# US 11,111,574 B2 · Vapor deposition apparatus and vapor deposition method

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- Number: US 11,111,574 B2
- Document ID: US11111574B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/313,004
- Filed: 2018-09-14
- Published: 2019-11-28
- Granted: 2021-09-07
- Earliest claimed: 2018-09-14
- Assignees: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Youyuan Kuang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11111574B2

## CPC

- C23C 14/26: by resistance or inductive heating of the source
- C23C 14/243: {Crucibles for source material (C23C14/28, C23C14/30 take precedence)}
- H10K 71/164: {using vacuum deposition}
- H10K 71/40: Thermal treatment, e.g. annealing in the presence of a solvent vapour
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)
- H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES

## Abstract

The invention provides a vapor deposition apparatus, comprising: a heating source, a crucible lid, a first crucible, a second crucible, a moving part, and a bracket. The first and second crucibles and moving part are disposed under the crucible lid; the first crucible is fixed on the bracket; and the first crucible and the second crucible each comprises an inner sidewall, an outer sidewall and a bottom. The crucible lid is mounted on the outer sidewall of the first crucible, the second crucible is fixed to top surface of the moving part; projection of the inner sidewall of the first crucible in vertical direction is located outside the outer sidewall of the second crucible. The density of the heating wire in the first region corresponding to the position of the crucible lid and the first crucible is greater than the density of the second region below the first region.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vapor deposition apparatus, comprising: a cylindrical heating source, a crucible lid housed in the heating source, a first crucible, a second crucible, a moving part, and a bracket;
the first crucible, the second crucible and the moving part being respectively disposed under the crucible lid; the first crucible being fixed on the bracket; the first crucible and the second crucible each comprising an inner sidewall, an outer sidewall disposed on outside of the inner sidewall, and a bottom connecting the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall and located at an end away from the crucible lid; the crucible lid being mounted on the outer sidewall of the first crucible, and an opening being provided at center of the crucible lid, a gap in vertical direction existing between an end of the inner sidewall of the first crucible near the crucible lid and the crucible lid; height of the outer sidewall of the first crucible being greater than or equal to height of the inner sidewall; the second crucible being fixed to top surface of the moving part; projection of the inner sidewall of the first crucible in vertical direction being located outside the outer sidewall of the second crucible;
the heating source comprising a cylindrical casing and a heating wire sleeved on the casing, the casing having a first region corresponding to position of the crucible lid and the first crucible and a second region located below the first region; density of the heating wire in the first region being greater than the density of the heating wire in the second region;
wherein the vapor deposition apparatus further comprises a third crucible housed in the heating source; the third crucible is disposed under the crucible lid; the third crucible comprises an inner sidewall, an outer sidewall disposed outside the inner sidewall, and a bottom connecting the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall and located at an end away from the crucible lid; the projection of the inner sidewall of the first crucible in vertical direction is located outside the outer sidewall of the third crucible; projection of the inner sidewall of the third crucible in vertical direction is located outside the outer sidewall of the second crucible; a first limiting portion is disposed at bottom portion of inner surface of the inner sidewall of the first crucible, a second limiting portion is disposed at top portion of outer surface of the outer sidewall of the third crucible, projections of the first limiting portion and the second limiting portion in vertical direction at least partially overlap, the first limiting portion is located below the second limiting portion; the bottom portion of the inner surface of the inner sidewall of the third crucible is provided with an elastic limiting unit, projection of the elastic limiting unit in vertical direction at least partially overlaps with projection of the outer sidewall of the second crucible in vertical direction; when a gap existing between an end of the third crucible near the crucible lid and the crucible lid and the outer sidewall of the second crucible is located in below the elastic limiting unit, the moving part is moved upward, the outer sidewall of the second crucible pushes the elastic limiting unit of the third crucible to raise the third crucible; when the end of the third crucible near the crucible lid contacts the crucible lid and the outer sidewall of the second crucible is located below the elastic limiting unit, the moving part is moved upward, and the outer sidewall of the second crucible compresses the elastic limiting unit to move into inside of the inner sidewall of the third crucible.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vapor deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner sidewalls and the outer sidewalls of the first crucible and the second crucible are both cylindrical; the axes of the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall of the second crucible are coincident with the axes of the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall of the first crucible.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The vapor deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein shape of the crucible lid is round.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The vapor deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the casing is cylindrical and axis of the casing coincides with the axis of the inner sidewall of the first crucible.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The vapor deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the opening is disposed correspondingly to the axis of the inner sidewall of the first crucible.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The vapor deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner sidewalls and the outer sidewalls of the first crucible, the second crucible and the third crucible are all cylindrical; the axes of the inner sidewall of the outer sidewall of the second crucible, the axes of the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall of the first crucible are coincident with the axes of the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall of the third crucible.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The vapor deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a groove is disposed corresponding to the elastic limiting unit at the bottom surface of the inner surface of the inner sidewall of the third crucible; the elastic limiting unit comprises a spring disposed in the corresponding groove and a protruding portion contacting an end of the spring away from bottom of the groove and exposed outside the groove; an end of the protruding portion away from the bottom of the groove is a circular arc surface;
projection of the protruding portion in vertical direction at least partially overlaps with the projection of the outer sidewall of the second crucible in vertical direction; when a gap existing between an end of the third crucible near the crucible lid and the crucible lid and the outer sidewall of the second crucible is located in below the elastic limiting unit, the moving part is moved upward, the outer sidewall of the second crucible pushes the circular arc surface at the end of the protruding portion away from the bottom of the groove to raise the third crucible; when the end of the third crucible near the crucible lid contacts the crucible lid and the outer sidewall of the second crucible is located below the elastic limiting unit, the moving part is moved upward, and the outer sidewall of the second crucible pushes the circular arc surface at the end of the protruding portion away from the bottom of the groove to compresses the spring to move the protruding portion towards the bottom of the groove so that the second crucible moves to inside the inner sidewall of the third crucible.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The vapor deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the moving part is a piston, and a lower surface of the piston is provided with a rod.