JP2024078165A - Film forming apparatus and film forming method - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a technology capable of determining the current film formation state of a substrate. [Solution] A film formation apparatus includes a first vapor deposition means for emitting a vapor deposition material onto a substrate, a moving means for moving the first vapor deposition means along a circular orbit about an axis while emitting the vapor deposition material onto the substrate, and a first monitoring means for monitoring the emission state of the vapor deposition material onto the substrate. [Selected Figure] Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a film forming apparatus and a film forming method.

Technology is known for depositing a deposition material on a substrate to form a film. Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for forming a film by discharging a deposition material onto a substrate while moving a deposition source. By forming a film while moving the deposition source, it is possible to reduce unevenness caused by the structure or individual differences of the deposition source, and in some cases to improve the uniformity of the film thickness distribution on the substrate.

JP 2004-307880 A

The technology in Patent Document 1 does not provide information for determining the current film formation state of the substrate, and there is room for improvement in terms of managing the film formation quality and control that reflects the current film formation state.

The present invention provides a technology that can determine the current film formation state of a substrate.

According to the present invention,
a first deposition means for delivering a deposition material to a substrate;
a moving means for moving the first deposition means along a circular orbit about an axis during ejection of a deposition material onto the substrate;
and a first monitoring means for monitoring a release state of the deposition material onto the substrate.
The present invention provides a film forming apparatus.

The present invention provides a technology that can determine the current film formation state of a substrate.

Schematic diagram of a part of a manufacturing line for electronic devices. 1 is a schematic diagram of a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1A is a perspective view showing the mechanism around the deposition unit, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the monitoring unit. 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating the operation of the film forming apparatus of FIG. 2 . 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating the operation of the film forming apparatus of FIG. 2 . 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating the operation of the film forming apparatus of FIG. 2 . 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating the operation of the film forming apparatus of FIG. 2 . 3A to 3E are diagrams illustrating the operation of the film forming apparatus of FIG. 2. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of a film forming apparatus according to another embodiment. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a mechanism around a vapor deposition unit of the film forming apparatus of FIG. 9 . 10A to 10E are diagrams illustrating the operation of the film forming apparatus of FIG. FIG. 13 is a schematic view of a film forming apparatus according to yet another embodiment. 13A to 13E are diagrams illustrating the operation of the film forming apparatus of FIG. 12. FIG. 13 is a schematic view of a film forming apparatus according to yet another embodiment. FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a mechanism around the deposition unit of the film forming apparatus of FIG. 14 . 15A to 15F are diagrams illustrating the operation of the film forming apparatus of FIG. 14. FIG. 13 is a schematic view of a film forming apparatus according to yet another embodiment. 17 is a plan view showing a structure around a vapor deposition unit of the film forming apparatus in FIG. 16 .

The following embodiments are described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Although the embodiments describe multiple features, not all of these multiple features are necessarily essential to the invention, and multiple features may be combined in any manner. Furthermore, in the attached drawings, the same reference numbers are used for the same or similar configurations, and duplicate explanations are omitted.

First Embodiment
<Electronic device manufacturing line>
1 is a schematic diagram showing a part of the configuration of an electronic device manufacturing line 100 to which the film forming apparatus of the present invention can be applied. In each figure, arrows X and Y indicate horizontal directions perpendicular to each other, and arrow Z indicates a vertical direction (gravity direction). The manufacturing line in FIG. 1 is used, for example, for manufacturing light-emitting elements of an organic EL display device. The manufacturing line 100 includes a transfer chamber 120 having an octagonal shape in a plan view. A substrate 101 is transferred into the transfer chamber 120 from a transfer path 110, and the substrate 101 on which a film has been formed is transferred from the transfer chamber 120 to a transfer path 111.

Around the transfer chamber 120, multiple film formation devices 1 are arranged in which film formation processing is performed on the substrate 101. A transfer chamber 130 is arranged adjacent to each film formation device 1. Around the transfer chamber 130, which has an octagonal shape in a plan view, a storage chamber 140 in which the mask 102 is stored is arranged.

A transport unit 121 that transports the substrate 101 is disposed in the transport chamber 120. The transport unit 121 in this embodiment is a horizontal articulated robot that transports the substrate 101 by mounting it in a horizontal position on its hand. The transport unit 121 performs a transport operation to transport the substrate 101 that is transported from the transport path 110 to the film forming apparatus 1, and a transport operation to transport the substrate 101 that has been film-formed in the film forming apparatus 1 from the film forming chamber 1 to the transport path 111.

A transport unit 131 that transports the mask 102 is disposed in each transport chamber 130. In this embodiment, the transport unit 131 is a horizontal articulated robot that transports the mask 102 by mounting it in a horizontal position on its hand portion. The transport unit 131 transports the mask 102 from the storage chamber 140 to the film forming device 1 and transports the mask 102 from the film forming device 1 to the storage chamber 140.

