METHOD FOR PROCESSING A SUBSTRATE AND PROCESSING ARRANGEMENT FOR PROCESSING A SUBSTRATE

Abstract

In various embodiments, a method for processing a substrate is provided. The method includes placing the substrate on at least one substrate carrier. The substrate carrier includes at least one carrier layer and a thermal insulating layer arranged over the carrier layer. The thermal insulating layer is arranged between the carrier layer and the substrate placed on. The thermal insulating layer includes at least one of a lower density or a lower thermal conductivity than the carrier layer. The method further includes coating the substrate with a coating material while the substrate is lying on the at least one substrate carrier, and removing coating material that adheres to the substrate carrier during the coating of the substrate from the at least one substrate carrier, the removal of the coating material from the at least one substrate carrier taking place by irradiating the at least one substrate carrier.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to German Patent Application Serial No. 10 2014 108 758.5, which was filed Jun. 23, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Furthermore, this application claims priority to German Patent Application Serial No. 10 2015 103 703.3, which was filed Mar. 13, 2015, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Various embodiments relate generally to a method for processing a substrate and to a processing arrangement for processing a substrate.

BACKGROUND

Generally, various transporting devices can be used in order for example to transport substrates or other carriers in processing installations. For example, substrates can be transported by a transporting device through a vacuum process chamber, a negative pressure process chamber or an atmospheric pressure process chamber, so that the substrates can be processed, for example coated, within the vacuum process chamber, the negative pressure process chamber or the atmospheric pressure process chamber.

SUMMARY

In various embodiments, a method for processing a substrate is provided. The method includes placing the substrate on at least one substrate carrier. The substrate carrier includes at least one carrier layer and a thermal insulating layer arranged over the carrier layer. The thermal insulating layer is arranged between the carrier layer and the substrate placed on. The thermal insulating layer includes at least one of a lower density or a lower thermal conductivity than the carrier layer. The method further includes coating the substrate with a coating material while the substrate is lying on the at least one substrate carrier, and removing coating material that adheres to the substrate carrier during the coating of the substrate from the at least one substrate carrier, the removal of the coating material from the at least one substrate carrier taking place by irradiating the at least one substrate carrier.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings, like reference characters generally refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In the following description, various embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a substrate carrier with a substrate lying on the substrate carrier in a schematic side view or cross-sectional view, according to various embodiments;

FIG. 2 shows a substrate carrier with a substrate lying on the substrate carrier in a schematic side view or cross-sectional view, according to various embodiments;

FIGS. 3A and 3B show a side view and a corresponding cross-sectional view of a substrate carrier, according to various embodiments;

FIG. 4 shows a schematic flow diagram of a method for processing a substrate, according to various embodiments;

FIGS. 5A and 5B show a perspective view and a cross-sectional view of a transporting device with multiple substrate carriers, according to various embodiments;

FIGS. 6A and 6B show a perspective view and a cross-sectional view of a transporting device with multiple substrate carriers, according to various embodiments; and

FIGS. 7A to 7D show in each case a cross-sectional view of a processing arrangement with multiple substrate carriers, according to various embodiments.

DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this description and in which specific embodiments in which the invention can be carried out are shown for purposes of illustration. In this respect, directional terminology such as for instance “at the top”, “at the bottom”, “at the front”, “at the rear”, “front”, “rear”, etc. are used with reference to the orientation of the figure(s) described. Since components of embodiments may be positioned in a number of different orientations, the directional terminology serves for purposes of illustration and is in no way restrictive. It goes without saying that other embodiments may be used and structural or logical changes made without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention. It goes without saying that the features of the various embodiments described herein by way of example can be combined with one another, unless otherwise specifically stated. The following detailed description is therefore not to be interpreted in a restrictive sense, and the scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.

In the course of this description, the terms “connected” and “coupled” are used for describing both a direct connection and an indirect connection and both a direct coupling and an indirect coupling.

The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration”. Any embodiment or design described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or designs.

The word “over” used with regards to a deposited material formed “over” a side or surface, may be used herein to mean that the deposited material may be formed “directly on”, e.g. in direct contact with, the implied side or surface. The word “over” used with regards to a deposited material formed “over” a side or surface, may be used herein to mean that the deposited material may be formed “indirectly on” the implied side or surface with one or more additional layers being arranged between the implied side or surface and the deposited material.

According to various embodiments, a coating process may be carried out in a process chamber (for example in a vacuum process chamber, negative pressure process chamber or atmospheric pressure process chamber) in such a way that the substrates are coated at a high coating rate (for example at over approximately 1 μm·m/min, for example at over approximately 5 μm·m/min, for example at a coating rate in a range of approximately 1 μm/min to approximately 10 μm·m/min), while the substrates pass through the coating region of the process chamber at a predefined transporting speed. In the case of such high-rate coating processes, it is possible for internal components in the process chamber, such as for example the transporting device or parts of the transporting device, to become so coated that the functioning of the internal components, for example the transporting device, may be impaired on account of the undesired coating.

For example, in the case of such high-rate coating processes it is possible for several grams of coating material, for example over 10 g or over 15 g, to be deposited on a substrate or used up in the coating process for one substrate. Consequently, in the course of a lengthy coating procedure, in which for example over 1000 or over 10 000 substrates are coated one after the other, several kilograms of coating material may be deposited in the process chamber and/or on internal components (for example the transporting device) in the process chambers.

Furthermore, the substrates may be coated with materials that have a low evaporation temperature, for example an evaporation temperature in a range from approximately 500° C. to approximately 1500° C., for example an evaporation temperature in a range from approximately 600° C. to approximately 1400° C., for example an evaporation temperature in a range from approximately 600° C. to approximately 1000° C.

One aspect of various embodiments can be clearly seen as being that of providing a transporting device that provides a substantially closed transporting surface in a coating region of a process chamber and furthermore can be cleaned in a cleaning region of the process chamber. Furthermore, the transporting device may be set up in such a way that these high temperatures (for example over approximately 200° C., for example over approximately 400° C., for example over approximately 600° C.) can be withstood, so that for example substrates can be transported in a coating region of a process chamber or a processing installation even under high thermal loading. Furthermore, the transporting device may be set up in such a way that these high temperatures (for example over approximately 600° C., for example over approximately 800° C., for example temperatures in a range of approximately 500° C. to approximately 1500° C.) can be withstood, so that for example the transporting device can be cleaned in a cleaning region (outside the coating region, for example underneath the coating region) of a process chamber or a processing installation by a heating device (for example coating material deposited on the transporting device can be made to evaporate again).

Furthermore, another aspect of various embodiments can be clearly seen as being that of providing a transporting device for a coating chamber or coating installation, the transporting device having a simple construction, and consequently for example having a low susceptibility to faults, low maintenance requirement and/or low production costs.

Furthermore, another aspect of various embodiments can be clearly seen as being that of providing a transporting device, for example for a high-rate coating installation, the transporting device being easy to clean. For example, the transporting device may have been provided or be provided in such a way that coating material that has been deposited on the transporting device can be easily removed by a radiant heater. Substrate carriers may be used for this, the substrate carriers having been set up in such a way that they can be optionally cleaned by a radiant heater.

Furthermore, the transporting device may have substrate carriers that bend only little. For example, allowance may be made in the structural design and choice of materials for the the weight and the stiffness of the substrate carriers, as well as the thermal resistance and the abrasion resistance.

According to various embodiments, a substrate carrier is used or multiple substrate carriers are used for transporting a substrate in a process chamber. This may involve the substrate lying directly on the substrate carrier, for example during the coating of the substrate in a process chamber.

According to various embodiments, a substrate carrier may have the following: a carrier layer (or else a carrier sheet) and a thermal insulating layer, which is arranged on the carrier layer; the thermal insulating layer having a lower density and/or a lower thermal conductivity than the carrier layer.

This may involve the substrate lying directly on the thermal insulating layer of the substrate carrier. Alternatively, the substrate carrier may also have a top layer (or else a top sheet), which is arranged over the thermal insulating layer, it being possible for the substrate to lie directly on the top layer.

According to various embodiments, the carrier layer and the top layer may include or essentially consist of the same material. According to various embodiments, the carrier layer and/or the top layer may include at least one material from the following group of materials: a ceramic, a ceramic composite material, a fiber-reinforced composite material, carbon-fiber-reinforced carbon (CFC) and/or carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP).

According to various embodiments, the thermal insulating layer may include at least one material from the following group of materials: a fiber material or a fiber composite material, for example in the form of wool, fleece and/or felt, for example on the basis of carbon fibers, mineral fibers (for example in the form of glass wool or quartz glass wool) and/or ceramic fibers. According to various embodiments, the thermal insulating layer may include at least one material from the following group of materials: a foam, for example a ceramic foam or a carbon foam, or some other porous material (for example with a porosity in a range from approximately 0.7 to approximately 0.9).

