Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This U.S. non-provisional patent application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2010-0105302, filed on Oct. 27, 2010, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention disclosed herein relates to a thin film depositing apparatus, and more particularly, to a thin film depositing apparatus depositing a thin film on a subject to be processed. 
         [0003]    Recently, Research and Development (R&amp;D) for obtaining a high-performance thin film having excellent surface characteristics in various industry fields is actively in progress. Only when mass production of the high-performance thin film is possible, its price competitiveness may be improved. However, a typical thin film depositing apparatus requires a high-degree vacuum to minimize impurity and also requires an expensive microwave to activate deposition particles during forming of a high-performance thin film. As a result, its productivity may be reduced. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention provides a thin film depositing apparatus obtaining a high-performance thin film. 
         [0005]    The present invention also provides a thin film depositing apparatus increasing or maximizing productivity. 
         [0006]    Embodiments of the present invention provide thin film depositing apparatuses including: a chamber where a process is performed on a subject to be processed; a plurality of supporters supporting the subject to be processed in the chamber; at least one sputter gun inducing a first plasma below or on the subject to be processed between the plurality of supporters; and a plurality of inductive coupled plasma tubes inducing a more expanded second plasma than the first plasma between the sputter gun and the subject to be processed. 
         [0007]    In some embodiments, the plurality of inductive coupled plasma tubes may include a rod electrode. 
         [0008]    In other embodiments, the supporters may include a roller transferring the subject to be processed. 
         [0009]    In still other embodiments, the roller may be disposed parallel to the rod electrode. 
         [0010]    In even other embodiments, the rod electrode may guide the first plasma. 
         [0011]    In yet other embodiments, the thin film depositing apparatuses may further include a plurality of shutters between the plurality of inductive coupled plasma tubes and the subject to be processed. 
         [0012]    In further embodiments, the plurality of shutters may expose the subject to be processed to the first plasma. 
         [0013]    In still further embodiments, the plurality of shutters may have end portions bent between the plurality of inductive coupled plasma tubes. 
         [0014]    In even further embodiments, the end portions may be bent with an acute angle when the sputter gun is one. 
         [0015]    In yet further embodiments, the thin film depositing apparatuses may further include a target generating deposition particles through the first plasma on the sputter gun. 
         [0016]    In yet further embodiments, the sputter gun may have a width of 5 nm to 20 cm and a length of 30 cm to 300 cm. 
         [0017]    In yet further embodiments, when there are a plurality of sputter guns, they are disposed with a center distance of 5 cm to 20 cm. 
         [0018]    In yet further embodiments, the plurality of sputter guns may be disposed to face each other at a tilt angle of 10° to 45°. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain principles of the present invention. In the drawings: 
           [0020]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  are sectional views illustrating a thin film depositing apparatus according to the embodiment of the inventive concept; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of a portion A of  FIG. 1A ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is a plan view of  FIG. 1A ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  is a graph illustrating an electron density change in a first plasma and a second plasma according to a second high frequency power; 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  is a view of measuring results used to compare a sheet resistance of a second metal thin film generated from the first plasma with that generated from the first and second plasmas; 
           [0025]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  are sectional views illustrating a thin film depositing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0026]      FIG. 7  is an enlarged view of an area B of  FIG. 6A . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0027]    Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be constructed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. 
         [0028]    While specific terms were used, they were not used to limit the meaning or the scope of the present invention described in Claims, but merely used to explain the present invention. The meaning of “include,” “comprise,” “including,” or “comprising,” specifies a property, a region, a fixed number, a step, a process, an element and/or a component but does not exclude other properties, regions, fixed numbers, steps, processes, elements and/or components. Since preferred embodiments are provided below, the order of the reference numerals given in the description is not limited thereto. 
         [0029]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  are sectional views illustrating a thin film depositing apparatus according to the embodiment of the inventive concept.  FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of a portion A of  FIG. 1A .  FIG. 3  is a plan view of  FIG. 1A . 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIGS. 1A through 3 , the thin film depositing apparatus according to the embodiment of the inventive concept may include a plurality of sputter guns  30  below or on a subject  12  to be processed and a plurality of inductive coupled plasma tubes  40  between the plurality of sputter guns  30  and the subject  12  to be processed. 
         [0031]    The plurality of sputter guns  30  sputters deposition particles from targets  34  by inducing a first plasma  32 . The plurality of inductive coupled plasma tubes  40  may induce a more extended second plasma than the first plasma  32 . The second plasma  42  may uniformly mix the deposition particles sputtered from the targets  34 . The second plasma  42  may increase an ionization rate of an inert gas charged from the first plasma  32 . Accordingly, the since thin film depositing apparatus may manufacture a large quantity of high-performance thin films, productivity may be increased or maximized. 
