Thin-film deposition method

• US 6,933,009 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2003
• Issued: 08/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Company Limited
• Inventors: Takagi, Tomoko, Ueda, Masashi
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, BRET P
• Application Number:
  US10/428,849
• Publication Number:
  US 20030203124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 427/248.1, 427/569, 427/58, 427/294
• US Class Current: 427/248.1
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4587 the substrate being supported substantially vertically
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/46 characterised by the method used for heating the substrate C23C16/48, C23C16/50 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/509 using internal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/54 Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating

Abstract

In a thin-film deposition method, a substrate is placed in a heat chamber having a pressure equal to or higher than an atmospheric pressure, and the substrate is heated in the heat chamber by supplying gas having a temperature higher than a room temperature by forced convection. The heated substrate is transferred from the heat chamber into a deposition chamber which is a vacuum chamber connected to the heat chamber directly or indirectly with a valve interposed therebetween. Then, a thin-film deposition is carried out on the substrate in the deposition chamber at a deposition temperature higher than the room temperature.

Claims

1. A thin-film deposition method, comprising:

placing a substrate in a heat chamber having a pressure equal to or higher than an atmospheric pressure;

heating the substrate at least to a deposition temperature in the heat chamber by supplying gas having a temperature higher than a room temperature by forced convection;

transferring the heated substrate from the heat chamber into a load-lock chamber which is a vacuum chamber connected to the heat chamber directly or indirectly with a first valve interposed therebetween, in which a temperature-decrease prevention mechanism controls a temperature of the substrate to be equal to or higher than the deposition temperature;

transferring the heated substrate from the load-lock chamber into a deposition chamber which is a vacuum chamber connected to the load-lock chamber directly or indirectly with a second valve interposed therebetween, and

carrying out a thin-film deposition on the substrate in the deposition chamber at the deposition temperature higher than the room temperature.

2. A thin-film deposition method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substrate is used for a solar cell.

3. A thin-film deposition method as claimed in claim 1, wherein in heating the substrate, the gas is heated by a hot source, and circulated by a blower through a path including baffle plates and the substrate to heat the substrate.

4. A thin-film deposition method as claimed in claim 3, wherein in heating the substrate, foreign material is removed from the heated gas by a filter.

5. A thin-film deposition method as claimed in claim 1, wherein in heating the substrate, the gas is heated by a hot source, and circulated by a blower through a path including baffle plates and the substrate to heat the substrate.

6. A thin-film deposition method as claimed in claim 1, wherein after transferring the substrate from the heat chamber into the load-lock chamber, the temperature-decrease prevention mechanism in the load-lock chamber heats the substrate as a heater to control the temperature of the substrate to be equal to or higher than the deposition temperature.

7. A thin-film deposition method as claimed in claim 1, wherein in carrying out the thin-film deposition, a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition is used where plasma is generated by supplying high frequency power to high frequency electrode.

8. A thin-film deposition method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in placing the substrate in the heat chamber, said substrate is supported uprightly in the heat chamber.

9. A thin-film deposition method, comprising:

placing a plurality of substrates in a heat chamber having a pressure equal to or higher than an atmospheric pressure;

heating the plurality of the substrates at least to a deposition temperature in the heat chamber by supplying gas having a temperature higher than a room temperature by forced convection;

transferring the plurality of the substrates from the heat chamber into a load-lock chamber which is a vacuum chamber connected to the heat chamber directly or indirectly with a first valve interposed therebetween, in which a temperature-decrease prevention mechanism controls a temperature of the substrate to be equal to or higher than the deposition temperature;

transferring the plurality of the substrates from the load-lock chamber into a deposition chamber which is a vacuum chamber connected to the load-lock chamber directly or indirectly with a second valve interposed therebetween, and

carrying out a thin-film deposition on the plurality of the substrates in the deposition chamber at the deposition temperature higher than room temperature.

10. A thin-film deposition method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the plurality of said substrates is supported on a board moving horizontally to transfer the substrates together.

11. A thin-film deposition method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the plurality of said substrates is supported uprightly on the board.

12. A thin-film deposition method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the plurality of said substrates is supported uprightly on the board in the heat chamber, the gas flowing along the surfaces of the substrates in the heating chamber to thereby heat the substrates.

13. A thin-film deposition method as claimed in claim 9, wherein, in carrying out the thin-film deposition on the plurality of the substrates in the deposition chamber, a high frequency electrode with an antenna shape is used for the thin-film deposition.