Coating device and method therefor

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the field of integrated circuits, and particularly relates to a coating device and a method therefor. The coating device comprises: a chamber; a carrier plate located within the chamber, the carrier plate being used to place a substrate, and the carrier plate being insulated from the chamber; a power supply apparatus, comprising a bias power supply, a suppression power supply, a power supply switching unit and a detection unit, the bias power supply and the suppression power supply being electrically connected to the carrier plate by means of the power switching unit, the power switching unit being used to switch the carrier plate between connection to the bias power supply and the suppression power supply, and the detection unit being used to detect a current value of a bias loop during coating and send an arc signal when the current value exceeds a preset current value; a coating apparatus, comprising a target material and a coating power supply, the coating power supply being used to apply voltage to the target material during coating; and a control apparatus, connected to the detection unit, the power switching unit and the coating power supply, the control apparatus being used to, upon receiving the arc signal from the detection unit, control the power switching unit to electrically connect the suppression power supply to the carrier plate, and cause the bias power supply to output an idle load.

Description

Coating equipment and methods Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of integrated circuit technology, and in particular to a coating apparatus and method thereof. Background Technology

[0002] When performing vacuum coating on a substrate, a coating power supply is typically used in conjunction with a magnetron cathode to generate plasma. Ions bombard the target material, which then settles onto the substrate surface, completing the coating process. This results in a large accumulation of electrons on the carrier plate used to hold the substrate during the coating process. When the electrons accumulate to a certain level, arcing occurs at the contact point between the carrier plate and the substrate, leading to damage to the substrate.

[0003] In related technologies, when arcing is about to occur, the coating power supply is usually turned off, and the coating process is continued only after the electrons on the substrate have dissipated. To improve the efficiency of the coating process, there is currently an urgent need for methods to accelerate the rate of electron dissipation on the substrate. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a coating device and method to address the problem of slow electron dissipation on the carrier plate in the prior art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, a coating apparatus is provided, comprising:

[0006] cavity;

[0007] A carrier plate is located inside the cavity and is used to place a substrate. The carrier plate is insulated from the cavity.

[0008] The power supply device includes a bias power supply, a suppression power supply, a power conversion unit, and a detection unit. The bias power supply and the suppression power supply are both electrically connected to the carrier board through the power conversion unit. The power conversion unit is used to switch the carrier board to the bias power supply and the suppression power supply. The detection unit is used to detect the current value of the bias circuit during coating and to send an arc signal when the current value exceeds a preset current value.

[0009] A coating apparatus includes a target and a coating power source, the coating power source being used to apply voltage to the target during coating;

[0010] A control device is connected to the detection unit, the power conversion unit, and the coating power supply. When the control device receives the arc signal sent by the detection unit, it controls the power conversion unit to electrically connect the suppression power supply and the carrier plate, and makes the bias power supply output no load.

[0011] In one embodiment, the power conversion unit includes a switching circuit connected between the bias power supply and the carrier board, and also connected between the suppression power supply and the carrier board. When the control device receives the arc signal sent by the detection unit, it controls the switching circuit to disconnect the circuit between the bias power supply and the carrier board, and to connect the circuit between the suppression power supply and the carrier board.

[0012] In one embodiment, the bias power supply provides a negative voltage to the carrier plate, the suppression power supply provides ground potential to the carrier plate, and the suppression power supply is at the same potential as the housing surface of the coating equipment.

[0013] In one embodiment, the bias power supply provides a negative voltage to the carrier plate, and the suppression power supply provides a positive voltage to the carrier plate.

[0014] In one embodiment, the carrier plate is provided with a guide rail, and the bottom of the cavity is provided with a plurality of power supply rollers. The power supply rollers are engaged with the guide rail to allow the carrier plate to move on the plurality of power supply rollers. The power supply rollers are electrically connected to the bias power supply and the suppression power supply.

