Rotary cathode and sputter coating apparatus

Abstract

This application relates to the field of sputtering coating equipment, and provides a rotating cathode and sputtering coating equipment. The rotating cathode includes a rotating shaft, a transmission box, a connecting seat, and a first sealing assembly. The rotating shaft is rotatably sleeved on the outer wall of the connecting seat to form a flow cavity. The first sealing assembly includes a first bushing and a plug seal. The outer wall of the first bushing forms a static seal with the inner wall of the transmission box. The inner wall of the first bushing has an assembly groove, and the plug seal is disposed in the assembly groove and forms a dynamic seal with the rotating shaft. The static seal formed by the outer wall of the first bushing and the inner wall of the transmission box, and the dynamic seal formed by the plug seal with the outer wall of the rotating shaft, effectively isolate the flow cavity from the external environment, significantly reducing the risk of seal failure due to wear, ensuring the stability and reliability of the entire rotating cathode during operation, preventing potential damage to the equipment from cooling water leakage, and significantly extending the service life of the first sealing assembly.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of sputtering coating equipment, and further to a rotating cathode and sputtering coating equipment. Background Technology

[0002] During the operation of cylindrical magnetron sputtering cathodes, a geared motor drives the target material on the rotating shaft to rotate at a constant speed around a fixed magnetic strip assembly via a synchronous pulley, ensuring that the entire target surface is within the sputtering area. At this time, cooling water directly cools the target material through the inside of the target tube and indirectly cools the magnets through the hollow shaft at the center of the magnetic strip assembly. However, currently, in the field of vacuum magnetron sputtering rotating cathodes, cooling water sealing mostly uses sealing rings, which are more suitable for static sealing scenarios. In dynamic sealing scenarios, due to their poor wear resistance, they are prone to damage, leading to water leakage and even other unnecessary losses. Utility Model Content

[0003] To address the aforementioned technical problems, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a rotating cathode and sputtering coating equipment. The outer wall of the first bushing forms a static seal with the inner wall of the transmission box, and the inner wall of the transmission box forms a dynamic seal with the outer wall of the rotating shaft through a plug seal. This effectively isolates the flow cavity from the external environment, significantly reducing the risk of seal failure due to wear. This ensures the stability and reliability of the entire rotating cathode during operation, prevents potential damage to the equipment from cooling water leakage, and significantly extends the service life of the first sealing assembly, reducing the maintenance cost and downtime of the rotating cathode.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides a rotating cathode, including a rotating shaft, a transmission box, a connecting seat, and a first sealing assembly;

[0005] The connecting seat is fixedly disposed inside the transmission box, the rotating shaft is rotatably sleeved on the outer wall of the connecting seat, a flow cavity is formed between the rotating shaft and the connecting seat, and the first sealing component is disposed between the bottom outer wall of the rotating shaft and the inner wall of the transmission box, so that the flow cavity is sealed and isolated from the outside.

[0006] The first sealing assembly includes a first bushing and a plug seal. The outer side wall of the first bushing forms a static seal with the inner side wall of the transmission box. The inner side wall of the first bushing is provided with an assembly groove. The plug seal is disposed in the assembly groove and forms a dynamic seal with the rotating shaft.

[0007] In some embodiments, the first sealing assembly further includes a first oil seal disposed within the assembly groove and forming a dynamic seal with the rotating shaft, the first oil seal being disposed above the plug seal.

[0008] In some embodiments, the inner sidewall of the top of the first bushing is provided with an assembly wall, and the inner sidewall of the bottom of the first bushing is provided with a placement groove. The placement groove is suitable for installing a retaining ring, and an assembly groove is formed between the retaining ring and the assembly wall. The first oil seal and the plug seal are disposed in the assembly groove and are axially constrained between the assembly wall and the retaining ring.

[0009] In some embodiments, at least one sealing ring is provided on the circumferential surface of the outer wall of the first bushing, and the sealing ring forms a static seal between the outer wall of the first bushing and the inner wall of the transmission box.

[0010] In some embodiments, a timing belt is mounted in the middle of the shaft of the rotating shaft, the timing belt being adapted to drive the rotating shaft to rotate;

[0011] Two bearings are also installed on the outer wall of the rotating shaft. The two bearings are spaced apart along the axial direction of the rotating shaft on both sides of the synchronous belt, with the lower bearing positioned between the synchronous belt and the first sealing assembly.

