Deposition Source Evacuation Partition for Roll-to-Roll Coating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current roll-to-roll deposition systems face challenges in achieving high substrate throughput and maintaining coating efficiency and accuracy when depositing multiple layers on movable substrates, as transferring substrates through multiple vacuum chambers can decrease throughput and hinder uniform process gas distribution.
Innovation Solution
A deposition source with a source housing that includes a gas inlet, an evacuation outlet, and an evacuation partition unit with multiple openings to create a process gas flow path between the coating and pumping regions, allowing for uniform gas distribution and efficient removal of residual gases, particularly suited for HWCVD processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If substrates are transferred through multiple vacuum chambers for coating multiple layers, then coating completeness is improved, but substrate throughput decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple coating functions into a single vacuum chamber by arranging multiple deposition sources around the substrate support. This allows multiple layers to be deposited without transferring the substrate between chambers, maintaining coating completeness while improving throughput by eliminating transfer time and handling steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum chamber is segmented into multiple functional zones with individual deposition sources positioned at different locations. Each deposition source can independently coat specific layers, allowing sequential multi-layer deposition within the same chamber environment, thus preserving coating quality while enabling continuous substrate processing.
2Adaptability or versatility
If process gas is introduced into the vacuum chamber for CVD coating, then coating functionality is improved, but uniform gas distribution becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces process gas through a showerhead assembly that acts as an intermediary device. The showerhead distributes gas uniformly across the substrate surface through multiple small outlets, ensuring even gas flow and consistent coating quality while maintaining the versatility of CVD processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The deposition sources are positioned at specific locations around the substrate support, creating localized coating zones. This allows different regions of the substrate to receive targeted coating treatment, ensuring uniform gas distribution and consistent coating quality across the entire substrate surface.
3Productivity
If multiple deposition sources are arranged around the substrate support, then coating efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The deposition sources are designed with a standardized configuration that can be arranged in different patterns around the substrate support. This universal design allows the same basic source structure to be replicated and positioned optimally for different coating requirements, improving coating efficiency while managing complexity through modular standardization.
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 configuration enhances substrate throughput by ensuring uniform process gas distribution and maintaining constant pressure, preventing gas jams and improving coating efficiency and accuracy for movable substrates.
Implementation Method 1
an evaporation process, such as a thermal evaporation process, can be utilized for depositing thin layers of coating material onto the flexible substrate
Implementation Method 2
PVD (physical vapour deposition) and/or CVD (chemical vapour deposition) processes
Implementation Method 3
an evacuation partition unit arranged between the coating processing region and the pumping region with at least one opening defining a process gas flow path from the coating processing region into the pumping region
Implementation Method 4
a wire or filament assembly is arranged in the coating processing region, so that the deposition source is configured for HWCVD (hot wire chemical vapour deposition) coating processing
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A deposition source (100, 200, 300, 400) for coating a movable substrate (20) is described. The deposition source includes: a source housing (120) to be fixed to a process chamber in such a way that a substrate (20) can be moved past an open front side of the process chamber during deposition; a gas inlet (130) for introducing a process gas into a coating processing region (125) of the source housing; and an evacuation outlet (140) for removing the process gas from a pumping region of the source housing. An evacuation partition unit (150) is arranged between the coating processing region (125) and the pumping region (126) with at least one opening or with a plurality of openings (152) defining a process gas flow path (155) from the coating processing region (125) into the pumping region (126).