[0015] In one embodiment, the power supply roller includes:

[0016] The support base contacts the cavity;

[0017] A bias feed interface is located on the surface of the support base and is used to connect the bias power supply and the suppression power supply.

[0018] A transmission component is located on the side of the power supply roller away from the support base, used to connect with the guide rail, and the transmission component is electrically connected to the bias feed interface.

[0019] In one embodiment, the bias feed interface is electrically connected to the bias power supply and the suppression power supply through the power conversion unit.

[0020] On the one hand, a coating method is provided, using the aforementioned coating equipment, including:

[0021] The coating power supply is controlled to provide coating voltage to the target material, and the bias power supply is controlled to provide power to the carrier plate;

[0022] Detect the current value of the bias circuit;

[0023] When the arc signal is received, the carrier board is controlled to switch from being electrically connected to the bias power supply to being electrically connected to the suppression power supply.

[0024] In one embodiment, the step of controlling the carrier board to switch from being electrically connected to the bias power supply to being electrically connected to the suppression power supply when the arc signal is received includes:

[0025] When the carrier board is electrically connected to the suppression power supply for a preset duration, the carrier board is controlled to switch from being electrically connected to the suppression power supply to being electrically connected to the bias power supply.

[0026] In one embodiment, the preset duration is between 10μs and 1000μs.

[0027] This disclosure relates to a coating equipment in which a bias power supply and a detection unit are configured to enable the detection unit to monitor the current in the bias circuit in real time. When the current value exceeds a preset current value, the detection unit sends an arcing signal to the control device. Simultaneously, the control device controls the power conversion unit to electrically connect the suppression power supply and the carrier plate, and sets the bias power supply output to no load. This further accelerates the diffusion of electrons on the substrate, thereby preventing arcing and protecting the substrate. Consequently, the time required to shut down the coating power supply is shortened, increasing the efficiency of the coating process. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments or conventional technologies of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or conventional technologies will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0029] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a coating device provided in one embodiment;

[0030] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a carrier plate provided in one embodiment;

[0031] Figures 3 to 5 are schematic diagrams of the coating equipment provided in different embodiments;

[0032] Figure 6 is a graph showing the relationship between detection current and time in one embodiment;

[0033] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a carrier plate provided in another embodiment;

[0034] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a power supply roller provided in one embodiment;

[0035] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the coating equipment provided in another embodiment;

[0036] Figures 10 and 11 are schematic diagrams of the process chambers provided in different embodiments;

[0037] Figures 12 and 13 are flowcharts of the coating methods provided in different embodiments.

[0038] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: Coating equipment - 100; Cavity - 110; Transition cavity - 111; Deposition cavity - 112; Carrier plate - 120; Guide rail - 121; Power supply device - 130; Bias power supply - 131; Suppression power supply - 132; Power conversion unit - 133; Detection unit - 134; Coating device - 140; Control device - 150; Power supply roller - 160; Support base - 161; Bias feed interface - 162; Transmission component - 163; Support component - 164; Bearing - 165; Insulating screw sleeve - 166; Insulating pad - 167; Insulating roller - 170; Vacuum feed electrode - 180; High temperature resistant wire - 190; Substrate - 200; Electronics - 300.

[0039] To better describe and illustrate embodiments and / or examples of the inventions disclosed herein, reference may be made to one or more accompanying drawings. Additional details or examples used to describe the drawings should not be considered as limiting the scope of any of the disclosed inventions, the currently described embodiments and / or examples, or the best mode of these inventions as currently understood. Detailed Implementation

[0040] To facilitate understanding of this disclosure, a more complete description will now be given with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are shown. However, this disclosure may be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete.

[0041] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this disclosure.

[0042] In each embodiment, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in each embodiment according to the specific circumstances.

[0043] It is understood that the term "connection" in the following embodiments should be understood as "electrical connection," "communication connection," etc., if the connected circuits, modules, units, etc., have electrical signal or data transmission with each other.

