Coating machine

Abstract

Coating machine for conductive or insulating substrates made of any material, such as silicon, glass, ceramic, in a vacuum or processing chamber by sputtering, or other coating processes for producing layers or layer systems on the substrates, characterized in that that a pivoting device (2) movable about a horizontal axis (18) in a vertical pivoting plane is arranged in the vacuum or processing chamber (1), that a multiple arrangement of identical or different processing units is positioned in the vacuum or processing chamber (1) around the swivel device (2) movable in the vertical swivel plane, that at least one or two substrate holders (3, 4) or carriers are arranged on the pivoting device (2) which are diametrically opposite one another and can be rotated about their own axes, for directly receiving one substrate (5) each, or a substrate (5) which is located in a carrier, wherein the vacuum or processing chamber (1) is equipped with a plurality of flanges for receiving interchangeable flange covers or doors (7; 8; 9; 10) which are positioned in the vertical pivoting plane of the pivoting device (2) around the latter at angular intervals from one another, wherein the flange covers or doors (7; 8; 9; 10) are equipped with process units which are located on the vacuum side when the flange covers or doors (7; 8; 9; 10) are closed, and wherein the flange covers or doors (7; 8; 9; 10) are arranged at least at the top and bottom opposite each other, as well as laterally on at least one side of the vacuum or processing chamber 1, such that that each substrate holder (3; 4) or carrier can be positioned in one of the coating positions with the aid of the pivoting device (2) relative to each flange cover (7; 8; 9; 10) equipped with a process unit, such that that different coating or processing processes can be carried out in the same vacuum or processing chamber (1) for individual or multiple substrates (5) one after the other or for multiple substrates (5) simultaneously with a freely selectable coating direction upwards, downwards or to the side.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a coating machine for conductive or insulating substrates made of any material, such as silicon, glass, ceramic, etc. in a vacuum chamber by sputtering or other coating processes for producing layers or layer systems on the substrates.

[0002] DE 10 2004 036 170 A1 discloses a vacuum coating system and a method for vacuum coating, comprising a horizontally extending vacuum chamber in which a transport device for transporting substrates is located. The vacuum coating system comprises at least one coating area, or two opposing coating areas arranged horizontally for different coating processes, between which the transport device for the substrates to be coated is located. Such a device can be used, in particular, to produce multilayer coatings.

[0003] DE 36 25 700 A1 discloses a sputtering chamber in which an ion beam sputtering system is arranged with an analysis system in a common ultra-high vacuum system. A transport system is provided that can move both the samples and the targets. The analysis system comprises an electron spectrometer and a secondary ion mass spectrometer, which can be used to analyze both the samples and the targets arranged on a rotating disk manipulator. The ion beam sputtering system can also be equipped with a special analysis unit for observing growth processes using laser light.

[0004] From JP 5 059 269 B2 a sputtering chamber is known in which at least one sputtering source is provided with a substantially symmetrical sputtering surface with respect to a central axis and a substrate carrier is used which is driven and rotated about its own substrate carrier axis, wherein the central axis of the sputtering source and the substrate carrier axis are inclined to each other.

[0005] In the two coating areas, a plasma pulse induced chemical vapor deposition (PICVD) device and a sputter coating device are located opposite each other, whereby an electromagnetic shielding or a pressure barrier between the different coating devices is at least partially achieved by the transport device located between them.

[0006] The transport device is cube-shaped, with four substrate holders arranged on its outer surfaces for holding substrates. The transport device can rotate about a vertical axis that runs orthogonally to the substrate holders and the coating devices. During coating, the substrate holders, with the substrates on them, each rotate about their own axis of rotation (subrotation), while the transport device rotates about its vertical axis. This allows the substrates to be moved simultaneously about multiple axes, for example, during plasma coating or sputtering, to eliminate inhomogeneities and thus achieve a uniform coating.

[0007] In addition, several such transport devices can be moved at intervals from one another along a transport path, such as a circular path or an oval or the like, so that the substrates attached thereto can be transported through different coating devices in a common vacuum chamber, whereby the movement possibilities of the substrates described above can also be maintained.

[0008] In order to enable loading and unloading of the transport device with substrates, the vacuum chamber is provided at a suitable location with a loading device, which in the simplest case can be designed as a loading door.

