Coating jig and coating equipment

Abstract

The utility model provides a coating jig and coating equipment. The film coating jig comprises a substrate carrier, the middle of the substrate carrier is a hollow area, a plurality of supporting claws are arranged around the edge of the hollow area, each supporting claw is provided with a bearing part extending into the hollow area, and each bearing part is provided with a supporting face; the pressing mechanisms comprise pressing pieces, the pressing pieces are provided with pressing parts extending to the supporting faces of the supporting claws, and the multiple pressing mechanisms are arranged around the edge of the hollow area and correspond to the supporting claws in a one-to-one mode; and at least one spring ejector pin is arranged in the substrate carrier and extends into the hollow area along the direction from the edge of the substrate carrier to the hollow area. The coating equipment comprises the coating jig. When the coating jig is used for coating the substrate, product defects can be reduced, particularly shadow defects can be reduced, expansion of the shadow defects can be inhibited, the product yield is greatly improved, and the production cost is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing, and more particularly to a coating fixture and coating equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor manufacturing, a series of processes are performed on the substrate, many of which involve applying thin films or coatings to the substrate. For example, in the manufacturing of OLED panels, thin films of organic materials need to be deposited on the surface of the glass substrate; similarly, in the chip manufacturing process, coatings need to be applied to the surface of the wafer.

[0003] In all these coating processes for producing thin films or coatings, a photomask is typically required to obtain a film or coating with a specific pattern. During the film or coating process, the substrate to be coated is loaded into a coating fixture containing the photomask.

[0004] In the past, in order to facilitate the handling of substrates, the groove of the coating fixture used to hold the substrate was usually made to be larger than the size of the substrate it held. However, when the substrate is coated using the existing coating fixture, it is easy to cause vapor deposition defects in the coated product, such as shadow defects or the enlargement of shadow defects, etc.

[0005] Given the actual need to improve product vapor deposition defects and increase product yield in existing technologies, there is an urgent need to provide a new solution. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In order to solve or improve the above-mentioned technical problems in the prior art, this application provides a coating fixture and coating equipment, which can be applied to at least the manufacturing process of OLED panels or chips. By using the coating fixture to apply a thin film or coating to the substrate, the mask can be fully attached to the substrate, thereby improving the processing accuracy of the thin film or coating.

[0007] The first aspect of this application provides a coating fixture, the coating fixture comprising:

[0008] A substrate carrier, wherein a hollow region is located in the middle, and multiple claws are arranged around the edge of the hollow region. Each claw has a supporting portion extending into the hollow region, and the supporting portion has a supporting surface.

[0009] A clamping mechanism includes a clamping member having a clamping portion extending toward a support surface of a claw.

[0010] Multiple clamping mechanisms are arranged around the edge of the hollow area, each corresponding to a claw; and

[0011] A spring pin, at least one spring pin is disposed in the substrate carrier and extends into the hollow region along a direction from the edge of the substrate carrier toward the hollow region.

[0012] In the aforementioned technical solution, the claws are used to support the substrate to be vapor-deposited, which is placed in the hollow area of ​​the substrate carrier. Multiple claws arranged around the substrate ensure uniform support at the edges, improving the reliability of substrate support and reducing substrate deformation to some extent. The clamping mechanism presses the substrate from the other side, confining it to the claws. The clamping mechanism corresponds one-to-one with the claws; the pressing part of the clamping member extends towards the supporting surface of the claw, applying pressure to the substrate portion supported by it. The force-applying part on the substrate corresponds to the position of the claw, reducing varying degrees of deformation on the substrate surface caused by unilateral force application. Spring-loaded pins abut against the substrate from its edge, restricting its position within the hollow area of ​​the substrate carrier and preventing movement within the hollow area.

[0013] The coating fixture of this application is used to perform coating processing on substrates. The grippers, clamping mechanism, and spring-loaded pins within the fixture work together. The substrate is not only restricted in the thickness direction by the grippers and clamping mechanism, but also blocked at the edges by the spring-loaded pins, effectively suppressing substrate movement within the hollow area of ​​the substrate carrier. In practice, even if the coating fixture is in motion (e.g., rotating) for extended periods during operation, the substrate is unlikely to shift within the hollow area of ​​the substrate carrier. Therefore, using the coating fixture of this application for coating can reduce product defects, especially reducing the generation and suppression of shadow defects, significantly improving product yield and reducing production costs.

[0014] Furthermore, the clamping mechanism also includes a first spring and a main bolt.

[0015] The pressing member has a cavity that extends from one end of the pressing member along a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate carrier to the other end of the pressing member.

[0016] The first spring and the main bolt are disposed within the cavity. The front end of the main bolt extends out of the cavity and engages with the surface of the substrate carrier. The first spring is sleeved on the middle section of the main bolt.

[0017] The cavity has a supporting bottom near the other end of the pressure member, and the rear end of the main bolt has a bolt head. A first spring is constrained between the supporting bottom of the cavity and the bolt head of the main bolt.