<Film forming equipment>
2 is a schematic diagram of a film forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The film forming apparatus 1 is an apparatus for forming a film of a deposition material on a substrate 101, and forms a thin film of the deposition material in a predetermined pattern using a mask 102. The material of the substrate 101 on which a film is formed in the film forming apparatus 1 can be appropriately selected from materials such as glass, resin, and metal. Particularly in this embodiment, the substrate 101 is, for example, a glass substrate on which a thin film transistor (TFT) is formed or a silicon wafer on which a semiconductor element is formed.

Vapor deposition materials include organic materials and inorganic materials (metals, metal oxides, etc.). The film formation apparatus 1 can be applied to manufacturing apparatuses for manufacturing electronic devices such as display devices (flat panel displays, etc.), thin-film solar cells, and organic photoelectric conversion elements (organic thin-film imaging elements), as well as optical components, and is particularly applicable to manufacturing apparatuses for manufacturing organic EL panels. In the following explanation, an example will be described in which the film formation apparatus 1 forms a film on the substrate 101 by vacuum deposition, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various film formation methods such as sputtering and CVD can be applied.

The film forming apparatus 1 has a box-shaped vacuum chamber 2. The internal space of the vacuum chamber 2 is maintained in a vacuum atmosphere or an inert gas atmosphere such as nitrogen gas. In this embodiment, the vacuum chamber 2 is connected to a vacuum pump (not shown).

A substrate support plate 3 that supports the substrate 101 in a horizontal position is provided in the internal space of the vacuum chamber 2. In this embodiment, the substrate support plate 3 is an electrostatic chuck that attracts and holds the substrate 101 on its underside by electrostatic force. A cooling plate 4 is fixed onto the substrate support plate 3. The cooling plate 4 is equipped with, for example, a water cooling mechanism, and cools the substrate 101 via the substrate support plate 3 during film formation.

The substrate support plate 3 and the cooling plate 4 are suspended from the magnet plate 5 via the support portion 5a so as to be displaceable in the Z direction. The magnet plate 11 is a plate that attracts the mask 102 by magnetic force. During film formation, the substrate 101 is sandwiched between the magnet plate 11 and the mask 102 by magnetic force, which improves the adhesion between the substrate 101 and the mask 102.

The film forming apparatus 1 includes a mask support unit 6 that supports the mask 102 during film formation. In this embodiment, the mask support unit 6 also transfers the substrate 101 between the transport unit 121 and the substrate support plate 3. The mask support unit 6 includes a pair of support members 6a spaced apart in the X direction. Each support member 6a is raised and lowered by a corresponding actuator 6b. In this embodiment, an actuator 6b is provided for each support member 6a, but the pair of support members 6a may be raised and lowered by one actuator 6b. The actuator 6b is, for example, an electric cylinder or an electric ball screw mechanism. The support member 6a includes a claw portion F at its lower end. The peripheral portion of the substrate 101 or mask 102 is placed on the claw portion F. In the example of FIG. 2, the mask 102 is placed on the claw portion F. The pair of support members 6a are raised and lowered synchronously to raise and lower the substrate 101 or mask 102.

The film forming apparatus 1 includes an alignment unit 8 that aligns the substrate 101 and the mask 102. The alignment apparatus 8 includes a drive mechanism 80 and a plurality of measurement units SR. The drive mechanism 80 includes a distance adjustment unit 81, a support shaft 82, a stand 83, and a position adjustment unit 84.

The distance adjustment unit 81 is a mechanism for raising and lowering the support shaft 82 in the Z direction, and includes, for example, an electric cylinder or an electric ball screw mechanism. A magnet plate 5 is fixed to the lower end of the support shaft 82, and the substrate support plate 3 is raised and lowered via the magnet plate 5 by raising and lowering the support shaft 82. By raising and lowering the substrate support plate 3, the distance between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 is adjusted, and the substrate 101 and the mask 102 supported by the substrate support plate 3 are brought closer to and separated from each other in the thickness direction (Z direction) of the substrate 101. In other words, the distance adjustment unit 81 brings the substrate 101 and the mask 102 closer to each other in the direction in which they are superimposed, and separates them in the opposite direction. Note that the "distance" adjusted by the distance adjustment unit 81 is the so-called vertical distance (or perpendicular distance), and the distance adjustment unit 81 can also be said to be a unit that adjusts the vertical position of the substrate 101. The distance adjustment unit 81 is mounted on the position adjustment unit 84 via a stand 83.

