TWI477627B - Film forming device - Google Patents

Description

Film forming device

The present invention relates to a film forming apparatus.

For example, there is an ion plating method in a film forming method of forming a film on the surface of a film formation. In the ion plating method, the film-forming material to be evaporated is diffused in a vacuum container, and the film-forming material adheres to the surface of the film-formed object. However, in the film forming apparatus used for the ion plating method, a part of the film forming material which is diffused remains in the vicinity of the film forming material, adheres to and accumulates in the main furnace which is the main anode for holding the film forming material, or It is the case of the auxiliary electrode, that is, the ring hearth. Since the deposition amount of the film forming material is increased, there is a case where the main hearth and the ring hearth are short-circuited.

In order to cope with the above-mentioned necessity, for example, as described in Patent Document 1, a method is known in which a plurality of ring-shaped rings (covers) are placed between the main hearth and the ring hearth, and the ring frame (cover) is used. The operating device periodically replaces the ring frame stacked with the film forming material.

(previous technical literature) (Patent Literature)

Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2008-348318

In the film forming apparatus of the patent document 1, the film-formed object is placed in a vacuum container so that the thickness direction of the film-formed object is substantially vertical, and the so-called horizontal horizontal type is carried out. Membrane device. Therefore, a plurality of outer ring frames are overlapped around the main hearth, and the outer ring frames are not fixed and are merely placed, whereby the outer ring frames can be easily replaced by the operating device. However, when the structure is applied to a vertical film forming apparatus that is transported so that the thickness direction of the film formation is substantially horizontal, there is a problem that the ring frame is not dropped, and it is not applicable.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a film forming apparatus which can cover the periphery of a master cylinder in a preferred form in a vertical film forming apparatus.

In the film forming apparatus of the present invention, the film forming material is heated by a plasma beam, and particles which vaporize the film forming material adhere to the film forming apparatus of the film forming material, and the film forming apparatus includes: a main furnace as a main anode a cylinder having a hole for holding a film forming material and penetrating in a horizontal direction, and introducing a plasma beam to the film forming material or being introduced into the plasma beam; an outer ring frame surrounding the main hearth and having a tooth portion; a rotating portion that imparts a rotational force around the main hearth to the outer ring frame by engaging with a tooth portion of the outer ring frame; and a support member disposed between the main hearth and the outer ring frame to limit the outer ring frame The horizontal direction moves and the outer ring frame is supported to be rotatable.

In the film forming apparatus of the present invention, since the main furnace has a vertical film forming apparatus that penetrates the hole in the horizontal direction, the outer ring frame surrounding the main hearth is arranged to extend in the horizontal direction. With such a configuration, the movement of the outer ring frame in the horizontal direction is restricted by the support member. Therefore, the outer ring frame can be maintained in a state of being supported by the support member without falling off. Further, the outer ring frame is rotatable around the main hearth by imparting a rotational force from the rotating portion via the tooth portion. Therefore, the evaporated film-forming material can be uniformly attached to the outer ring frame without being concentrated in one place. Therefore, the stacking efficiency of each outer ring frame can be improved, and the maintenance frequency can be greatly reduced. As described above, in the vertical film forming apparatus, the periphery of the main hearth can be covered in a preferred form.

In the film forming apparatus of the present invention, the blade portion of the attached body at the tip end portion of the main hearth can be attached to the outer ring frame. Thereby, with the rotation of the outer ring frame, the blade portion can rotate while cutting off the attachment of the tip end portion of the main hearth. Thereby, it is possible to prevent deposits from accumulating in the front end portion of the main hearth.

In the film forming apparatus of the present invention, the front end portion of the outer ring frame can be folded back toward the inner peripheral side. According to this configuration, even if the attached matter is peeled off in the outer ring frame, it can be blocked at the end portion before being folded back. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the attachment from falling from the outer ring frame.

In the film forming apparatus of the present invention, the support member may be made of ceramic. The heat resistance of the ceramic is high, and when the outer ring frame is made of a metal material, the support member can be made of a material different from the outer ring frame supported thereby, so that sticking or the like can be prevented. Therefore, the outer ring frame can be smoothly rotated.

According to the present invention, the periphery of the main hearth can be covered in a preferred form in the vertical film forming apparatus.