[0044] It should be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as "on," "adjacent to," or "connected to" other elements or layers, it may be directly on, adjacent to, or connected to other elements or layers, or there may be intervening elements or layers. Conversely, when an element is referred to as "directly on," "directly adjacent to," or "directly connected to" other elements or layers, there are no intervening elements or layers.

[0045] Spatial relation terms such as “below,” “under,” “below,” “under,” “above,” “above,” etc., are used herein to describe the relationship between one element or feature shown in the figure and other elements or features. It should be understood that, in addition to the orientation shown in the figure, spatial relation terms also include different orientations of the device in use and operation. For example, if the device in the figure is flipped, the element or feature described as “below,” “under,” or “below” will be oriented “above” the other element or feature. Therefore, the exemplary terms “below” and “under” can include both above and below orientations. Furthermore, the device may also include other orientations (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or other orientations), and the spatial descriptive terms used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0046] When used herein, the singular forms of “a,” “an,” and “the” may also include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that when the terms “comprise” and / or “comprising” are used in this specification, the presence of the stated feature, integer, step, operation, element, and / or part is established, but the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, parts, and / or groups is not excluded. Meanwhile, when used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of the associated listed items.

[0047] Embodiments are described herein with reference to schematic diagrams that represent preferred embodiments of the invention, thus allowing for the expectation of variations in the shapes shown due to, for example, manufacturing techniques. Therefore, the embodiments should not be limited to the specific shapes of the areas shown herein, but should include shape deviations due to, for example, manufacturing techniques. The areas shown in the figures are substantially schematic, and their shapes do not represent the actual shape and specific location of the device, nor do they limit the scope of the embodiments.

[0048] As mentioned in the background section, referring to Figures 1 and 2, when electrons 300 accumulate to a certain level, arcing may occur at the contact point between the carrier plate 120 and the substrate 200, resulting in damage to the substrate 200. As an example, in the fabrication of a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) film for a heterojunction solar cell, the deposition power supply delivers power to the target material, ionizing the gas to generate plasma for deposition. The target material can be a cylindrical target, and the deposition process can be physical vapor deposition (PVD).

[0049] When the carrier plate 120 is suspended, the difference in conductivity between the substrate 200 (e.g., a silicon wafer) and the carrier plate 120 (e.g., a metal carrier plate 120) results in a difference in the amount of electrons accumulated on the substrate 200 and the carrier plate 120, leading to a potential difference between them. Since electrons 300 move more easily at the carrier plate 120, arcing occurs at the edge of the substrate 200 (e.g., at point A in Figure 2). At this point, the arc generated between the substrate 200 and the carrier plate 120 is sufficient to break down the substrate 200, rendering it unusable and scrap. Furthermore, in the prior art, the arcing between the substrate 200 and the carrier plate 120 cannot be suppressed.

[0050] Based on this, in one embodiment, referring to Figures 3 to 5, this embodiment provides a coating apparatus 100. The coating apparatus includes a cavity 110, a carrier plate 120, a power supply device 130, a coating device 140, and a control device 150.

[0051] The cavity 110 can be a housing used for coating processes. The cavity 110 includes an outer shell and an internal accommodating space. This embodiment does not impose specific limitations on the dimensions, shape, or other parameters of the cavity 110.

[0052] The carrier plate 120 is used to place the substrate 200. The carrier plate 120 and the substrate 200 are located within the cavity 110. It is understood that the carrier plate 120 may be insulated from the cavity 110. As an example, the material of the carrier plate 120 includes conductive materials such as metals, and the material of the cavity 110 includes insulating materials. The carrier plate 120 may be located at the bottom of the cavity 110 and connected by a support structure.

[0053] The coating apparatus 140 includes a target and a coating power source. The coating power source is used to apply voltage to the target during coating. As an example, the coating power source may include a cathode. During coating, the cathode delivers power to the target by emitting electrons 300. The coating apparatus 140 may be located on the top or sidewall of the cavity 110.

