Abstract: An apparatus for processing a flexible substrate is provided including a vacuum chamber having a first chamber portion, second chamber portion and third chamber portion. The apparatus further includes an unwinding shaft supporting the flexible substrate to be processed and a winding shaft supporting the flexible substrate after processing, wherein the unwinding shaft and the winding shaft are disposed in the first chamber portion, a first wall separating the first chamber portion from the second chamber portion, wherein the first wall is inclined with respect to a vertical and horizontal orientation, a coating drum having a first portion disposed in the second chamber portion and a second portion disposed in the third chamber portion, and a plurality of processing stations disposed at least partially in the third chamber portion, wherein a majority of the plurality of the processing stations are disposed below a rotational axis of the coating drum.

Abstract: According to the present disclosure, a substrate processing apparatus for processing a flexible substrate including a vacuum chamber configured for being evacuated and being configured for having a process gas provided therein, a processing module adapted to process the flexible substrate, wherein the processing module is provided within the vacuum chamber, and a discharging assembly configured to generate a flow of charged particles to discharge the flexible substrate is provided. The discharging assembly is configured to generate an electric field for ionizing a processing gas.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a substrate support having an outer surface for guiding the substrate through a first vacuum processing region and at least one second vacuum processing region. First and second deposition sources correspond to the first processing region and at least one second deposition source corresponds to the at least one second vacuum processing region, wherein at least the first deposition source includes an electrode having a surface that opposes the substrate support. A processing gas inlet and a processing gas outlet are arranged at opposing sides of the surface of the electrode. At least one separation gas inlet how one or more openings, wherein the one or more openings are at least provided at one of opposing sides of the electrode surface such that the processing gas inlet and/or the processing gas outlet are provided between the one or more openings and the surface of the electrode.

Abstract: According to the present disclosure, a method for cleaning the processing chamber of a flexible substrate processing apparatus without breaking the vacuum in the processing chamber is provided. The method for cleaning the processing chamber includes guiding a sacrificial foil into the processing chamber; initiating a first pump process in the processing chamber; plasma cleaning the processing chamber while the sacrificial foil is provided in the processing chamber; initiating a second pump process in the processing chamber; and guiding a flexible substrate into the processing chamber.

Abstract: According to the present disclosure, a substrate processing apparatus for processing a flexible substrate including a vacuum chamber configured for being evacuated and being configured for having a process gas provided therein, a processing module adapted to process the flexible substrate, wherein the processing module is provided within the vacuum chamber, and a discharging assembly configured to generate a flow of charged particles to discharge the flexible substrate is provided. The discharging assembly is configured to generate an electric field for ionizing a processing gas.

Abstract: Method of depositing a TCO layer on a substrate, of depositing precursors of a solar cell and precursors of a solar cell are described. The methods includes DC sputtering a ZnO-containing transparent conductive oxide layer over the substrate, the substrate having a size of 1.4 m2 or above and texturing the ZnO-containing transparent conductive oxide layer, wherein the textured ZnO-containing transparent conductive oxide layer has a root means square roughness of 60 nm or below.

Abstract: This invention relates to a coater for the coating, in particular, of large-area substrates by means of cathode sputtering, the coater having a coating chamber and, provided therein, a cathode assembly (2) where the material to be sputtered is located on a target (4) with a curved surface, the material to be sputtered being located, in particular, on the lateral surface of a cylinder, there being in a single coating chamber for a coherent coating zone at least three, preferably more, cathode assemblies (2) with rotatable, curved targets (4) positioned one beside the other.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus (1) for treating, e.g. coating, a substrate (35, 39) in a vacuum chamber (2). In this vacuum chamber (2) there are arranged n cathodes (7-10) and n+1 anodes (28-32), each of said anodes adjacent to a cathode (7-10). Each of the n cathodes (7-10) and n of the assigned anodes (29-32) are connected to a power supply (11-14). One of the anodes (28) not being assigned to a cathode (7-10) is connected to an electrical line (63) which is connecting each of the anodes (28-32). A pull-down resistor (34) is connected to said line (63) at its one end and to ground (33) at its other end.

Abstract: An arrangement for transporting a flat substrate through a coating installation, wherein the coating installation comprises, e.g., several and different sputter cathodes, to which the flat substrate, for example a glass pane, is transported one after the other in vacuo. So that no abrasion is generated between glass pane and contact, the glass pane is kept spaced apart from the contact by means of gas pressure. The gas pressure is herein built up through relatively few and small holes in a gas channel. Since during flooding of the coating installation to atmospheric pressure or during evacuation, due to the small holes, no fast pressure equalization between gas channel and the remaining coating installation is possible, the gas channel is decoupled in terms of gas from the remaining coating installation and provided with a separate gas line, via which gas can be introduced into the gas channel or pumped out of it.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus (1) for treating, e.g. coating, a substrate (35, 39) in a vacuum chamber (2). In this vacuum chamber (2) there are arranged n cathodes (7-10) and n+1 anodes (28-32), each of said anodes adjacent to a cathode (7-10). Each of the n cathodes (7-10) and n of the assigned anodes (29-32) are connected to a power supply (11-14). One of the anodes (28) not being assigned to a cathode (7-10) is connected to an electrical line (63) which is connecting each of the anodes (28-32). A pull-down resistor (34) is connected to said line (63) at its one end and to ground (33) at its other end.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a magnetron sputter cathode, in particular a tube cathode or several tube cathodes forming an array. In such cathodes a target passes through a magnetic field, whereby induction currents flow in the target which distort the magnetic field. This results in the nonuniform coating of a substrate. By having the relative movement between magnetic field and target alternately reverse its direction, the effect of the magnetic field distortion can be compensated. This yields greater uniformity of the coating on a substrate to be coated.

