Coating apparatus with rotation module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9353436-B2
Application number	US-38821409-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 18, 2009
Priority date	Mar 5, 2008
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

The present invention refers to a method for coating a substrate, a coating apparatus for carrying out the method and a handling module for coating apparatuses. The handling module comprises a moveable support for a substrate to be coated the support being movable between at least two positions. Further, a mask arranging device for at least one of attaching and detaching a mask to the substrate, and a mask alignment device for aligning the mask with respect to the substrate are provided for, wherein the mask alignment device is attached to the movable support so as to be movable together with the support. Alternatively, the handling module comprises a vacuum chamber, a moveable support for a substrate to be coated, the support being arranged in the vacuum chamber and being rotatable between at least two positions, wherein a mask arranging device for at least one of attaching and detaching a mask to the substrate is arranged within the vacuum chamber of the handling module.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Handling module for a coating apparatus comprising
a movable support for orientating a substrate, the movable support being movable between at least a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position the substrate is oriented parallel to a plane, and in the second position the substrate is oriented perpendicular to the plane, and wherein the movable support comprises:
a mask arranging device for:
receiving a mask at the movable support when the movable support is in the first position; and
attaching and detaching the mask from the substrate; and

a mask alignment device by which the mask is aligned with respect to the substrate;
wherein the mask alignment device and the mask arranging device are attached to the movable support so as to move together with the movable support, and wherein the substrate is movable to and from the movable support at least when the movable support is in the second position,
wherein the movable support comprises a number of retainers for the substrate, the number of retainers being chosen from the group consisting of two, three, four and any integer number of retainers, wherein the retainers are arranged at sides of the movable support being parallel to a rotation axis of the movable support, with the number of sides being equal to the number of retainers and especially at least two retainers or pairs of retainers are arranged opposite and back-to-back to each other.

2. Handling module according to claim 1 , wherein the handling module comprises a vacuum chamber and the movable support comprises at least one retainer for the substrate and the mask arranging device is located within the vacuum chamber of the handling module opposite to the at least one retainer for the substrate at at least one of the at least two positions of the movable support.

3. Handling module according to claim 1 , wherein the movable support is rotatable around a rotation axis.

4. Handling module according to claim 1 , wherein the movable support for the substrate is designed such that a retainer of the movable support is directly in contact with at least one of the substrate and a substrate carrier for the substrate.

5. Handling module according to claim 1 , wherein the movable support for a substrate is designed such that the substrate is carried in an upright position with a plane parallel to a main surface of the substrate being within an angle area of ±40° to a vertical direction.

6. Handling module according to claim 1 , wherein a rotation axis of the movable support is aligned within an angle area of ± 10 ° to a vertical direction.

7. Handling module according to claim 1 , wherein a six axes parallel kinematic is provided for at least one of arranging and aligning the mask to the substrate.

8. Handling module according to claim 1 , wherein the handling module comprises a housing having at least three openings.

9. Handling module according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two positions of the movable support are rotated by at least one of the group consisting of 30° , 45° , 60° , 90° and multiples thereof.

10. Handling module according to claim 8 , wherein the at least two positions of the movable support are aligned to the openings of the housing of the handling module, at least two openings being usable at at least one of the positions of the movable support.

11. Handling module for a coating apparatus comprising
a movable support for orientating a substrate, the movable support being movable between at least a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position the substrate is oriented parallel to a plane, and in the second position the substrate is oriented perpendicular to the plane, and wherein the movable support comprises:
a mask arranging device for:
receiving a mask at the movable support when the movable support is in the first position; and
attaching and detaching the mask from the substrate; and

a mask alignment device by which the mask is aligned with respect to the substrate;
wherein the mask alignment device and the mask arranging device are attached to the movable support so as to move together with the movable support, and wherein the substrate is movable to and from the movable support at least when the movable support is in the second position,
wherein the movable support comprises a frame of a form selected of a group consisting of: a plate- and cuboid- and prism- like form with a rotation axis extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the frame and at least two substrate retainers disposed at the frame, the frame further having at least one of the mask arranging device and the mask alignment device being disposed opposite to at least one of the substrate retainers at a U-bent construction extending from a top area of the frame to a bottom area of the frame defining a space between at least one substrate retainer and U-bent construction for receiving and manipulating the substrate and the mask.

12. Handling module according to claim 11 , wherein at least one of the mask arranging device and the mask alignment device is disposed opposite to each substrate retainer.

Assignees

• Koenig Michael
• Bangert Stefan
• Schuessler Uwe
• Gertmann Reiner
• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Koenig Michael
• Bangert Stefan
• Schuessler Uwe
• Gertmann Reiner

Classifications

• H10P72/0451

  Apparatus for manufacturing or treating in a plurality of work-stations · CPC title

• C23C14/568

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

• C23C14/50

  Substrate holders · CPC title

• C23C14/566

  using a load-lock chamber · CPC title

• H01L21/67155

  Electricity · mapped topic