Evaporation source, evaporation apparatus and evaporation method

Abstract

The application discloses an evaporation source, an evaporation device and an evaporation method. The evaporation device comprises a process chamber, an evaporation source and a first moving mechanism. A carrier is arranged in the process chamber and used for carrying a substrate to be evaporated. The evaporation source is arranged on one side of the carrier. The evaporation source comprises a crucible, a nozzle and a first heating device. The crucible comprises a reaction chamber used for containing evaporation material. The first heating device is used for heating the crucible or the evaporation material. The nozzle is communicated with the reaction chamber and arranged towards the carrier. The first moving mechanism is used for driving the evaporation source to move in a first direction, so that the nozzle can form a strip-shaped evaporation film layer on the substrate. A splash-proof structure is arranged in the reaction chamber. The splash-proof structure is connected to the inner wall of the crucible and arranged between the evaporation material and the nozzle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of display device technology, and particularly relates to an evaporation source, evaporation equipment and evaporation method. Background Technology

[0002] Evaporation deposition is a technique that uses heating to evaporate and vaporize a specified material and guides gas particles to deposit on the surface to be processed to form a thin film. It is widely used in the preparation of structures such as light-emitting layers, organic functional layers, and encapsulation layers in display panels.

[0003] As display panel technology continues to evolve, the manufacturing process of array substrates is becoming increasingly refined. Therefore, it is necessary to continuously improve the processing precision of the vapor deposition process. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides an evaporation source, evaporation equipment, and evaporation method that can form a evaporation film layer with a preset shape and high uniformity without the aid of a mask, thereby improving the product quality of the display panel.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a vapor deposition apparatus for preparing an array substrate for a display panel. The vapor deposition apparatus includes a process chamber, an evaporation source, and a first moving mechanism. A stage is disposed within the process chamber to support the substrate to be vapor-deposited. The evaporation source is disposed on one side of the stage and includes a crucible, a nozzle, and a first heating device. The crucible includes a reaction chamber for holding vapor deposition materials. The first heating device is used to heat the crucible or to heat the vapor deposition materials. The nozzle is connected to the reaction chamber and is positioned towards the stage. The first moving mechanism is used to drive the evaporation source to move along a first direction, so that the nozzle can form a strip-shaped vapor deposition film layer on the substrate. An anti-splash structure is disposed within the reaction chamber. The anti-splash structure is connected to the inner wall of the crucible and is disposed between the vapor deposition materials and the nozzle. The anti-splash structure extends at least along a second direction parallel to the stage, and the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

[0006] In some alternative embodiments, the nozzle is connected to the side wall of the crucible, and the anti-splash structure includes a first baffle disposed on the side wall of the crucible where the nozzle is located.

[0007] In some alternative embodiments, the first baffle extends toward the vapor-deposited material and is set at a first angle to the sidewall of the crucible.

[0008] In some alternative embodiments, the first baffle has at least one first through hole for gaseous vapor deposition material to flow into the nozzle.

[0009] In some optional embodiments, the anti-splash structure further includes a second baffle, with the first baffle and the second baffle disposed on the side wall of the crucible along a first direction.

[0010] In some alternative embodiments, the second baffle extends toward the vapor-deposited material and is set at a second angle to the sidewall of the crucible.

[0011] In some alternative embodiments, the second tilt angle is smaller than the first tilt angle.

[0012] In some alternative embodiments, the second baffle has at least one second through hole for gaseous vapor deposition material to flow into the nozzle.

[0013] In some alternative embodiments, the nozzle is connected to the bottom wall of the crucible, and the anti-splash structure includes a third baffle disposed on the bottom wall of the crucible and extending along the evaporation direction of the vapor-deposited material.

[0014] In some alternative embodiments, the anti-splash structure further includes a fourth baffle disposed on the side of the third baffle away from the nozzle.

[0015] In some alternative embodiments, the fourth baffle has at least one third through hole for gaseous vapor deposition material to flow into the nozzle.

[0016] In some alternative embodiments, the evaporation source further includes at least one baffle disposed on the bottom wall of the crucible and extending along the evaporation direction of the vapor-deposited material.

[0017] In some alternative embodiments, the partition is provided with a fourth through hole to allow the vapor-deposited material on both sides of the partition to flow between each other.

[0018] In some alternative embodiments, there are two or more partitions.

[0019] In some alternative embodiments, of any two partitions, the partition farther from the splash guard is positioned higher than the partition closer to the splash guard.

[0020] In some alternative embodiments, the evaporation source further includes a second heating device for heating the vapor-deposited material at the nozzle, the heating temperature of the second heating device being higher than the condensation temperature of the vapor-deposited material.