1‧‧‧ film forming device

21‧‧‧Main hearth

21a‧‧‧Filling Department

21b‧‧‧Flange

21c‧‧‧through holes

21d‧‧‧ front end

21e‧‧‧ outer perimeter

30‧‧‧ cover structure

31‧‧‧ outer ring frame

32‧‧‧ inner cover

33‧‧‧Support members

34‧‧‧Drive structure

36‧‧‧ Sidewall

36a‧‧‧ horizontal department

36b‧‧‧ inclined section

36c‧‧‧Bend

36d‧‧‧ horizontal department

36e‧‧‧ front end

37‧‧‧ bottom

37a‧‧‧ end face

37b‧‧‧Slots

37d‧‧‧ end face

38‧‧‧ cover

38a‧‧‧ end face

39, 91‧‧‧ gears

39a‧‧‧End

40, 90‧‧‧ teeth

42‧‧‧through holes

48‧‧‧ Cover

48a‧‧‧ front end

48b‧‧‧ inner circumference

49‧‧‧Flange

49a‧‧‧ end face

49b‧‧‧ end face

49c‧‧‧ outer perimeter

49d‧‧‧ inner circumference

51‧‧‧through holes

71‧‧‧Rotating Department

72‧‧‧Axis

78‧‧‧ teeth

81‧‧‧blade

CL1‧‧‧ central axis

CL2‧‧‧ center axis

D1‧‧‧ film forming materials

D2‧‧‧ film forming materials

Ma‧‧‧film forming materials

SP‧‧‧Space Department

Fig. 1 is a plan cross-sectional view showing the structure of a film formation apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational cross-sectional view showing the structure around the main hearth mechanism in Fig. 1 in an enlarged manner.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational cross-sectional view showing the main hearth and the outer ring frame in Fig. 2 in an enlarged manner.

Fig. 4 is a view of the gear and the rotating portion in Fig. 3 as seen from the negative X-axis direction.

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the peripheral structure of the support member.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational cross-sectional view showing the main hearth and the outer ring frame of the film forming apparatus of the second embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a view of the outer ring frame shown in Fig. 6 as seen from the positive X-axis direction.

Fig. 8 is a side elevational cross-sectional view showing the main hearth and the outer ring frame of the film forming apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 9 is a view of the gear and the rotating portion in Fig. 8 as seen from the negative X-axis direction.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a film forming apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed description of the line. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the repeated description is omitted.

[First Embodiment]

Fig. 1 is a plan cross-sectional view showing a configuration of an embodiment of a film forming apparatus of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevational cross-sectional view showing the structure around the main hearth mechanism in Fig. 1 in an enlarged manner. The film forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is a so-called ion plating apparatus used in the ion plating method. In addition, for convenience of explanation, the XYZ coordinate system is shown in FIG. The Y-axis direction is a direction in which the film-formed material described later is conveyed. The X-axis direction is a direction in which the film formation body faces the hearth mechanism described later. The Z-axis direction is a direction orthogonal to the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.

As shown in Fig. 1, the film forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is a so-called vertical film forming apparatus in which the film-formed object is in an upright state or in a state in which the thickness direction of the film-formed object is horizontal. It is placed in a vacuum container and conveyed while being turned from the upright state to the inclined state. At this time, the X-axis direction is the horizontal direction and is the thickness direction of the film formation, the Y-axis direction is the horizontal direction, and the Z-axis direction is the vertical direction.

The film forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment includes a hearth mechanism 2, a transport mechanism 3, a ring hearth 6, a plasma source 7, a pressure adjusting device 8, and a vacuum container 10.

The vacuum container 10 has a transfer chamber 10a for transporting a film formation 11 on which a film forming material is formed, a film forming chamber 10b for diffusing the film forming material Ma, and a plasma port 10c which will come from Irradiated by the plasma source 7 The plasma bundle P is housed in the vacuum vessel 10. The transfer chamber 10a, the film forming chamber 10b, and the plasma port 10c communicate with each other. The transfer chamber 10a is set in a predetermined conveyance direction (arrow A in the drawing) (along the Y axis). Further, the vacuum vessel 10 is made of a conductive material and is connected to a ground potential.

The conveyance mechanism 3 conveys the film formation object holding member 16 of the film formation object 11 in a state of being opposed to the film formation material Ma in the conveyance direction A. The transport mechanism 3 is composed of a plurality of transport rollers 15 provided in the transport chamber 10a. The conveyance rollers 15 are arranged at equal intervals in the conveyance direction A, and are supported by the film formation object holding member 16 while being conveyed in the conveyance direction A. Further, as the film formation 11 , for example, a plate member such as a glass substrate or a plastic substrate is used.

The plasma source 7 is of a pressure gradient type, and a main portion thereof is connected to the film forming chamber 10b via a plasma port 10c provided in a side wall of the film forming chamber 10b. The plasma beam P generated in the plasma source 7 is emitted from the plasma port 10c toward the film forming chamber 10b. The direction in which the plasma beam P is emitted is controlled by a steering coil (not shown) provided in the plasma port 10c.

The pressure adjusting device 8 is connected to the vacuum vessel 10 for adjusting the pressure inside the vacuum vessel 10. The pressure adjusting device 8 includes a pressure reducing unit such as a turbo molecular pump or a cryopump, and a pressure measuring unit that measures the pressure in the vacuum chamber 10.

The hearth mechanism 2 is a mechanism for holding the film forming material Ma. The hearth mechanism 2 is disposed in the film forming chamber 10b of the vacuum container 10, and is disposed in the negative direction in the X-axis direction when viewed from the transport mechanism 3. The hearth mechanism 2 has a main hearth 21 which is introduced as a main anode for introducing the plasma beam P emitted from the plasma source 7 toward the film forming material Ma, or as a source from the plasma source 7. The plasma beam P is introduced into the main anode.

