly evaporates the material, the middle pre-melting zone stores molten material, and the lower low-temperature zone receives newly added vapor-deposited material. This design extends the material's residence time, preventing unmelted material from directly entering the evaporation surface and reducing vapor deposition defects (such as pinholes). Simultaneously, the temperature gradient works in conjunction with the quantitative feeding mechanism to ensure the continuity and stability of the vapor deposition process, making it particularly suitable for the mass production needs of large-size substrates.

[0101] The working principle of the vapor deposition machine 100 is that, in a vacuum environment (usually ≤10), -4 The process involves heating the vapor deposition material (such as metals or organic compounds) in the crucible to its evaporation or sublimation temperature to form material vapor. The vapor diffuses directionally within the chamber and deposits onto the substrate surface to form a thin film. The feeding device continuously replenishes the material to the crucible without disrupting the vacuum through a screw conveying and compression design. Combined with segmented heating and temperature stratification control, this ensures stable material evaporation and reduces thermal stress defects, ultimately achieving highly uniform and low-pollution thin film preparation.

[0102] Another embodiment of this application provides a feeding device for a vapor deposition machine, used to add vapor deposition material to a crucible 20 located in a vapor deposition chamber 10. The feeding device 1 of the vapor deposition machine includes a feeding pipe 11 and a feeding screw 12. The feeding pipe 11 includes a feeding port 111 located outside the vapor deposition chamber 10 and a feeding port 112 communicating with the crucible 20. The feeding port 111 is used to add vapor deposition material into the feeding pipe 11, and the feeding port 112 is used to add vapor deposition material into the crucible 20. The feeding screw 12 is disposed in the feeding pipe 11 and includes a feeding section 121 and a compression section 122. The feeding screw 12 includes a spiral blade 120. The feeding port 111 is connected to the spiral blade 120 located in the feeding section 121. The compression section 122 is located between the feeding port 111 and the feed inlet 112. The distance between the spiral blade 120 in the compression section 122 and the inner wall of the feeding pipe 11 gradually decreases towards the feed inlet 112. The distance between the spiral blade 120 in the feeding section 121 and the inner wall of the feeding pipe 11 is greater than or equal to the maximum distance between the spiral blade 120 in the compression section 122 and the inner wall of the feeding pipe 11.

[0103] In the vapor deposition machine feeding device provided in this application embodiment, the compression section structure of the feeding screw 12 achieves pre-compression of the vapor deposition material and air discharge, avoiding the presence of air bubbles in the vapor deposition material that could affect the vapor deposition quality. The design of the feeding port 111 located outside the vapor deposition chamber 10 allows for the addition of vapor deposition material without disrupting the vacuum environment of the chamber, improving production efficiency. Furthermore, the gradient variation in the spacing of the spiral blades 120 optimizes the conveying efficiency of the vapor deposition material, avoiding blockage problems caused by material accumulation.

[0104] Furthermore, the feeding device 1 of the vapor deposition machine also includes a first driving mechanism 13 and a second driving mechanism 14. The first driving mechanism 13 is connected to the feeding screw 12 and is used to drive the feeding screw 12 to rotate, so that the spiral blades 120 convey the vapor deposition material in the direction close to the feed port 112.

[0105] The second drive mechanism 14 is used to drive the feeding screw 12 to move axially.

[0106] Optionally, the feeding screw 12 includes a pushing section 124, which is located on the side of the spiral blade 120 near the feed inlet 112. The distance between the pushing section 124 and the inner wall of the feeding pipe 11 is greater than the distance between the spiral blade 120 and the inner wall of the feeding pipe 11.

[0107] Optionally, the push section 124 includes a tapered rod, and the distance between the tapered rod and the inner wall of the feed pipe 11 gradually increases in the direction close to the feed inlet 112.

[0108] Optionally, the feeding pipe 11 includes a feed pipe section that matches the shape of the push section 124, and the feed port 112 is provided in the feed pipe section.

[0109] Optionally, the feed screw 12 is provided with a check structure 125 to prevent the backflow of vapor-deposited material.

[0110] Optionally, the first drive mechanism 13 includes a motor.

[0111] Optionally, the second drive mechanism 14 includes a hydraulic cylinder.

[0112] For example, the first drive mechanism 13 uses a servo motor. The second drive mechanism 14 uses a hydraulic cylinder. The coordinated control of the servo motor and the hydraulic cylinder divides the material conveying process into two stages: "rotational conveying - axial pushing". The linear thrust of the cylinder is adjustable, suitable for vapor deposition materials of different viscosities, further improving the versatility of the device. The check valve structure 125 effectively prevents the backflow of vapor deposition material when the feed screw 12 stops or reverses.

