Rotating Substrate Arrangement for Simultaneous Organic Vapor Deposition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing organic EL element manufacturing devices face challenges with large-sized substrates and reduced takt time, including the need for oversized substrate transport robots, increased costs, and complexity due to multiple vacuum chambers, especially when producing devices with discrete red, green, and blue light emission portions.
Innovation Solution
An organic thin film deposition device with a vacuum chamber featuring rotating substrate arrangement devices and organic vapor discharging planes that switch between horizontal and standing postures, allowing for simultaneous vapor deposition on two substrates, improved alignment, and reduced device size through tilted and magnetically absorbed masks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple vacuum chambers are used to reduce takt time, then productivity is improved, but device complexity and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate arrangement device is configured to rotate between a horizontal posture and a standing posture, enabling dynamic reconfiguration of the deposition chamber. This allows two substrates to be processed simultaneously in different orientations, effectively doubling productivity without requiring multiple separate vacuum chambers, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a vertical dimension by switching between horizontal and standing postures of substrates. The first substrate arrangement device holds substrates horizontally while the second holds them in standing posture, utilizing three-dimensional space more efficiently. This dimensional change allows simultaneous processing of multiple substrates in a single chamber, improving productivity without increasing the number of chambers
2Manufacturing precision
If substrate size is enlarged, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the size of substrate transport robot must increase
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate arrangement devices rotate to switch between horizontal and standing postures, creating dynamic processing positions within the deposition chamber. This allows large substrates to be processed in situ without requiring oversized transport robots, as the substrates are manipulated in place rather than transported across large distances
Solution Approach 2:
By utilizing the vertical dimension through standing posture arrangement, the invention accommodates large substrate sizes without requiring proportional increases in horizontal transport space. The second substrate arrangement device positions substrates vertically, effectively using the third dimension to handle larger substrate dimensions without expanding the footprint of transport equipment
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
Enables efficient vapor deposition on two substrates simultaneously, improving alignment device operation rates and reducing device size and complexity, while maintaining efficient film formation.
Implementation Method 1
first and second organic vapor discharging devices, provided in the vacuum chamber, and for discharging an organic material vapor from discharging openings provided in first and second organic vapor discharging planes
Implementation Method 2
first rotating shaft for operating so as to switch the first substrate arrangement device together with the first mask into a horizontal posture to be horizontal at a vertically overlapping position, and to switch the first substrate arrangement device together with the first mask into a standing posture
Data Source
AI summary
An organic thin film deposition device that is compact and high in processing capability is provided. Inside a vacuum chamber, first and second substrate arrangement devices that can be in a horizontal posture and a standing posture are provided; and when in the standing posture, substrates held by the respective substrate arrangement devices and first and second organic vapor discharging devices face each other. When one of the substrate arrangement devices is in the horizontal posture, masks and the substrates are lifted up by alignment pins and transfer pins and are replaced with a substrate not yet film formed, for position adjustment. With one organic thin film deposition device, two substrates can be processed at the same time.