The position adjustment unit 84 adjusts the relative position of the substrate 101 with respect to the mask 102 by displacing the substrate support plate 3 on the XY plane. In other words, the position adjustment unit 84 can also be said to be a unit that adjusts the horizontal positions of the mask 102 and the substrate 101. The position adjustment unit 84 can displace the substrate support plate 3 in a rotational direction (θ direction) around the X, Y, and Z axes. In this embodiment, the position of the mask 102 is fixed and the substrate 101 is displaced to adjust their relative positions, but the mask 102 may also be displaced to adjust them, or both the substrate 101 and the mask 102 may be displaced.

The position adjustment unit 84 includes a fixed plate 84a and a movable plate 84b. The fixed plate 84a and the movable plate 84b are rectangular frame-shaped plates, and the fixed plate 84a is fixed onto the upper wall portion 20 of the vacuum chamber 2. An actuator is provided between the fixed plate 84a and the movable plate 84b for displacing the movable plate 84b in the X-direction, Y-direction, and rotational directions around the Z-direction axes relative to the fixed plate 84a.

A frame-shaped stand 83 is mounted on the movable plate 84b, and a distance adjustment unit 81 is supported on the stand 83. When the movable plate 84b is displaced, the stand 83 and the distance adjustment unit 81 are displaced together. This allows the substrate 101 to be displaced in the rotational directions around the X-, Y-, and Z-axis axes. The upper wall 20 has openings through which the support shaft 82 and support member 6a pass. These openings are sealed by sealing members (such as bellows) not shown, maintaining airtightness within the vacuum chamber 2.

The measurement unit SR measures the positional deviation between the substrate 101 and the mask 102. In this embodiment, the measurement unit SR is an imaging device (camera) that captures an image. The measurement unit SR is disposed on the upper wall portion 20 and is capable of capturing an image inside the vacuum chamber 2. The substrate 101 and the mask 102 each have an alignment mark (not shown). The measurement unit SR captures an image of each alignment mark of the substrate 101 and the mask 102. The amount of positional deviation between the substrate 101 and the mask 102 is calculated based on the position of each alignment mark, and the position adjustment unit 84 adjusts the relative positions of the substrate 101 and the mask 102 to eliminate the amount of positional deviation.

A deposition unit 7 is disposed in the internal space of the vacuum chamber 2. The deposition unit 7 is disposed below the substrate support plate 3 and includes one deposition source that emits a deposition material onto the substrate 101 supported by the substrate support plate 3. The deposition source includes a storage section for the deposition material and a heater that heats the deposition material.

In addition to FIG. 2, FIG. 3(A) is also referred to. FIG. 3(A) is a perspective view showing the mechanism around the deposition unit 7. The deposition unit 7 is moved by a moving unit 9. The moving unit 9 includes a disk-shaped rotating table 90, and the deposition unit 7 is disposed on the rotating table 90. The rotating table 90 is supported on an annular bearing 92 so as to be rotatable around a rotation center Z1. The rotation center Z1 is an axis (or axis) in the Z direction. The rotating table 90 is rotated by a driving mechanism DU. The driving mechanism DU includes a motor 93 as a driving source and a gear 94 as a transmission mechanism that transmits the driving force of the motor 93 to the rotating table 90. Teeth 91 that mesh with the gear 94 are formed on the side surface of the rotating table 90, and the rotating table 90 rotates due to the rotation of the motor 93. The deposition unit 7 is disposed at a position radially spaced from the rotation center Z1, and moves along a circular orbit RT about the rotation center Z1 due to the rotation of the rotating table 90.

Referring to FIG. 2, an adhesion prevention plate 2a is provided in the internal space of the vacuum chamber 2 to prevent deposition material from unnecessarily adhering to the upper part of the internal space of the vacuum chamber 2.

A monitoring unit 10 is provided in the internal space of the vacuum chamber 2. The monitoring unit 10 monitors the release state of the deposition material onto the substrate 101. In this embodiment, the monitoring unit 10 is disposed below the deposition prevention plate 2a, and its position is fixed. Please refer to FIG. 3(B) in addition to FIG. 2. FIG. 3(B) is a perspective view of the monitoring unit 10.

The monitoring unit 10 is provided with a quartz oscillator 10c as a sensor inside the case 10a. The deposition material discharged from the deposition unit 7 is introduced to the quartz oscillator 10c through an inlet 10b formed in the case 10a and adheres to the quartz oscillator 10c. The vibration frequency of the quartz oscillator 10c varies depending on the amount of deposition material adhered. By monitoring the vibration frequency of the quartz oscillator 10c, it is possible to monitor the film thickness of the deposition material deposited on the substrate 101. Note that, although the present embodiment has been exemplified as a monitoring format using the quartz oscillator 10c as the monitoring unit 10, other monitoring formats may also be adopted.

