Patent Abstract:
A thin film depositing apparatus and a thin film depositing method used by the thin film depositing apparatus. The thin film depositing apparatus includes a deposition chamber through which a process gas outlet of a deposition source is arranged; a transfer shuttle disposed in the deposition chamber, the transfer shuttle comprising a mounting plate for loading a substrate, the transfer shuttle being reciprocal with respect to the process gas outlet; and at least one bendable auxiliary plate installed at one side of the transfer shuttle, the bendable auxiliary plate closing the process gas outlet when opposite the process gas outlet, the bendable auxiliary plate comprising a folding member for placing the bendable auxiliary plate in each of an unbent state and bent state dependent upon the position of the transfer shuttle.

Full Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. §119 from an application earlier filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on the 20 Mar. 2012 and there duly assigned Serial. No. 10-2012-0028390. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     One or more embodiments of the present invention relate to a thin film depositing apparatus for generating a process gas of a deposition source and depositing the process gas on a surface of a substrate, and more particularly, to a thin film depositing apparatus for performing a deposition process by reciprocating with respect to a deposition source and a thin film depositing method used by the thin film depositing apparatus. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A deposition process whereby a process gas generated from a deposition source is deposited on a surface of a substrate is widely used in a thin film manufacturing process, such as a thin film transistor manufacturing process of an organic light-emitting display device. 
     Recently, an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process, whereby a thin film may be more uniformly and precisely formed, has been preferred. In such an ALD process, deposition is repeatedly performed at the same location on a substrate more than 300 times. 
     Thus, to perform such a repetitive deposition process, a scan-type deposition process where a substrate is mounted on a transfer shuttle in a deposition chamber and reciprocates with respect to a deposition source is used. 
     In general, auxiliary plates having the same size as that of a mounting unit for the substrate are attached to the front and rear parts of the transfer shuttle. The auxiliary plates alternately close a process gas outlet whenever the substrate passes the process gas outlet of the deposition source, which is positioned in the deposition chamber. For example, when the substrate mounted on the transfer shuttle is transferred in one direction, the auxiliary plate at the front part of the transfer shuttle closes the process gas outlet before the substrate enters the process gas outlet of the deposition source, and then, after the substrate passes the process gas outlet, the auxiliary plate at the rear part of the transfer shuttle closes the process gas outlet. That is, the auxiliary plate at the front part of the transfer shuttle, a mounting plate of the transfer shuttle, and the auxiliary plate at the rear part of the transfer shuttle are alternately positioned in front of the process gas outlet of the deposition source, by reciprocating across the front of the process gas outlet. 
     As described above, the process gas outlet is alternately closed by the auxiliary plates. This is because a state of a process gas of the deposition source is maintained constant while a deposition process is performed. If the auxiliary plates are not used, the process gas outlet is in a completely opened state before and after the transfer shuttle passes the process gas outlet, and thus, the inside of the deposition chamber may be severely contaminated by the process gas of the deposition source. To prevent such a contamination, a separate shutter can be installed at the deposition source so that a process gas is discharged only when a substrate on the transfer shuttle passes the process gas outlet, which leads to less contamination to surroundings. However, a state of the process gas discharged from the process gas outlet is not maintained constant, and thus, this cannot ensure a uniform deposition quality. Therefore, the auxiliary plates are installed at the transfer shuttle so as to constantly discharge the process gas of the deposition source and alternately close the process gas outlet. 
     However, when the auxiliary plates are installed at the front and rear parts of the mounting plate of the transfer shuttle, the size of a deposition chamber needs to be increased corresponding to the size of the auxiliary plates. That is, since the auxiliary plates having almost the same size as that of the mounting plate are installed at the front and rear parts of the transfer shuttle, a sufficient space for a reciprocating operation needs to be secured, considering the sizes of the transfer shuttle and the auxiliary plates, and the size of the deposition chamber also needs to be increased corresponding thereto. 