[0021] In some alternative embodiments, the heating temperature of the second heating device is lower than that of the first heating device.

[0022] In some optional embodiments, the evaporation source further includes an adjusting sleeve that is fitted over the nozzle and is movably disposed in the vertical direction.

[0023] In some alternative embodiments, the vapor deposition apparatus further includes a vertical movement mechanism for driving the adjusting sleeve toward or away from the substrate.

[0024] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide an evaporation source for preparing an array substrate of a display panel. The evaporation source includes a crucible, a first heating device, a nozzle, and an anti-splash structure. The crucible includes a reaction chamber for holding vapor deposition materials. The first heating device is used to heat the crucible or to heat the vapor deposition materials. The nozzle is connected to the reaction chamber and is positioned towards the substrate. The anti-splash structure is connected to the inner wall of the crucible and is positioned between the vapor deposition materials and the nozzle. The anti-splash structure includes at least a plate-like structure.

[0025] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a vapor deposition method, the vapor deposition method comprising:

[0026] Provide substrate;

[0027] The evaporation source and the first moving mechanism for driving the evaporation source to move are activated, providing the evaporation source with a first acceleration;

[0028] When the first moving mechanism reaches the first preset speed, it stops accelerating and the first moving mechanism drives the evaporation source to move continuously at the first preset speed for a first preset time.

[0029] A second acceleration is provided to the evaporation source until the speed of the first moving mechanism is zero.

[0030] In some alternative embodiments, the second acceleration is the same in magnitude but opposite in direction to the first acceleration.

[0031] The vapor deposition apparatus of this application places the evaporation source above the stage and sprays gaseous vapor deposition material downwards to complete the thin film deposition, reducing the requirements for the fixation accuracy of the stage and substrate and broadening the application scenarios. Furthermore, the vapor deposition apparatus is equipped with a first moving mechanism for driving the evaporation source, which can control the thin film formation area by controlling the spray range and moving range of the evaporation source, thus improving the precision of the vapor deposition process. The evaporation source also has an anti-splash structure inside the crucible to reduce the probability of vapor deposition material splashing during movement and depositing onto the substrate through the nozzle, thereby improving the uniformity of the film thickness. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiments below. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings:

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vapor deposition apparatus according to an embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an evaporation source according to an embodiment of this application;

[0035] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an evaporation source according to another embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an evaporation source according to another embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vapor deposition apparatus according to an embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 6 This is a schematic flowchart of a vapor deposition method according to an embodiment of this application.

[0039] The reference numerals in the detailed embodiments are as follows:

[0040] 100. Process chamber; 110. Stage; 111. Substrate to be vapor-deposited;

[0041] 200. Evaporation source; 210. Crucible; 220. Nozzle; 221. Adjusting sleeve; 231. First baffle; 232. Second baffle; 233. Third baffle; 234. Fourth baffle; 235. Partition plate;

[0042] 300. First moving mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0043] The embodiments of the technical solution of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this application and are therefore merely examples, and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0044] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application; the terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims, and foregoing description of the drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0045] In the description of the embodiments of this application, technical terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0046] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0047] In the description of the embodiments in this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0048] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "multiple" refers to two or more (including two), similarly, "multiple sets" refers to two or more (including two sets), and "multiple pieces" refers to two or more (including two pieces).

[0049] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this application and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this application.

[0050] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, technical terms such as "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0051] Evaporation deposition is a technique that uses heating to evaporate and vaporize a specified material and guides gas particles to deposit on the surface to be processed to form a thin film. It is widely used in the preparation of structures such as light-emitting layers, organic functional layers, and encapsulation layers in display panels.

[0052] In related technologies, vapor deposition processes typically utilize metal masks to select specific areas for film deposition, thereby forming patterned thin film structures on the surface of the substrate to be processed, thus fabricating light-emitting layers or other structures. However, on the one hand, high-precision metal masks require regular maintenance and replacement to avoid product defects caused by mask damage or contamination, which undoubtedly increases production costs and reduces the economic efficiency of the product. On the other hand, the high-precision alignment between the mask and the substrate consumes a significant amount of time, and the film deposited on the substrate surface through the mask also suffers from problems such as shadow effects and poor edge uniformity, limiting the display effect of the final product.

[0053] Therefore, it is necessary to improve the vapor deposition process and equipment to enhance the product quality of display devices.

[0054] To address the problems of existing technologies, embodiments of this application provide an evaporation source, evaporation equipment, and evaporation method, which can form a evaporation film layer of a predetermined shape and with high uniformity without the aid of a mask, thereby improving the product quality of display panels. The evaporation equipment provided in this application embodiment will be described first below.

