Temperature control system for multi-arc ion plating equipment

Abstract

The utility model belongs to multi -arc ion plating equipment technical field, concretely relates to a kind of temperature control system for multi -arc ion plating equipment, and the system includes: outer circulation pipeline and inner circulation pipeline;Wherein cooling device and auxiliary heater are connected on the inner circulation pipeline;Heat exchanger is connected with outer circulation pipeline, inner circulation pipeline respectively;Wherein the heat exchanger is adapted to the liquid heat exchange in the outer circulation pipeline and inner circulation pipeline flow;The auxiliary heater is adapted to heat the liquid in the inner circulation pipeline, to the temperature of coating cavity in cooling device;And valve assembly is set on outer circulation pipeline and inner circulation pipeline, to be adapted to control the liquid flow path in outer circulation pipeline and inner circulation pipeline.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of cooling technology for multi-arc ion plating equipment, specifically relating to a temperature control system for multi-arc ion plating equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Multi-arc ion plating equipment, as a core device in the field of vacuum coating, is widely used in industries such as machinery manufacturing, hardware processing, and decorative materials due to its advantages such as strong coating adhesion and good film uniformity. During operation, the core components of this equipment, including the molecular pump, bias power supply, arc source (including anode and cathode), and coating chamber, continuously generate a large amount of heat. Specifically, the molecular pump, due to its high-speed operation (reaching tens of thousands of revolutions per minute), experiences intense heat generation in its bearings and motor; the bias power supply generates Joule heat in its internal electronic components during high-voltage output; the arc source releases a large amount of heat during target evaporation and electrode discharge; and the coating chamber needs to maintain a specific temperature environment during the process. If the heat from these components cannot be dissipated in time, it will not only shorten the lifespan of the components (e.g., overheating of the molecular pump can easily damage the bearings, reducing their lifespan by more than 50%), but also affect the stability of the coating process (e.g., temperature fluctuations can lead to uneven film composition and decreased adhesion) and the quality of the film. Therefore, the cooling system is a crucial support for the normal operation of multi-arc ion plating equipment.

[0003] The mainstream solution in the existing technology adopts a single external circulation cooling system, which uses an industrial chiller to uniformly supply low-temperature cooling water of 16-30℃ to all components that need to be cooled to meet the temperature requirements of the coating process on the substrate. However, after the equipment completes a batch of coating, it is necessary to break the vacuum (i.e., break the vacuum state) to take out and put in the workpiece. After breaking the vacuum, the equipment is exposed to the atmosphere. The inner wall of the low-temperature coating chamber will absorb a large amount of water vapor due to the cooling water (the temperature is usually below 50°C). When the equipment is restarted for operation, it is necessary to re-vacuum. At this time, the water vapor desorption will take an extra 1-2 hours, which will seriously extend the production cycle. Based on the calculation of 3 batches produced per day, the production time lost due to the extension of vacuuming can reach 3-6 hours per day.

[0004] Therefore, a temperature control system for multi-arc ion plating equipment is designed to solve the technical problem in the existing technology where low-temperature cooling water is supplied to all components that need cooling, resulting in the coating chamber absorbing a large amount of water vapor due to excessively low temperature after the cavity is punctured, thus extending the production cycle.

[0005] It should be noted that the information disclosed in this background section is only for understanding the background technology of the present application concept, and therefore, the above description is not considered to constitute prior art information. Utility Model Content

[0006] This disclosure provides at least one temperature control system for a multi-arc ion plating apparatus.

[0007] In a first aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a temperature control system for a multi-arc ion plating apparatus, comprising: External circulation pipeline and internal circulation pipeline; among which The internal circulation pipeline is connected to a cooling device and an auxiliary heater; The heat exchangers are connected to the external circulation pipeline and the internal circulation pipeline, respectively; among which... The heat exchanger is suitable for exchanging heat between the liquid flowing in the external circulation pipeline and the internal circulation pipeline. The auxiliary heater is adapted to heat the liquid in the internal circulation pipeline to maintain the temperature of the coating chamber in the cooling device; and Valve assemblies are installed on the external and internal circulation lines to control the liquid flow path in the external and internal circulation lines.

