Vapor deposition apparatus and method for coating a substrate in a vacuum chamber - Patents.com

Abstract

A vapor deposition apparatus is described. The vapor deposition apparatus includes a substrate support for supporting a substrate to be coated, a vapor source with multiple nozzles for directing vapor toward the substrate support through a vapor propagation space, and a heatable shield extending from the vapor source toward the substrate support. The heatable shield at least partially encloses the vapor propagation space and includes an edge exclusion portion for masking areas of the substrate that will not be coated. The substrate support can be a rotatable drum with a curved drum surface, and the vapor deposition apparatus can be configured to move the substrate on the curved drum surface circumferentially past the vapor source.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001]

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to coating a substrate by thermal evaporation in a vacuum chamber. Embodiments of the present disclosure further relate to deposition of one or more coating strips onto a flexible substrate, for example via evaporation on a flexible metal foil. In particular, embodiments relate to deposition of lithium onto a flexible foil, for example for the manufacture of Li batteries. In particular, embodiments relate to a vapor deposition apparatus, a method for coating a substrate in a vacuum chamber, and a method for setting up the vapor deposition apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002]

[0002] Various techniques are known for deposition onto a substrate, such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and physical vapor deposition (PVD). For deposition at high deposition rates, thermal evaporation can be used as a PVD process. For thermal evaporation, a source material is heated to generate a vapor that can be deposited onto the substrate. Increasing the temperature of the heated source material can increase the vapor concentration and promote a high deposition rate. The temperature to achieve 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 limitations of the substrate, such as the melting point.

[0003]

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

[0004]

[0004] Deposition of metals (e.g. lithium) onto flexible substrates (e.g. copper substrates) by evaporation can be used to manufacture batteries such as Li-batteries. For example, a lithium layer can be deposited onto a thin flexible substrate to produce the anode of the battery. After assembling the anode layer stack and the cathode layer stack, optionally with an electrolyte and / or separator between them, the produced layer configuration can be rolled or otherwise laminated to produce a Li-battery.

[0005]

[0005] Surfaces of components, such as the vacuum chamber walls of a vacuum chamber, are exposed to vapor and can become coated. Frequent maintenance to remove condensation is not practical for high volume manufacturing, such as web coating on thin foils. Furthermore, expensive coating materials can be wasted when components of the vacuum chamber other than the substrate are coated.

[0006]

[0006] In addition, it is generally difficult to deposit a layer with precisely defined sharp edges on a substrate by evaporation, especially when the vapor is a metal vapor and the nozzle provides a large plume divergence. Shadowing effects on the shield configuration and material condensation can lead to poorly defined layer edges on the substrate and / or material deposition on areas of the substrate that are kept free of coating material.

[0007]

[0007] It would therefore be beneficial to have a vapor deposition apparatus and method for coating a substrate in a vacuum chamber, which can reduce maintenance cycles while allowing for sharp edges of the coating layer on the substrate and coating-free substrate edges, even if the substrate is flexible or curved. Furthermore, the utilization of source material is advantageously improved, which can reduce production costs and improve layer quality. Summary of the Invention

[0008]

[0008] In view of the above, there is provided a vapor deposition apparatus, a method for coating a substrate in a vacuum chamber, and a method for installing the vapor deposition apparatus according to the independent claims. Further aspects, advantages and features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the description, and the accompanying drawings.

[0009] According to one aspect, a vapor deposition apparatus is provided that includes a substrate support for supporting a substrate to be coated, a vapor source with a plurality of nozzles for directing vapor toward the substrate support through a vapor propagation volume, and a heatable shield extending from the vapor source toward the substrate support and at least partially enclosing the vapor propagation volume, the heatable shield including an edge exclusion portion for masking an area of ​​the substrate not to be coated.

[0010]

[0010] The edge exclusion portion may be positioned at a distance from the substrate support, i.e., out of contact with the substrate support, such that the substrate support with the substrate supported thereon may pass through the heatable shield and through the vapor source during vapor deposition. Specifically, the heat shield may be attached to the vapor source and protrude toward the substrate support, such that the edge exclusion portion of the heatable shield is held at a close distance (e.g., 2 mm or less) from the substrate support.

[0011] According to one aspect, a vapor deposition apparatus is provided that includes a substrate support for supporting a substrate to be coated, the substrate support being a rotatable drum with a curved drum surface, a vapor source with a plurality of nozzles for directing vapor through a vapor propagation space toward the curved drum surface, and a heatable shield extending from the vapor source toward the curved drum surface and at least partially enclosing the vapor propagation space, the heatable shield defining a coating window on the curved drum surface.

[0012] According to one aspect, a method for coating a substrate in a vacuum chamber is provided, the method including moving the substrate circumferentially on a curved drum surface of a rotatable drum past a vapor source, directing vapor from the vapor source through a vapor propagation space toward a substrate supported on the curved drum surface, and heating a heatable shield extending from the vapor source toward the curved drum surface and at least partially enclosing the vapor propagation space.

[0013] According to one aspect, a method for coating a substrate in a vacuum chamber is provided, the method including supporting a substrate on a substrate support, directing vapor from a vapor source through a vapor propagation space toward a substrate supported on the substrate support, heating a heatable shield at least partially surrounding the vapor propagation space, and masking areas of the substrate not to be coated with an edge exclusion portion of the heatable shield.

[0014]

[0014] In the methods described herein, the heatable shield is heated to a temperature (also referred to herein as the "operation temperature") to prevent or at least reduce vapor condensation on the heatable shield. Rather, vapor impinging on the heatable shield may be re-evaporated and / or reflected. Thus, the "heatable shield" may also be referred to herein as a "temperature-controlled shield" because the temperature of the heatable shield may be set to a predetermined operating temperature during vapor deposition to reduce or prevent vapor condensation on the heatable shield.

[0015] According to one aspect, a method for installing a vapor deposition apparatus is provided that includes providing a rotatable drum with a curved drum surface for supporting a substrate and a vapor source for directing vapor toward the curved drum surface, and mounting a heatable shield such that the heatable shield extends from the vapor source toward the curved drum surface and defines a coating window, the heatable shield including an edge exclusion portion that extends circumferentially along and follows the curvature of the curved drum surface.

[0016] According to one aspect, there is provided a method of producing a coated substrate in a vapor deposition apparatus according to any of the embodiments described herein, the method including supporting a substrate on a substrate support of the vapor deposition apparatus and directing vapor from a vapor source of the vapor deposition apparatus toward the substrate to deposit one or more coating strips on the substrate.

[0017]

[0017] The embodiments are also directed to apparatus for carrying out the disclosed methods, including apparatus parts for carrying out each method aspect described. These method aspects may be carried out by hardware components, a computer programmed by appropriate software, any combination of the two, or any other manner. Furthermore, embodiments according to the present disclosure are also directed to methods for manufacturing the described apparatus and products, as well as methods of operating the described apparatus. The described embodiments include method aspects for carrying out all the functions of the described apparatus.

[0018]

[0018] In order that the above-mentioned features of the present disclosure may be understood in detail, a more particular description of the present disclosure briefly summarized above may be had by reference to the embodiments. The accompanying drawings relate to the embodiments of the present disclosure and are described below. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1]1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a vapor deposition apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a coated substrate produced according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] 1 shows a schematic diagram of a vapor deposition apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a heatable shield of a vapor deposition apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5A] 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a vapor deposition apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in which the heatable shield is unheated. [Figure 5B] 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a vapor deposition apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in which the heatable shield has been heated to an operating temperature. [Figure 6] 1 shows a partial cross-sectional view of a vapor deposition apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] 1 shows a flow chart illustrating a method for coating a substrate in a vacuum chamber according to embodiments described herein. [Figure 8] 1 shows a flow chart for setting up a vapor deposition apparatus according to embodiments described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020]

[0019] Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present disclosure, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the figures. In the following description of the drawings, like reference numerals represent like components. Only the differences with respect to the individual embodiments will be described. Each example is provided as an explanation of the disclosure, and is not intended to limit the disclosure. Moreover, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used on or in conjunction with other embodiments to yield still further embodiments. The description is intended to include such modifications and variations.