[0012] In some embodiments, the outer wall of the rotating shaft is further provided with a second sealing assembly, which is located above the bearing above it. The second sealing assembly includes a second bushing and two second oil seals. The second bushing forms a static seal with the inner wall of the transmission box, and the two second oil seals form a dynamic seal with the outer wall of the rotating shaft.

[0013] In some embodiments, a sealing cover is also included, which is fixedly disposed on the top of the rotating shaft, and the bottom of the sealing cover forms a static seal with the outer wall of the rotating shaft through a sealing ring.

[0014] According to another aspect of this application, a sputtering coating apparatus is further provided, including any of the rotating cathodes described in the preferred embodiments above.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the rotating cathode and sputtering coating equipment provided by this utility model has at least one of the following beneficial effects:

[0016] 1. The outer wall of the first bushing forms a static seal with the inner wall of the transmission box, and the inner wall of the transmission box forms a dynamic seal with the outer wall of the rotating shaft through a plug seal. This effectively isolates the flow cavity from the external environment, significantly reducing the risk of seal failure due to wear. This ensures the stability and reliability of the entire rotating cathode during operation, prevents potential damage to the equipment caused by cooling water leakage, and significantly extends the service life of the first sealing assembly, reducing the maintenance cost and downtime of the rotating cathode.

[0017] 2. The dual sealing structure combining the first oil seal and the plug seal not only improves the reliability of the seal, but also further optimizes the overall sealing effect, providing a strong guarantee for the stable operation of the rotating cathode. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The preferred embodiments will be described below in a clear and easy-to-understand manner, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, to further explain the above-mentioned characteristics, technical features, advantages and implementation methods of this utility model.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of the rotating cathode;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a location diagram of the first sealing assembly;

[0021] Figure 3 This is an overall view of the rotating cathode.

[0022] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0023] Rotating shaft 1, flow chamber 11, synchronous belt 12, bearing 13, transmission box 2, connecting seat 3, first sealing assembly 4, first bushing 41, assembly groove 410, assembly wall 411, placement groove 412, retaining ring 413, sealing ring 414, plug seal 42, first oil seal 43, second sealing assembly 5, second bushing 51, second oil seal 52, sealing cover 6. Detailed Implementation

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the specific implementation methods of this utility model will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings and other implementation methods can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative effort.

[0025] To keep the drawings concise, each figure only schematically shows the parts relevant to the utility model, and these do not represent the actual structure of the product. Furthermore, for ease of understanding, in some figures, only one of the components with the same structure or function is schematically depicted, or only one is labeled. In this document, "one" not only means "only one," but can also mean "more than one."

[0026] It should also be further understood that the term “and / or” as used in this application specification and the appended claims means any combination of one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations, and includes such combinations.

[0027] In this document, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0028] Furthermore, in the description of this application, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used only for distinguishing descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. It should be noted that the above embodiments can be freely combined as needed. The above are merely preferred embodiments of this utility model. It should be pointed out that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of this utility model, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0029] refer to Figures 1 to 3 This utility model provides a rotating cathode, including a rotating shaft 1, a transmission box 2, a connecting seat 3, and a first sealing assembly 4. The connecting seat 3 is fixedly disposed inside the transmission box 2, and the rotating shaft 1 is rotatably sleeved on the outer wall of the connecting seat 3, forming a flow cavity 11 between the rotating shaft 1 and the connecting seat 3. The first sealing assembly 4 is disposed between the bottom outer wall of the rotating shaft 1 and the inner wall of the transmission box 2, so that the flow cavity 11 is sealed and isolated from the outside. The first sealing assembly 4 includes a first bushing 41 and a plug seal 42. The outer wall of the first bushing 41 forms a static seal with the inner wall of the transmission box 2, and the inner wall of the first bushing 41 is provided with an assembly groove 410. The plug seal 42 is disposed in the assembly groove 410 and forms a dynamic seal with the rotating shaft 1.

[0030] In this embodiment, the outer wall of the first bushing 41 forms a static seal with the inner wall of the transmission box 2, and the inner wall of the transmission box 2 forms a dynamic seal with the outer wall of the rotating shaft 1 through the plug seal 42. This effectively seals and isolates the flow cavity 11 from the external environment, significantly reducing the risk of seal failure due to wear. This ensures the stability and reliability of the entire rotating cathode during operation, prevents potential damage to the equipment caused by cooling water leakage, and significantly extends the service life of the first sealing assembly 4, reducing the maintenance cost and downtime of the rotating cathode.

