Roller device for guiding a flexible substrate, use of a roller device for transporting a flexible substrate, vacuum processing apparatus, and method of processing a flexible substrate

A vacuum processing apparatus for processing a flexible substrate, comprising:

• a first spool chamber housing a storage spool for providing the flexible substrate;
• a processing chamber arranged downstream from the first spool chamber, the processing chamber comprising a plurality of processing units comprising at least one deposition unit and a roller device for guiding the flexible substrate past the plurality of processing units, the roller device comprising a support surface for contacting the flexible substrate, the support surface having a coating comprising an electronegative polymer;
• and
• a second spool chamber arranged downstream from the processing chamber and housing a wind-up spool for winding the flexible substrate thereon after processing.

A method of processing a flexible substrate in a vacuum processing apparatus, the method comprising:

• unwinding the flexible substrate from a storage spool provided in a first spool chamber;
• processing the flexible substrate, while guiding the flexible substrate by a roller device provided in a processing chamber, the roller device comprising a support surface or contacting the flexible substrate, the support surface having a coating comprising an electronegative polymer;
• and
• winding the flexible substrate on a wind-up spool provided in a second spool chamber after processing.