[0113] The dual-drive mechanism enables coordinated control of the rotation and axial movement of the feeding screw 12, which can precisely control the conveying speed of the vapor-deposited material and complete the final pushing action of the material. The flared design of the conical pushing section reduces the frictional resistance between the vapor-deposited material and the tube wall, thus reducing energy consumption; the check valve structure 125 prevents the backflow of vapor-deposited material and avoids contamination of the vacuum environment.

[0114] Furthermore, the feeding screw 12 also includes a metering section 123, and a compression section 122 is located between the metering section 123 and the feeding section 121. The distance between the helical blades 120 located in the metering section 123 and the inner wall of the feeding pipe 11 remains unchanged.

[0115] The feeding device 1 of the vapor deposition machine also includes a segmented heater 15, which is disposed on the outer periphery of the feeding pipe 11 and is used to heat the vapor deposition material in the feeding pipe 11. The segmented heater 15 includes a first heating section 151 for heating the feeding section 121, a second heating section 152 for heating the compression section 122, and a third heating section 153 for heating the metering section 123. The heating temperature of the third heating section 153 is higher than the heating temperature of the second heating section 152, and the heating temperature of the second heating section 152 is higher than the heating temperature of the first heating section 151.

[0116] Optionally, the feed inlet 112 is connected to the bottom of the crucible 20, and the heating temperature of the third heating part 153 is the same as the temperature of the bottom of the crucible 20.

[0117] The segmented heating process enables gradient preheating of the vapor-deposited material, preventing sudden temperature changes and material splashing caused by cold material directly entering the high-temperature crucible. The temperature consistency between the metering section and the bottom of the crucible reduces thermal stress on the vapor-deposited material upon entry, ensuring stable melting.

[0118] Overall, in the vapor deposition machine and feeding device 1 of this application, the feeding pipe 11 penetrates the side wall of the vapor deposition chamber 10, forming an internally and externally isolated material conveying channel. The feeding screw 12 is divided into a multi-segment structure along the axial direction. Specifically, the feeding section 121 is located on the outside of the vapor deposition chamber 10, with the largest distance between the spiral blades 120 and the inner wall of the feeding pipe 11, used to receive externally added vapor deposition material and initially loosen and convey it. The compression section 122 has a gradually decreasing distance between the spiral blades 120 and the inner wall of the feeding pipe 11 along the feeding direction, forming a gradual compression structure, which can mechanically squeeze out air and volatile impurities in the vapor deposition material. The metering section 123 has uniform spiral blades 120 with the smallest distance between them and the inner wall of the feeding pipe 11, ensuring that the compressed vapor deposition material enters the subsequent pushing stage with a stable volume.

[0119] A dual-drive propulsion system is adopted, wherein the first drive mechanism 13 drives the feeding screw 12 to rotate to achieve helical propulsion of the vapor-deposited material. The second drive mechanism 14 can be connected to the end of the feeding screw 12, pushing the feeding screw 12 to move axially, and pushing the vapor-deposited material in the metering section 123 to the bottom of the crucible 20 in a plunger manner.

[0120] The segmented heater 15 around the outer periphery of the feeding pipe is divided into three independent temperature control zones. Specifically, the first heating section 151 provides a base temperature for the feeding section 121 to soften the vapor deposition material and reduce conveying resistance. The second heating section 152 has a temperature gradient that increases from the feeding section 121 to the metering section 123, promoting the softening of the vapor deposition material and the compression and degassing. The third heating section 153 has a heating temperature consistent with the bottom of the crucible, ensuring that the vapor deposition material is stably injected into the crucible in a semi-molten state.

[0121] The crucible 20 can be divided into three layers: Upper vapor deposition zone: heated to the highest temperature by the main evaporation heater 161 to achieve rapid sublimation of the vapor deposition material. Middle buffer zone: the pre-evaporation heater 162 provides a slightly higher temperature to promote pre-melting of the vapor deposition material and buffer feeding fluctuations. Lower feeding zone: the temperature is matched with the metering section 123, receiving the semi-molten vapor deposition material pushed by the feeding device and slowly migrating upwards.

[0122] In addition, the check valve 125 prevents material backflow and hot air backflow within the crucible. The pusher section 124 adopts a tapered rod design at the end of the feed screw 12, which matches the taper of the feed tube section to optimize the pushing efficiency of the vapor deposition material.

[0123] like Figure 4 As shown, another embodiment of this application provides a method for feeding materials into a vapor deposition machine, which includes the following steps:

[0124] Step S1: Add vapor deposition material to the feeding pipe 11 through the feeding port 111 located outside the vapor deposition chamber 10. The feeding pipe 11 is equipped with a feeding screw 12.