[0018] In the aforementioned technical solution, the clamping member is restricted by a first spring and a main bolt located within its cavity, allowing it to move along the extension range of the main bolt within the first spring. When performing the substrate loading operation, the clamping member is first lifted, disengaging its pressing part from the support claw. At this time, the first spring contracts and stores elastic potential energy due to the compression of the bolt head of the main bolt and the support bottom within the cavity. Then, the substrate is placed into the hollow area of ​​the substrate carrier and supported by the support claw. After substrate placement is complete, the clamping member is released, and the first spring rebounds, causing the clamping member to return to its original position. The pressing part of the clamping member presses the substrate against the support surface of the support claw. When performing the substrate removal operation, the clamping member is lifted in the same manner as described above. After the substrate is successfully removed, the clamping member is released, allowing it to return to its original position under the action of the first spring.

[0019] The coating fixture of this application, based on the aforementioned structural design of the clamping mechanism therein, enables the loading and unloading of the substrate to be very convenient, thereby improving the efficiency of product coating processing to a certain extent.

[0020] Furthermore, the clamping mechanism also includes a secondary bolt rod.

[0021] The outer wall of the pressure member has an outwardly extending protrusion, which has a bolt insertion hole that extends perpendicularly to the surface of the substrate carrier and passes through the protrusion.

[0022] The secondary bolt is installed in the bolt insertion hole, and the front end of the secondary bolt is engaged with the surface of the substrate carrier.

[0023] In the aforementioned technical solution, the auxiliary bolt is used to restrict the movement of the pressing component, ensuring that the pressing component can only move in the extension directions of the main and auxiliary bolts, and cannot deflect around the main bolt. By setting the auxiliary bolt, the occurrence of the pressing part detaching from the substrate due to accidental deflection of the pressing component is eliminated.

[0024] Furthermore, the spring pin is parallel to and at the same height as the support surface of the claw, so that the spring pin can reliably abut against the edge of the substrate supported by the support surface of the claw.

[0025] Furthermore,

[0026] It includes at least one spring pin arranged along a first direction, and

[0027] It includes at least one of the spring pins arranged along the second direction.

[0028] The first direction and the second direction intersect at a certain angle in the plane.

[0029] In the aforementioned technical solution, by setting spring pins in any two intersecting directions, the movement of the substrate can be restricted in multiple directions, which can further reduce the possibility of the substrate shifting in the hollow area of ​​the substrate carrier and improve the yield of the coated products.

[0030] Furthermore, the spring pin extending into the hollow area is adjustable. By adjusting the length of the spring pin extending into the hollow area of ​​the substrate carrier, the blocking force of the spring pin on the substrate can be changed. Under a suitable blocking force, it helps to further reduce the possibility of substrate displacement within the hollow area of ​​the substrate carrier, thereby improving the yield of coated products.

[0031] Furthermore, the hollow area has multiple notches along its edge, which are located on opposite sides of the hollow area. During the loading and unloading of the substrate, the notches at the edge of the hollow area provide ample operating space for gripping machinery or manual labor, making the loading and unloading of the substrate more convenient and safer.

[0032] Furthermore, it also includes a mask assembly, which comprises a mask frame and a mask plate. The mask frame is annular, and the mask plate is joined to one side of the mask frame and covers the annular area of ​​the mask frame.

[0033] The center of the photomask is a patterned opening area, and multiple clearance holes are arranged around the periphery of the patterned opening area;

[0034] The mask assembly is attached to one side of the substrate carrier, with the side having the mask plate facing the substrate carrier, and the mask plate covering the hollow area in the middle of the substrate carrier.

[0035] The clearance holes correspond one-to-one with the claws of the substrate carrier.

[0036] The claw extends from one side of the mask through the corresponding clearance hole to the other side of the mask, and the supporting surface of the claw is flush with the surface of the mask facing the substrate carrier.

[0037] In the aforementioned technical solution, by providing clearance holes at corresponding positions on the mask to avoid the support claws of the substrate carrier, the mask can approach or adhere to the substrate supported by the support claws without restriction. Based on this design, it is helpful to obtain an ideal mask-substrate adhesion state and improve the coating accuracy.

[0038] Furthermore, it also includes a magnet plate assembly, which is detachably connected to the side of the substrate carrier opposite to the mask assembly and covers the hollow area of ​​the substrate carrier.

[0039] This solution further adds a magnet plate assembly to the aforementioned design. By using the magnet plate assembly to apply magnetic attraction to the mask, the droop of the mask can be reduced or even eliminated, thereby fully and flatly adhering to the substrate surface, achieving an ideal mask-substrate adhesion state, and resulting in higher precision of the film layer obtained by coating.

[0040] The second aspect of this application provides a coating apparatus, which includes the coating fixture provided in the first aspect of this application.

