Gas intake device of magnetron sputtering vacuum chamber and magnetron sputtering apparatus

• US 9,899,192 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2015
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd., Hefei Boe Display Lighting Co., Ltd. (BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd., Hefei Boe Display Light Co., Ltd. (BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zhang, Qiping, Sun, Wenbo
• Primary Examiner(s): McDonald, Rodney
• Application Number:
  US14/603,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20160196956A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 20429807
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/332 Coating
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3244 Gas supply means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3405 Magnetron sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3464 Operating strategies

Abstract

A gas intake device of magnetron sputtering vacuum chamber and a magnetron sputtering apparatus with the gas intake device, the gas intake device of magnetron sputtering vacuum chamber comprises a gas mixing box configured to receive and mix the gas, a gas intake box configured to introduce the gas into a vacuum chamber, and a connecting pipe configured to connect with the two boxes, the gas mixing box has one or more gas intake pipes. The gas intake device can increase the distribution uniformity after the gas enters inside the vacuum chamber, effectively decrease the impact force to the precision equipment(s) in the vacuum chamber, and extend the service life of the apparatus.

Claims

1. A gas intake device of magnetron sputtering vacuum chamber, comprising:

a gas mixing box configured to receive and mix a gas or gases,

a gas intake box configured to introduce the gas or gases into a vacuum chamber, and

a connecting pipe configured to connect with the gas mixing box and the gas intake box,

wherein

the gas intake box at least comprises an inner box and an outer box, the inner box is nested in the outer box, a space is provided between the inner box and the outer box, and gas flow holes are distributed on walls of the inner box and the outer box, an opening of the connecting pipe is disposed in the inner box, to enable the gas or the gases to flow from the inner box to the outer box.

2. The gas intake device of magnetron sputtering vacuum chamber according to claim 1, further comprising:

a buffer plate, disposed in the gas intake box, opposite to the opening of the connecting pipe.

3. The gas intake device of magnetron sputtering vacuum chamber according to claim 2, wherein the buffer plate is a circular plate or an umbrella-shaped curved plate.

4. The gas intake device of magnetron sputtering vacuum chamber according to claim 1, wherein the gas flow holes of the inner box and the outer box are alternately distributed.

5. The gas intake device of magnetron sputtering vacuum chamber according to claim 1, wherein the gas flow holes are distributed on side walls and bottom surfaces of the inner box and the outer box.

6. The gas intake device of magnetron sputtering vacuum chamber according to claim 1, wherein bore diameters of the gas flow holes of the inner box and the outer box are different.

7. The gas intake device of magnetron sputtering vacuum chamber according to claim 6, wherein the bore diameters of the gas flow holes of the outer box are larger than that of the inner box.

8. The gas intake device of magnetron sputtering vacuum chamber according to claim 1, wherein the connecting pipe comprises an upper connecting pipe connected with the gas mixing box and a lower connecting pipe connected with the gas intake box.

9. The gas intake device of magnetron sputtering vacuum chamber according to claim 8, wherein a diameter of the upper connecting pipe is greater than that of the lower connecting pipe.

10. The gas intake device of magnetron sputtering vacuum chamber according to claim 8, wherein the upper connecting pipe is connected with the lower connecting pipe by threaded connection or welded connection.

11. The gas intake device of magnetron sputtering vacuum chamber according to claim 1, wherein a strainer screen is disposed within the connecting pipe.

12. The gas intake device of magnetron sputtering vacuum chamber according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of gas intake pipes are distributed on opposite side surfaces of the gas mixing box.

13. A magnetron sputtering apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber and a gas intake device of magnetron sputtering vacuum chamber according to claim 1, wherein the gas mixing box is disposed outside the vacuum chamber, and the gas intake box is disposed inside the vacuum chamber.

14. The gas intake device of magnetron sputtering vacuum chamber according to claim 2, wherein the gas intake box at least comprises an inner box and an outer box, the inner box is nested in the outer box, a space is provided between the inner box and the outer box, the opening for the connecting pipe is disposed in the inner box, and gas flow holes are distributed on walls of the inner box and the outer box.

15. The gas intake device of magnetron sputtering vacuum chamber according to claim 2, wherein bore diameters of the gas flow holes of the outer box are larger than that of the inner box.

16. The gas intake device of magnetron sputtering vacuum chamber according to claim 2, wherein the connecting pipe comprises an upper connecting pipe connected with the gas mixing box and a lower connecting pipe connected with the gas intake box.

17. The gas intake device of magnetron sputtering vacuum chamber according to claim 4, wherein the connecting pipe comprises an upper connecting pipe connected with the gas mixing box and a lower connecting pipe connected with the gas intake box.

18. The gas intake device of magnetron sputtering vacuum chamber according to claim 2, wherein in a case that the gas mixing box is provided with a plurality of gas intake pipes, a portion of or all the gas intake pipes are provided with a height difference on the gas mixing box.

19. The gas intake device of magnetron sputtering vacuum chamber according to claim 2, wherein the gas flow holes are distributed on side walls and bottom surfaces of the inner box and the outer box.