Vacuum Coating Thermal Bridge for Low-Temperature Substrate Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vacuum coating technologies face challenges in efficiently conducting low temperature coating processes, particularly in maintaining substrate temperatures below damage thresholds for temperature-sensitive materials, and achieving high deposition rates due to limited heat dissipation mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of thermal conductive means, such as shielding plates with elevated planes and thermal bridge materials, to enhance conductive heat transfer between shielding plates and cooled chamber walls, allowing for increased heat dissipation from the interior to the exterior of the coating chamber, thereby facilitating high-efficiency low temperature coating processes without the need for cooled substrate holders.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional vacuum coating technologies are used with protection shields, then substrate temperature control is achieved through limited thermal radiation, but heat dissipation efficiency is insufficient leading to high substrate temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces thermal conductive means (thermal bridges, conductive plates, or conductive coatings) as intermediary elements between the protection shield and the substrate. These intermediaries facilitate efficient conductive heat transfer from the substrate through the protection shield to the cooled chamber wall, significantly improving heat dissipation efficiency and enabling effective substrate temperature control during vacuum coating processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the conventional thermal radiation-based heat dissipation mechanism with a conductive heat transfer mechanism. By introducing thermal conductive means that create direct thermal pathways, the system substitutes the inefficient radiative heat transfer (which operates in vacuum) with highly efficient conductive heat transfer through solid materials, thereby dramatically improving heat dissipation efficiency.
2Manufacturing precision
If protection shields are used to prevent unwanted coating, then coating quality is improved, but heat dissipation from the chamber interior is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the protection shield multi-functional by integrating thermal conductive means into its structure. The protection shield simultaneously performs its primary function of preventing unwanted coating deposition on chamber walls and serves as a heat dissipation pathway by conducting thermal energy from the substrate to the cooled chamber wall, thereby eliminating the heat dissipation limitation of conventional single-function shields.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the protection shield function with the heat dissipation function by combining the protective barrier structure with thermal conductive elements. This integration creates a unified component that both protects the chamber wall from coating contamination and efficiently conducts heat away from the substrate, resolving the contradiction between coating quality protection and heat dissipation capability.
3Productivity
If thermal radiation is the main heat dissipation mechanism in vacuum, then coating processes can be conducted, but deposition rate is limited due to insufficient heat removal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces thermal conductive means as intermediary elements that create efficient heat transfer pathways between the substrate and the cooled chamber wall. These intermediaries enable rapid removal of thermal energy generated during high-power coating processes, allowing for increased deposition rates without compromising substrate temperature control, thereby resolving the limitation imposed by inefficient thermal radiation-based heat dissipation.
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 solution enables the maintenance of low substrate temperatures and high deposition rates, suitable for coating processes like DLC and ta-C films, while ensuring that substrate temperatures do not exceed 250°C, thus improving the efficiency and effectiveness of low temperature coating processes.
Implementation Method 1
wherein thermal conductive means (9) are arranged filling the gap (8) in an extension corresponding to at least a portion of the total surface of the inner side (1b) of the cooled chamber wall (1) that is covered by said removable shielding plate (2), and wherein the thermal conductive means (9) enable conductive heat transfer between said removable shielding plate (2) and the respectively covered cooled chamber wall (1)
Implementation Method 2
one or more cooled chamber walls (1) having an inner side (1b) and a cooled side (1a)
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a coating device comprising a vacuum coating chamber for conducting vacuum coating processes, said vacuum coating chamber comprising: —one or more cooled chamber walls 1 having an inner side 1 b and a cooled side 1 a, —protection shields being arranged in the interior of the chamber as one or more removable shielding plates 2, which cover at least part of the surface of the inner side 1 b of the one or more cooled chamber walls 1, wherein at least one removable shielding plate 2 is placed forming a gap 8 in relation to the surface of the inner side 1 b of the cooled chamber wall 1 that is covered by said removable shielding plate 2, wherein: —thermal conductive means 9 are arranged filling the gap 8 in an extension corresponding to at least a portion of the total surface of the inner side 1 b of the cooled chamber wall 1 that is covered by said removable shielding plate 2, wherein the thermal conductive means 9 enable conductive heat transfer between said removable shielding plate 2 and the respectively covered cooled chamber wall 1.