Electrode assembly and plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition equipment

Abstract

The utility model relates to an electrode assembly and plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition equipment. The electrode assembly comprises an electrode stem, an adjusting sleeve used for fixing the electrode stem, a fixing sleeve used for being connected with a furnace tail electrode flange and an adjusting assembly. The adjusting sleeve is coaxially connected with the electrode rod; an adjusting hole is formed in the axis position of the fixing sleeve, and the adjusting sleeve is arranged in the adjusting hole; the adjusting assembly is used for adjusting the coaxiality of the adjusting sleeve and the fixing sleeve; the electrode assembly is connected to the furnace tail motor flange through the fixing sleeve, the coaxiality of the electrode tip connected to the tail end of the electrode rod and the electrode hole of the graphite boat can be adjusted by adjusting the coaxiality of the adjusting sleeve and the fixing sleeve, it is ensured that the electrode assembly is accurately inserted into the electrode hole of the graphite boat, the electrode assembly is prevented from impacting the graphite boat, and the service life of the graphite boat is prolonged. And bending deformation of the electrode stem or damage of the electrode tip and the graphite boat are avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of photovoltaic cell manufacturing equipment, and in particular to an electrode assembly and plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition equipment. Background Art

[0002] PECVD (plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition) technology is a process that uses low-temperature plasma to generate glow discharge on the cathode of the process chamber under low pressure. The glow discharge is used to react part of the process gas through a series of chemical reactions and plasma reactions, and finally a solid film is formed on the surface of the sample. As an application of the above technology, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition equipment plays an important role. During the process implementation, the equipment needs to use an electrode assembly to introduce the power of the external power supply into the graphite boat inside the equipment. Usually, the electrode assembly is installed at the electrode flange position at the end of the furnace. When the graphite boat is loaded into the equipment, the electrode head at the end of the electrode assembly will abut against the corresponding electrode hole of the graphite boat. However, the graphite boat inside the plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition equipment currently needs to be replaced after each process implementation. During the replacement process, it is difficult for the electrode hole of the graphite boat to dock with the electrode assembly, and the electrode assembly may even collide with other parts of the graphite boat, causing deformation of the electrode assembly or damage to the graphite boat. Utility Model Content

[0003] In order to overcome the above-mentioned deficiencies of the prior art, the present application provides an electrode assembly and a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition device, which specifically adopt the following technical solutions:

[0004] An electrode assembly, comprising an electrode rod, an adjustment sleeve for fixing the electrode rod, a fixing sleeve for connecting a furnace tail electrode flange, and an adjustment assembly;

[0005] The adjusting sleeve is coaxially connected to the electrode rod; an adjusting hole is provided at the axis position of the fixing sleeve, and the adjusting sleeve is arranged in the adjusting hole; and the adjusting assembly is used to adjust the coaxiality of the adjusting sleeve and the fixing sleeve.

[0006] The electrode assembly can control the coaxiality of the adjustment sleeve and the fixed sleeve through the adjustment assembly, thereby adjusting the coaxiality of the electrode assembly and the electrode hole of the graphite boat to ensure that the electrode assembly is accurately inserted into the electrode hole of the graphite boat.

[0007] Optionally, the adjustment sleeve includes a fixed platform and an extension sleeve, the extension sleeve is coaxially fixed with the electrode rod, one end of the extension sleeve is connected to the fixed platform, and the other end of the extension sleeve extends into the adjustment hole, and the diameter of the extension sleeve located in the adjustment hole is smaller than the diameter of the adjustment hole. Since the diameter of the adjustment sleeve is smaller than the diameter of the adjustment hole of the fixed sleeve, the adjustment sleeve has a certain movable space relative to the adjustment hole, and the above-mentioned adjustment sleeve can change the coaxiality within a certain range relative to the fixed sleeve, thereby realizing the change of the extension position of the electrode assembly.

[0008] Optionally, the adjustment assembly includes a first adjustment block and a second adjustment block, wherein the first adjustment block is sleeved on the electrode rod; the second adjustment block is located between the first adjustment block and the adjustment sleeve, and the second adjustment block is sleeved on the electrode rod. The first adjustment block and the second adjustment block can be used to connect and fix the adjustment sleeve, and ensure that the electrode rod and the adjustment sleeve are stably connected.

[0009] Optionally, a first recessed groove is provided on the end surface of the first adjustment block facing the adjustment sleeve, and the second adjustment block is embedded in the first recessed groove; a second recessed groove is provided on the end surface of the second adjustment block facing the adjustment sleeve, and the adjustment sleeve is embedded in the second recessed groove. The first adjustment block, the second adjustment block and the adjustment sleeve are nested with each other, so that the three can be connected and fixed, and the volume after assembly can be reduced.

