Abstract:
A deposition apparatus (105) for depositing a material on a substrate (106) is provided. The deposition apparatus includes a transport device (140) for transporting the substrate (106), one or more deposition units (110) for depositing the material on the substrate (106), a deposition compartment (120), the deposition compartment comprising two or more edge regions (124), and a heating unit (300) configured for heating the substrate (106). The heating unit (300) is configured for heating the substrate (106) exclusively at a first substrat e segment (107) and a second substrate segment (108) with the first substrate segment and the second substrate segment facing the two or more edge regions (124) of the deposition compartment (120).
Abstract:
An apparatus for deposition of material on a substrate is described. The apparatus includes a deposition array (222) having three or more cathodes (122), wherein the deposition array comprises a first outer deposition assembly (301) comprising at least a first cathode of the three or more cathodes; a second outer deposition assembly (302) opposing the first outer deposition assembly comprising at least a second cathode of the three or more cathodes, and an inner deposition assembly (303) comprising at least one inner cathode located between the first outer deposition assembly and the second outer deposition assembly. At least one of the first outer deposition assembly (301) and the second outer deposition assembly (302) is configured for depositing the material at a higher rate than the inner deposition assembly (303) on the same substrate during the same time.
Abstract:
An apparatus (10; 166; 224) for coating a layer of sputtered material on a substrate (12) is described. Said apparatus (10; 166; 224) comprises at least two magnet assemblies (60, 74, 82, 90, 98, 106), wherein each magnet assembly (60, 74, 82, 90, 98, 106) has an outer and an inner magnet polarity. The outer magnet polarity of one of the at least two magnet assemblies (60, 74, 82, 90, 98, 106) is different from an adjacent outer magnet polarity of the other one of the at least two magnet assemblies (60, 74, 82, 90, 98, 106). Further, a deposition system (14) is described which comprises such an apparatus (10; 166; 224).
Abstract:
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an optical inspection system (100) for inspecting a flexible substrate (10) is provided. The system includes a substrate support (20) with an at least partially convex substrate support surface (22) configured to guide the substrate along a substrate transportation path (T), the substrate support being arranged on a first side (1) of the substrate transportation path; a light source (30) arranged on a second side (2) of the substrate transportation path and configured to direct a light beam through a portion of the substrate which is supported on and in contact with the convex substrate support surface; and a light detector (40) for conducting a transmission measurement of the substrate. According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, methods of inspecting a flexible substrate are provided.
Abstract:
According to an embodiment, a sputter deposition apparatus for coating a substrate is provided. The sputter deposition apparatus has two or more coating regions for coating the substrate. The sputter deposition apparatus includes a first substrate guiding system for guiding the substrate in a first coating region, wherein the first substrate guiding system defines a first substrate transport direction. The sputter deposition apparatus further includes a second substrate guiding system for guiding the substrate in a second coating region, the second substrate guiding system defining a second substrate transport direction. The second substrate transport direction is the same direction as the first substrate transport direction or is different from the first substrate transport direction. The sputter deposition apparatus further includes a first cathode assembly adapted for generating one or more plasma regions in the first coating region, a second cathode assembly adapted for generating one or more plasma regions in the first coating region, a third cathode assembly adapted for generating one or more plasma regions in the second coating region, and a fourth cathode assembly adapted for generating one or more plasma regions in the second coating region. The first cathode assembly includes: a first rotary target assembly adapted for rotating a target material around a first rotation axis; and a first magnet assembly fixedly positioned in the first rotary target assembly, the first magnet assembly having a first principal plane forming a first angle with a first reference plane which contains the first rotation axis and is perpendicular to the first substrate transport direction. The second cathode assembly includes: a second rotary target assembly adapted for rotating a target material around a second rotation axis; and a second magnet assembly fixedly positioned in the second rotary target assembly, the second magnet assembly having a second principal plane, the second principal plane being parallel to the first principal plane. The third cathode assembly includes: a third rotary target assembly adapted for rotating a target material around a third rotation axis; and a third magnet assembly fixedly positioned in the third rotary target assembly, the third magnet assembly having a third principal plane forming a second angle with a second reference plane which contains the third rotation axis and is perpendicular to the second substrate transport direction, wherein the second angle is different from the first angle. The fourth cathode assembly includes: a fourth rotary target assembly adapted for rotating a target material around a fourth rotation axis; and a fourth magnet assembly fixedly positioned in the fourth rotary target assembly, the fourth magnet assembly having a fourth principal plane, the fourth principal plane being parallel to the third principal plane.
Abstract:
An deposition apparatus for forming a deposition material layer on a substrate is described. The deposition apparatus includes a substrate support adapted for holding a substrate; and an edge (660) exclusion mask (640) for covering a periphery of the substrate (610) during layer deposition. The mask has at least one frame portion defining an aperture. The at least one frame portion of the mask is adapted for being moved (670,680) with respect to the substrate depending on the amount of deposition material deposited on the at least one frame portion of the mask. Further, a method for depositing a deposition material layer on a substrate using an edge exclusion mask is described.
Abstract:
A method for depositing at least one thin-film electrode (402, 403) onto a transparent conductive oxide film (405) is provided. At first, the transparent conductive oxide film (405) is deposited onto a substrate (101) to be processed. Then, the substrate (101) and the transparent conductive oxide film (405) are subjected to a processing environment containing a processing gas (207) acting as a donor material or an acceptor material with respect to the transparent conductive oxide film (405). The at least one thin-film electrode (402, 403) is deposited onto at least portions of the transparent conductive oxide film (405). A partial pressure of the processing gas (207) acting as the donor material or the acceptor material with respect to the transparent conductive oxide film (405) is varied while depositing the at least one thin-film electrode (402, 403) onto at least portions of the transparent conductive oxide film (405). Thus, a modified transparent conductive oxide film (410) having reduced interface resistance (408) and bulk resistance (409') can be obtained.
Abstract:
A method is provided for coating a substrate (100) with a cathode assembly (10) having a rotatable target (20). The rotatable target has at least one magnet assembly (25) positioned there within. The method includes positioning the magnet assembly at a first position so that it is asymmetrically aligned with respect to a plane (22) perpendicularly extending from the substrate (100) to the axis (21) of the rotatable target for a predetermined first time interval; positioning the magnet assembly at a second position that is asymmetrically aligned with respect to said plane (22) for a predetermined second time interval; and providing a voltage to the rotatable target that is varied over time during coating. Further, a coater is provided that includes a cathode assembly with a rotatable curved target; and two magnet assemblies positioned within the rotatable curved target wherein the distance between the two magnet assemblies can be varied.
Abstract:
A method for depositing material is provided. The method includes sputtering material from a cathode array, wherein only one of two adjacent cathodes of the cathode array are operated to have one or more time intervals, wherein only one cathode of the adjacent cathodes sputter on the same substrate.