         [0032]    A chamber  10  provides a separate space from the external so that it may minimize a pollutant that may occur in a high-performance thin film. The chamber  10  may include a pumping system (not shown) maintaining its inside to be a vacuum pressure of about 0.1 mTorr to about 100 mTorr. Additionally, the chamber  10  may be filled with an inert gas such as Ar, which is a source gas of the first plasma  32  and the second plasma  42 . The chamber  10  may include an inlet  14  and an outlet  16  through which the subject  12  to be processed enters and exits. 
         [0033]    Supporters  20  may include a roller. The supporters  20  may support the subject  12  to be processed at the both sides of each of the plurality of sputter guns  30  and inductive coupled plasma tubes  40 . The subject  12  to be processed may include a flat substrate or a flexible film. The supporters  20  may move both the flat substrate and the flexible film. The subject  20  to be processed may be supported by the supporters  20  in the chamber  10 . The flexible film may continuously transfer in the chamber  12  through the supporters  20 . The flexible film may continuously transfer through a roll-to-roll way. The supporters  20  may further include a large diameter roller  22  supporting the subject  12  to be processed when the sputter guns  30  and the inductive coupled plasma tubes  40  are disposed on the subject  12  to be processed. 
         [0034]    The plurality of sputter guns  30  may induce the first plasma  32  through a first high frequency power supplied from the external of the chamber  12 . The plurality of sputter guns  30  may have a width of about 5 cm to about 20 cm and a length of about 30 cm to about 300 cm. The plurality of sputter guns  30  may be disposed to face each other at a tilt angle of about 10° to 45° with respect to a horizontal plane. The distance between the centers of the plurality of sputter guns  30  may be about 5 cm to about 20 cm. The targets  34  may be disposed on the plurality of sputter guns  30 . The targets  34  may include a source material of a thin film formed on the subject  12  to be processed. For example, the targets  34  may include metals such as tungsten, aluminum, titanium, cobalt, nickel, and molybdenum and ceramic such as a silicon oxide layer. The first high frequency power applied to the plurality of sputter guns  30  may charge an inert gas such as Ar into a positive ion of a plasma state on the plurality of sputter guns  30 . 
         [0035]    The inert gas of a plasma state may be sputtered into the targets  34 . A plurality of permanent magnets (not shown) focusing a positive ion of a plasma state may be further disposed on the rear sides of the plurality of sputter guns  30  facing the targets  34 . The first plasma  32  sputters deposition particles constituting a thin film on the subject  12  to be processed from the targets  34 . At this point, the first plasma  32  may be constrained between the plurality of inductive coupled plasma tubes  40 . 
         [0036]    The plurality of inductive coupled plasma tubes  40  may induce the second plasma  42  through a second high frequency power supplied from the external of the chamber  12 . The plurality of inductive coupled plasma tubes  40  may be disposed parallel to the supporters  40 . The plurality of inductive coupled plasma tubes  40  may include a rod electrode. Accordingly, the rod electrode may be disposed parallel to the supporters  20  and vertical to a transfer direction of the subject  12  to be processed, which is transferred by the supporters  20 . The rod electrode may include a coil to which the second high frequency power is applied and a cover of a glass material surrounding the coil. 
         [0037]    The plurality of inductive coupled plasma tubes  40  may be disposed between the subject  12  to be processed and the sputter guns  30 . The plurality of inductive coupled plasma tubes  40  may guide the first plasma  32 . The first plasma  32  may be induced between the plurality of inductive coupled plasma tubes  40 . Accordingly, the second plasma  42  may be induced in a broader area than the first plasma  32 . 
         [0038]    Shutters  50  may be disposed between the subject  12  and the plurality of inductive coupled plasma tubes  40 . When the plurality of inductive coupled plasma tubes  40  are disposed on the subject  12  to be processed as shown in  FIG. 1B , the shutters  50  may protect the subject  12  to be processed from impurities laminated from the inductive coupled plasma tubes  40 . Additionally, the shutters  50  may protect the subject  12  to be processed from the second plasma  42  generated at a short distance from the plurality of inductive coupled plasma tubes  40 . The end portions  52  of the shutters  50  may be bent toward the inductive coupled plasma tubes  40  and the sputter guns  30 . The end portions  52  of the shutters  50  may be bent with an obtuse angle of more than 90°. 
         [0039]    The second plasma  42  may be induced around the inductive coupled plasma tubes  40 . Although not shown in  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B, and  2 , the second plasma  42  may be induced overlapping the first plasma  32  between the inductive coupled plasma tubes  40 . In more detail, the second plasma  42  may be induced between the targets  34  and the shutters  50  and between the inductive coupled plasma tubes  40 . The second plasma  42  may uniformly mix deposition particles sputtered from the first plasma  32 . The second plasma  42  may overlap the first plasma  32  between the inductive coupled plasma tubes  40 . The second plasma  42  may increase an ionization rate of an inert gas ionized from the first plasma and the deposition particles. Accordingly, the second plasma  42  may improve a characteristic of a thin film formed on the subject  12  to be processed. 
