Mist film formation device and mist film formation method

Abstract

This mist film formation device comprises: multiple atomizers each generating mist; a container for mixing the mist generated by the multiple atomizers; and a film formation chamber for attaching to an object the mist conveyed from the container.

Description

Mist film forming device and mist film forming method

[0001] The present invention relates to a mist film forming apparatus and a mist film forming method.

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes the production of a device by forming a thin film on a substrate by spraying a mist.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-075641

[0004] One aspect of the present invention is a mist film-forming device that includes a plurality of atomizers that generate mist, a container that mixes the mists generated by each of the plurality of atomizers, and a film-forming chamber that deposits the mist transported from the containers onto an object.

[0005] Another aspect of the present invention is a mist film-forming device comprising an atomizer that generates mist, a container that condenses a portion of the mist generated by the atomizer, a film-forming chamber that causes the mist transported from the container to adhere to an object, and a first cooler that cools the atomizer, wherein the first cooler cools the temperature of the mist generated by the atomizer to a temperature below the temperature of a space in which the mist film-forming device is installed or to 30°C or below.

[0006] Another aspect of the present invention is a mist film-forming apparatus comprising: an atomizer that generates mist; a container that condenses a portion of the mist generated by the atomizer; a film-forming chamber that deposits the mist transported from the container onto an object; and a pipe connected to the container and the film-forming chamber and transporting the mist from the container to the film-forming chamber, wherein the film-forming chamber is provided with a supply pipe connected to the pipe and supplying the mist to the object, and the opening area of ​​the supply pipe on the object side is equal to or greater than the area of ​​the surface of the object to be film-formed.

[0007] Another aspect of the present invention is a mist film-forming method, in which mists having different materials are generated from each of a plurality of atomizers, the mists having different materials are mixed in a container, and the mixed mists are transported from the container to a film-forming chamber and attached to an object.

[0008] Another aspect of the present invention is a mist film-forming method, which generates mist using an atomizer, condenses a portion of the mist in a container, transports the mist from the container to a film-forming chamber and attaches it to an object, and uses a first cooler that cools the atomizer to make the temperature of the mist generated by the atomizer below the temperature of a space in which the mist film-forming apparatus is installed or below 30°C.

[0009] Another aspect of the present invention is a mist film-forming method, which generates mist using an atomizer, condenses a portion of the mist in a container, and transports the mist from the container to a film-forming chamber using piping, where the mist is attached to an object. In the film-forming chamber, the mist is supplied to the object by a supply pipe connected to the piping, and the mist is supplied to the object from the supply pipe, the one end of which facing the object has an opening area equal to or larger than the area of ​​the surface of the object to be film-formed.

[0010] FIG. 5(A) is a schematic diagram showing an example of a mist film-forming device according to the present embodiment; FIG. 5(B) is a schematic diagram showing an example of a simple configuration of the atomizer and mixing tank storage unit according to the present embodiment; FIG. 5(C) is a schematic diagram showing an example of a simple configuration of the film-forming chamber according to the third modified example; FIG. 5(C) is a schematic diagram showing an example of a simple configuration of the atomizer and mixing tank according to the second modified example; FIG. 5(B) is a schematic diagram showing an example of a simple configuration of the atomizer and mixing tank according to the second modified example; and FIG. 5(C) is a schematic diagram showing an example of a simple configuration of the atomizer, mixing tank, and film-forming chamber according to the second modified example. Figure 6(A) is a schematic diagram (part 1) showing an example of a simple configuration of a film formation chamber in the third modified example, Figure 6(B) is a schematic diagram (part 2) showing an example of a simple configuration of a film formation chamber in the third modified example, and Figure 6(C) is a schematic diagram (part 3) showing an example of a simple configuration of a film formation chamber in the third modified example.

[0011] An embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "the present embodiment") will be described below. The present embodiment is an example for explaining the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention to the following content.

[0012] In the drawings, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the positional relationships, such as up, down, left, and right, are based on the positional relationships shown in the drawings. Furthermore, the dimensional ratios of the drawings are not limited to those shown in the drawings.

[0013] Furthermore, terms with "approximately" attached indicate the meaning of the term excluding "approximately" within the scope of common technical knowledge of a person skilled in the art, and also include the meaning itself excluding "approximately". The same is true vice versa. For example, the term "circle" does not include "approximately" but naturally includes the meaning of "approximately circle" as long as it does not contradict the gist of the invention. Furthermore, the "cross section" in "cross-sectional view" or "cross-sectional view" refers to a cross section perpendicular to a horizontal plane.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a mist film forming device 1 according to this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an atomizer / mixing vessel housing 10 according to this embodiment.

[0015] The mist film forming apparatus 1 includes a housing containing an atomizer / mixing chamber housing 10, a film forming chamber 20, and an exhaust duct housing 30. The atomizer / mixing chamber housing 10 shown in FIG. 1 has openable and closable walls on the side or top, but does not necessarily have to have walls. The atomizer / mixing chamber housing 10 shown in FIG. 2 does not show the walls for convenience. The film forming chamber 20 has, for example, a transparent door to allow viewing of the interior. The transparent door can slide upward to open and downward to close, allowing for adjustment of the degree of opening and closing of the lower portion of the film forming chamber 20. The exhaust duct housing 30 has, for example, an openable and closable wall on the near side of the paper in FIG. 1, but the wall is not shown in FIG. 1 to facilitate explanation of the internal configuration. The exhaust duct housing 30 does not necessarily have to have walls.

