JP2023063249A - Surface treatment apparatus and membrane protection member - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a surface treatment apparatus and a membrane protection member capable of preventing breakage of an ion conductive membrane.SOLUTION: An apparatus of the invention includes: a housing which is arranged opposite to an object to be treated and can form a liquid chamber therein; an electrode arranged in the housing; an ion conducting membrane arranged between the liquid chamber and the object to be treated; a first membrane protection member arranged between the object to be treated and the ion conducting membrane; and a power supply unit which applies a voltage between the electrode and the object to be treated, wherein the first membrane protection member includes a first membrane support portion that supports the ion conducting membrane; and by applying a voltage between the electrode and the object to be treated, the surface of the object is treated by electrolysis through the ion conducting membrane and the first membrane support portion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1A

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a surface treatment apparatus, a membrane protective member, and a surface treatment method.

Conventionally, an anode, a cathode, a solid electrolyte membrane arranged between the anode and the cathode, and a power supply section for applying a voltage between the anode and the cathode are provided, and a voltage is applied between the anode and the cathode. Then, there is known a film forming apparatus for forming a metal film on the surface of a substrate by depositing metal ions contained inside a solid electrolyte film on the cathode side (for example, Patent Document 1).

This film forming apparatus includes a solution storage unit that stores a solution containing metal ions between the anode and the solid electrolyte membrane. An opening is formed in the bottom of the solution storage part, and a solid electrolyte membrane is arranged so as to cover the opening. Further, the moving part is connected to the cover part of the solution storage part. The moving part presses the solid electrolyte membrane against the deposition area of the substrate by moving the solid electrolyte membrane toward the substrate together with the solution storage part. Further, the moving part has a function of relatively moving the solid electrolyte membrane and the substrate so as to increase the distance between the metal-coated solid electrolyte membrane and the substrate.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2014-051701

However, in the conventional film forming apparatus, when the solid electrolyte membrane is not in contact with the substrate, the weight of the solution contained in the solution container acts on the solid electrolyte membrane, and the solid electrolyte membrane deforms and breaks. There is Therefore, it is necessary to supply the solution to the solution container while the solid electrolyte membrane is in contact with the substrate, and separate the solid electrolyte membrane from the substrate after discharging the solution. Moreover, since the solid electrolyte membrane is in direct contact with the substrate, there is a problem that the solid electrolyte membrane is easily broken when separating the solid electrolyte membrane from the substrate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a surface treatment apparatus, a membrane protective member, and a surface treatment method that can prevent damage to an ion conductive membrane.

A surface treatment apparatus according to the present invention comprises a housing arranged to face an object to be treated and capable of forming a liquid chamber therein, an electrode arranged in the housing, and the liquid chamber and the object to be treated. an ion conductive film disposed therebetween; a first film protection member disposed between the object to be processed and the ion conductive film; and a power supply section for applying a voltage between the electrode and the object to be processed. and the first membrane protection member includes a first membrane supporting portion that supports the ion conductive membrane, and by applying a voltage between the electrode and the object to be processed, the ion conductive membrane and The surface of the object to be treated is treated by electrolysis via the first membrane supporting portion.

In the surface treatment apparatus according to the present invention, the first membrane supporting section may be a porous member.

In the surface treatment apparatus according to the present invention, the ion conductive membrane and the first membrane protection member may be attached to the housing.

In the surface treatment apparatus according to the present invention, the first film protection member may further include a covering portion for covering the non-treatment portion of the object to be treated.

In the surface treatment apparatus according to the present invention, the first film protection member is further provided with an energizing portion on the side of the object to be treated of the covering portion, and the energizing portion comprises the power supply portion and the object to be treated. It may be arranged so as to be able to contact a portion of the surface of the object to be processed so as to conduct with the surface.

In the surface treatment apparatus according to the present invention, the covering portion may have water repellency.

In the surface treatment apparatus according to the present invention, the surface of the first film supporting portion may be insulated.

In the surface treatment apparatus according to the present invention, the first membrane supporting portion may be adhered to a surface of the ion conductive membrane facing the object to be treated.

The surface treatment apparatus according to the present invention further includes a second membrane protection member disposed on the liquid chamber side of the ion conductive membrane, the second membrane protection member is provided facing the ion conductive membrane, A second membrane support may be included through which the solution in the liquid chamber can pass, and the ion-conducting membrane may be sandwiched between the first membrane support and the second membrane support.

In the surface treatment apparatus according to the present invention, the second membrane supporting portion may be adhered to the liquid chamber side surface of the ion conductive membrane.

The membrane protection member according to the present invention comprises a housing arranged to face an object to be processed and capable of forming a liquid chamber therein, an electrode arranged in the housing, and the liquid chamber and the object to be processed. an ion conductive film interposed therebetween; and a power supply section for applying a voltage between the electrode and the object to be processed. By applying a voltage between the electrode and the object to be processed, the A membrane protection member for use in a surface treatment apparatus that treats the surface of an object to be treated by electrolysis via an ion-conducting membrane, comprising a membrane supporting portion for supporting the ion-conducting membrane, wherein the object to be treated and the It is configured to be arranged between the ion conductive membrane.

The membrane protection member according to the present invention may comprise a covering portion for covering the untreated portion of the object to be treated.

In the film protection member according to the present invention, a current-carrying part is further provided on the side of the object to be treated of the covering part, and the current-carrying part conducts between the power supply part and the surface of the object to be treated. , may be configured to be able to contact a portion of the surface of the object to be processed.

