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BR-112023016823-B1 - Embedded system for vacuum measurement and secondary vacuum diagnostic method.

BR112023016823B1BR 112023016823 B1BR112023016823 B1BR 112023016823B1BR-112023016823-B1

Abstract

SECONDARY VACUUM PRESSURE MEASUREMENT DEVICE AND EMBEDDED SYSTEM FOR RESIDUAL VACUUM PRESSURE MEASUREMENT. A compact secondary vacuum pressure measurement device and an embedded system comprising such a device are described. The device and system are specially adapted for measuring vacuum within the compartments of thin-layer stacking lines on flat substrates. A method for diagnosing vacuum in a thin-layer stacking line, employing an embedded vacuum control system, is also described.

Inventors

  • Andriy Kharchenko

Assignees

  • SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS FRANCE

Dates

Publication Date
20260310
Application Date
20220223
Priority Date
20210225

Claims (15)

  1. 1. Embedded vacuum measurement system (7000), characterized in that it comprises: - a first compartment (7001) housing a cold cathode ionization manometer (2000), said cold cathode ionization manometer comprising: - at least two pairs (2001, 2002) of magnets (2001a, 2001b, 2002a, 2002b), preferably circular; - a flat cathode (2003) forming a cathodic chamber (2004) of substantially parallelepiped elongated shape and provided with at least one opening, preferably a lateral opening (2004a); - a flat anode (2005) disposed within the cathodic chamber, said anode comprising at least two openings (2005a, 2005b), preferably circular; wherein: - the magnets (2001a, 2001b, 2002a, 2002b) have a magnetization of at least 795774 A/m (10kOe) and a maximum operating temperature of at least 80°C; - the anode (2003) and the cathode (2005) are made of a non-magnetic conductive material; - the cathode (2003) and the anode (2005) are arranged in the air gap of said pairs of magnets (2001a, 2001b, 2002a, 2002b) and the openings (2005a, 2005b) in the anode (2005) are located respectively between said pairs of magnets (2001, 2002) so that a plasma can be formed between each pair of magnets (2001, 2002); and - the signs of the poles formed for each pair of magnets (2001, 2002) are such that in two nearby plasmas, the magnetic fields are parallel, of the same intensity and opposite direction, said first compartment (7001) comprising at least one opening (7001a) that allows the outside atmosphere to come into contact with said manometer; - a second compartment (7002) comprising an independent power supply, an electronic control device, as well as an electronic storage support and/or a telecommunication device; wherein: - the first compartment (7001) and the second compartment (7002) are configured relative to each other so that, when the embedded system (7000) is disposed on a flat substrate (10000), in particular on the peripheral edge of said flat substrate (10000), the thickness E of the embedded system (7000) is constant relative to the surface (10001) of said flat substrate (10000) on which it It is available.
  2. 2. System (7000) according to claim 1, characterized in that the magnets (2001a, 2001b, 2002a, 2002b) have a magnetization of at least 875352 A/m (11 kOe), and even of at least 954930 A/m (12 kOe).
  3. 3. System (7000) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the maximum operating temperature of the magnets (2001a, 2001b, 2002a, 2002b) is at least 120°C, preferably at least 150°C, and even at least 200°C.
  4. 4. System (7000) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the magnets (2001a, 2001b, 2002a, 2002b) are based on a neodymium alloy, in particular based on a neodymium-iron alloy, preferably based on a neodymium-iron-boron alloy.
  5. 5. System (7000) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the magnets (2001a, 2001b, 2002a, 2002b) are fixed on the cathode (2003) inside or outside the cathodic chamber (2004).
  6. 6. System (7000) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the thickness of the cathode (2003) is at most 2 mm, in particular at most 1 mm, preferably about 0.2 mm.
  7. 7. System (7000) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the thickness of the anode (2004) is between 0.1 mm and 2 mm, preferably 0.5 mm.
  8. 8. System (7000) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the spacing between the magnets of each pair (2001, 2002) of magnets (2001a, 2001b, 2002a, 2002b) is between 5 mm and 10 mm, preferably between 5 mm and 8 mm.
  9. 9. System (7000) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the total thickness of the manometer (2000) is at most 12 mm, in particular at most 11 mm, preferably at most 10 mm.
  10. 10. System (7000) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the magnets (2001a, 2001b, 2002a, 2002b) and the openings (2005a, 2005b) of the anode (2005) are circular, the diameter of said openings (2005a, 2005b) of the anode (2005) is between 10 and 20 mm, in particular between 14 mm and 19 mm, and the diameter of the magnets (2001a, 2001b, 2002a, 2002b) is between 14 and 30 mm.
  11. 11. System (7000) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the cathode (2003) is a profile with a U-shaped cross-section or a profile with a rectangular cross-section provided with at least one opening (2004) on at least one of its faces, preferably on one of its lateral faces.
  12. 12. System (7000) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that it further comprises at least one primary vacuum gauge disposed in the first compartment (7001) or in another compartment adjacent to the first compartment (7001).
  13. 13. System (7000) according to any of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the second compartment (7002) can be arranged in the extension of the first compartment (7001) so that, when the embedded system (7000) is arranged on the surface (10001) of a flat substrate (10000), notably at the level of the peripheral edge of a flat substrate (10000), a part of the first compartment (7001) is outside said surface (10001) of said flat substrate (10000).
  14. 14. System (7000) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that it further comprises, in its front part, a means of unblocking (70005), preferably in the form of an upper chamfer.
  15. 15. Method for diagnosing secondary vacuum in a thin-layer stacking line on a flat substrate, said method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps: - the arrangement on a surface (10001) of at least one flat substrate (10000) of at least one embedded system (7000) as defined in any of claims 1 to 14; - the displacement of the flat substrate (10000) in all or part of the deposition line; - the measurement of the secondary vacuum level by the embedded system (7000) when the flat substrate (10000) is displaced.