The control unit 11 controls the entire film forming apparatus 1. The control unit 11 includes a processing unit 12a, a memory unit 11b, an input/output interface (I/O) 11c, and a communication unit 11d. The processing unit 11a is a processor such as a CPU, and controls the film forming apparatus 1 by executing a program stored in the memory unit 11b. The memory unit 11b is a storage device such as a ROM, RAM, or HDD, and stores various control information in addition to the program executed by the processing unit 11a. The I/O 11c is an interface that transmits and receives signals between the processing unit 11a and an external device. The communication unit 11d is a communication device that communicates with a higher-level device or other control units via a communication line.

<Control example>
An example of control of the film forming apparatus 1 executed by the processing section 11a of the control unit 11 will be described below. 4A to 8E are diagrams illustrating the operation of the film forming apparatus 1, and show an example of a film forming method using the film forming apparatus 1.

Figure 4 (A) shows the state in which the substrate 101 has been carried into the vacuum chamber 2. The substrate 101 is carried below the substrate support plate 3 by the transport robot 121. Next, the mask support unit 6 transfers the substrate 101 from the transport robot 121 to the substrate support plate 3. Figure 4 (B) shows this operation. By raising the support member 6a, the peripheral edge of the substrate 101 is placed on the claw portion F, and the substrate 101 is raised from the transport robot 121 and pressed against the substrate adsorption surface (lower surface) of the substrate support plate 3. The electrostatic chuck of the substrate support plate 3 is operated to adsorb and hold the substrate 101.

Then, the mask 102 is carried into the vacuum chamber 2. FIG. 5(A) shows the state in which the mask 102 is carried into the vacuum chamber 2. The mask 102 is carried into the vacuum chamber 2 from the storage chamber 140 by the transport robot 131. The mask 102 is positioned directly below the substrate 101. Next, the mask 102 is transferred from the transport robot 131 to the mask support unit 6 and positioned at the alignment position. FIG. 5(B) shows this operation. By raising the support member 6a, the periphery of the mask 102 is placed on the claw portion F, and the mask 102 is raised from the transport robot 131. The mask 102 is supported by the support member 6a, and is further raised to be positioned at the alignment position. At the alignment position, the substrate 101 and the mask 102 are spaced apart in the Z direction. In this embodiment, the mask 102 is raised to be positioned at the alignment position, but the substrate 101 may be lowered to be positioned at the alignment position.

Next, the alignment operation is performed. As shown in FIG. 6(A), the measurement unit SR measures the relative positions of the alignment marks on the substrate 101 and the mask 102. If the measurement result (the amount of misalignment between the substrate 101 and the mask 102) is within the allowable range, the alignment operation is terminated. If the measurement result is outside the allowable range, a control amount (the amount of displacement of the substrate 101) is set based on the measurement result to bring the amount of misalignment within the allowable range.

The "amount of misalignment" is defined as the distance and direction (X, Y, θ) of the misalignment. Based on the set control amount, the position adjustment unit 80 is operated as shown in FIG. 6(B). This displaces the substrate support plate 3 on the XY plane, and adjusts the relative position of the substrate 101 with respect to the mask 102.

Whether the measurement results are within the acceptable range can be determined, for example, by calculating the distance between each alignment mark and comparing the average value or sum of squares of the distances with a preset threshold value.

After adjusting the relative positions, the measurement unit SR again measures the relative positions of the alignment marks on the substrate 101 and the mask 102. If the measurement result is within the acceptable range, the alignment operation ends. If the measurement result is outside the acceptable range, the relative position of the substrate 101 with respect to the mask 102 is adjusted again. Thereafter, the measurement and relative position adjustment are repeated until the measurement result is within the acceptable range.

Next, a film formation operation is performed. First, the substrate 101 is overlapped with the mask 102. Figure 7 (A) shows this operation. When the substrate support plate 3 is lowered, the substrate 101 is placed on the mask 102, and the entire surface to be processed of the substrate 101 comes into contact with the mask 102. The magnetic plate 5 abuts on the cooling plate 4, and from the top, the magnetic plate 5, the cooling plate 4, the substrate support plate 3, the substrate 101, and the mask 102 are in close contact with each other. The magnetic force of the magnetic plate 5 attracts the mask 102, and the mask 102 and the substrate 101 can be brought into close contact with each other as a whole.

Now that the film is ready for deposition, deposition of the deposition material onto the substrate 101 begins. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7(B), the deposition unit 7 starts releasing the deposition material, and the moving unit 9 starts moving the deposition unit 7 (rotating the turntable 90). The deposition material reaches the substrate 101 through the mask 102, and a film is formed. FIGS. 8(A) to 8(E) show examples of the movement of the deposition unit 7 on a circular orbit RT while the deposition material is being released onto the substrate 101.