As shown in Fig. 2, the main hearth 21 has a cylindrical filling portion 21a that is filled with the film forming material Ma in the positive direction in the X-axis direction, and a flange portion 21b that protrudes from the filling portion 21a. The main hearth 21 is maintained at a positive potential with respect to the ground potential of the vacuum vessel 10, so that the plasma beam P can be attracted. A through hole 21c through which the film forming material Ma is filled and penetrated in the horizontal direction (that is, the X-axis direction) is formed in the filling portion 21a of the main furnace 21 into which the plasma beam P is incident. Further, the tip end portion of the film forming material Ma is exposed to the film forming chamber 10b at one end of the through hole 21c.

The ring hearth 6 is an auxiliary anode having an electromagnet for inducing the plasma beam P. The ring hearth 6 is disposed around the filling portion 21a of the main hearth 21 holding the film forming material Ma. The ring hearth 6 has a coil 6a, a permanent magnet 6b, and an annular container 6c. The coil 6a and the permanent magnet 6b are housed in the annular container 6c. The ring hearth 6 controls the orientation of the plasma beam P incident on the film forming material Ma or the direction of the plasma beam P incident on the main hearth 21 in accordance with the magnitude of the current flowing in the coil 6a.

The film forming material Ma can be exemplified by a transparent conductive material such as ITO or ZnO, or an insulating sealing material such as SiON. When the film forming material Ma is composed of an insulating material, when the main furnace cylinder 21 is irradiated with the plasma beam P, the main hearth 21 is heated by the current from the plasma beam P, and the front end portion of the film forming material Ma is evaporated. The film-forming material particles Mb ionized by the plasma beam P are diffused toward the film forming chamber 10b. Further, when the film forming material Ma is made of a conductive material, when the main furnace cylinder 21 is irradiated with the plasma beam P, the plasma beam P is directly incident on the film forming material Ma, and the front end portion of the film forming material Ma is heated and evaporated. , was The film-forming material particles Mb ionized by the plasma jet P are diffused toward the inside of the film forming chamber 10b. The film-forming material particles Mb diffused into the film forming chamber 10b move in the positive X-axis direction of the film forming chamber 10b, and adhere to the surface of the film forming object 11 in the transfer chamber 10a. Further, the film forming material Ma is formed into a cylindrical solid material of a predetermined length, and a plurality of film forming materials Ma are once filled in the hearth mechanism 2. In addition, the film forming material Ma is sequentially extruded from the negative X-axis direction of the hearth mechanism 2 in accordance with the consumption of the film forming material Ma, so that the front end portion of the film forming material Ma at the foremost end side and the upper end of the main hearth 21 are held. The predetermined positional relationship. As shown in Fig. 2, the introduction portion 22 is provided on the negative X-axis side of the hearth mechanism 2, and the introduction portion faces the main furnace from a film forming material supply device (not shown) provided outside the vacuum container 10. The filling portion 21a of the cylinder 21 is introduced into the film forming material Ma. The introduction portion 22 extends through the wall portion 10d of the vacuum vessel 10 and extends to a position facing the front end portion of the filling portion 21a of the main hearth 21 in the negative X-axis direction. The introduction portion 22 has a through hole 22a that extends in the X-axis direction and allows the film forming material Ma to pass therethrough. Further, a pressing rod 23 for extruding the film forming material Ma toward the filling portion 21a of the main hearth 21 is provided in the through hole 22a of the introduction portion 22.

The hearth mechanism 2 of the film forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is provided with a cover structure 30 for preventing the main hearth 21 and the ring furnace caused by the deposition of the film forming material Ma around the main hearth 21 at the time of film formation. Short circuit of the cylinder 6. The cover structure 30 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view showing the structure of the filling portion 21a of the main hearth 21 and the periphery of the outer ring frame 31 shown in Fig. 2 . Fig. 4 is a view of the gear 39 and the rotating portion 71 as seen from the negative X-axis direction. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the peripheral structure of the support member 33.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cover structure 30 includes an outer ring frame 31 that surrounds the filling portion 21a of the main hearth 21, and an inner cover 32 that surrounds the inner circumferential side of the outer ring frame 31. A filling portion 21a of the main hearth 21; a support member 33 that supports the outer ring frame 31 to be rotatable; and a drive structure 34 for rotating the outer ring frame 31. Further, in the film forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the outer ring frame 31 is provided eccentric with respect to the filling portion 21a of the main hearth 21, and the central axis CL1 of the filling portion 21a and the central axis CL2 of the outer ring frame 31 are parallel to each other. However, the setting positions are different from each other (please refer to Figures 3 and 4). However, the positional relationship between the central axis CL1 and the central axis CL2 is not limited to the one shown in the drawings of the present embodiment, and may be identical to each other.

As shown in Fig. 3, the outer ring frame 31 is a cylindrical bottomed container. The outer ring frame 31 has a side wall portion 36 that surrounds the filling portion 21a of the main hearth 21, and a bottom portion 37 that is disposed at an end portion of the side wall portion 36 on the proximal end side (the negative X-axis direction); the cover body 38 is disposed At the bottom 37; and a gear 39, which is provided with a toothing 40. Further, the outer ring frame 31 is formed with a through hole 42 through which the filling portion 21a of the main hearth 21 and the inner cover 32 are inserted. The through hole 42 has a circular shape centered on the central axis CL2 as viewed in the direction of the central axis CL2.