[0021]

[0020] In the following description of the drawings, the same reference numbers refer to the same or similar components. Generally, only differences related to individual embodiments are described. Unless otherwise specified, the description of a part or aspect in one embodiment also applies to the corresponding part or aspect in another embodiment.

[0022]

[0021] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an apparatus and method for coating by evaporation in a vacuum chamber are provided. To deposit a substrate with a source material by evaporation, the source material can be heated inside a vapor source (e.g., inside a crucible of the vapor source) above the evaporation or sublimation temperature of the source material. The embodiment of the present disclosure can result in reduced condensation on surfaces other than the substrate surface, thus reducing cleaning efforts and material waste due to stray coating in the vacuum chamber. In addition, the embodiment of the present disclosure provides a well-defined and sharp coating layer edge on the substrate, even if the substrate is flexible and / or in a curved state during vapor deposition. Furthermore, the embodiment disclosed herein allows for accurate substrate edge masking, even if the substrate is coated while placed on a moving substrate support (especially on a curved drum surface of a coating drum).

[0023]

[0022] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a vapor deposition apparatus 100 according to an embodiment described herein. The vapor deposition apparatus 100 includes a substrate support 110 for supporting a substrate 10 to be coated. The vapor deposition apparatus 100 further includes a vapor source 120 with a plurality of nozzles 121 for directing vapor 15 toward the substrate support 110 through a vapor propagation space 20. The vapor propagation space 20 can be understood as a volume or space between the vapor source 120 and the substrate support, where the vapor is directed by the plurality of nozzles 121. It is beneficial if at least a majority of the vapor emitted by the plurality of nozzles 121 is confined within the vapor propagation space 20, i.e., within a defined space downstream of the plurality of nozzles 121, to reduce or avoid stray coating of other components within the vacuum chamber but outside the vapor propagation space 20, for example, of the vacuum chamber wall.

[0024] In some embodiments described herein, the substrate support 110 is movable so that the substrate 10 passes the vapor source 120 during vapor deposition. Accurate masking of the areas of the substrate 10 that are to be kept free of coating material, in particular the substrate edges (also referred to herein as “edge exclusion”), is challenging, especially when the substrate passes the vapor source 120 during vapor deposition.

[0025]

[0024] In some implementations, the substrate support 110 is a rotatable drum with a curved drum surface 111, and the vapor deposition apparatus is configured to move the substrate 10 on the curved drum surface 111 in a circumferential direction T past the vapor source 120. For example, the substrate can be a flexible web or foil, and the vapor deposition system can be a roll-to-roll deposition system. Accurate masking of areas of the substrate that are not to be coated is particularly challenging when the substrate moves and is supported on the curved drum surface 111 during vapor deposition, because the distance between the vapor source and the substrate support on which the substrate is supported can vary in the circumferential direction T due to the curvature of the curved drum surface 111.

[0026]

[0025] As used herein, the "circumferential direction T" may be understood as the direction along the circumference of the coating drum, which corresponds to the direction of movement of the curved drum surface 111 as the coating drum rotates about the axis A. The circumferential direction corresponds to the substrate transport direction as the substrate moves past the vapor source 120 on the curved drum surface. In some embodiments, the coating drum may have a diameter ranging from 300 to 1400 mm or more. As already mentioned above, confining the vapor in the vapor propagation space 20 and ensuring the shielding of the vapor 15 downstream of the multiple nozzles 121 for providing a precisely defined and sharp layer edge is particularly challenging when flexible substrates moving on a curved drum surface are coated, since in this case the vapor propagation space and the coating window may have a complex shape. The embodiments described herein allow reliable and accurate edge exclusion and material shielding even in vapor deposition apparatuses configured to coat web substrates provided on a curved drum surface.

[0027]

[0026] The vapor deposition apparatus 100 may be a roll-to-roll deposition system for coating flexible substrates, such as foils. The substrates to be coated may have a thickness of 50 μm or less, in particular 20 μm or less, or even 6 μm or less. For example, metal foils or flexible metal-coated foils may be coated in the vapor deposition apparatus. In some embodiments, the substrate 10 is a thin copper foil or a thin aluminum foil having a thickness of less than 30 μm, for example 6 μm or less. The substrate may also be a thin metal foil (for example, a copper foil) coated with graphite, silicon and / or silicon oxide, or a mixture thereof, for example with a thickness of 150 μm or less, in particular 100 μm or less, or even 50 μm or less. According to some embodiments, the web may further comprise graphite and silicon and / or silicon oxide. For example, lithium may pre-lithiate a layer comprising graphite and silicon and / or silicon oxide.

[0028]

[0027] In a roll-to-roll vapor deposition system, a substrate 10 is unwound from a storage spool and at least one or more layers of material can be vapor deposited on the substrate while the substrate is guided over a curved drum surface 111 of a coating drum and the coated substrate can be wound onto a take-up spool after deposition and / or coated in a further deposition device.

[0029]

[0028] According to the embodiments described herein, the vapor deposition apparatus further includes a heatable shield 130 extending from the vapor source 120 toward the substrate support 110 and at least partially surrounding the vapor propagation space 20. In particular, the heatable shield 130 can be mounted to the vapor source 120, for example, on the periphery of the vapor source 120, or on another stationary support in the vacuum chamber, and can extend from the vapor source 120 toward the substrate support 110. The heatable shield 130 can be mounted stationary in the vacuum chamber of the vapor deposition apparatus. That is, the heatable shield does not move with the substrate support 110. The heatable shield 130 can be shaped such that the heatable shield at least partially or entirely surrounds the vapor propagation space 20, and propagation of the vapor 15 outside the vapor propagation space can be reduced or prevented. In other words, the heatable shield 130 can form a sidewall of the vapor propagation space 20 and confine the vapor 15, or at least a majority of it, within the vapor propagation space. Stray coatings on the outer surfaces of the vapor propagation space 20 that are surrounded (at least partially or entirely) by the heatable shield may be reduced, making cleaning of the apparatus easier.

[0030]

[0029] In particular, the heatable shield 130 may be arranged on at least two opposite lateral sides of the vapor propagation space 20, as shown diagrammatically in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 1. The vapor may be prevented from escaping from the vapor propagation space 20 towards the left and right side of FIG. 1, i.e. in a lateral direction L extending along the axis A of the coating drum. In addition, in some embodiments, the heatable shield 130 may also be arranged on at least one of the substrate inlet side (defining the substrate inlet wall of the vapor propagation space 20) and the substrate outlet side (defining the substrate outlet wall of the vapor propagation space 20) of the vapor propagation space 20 (not shown in FIG. 1, but seen in FIG. 4, where the heatable shield also provides a shielding wall on the substrate outlet side 137 of the vapor propagation space 20). When two or more vapor sources are arranged adjacent to each other on the circumference of the coating drum (see FIG. 3), the two or more vapor propagation spaces of the two or more vapor sources may not be completely separated from each other by the heatable shield. That is, the heatable shield may have a partially open sidewall 138 at the interface between two adjacent vapor sources, or may have no sidewall (see FIG. 4).

[0031] 1, the heatable shield 130 does not contact the substrate support 110 so that the substrate supported on the substrate support 110 can move past the vapor source 120 and past the heatable shield 130 during vapor deposition. The heatable shield 130 only needs to leave a small gap between the heatable shield 130 and the substrate support 110, such as a gap of 5 mm or less, 3 mm or less, 2 mm or less, or even about 1 mm or less, so that vapor is substantially unable to propagate in the lateral direction L through the heatable shield.

[0032]

[0031] Because the heatable shield 130 is heatable, vapor condensation on the heatable shield 130 can be reduced or prevented when the heatable shield 130 is heated to an operating temperature (e.g., in some embodiments, an operating temperature of 500°C or more). Preventing vapor condensation on the heatable shield 130 is beneficial because it can reduce cleaning efforts. Furthermore, a coating on the heatable shield 130 can change the size of the coating window provided by the heatable shield. In particular, when a gap of only a few millimeters, for example in the range of about 1 mm or less, is provided between the heatable shield 130 and the substrate support 110, a coating on the heatable shield will result in a change in the gap size and thus an undesirable change in the edge shape of the coating layer deposited on the substrate. Furthermore, the utilization of the source material can be improved when the source material does not accumulate on the heatable shield. Specifically, essentially all of the source material propagating inside the vapor propagation space 20 can be used to coat the substrate surface when the heatable shield is heated to an operating temperature that may exceed the vapor condensation temperature.

