Temperature-controlled shield for evaporation source, material deposition apparatus, and method for depositing material on a substrate.

Abstract

This invention provides an evaporation source for supplying evaporable material to a substrate, which is used in a material deposition apparatus. [Solution] An evaporation source 410 for providing an evaporable material to a substrate 122 in a reduced pressure chamber is provided, comprising a plurality of nozzles including two outermost nozzles 315, wherein the two outermost nozzles are inclined in different directions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001]

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to substrate coating by thermal evaporation in a vacuum chamber. Embodiments of the present disclosure further relate to material deposition of evaporation materials onto a substrate. Multiple embodiments also relate to temperature-controlled deposition of materials onto a substrate.

Background Art

[0002]

[0002] Various techniques for deposition onto a substrate are known, such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and physical vapor deposition (PVD). For deposition at a high deposition rate, thermal evaporation may be used as a PVD process. In thermal evaporation, a source material is heated to generate vapor, for example, which may be deposited onto a substrate. Increasing the temperature of the heated source material increases the vapor concentration and can facilitate a high deposition rate. The temperature for achieving a high deposition rate depends on the physical properties of the source material, such as the vapor pressure as a function of temperature, and the physical limits of the substrate, such as the melting point.

[0003]

[0003] For example, the material to be deposited onto a substrate can be heated in a crucible to generate vapor for a high vapor pressure. The vapor can be transferred from the crucible to a heated vapor distributor having a plurality of nozzles. The vapor can be directed by one or more nozzles, for example, onto a substrate within a coating space in a vacuum chamber.

[0004]

[0004] Deposition of metals by evaporation, such as lithium, onto a flexible substrate, such as a copper substrate, may be used for the manufacture of batteries such as Li-batteries. For example, a lithium layer may be deposited onto a thin flexible substrate for manufacturing an anode of a battery. After assembling an anode layer stack and a cathode layer stack, optionally including an electrolyte and / or separator therebetween, the manufactured layer configuration may be rolled or laminated in other ways to manufacture a Li-battery.

[0005]

[0005] The surfaces of the components, for example, the walls of a vacuum chamber, may be exposed to steam or coated. Frequent maintenance to remove condensates is not practical for mass production, such as web coating on thin foil. Furthermore, if the components of the vacuum chamber are different from the substrate to be coated, expensive coating materials may be wasted.

[0006]

[0006] Furthermore, the material to be deposited is heated to a high temperature, thereby imposing a high thermal load on the substrate to be coated. However, high temperatures can adversely affect the substrate. Therefore, it is beneficial to provide an improved material deposition apparatus to overcome, at least partially, the problems in the art. [Overview of the project]

[0007]

[0007] According to one embodiment, a temperature-controlled shield for an evaporation source is provided. The temperature-controlled shield is configured to provide a preheating zone or a post-cooling zone.

[0008]

[0008] According to one embodiment, a material deposition apparatus is provided for depositing an evaporable material on a substrate. The material deposition apparatus includes one or more temperature-controlled shields according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0009]

[0009] According to one embodiment, a material deposition apparatus is provided for depositing an evaporable material onto a substrate. The material deposition apparatus includes an evaporation source for supplying the evaporable material to the substrate. The evaporation source has a first end and a second end opposite the first end, as well as a surface having a length between the first end and the second end. The material deposition apparatus further includes one or more temperature-controlled shields positioned at least one of the first end or the second end of the evaporation source. The one or more temperature-controlled shields extend outward from the evaporation source. The one or more temperature-controlled shields provide a width of at least 20% of the length of the surface between the first end and the second end of the evaporation source.

[0010]

[0010] According to one embodiment, a material deposition apparatus is provided for depositing an evaporable material on a substrate. The material deposition apparatus includes an evaporation source for supplying the evaporable material to the substrate. The evaporation source has a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The material deposition apparatus further includes one or more temperature-controlled shields located at least one of the first end or the second end of the evaporation source. The one or more temperature-controlled shields extend outward from the evaporation source at a wide angle.

[0011]

[0011] According to one embodiment, a material deposition apparatus is provided for depositing an evaporable material on a substrate. The material deposition apparatus includes a substrate transport device for transporting the substrate along the substrate transport direction, and at least two evaporation sources along the substrate transport direction for supplying the evaporable material to the substrate. Each of the at least two evaporation sources includes one or more asymmetric temperature-controlled shields.

[0012]

[0012] According to one embodiment, an evaporation source is provided for supplying an evaporable material to a substrate in a reduced pressure chamber. The evaporation source includes a nozzle assembly shield having at least one row of nozzles, the row including two outermost nozzles. The two outermost nozzles are inclined in different directions.

[0013]

[0013] According to one embodiment, an evaporation source is provided for supplying an evaporable material to a substrate in a reduced pressure chamber. The evaporation source includes a nozzle assembly shield having a first end and a second end, and a surface facing the substrate between the first end and the second end. The nozzle assembly shield has a plurality of openings arranged in at least one row on the surface between the first end and the second end. The at least one row has a first outermost opening adjacent to the first end, and a second outermost opening adjacent to the second end. The evaporation source further includes a plurality of nozzles extending through the plurality of openings. The plurality of nozzles include a first outermost nozzle extending through the first outermost opening, and a second outermost nozzle extending through the second outermost opening. The first and second outermost nozzles are inclined at an angle with respect to the surface between the first end and the second end.

[0014]

[0014] According to one embodiment, a method is provided for depositing a material on a substrate in a reduced pressure chamber. The method includes evaporating the material in an evaporation source having a vapor release area, and guiding the evaporated material toward a substrate area by a temperature-controlled shield. The substrate area is larger than the vapor release area.

[0015]

[0015] According to one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a battery anode is provided. The method for manufacturing a battery anode includes a method for depositing material on a substrate in a reduced pressure chamber, according to any of the embodiments described herein.

[0016]

[0016] According to one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a battery anode is provided. The method includes inducing a web containing or consisting of an anode layer in a material deposition apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and depositing a lithium-containing material or lithium on the web using a vapor deposition apparatus.

[0017]

[0017] Multiple embodiments also cover an apparatus for implementing the disclosed methods and include apparatus parts for performing each described method aspect. These method aspects can be implemented using hardware components, a computer programmed by appropriate software, any combination of these two, or any other means. Further, embodiments according to the present disclosure also cover a method for operating the described apparatus. This includes method aspects for performing any function of the apparatus.