[0016] The atomizer / mixing tank housing 10 includes an atomizer 11, a mixing tank 12, a pipe 13 connecting the atomizer 11 and the mixing tank 12, a pipe 14 connecting the mixing tank 12 and the film formation chamber 20, and a first cooler 15. In this embodiment, the atomizer / mixing tank housing 10 houses multiple atomizers 11 and one mixing tank 12, and mists generated from the multiple atomizers 11 are transported to the mixing tank 12 via the pipe 13, and mixed in the mixing tank 12. The mists mixed in the mixing tank 12 are transported to the film formation chamber 20 via the pipe 14.

[0017] The atomizer 11 is a device that generates mist and includes an outer container 111, an inner container 112, a lid 113, a first gas supply pipe 114, and a vibrator 115. The outer container 111 stores a carrier liquid, the inner container 112, and the vibrator 115. The inner container 112 stores a dispersion or solution that will be used to form the mist. The dispersion or solution stored in the inner container 112 is vibrated by the vibrator 115 via the carrier liquid in the outer container 111, thereby turning the dispersion or solution into mist.

[0018] The first cooler 15 is provided below the bottom surface of the atomizer / mixing tank housing 10 and cools the atomizer 11 and the mixing tank 12. For the atomizer 11, the first cooler 15 cools the outer container 111, the carrier liquid filled in the outer container 111, and the inner container 112. In this figure, the first cooler 15 cools the outer container 111 and the carrier liquid, thereby cooling the dispersion or solution and mist in the inner container 112. For example, the first cooler 15 is a chiller unit that circulates a refrigerant inside. Note that the first cooler 15 only needs to be able to cool the mist, the dispersion or solution, and the carrier liquid, and the cooling method is not limited to using a chiller unit. For example, the first cooler 15 may use a Peltier element for cooling.

[0019] Furthermore, the medium liquid filled in outer container 111 is heated by the ultrasonic vibrations caused by vibrator 115. Since the heated medium liquid may heat the dispersion or solution in inner container 112, the medium liquid is also cooled by first cooler 15. Cooling the medium liquid with first cooler 15 prevents the temperature of the medium liquid from rising. Furthermore, since first cooler 15 cools via the bottom surface of atomizer / mixing vessel housing 10, the bottom surface of atomizer / mixing vessel housing 10 is made of a material with high thermal conductivity.

[0020] The mixing tank 12 not only mixes the mists generated by the multiple atomizers 11, but also aggregates a portion of the mists transported from the multiple atomizers 11. In the mixing tank 12, mists with large particle sizes aggregate, and the mist having a substantially uniform particle size is transported to the film formation chamber 20 via the mixing tank 12. The mixing tank 12 has a container 121 and a lid 122 having through-holes through which the pipes 13 and 14 pass. Inside the container 121, the mists with large particle sizes aggregate and accumulate at the bottom of the container 121. As a result, the mist having a substantially uniform particle size is transported to the film formation chamber 20 via the pipe 14.

[0021] In addition, the mixing tank 12 is cooled by a first cooler 15. In Fig. 1, the atomizer 11 and the mixing tank 12 are cooled by the first cooler 15, but the coolers for the atomizer 11 and the mixing tank 12 may be separate and independent coolers may be provided for each.

[0022] The following description will be given using an example in which the atomizer / mixing tank housing 10 has two atomizers 11 and one mixing tank 12. Behind the atomizer 11 depicted in FIG. 1 , another atomizer 11 is installed as shown in FIG. 2 . The number of atomizers 11 and mixing tanks 12 is not limited to the examples shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 . For example, the atomizer / mixing tank housing 10 may be provided with multiple atomizers 11 and multiple mixing tanks 12. In this case, since the mixing tank 12 has the function of mixing the mists generated by the respective atomizers 11, the total number of the multiple mixing tanks 12 may be smaller than the total number of the multiple atomizers 11. Alternatively, the number of the multiple atomizers 11 and the multiple mixing tanks 12 may be the same. The number of atomizers 11 connected to one mixing tank 12 via the piping 13 may be two or more, and is appropriately adjusted depending on the material of the mist film to be formed.

[0023] In addition, when it is not necessary to mix multiple mists in the mist film-forming apparatus 1, there may be an atomizer 11 that transports the mists directly to the film-forming chamber 20 without going through the mixing chamber 12. Alternatively, one atomizer 11 may be connected to the mixing chamber 12 via a pipe 13, and the mists may be transported from the mixing chamber 12 to the film-forming chamber 20. In this case, the mists with large particle sizes are aggregated in the mixing chamber 12, and the mist with a substantially uniform particle size is transported from the mixing chamber 12 to the film-forming chamber 20.