According to various embodiments, the thermal insulating layer may include at least one material from the following group of materials: carbon felt or graphite felt (for example graphite hard felt), carbon foam (for example with a porosity of approximately 70% to approximately 90%).

According to various embodiments, the carrier layer of the substrate carrier may be over approximately 2 mm thick, for example with a thickness in a range from approximately 2 mm to approximately 20 mm. According to various embodiments, the thickness of the carrier layer may be adapted to the length of the substrate carrier, so that allowance can be made for a predefined maximum bending of the substrate carrier or so that the substrate carrier has sufficient stiffness.

According to various embodiments, the substrate carrier may be in the form of a bar or in the form of a slat. According to various embodiments, the substrate carrier may have a length of over approximately 50 cm, a width of less than approximately 30 cm and a height of over approximately 5 mm. According to various embodiments, the substrate carrier may have a (for example substantially) rectangular or (for example substantially) square cross section, for example taken transversely in relation to the longitudinal direction of the substrate carrier.

According to various embodiments, the thermal insulating layer may have a density (an apparent density) of less than approximately 1 g/cm³, for example less than approximately 0.5 g/cm³, for example an apparent density in a range from approximately 0.1 g/cm³ to approximately 1 g/cm³. The low density of the thermal insulating layer can make a low thermal conductivity and thermal capacity possible, with respect to the volume. In this way it is possible for example for the substrate carrier to be heated up quickly (for example on account of the low thermal capacity) and locally (for example on account of the low thermal conductivity), and in this way for example to be cleaned efficiently. On the other hand, the carrier layer may have a greater density (for example in a range from approximately 1 g/cm³ to approximately 2 g/cm³), so that the carrier layer provides the necessary mechanical stability of the substrate carrier.

According to various embodiments, the thermal insulating layer may have a thermal conductivity (for example determined at a temperature of 20° C. under normal pressure, for example at 1013 mbar) of less than approximately 1 W/(m·K), for example less than approximately 0.5 W/(m·K), for example in a range from approximately 0.1 W/(m·K) to approximately 1 W/(m·K). In this way it is possible for example for the substrate carrier to be heated up locally (on account of the low thermal conductivity), so that it is not necessary for the entire substrate carrier to be heated up in order to evaporate material from the surface of the substrate carrier. In this way it is possible for the substrate carrier to quickly change its temperature at its surface and be efficiently cleaned in a cyclical manner.

It goes without saying that a comparison of physical variables is made under the same conditions, i.e. for example at the same temperature, the same pressure, or generally in the same environment.

According to various embodiments, the substrate carrier may have been provided, for example defined by the material and the form of the carrier layer and/or the thermal insulating layer, in such a way that the substrate carrier is thermally stable (i.e. for example does not distort, or only insignificantly, when there are temperature changes and/or temperature fluctuations and/or for example does not become brittle, or only insignificantly, when there are temperature changes and/or temperature fluctuations), can be subjected to mechanical loading, is resistant to thermal shocks, is mechanically stable (for example has a pseudo-ductile rupture behavior) and/or is chemically resistant.

According to various embodiments, a method for processing a substrate may include the following: placing the substrate on at least one substrate carrier, the at least one substrate carrier having at least one carrier layer and a thermal insulating layer arranged over the carrier layer, the thermal insulating layer being arranged between the carrier layer and the substrate placed on, the thermal insulating layer having a lower density and/or a lower thermal conductivity than the carrier layer; coating the substrate with a coating material while the substrate is lying on the at least one substrate carrier; and removing coating material that adheres to the substrate carrier during the coating of the substrate from the at least one substrate carrier, the removal of the coating material from the at least one substrate carrier taking place by irradiating the at least one substrate carrier.

Furthermore, the thermal insulating layer may include porous material, felt or wool on the basis of carbon, glass or a ceramic material.

According to various embodiments, the substrate may lie directly on the thermal insulating layer of the substrate carrier, it being possible for the thermal insulating layer to be irradiated directly during the removal of the coating material.

According to various embodiments, the substrate carrier may also have a top layer. The top layer may be arranged over the thermal insulating layer. According to various embodiments, the substrate may lie directly on the top layer. In this way it is possible for the thermally poorly conducting insulating layer to be greatly heated up locally (for example substantially only in one surface region), without for example the carrier layer being significantly heated up thereby.

According to various embodiments, the top layer may be irradiated directly during the removal of the coating material. In this way it is possible for substantially only the top layer that is insulated by the thermally poorly conducting insulating layer to be heated up strongly, without for example the carrier layer being significantly heated up thereby.

According to various embodiments, the irradiation of the substrate carrier may take place in such a way that at least a region of the substrate carrier is heated up to a temperature of over 500° C. In this way it is possible for example for coating material to be evaporated away from the substrate carrier. According to various embodiments, the coating material used may have an evaporation temperature that is much lower than the melting temperature or degradation temperature of the substrate carrier (for example the evaporation temperature may be less than ⅔ or less than 0.5 of the melting temperature or degradation temperature of the substrate carrier). According to various embodiments, the substrate carrier may have been set up in such a way that it is stable up to a degradation temperature of approximately 1000° C., for example up to a degradation temperature of approximately 1500° C., or for example up to a degradation temperature of approximately 2000° C.

According to various embodiments, the thermal insulating layer may have a density (i.e. apparent density) of less than 1 g/cm³ and/or a thermal conductivity of less than 1 W/(m·K).

According to various embodiments, the coating of the substrate may include a high-rate coating, for example at a coating rate of over 1 μm·m/min, for example at a coating rate in a range from approximately 1 μm·m/min to approximately 10 μm·m/min.

According to various embodiments, a processing arrangement may have the following: a process chamber for processing a substrate within a processing region of the process chamber, wherein the process chamber also has a cleaning region for cleaning at least part of a transporting device; a transporting device arranged between the processing region and the cleaning region. The transporting device has multiple substrate carriers for carrying and transporting a substrate in the processing region. The transporting device has been set up in such a way that the multiple substrate carriers can be moved through the cleaning region. Each of the multiple substrate carriers has at least one carrier layer and a thermal insulating layer arranged over the carrier layer. The thermal insulating layer has a lower density and/or a lower thermal conductivity than the carrier layer; and a cleaning device for cleaning the multiple substrate carriers in the cleaning region. The cleaning device has at least one radiant heater for heating up the multiple substrate carriers in the cleaning region.

According to various embodiments, the transporting device may have a chain drive. The multiple substrate carriers may be coupled to the chain drive. Alternatively, the transporting device may have two guiding rails, which form a closed path of movement, and the multiple substrate carriers are mounted in the two guiding rails and are guided along the closed path of movement by the two guiding rails.

According to various embodiments, a transporting device for transporting a substrate in a process chamber may have a guiding rail arrangement with two guiding rails for mounting a multiplicity of substrate carriers between the two guiding rails. The two guiding rails form a closed path of movement along which the multiplicity of substrate carriers are guided. The transporting device may further include the multiplicity of substrate carriers that are mounted in the guiding rail arrangement, and a drive device for pushing at least one substrate carrier of the multiplicity of substrate carriers in such a way that, in a transporting region of the guiding rail arrangement, in each case multiple substrate carriers of the multiplicity of substrate carriers are pushed against one another and the substrate carriers that have been pushed against one another move along the path of movement in the transporting region.

According to various embodiments, a circulating transporting device for transporting a substrate in a process chamber can be provided by multiple substrate carriers. The multiple substrate carriers form a closed supporting area for the placing on of a substrate and coating of a substrate from above the supporting area.

According to various embodiments, a vacuum coating installation (for example with at least one process region) is provided. A transporting system that is stable at high temperatures is set up in the vacuum coating installation, with a support for substrates to be coated. Subsequent heating up of the support can take place for the re-evaporation of coating remains.

For example, in a horizontal coating installation there may be the problem that the transporting system located under the planar substrates (for example in sheet form) (for example glass sheets) is undesirably coated. In the case of a roller transporting system, in the course of development the diameter of the rollers is always increasing. Gaps between the individual substrates make it possible that the rollers are coated over the width of the substrate, it even being possible for the regions of the roller that are outside the width of the substrate to be permanently exposed to the coating if these regions are not shielded by horizontal screens or shields. As a result, depending on the coating rate and the duration of the operation, these layers may have the effect that uniform transport in terms of speed and position is no longer ensured (known as “dog bone” growth of the layers on the rollers) and the coating installation has to be opened for cleaning purposes.