[0009] With such a loading device, it is essential that the vacuum chamber is cooled and ventilated before loading or unloading substrates, or that a gas exchange is carried out to enable safe opening of the vacuum chamber, which leads to additional effort and energy losses.

[0010] A similar device for producing multilayer coatings is disclosed in EP 2 036 998 A1. A plurality of substrates are arranged on a plate-shaped, rotatable, horizontally oriented transport device in a vacuum chamber, distributed around the circumference. The vacuum chamber contains devices for layer deposition, largely separated from one another by diaphragms, such as a sputtering device in the conventional sputter-down process, a plasma source, a cathode sputtering source, heating devices, and devices for supplying process gases, etc.

[0011] The transport device transports the substrates to and through the individual layer deposition devices, allowing multiple passes to achieve greater layer thicknesses. The plasma source is used to modify the structure and / or stoichiometry of the deposited layer through plasma exposure.

[0012] EP 2 735 018 B1 further discloses a method and apparatus for producing low-particle coatings on substrates. The coating of the substrates, which are located on a horizontally oriented turntable, is carried out in a vacuum chamber against the effect of gravity using the so-called sputter-up process. The particles intended for coating are accelerated toward the substrate by an electric field. The distance between the magnetron electrode used for sputtering and the substrate should not be too great, lying between 2 and 10 cm, in order to achieve a homogeneous coating. The advantage of the sputter-up process is that it is primarily the particles intended for coating that are deposited on the substrate, rather than foreign particles that sink to the bottom due to gravity.

[0013] EP 0 563 609 B1 further discloses a device for generating a plasma by means of cathode sputtering and microwave irradiation, in which the sputtering is carried out using so-called sputter-down processes. Here, the particles are deposited on a substrate under the influence of an electric field and with the aid of gravity.

[0014] However, in the conventional method (sputter-up, sputter-down, or sputter-side), only one coating process can be implemented in a vacuum chamber. Therefore, there is a need for coating systems that can perform different coating processes simultaneously or sequentially in the same vacuum chamber.

[0015] Furthermore, co-sputtering systems, e.g. from WO 2009 / 007448 A1, have also become known, in which several plasma coating sources are used.

[0016] In such co-sputtering systems, which feature a confocal source arrangement with four or more sources arranged side by side, the sources are each aligned to a common focus on the substrate to be coated. However, this also immediately means that "multiple vacuum chambers" or multiple focus points are required to enable different coating directions. This, in turn, also immediately means that "multiple carriers or substrate rotators" (rotation stations) are required, resulting in increased financial and technical expenditure.

[0017] State-of-the-art co-sputter systems are characterized by the following features: In a vacuum chamber, sputter sources are aligned either in a "sputter-up", "sputter-down" or "sputter-side" direction, so that either sputtering upwards against gravity, or sputtering downwards in the direction of gravity, as well as sputtering to the side can be carried out, whereby the sputter sources can be controlled individually or in groups.

[0018] A vacuum chamber can also be equipped with a confocal arrangement of typically up to six sputter sources. In this case, more than six confocal sputter sources must be distributed across multiple vacuum chambers or at least directed to more than one focus. This means that multiple carrier / substrate rotation stations are required, which significantly increases the technical and economic complexity.

[0019] The invention is based on the object of creating a modular and multifunctional coating machine for flat conductive or insulating individual substrates made of any material, in which different sputtering processes can be carried out in a common vacuum chamber with the least possible effort and which is easy to convert and thus particularly suitable for laboratory systems or small-scale production.

[0020] The object underlying the invention is achieved in a coating machine of the type mentioned at the outset in that a movable pivoting device rotatable about a horizontal axis in a vertical pivoting plane is arranged in the vacuum or processing chamber, that a multiple arrangement of identical or different processing units is positioned in the vacuum or processing chamber around the pivoting device movable in the vertical pivoting plane, that at least one or two diametrically opposed substrate holders or carriers rotatable about their own axis are arranged on the pivoting device for directly receiving one substrate each, or a substrate located in a carrier, wherein the vacuum or processing chamber is equipped with several flanges for receiving exchangeable flange covers or doors,which are positioned in the vertical pivoting plane of the pivoting device around the pivoting device at angular intervals from one another, wherein the flange covers or doors are equipped with processing units which, when the flange covers or doors are closed, are located on the vacuum side, and wherein the flange covers or doors are arranged at least top and bottom opposite one another, as well as laterally on at least one side of the vacuum or processing chamber, such that each substrate holder or carrier can be positioned in one of the coating positions with the aid of the pivoting device opposite each flange cover equipped with a processing unit, such that different coating or processing processes can be implemented in the same vacuum or processing chamber for individual or multiple substrates one after the other or for multiple substrates simultaneously with a freely selectable coating direction upwards, downwards, or to the side.