[0125] Step S2: Drive the feeding screw 12 to rotate, and use the spiral blades 120 of the feeding screw 12 to transport the vapor deposition material to the feed port 112.

[0126] The feeding screw 12 includes a feeding section 121 and a compression section 122. In the compression section 122, the steam-deposited material is compressed and air is discharged through the structure of the spiral blades 120 and the inner wall of the feeding pipe 11 gradually decreasing.

[0127] In the crucible feeding method for the vapor deposition machine provided in this application embodiment, material is added through the feeding port 111, and the driven screw rotates to compress and expel air, avoiding the presence of air bubbles in the material that could affect the vapor deposition quality. The design of the feeding port and inlet port allows material addition to avoid disrupting the vacuum environment of the vapor deposition chamber, thus improving production efficiency.

[0128] Furthermore, the feeding screw 12 also includes a metering section 123, and a compression section 122 is located between the metering section 123 and the feeding section 121.

[0129] Optionally, the feeding method for the vapor deposition machine also includes the following steps:

[0130] The compressed vapor-deposited material enters the metering section 123;

[0131] The drive screw 12 moves axially, pushing the vapor deposition material in the metering section 123 to the bottom of the crucible 20 through the feed port 112.

[0132] Optionally, the temperature gradient of the feeding pipe 11 is controlled by the segmented heater 15, so that the temperature of the feeding section 121, the temperature of the compression section 122, and the temperature of the metering section 123 increase sequentially.

[0133] Optionally, the temperature of the metering section 123 is the same as the temperature of the bottom of the crucible 20.

[0134] Optionally, temperature stratification is maintained within the crucible 20, such that the upper vapor deposition material is heated to the highest temperature by the main evaporation heater 161, the middle vapor deposition material is heated to the second highest temperature by the pre-evaporation heater 162, and the lower vapor deposition material is at the same temperature as the metering section 123.

[0135] Specifically, after precise metering via metering segments 123, a hydraulic cylinder pushes a screw to push the material to the bottom of the crucible. A segmented heater controls the temperature gradient, maintaining temperature stratification within the crucible. Fully automated feeding under vacuum conditions can be achieved through control of the screw's rotation and axial movement, reducing manual intervention. Precise temperature gradient control further optimizes the material's physical state, ensuring the uniformity and density of the vapor-deposited film. This method is suitable for high vacuum (≤10). -4 Evaporation processes operating under Pa) conditions can be widely used in fields such as OLEDs and solar cells, reducing production costs and improving yield.

[0136] For example, the vapor deposition machine 100 achieves continuous and precise material feeding in a vacuum environment through the following process.

[0137] Material Compression and Degassing: Solid vapor-deposited material enters the feeding section 121 of the feeding pipe 11 through the feeding port 111, and is conveyed to the compression section 122 under the rotation of the spiral blades 120. The gradually varying blade spacing design of the compression section causes the material to undergo volume compression. During this process, air and volatile impurities are squeezed out, forming a dense solid or semi-solid plunger. The check valve structure 125 ensures unidirectional flow of the compressed material, preventing backflow contamination.

[0138] Quantitative feeding and temperature control: The compressed material enters the quantitative section 123, where the uniform pitch of the helical blades ensures a stable volumetric flow rate. The segmented heater 15 uses temperature gradient control (feeding section < compression section < quantitative section) to gradually soften the material during feeding, reducing mechanical wear. The temperature of the quantitative section is synchronized with the temperature at the bottom of the crucible, ensuring that the material enters the crucible in a suitable state.

[0139] Plunger-type feeding and stratified evaporation: The second drive mechanism 14 drives the screw to move axially, pushing the material in the metering section to the bottom of the crucible 20 through the conical structure of the feeding section 124. The newly added material slowly heats up in the lower feeding zone and gradually migrates to the upper layer. The temperature gradient design of the main evaporation heater 161 and the pre-evaporation heater 162 allows the material to undergo a pre-melting and rapid sublimation process in sequence, achieving a stable evaporation rate.

[0140] Vacuum environment maintenance: The fully sealed design of the feeding pipe 11 and the dynamic sealing structure of the pushing section 124 ensure that the vacuum level of the vapor deposition chamber 10 is maintained within the process requirements during the feeding process. The synergistic effect of the check valve structure 125 and the drive system further prevents vacuum leakage and ensures the continuity of the vapor deposition process.

[0141] Automatic control and feedback adjustment: The temperature, pressure and screw speed in the feeding pipeline are monitored in real time by sensors. Combined with the vapor deposition process parameters (such as film thickness requirements and evaporation rate), the motor speed, cylinder propulsion speed and heating power are dynamically adjusted to achieve a precise match between the feeding amount and the vapor deposition requirements.