In the case of a coating installation that allows permanent replenishment of the coating material, the undesired coating of the transporting system may be the only factor limiting the duration of the operation. The cleaning/maintenance time can lower the productivity of the installation considerably, and so too can the time that is required for running down and running up the installation (for example heating/cooling/conditioning).

A re-evaporation device, which evaporates/removes the undesired coatings, makes it possible at least for the duration of the operation to be significantly extended. A transporting system support suitable for this is described herein according to various embodiments.

According to various embodiments, a transporting system support that can be used in a process region of a (for example vacuum) coating installation with a planar, closed supporting area for the substrate to be coated is provided. The transporting system support is for example stable at high temperatures up to the evaporation temperature of the deposited layer, of for example 1000° C., or even higher temperatures. Even at these high temperatures, the material has sufficient strength, stiffness and chemical resistance. The transporting system support has for example a low thermal capacity and can be (rapidly) heated up (for example to the evaporation temperature of the deposited layers for the re-evaporation of coating remains). Furthermore, the transporting system support has a very good resistance to changing temperatures, so that for example very frequent rapid heating up (for example from 500° C. to up to 1000° C. in for example three seconds) in a cyclical manner (for example with a cycle time of approximately 20 s) and subsequent cooling down again (for example to 500° C.).

According to various embodiments, the transporting system support (also referred to as a substrate carrier or multiplicity of substrate carriers) has a multi-layered structure, for example at least a two-layered structure, for example a three-layered structure.

FIG. 1 illustrates a substrate carrier 100 (also referred to as a transporting system support) with a substrate 120 lying on the substrate carrier 100 in a schematic side view or cross-sectional view, according to various embodiments, the substrate carrier 100 having a two-layered structure. The substrate carrier 100 may for example have a carrier layer 102 (or else a carrier sheet 102) and a thermal insulating layer 104. The thermal insulating layer 104 may be arranged on the carrier layer 102. The thermal insulating layer 104 may for example have a lower density (apparent density) and/or a lower thermal conductivity (for example absolute thermal conductivity or for example with respect to the volume) than the carrier layer 102.

As shown in FIG. 1, the thermal insulating layer 104 may provide a supporting area on which the substrate 120 can lie. In other words, the substrate 120 may lie directly on the thermal insulating layer 104 of the substrate carrier 100.

FIG. 2 illustrates a substrate carrier 100 (also referred to as a transporting system support) with a substrate 120 lying on the substrate carrier 100 in a schematic side view or cross-sectional view, according to various embodiments, the substrate carrier 100 having a three-layered structure. As an alternative to the substrate carrier 100 shown in FIG. 1, the substrate carrier 100 may also have a top layer 106 (or else a top sheet 106), which is arranged over the thermal insulating layer, it being possible for the substrate 120 to lie directly on the top layer 106. The top layer 106 may for example be optimized in terms of wear and/or have a thermal capacity that is as low as possible, so that the top layer 106 can be heated up rapidly (for example by only a small input of heat). In this way, the top layer 106 can also rapidly cool down or be cooled again.

According to various embodiments, the transporting system support 100 may have an insulating layer 104 (also referred to as a thermal insulating layer 104). This is for example a layer with low thermal conductivity, for example during heating up it is the outermost region of this layer 104 that especially heats up (for example the exposed surface 104s or the boundary surface 104s facing the substrate 120) rapidly and strongly (for example on account of the small depth of heat penetration). The thermally insulating layer 104 forms for example the supporting area for the placing on of the substrate 120 to be coated or to be transported if there is no top layer 106 (for example optimized in terms of wear) on the thermally insulating layer (cf. FIG. 1). In the case of relatively great widths of the transporting system (i.e. a composite structure of great length), the thermally insulating layer 104 may additionally act in a mechanically supporting manner to achieve adequate stiffness for the substrate carrier 100, so that for example the bending of the substrate carrier 100 is reduced or is low (for example the bending may be less than 5 mm, for example lie in a range from approximately 1 mm to approximately 5 mm) For this purpose, the substrate carrier 100 may be provided in a corresponding thickness, for example over 4 mm thick, for example 10 mm thick or 20 mm thick, or with a thickness in a range from approximately 4 mm to approximately 50 mm.

According to various embodiments, the substrate carrier 100 may have a carrier sheet 102 (also referred to as carrier layer 102) for carrying the transporting support composite described herein. The carrier sheet 102 may be used for mechanically connecting the substrate carrier 100 (for example the end pieces or generally) to the transporting system. The carrier sheet may be stable at high temperatures, i.e. have sufficient strength and stiffness and chemical resistance, and the necessary resistance to changing temperatures that is described may be achieved for example by exclusively using heat-resistant materials.

Suitable (for example heat-resistant) materials are for example CFC fabric or CFRP fabric, graphite felt or carbon felt, carbon foam, mineral fiber materials in general (for example glass fiber materials), ceramics, thermally stable coatings and/or the like.

The choice of materials may for example be dependent on the necessary temperature that the transporting system support 100 is intended to withstand. A composite of for example CFRP materials may be stable up to approximately 1000° C., while a composite of CFC materials can be used for temperatures of over 1000° C.

Materials with a low density, such as for example carbon fiber materials, have for example the additional advantage that the dead weight contributing to bending is kept low. The layers of the CFC or CFRP sandwich composite may be connected cohesively (for example by applying a connecting substance and subsequent heat treatment to change the structure), with non-positive engagement (for example by a screw connection and/or clamping connections) and/or with positive engagement (for example bonded; clamped; inserted; etc.).

Optionally, a top layer/wear protection layer 106 that can be heated up rapidly may be used for the composite (cf. FIG. 2). This may for example be a thin sheet or film or a wear-resistant, thermally stable coating with low heat capacity. In other words, the top layer 106 (also referred to as the top sheet 106) may be thin and able to be heated up rapidly. In this way it is possible for the top layer 106 to be the supporting area for the substrate 120 to be coated or to be transported.

According to various embodiments, carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), which is also referred to as carbon for short, may be used for the substrate carrier 100, for example for the carrier layer 102 and/or for the top layer 106. CFRP is a composite material in which carbon fibers are embedded in a plastic. The plastic may for example include epoxy resin, or generally resins, polymers, thermosets or thermoplastics.

According to various embodiments, carbon fiber reinforced carbon (CFC), which is also referred to as reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC) or carbon fiber carbon composite (CFC), may be used for the substrate carrier 100, for example for the carrier layer 102 and/or for the top layer 106. A carbon fiber reinforced carbon is a composite material that for example completely consists of carbon.

According to various embodiments, a fiber-based material, for example mineral fiber (for example glass fiber), hard and soft felt on the basis of carbon fibers, may be used for the substrate carrier 100, for example for the thermal insulating layer 104.

According to various embodiments, the thermal insulating layer 104 may be a hard felt layer, i.e. consist of a dimensionally stable insulating material that has a low thermal conductivity, i.e. on the basis of carbon fibers. The fibers may be anchored in the hard felt layer by a binder, for example a carbon binder for carbon fibers.

According to various embodiments, the carrier layer 102 may have a layer thickness in a range from approximately 1 mm to approximately 100 mm, for example in a range from approximately 2 mm to approximately 50 mm, in a range from approximately 2 mm to approximately 10 mm. According to various embodiments, the thermal insulating layer 104 may have a layer thickness in a range from approximately 1 mm to approximately 500 mm, for example in a range from approximately 2 mm to approximately 400 mm, in a range from approximately 10 mm to approximately 300 mm. According to various embodiments, the top layer 106 may have a layer thickness in a range from approximately 0.01 mm to approximately 30 mm, for example in a range from approximately 0.1 mm to approximately 5 mm, in a range from approximately 0.1 mm to approximately 2 mm.

As shown in FIG. 3A in a schematic side view (top) and plan view (bottom), the substrate carrier 100 may be designed in the form of a bar or in the form of a slat. In this way it is possible for example for multiple substrate carriers 100 of this type to be used in a correspondingly set-up transporting system for transporting substrates. FIG. 3B illustrates the substrate carrier 100 shown in FIG. 3A in a corresponding cross-sectional view (A-A), according to various embodiments.

According to various embodiments, the carrier layer 102 may be longer than the thermal insulating layer 104 and/or the top layer 106. Alternatively, all of the layers of the substrate carrier 100 may be provided flush on top of one another.

According to various embodiments, the thermal insulating layer 104 and (for example optionally) the carrier layer 102 and also the top layer 106 may have a length 300c in a range from approximately 0.5 m to approximately 5 m, for example in a range from approximately 1 m to approximately 4 m.

According to various embodiments, the substrate carrier 100 may have a height 300h (for example inclusive or exclusive of the top layer 106) in a range from approximately 5 mm to approximately 500 mm, for example in a range from approximately 10 mm to approximately 100 mm.