[0021] In a further development of the invention, the pivoting device comprises a pair of mutually opposite rotatable substrate holders or carriers, wherein in each case a substrate holder or a carrier can be positioned with the aid of the pivoting device opposite a process unit of a flange cover, or successively in front of different process units in the coating positions.

[0022] In a further embodiment of the invention, the pivoting device has two pairs of substrate holders or carriers arranged opposite one another, wherein the axes of the pairs of substrate holders or carriers intersect, whereby several substrates can be subjected to the same or different coating processes at the same time.

[0023] The substrate holders can additionally be equipped with heating or cooling devices, and / or the substrate holders are designed as bias stations with their own voltage supply.

[0024] In a further development of the invention, each flange cover contains a processing unit, such as an etcher, or a ring fission ion source, or one or more sputter sources, evaporators, or PECVD plasma sources.

[0025] Furthermore, the process units with several sputter sources are each designed as confocal sputter sources.

[0026] In order to achieve a particularly uniform coating, especially with confocal sputter sources, the swivel device with the rotatable substrate holders can be oscillated around the respective coating position.

[0027] Finally, the flange cover located at the bottom of the vacuum chamber is equipped with an evaporator instead of a sputter source or confocal sputter sources.

[0028] The particular advantage of the coating machine according to the invention is that it is suitable for both laboratory operation and small-scale production, and in particular that its modular design allows it to be adapted to current coating tasks at any time with little effort. Furthermore, downward, side, and upward coating is possible with one and the same coating machine.

[0029] Details of the invention can be seen from the accompanying drawing figures. Fig. 1: shows a schematic side view of a modular and multifunctional coating machine according to the invention; and Fig. 2: a schematic plan view of the coating machine according to Fig. 1.

[0030] The coating machine according to the invention comprises a vacuum chamber 1 located in a machine frame 14 with a pivoting device 2 located therein, which is movable in a vertical pivoting plane about a horizontally extending axis 18 by means of a drive 16 located outside the vacuum chamber 1. The associated machine frame 14 stands on a suitable foundation or directly on the floor 15.

[0031] The pivoting device 2 further comprises at least one substrate holder 3 for substrates 5 to be coated, or two diametrically opposed substrate holders 3, 4 for directly receiving one substrate 5 each, or a substrate 5 which is located in a carrier ( Fig. 1). The substrates 5 or the carriers with the substrates 5 therein are held on the substrate holder 3; 4 by means of a substrate or carrier clamp 6.

[0032] The substrates 5 can be flat, curved or even 3-dimensional with any desired outline.

[0033] The substrate holders 3, 4 or carriers are rotatable about their own axes, allowing the substrates 5 clamped therein, or the substrates 5 located in the carriers, to rotate. Furthermore, the substrate holders 3, 4 can be additionally equipped with a heating or cooling device, or as a bias station with its own voltage supply.

[0034] Of course, the pivoting device 2 can also be equipped with a maximum of four substrate holders instead of two opposing substrate holders 3, 4 or carriers, with the axes of the paired substrate holders 3, 4 or carriers intersecting. This allows multiple substrates to be subjected to the same or different coating or processing processes simultaneously.

[0035] The special feature of the coating machine according to the invention is that a multiple arrangement of identical or different process units is provided in the vacuum chamber 1 around the pivoting device 2.

[0036] Furthermore, the vacuum chamber 1 of the coating machine is equipped with several flanges for receiving flange covers or doors 7, specifically at the top and bottom opposite each other as shown in the drawing, as well as laterally on at least one side of the vacuum chamber 1, or on both sides, such that the flange covers 7 are located in the vertically aligned pivoting plane of the pivoting device 2. The pivoting device can pivot by approximately 330°.