[0033]

[0032] As used herein, "vapor condensation temperature" may be understood as a threshold temperature of the heatable shield, at which the vapor 15 no longer condenses on the heatable shield. The operating temperature of the heatable shield 130 may be the vapor condensation temperature or may be (slightly) higher. For example, the operating temperature of the heatable shield may be between 5°C and 50°C higher than the vapor condensation temperature to avoid excessive heat radiation towards the substrate support. It should be noted that the vapor condensation temperature may depend on the vapor pressure. Since the vapor pressure downstream of the multiple nozzles 121 in the vapor propagation space 20 is lower than the source pressure inside the crucible 160 and / or inside the distributor 161 of the vapor source 120, the vapor inside the vapor source 120 may already condense at a lower temperature than the vapor 15 inside the vapor propagation space 20. As used herein, "vapor condensation temperature" relates to the temperature of the heatable shield downstream of the multiple nozzles in the vapor propagation space 20, which avoids vapor condensation on the heatable shield. As used herein, "evaporation temperature" refers to the temperature inside the vapor source 120 upstream of the nozzles 121 where the source material is evaporated. The evaporation temperature inside the vapor source 120 is typically higher than the vapor condensation temperature in the vapor propagation space 20. For example, the evaporation temperature inside the vapor source may be set to a temperature above 600°C. Meanwhile, the vapor condensation temperature downstream of the nozzles 121 may be below 600°C, e.g., between 500°C and 550°C, when lithium is evaporated. In the embodiments described herein, the temperature inside the vapor source is 600°C or higher, and the operating temperature of the heatable shield may be set to below 600°C, e.g., between 500°C and 550°C, during vapor deposition.

[0034]

[0033] The vapor impinging on the heatable shield, provided for example with an operating temperature of 500°C to 550°C, is immediately re-evaporated or reflected from the heatable shield surface, so that each vapor molecule ends up on the substrate surface, rather than on the heatable shield surface. Material accumulation on the heatable shield can be reduced or prevented, and cleaning efforts can be reduced.

[0035]

[0034] The "heatable shield" may also be referred to herein as a "temperature-controlled shield" because the temperature of the heatable shield may be set to a predetermined operating temperature during vapor deposition to reduce or prevent vapor condensation on the heatable shield. In particular, the temperature of the heatable shield may be controlled to be maintained within a predetermined range. A controller and a respective heating device controlled by the controller may be provided to control the temperature of the heatable shield during vapor deposition.

[0036]

[0035] According to the embodiment described herein, the heatable shield 130 includes an edge exclusion portion 131 for masking the area of ​​the substrate that is not to be coated. In particular, a front part of the heatable shield 130, which is arranged close to the substrate support 110 and may provide its protruding free end, may be configured as an edge exclusion mask for masking the area of ​​the substrate, such as the substrate edge, that is to be kept free of coating material. In particular, in the lateral direction L, one or two opposite lateral substrate edges 11 may be kept free of coating material due to the edge exclusion portion 131 of the heatable shield 130 acting as an edge exclusion mask. To be able to act as an edge exclusion mask, the edge exclusion portion 131 needs to be arranged at a close distance from the substrate during vapor deposition, in particular at a distance of 2 mm or less or 1.5 mm or less, in particular about 1 mm or less (e.g. 1 mm ± 20%). Since the thickness of the substrate is typically 50 μm or less, in particular between 6 μm and 10 μm, the distance between the substrate and the edge exclusion portion essentially corresponds to the distance between the substrate support and the edge exclusion portion, so that the thickness of the substrate can be neglected in this respect. A gap between the edge exclusion portion 131 and the substrate of 2 mm or more during deposition may already result in significant vapor propagation into the gap from a far-located nozzle with a large plume divergence, preventing edge exclusion and providing a graded layer edge and coated substrate edge.

[0037]

[0036] According to the embodiments described herein, when the heatable shield is heated to the operating temperature, the distance D between the edge exclusion portion 131 and the substrate support 110 is typically 2 mm or less, in particular 1 mm or less. Thus, the edge exclusion portion 131 of the heatable shield 130 can act as an edge exclusion mask, masking the substrate edge and providing a sharp and well-defined coating layer edge. For example, the coating layer thickness can drop from 100% to 1% or less at the lateral coating layer edge in a range of 3 mm or less in the lateral direction L.

[0038]

[0037] The dimensions of the heatable shield 130 may expand when the heatable shield is heated from room temperature (about 20°C) to an operating temperature (e.g., to an operating temperature of 500°C or higher). Thus, due to thermally induced expansion, the edge exclusion portion 131 may move closer toward the substrate support 110 during heating of the heatable shield. According to embodiments described herein, the heatable shield 130 is shaped and mounted such that when the heatable shield is heated to an operating temperature, e.g., between 500°C and 600°C, the width of the gap between the edge exclusion portion 131 and the substrate support 110 is reduced to an essentially constant gap width of 2 mm or less, in particular about 1 mm.

[0039] According to the embodiments described herein, the maximum distance D between the edge exclusion portion 131 and the substrate support 110 can be 2 mm or more and 6 mm or less when the heatable shield is not heated, i.e., when provided at room temperature (about 20° C.). The heatable shield can be arranged at a variable distance (i.e., asymmetrically arranged) relative to the substrate support such that the distance becomes essentially constant by heating the heatable shield to an operating temperature. On the other hand, when the heatable shield is heated to an operating temperature (e.g., between 500° C. and 600° C.), the maximum distance D between the edge exclusion portion 131 and the substrate support can be less than 2 mm, in particular less than 1.5 mm, more particularly about 1 mm, or even less than 1 mm. On the other hand, the heatable shield can be dimensioned and mounted such that the heatable shield does not contact the substrate support even at the operating temperature. In some embodiments described herein, when the heatable shield is heated to an operating temperature, an essentially constant gap width of 1 mm is provided between the edge exclusion portion 131 of the heatable shield and the substrate support 110. The gap width D is essentially constant over the extension of the gap in the circumferential direction T, for example the gap width D may be between 0.8 mm and 1.5 mm in the circumferential direction T, in particular about 1 mm (1 mm ±15%).

[0040]

[0039] In the case where the substrate support 110 is a rotatable drum having a curved drum surface 111 on which the substrate is supported during deposition, the edge exclusion portion 131 of the heatable shield 130 may extend in a circumferential direction T along the curved drum surface 111 and follow its curvature, as shown diagrammatically in Figures 3 and 4. In particular, when the heatable shield is not heated, the maximum distance D between the edge exclusion portion 131 and the curved drum surface 111 may be 2 mm or more and 6 mm or less, and / or when the heatable shield is heated to an operating temperature, the maximum distance D between the edge exclusion portion and the curved drum surface may be 2 mm or less, in particular about 1 mm. In particular, in the heated state of the heatable shield, the distance D between the edge exclusion portion 131 and the curved drum surface 111 may be essentially constant along the gap extension in the circumferential direction T, and may have an essentially constant value, for example, 1.5 mm or less and 0.8 mm or more. Thus, even if the substrate is placed on a curved drum surface 111 during vapor deposition, it is possible to ensure that one lateral substrate edge or two opposing lateral substrate edges 11 are excluded from deposition.

[0041] In some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the edge exclusion portion 131 is configured to mask two opposing lateral substrate edges 11. For example, as depicted diagrammatically in FIG. 1, the edge exclusion portion 131 protrudes in a lateral direction L toward a first substrate edge and in a lateral direction L toward an opposing second substrate edge to mask the two outer opposing lateral substrate edges 11 and prevent material coating on these substrate edges to ensure well-defined coating layer edges.

[0042]

[0041] Figure 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a coated substrate 10 produced in any of the vapor deposition apparatuses described herein. The two opposite lateral substrate edges 11 are essentially free of coating material due to masking by the edge exclusion portion 131 of the heatable shield. A coating layer or two or more coating strips 13 with clearly defined outer edges are deposited. Strips of coating material with defined and sharp outer edges can be deposited on the substrate. In the example shown in Figure 2, two separate coating strips of coating material with respective defined sharp edges are deposited on the substrate 10. The inner substrate region 12 can be kept free of coating material.

