JPH0351789B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to improvements in continuous vacuum deposition equipment. More specifically, the present invention provides an improved apparatus for performing vacuum deposition by passing a strip-shaped metal material such as a steel strip through a vacuum container having an evaporation tank disposed therein.

Conventionally, typical vacuum evaporation equipment of this type is:
This is shown in FIG. 1 as a conceptual diagram. This apparatus consists of a vacuum vessel 1 through which a strip of metal material 2 can pass (in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing) and an evaporation tank 3 in which a vapor deposition material 6 is placed. Evaporation tank 3 is heated by heating means 7. Usually, the upper part of the evaporation tank becomes a steam guide path 5, and the end thereof becomes an opening 4 at a position close to the metal band passing through. The strip metal material 2 moves vertically, and the steam guide path 5 becomes an elbow shape.
Some have a 90° curve and open vertically, while others have insulation or heating means installed at important points in the evaporation tank or steam guide.

Vapor-deposited plating materials manufactured with such equipment are
The thickness distribution of the deposited film in the width direction is not uniform, and the intended adhesion distribution cannot be obtained.

Generally, the vapor generated from the heated vapor deposition material has an uneven temperature distribution and therefore an uneven density distribution, and the temperature distribution on the surface of the substrate to be vapor deposited is also uneven, so the vapor deposited film that is generated is It is difficult to maintain a constant coating amount distribution. In order to achieve a uniform coating weight as well as the intended coating weight distribution,
It is necessary to control the density distribution of the generated steam by some means.

In order to deal with the above drawbacks, a mask having an opening is inserted and fixed in the evaporation port 4, but when changing the width of the strip-shaped substrate to be evaporated, or changing the amount of deposition. In this case, it is necessary to replace the mask with a mask having a different opening size and shape, and in this case, continuity of operations is disrupted.

At present, there is no known device that can freely achieve the intended distribution of deposition amount on substrates of various widths without interfering with the continuity of operation.

The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and
The purpose is to achieve uniformity or the intended distribution of the amount of deposition on the substrate to be deposited without interfering with the continuity of operation. This is achieved by providing a variable flow blocking means to change the density by a throttling effect and to equalize the density distribution by stirring.

That is, according to the present invention, in a vacuum evaporation apparatus in which an evaporation tank containing a evaporation material is arranged in a vacuum container through which a strip-shaped substrate to be evaporated passes, the vapor of the evaporation material reaches the surface of the substrate to be evaporated. A vacuum evaporation device characterized in that a plurality of throttle valves are provided in a road is provided.

In this specification, the term throttle valve used means a mechanism that can increase or decrease the cross-sectional area of a steam guide path, and may have a structure like a double door.
Rectangular rotating plates (hereinafter referred to as throttle valves) are advantageous and are provided one or more times. In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of valves are arranged in at least two stages, one above the other, and, if necessary, the rotation axes of the upper and lower valves are arranged in a direction perpendicular to each other.

Next, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the concept of one embodiment of the present invention.

The general structure of this device is similar to that described above with respect to FIG.

In this apparatus, a plurality of throttle valves 8 are provided in one stage in the guide path 5 for the vapor deposition material. With this device, for example, if the amount of deposition material deposited at the center of the width of the substrate to be deposited is small, increase the opening degree of the throttle valve in the center and increase the amount of deposition material passing through to ensure a uniform deposition amount. change is being measured. In this case, since the steam is reflected by the throttle valve, it naturally has the effect of equalizing the steam density.

In the figure, the valves are placed symmetrically and evenly,
When a special distribution of the amount of deposited material is intended, it may be provided asymmetrically or non-uniformly.

In FIG. 2, four throttle valves 8 are provided in one stage, but the rotation shafts of these four throttle valves 8 can be operated from the outside, and by adjusting the opening degree of each throttle valve 8. A desired coating weight distribution can be obtained. The degree of opening of the plurality of valves can be determined empirically or by simple preliminary tests.

Although it is preferable to have a large number of throttle valves 8 as described above, the number of throttle valves 8 that can be attached is naturally limited due to the size of the vapor deposition material vapor guide path 5. For this reason, it is preferable to provide a multi-stage throttle valve 8, as shown in the embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the concept of another embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, the steam guide section 5 of the evaporation tank 3 is
It is curved 90° and the evaporator port 4 opens vertically.
A strip-shaped substrate 2 to be deposited passes vertically.

Further, throttle valves 8, 9, and 10 are provided in three stages, of which the valves 9, 10 in two stages on the downstream side
rotates partly around an axis perpendicular to the plane of the drawing, and partly around an axis parallel to the plane of the drawing.

Such an arrangement makes it possible to achieve a more uniform and finer coating weight distribution.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the concept of a conventional vacuum evaporation apparatus. FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the concept of one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the concept of another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the concept of yet another embodiment of the present invention. In these drawings, 1: vacuum vessel, 2: strip-shaped substrate to be evaporated, 3: evaporation tank, 4: evaporation tank opening,
5: Steam guide path, 8, 9, 10: Throttle valve.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In a vacuum evaporation apparatus in which an evaporation tank containing a evaporation material is disposed in a vacuum container through which a strip-shaped substrate to be evaporated passes, there is a method for guiding the vapor of the evaporation agent to reach the surface of the substrate to be evaporated. A vacuum evaporation apparatus characterized in that a plurality of throttle valves are provided in the path. 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the throttle valve is a throttle valve (rotary plate valve). 3. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that the throttle valve is provided in at least two stages. 4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the throttle valves are provided in two stages, and the rotation axes of the upper stage throttle valve and the lower stage throttle valve are perpendicular to each other. 5. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the path of the vapor guide is bent by 90 degrees, and the strip-shaped substrate to be vapor-deposited passes vertically.