[0031] Specifically, the rotating shaft 1 is fitted onto the outer wall of the connecting seat 3 and can rotate smoothly. A closed flow cavity 11 is formed between the rotating shaft 1 and the connecting seat 3. This flow cavity 11 is mainly used to contain cooling water, providing the necessary space for the circulation of cooling water to remove the heat generated by the rotating cathode during operation. The flow cavity 11 is connected to the inlet pipe and the return pipe, which is prior art in this application and will not be described further here. To ensure that the cooling water does not leak into the external environment during the operation of the rotating cathode, the first sealing assembly 4 is installed between the outer wall of the bottom of the rotating shaft 1 and the inner wall of the transmission box 2, effectively sealing and isolating the flow cavity 11 from the external environment, preventing the leakage of cooling water, and improving its reliability during long-term operation.

[0032] The outer wall of the first bushing 41 fits tightly against the inner wall of the transmission housing 2, forming a reliable static seal to prevent cooling water leakage between the outer wall of the first bushing 41 and the inner wall of the transmission housing 2. At least one sealing ring 414 is provided on the circumferential surface of the outer wall of the first bushing 41, forming a static seal between the outer wall of the first bushing 41 and the inner wall of the transmission housing 2. The sealing ring 414 ensures the sealing performance between the first bushing 41 and the transmission housing 2, preventing cooling water leakage from the gap between them. Furthermore, the sealing ring 414 not only compensates for minor gaps caused by manufacturing tolerances or installation errors, but also absorbs vibration and impact to a certain extent, thereby extending the service life of the equipment.

[0033] The inner wall of the first bushing 41 is provided with an assembly groove 410. The plug seal 42 is installed in the assembly groove 410 and forms a highly efficient dynamic seal with the rotating shaft 1, so that good sealing performance can be maintained even when the rotating shaft 1 rotates. Moreover, the plug seal 42 exhibits excellent wear resistance in dynamic sealing scenarios, can effectively adapt to the movement of the rotating shaft 1, and greatly reduce the risk of seal failure due to wear.

[0034] More specifically, the static seal between the outer wall of the first bushing 41 and the inner wall of the transmission housing 2, and the dynamic seal between the inner wall of the transmission housing 2 and the outer wall of the rotating shaft 1 formed by the plug seal 42, together create a reliable sealing barrier for the flow cavity 11 of the rotating cathode, effectively isolating the flow cavity 11 from the external environment. This not only significantly reduces the risk of seal failure due to component wear, but also greatly improves the stability and reliability of the entire rotating cathode during operation. Furthermore, the first sealing assembly 4 effectively prevents cooling water leakage, avoiding potential damage to the equipment and ensuring its normal operation. At the same time, it significantly extends the service life of the first sealing assembly 4, reducing maintenance costs and downtime of the rotating cathode, providing strong support for the long-term stable operation of the rotating cathode.

[0035] Furthermore, the first sealing assembly 4 also includes a first oil seal 43, which is disposed in the assembly groove 410 and forms a dynamic seal with the rotating shaft 1. The first oil seal 43 is disposed above the plug seal 42.

[0036] In this embodiment, the dual sealing structure combining the first oil seal 43 and the plug seal 42 not only improves the reliability of the seal, but also further optimizes the overall sealing effect, providing a strong guarantee for the stable operation of the rotating cathode.

[0037] Specifically, the first oil seal 43 is arranged within the assembly groove 410 and forms a dynamic seal with the outer wall of the rotating shaft 1. In terms of spatial layout, the first oil seal 43 is positioned above the plug seal 42; this hierarchical configuration is carefully considered. The plug seal 42 is known for its excellent sealing pressure and relatively high rotational resistance; therefore, only one plug seal 42 is used to achieve a delicate balance between sealing effect and rotational performance. Placing the plug seal 42 below the first oil seal 43 is to fully utilize its excellent water pressure resistance to withstand potential water pressure impacts and construct a robust primary sealing barrier. By intercepting potential leakage media through the plug seal 42, cooling water leakage is prevented, reducing the sealing burden on the upper first oil seal 43. It also prevents, to some extent, media such as cooling water from directly impacting the first oil seal 43, thereby extending the service life of the first oil seal 43. Relatively speaking, although the first oil seal 43 is slightly inferior in axial outer ring sealing performance, its rotational resistance is lower, making it suitable as an auxiliary sealing element. If the plug seal 42 fails due to prolonged use or other unforeseen circumstances, the first oil seal 43 can serve as a backup seal, continuing to perform its sealing function and preventing cooling water leakage for a certain period, providing valuable buffer time for the maintenance and repair of the rotating cathode. Therefore, the first oil seal 43 plays a crucial auxiliary role. Although the first oil seal 43 does not directly face the strong impact of the water flow, it works in conjunction with the plug seal 42 to enhance the sealing effect, ensuring that the rotating cathode can maintain basic sealing performance in the short term after the failure of a critical component, providing double protection for the stable operation of the rotating cathode.