[0018]

[0018] To better understand the above-described features of the present disclosure in detail, a more detailed description of the present disclosure, briefly summarized above, can be obtained by referring to the embodiments. The accompanying drawings relate to embodiments of the present disclosure and are described in the following description.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] Shows a schematic diagram of a material deposition apparatus according to an embodiment described herein. [Figure 2A] Shows a schematic diagram of a material deposition apparatus according to an embodiment described herein. [Figure 2B] Shows a temperature profile in a substrate according to an embodiment described herein. [Figure 3] Shows a schematic diagram of a material deposition apparatus according to an embodiment described herein. [Figure 4A] Shows a schematic diagram of a material deposition apparatus according to an embodiment described herein. [Figure 4B] Shows a heat load profile in a substrate according to an embodiment described herein. [Figure 5] Shows a flowchart of a method according to an embodiment described herein.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] Reference will now be made in more detail to various embodiments of the present disclosure. One or more examples of these embodiments are illustrated in the drawings. In the following description of the drawings, the same reference numbers refer to the same components. Generally, only the differences between individual embodiments are described. Each example is provided as an illustration of the present disclosure and is not intended to limit the present disclosure. Furthermore, features shown and described as part of one embodiment may be used in other embodiments or in combination with other embodiments, thereby creating yet another embodiment. Such modifications and variations are intended to be included in this description.

[0021]

[0020] The multiple embodiments provided herein relate to thin film coating by evaporation, particularly thin film coating in a reduced pressure chamber. Typically, the material to be coated is heated to a temperature specific to the material being evaporated. Generally, a faster evaporation rate can be provided at a higher temperature. The respective temperatures for a particular coating rate depend, inter alia, on, for example, the material vapor pressure. In a process with a high deposition rate, the heat of condensation of the material may dominate the heat load on the substrate.

[0022]

[0021] In an evaporation system, the evaporating material will condense on the surface of system components having a lower temperature than the evaporating material. In a thermal coating of a substrate, the substrate includes a lower temperature. Thereby, the evaporating material may be coated onto the substrate to form a thin layer on the substrate. However, the coating or material deposition based on the temperature difference between the deposited material and the substrate also provides condensation energy to the substrate. Thus, the condensation energy provided by the deposited material heats the substrate, particularly at the location where the evaporating material hits the substrate directly.

[0023]

[0022] Therefore, it is beneficial to provide a system, apparatus, and method for avoiding the concentration of condensation energy on the substrate to be coated, and a system, apparatus, and method for providing better dispersion of heat, i.e., condensation energy, onto the substrate to be coated.

[0024]

[0023] Figure 1 illustrates material deposition apparatuses according to several embodiments described herein, which may be combined with any other embodiments described herein. The material deposition apparatus 100 may include a depressurization chamber 105. A depressurization chamber may be provided. For example, the material deposition apparatus may include a depressurization pump for providing a depressurization chamber.

[0025]

[0024] As used herein, the term “vacuum” may be understood to mean an industrial vacuum having a vacuum pressure of, for example, less than 10 mbar. Typically, the pressure of a vacuum chamber described herein is about 10 -4 mbar and approximately 10 -8 Between mbar and, more typically, about 10 -4 mbar and approximately 10 -7 Between mbar and, more typically, about 10 -5 mbar and approximately 10 -6 It may be between mbar and mbar. In some embodiments, the total pressure in one or more depressurization chambers is about 10 -4 mbar -7 The range may be in the mbar range. Therefore, the decompression chamber may be a "decompression deposition chamber," that is, a decompression chamber configured for decompression deposition.

[0026]

[0025] According to several embodiments which can be combined with any other embodiments described herein, the material deposition apparatus may include an evaporation source 110. The evaporation source is configured to provide an evaporating material toward the substrate 122. The evaporation source 110 may be located within the vacuum chamber 105, or at least partially located within the vacuum chamber 105.

[0027]

[0026] According to several embodiments which can be combined with any other embodiments described herein, the material deposition apparatus may include a substrate transport device 120. The substrate transport device may be configured to transport a substrate 122. The substrate 122 may be arranged around the substrate transport device 120. The substrate transport device 120 may be a coating drum as illustrated in Figure 1. The coating drum may include a curved drum surface, and the vapor deposition apparatus may be configured to move the substrate 122 on the curved drum surface through an evaporation source 110 in a circumferential direction or in the substrate transport direction D. For example, the substrate may be a flexible web or foil, and the material deposition apparatus may be a roll-to-roll deposition apparatus. The coating drum may be a cylinder extending in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the plane of paper in Figure 1. The substrate transport device may be movable, i.e., the coating drum may be rotated around axis A. The substrate transport device may be moved or rotated clockwise or counterclockwise. The substrate transport device may change direction during loading; for example, if the substrate transport device is rotated clockwise during loading, the direction of rotation may be changed to counterclockwise, and vice versa. The substrate may be moved in the circumferential direction or the substrate transport direction indicated by arrow D in Figure 1.

[0028]

[0027] According to some embodiments which may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the coating drum may be a gas cushion coating drum. The gas cushion coating drum provides a cooling gas between the surface of the drum and the substrate. For example, the drum and the cooling gas may be cooled to below room temperature. Heat may be removed from the substrate to allow for a faster deposition rate without damaging the thin foil or web on which the material is deposited.

[0029]

[0028] In a gas cushion roller, a first subgroup of gas outlets, i.e., open gas outlets, may be provided within the web guidance region of the processing drum. A second subgroup of gas outlets, i.e., closed gas outlets, may be provided outside the web guidance region. Since the gas is released only within the web guidance region where gas is needed to form a hovering cushion, gas is not directly released, or is released very little, in areas where the web does not overlap, thus reducing gas waste and / or allowing better pressure reduction to be maintained with less strain on the pump system.

[0030]

[0029] According to some embodiments which may be combined with other embodiments described herein, in addition to or instead of the subgroup gas outlets, a porous surface may be coated on the outer surface of the processing drum. The porous surface may allow a small amount of cooling gas to flow from the inside of the processing drum to the surface of the processing drum. The cooling gas may form a gas cushion between the processing drum and the web or foil guided onto the processing drum for depositing material thereon.

[0031]

[0030] According to several embodiments which can be combined with any other embodiments described herein, the substrate may be a thin substrate, such as a foil or a web. The substrate to be coated may have a thickness of 50 μm or less, particularly 20 μm or less, or even 10 μm or less. For example, in a vapor deposition apparatus, a metal foil or a foil coated with a flexible metal may be coated. In some mounting configurations, the substrate 10 is a thin copper foil or thin aluminum foil having a thickness of less than 30 μm, for example 10 μm or less.