[0010] Optionally: an electrode body is provided at one end of the electrode rod, the electrode body is used to conduct the external power supply and the electrode rod, the electrode body is connected to the end face of the first adjustment block, the electrode body is provided with an extension shaft at the end face facing the electrode rod, the axis position of the extension shaft is provided with a connection hole, and the connection hole is fixedly connected to the end of the electrode rod. The external power supply can introduce electricity into the electrode rod through the electrode body, and use the electrode rod to introduce it into the graphite boat to realize the power supply of the graphite boat.

[0011] Optionally: a spacer is provided on the circumferential surface of the extension shaft, and the spacer is used to insulate the first adjustment block from the electrode rod and isolate heat transfer. To prevent the electrode assembly from being charged externally, a spacer is provided between the first adjustment sleeve and the electrode rod, which can prevent the first adjustment block from being charged and causing the risk of electric shock. At the same time, when the electrode rod is working, some heat will be transferred. To prevent the electrode assembly from overheating as a whole, the spacer can be used to isolate heat transfer.

[0012] Optionally, a conical sealing surface is provided at the edge of the adjustment hole facing the adjustment sleeve, and a first sealing ring is provided on the conical sealing surface, and the first sealing ring is used to seal the gap between the adjustment hole and the adjustment sleeve. The first sealing ring can ensure the sealing between the adjustment sleeve and the fixed sleeve, and prevent external gas from entering the device through the electrode assembly.

[0013] Optionally: a second sealing ring is provided between the first sink and the end surface of the second adjustment block, and the second sealing ring is used to seal the gap between the first adjustment block and the second adjustment block; a third sealing ring is provided between the second sink and the adjustment sleeve, and the third sealing ring is used to seal the gap between the second adjustment block and the adjustment sleeve. The second sealing ring and the third sealing ring can ensure that the inside of the electrode assembly is isolated from the outside world, and external gas cannot enter the inside of the device through the electrode assembly, thereby ensuring the internal vacuum of the device.

[0014] Optionally, the adjustment assembly further includes a plurality of fasteners. The first adjustment block has a plurality of through holes distributed circumferentially, each through hole corresponds to a fastener, one end of the fastener passes through the through hole and is connected to the fixed sleeve. By adjusting the tightness of the fasteners at different positions, the coaxiality of the adjustment sleeve and the fixed sleeve can be changed. The fasteners can assemble and fix the first adjustment block, the fixed sleeve and the components therebetween, and can also indirectly control the coaxiality of the adjustment sleeve and the fixed sleeve to achieve electrode assembly calibration.

[0015] In addition, the present application also discloses a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition device, comprising a furnace tail electrode flange, wherein the furnace tail electrode flange is connected to the electrode assembly as described above.

[0016] Beneficial Effects

[0017] The technical solution of this application has the following beneficial effects:

[0018] (1) The electrode assembly of the present application is connected to the furnace tail motor flange through a fixing sleeve, and the coaxiality of the electrode head connected to the end of the electrode rod and the electrode hole of the graphite boat can be adjusted by adjusting the coaxiality of the adjusting sleeve and the fixing sleeve, thereby ensuring that the electrode assembly is accurately inserted into the electrode hole of the graphite boat, avoiding the electrode assembly from hitting the graphite boat, and avoiding bending and deformation of the electrode rod or damage to the electrode head and graphite boat.

[0019] (2) In the electrode assembly of the present application, the first adjustment block and the second adjustment block are used as the main structure of the adjustment assembly, and the first adjustment block is connected to the fixed sleeve by using multiple circumferentially distributed fasteners to realize the assembly of the overall structure. At the same time, by changing the tightness of the fasteners at different positions, the coaxiality of the adjustment sleeve relative to the fixed sleeve can be changed, thereby realizing the calibration of the electrode assembly to ensure that the electrode assembly is accurately docked with the electrode hole of the graphite boat.

[0020] (3) In the electrode assembly of the present application, sealing rings are provided in the connection gaps of the first adjustment block, the second adjustment block, the adjustment sleeve, and the fixed sleeve, respectively, to ensure the overall sealing of the electrode assembly and to ensure that when the electrode assembly is installed on the furnace tail motor flange, the interior of the equipment still meets the vacuum requirements. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the electrode assembly in this application.

[0022] Figure 2 It is a schematic front cross-sectional view of the electrode assembly in this application.

[0023] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the enlarged structure of the electrode assembly in this application.