According to various embodiments, the substrate carrier 100 may have a width 300b in a range from approximately 10 mm to approximately 600 mm, for example in a range from approximately 20 mm to approximately 400 mm.

According to various embodiments, the thermal insulating layer 104 may include a carbon-fiber hard felt, which apart from carbon fibers has a binder matrix. Carbon-fiber soft felt on the other hand does not have a matrix or binder. For this reason, carbon-fiber soft felt is flexible and carbon-fiber hard felt is, for example, dimensionally stable.

According to various embodiments, the thermal insulating layer 104, for example including a carbon-fiber hard felt, may have a density in a range from approximately 0.1 g/cm³ to approximately 1 g/cm³, for example in a range from approximately 0.15 g/cm³ to approximately 0.3 g/cm³.

According to various embodiments, the thermal insulating layer 104 may have fibers (for example carbon fibers) with a fiber length in a range from approximately 0.1 mm to approximately 500 mm, for example in a range from approximately 1 mm to approximately 250 mm, for example in a range from approximately 3 mm to approximately 100 mm. According to various embodiments, the thermal insulating layer 104 may have fibers with a fineness in a range from approximately 0.1 dtex to approximately 100 dtex, for example in a range from approximately 0.5 dtex to approximately 25 dtex, for example in a range from approximately 1 dtex to approximately 5 dtex.

According to various embodiments, the thermal insulating layer 104 may have in addition to the fibers a binder (for example a resin, such as for example phenolic resin, furan resin, or phenyl ester, epoxy resin etc.), so that a hard felt layer may be provided.

According to various embodiments, the carrier layer 102 (optionally also the top layer 106) may include CFC, for example on the basis of continuous fibers or staple fibers in the form of a woven fabric. According to various embodiments, the fibers may be aligned in one or more directions.

FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic flow diagram of a method 400 for processing a substrate 120, according to various embodiments. The method 400 may for example include: in 410, placing a substrate 120 on at least one substrate carrier 100 (for example on precisely one substrate carrier 100 or on a multiplicity of substrate carriers 100), the at least one substrate carrier 100 having at least one carrier layer 102 and a thermal insulating layer 104 arranged over the carrier layer, the thermal insulating layer 104 being arranged between the carrier layer 102 and the substrate 120 placed on, the thermal insulating layer 104 having a lower density and/or a lower thermal conductivity than the carrier layer 102; in 420, coating the substrate 120 with a coating material (for example cadmium telluride, CdTe) while the substrate 120 is lying on the at least one substrate carrier 100; and, in 430, removing coating material that adheres to the substrate carrier 100 during the coating of the substrate 120 from the at least one substrate carrier 100, the removal of the coating material from the at least one substrate carrier 100 taking place by irradiating the at least one substrate carrier 100.

According to various embodiments, the thermal insulating layer 104 may include a porous material, for example including carbon, glass or a ceramic material. According to various embodiments, the thermal insulating layer 104 may include a felt (for example hard felt), for example on the basis of carbon fibers, glass fibers or ceramic fibers. According to various embodiments, the thermal insulating layer 104 may include wool, for example on the basis of carbon fibers, glass fibers or ceramic fibers.

If the substrate 120 is lying directly on the thermal insulating layer 104 of the substrate carrier 100, the thermal insulating layer 104 can be irradiated directly to remove the coating material from the thermal insulating layer 104.

If the substrate 120 is lying on the top layer 106 of the substrate carrier 100, the top layer 106 can be irradiated directly to remove the coating material from the top layer 106.

The irradiation may take place for example by a radiant heater or by multiple radiant heaters. According to various embodiments, the irradiation may take place by a halogen lamp or multiple halogen lamps. The at least one halogen lamp that is used may be elongate and aligned transversely in relation to the substrate transporting direction, the substrate transporting direction being defined by the respective transporting system.

According to various embodiments, the irradiation of the substrate carrier 100, i.e. for example of the thermal insulating layer 104 or of the top layer 106, may take place in such a way that at least one region of the substrate carrier (or of the thermal insulating layer 104 or of the top layer 106) is heated up to a temperature of over 500° C.

According to various embodiments, the coating of the substrate 120 may include a high-rate coating at a coating rate of over 1 μm·m/min, for example in a range from approximately 1 μm·m/min to approximately 20 μm·m/min. Consequently, the cleaning of the substrate carrier 100 or the multiple substrate carriers by re-evaporation may be necessary or helpful.

According to various embodiments, the substrate 120 or any desired workpiece may be processed (treated) by various processing installations (processing arrangement). In this respect, a processing installation may be set up in such a way that a substrate can for example be coated, heated, cooled, etched, exposed to light, structured and/or treated in some other way. The treatment (processing) of substrates may take place for example in a vacuum (in a vacuum process chamber), at normal pressure (static pressure or atmospheric pressure in an atmospheric pressure process chamber) or under positive pressure (in a positive pressure process chamber). For coating (for example vapor coating) a substrate, a coating device that is set up in such a way that a sputtering process (cathode sputtering process) can be carried out by the coating device may be used for example. Sputtering processes may be carried out in various ways, for example as direct-current (DC) sputtering, medium-frequency (MF) sputtering, high-frequency (HF) sputtering, in each case using one or more cathodes (targets), using a magnet system (magnetron sputtering), using a reactive gas as reactive sputtering, as high-power pulsed sputtering and/or the like. Furthermore, at least one of the following types of coating may be used for example for the coating (vapor coating) of a substrate or a carrier: chemical gas phase deposition, physical gas phase deposition, thermal evaporation, electron beam evaporation, depositing material with a low evaporation temperature (for example less than 800° C., for example less than 700° C., for example less than 600° C., for example less than 500° C., for example less than 400° C., for example less than 300° C.) from the gas phase. The material is provided by a carrier gas in the process chamber.

Furthermore, the substrate 120 can be transported through a process chamber of a processing arrangement by a transporting device. The substrate 120 can be processed in a processing region of the process chamber. The transporting of substrates 120 of a flat form may take place conventionally directly by transporting rollers, or the substrates (for example wafers) may be transported conventionally by substrate carriers (known as carriers). Substrates in strip form may be conventionally transported for example directly from roller to roller and/or by multiple deflecting rollers in the process chamber.

According to various embodiments, a transporting device by which a substrate or a carrier can be transported through a process chamber of a processing arrangement is provided. The transporting device can form a closed transporting surface (substrate support), so that coating material in the gas phase cannot pass through the closed transporting surface of the transporting device, or only in insubstantial amounts. In this way it is possible for example to bound a coating region in a process chamber effectively in the downward direction by the transporting device. Furthermore, the transporting device may have been set up in such a way that, at each point in time during the operation of the transporting device, a fixed planar transporting level is provided, along which a substrate (for example a substrate in sheet form, for example a glass substrate in sheet form, for example a semiconductor substrate in sheet form) or else multiple substrates can be transported.

FIG. 5A illustrates a transporting device 500 in a schematic view, according to various embodiments. The transporting device 500 may for example have a guiding rail arrangement, with two guiding rails 508 for mounting a multiplicity of substrate carriers 100 (for example in the form of bars). In this case, the two guiding rails 508 may have been aligned substantially parallel to one another and arranged at a distance in such a way that the substrate carriers 100 can be mounted between the two guiding rails 508.

According to various embodiments, the two guiding rails 508 form a closed path of movement along which the substrate carriers 100 can be guided. In this case, each substrate carrier 100 can be moved along the closed path of movement in the guiding rails 508. The substrate carriers 100 may be mounted in each case at their opposite end portions in the guiding rails 508 of the guiding rail arrangement.

According to various embodiments, the transporting device 500 may have a drive device for pushing (driving) at least one substrate carrier 100 of the multiplicity of substrate carriers in such a way that, in a transporting region 500t of the guiding rail arrangement, in each case multiple substrate carriers 100 of the multiplicity of substrate carriers are pushed against one another and the substrate carriers 100 that have been pushed against one another in the transporting region 500t move along the path of movement. Clearly, the substrate carriers 100 pushed against one another in the transporting region 500t can form a closed transporting surface 510.

According to various embodiments, the drive device may have a motor 502, by which a torque can be transferred to a drive shaft 503. The substrate carriers 100 can be pushed along the path of movement by the drive shaft 503. For this purpose, at least one chain wheel 504 (or multiple chain wheels 504, for example two chain wheels 504) may be provided on the drive shaft 503, and in each of the substrate carriers 100 there may have been set up at least one engagement correspondingly matching the at least one chain wheel 504, so that the substrate carriers 100 can be pushed (pushed further) along the path of movement by the at least one chain wheel 504. In the transporting region 500t, the substrate carriers 100 may accumulate in such a way that the substrate carriers 100 lie closely against one another and provide a closed support 510 for transporting a substrate on the closed support.