[0055] Please see Figures 1 to 5 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vapor deposition apparatus according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an evaporation source according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an evaporation source according to another embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an evaporation source according to another embodiment of this application; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vapor deposition apparatus according to an embodiment of this application.

[0056] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a vapor deposition apparatus for preparing an array substrate for a display panel. The vapor deposition apparatus includes a process chamber 100, an evaporation source 200, and a first moving mechanism 300. A stage 110 is disposed in the process chamber 100, and the stage 110 is used to support the substrate 111 to be vapor-deposited. The evaporation source 200 is disposed on one side of the stage 110 and includes a crucible 210, a nozzle 220, and a first heating device. The crucible 210 includes a reaction chamber for holding vapor deposition materials. The first heating device is used to heat the crucible 210 or to heat the vapor deposition materials. The nozzle 220 is connected to the reaction chamber and is disposed toward the stage 110. The first moving mechanism 300 is used to drive the evaporation source 200 to move along a first direction so that the nozzle 220 can form a strip-shaped vapor deposition film layer on the substrate.

[0057] It should be noted that the strip shape of the vapor-deposited film layer specifically refers to the fact that when the first moving mechanism 300 moves along the first direction, the width of the vapor-deposited film layer formed by the continuous spraying of the nozzle 220 is fixed, while the length changes according to the movement of the first moving mechanism 300. For example, when the radius of the spraying range of the nozzle 220 is greater than the moving distance of the first moving mechanism 300, the vapor-deposited film layer may also take the form of a circle, ellipse, or other structures. This application does not impose any restrictions on the specific relationship between the length and width of the vapor-deposited film layer.

[0058] Therefore, when the distance between the nozzle 220 and the substrate 111 to be deposited on the stage is constant, the vapor deposition material can be deposited within a corresponding width range on the substrate 111. Furthermore, the first moving mechanism 300 drives the evaporation source 200 to move in the first direction, and the nozzle 220 moves relative to the substrate 111 to be deposited and continuously sprays out the vapor deposition material, thereby forming a vapor deposition film layer. This allows the vapor deposition equipment to prepare a vapor deposition film layer of a specified shape without the aid of a metal mask. The shape of the vapor deposition film layer can be adjusted by adjusting the spray range of the nozzle 220 or the moving path of the evaporation source 200.

[0059] However, during the movement of the evaporation source 200, especially when the moving speed of the evaporation source 200 changes, the liquid vapor deposition material inside the crucible 210 is unable to adapt quickly to the change in the movement state of the crucible 210 due to inertia. This leads to the vapor deposition material oscillating inside the crucible 210 or even splashing out through the nozzle 220. Such unintended splashing of the vapor deposition material will cause local thickening of the vapor deposition film layer, thereby weakening the uniformity of the vapor deposition film layer and negatively affecting the product quality of the display device.

[0060] In this embodiment, an anti-splash structure is provided in the reaction chamber. The anti-splash structure is connected to the inner wall of the crucible 210 and is used to be disposed between the vapor deposition material and the nozzle 220. The anti-splash structure extends at least along a second direction parallel to the stage 110, and the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

[0061] Therefore, the anti-splash structure can block the vapor-deposited material that splashes towards the nozzle 220 due to inertial vibration. By reducing the unexpected ejection of vapor-deposited material, the uniformity of vapor-deposited film thickness and material uniformity are improved, thereby enhancing product quality and display effect.

[0062] According to some embodiments of this application, the nozzle 220 is connected to the side wall of the crucible 210, and the anti-splash structure includes a first baffle 231, which is disposed on the side wall of the crucible 210 where the nozzle 220 is located.

[0063] Please see Figure 2 or Figure 3A flow channel is also formed between the nozzle 220 and the crucible 210, and the nozzle 220 is connected to the reaction chamber of the crucible 210 through the flow channel. The flow channel can extend the flow path of the vapor deposition material in the evaporation source 200 so that the vapor deposition material can be diffused more evenly, thereby forming a more uniform vapor deposition film layer on the surface of the substrate 111 to be vapor deposited.

[0064] Optionally, the flow channel is formed above the side wall of the crucible 210 so that the gaseous vapor deposition material formed by evaporation can escape from the crucible 210 and be deposited onto the surface of the substrate 111 to be vapor deposited through the nozzle 220.

[0065] Optionally, the first baffle 231 extends along both the first and second directions to form a plate-like structure parallel to the bottom wall of the crucible 210. The plate-like structure is flush with the bottom end of the flow channel opening to prevent the vapor deposition material from splashing out of the crucible 210 from the flow channel and accumulating on the substrate 111 to be vapor deposited.

