Segmented Substrate Carrier Assembly for Precise Vacuum Coating Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional substrate carriers in rotary table vacuum coating systems lack precision in substrate positioning, leading to variations in the coating process that affect the quality of the coating results, especially as process demands increase.
Innovation Solution
The design of a substrate carrier with precisely aligned substrate carrier segments, featuring form-fitting contours and a mounting device that ensures accurate assembly and positioning, along with a substrate holding device that allows for precise alignment and adjustment of the substrate support segments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional substrate carriers are used with simple assembly structures, then device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but manufacturing precision and assembly precision of substrate positioning deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate carrier is divided into multiple segments that can be assembled together to form a complete circular carrier. Each segment includes form-fitting contours with complementary shapes that ensure precise alignment and positioning when assembled, reducing manufacturing and assembly deviations while maintaining manageable device complexity through modular construction
Solution Approach 2:
The form-fitting contours are pre-configured with precise geometric shapes during manufacturing. These pre-designed complementary contours (protrusions and recesses) automatically guide and constrain the alignment of segments during assembly, eliminating the need for complex adjustment mechanisms and ensuring high positioning precision from the outset
2Manufacturing precision
If substrate carrier segments are assembled with simple mounting devices, then ease of operation is improved and assembly time is reduced, but substrate position variance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The form-fitting contours are designed to automatically self-align and self-position the substrate carrier segments during assembly. The complementary geometric shapes create mechanical constraints that guide the segments into their correct positions without requiring external alignment tools or complex adjustment procedures, achieving high assembly precision efficiently
Solution Approach 2:
The form-fitting contours utilize asymmetric geometric shapes with specific protrusions and recesses that provide unique alignment paths. This asymmetric design ensures that segments can only be assembled in the correct orientation, automatically achieving precise positioning while simplifying the assembly process through intuitive fit
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
According to various embodiments, a substrate support segment (150) comprises: a support frame (102), a substrate holding device (106) for holding a substrate, which is at least partially integrated into or mounted on the support frame (102); a mounting device (104) adjacent to the support frame (102) for mounting the substrate support segment, towards which the support frame (102) tapers; two form-fitting contours (502a, 502b) which are arranged complementarily to each other and between which an outer surface of the support frame (102) opposite the mounting device (104) is arranged.