[0008] In one optional embodiment, the external circulation pipeline is connected to a water supply device and a maintenance water shut-off device; wherein The water supply device and the maintenance water shutdown device are connected in parallel on the external circulation pipeline.

[0009] In one optional embodiment, the water supply device includes: Molecular pump and bias power supply; where The molecular pump and the bias power supply are both connected in parallel to the external circulation pipeline.

[0010] In one optional implementation, the maintenance water outage device includes: The first arc source and the second arc source; among which Both the first arc source and the second arc source are connected in parallel to the external circulation pipeline.

[0011] In one alternative embodiment, the cooling device and the auxiliary heater are both connected in parallel to the internal circulation pipeline via water pipes.

[0012] In one optional embodiment, the cooling device includes: Several connecting flanges; among which The coating cavity and several connecting flanges are all connected in parallel to the internal circulation pipeline.

[0013] In one alternative embodiment, the valve assembly includes: Main return valve, main inlet valve, water supply device return valve, maintenance shutdown device inlet valve, heat exchanger inlet valve, heater inlet valve, emergency water supply inlet valve, and emergency water supply return valve.

[0014] In one optional embodiment, the main return valve and the main inlet valve are respectively located at both ends of the external circulation pipeline; and The return valve of the water supply device and the inlet valve of the maintenance water stop device are both installed on the external circulation pipeline, and are located between the bias power supply and the pipeline where the first arc source is located.

[0015] In one optional embodiment, the emergency water supply inlet valve and the emergency water supply return valve are installed on the external circulation pipeline and are located on the same side as the main return valve and the inlet valve, respectively.

[0016] In one optional embodiment, the heat exchanger inlet valve and the heater inlet valve are respectively installed on the pipelines where the heat exchanger and the auxiliary heater are located.

[0017] The beneficial effects of this utility model are that this device, by setting up external and internal circulation pipelines, controls the temperature of each component in the multi-arc ion plating equipment, and uses an auxiliary heater to heat the cooling water in the pipeline where the coating chamber is located, thereby maintaining the temperature of the coating chamber and preventing the coating chamber from absorbing a large amount of water vapor due to excessively low temperature after the vacuum is broken, thus prolonging the time for subsequent re-vacuuming.

[0018] Other features and advantages of this invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent in part from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. The objectives and other advantages of this invention are realized and obtained through the structures particularly pointed out in the description and the accompanying drawings.

[0019] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features and advantages of this utility model more apparent and understandable, preferred embodiments are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of this utility model or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the piping connection of the temperature control system provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0022] In the picture: 1. External circulation pipeline; 2. Internal circulation pipeline; 20. Circulating water pump; 3. Water supply device; 30. Molecular pump; 31. Bias power supply; 4. Maintenance of water outage device; 41. First arc source; 42. Second arc source; 5. Heat exchanger; 6. Valve assembly; 61. Main return valve; 62. Main inlet valve; 63. Water supply device return valve; 64. Maintenance shutdown device inlet valve; 65. Heat exchanger inlet valve; 66. Heater inlet valve; 67. Emergency water supply inlet valve; 68. Emergency water supply return valve; 7. Cooling device; 70. Coating chamber; 71. Connecting flange; 8. Auxiliary heater. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this utility model, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0024] In this document, when it is mentioned that a first component is located on a second component, this can mean that the first component can be directly formed on the second component, or that a third component can be inserted between the first and second components. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings, the thickness of the components may be exaggerated or reduced for the purpose of effectively describing the technical content.

[0025] In this document, when an element or layer is referred to as “located,” “joined to,” “connected to,” “attached to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly located, joined, connected, attached to, or coupled to the other element or layer, or there may be intermediate elements or layers present. Conversely, when an element is referred to as “directly on another element or layer,” “directly joined to,” “directly connected to,” “directly attached to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intermediate elements or layers present. Other terms used to describe relationships between elements should be interpreted in a similar manner (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the related listed items.