[0032]

[0031] According to several embodiments which can be combined with any other embodiments described herein, the material deposition apparatus may include a substrate supply roll or unwinding roll (not shown in Figure 1) for providing an untreated substrate. The substrate supply roll or unwinding roll may be moved, i.e., rotated, so that the substrate may be unwound from the substrate supply roll or unwinding roll. Furthermore, the material deposition apparatus may include a substrate receiving roll for winding up the treated substrate after the material has been deposited onto the substrate. The substrate receiving roll may be moved, i.e., the substrate receiving roll may be rotated to wind up the treated substrate. The substrate receiving roll and the substrate supply roll or unwinding roll may be rotated in the same direction, i.e., both rolls may be rotated clockwise, or the substrate supply roll or unwinding roll may be rotated in opposite directions, i.e., one roll may be rotated clockwise and the other roll may be rotated counterclockwise, or vice versa.

[0033]

[0032] However, it should be understood that the substrate conveying device may also be a roll-to-roll conveying device, although not shown in Figure 1. The roll-to-roll conveying device may include an unwinding roll or a substrate supplying roll from which untreated substrate can be supplied. The roll-to-roll conveying device may further include a receiving roll for winding up the treated substrate. The unwinding roll or substrate supplying roll and the receiving roll may each be located in a vacuum chamber separate from the evaporation source, or in the same vacuum chamber as the evaporation source. Between the unwinding roll and the receiving roll, the substrate may be provided near the evaporation source to deposit material onto the substrate. For example, the substrate may "spread out" between the unwinding roll and the receiving roll and be guided onto the evaporation source to receive the evaporated material. For example, the substrate may be subjected to a specified and / or controlled force. A substrate tensioner may be provided.

[0034]

[0033] According to several embodiments which may be combined with any other embodiments described herein, the evaporation source 110 may have a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The first end and the second end may define a space between them. The term “second end opposite the first end” as used throughout this disclosure may be understood as two sides of the evaporation source being arranged side by side. For example, the evaporation source may include a first wall and a second wall extending in the same direction and arranged side by side. The first end and the second end may be understood as side wall limits of the evaporation source. In particular, the first end and the second end may define a surface 119 between them, i.e., a surface which may be substantially perpendicular to the first and second walls of the evaporation source. The surface of the evaporation source may be aligned with a substrate transport device, i.e., the surface 119 of the evaporation source may be oriented to facilitate the provision of material to be deposited.

[0035]

[0034] According to several embodiments which can be combined with any other embodiments described herein, the evaporation source may provide a material to be deposited on the substrate. The evaporation source may include a crucible which can evaporate the material to be deposited by giving the material a temperature suitable for evaporating the material. For example, the material to be deposited may include, for example, metals having a gas phase under given conditions, particularly lithium, metal alloys, and other vaporizable materials. According to further embodiments, additionally or alternatively, the material may include magnesium (Mg), ytterbium (Yb), and lithium fluoride (LiF).

[0036]

[0035] Furthermore, the evaporation source may include a distributor. The distributor may distribute the evaporated material. The material may be provided into the distributor, for example, by connecting a crucible to the distributor through an inlet opening. The distributor may have one or more openings. The evaporated material to be deposited can exit the distributor through the openings. The source material can be deposited onto the substrate 122 by a plurality of nozzles extending through the openings. In other words, the evaporation source may include one or more nozzles for providing the evaporated material to the substrate. The material to be deposited may be sprayed onto the substrate by a plurality of nozzles, for example.

[0037]

[0036] According to several embodiments which can be combined with any other embodiments described herein, a temperature-controlled shield 112 is provided. The temperature-controlled shield is configured to provide a heating zone or a cooling zone, in particular a preheating zone and a post-cooling zone. In particular, the temperature-controlled shield may be configured to provide a preheating zone or a post-cooling zone toward or in the substrate 122 being transported by the substrate transport device 120, i.e., the substrate 122 being transported by the substrate transport device. The temperature-controlled shield 112 may include either a heating device or a cooling device. The temperature-controlled shield may be provided in the evaporation source 110. In particular, one or more temperature-controlled shields may be provided in the evaporation source. The temperature-controlled shield 112 is heatable. Thereafter, when the temperature-controlled shield 112 is heated to an operating temperature, for example, an operating temperature of 500°C or higher in some embodiments, vapor condensation on the temperature-controlled shield 112 may be reduced or prevented.

[0038]

[0037] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the temperature-controlled shield has a width along the transport direction that is at least 10% greater, particularly at least 20% greater, than the corresponding width of the evaporation source. Thus, the deposition of the material is not limited to the area of ​​the evaporation source in the transport direction. Limiting the plume of the material to the area of ​​the evaporation source can result in a rapid rise in the temperature of the substrate. This can result in wrinkles and warping of the substrate, e.g., thin foil or web. Thus, the plume of material from the evaporation source is allowed to spread laterally toward the sides of the evaporation zone, since it has a preheating zone and / or a post-cooling zone. Since the temperature rise is directly correlated with the amount of material deposited, the enlarged shape of the heated shield results in a low deposition rate at the inlet. The deposition rate increases continuously, for example, in the body of the evaporation source, up to the maximum deposition rate. As described herein, the thermal load is provided primarily by condensation energy. Thus, the temperature profile of the web or foil is proportional to the deposition rate. Thus, the temperature profile increases as well as the deposition rate profile described above.

[0039]

[0038] According to several embodiments which can be combined with any other embodiments described herein, the temperature-controlled shield may include a thermal conductive material. The temperature-controlled shield may include a material suitable for contact heating or cooling. For example, the temperature-controlled shield may be made of a metallic material such as stainless steel, Mo, Ta, W, Invar, or other high-temperature materials, or high-temperature metals. (For example, AlN may also be provided as a ceramic with good thermal conductivity.)

[0040]

[0039] According to several embodiments which can be combined with any other embodiments described herein, one or more temperature-controlled shields may be provided at a first end and a second end of the evaporation source. In particular, a first temperature-controlled shield may be provided at the first end of the evaporation source, and a second temperature-controlled shield may be provided at the second end of the evaporation source. Furthermore or alternatively, a first portion of the temperature-controlled shield may be provided at the first end of the evaporation source, and a second portion of the temperature-controlled shield may be provided at the second end of the evaporation source.

[0041]

[0040] In other words, the temperature-controlled shield 112 does not come into contact with the substrate transport device 120. This allows the substrate supported by the substrate transport device 120 to move through the evaporation source 110 and the temperature-controlled shield 112 during material deposition. The temperature-controlled shield 112 only needs to leave a small gap between the temperature-controlled shield 112 and the substrate transport device 120, for example, 5 mm or less, 3 mm or less, 2 mm or less, or even about 1 mm. This prevents any vapor from passing through the temperature-controlled shield and propagating, for example, almost no way laterally.