[0024] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the lateral structure of the electrode assembly in this application.

[0025] Figure 5 It is a structural schematic diagram of the fixed sleeve in this application.

[0026] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the electrode assembly and the furnace tail electrode flange in this application.

[0027] 1-electrode body; 101-rectangular fixing plate; 2-first adjustment block; 201-through hole; 3-spacer; 4-second sealing ring; 5-second adjustment block; 6-third sealing ring; 7-adjustment sleeve; 701-extension sleeve; 702-fixing platform; 8-first sealing ring; 9-fixing sleeve; 901-first through hole; 902-conical sealing surface; 10-sealing ring; 11-electrode rod; 12-electrode head; 13-fastener; 14-furnace tail electrode flange. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The present application is further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present application, and cannot be used to limit the scope of protection of the present application. It should be noted that the following detailed descriptions are all exemplary and are intended to provide further explanation of the present application.

[0029] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0030] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" or "several" means two or more.

[0031] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0032] At present, the graphite boat inside the plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition equipment needs to be replaced after each process is implemented. During the replacement process, due to the installation error of the graphite boat and the fixed installation position of the electrode assembly, the electrode hole of the graphite boat is displaced relative to the electrode assembly, and the electrode assembly cannot be aligned with the electrode hole of the graphite boat. Due to the misalignment of the electrode assembly and the electrode hole, when the graphite boat is pushed into the equipment, other parts of the graphite boat collide with the electrode assembly, which causes the electrode assembly to deform or the graphite boat to be damaged. Therefore, in order to solve the problem of misalignment between the electrode assembly and the electrode hole of the graphite boat, it is necessary to make the electrode assembly adjustable, that is, when the electrode assembly is installed on the furnace tail motor flange, the coaxiality of the electrode assembly relative to the furnace tail motor flange can be adjusted, so that when the graphite boat is pushed into the equipment, the electrode assembly can be adjusted to align with the electrode hole of the graphite boat, thereby avoiding misalignment between the two and reducing the risk of collision.

[0033] Specifically, Figure 1-6 As shown, this embodiment discloses an electrode assembly, which includes an electrode rod 11, an adjustment sleeve 7 for fixing the electrode rod 11, a fixing sleeve 9 for connecting the furnace tail electrode flange 15, and an adjustment assembly.

[0034] Specifically, in this embodiment, the adjustment sleeve 7 is coaxially connected to the electrode rod 11; the axis position of the fixed sleeve 9 is provided with an adjustment hole 901, and the adjustment sleeve 7 is installed in the adjustment hole 901; the adjustment assembly is used to adjust the coaxiality of the adjustment sleeve 7 and the fixed sleeve 9. The coaxiality of the adjustment sleeve 7 and the fixed sleeve 9 can be controlled by the adjustment assembly, and then the coaxiality of the electrode head 12 connected to the end of the electrode rod 11 and the electrode hole of the graphite boat can be adjusted to ensure that the electrode assembly is accurately inserted into the electrode hole of the graphite boat.

[0035] More specifically, the adjustment sleeve 7 includes a fixing platform 702 and an extension sleeve 701, wherein the extension sleeve 701 is coaxially fixed with the electrode rod 11, one end of the extension sleeve 701 is connected to the fixing platform 702, and the other end of the extension sleeve 701 extends into the adjustment hole 901, and the diameter of the extension sleeve 701 located in the adjustment hole 901 is smaller than the diameter of the adjustment hole 901. Since the diameter of the adjustment sleeve 7 is smaller than the diameter of the adjustment hole 901 of the fixing sleeve 9, the adjustment sleeve 7 has a certain movable space relative to the adjustment hole 901, and the above-mentioned adjustment sleeve 7 can change the coaxiality within a certain range relative to the fixing sleeve 9, thereby realizing the change of the extension position of the electrode assembly.

[0036] The fixing sleeve 9 described in this embodiment is used to connect the furnace tail electrode flange 14 of the plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition equipment. In this embodiment, one end face of the fixing sleeve 9 is provided with an annular flange with a right-angled trapezoidal cross-section. A sealing ring 10 is clamped between the annular flange and the furnace tail electrode flange 14, and the annular flange and the furnace tail electrode flange 14 are fixed by a national standard KF40 clamp. When the national standard KF40 clamp is tightened, the annular flange and the furnace tail electrode flange 14 will be driven to be clamped relative to each other. The sealing ring 10 can ensure the sealing of the fixing block 9 and the furnace tail electrode flange 14.