[0038] It is worth noting that the dual sealing structure of the first oil seal 43 and the plug seal 42 significantly enhances the reliability of the seal. The plug seal 42 provides a more robust and water-pressure-resistant first line of defense, while the oil seal serves as a secondary line of defense. This not only effectively prevents leakage of cooling water and other media but also reduces the rotational resistance of the entire sealing system, ultimately contributing to improved overall operational stability and service life of the rotating cathode.

[0039] Preferably, the inner sidewall of the top of the first bushing 41 is provided with an assembly wall 411, and the inner sidewall of the bottom of the first bushing 41 is provided with a placement groove 412. The placement groove 412 is suitable for installing a retaining ring 413. An assembly groove 410 is formed between the retaining ring 413 and the assembly wall 411. The first oil seal 43 and the plug seal 42 are disposed in the assembly groove 410 and are axially constrained between the assembly wall 411 and the retaining ring 413.

[0040] Specifically, the inner top wall of the first bushing 41 is provided with an assembly wall 411, while the inner bottom wall of the first bushing 41 is correspondingly provided with a placement groove 412. The placement groove 412 is used to install a retaining ring 413. Once the retaining ring 413 is placed in the placement groove 412, an assembly groove 410 is formed between the retaining ring 413 and the assembly wall 411. The first oil seal 43 and the plug seal 42 are sequentially arranged in the assembly groove 410. The first oil seal 43 and the plug seal 42 are axially constrained between the assembly wall 411 and the retaining ring 413. This not only ensures the stable installation of the first oil seal 43 and the plug seal 42, preventing the first oil seal 43 and the plug seal 42 from shaking or moving, but also ensures that the first oil seal 43 and the plug seal 42 can maintain good sealing performance during the rotation of the rotating shaft 1, and also has a long service life. When the first oil seal 43 or the plug seal 42 needs to be replaced, the operator can easily remove the retaining ring 413 to access the first oil seal 43 or the plug seal 42 inside the assembly groove 410. After replacement, reinstalling the retaining ring 413 restores the sealing structure, which not only improves the convenience of maintenance but also reduces equipment downtime and improves overall production efficiency. More specifically, the bottom sidewall of the placement groove 412 of the first bushing 41 is divided into several parts, which are arranged sequentially at intervals around its circumference.

[0041] It is worth noting that the removal of the retaining ring 413 simplifies and expedites the replacement of the first oil seal 43 and the plug seal 42. Operators do not need to perform extensive disassembly of the entire sealing system; simply removing the retaining ring 413 is sufficient to replace either the first oil seal 43 or the plug seal 42. This not only improves maintenance efficiency but also reduces the potential risk of damage to other components caused by replacing the first oil seal 43 or the plug seal 42.

[0042] Furthermore, a timing belt 12 is installed in the middle of the shaft of the rotating shaft 1, which is suitable for driving the rotating shaft 1 to rotate; two bearings 13 are also installed on the outer side wall of the rotating shaft 1, and the two bearings 13 are spaced apart on both sides of the timing belt 12 along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 1, with the lower bearing 13 located between the timing belt 12 and the first sealing assembly 4.

[0043] Specifically, the synchronous belt 12 is connected to the drive assembly, which drives the synchronous belt 12 and the rotating shaft 1 to rotate synchronously. The rotating shaft 1 can maintain a stable speed under the drive of the synchronous belt 12. The two bearings 13 can effectively disperse the radial and axial forces on the rotating shaft 1, reduce the mechanical stress on various components, and extend the service life of the equipment. At the same time, the lower bearing 13 is located between the synchronous belt 12 and the first sealing assembly 4, which can protect the synchronous belt 12 from interference from cooling water or other media that may be generated near the first sealing assembly 4 to a certain extent. It also helps to reduce the vibration generated by the rotating shaft 1 during operation and improve the operational stability of the entire system.

