Coating device and coating method

1. A device for depositing a layer onto one or more substrates ( 10 ), the device comprising:

a process chamber ( 2 ) arranged in a reactor housing ( 1 );

at least one temperature-controlled gas inlet element ( 3 ) for introducing a process gas into the process chamber ( 2 ) in a flow direction (S) toward the one or more substrates ( 10 ), wherein the process gas is discharged from a gas discharge surface of the at least one gas inlet element ( 3 );

at least one shielding element ( 6 ) that, when located in a shielding position, is arranged directly downstream of the at least one gas inlet element ( 3 ) with reference to the flow direction (S) and thermally insulates the at least one gas inlet element ( 3 ) and the one or more substrates ( 10 ) from one another;

mask holders ( 7 , 7 ′) arranged downstream of the at least one shielding element ( 6 ) with respect to the flow direction (S) and respectively are configured to hold a mask ( 8 , 8 ′);

substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′) that respectively correspond to one or more of the mask holders ( 7 , 7 ′) and are arranged downstream of the masks ( 8 , 8 ′) with respect to the flow direction (S), wherein said substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′) are physically separated from one another and are configured to hold at least one of the one or more substrates ( 10 ); and

displacement elements ( 11 , 11 ′) assigned to each of the substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′) and configured to displace the substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′) from a first position distant from the mask holders ( 7 , 7 ′), in which the one or more substrates ( 10 , 10 ′) are loaded on and unloaded from the substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′), to a second position adjoining the mask holders ( 7 , 7 ′), in which at least one of the one or more substrates ( 10 , 10 ′) arranged on the substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′) is coated while in contact with one or more of the masks ( 8 , 8 ′),

wherein the at least one shielding element ( 6 ) is a unitary shielding element or multiple shielding elements and is displaceable between the shielding position and a storage space ( 17 ),

wherein the storage space ( 17 ) is formed as a slot in a wall of the reactor housing ( 1 ), the slot having a slot height that is less than a distance between the gas discharge surface of the at least one gas inlet element ( 3 ) and the mask holders ( 7 , 7 ′),

wherein, while the at least one shielding element ( 6 ) is located in the shielding position, the at least one shielding element ( 6 ) is arranged between all of the mask holders ( 7 , 7 ′) and an entirety of the gas discharge surface of the at least one gas inlet element ( 3 ), and

wherein, while the at least one shielding element ( 6 ) is located in the storage space ( 17 ), the one or more substrates ( 10 , 10 ′) are coated.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′) are individually temperature-controlled and individually displaced.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one gas inlet element ( 3 ) comprises a heating element ( 12 ) and the substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′) comprise a cooling element ( 13 , 13 ′).

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one gas inlet element ( 3 ) includes multiple gas inlet elements ( 3 , 3 ′) arranged adjacent to one another.

5. A device for depositing a layer onto one or more substrates ( 10 ), the device comprising:

a process chamber ( 2 ) arranged in a reactor housing ( 1 );

at least one temperature-controlled gas inlet element ( 3 ) for introducing a process gas into the process chamber ( 2 ) in a flow direction (S) toward the one or more substrates ( 10 );

at least one shielding element ( 6 ) that, when located in a shielding position, is arranged directly downstream of the at least one gas inlet element ( 3 ) with reference to the flow direction (S) and thermally insulates the at least one gas inlet element ( 3 ) and the one or more substrates ( 10 ) from one another;

mask holders ( 7 , 7 ′) arranged downstream of the at least one shielding element ( 6 ) with respect to the flow direction (S) and respectively are configured to hold a mask ( 8 , 8 ′);

substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′) that respectively correspond to one or more of the mask holders ( 7 , 7 ′) and are arranged downstream of the masks ( 8 , 8 ′) with respect to the flow direction (S), wherein said substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′) are physically separated from one another and are configured to hold at least one of the one or more substrates ( 10 );

displacement elements ( 11 , 11 ′) assigned to each of the substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′) and configured to displace the substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′) from a first position distant from the mask holders ( 7 , 7 ′), in which the one or more substrates ( 10 , 10 ′) are loaded on and unloaded from the substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′), to a second position adjoining the mask holders ( 7 , 7 ′), in which at least one of the one or more substrates ( 10 , 10 ′) arranged on the substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′) is coated while in contact with one or more of the masks ( 8 , 8 ′); and

adjusting devices ( 14 , 14 ′) for individually adjusting a position of each of the mask holders ( 7 , 7 ′) relative to the substrate holder ( 9 , 9 ′) assigned thereto,

wherein the at least one shielding element ( 6 ) is a unitary shielding element or multiple shielding elements and is displaceable between the shielding position and a storage space ( 17 ),

wherein, while the at least one shielding element ( 6 ) is located in the shielding position, the at least one shielding element ( 6 ) is arranged between all of the mask holders ( 7 , 7 ′) and all gas discharge surfaces of the at least one gas inlet element ( 3 ), and

wherein, while the at least one shielding element ( 6 ) is located in the storage space ( 17 ), the one or more substrates ( 10 , 10 ′) are coated.

