Back to results
US 2019/0376177 A1Published application
Vertical substrate holder
OwnerBryce Patrick Butler, James Gregory Couillard +4inventors
InventorsBryce Patrick Butler, James Gregory Couillard, Ming-Huang Huang, Michael Aaron McDonald, Donald Lynn Presher, ChuanChe Wang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Described herein are apparatuses for holding a substrate in a near vertical position, wherein the design minimizes substrate sag while allowing the substrate to expand and contract under varying thermal conditions. The apparatus minimizes the stress on the substrate, preventing breakage of or damage to the substrate while it undergoes coating and other thermal processes.
Claims21
An article comprising:
- a frame for holding a substrate in an approximately vertical configuration in a thin film deposition system containing a coating device, the frame being dimensionally larger than the substrate, and wherein the substrate has at least a front face, a back face, and at least one edge;
- the frame comprising:
- a) a flat frame section and a channel section, wherein when the article is in the thin film deposition system, the flat frame section is positioned between the coating device and at least part of the substrate, and the channel section is positioned adjacent to the at least one substrate edge;
- i. the flat frame section comprising a protective spacer that contacts the substrate on the front face, the protective spacer comprising a material that will not scratch the surface of the substrate;
- and
- two or more clamps comprising:
- a) a bumper that contacts the substrate on the back face, the bumper comprising a material that will not scratch the surface of the substrate;
- b) a rigid cantilever directly or indirectly connecting the channel section to the bumper;
- and
- c) a force-applying tensioner mechanism that provides a reaction force of less than 25 N on the substrate;
- wherein the article is designed so that when a substrate is in the frame, the substrate is held at an angle φ of from greater than 0° to about 10° forward tilt and experiences a maximum principal stress of less than 100 MPa while undergoing thermal variations of from 17 min to 40°/min over a range of from 0° C. to 400° C.
8 more elements
An article comprising:
- a frame for holding a substrate in an approximately vertical configuration in a thin film deposition system containing a coating device, the frame being dimensionally larger than the substrate, and wherein the substrate has at least a front face, a back face, and at least one edge;
- the frame comprising:
- a) a flat frame section, wherein when the article is in the thin film deposition system, the flat frame section is positioned between the coating device and at least part of the substrate;
- i. the flat frame section comprising a protective spacer that contacts the substrate on the front face, the protective spacer comprising a material that will not scratch the surface of the substrate;
- and
- two or more clamps comprising:
- a) a cantilever spacer directly or indirectly connecting the cantilever to the frame;
- b) an optional bumper that contacts the substrate on the back face, the bumper comprising a material that will not scratch the surface of the substrate;
- c) a rigid cantilever directly or indirectly connecting the cantilever spacer to the bumper, wherein when the optional bumper is not present, the rigid cantilever contacts the substrate on the back face and comprises a material that will not scratch the surface of the substrate;
- and
- d) a force-applying tensioner mechanism that provides a reaction force of less than 25 N on the substrate;
- wherein the article is designed so that when a substrate is in the frame, the substrate is held at an angle φ of from greater than 0° to about 10° forward tilt and experiences a maximum principal stress of less than 100 MPa while undergoing thermal variations of from 5°/min to 40°/min over a range of from 0° C. to 300° C.
9 more elements
An article comprising:
- a frame for holding a substrate in an approximately vertical configuration in a thin film deposition system containing a coating device, the frame being dimensionally larger than the substrate, and wherein the substrate has at least a front face, a back face, and at least one edge;
- the frame comprising:
- a) a flat frame section, wherein when the article is in the thin film deposition system, the flat frame section is positioned between the coating device and at least part of the substrate;
- i. the flat frame section comprising a protective spacer that contacts the substrate on the front face, the protective spacer comprising a material that will not scratch the surface of the substrate;
- and
- two or more clamps comprising:
- a) an optional bumper that contacts the substrate on the back face;
- b) an organic polymer cantilever incorporating a cantilever spacer and that directly or indirectly connects the frame to the bumper, wherein when the optional bumper is not present, the rigid cantilever contacts the substrate on the back face and comprises a material that will not scratch the surface of the substrate;
- and
- c) an optional force-applying tensioner mechanism that provides a reaction force of less than 25 N on the substrate;
- wherein the article is designed so that when a substrate is in the frame, the substrate is held at an angle φ of from greater than 0° to about 10° forward tilt and experiences a maximum principal stress of less than 100 MPa while undergoing thermal variations of from 5°/min to 40°/min over a range of from 0° C. to 300° C.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.