[0024] The pipe 13 and the pipe 14 each have a sensor 16. The sensor 16 detects the flow rate of the mist passing through the pipe 13 or the pipe 14. The sensor 16 is, for example, a turbidity meter that measures the absorbance of the mist.

[0025] The film formation chamber 20 has a nozzle 21 and a stage 22. The nozzle 21 is, for example, a tubular member, and a mixing chamber side end 21b of the nozzle 21 is directly or indirectly connected to the piping 14, and mist is sprayed from a substrate side end 21a of the nozzle 21. In other words, the nozzle 21 functions as a mist supply pipe.

[0026] The stage 22 is a platform that supports a substrate. Although the substrate mounting surface of the stage 22 shown in Fig. 1 is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane, the substrate mounting surface of the stage 22 may be horizontal. Furthermore, the substrate mounting surface of the stage 22 may be perpendicular to the direction in which the mist is ejected from the nozzle 21, or may be inclined with respect to the direction in which the mist is ejected. In other words, there are no particular limitations on the inclination of the substrate mounting surface of the stage 22.

[0027] Nozzles with various shapes or opening sizes can be attached as the nozzle 21, and the position of the substrate-side end 21a of the nozzle 21 relative to the substrate mounting surface of the stage 22 can be freely adjusted. Furthermore, the stage 22 is not limited to that shown in Fig. 1, and stages of various heights and stages with various substrate mounting surface sizes can be freely arranged.

[0028] A second cooler 23 for cooling the stage 22 is provided below the bottom surface of the film formation chamber 20. The method for using the second cooler 23 for cooling is not limited, and may be the same as that for the first cooler 15, for example.

[0029] The bottom surface of the film formation chamber 20 has an opening, and air is exhausted through the opening using a pump installed inside or outside the exhaust duct housing 30. For example, the entire bottom surface of the film formation chamber 20 is formed of a metal punching board with multiple openings. The multiple openings are connected to a pump via an exhaust duct 32, and air is drawn into the film formation chamber, forming a downflow airflow throughout the film formation chamber. As an alternative configuration, an exhaust port connected to the exhaust duct 32 may be located at a position less than half the height of the film formation chamber 20. In this configuration, exhaust is performed at a position less than half the height of the film formation chamber 20, forming a downflow airflow within the film formation chamber 20. For example, exhaust may be performed by connecting an exhaust port connected to the exhaust duct 32 (described below) to the lower side of the film formation chamber 20. Alternatively, exhaust may be performed by installing the exhaust port connected to the exhaust duct 32 slightly above the bottom surface of the film formation chamber 20. By forming a downflow air current in the film forming chamber 20, it is possible to promote the adhesion of the mist to the surface on which the film is to be formed.

[0030] The vibrator 115 that generates mist, the first gas supply pipe 114 that supplies carrier gas to the atomizer 11, the second gas supply pipe described below, the first cooler 15, the second cooler 23, and the sensor 16 are connected to a controller (not shown) and are feedback-controlled according to the value detected by the sensor 16.

[0031] The exhaust duct housing 30 includes a pan 31, an exhaust duct 32, a cooling water fitting 33, a grommet 34, a HEPA filter 35, and a HEPA filter cover 36. The pan 31 is a tray that receives mist condensed through multiple openings in the bottom of the film formation chamber 20. The pan 31 is provided with a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter 35 and a HEPA filter cover 36. The HEPA filter 35 removes harmful substances and foreign matter contained in the mist, as well as homogenizes the exhaust flow and adjusts the downflow of mist from the film formation chamber 20 to prevent imbalance. The HEPA filter cover 36 covers the top of the HEPA filter 35 and prevents large droplets from adhering to the HEPA filter 35.

[0032] The exhaust duct 32 transports the gas sucked from the film formation chamber 20 to the outside of the mist film formation apparatus 1 by a pump installed inside or outside the exhaust duct storage unit 30. That is, the film formation chamber 20 is placed in a downflow state via the exhaust duct 32. The intake of air from the bottom of the film formation chamber 20 promotes adhesion of substances contained in the mist to the substrate supported by the stage 22.

[0033] The cooling water joint 33 is a joint that transports refrigerant to each cooler when the first cooler 15 or the second cooler 23 is a chiller unit. The grommet 34 is a member through which wiring connected to the oscillator 115 of the atomizer 11 passes. The grommet 34 may also be used to pass a tube (not shown) that sends carrier gas to the first gas supply pipe 114.

[0034] 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a simplified configuration of the mist film-forming device 1 according to this embodiment. As described above, the atomizer 11 includes the outer container 111, the inner container 112, the lid 113, the first gas supply pipe 114, and the vibrator 115.

[0035] The inner container 112 stores a liquid in which a material to be laminated on a substrate is dispersed or dissolved in a solvent. For example, a dispersion in which nanoparticles, which are a material for a transparent conductive film such as indium tin oxide (ITO), are dispersed at a desired concentration in pure water as a solvent, is stored in the inner container 112. The lid 113 has through-holes through which the first gas supply pipe 114 and the piping 13 pass, and seals the inner container 112. The lid 113 may also have through-holes (not shown) for storing (injecting, refilling) a dispersion, solution, solvent, or material in the inner container 112. In FIGS. 1 and 2 , the outer container 111 does not have a lid, but it may have a lid.