     Therefore, there is a need to develop a method of effectively decreasing the size of a deposition chamber by using auxiliary plates. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One or more embodiments of the present invention provide a thin film depositing apparatus that uses auxiliary plates for alternately closing a process gas outlet of a deposition source and has an improved structure for the miniaturization of a deposition chamber, and a thin film deposition method using the thin film depositing apparatus. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a thin film depositing apparatus including a deposition chamber through which a process gas outlet of a deposition source is arranged; a transfer shuttle disposed in the deposition chamber, the transfer shuttle comprising a mounting plate for loading a substrate, the transfer shuttle being reciprocal with respect to the process gas outlet; and at least one bendable auxiliary plate installed at one side of the transfer shuttle, the bendable auxiliary plate closing the process gas outlet when opposite the process gas outlet, the bendable auxiliary plate comprising a folding member for placing the bendable auxiliary plate in each of an unbent state and bent state dependent upon the position of the transfer shuttle. 
     The bendable auxiliary plate may have a main body part attached to the one side of the transfer shuttle and an end part, wherein the folding member may include a hinge shaft rotatably connecting the end part to a main body part of the auxiliary plate, and an actuator rotating the end part with respect to the hinge shaft, the actuator performing a bending and unbending operation of the bendable auxiliary plate. 
     The apparatus may further include another auxiliary plate installed at an opposite side of the transfer shuttle, the another auxiliary plate closing the process gas outlet when opposite the process gas outlet. 
     The another auxiliary plate may be unbendable. 
     The another auxiliary plate may be bendable and include a corresponding folding member. 
     The end part of the bendable auxiliary plate may be disposed alongside a corresponding sidewall of the deposition chamber when the another auxiliary plate is disposed opposite the process gas outlet. 
     Each of the auxiliary plates may bent to dispose the corresponding end parts alongside a corresponding sidewall of the deposition chamber when the other of the auxiliary plates is unbent and disposed opposite the process gas. 
     The bendable auxiliary plate may be unbent while the transfer shuttle is reciprocated with respect to the process gas outlet, while the end part of the bendable auxiliary plate may be disposed alongside a corresponding sidewall of the deposition chamber when the process gas outlet is not closed and the transfer shuttle is stationary. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a thin film depositing method including: loading a substrate on a mounting plate attached to a transfer shuttle disposed within a deposition chamber, the transfer shuttle being reciprocal with respect to a process gas outlet and having first and second auxiliary plates installed on opposite sides of the mounting plate, the first auxiliary plate being in an unbent state closing the process gas outlet and the second auxiliary plate being in a bent state, when loading the substrate; moving the transfer shuttle across the process gas outlet to perform a deposition process; unbending the second auxiliary plate when moving the transfer shuttle across the process gas outlet in a first direction and closing the process gas outlet with the second auxiliary plate when the transfer shuttle moves passed the process gas outlet; and bending the second auxiliary plate when moving the transfer shuttle across the process gas outlet in a second direction opposite the first direction. 
     The depositing method may include bending the first auxiliary plate when moving the transfer shuttle past the process gas outlet in the first direction, and unbending the first auxiliary plate when moving the transfer shuttle across the process gas outlet in the second direction. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a thin film depositing method including: loading a substrate on a mounting plate attached to a transfer shuttle disposed within a deposition chamber in a loading position, the transfer shuttle being reciprocal with respect to a process gas outlet and having first and second auxiliary plates installed on opposite sides of the mounting plate, the first auxiliary plate being in an unbent state and the second auxiliary plate being in a bent state, when loading the substrate; moving the transfer shuttle in a first direction; closing the process gas outlet with the first auxiliary plate and unbending the second auxiliary plate, while moving the transfer shuttle in the first direction; forming a deposition process on the substrate when the transfer shuttle crosses the process gas outlet while moving in the first direction; closing the process gas outlet with the second auxiliary plate when the transfer shuttle passes the process gas outlet in the first direction; moving the transfer shuttle in a second direction opposite the first direction; forming a deposition process on the substrate when the transfer shuttle crosses the process gas outlet while moving in the second direction; and closing the process gas outlet with the first auxiliary plate when the transfer shuttle passes the process gas outlet in the second direction. 
     The depositing method may include repeatedly moving the transfer shuttle in the first and second directions until the deposition process is completed, and bending the second auxiliary plate while moving the transfer shuttle to the loading position. 