[0037] It is understood that instead of three or four flange covers, five or six flange covers in a corresponding arrangement are also possible, in which case a corresponding adjustment of the swivel device 2 may be necessary.

[0038] This makes it possible for a substrate holder 3; 4 or carrier to be aligned with or positioned relative to one of the flange covers 7 using the pivoting device 2, wherein each of the flange covers 7 can contain a process unit, such as an etcher, a ring-split ion source, one or more sputter sources, or PECVD plasma sources, wherein several sputter sources per process unit can each be designed as confocal sputter sources.

[0039] The lower flange cover 7 may also contain an evaporator.

[0040] Additionally, on the side of the vacuum chamber 1 opposite the lateral flange cover 7, another flange cover 8 can be provided, also with a process unit, such as an etcher, a toroidal ion source, a sputter source, a PECVD plasma source, or with corresponding measurement technology, etc. This allows the vacuum chamber 1 to be equipped with the same or different process units as required, thus enabling rapid conversion.

[0041] If, for example, three or four flange covers 7 are each equipped with sputter sources, the three known sputtering processes "sputter-down" in the vacuum chamber 1 at the top, "sputter-up" in the vacuum chamber 1 at the bottom, and "sputter-side" can be implemented in the same coating machine. To do this, the substrates 5 to be coated simply need to be positioned in front of the corresponding sputter sources.

[0042] Of course, it is also possible to position either one substrate 5 or several substrates 5, i.e., two or four substrates 5, depending on the number of substrate holders / carriers on the pivoting device 2, one after the other in front of the corresponding flange covers 7 with process units, wherein at the same time, the pivoting device 2 can perform an alternating pivoting (oscillation around a zero point), superimposed on a rotational movement of the substrate on the substrate holder 3, 4. In this way, layers with a particularly homogeneous structure and uniform layer thickness can be produced on the substrates 5, e.g., during sputtering, in particular with confocal sputtering sources.

[0043] Additionally, additional interchangeable flange covers 9, 10 can be stored with alternative process units, such as evaporators or PECVD plasma sources, allowing for rapid conversion of the coating device after venting the vacuum chamber 1. This makes the coating device according to the invention particularly suitable for laboratory operation for testing sputtering processes or other coating processes under different process conditions, or for small series production.

[0044] Furthermore, the vacuum chamber 1 is provided on one side with a transfer vacuum chamber 11 for the infeed or outfeed of horizontally aligned substrates 5 ( Fig. 1, right) and a vacuum pump 17 to create the required vacuum ( Fig.2). The loading or unloading of substrates 5 always occurs when one of the substrate holders 3, 4 is in the upper position relative to the upper flange cover 7, regardless of what type of process unit is currently located on this flange cover.

[0045] To enable smooth loading and unloading of substrates 5 through the transfer vacuum chamber 11 even when a vacuum prevails in the vacuum chamber 11, a transfer valve 13 is located in front of and behind the transfer vacuum chamber 11. The transfer valve 13 on the right, as shown in the drawing, also establishes a connection to a lock chamber 12 with a carrier / substrate magazine. The transfer valve 13 on the left, as shown in the drawing, establishes the connection to the vacuum chamber 1.

[0046] Instead of the lock chamber 12 with the carrier / substrate magazine, a single carrier / substrate lock chamber or a single carrier / substrate lock with a manual push rod transfer or the like for individual carriers / substrates 5 can also be provided.

[0047] The advantages of the coating machine according to the invention compared to conventional solutions are that sputter-up, sputter-down and sputter-side can be realized simultaneously in one machine, whereby a very large number of sputter sources can be realized using only one vacuum chamber 1 (up to 9 or 12 - 15) and that an unproblematic conversion to other processes or coating methods is possible with little effort.

[0048] The coating machine according to the invention enables a highly modular design because the flange covers 7 and the process units are interchangeable, for example, by exchanging co-sputter covers for parallel source covers for static coatings. It is particularly noteworthy that different processes, such as sputtering / evaporation / PECVD, can be easily combined in the same coating machine.