[0066] Therefore, the first baffle 231 can prevent the vapor deposition material from flowing directly out of the side wall and depositing onto the surface of the substrate 111 to be vapor deposited through the nozzle 220 during the oscillation process, thereby reducing defects such as local thickening or increased density of the vapor deposition material.

[0067] According to some embodiments of this application, the first baffle 231 extends toward the vapor deposition material and is set at a first angle to the sidewall of the crucible 210.

[0068] Optionally, the first tilt angle is set to be greater than 0 and less than or equal to 90° to prevent the gaseous vapor deposition material from condensing at the first baffle 231 and flowing out towards the nozzle 220 to the substrate 111 to be vapor deposited.

[0069] Further optionally, the first inclination angle is less than 90°, that is, the first baffle 231 is arranged obliquely downward on the side wall of the crucible 210 where the nozzle 220 is provided. For example, please refer to... Figure 3 Even if the vapor-deposited material splashes onto the top of the first baffle 231 during the oscillation process, the droplets will fall back to the first baffle 231 under their own weight. The first baffle 231 can guide the droplets to flow downwards and back to the vapor-deposited material in the reaction chamber.

[0070] Optionally, the first baffle 231 is provided with a planar structure, or the first baffle 231 is provided with a curved structure.

[0071] Therefore, the first baffle 231 can create a backflow effect on the vapor deposition material droplets splashed onto the first baffle 231, so as to reduce the local thickening of the vapor deposition film layer caused by the splashing of vapor deposition material and improve the uniformity of the vapor deposition film layer.

[0072] According to some embodiments of this application, the first baffle 231 has at least one first through hole for gaseous vapor deposition material to flow into the nozzle 220.

[0073] Optionally, the first through hole is formed vertically in the first baffle 231 so that the gaseous vapor deposition material formed by evaporation can flow upward and be deposited on the surface of the substrate 111 to be vapor deposited through the flow channel and nozzle 220.

[0074] Optionally, the specifications of each first through hole are set to be the same.

[0075] Optionally, the diameter of the first through hole near the nozzle 220 is set smaller than the diameter of the first through hole away from the nozzle 220.

[0076] This reduces the obstruction effect of the first baffle 231 on the normal evaporation and flow of the vapor-deposited material.

[0077] According to some embodiments of this application, the anti-splash structure further includes a second baffle 232, with the first baffle 231 and the second baffle 232 disposed on the side wall of the crucible 210 along a first direction.

[0078] It is understandable that when the motion state of the first moving mechanism 300 changes, the motion state of the crucible 210 changes rapidly accordingly. The vapor-deposited material inside the crucible 210, under inertia, tends to maintain its original motion state. Therefore, the crucible 210 and the vapor-deposited material have a relative motion tendency in the first direction, causing the vapor-deposited material to oscillate back and forth in the positive and negative directions of the first direction and resulting in splashing. In this embodiment, the first baffle 231 and the second baffle 232 can respectively block the movement tendency of the vapor-deposited material in the negative and positive directions of the first direction, thereby reducing the probability of the vapor-deposited material splashing out of the reaction chamber.

[0079] Specifically, the second baffle 232 extends along the second direction, and the second baffle 232 extends in the second direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the crucible 210 to form a plate-like structure, thereby improving the blocking effect on the splashed vapor deposition material.

[0080] According to some embodiments of this application, the second baffle 232 extends toward the vapor deposition material and is set at a second angle to the sidewall of the crucible 210.

[0081] Optionally, the second tilt angle is set to be greater than 0 and less than or equal to 90° to prevent the vapor-deposited material from splashing onto the second baffle 232 and accumulating at the connection between the second baffle 232 and the side wall of the crucible 210, thus preventing material loss.

[0082] Further optionally, the second tilt angle is less than 90°, that is, the second baffle 232 is arranged obliquely downward on the side wall of the crucible 210. For example, please refer to... Figure 3Even if the vapor-deposited material splashes above the second baffle 232 during the oscillation process, the droplets will fall back to the second baffle 232 under their own weight. The second baffle 232 can guide the droplets to flow downwards and back to the vapor-deposited material in the reaction chamber.

[0083] Optionally, the second baffle 232 is provided with a planar structure, or the second baffle 232 is provided with a curved structure.

[0084] Therefore, the second baffle 232 can create a backflow effect on the vapor deposition material droplets splashed onto the second baffle 232, so as to reduce the local thickening of the vapor deposition film layer caused by the splashing of vapor deposition material and improve the uniformity of the vapor deposition film layer.