[0042]

[0041] According to several embodiments which can be combined with any other embodiments described herein, the temperature-controlled shield may extend in a circumferential direction or along the substrate transport direction D. The temperature-controlled shield may include a width dimension along the axis of the substrate transport device 120 and a length dimension in a direction different from the axis of the substrate transport device 120, i.e., in the circumferential direction or the substrate transport direction D.

[0043]

[0042] According to several embodiments which can be combined with any other embodiments described herein, the temperature-controlled shield may extend radially or laterally away from the evaporation source. Hereinafter, such a temperature-controlled shield may also be referred to as an “elongated shield”. For example, the temperature-controlled shield may include a linear portion 113 that extends radially away from or outward from the evaporation source. The temperature-controlled shield or linear portion may be directed away from the evaporation source to the substrate 122. The temperature-controlled shield or linear portion 113 may demarcate a deposition area toward the substrate. The temperature-controlled shield or linear portion may be angled with respect to the evaporation source. For example, the temperature-controlled shield may be positioned at a wide angle α with respect to the evaporation source 110, i.e., with respect to the surface 119 of the evaporation source between the first and second ends of the evaporation source. The wide angle may be between 95° and 180°, particularly between 110° and 140°, and even more particularly between 110° and 130°.

[0044]

[0043] According to several embodiments which may be combined with any other embodiments described herein, the temperature-controlled shield 112 may be bent or may include a bent portion or a bent end 111. The bent portion may be bent relative to the straight portion 113. The bent end 111 may further demarcate the deposition area between the evaporation source and the substrate. The bent portion or bent end may be inclined toward the substrate. That is, the bent end may be closer to the substrate than the straight portion. In other words, the straight portion may have a longer distance from the substrate than the bent end.

[0045]

[0044] According to several embodiments which may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the material deposition apparatus may include a deposition area between the evaporation source 110 and the substrate transport device 120. The deposition area may be understood as the area in which the material to be deposited is supplied to the substrate. The deposition area may be filled with the material to be deposited from the evaporation source and may be laterally restricted by one or more temperature-controlled shields to provide uniform material deposition.

[0046]

[0045] According to several embodiments which may be combined with any other embodiments described herein, one or more temperature-controlled shields may be elongated compared to conventional shields in the art. In particular, the straight portion 113 may be elongated. An elongated temperature-controlled shield may be understood as a shield that covers or surrounds a large surface area of ​​the substrate, thereby providing a larger deposition area compared to a short shield or sidewall in the art. For example, a short shield in the art extends at a 90° angle from the deposition source toward the substrate. Thus, one or more temperature-controlled shields may be located at at least one of the first or second ends of the evaporation source, may extend outward toward the substrate transport device, and may be configured to enlarge the deposition area in particular compared to a straight shield that extends at a 90° angle toward the substrate.

[0047]

[0046] According to some embodiments which can be combined with any other embodiments described herein, one or more temperature shields may each have a length of at least 20% of the length of the surface 119 between the first end and the second end of the evaporation source 110.

[0048]

[0047] According to several embodiments which may be combined with any other embodiments described herein, one or more temperature-controlled shields may be heated. The temperature of the shields may be controlled so as to prevent or avoid condensation of the material to be deposited. If the material to be deposited condenses in the shields, heating one or more temperature-controlled shields may result in re-evaporation of the condensed material. Advantageously, a high deposition yield can be achieved.

[0049]

[0048] Further advantageously, the condensation energy delivered to the substrate by the high-temperature evaporating material may be dispersed over a wide area of ​​the substrate. The temperature-controlled shield may provide a deposition area under a substrate from which the material to be deposited cannot be actively supplied, i.e., under a substrate from which the nozzles of the evaporation source are not located, but from which the material to be deposited can be supplied via the temperature-controlled shield described herein. Thus, when the substrate to be coated is transported along one or more temperature-controlled shields, the material to be deposited may be supplied at a lower rate in the nozzle-free area compared to the rate at which the material is supplied at the location where the nozzles are located, i.e., compared to the rate at which the material is supplied directly by multiple nozzles. Thus, the overall temperature supplied to the substrate by the material is distributed more uniformly over a wider area of ​​the substrate during coating. Thus, temperature-dependent damage to the substrate can be avoided or prevented. In particular, wrinkles in the substrate can be avoided or prevented. Thus, the coating of the substrate is more efficient, resulting in a higher yield of the treated substrate and better quality of the treated substrate.

[0050]

[0049] Further advantageously, a lower coating rate may be provided at the point where the substrate enters the area between the temperature-controlled shield and the substrate transport device. The coating rate may then be slowly increased as the substrate moves toward the evaporation source (i.e., the area facing the evaporation source). Multiple nozzles are arranged in the area facing the evaporation source to provide a more uniform coating of the substrate. If a second temperature-controlled shield is present, the coating rate may be reduced as the substrate moves further toward the second temperature-controlled shield located at the second end of the evaporation source.

[0051]

[0050] In some embodiments which can be combined with any other embodiments described herein and which refer to Figure 2A as an example, the material deposition apparatus 200 may include at least two evaporation sources. The at least two evaporation sources may be arranged in a line with respect to the substrate transport direction indicated by arrow D in Figure 2A. In other words, the at least two evaporation sources may be arranged in a line with respect to the substrate transport direction and may be arranged one in front of the other. The at least two evaporation sources may be evaporation sources as described herein.

[0052]

[0051] According to several embodiments which may be combined with any other embodiments described herein, at least two evaporation sources 110 may each include two asymmetric temperature-controlled shields, or have one asymmetric temperature-controlled shield in which two parts are asymmetric to one another. As used herein, the term “asymmetric” may be understood to mean that the two temperature-controlled shields or the two parts of one temperature-controlled shield may differ in shape and size. Furthermore, it may be understood that the two asymmetric shields or two parts may have different lengths, and that the two asymmetric shields or two parts may extend in different directions, while both extend toward the substrate.