[0142] During the feeding process, firstly, the coordinated action of the rotating conveyor and axial pushing of the feeding screw enables continuous feeding under vacuum conditions, eliminating the need to disrupt the vacuum environment, improving production efficiency, and reducing equipment downtime and pollution risks. Secondly, the compression section design effectively removes air from the material, preventing film defects caused by bubble expansion at high temperatures and improving the uniformity and density of the vapor-deposited film. Thirdly, precise control of the metering section ensures accurate material feeding, suitable for high-precision vapor deposition processes sensitive to material usage, reducing material waste. Fourthly, the gradient heating design of the segmented heater optimizes the thermal stability of the material, avoiding splashing or thermal decomposition problems caused by cold material directly entering the high-temperature crucible, especially suitable for continuous feeding of low-melting-point organic materials. Fifthly, the temperature stratification within the crucible, in conjunction with the heating gradient of the feeding device, achieves a step-by-step temperature rise of the material, further reducing thermal stress defects and improving film quality. Overall, this application solves the technical problems of traditional vapor deposition machines, such as the need to break the vacuum during feeding, low efficiency, poor precision, and high material loss.

[0143] 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.

[0144] 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.

[0145] 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 vapor deposition machine, characterized in that, The vapor deposition machine includes a vapor deposition chamber and a crucible located within the vapor deposition chamber; the vapor deposition machine also includes a feeding device for adding vapor deposition material to the crucible, the feeding device comprising: The feeding pipe includes a feeding port and an inlet. The feeding port is located outside the vapor deposition chamber and is used to add vapor deposition material into the feeding pipe. The inlet is connected to the crucible and is used to add vapor deposition material into the crucible. A feeding screw is disposed within the feeding pipe. The feeding screw includes a feeding section and a compression section, and includes helical blades. The feeding port communicates with the helical blades located in the feeding section. The compression section is located between the feeding port and the feed inlet. The distance between the helical blades located in the compression section and the inner wall of the feeding pipe gradually decreases along the direction closer to the feed inlet. The distance between the helical blades located in the feeding section and the inner wall of the feeding pipe is greater than or equal to the maximum distance between the helical blades located in the compression section and the inner wall of the feeding pipe. When the feeding screw rotates, the spiral blades convey the vapor deposition material toward the feed port.

2. The vapor deposition machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding device further includes: A first driving mechanism is connected to the feeding screw and is used to drive the feeding screw to rotate. The second drive mechanism is used to push the feeding screw to move axially. Preferably, the feeding screw includes a pushing section, which is located on the side of the spiral blade near the feed inlet, and the distance between the pushing section and the inner wall of the feeding pipe is greater than the distance between the spiral blade and the inner wall of the feeding pipe. Preferably, the pushing section includes a tapered rod, the diameter of which gradually increases along the direction close to the feed inlet; Preferably, the feeding pipe includes a feed pipe section that matches the shape of the pushing section, and the feed inlet is disposed in the feed pipe section; Preferably, the feeding screw is provided with a check valve to prevent the vapor-deposited material from moving away from the feed inlet; Preferably, the first drive mechanism includes a motor; Preferably, the second drive mechanism includes a hydraulic cylinder.

3. The vapor deposition machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding screw further includes a metering section, and the compression section is located between the metering section and the feeding section; The distance between the spiral blades located in the metering section and the inner wall of the feeding pipe remains unchanged; Preferably, the pitch of the helical blades located in the metering section remains unchanged.

4. The vapor deposition machine according to claim 3, characterized in that, The feeding device further includes: A segmented heater is disposed on the outer periphery of the feeding pipe and is used to heat the vapor deposition material inside the feeding pipe. The segmented heater includes a first heating section for heating the feeding section, a second heating section for heating the compression section, and a third heating section for heating the metering section. The heating temperature of the third heating section is greater than that of the second heating section, and the heating temperature of the second heating section is greater than that of the first heating section. Preferably, the feed inlet is connected to the bottom of the crucible, and the heating temperature of the third heating section is the same as the temperature of the bottom of the crucible.

5. The vapor deposition machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vapor deposition material inside the crucible includes an upper vapor deposition material, a middle vapor deposition material, and a lower vapor deposition material; The feeding device further includes: A main evaporation heater is disposed on the outer periphery of the crucible and is used to heat the upper vapor-deposited material inside the crucible; A pre-evaporation heater is disposed on the outer periphery of the crucible and below the main evaporation heater, and is used to heat the middle layer vapor-deposited material inside the crucible; Preferably, the heating temperature of the main evaporator heater is greater than the heating temperature of the pre-evaporator heater; Preferably, the heating temperature of the pre-evaporation heater is greater than the temperature of the bottom of the crucible; Preferably, the feed inlet is connected to the lower vapor-deposited material.