[0085] According to some embodiments of this application, the second tilt angle is smaller than the first tilt angle.

[0086] Optionally, the second baffle 232 is disposed below the first baffle 231.

[0087] Optionally, the orthographic projection of the second baffle 232 on the bottom wall of the crucible 210 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the first baffle 231 on the bottom wall of the crucible 210, so as to reduce the probability of the vapor-deposited material splashing out from the gap between the first baffle 231 and the second baffle 232.

[0088] Specifically, please refer to Figure 3 When the first moving mechanism 300 suddenly decelerates, the vapor-deposited material tends to continue moving forward and collides with the side wall provided with the second baffle 232. The second baffle 232, which has a larger tilt angle, has a better limiting effect on the vertical oscillation of the vapor-deposited material, so as to reduce the oscillation amplitude of the vapor-deposited material and reduce the splashing of the vapor-deposited material towards the first baffle 231.

[0089] According to some embodiments of this application, the second baffle 232 has at least one second through hole for gaseous vapor deposition material to flow into the nozzle 220.

[0090] Optionally, a second through hole is formed vertically in the second baffle 232 so that the gaseous vapor deposition material formed by evaporation can flow upward and be deposited on the surface of the substrate 111 to be vapor deposited through the flow channel and nozzle 220.

[0091] Optionally, the specifications of each second through hole are set to be the same.

[0092] Optionally, the diameter of the second through hole near the nozzle 220 is set smaller than the diameter of the second through hole away from the nozzle 220.

[0093] This reduces the obstruction effect of the second baffle 232 on the normal evaporation flow of the vapor-deposited material.

[0094] According to some embodiments of this application, the nozzle 220 is connected to the bottom wall of the crucible 210, and the anti-splash structure includes a third baffle 233, which is disposed on the bottom wall of the crucible 210 and extends along the evaporation direction of the vapor-deposited material.

[0095] Optionally, please refer to Figure 4 The nozzle 220 is directly opened on the bottom wall of the crucible 210. The distance between the nozzle 220 and the substrate 111 to be vaporized is small, which makes the range of vaporized film layer formed by spraying vaporized material onto the surface of the substrate 111 to be vaporized more controllable.

[0096] Optionally, the third baffle 233 is vertically disposed on the bottom wall of the crucible 210, or the third baffle 233 is inclinedly disposed on the bottom wall of the crucible 210 in the vertical direction.

[0097] Therefore, the third baffle 233 can define a space in the reaction chamber for containing the liquid vapor deposition material and prevent the liquid vapor deposition material from flowing directly to the nozzle 220, thus ensuring the quality of the vapor deposition film.

[0098] According to some embodiments of this application, the anti-splash structure further includes a fourth baffle 234, which is disposed on the side of the third baffle 233 away from the nozzle 220.

[0099] Optionally, the fourth baffle 234 is disposed at the end of the third baffle 233 away from the nozzle 220 to provide a better anti-splashing effect on the liquid vapor deposition material.

[0100] Optionally, the angle between the fourth baffle 234 and the third baffle 233 is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 90°, so as to prevent the gaseous vapor deposition material from splashing onto the fourth baffle 234 and condensing, and then flowing towards the nozzle 220 and the substrate 111 to be vaporized.

[0101] Alternatively, the angle between the fourth baffle 234 and the third baffle 233 is less than 90°. In other words, the fourth baffle 234 is arranged inclined downward in the reaction chamber. Even if the vapor-deposited material splashes onto the fourth baffle 234 during the oscillation process, the droplets will fall back to the fourth baffle 234 under their own weight. The fourth baffle 234 can guide the flow direction of the droplets so that they flow back into the vapor-deposited material at an angle downward.

[0102] Optionally, the fourth baffle 234 is provided with a planar structure, or the fourth baffle 234 is provided with a curved structure.

[0103] Thus, the fourth baffle 234 can cover the free end of the third baffle 233, thereby preventing the vapor deposition material from splashing directly from above the third baffle 233 during the vibration process and flowing through the nozzle 220 to the substrate 111 to be vapor deposited.

[0104] According to some embodiments of this application, the fourth baffle 234 has at least one third through hole for gaseous vapor deposition material to flow into the nozzle 220.

[0105] Optionally, a third through hole is formed vertically in the fourth baffle 234 so that the gaseous vapor deposition material formed by evaporation can flow upward and be deposited on the surface of the substrate 111 to be vapor deposited through the flow channel and nozzle 220.

[0106] Optionally, all third through holes are configured with the same specifications.