[0054] The power supply device 130 may be located outside the cavity 110. The power supply device 130 includes a power supply, a power conversion unit 133, and a detection unit 134. The power supply includes a bias power supply 131 and a suppression power supply 132.

[0055] Both the bias power supply 131 and the suppression power supply 132 are electrically connected to the carrier plate 120 via the power conversion unit 133 to supply power to the carrier plate 120. As an example, the bias power supply 131 can provide a negative bias voltage to the carrier plate 120, and the suppression power supply 132 can provide a positive bias voltage or ground potential to the carrier plate 120. Specifically, when the suppression power supply 132 provides a positive bias voltage to the carrier plate 120, the suppression power supply 132 can be a regulated power supply, or it can be a pulse power supply. When the suppression power supply 132 provides ground potential (which can be 0V) to the carrier plate 120, the suppression power supply 132 is a grounded power supply. Exemplarily, the suppression power supply 132 can be located on the surface of the housing. In this case, the suppression power supply 132 is at the same potential as the surface of the housing of the coating equipment 100. This embodiment does not limit the specific voltages of the bias power supply 131 and the suppression power supply 132.

[0056] The power conversion unit 133 is used to switch the carrier board 120 to a bias power supply 131 and a suppression power supply 132. As an example, the power conversion unit 133 controls either the bias power supply 131 or the suppression power supply 132 to supply power to the carrier board 120, while the other outputs no load.

[0057] The detection unit 134 is used to detect the current value of the bias circuit during coating. As an example, the detection unit 134 includes an ammeter. During coating, the coating power supply is turned on, and the bias power supply 131 supplies power to the carrier plate 120. The cavity 110 is filled with plasma. At this time, a bias circuit is generated between the bias power supply 131, the carrier plate 120, the plasma, and ground. As the coating process proceeds, the number of electrons 300 accumulated on the carrier plate 120 gradually increases, causing the current in the circuit to gradually increase. The detection unit 134 detects the current value of this circuit to determine whether arcing is about to occur.

[0058] The detection unit 134 can be connected to the carrier board 120 to detect the current value in the circuit of the carrier board 120. The detection unit 134 can also be integrated into the bias power supply 131 to obtain the current value in the circuit by the change of the bias power supply 131.

[0059] The control device 150 is connected to the detection unit 134, the power conversion unit 133, and the coating power supply. As an example, the control device 150 can communicate with the detection unit 134, the power conversion unit 133, and the coating power supply via a wireless network, Bluetooth, or other means. Alternatively, the control device 150 can be electrically connected to the detection unit 134, the power conversion unit 133, and the coating power supply via wires or other means.

[0060] Referring to Figure 6, when the current value exceeds the preset current value, it indicates that an arcing phenomenon is about to occur. At this time, the detection unit 134 sends an arcing signal to the control device 150. As an example, when the detection unit 134 and the control device 150 are electrically connected, the arcing signal can be a high or low level, etc.

[0061] During coating, the control device 150 can control the on and off of the coating power supply. When the coating power supply is on, the control device 150 controls the power conversion unit 133 to electrically connect the bias power supply 131 and the carrier plate 120. When the control device 150 receives an arc signal, the control device 150 controls the power conversion unit 133 to switch the connection between the suppression power supply 132 and the carrier plate 120, and makes the bias power supply 131 output no load.

[0062] When the control device 150 receives an arc signal, the coating power supply can remain on to prevent interruption of the coating process. Alternatively, the coating power supply can be temporarily shut off to allow electrons 300 to diffuse into the plasma more quickly. This embodiment does not limit the state of the coating power supply when the control device 150 receives an arc signal.

[0063] Referring to Figure 6, the control device 150 can start timing after receiving an arc signal. When the timing duration reaches the preset duration, the control device 150 controls the power conversion unit 133 to switch the connection between the bias power supply 131 and the carrier board 120. For example, the preset duration can be between 10μs and 1000μs. The control device 150 can be equipped with electronic devices such as timers or structures such as gears to achieve the timing purpose.