[0036] The outer container 111 is filled with a carrier liquid. The vibrator 115 in the carrier liquid is an ultrasonic vibrator. The vibrator 115 applies vibrations of about 2.4 MHz to the carrier liquid to generate mist from the dispersion liquid or solution in the inner container 112. The vibrator 115 may also apply vibrations directly to the dispersion liquid or solution without using the carrier liquid. For example, four vibrators 115 are provided for each atomizer 11.

[0037] As described above, the first cooler 15 cools the atomizer 11 and the mixing tank 12. In the example shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 , the first cooler 15 is installed below the bottom surface of the atomizer / mixing tank housing 10. That is, the first cooler 15 cools the carrier liquid, the inner container 112, the dispersion or solution, and the generated mist by cooling the outer container 111. The installation position of the first cooler 15 is not limited to this example, and the first cooler 15 may be installed at any position where the dispersion or solution can be cooled. For example, the first cooler 15 may be installed below or on a side of the inner container 112 to cool the inner container 112 and the dispersion or solution.

[0038] For example, the first cooler 15 cools the atomizer 11 so that the temperature of the mist generated by the atomizer 11 is below the temperature of the space in which the mist film-forming apparatus 1 is installed (i.e., room temperature) or below 30°C. As an example, the first cooler 15 cools the atomizer 11 so that the temperature of the mist is below room temperature. The temperature of the mist generated by the atomizer 11 is measured by a thermometer installed inside the atomizer. Furthermore, by cooling the dispersion or solution to below room temperature or below 30°C, not only is it possible to prevent the material from being altered by heat, but it is also expected that the dispersion performance of the material in the solvent will be improved. Furthermore, lowering the temperature of the mist makes it easier for the mist to adhere to the substrate, thereby improving the film formation rate. Furthermore, if the temperature of the mist adhering to the substrate and the stage temperature are low, the mist will dry slowly after adhering to the substrate, improving the uniformity of the film quality.

[0039] The first gas supply pipe 114 is connected to a hole provided in the lid 113 and supplies a first gas to the inner container 112. The first gas supply pipe 114 may be installed so that one end is connected to a first gas cylinder (not shown) and the other end is located inside the inner container 112. The first gas is, for example, air, nitrogen, argon, etc. The first gas functions as a carrier gas, and by supplying the first gas, mist generated inside the inner container 112 is supplied to the mixing tank 12 via the piping 13.

[0040] In this embodiment, a disposable internal container 112 can be used. That is, the internal container 112 can be easily replaced every time the dispersion liquid or solution stored therein is replaced with another dispersion liquid or solution. This makes it possible to prevent the dispersion liquid or solution adhering to the internal container 112 from being mixed into another dispersion liquid or solution. The lid 113 or the container 121 of the mixing tank 12 may also be replaced every time the dispersion liquid or solution is replaced.

[0041] The multiple atomizers 11 may each generate mist of a dispersion or solution containing different materials. In this case, the mists generated by the multiple atomizers 11 are transported to the mixing tank 12 and mixed. The mixed mists are transported to the film formation chamber 20. If a dispersion or solution in which multiple materials are pre-mixed is converted into mist by the atomizer 11, it may be difficult to control the ratio of the mists containing the various materials, the various materials may undergo chemical reactions, or mixing may suppress the mist formation itself. Therefore, each atomizer 11 generates mist individually. Then, the mists generated by the atomizers 11 are mixed. Each atomizer 11 has a first gas supply pipe 114 and a vibrator 115, so the amount of mist generated using the vibrator 115 and the flow rate of the carrier gas can be controlled for each atomizer 11. For example, if the sensor 16 detects a decrease in the mist flow rate of a certain atomizer 11, the amount of mist can be increased by increasing the voltage of the vibrator 115 of that atomizer 11, or the amount of carrier gas supplied to the inner container 112 from the first gas supply pipe 114 of another atomizer 11 can be reduced to maintain the mist mixing ratio, thereby enabling control according to the properties of the dispersion or solution.

[0042] Furthermore, by mixing the mists generated by the atomizers 11 in the mixing tank 12 before transporting them to the film-forming chamber 20, the mixing ratio of each material can be controlled before transporting them to the film-forming chamber 20.

[0043] The procedure for using the mist film-forming device 1 will be described. First, a dispersion liquid is prepared by mixing a material in a solvent, or a solution is prepared by dissolving a solute in a solvent. This is then placed in the internal container 112 of the atomizer 11, the lid 113 is closed, and the internal container 112 is stored in the external container 111. When multiple atomizers 11 are used, the dispersion liquid or solution is stored in the internal container 112 of each atomizer 11. Next, piping 13 is installed between the atomizer 11 and the mixing chamber 12, and piping 14 is installed between the mixing chamber 12 and the film-forming chamber 20. Next, a substrate is placed on the stage 22 in the film-forming chamber 20.

