Coater Conditioning via Oscillating Substrates and Resistive Heating
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current conditioning processes for large area coaters after maintenance result in energy wastage, debris formation due to sputtered material deposition in empty compartments, and contamination of washing machines, as well as thermal stress and intrinsic stress in substrates from repeated heating and coating cycles.
Innovation Solution
The method involves loading conditioning substrates into the coater to fill the processing area, where they perform an oscillating movement during sputtering and heating, allowing the substrates to heat adjacent pump compartments and recycle sputtered material, while using a heated conductance tunnel to reduce sputtering power and prevent material waste, and employing endpoint detection for residual water partial pressure to complete conditioning efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If sputtering processes are started throughout the coater to heat and condition the chambers, then water is detached from surfaces for pumping, but sputtering targets are consumed without producing coated glass and sputtered material deposits in empty compartments building up thick layers with intrinsic stress
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a preliminary heating phase using resistive heating elements before initiating sputtering processes. This pre-heating action raises the coater temperature to the required range (150-200°C) without consuming sputtering targets, thereby separating the heating function from the sputtering process and eliminating unnecessary target consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/sputtering-based heating method with an electrical heating system using resistive heating elements. This substitution allows thermal energy to be introduced directly without requiring sputtering processes, thus preventing target material consumption and unwanted deposition while achieving the same thermal conditioning effect.
2Reliability
If glass is run through the coater continuously during conditioning to carry out sputtered material, then debris risk is reduced, but glass extracts significant energy from the vacuum and washing machines become contaminated with coating particles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heating function from the sputtering process and implements it through dedicated resistive heating elements. This separation allows sputtering to occur without the need for continuous glass transport for heat extraction, eliminating the energy loss associated with heating and cooling glass substrates during conditioning while maintaining debris-free operation.
3Temperature
If sputtering processes are used for conditioning, then heating is achieved to detach water, but the process is energy intensive and targets are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a preliminary heating phase using resistive heating elements before sputtering begins. This pre-heating action reduces the power demand during subsequent sputtering operations by eliminating the need to generate thermal energy through high-power sputtering, thereby reducing overall energy consumption while achieving the same conditioning temperature.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes electrical resistive heating for sputtering-based heating, introducing thermal energy through a more energy-efficient mechanism. This replacement significantly reduces power consumption compared to using sputtering processes solely for heating, while maintaining the necessary temperature for water detachment and chamber conditioning.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces energy consumption, minimizes debris risk, eliminates the need for substrate retransport and washing machine cleaning, and effectively recycles materials by maintaining process heat within the coater, ensuring efficient and debris-free conditioning.
Implementation Method 1
The provided process power between 10 kW and 120 kW per cathode is mainly converted to thermal energy and hence heats the coater
Implementation Method 2
heats the coater, predominantly in the area of the process compartments
Implementation Method 3
the substrates perform an oscillating movement (back and forth) in the processing area... allowing the substrates to heat adjacent pump compartments
Data Source
AI summary
A method of conditioning a coater for removing water and/or moisture from a processing area of the coater is provided, the processing area comprising at least one pump compartment and at least one sputtering compartment. The method comprises the steps of loading conditioning substrates into the processing area, so that the processing area is substantially filled with the conditioning substrates and conditioning the coater by starting a sputtering process in the processing area and/or by heating of at least the one pump compartment. During conditioning, the conditioning substrates perform an oscillating movement in the processing area.