System and methods for processing a substrate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9926627-B2
Application number	US-201114364687-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2011
Priority date	Dec 21, 2011
Publication date	Mar 27, 2018
Grant date	Mar 27, 2018

Abstract

According to the present disclosure, a substrate processing apparatus for processing a flexible substrate including a vacuum chamber configured for being evacuated and being configured for having a process gas provided therein, a processing module adapted to process the flexible substrate, wherein the processing module is provided within the vacuum chamber, and a discharging assembly configured to generate a flow of charged particles to discharge the flexible substrate is provided. The discharging assembly is configured to generate an electric field for ionizing a processing gas.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A substrate processing apparatus for processing a flexible substrate, comprising:
a vacuum chamber configured for being evacuated and being configured for having a process gas provided therein;
a processing module adapted to process the flexible substrate, wherein the processing module is provided within the vacuum chamber;
a discharging assembly for connection to a power supply and configured to generate a flow of charged particles to discharge the flexible substrate within the vacuum chamber, wherein the discharging assembly is configured to generate an electrical field for ionizing the processing gas;
a charge detection means for detecting a charge on the flexible substrate within the vacuum chamber before discharging; and
a controller for connection to the power supply, wherein the controller is connected to the charge detection means and is adapted to control a polarity value and a voltage value of the power supply based on a charge detected by the charge detection means.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the discharging assembly includes one or more spikes configured for being provided with a high voltage.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the spikes are provided on one or more lances.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the power supply is connectable to the one or more spikes.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the one or more spikes are made of tungsten.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein at least one lance is positioned to face a first surface of the substrate.

7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein at least one other lance is positioned to face a second surface of the substrate that is opposite to the first surface of the substrate.

8. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller or the power supply are positioned outside of the vacuum chamber.

9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller and the power supply are positioned outside of the vacuum chamber.

Assignees

• Hermanns Uwe
• Morrison Neil
• Stolley Tobias
• Hacker Volker
• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Hermanns Uwe
• Morrison Neil
• Stolley Tobias
• Hacker Volker

Classifications

• C23C14/562

  for coating elongated substrates · CPC title

• C23C14/54 Primary

  Controlling or regulating the coating process · CPC title

• C23C14/564

  Means for minimising impurities in the coating chamber such as dust, moisture, residual gases · CPC title

• C23C16/503 Primary

  using DC or AC discharges · CPC title

• C23C16/52

  Controlling or regulating the coating process {(C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence)} · CPC title