[0041] One advantage of using the coating equipment described in this application is that it helps to reduce or eliminate uncontrollable offset of the substrate in the coating fixture, thereby reducing or eliminating product defects such as shadow defects or amplification caused by such uncontrollable offset. Another advantage is that the amount of mask sag is reduced or even eliminated, which can ensure uniform bonding and precise alignment between the substrate and the mask, thereby improving the coating accuracy to a certain extent.

[0042] Furthermore, other additional aspects and advantages of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0043] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the coating fixture in an embodiment of this application;

[0044] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 An exploded view of the coating fixture, showing the various components of the coating fixture;

[0045] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the substrate carrier in an embodiment of this application, showing a partial enlarged view of the substrate carrier at the pin hole and the claw.

[0046] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing that the supporting surface of the claw is flush with the surface of the surrounding mask plate in an embodiment of this application;

[0047] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram in an embodiment of the present application, showing that the supporting surface of the claw extends beyond the surface of the surrounding mask plate by a certain height;

[0048] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping mechanism in an embodiment of this application;

[0049] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the spring-loaded pin in an embodiment of this application;

[0050] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a spring pin limiting the position of a substrate at the edges in the first and second directions, as described in an embodiment of this application.

[0051] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the coating fixture in the open state during the assembly / disassembly of the substrate in an embodiment of this application. The coating fixture shown includes a magnet plate assembly.

[0052] Figure 10This is an exploded view of the magnet plate assembly in an embodiment of this application, showing the various components of the magnet plate assembly;

[0053] The image is labeled as follows:

[0054] 1: Mask assembly; 11: Mask frame; 111: Clearance groove; 12: Mask plate; 120: Patterned opening area; 121: Clearance hole;

[0055] 2: Substrate carrier; 21: Hollow area; 22: Claw; 220: Support part; 221: Support surface; 23: Protrusion; 24: Ejector pin hole; 25: Clamping mechanism assembly slot; 26: Notch;

[0056] 3: First fastening screw;

[0057] 4: Clamping mechanism; 41: Clamping element; 411: Cavity; 412: Support bottom; 42: First spring; 43: Main bolt rod; 431: Bolt head; 44: Clamping part; 440: Protrusion part; 441: Bolt rod insertion hole; 45: Secondary bolt rod; 451: Restricting end; 452: Threaded end;

[0058] 5: Spring-loaded ejector pin; 51: Housing; 511: Inner cavity; 512: Opening; 52: Second spring; 53: Ejector pin;

[0059] 6: Magnet plate assembly; 61: Back plate; 611: Cover plate groove; 612: Magnet groove; 62: Magnet; 63: Cover plate;

[0060] 7: Second fastening screw; 8: Connector; 81: First connector; 82: Second connector; 9: Base plate. Detailed Implementation

[0061] This application will now be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application can be implemented in many different ways, and the terms "embodiments" and "implementations" as used herein are exemplary descriptions and are non-limiting examples of the fixtures or devices disclosed herein. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should not be construed as limited to the embodiments described herein. For one purpose, these embodiments are provided herein to make this application more detailed and complete, and to fully convey the scope of this application to those skilled in the art.

[0062] It should be noted that in this document, when terms with directional indications such as "above," "upper side," "lower," and "lower side" are used, these terms are only used to explain the relative positional relationship between components or structures in a specific orientation (such as the fixture placement orientation shown in the attached figure). If the specific orientation changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly. However, when a component is said to be "above" another component or to have a structure, or when a component is said to be "on" another component, the term "above" does not necessarily have directional indication. It may only be used to indicate that there is a connection between the two components (direct connection, or the presence of an intermediary component), or to indicate that the structure is part of the component.

[0063] When terms such as “first” and “second” are used, although these terms can be used herein to describe various types of elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used to distinguish one element from another and do not indicate order, importance, or quantity limitation. Therefore, without departing from the teachings of this disclosure, the first element discussed below may be referred to as the second element.

[0064] When referring to an element having “one end” and “the other end”, the terms “one end” and “the other end” may refer to the two ends of an element in the length direction, such as a strip or rod, or may be used simply to distinguish two different parts of the element (whether physical ends or functional distinctions), and should not be limited to the understanding that the element must have a similar shape to a strip or rod.

[0065] When terms such as "first direction" and "second direction" are used, they do not indicate a single direction, but rather two opposite directions. "First direction" and "second direction" can be any direction, and unless otherwise specified, are not limited to a specific angle or relative relationship. For example, see Appendix. Figure 8 As shown, the first direction includes not only the direction indicated by the arrow in the diagram, but also the opposite direction. Furthermore, "consistent with the first direction" should be understood as being the same as or parallel to that "first direction".

[0066] When terms such as "ring" or "encircle" are used, the "ring" referred to is not limited to a circular ring, but can also be a rectangular ring, an elliptical ring, or other irregularly shaped rings.

[0067] In this application, "elongated hole" can refer to an elongated hole that is distinct from a round hole and a regular polygonal hole, and the length of the hole is significantly greater than its width. The two ends of the "elongated hole" can be semi-circular, rectangular, or other shapes.

