Common deposition platform, processing station, and method of operation thereof

Abstract

An apparatus for depositing a thin film on a substrate is described. The apparatus includes a substrate support having an outer surface for guiding the substrate along a surface of the substrate support through a first vacuum processing region and at least one second vacuum processing region, a first deposition sources corresponding to the first processing region and at least one second deposition source corresponding to the at least one second vacuum processing region. The apparatus further includes one or more vacuum flanges providing at least a further gas outlet between the first deposition source and the at least one second deposition source.

1 . An apparatus for depositing a thin film on a substrate, comprising:
 a substrate support having a curved outer surface;   a first deposition source corresponding to a first processing region at the curved outer surface and at least one second deposition source corresponding to at least one second vacuum processing region at the curved outer surface, wherein at least the first deposition source comprises:
 an electrode having a surface opposing the curved outer surface of the substrate support; 
 a processing gas inlet and a processing gas outlet arranged at opposing sides of the surface of the electrode; 
 a first separation wall surrounding the surface of the electrode, the processing gas inlet, and the processing gas outlet; and 
 at least one separation gas inlet having one or more separation gas inlet openings surrounding the surface of the electrode, the processing gas inlet, the processing gas outlet, and the first separation wall; and 
   a first vacuum flange for evacuation of the processing gas of the first deposition source.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more vacuum flanges providing at least a further gas outlet between the first deposition source and the at least one second deposition source, wherein the one or more vacuum flanges are provided between a first separation gas inlet of the at least one separation gas inlet of the first deposition source and a second separation gas inlet of the at least one separation gas inlet of the second deposition source.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the separation gas inlet of at least the first deposition source has the one or more separation gas inlet openings such that the one or more separation gas inlet openings are distributed around the surface of the electrode. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first separation wall is provided at opposing sides of the surface of the electrode such that the processing gas inlet and the processing gas outlet are provided between the first separation wall and the surface of the electrode.   
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein at least the first deposition source further comprises:
 at least one second separation wall, wherein the at least one second separation wall is provided at opposing sides of the surface of the electrode such that the at least one separation gas inlet is provided between the at least one second separation wall and the first separation wall.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one second separation wall surrounds the surface of the electrode, wherein the at least one separation gas inlet is provided within the perimeter of the second separation wall. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the curved outer surface of the substrate support is a curved surface of a coating drum and the surface of the electrode is a curved surface. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least the first deposition source is included in a deposition station, and wherein the deposition station includes the deposition source, the corresponding processing gas inlet, the corresponding processing gas outlet, and the at least one separation gas inlet, which are formed as one unit. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first separation wall forms a gas separation unit comprising an actuator configured to adjust a position of the gas separation unit. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the substrate is a flexible substrate, and wherein the flexible substrate is guided from an unwinding roll to a winding roll via the coating drum and an arrangement of a plurality of rollers, and wherein the arrangement of a plurality of rollers are arranged such that only the backside of the flexible substrate is contacted. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for depositing a thin film on a substrate, comprising:
 a substrate support having a curved outer surface;   a first deposition station corresponding to a first processing region at the curved outer surface and at least one second deposition source corresponding to at least one second vacuum processing region at the curved outer surface, wherein at least the first deposition station comprises:
 an electrode having a surface opposing the curved outer surface of the substrate support; 
 a processing gas inlet and a processing gas outlet arranged at opposing sides of the surface of the electrode; 
 a first separation wall surrounding the surface of the electrode and the processing gas inlet and processing gas outlet; 
 at least one separation gas inlet surrounding the surface of the electrode, the processing gas inlet, the processing gas outlet, and the first separation wall; and 
 at least a second separation wall surrounding the at least one separation gas inlet; and 
   a first vacuum flange for evacuation of the processing gas of the first deposition source.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the curved surface of the coating drum and the curved surface of the electrode of at least the first deposition source have a distance, and wherein the distance can be adjusted by positioning at least the first deposition source. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the curved surface is shaped such that the electrode has an essentially parallel surface with respect to the surface of the coating drum. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the gas separation unit comprises a support element being mechanically connected to the gas separation unit and to the substrate support. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the curved outer surface of the substrate support is a curved surface of a coating drum and the surface of the electrode is a curved surface. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein:
 the curved surface of the coating drum and the curved surface of the electrode of at least the first deposition source have a distance, and wherein the distance can be adjusted by positioning at least the first deposition source; or   the curved surface is shaped such that the electrode has an essentially parallel surface with respect to the surface of the coating drum.   
     
     
         21 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more vacuum flanges providing at least a further gas outlet between the first deposition station and the at least one second deposition source.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , further comprising one or more vacuum flanges providing at least a further gas outlet between the first deposition station and the at least one second deposition source.