Abstract
Multi-source evaporation is one of the methods to improve the thickness uniformity of thin films deposited by evaporation. In this study, a simulator for the relative thickness profile of a thin film deposited by a multi-source evaporation system was developed. Using this simulator, the relative thickness profiles of the evaporated thin films were simulated under various conditions, such as the number and arrangements of sources and source-to-substrate distance. The optimum conditions, in which the thickness uniformity is minimized, and the corresponding efficiency, were obtained. The substrate was a 5th generation substrate (dimensions of 1300 mm ${\times}$ 1100 mm). The number of sources and source-to-substrate distance were varied from 1 to 6 and 0 to the length of the major axis of the substrate (1300 mm), respectively. When the source plane, the area on which sources can be located, is limited to the substrate dimension, the minimum thickness uniformity, obtained when the number of sources is 6, was 3.3%; the corresponding efficiency was 16.6%. When the dimension of the source plane is enlarged two times, the thickness uniformity is remarkably improved while the efficiency is decreased. The minimum thickness uniformity, obtained when the number of sources is 6, was 0.5%; the corresponding efficiency was decreased to 9.1%. The expansion of the source plane brings about not only the improvement of the thickness uniformity, but also a decrement of the efficiency and an enlargement of equipment.