Clearly, each substrate carrier 100 can move in a circulating direction 501u along the path of movement in the guiding rail arrangement (cf. FIG. 5B), for example roll in the guiding rails 508. The circulating direction 501u may be defined by the transporting direction 501 in which a substrate (not shown) is to be transported in a transporting region 500t of the guiding rail arrangement. In the transporting region 500t, the substrate carriers 100 can form a closed structure, on which a substrate can lie and be transported along the transporting direction 501.

According to various embodiments, a substrate of a flat form for example can be transported horizontally in the transporting direction 501 by the transporting device 500. In this case, a transporting speed of up to approximately 10 m/min, for example up to approximately 6 m/min, may for example be provided by the transporting device 500.

Furthermore, the material for the transporting device 500 may be chosen such that temperatures of for example approximately 800° C. can prevail in the transporting region 500t without the transporting device 500 being impaired or damaged.

For example, a substrate of a flat form can lie on a number of the substrate carriers 100, wherein the substrate carriers 100 may for example be designed as described here.

According to various embodiments, the transporting device 500 may be set up in such a way that for example the respectively neighboring substrate carriers 100 do not have any mechanical connection in relation to one another. The substrate carriers 100 may for example just be guided in the guiding rails 508. The transporting movement may take place by a substrate carrier 100 being pushed against the preceding substrate carrier 100, for example driven by way of the drive motor 502, the drive shaft 503 and the chain wheels 504 arranged for example on both sides of the drive shaft 503.

Clearly, this procedure (manner of driving and mounting the substrate carriers 100) does not cause any gaps between the substrate carriers 100 in the transporting region 100t. In other words, a closed supporting surface 510 for placing on substrates is produced in the transporting region 500t of the transporting device 500. The substrate to be transported may for example lie flat on the supporting area 510 in the transporting region 500t.

FIG. 5B illustrates the transporting device 500 in a schematic cross-sectional view, according to various embodiments.

According to various embodiments, the transporting device 500 may have various regions. The substrate carriers 100 pass these various regions in the circulating direction 501u along the closed transporting path. According to various embodiments, in a driving region 500a, the substrate carriers 100 can be pushed (in a non-reversing manner) in the circulating direction 501u along the closed path of movement by the drive shaft 503 and the two chain wheels 504. In the transporting region 500t (the pushing/conveying region 500t), the pushed substrate carriers 100 may be guided in a straight line, so that a corresponding substrate transporting level is provided in the transporting region 500t.

Furthermore, in a deflecting region 500b (defined by the path followed by the guiding rails 508) after the transporting region 500t, a pushing deflection may take place by a non-driven deflecting shaft 505 and for example two chain wheels 506. According to various embodiments, the pushing deflection in the deflecting region may serve for the uniform deflection of the substrate carriers 100. Furthermore, the pushing deflection may also take place without the deflecting shaft 505 and the chain wheels 506, exclusively by the guiding rails 508.

Furthermore, in a sagging pushing/conveying region 500c (defined by the path followed by the guiding rails 508) after the deflecting region 500b, a cleaning of the substrate carriers 100 may take place. For example, the substrate carriers 100 may be cleaned thermally (by re-evaporation of the coating material deposited on the substrate carriers 100) or mechanically. According to various embodiments, the transporting device 500 may be set up or the guiding rails 508 may be shaped in such a way that the substrate carriers 100 in the sagging pushing/conveying region 500c are moved on a curved path of movement, so that for example gaps open up between the individual neighboring substrate carriers 100, and consequently a greater area of attack is provided for the cleaning of the substrate carriers 100.

According to various embodiments, the transporting device 500 may have a tolerance region 500d (or the guiding rail arrangement may have a tolerance region 500d), by which allowance can be made for example for a thermal change in length and/or various production tolerances. In a way corresponding to the tolerance region 500d, a sloping driven region 500e may be provided in such a way that a slight build-up of the substrate carriers 100 can take place directly before the driven chain wheels 504.

According to various embodiments, the substrate carriers 100 may be pushed in the transporting region 500t from the driving region 500a to the deflecting region 500b, along the transporting direction 501, and in the returning region 500c, 500d, 500e moved from the deflecting region 500b to the driving region 500a again, counter to the transporting direction 501.

Alternatively, the guiding rail arrangement may be set up in such a way that the substrate carriers 100 are also transported in a straight line or along a simply curved path of movement, for example along a c-shaped path of movement, in the returning region 500c, 500d, 500e.

According to various embodiments, the cleaning of the substrate carriers 100 may take place in the returning region 500c. For example, the substrate carriers 100 may be heated up in a first part 500c of the returning region and the substrate carriers 100 may be cooled down or re-emit the heat absorbed in a further part 500d, 500e of the returning region.

According to various embodiments, from the driving region 500a to the tolerance region 500d, the multiplicity of transporting bars 100 may be pushed while lying against one another, and after the tolerance region 500d they may gather again in the sloping driven region 500e to be pushed once again into the driving region 500a.

In FIGS. 6A and 6B, a further transporting device 600 (for example a slat conveyor 600 for transporting substrates) is illustrated in a perspective view and a side view and a cross-sectional view, according to various embodiments.

As shown in FIG. 6A, the moving of a multiplicity of substrate carriers 100 (for example in the form of slats) can for example take place by a chain drive. In this case, the multiplicity of substrate carriers 100 may for example be moved along a closed path of movement.

According to various embodiments, in each case two (continuously circulating) chains 602 may be mounted and driven by at least two shafts 606, 608 with in each case two chain wheels 601 (toothed chain wheels). In this case, the chains 602 may additionally be guided by a sliding rail 605 or by multiple sliding rails 605. Furthermore, the chains may in each case have holders (for example lugs or clips) for holding or receiving the substrate carriers 100, to which the multiplicity of substrate carriers 100 may have been fastened or may be fastened.

The substrate carriers 100 may for example form a closed transporting area 610, on which a substrate or any desired workpiece can be transported. According to various embodiments, the substrate carriers 100 may be designed as described above. The drive of the substrate carriers 100 may take place by the chains 602. The chains 602 may be moved by a motor (drive) 604 and the drive shaft 606 with two chain wheels 601.

According to various embodiments, the chains 602 may have been thermally insulated from the substrate carriers 100 as effectively as possible, so that for example the substrate carriers 100 can be exposed to a greater thermal loading than the chains 602 could withstand. For example, the substrate carriers 100 may be heated up to a temperature of over 1000° C., while the chains 602 may have a maximum operating temperature of approximately 200° C.

In FIG. 6B, a schematic side view of the transporting device 600 shown in FIG. 6A is illustrated, according to various embodiments.

According to various embodiments, the substrate carriers 100 may form in a transporting region 600t of the transporting device 600 a planar supporting area 610 (a planar substrate support), which may be substantially gastight in the vertical direction 615. By the supporting area 610 of the transporting device 600 formed by the substrate carriers 100, it is possible for example for a substrate to be transported along the transporting direction 611 through a process chamber, wherein the substrate carriers 100 can be cleaned in a cleaning region 600r.

For example, the substrate carriers 100 may be cleaned thermally (by re-evaporation of the coating material deposited on the substrate carriers 100) or mechanically. According to various embodiments, the transporting device 600 may be set up or the chain guidance may take place in such a way that the substrate carriers 100 in the cleaning region 600r are moved on a curved path of movement, so that for example gaps open up between the individual neighboring substrate carriers 100, and consequently a greater area of attack is provided for the cleaning of the substrate carriers 100.

In FIGS. 7A to 7D, a processing arrangement 700 is in each case illustrated in various cross-sectional views, according to various embodiments. In this case, the processing arrangement 700 may have at least one transporting device (500, 600), as described above. For example, multiple substrate carriers 100 in the form of bars or in the form of slats may be used for the processing arrangement 700 for transporting substrates in a process chamber 702 of the processing arrangement 700.

According to various embodiments, the processing arrangement 700 may for example have the following: a process chamber 702 for processing a substrate 120 within a processing region 711 of the process chamber 702. The process chamber 702 also has a cleaning region 713 for cleaning at least part of a transporting device 714; a transporting device 714, arranged between the processing region 711 and the cleaning region 713. The transporting device 714 has multiple substrate carriers 100 for carrying and transporting a substrate 120 in the processing region 711. The transporting device 714 is set up in such a way that the multiple substrate carriers 100 can be moved through the cleaning region 713. Each of the multiple substrate carriers 100 has at least one carrier layer 102 and a thermal insulating layer 104 arranged over the carrier layer 102. The thermal insulating layer 104 has a lower density and/or a lower thermal conductivity than the carrier layer 102. The processing arrangement 700 may further include a cleaning device 704 for cleaning the multiple substrate carriers 100 in the cleaning region 713. The cleaning device 704 has at least one radiant heater for heating up the multiple substrate carriers 100 in the cleaning region 713.