[0043] Returning to FIG. 1, the heatable shield 130 may (optionally) have a segmentation portion 132 for masking the inner substrate region 12, for example to allow the deposition of more than one coating strip. If the segmentation portion 132 extends centrally between the edge exclusion portions 131, two separate strips of coating material having essentially equal widths in the lateral direction L may be deposited on the substrate. The segmentation portion 132 may be located between the edge exclusion portions 131 that mask the outer substrate edges. The segmentation portion 132 may extend in the circumferential direction. The segmentation portion 132 may have a width in the lateral direction L of 1 cm or more and 10 cm or less. Thus, several spaced apart coating strips could be evenly or unevenly located on the surface of the substrate 11.

[0044]

[0043] In some implementations, the segmentation portion 132 divides the coating window provided by the heatable shield 130 into two or more sub-windows, allowing two or more coating strips to be deposited on the substrate. The segmentation portion 132 may be positioned close to the substrate support 110 during vapor deposition and act as an edge exclusion mask portion to mask the inner substrate area 12 that is to be kept uncoated, i.e. free of coating material. The segmentation portion 132 may be positioned at a close distance to the curved drum surface 111, for example at a distance of 2 mm or less. Thus, sharp inner edges of the two coating strips 13 deposited on the two lateral sides of the segmentation portion 132 may be provided. In some embodiments, several segmentation portions 132 may be provided, dividing the coating window into three or more sub-windows, allowing three or more coating strips to be deposited on the substrate. For example, one or more segmentation portions 132 may divide the coating window into two or more sub-windows having a width equal to the lateral direction L. Thus, two, three or more coating strips 13 with essentially equal widths and sharply defined edges can be deposited on the substrate.

[0045]

[0044] The coating window defined by the heatable shield 130 may have a width in the lateral direction L of 80% or more, in particular 90% or more, of the substrate width. The lateral substrate edge 11 in the lateral direction L is masked by the heating shield. The coating window may be configured as one single opening or may be divided into two, three, four or more sub-windows. Thus, if no segmentation portion 132 is provided, one single continuous material layer may be deposited on the substrate, or alternatively, if one, two or more segmentation portions are provided, two, three or more coating strips may be deposited on the substrate. The width of the coating window in the lateral direction L may be 20 cm to 1 m. Thus, in some embodiments, a coating strip having a width of 20 cm to 1 m may be deposited. Alternatively, the width of each of the several sub-windows on the side may be 5 cm to 50 cm. Thus, several coating strips, each having a width of 5 cm to 50 cm, in particular 20 cm to 40 cm, can be deposited on the substrate through a heatable shield having one or more segmented portions.

[0046] In some embodiments, which may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the vapor source 120 may be configured to vaporize a metal, particularly a metal having an evaporation temperature of 500° C. or more, particularly 600° C. or more. In some implementations, the vapor source 120 may be configured to deposit a lithium layer on a substrate. The vapor source 120 may include a crucible 160 configured to be heated to a temperature of 600° C. or more, particularly 800° C. or more, and a distributor 161 configured to guide vapor from the crucible 160 to the multiple nozzles 121. An interior space of the distributor may be heated to a temperature of 600° C. or more, particularly 800° C. or more.

[0047]

[0046] The vapor deposition apparatus may further comprise a heating device 140 for actively or passively heating the heatable shield 130 to a temperature above the vapor condensation temperature, in particular to a temperature between 500°C and 600°C, in particular to a temperature between 500°C and 550°C. If the temperature of the surface of the heatable shield 130 is lower than the vapor condensation temperature, the vapor 15 may condense on the surface of the heatable shield. Therefore, the operating temperature of the heatable shield may be controlled to be above the vapor condensation temperature. In particular, the operating temperature of the heatable shield may be slightly higher than the vapor condensation temperature, for example, between 10°C and 50°C above the vapor condensation temperature, to avoid excessive heat load toward the substrate.

[0048]

[0047] In some embodiments, the vapor deposition apparatus includes a controller 141 connected to the heating device 140. The controller 141 is configured to control the temperature of the heatable shield 130 to be lower than the temperature inside the vapor source 120 and higher than the vapor condensation temperature. Therefore, the heatable shield may also be referred to herein as a "temperature-controlled shield". The operating temperature of the heatable shield should be as low as possible to reduce the heat load toward the substrate, but high enough to prevent vapor condensation on the heatable shield. The operating temperature of the heatable shield is typically lower than the evaporation temperature inside the vapor source 120, for example, inside the crucible 160 or inside the distributor 161 of the vapor source. This is because the pressure inside the vapor source 120 is typically higher than the pressure inside the vapor propagation space 20 downstream of the multiple nozzles 121.

[0049]

[0048] Figure 3 shows a schematic view of a vapor deposition apparatus 200 according to an embodiment described herein, viewed along a rotation axis A of a substrate support 110 configured as a rotatable drum. The vapor deposition apparatus 200 may include some or all of the features of the vapor deposition apparatus 100 shown in Figure 1. Therefore, reference may be made to the above description, which will not be repeated here. A flexible substrate 10, for example a thin foil substrate, can be moved past a vapor source 120 of the vapor deposition apparatus 200 on a curved drum surface 111.

[0050]

[0049] The vapor source 120 includes a plurality of nozzles 121 for directing vapor through the vapor propagation space toward the curved drum surface 111. Further, a heatable shield 130 is provided. The heatable shield 130 extends from the vapor source 120 toward the curved drum surface 111 and at least partially encloses the vapor propagation space. In some embodiments, the heatable shield 130 defines a coating window on the curved drum surface, i.e., an area on the curved drum surface, where vapor molecules directed from the vapor source can impinge on a substrate supported on the curved drum surface. In some implementations, the vapor source 120 is mounted such that the plurality of nozzles 121 of the vapor source 120 are directed toward the curved drum surface 111 and extend along the circumference of the rotatable drum.

[0051] For example, the coating window defined by the heatable shield 130 associated with one vapor source 120 may extend over an angular range of 10° to 45° of the curved drum surface 111 in the circumferential direction T. Two, three or more vapor sources 120 may be arranged adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction, for example, to deposit several material layers on a substrate or to deposit one thick material layer of the same material on a substrate. In one embodiment, two, three or more metal evaporation sources, in particular lithium sources, are arranged adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction T of one rotating drum to deposit a thick metal layer on a substrate while the substrate moves over the curved drum surface 111 of one rotating drum.

[0052]

[0051] The coating windows defined by the heatable shields 130 of adjacent vapor sources may be separate (as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 3) or, alternatively, the coating windows defined by the heatable shields 130 of adjacent vapor sources may partially overlap. For example, the separation wall provided by the heatable shields associated with two adjacent vapor sources may be partially open. A heatable shield having a partially open sidewall 138 defining an interface between two adjacent coating windows is shown in FIG. 4.

[0053] According to embodiments described herein, the heatable shield 130 extends in a circumferential direction T of the rotatable drum and includes an edge exclusion portion 131 configured to mask areas of the substrate that are not to be coated. For example, a first lateral edge of the substrate and a second lateral edge of the substrate opposite the first lateral edge may be excluded from deposition. The edge exclusion portion 131 may follow the curvature of the curved drum surface along the circumferential direction T. Thus, the lateral edges of the substrate are accurately masked as the substrate moves along the curved transport path defined by the curved drum surface.

[0054]

[0053] In particular, the distance D between the edge exclusion portion 131 and the curved drum surface 111 can be 2 mm or less, in particular about 1 mm, along the full extension of the edge exclusion portion 131 in the circumferential direction T when the heatable shield is heated to the operating temperature. The edge exclusion portion 131 can extend in the circumferential direction T over 20 cm or more, over 30 cm or even over 50 cm. In particular, a circumferentially extending gap is provided between the edge exclusion portion 131 and the curved drum surface 111, which gap has an essentially constant gap width between about 0.8 mm and about 1.5 mm, in particular a constant gap width of about 1 mm, when the heatable shield is heated to the operating temperature.