[0037] Further, combined with Figure 3 As shown, the adjustment assembly in this embodiment includes a first adjustment block 2 and a second adjustment block 5, wherein the first adjustment block 2 is sleeved on the electrode rod 11; the second adjustment block 5 is located between the first adjustment block 2 and the adjustment sleeve 7, and the second adjustment block 5 is sleeved on the electrode rod 11. Furthermore, a first recessed groove is provided on the end surface of the first adjustment block 2 facing the adjustment sleeve 7, and the second adjustment block 5 is embedded in the first recessed groove; a second recessed groove is provided on the end surface of the second adjustment block 5 facing the adjustment sleeve 7, and the adjustment sleeve 7 is embedded in the second recessed groove. In this embodiment, the first adjustment block 2 and the second adjustment block 5 are mainly used to connect and fix the adjustment sleeve 7. By nesting the first adjustment block 2, the second adjustment block 5 and the adjustment sleeve 7, the three can be connected and fixed, and the volume after assembly can also be reduced.

[0038] More specifically, the adjustment assembly further includes a plurality of fasteners 13. A plurality of through holes 201 are distributed in the circumferential direction of the first adjustment block 2. Each through hole 201 corresponds to a fastener 13. One end of the fastener 13 passes through the through hole 201 and is connected to the fixing sleeve 9. By adjusting the tightness of the fasteners 13 at different positions, the coaxiality of the adjustment sleeve 7 and the fixing sleeve 9 is changed. On the one hand, the fasteners can assemble and fix the first adjustment block, the fixing sleeve and the components therebetween. On the other hand, the fasteners 13 distributed in the first adjustment block 2 can adjust the gap distance between the first adjustment block 2 and the fixing sleeve 9, so that the coaxiality of the electrode rod 11 changes. When the electrode assembly is assembled to the furnace tail electrode flange 14, the fasteners 13 at different positions can be screwed to overcome the assembly error of the parts, so as to ensure that the electrode rod 11 is coaxial with the electrode hole of the graphite boat to avoid collision.

[0039] In addition, in order to ensure the performance of the vacuum chamber inside the device, in this embodiment, a conical sealing surface 902 is provided in the edge of the adjustment hole 901 toward the adjustment sleeve 7, and a first sealing ring 8 is provided on the conical sealing surface 902. The first sealing ring 8 is used to seal the gap between the adjustment hole 901 and the adjustment sleeve 7. The first sealing ring 8 can ensure the sealing between the adjustment sleeve 7 and the fixed sleeve 9, and prevent external gas from entering the device through the electrode assembly.

[0040] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a second sealing ring 4 is provided between the first sink groove and the end surface of the second adjustment block 5, and the second sealing ring 4 is used to block the gap between the first adjustment block 2 and the second adjustment block 5; a third sealing ring 6 is provided between the second sink groove and the adjustment sleeve 7, and the third sealing ring 6 is used to block the gap between the second adjustment block 5 and the adjustment sleeve 7. The radial and axial sealing performance of the electrode rod 11 can be ensured by the above sealing rings to ensure the vacuum of the equipment.

[0041] In addition, in this embodiment, an electrode body 1 is provided at one end of the electrode rod 11, and the electrode body 1 is used to conduct the external power supply and the electrode rod 11, and an electrode head 12 is provided at the other end of the electrode rod 11, and the electrode head 12 is used to connect the electrode hole of the graphite boat. The electrode body 1 is connected to the end face of the first adjustment block 2, such as Figure 4 As shown, a radially extending rectangular fixing plate is provided at the edge of the end face of the electrode body 1, and connecting screws are provided at the four corners of the rectangular fixing plate, and the electrode body 1 is fixed to the first adjustment block 2 by the connecting screws. An extension shaft 101 is provided at the end face of the electrode body 1 facing the electrode rod 11, and a connecting hole is provided at the axial position of the extension shaft 101, and the connecting hole is fixedly connected to the end of the electrode rod 11. An external power source can introduce electricity into the electrode rod 11 through the electrode body 1, and use the electrode head 12 at the end of the electrode rod 11 to introduce it into the graphite boat, so as to realize power supply to the graphite boat.

[0042] Furthermore, to prevent the electrode assembly from being charged externally, a spacer 3 is provided on the circumferential surface of the extension shaft 101. The spacer 3 is located between the first adjustment sleeve 2 and the electrode rod 11, which can prevent the first adjustment block 2 from being charged and causing the risk of electric shock. At the same time, when the electrode rod 11 is working, some heat will be transferred. To prevent the electrode assembly from being overheated as a whole, the spacer 3 can be used to isolate the heat transfer. It should be noted that in order to further prevent the plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition equipment from being turned on when the electrode rod 11 is discharged, the adjustment sleeve 7 is also made of a high-temperature resistant insulating material. In this embodiment, the high-temperature resistant insulating material can be ceramic. When the electrode rod 11 is discharged, the electricity cannot be turned on the external surface of the electrode assembly, thereby improving the safety of the equipment.