[0044] Preferably, the outer wall of the rotating shaft 1 is further provided with a second sealing assembly 5. The second sealing assembly 5 is located above the bearing 13 above it. The second sealing assembly 5 includes a second bushing 51 and two second oil seals 52. The second bushing 51 forms a static seal with the inner wall of the transmission box 2, and the two second oil seals 52 form a dynamic seal with the outer wall of the rotating shaft 1.

[0045] Specifically, the second sealing assembly 5 provides additional sealing protection for the entire rotating cathode, effectively preventing external media from entering the interior of the rotating cathode and further enhancing the reliability and stability of the equipment. The second sealing assembly 5 includes a second bushing 51 and two second oil seals 52. The outer wall of the second bushing 51 is tightly fitted against the inner wall of the transmission housing 2, forming an effective static seal. The inner wall of the second oil seal 52 is in close contact with the outer wall of the rotating shaft 1, forming a dynamic seal. The second sealing assembly 5 works in conjunction with the first sealing assembly 4 to form a dual sealing protection mechanism.

[0046] Furthermore, it also includes a sealing cover 6, which is fixedly installed on the top of the rotating shaft 1, and the bottom of the sealing cover 6 forms a static seal with the outer wall of the rotating shaft 1 through a sealing ring 414.

[0047] In this embodiment, the sealing cover 6 is fixedly disposed on the top of the rotating shaft 1. The bottom of the sealing cover 6 forms a static seal with the outer wall of the rotating shaft 1 through the sealing ring 414, which further enhances the sealing performance of the top of the rotating shaft 1, prevents external contaminants from entering the equipment, and prevents internal cooling water from leaking from the top of the rotating shaft 1. The combination of the sealing cover 6 with the second sealing component 5 and the first sealing component 4 provides comprehensive sealing protection for the rotating cathode.

[0048] Furthermore, this application provides a sputtering coating apparatus, including the rotating cathode in any of the above embodiments.

[0049] It should be noted that the above embodiments can be freely combined as needed. The above are merely preferred embodiments of this utility model. It should be pointed out that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of this utility model, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A rotating cathode, characterized in that, Includes a rotating shaft, a transmission box, a connecting seat, and a first sealing assembly; The connecting seat is fixedly disposed inside the transmission box, the rotating shaft is rotatably sleeved on the outer wall of the connecting seat, a flow cavity is formed between the rotating shaft and the connecting seat, and the first sealing component is disposed between the bottom outer wall of the rotating shaft and the inner wall of the transmission box, so that the flow cavity is sealed and isolated from the outside. The first sealing assembly includes a first bushing and a plug seal. The outer side wall of the first bushing forms a static seal with the inner side wall of the transmission box. The inner side wall of the first bushing is provided with an assembly groove. The plug seal is disposed in the assembly groove and forms a dynamic seal with the rotating shaft.

2. A rotating cathode according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first sealing assembly further includes a first oil seal, which is disposed in the assembly groove and forms a dynamic seal with the rotating shaft, and is disposed above the plug seal.

3. A rotating cathode according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first bushing has an inner wall at the top with an assembly wall and an inner wall at the bottom with a placement groove. The placement groove is suitable for installing a retaining ring. An assembly groove is formed between the retaining ring and the assembly wall. The first oil seal and the plug seal are disposed in the assembly groove and are axially constrained between the assembly wall and the retaining ring.

4. A rotating cathode according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least one sealing ring is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the first bushing, and the sealing ring forms a static seal between the outer side wall of the first bushing and the inner side wall of the transmission box.

5. A rotating cathode according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, A timing belt is installed in the middle of the shaft of the rotating shaft, and the timing belt is adapted to drive the rotating shaft to rotate. Two bearings are also installed on the outer wall of the rotating shaft. The two bearings are spaced apart along the axial direction of the rotating shaft on both sides of the synchronous belt, with the lower bearing positioned between the synchronous belt and the first sealing assembly.

6. A rotating cathode according to claim 5, characterized in that, The outer wall of the rotating shaft is also provided with a second sealing assembly, which is located above the bearing. The second sealing assembly includes a second bushing and two second oil seals. The second bushing forms a static seal with the inner wall of the transmission box, and the two second oil seals form a dynamic seal with the outer wall of the rotating shaft.

7. A rotating cathode according to claim 6, characterized in that, It also includes a sealing cover, which is fixedly installed on the top of the rotating shaft, and the bottom of the sealing cover forms a static seal with the outer wall of the rotating shaft through a sealing ring.

8. A sputtering coating apparatus, characterized in that, Includes a rotating cathode as described in any one of claims 1-7.

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