Method and apparatus for forming deposited film

• US 6,667,240 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2001
• Issued: 12/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Shimoda, Hiroshi, Okada, Naoto, Ozaki, Hiroyuki, Kanai, Masahiro, Moriyama, Koichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Erdem, Fazli
• Application Number:
  US09/800,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20020015802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: 257/458, 257/53, 257/55, 257/461, 257/464, 438/694, 438/484, 438/509, 438/96
• US Class Current: 438/694
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/511 using microwave discharges
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/52 Controlling or regulating the coating process C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/545 for coating elongated substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32192 Microwave generated discharge H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394, H01J37/32403 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32761 Continuous moving
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/46 using applied electromagnetic fields, e.g. high frequency or microwave energy H05H1/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/4622 using waveguides

Abstract

A method for forming a deposited film, comprising generating plasma in a plurality of successive vacuum containers and continuously forming a deposited film on a belt-like substrate while continuously moving the substrate in its longitudinal direction, wherein an opening of a discharge container is adjusted with an opening adjusting plate having a shape set so as to reduce ununiformity of a deposited film thickness in a width direction of the substrate on the basis of a measurement of a deposition rate distribution. Accordingly, there is provided a method and an apparatus for forming a deposited film which are capable of producing a photovoltaic element without ununiformity in characteristics by depositing semiconductor layers without ununiformity in thickness and quality.

Claims

1. A method for forming a deposited film, comprising generating plasma in a plurality of successive vacuum containers and continuously forming a deposited film on a belt-like substrate while continuously moving the substrate in a longitudinal direction of the substrate,

wherein the film is formed while an opening of a discharge container is adjusted by using an opening adjusting plate having a shape which is set so as to reduce ununiformity of a deposited film thickness in a width direction of the substrate on basis of a measurement of a deposition rate distribution by shielding the belt-like substrate from a plasma discharge region to limit a deposition region on the belt-like substrate.

2. The method for forming a deposited film according to claim 1,

wherein both ends of the opening of the discharge container are set so as to have a curve satisfying the following formula (2) and a curve satisfying the following formula (3), respectively, to adjust the opening of the discharge container, and

wherein when a distance of a discharge space in a conveying direction is represented by x_n, a distance of the discharge space in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction is represented by y_n, a deposition rate at an optional point (x_n, y_n) in the discharge space is represented by d(x_n, y_n), a deposited film thickness at y=yn, x_Pn≦

x_n≦

x_Qn in the discharge space is represented by δ

_n (x, y_n), and n=3, 4, 5, 6, . . . , and when a substrate conveying rate is represented by v and an ideal thickness of the deposited film is represented by,

3. The method for forming a deposited film according to claim 2, wherein a shape of the opening adjusting plate is set so that both ends of the opening of the discharge container have an arc passing the point A_n and an arc passing the point B_n determined from a deposition rate distribution in a width direction of the belt-like substrate and the deposition region of the belt-like substrate is limited by adjusting the opening of the discharge container with the opening adjusting plate.

4. The method for forming a deposited film according to claim 1, wherein a shape of the opening adjusting plate is set so as to be within ±

10% of an opening shape determined from a deposition rate distribution in a width direction of the belt-like substrate.

5. The method for forming a deposited film according to claim 1, wherein the deposited film is formed by microwave plasma CVD.

6. The method for forming a deposited film according to claim 1, wherein a shape of the opening adjusting plate is set so that ununiformity of thickness distribution of the deposited film in a width direction of the belt-like substrate is within 10%.

7. The method for forming a deposited film according to claim 1, wherein the belt-like substrate is continuously moved from a roll-like wound substrate through a plurality of discharge containers by a roll-to-roll system.

8. An apparatus for forming a deposited film in which plasma is generated in a plurality of successive vacuum containers and a deposited film is continuously formed on a belt-like substrate while continuously moving the substrate in a longitudinal direction of the substrate,

wherein an opening adjusting plate having a shape set so as to reduce ununiformity of a deposited film thickness in a width direction of the substrate on basis of a measurement of a deposition rate distribution is disposed in an opening of a discharge container to shield the belt-like substrate from a plasma discharge region and limit a deposition region on the belt-like substrate.