[0026] In this document, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. As used herein, expressions such as “at least one of…” modify the entire list of elements when following a list of elements, rather than individual elements in the list. For example, the expression “at least one of a, b, and c” should be understood to include only a, only b, only c, both a and b, both a and c, both b and c, or all of a, b, and c.

[0027] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing specific exemplary configurations only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular articles “a,” “an,” and “the” may also be intended to include plural forms unless otherwise clearly stated herein. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are inclusive and thus specify the presence of features, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein should not be construed as requiring them to be performed in the specific order discussed or shown, unless specifically identified as such. Additional or alternative steps may be employed.

[0028] As used herein, the phrases “in one embodiment,” “according to one embodiment,” “in some embodiments,” etc., generally refer to the fact that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic following the phrase can be included in at least one embodiment of this disclosure. Therefore, a particular feature, structure, or characteristic can be included in more than one embodiment of this disclosure, such that these phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. As used herein, the terms “example,” “exemplary,” etc., are used to “serve as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation, aspect, or design described herein as “example” or “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or superior to other implementations, aspects, or designs. Rather, the use of the terms “example,” “exemplary,” etc., is intended to present concepts in a specific manner.

[0029] Research has revealed that the mainstream solution in existing technologies employs a single external circulation cooling system. This system uses an industrial chiller to supply all components requiring cooling with low-temperature cooling water at 16-30°C to meet the substrate temperature requirements of the coating process. However, after a batch of coatings is completed, the equipment needs to be degassed (i.e., the vacuum state needs to be broken) to remove and place the workpieces. After degaussing, the equipment is exposed to the atmosphere. The low-temperature coating chamber walls absorb a large amount of water vapor due to the cooling water (temperature is usually below 50°C). When the equipment is restarted, the vacuum needs to be re-evacuated, which requires an additional 1-2 hours for water vapor desorption, significantly extending the production cycle. Assuming a daily production of 3 batches, the daily production time lost due to the extended vacuum period can reach 3-6 hours.

[0030] Based on the above research, this disclosure provides a temperature control system for a multi-arc ion plating equipment. By setting up external and internal circulation pipelines, the system can perform zoned cooling to meet the cooling needs of each component in the multi-arc ion plating equipment. An auxiliary heater is used to heat the cooling water in the pipeline where the coating chamber is located, thereby maintaining the temperature of the coating chamber and preventing the coating chamber from absorbing a large amount of water vapor due to excessively low temperature after the vacuum is broken, thus prolonging the time required for subsequent re-vacuuming.

[0031] The shortcomings of the above solutions are the result of the inventor's practical experience and careful research. Therefore, the discovery process of the above problems and the solutions proposed in this disclosure should be considered as the inventor's contribution to this disclosure.

[0032] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0033] The following detailed description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, describes some embodiments of the present invention. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.

[0034] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, this temperature control system adopts a partitioned architecture of "external circulation + internal circulation" to achieve cooling and temperature control of different components of the multi-arc ion plating equipment. Its structure includes an external circulation pipeline 1, an internal circulation pipeline 2, and components connected to the two pipelines. The specific structure and function are described below: For the external circulation pipeline 1, the main return valve 61, along with the main inlet valve 62, the water supply device return valve 63, the maintenance water outage device inlet valve 64, the emergency water supply inlet valve 67, and the emergency water supply return valve 68, are all electric proportional valves with a response time ≤0.5s. The main inlet valve 62 is connected to an industrial chiller (not shown in the figure), used to pump low-temperature cooling water into the external circulation pipeline 1 to cool the molecular pump 30, bias power supply 31, first arc source 41, and second arc source 42 connected in parallel to the external circulation pipeline 1. Figure 1 It is known that the water supply device return valve 63 and the maintenance water stop device inlet valve 64 are located between the bias power supply 31 and the first arc source 41. Since the molecular pump 30 and the bias power supply 31 are components that require continuous water supply for cooling (water stoppage for more than 5 minutes can easily cause damage), while the first arc source 41 and the second arc source 42 are components that require water stoppage during maintenance (cooling water needs to be cut off when replacing the target material), when maintaining the arc source, closing the water supply device return valve 63 and the maintenance water stop device inlet valve 64 can maintain the water supply to the molecular pump 30 and the bias power supply 31 without affecting the maintenance of the arc source.