[0044] Next, cooling is started by the first cooler 15 and the second cooler 23. Also, the power supplies connected to each atomizer 11 are turned on to drive the vibrators 115. Mist is generated inside the inner container 112. After that, the first gas is sent from the first gas supply pipe 114 to the inner container 112.

[0045] By supplying the first gas, the mist generated in the atomizers 11 is transported to the mixing tank 12. Inside the container 121 of the mixing tank 12, the mist transported from the multiple atomizers 11 is mixed, and some of the mist aggregates and accumulates at the bottom of the container 121. Furthermore, as some of the mist aggregates, mist with large particle diameters aggregates. The mist that does not aggregate has a substantially uniform particle diameter, and travels through the piping 14 to reach the film formation chamber 20 together with the first gas, which serves as a carrier gas, and is ejected from the substrate-side end 21a of the nozzle 21, with some of it adhering to the surface of the substrate to be film-formed. The mist that does not adhere to the substrate is sucked into the exhaust duct storage section 30.

[0046] Once the desired amount of mist has been deposited on the substrate's surface, the power to the atomizer 11 is turned off. The oscillator 115 stops operating, and mist generation stops. The supply of the first gas from the first gas supply pipe 114 is also stopped. If the mist deposition device 1 has a second gas supply pipe, a second gas for drying the mist is supplied from the second gas supply pipe, as will be described in detail later. The second gas is sprayed from the substrate-side end 21a of the nozzle. As a result, the solvent in the mist that has adhered to the substrate dries. The door to the deposition chamber 20 is then opened, and the substrate is removed.

[0047] In the example shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 , the first cooler 15 is installed below the bottom surface of the atomizer / mixing tank housing 10, but the installation location of the first cooler 15 is not limited to this example. For example, coolers may be installed on the side of the atomizer 11 and the side of the mixing tank 12. The first cooler 15 cools the mist inside the container 121 of the mixing tank 12 to a temperature below the temperature of the space in which the mist film-forming device 1 is installed (i.e., room temperature) or below 30°C. As an example, the first cooler 15 cools the mist inside the container 121 of the mixing tank 12 to a temperature below room temperature. Cooling the mist inside the mixing tank 12 to a temperature below room temperature or below 30°C promotes mist aggregation and allows excess mist to be captured more efficiently. Furthermore, cooling the mist in the mixing tank 12 improves the film-forming rate in the film-forming chamber 20.

[0048] The mixing tank 12 may have a cock for recovering the liquid that accumulates in the lower part of the container 121 as a result of the aggregation of the mist. By analyzing the liquid recovered through the cock, it is possible to determine whether the amount or ratio of the mixed mist is appropriate.

[0049] The mist mixed in the mixing tank 12 is transported to the film formation chamber 20 via the piping 14 in accordance with the flow of the first gas supplied from the first gas supply pipe 114. In the film formation chamber 20, the mist ejected from the substrate-side end 21 a of the nozzle 21 adheres to the film formation surface of the substrate supported by the stage 22. In addition, the film formation surface of the substrate is the surface of the substrate that faces the substrate-side end 21 a of the nozzle 21.

[0050] 1 to 3, the second cooler 23 is installed below the stage 22, but the installation position of the second cooler 23 is not limited to this example. The second cooler 23 cools the stage 22 so that the temperature of the substrate becomes equal to or lower than the temperature of the space in which the mist film formation apparatus 1 is installed (i.e., room temperature) or 30°C. As an example, the second cooler 23 cools the substrate so that the temperature becomes equal to or lower than room temperature. By cooling the substrate to a temperature equal to or lower than room temperature or 30°C, the mist adhering to the substrate dries slowly, improving the uniformity of the film quality.

[0051] As described above, when mists generated from a plurality of atomizers 11 having different materials are mixed in one mixing tank 12, the temperature of the dispersion or solution, the voltage of the vibrator 115, the supply of the first gas, and the like can be controlled according to the properties of each dispersion or solution. For example, when multiple materials are laminated on a substrate, if one material is more difficult to turn into a mist than the other materials, the concentration of the dispersion or solution, the voltage of the vibrator 115, and the like can be adjusted by using different atomizers 11 to turn each dispersion or solution into a mist more easily.

[0052] Furthermore, by using the first cooler 15 to lower the temperature of the mist generated by the atomizer 11, the dispersion of the material into the dispersion medium is promoted, deterioration of materials that are sensitive to heat is prevented, and the film formation speed is improved. The same applies to solutions. In other words, the film formation efficiency and film quality uniformity using the mist film formation device 1 can be improved.

[0053] Furthermore, as described above, the mists may be mixed in each of a plurality of different mixing tanks 12 and transported to the film formation chamber 20. In this case, the pipes 14 connected to the respective mixing tanks 12 may be configured to merge before connecting to the film formation chamber 20, or the respective pipes 14 may be connected to a plurality of different nozzles 21. For example, for a plurality of types of mists that have the property of settling upon mixing, it is possible to adjust the stage at which the mists are mixed depending on the properties of the dispersion or solution, such as by using different mixing tanks 12.

[0054] 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a simplified configuration of a mist film-forming apparatus according to a first modified example. The mist film-forming apparatus according to the first modified example is similar to the above-described embodiment except that it includes a second gas supply pipe 116 that dries the mist.