The side wall portion 36 of the outer ring frame 31 is gradually warped toward the side and is open on the side of the film forming chamber 10b. In other words, the side wall portion 36 expands toward the outer peripheral side as it goes toward the distal end side (the positive X-axis direction). In the present embodiment, the side wall portion 36 has, in order from the bottom portion 37 side toward the front end side, a horizontal portion 36a extending in the horizontal direction from the bottom portion 37, and an inclined portion 36b which is enlarged toward the front end side with respect to the central axis CL2. Tilted; curved portion 36c, The front portion side of the inclined portion 36b is further enlarged to be curved; the horizontal portion 36d extends in the horizontal direction from the front end of the curved portion 36c; and the front end portion 36e is oriented toward the inner circumference in a manner substantially perpendicular to the central axis CL2 Side fold back. In this manner, the front end portion 36e is folded back toward the inner peripheral side, and a space portion SP having a U-shaped cross section is formed in a region surrounded by the front end portion 36e, the curved portion 36c, and the horizontal portion 36d (indicated in FIG. 3 Part of the pear skin pattern). When the film forming material D2 attached to the outer ring frame 31 or the film forming material D1 adhering to the main hearth 21 is peeled off, the peeled film forming material D1 can be blocked by the folded front end portion 36e, and can be accumulated in the space first. The portion SP is prevented from falling from the outer ring frame 31. Further, the shape of the side wall portion 36 of the outer ring frame 31 is not limited to the shape of the embodiment, but may be various shapes. For example, it may be enlarged so as to gradually bend toward the front end side. Further, although the horizontal portion 36d is provided to secure the large space portion SP, and the cross section is U-shaped, the shape of the space portion SP is not limited. For example, the horizontal portion 36d may be directly folded back from the curved portion 36c or the inclined portion 36b. Also, it is not possible to fold back at the front end.

The bottom portion 37 is expanded toward the inner peripheral side from the end portion of the proximal end side (the negative X-axis direction) of the side wall portion 36 so as to be substantially perpendicular to the central axis CL2. The bottom portion 37 has an annular shape whose center axis coincides with the center axis CL2. Further, the bottom portion 37 has an inner peripheral surface 37c constituting a part of the through hole 42 (please refer to FIG. 5). The detailed structure of the through hole 42 will be described later together with the description of the support member 33. A circular groove portion 37b is formed in the end surface 37a on the proximal end side of the bottom portion 37 (the end surface in the negative X-axis direction) for attaching the lid body 38. An annular cover is attached to the groove portion 37b. Body 38. The central axis of the cover 38 coincides with the central axis CL2 of the outer ring frame 31. The lid body 38 is attached to the bottom portion 37 after the support member 33 is assembled, and functions as a cover for preventing the support member 33 from falling off. The lid body 38 has an inner peripheral surface 38c constituting a part of the through hole 42.

The gear 39 has an annular shape and is formed with an annular external gear having a tooth portion 40 formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof. The central axis of the gear 39 coincides with the central axis CL2 of the outer ring frame 31. The gear 39 is attached to the end surface 38a (the end surface in the negative X-axis direction) on the proximal end side of the lid body 38. Further, the end portion 39a on the proximal end side of the gear 39 is slightly separated from the non-rotating flange portion 21b. The tooth portion 40 is provided at a predetermined interval so as to surround the filling portion 21a of the main hearth 21 (please refer to FIG. 4). The gear 39 has an inner peripheral surface 39c constituting a part of the through hole 42.

The bottom portion 37, the lid body 38, and the gear 39 are fixed to each other by screws 46 (please refer to Figs. 4 and 5). The bottom portion 37, the cover 38, and the gear 39 are fixed by the screw 46 at a plurality of portions around the center axis CL2. According to this configuration, the tooth portion 40 of the gear 39 is given a rotational force from the drive structure 34, whereby the gear 39 is rotated, and the outer ring including the gear 39, the cover 38, the bottom portion 37, and the side wall portion 36 is thereby included. The frame 31 is rotated as a whole. Further, in the present embodiment, the side wall portion 36 and the bottom portion 37 are integrally formed, and the lid body 38 is configured as an independent component with respect to the bottom portion 37. The structure of the outer ring frame 31 is not limited to such a structure, and the cover 38 portion may be integral with the gear 39.

The inner cover 32 includes a cover portion 48 that covers the filling portion of the main hearth 21 21a; and a flange portion 49 provided at an end portion of the cover portion 48 on the proximal end side of the main hearth 21. A through hole 51 through which the filling portion 21a of the main hearth 21 is inserted is formed in the inner cover 32. The through hole 51 penetrates the cover portion 48 and the flange portion 49 in the horizontal direction, and is a circular through hole whose center axis coincides with the central axis CL1 of the main hearth 21.