Figures 8(A) to 8(E) show the rotation of the turntable 90 in stages. The deposition unit 7 moves continuously around the circular orbit RT once. During the movement of the deposition unit 7 shown in Figures 8(A) to 8(E), the deposition material is continuously released and reaches the substrate 101 to form a film. The deposition material enters the case 10a of the monitoring unit 10, and the release state of the deposition material is monitored by the quartz oscillator 10c. The turntable 90 may rotate two or more times or less than one time per film formation.

This completes the film formation on the substrate 101. In this embodiment, by discharging the deposition material from the deposition unit 7 while moving the deposition unit 7 along the circular orbit RT, it is possible to suppress variation in the film formed on the substrate 101. The monitoring unit 10 monitors the discharge state of the deposition material onto the substrate 101, thereby determining the current film formation state on the substrate 101 and using this as information for film formation control. Specifically, for example, the deposition time, the amount of rotation of the turntable 90, or the rotation speed of the turntable 90 can be increased or decreased depending on the film thickness estimated from the monitoring results.

When this film formation is completed, the mask 102 and the substrate 101 are removed. The removal operation is generally the reverse of the procedure of the loading operation. This completes the operations from loading the substrate 101 and mask 102, to depositing the film on the substrate 101, and removing the substrate 101 and mask 102.

Second Embodiment
In the first embodiment, the film is formed using one deposition unit 7, but a plurality of deposition units may be used to form the film. Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of the film forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, and Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing a mechanism around the deposition unit in the present embodiment.

In this embodiment, the evaporation units 70 and 71 are mounted on the rotating table 90. The evaporation units 70 and 71 are disposed below the substrate support plate 3, and each includes one evaporation source that emits an evaporation material onto the substrate 101 supported by the substrate support plate 3. The evaporation source includes a container for the evaporation material and a heater that heats the evaporation material. The evaporation units 70 and 71 are disposed at positions symmetrical to each other on the X-Y plane with respect to the center of rotation Z1. The evaporation units 70 and 71 may emit different types of evaporation material.

For example, deposition unit 70 releases a host material, and deposition unit 71 releases a dopant material. The host material is the main material of the light-emitting layer, and the dopant material is a light-emitting material that determines the emission wavelength. The light-emitting layer is an organic compound layer that is provided between an anode and a cathode and has a light-emitting function. The host material is the material that is most highly concentrated in the light-emitting layer, and the dopant material is the material that is less concentrated in the light-emitting layer than the host material.

11(A) to 11(E) show an example of the movement of the deposition units 70 and 71 on the circular orbit RT while the deposition material is being discharged onto the substrate 101 in this embodiment, and show the rotation of the turntable 90 in stages. The deposition units 70 and 71 move continuously around the circular orbit RT once. During the movement of the deposition units 70 and 71 shown in FIG. 11(A) to FIG. 11(E), the deposition material is continuously discharged, and the deposition material reaches the substrate 101 to form a film. The deposition material enters the case 10a of the monitoring unit 10, and the discharge state of the deposition material is monitored by the quartz crystal oscillator 10c. The turntable 90 may rotate two or more times or less than one time per film formation.

In this embodiment, by discharging the deposition material from the deposition units 70 and 71 while moving the deposition units 70 and 71 along the circular orbit RT, it is possible to form a mixed layer of different deposition materials on the substrate 101 while suppressing variation in the film formed on the substrate 101. In addition, by monitoring the discharge state of the deposition material onto the substrate 101 using the monitoring unit 10, it is possible to determine the current film formation state of the substrate 101 and use this as information for film formation control. Specifically, for example, the deposition time, the amount of rotation of the turntable 90, or the rotation speed of the turntable 90 can be increased or decreased depending on the film thickness estimated from the monitoring results.

Third Embodiment
In the first and second embodiments, the monitoring unit 10 is fixed, but may move around the rotation center Z1 in synchronization with the movement of the deposition unit. FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of the film forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment. The rotating table 90 has a plurality of arm portions 90a. In this embodiment, two arm portions 90a are provided corresponding to the two deposition units 70 and 71. Each arm portion 90a extends radially outward from the rotating table 90 and further upward. A monitoring unit 10A is provided at the end of the arm portion 90a corresponding to the deposition unit 70, and a monitoring unit 10B is provided at the end of the arm portion 90a corresponding to the deposition unit 71. In other words, the monitoring unit 10A corresponds to the deposition unit 70 and monitors the release state of the deposition material released from the deposition unit 70. The monitoring unit 10B corresponds to the deposition unit 71 and monitors the release state of the deposition material released from the deposition unit 71. Both the monitoring units 10A and 10B have the same configuration as the deposition unit 10 of the first embodiment.