[0068] In this application, "pattern opening" can refer to a single through-hole or a patterned area containing several through-holes. "Pattern opening" is used to define deposition or masking areas during the coating process. Correspondingly, "mask" in this application can represent various types of masks. For example, when the "mask" is a general-purpose mask (CMM) used to fabricate a common layer on an OLED display panel, "pattern opening" represents a single through-hole. As another example, when the "mask" is a precision mask (FMM) used to fabricate pixels on an OLED display panel, "pattern opening" represents a patterned area containing several pixel openings. Meanwhile, "vertical ribs" and "lateral ribs" represent the portions between adjacent patterned areas, not the portions between adjacent pixels.

[0069] Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments of this application can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed in this application. The combination of technical solutions should be based on the premise of not exceeding the scope of disclosure in this application.

[0070] Unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals are used throughout this document to denote the same objects.

[0071] In the past, the tanks in coating fixtures used to hold substrates were typically made larger than the size of the substrates they held, so that it was easy to put the substrates to be processed into the tanks and to take out the coated substrates. However, products produced using such coating fixtures often had defects, resulting in low product yield and increased production costs. For example, many product defects were shadow defects.

[0072] Further investigation by the applicant revealed that a clearance exists between the substrate-accommodating tank and the substrate itself, allowing the substrate to move within the tank. Furthermore, the coating fixture within the vapor deposition equipment is constantly rotating, exacerbating this substrate movement. This is one of the main reasons for the frequent defects in vapor-deposited products.

[0073] In view of the aforementioned state of the prior art and considering its various shortcomings, and not wishing to be bound by any theory, this application provides an embodiment of a coating fixture in its first aspect. This coating fixture can be applied at least to depositing functional films on the surface of a substrate in a chemical vapor deposition process. The substrates referred to include, but are not limited to, glass substrates and flexible substrates used for fabricating OLED display panels, as well as wafers and ceramic substrates used for fabricating chips, etc.

[0074] See appendix Figure 1As shown, the coating fixture provided in this application includes a substrate carrier 2, a clamping mechanism 4, and a spring ejector pin 5, wherein:

[0075] See appendix Figure 3 As shown, the substrate carrier 2 has a hollow region 21 in the center, and a plurality of claws 22 are arranged around the edge of the hollow region 21. Each claw 22 has a support portion 220 extending into the hollow region 21, and the support portion 220 has a support surface 221. The claws 22 are used to support the substrate to be vapor-deposited, which is placed in the hollow region 21 of the substrate carrier 2, while the support surface 221 directly contacts the substrate and applies the support to the substrate. The arrangement of multiple claws 22 around the substrate provides uniform support to the edge of the substrate, which not only helps to improve the reliability of the substrate support, but also reduces the deformation of the substrate to a certain extent.

[0076] For example, see Appendix Figure 3 As shown, the hollow region 21 is a window penetrating the upper and lower surfaces of the substrate carrier 2. It should be understood that the shape of the hollow region 21 is not limited to the attached... Figure 3 The rectangular shape shown can also be a circle or other regular or irregular shapes.

[0077] See appendix Figure 6 As shown, the clamping mechanism 4 includes a clamping member 41, which has a clamping portion 44 extending toward the support surface 221 of the claw 22. It should be noted that the clamping portion 44 may approach or contact the support surface 221 under different conditions. For example, when a substrate is loaded on the claw 22, the clamping portion 44 abuts against the surface of the substrate without directly contacting the support surface 221; when no substrate is loaded on the claw 22, the clamping portion 44 may directly abut against the support surface 221.

[0078] See appendix Figure 1 As shown, multiple clamping mechanisms 4 are arranged around the edge of the hollow area 21 and correspond one-to-one with the claws 22. In one specific embodiment, see attached diagram. Figure 3 As shown, a clamping mechanism mounting groove 25 is provided at the position of the claw 22 corresponding to the edge of the hollow area 21 around the substrate carrier 2, and the clamping mechanism 4 is fixedly installed in the corresponding clamping mechanism mounting groove 25.

[0079] In the embodiment described, a clamping mechanism 4, in conjunction with a claw 22, presses the substrate from the other side of the substrate, thus confining the substrate to the claw 22. The one-to-one correspondence between the clamping mechanism 4 and the claw 22 ensures that the pressure portion 44 of the clamping member 41 applies force to the substrate at a position corresponding to that of the claw 22. This allows the same location on the substrate to simultaneously bear the external forces applied by both the clamping member 41 and the claw 22, reducing the likelihood of the substrate being subjected to force on only one side. Therefore, it reduces the degree of deformation on the substrate surface caused by force on only one side of the substrate.

[0080] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, at least one spring pin 5 is provided. The spring pin 5 is disposed in the substrate carrier 2 and extends from the edge of the substrate carrier 2 into the hollow region 21. By providing the spring pin 5 to abut against the substrate from the edge of the substrate, the position of the substrate in the hollow region 21 of the substrate carrier 2 is restricted, and the substrate is prevented from moving within the hollow region 21.