The cover portion 48 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape extending along the filling portion 21a so as to surround the filling portion 21a of the main hearth 21. The central axis of the cover portion 48 coincides with the central axis CL1 of the main hearth 21. The front end portion 48a of the cover portion 48 extends to the front end side of the filling portion 21a and covers a portion of the outer peripheral surface 21e of the filling portion 21a. In the present embodiment, the distal end portion 48a of the cover portion 48 does not reach the distal end portion 21d and exposes a portion of the vicinity of the distal end portion 21d of the filling portion 21a. However, the position of the distal end portion 48a is not particularly limited, and the distal end portion can be reached. 21d. The inner circumferential surface 48b of the cover portion 48 constitutes a part of the through hole 51 of the inner cover 32, and a gap is formed between the inner circumferential surface 48b and the outer circumferential surface 21e of the filling portion 21a. Further, it is also possible to provide only the flange portion 49 for supporting the support member 33 without providing the cover portion 48.

The flange portion 49 is expanded toward the outer peripheral side from the end portion of the base end side (the negative X-axis direction) of the cover portion 48 so as to be substantially perpendicular to the central axis CL2. The flange portion 49 has an annular shape whose center axis coincides with the central axis CL2. In addition, in the third drawing, since the filling portion 21a and the cover portion 48 are eccentric toward the upper side in the drawing, the cross section of the flange portion 49 shown on the upper side of the paper is narrower than the central axis CL2. The flange portion 49 is supported so that the end surface 49a on the proximal end side (the X-axis negative direction) is in contact with the flange portion 21b of the main hearth 21, and is fixed by the bolt 53 and the flange portion 21b. Set (please refer to Figure 5). In addition, the end surface 49b of the front end side (the positive X-axis direction) of the flange portion 49 is provided so as to be substantially flush with the end surface 37d of the front end side (the positive X-axis direction) of the bottom portion 37 of the outer ring frame 31. The outer peripheral surface 49c of the flange portion 49 faces the gap between the through holes 42 of the outer ring frame 31. Further, a surface supported by the support member 33 is formed on the outer peripheral surface 49c, and the detailed structure thereof will be described later together with the description of the support member 33. The inner peripheral surface 49d of the flange portion 49 constitutes a part of the through hole 51 of the inner cover 32, and a portion of the inner peripheral side has a narrowed portion, whereby a part of the inner peripheral surface 49d It is in contact with the outer peripheral surface 21e of the filling portion 21a. In this manner, since the inner cover 32 can be in contact with the outer peripheral surface 21e of the filling portion 21a at a portion of the through hole 51, it is easy to cover the inner cover 32 with the filling portion 21a, and it is also possible to prevent the inner cover 32 from being loosened.

The support member 33 is disposed between the main hearth 21 and the outer ring frame 31 and is for restricting movement of the outer ring frame 31 in the horizontal direction (X-axis direction) and the vertical direction (Z-axis direction), and is used for A member that supports the rotation of the outer ring frame 31. In the present embodiment, the support member 33 is provided between the outer ring frame 31 and the inner cover 32, and is provided around the central axis CL2. The support member 33 is preferably a sphere that can rotate the outer ring frame 31. However, the shape of the support member 33 is not particularly limited as long as it can rotate the outer ring frame 31, and may be, for example, a cylinder or the like. Further, the material of the support member 33 is also not particularly limited, but ceramic or carbon is preferably used. When the material is used, the heat resistance is high, and the material which is different from the metal material (for example, copper or stainless steel) constituting the outer ring frame 31 or the inner cover 32 can be prevented from being burnt, so that it is not necessary to use lubricating oil. Able to make The outer ring frame 31 smoothly rotates. Here, however, a metal material may be used as the material of the support member 33.

Here, the structure around the support member 33 will be described in detail using FIG. As shown in Fig. 5, a groove portion 54 for accommodating the support member 33 is formed on the surface of the through hole 42 of the outer ring frame 31. Further, an annular projection 56 projecting toward the outer peripheral side is formed on the outer peripheral surface 49c of the flange portion 49 of the inner cover 32, and a groove portion 57 for accommodating the support member 33 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the projection 56. . The groove portion 54 on the outer ring frame 31 side and the groove portion 57 on the inner cover 32 side are formed at positions facing each other, and a plurality of support members 33 are filled in the space surrounded by the groove portion 54 and the groove portion 57.

The groove portion 54 has a V-shaped cross section and is composed of an inclined surface 58 formed on the inner circumferential surface 37c of the bottom portion 37 and an inclined surface 59 formed on the inner circumferential surface 38c of the lid body 38. The inclined surface 58 is formed so as to be inclined toward the inner peripheral side from the proximal end side toward the distal end side (toward the positive X-axis direction), and is formed around the central axis CL2 (see FIG. 3) and over the entire circumference of the through hole 42. . The inclined surface 59 is formed so as to be inclined toward the outer peripheral side from the proximal end side toward the distal end side (toward the positive X-axis direction), and is formed around the central axis CL2 (see FIG. 3) and over the entire circumference of the through hole 42. The groove portion 57 has a V-shaped cross section and is composed of an inclined surface 61 formed on the protruding portion 56 and an inclined surface 62. The inclined surface 61 is formed to be inclined toward the outer peripheral side from the proximal end side toward the distal end side (toward the positive X-axis direction), and is formed around the central axis CL2 (see FIG. 3) and over the entire circumference of the protruding portion 56. The inclined surface 62 is formed so as to be inclined toward the inner peripheral side from the proximal end side toward the distal end side (toward the positive X-axis direction), and is around the central axis CL2 (please refer to the third Fig.) is formed around the entire circumference of the projection 56.