[0055]

[0054] Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the heatable shield 130 of the vapor deposition apparatus described herein. The heatable shield 130 may have at least two opposing lateral sidewalls that define a vapor propagation space 20 therebetween. The edge exclusion portion 131 may be provided at a front portion of the two opposing lateral sidewalls and configured to mask the opposite substrate edge. As shown in Figure 4, the edge exclusion portion 131 may have a curved front surface with a curvature that matches the curvature of the coating drum. The edge exclusion portion 131 may be thinner near the respective masking rims that define the coating layer edge and are located particularly close to the curved drum surface during deposition. After attachment to the vapor source, the two opposing sidewalls of the heatable shield 130 may protrude from the vapor source toward the curved drum surface, leaving a small gap between the edge exclusion portion 131 and the curved substrate surface. The gap has an essentially constant gap width along the circumferential direction when the heatable shield is heated to an operating temperature.

[0056]

[0055] The edge exclusion portion 131 is curved to accurately follow the curvature of the curved drum surface during vapor deposition so that when the heatable shield is heated to operating temperature and thermally expands, a constant, small gap width is provided between the edge exclusion portion 131 and the curved drum surface 111.

[0057]

[0056] Optionally, the heatable shield 130 may further include segmentation portions 132 arranged between the edge exclusion portions 131 and configured to mask the inner substrate area. In Fig. 4, the segmentation portions 132 are optionally shown with dashed lines. The curvature progression of the segmentation portions 132 in the circumferential direction may correspond to the curvature progression of the edge exclusion portions 131 in the circumferential direction T, leading to a constant and small gap between the segmentation portions 132 and the curved drum surface 111 during vapor deposition when the heatable shield 130 (including the segmentation portions 132) is heated to an operating temperature. In some embodiments, two, three or more segmentation portions 132 are arranged between the edge exclusion portions 131, for example with equal spacing between them. Thus, two, three or more coating strips that may have essentially equal lateral widths may be deposited on the substrate.

[0058]

[0057] Figures 5A and 5B respectively show a part of a substrate support 110 in the form of a rotatable drum with a curved drum surface 111. The heatable shield 130 described herein defines a coating window towards the curved drum surface 111 such that a small and essentially constant gap is provided between the edge exclusion portion 131 of the heatable shield 130 and the curved drum surface 111. Figure 5A shows the heatable shield at room temperature, i.e. in an unheated state, and Figure 5B shows the heatable shield at an operating temperature, for example during vapor deposition. The operating temperature of the heatable shield can be 200°C or more, in particular 300°C or more, 400°C or more, or even 500°C or more, for example between 500°C and 600°C, depending on the source material to be evaporated. Thus, steam condensation on the heatable shield can be reduced or prevented.

[0059]

[0058] The rotatable drum may have a radius of 0.2 m or more, in particular 0.5 m or more, for example about 0.7 m. The radius of curvature of the edge exclusion portion may essentially correspond to the radius of curvature of the curved drum surface. That is, the edge exclusion portion 131 may follow the curvature of the curved drum surface 111.

[0060]

[0059] In Fig. 5A, the gap width D between the edge exclusion portion 131 and the curved drum surface 111 may be larger than the respective gap width D in Fig. 5B (i.e., after heating the heatable shield to the evaporation temperature) at least in some sections. This is because the heatable shield may thermally expand during heating. In Fig. 5B, the gap width D is essentially constant and very small over the entire extension of the heatable shield along the circumferential direction. In Fig. 5A, the gap width may vary slightly in the circumferential direction, for example, with a variation range that may be more than 0.5 mm and less than 3 mm, depending on (1) the thermal expansion coefficient of the material of the heatable shield, (2) the operating temperature, (3) the circumferential angular extension of the heatable shield, and / or (4) the location of the fixation point of the heatable shield.

[0061]

[0060] For example, if the heatable shield is mounted radially fixed at its circumferential ends and the central portion of the heatable shield is allowed to move radially, a first distance between the edge exclusion portion at the central section of the heatable shield (marked as (2) in Figs. 5A and 5B) and the curved drum surface becomes smaller when the heatable shield is heated. Thus, the distance D at the central position (marked as (2)) can be, for example, 0.5 mm or more, or even 1 mm or more, larger in the unheated state shown in Fig. 5A than in the heated state shown in Fig. 5B. In particular, when (1) the temperature difference between room temperature and the operating temperature is about 500°C, and (2) the heatable shield is made of stainless steel or a material with a similar thermal expansion coefficient, the difference D at the central position (marked as (2)) can be about 2.3 mm in Fig. 5A and about 1 mm in Fig. 5B.

[0062]

[0061] When the heatable shield is mounted radially fixed at its circumferential ends and the central portion of the heatable shield is allowed to move radially, the second distance between the edge exclusion at the end section of the heatable shield (marked (1) in Figures 5A and 5B) and the curved drum surface moves very little radially inward when the heatable shield is heated. Thus, the distances D at the end positions (marked (1)) in Figures 5A and 5B can essentially correspond to each other, since there is very little thermal movement at the ends of the heatable shield when the heatable shield is heated.

[0063]

[0062] In summary, a heatable shield can be fitted so that at room temperature the gap width varies in the circumferential extension, thereby pre-compensating for the varying heat movement of the edge exclusion portion radially inward, and providing an essentially constant, small gap width at operating temperature.

[0064]

[0063] Figure 6 shows that the heatable shield is fixed such that heating of the heatable shield leads to thermal transfer of the heatable shield, thereby providing a constant gap width between the heatable shield and the curved drum surface over the entire circumferential extension of the heatable shield.

[0065]

[0064] At least three alignment pins 171, 172 projecting into respective alignment recesses may be provided for holding the heatable shield 130 such that the edge exclusion portion 131 of the heatable shield is positioned towards and in close proximity to the curved drum surface. The at least three alignment pins 171, 172 may be circumferentially spaced apart from one another and project into respective alignment recesses for positioning the heatable shield at a predetermined radial distance from the rotatable drum when the heatable shield is heated, in particular with a deviation of less than 100 μm or even less than 50 μm, with a sub-mm deviation over the entire extension of the heatable shield in the circumferential direction.

[0066]

[0065] For example, the two outer alignment pins 171 may prevent any radial movement of the heatable shield at the location of the two outer alignment pins 171 and may optionally allow movement of the heatable shield in the circumferential direction T at the location of the two outer alignment pins 171. In particular, the two outer alignment pins 171 may protrude into an elongated recess in the circumferential direction but provide no play in the radial direction. Since the two outer alignment pins 171 do not allow any movement of the heatable shield in the radial direction, the gap width at the location of the two outer alignment pins 171 may remain essentially constant even when the heatable shield is heated.

[0067]

[0066] The inner alignment pin 172, which allows the heatable shield to move in a radially inward direction up to an end stop (for example provided by a wall of an alignment recess from which the inner alignment pin 172 protrudes) at the inner alignment pin 172, may for example be arranged centrally between the two outer alignment pins 171. Heating of the heatable shield may lead to a thermal movement of the heatable shield in a radially inward direction at the inner alignment pin 172 until the inner alignment pin 172 abuts at the end stop. The heatable shield may not move any further. At the operating temperature, the first gap width at the inner alignment pin 172 corresponds to the second gap width at the two outer alignment pins 171 and may be in the range of 0.8 mm to 1.5 mm, in particular about 1 mm. If two outer alignment pins 171 are provided at the ends of the circumferential heatable shield, the gap can then be constant over its entire circumferential extension, i.e. also at the position between the two alignment pins.

[0068] FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for coating a substrate according to embodiments described herein.

[0069] In box 701, a substrate is moved circumferentially past a vapor source on a curved drum surface of a rotatable drum.

[0070] In box 702, vapor is directed from a vapor source through a vapor propagation space toward a substrate supported on a curved drum surface. A heatable shield extends from the vapor source toward the curved drum surface and at least partially encloses the vapor propagation space. The heatable shield is heated to an operating temperature equal to or greater than a vapor condensation temperature to reduce or prevent vapor condensation on the heatable shield.

[0071] In some embodiments, the vapor source is a metal source, in particular a lithium source, and the vapor is a metal vapor, in particular a lithium vapor. The operating temperature of the heatable shield can be ≧500° C. to ≦600° C., in particular between 500° C. and 550° C. If the vapor source is a lithium source, the evaporation temperature inside the vapor source can be ≧600° C. to ≦850° C.

