Thin film encapsulation mask preheat and substrate buffer chamber

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018119285-A1
Application number	US-201715787328-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 18, 2017
Priority date	Oct 28, 2016
Publication date	May 3, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments described herein relate to a thermal chamber utilized in the processing of display substrates. The thermal chamber may be part of a larger processing system configured to manufacture OLED devices. The thermal chamber may be configured to heat and cool masks and/or substrates utilized in deposition processes in the processing system. The thermal chamber may include a chamber body defining a volume sized to receive one or more cassettes containing a plurality of masks and/or substrates. Heaters coupled to the chamber body within the volume may be configured to controllably heat masks and/or substrates prior to deposition processes and cool the masks and/or substrates after deposition processes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A thermal chamber, comprising:
a chamber body defining a volume sized to receive one or more masks and substrates therein; a lid member slidably coupled to the chamber body outside the volume; a heating member coupled to the chamber body within the volume; a temperature measurement member coupled to chamber body; and a platform disposed within the volume opposite to the lid member, wherein the platform is movably coupled to the chamber body.

2 . The thermal chamber of claim 1 , wherein the platform is coupled to a first linear actuator configured to translate the platform through the volume.

3 . The thermal chamber of claim 2 , wherein the linear actuator is a ball screw apparatus.

4 . The thermal chamber of claim 2 , wherein the linear actuator is configured to translate the platform in a first direction.

5 . The thermal chamber of claim 4 , wherein a track member is configured to slidably translate the lid member in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

6 . The thermal chamber of claim 5 , wherein a track member is configured to slidably translate the lid member relative to the chamber body.

7 . The thermal chamber of claim 5 , wherein the track member is coupled to the chamber body.

8 . The thermal chamber of claim 1 , wherein one or more second actuators are configured to decouple the lid member from the chamber body.

9 . The thermal chamber of claim 1 , wherein the heating member is a reflective heater.

10 . The thermal chamber of claim 1 , wherein the temperature measurement apparatus is a thermocouple.

11 . The thermal chamber of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pumping apparatus configured to generate a vacuum in the volume.

12 . The thermal chamber of claim 11 , wherein the pumping apparatus is a cryogenic pump.

13 . A thermal chamber, comprising:
a chamber body defining a volume sized to receive one or more masks and substrates therein; a lid member coupled to the chamber body outside the volume; a reflective heating member coupled to the chamber body within the volume; a thermocouple coupled to chamber body; and a platform coupled to the chamber body and movably disposed within the volume.

14 . The thermal chamber of claim 13 , further comprising:
a first actuator coupled to the chamber body, the first actuator configured to translate the platform in a first direction through the volume.

15 . The thermal chamber of claim 14 , further comprising:
a second actuator coupled to the chamber body, the second actuator configured to translate the lid member in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

16 . The thermal chamber of claim 13 , further comprising:
a pumping apparatus configured to generate a vacuum in the volume.

17 . The thermal chamber of claim 16 , wherein the pumping apparatus is a cryogenic pump.

18 . A thermal chamber, comprising:
a chamber body defining a volume; a lid assembly slidably coupled to the chamber body; a slit valve coupled to the chamber body below the lid assembly; a thermocouple coupled to the chamber body below the slit valve; a plurality of reflective heaters coupled to the chamber body within the volume; a platform movably disposed within the volume; and an alignment apparatus coupled to and extending from the platform, the alignment apparatus comprising a bearing member.

19 . The thermal chamber of claim 18 , further comprising:
a cryogenic pump coupled to the chamber body in fluid communication with the volume, wherein the cryogenic pump is configured to generate a vacuum within the volume.

20 . The thermal chamber of claim 18 , wherein the volume is sized to receive one or more cassettes containing a plurality of masks and one or more substrates, and the platform is configured to contact the one or more cassettes and translate the one or more cassettes within the volume.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Kurita Shinichi
• Inagawa Makoto
• Bhoski Suhas

Classifications

• C23C14/568

  Transferring the substrates through a series of coating stations (C23C14/562 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C23C16/48

  by irradiation, e.g. photolysis, radiolysis, particle radiation · CPC title

• C23C16/54

  Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating · CPC title

• C23C16/042

  using masks · CPC title

• F27D11/10

  Disposition of electrodes · CPC title