[0064] In this embodiment, by setting a bias power supply 131 and a detection unit 134, the detection unit 134 can detect the current in the circuit of the carrier board 120 in real time. When the current value exceeds a preset current value, the detection unit 134 sends an arc signal to the control device 150, and sets a power conversion unit 133 to switch the connection between the suppression power supply 132 and the bias power supply 131, so as to control the suppression power supply 132 to supply power to the carrier board 120, accelerate the diffusion of electrons 300 on the substrate 200, prevent arcing, protect the substrate 200, and increase the efficiency of the coating process.

[0065] In one embodiment, the power conversion unit 133 includes a switching circuit.

[0066] A switching circuit is connected between the bias power supply 131 and the carrier plate 120, and also between the suppression power supply 132 and the carrier plate 120. During coating, the switching circuit connects the bias power supply 131 and the carrier plate 120. When the control device 150 receives an arc signal from the detection unit 134, it controls the switching circuit to disconnect the circuit between the bias power supply 131 and the carrier plate 120, and connect the circuit between the suppression power supply 132 and the carrier plate 120.

[0067] In one example, the switching circuit may include a single-pole double-throw switch. One end of the single-pole double-throw switch is connected to the carrier board 120, and the other end is connected to either a bias power supply 131 or a suppression power supply 132.

[0068] In another example, the switching circuit may include two metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistors. Specifically, one of the PMOS or NMOS transistors is positioned between the bias power supply 131 and the carrier plate 120, and the other is positioned between the suppression power supply 132 and the carrier plate 120. The gates of the PMOS and NMOS transistors are connected to the detection unit 134. When the current value exceeds a preset current value, the detection unit 134 sends a high-level (or low-level) arcing signal to the control device 150. Upon receiving a high-level (or low-level) signal, one of the PMOS or NMOS transistors is turned on, and the other is turned off. This achieves the purpose of the power conversion unit 133 switching between the bias power supply 131 and the suppression power supply 132.

[0069] It is understood that the above-mentioned switching circuit can also adopt other forms such as relays, and is not limited to the forms already mentioned in the above embodiments, as long as it can achieve the function of switching circuit.

[0070] In one embodiment, referring to Figure 7, the carrier plate 120 is provided with guide rails 121. The guide rails 121 are located on opposite sides of the carrier plate 120. Meanwhile, the bottom of the cavity 110 is provided with multiple power supply rollers 160. When the power supply rollers 160 are connected to a power supply, they engage with the guide rails 121. Thus, the carrier plate 120 can move on the multiple power supply rollers 160 to move within the cavity 110.

[0071] As an example, referring to Figure 8, the power supply roller 160 includes a support base 161, a bias feed interface 162, and a transmission element 163.

[0072] The support base 161 is in contact with the cavity 110. At this time, the support base 161 can be insulated from the cavity 110. As an example, the material of the support base 161 can be rubber or plastic. Further, please refer to the left figure of Figure 8 for a schematic diagram of the support base 161.

[0073] The bias feed interface 162 is located on the surface of the support base 161. The bias feed interface 162 can be used to connect wires to electrically connect to the power supply. For example, the bias feed interface 162 can be located on the surface of the support base 161, in which case an insulating sleeve 166 can be provided between the bias feed interface 162 and the support base 161.

[0074] The transmission component 163 is used to connect with the guide rail 121. It is understood that the material of the transmission component 163 may include conductive metals such as copper, aluminum, or tungsten.

[0075] Furthermore, the power supply roller 160 may also include a metal support member 164 and a bearing 165. The support member 164 and the bearing 165 are electrically connected to the bias feed interface 162 and the transmission member 163. Exemplarily, the support member 164 extends from inside the support base 161 to the transmission member 163, in which case an insulating pad 167 is provided between the support member 164 and the support base 161. The bearing 165 is located on the side of the support member 164 closer to the transmission member 163, facilitating the rotation of the transmission member 163.