[0035] For the inner circulation pipeline 2, the coating cavity 70 and several connecting flanges 71 are connected to the inner circulation pipeline 2 through pipelines. The cooling water in the inner circulation pipeline 2 is used to cool the above components. The circulating water pump 20 is used to keep the cooling water in the inner circulation pipeline 2 flowing. The inner circulation pipeline 2 and the outer circulation pipeline 1 are connected through a heat exchanger 5 for heat exchange. The heat in the outer circulation pipeline 1 is transferred into the inner circulation pipeline 2. While maintaining the heat dissipation of the components on the inner circulation pipeline 2, the operating temperature of each component on the outer circulation pipeline 1 is kept within a safe range (e.g., the molecular pump operating temperature ≤ 40℃, the bias power supply operating temperature ≤ 50℃).

[0036] When the equipment is in the coating process stage, the main return water valve 61, the main inlet water valve 62, the water supply device return water valve 63, the maintenance water stop device inlet water valve 64, and the heat exchanger inlet water valve 65 are opened, while the heater inlet water valve 66, the emergency water supply inlet water valve 67, and the emergency water supply return water valve 68 are closed. Part of the low-temperature cooling water in the external circulation pipeline 1 flows directly into the equipment connected to the pipeline for cooling, and the other part exchanges heat with the cooling water in the internal circulation pipeline 2 through the heat exchanger 5, controlling the internal circulation water temperature at 25-30℃, providing cooling for the coating cavity 70 and the connecting flange 71, maintaining the cavity temperature stability, and ensuring the quality of the coating layer. When the equipment is in the heating stage or the voiding stage of the coating chamber 70, the main return water valve 61, the main inlet water valve 62 and the heat exchanger inlet water valve 65 are closed, the heater inlet water valve 66 is opened, the internal circulation pipeline 2 forms a closed loop, and the circulating water pump 20 runs continuously to ensure the flow of cooling water in the internal circulation pipeline 2. According to the internal circulation water temperature data fed back by the temperature sensor (not shown in the figure) set on the internal circulation pipeline 2, the start-up and shutdown and power of the auxiliary heater 8 are manually adjusted to stabilize the internal circulation water temperature at 65-75℃, reduce the heat loss of the coating chamber 70, and suppress the adsorption of water vapor on the inner wall of the chamber after voiding. When an interruption in the flow of external circulation pipe 1 or internal circulation pipe 2 or a power outage is detected, immediately close the main return water valve 61, the main inlet water valve 62, and the heater inlet water valve 66, and open the emergency water supply inlet valve 67 and the emergency water supply return water valve 68; use the gravity water supply of the emergency water storage tank (not shown in the figure, with dimensions of height ≥3m and volume ≥500L, meeting the cooling requirements for at least 30 minutes) to prioritize cooling components such as molecular pump 30 and arc source (41, 42) to avoid damage to components due to high temperature.

[0037] In the description of the embodiments of this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of 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.

[0038] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships, are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model. Furthermore, terms such as "first," "second," and other numerical terms used herein do not imply order or sequence unless expressly indicated herein. Therefore, without departing from the teachings of the exemplary embodiments, the first element, component, region, layer, or segment discussed above may be referred to as the second element, component, region, layer, or segment.