[0081] In the embodiment described, the coordinated operation of the claw 22, the clamping mechanism 4, and the spring pin 5 configured in the coating fixture ensures that the substrate is not only restricted in the thickness direction by the claw 22 and the clamping mechanism 4, but also blocked by the spring pin 5 on the edge of the substrate. Therefore, the movement of the substrate in the hollow area 21 of the substrate carrier 2 can be effectively suppressed.

[0082] Practice has shown that when using the coating fixture of this application to perform coating processing on substrates, even if the coating fixture is in motion (e.g., rotating) for a long time during operation, the substrate is unlikely to shift within the hollow region 21 of the substrate carrier 2. Therefore, using the coating fixture of this application for coating can reduce the occurrence of product defects, especially the generation and expansion of shadow defects, significantly improving product yield and reducing production costs.

[0083] In a typical embodiment, see Appendix Figure 6 As shown, the clamping mechanism 4 includes a clamping member 41, a first spring 42, a main bolt 43, and a secondary bolt 45. Wherein:

[0084] The pressing member 41 has a cavity 411, which extends from one end of the pressing member 41 along a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate carrier 2 to the other end of the pressing member 41.

[0085] The first spring 42 and the main bolt 43 are disposed in the cavity 411. The front end of the main bolt 43 extends out of the cavity 411 and engages with the surface of the substrate carrier 2. The first spring 42 is sleeved on the middle section of the main bolt 43.

[0086] The cavity 411 has a supporting bottom 412 near the other end of the pressure member 41, and the rear end of the main bolt 43 has a bolt head 431. The first spring 42 is restricted between the supporting bottom 412 of the cavity 411 and the bolt head 431 of the main bolt 43.

[0087] The outer wall of the pressure member 41 has an outwardly extending protrusion 440. The protrusion 440 has a bolt insertion hole 441. The bolt insertion hole 441 extends in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate carrier 2 and passes through the protrusion 440. The secondary bolt 45 is disposed in the bolt insertion hole 441, and the front end of the secondary bolt 45 is engaged with the surface of the substrate carrier 2.

[0088] The pressure member 41 is constrained by a first spring 42 and a main bolt 43 disposed within its cavity 411, and can move along the extension range of the main bolt 43 within the first spring 42. Based on this, the steps for filling the substrate can be as follows:

[0089] i. Lift the pressure member 41 and disengage its pressure part 44 from the claw 22. At this time, the first spring 42 is compressed by the bolt head 431 of the main bolt 43 and the support bottom 412 inside the cavity 411, and stores elastic potential energy.

[0090] ii. Place the substrate into the hollow area 21 of the substrate carrier 2 and support it with the claw 22.

[0091] iii. Release the pressure member 41. At this time, the first spring 42 rebounds, causing the pressure member 41 to return to its original position, and the pressing part 44 of the pressure member 41 presses the substrate onto the support surface 221 of the claw 22. The substrate loading is complete.

[0092] Correspondingly, when performing the substrate removal operation, the pressure member 41 is lifted in the same manner as in the substrate loading operation steps. After the substrate is successfully removed, the pressure member 41 is released to allow it to reset under the action of the first spring 42.

[0093] In the embodiment described, the structural design of the clamping mechanism 4 makes the loading and unloading of the substrate very convenient, thereby improving the efficiency of the product coating process to a certain extent.

[0094] Furthermore, in the aforementioned embodiment, the secondary bolt 45 restricts the movement of the pressure member 41, ensuring that the pressure member 41 can only move in the extending directions of the main bolt 43 and the secondary bolt 45, and cannot deflect around the main bolt 43. Therefore, by providing the secondary bolt 45, the possibility of the pressure member 41 accidentally deflecting and causing the pressure section 44 to detach from the substrate is eliminated.

[0095] There are various ways to join the main bolt 43, the auxiliary bolt 45 and the surface of the base plate carrier 2, including detachable and non-detachable methods, such as, but not limited to, threaded connection or welding.

[0096] Preferably, the main bolt 43 is threadedly connected to the surface of the substrate carrier 2, that is, the front end of the main bolt 43 has an external thread, and the surface of the substrate carrier 2 has a threaded hole that matches it. The front end of the main bolt 43 is screwed into the threaded hole. The degree of compression of the first spring 42 can be changed by adjusting the depth to which the front end of the main bolt 43 is screwed into the threaded hole, thereby adjusting the degree to which the pressing part 44 of the pressing member 41 presses the substrate.

[0097] Preferably, the secondary bolt 45 is threaded to the surface of the base plate carrier 2. For example, see Appendix Figure 6As shown, the bolt insertion hole 441 is an internally threaded hole, and the front end of the auxiliary bolt 45 is a threaded end 452 that is adapted to the internally threaded hole. The rear end of the auxiliary bolt 45 has a limiting end 451 with an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the bolt insertion hole 441.