[0076] In one example, referring to Figures 9 through 11, the bias feed interface 162 is located inside the cavity 110. In this case, the coating apparatus 100 also includes a vacuum feed electrode 180. The vacuum feed electrode 180 can pass through the cavity 110. Specifically, one end of the vacuum feed electrode 180 can be located outside the cavity 110 to connect to a power supply, and the other end can be located inside the cavity 110 to connect to the bias feed interface 162 of the power supply roller 160. As an example, the vacuum feed electrode 180 may include a ceramic housing and an internal copper electrode, with the power supply connected to the copper electrode of the vacuum feed electrode 180. In this case, the bias feed interface 162 is electrically connected to the power supply via a power conversion unit 133.

[0077] The vacuum feed electrode 180 can be connected to a bias power supply 131 and one or more power supply rollers 160. Alternatively, the vacuum feed electrode 180 can be connected to multiple bias power supplies 131 and multiple power supply rollers 160. For example, the vacuum feed electrode 180 can be connected to the bias feed interface 162 of each power supply roller 160 via a high-temperature resistant wire 190.

[0078] In another example, the bias feed interface 162 is located outside the cavity 110. In this case, referring to Figure 10, power can also be supplied to the carrier plate 120 via the support 164 and bearing 165 of the power supply roller 160. It is understood that the bias feed interface 162 in this embodiment is not limited to that shown in Figures 10 or 11, as long as the positions of the bias power supply 131 and the suppression power supply 132 connected to the power supply roller 160 are insulated from the cavity 110 and can be effectively electrically connected to the carrier plate 120.

[0079] In this embodiment, a power supply roller 160 is provided at the bottom of the cavity 110, so that the transmission component 163 of the power supply roller 160 is connected to the carrier plate 120 by the gravity of the carrier plate 120 and / or the substrate 200, thereby enabling the bias power supply 131 and the suppression power supply 132 to supply power to the carrier plate 120 in a better manner through the power supply roller 160.

[0080] In one embodiment, the bottom of the cavity 110 may also be provided with an insulating roller 170. The insulating roller 170 may be made entirely of insulating material. The shape and size of the outer shell of the insulating roller 170 may be the same as the shape and size of the power supply roller 160, so that the insulating roller 170 also mates with the guide rail 121.

[0081] Referring to Figure 11, the coating apparatus also includes alternating transition chambers 111 and deposition chambers 112. In the direction of movement of the carrier plate 120, the length of the carrier plate 120 is shorter than the length of the transition chamber 111, so that the carrier plate 120 does not span the two chambers 110, thus ensuring that the chambers with different targets and different processes do not interfere with each other.

[0082] The deposition chamber 112 can be a chamber for depositing a film. In this case, the transition chamber 111 serves as a transition, and no target material is placed inside the transition chamber 111. The transition chamber 111 can be a chamber 110 between two adjacent deposition chambers 112, or the transition chamber 111 can surround the deposition chamber 112.

[0083] The bottom of the transition cavity 111 can all be insulated rollers 170. It is understood that there is no target material inside the transition cavity 111, therefore the bottom of the transition cavity 111 can all be insulated rollers 170. The bottom of the deposition cavity 112 can all be power supply rollers 160, or the bottom of the deposition cavity 1122 can have insulated rollers 170 and power supply rollers 160 arranged alternately, thereby reducing costs.

[0084] Furthermore, within the deposition chamber 112, the position of the power supply roller 160 is related to the width of the chamber 110 and the length of the carrier plate 120. When it is necessary for the carrier plate 120 to be in contact with one or more power supply rollers 160 within the deposition chamber 112, the position of the power supply roller 160 within the deposition chamber 112 is such that the carrier plate 120 can contact one or more power supply rollers 160 within the deposition chamber 112.