[0072]

[0071] The substrate may be a flexible foil, in particular a flexible metal foil, more particularly a copper foil or a copper-carrying foil, for example a foil coated with copper on one or both sides. The substrate may have a thickness of 50 μm or less, in particular 20 μm or less, for example about 8 μm. In particular, the substrate may be a thin copper foil having a thickness in the sub 20-μm range.

[0073] In some embodiments, the heatable shield can include an edge exclusion portion. For example, a front portion of the heatable shield that protrudes toward and is positioned at a close distance to the substrate can be formed as an edge exclusion mask. In box 703, the edge exclusion portion of the heatable shield masks areas of the substrate that will not be coated.

[0074]

[0073] Additionally, the edge exclusion portion may extend circumferentially during vapor deposition to follow the curvature of the curved drum surface. The masking in box 703 may include masking at least one side edge or two opposing side edges of the substrate.

[0075]

[0074] The heatable shield can define a coating window on the curved drum surface, i.e., a window through which steam emitted by multiple nozzles of the steam source can impinge on the substrate while the substrate moves past the steam source.

[0076]

[0075] The masking in box 703 may further include masking at least one inner region of the substrate with a segmentation portion of the heatable shield extending between two edge exclusion portions. Two (or more) separate coating strips may be deposited on the substrate. In particular, the heatable shield may include a segmentation portion extending in the circumferential direction and dividing the coating window provided by the heatable shield into two or more sub-windows. Each sub-window may have a width of 10 cm or more and 50 cm or less. Two or more separate coating strips having a width defined in the lateral direction L may be deposited on the substrate through the two or more sub-windows.

[0077]

[0076] When the heatable shield is heated to the operating temperature, the maximum distance between the edge exclusion portion and the curved drum surface may be 2 mm or less, in particular about 1 mm. In particular, the gap width between the edge exclusion portion and the curved drum surface may be essentially constant in the circumferential direction, for example having an essentially constant width between 0.8 mm and 1.5 mm, such as about 1 mm (1 mm ± 15%).

[0078]

[0077] Furthermore, the segmentation portion may also follow the curvature of the curved drum surface along the circumferential direction. The maximum distance between the segmentation portion and the curved drum surface may be 2 mm or less, in particular about 1 mm, when the heatable shield is heated to the operating temperature. In particular, the gap width between the segmentation portion and the curved drum surface may be essentially constant in the circumferential direction (e.g., having a width value of about 1 mm (1 mm ± 15%)).

[0079] FIG. 8 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for setting up a vapor deposition apparatus according to embodiments described herein.

[0080]

[0079] The method, in box 801, provides a rotatable drum having a curved drum surface for supporting a substrate and a vapor source for directing vapor toward the curved drum surface.

[0081]

[0080] The method further includes mounting a heatable shield in box 802 such that the heatable shield extends from the steam source toward the curved drum surface. The heatable shield includes an edge exclusion portion that extends circumferentially along the curved drum surface and follows its curvature. In other words, the curvature of the edge exclusion portion can be adapted to the curvature of the coating drum. As a result, when the heatable shield is heated to an operating temperature - the curvature progression of the edge exclusion portion accurately follows the curvature progression of the curved drum surface, providing a constant small gap between the curved drum surface and the edge exclusion portion.

[0082]

[0081] Mounting in box 802 may include mounting the heatable shield such that thermally induced expansion of the heatable shield results in a constant distance between the edge exclusion portion and the curved drum surface along the circumferential direction, in particular a distance in the range of between 0.8 mm and 1.5 mm over the extension of the edge exclusion portion in the circumferential direction.

[0083]

[0082] Specifically, mounting in box 802 may include mounting the heatable shield such that in an unheated state of the heatable shield, a first distance between the edge exclusion portion at the center section of the heatable shield and the curved drum surface differs from (e.g., is greater than) a second distance between the edge exclusion portion at the circumferential end section of the heatable shield and the curved drum surface, for example by 1 mm or more. The reason is that when the heatable shield is heated and thermally expands, the circumferential ends of the heatable shield may move differently from the center of the heatable shield. Specifically, if the heatable shield is mounted radially fixed at two circumferential ends, the ends may move less toward the curved drum surface than the center when the heatable shield thermally expands. Mounting the heatable shield may be such that a constant, very small gap between the edge exclusion portion of the heatable shield and the curved drum surface can be achieved during vapor deposition when the heatable shield is heated to an operating temperature and thermally expands.

[0084] For example, a first distance between the edge exclusion portion in the central section of the heatable shield and the curved drum surface may be 2 mm or more, for example about 2.3 mm, in an unheated state, and / or a second distance between the edge exclusion portion in the end section of the heatable shield and the curved drum surface may be 1.5 mm or less, in particular 1.2 mm or less, in an unheated state. After heating the heatable shield to the operating temperature, the first and second distances may be essentially the same, for example 0.8 mm to 1.2 mm, in particular about 1 mm.

[0085]

[0084] In other words, the heatable shield is mounted such that the gap width varies slightly in the circumferential direction, for example within a variation range of 0.5 mm to 2 mm, so that when heated to operating temperature, the gap width becomes essentially constant along the circumferential direction, providing accurate edge exclusion of the substrate and consistently shaped sharp layer edges.

[0086]

[0085] The heatable shield is made of a metal material, for example, stainless steel, and the above dimensions can be based on the thermal expansion coefficient of stainless steel. For example, stainless steel has a thermal expansion of about 0.88% in length when heated from room temperature to an operating temperature of about 550°C. As is clear, the thermal expansion of the heatable shield can depend on the material of the heatable shield. The respective dimensions and their associated thermal expansions are adapted based on the material used, so that a constant small gap width can be achieved between the rotatable drum and the edge exclusion part during vapor deposition when different materials of the heatable shield are used.

[0087]

[0086] The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a temperature controlled coating chamber environment, for example to reduce stray coating of components inside the vacuum chamber other than the substrate, and can therefore advantageously provide improved substrate coating quality and yield in addition to longer operating times between preventive maintenance cycles.

[0088] In some embodiments, the source material evaporated in the crucible of the vapor source can include, for example, metals, particularly lithium, metal alloys, and other vaporizable materials that have a gas phase under given conditions. According to further embodiments, the material can additionally or alternatively include magnesium (Mg), ytterbium (Yb), and lithium fluoride (LiF). The evaporated material generated in the crucible can enter a distributor. The distributor can include, for example, channels or tubes that provide a transport system to distribute the evaporated material along the width and / or length of the deposition apparatus. The distributor can have a "showerhead reactor" design.

[0089]

[0088] According to embodiments that can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the evaporated material can comprise or consist of lithium, Yb, or LiF. According to embodiments that can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the temperature of the evaporator and / or nozzle can be at least 600°C, or in particular between 600°C and 1000°C, or more specifically between 600°C and 800°C. According to embodiments that can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the operating temperature of the heatable shield can be between 450°C and 600°C, in particular between 500°C and 550°C, with a deviation of ±10°C or less.

[0090]

[0089] According to an embodiment, which can be combined with other embodiments described in this specification, the temperature of the heatable shield is lower than the temperature of the evaporator, for example by at least 100°C.

[0091] According to an embodiment that can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the heatable shield is passively heated, for example by radiation, for example by the sidewall of the vapor source. The heatable shield can be heated, for example, by radiant heat from the sidewall of the vapor source, in particular of the distributor. The term "passively" can be understood to mean that the heatable shield is heated exclusively by other components of the vacuum deposition apparatus. The heatable shield can be configured, for example, to absorb, reflect and / or shield heat, in particular radiant heat from the sidewall of the vapor source. By reducing the heat directed towards the substrate by the heatable shield, the substrate can be placed closer to the evaporator, which allows for a smaller and more compact design of the vacuum chamber.

[0092]

[0091] Furthermore, by heating the heatable shield, the material deposited on the surface of the heatable shield can be re-evaporated, for example by stray coating. Stray coating material on the heatable shield can be advantageously removed by re-evaporation. Furthermore, re-evaporating material from the heatable shield can also provide a more uniform coating on the substrate.