[0107] Optionally, the diameter of the third through hole near the nozzle 220 is set smaller than the diameter of the third through hole away from the nozzle 220.

[0108] This reduces the obstruction effect of the fourth baffle 234 on the normal evaporation flow of the vapor-deposited material.

[0109] According to some embodiments of this application, the evaporation source 200 further includes at least one partition 235, which is disposed on the bottom wall of the crucible 210 and extends along the evaporation direction of the vapor deposition material.

[0110] Optionally, the partition 235 is disposed vertically on the bottom wall of the crucible 210, or the partition 235 is disposed obliquely on the bottom wall of the crucible 210.

[0111] Optionally, the partition 235 is disposed on the side away from the anti-splash structure. The partition 235 can guide the upward flow of the evaporation of the vapor-deposited material while also providing a certain anti-splash effect.

[0112] Optionally, the partition 235 is arranged perpendicular to the first direction.

[0113] Therefore, the partition 235 can separate the vapor deposition material that was originally set up as a whole in the reaction chamber, reduce the mass of the vapor deposition material in a single space, thereby weakening the inertia of the vapor deposition material in a single space, and thus reducing the vibration amplitude of the vapor deposition material and the probability of the vapor deposition material splashing towards the nozzle 220.

[0114] According to some embodiments of this application, the partition 235 is provided with a fourth through hole so that the vapor-deposited materials on both sides of the partition 235 can flow to each other.

[0115] Optionally, the fourth through hole is formed in a direction parallel to the substrate.

[0116] Optionally, a fourth through hole is provided perpendicular to the partition 235.

[0117] Therefore, the vapor-deposited materials on both sides of the partition 235 can remain connected through the fourth through hole to keep the liquid level in the reaction chamber level, thereby avoiding local dry burning caused by different heating rates.

[0118] According to some embodiments of this application, two or more partitions 235 are provided.

[0119] Optionally, each partition 235 is arranged at equal intervals along the first direction.

[0120] Optionally, please refer to Figure 3 Each partition is set at a height of 235.

[0121] It is understandable that multiple baffles 235 can further subdivide the vapor-deposited material in the reaction chamber into multiple smaller spaces, control the quality of the vapor-deposited material in each space to reduce the oscillation amplitude of the vapor-deposited material and reduce the probability of splashing.

[0122] According to some embodiments of this application, in any two partitions 235, the partition 235 farther from the splash guard structure is positioned higher than the partition 235 closer to the splash guard structure.

[0123] Please see Figure 4 It is understandable that the fourth baffle 234 provides weak protection for the vapor-deposited material far from the anti-splash structure area. In this case, setting a higher baffle 235 at the vapor-deposited material far from the anti-splash structure area can, on the one hand, guide the flow path of the vapor-deposited material formed by evaporation, making it easier for it to flow to the nozzle 220. On the other hand, it can form a similar anti-splash effect on the vapor-deposited material on both sides of the baffle 235, preventing the liquid vapor-deposited material from splashing directly into the space above the fourth baffle 234.

[0124] According to some embodiments of this application, the evaporation source 200 further includes a second heating device for heating the vapor deposition material at the nozzle 220, and the heating temperature of the second heating device is higher than the condensation temperature of the vapor deposition material.

[0125] Optionally, the second heating device is provided corresponding to the nozzle 220.

[0126] Optionally, a second heating device is provided corresponding to the flow channel.

[0127] It is understandable that after the vapor-deposited material leaves the reaction chamber and detaches from the first heating device, it continuously loses heat as it flows towards the nozzle 220 and the substrate 111 to be vapor-deposited, potentially leading to condensation. The density of the vapor-deposited material in the condensed droplets is much greater than that in the gaseous state, causing defects such as localized thickening or excessive density on the substrate 111, negatively impacting the product quality of the display device. Therefore, this embodiment incorporates a second heating device to reheat the vapor-deposited material before spraying, reducing the probability of condensation and thus improving the uniformity of the vapor-deposited film layer.

[0128] According to some embodiments of this application, the heating temperature of the second heating device is lower than that of the first heating device.

[0129] Therefore, while reducing the probability of condensation of the vapor deposition material, the evaporation source 200 has a better energy efficiency ratio.

[0130] According to some embodiments of this application, the evaporation source 200 further includes an adjusting sleeve 221, which is sleeved outside the nozzle 220 and is movably arranged in the vertical direction.