[0098] The bolt insertion hole 441 is an internally threaded hole, and the auxiliary bolt 45 is designed with a limiting end 451 and a threaded end 452 to restrict the auxiliary bolt 45 and the pressure member 41 so that they cannot easily disengage from each other. For example, when performing the operation of lifting the pressure member 41, the limiting end 451 at the rear end of the auxiliary bolt 45 can limit the lifting stroke of the pressure member 41, preventing the protruding part 440 of the pressure member 41 from disengaging from the auxiliary bolt 45 due to misoperation of over-lifting the pressure member 41. As another example, when the front end of the auxiliary bolt 45 is disengaged from the substrate carrier 2 due to misoperation, the threaded end 452 of the auxiliary bolt 45 is still restricted by the internal thread of the bolt insertion hole 441 and will not easily disengage from the protruding part 440 of the pressure member 41.

[0099] In addition, the bolt insertion hole 441 can also be a smooth hole.

[0100] In an embodiment different from the foregoing embodiment, the clamping mechanism 4 does not include the secondary bolt 45 and the corresponding bolt insertion hole 441, and the clamping member 41 is restrained only by the first spring 42 and the main bolt 43. Compared to the foregoing embodiment, the other structures in the clamping mechanism 4 remain unchanged.

[0101] In a typical embodiment, the spring pin 5 is parallel to and at the same height as the support surface 221 of the claw 22, enabling the spring pin 5 to reliably abut against the edge of the substrate supported by the support surface 221 of the claw 22, thereby preventing the spring pin 5 from losing its blocking effect on the substrate. It should be noted that the parallelism includes substantially parallelism, meaning that the extending direction of the spring pin 5 is approximately parallel to the support surface 221 within an allowable deviation range, preferably 0° to 5°. Similarly, the consistent height includes approximately the same height, meaning that the spring pin 5 and the support surface 221 are approximately at the same height in the thickness direction of the substrate carrier 2, and the allowable deviation should not cause the spring pin 5 to fail to contact the side of the substrate.

[0102] Preferably, the coating fixture includes at least one spring pin 5 arranged along a first direction and at least one spring pin 5 arranged along a second direction, wherein the first direction and the second direction intersect at a certain angle in the plane.

[0103] In the embodiment described above, by providing spring pins 5 in two intersecting directions, the movement of the substrate 9 can be restricted from multiple directions, thereby further reducing the possibility of the substrate shifting within the hollow area 21 of the substrate carrier 2 and improving the yield of the coated products.

[0104] For further details, please see the appendix. Figure 8 As shown, when the substrate 9 is rectangular, the spring pin 5 in the first direction and the spring pin 5 in the second direction are respectively perpendicular to one of the adjacent sides of any group of sides of the substrate 9, and the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other.

[0105] Furthermore, two opposing spring pins 5 can be provided in the first direction, with the two opposing spring pins 5 respectively arranged on both sides of the substrate along the first direction; and two opposing spring pins 5 can be provided in the second direction, with the two opposing spring pins 5 respectively arranged on both sides of the substrate along the second direction. Alternatively, they can be provided in this way only in the first direction or the second direction.

[0106] Furthermore, when the substrate is circular or other shapes, the intersection angle between the first direction and the second direction can be arbitrarily selected within the angle range of (0°, 90°).

[0107] In a typical embodiment, the spring pin 5 extending into the hollow region 21 is adjustable. By adjusting the length of the spring pin 5 extending into the hollow region 21 of the substrate carrier 2, the blocking force of the spring pin 5 on the substrate can be changed. Under a suitable blocking force, it helps to further reduce the possibility of the substrate shifting within the hollow region 21 of the substrate carrier 2, thereby improving the yield of the coated products.

[0108] Preferred options are listed in the appendix. Figure 3 As shown, the substrate carrier 2 is provided with a pin hole 24, which is an internally threaded hole (the internal thread in the pin hole is not shown in the figure). The outer surface of the spring pin 5 has an external thread that matches the pin hole 24 (not shown in the figure), and the spring pin 5 is threadedly connected to the pin hole 24. When it is necessary to adjust the length of the spring pin 5 extending into the hollow area 21 of the substrate carrier 2, the length can be adjusted by rotating the spring pin 5 in the forward or reverse direction, which is more convenient in operation.

[0109] Specifically, the pin hole 24 extends from the outer edge of the substrate carrier 2 to the inner edge of the hollow region 21. Preferably, see attached diagram. Figure 3 As shown, a protrusion 23 is provided on the lower side of the substrate carrier 2, and a pin hole 24 is partially provided on the protrusion 23 to ensure that the pin hole 24 and the support surface 221 of the claw 22 are at the same height in the thickness direction of the substrate carrier 2.