[0055] The second gas supply pipe 116 is connected to either the pipe 13, the pipe 14, or the nozzle 21 to supply the second gas. By not connecting the second gas supply pipe 116 to the first gas supply pipe 114, moisture from the dispersion or solution can be prevented from being contained in the second gas. The second gas is, for example, nitrogen gas, and a control unit (not shown) stops the gas supply from the first gas supply pipe 114 and then switches to gas supply using the second gas supply pipe 116. After the transport of the mist generated by the atomizer 11 to the film formation chamber 20 is stopped, the second gas is sent into the film formation chamber 20 and sprayed from the nozzle 21, thereby drying the substrate to which the mist has adhered.

[0056] In addition, when the atomizer 11 and the mixing tank 12 are provided, it is preferable that the second gas supply pipe 116 be connected to the pipe 14 rather than the pipe 13. There is a possibility that mist may be condensed in the pipes 13 and 14. Therefore, in order to keep moisture intake into the second gas in the second gas flow path low, it is preferable that the second gas supply pipe 116 be connected to the pipe 14.

[0057] <Second Modification> Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a simplified configuration of the atomizer 11, the mixing tank 12, and the film formation chamber 20 in a second modification. Although only one atomizer 11 is shown in Fig. 5, there are multiple atomizers 11, and each atomizer 11 has the same configuration. Fig. 5(A) is a schematic diagram (part 1) showing an example of a simplified configuration of the atomizer 11 and the film formation chamber 20 in the second modification, Fig. 5(B) is a schematic diagram (part 2) showing an example of a simplified configuration of the atomizer 11, the mixing tank 12, and the film formation chamber 20 in the second modification, and Fig. 5(C) is a schematic diagram (part 3) showing an example of a simplified configuration of the atomizer 11, the mixing tank 12, and the film formation chamber 20 in the second modification. Differences from the above-described embodiment will be described below.

[0058] 5A is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an apparatus when mist is transported directly from the atomizer 11 to the film formation chamber 20 without going through the mixing tank 12. The pipe 13 has an inclined portion 131 that increases in height from the atomizer 11 toward the film formation chamber 20. For example, the inclined portion 131 is configured so that the highest part of the pipe 13 connects to the film formation chamber 20. By providing the inclined portion 131 to the pipe 13 that transports the mist, the mist that has liquefied or aggregated inside the pipe 13 is prevented from dripping from the substrate-side end 21 a of the nozzle 21 onto the surface of the substrate where a film is to be formed.

[0059] 5 has a mixing vessel side member 211 having a mixing vessel side end 21b, and a substrate side member 212 having a substrate side end 21a. By detachably connecting the substrate side member 212 to the mixing vessel side end 21b, it is possible to use a nozzle 21 including a substrate side end 21a having a desired shape.

[0060] 5(B) is a diagram showing an example of an apparatus configuration in which the mist generated in the atomizer 11 is transported to the film formation chamber 20 via the mixing chamber 12. In this example, the pipe 14 has an inclined portion 141 that increases in height from the mixing chamber 12 toward the film formation chamber 20. For example, the inclined portion 141 is such that the highest part of the pipe 14 connects to the film formation chamber 20. As in the example shown in FIG. 5(A), the inclined portion 141 is provided to prevent the liquefied mist from dripping from the substrate-side end 21 a of the nozzle 21 onto the film formation surface of the substrate.

[0061] The pipe 14 shown in FIG. 5(C) has an inclined portion 141, similar to the example shown in FIG. 5(B). The pipe 13 shown in FIG. 5(B) is inclined so that a portion on the atomizer 11 side is higher, and the pipe 13 shown in FIG. 5(C) is inclined so that a portion on the mixing chamber 12 side is higher. In the second modified example, the pipe 13 or the pipe 14, which is a pipe directly connected to the film formation chamber 20, only needs to have an inclined portion inclined so that the film formation chamber 20 side is higher. In the case where the mixing chamber 12 is included, the pipe 13 is not directly connected to the film formation chamber 20, so that the pipe 13 only needs to have a portion inclined so that either the atomizer 11 side or the mixing chamber 12 side is higher. The inclination of the pipe 13 prevents the accumulation of aggregated or liquefied mist in the pipe 13.

[0062] 5, a portion of the nozzle 21 is configured to be higher than the highest position of the inclined portion 131 or the inclined portion 141. The configuration of the nozzle 21 is not limited to the example shown in this figure. For example, the nozzle 21 may be inclined so as to gradually decrease in height from the mixing chamber side end 21b toward the substrate side end 21a.

[0063] 5A and 5B, mist condensed in the pipe 13 or 14 can be prevented from dripping onto the surface of the substrate to be film-formed, which can cause film formation defects. In addition, the inclined pipe 13 in Fig. 5B and Fig. 5C prevents condensed or liquefied mist from accumulating inside the pipe 13.