Figures 13(A) to 13(E) illustrate the movement of the deposition units 70 and 71 on the circular orbit RT during the release of deposition material onto the substrate 101 in this embodiment, and show the rotation of the turntable 90 in stages. The deposition units 70 and 71 move continuously around the circular orbit RT once. The monitoring units 10A and 10B are also supported by the turntable 90 via the corresponding arm parts 90a, so they move continuously around the rotation center Z1 once. During the movement of the deposition units 70 and 71 shown in Figures 13(A) to 13(E), the deposition material is continuously released, and the deposition material reaches the substrate 101 to form a film. The deposition material released mainly from the deposition unit 70 enters the case 10a of the monitoring unit 10A, and the release state of the deposition material is monitored by the quartz crystal oscillator 10c. In addition, the deposition material emitted mainly from the deposition unit 71 enters the case 10a of the monitoring unit 10B, and the release state of the deposition material is monitored by the quartz crystal oscillator 10c. The turntable 90 may rotate two or more times or less than one time per film formation.

In this embodiment, by discharging the deposition material from the deposition units 70 and 71 while moving the deposition units 70 and 71 along the circular orbit RT, it is possible to form a mixed layer of different deposition materials on the substrate 101 while suppressing variation in the film formed on the substrate 101. In addition, by monitoring the discharge state of the deposition material onto the substrate 101 using the monitoring units 10A and 10B, it is possible to determine the current film formation state of the substrate 101 and use this as information for film formation control. In particular, in this embodiment, the discharge state of the deposition unit 70 can be monitored by the monitoring unit 10A, and the discharge state of the deposition unit 71 can be monitored by the monitoring unit 10B, so that the discharge states of the deposition units 70 and 71 can be monitored individually.

<Fourth embodiment>
A shutter may be provided to limit the deposition material that reaches the substrate 101. Fig. 14 is a schematic diagram of the film forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment. Fig. 15 is a perspective view showing a peripheral mechanism of the deposition units in this embodiment. In this embodiment, a plurality of deposition units 70A to 70C and 71A to 71C (six in total) are mounted on a turntable 90. The position of the monitoring unit 10 is fixed, as in the first and second embodiments.

A plate-shaped shutter 12 capable of restricting the deposition material emitted from the deposition units 70A-70C and 71A-71C from reaching the substrate 101 is disposed between the deposition units 70A-70C and 71A-71C and the substrate 101 supported by the substrate support plate 3. The shutter 12 has a shielding portion 12a that partially covers the upper part of the circular orbit RT and a cutout portion (opening) 12b that does not cover the upper part, and the shielding portion 12a has a sector shape centered on the rotation center Z1.

When each deposition unit 70A-70C and 71A-71C is located below the shielding portion 12a, it is shielded from the substrate 101, and the emitted deposition material is restricted from reaching the substrate 101 by the shielding portion 12a. When each deposition unit 70A-70C and 71A-71C is located below the cutout portion 12b, it is exposed to the substrate 101, and the emitted deposition material reaches the substrate 101 substantially without being restricted by the shutter 12.

The position changing unit 13 is a mechanism capable of changing the position (phase) of the shutter 12 around the rotation center Z1. The position changing unit 13 is supported by the rotating table 90 and includes a rotating shaft 13a that supports the shutter 12 and a drive unit 13b that rotates the rotating shaft 13a. The rotating shaft 31a extends coaxially with the rotation center Z1 and passes through a hole formed in the rotating table 90 in the Z direction. The drive unit 13b is a motor fixed to the rotating table 90 below the rotating table 90 and can rotate the rotating shaft 13a around the rotation center Z1. By rotating the shutter 12 around the rotation center Z1 to change its position, the position on the circular orbit RT where the shielding portion 12a covers the deposition units 70A to 70C and 71A to 71C can be changed.

Figures 16(A) to 16(F) show an example of the movement of the deposition units on the circular orbit RT and the shielding by the shutter 12 during the release of the deposition material onto the substrate 101 in this embodiment. The six deposition units 70A to 70C and 71A to 71C are divided into three groups. The first group is deposition units 70A and 71A, the second group is deposition units 70B and 71B, and the third group is deposition units 70C and 71C.

The deposition materials emitted by each deposition unit may be the same or different, or some may be the same and some may be different. As an example, each deposition unit 70A to 70C emits a host material, and each deposition unit 71A to 71C emits a dopant material. To give a more specific example, deposition units 70A and 71A emit the host material and dopant material of the red light-emitting layer, deposition units 70B and 71B emit the host material and dopant material of the green light-emitting layer, and deposition units 70C and 71C emit the host material and dopant material of the blue light-emitting layer. Each of the RGB light-emitting layers can be formed with one film-forming apparatus 1.

