Film formation apparatus and film formation method for forming metal film

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9677185-B2
Application number	US-201414779735-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2014
Priority date	Mar 25, 2013
Publication date	Jun 13, 2017
Grant date	Jun 13, 2017

Abstract

A film formation system for continuously forming metal films with desired thickness on the surfaces of substrates, and increase the film forming speed while suppressing abnormality of the metal films. A film formation system includes an anode; a solid electrolyte membrane between the anode and a substrate serving as a cathode such that a metal ion solution is disposed on the anode side thereof; and a power supply portion for applying a voltage across the anode and the substrate. A voltage is applied across the anode and the substrate o deposit metal out of the metal ions contained in the solid electrolyte membrane onto the substrate surface, thereby forming a metal film made of the metal ions. The anode has a base material, which is insoluble in the metal ion solution, and a metal plating film made of the same metal as the metal film, formed over the base material.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A film formation apparatus for forming a metal film, comprising at least:
an anode;
a solid electrolyte membrane disposed between the anode and a substrate serving as a cathode such that a solution containing metal ions contacts the anode side of the solid electrolyte membrane; and
a power supply portion adapted to apply a voltage across the anode and the substrate, wherein
a voltage is applied across the anode and the substrate by the power supply portion to deposit metal out of the metal ions contained in the solid electrolyte membrane onto a surface of the substrate, thereby forming a metal film made of the metal, and
the anode has a base material and a metal plating film formed over the base material, the base material being insoluble in the solution, and the metal plating film being made of the same metal as the metal film to be formed.

2. The film formation apparatus for forming a metal film according to claim 1 , wherein the anode is a porous body that has holes formed therein to pass the solution containing metal ions therethrough.

3. The film formation apparatus for forming a metal film according to claim 2 , further comprising another anode for plating at a position that is opposite the anode on an opposite side of the substrate with the solution interposed therebetween, the anode for plating being made of the same metal as the metal film to be formed, wherein another power supply portion for plating is connected to the anode for plating and the anode, the power supply portion for plating being adapted to deposit metal of the anode for plating onto a surface of the anode via the solution.

4. A film formation method for forming a metal film, comprising:
disposing a solid electrolyte membrane between an anode and a substrate serving as a cathode;
making a solution containing metal ions contact the anode side of the solid electrolyte membrane;
making the solid electrolyte membrane contact the substrate; and
applying a voltage across the anode and the substrate to deposit metal out of the metal ions contained in the solid electrolyte membrane onto a surface of the substrate, thereby forming a metal film made of the metal on the surface of the substrate, wherein
an anode that is made of a material insoluble in the solution is used as the anode, and a surface of the anode is covered with a metal plating film made of the same metal as the metal film to be formed, and the metal of the metal plating film is made into metal ions to deposit as the metal film.

5. The film formation method for forming a metal film according to claim 4 , wherein a porous body that has holes formed therein to pass the solution containing metal ions therethrough is used as the anode.

6. The film formation method for forming a metal film according to claim 5 , further comprising:
disposing another anode for plating at a position that is opposite the anode on an opposite side of the substrate with the solution containing metal ions interposed therebetween, the anode for plating being made of the same metal as the metal film to be formed; and
applying a voltage across the anode for plating and the anode by another power supply portion for plating, thereby depositing metal of the anode for plating onto the anode as the metal plating film via the solution.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sato Yuki
• Hiraoka Motoki
• Yanagimoto Hiroshi

Classifications

• C25D3/00

  Electroplating: Baths therefor · CPC title

• C25D17/10

  Electrodes {, e.g. composition, counter electrode} · CPC title

• C25D5/00 Primary

  Electroplating characterised by the process; Pretreatment or after-treatment of workpieces · CPC title

• C25D3/38

  of copper · CPC title

• C25D17/12

  Shape or form (C25D17/14 takes precedence) · CPC title