According to various embodiments, the transporting device 714 may have a chain drive 600, as described above (for example in FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B). The multiple substrate carriers 100 may be coupled to the chain drive. Alternatively, the transporting device 714 may have two guiding rails 508, as described above (for example in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B), which form a closed path of movement. The multiple substrate carriers 100 are mounted in the two guiding rails 508 and are guided along the closed path of movement by the two guiding rails 508.

According to various embodiments, the processing arrangement 700 may have the following: a process chamber 702 (a chamber housing 702) for processing (for example coating) a substrate 120 within a processing region 711 of the process chamber 702. The process chamber 702 also has a cleaning region 713 for cleaning at least a part or a portion of a transporting device 714. The processing arrangement 700 may further include a transporting device 714 arranged between the coating region 711 and the cleaning region 713. The transporting device 714 has a carrier structure 714a (for example including at least one substrate carrier 100) for carrying and transporting a substrate 120 in the processing region 711. The transporting device 714 is further set up in such a way that the carrier structure 714a of the transporting device 714 can be moved through the cleaning region 713 (or can be moved in the cleaning region 713). The processing arrangement 700 may further include a cleaning device 704 for cleaning the carrier structure 714a (or a part or a portion of the transporting device 714) in the cleaning region 713.

According to various embodiments, the processing arrangement 700 (coating arrangement 700) may have the following: a process chamber 702 for coating a substrate 120 within a coating region 711 of the process chamber 702. The process chamber 702 also has a cleaning region 713 for cleaning at least a carrier structure 714a (for example including at least one substrate carrier 100) of a transporting device 714 for carrying and transporting a substrate 120. The processing arrangement 700 may further include a transporting device 714 arranged between the coating region 711 and the cleaning region 713. The transporting device 714 has a carrier structure 714a for carrying and transporting a substrate 120 in the coating region 711. The transporting device 714 is further set up in such a way that at least the carrier structure 714a of the transporting device 714 can be moved through the cleaning region 713 (or can be moved in the cleaning region 713) The processing arrangement 700 may further include a cleaning device 704 for cleaning at least the carrier structure 714a of the transporting device 714 in the cleaning region 713.

FIG. 7A illustrates a processing arrangement 700 in a schematic cross-sectional view, according to various embodiments.

The processing arrangement 700 may have a process chamber 702 for processing a substrate 120 within the process chamber 702. For processing the substrate 120 within the process chamber 702, the latter may be set up in such a way that the ambient conditions (in other words process conditions such as for example a pressure, a temperature and/or a gas composition within the process chamber) can be set and/or controlled during the processing of the substrate 120. For this purpose, the process chamber 702 of the processing arrangement 700 may for example be set up as air-tight, dust-tight and/or vacuum-tight.

According to various embodiments, the process chamber 702 may be set up as an atmospheric pressure process chamber 702, for providing a process gas environment under atmospheric pressure within the process chamber 702. Within the process chamber 702, for example a gas and/or a gas mixture with a pressure in a range from approximately 900 mbar to approximately 1100 mbar may be provided.

According to various embodiments, the process chamber 702 may be set up as a vacuum process chamber 702, for providing a vacuum or at least a negative pressure within the process chamber 702. In other words, the process chamber 702 may clearly be set up in a stable enough manner that the process chamber 702 can be evacuated (pumped out), so that, when the process chamber 702 has been evacuated, a pressure (for example the prevailing air pressure) can act against the process chamber 702 from the outside without the process chamber 702 being irreversibly deformed and/or damaged.

For the pumping out of the process chamber 702, the process chamber 702 may for example have been coupled to a pump system, so that a negative pressure may be provided within the process chamber 702. The pump system may for example have been set up as a vacuum pump system and/or high-vacuum pump system, so that a vacuum and/or a high vacuum may be provided within the process chamber 702.

Furthermore, a process chamber 702 may form part of a processing installation (for example a vacuum processing installation, a negative pressure processing installation or an atmospheric pressure processing installation). Such a processing installation may for example be set up as an installation known as an in-line processing installation, by which substrates can be continuously processed, or as an installation known as a batch processing installation, by which substrates can be processed in batches.

Furthermore, the process chamber 702 may have been connected to a gas feed, so that the process chamber 702 can be fed a process gas or a gas mixture (for example of a process gas and a reactive gas) by the gas feed.

Furthermore, within the process chamber 702 a substrate 120 (or multiple substrates) may also be coated by a material vapor. The material vapor can be introduced into the process chamber 702 from outside by a carrier gas. Furthermore, within the process chamber 702, a substrate 120 (or multiple substrates) may also be coated by a gas stream, the gas stream including the material to be coated as material vapor. In this case, a process pressure in a range from approximately 1 mbar to approximately 1000 mbar may be provided in the process chamber 702.

For charging and/or discharging a substrate 120 into the process chamber 702 or out of the process chamber 702, the process chamber 702 may have at least one opening 708 (also referred to as an access opening). To be able to provide a vacuum and/or a negative pressure in the process chamber 702, the opening 708 may be set up in such a way that it can be sealed off, for example by a valve, for example by a flap valve or a gap seal.

Furthermore, the process chamber 702 may have a processing region 711, in which a substrate 120 can be processed. The processing of a substrate 120 may for example include working, coating, heating, etching and/or structurally modifying the substrate 120.

For processing the substrate 120, the processing arrangement 700 may for example have a processing source 722, by which a substrate 120 can be processed. The processing source 722 may for example have a heat source 722 (for example a heat radiation source, such as a radiant heater), an ion source 722 (for example an ion beam source), a plasma source 722, an etching gas source 722, a light source 722 (for example a flashlight or laser), an electron source 722 (for example an electron beam source) and/or a material vapor source 722 (for example a magnetron 722 or an electron beam evaporator 722).

Cathode sputtering (known as sputtering or sputter deposition) may be used for example for coating the substrate 120. According to various embodiments, the sputtering may take place by a magnetron 722 (for example a tube magnetron 722 and/or a planar magnetron 722). For this purpose, a material to be deposited (target material) may be atomized by the magnetron 722. The atomized target material can spread into the processing region 711. When a substrate 120 has been arranged in the processing region 711, the atomized target material that has spread into the processing region 711 can be deposited on the substrate 120 and form a layer. In other words, target material atomized during the sputtering can spread away from a magnetron 722 into the processing region 711, so that a substrate 120 can be coated with the atomized target material in the processing region 711.

By analogy, a target material may be made to evaporate by an electron beam evaporator 722 and a substrate 120 coated with the evaporated target material in the processing region 711.

For etching a substrate 120 in the processing region 711, the processing arrangement 700 may have a plasma source 722. The plasma source 722 may clearly be set up in such a way that a plasma that can act on a substrate 120 arranged in the processing region 711 is generated by the plasma source 722. In this case it is possible for example for material to be removed from the substrate 120 by the plasma (in other words etched away). The removed material can spread into the processing region 711. In this way it can be achieved for example that a substrate 120 (for example a surface of the substrate) can be cleaned.

For example, a reactive plasma process can be carried out by the processing source 722 in the processing region of the process chamber 702, for example for etching or coating the substrate 120.

For heating up the substrate 120 in the processing region 711, the processing arrangement 700 may have a heat source 722, for example a radiation source 722 (for example a heat radiation source, for example a radiant heater). In this case, as a result of the irradiation of the substrate, deposited coating material can evaporate away again (re-evaporate) from the heated-up substrate. In this way it can be achieved for example that the substrate (for example a surface of the substrate) can be cleaned.

By analogy, the substrate 120 can be etched by an etching gas source 722. A reactive gas can be provided by the etching gas source 722, allowing the reactive gas to react with the substrate (or a material on the substrate), allowing the reaction product to evaporate away from the substrate.

By analogy, a substrate 120 may be worked, for example heated up and/or etched, by an ion beam source 722. The ion beam source 722 can provide ions that can be emitted in the direction of the substrate. The ions provided by the ion beam source 722 may for example atomize material from the substrate or react with the substrate (or a material on the substrate), allowing the reaction product to evaporate away from the substrate.

By analogy, the substrate 120 may be worked, for example heated up and/or structurally modified, by a light source 722. The light source 722 can emit light (for example ultraviolet light, visible light and/or infrared light) in the direction of the substrate 120 (in the direction of the processing region 711). The light source 722 may have been set up in such a way that the light emitted by the light source 722 has a sufficient light intensity to allow the substrate and/or its surface to be heated up for example to a predefined temperature.