Figure 16 (A) shows the time when the release and movement start. The shutter 12 is in a position where the deposition units 70A and 71A are exposed to the substrate 101 through the cutout portion 12b, and the deposition units 70B, 71B, 70C, and 71C are shielded from the substrate 101 by the shielding portion 12a. Since the deposition units 70A and 71A are exposed to the substrate 101 through the cutout portion 12b, the deposition material released from the deposition units 70A and 71A reaches the substrate 101 through the mask 102. On the other hand, since the deposition units 70B, 71B, 70C, and 71C are shielded from the substrate 101 by the shielding portion 12a, the deposition material released from the deposition units 70B, 71B, 70C, and 71C does not substantially reach the substrate 101.

When the turntable 90 rotates, the shutter 12 also rotates at the same speed. Figures 16(B) to 16(E) show the stages until the turntable 90 and the shutter 12 make one rotation. The deposition units 70A and 71A are always exposed to the substrate 101 through the cutout portion 12b, and the deposition materials emitted from the deposition units 70A and 71A reach the substrate 101. On the other hand, the deposition units 70B, 71B, 70C, and 71C are always shielded from the substrate 101 by the shielding portion 12a, and the deposition materials emitted from the deposition units 70B, 71B, 70C, and 71C do not substantially reach the substrate 101. Figure 16(E) shows the stage when the deposition units 70A and 71A and the shutter 12 return to the positions shown in Figure 16(A).

In other words, the turntable 90 and the shutter 12 rotate once, and the deposition units 70A and 71A move continuously around the circular orbit RT once. In this embodiment, a film of each deposition material released from the deposition units 70A and 71A is formed on the entire area of the substrate 101. The deposition material released mainly from the deposition units 70A and 71A enters the case 10a of the monitoring unit 10, and the release state of the deposition material is monitored by the quartz oscillator 10c. The turntable 90 may rotate two or more times or less than one time per film formation.

Next, the position change unit 13 changes the relative position of the shutter 12 in the rotation direction with respect to the turntable 90. FIG. 16(F) shows an example of this, in which the shutter 12 moves clockwise by approximately 120 degrees relative to the turntable 90 from the positions of the shutter 12 illustrated in FIGS. 16(A) to 16(E). The shutter 12 is in a position in which the deposition units 70B and 71B are exposed to the substrate 101 through the cutout 12b, and the deposition units 70A, 71A, 70C, and 71C are shielded from the substrate 101 by the shielding portion 12a. Since the deposition units 70B and 71B are exposed to the substrate 101 through the cutout 12b, the deposition material emitted from the deposition units 70B and 71B reaches the substrate 101 through the mask 102. On the other hand, since the deposition units 70A, 71A, 70C, and 71C are shielded from the substrate 101 by the shielding portion 12a, the deposition materials emitted from the deposition units 70A, 71A, 70C, and 71C do not substantially reach the substrate 101. After that, similar to the example of FIG. 16(A) to FIG. 16(E), the turntable 90 and the shutter 12 are rotated while the deposition materials are emitted from the deposition units 70B and 71B. As a result, a film of each deposition material emitted from the deposition units 70B and 71B is formed on the substrate 101. The deposition materials emitted mainly from the deposition units 70B and 71B enter the case 10a of the monitoring unit 10, and the emission state of the deposition materials is monitored by the quartz crystal oscillator 10c.

Then, the position change unit 13 changes the relative position of the shutter 12 in the rotation direction with respect to the turntable 90. The shutter 12 is in a position in which the deposition units 70C and 71C are exposed to the substrate 101 through the cutout portion 12b, and the deposition units 70A, 71A, 70B, and 71B are shielded from the substrate 101 by the shielding portion 12a. As in the example of Figures 16(A) to 16(E), the turntable 90 and the shutter 12 rotate while discharging the deposition materials from the deposition units 70C and 71C. As a result, a film of each deposition material discharged from the deposition units 70C and 71C is formed on the substrate 101. The deposition materials discharged mainly from the deposition units 70B and 71B enter the case 10a of the monitoring unit 10, and the discharge state of the deposition materials is monitored by the quartz crystal oscillator 10c.

As described above, in this embodiment, the shutter 12 can be used to select the deposition unit that releases the deposition material onto the substrate 101, improving film formation controllability.

When forming each of the RGB light-emitting layers using three sets of deposition units 70 and 71, when selecting and switching between the sets of deposition units 70 and 71, the positional deviation amount of the alignment marks on the substrate 101 and mask 102 can be calculated again, and alignment can be performed again at an offset position according to the distance between the RGB pixels. Alternatively, the mask 102 can be replaced with one corresponding to each of the RGB light-emitting layers, and alignment between the substrate 101 and mask 102 can be performed.

Fifth Embodiment
The third embodiment and the fourth embodiment may be combined, and the deposition units 70A to 70C and 71A to 71C may be provided with corresponding monitoring units, respectively. Fig. 17 is a schematic diagram of the film forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment, and Fig. 18 is a plan view showing the structure around the deposition units.