Abstract: A magnet/target assembly 1 comprises a target 2 consisting of a plurality of (virtual) segments 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6 arranged side by side, each of them extending along the longitudinal axis x of the target 2. Each of the plurality of target segments 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6 has a magnet system 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6 attributed to the respective target segment. In an embodiment of the target/magnet assembly 1 according to the present invention the magnet systems 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6 are arranged mutually offset relative to their respective adjacent magnet systems 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5 and 3.6, respectively, while scanning the target segments 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5 and 2.6, respectively. Particularly, the first magnet system 3.1, the third magnet system 3.3 and the fifth magnet system 3.5 are a first group of magnet systems moving parallel and synchronously with each other, and the second magnet system 3.2, the forth magnet systems 3.4 and the sixth magnet system 3.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a magnetron sputter cathode, in particular a tube cathode or several tube cathodes forming an array. In such cathodes a target passes through a magnetic field, whereby induction currents flow in the target which distort the magnetic field. This results in the nonuniform coating of a substrate. By having the relative movement between magnetic field and target alternately reverse its direction, the effect of the magnetic field distortion can be compensated. This yields greater uniformity of the coating on a substrate to be coated.

Abstract: This invention relates to a vacuum treatment installation and a device therefor for the tight, especially vacuum-tight closing of an aperture, in particular a slit-like or rectangular aperture with a length that is preferably a multiple of the width of the aperture, in particular for a lock arrangement of a vacuum treatment installation, said device having a closure member (2) and for said closure member a linear drive unit (3,4,5) which, by way of a translational movement, can move the closure member from an open position into a closed position, said closure member having a sealing surface which is disposed in a plane (16) and which, in the closed position, makes sealing contact with a counter-sealing surface on the aperture side, and said plane running perpendicular to the direction of the translational movement (14) and at an oblique angle to the aperture normal (13).

Abstract: This invention relates to a coater for the coating, in particular, of large-area substrates by means of cathode sputtering, the coater having a coating chamber and, provided therein, a cathode assembly (2) where the material to be sputtered is located on a target (4) with a curved surface, the material to be sputtered being located, in particular, on the lateral surface of a cylinder, there being in a single coating chamber for a coherent coating zone at least three, preferably more, cathode assemblies (2) with rotatable, curved targets (4) positioned one beside the other.

Abstract: An arrangement for transporting a flat substrate through a coating installation, wherein the comprises, e.g., several and different sputter cathodes, to which the flat substrate, for example a glass pane, is transported one after the other in vacuo. So that no abrasion is generated between glass pane and contact, the glass pane is kept spaced apart from the contact by means of gas pressure. The gas pressure is herein built up through relatively few and small holes in a gas channel. Since during flooding of the coating installation to atmospheric pressure or during evacuation, due to the small holes, no fast pressure equalization between gas channel and the remaining coating installation is possible, the gas channel is decoupled in terms of gas from the remaining coating installation and provided with a separate gas line, via which gas can be introduced into the gas channel or pumped out of it.

Abstract: A vacuum treatment installation is provided for flat substrates of large edge lengths, which are conducted to and treated in an at least substantially perpendicular position. The treatment installation comprises a vacuum chamber with at least two treatment chambers, distributed over the circumference and open at the chamber side, a series of interlocks and a rotatable configuration of substrate holders (13) within the vacuum chamber with a driving mechanism (1) for the sequential rotation and radial movement of the substrate holders (13) relative to the treatment chambers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cathodic sputtering apparatus (8) for coating substrates (17) in a vacuum, comprising an essentially tubular support for the material to be sputtered (2) which is rotatable about its longitudinal axis, a cooling system which is suitable for circulating a cooling medium in the tubular support (2) in conjunction with a cooling device external to the support (2), a device for connecting to an electrical power circuit, and a device for the rotary drive of the tubular support about its longitudinal axis. This apparatus also is provided with a magnet system which extends along the axis for the magnetic confinement of a plasma which is provided near a target made of the material to be sputtered, the magnet system being composed of pole shoes (9, 10), magnet yokes (12, 13) made of magnetically permeable metal, and magnetization means (5) which are suitable for generating a magnetic flux in the magnet system.