         [0040]      FIG. 4  is a graph illustrating an electron density change in a first plasma and a second plasma according to a second high frequency power. 
         [0041]    Referring to  FIGS. 1A through 4 , an electron density of the first plasma  32  and the second plasma  42  may be increased in linearly proportion to the second high frequency power applied to the inductive coupled plasma tubes  40 . As the electron density is increased, deposition particles are uniformly mixed and an ionization rate of an inert gas and the deposition particles may be increased. Accordingly, a high-performance thin film may be obtained on the subject  12  to be processed. Here, the chamber  10  may be filled with Ar gas, which is an inert gas supplied with a gas flow rate of about 50 sccm at a vacuum pressure of about 5 mTorr. The first high frequency power applied to the sputter guns  30  may be about 100 W. 
         [0042]      FIG. 5  is a view of measuring results used to compare a sheet resistance of a second metal thin film generated from the first plasma  32  with that generated from the first and second plasmas  32  and  42 . 
         [0043]    Referring to  FIGS. 1A through 5 , first metal thin films  60  obtained from the first and second plasmas  32  and  42  may have lower sheet resistance than second metal thin films  70  obtained from the first plasma  32 . Here, the first metal thin films  6  and the second metal thin films  70  may include an Indium-Tin Oxide (ITO) having a thickness of about 40 nm. The first high frequency power is about 100 W and the second high frequency power is about 500 W. In relation to the first metal thin films  60  and the second metal thin films  70 , their sheet resistances may be measured as deposited at a room temperature, measured after vacuum heat treatment of 150° C., or measured after oxygen heat treatment of 150° C. 
         [0044]    Since the first metal thin films  60  have a lower sheet resistance than the second metal thin films  70 , they have more excellent electrical characteristics. The first metal thin films  60  may be formed more uniform and denser than the second metal thin films  70 . Additionally, the first metal thin films  60  may have lower impurity than the second metal thin films  70 . For example, when an internal pressure of the chamber  10  is less than 10 mTorr, the first metal thin layers  60  may have a sheet resistance of about 10 2  Ω/cm 2 . Moreover, the second metal thin films  70  may have a sheet resistance of about 10 3  Ω/cm 2 . Under a vacuum pressure of about 5 mTorr, the first metal thin films  60  may have lower sheet resistance, which is about one tenth of the second metal thin films  70 . 
         [0045]    Accordingly, the thin film depositing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may obtain a high-performance thin film from the first and second plasmas  32  and  42 . 
         [0046]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  are sectional views illustrating a thin film depositing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 7  is an enlarged view of an area B of  FIG. 6A . 
         [0047]    Referring to  FIGS. 6A and 7 , the thin film depositing apparatus according to another embodiment may include a sputter gun  30  below or on a subject  12  to be processed and a plurality of inductive coupled plasma tubes  20  between the sputter gun  30  and the subject  12  to be processed. 
         [0048]    The sputter gun  30  may be disposed parallel to the subject  12  to be processed. The sputter gun  30  may induce a first plasma  32  through a first high frequency power supplied from the external of the chamber  10 . The sputter gun  30  may sputter deposition particles from a target  34  through the first plasma  32 . The inductive coupled plasma tubes  20  may induce a more expanded second plasma  42  than the first plasma  32  through a second high frequency power supplied from the external. The second plasma  42  may uniformly mix deposition particles sputtered from the target  34 . The second plasma  42  may increase an ionization rate of an inert gas charged from the first plasma  32 . Accordingly, the thin film depositing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention may obtain a high-performance thin film. 
         [0049]    Shutters  50  may be disposed between the plurality of inductive coupled plasma tubes  40  and the subject  12  to be processed. The shutters  50  may protect the subject  12  to be processed from the second plasma  42 . The shutters  50  may expose the subject  12  to be processed to the first plasma  32 . The end portions  52  of the shutters  50  adjacent to the plurality of inductive coupled plasma tubes  40  may be bent with an acute angle of less than 90°. 
         [0050]    Supporters  20  may support the subject  12  to be processed. The subject  12  to be processed may have a high-performance thin film formed by the first and second plasmas  32  and  42  induced from the sputter gun  30  and the plurality of coupled plasma tubes  40 . 
         [0051]    As a result, since the thin film depositing apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention may manufacture a large quantity of high-performance thin films, productivity may be increased or maximized. 
         [0052]    As mentioned above, according to embodiments of the present invention, a first plasma may be induced through a sputter gun. A more expanded second plasma than the first plasma may be induced through a plurality of inductive coupled plasma tubes. The second plasma may uniformly mix deposition particles sputtered from the first plasma. Additionally, the second plasma may increase an ionization rate of an inert gas charged by the first plasma and deposition particles. Accordingly, a thin film depositing apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention may increase or maximize productivity since it may mass-produce a high-performance thin film. 
         [0053]    The above-disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments, which fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the present invention is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description.

Technology Category: c