For transporting a substrate 120, the processing arrangement 700 may have a transporting device 714. The transporting device 714 may be set up in the way described above. The transporting device 714 may be further set up in such a way that a substrate 120 can be transported into the processing region 711, out of the processing region 711, and/or within the processing region 711 by the transporting device 714.

For carrying a substrate 120 to be transported, the transporting device 714 may have a carrier structure 714a, on which the substrate to be transported by the transporting device 714 can lie. The carrier structure 714a of the transporting device 714 may be mounted in such a way that it can be moved along a direction 715t. The carrier structure 714a of the transporting device 714 may for example be set up in a continuously circulating manner Furthermore, the transporting device 714 may have a drive 724 for driving the carrier structure 714a. The drive 724 may be part of a drive device. For example, the drive 724 may transfer a force to the carrier structure 714a, so that the latter can be moved. Clearly, the carrier structure 714a may provide a substrate support that is movable (for example along the circulating direction 715).

As described above, the transporting device 714 may have as the carrier structure 714a multiple substrate carriers 100 coupled to a chain drive 724a. The substrate carriers 100 may for example have been connected to chain links of the chain drive 724a and set up in such a way that the substrate carriers 100 are moved in the circulating direction 715 by the chain drive 724a. The substrate carriers 100 may for example have been connected and/or coupled on both sides to the chain links of the drive chains set up in a continuously circulating manner or some other series arrangement of movable elements that are inserted in one another or connected by articulated joints. Clearly, the drive 724 may be coupled to the substrate carriers 714a by a chain drive 724a. The drive may for example have a motor 724 and a shaft and the chain drive 724a may for example have at least one chain wheel and a circulating chain with links for connecting the substrate carriers 100.

According to various embodiments, the chain drive 724a (and also the drive 724) may have been arranged outside the processing region 711 and substrates 120 may be carried and moved within the processing region 711 by the substrate carriers 100.

As described above, the transporting device 714 may have two guiding rails. The carrier structure 714a may have multiple substrate carriers 100 (cf. FIG. 5A to FIG. 5B). The two guiding rails may be set up in such a way that the multiple substrate carriers 100 are mounted between the two guiding rails and guided along a closed path of movement.

Generally, the material that is made to evaporate and/or atomized during the processing of a substrate 120 in the processing region 711 can be deposited on the transporting device 714, for example on the substrate carriers 100. In other words, the transporting device 714, for example the substrate carriers 100, may be contaminated during the processing of a substrate 120 in the processing region 711.

The contamination of the transporting device 714 may for example impair the function of the transporting device 714. For example, a greater force may be necessary for driving the transporting device 714 if more material has been deposited on the transporting device 714. Clearly, a bearing structure of the transporting device 714 that is set up for guiding and/or bearing movable components, for example the substrate carriers 100, may be contaminated, whereby the freedom of movement of the substrate carriers 100 may be restricted.

The depositing of material on the transporting device 714 may for example cause it to become unable to function, whereby the processing of a substrate (for example a process proceeding in the processing chamber 702) may be interrupted. In order to be able to continue processing of a substrate, it may be necessary to change the transporting device 714. Both an interruption of the processing and a change of the transporting device 714 may involve additional costs and production downtime.

According to various embodiments, the carrier structure (for example the multiple substrate carriers 100 pressed against one another) may be set up in such a dust-tight and/or gas-tight manner that further components of the transporting device 714 may be protected from contamination by the carrier structure 714a. According to various embodiments, the carrier structure 714a with its multiplicity of carrier elements (the multiplicity of bars or the multiplicity of slats analogous to the substrate carrier 100 described above) may be set up (for example arranged in series with one another and have a corresponding form) in such a way that the multiplicity of carrier elements form a dust-tight and/or gas-tight substrate support, so that further components of the transporting device 714 may be protected from contamination by the carrier structure 714a. For example, the carrier structure 714a may be set up in such a way that clearly as little material as possible can penetrate through the carrier structure 714a, whereby depositing of material on components of the transporting device 714 that are arranged behind (or underneath) the carrier structure 714a can be prevented or at least reduced.

Clearly, the carrier structure 714a may be contaminated (coated) considerably during the processing of a substrate 120. Material that has been deposited on the carrier structure 714a may impair the processing of a substrate 120. For example, material deposited on the carrier structure 714a may be transferred to a substrate 120 that is being transported by the carrier structure 714a, so that the substrate may be contaminated. It clearly may be necessary to clean the carrier structure 714a. The more material is evaporated for processing, the more frequently cleaning may be required. For example, a process may require that the carrier structure 714a is cleaned periodically, for example once every circulation or each time a predefined number of substrates 120 has been processed.

According to various embodiments, the processing arrangement 700 may have a cleaning device 704 for cleaning the transporting device 714 and/or the carrier structure 714a (for example for re-evaporation of coating material deposited on the carrier structure 714a). The cleaning device 704 may be set up in such a way that at least the carrier structure 714a of the transporting device 714 can be cleaned in a cleaning region 713 of the process chamber 702. For this purpose, the transporting device 714 may be set up in such a way that the carrier structure 714a can be moved through the cleaning region 713.

The cleaning device 704 may be set up in such a way that material deposited on the carrier structure 714a can be carried away or removed during the cleaning by the cleaning device 704.

According to various embodiments, the carrier structure 714a may be heated up for the cleaning. For this purpose, the cleaning device 704 may for example have a heat source 704 (for example an induction heater), a radiation source 704 (for example a heat radiation source, in other words a radiant heater), a light source 704 (for example a flashlight or a laser) and/or an electron source 704 (for example an electron beam source).

Depending on the process pressure, the heating up of the carrier structure 714a may take place by thermal radiation, thermal conduction and/or convection. In other words, any desired suitable heat source may be used.

The cleaning device 704 may for example be set up in such a way that the carrier structure 714a can be heated up, at least in certain portions, in the cleaning region 713 to a temperature greater than a predefined evaporating temperature, for example to a temperature of over 600° C. or over 800° C., for example to a temperature of over 1000° C., for example to a temperature of over 1200° C., for example to a temperature of over 1400° C. The evaporating temperature may clearly be the temperature that is necessary to make material that has been deposited on the carrier structure 714a evaporate away from the carrier structure 714a.

For the intensive cooling of the carrier structure 714a (for example the substrate carriers 100) in the returning region or after the cleaning region 713, it may be necessary, depending on the application, to provide along with the cooling of the carrier structure 714a by radiation of heat to the surroundings also a heat dissipation by thermal conduction and/or convection.

For transporting away the heat, a cooled plate in the cooling-down region 713k may be brought up as close as possible to the carrier structure 714a for example.

If a cooled plate is intended to be provided at a close distance from the carrier structure 714a, and mechanical contact between the cooled plate and the carrier structure 714a is to be avoided, the cooled plate may for example be equipped with nozzles toward the carrier structure 714a. In this way the cooling effect can be increased by an intensive flow of gas against the carrier structure 714a, both by a provided primary gas, which flows out through the nozzles, and by convection of sucked-in gas, which is cooled by the intensive contact with the cooled plate and is fed to the carrier structure 714a along with the primary flow. It may be advisable to suck the gas away again directly at the cooled plate (cooling plate).

FIG. 7B and FIG. 7C illustrate in each case a processing arrangement 700 in a schematic cross-sectional view, for example longitudinally in relation to a transporting direction 715t, for example longitudinally in relation to a direction 701, according to various embodiments.

According to various embodiments, a radiant heater 704 may have been arranged underneath the transporting device 714. The radiant heater 704 may have multiple heating elements 704. The radiant heater may be set up in such a way that thermal radiation (for example infrared radiation) can be produced by the heating elements 704 and emitted into the cleaning region 713. Furthermore, thermal conduction and/or convection may also be produced by the radiant heater 704. The thermal radiation may be produced and emitted in such a way that the carrier structure 714a can be irradiated by the thermal radiation in the cleaning region 713. The carrier structure 1014a can absorb part of the thermal radiation and thereby be heated up. In other words, the radiant heater 704 may be set up in such a way that the carrier structure 714a that is irradiated by the radiant heater 704 can be heated up. Furthermore, the carrier structure 714a may be heated up by thermal conduction and/or convection from the radiant heater 704.

In other words, the radiant heater 704 can be fed energy (for example electrical energy). This heater can convert the energy fed to it into thermal radiation, and by the thermal radiation as an energy source can transfer part of the energy fed to it to the carrier structure 714a in the cleaning region 713, so that the carrier structure 714a can be heated up. In this case, the effective range of the radiant heater 704 may be confined to a small area of the carrier structure 714a or of the transporting device 714, for example the radiant heater 704 may be focused (for example on a line transversely in relation to the transporting direction 715t), so that a great amount of heat can be introduced locally into the carrier structure 714a or the transporting device 714 and material can be made to re-evaporate from the carrier structure 714a or the transporting device 714.