[0049] The design of the coating machine also allows good accessibility for maintenance and target changes, since the vacuum chamber 1 only needs to be ventilated and the corresponding flange cover 7 needs to be opened.

[0050] In addition, the vacuum chamber 1 can be equipped with a push rod lock or a transfer chamber with a magazine lock.

[0051] Overall, it is an extremely flexible, compact and space-saving system in which minimal equipment can be implemented inexpensively and full equipment is significantly cheaper than a larger multi-chamber system.

[0052] Finally, the installation and use of a linear (rectangular) cleaning ion source is possible, whereby the carrier rotation station can oscillate. List of reference symbols 1 vacuum chamber 2 swivel device 3 substrate holders 4 substrate holders 5 Substrate with or without carrier 6 Substrate or carrier clamping 7 Flange cover / door with process unit 8 Flange cover / door with process unit 9 alternative, interchangeable flange cover with alternative process unit 10 alternative, interchangeable flange cover with alternative process unit 11 Transfer vacuum chamber 12 Lock chamber with substrate / carrier magazine 13 Transfer valve 14 Machine frame 15 Floor 16 Drive for swivel device 17 Vacuum pump 18 Axis

Claims

[1] Coating machine for conductive or insulating substrates made of any material, such as silicon, glass, ceramic, in a vacuum or processing chamber by sputtering, or other coating processes for producing layers or layer systems on the substrates, characterized by , that a pivoting device (2) movable about a horizontal axis (18) in a vertical pivoting plane is arranged in the vacuum or processing chamber (1), that a multiple arrangement of identical or different processing units is positioned in the vacuum or processing chamber (1) around the swivel device (2) movable in the vertical swivel plane, that at least one or two substrate holders (3, 4) or carriers are arranged on the pivoting device (2) which are diametrically opposite one another and can be rotated about their own axes, for directly receiving one substrate (5) each, or a substrate (5) which is located in a carrier, wherein the vacuum or processing chamber (1) is equipped with a plurality of flanges for receiving interchangeable flange covers or doors (7; 8; 9; 10) which are positioned in the vertical pivoting plane of the pivoting device (2) around the latter at angular intervals from one another, wherein the flange covers or doors (7; 8; 9; 10) are equipped with process units which are located on the vacuum side when the flange covers or doors (7; 8; 9; 10) are closed, and wherein the flange covers or doors (7; 8; 9; 10) are arranged at least at the top and bottom opposite each other, as well as laterally on at least one side of the vacuum or processing chamber 1, such that that each substrate holder (3; 4) or carrier can be positioned in one of the coating positions with the aid of the pivoting device (2) relative to each flange cover (7; 8; 9; 10) equipped with a process unit, such that that different coating or processing processes can be carried out in the same vacuum or processing chamber (1) for individual or multiple substrates (5) one after the other or for multiple substrates (5) simultaneously with a freely selectable coating direction upwards, downwards or to the side. [2] Coating machine according to claim 1, characterized byin that the pivoting device (2) has a pair of mutually opposite rotatable substrate holders (3, 4) or carriers, wherein in each case a substrate holder (3; 4) or a carrier can be positioned in the coating positions with the aid of the pivoting device (2) opposite a process unit of a flange cover (7; 8; 9; 10), or successively in front of different process units. [3] Coating machine according to claim 1, characterized by that the pivoting device (2) is equipped with two pairs of substrate holders (3, 4) or carriers which are opposite one another, the axes of the pairs of substrate holders or carriers crossing each other. [4] Coating machine according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by that the substrate holders (3, 4) are equipped with heating or cooling devices. [5] Coating machine according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized bythat the substrate holders 3, 4 are designed as bias stations with their own voltage supply. [6] Coating machine according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by that each flange cover (7; 8; 9; 10) contains a processing unit, such as an etcher, or a ring fission ion source, one or more sputtering sources or PECVD plasma sources. [7] Coating machine according to claim 5, characterized by that process units with several sputter sources are each designed as confocal sputter sources. [8] Coating machine according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by that the pivoting device (2) with the rotatable substrate holders (3, 4) can be oscillated around them in the respective coating position. [9] Coating machine according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized bythat the flange cover (7) located in the lower position of the vacuum chamber (1) is equipped with an evaporator instead of a sputter source or confocal sputter sources.

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