[0085] In one embodiment, the absolute value of the bias voltage provided by the bias power supply 131 to the carrier 120 is greater than the floating potential of the carrier 120.

[0086] When the absolute value of the bias voltage supplied by the bias power supply 131 to the carrier 120 is less than the floating potential of the carrier 120, the carrier 120 remains at the floating potential. At this time, the bias power supply 131 has a relatively small impact on the carrier 120 (or the substrate 200).

[0087] When the absolute value of the bias voltage provided by the bias power supply 131 to the carrier 120 is greater than the floating potential of the carrier 120, the carrier 120 is set to a negative potential. For example, by adjusting this negative potential, the voltage drop of the sheath layer on the surface of the carrier 120 can be controlled, reducing the bombardment energy of high-kinetic-energy negative ions (mainly sputtering byproduct oxygen negative ions) on the surface of the substrate 200 during the TCO thin film deposition process. The negative-potential carrier 120 repels negative ions, thereby effectively slowing down negatively charged particles and reducing the number of negatively charged particles arriving, thus reducing the damage to the product caused by the bombardment of negatively charged particles and improving the device performance of the substrate 200. Of course, this potential cannot be too high, as excessively high potential will result in strong argon ion bombardment, which could damage the device.

[0088] Based on the same inventive concept, one or more embodiments of this application also provide a coating method relating to a coating apparatus. The solution to the problem provided by this method can be applied to the coating apparatus involved in any of the foregoing embodiments, and the method is similar to the implementation scheme described in the above embodiments. Therefore, the specific limitations in the one or more method embodiments provided below can be found in the limitations on the coating apparatus described above.

[0089] In one embodiment, the coating method can be applied to the control device 150. Referring to Figures 12 and 13, the coating method includes the following steps:

[0090] Step S2: Control the coating power supply to provide coating voltage to the target material, and control the bias power supply 131 to provide power to the carrier plate 120.

[0091] Step S4: Detect the current value of the bias circuit.

[0092] Step S6: When an arc signal is received, the control board 120 switches from the electrical connection to the bias power supply 131 to the electrical connection to the suppression power supply 132.

[0093] In step S2, when the substrate 200 and the carrier plate 120 reach a designated position (e.g., the substrate 200 and the carrier plate 120 are below the target), the control device 150 turns on the coating power supply, which emits electrons 300 to bombard the target. The control device 150 controls the power conversion unit 133 to electrically connect the bias power supply 131 and the carrier plate 120. A bias circuit is generated between the bias power supply 131, the carrier plate 120, the plasma, and ground.

[0094] In step S4, the detection unit 134 can detect the current value in the bias circuit in real time. When the current value exceeds the preset current value, it indicates that arcing is about to occur. At this time, the detection unit 134 sends an arcing signal to the control device 150.

[0095] In step S6, when an arc signal is received, the control device 150 also controls the power conversion unit 133 to switch to the suppression power supply 132. At this time, electrons 300 on the carrier plate 120 can diffuse into the plasma more rapidly.

[0096] In this embodiment, by setting the detection unit 134 to detect the current value and send an arc signal to the control device 150, the purpose of real-time current detection is achieved, thereby preventing arcing. Moreover, the power conversion unit 133 switches between the suppression power supply 132 and the bias power supply 131, so that the suppression power supply 132 supplies power to the carrier plate 120, thereby accelerating the diffusion of electrons 300 and shortening the diffusion time of electrons 300, thereby improving the coating efficiency.

[0097] In one embodiment, after step S6, the following is included:

[0098] Step S8: When the duration of the electrical connection between the carrier board 120 and the suppression power supply 132 reaches the preset duration, the carrier board 120 is controlled to switch from the electrical connection suppression power supply 132 to the electrical connection bias power supply 131.