[0039] Spatially relative terms, such as “inside,” “outside,” “below,” “below,” “down,” “above,” “up,” etc., may be used herein to describe the relationship between one element or feature and another element or feature illustrated in the figures. In addition to the orientations depicted in the figures, spatially relative terms may be intended to cover different orientations of the device in use or operation. For example, if the device in the figure is flipped, an element described as “below” or “below” other elements or features would be oriented as “above” other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can cover both above and below orientations. The device may be oriented in other ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptors used herein are interpreted accordingly.

[0040] In the above discussion, unless otherwise stated, when used to describe numerical values, the terms “about,” “approximately,” “basically,” etc., indicate a change of + / - 10% in that value.

[0041] Based on the above-described preferred embodiments of this utility model, and through the foregoing description, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the technical concept of this utility model. The technical scope of this utility model is not limited to the contents of the specification, but must be determined according to the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A temperature control system for a multi-arc ion plating equipment, characterized in that, include: External circulation pipeline (1) and internal circulation pipeline (2); wherein The internal circulation pipeline (2) is connected to a cooling device (7) and an auxiliary heater (8). The heat exchanger (5) is connected to the external circulation pipeline (1) and the internal circulation pipeline (2) respectively; wherein The heat exchanger (5) is adapted to exchange heat between the liquid flowing in the external circulation pipe (1) and the internal circulation pipe (2); The auxiliary heater (8) is adapted to heat the liquid in the internal circulation pipe (2) to maintain the temperature of the coating chamber (70) in the cooling device (7); and A valve assembly (6) is provided on the external circulation pipeline (1) and the internal circulation pipeline (2) to control the liquid flow path in the external circulation pipeline (1) and the internal circulation pipeline (2).

2. The temperature control system for multi-arc ion plating equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The external circulation pipeline (1) is connected to a water supply device (3) and a maintenance water shutdown device (4); wherein The water supply device (3) and the maintenance water shutdown device (4) are connected in parallel on the external circulation pipeline (1).

3. The temperature control system for multi-arc ion plating equipment as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The water supply device (3) includes: Molecular pump (30) and bias power supply (31); wherein The molecular pump (30) and the bias power supply (31) are both connected in parallel to the external circulation pipeline (1) through pipelines.

4. The temperature control system for multi-arc ion plating equipment as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The maintenance water outage device (4) includes: The first arc source (41) and the second arc source (42); where The first arc source (41) and the second arc source (42) are both connected in parallel to the external circulation pipeline (1) through pipelines.

5. The temperature control system for multi-arc ion plating equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The cooling device (7) and the auxiliary heater (8) are both connected in parallel to the internal circulation pipeline (2) via water pipes.

6. The temperature control system for multi-arc ion plating equipment as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The cooling device (7) includes: Several connecting flanges (71); among which The coating cavity (70) and several connecting flanges (71) are all connected in parallel to the internal circulation pipeline (2) through pipelines.

7. The temperature control system for multi-arc ion plating equipment as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The valve assembly (6) includes: Main return valve (61), main inlet valve (62), water supply device return valve (63), maintenance shutdown device inlet valve (64), heat exchanger inlet valve (65), heater inlet valve (66), emergency water supply inlet valve (67) and emergency water supply return valve (68).

8. The temperature control system for multi-arc ion plating equipment as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The main return valve (61) and the main inlet valve (62) are respectively located at both ends of the external circulation pipeline (1); and The water supply device return valve (63) and the maintenance water stop device inlet valve (64) are both installed on the external circulation pipeline (1) and located between the bias power supply (31) and the first arc source (41).

9. The temperature control system for multi-arc ion plating equipment as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The emergency water supply inlet valve (67) and the emergency water supply return valve (68) are installed on the external circulation pipeline (1) and are located on the side of the main return valve (61) and the inlet valve (62), respectively.

10. The temperature control system for multi-arc ion plating equipment as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The heat exchanger inlet valve (65) and the heater inlet valve (66) are respectively installed on the pipelines where the heat exchanger (5) and the auxiliary heater (8) are located.

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