Description

Technical expertise [0001] The invention relates to a secondary vacuum pressure measuring device and an embedded system comprising such a device. The invention is particularly adapted for measuring secondary vacuum pressure in the compartments of thin-layer stacking deposit lines on flat substrates. [0002] The invention also relates to a method for diagnosing vacuum in a thin-film coating line in which an embedded vacuum control system is used. Technical background [0003] Magnetic field assisted sputtering deposition methods are currently used for numerous commercial thin-layer stacking applications, such as so-called “solar control” stacking for construction and automotive industries. [0004] Specifically, a thin-layer stack is manufactured by successive deposits of thin layers in a plurality of compartments, usually isolated from each other, of a deposit line. Examples of deposit lines are described in US-A4009090A, US2005236276A1. [0005] With reference to [Fig. 1], a deposit line 1000 comprises several compartments 1002-1006 through which a substrate 1001 is successively transported. The deposit line comprises an inlet compartment 1002, a first transfer compartment 1003, a deposit section 1004, a second transfer compartment 1005 and an outlet compartment 1006 from which the substrate 1007 exits coated with a stacking of thin layers. [0006] The deposit section 1004 comprises two transfer compartments 1004a, 1004b and a succession 1004b of deposit compartments Ei,i=1, ..., N>1. Each deposit compartment is equipped with a thin-layer stacking deposit means, such as magnetic field-assisted sputtering. [0007] Deposit compartments may also include pumping systems in order to create the vacuum conditions required for depositing the stacked thin layers. [0008] Each deposit compartment is generally dedicated to the deposit of one or more types of thin layers. For this purpose, each compartment comprises one or more cathodes, each of which is equipped on its surface with a layer of material to be deposited onto the substrate. During deposition, these cathodes are powered by a constant or alternating negative voltage, between about 200 and 1000 volts in absolute value, and the pulverization of the material to be deposited is carried out when the potential of a cathode is negative. [0009] Cathodes can be fixed or rotating. When they are fixed, they are generally flat and rectangular in shape, with a width of 0.10 and 0.30 meters and a length of up to 4 meters or even more. An example of a flat cathode is described in US4166018A. Examples of negative cathodes are described in WO9634124A1 or WO02238826A1. [0010] The deposition of a thin layer generally unfolds in the following manner. [0011] First, a cold plasma is formed and maintained in a line compartment at a pressure typically between 10-1 and 10-3 Torr. This plasma generally comprises a mixture of inert gas, such as argon, and reactive gas, such as oxygen and/or nitrogen, notably for the deposition of oxides and/or nitrides and/or oxynitrides. [0012] And then the plasma ions are accelerated towards the cathodes and pulverize the atoms of the layer of matter present on their surface. These atoms can react with the reactive gas(es) and/or the substrate before forming a thin layer on the substrate. [0013] These steps are generally performed in as many compartments as necessary to form the different thin layers that constitute the stack. [0014] In order to obtain a high-quality thin-layer stack, meaning a stack in which the thin layers exhibit sufficient homogeneity, purity, and surface adhesion for the desired applications, it is essential that a deep vacuum level, also called residual vacuum, be established in the deposition line compartments before plasma formation and then during deposition. This residual vacuum level is between 10⁻⁴ and 10⁻⁷ Torr (10⁻² to 10⁻⁵ Pa), most frequently between 10⁻⁴⁵ and 10⁻⁶ Torr (10⁻³ to 10⁻⁴ Pa). [0015] It is also necessary to avoid leaks (air, water...) that could cause a change in the composition of the plasma or an introduction of polluting matter into the layers during deposition. [0016] Before plasma formation, the residual vacuum level notably provides an indication of the level of pollutants (waste gases) water or other molecules absorbed on the surfaces and then relaxed, leaks) in the compartments of the deposit line. These pollutants are likely to disrupt the deposit or pollute the thin layer stacking. [0017] For measuring deep or secondary vacuum. It is common to use various types of vacuum gauges or vacuum meters, alone or in combination, distributed along the reservoir line. [0018] By way of illustrative example with reference to [Fig. 1], the 1000 reservoir line may comprise several primary and/or secondary vacuum gauges or vacuum gauges 1008 distributed along said reservoir line in different compartments. These vacuum gauges or vacuum gauges are generally arranged on the side, below and/or under the compartments accord