6. A method for operating a device comprising a process chamber ( 2 ) arranged in a reactor housing ( 1 ); at least one temperature-controlled gas inlet element ( 3 ) for introducing a process gas into the process chamber ( 2 ) in a flow direction (S) toward the one or more substrates ( 10 ); at least one shielding element ( 6 ) that, when located in a shielding position, is arranged directly downstream of the at least one gas inlet element ( 3 ) with reference to the flow direction (S) and thermally insulates the at least one gas inlet element ( 3 ) and the one or more substrates ( 10 ) from one another; mask holders ( 7 , 7 ′) arranged downstream of the at least one shielding element ( 6 ) with respect to the flow direction (S) and respectively are configured to hold a mask ( 8 , 8 ′); substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′) that respectively correspond to one or more of the mask holders ( 7 , 7 ′) and are arranged downstream of the masks ( 8 , 8 ′) with respect to the flow direction (S), wherein said substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′) are physically separated from one another and are configured to hold at least one of the one or more substrates ( 10 ); and displacement elements ( 11 , 11 ′) assigned to each of the substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′) and configured to displace the substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′) from a first position distant from the mask holders ( 7 , 7 ′), in which the one or more substrates ( 10 , 10 ′) are loaded on and unloaded from the substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′), to a second position adjoining the mask holders ( 7 , 7 ′), in which at least one of the one or more substrates ( 10 , 10 ′) arranged on the substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′) is coated while in contact with one or more of the masks ( 8 , 8 ′), wherein the at least one shielding element ( 6 ) is a unitary shielding element or multiple shielding elements and is displaceable between the shielding position and a storage space ( 17 ), the method comprising:

loading the one or more substrates ( 10 , 10 ′) onto one or more of the substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′) located in the first position;

displacing the one or more substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′) that have been loaded with the one or more substrates ( 10 , 10 ′) from the first position to the second position; and

depositing a layer, which is laterally structured due to utilization of the masks ( 8 , 8 ′), onto the one or more substrates ( 10 , 10 ′) by introducing the process gas into gas distribution volumes ( 5 , 5 ′) assigned to the one or more substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′) that have been loaded with the one or more substrates ( 10 , 10 ′).

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′) remains empty, and wherein a flushing gas, is introduced into the gas distribution volume ( 5 , 5 ′) assigned to the at least one empty substrate holder ( 9 , 9 ′) and is flowed towards the at least one empty substrate holder ( 9 , 9 ′).

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein layers structured by the masks ( 8 ) are deposited onto the one or more substrates ( 10 ) in multiple successive steps, and wherein layer structures, which lie laterally adjacent to one another, are produced on the one or more substrates ( 10 , 10 ′) by laterally changing a position of at least one of the mask holders ( 7 , 7 ′) relative to the substrate holder ( 9 , 9 ′) assigned thereto.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein organic light emitting diode (OLED) layers are deposited on the one or more substrates ( 10 , 10 ′), and wherein a temperature of the at least one gas inlet element ( 3 , 3 ′) is higher than a temperature of the substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′).

10. A device for depositing a layer onto one or more substrates ( 10 ), the device comprising:

a process chamber ( 2 ) arranged in a reactor housing ( 1 );

at least one temperature-controlled gas inlet element ( 3 ) for introducing a process gas into the process chamber ( 2 ) in a flow direction (S) toward the one or more substrates ( 10 ), wherein the at least one gas inlet element ( 3 ) comprises two gas distribution volumes ( 5 , 5 ′) that are separated from one another by a movable diaphragm ( 18 );

at least one shielding element ( 6 ) that, when located in a shielding position, is arranged directly downstream of the at least one gas inlet element ( 3 ) with reference to the flow direction (S) and thermally insulates the at least one gas inlet element ( 3 ) and the one or more substrates ( 10 ) from one another;

mask holders ( 7 , 7 ′) arranged downstream of the at least one shielding element ( 6 ) with respect to the flow direction (S) and respectively are configured to hold a mask ( 8 , 8 ′);

substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′) that respectively correspond to one or more of the mask holders ( 7 , 7 ′) and are arranged downstream of the masks ( 8 , 8 ′) with respect to the flow direction (S), wherein said substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′) are physically separated from one another and are configured to hold at least one of the one or more substrates ( 10 ); and

displacement elements ( 11 , 11 ′) assigned to each of the substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′) and configured to displace the substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′) from a first position distant from the mask holders ( 7 , 7 ′), in which the one or more substrates ( 10 , 10 ′) are loaded on and unloaded from the substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′), to a second position adjoining the mask holders ( 7 , 7 ′), in which at least one of the one or more substrates ( 10 , 10 ′) arranged on the substrate holders ( 9 , 9 ′) is coated while in contact with one or more of the masks ( 8 , 8 ′),

wherein the at least one shielding element ( 6 ) is a unitary shielding element or multiple shielding elements and is displaceable between the shielding position and a storage space ( 17 ),

wherein, while the at least one shielding element ( 6 ) is located in the shielding position, the at least one shielding element ( 6 ) is arranged between all of the mask holders ( 7 , 7 ′) and all gas discharge surfaces of the at least one gas inlet element ( 3 ), and

wherein, while the at least one shielding element ( 6 ) is located in the storage space ( 17 ), the one or more substrates ( 10 , 10 ′) are coated.