[0131] Specifically, please refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5 Two different positions of the adjusting sleeve 221 are shown with solid and dashed lines, respectively. The evaporation source 200 shown by the solid line is defined as being in the first position, and the evaporation source 200 shown by the dashed line is being in the second position. It can be seen that when the adjusting sleeve 221 moves vertically downward to reach the second position, the diffusion range at the second position is smaller than that at the first position. Therefore, the longer the length of the adjusting sleeve 221 extending relative to the nozzle 220, the narrower the width of the vapor-deposited film layer prepared by the evaporation source 200.

[0132] Therefore, by changing the position of the adjusting sleeve 221, the vapor deposition equipment can achieve more precise control over the shape and size of the vapor-deposited film, thereby improving the process quality of the vapor-deposited film.

[0133] It is understood that in other embodiments, the nozzle 220 is detachably connected to the crucible 210, and the evaporation source 200 can adjust the spray range by disassembling and replacing the nozzle 220, thereby adjusting the shape of the vapor-deposited film layer.

[0134] According to some embodiments of this application, the vapor deposition apparatus further includes a vertical moving mechanism for driving the adjusting sleeve 221 toward or away from the substrate.

[0135] Optionally, the vertical movement mechanism includes a cylinder or a linear motor, the output of which is connected to the adjusting sleeve 221 to drive the adjusting sleeve 221 to move axially relative to the nozzle 220.

[0136] According to some embodiments of this application, the vapor deposition apparatus further includes a second moving mechanism, which is connected to the evaporation source 200 and is used to drive the evaporation source 200 to move in a second direction.

[0137] Therefore, the evaporation source 200 in the vapor deposition equipment can move freely in a plane parallel to the vapor deposition substrate, thereby obtaining a vapor deposition film layer with more flexible patterns, such as a vapor deposition film layer with a curved shape or a closed pattern.

[0138] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide an evaporation source 200 for preparing an array substrate of a display panel. The evaporation source 200 includes a crucible 210, a first heating device, a nozzle 220, and an anti-splash structure. The crucible 210 includes a reaction chamber for holding vapor deposition materials. The first heating device is used to heat the crucible 210 or to heat the vapor deposition materials. The nozzle 220 is connected to the reaction chamber and is disposed towards the substrate. The anti-splash structure is connected to the inner wall of the crucible 210 and is disposed between the vapor deposition materials and the nozzle 220. The anti-splash structure includes at least a plate-like structure.

[0139] Therefore, when the evaporation source 200 is driven to move, the vapor deposition material inside the crucible 210 tends to move relative to the crucible 210, causing the vapor deposition material to oscillate. The evaporation source 200 of this embodiment can limit the flow range of the vapor deposition material through the anti-splash structure and block the vapor deposition material flowing toward the nozzle 220, thereby reducing the unintended spraying of the vapor deposition material and improving the uniformity of the vapor deposition film layer formed by the evaporation source 200.

[0140] Thirdly, this application provides a vapor deposition method, please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 6 , Figure 6 This is a schematic flowchart of a vapor deposition method according to an embodiment of this application. The vapor deposition method includes:

[0141] S100, providing a substrate;

[0142] S200: The evaporation source and the first moving mechanism for driving the evaporation source to move are activated, and a first acceleration is provided to the evaporation source;

[0143] S300: When the first moving mechanism reaches the first preset speed, it stops accelerating and the first moving mechanism drives the evaporation source to move continuously at the first preset speed for a first preset time.

[0144] S400, Provide a second acceleration to the evaporation source until the speed of the first moving mechanism is zero.

[0145] Therefore, by controlling the start-up and shutdown speed of the evaporation source, the vibration of the liquid vapor deposition material in the crucible of the evaporation source is reduced, thereby reducing the occurrence of vapor deposition material splashing out of the crucible in the form of droplets and depositing on the substrate to be vaporized. This improves the uniformity of the vapor deposition film thickness and the uniformity of the material, ultimately improving the product quality and display effect of the display device.

[0146] Optionally, in step S200, the first moving mechanism always provides the first acceleration to the evaporation source, and the evaporation source makes uniformly accelerated linear motion to reduce the oscillation of the internal liquid vapor deposition material.

[0147] Optionally, the vapor deposition method further includes step S210, providing a second acceleration greater than the first acceleration to the evaporation source. Thus, the evaporation source undergoes variable acceleration linear motion, meaning it can gradually accelerate from a slow to a fast speed to a first preset speed and continue to prepare the vapor-deposited film, which helps control the relative motion trend between the vapor deposition material and the crucible during the vapor deposition process.

[0148] According to some embodiments of this application, the second acceleration is the same in magnitude but opposite in direction to the first acceleration.