[0053]

[0052] According to several embodiments which can be combined with any other embodiments described herein, the asymmetric temperature-controlled shield may include a first asymmetric temperature-controlled shield 214 and a second asymmetric temperature-controlled shield 216, positioned on either side of each of at least two evaporation sources. The first asymmetric temperature-controlled shield 214 may be a straight shield, i.e., the first asymmetric temperature-controlled shield does not have to include a bent end. The first asymmetric temperature-controlled shield 214 may extend outward from each of the evaporation sources, i.e., the first asymmetric temperature-controlled shield 214 may be positioned at a first end of one of the at least two evaporation sources, at a second end of the other one of the at least two evaporation sources, or vice versa, and one and the other evaporation sources may be positioned adjacent to each other.

[0054]

[0053] According to several embodiments which can be combined with any other embodiments described herein, the second asymmetric temperature-controlled shield 216 may include straight sections and curved ends. The curved ends may be curved away from the substrate or toward other shields. A deposition area is provided between the second asymmetric temperature-controlled shields 216 of adjacent evaporation sources. The second asymmetric temperature-controlled shield 216 may extend inward from each of the evaporation sources, that is, the second asymmetric temperature-controlled shield 216 may be located at a second end of one of the at least two evaporation sources, at a first end of the other one of the at least two evaporation sources, or vice versa, and may extend toward each other. In particular, the curved ends may be curved toward each other, that is, each straight section may be oriented toward the substrate, and each curved end may optionally be oriented away from the substrate. For example, the curved ends may be bent at an angle with respect to the straight section of the second asymmetric temperature-controlled shield.

[0055]

[0054] Advantageously, the open shield design between at least two evaporation sources, as described above, allows for reduced-pressure pumping but may still prevent uneven coating of the material being deposited. Even more advantageously, the asymmetric shield configuration, particularly the arrangement of two second asymmetric temperature-controlled shields as described above, prevents excessive cooling of the substrate between the two evaporation sources where active particle deposition does not occur. Thus, the temperature brought into the material deposition apparatus by the evaporated material can be distributed more uniformly even between the two evaporation sources, and as a result, wrinkles in the substrate, which may be foil, can be effectively prevented or avoided. In other words, the interface between the two evaporation sources, where the substrate is normally cooled because there are no or few material particles present, can be bridged, allowing for uniform coating without damage to the substrate caused by rapid temperature changes between the two evaporation sources.

[0056]

[0055] It should also be understood that three or more evaporation sources may be arranged along the conveying direction of the substrate, and an open shield design, i.e., an asymmetrical shield design having two curved shields facing each other, may be provided between each evaporation source.

[0057]

[0056] The beneficial effects of an open shield design combined with an open shield design between evaporation sources can be illustrated in the drawing of Figure 2B. Figure 2B shows two temperature profiles, where the x-axis is time in seconds and the y-axis is temperature at the substrate in degrees Celsius. The dotted line 234 shows the temperature profile of a material deposition apparatus including four evaporation sources aligned in the substrate transport direction, without an open shield design between evaporation sources. The solid line 232 shows the temperature profile of four evaporation sources aligned in the substrate transport direction, having an open shield design between evaporation sources according to embodiments described herein, i.e., an asymmetric temperature-controlled shield. Both curves show the temperature profile for the same deposition thickness i.e., the overall deposition rate. Each plateau can be considered to be when the substrate is positioned directly above one of the evaporation sources. In other words, the x-axis, representing time, shows the time of a section of substrate moving over the four evaporation sources. Therefore, before reaching the first plateau, the substrate may be considered to be spatially ahead of the first evaporation source, i.e., to the left of the left evaporation source shown in Figure 2A. Due to the first temperature-controlled shield, when the substrate reaches the evaporation source, the slope of the solid curve 232 is flatter than the slope of the dotted curve 234 (in the case of no temperature-controlled shield on the left side of Figure 2A), where an extremely steep slope is detected. Therefore, especially because of the small mass of the substrate, the temperature of the substrate rises in a violent manner when there is no temperature-controlled shield at the evaporation source and remains at a very high level before the temperature drops very rapidly after the substrate has passed the first evaporation source.

[0058]

[0057] In contrast, with evaporation sources having an open shield design, the temperature of the substrate rises slowly and remains at a moderate level. Due to the curved shield between the evaporation sources, a sharp drop in temperature is not detected even if the substrate is not placed directly above the evaporation source, but the temperature remains approximately constant. After material deposition occurs, the temperature drop is smoother and flatter compared to evaporation sources without an open shield design.

[0059]

[0058] Therefore, the temperature of the substrate can be maintained at a more constant and appropriate level. Therefore, heat-related damage to the substrate can be avoided or prevented. Furthermore, temperature changes over time can be reduced, thereby reducing or preventing wrinkles or warping of the substrate.

[0060]

[0059] A material deposition apparatus 300 is provided herein that has an open shield design and a temperature-controlled shield having a heating zone or a cooling zone, which can be combined with any other embodiments described herein and, according to several embodiments with illustrative reference to Figure 3. In other words, the material deposition apparatus shown in Figure 3 can be considered a combination of embodiments shown with reference to Figures 1 and 2A. Thus, the material deposition apparatus includes at least two evaporation sources 310 along the substrate transport direction D below the substrate transport device 120 that transports the substrate 122. The at least two evaporation sources 310 may include a first asymmetric shield (or shield portion) and a second asymmetric shield (or shield portion) positioned on either side of each of the at least two evaporation sources. The first asymmetric shield is a temperature-controlled shield according to several embodiments described herein, i.e., the first asymmetric temperature-controlled shield may be an elongated shield having a straight portion 113 and a curved end 111, for example, as described with reference to Figure 1, to provide, for example, an elongated coating area. The second asymmetric shield is a shield as described with respect to Figure 2A, i.e., the second asymmetric temperature-controlled shield may include a straight portion 216 and a bent portion 217. The bent portion 217 is bent, for example, toward the second asymmetric temperature-controlled shield of another evaporation source among at least two evaporation sources, so as to move away from the substrate.

[0061]

[0060] Continuing the beneficial effects described herein for embodiments described with respect to Figures 1 and 2A, and returning to the temperature profile shown in Figure 2B, a shield design as shown in Figure 3 may result in a flat increase in temperature to the left of the solid line 232 (representing the left side of the leftmost evaporation source) and a flat decrease in temperature to the right. Thus, the coating rate is low at the outermost positions on the left and right of the evaporation source. This allows the overall thermal load, in particular the increase or decrease in thermal load, to be maintained at a moderate level with respect to the complete deposition cycle. In this case, the substrate may pass through all of the evaporation sources arranged in the substrate transport direction.