The inclined faces 58, 59, 61, 62 are respectively supported by contact with the support member 33 (allowing a slight looseness). According to this configuration, the outer ring frame 31 can smoothly rotate with respect to the fixed main furnace 21 and the inner cover 32, and the movement of the outer ring frame 31 in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) is restricted, and the level is also restricted. Movement in the direction (X-axis direction). In addition, the cross-sectional shape of the groove portions 54 and 57 is not limited to the above-described V-shape, and various shapes can be adopted as long as the horizontal direction and the vertical direction of the outer ring frame 31 can be restricted. For example, it may be U-shaped or rectangular.

Further, since the protruding portion 56 on the inner cover 32 side is formed at a position separated from the end surface 49b of the flange portion 49 toward the proximal end side, a step difference is formed between the end surface 49b and the protruding portion 56. The outer ring frame 31 is formed with a protruding portion 63 that protrudes from the inner peripheral surface 37c of the bottom portion 37 of the outer ring frame 31 toward the inner peripheral side. The protruding portion 63 on the side of the outer ring frame 31 and the protruding portion 56 on the side of the inner cover 32 are disposed so as to be interlaced with each other, whereby the cross-sectional shape of the gap between the outer ring frame 31 and the inner cover 32 is greater than that of the supporting member 33. The region on the front end side is shaped to be bent into a crank shape. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the particles of the film-forming material that has evaporated from entering the vicinity of the support member 33.

Returning to Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the structure of the drive structure 34 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the drive structure has a rotating portion 71 that imparts a rotational force to the outer ring frame 31, a shaft portion 72 whose shaft supports the rotating portion 71, and a driving portion 73 that causes the shaft portion 72 Rotate. The shaft portion 72 extends from the outside of the vacuum vessel 10 through the wall portion 10d and extends in the X-axis direction to The position of the tooth portion 40 of the outer ring frame 31. The driving portion 73 is provided outside the vacuum vessel 10 and has a rotating shaft 73a extending in the Z-axis direction. In order to transmit the rotational force of the driving portion 73 to the shaft portion 72, a bevel gear 74 is provided on the rotating shaft 73a, and a bevel gear 76 that engages with the bevel gear 74 is provided at an end portion of the shaft portion 72. However, the transmission mechanism of the rotational force between the drive unit 73 and the shaft portion 72 is not limited to this configuration, and various mechanisms can be employed. Further, a magnetic fluid bearing 77 is provided outside the wall portion 10d of the vacuum vessel 10, and the shaft portion 72 is inserted through the magnetic fluid bearing 77 to extend into the vacuum vessel 10. The vacuum vessel 10 is vacuum sealed by a magnetic fluid bearing 77. Further, an insulating coupling, a mechanical coupling, or the like may be provided at a position in the middle of the shaft portion 72, but the illustration is omitted.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the rotating portion 71 is constituted by a gear having a tooth portion 78 that engages with the tooth portion 40 of the gear 39 of the outer ring frame 31. The tooth portions 78 of the rotating portion 71 are equally spaced around the shaft portion 72 so as to be engageable with the tooth portion 40 of the gear 39 of the outer ring frame 31. Further, the rotating portion 71 is disposed on the outer peripheral side of the tooth portion 40 of the outer ring frame 31, that is, a position engageable with the tooth portion 40. Further, as long as it can mesh with the tooth portion 40, the rotating portion 71 can be disposed at any position, and the position around the central axis CL2 is not limited to the position shown in FIG. 4, and can be disposed at any position. With such a drive structure 34, the outer ring frame 31 is preferably rotated at a low speed of about 1 to 10 turns for 1 hour.

Next, the action and effect of the film forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment will be described.

First, in order to compare with the film forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, The structure of the outer ring frame of the conventional horizontal film forming apparatus will be described. In the horizontal film forming apparatus, a plurality of outer ring frames are stacked around the main hearth, but the outer ring frame is not fixed and is disposed. If the film forming material is stacked, the outer ring frame is sequentially taken out from the inner layer side for replacement. . Wherein, when the outer ring frame is replaced, the operator replaces the outer ring frame by manually operating the special operation device. The operating device may be replaced by, for example, an operator who presses, pulls, rotates, lifts the outer ring frame, and hangs a lever from the outside of the vacuum container to hook the outer ring frame. Alternatively, the outer ring frame may be replaced by manually operating the telescopic operation device from above the main hearth. However, when such a conventional ring frame structure is applied to a vertical film forming apparatus, the outer ring frame must be turned from a conventional configuration (the bottom of the outer ring frame is disposed below the vertical direction) to be vertically inclined. Since it is disposed, there is a problem that the outer ring frame falls down in the horizontal direction and falls off from the main hearth. As described above, in the structure of the ring frame other than the conventional one, there is a problem that it cannot be suitably applied to the vertical film forming apparatus.