     According to the thin film depositing apparatus and the thin film depositing method, the auxiliary plate suitable for use in constantly maintaining a state of a process gas of a deposition source may be used, and, thanks to the use of the auxiliary plate, a burden of increasing the size of the deposition chamber may be alleviated. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A more complete appreciation of the invention, and many of the attendant advantages thereof, will be readily apparent as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference symbols indicate the same or similar components, wherein: 
         FIGS. 1A through 1C  are diagrams illustrating a structure and a sequential operation of a thin film depositing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  are diagrams sequentially illustrating an operation of an auxiliary plate of the thin film depositing apparatus illustrated in  FIGS. 1A through 1C , according to embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 3A through 3C  are diagrams illustrating a structure and a sequential operation of a thin film depositing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIGS. 4A through 4D  are diagrams illustrating a structure and a sequential operation of a thin film depositing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     First, a thin film depositing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 1A through 1C . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1A through 1C , the thin film depositing apparatus includes a deposition chamber  10  including a process gas outlet  11  through which a process gas of a deposition source is discharged and a transfer shuttle  100  for mounting a substrate  1  which reciprocates across the front of the process gas outlet  11  and then passes the process gas outlet  11 . 
     The transfer shuttle  100  on which the substrate  1  is mounted on a mounting plate  101  reciprocates at a position where the substrate  1  and the process gas outlet  11  face each other and passes the process gas outlet  11 , and deposition is performed on the substrate  1  through the process gas outlet  11 . 
     The transfer shuttle  100  includes an auxiliary plate  110  and an auxiliary plate  120  that are installed at the front and rear sides of the transfer shuttle  100 . The auxiliary plates  110  and  120  screen the process gas outlet  11 . If the process gas outlet  11  is completely in an opened state after the substrate  1  on the mounting plate  101  passes the process gas outlet  11 , the inside of the deposition chamber  10  is severely contaminated. Thus, to prevent contamination, the auxiliary plates  110  and  120  at the front and rear sides of the transfer shuttle  100  alternately screen the process gas outlet  11 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1A through 1C , the auxiliary plates  110  and  120  each include a folding member  130  that performs a bending or unbending operation. In other words, the folding member  130  is unbent at a position where the process gas outlet  11  is screened, and the folding member  130  is bent at a position adjacent to side walls  12  or  14  of the deposition chamber  10 . Accordingly, the auxiliary plates  110  and  120  are bent whenever approaching the side walls  12  or  14  of the deposition chamber  10 , resulting in a decrease in a length of each of the auxiliary plates  110  and  120 , whereby a space of the deposition chamber  10  may be minimized. If each of the auxiliary plates  110  and  120  does not include the folding member  130 , a space where the auxiliary plates  110  and  120  are transferred in a completely unbent state needs to be secured, and thus, the size of the deposition chamber  10  needs to be increased corresponding to the secured space. In this embodiment, however, the auxiliary plates  110  and  120  may be bendable so that the space of the deposition chamber  10  may be decreased. 
     The folding member  130  may be configured as illustrated in  FIGS. 2A and 2B . Referring to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , the auxiliary plate  120  is illustrated, and the auxiliary plate  110  also has the same structure as that of the auxiliary plate  120 . 
     The auxiliary plate  120  includes a main body part  121  fixed to the transfer shuttle  100  (not shown) and an end part  122  that is rotatably connected to the main body part  121  with respect to a hinge shaft  131 . An actuator  132  is installed to connect the main body part  121  and the end part  122  and may be, for example, an air cylinder. In this regard, when the actuator  132  contracts, as illustrated, in  FIG. 2A , the end part  122  is bent by  90  degrees with respect to the main body part  121 , thereby decreasing the length of the auxiliary plate  120  in a proceeding direction thereof. On the other hand, when the actuator  132  expands, as illustrated in  FIG. 2B , the end part  122  is unbent and lies in parallel with the main body part  121 . 
     The thin film depositing apparatus, including the bendable-type auxiliary plates  110  and  120  may operate as follows. 