[0093] In some embodiments, the plurality of nozzles comprises three, four or more rows of nozzles. Additionally or alternatively, the openings and / or nozzles may be arranged in four or more different directions, e.g., orthogonal directions.

[0094]

[0093] The controller may be configured to actively control the temperature of the heatable shield. Actively controlling may include controlling the power supplied to the heating device and / or controlling the flow rate of the heating liquid supplied to the heating device. The controller may be configured to measure the temperature in the vapor source and / or the temperature of the heatable shield. Furthermore, the controller may also be configured to measure the pressure in the vapor source upstream of the multiple nozzles, in the vapor propagation space downstream of the multiple nozzles, and / or in another part of the vacuum chamber. Furthermore, the controller may be configured to control the evaporation rate in the crucible and / or the distribution pipe and / or the deposition rate of the evaporated material on the substrate. The respective parameters may be, for example, temperature, rate, and pressure. The respective parameters may be, for example, measured by sensors arranged in the respective components.

[0095] According to some embodiments, which may be combined with other embodiments described herein, a battery anode is produced, and the flexible substrate or web comprises or consists of copper. According to some implementations, the web can further comprise graphite and silicon and / or silicon oxide. For example, lithium can pre-lithiate a layer comprising graphite and silicon and / or silicon oxide.

[0096]

[0095] In particular, the following embodiments are described in this specification: Embodiment 1. A vapor deposition apparatus comprising: a substrate support for supporting a substrate to be coated; a vapor source having a plurality of nozzles for directing vapor through a vapor propagation space toward the substrate support; and a heatable shield extending from the vapor source toward the substrate support and at least partially enclosing the vapor propagation space, the heatable shield comprising an edge exclusion portion for masking areas of the substrate that are not to be coated.

[0097] Embodiment 2. The vapor deposition apparatus of embodiment 1, wherein the substrate support is a rotatable drum with a curved drum surface, and the vapor deposition apparatus is configured to circumferentially move the substrate on the curved drum surface past the vapor source.

[0098] Embodiment 3. A vapor deposition apparatus as described in embodiment 2, wherein the edge exclusion portion extends circumferentially along the curved drum surface and follows the curvature thereof.

[0099] (i) when the heatable shield is not heated, the maximum distance between the edge exclusion portion and the curved drum surface is greater than or equal to 2 mm and less than or equal to 6 mm; and (ii) when the heatable shield is heated to operating temperature, the maximum distance between the edge exclusion portion and the curved drum surface is less than 2 mm, in particular about 1 mm or less than 1 mm; 4. The vapor deposition apparatus according to embodiment 2 or 3, wherein at least one of the following is applied:

[0100] Embodiment 5. A vapor deposition apparatus as described in any one of embodiments 1 to 4, comprising at least three alignment pins circumferentially spaced apart from one another and protruding into respective alignment recesses for positioning the heatable shield at a predetermined radial distance from the rotatable drum with sub-mm deviation over the extension of the heatable shield in the circumferential direction when the heatable shield is heated.

[0101] Embodiment 6. The vapor deposition apparatus of any one of embodiments 1 to 5, wherein the edge exclusion portion is configured to mask two opposing lateral edges of the substrate.

[0102] Embodiment 7. A vapor deposition apparatus as described in any one of embodiments 1 to 6, wherein the heatable shield includes a segmentation portion for masking an internal substrate area to allow deposition of two coating strips.

[0103] Embodiment 8. The vapor deposition apparatus of embodiment 7, wherein the segmentation portion divides the coating window provided by the heatable shield into two or more sub-windows having essentially equal widths in the lateral direction.

[0104] Embodiment 9. A vapor deposition apparatus according to any one of the preceding embodiments, comprising a heating device for actively or passively heating the heatable shield to a temperature above the steam condensation temperature, in particular to a temperature between 500°C and 600°C.

[0105] Embodiment 10. The vapor deposition apparatus of embodiment 9, further comprising a controller connected to the heating device and configured to control the temperature of the heatable shield to be lower than the temperature in the vapor source and higher than the vapor condensation temperature in the vapor propagation space.

[0106] Embodiment 11. A vapor deposition apparatus as described in any one of embodiments 1 to 10, wherein the heatable shield does not contact the substrate support, and thus the substrate support can move relative to the heatable shield and vapor source during vapor deposition.

[0107] Embodiment 12. A vapor deposition apparatus according to any one of the preceding embodiments, wherein a heatable shield surrounds the vapor propagation space on two lateral sides and at least one of the substrate inlet and exit sides.

[0108] Embodiment 13. A vapor deposition apparatus comprising: a substrate support for supporting a substrate to be coated, the substrate support being a rotatable drum having a curved drum surface; a vapor source having a plurality of nozzles for directing vapor through a vapor propagation space toward the curved drum surface; and a heatable shield extending from the vapor source toward the curved drum surface and at least partially enclosing the vapor propagation space, the heatable shield defining a coating window on the curved drum surface.

[0109] Embodiment 14. A vapor deposition apparatus as described in embodiment 13, wherein the heatable shield comprises an edge exclusion portion for masking areas of the substrate that are not to be coated, the edge exclusion portion extending circumferentially around the rotatable drum and following the curvature of the curved drum surface.

[0110] Embodiment 15. A method for coating a substrate in a vacuum chamber, comprising: moving the substrate circumferentially on a curved drum surface of a rotatable drum past a vapor source; directing vapor from the vapor source through a vapor propagation space toward a substrate supported on the curved drum surface; and heating a heatable shield extending from the vapor source toward the curved drum surface and at least partially enclosing the vapor propagation space.

[0111] Embodiment 16. The method of embodiment 15, wherein the heatable shield defines a coating window on the curved drum surface and includes an edge exclusion portion that masks areas of the substrate that will not be coated.

[0112] Embodiment 17. The method of embodiment 16, wherein the edge exclusion portion extends in a circumferential direction and follows the curvature of the curved drum surface to mask at least one side edge or two opposing side edges of the substrate.

[0113] Embodiment 18. The method of embodiment 16 or 17, wherein a circumferentially extending gap is provided between the edge exclusion portion and the curved drum surface, the gap having an essentially constant gap width between about 0.8 mm and about 1.5 mm, in particular a constant gap width of about 1 mm, when the heatable shield is heated to an operating temperature.

[0114] Embodiment 19. A method according to any one of embodiments 15 to 18, wherein the heatable shield extends in a circumferential direction and has a segmentation portion that divides the coating window provided by the heatable shield into two or more sub-windows, and the method includes depositing two or more separate coating strips on the substrate through the two or more sub-windows.

[0115] Embodiment 20. The method of embodiment 19, wherein the segmentation portion follows the curvature of the curved drum surface along the circumferential direction, and the maximum distance between the segmentation portion and the curved drum surface is 2 mm or less, in particular about 1 mm, when the heatable shield is heated to the operating temperature.

[0116] Embodiment 21. The method of any one of embodiments 15 to 20, wherein the vapor source is a metal source, particularly a lithium source, and the vapor is a metal vapor, particularly lithium vapor.

[0117] Embodiment 22. The method of any one of embodiments 15 to 21, wherein the operating temperature of the heatable shield is between about 500°C and about 600°C, or the operating temperature inside the steam source is between about 600°C and 850°C.

[0118] Embodiment 23. The method of any one of embodiments 15 to 22, wherein the substrate is a flexible metal foil, particularly a copper foil, more particularly a copper foil having a thickness of 20 μm or less.

[0119] Embodiment 24. The method of any one of embodiments 15 to 23, wherein the vapor impinging on the heatable shield is re-evaporated or reflected.

[0120] Embodiment 25. A method for coating a substrate in a vacuum chamber, comprising supporting a substrate on a substrate support, directing vapor from a vapor source through a vapor propagation space toward a substrate supported on the substrate support, heating a heatable shield at least partially surrounding the vapor propagation space to prevent or reduce vapor condensation on the heatable shield, and masking areas of the substrate not to be coated with an edge exclusion portion of the heatable shield.