[0062]

[0061] According to several embodiments which can be combined with any other embodiments described herein, an evaporation source is provided for supplying an evaporable material to a substrate in a vacuum chamber. The evaporation source includes a nozzle assembly shield having a plurality of nozzles arranged in rows. Each row includes two outermost nozzles. The two outermost nozzles are inclined in different directions. One of the rows is shown with respect to the evaporation source 410 shown in Figure 4A. The rows are arranged along axis A of the transport device 120. One or more of the rows, in particular 50% or more of the rows, or more or all of the rows, may have inclined nozzles as shown and described with respect to Figure 4A.

[0063]

[0062] According to several embodiments which can be combined with any other embodiments described herein, the evaporation source may have a first end and a second end, as well as a surface between the first end and the second end. The nozzle assembly shield may include a plurality of openings arranged in at least one row (e.g., multiple rows) on the surface between the first end and the second end. At least one row may have a first outermost opening adjacent to the first end, and a second outermost opening adjacent to the second end.

[0064]

[0063] According to several embodiments which can be combined with any other embodiments described herein, the nozzle assembly shield may include several rows having several openings. The several rows may be arranged on the surface, i.e., parallel to the axis of the coating drum.

[0065]

[0064] According to several embodiments which can be combined with any other embodiments described herein, the nozzles may extend through a plurality of openings. A plurality of nozzles in one row may include a first outermost nozzle extending through a first outermost opening, and a second outermost nozzle extending through a second outermost opening. The first and second outermost nozzles may be inclined by an angle with respect to the surface between the first end and the second end. For example, the first and second outermost nozzles may be inclined by an angle corresponding to angle α, as shown in Figure 1. Furthermore or alternatively, the first and second outermost nozzles may be inclined by an angle between 5° and 25°, particularly between 5° and 15°, and even more particularly between 5° and 10°.

[0066]

[0065] A material deposition apparatus 400 for depositing an evaporable material on a substrate is provided, which can be combined with any other embodiments described herein and which refer to exemplarily to Figure 4A. The material deposition apparatus may include an evaporation source according to the embodiments described herein, i.e., an evaporation source including a nozzle assembly shield as described above. The material deposition apparatus may further include one or more temperature-controlled shields according to any of the embodiments described herein. Thus, the material deposition apparatus 400 may include, for example, an elongated shield i.e., shield 112 having a straight portion 113 and a curved end 111 as described with respect to Figure 1, and any combination of first and second asymmetric shields as described with respect to Figure 2A.

[0067]

[0066] According to several embodiments, the material deposition apparatus may include at least two evaporation sources dispersed along the substrate transport direction D. Each of the at least two evaporation sources may include a distributor and a crucible as described herein. Furthermore, the at least two evaporation sources may include a plurality of openings arranged in at least one row (for example, a plurality of rows extending along the axis of the coating drum). The at least one row extends from each of the at least two evaporation sources from their respective first ends to their respective second ends. The plurality of openings may include a plurality of nozzles 318 for supplying the evaporable material to the substrate. The plurality of openings may include a first outermost opening adjacent to each of the at least two evaporation sources' first ends, and a second outermost opening adjacent to each of their respective second ends. The first and second outermost nozzles may be provided through the first and second outermost openings.

[0068]

[0067] According to several embodiments which can be combined with any other embodiments described herein, the first and second outermost nozzles 315 may be inclined in different directions. For example, each of the first and second outermost nozzles may be inclined in a direction similar to that of a temperature-controlled shield located immediately next to the inclined nozzle. In other words, when an inclined nozzle is located adjacent to a first end, the nozzle may be inclined in a direction similar to that of a temperature-controlled shield located at the first end of the evaporation source, and when an inclined nozzle is located adjacent to a second end, the inclined nozzle may be in a direction similar to that of a temperature-controlled shield located at the second end. More specifically, the inclination angle of each inclined nozzle may be similar to the angles of the respective straight sections 113, 216 of the respective temperature-controlled shields.

[0069]

[0068] The beneficial effects of an inclined nozzle design combined with an open shield design including an elongated temperature-controlled shield, as shown in Figure 4A, can be seen exemplarily in the drawing of Figure 4B. Figure 4B shows two heat loads of an evaporation source in two cases (with and without an inclined nozzle) for each temperature-controlled shield design. The dotted line 438 shows the heat load of the evaporation source without an inclined nozzle, and the solid line 436 shows the heat load of the evaporation source with an inclined nozzle.

[0070]

[0069] In the diagram shown, the x-axis represents the position measured over the entire length of the evaporation source (for example, the entire length of the four evaporation sources dispersed along the substrate transport direction). The y-axis represents the layer thickness standardized to a percentage [%], i.e., the y-axis provides a relative measure of the amount of material deposited on the substrate. In other words, the y-axis provides the percentage of the beneficial layer thickness achieved by the material deposition apparatus. Since the heat load depends on the amount of material deposited on the substrate, the relative layer thickness may provide information about the relative heat load at various locations.

[0071]

[0070] It is beneficial to achieve a high deposition yield, i.e., a layer thickness of 5 to 100 μm. However, the more material deposited on the substrate, the greater the condensation energy provided to the substrate, which raises the temperature of the substrate, and this can damage the substrate, for example, leading to wrinkle formation in the foil substrate. Furthermore, the maximum temperature of the foil is limited by the melting temperature of the material being deposited. In the case of Li, the maximum temperature of the substrate is beneficially considerably lower than the melting temperature of the material (e.g., 20°C lower). In the case of Li, the melting temperature of the material is 180°C. Therefore, during the process, it is beneficial to provide a smooth rise in the temperature of the substrate in order to prevent temperature-related damage to the substrate while still achieving a high deposition rate and, in particular, the same deposited layer thickness.

[0072]

[0071] The solid curve 436 in Figure 4B within box 437 shows that the setting including the inclined nozzle provides a smoother temperature rise compared to the profile of the curve 438 where the nozzle is not inclined. Thus, the combination of temperature-controlled shielding and the use of the inclined outermost nozzle provides a smooth temperature rise while still providing a high deposition yield.

[0073]

[0072] According to several embodiments which can be combined with any other embodiments described herein, a method is provided for depositing a material on a substrate in a reduced pressure chamber. Step 502 involves evaporating the material in an evaporation source having a vapor release area. Step 504 involves guiding the evaporated material toward a substrate area by a temperature-controlled shield, the substrate area being larger than the vapor release area. In some embodiments, the substrate area is larger in the direction of substrate transport. For example, the substrate area outside the release area has a lower deposition rate than the deposition rate within the release area, and in particular, at least 10% of the substrate area outside the release area has a deposition rate at least 50% lower than the deposition rate within the release area. According to some embodiments, the material may be evaporated in an evaporation apparatus according to embodiments of the present disclosure and / or guided by a temperature-controlled shield according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0074]

[0073] Further embodiments provide a method for manufacturing a battery anode. The method may include a method for depositing material on a substrate in a reduced pressure chamber according to any of the embodiments described herein.