[0043] It should be noted that if Figure 6 As shown, the electrode assembly of this embodiment is mainly used in plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition equipment. The electrode assembly is connected to the furnace tail electrode flange 14 of the plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition equipment through a national standard KF40 clamp. Compared with the traditional screw fastening method, the use of KF40 clamp fixation makes the sealing ring disassembly and assembly faster and more convenient, which can reduce maintenance time.

[0044] The above is only a preferred implementation of the present application. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this technical field, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the technical principles of the present application. These improvements and modifications should also be regarded as the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. An electrode assembly, characterized in that: It comprises an electrode rod (11), an adjustment sleeve (7) for fixing the electrode rod (11), a fixing sleeve (9) for connecting a furnace tail electrode flange, and an adjustment component; The adjustment sleeve (7) is coaxially connected to the electrode rod (11); an adjustment hole (901) is provided at the axial position of the fixed sleeve (9), and the adjustment sleeve (7) is arranged in the adjustment hole (901); and the adjustment assembly is used to adjust the coaxiality of the adjustment sleeve (7) and the fixed sleeve (9).

2. The electrode assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The adjustment sleeve (7) comprises a fixing platform (702) and an extension sleeve (701); the extension sleeve (701) is coaxially fixed to the electrode rod (11); one end of the extension sleeve (701) is connected to the fixing platform (702); the other end of the extension sleeve (701) extends into the adjustment hole (901); and the diameter of the extension sleeve (701) located in the adjustment hole (901) is smaller than the diameter of the adjustment hole (901).

3. The electrode assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that: The adjustment assembly comprises a first adjustment block (2) and a second adjustment block (5), wherein the first adjustment block (2) is sleeved on the electrode rod (11); the second adjustment block (5) is located between the first adjustment block (2) and the adjustment sleeve (7), and the second adjustment block (5) is sleeved on the electrode rod (11).

4. The electrode assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that: A first recessed groove is provided on the end surface of the first adjustment block (2) facing the adjustment sleeve (7), and the second adjustment block (5) is embedded in the first recessed groove; a second recessed groove is provided on the end surface of the second adjustment block (5) facing the adjustment sleeve (7), and the adjustment sleeve (7) is embedded in the second recessed groove.

5. The electrode assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that: An electrode body (1) is provided at one end of the electrode rod (11), the electrode body (1) is used to conduct an external power supply and the electrode rod (11), and the electrode body (1) is connected to the end surface of the first adjustment block (2); an extension shaft (101) is provided on the end surface of the electrode body (1) facing the electrode rod (11), and a connection hole is provided on the extension shaft (101), and the connection hole is fixedly connected to the end of the electrode rod (11).

6. The electrode assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that: A spacer (3) is provided on the circumferential surface of the extension shaft (101), and the spacer (3) is used to maintain insulation between the first adjustment block (2) and the electrode rod (11) and to isolate heat transfer.

7. The electrode assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that: A conical sealing surface (902) is provided on the edge of the adjustment hole (901) facing the adjustment sleeve (7), and a first sealing ring (8) is provided on the conical sealing surface (902). The first sealing ring (8) is used to seal the gap between the adjustment hole (901) and the adjustment sleeve (7).

8. The electrode assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that: A second sealing ring (4) is provided between the first recessed groove and the end surface of the second adjustment block (5), and the second sealing ring (4) is used to seal the gap between the first adjustment block (2) and the second adjustment block (5); a third sealing ring (6) is provided between the second recessed groove and the adjustment sleeve (7), and the third sealing ring (6) is used to seal the gap between the second adjustment block (5) and the adjustment sleeve (7).

9. The electrode assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that: The adjustment assembly further comprises a plurality of fasteners (13); a plurality of through holes (201) are distributed circumferentially in the first adjustment block; each through hole (201) corresponds to a fastener (13); one end of the fastener (13) passes through the through hole (201) and is connected to the fixing sleeve (9); and the coaxiality between the adjustment sleeve (7) and the fixing sleeve (9) is changed by adjusting the tightness of the fasteners (13) at different positions.

10. A plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition device, comprising a furnace tail electrode flange, characterized in that: The furnace tail electrode flange is connected to the electrode assembly as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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