Dilution Gas System for Organic Layer Deposition
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Solution Overview
Problem
In existing deposition technologies, the high cooling power required to maintain a substrate at a low temperature for organic material condensation leads to inefficient heat transfer and increased energy consumption, as the temperature gradient between the gas inlet element and the substrate is high, necessitating external power for cooling.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a dilution gas system where inert gases are used upstream in the transport line and gas inlet element, creating a temperature gradient that reduces the heat transfer from the gas inlet element to the susceptor, achieved by configuring the temperature control devices to maintain a lower susceptor temperature compared to the gas inlet, line, and source temperatures, allowing for incremental dilution of the gaseous starting material and reducing the partial pressure along the gas line.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the substrate is maintained at a low temperature for organic material condensation, then the deposition of organic layers is enabled, but the cooling power required increases energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
A dilution gas is introduced as an intermediary substance between the gas inlet element and the substrate. This dilution gas creates a thermal buffer that reduces heat transfer from the gas inlet element to the substrate, allowing the substrate to be maintained at low temperature with reduced cooling power while still enabling organic material condensation
Solution Approach 2:
Heat is extracted from the gas flow before it reaches the substrate by introducing the dilution gas upstream. This removes the harmful thermal energy from the system, allowing the substrate to maintain low temperature without requiring excessive cooling power
2Temperature
If the temperature gradient between the gas inlet element and the substrate is high, then organic material condensation is enabled, but heat transfer efficiency decreases and cooling power increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dilution gas acts as a thermal intermediary that moderates the temperature gradient between the gas inlet element and the substrate. By introducing this intermediate gas layer, the system maintains the necessary temperature difference for condensation while reducing excessive heat transfer that would otherwise require higher cooling power
3Temperature
If the susceptor is actively cooled to maintain low substrate temperature, then organic layer deposition is enabled, but external power is required for cooling
Solution Approach 1:
The dilution gas serves as a thermal intermediary that reduces the cooling load on the susceptor. By introducing this gas upstream, heat transfer from the gas inlet element to the substrate is reduced, allowing the susceptor to maintain low substrate temperature with less external cooling power
Solution Approach 2:
The dilution gas converts the harmful effect of excessive heat transfer into a beneficial thermal buffer. The heat that would otherwise require active cooling is instead used to warm the dilution gas, which then delivers the organic material to the substrate at an appropriate temperature
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 reduces the cooling power needed for the susceptor, lowers the vertical temperature gradient within the substrate, and maintains the gaseous starting material above its condensation point throughout the system, ensuring efficient and controlled deposition of organic layers onto the substrate with reduced energy consumption.
Implementation Method 1
a solid or liquid starting material can be evaporated into a gaseous starting material in the evaporator by supplying heat generated by a source temperature-controlling device
Implementation Method 2
a carrier gas supply line opens into the evaporator in order to feed a carrier gas flow for transporting the gaseous starting material out of the evaporator into a first transport line
Implementation Method 3
another dilution gas supply line opens into the gas inlet element upstream from the gas inlet temperature-controlling device in order to feed a dilution gas flow into the gas inlet element
Implementation Method 4
by means of which the gaseous starting material can be supplied into a processing chamber, which exhibits a susceptor that can be temperature-controlled to a susceptor temperature
Implementation Method 5
a first transport line can be temperature-controlled to a line temperature by means of a line temperature-controlling device
Data Source
AI summary
A device and a method for depositing organic layers onto a substrate includes a process gas source with a temperature-controlled evaporator, and a carrier gas supply line which opens into the evaporator in order to supply a carrier gas flow into a temperature-controlled first transport line. A first dilution gas supply line, which opens into the first transport line, supplies a dilution gas flow into the first transport line. The device also comprises a temperature-controlled gas inlet element fluidly connected to the first transport line. A gaseous starting material can be supplied into a processing chamber via the gas inlet element. A substrate is disposed on a temperature-controlled susceptor located in the processing chamber, and a layer is grown on the substrate using the gaseous starting material.