[0110] In addition, the ejector pin hole 24 can also be a smooth hole. The spring ejector pin 5 is embedded in the ejector pin hole 24. The embedding depth is predetermined according to the length requirement of the spring ejector pin 5 extending into the hollow area 21 of the substrate carrier 2. When the length requirement changes, the length of the spring ejector pin 5 extending into the hollow area 21 of the substrate carrier 2 can be changed by re-embedding.

[0111] In one embodiment, see Appendix Figure 7 As shown, the spring-loaded ejector pin 5 includes a housing 51, a second spring 52, and an ejector pin 53. The housing 51 has an inner cavity 511, and the front end of the housing 51 has an opening 512 communicating with the inner cavity 511. The second spring 52 and the ejector pin 53 are disposed in the inner cavity 511. The front end of the ejector pin 53 extends out of the opening 512, and the second spring 52 is compressed between the rear end of the ejector pin 53 and the rear end of the inner cavity 511. The second spring 52 makes the obstruction of the ejector pin 53 against the edge of the substrate flexible, which can avoid the adverse effects that may be caused by using a rigid obstruction, such as causing deformation or damage to the edge of the substrate.

[0112] In one embodiment, see Appendix Figure 3 As shown, the hollow area 21 has multiple notches 26 along its edge, which are arranged on opposite sides of the hollow area 21. During the loading and unloading of the substrate, the notches 26 along the edge of the hollow area 21 provide ample operating space for gripping machinery or manual labor, making the loading and unloading of the substrate more convenient and safer.

[0113] In one embodiment, see Appendix Figure 1 and attached Figure 2 As shown, the coating fixture also includes a mask assembly 1, which comprises a mask frame 11 and a mask plate 12. Wherein:

[0114] The mask frame 11 is annular, and the mask plate 12 is attached to one side of the mask frame 11 and covers the annular area of ​​the mask frame 11.

[0115] The central part of the mask plate 12 is a patterned opening area 120, which has a patterned opening. A plurality of clearance holes 121 are provided around the periphery of the patterned opening area 120.

[0116] The mask assembly 1 is attached to one side of the substrate carrier 2, with the side having the mask plate 12 facing the substrate carrier 2. The mask plate 12 covers the hollow region 21 in the middle of the substrate carrier 2. Preferably, see the attached drawing. Figure 1 and attached Figure 2 As shown, the mask assembly 1 and the substrate carrier 2 are detachably connected by a plurality of first fastening screws 3 to facilitate assembly and disassembly.

[0117] The clearance holes 121 of the mask plate 12 correspond one-to-one with the claws 22 of the substrate carrier 2. The claws 22 extend from one side of the mask plate 12 through the corresponding clearance holes 121 to the other side of the mask plate 12. The support surface 221 of the claws 22 is flush with the surface of the mask plate 12 facing the substrate carrier 2.

[0118] In the aforementioned embodiment, by providing clearance holes 121 at corresponding positions on the mask 12 to avoid the claws 22 of the substrate carrier 2, the mask 12 can approach or adhere to the substrate supported by the claws 22 without restriction. Based on this design, it is helpful to obtain an ideal adhesion state between the mask 12 and the substrate, thereby improving the coating accuracy.

[0119] It should be noted that, given that the mask 12 may have a certain amount of sag in its natural state, its surface may be curved rather than flat. Therefore, when the mask 12 becomes curved due to sag, the surface of the mask 12 that is flush with the support surface 221 can be understood as the local portion of the surface located around the claw 22.

[0120] Furthermore, it should be noted that the "alignment" includes approximately alignment, meaning that the support surface 221 and the surface of the indicated mask plate 12 are approximately on the same plane, and the allowable deviation range is preferably 0 to 300 μm.

[0121] For example, the ideal situation is, see Appendix Figure 4 As shown, the support surface 221 of the claw 22 is perfectly flush with the surface of the mask plate 12 facing the substrate carrier 2. At this time, the substrate 9 mounted in the substrate carrier 2 is supported by the support surface 221 of the claw 22 and the mask plate 12.

[0122] For example, see Appendix Figure 5 As shown, the support surface 221 of the claw 22 is higher than the upper surface of the mask plate 12. Preferably, the vertical distance between the support surface 221 and the upper surface of the mask plate 12 (or, the surface referred to is located in a local part around the claw 22) is no more than 300 μm. At this time, the substrate 9 mounted in the substrate carrier 2 is mainly supported by the support surface 221 of the claw 22.

[0123] In addition, see appendix Figure 2 As shown, the mask frame 11 is provided with a relief groove 111, which is adapted to the protrusion 23 on the substrate carrier 2 to avoid the installation space of the protrusion 23.

[0124] In one embodiment, see Appendix Figure 9 As shown, the coating fixture also includes a magnet plate assembly 6, which is detachably connected to the side of the substrate carrier 2 away from the mask assembly 1 and covers the hollow area 21 of the substrate carrier 2.