[0075]

[0074] Further embodiments provide a method for manufacturing a battery anode. The method may include inducing a web containing or consisting of an anode layer in a material deposition apparatus according to any embodiment described herein, and depositing lithium-containing material or lithium on the web using a vapor deposition apparatus.

[0076]

[0075] According to some embodiments which may be combined with other embodiments described herein, a method for manufacturing a battery anode is such that the web contains or consists of copper. According to some embodiments, the web may further contain graphite and silicon and / or silicon oxide. For example, lithium may be obtained by pre-lithifying the layer containing graphite and silicon and / or silicon oxide.

[0077]

[0076] In particular, the following embodiments are described herein. Embodiment 1. A temperature-controlled shield for an evaporation source, wherein the temperature-controlled shield is configured to provide a preheating zone or a post-cooling zone. Embodiment 2. The temperature-controlled shield is a temperature-controlled shield for an evaporation source of Embodiment 1, comprising one of a heating device or a cooling device. Embodiment 3. The temperature-controlled shield is a temperature-controlled shield for an evaporation source of Embodiment 1 or 2, which is located on the evaporation source and extends outward from the evaporation source. Embodiment 4. The temperature-controlled shield includes a straight section and a curved end, and is a temperature-controlled shield for any one of the embodiments 1 to 3 of the evaporation source. Embodiment 5. The bent end extends in a direction directed toward the substrate support away from the evaporation source, and in particular is substantially parallel to the orientation of the evaporation source, in a temperature-controlled shield for an evaporation source of Embodiment 4. Embodiment 6. The temperature-controlled shield is a temperature-controlled shield for any one of the 1 to 5 embodiments, comprising a thermal conductive material. Embodiment 7. A material deposition apparatus for depositing an evaporable material on a substrate, comprising a temperature-controlled shield of any one of one or more embodiments 1 to 6. Embodiment 8. A material deposition apparatus for depositing an evaporable material on a substrate, An evaporation source for providing the evaporation material to the substrate, the evaporation source having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, and a surface having a length between the first end and the second end, and A material deposition apparatus comprising one or more temperature-controlled shields disposed at at least one of the first end or the second end of the evaporation source, extending outward from the evaporation source and providing a width of at least 20% of the length of the surface between the first end and the second end of the evaporation source. Embodiment 9. A material deposition apparatus for depositing an evaporable material on a substrate, An evaporation source for providing the evaporation material to the substrate, the evaporation source having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, and A material deposition apparatus for depositing an evaporable material on a substrate, comprising one or more temperature-controlled shields disposed at least one of the first end or the second end of the evaporation source, the temperature-controlled shields extending outward at a wide angle from the evaporation source. Embodiment 10. A material deposition apparatus for depositing an evaporable material on any one of the substrates from Embodiments 7 to 9, wherein the wide-angle is between 95° and 180°. Embodiment 11. A material depositing apparatus for depositing an evaporable material on any one of the substrates of Embodiments 7 to 10, wherein the one or more temperature-controlled shields extend toward the substrate transport device and are configured to provide a heating zone or a cooling zone, in particular a preheating zone or a post-cooling zone. Embodiment 12. The material deposition apparatus further includes a substrate transport device positioned above the evaporation source, for depositing an evaporable material on any one substrate from Embodiments 7 to 11. Embodiment 13. A material deposition apparatus for depositing an evaporable material on a substrate, A substrate transport device for transporting the substrate along the substrate transport direction, and A material deposition apparatus for depositing an evaporable material onto a substrate, comprising at least two evaporation sources along the substrate transport direction for providing the evaporable material to the substrate, each of which includes one or more asymmetric temperature-controlled shields. Embodiment 14. A material deposition apparatus for depositing an evaporable material onto a substrate according to Embodiment 13, wherein two of the asymmetric temperature-controlled shields are positioned on either side of each of the at least two evaporation sources, and the two asymmetric temperature-controlled shields extend toward the substrate transport device in different directions. Embodiment 15. A material deposition apparatus for depositing an evaporable material on a substrate according to Embodiment 13 or 14, wherein the second asymmetric temperature-controlled shields of at least two evaporation sources are arranged adjacent to each other, and the second asymmetric temperature-controlled shields are bent away from and / or toward each other. Embodiment 16. A material deposition apparatus for depositing an evaporable material on a substrate of any one of embodiments 13 to 15, wherein the first asymmetric temperature-controlled shield is a temperature-controlled shield of any one of embodiments 1 to 6. Embodiment 17. The material deposition apparatus further comprises a depressurized chamber housing at least the temperature-controlled shield, for depositing an evaporable material on any one of the substrates in Embodiments 7 to 16. Embodiment 18. A material deposition apparatus of any one of embodiments 7 to 16, when indirectly or directly dependent on embodiment 13, wherein two of the asymmetric temperature-controlled shields are configured to provide material between the at least two evaporation sources and / or to provide a deposition area from a first end of the first evaporation source to a second end of the second evaporation source. Embodiment 19. An evaporation source for providing an evaporable material to a substrate in a reduced pressure chamber, comprising a nozzle assembly shield having at least one row of nozzles, wherein the row includes two outermost nozzles inclined in different directions. Embodiment 20. An evaporation source for providing an evaporable material to a substrate in a reduced pressure chamber, A nozzle assembly shield having a first end and a second end and a surface facing the substrate between the first end and the second end, wherein the surface between the first end and the second end has a plurality of openings arranged in at least one row, the at least one row having a first outermost opening adjacent to the first end and a second outermost opening adjacent to the second end, and An evaporation source comprising a plurality of nozzles extending through the plurality of openings, including a first outermost nozzle extending through the first outermost opening and a second outermost nozzle extending through the second outermost opening, wherein the first outermost nozzle and the second outermost nozzle are inclined at a certain angle with respect to the surface between the first end and the second end. Embodiment 21. The evaporation source of Embodiment 20, wherein the aforementioned angle is between 5° and 25°, particularly between 5° and 15°, and even more particularly between 5° and 10°. Embodiment 22. The material deposition apparatus is a material deposition apparatus for depositing an evaporable material on any one of the substrates from Embodiments 7 to 18, comprising at least one evaporation source from Embodiments 19 to 21. Embodiment 23. A method for depositing a material on a substrate in a reduced pressure chamber, Evaporating the material in an evaporation source having a vapor release area, and A method comprising guiding an evaporating material toward a substrate area by a temperature-controlled shield, wherein the substrate area is larger than the vapor release area. Embodiment 24. The method of embodiment 23, wherein the substrate area is larger in the conveying direction of the substrate. Embodiment 25. The method of Embodiment 23 or 24, wherein the substrate area outside the discharge area has a deposition rate lower than the deposition rate within the discharge area, and in particular, at least 10% of the substrate area outside the discharge area has a deposition rate at least 50% lower than the deposition rate within the discharge area. Embodiment 26. A method for manufacturing a battery anode, comprising a method for depositing material on a substrate in a reduced pressure chamber in any one of embodiments 23 to 25. Embodiment 27. A method for manufacturing a battery anode, In any one of the material deposition apparatuses in Embodiments 7 to 18, a web containing or consisting of an anode layer is introduced, and A method comprising depositing a lithium-containing material or lithium onto the web using the material deposition apparatus. Embodiment 28. The method of Embodiment 27, wherein the web contains copper. Embodiment 29. The method according to Embodiment 27, wherein the web comprises graphite and silicon and / or silicon dioxide. Embodiment 30. The method of Embodiment 29, wherein the anode layer is pre-lithified.

