Film forming apparatus for forming metal film and film forming method for forming metal film

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12123103-B2
Application number	US-202218045512-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 11, 2022
Priority date	Oct 14, 2021
Publication date	Oct 22, 2024
Grant date	Oct 22, 2024

Abstract

Provided is a film forming apparatus and a film forming method capable of forming a homogenous metal film by suppressing accumulation of an electrolytic solution between a solid electrolyte membrane and a substrate. A film forming apparatus for forming a metal film includes an anode; a solid electrolyte membrane disposed between the anode and a substrate; a power supply that applies a current between the anode and the substrate; a mount base including a housing recess according to a shape of the substrate that is housed therein; and a housing including a storing chamber that stores an electrolytic solution together with the anode and having the solid electrolyte membrane attached thereto to seal the storing chamber. The mount base includes a liquid discharge portion that discharges the electrolytic solution having passed through the solid electrolyte membrane from a position facing an end face of a side wall of the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A film forming apparatus for forming a metal film, comprising:
an anode;
a solid electrolyte membrane disposed between the anode and a substrate that serves as a cathode;
a power supply configured to apply a current between the anode and the substrate;
a mount base on which the substrate is placed; and
a housing including a storing chamber that stores an electrolytic solution together with the anode and having the solid electrolyte membrane attached thereto so as to seal the storing chamber;
wherein
the current is applied in a state where the solid electrolyte membrane is pressed against the substrate with a fluid pressure of the electrolytic solution in the storing chamber to form a metal film from metal ions contained in the electrolytic solution on a surface of the substrate; and
the mount base includes a liquid discharge port configured to discharge the electrolytic solution having passed through the solid electrolyte membrane from a position facing an end face of a side wall of the housing;
wherein
the mount base includes a housing recess that is formed in accordance with a shape of the substrate as a recess for placement,
the liquid discharge port includes a liquid discharge groove, and
the liquid discharge groove is formed to surround the housing recess with a distance from an edge of the housing recess.

2. A film forming apparatus for forming a metal film, comprising:
an anode;
a solid electrolyte membrane disposed between the anode and a substrate that serves as a cathode;
a power supply configured to apply a current between the anode and the substrate;
a mount base on which the substrate is placed; and
a housing including a storing chamber that stores an electrolytic solution together with the anode and having the solid electrolyte membrane attached thereto so as to seal the storing chamber;
wherein the current is applied in a state where the solid electrolyte membrane is pressed against the substrate with a fluid pressure of the electrolytic solution in the storing chamber to form a metal film from metal ions contained in the electrolytic solution on a surface of the substrate, and
the mount base includes a liquid discharge portion port configured to discharge the electrolytic solution having passed through the solid electrolyte membrane from a position facing an end face of a side wall of the housing;
wherein a suction pump that sucks the electrolytic solution from the liquid discharge port is coupled to the liquid discharge port; and
wherein the power supply is configured to apply a current between the anode and the substrate such that a current applied between the anode and the substrate is kept constant during formation of the metal film, the film forming apparatus for forming a metal film further comprising:
a voltmeter configured to measure a voltage across the anode and the substrate; and
a control device configured to control starting and stopping of the suction pump;
wherein during the formation of the metal film, the control device starts the suction pump when a voltage measured by the voltmeter is equal to or higher than a predetermined voltage value, and stops the suction pump after a lapse of a time set in advance after the suction pump is started.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kondoh Haruki

Classifications

• C25D17/002

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

• C25D5/08

  Electroplating with moving electrolyte e.g. jet electroplating {(using locally applied jets of electrolyte C25D5/026)} · CPC title

• C25D17/14

  for pad-plating · CPC title

• C25D17/02

  Tanks; Installations therefor · CPC title

• C25D17/004

  Sealing devices · CPC title