[0064] <Third Modification> Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a simple configuration of the film formation chamber 20 in a third modification. Figure 6(A) is a schematic diagram (part 1) showing an example of a simple configuration of the film formation chamber 20 in the third modification, Figure 6(B) is a schematic diagram (part 2) showing an example of a simple configuration of the film formation chamber 20 in the third modification, and Figure 6(C) is a schematic diagram (part 3) showing an example of a simple configuration of the film formation chamber 20 in the third modification. Below, differences from the above-mentioned embodiment will be described.

[0065] 6A, the opening area of ​​the substrate-side end 21a of the nozzle 21 is equal to or larger than the area of ​​the surface of the substrate on which the film is to be formed. With this configuration, the mist adheres approximately uniformly to the surface of the substrate on which the film is to be formed, improving the uniformity of the film thickness during film formation.

[0066] Furthermore, even when the second gas is ejected using the second gas supply pipe to dry the substrate after stopping the ejection of the mist onto the substrate, the second gas is ejected substantially uniformly onto the substrate's surface. For example, when the mist is ejected, surface tension can cause the liquefied mist to expand upward and adhere to the substrate's surface. In this case, if a nozzle 21 with an opening area smaller than the surface area of ​​the substrate is used, a radial airflow may be generated on the substrate when the second gas is ejected, resulting in uneven film thickness. By ejecting the second gas using a nozzle 21 with an opening larger than the substrate's surface, excess mist on the substrate falls off and the substrate surface dries substantially uniformly, resulting in a film with improved film thickness uniformity.

[0067] Furthermore, if the substrate is allowed to dry naturally after the spraying of mist onto the substrate has stopped, unevenness in the film thickness may occur depending on the environment of the film formation chamber 20. By using this nozzle 21, the surface on which the film is to be formed dries almost uniformly, improving the uniformity of the film thickness.

[0068] The substrate-side end 21a of the nozzle 21 in Figure 6(B) extends below the stage 22 and functions as a cover that covers the periphery of the substrate. In addition to the advantages of the nozzle shown in Figure 6(A), the nozzle 21 in Figure 6(B) prevents the sprayed mist from spreading inside the film formation chamber 20, improving the film formation rate. In the nozzle 21 shown in Figure 6(B), the substrate-side end 21a does not contact the bottom surface of the film formation chamber 20, but the substrate-side end 21a of the nozzle 21 is below the substrate, so the film formation space can be narrowed and the film formation rate can be improved. If the cover is transparent, the film formation status on the substrate can be seen.

[0069] The nozzle 21 in FIG. 6C has its substrate-side end 21a in contact with the bottom surface of the deposition chamber 20 or extends to near the bottom surface of the deposition chamber 20. In other words, the nozzle 21 of this configuration doubles as the cover shown in FIG. 6B. In addition to the advantages of the nozzle shown in FIG. 6A, it can further narrow the deposition space compared to the nozzle shown in FIG. 6B. In this configuration, the air intake from the exhaust duct 32 creates a downflow inside the nozzle 21. Therefore, this nozzle 21 further limits the deposition space for the substrate compared to FIG. 6B, preventing contamination of the deposition chamber 20 and improving the deposition rate. If the nozzle 21 is transparent, the deposition status on the substrate can be visually observed.

[0070] Although each embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described exemplary embodiment and includes various modifications. For example, the above-described exemplary embodiment has been described in detail to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to an embodiment including all of the components described herein. Furthermore, it is possible to replace part of the configuration of one exemplary embodiment with the configuration of another exemplary embodiment. It is also possible to add the configuration of another exemplary embodiment to the configuration of one exemplary embodiment. Furthermore, it is also possible to add, delete, or replace part of the configuration of each exemplary embodiment with other components. Furthermore, some or all of the above-described configurations, functions, processing units, processing means, etc. may be implemented in hardware, for example, by designing them as integrated circuits. Furthermore, the control lines and information lines in the figures are only those considered necessary for explanation, and are not necessarily all shown. It is also possible to consider that almost all components are interconnected.

[0071] Furthermore, the functional configuration of the mist film-forming apparatus 1 described above is categorized according to the main processing content for ease of understanding. The classification method and names of the components do not limit the present invention. As described above, the configuration of the mist film-forming apparatus 1 can be categorized into even more components depending on the processing content. Furthermore, it is also possible to classify each component so that it performs even more processing.

[0072] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... mist film forming apparatus, 10... atomizer / mixing chamber housing, 11... atomizer, 12... mixing chamber, 13 / 14... piping, 15... first cooler, 16... sensor, 20... film forming chamber, 21... nozzle, 21a... substrate side end, 21b... mixing chamber side end, 22... stage, 23: second cooler, 30... exhaust duct housing, 31... pan, 32... exhaust duct, 33... cooling water joint, 34... grommet, 35... HEPA filter, 36... HEPA filter cover, 111... outer container, 112... inner container, 113 / 122... lid, 114... first gas supply pipe, 115... vibrator, 116... second gas supply pipe, 121... container, 211... mixing chamber side member, 212... substrate side member

Claims

1. A mist film-forming apparatus comprising: a plurality of atomizers that generate mist; a container that mixes the mist generated by each of the plurality of atomizers; and a film-forming chamber that attaches the mist conveyed from the container to an object.