[0149] Therefore, the oscillation amplitude of the vapor deposition material in the crucible tends to be consistent during the acceleration and deceleration of the evaporation source. That is, if no droplet splashing occurs during the acceleration of the evaporation source with the first acceleration, then no droplet splashing will occur during the deceleration of the evaporation source with the second acceleration.

[0150] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and not to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and they should all be covered within the scope of the claims and specification of this application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the embodiments can be combined in any way. This application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A vapor deposition apparatus for preparing an array substrate for a display panel, characterized in that, The vapor deposition equipment includes: A process chamber, wherein a stage is provided in the process chamber, the stage being used to support the substrate to be vapor-deposited; An evaporation source is disposed on one side of the stage. The evaporation source includes a crucible, a nozzle, and a first heating device. The crucible includes a reaction chamber for holding the vapor deposition material. The first heating device is used to heat the crucible or to heat the vapor deposition material. The nozzle is connected to the reaction chamber and is positioned towards the stage. A first moving mechanism is used to drive the evaporation source to move along a first direction so that the nozzle can form a strip-shaped vapor-deposited film layer on the substrate. The reaction chamber is provided with an anti-splash structure, which is connected to the inner wall of the crucible and is used to be disposed between the vapor deposition material and the nozzle. The anti-splash structure extends at least along a second direction parallel to the stage, and the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

2. The vapor deposition equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The nozzle is connected to the side wall of the crucible, and the anti-splash structure includes a first baffle, which is disposed on the side wall of the crucible where the nozzle is located. Preferably, the first baffle extends toward the vapor-deposited material and is set at a first angle to the sidewall of the crucible; Preferably, the first baffle has at least one first through hole to allow gaseous vapor deposition material to flow into the nozzle.

3. The vapor deposition equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The anti-splash structure also includes a second baffle, and the first baffle and the second baffle are respectively disposed on the side wall of the crucible along the first direction; Preferably, the second baffle extends toward the vapor-deposited material and is set at a second angle to the sidewall of the crucible; Preferably, the second tilt angle is smaller than the first tilt angle; Preferably, the second baffle has at least one second through hole to allow gaseous vapor deposition material to flow into the nozzle.

4. The vapor deposition equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The nozzle is connected to the bottom wall of the crucible, and the anti-splash structure includes a third baffle, which is disposed on the bottom wall of the crucible and extends along the evaporation direction of the vapor-deposited material; Preferably, the anti-splash structure further includes a fourth baffle, which is disposed on the side of the third baffle away from the nozzle; Preferably, the fourth baffle has at least one third through hole to allow gaseous vapor deposition material to flow into the nozzle.

5. The vapor deposition equipment according to claim 2, 3, or 4, characterized in that, The evaporation source also includes at least one baffle plate, which is disposed on the bottom wall of the crucible and extends along the evaporation direction of the vapor-deposited material; Preferably, the partition is provided with a fourth through hole to allow the vapor-deposited materials on both sides of the partition to circulate with each other; Preferably, there are two or more partitions; Preferably, in any two partitions, the partition farther from the splash-proof structure is positioned higher than the partition closer to the splash-proof structure.

6. The vapor deposition equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The evaporation source also includes a second heating device, which is used to heat the vapor deposition material at the nozzle, and the heating temperature of the second heating device is higher than the condensation temperature of the vapor deposition material. Preferably, the heating temperature of the second heating device is lower than that of the first heating device.

7. The vapor deposition equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The evaporation source also includes an adjusting sleeve, which is sleeved outside the nozzle and is movably arranged in the vertical direction. Preferably, the vapor deposition equipment further includes a vertical moving mechanism for driving the adjusting sleeve to move closer to or away from the substrate.

8. An evaporation source, characterized in that, An array substrate for fabricating a display panel, the evaporation source comprising: Crucible, including a reaction chamber for holding vapor-deposited materials; A first heating device is used to heat the crucible or to heat the vapor-deposited material; The nozzle is connected to the reaction chamber and is positioned toward the substrate. An anti-splash structure is connected to the inner wall of the crucible and is used to be disposed between the vapor deposition material and the nozzle. The anti-splash structure includes at least a plate-like structure.

9. A vapor deposition method, characterized in that, The vapor deposition method includes: Provide substrate; The evaporation source and the first moving mechanism for driving the evaporation source to move are activated, providing the evaporation source with a first acceleration; When the first moving mechanism reaches the first preset speed, it stops accelerating and the first moving mechanism drives the evaporation source to move continuously at the first preset speed for a first preset time. A second acceleration is provided to the evaporation source until the speed of the first moving mechanism is zero.

10. The vapor deposition method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The second acceleration is the same in magnitude but opposite in direction to the first acceleration.

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