9. The apparatus for forming a deposited film according to claim 8,

wherein both ends of the opening of the discharge container are set so as to have a curve satisfying the following formula (2) and a curve satisfying the following formula (3), respectively, to adjust the opening of the discharge container, and

wherein when a distance of a discharge space in a conveying direction is represented by x_n, a distance of the discharge space in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction is represented by y_n, a deposition rate at an optional point (x_n, y_n) in the discharge space is represented by d(x_n, y_n), a deposited film thickness at y=y_n, x_Pn≦

X_n≦

x_Qn in the discharge space is represented by δ

_n(x, y_n), and n=3, 4, 5, 6, . . . , and when a substrate conveying rate is represented by v and an ideal thickness of the deposited film is represented by,

10. The apparatus for forming a deposited film according to claim 9, wherein a shape of the opening adjusting plate is set so that both ends of the opening of the discharge container have an arc passing through the point A_n and an arc passing the point B_n which are determined from a deposition rate distribution in a width direction of the belt-like substrate, respective, and the opening adjusting plate for limiting a deposition region of the belt-like substrate is disposed in the opening of the discharge container.

11. The apparatus for forming a deposited film according to claim 8, wherein the opening adjusting plate has a shape within ±

10% of a shape of an opening adjusting plate which is determined from a deposition rate distribution in the width direction of the belt-like substrate.

12. The apparatus for forming a deposited film according to claim 8, wherein the deposited film is formed by microwave plasma CVD.

13. The apparatus for forming a deposited film according to claim 8, wherein the opening adjusting plate has a shape which limits ununiformity of thickness of the deposited film in the width direction of the belt-like substrate within 10%.

14. The apparatus for forming a deposited film according to claim 8, wherein the belt-like substrate is continuously moved from a roll-like wound substrate through a plurality of discharge containers by a roll-to-roll system.

15. A method for forming a deposited film, comprising generating plasma in a plurality of successive vacuum containers and continuously forming a deposited film on a belt-like substrate while continuously moving the substrate in a longitudinal direction of the substrate,

wherein both ends of the opening of the discharge container are set so as to have a curve satisfying the following formula (4) and a curve satisfying the following formula (5), respectively, to adjust the opening of the discharge container, thereby limiting a deposition region of the belt-like structure, and

wherein when a distance of a discharge space in a conveying direction is represented by x_n, a distance of the discharge space in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction is represented by y_n, a deposition rate at an optional point (x_n, y_n) in the discharge space is represented by d(x_n, y_n), a deposited film thickness at y=y_n, x_Pn≦

x_n≦

x_Qn in the discharge space is represented by δ

_n(x, y_n), and n=3, 4, 5, 6, . . . , and when a substrate conveying rate is represented by v and an ideal thickness of the deposited film is represented by,

16. An apparatus for forming a deposited film, which comprises generating plasma in a plurality of successive vacuum containers and continuously forming a deposited film on a belt-like substrate while continuously moving the substrate in a longitudinal direction of the substrate,

wherein both ends of the opening of the discharge container are set so as to have a curve satisfying the following formula (4) and a curve satisfying the following formula (5), respectively, to adjust the opening of the discharge container, thereby limiting a deposition region of the belt-like structure, and

wherein when a distance of a discharge space in a conveying direction is represented by x_n, a distance of the discharge space in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction is represented by y_n, a deposition rate at an optional point (x_n, y_n) in the discharge space is represented by d(x_n, y_n), a deposited film thickness at y=y_n, x_Pn≦

x_n≦

x_Qn in the discharge space is represented by δ

_n(x, y_n), and n=3, 4, 5, 6, . . . , and when a substrate conveying rate is represented by v and an ideal thickness of the deposited film is represented by,