6. A feeding device for a vapor deposition machine, used to add vapor deposition material to a crucible located in a vapor deposition chamber, characterized in that, The vapor deposition machine feeding device includes: The feeding pipe includes a feeding port located outside the vapor deposition chamber and a feed inlet communicating with the crucible. The feeding port is used to add vapor deposition material into the feeding pipe, and the feed inlet is used to add vapor deposition material into the crucible. A feeding screw is disposed within the feeding pipe. The feeding screw includes a feeding section and a compression section, and includes helical blades. The feeding port communicates with the helical blades located in the feeding section. The compression section is located between the feeding port and the feed inlet. The distance between the helical blades located in the compression section and the inner wall of the feeding pipe gradually decreases along the direction closer to the feed inlet. The distance between the helical blades located in the feeding section and the inner wall of the feeding pipe is greater than or equal to the maximum distance between the helical blades located in the compression section and the inner wall of the feeding pipe.

7. The feeding device for the vapor deposition machine according to claim 6, characterized in that, The evaporation machine feeding device also includes: A first driving mechanism is connected to the feeding screw and is used to drive the feeding screw to rotate, so that the spiral blades convey the vapor deposition material in a direction close to the feed port. The second drive mechanism is used to push the feeding screw to move axially. Preferably, the feeding screw includes a pushing section, which is located on the side of the spiral blade near the feed inlet, and the distance between the pushing section and the inner wall of the feeding pipe is greater than the distance between the spiral blade and the inner wall of the feeding pipe. Preferably, the pushing section includes a tapered rod, and the distance between the tapered rod and the inner wall of the feeding pipe gradually increases along the direction close to the feed inlet; Preferably, the feeding pipe includes a feed pipe section that matches the shape of the pushing section, and the feed inlet is disposed in the feed pipe section; Preferably, the feeding screw is provided with a check valve structure to prevent the backflow of the vapor-deposited material; Preferably, the first drive mechanism includes a motor; Preferably, the second drive mechanism includes a hydraulic cylinder.

8. The feeding device for the vapor deposition machine according to claim 6, characterized in that, The feeding screw also includes a metering section, and the compression section is located between the metering section and the feeding section; the distance between the helical blades located in the metering section and the inner wall of the feeding pipe remains unchanged; The vapor deposition machine feeding device further includes a segmented heater, which is disposed on the outer periphery of the feeding pipe and is used to heat the vapor deposition material in the feeding pipe; the segmented heater includes a first heating section for heating the feeding section, a second heating section for heating the compression section, and a third heating section for heating the metering section, wherein the heating temperature of the third heating section is greater than the heating temperature of the second heating section, and the heating temperature of the second heating section is greater than the heating temperature of the first heating section; Preferably, the feed inlet is connected to the bottom of the crucible, and the heating temperature of the third heating section is the same as the temperature of the bottom of the crucible.

9. A method for feeding materials into a vapor deposition machine, characterized in that, The feeding method for the vapor deposition machine includes: Evaporation material is added to the feeding pipe through a feeding port located outside the evaporation chamber, and the feeding pipe is equipped with a feeding screw; The feeding screw is driven to rotate, and the spiral blades of the feeding screw are used to transport the vapor-deposited material to the feed port; The feeding screw includes a feeding section and a compression section. In the compression section, the vapor-deposited material is compressed and air is discharged through a structure in which the distance between the spiral blades and the inner wall of the feeding pipe gradually decreases.

10. The feeding method for a vapor deposition machine according to claim 9, characterized in that, The feeding screw further includes a metering section, and the compression section is located between the metering section and the feeding section; Preferably, the feeding method for the vapor deposition machine further includes: The compressed vapor-deposited material enters the metering section; Drive the feeding screw to move axially, and push the vapor deposition material of the metering section to the bottom of the crucible through the feed port; Preferably, the temperature gradient of the feeding pipeline is controlled by a segmented heater, so that the temperature of the feeding section, the temperature of the compression section, and the temperature of the metering section increase sequentially. Preferably, the temperature of the metering section is the same as the temperature of the bottom of the crucible; Preferably, temperature stratification is maintained within the crucible, with the upper vapor deposition material heated to the highest temperature by the main evaporation heater, the middle vapor deposition material heated to the second highest temperature by the pre-evaporation heater, and the lower vapor deposition material at the same temperature as the quantitative section.

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