On the other hand, in the film forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the movement of the outer ring frame 31 in the horizontal direction is restricted by the support member 33. Therefore, the outer ring frame 31 does not fall and can maintain the state supported by the support member 33.

Here, in the case of the vertical film forming apparatus, in order to prevent the outer ring frame from falling, the structure for supporting the bottom of the outer ring frame is fixed only, since the fixing support has to be released to take out the device, it is impossible to use the conventional device. The operating device is used to replace the outer ring frame, so maintenance is time consuming and the maintenance frequency may become high. However, in the present embodiment, the outer ring frame 31 is rotated around the filling portion 21a of the main hearth 21 by the rotational force from the rotating portion 71 via the tooth portion 40. Thereby, the vaporized film-forming material is adhered to the outer ring frame 31 without being concentrated in one place, and can be uniformly attached over the entire circumference. For example, the deposit of the film-forming material D2 as shown in Fig. 3 is not concentrated only in the portion shown in the drawing, and can be attached over the entire circumference. Therefore, the stacking efficiency of each outer ring frame 31 can be improved. That is, when the structure that only supports the outer ring frame is fixed, if a part of the attachment of the outer ring frame has been formed, maintenance must be performed even if the attachment of the other part has not been generated. In the present embodiment, by rotating the outer ring frame 31, the thickness of the deposit can be made substantially uniform throughout the entire circumference. Therefore, the maintenance frequency can be greatly reduced. Further, in the present embodiment, when the outer ring frame 31 is increased in size, the maintenance frequency can be further reduced. For example, when the diameter of the outer ring frame 31 is set to A times, the surface area of the outer ring frame 31 is A ² times, and therefore the maintenance frequency may be (1/A power). On the other hand, in the conventional method, the maintenance interval can be determined by the distance between the main hearth and the outer ring frame, and therefore can only be set to about 1/A. Further, according to the present embodiment, it is not necessary to overlap a plurality of outer ring frames, so that the outer ring frame can be reduced. According to the above, in the vertical film forming apparatus, the periphery of the hearth can be covered in a preferred form.

Moreover, as in the conventional horizontal film forming apparatus, when a plurality of outer ring frames are overlapped and replaced by a manual operation by an operation device, it is necessary to temporarily stop the irradiation of the plasma beam during the operation, and since it is a manual operation, there is The problem of the operation rate of the film forming apparatus is lowered. However, in the present embodiment, the short rotation of the main hearth 21 and the ring hearth 6 can be prevented by the automatic rotation operation of the outer ring frame 31. Moreover, the outer ring frame 31 has a high stacking prevention efficiency, so maintenance is not required for a long period of time until the next maintenance period. The film forming apparatus can be continuously operated without stopping the irradiation of the plasma beam. Therefore, the operation rate of the film forming apparatus 1 can be improved as compared with the structure of the outer ring frame.

Further, in the film forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the front end portion 36e of the outer ring frame 31 is folded back toward the inner peripheral side. According to this configuration, it is possible to block the deposit of the film-forming material to be dropped from the outer ring frame 31 with the end portion 36e folded back. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the deposit of the film forming material from falling from the outer ring frame 31.

[Second Embodiment]

In the cover structure 130 of the film forming apparatus of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the blade portion 81 having the adhering material of the film forming material in the vicinity of the tip end portion 21d of the main hearth 21 is provided. The removal structure 80 is mainly different from the cover structure 30 of the film formation apparatus 1 of the first embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the removal structure 80 of the cover structure 130 is constituted by providing a pair of doctor blades 85 on the outer ring frame 31. Each of the doctor blades 85 is disposed at a position 180 degrees from each other with respect to the center axis CL2. However, the number or arrangement of the doctor blades 85 is not particularly limited, and may be one or three or more.

The scraper 85 has a structure capable of expanding and contracting with respect to the filling portion 21a of the main hearth 21, and includes a removing member 82 having a blade portion 81, a supporting body 83 supporting the removing member 82, and a spring 84 filling the same In the support body 83. The removing member 82 is directed from the side wall portion 36 of the outer ring frame 31 The columnar member that extends radially inward toward the filling portion 21a of the main hearth 21 has a blade portion 81 formed at the tip end thereof. The blade portion 81 has a shape corresponding to the front end portion 21d of the filling portion 21a and the outer peripheral surface 21e in the vicinity of the front end portion 21d. The support body 83 includes a cylindrical sheath portion 83a that houses the removal member 82, and a fixing portion 83b that is fixed to the side wall portion 36 of the outer ring frame 31 by a screw or the like. In the sheath portion 83a, the distal end side of the spring 84 is coupled to the bottom surface of the concave portion 82a provided in the removal member 82, and the proximal end side is coupled to the fixed portion 83b. Therefore, the pressing force of the blade portion 81 of the pressing and removing member 82 can be generated with respect to the filling portion 21a of the main hearth 21.