     First, the substrate  1  on which deposition is to be performed is mounted on the mounting plate  101  of the transfer shuttle  100 . The mounting of the substrate  1  is generally performed using a robot arm (not shown). 
     Subsequently, when the mounting of the substrate  1  is completed, a deposition process is initiated with a reciprocating operation of the transfer shuttle  100 . At this time, a process gas of a deposition source is constantly discharged through the process gas outlet  11 . In this regard, as illustrated in  FIG. 1A , when the transfer shuttle  100  is transferred in a right direction, the auxiliary plate  110  is in a unbent state and closes the process gas outlet  11 , and the auxiliary plate  120  is bent to be adjacent to a side wall  12  of the deposition chamber  10  so that the length of the auxiliary plate  120  is decreased. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1B , when the transfer shuttle  100  is transferred in a left direction from this state, the mounting plate  101  of the transfer shuttle  100  faces the process gas outlet  11  and then a deposition process starts being performed on the substrate  1 . Meanwhile, the auxiliary plate  120  is unbent and prepares to close the process gas outlet  11 . 
     Subsequently, as illustrated in  FIG. 1C , when the transfer shuttle  100  is transferred further in a left direction, the auxiliary plate  120  that has unbent closes the process gas outlet  11 , and the auxiliary plate  110  is bent to be adjacent to an opposite side wall  14  of the deposition chamber  10 . 
     A transfer of the transfer shuttle  100  in an inverse direction is performed in an inverse order to that described above. When an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process, which has been recently used, is performed, such a reciprocating operation is repeatedly performed hundreds of times. 
     Therefore, according to this embodiment, the auxiliary plates  110  and  120  that alternately close the process gas outlet  11  have a bendable function, and thus, the size of the deposition chamber  10  may be smaller than that of a conventional fixed-type deposition chamber. In other words, the deposition chamber  10  includes the auxiliary plates  110  and  120  and thus allows a process gas to be discharged from a deposition source, whereby the size of the deposition chamber  10  may be decreased. 
       FIGS. 3A through 3C  are diagrams illustrating a structure and a sequential operation of a thin film depositing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
     In the previous embodiments, the auxiliary plates  110  and  120  are of a bendable type. In this embodiment, however, an auxiliary plate  220  is a bendable type and an auxiliary plate  210  is of a fixed type. That is, as the number of driving elements increases, a breakdown may frequently occur, and thus, only the auxiliary plate  220  is configured to be of a bendable type, whereby the size of a deposition chamber  20  is decreased and the number of driving elements is also decreased accordingly. The folding member  130  of the auxiliary plate  220  may have the same structure as that of the folding member  130  of the auxiliary plate  120  illustrated in  FIGS. 2A and 2B . 
     The thin film depositing apparatus including the fixed-type auxiliary plate  210  and the bendable-type auxiliary plate  220  may operate as follows. 
     First, a substrate  1  on which deposition is to be performed is mounted on a mounting plate  201  of a transfer shuttle  200 . The mounting of the substrate  1  is generally performed using a robot arm (not shown). 
     Subsequently, when the mounting of the substrate  1  is completed, a deposition process is initiated with a reciprocating operation of the transfer shuttle  200 . At this time, a process gas of a deposition source is constantly discharged through a process gas outlet  21 . In this regard, as illustrated in  FIG. 3A , when the transfer shuttle  200  is transferred in a right direction, the auxiliary plate  210  closes the process gas outlet  21 , and the auxiliary plate  220  positioned adjacent to a side wall  22  of the deposition chamber  20  is bent so that the length of the auxiliary plate  220  is decreased. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 3B , when the transfer shuttle  200  is transferred in a left direction from this state, the mounting plate  201  of the transfer shuttle  200  faces the process gas outlet  21  and a deposition process starts being performed on the substrate  1 . Meanwhile, the auxiliary plate  220  is unbent and prepares to close the process gas outlet  21 . 
     Subsequently, as illustrated in  FIG. 3C , when the transfer shuttle  200  is transferred further in a left direction, the auxiliary plate  220  that has unbent closes the process gas outlet  21 . 
