Method for forming sealing film, and sealing film

• US 10,793,952 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2015
• Issued: 10/06/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toray Engineering Company Limited (Toray Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Toray Engineering Company Limited (Toray Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Yamashita, Masamichi, Fujimoto, Takayoshi, Mori, Masaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Turocy, David P
• Application Number:
  US15/510,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20170283951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,804 Days
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/0272 Deposition of sub-layers, e.g. to promote the adhesion of the main coating
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45523 Pulsed gas flow or change of composition over time
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/50 using electric discharges generation and control of plasma in discharge tubes for surface treatment H01J37/32, H01J37/34
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/545 for coating elongated substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/03926 comprising a flexible substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/048 Encapsulation of modules
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A method for forming a sealing film, in which a buffer layer and a barrier layer whose density is higher than that of the buffer layer are alternately formed on a substrate, includes forming a first buffer layer on a surface of the substrate, forming a first barrier layer on a surface of the first buffer layer, and forming a second buffer layer on a surface of the first barrier layer. A ratio of a thickness of a portion of the first buffer layer in a thickness direction of the substrate relative to a thickness of a portion of the first buffer layer in an inclined direction that is inclined with respect to the thickness direction is closer to 1 than a ratio of a thickness of a portion of the second buffer layer in the thickness direction relative to a thickness of a portion of the second buffer layer in the inclined direction.

Claims

1. A sealing film formed by alternately forming a buffer layer and a barrier layer whose density is higher than that of the buffer layer on a substrate having a stepped portion on an upper surface of the substrate, the upper surface of the substrate facing in a thickness direction of the substrate, the stepped portion having a side surface facing in an inclined direction that is inclined with respect to the thickness direction, the sealing film comprising:

a first buffer layer disposed on the substrate, the first buffer layer having

a first part that is disposed on the upper surface of the substrate and has a first constant thickness measured between the upper surface of the substrate and an upper surface of the first part in the thickness direction, with the upper surface of the first part being parallel to the upper surface of the substrate, and

a second part that is disposed on the side surface of the stepped portion and has a second constant thickness measured between the side surface of the stepped portion and a side surface of the second part in the inclined direction, with the side surface of the second part being parallel to the side surface of the stepped portion;

a first barrier layer disposed on the first buffer layer, the first barrier layer having

a third part that is disposed on the upper surface of the first part of the first buffer layer, the third part having an upper surface that is parallel to the upper surface of the substrate, and

a fourth part that is disposed on the side surface of the second part, the fourth part having a side surface that is parallel to the side surface of the stepped portion; and

a second buffer layer made of the same raw material as the first buffer layer and disposed on the first barrier layer, the second buffer layer having

a fifth part that is disposed on the upper surface of the third part of the first barrier layer and has a third constant thickness measured between the upper surface of the third part of the first barrier layer and an upper surface of the fifth part in the thickness direction, with the upper surface of the fifth part being parallel to the upper surface of the stepped portion, and

a sixth part that is disposed on the side surface of the fourth part of the first barrier layer and has a fourth constant thickness measured between the side surface of the fourth part of the first barrier layer and a side surface of the sixth part in the inclined direction, with the side surface of the sixth part being parallel to the side surface of the stepped portion,

a ratio of the first constant thickness of the first buffer layer in the thickness direction relative to the second constant thickness of the first buffer layer in the inclined direction being closer to 1 than a ratio of the third constant thickness of the second buffer layer in the thickness direction relative to the fourth constant thickness of the second buffer layer in the inclined direction,

the first barrier layer having density that is higher than those of the first and second buffer layers, with the first barrier layer being made of different raw material from that of the first and second buffer layers,

the first buffer layer having density that is lower than that of the second buffer layer,

the second part of the first buffer layer entirely extending along the side surface of the stepped portion, and

the sixth part of the second buffer layer entirely extending along the side surface of the fourth part of the first barrier layer.

2. The sealing film according to claim 1, wherein

the buffer layer and the barrier layer are formed by CVD, and

a film formation pressure applied during forming of the first buffer layer is higher than a film formation pressure applied during forming of the second buffer layer.