According to the above configuration, the blade portion 81 of the blade 85 is also rotated along the filling portion 21a of the main hearth 21 in accordance with the rotation of the outer ring frame 31, so that the front end portion 21d and the outer peripheral surface 21e adhering to the filling portion 21a can be scraped off. Attachment. Further, since the outer ring frame 31 is eccentric with respect to the filling portion 21a of the main hearth 21, even if the distance between the fixing portion 83b of the blade 85 and the filling portion 21a is changed, the blade 85 can be expanded and contracted by the spring 84. Since the blade portion 81 is not affected by the change in the distance, the attachment portion in the vicinity of the tip end portion 21d can be scraped off. According to the above, it is possible to prevent the deposit from accumulating in the vicinity of the front end portion 21d of the main hearth 21.

[Third embodiment]

In the cover structure 230 of the film forming apparatus of the third embodiment shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the gear 91 of the ring-shaped internal gear is used instead of the gear 39 of the ring-shaped external gear, mainly at this point, and The cover structure 30 of the film forming apparatus 1 of the first embodiment differs.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the outer ring frame 31 is provided with a gear 91 having a tooth portion 90 on the inner peripheral side. Further, the drive structure 134 is provided such that the rotating portion 71 is disposed on the inner peripheral side of the gear 91. That is, the rotating portion 71 and the shaft portion 72 of the drive structure 134 are disposed at positions close to the filling portion 21a of the main hearth 21 in the radial direction. Then, the flange portion 49 of the inner cover 32 or the flange portion 21b of the main hearth 21 is formed with a through hole or a recess for arranging the rotating portion 71 or the shaft portion 72. In addition, when the rotating portion 71 and the shaft portion 72 are disposed on the inner peripheral side, the magnetic fluid bearing 77, the bevel gear 76, and the like interfere with the introduction portion 22 (see FIG. 2). Therefore, the shaft portion 72 may not be used. A structure that extends directly to the outside of the vacuum vessel 10. In this case, a rotational force can be transmitted to the shaft portion 72 by providing a rotational force transmitting mechanism (not shown).

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

For example, in the above embodiment, the inner cover 32 is provided between the main hearth 21 and the outer ring frame 31, and the support member 33 is provided between the outer ring frame 31 and the inner cover 32. However, the inner cover may be omitted. 32. In this case, the mounting groove of the support member 33 may be provided in the main hearth 21, and the support member 33 may be provided between the main hearth 21 and the outer ring frame 31.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, in order to provide the teeth 40 and 90 in the outer ring frame 31, the gears 39 and 91 which are different from the bottom 37 are used, but the gears 39 and 91 may not be used. The outer peripheral surface or the inner peripheral surface of the bottom portion 37 itself forms the structure of the tooth portions 40, 90.

The present application claims priority from the Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-247563, filed on Nov. 9, 2012, the disclosure of All content is used in this specification.

21‧‧‧Main hearth

21a‧‧‧Filling Department

21b‧‧‧Flange

21c‧‧‧through holes

21d‧‧‧ front end

21e‧‧‧ outer perimeter

30‧‧‧ cover structure

31‧‧‧ outer ring frame

32‧‧‧ inner cover

33‧‧‧Support members

34‧‧‧Drive structure

36‧‧‧ Sidewall

36a‧‧‧ horizontal department

36b‧‧‧ inclined section

36c‧‧‧Bend

36d‧‧‧ horizontal department

36e‧‧‧ front end

37‧‧‧ bottom

37a‧‧‧ end face

37b‧‧‧Slots

37d‧‧‧ end face

38‧‧‧ cover

38a‧‧‧ end face

39‧‧‧ Gears

39a‧‧‧End

40‧‧‧ teeth

42‧‧‧through holes

48‧‧‧ Cover

48a‧‧‧ front end

48b‧‧‧ inner circumference

49‧‧‧Flange

49a‧‧‧ end face

49b‧‧‧ end face

49c‧‧‧ outer perimeter

49d‧‧‧ inner circumference

51‧‧‧through holes

71‧‧‧Rotating Department

72‧‧‧Axis

78‧‧‧ teeth

CL1‧‧‧ central axis

CL2‧‧‧ center axis

D1‧‧‧ film forming materials

D2‧‧‧ film forming materials

Ma‧‧‧film forming materials

SP‧‧‧Space Department

Claims (4)

A film forming apparatus which is a film forming apparatus which heats a film forming material by a plasma beam to adhere particles which are vaporized from the film forming material to a film forming object, and is characterized in that it is provided as a main anode a hearth having a hole penetrating in a horizontal direction for holding the film forming material, and introducing the plasma beam to the film forming material or being introduced into the plasma beam; and an outer ring frame surrounding the main hearth And a tooth portion; a rotating portion that imparts a rotational force around the main hearth to the outer ring frame by engaging with the tooth portion of the outer ring frame; and a support member that is disposed in the main furnace Between the cylinder and the outer ring frame, the horizontal movement of the outer ring frame is restricted, and the outer ring frame is supported to be rotatable. The film forming apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein the outer ring frame is provided with a blade portion on which the attachment of the tip end portion of the main hearth is scraped off. The film forming apparatus according to the first or second aspect of the invention, wherein the front end portion of the outer ring frame is folded back toward the inner peripheral side. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the support member is made of ceramic.