2. The mist film-forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a first cooler that cools the plurality of atomizers, wherein the first cooler sets the temperature of the mist generated by the plurality of atomizers to be equal to or lower than the temperature of the space where the mist film-forming apparatus is installed or 30°C or lower.

3. A mist film-forming apparatus comprising: an atomizer that generates mist; a container that aggregates a part of the mist generated by the atomizer; a film-forming chamber that attaches the mist conveyed from the container to an object; and a first cooler that cools the atomizer, wherein the first cooler sets the temperature of the mist generated by the atomizer to be equal to or lower than the temperature of the space where the mist film-forming apparatus is installed or 30°C or lower.

4. The mist film-forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a pipe that is connected to the container and the film-forming chamber and conveys mist from the container to the film-forming chamber, wherein the pipe has an inclined portion that rises toward the film-forming chamber side between the container and the film-forming chamber.

5. The mist film-forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the portion having the highest height among the inclined portions is connected to the film-forming chamber.

6. A mist film-forming apparatus comprising: an atomizer that generates mist; a container that aggregates a part of the mist generated by the atomizer; a film-forming chamber that attaches the mist conveyed from the container to an object; and a pipe that is connected to the container and the film-forming chamber and conveys mist from the container to the film-forming chamber, wherein a mist supply pipe that is connected to the pipe and supplies mist to the object is provided in the film-forming chamber, and the opening area of the mist supply pipe on the object side is equal to or larger than the area of the film-forming surface of the object.

7. The mist film-forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of the atomizers are provided, and the container mixes the mist generated by each of the plurality of atomizers.

8. The mist film-forming apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, further comprising a first cooler that cools the atomizers, wherein the first cooler sets the temperature of the mist generated by the atomizers to be equal to or lower than the temperature of the space where the mist film-forming apparatus is installed or 30°C or lower.

9. The mist deposition apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the mist supply pipe is a mist deposition apparatus that contacts the bottom surface of the deposition chamber or extends to near the bottom surface of the deposition chamber.

10. The mist deposition apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the pipe has an inclined portion that rises toward the deposition chamber side between the container and the deposition chamber.

11. The mist deposition apparatus according to any one of claims 10, wherein the highest portion of the inclined portion is connected to the deposition chamber.

12. The mist deposition apparatus according to any one of claims 2, 3, 8, wherein the first cooler cools the container.

13. The mist deposition apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the temperature of the mist in the container is made equal to or lower than the temperature of the space where the mist deposition apparatus is installed or 30°C or lower by the first cooler.

14. The mist deposition apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein a stage for supporting the object is provided in the deposition chamber, and the mist deposition apparatus has a second cooler for cooling the stage.

15. The mist deposition apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the temperature of the object is made equal to or lower than the temperature of the space where the mist deposition apparatus is installed or 30°C or lower by the second cooler.

16. The mist deposition apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein exhaust is performed from below the deposition chamber in the deposition chamber.

17. The mist deposition apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the bottom surface of the deposition chamber has a plurality of openings, and exhaust is performed through the plurality of openings.

18. The mist deposition apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, having a pipe connected between the container and the deposition chamber for transporting mist from the container to the deposition chamber, a mist supply pipe connected to the pipe and provided in the deposition chamber for supplying mist to the object, a first gas supply pipe connected to the atomizer for supplying a first gas for transporting mist, and a second gas supply pipe connected to the pipe or the mist supply pipe for supplying a second gas for drying the mist adhering to the object.

19. The mist deposition apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 11, wherein a first gas supply pipe for supplying a first gas for transporting mist is connected to the atomizer, and a second gas supply pipe for supplying a second gas for drying the mist adhering to the object is connected to the pipe or the mist supply pipe.

20. The mist deposition apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein a cover for covering the periphery of the object is provided in the deposition chamber.

21. The mist deposition apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each of the atomizers has an inner container and a lid, and the inner container is replaced each time the object is replaced.

22. The mist deposition apparatus according to any one of claims 4 to 10, wherein the atomizer has a container and a lid, and the container is replaced each time the object is replaced.

23. Independent claim: A film formation method corresponding to claim 1. Generate mists having different materials from each of a plurality of atomizers, mix the mists having different materials in a container, and attach the mixed mists transported from the container to a deposition chamber to an object. Mist deposition method.

24. Independent claim: A film formation method corresponding to claim 3. Generate mist using an atomizer, agglomerate a part of the mist in a container, attach the mist transported from the container to a deposition chamber to an object, and cool the atomizer with a first cooler that cools the atomizer. A mist deposition method in which the temperature of the mist generated is made equal to or lower than the temperature of the space in which the mist deposition apparatus is installed or 30°C or lower.

25. Independent claim: A film formation method corresponding to claim 6. Generate mist using an atomizer, agglomerate a part of the mist in a container, attach the mist transported from the container to a deposition chamber to an object using a pipe, and in the deposition chamber, the mist is supplied to the object by a mist supply pipe connected to the pipe. A mist deposition method in which mist is supplied to the object from the mist supply pipe having an opening area at one end on the object side that is equal to or larger than the area of the film-forming surface of the object.

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