Film forming apparatus for forming metal film

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11214889-B2
Application number	US-202016816738-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2020
Priority date	Mar 22, 2019
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

Provided is a film forming apparatus for forming a metal film, capable of uniformly pressurizing a substrate surface with an electrolyte membrane subjected to the fluid pressure of an electrolytic solution containing metal ions during film formation even when an insoluble anode is used. A housing of the apparatus includes a partition member between the anode and the electrolyte membrane, for partitioning a housing chamber into first and second housing chambers. The partition member includes a porous body impregnated with cation exchange resin. The first housing chamber houses the anode insoluble in a first electrolytic solution. The second housing chamber has formed therein a hermetically sealed space in which a second electrolytic solution containing metal ions is enclosed within the housing, by the electrolyte membrane and the partition member. The apparatus is also provided with a pump (pressure unit) that pressurizes the second electrolytic solution in the second housing chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A film forming apparatus for forming a metal film, comprising at least:
an anode;
an electrolyte membrane between the anode and a substrate, the substrate serving as a cathode;
a housing having a housing chamber that houses a first electrolytic solution that contacts the anode and a second electrolytic solution that contacts the electrolyte membrane; and
a power supply,
wherein:
the power supply is configured to supply a voltage across the anode and the substrate while the electrolyte membrane is pressurized against the substrate so that metal ions contained in the electrolyte membrane are reduced on a surface of the substrate and a metal film is thus formed on the surface of the substrate,
the electrolyte membrane is attached to the housing to cover an opening of the housing communicating with the housing chamber,
the housing has a partition member between the anode and the electrolyte membrane, the partition member partitioning the housing into a first housing chamber on a side of the anode that houses the first electrolytic solution and a second housing chamber on a side of the electrolyte membrane that houses the second electrolytic solution,
the partition member includes a porous body impregnated with cation exchange resin,
the first housing chamber houses the anode,
the anode is insoluble in the first electrolytic solution,
the first housing chamber comprises an opening to outside of the film forming apparatus to allow gas generated by the anode to rise through the first electrolytic solution and be discharged,
the second housing chamber has a hermetically sealed space in which the second electrolytic solution is enclosed within the housing by the electrolyte membrane and the partition member, the second electrolytic solution containing the metal ions, and
the film forming apparatus comprises a pressure unit configured to press the electrolyte membrane onto the substrate which also pressurizes the second electrolytic solution in the second housing chamber.

2. The film forming apparatus for forming a metal film according to claim 1 , further comprising an actuator that is configured to move the housing toward the substrate to bring the electrolyte membrane into contact with the substrate.

3. The film forming apparatus for forming a metal film according to claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte membrane separates the second electrolytic solution from the substrate.

4. A film forming apparatus for forming a metal film, comprising at least:
an anode;
an electrolyte membrane between the anode and a substrate, the substrate serving as a cathode;
a housing having a housing chamber that houses a first electrolytic solution that contacts the anode and a second electrolytic solution that contacts the electrolyte membrane; and
a power supply,
wherein:
the power supply is configured to supply a voltage across the anode and the substrate while the electrolyte membrane is pressurized against the substrate so that metal ions contained in the electrolyte membrane are reduced on a surface of the substrate and a metal film is thus formed on the surface of the substrate,
the electrolyte membrane is attached to the housing to cover an opening of the housing communicating with the housing chamber,
the housing has a partition member between the anode and the electrolyte membrane, the partition member partitioning the housing into a first housing chamber on a side of the anode that houses the first electrolytic solution and a second housing chamber on a side of the electrolyte membrane that houses the second electrolytic solution,
the partition member includes a porous body impregnated with cation exchange resin,
the first housing chamber houses the anode,
the anode is insoluble in the first electrolytic solution,
the first housing chamber comprises an opening to outside of the film forming apparatus to allow gas generated by the anode to rise through the first electrolytic solution and be discharged,
the second housing chamber has a hermetically sealed space in which the second electrolytic solution is enclosed within the housing by the electrolyte membrane and the partition member, the second electrolytic solution containing the metal ions, and
the film forming apparatus comprises
a pressure unit configured to pressurize the second electrolytic solution in the second housing chamber, and
an actuator that is configured to move the housing toward the substrate to bring the electrolyte membrane into contact with the substrate.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sato Yuki

Classifications

• C25D17/002

  Cell separation, e.g. membranes, diaphragms · CPC title

• C25D3/12

  of nickel or cobalt · CPC title

• C25D17/005

  Contacting devices · CPC title

• C25D21/00

  Processes for servicing or operating cells for electrolytic coating · CPC title

• C25D17/04

  External supporting frames or structures · CPC title