Spray Nozzle With Segmented Flow Path for Small Region Film Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spray nozzles with larger exit diameters than entrance diameters require masking for small regions, leading to time-consuming and costly processes, and reducing film formation efficiency when attempting to form films in smaller areas due to inadequate carrier gas expansion and film material acceleration.
Innovation Solution
A spray nozzle design with a gas entrance section where the passage becomes smaller, a passage enlargement section for carrier gas expansion, and a gas exit section where the passage becomes smaller again, featuring openings to reduce backward gas flow and allow efficient film material deposition in small regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the spray nozzle exit diameter is made larger to expand carrier gas and accelerate film material, then film material acceleration is improved, but masking is required for small region treatment which increases process time and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The spray nozzle is divided into multiple functional sections: a gas entrance section with gradually decreasing passage, a passage enlargement section with gradually increasing passage, and a gas exit section with gradually decreasing passage. This segmentation allows each section to perform its specific function optimally, achieving both high velocity and small exit diameter without requiring masking
Solution Approach 2:
The passage cross-sectional area is made dynamic rather than static, with three distinct variation patterns along the flow direction. The passage first decreases, then increases, then decreases again, creating optimal flow conditions at each stage to achieve high velocity jet at a small exit diameter
2Loss of time
If the spray nozzle exit diameter is reduced to treat small regions without masking, then masking process is eliminated, but carrier gas expansion and film material acceleration become insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The gas entrance section performs preliminary acceleration by gradually decreasing the passage cross-sectional area before the material enters the passage enlargement section. This preliminary action ensures that the carrier gas and film material are already at high velocity when they reach the small exit diameter, compensating for the limited expansion space
3Speed
If a standardized spray nozzle with large exit diameter is used, then film material acceleration is sufficient, but the nozzle cannot treat regions smaller than the exit diameter without masking
Solution Approach 1:
The passage cross-sectional area parameter is changed three times along the flow direction (decrease, increase, decrease), creating a unique velocity profile that maintains high acceleration capability while reducing the exit diameter. This parameter transformation allows the nozzle to adapt to small region treatment requirements
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 film formation in small regions without the need for masking, maintaining high film formation efficiency by optimizing carrier gas expansion and film material acceleration.
Implementation Method 1
causing a carrier gas whose temperature is lower than a melting point or a softening temperature of a film material to flow at a high speed
Implementation Method 2
forming a film by causing the film material to collide with, for example, a substrate at a high speed
Implementation Method 3
introducing the film material into the flow of the carrier gas and then increasing the speed of the carrier gas into which the film material has been introduced
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The present invention provides a spray nozzle, a film forming device, and a film forming method, each of which facilitates formation of a film in a small region. A spray nozzle (1) includes: a gas entrance section (2) in which a passage of a carrier gas gradually becomes smaller along a flow of the carrier gas; a passage enlargement section (3) in which a passage of the carrier gas gradually becomes larger along a flow of the carrier gas; an opening formation section (4) which has one or more openings (4a) via which a passage of the carrier gas and an external space communicate with each other; and a gas exit section (5) in which a passage of the carrier gas gradually becomes smaller along a flow of the carrier gas.