[0099] When the control device 150 receives an arc signal, it can start timing. When the timing duration reaches the preset duration, the control device 150 controls the power conversion unit 133 to switch the connection between the bias power supply 131 and the carrier board 120. For example, the preset duration can be between 10μs and 1000μs.

[0100] It should be understood that although the steps in the flowcharts shown in Figures 12 and 13 are displayed sequentially according to the arrows, these steps are not necessarily executed in the order indicated by the arrows. Unless explicitly stated herein, there is no strict order restriction on the execution of these steps, and they can be executed in other orders. Moreover, at least some of the steps in Figures 12 and 13 may include multiple steps or stages, which are not necessarily completed at the same time, but may be executed at different times, and the execution order of these steps or stages is not necessarily sequential, but may be performed alternately or in turn with other steps or at least some of the steps or stages of other steps.

[0101] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features of the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0102] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of this disclosure, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this disclosure, and these all fall within the scope of protection of this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of this patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A coating equipment, characterized in that, include: cavity; A carrier plate is located inside the cavity and is used to place a substrate. The carrier plate is insulated from the cavity. The power supply device includes a bias power supply, a suppression power supply, a power conversion unit, and a detection unit. The bias power supply and the suppression power supply are both electrically connected to the carrier board through the power conversion unit. The power conversion unit is used to switch the carrier board to the bias power supply and the suppression power supply. The detection unit is used to detect the current value of the bias circuit during coating and to send an arc signal when the current value exceeds a preset current value. A coating apparatus includes a target and a coating power source, the coating power source being used to apply voltage to the target during coating; A control device is connected to the detection unit, the power conversion unit, and the coating power supply. When the control device receives the arc signal sent by the detection unit, it controls the power conversion unit to electrically connect the suppression power supply and the carrier plate, and makes the bias power supply output no load.

2. The coating equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The power conversion unit includes a switching circuit connected between the bias power supply and the carrier board, and also connected between the suppression power supply and the carrier board. When the control device receives the arc signal sent by the detection unit, it controls the switching circuit to disconnect the circuit between the bias power supply and the carrier board, and to connect the circuit between the suppression power supply and the carrier board.

3. The coating equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bias power supply provides a negative voltage to the carrier plate, the suppression power supply provides ground potential to the carrier plate, and the suppression power supply is at the same potential as the housing surface of the coating equipment.

4. The coating equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bias power supply provides a negative voltage to the carrier plate, and the suppression power supply provides a positive voltage to the carrier plate.

5. The coating equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The carrier plate is provided with a guide rail, and the bottom of the cavity is provided with multiple power supply rollers. The power supply rollers are engaged with the guide rails to allow the carrier plate to move on the multiple power supply rollers. The power supply rollers are electrically connected to the bias power supply and the suppression power supply.

6. The coating equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, The power supply roller includes: The support base contacts the cavity; A bias feed interface is located on the surface of the support base and is used to connect the bias power supply and the suppression power supply. A transmission component is located on the side of the power supply roller away from the support base, used to connect with the guide rail, and the transmission component is electrically connected to the bias feed interface.

7. The coating equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that, The bias feed interface is electrically connected to the bias power supply and the suppression power supply through the power conversion unit.

8. A coating method, using the coating equipment according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, include: The coating power supply is controlled to provide coating voltage to the target material, and the bias power supply is controlled to provide power to the carrier plate; Detect the current value of the bias circuit; When the arc signal is received, the carrier board is controlled to switch from being electrically connected to the bias power supply to being electrically connected to the suppression power supply.

9. The coating method according to claim 8, characterized in that, When the arc signal is received, controlling the carrier board to switch from being electrically connected to the bias power supply to being electrically connected to the suppression power supply includes: When the carrier board is electrically connected to the suppression power supply for a preset duration, the carrier board is controlled to switch from being electrically connected to the suppression power supply to being electrically connected to the bias power supply.

10. The coating method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The preset duration is between 10μs and 1000μs.

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