According to various embodiments, any desired suitable heating elements 704 may have been arranged in the process chamber 702 and be operated for heating the carrier structure 714a or the transporting device 714. According to various embodiments, a line heater 704 or multiple line heaters 704 may have been arranged or be arranged in the process chamber 702 and be operated for heating the carrier structure 714a or the transporting device 714.

As described above, the process chamber 702 may have a cooling-down region 713k. Clearly, the carrier structure 714a heated up in the cleaning region 713 may be passed on to the cooling-down region 713k for cooling down. The cooling-down region 713k may be dimensioned in such a way that the carrier structure 714a moved through the cooling-down region 713k can cool down to a temperature less than a predefined cooling temperature, for example to a temperature of less than 1000° C., for example to a temperature of less than 800° C., for example to a temperature of less than 600° C. The predefined cooling temperature may clearly be a temperature to which the carrier structure 714a is to be cooled down before a substrate can once again be transported through the processing region 711 by the cooled-down carrier structure 714a.

In this way it is possible for example to prevent that a substrate 120 transported by the carrier structure 714a is heated up too much by the carrier structure 714a. Otherwise, the coating of the substrate 120 could be impaired, since the substrate 120 would be at too high a temperature.

Clearly, the cooling-down region 713k may act as a cooling-down section. A temperature of the carrier structure 714a can decrease as the carrier structure 714a moves along the cooling-down section. Furthermore, the cooling-down region 713k may be set up in such a way that, after passing through the cooling-down region, the carrier structure 714k is at substantially the same temperature as a substrate to be processed that is intended to be processed by the carrier structure 714a in the processing region 711. Furthermore, the cooling-down region 713k may be set up in such a way that, after passing through the cooling-down region, the carrier structure 714a is at substantially the same temperature as may be required for coating the substrate in the processing region 711.

Furthermore, a thermal insulation 716 may be arranged in the process chamber 702. The thermal insulation 716 may be set up in such a way that heating up of the chamber housing 702 can be reduced. The thermal insulation 716 may furthermore be set up in such a way that heating up of the carrier structure 714a in the cleaning region 713 can take place as effectively as possible. Furthermore, the thermal insulation 716 may be set up in such a way that for example part of the transporting device, for example the drive, may be protected from excessive thermal loading.

According to various embodiments, the thermal insulation 716 may include a thermally insulating material or an evacuated hollow body. In this way it can be achieved for example that heat transfer through the thermal insulation 716 is as low as possible.

According to various embodiments, the thermal insulation 716 may have a coating that is set up in such a way that this thermal radiation is reflected. In this way it can be achieved for example that the thermal insulation 716 clearly absorbs as little thermal radiation as possible, and consequently is heated up as little as possible. Furthermore, in this way it can be achieved for example that thermal radiation re-emitted from the heated-up carrier structure 714a in the cleaning region 713 can be reflected in the direction of the carrier structure 714a, so that the heating up of the carrier structure 714a in the cleaning region 713 takes place as effectively as possible.

In order to assist cooling down of the carrier structure 714a in the cooling-down region 713k, part (for example the part bounding the cooling-down region 713k) of the thermal insulation 716 may have been set up in such a way that thermal radiation emitted from the carrier structure 714a in the cooling-down region 713k is re-emitted and/or reflected as little as possible again to the carrier structure 714a in the cooling-down region 713k. Clearly, the thermal insulation 716 can effectively transport away part of the thermal energy given off by thermal radiation by the carrier structure 714a in the cooling-down region 713k.

According to various embodiments, the heating up of the carrier structure 714a in the cleaning region 713 may take place by a line heater 704. Clearly, a line heater 704 may be set up in such a way that a region heated up by the line heater 704 is a small as possible. In this way it can be achieved for example that clearly as little energy as possible is required for the cleaning of a carrier structure 714a in the cleaning region 713 and/or that the carrier structure 714a is only heated up superficially, so that, although the deposited material can be made to evaporate from the carrier structure 714a, the carrier structure 714a can also cool down again quickly.

Furthermore, the heating up of the carrier structure 714a in the cleaning region 713 can take place locally by a line heater 704, so that after the heating up a cooling down clearly takes place as quickly as possible. In this way it can be achieved for example that a cooling region 713k may be as small as possible or that there may be no need for a cooling region 713k.

According to various embodiments, the transporting device 714 may be set up in such a way that the sagging pushing/conveying region 500c is arranged in the cleaning region 713. In this way it can be achieved for example that elements of the carrier structure 714a that are located in the sagging pushing/conveying region 500c (for example bars) can be cleaned by the cleaning device 704. In this case, the sagging pushing/conveying region 500c may be set up in such a way that, as the carrier structure 714a moves through the sagging pushing/conveying region 500c, a time period in which an element of the carrier structure 714a (for example a substrate carrier 100) is located in the cleaning region 713 is great enough that the element of the carrier structure 714a is cleaned sufficiently, for example is heated up sufficiently, that material deposited on the element of the carrier structure 714a can be made to evaporate away. Furthermore, the carrier elements in the form of bars of the carrier structure 714a of the transporting device 714 may be partially separated from one another on account of the curved path of movement in the sagging pushing/conveying region 500c (for example a gap may be produced between respectively neighboring bars), so that the carrier structure 714a can be cleaned effectively.

FIG. 7D illustrates the processing arrangement 700 shown for example in FIG. 7C in a schematic cross-sectional view, for example from the transporting direction 715t, for example from the direction 701.

As shown in FIG. 7D, the thermal insulation 716 may have multiple thermal insulating wall elements 716, which may have been arranged in such a way that the wall elements 716 can bound or at least partially surround the processing region 711. The thermally insulating wall elements 716 may form a process tunnel, along which the substrate 120 can be transported.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to specific embodiments, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. The scope of the invention is thus indicated by the appended claims and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced.

Claims

1. A method for processing a substrate, the method comprising:

placing the substrate on at least one substrate carrier, the substrate carrier comprising at least one carrier layer and a thermal insulating layer arranged over the carrier layer, the thermal insulating layer being arranged between the carrier layer and the substrate placed on, the thermal insulating layer comprising at least one of a lower density or a lower thermal conductivity than the carrier layer;

coating the substrate with a coating material while the substrate is lying on the at least one substrate carrier; and

removing coating material that adheres to the substrate carrier during the coating of the substrate from the at least one substrate carrier, the removal of the coating material from the at least one substrate carrier taking place by irradiating the at least one substrate carrier.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the thermal insulating layer comprises a porous material, felt or wool on the basis of carbon, glass or a ceramic material.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein the substrate lies directly on the thermal insulating layer of the substrate carrier; and

wherein the thermal insulating layer is irradiated directly during the removal of the coating material.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein the substrate carrier further comprises a top layer, which is arranged over the thermal insulating layer; and

wherein the substrate lies directly on the top layer.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the top layer is irradiated directly during the removal of the coating material.

6. The method of claim 1,

wherein the coating material comprises an evaporation temperature; and

wherein the irradiation of the substrate carrier takes place in such a way that at least one region of the substrate carrier is heated up to a temperature that is greater than the evaporation temperature of the coating material.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein the thermal insulating layer has at least one of a density of less than 1 g/cm3 or a thermal conductivity of less than 1 W/(m·K).

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein the coating of the substrate comprises a high-rate coating at a coating rate of over 1 μm·m/min.

9. A processing arrangement, comprising:

a process chamber configured to process a substrate within a processing region of the process chamber, wherein the process chamber comprises a cleaning region configured to clean at least part of a transporting device;

a transporting device arranged between the processing region and the cleaning region, wherein the transporting device comprises multiple substrate carriers for carrying and transporting a substrate in the processing region, wherein the transporting device is configured in such a way that the multiple substrate carriers can be moved through the cleaning region;

wherein each of the multiple substrate carriers comprises at least one carrier layer and a thermal insulating layer, which is arranged over the carrier layer, the thermal insulating layer comprising at least one of a lower density or a lower thermal conductivity than the carrier layer; and

a cleaning device for cleaning the multiple substrate carriers in the cleaning region, wherein the cleaning device comprises at least one radiant heater for heating up the multiple substrate carriers in the cleaning region.

10. The processing arrangement of claim 9,

wherein the transporting device comprises a chain drive, and wherein the multiple substrate carriers is coupled to the chain drive, or wherein the transporting device comprises two guiding rails, which form a closed path of movement, and wherein the multiple substrate carriers are mounted in the two guiding rails and are guided along the closed path of movement by the two guiding rails.