3. The sealing film according to claim 1, wherein

the buffer layer and the barrier layer are made of different raw materials.

4. A method for forming a sealing film, in which a buffer layer and a barrier layer whose density is higher than that of the buffer layer are alternately formed on a substrate having a stepped portion on an upper surface of the substrate, the upper surface of the substrate facing in a thickness direction of the substrate, the stepped portion having a side surface facing in an inclined direction that is inclined with respect to the thickness direction, the method comprising:

forming a first buffer layer on the substrate, the first buffer layer having

a first part that is disposed on the upper surface of the substrate and has a first constant thickness measured between the upper surface of the substrate and an upper surface of the first part in the thickness direction, with the upper surface of the first part being parallel to the upper surface of the substrate, and

a second part that is disposed on the side surface of the stepped portion and has a second constant thickness measured between the side surface of the stepped portion and a side surface of the second part in the inclined direction, with the side surface of the second part being parallel to the side surface of the stepped portion;

forming a first barrier layer on the first buffer layer, the first barrier layer having

a third part that is disposed on the upper surface of the first part of the first buffer layer, the third part having an upper surface that is parallel to the upper surface of the substrate, and

a fourth part that is disposed on the side surface of the second part, the fourth part having a side surface that is parallel to the side surface of the stepped portion; and

forming a second buffer layer on the first barrier layer, the second buffer layer being made of the same raw material as the first buffer layer, the second buffer layer having

a fifth part that is disposed on the upper surface of the third part of the first barrier layer and has a third constant thickness measured between the upper surface of the third part of the first barrier layer and an upper surface of the fifth part in the thickness direction, with the upper surface of the fifth part being parallel to the upper surface of the stepped portion, and

a sixth part that is disposed on the side surface of the fourth part of the first barrier layer and has a fourth constant thickness measured between the side surface of the fourth part of the first barrier layer and a side surface of the sixth part in the inclined direction, with the side surface of the sixth part being parallel to the side surface of the stepped portion,

the first and second buffer layers and the first barrier layer being formed by CVD with a film formation pressure applied during the forming of the first buffer layer being higher than a film formation pressure applied during the forming of the second buffer layer such that a ratio of the first constant thickness of the first buffer layer in the thickness direction relative to the second constant thickness of the first buffer layer in the inclined direction being closer to 1 than a ratio of the third constant thickness of the second buffer layer in the thickness direction relative to the fourth constant thickness of the second buffer layer in the inclined direction,

the first barrier layer having density that is higher than those of the first and second buffer layers, with the first barrier layer being made of different raw material from that of the first and second buffer layers,

the first buffer layer having density that is lower than that of the second buffer layer,

the second part of the first buffer layer entirely extending along the side surface of the stepped portion, and

the sixth part of the second buffer layer entirely extending along the side surface of the fourth part of the first barrier layer.

5. The method for forming a sealing film according to claim 4, wherein

the inclined direction is perpendicular to the thickness direction.

6. The method for forming a sealing film according to claim 4, further comprising

conveying the substrate in a first conveyance direction during the forming of the first buffer layer and the forming of the first barrier layer, the forming of the first buffer layer and the forming of the first barrier layer being performed at a first film formation chamber and a second film formation chamber, respectively,

reversing a conveyance direction of the substrate from the first conveyance direction to a second conveyance direction that is opposite to the first conveyance direction,

conveying the substrate in the second conveyance direction during the forming of the second buffer layer after reversing of the conveyance direction of the substrate from the first conveyance direction to the second conveyance direction, the forming of the second buffer layer being performed at the first film formation chamber, and

decreasing the film formation pressure applied during the forming of the first buffer layer to the film formation pressure applied during the forming of the second buffer layer in response to the reversing of the conveyance direction of the substrate.

7. The method for forming a sealing film according to claim 4, further comprising

decreasing the film formation pressure applied during the forming of the first buffer layer to the film formation pressure applied during the forming of the second buffer layer after the forming of the first barrier layer and before the forming of the second barrier layer.