The rotating table 90 is provided with multiple arm portions 90a. In this embodiment, six arm portions 90a are provided radially in correspondence with the six deposition units 70A-70C and 71A-71C. Each arm portion 90a extends radially outward from the rotating table 90 and further upward.

A monitoring unit 10A is provided at the end of the arm portion 90a corresponding to the deposition unit 70A, and a monitoring unit 10B is provided at the end of the arm portion 90a corresponding to the deposition unit 71A. A monitoring unit 10C is provided at the end of the arm portion 90a corresponding to the deposition unit 70B, and a monitoring unit 10D is provided at the end of the arm portion 90a corresponding to the deposition unit 71B. A monitoring unit 10E is provided at the end of the arm portion 90a corresponding to the deposition unit 70C, and a monitoring unit 10F is provided at the end of the arm portion 90a corresponding to the deposition unit 71C. In other words, the monitoring units 10A to 10F correspond to the deposition units 70A to 70C and 71A to 71C.

In this embodiment, the rotating table 90 is provided with a plurality of plate-shaped partition members 90b. Each partition member 90b extends radially from the center of rotation Z1 and forms a vertical wall that horizontally separates adjacent deposition units. In this embodiment, six partition members 90b are provided.

The first of the partition members 90b is provided between the deposition unit 70A and the deposition unit 71A. The second is provided between the deposition unit 71A and the deposition unit 70B. The third is provided between the deposition unit 70B and the deposition unit 71B. The fourth is provided between the deposition unit 71B and the deposition unit 70C. The fifth is provided between the deposition unit 70C and the deposition unit 71C. The sixth is provided between the deposition unit 71C and the deposition unit 70A.

Each partition member 90b can make it difficult for deposition material emitted from an incompatible deposition unit to enter the monitoring units 10A-10F. For example, the partition member 90b can prevent deposition material emitted from deposition units 71A and 71C adjacent to deposition unit 70A from entering the monitoring unit 10A corresponding to deposition unit 70A. The emission states of each of the deposition units 70A-70C and 71A-71C can be monitored with higher accuracy by the corresponding monitoring units 10A-10F.

Sixth Embodiment
In the first embodiment, the substrate support plate 3 having an electrostatic chuck is exemplified as a mechanism for supporting the substrate 101, but the mechanism for supporting the substrate 101 is not limited to this. For example, a clamp type that mechanically holds the peripheral portion of the substrate 101 may be used. Alternatively, the substrate 101 may be supported from below by rollers that have a transport function in addition to a support function for the substrate 101.

In addition, in the first embodiment, when aligning the substrate 101 and the mask 102, the substrate 101 is displaced to adjust the relative position with the mask 102, but the configuration may be such that the mask 102 is displaced to adjust the relative position with the substrate 101.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention can also be realized by a process in which a program for implementing one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and one or more processors in a computer of the system or device read and execute the program. The present invention can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that implements one or more of the functions.

The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the following claims are appended to disclose the scope of the invention.

1 Film forming device, 7 Evaporation unit, 9 Moving unit, 10 Monitoring unit, 101 Substrate, 102 Mask, RT Circular orbit

Claims (8)

a first deposition means for delivering a deposition material to a substrate;
a moving means for moving the first deposition means along a circular orbit about an axis during ejection of a deposition material onto the substrate;
and a first monitoring means for monitoring a state of deposition material being released onto the substrate.
A film forming apparatus comprising: The film forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
The first monitoring means is
a first deposition means that is movable around the axis of the circular orbit in synchronization with the movement of the first deposition means;
A film forming apparatus comprising: The film forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
The first monitoring means is fixed in position.
A film forming apparatus comprising: The film forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
A second deposition means for ejecting a deposition material onto the substrate;
and a second monitoring means for monitoring a state of deposition material being released onto the substrate,
the first monitoring means monitors a discharge state of a deposition material discharged from the first deposition means onto the substrate;
the second monitoring means monitors a discharge state of a deposition material discharged from the second deposition means onto the substrate,
the moving means includes a rotation table which rotates and which mounts the first deposition means, the second deposition means, the first monitoring means, and the second monitoring means;
A film forming apparatus comprising: The film forming apparatus according to claim 4,
The first deposition means emits a first deposition material;
The second deposition means emits a second deposition material different from the first deposition material.
A film forming apparatus comprising: The film forming apparatus according to claim 4,
The first vapor deposition means emits a host material that forms a light-emitting layer on the substrate as a vapor deposition material;
The second deposition means emits a dopant material that forms the light-emitting layer as a deposition material.
A film forming apparatus comprising: The film forming apparatus according to claim 4,
the rotation table is provided with a partition member between the first deposition means and the second deposition means;
A film forming apparatus comprising: A film forming method for forming a film on a substrate using the film forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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