     A transfer of the transfer shuttle  200  in an inverse direction is performed in an inverse order to that described above. 
     Therefore, according to this embodiment, the auxiliary plate  220  has a bendable function, and thus, the size of the deposition chamber  20  may be decreased. In addition, the auxiliary plate  210  is of a fixed type, and thus, the number of driving elements may also be appropriately decreased. 
       FIGS. 4A through 4D  are diagrams illustrating a structure and a sequential operation of a thin film depositing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
     As in the previous embodiment, in this embodiment, only an auxiliary plate  320  is of a bendable type, and an auxiliary plate  310  is of a fixed type. A folding member  130  of the auxiliary plate  320  may have the same structure as that of the folding member  130  of the auxiliary plate  120  illustrated in  FIGS. 2A and 2B . 
     In this embodiment, a bendable operation of the auxiliary plate  320  is not performed during a reciprocating process for deposition, but, when a transfer shuttle  300  is transferred to a loading position for loading or unloading a substrate  1  on or from a mounting plate  301 , the auxiliary plate  320  is bent. 
     That is, if desired, as illustrated in  FIGS. 4A through 4D , a deposition chamber  30  in which the loading position for loading or unloading the substrate  1  is further arranged at an outer side of a reciprocating position may be used. 
     In this embodiment, the auxiliary plate  320  is bent adjacent to a side wall  32  of the deposition chamber  30  only at the loading position so as to decrease the length thereof, and the auxiliary plate  320  is in a continuously unbent state during a reciprocating process for deposition. This is because the reciprocating process is repeatedly performed hundreds of times in a deposition process such as ALD, and thus, if the auxiliary plate  320  is bent or unbent whenever the reciprocating process is performed, this may be a burden on the folding member  130 . 
     Therefore, the auxiliary plates  310  and  320  are in a completely unbent state while being transferred, and the auxiliary plate  320  is bent only at the loading position, which contributes to decreasing the size of the deposition chamber  30  to some extent, as compared to a case where both the auxiliary plates  310  and  320  are of a fixed type. 
     The thin film depositing apparatus including the deposition chamber  30  that further secures the loading position may operate as follows: 
     First, as illustrated in  FIG. 4A , the transfer shuttle  300  is transferred to the loading position and a substrate  1  on which deposition is to be performed is mounted on a mounting plate  301 . The mounting of the substrate  1  is generally performed using a robot arm (not shown). In this regard, the auxiliary plate  320  is in a bent state adjacent to the side wall  32  of the deposition chamber  30 . 
     Subsequently, when the mounting of the substrate  1  is completed, a deposition process is initiated with a reciprocating operation of the transfer shuttle  300 . At this time, a process gas of a deposition source is constantly discharged through a process gas outlet  31 . In this regard, as illustrated in  FIG. 4B , when the transfer shuttle  300  lies on the right side of the process gas outlet  31 , the auxiliary plate  310 , which is of a fixed type, closes the process gas outlet  11 , and the auxiliary plate  320 , which is of a bendable type, is in a continuously unbent state during the reciprocating process. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 4C , when the transfer shuttle  300  is transferred in a left direction from this state, the mounting plate  301  of the transfer shuttle  300  faces the process gas outlet  31  and the deposition process is then performed on the substrate  1 . 
     Subsequently, as illustrated in  FIG. 4D , when the transfer shuttle  300  is transferred further in a left direction, the auxiliary plate  320  closes the process gas outlet  31 . 
     A transfer of the transfer shuttle  300  in an inverse direction is performed in an inverse order to that described above. 
     Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the auxiliary plate  320  is bent at the loading position, and thus, the size of the deposition chamber  30  may be decreased. In addition, both the auxiliary plates  310  and  320  are in an unbent state during the reciprocating process, and thus, there is a decreasing probability of a breakdown due to a frequent bending operation. 
     As described above, according to the one or more embodiments of the present invention, a thin film depositing apparatus includes an auxiliary plate suitable for use in constantly maintaining a state of a process gas of a deposition source, whereby a burden of increasing the size of a deposition chamber may be appropriately alleviated. 
     While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 2