[0078]

[0077] The above description applies to embodiments of the present disclosure, but other embodiments and further embodiments of the present disclosure can be devised without departing from the basic scope of the present disclosure, and the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A temperature-controlled shield for an evaporation source, wherein the temperature-controlled shield is configured to provide a preheating zone or a post-cooling zone.

2. The temperature-controlled shield for an evaporation source according to claim 1, wherein the temperature-controlled shield includes one of a heating device or a cooling device.

3. The temperature-controlled shield for an evaporation source according to claim 1, wherein the temperature-controlled shield is located on the evaporation source and extends outward from the evaporation source.

4. The temperature-controlled shield for an evaporation source according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the temperature-controlled shield includes a straight portion and a curved end.

5. The temperature-controlled shield for an evaporation source according to claim 4, wherein the bent end extends in a direction toward a substrate support away from the evaporation source.

6. A material deposition apparatus (100) for depositing an evaporable material on a substrate, A material deposition apparatus (100) comprising one or more temperature-controlled shields according to any one of claims 1 to 3 and 5.

7. A material deposition apparatus (100) for depositing an evaporable material on a substrate, An evaporation source (110) for providing the evaporation material to the substrate, the evaporation source having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, and a surface having a length between the first end and the second end, and A material deposition apparatus (100) comprising one or more temperature-controlled shields disposed at least one of the first end or the second end of the evaporation source, extending outward from the evaporation source and providing a width of at least 20% of the length of the surface between the first end and the second end of the evaporation source.

8. A material deposition apparatus (100) for depositing an evaporable material on a substrate, An evaporation source (110) for providing the evaporation material to the substrate, the evaporation source having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, and A material deposition apparatus (100) for depositing an evaporable material on a substrate, comprising one or more temperature-controlled shields disposed at least one of the first end or the second end of the evaporation source, the temperature-controlled shields extending outward at a wide angle from the evaporation source.

9. A material deposition apparatus (100) for depositing an evaporable material on a substrate according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the one or more temperature-controlled shields extend toward a substrate transport device and are configured to provide a heating zone or a cooling zone.

10. A material deposition apparatus (200) for depositing an evaporable material on a substrate, A substrate transport device (120) for transporting the substrate along the substrate transport direction, and A material deposition apparatus (200) for depositing an evaporable material onto a substrate, comprising at least two evaporation sources (110) along the substrate transport direction for providing the evaporable material to the substrate, each of which includes one or more asymmetric temperature-controlled shields.

11. A material deposition apparatus (200) for depositing an evaporable material onto a substrate according to claim 10, wherein two of the asymmetric temperature-controlled shields are positioned on either side of each of the at least two evaporation sources, and the two asymmetric temperature-controlled shields extend toward the substrate transport device in different directions.

12. A material deposition apparatus (200) for depositing an evaporable material on a substrate according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the second asymmetric temperature-controlled shields of at least two evaporation sources are arranged adjacent to each other, and the second asymmetric temperature-controlled shields have one configuration from the group consisting of a configuration that is bent away from the substrate and a configuration that is bent toward each other.

13. A material deposition apparatus (200) for depositing an evaporable material on a substrate according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the first asymmetric temperature-controlled shield is the temperature-controlled shield according to claim 1.

14. A material deposition apparatus for depositing an evaporable material on a substrate according to any one of claims 6 to 8 and 10 or 11, wherein two of the asymmetric temperature-controlled shields are configured to perform one of the following: providing a material between the at least two evaporation sources and providing a deposition area from a first end of the first evaporation source to a second end of the second evaporation source.

15. An evaporation source for providing an evaporable material to a substrate in a reduced pressure chamber, An evaporation source comprising a nozzle assembly shield having at least one row of nozzles, the row comprising two outermost nozzles inclined in different directions.

16. An evaporation source for providing an evaporable material to a substrate in a reduced pressure chamber, A nozzle assembly shield having a first end and a second end and a surface facing the substrate between the first end and the second end, wherein the surface between the first end and the second end has a plurality of openings arranged in at least one row, the at least one row having a first outermost opening adjacent to the first end and a second outermost opening adjacent to the second end, and An evaporation source comprising a plurality of nozzles extending through the plurality of openings, including a first outermost nozzle extending through the first outermost opening and a second outermost nozzle extending through the second outermost opening, wherein the first outermost nozzle and the second outermost nozzle are inclined at a certain angle with respect to the surface between the first end and the second end.

17. An evaporation source for providing an evaporable material to a substrate in a reduced pressure chamber according to claim 16, wherein the aforementioned angle is between 5° and 25°.

18. A method for depositing a material on a substrate in a reduced pressure chamber, Evaporating the material in an evaporation source having a vapor release area, and A method for depositing a material on a substrate in a reduced pressure chamber, comprising guiding an evaporating material toward a substrate area by a temperature-controlled shield, wherein the substrate area is larger than the vapor release area.

19. The method for depositing material on a substrate in a reduced pressure chamber according to claim 18, wherein the substrate area is larger in the direction of transporting the substrate.

20. A method for depositing a material on a substrate in a reduced pressure chamber according to claim 18 or 19, wherein the substrate area outside the discharge area has a deposition rate lower than the deposition rate in the discharge area, and in particular, at least 10% of the substrate area outside the discharge area has a deposition rate at least 50% lower than the deposition rate in the discharge area.

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