[0125] In the above embodiment, by further adding a magnet plate assembly 6, the magnetic attraction force applied to the mask plate 12 by the magnet plate assembly 6 can reduce or even eliminate the droop of the mask plate 12, thereby fully and flatly adhering to the surface of the substrate 9, achieving an ideal state of adhesion between the mask plate 12 and the substrate 9, and obtaining a higher precision film layer.

[0126] For further details, please see the appendix. Figure 10 As shown, the magnet plate assembly 6 includes a back plate 61, a plurality of magnets 62 and a cover plate 63. A cover plate groove 611 is provided on the side surface of the back plate 61 away from the mask assembly 1. A plurality of magnet grooves 612 are arranged in an array at the bottom of the cover plate groove 611. The magnets 62 are arranged one-to-one in the magnet grooves 612. The cover plate 63 covers and is fixed in the cover plate groove 611, so as to encapsulate the magnets 62 in the magnet grooves 612 at the bottom of the cover plate groove 611.

[0127] Preferred options are listed in the appendix. Figure 9 As shown, the magnet plate assembly 6 is detachably connected to the substrate carrier 2 by a plurality of second fastening screws 7. When loading and unloading the substrate 9, the magnet plate assembly 6 can be easily removed from the substrate carrier 2, which can improve the loading and unloading efficiency of the substrate 9 to a certain extent.

[0128] In one embodiment, see Appendix Figure 1 and attached Figure 2 As shown, the coating fixture also includes a connector 8 for connecting to a connection point in the coating equipment (e.g., a vapor deposition machine for fabricating OLED display panels). Further, the connector 8 includes a plurality of first connectors 81 and a plurality of second connectors 82. Preferably, the first connectors 81 are plug-in joints, and the second connectors 82 are pillars with screw holes. Using these two types of connectors together improves installation efficiency while ensuring installation reliability.

[0129] A second aspect of this application provides an embodiment of a coating apparatus, wherein the coating apparatus is configured with the coating fixture described in the foregoing embodiment.

[0130] The above description is merely a specific implementation of the embodiments of this application, but the protection scope of the embodiments of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the embodiments of this application should be included within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of the embodiments of this application should be determined by the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A coating fixture, characterized in that, include: A substrate carrier, wherein a hollow region is located in the middle, and multiple claws are arranged around the edge of the hollow region. Each claw has a supporting portion extending into the hollow region, and the supporting portion has a supporting surface. A clamping mechanism includes a clamping member having a clamping portion extending toward a support surface of a claw. Multiple clamping mechanisms are arranged around the edge of the hollow area, each corresponding to a claw; and A spring pin, at least one spring pin is disposed in the substrate carrier and extends into the hollow region along a direction from the edge of the substrate carrier toward the hollow region.

2. The coating fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping mechanism also includes a first spring and a main bolt. The pressing member has a cavity that extends from one end of the pressing member along a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate carrier to the other end of the pressing member. The first spring and the main bolt are disposed within the cavity. The front end of the main bolt extends out of the cavity and engages with the surface of the substrate carrier. The first spring is sleeved on the middle section of the main bolt. The cavity has a supporting bottom near the other end of the pressure member, and the rear end of the main bolt has a bolt head. A first spring is constrained between the supporting bottom of the cavity and the bolt head of the main bolt.

3. The coating fixture according to claim 2, characterized in that, The clamping mechanism also includes a secondary bolt. The outer wall of the pressure member has an outwardly extending protrusion with a bolt insertion hole. The bolt insertion hole extends perpendicular to the surface of the substrate carrier and passes through the protrusion. The secondary bolt is installed in the bolt insertion hole, and the front end of the secondary bolt is engaged with the surface of the substrate carrier.

4. The coating fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that, The spring pin is parallel to and at the same height as the support surface of the claw.

5. The coating fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that, It includes at least one spring pin arranged along a first direction, and It includes at least one of the spring pins arranged along the second direction. The first direction and the second direction intersect at a certain angle in the plane.

6. The coating fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that, The spring pin extends into the hollow area and is adjustable.

7. The coating fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hollow area has multiple gaps along its edge, which are located on opposite sides of the hollow area.

8. The coating fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a mask assembly, which comprises a mask frame and a mask plate. The mask frame is annular, and the mask plate is joined to one side of the mask frame and covers the annular area of ​​the mask frame. The center of the photomask is a patterned opening area, and multiple clearance holes are arranged around the periphery of the patterned opening area; The mask assembly is attached to one side of the substrate carrier, with the side having the mask plate facing the substrate carrier, and the mask plate covering the hollow area in the middle of the substrate carrier. The clearance holes correspond one-to-one with the claws of the substrate carrier. The claw extends from one side of the mask through the corresponding clearance hole to the other side of the mask, and the supporting surface of the claw is flush with the surface of the mask facing the substrate carrier.

9. The coating fixture according to claim 8, characterized in that, It also includes a magnet plate assembly, which is detachably connected to the side of the substrate carrier opposite to the mask assembly and covers the hollow area of ​​the substrate carrier.

10. A coating apparatus, characterized in that, Including the coating fixture as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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