[0121] Embodiment 26. A method for setting up a vapor deposition apparatus, comprising providing a rotatable drum having a curved drum surface for supporting a substrate, and a vapor source for directing vapor toward the curved drum surface, and mounting a heatable shield such that the heatable shield extends from the vapor source toward the curved drum surface and defines a coating window; The method, wherein the heatable shield extends circumferentially along the curved drum surface and includes an edge exclusion portion that follows the curvature thereof.

[0122] Embodiment 27. The method of embodiment 26, wherein the heatable shield is mounted such that thermally induced expansion of the heatable shield results in an essentially constant distance between the edge exclusion portion and the curved drum surface along the circumferential direction, in particular a distance in the range between 0.8 mm and 1.5 mm.

[0123] Embodiment 28. The method of embodiment 26 or 27, wherein the heatable shield is mounted such that, in an unheated state of the heatable shield, a first distance between the edge exclusion portion in a central section of the heatable shield and the curved drum surface differs from a second distance between the edge exclusion portion at an end of the heatable shield in the circumferential direction and the curved drum surface by at least 0.5 mm and not more than 2 mm.

[0124] Embodiment 29. A method for producing a coated substrate in a vapor deposition apparatus described in any one of embodiments 1 to 14, comprising supporting a substrate on a substrate support of the vapor deposition apparatus, and directing vapor from a vapor deposition source of the vapor deposition apparatus toward the substrate to deposit one or more coating strips on the substrate.

[0125]

[0096] While the foregoing description is directed to embodiments, other and further embodiments may be devised without departing from the basic scope of the disclosure, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. a substrate support for supporting a substrate to be coated, the substrate support being a rotatable drum with a curved drum surface; a vapor source having a plurality of nozzles for directing vapor through a vapor propagation space toward the substrate support; a heatable shield attached to the vapor source, protruding from the vapor source toward the substrate support, at least partially enclosing the vapor propagation space and forming a sidewall of the vapor propagation space, the heatable shield including an edge exclusion for masking areas of the substrate that will not be coated; Equipped with the edge exclusion portion extends along and follows the curvature of the curved drum surface; a gap extending circumferentially around the rotatable drum between the edge exclusion portion and the curved drum surface; A vapor deposition apparatus, wherein the edge exclusion portion is configured to move closer towards the substrate support when the heatable shield is heated to an operating temperature.

2. The vapor deposition apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the vapor deposition apparatus is configured to move the substrate on the curved drum surface past the vapor source in the circumferential direction.

3. (i) when the heatable shield is unheated, the maximum distance between the edge exclusion portion and the curved drum surface is greater than or equal to 2 mm and less than or equal to 6 mm; and (ii) when the heatable shield is heated to an operating temperature, the maximum distance between the edge exclusion portion and the curved drum surface is less than 2 mm, in particular about 1 mm or less than 1 mm.

4. 2. The vapor deposition apparatus of claim 1, comprising at least three alignment pins spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction and projecting into respective alignment recesses for positioning the heatable shield at a predetermined radial distance from the rotatable drum with sub-mm deviation over an extension of the heatable shield in the circumferential direction when the heatable shield is heated.

5. The vapor deposition apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the edge exclusion portion is configured to mask two opposing lateral edges of the substrate.

6. The vapor deposition apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the heatable shield comprises a segmentation portion for masking an internal substrate area to allow deposition of two coating strips.

7. 7. The vapor deposition apparatus of claim 6, wherein the segmentation portion divides a coating window provided by the heatable shield into two or more sub-windows having essentially equal widths in a lateral direction.

8. 5. Vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a heating device for actively or passively heating the heatable shield to a temperature above the steam condensation temperature, in particular to a temperature between 500° C. and 600° C.

9. a controller coupled to the heating device and configured to control the temperature of the heatable shield to be lower than a temperature in the steam source and higher than a steam condensation temperature in the steam propagation space; The vapor deposition apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:

10. 5. The vapor deposition apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heatable shield does not contact the substrate support, such that the substrate support can move relative to the heatable shield and the vapor source during vapor deposition.

11. Vapor deposition apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the heatable shield surrounds the vapour propagation space on two lateral sides and at least one of a substrate inlet side and a substrate outlet side.

12. a substrate support for supporting a substrate to be coated, the substrate support being a rotatable drum with a curved drum surface; a steam source having a plurality of nozzles for directing steam through a steam propagation space toward the curved drum surface; a heatable shield attached to the steam source and projecting from the steam source toward the curved drum surface, at least partially enclosing the steam propagation space and forming a sidewall of the steam propagation space, the heatable shield defining a coating window on the curved drum surface; Equipped with the heatable shield includes an edge exclusion portion for masking areas of the substrate that will not be coated, the edge exclusion portion extending circumferentially around the rotatable drum and following the curvature of the curved drum surface; a gap extending in the circumferential direction between the edge exclusion portion and the curved drum surface; A vapor deposition apparatus, wherein the edge exclusion portion is configured to move closer towards the substrate support when the heatable shield is heated to an operating temperature.

13. 1. A method for coating a substrate in a vacuum chamber, comprising: moving the substrate circumferentially over a curved drum surface of a rotatable drum past a vapor source; directing vapor from the vapor source through a vapor propagation space toward the substrate supported on the curved drum surface; heating a heatable shield attached to the steam source, protruding from the steam source toward the curved drum surface, at least partially surrounding the steam propagation space and forming a sidewall of the steam propagation space; Including, the heatable shield includes an edge exclusion portion for masking areas of the substrate that will not be coated, the edge exclusion portion extending in the circumferential direction and following the curvature of the curved drum surface; a gap extending in the circumferential direction between the edge exclusion portion and the curved drum surface; The method, wherein the edge exclusion portion is configured to move closer toward the rotatable drum when the heatable shield is heated to an operating temperature.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the heatable shield defines a coating window on the curved drum surface.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the edge exclusion masks at least one lateral edge or two opposing lateral edges of the substrate.

16. A method according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the gap has an essentially constant gap width between about 0.8 mm and about 1.5 mm, in particular a constant gap width of about 1 mm, when the heatable shield is heated to an operating temperature.

17. A method for coating a substrate in a vacuum chamber, comprising the steps of: moving the substrate circumferentially over a curved drum surface of a rotatable drum past a vapor source; directing vapor from the vapor source through a vapor propagation space toward the substrate supported on the curved drum surface; heating a heatable shield attached to the steam source, protruding from the steam source toward the curved drum surface, at least partially surrounding the steam propagation space and forming a sidewall of the steam propagation space; Including, the heatable shield includes an edge exclusion portion for masking areas of the substrate that will not be coated, the edge exclusion portion extending in the circumferential direction and following the curvature of the curved drum surface; The heatable shield includes a segmentation portion extending in the circumferential direction and dividing a coating window provided by the heatable shield into two or more sub-windows, and the method includes: depositing two or more separate coating strips onto said substrate through said two or more sub-windows; A method comprising:

18. 16. The method of any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the vapor source is a lithium source and the vapor is lithium vapor.

19. a substrate support for supporting a substrate to be coated, the substrate support being a rotatable drum with a curved drum surface; a vapor source having a plurality of nozzles for directing vapor through a vapor propagation space toward the substrate support; a heatable shield extending from the vapor source toward the substrate support and at least partially enclosing the vapor propagation space, the heatable shield including an edge exclusion for masking areas of the substrate that will not be coated; Equipped with A vapor deposition apparatus comprising at least three alignment pins spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction and protruding into respective alignment recesses for positioning the heatable shield at a predetermined radial distance from a rotatable drum with sub-mm deviation over an extension of the heatable shield in the circumferential direction when the heatable shield is heated.

20. 1. A method for coating a substrate in a vacuum chamber, comprising: moving the substrate circumferentially over a curved drum surface of a rotatable drum past a vapor source; directing vapor from the vapor source through a vapor propagation space toward the substrate supported on the curved drum surface; heating a heatable shield extending from the steam source toward the curved drum surface and at least partially enclosing the steam propagation space; Including, the heatable shield is held by at least three alignment pins such that the heatable shield faces the curved drum; The method, wherein the at least three alignment pins are alignment pins for positioning the heatable shield at a predetermined radial distance from a rotatable drum with sub-mm deviation over the extension of the heatable shield in the circumferential direction when the heatable shield is heated, the alignment pins being spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction and protruding into respective alignment recesses.

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