In the surface treatment method according to the present invention, an ion conductive film is placed between an electrode and an object to be treated, and a voltage is applied between the electrode and the object to be treated, so that A surface treatment method for treating the surface of an object to be treated by electrolysis of a solution in a liquid chamber, wherein the surface treatment is performed while the surface of the ion conductive membrane facing the object to be treated is supported by a membrane protection member. characterized by

In the surface treatment method according to the present invention, the solution is contained in the liquid chamber while the surface of the ion conductive membrane facing the object to be treated is supported by the membrane protection member, and the solution is poured into the liquid chamber. The ion-conducting membrane may be moved toward and away from the object to be processed while being accommodated.

The surface treatment method according to the present invention may include a pressurizing step of pressurizing the inside of the liquid chamber, and a voltage applying step of applying a voltage between the electrode and the object after the pressurizing step.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it becomes possible to provide the surface treatment apparatus, membrane protection member, and surface treatment method which can prevent damage to an ion-conducting membrane.

It is a schematic diagram showing a mold opening state of the surface treatment apparatus according to the present embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic diagram showing a mold closed state of the surface treatment apparatus according to the present embodiment. It is a schematic diagram showing a mold closed state of the surface treatment apparatus according to the present embodiment. 4 is an exploded view showing the first film protection member according to the embodiment; FIG. FIG. 4 is an assembly diagram showing the first film protection member according to the embodiment; 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the first film protection member according to the embodiment; FIG. It is a flow chart which shows the surface treatment method concerning this embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an ion conductive membrane according to a modification of the present invention; FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a first membrane protection member and a second membrane protection member according to a modification of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a modification of the first film protection member according to the embodiment; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the first film protection member according to the present embodiment;

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, the best embodiment for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to each claim, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential for the solution of the invention. .

[Overall configuration of surface treatment apparatus according to the present embodiment]
First, referring to FIG. 1, a surface treatment apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment of the present invention will be outlined. As shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C, the surface treatment apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment deposits metal by, for example, reducing metal ions to form a metal film on the surface E of the object C to be treated. It can be used as a plating processing apparatus for However, the surface treatment apparatus 1 is not limited to this, and can be applied to various apparatuses as long as they can treat the surface E of the object C to be treated.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the object to be processed C is described as being a conductor such as a metal material, but is not limited to this. For example, when the object C to be processed is a material in which a conductor layer is formed on a resin base material, a glass substrate, a silicon wafer, a ceramic substrate, or the like, the surface treatment apparatus 1 can treat the surface of the conductor layer. can also Also, in the present embodiment, the solution is described as being an electrolytic solution, but it is not limited to this.

The surface treatment apparatus 1 is arranged to face an object C to be treated, and includes a housing 4 capable of forming a liquid chamber (closed space, closed space) 3 therein, an electrode 20 arranged in the housing 4, and a liquid chamber. 3 and the object C to be processed, the first film protection member 60 arranged between the object C to be processed and the ion conductive film 6, the electrode 20 and the object C to be processed and a power supply unit 7 for applying a voltage between. The ion conductive membrane 6 and the first membrane protection member 60 are attached to the housing 4 .

Further, the surface treatment apparatus 1 includes a mounting base 2 on which an object to be processed C can be mounted, a moving mechanism 5 for relatively moving at least one of the mounting base 2 and the housing 4 with respect to the other, and a liquid chamber. A solution supply unit (not shown) for supplying or discharging an electrolytic solution into or from the inside 3 and a holding jig 35 for holding the ion conductive film 6 are further provided. The holding jig 35 includes an inner frame membrane jig 36 and an outer frame membrane jig 37 that engages with the inner frame membrane jig 36 .

In the present embodiment, the electrolytic solution is, for example, a liquid containing the metal deposited on the surface E of the object to be processed C in an ion state, and the contained metal is, for example, copper, gold, silver, Nickel etc. are mentioned. The electrolytic solution is obtained by ionizing these metals, and various known electrolytic solutions can be used. Note that the electrolytic solution is not limited to those exemplified here.

The mounting base 2 is arranged between the supporting base 8 and the housing 4, and is configured so that the object to be processed C can be mounted on its surface. In this embodiment, the surface treatment apparatus 1 has the tray 9 into which the workpiece C can be fitted, and the mounting base 2 has a concave portion into which the tray 9 can be fitted. A configuration in which the object C to be processed is fitted onto the mounting base 2 without interposing the tray 9 or a configuration in which the object C to be processed is simply mounted on the mounting base 2 may be employed.

The mounting base 2 and the tray 9 have electrode portions (not shown) that are connected to the object to be processed C when the object to be processed C is placed thereon. The electrode portions of the mounting base 2 and the tray 9 and, in turn, the workpiece C are connected to the negative electrode (− electrode) of the power source portion 7 . Thereby, the object C to be processed constitutes a cathode in the surface treatment apparatus 1 .

The housing 4 is disposed above the mounting base 2 in the vertical direction, and has a bottomed cylindrical shape (a bottomed cylindrical shape, a bottomed rectangular shape, etc.) that constitutes the liquid chamber 3 having an inner upper surface and an inner side surface. ). A rectangular ion conductive membrane 6 and a first membrane protection member 60 are attached to the bottomed cylindrical opening. The housing 4 is formed through a wall surface of the housing 4, and includes a discharge passage 31 capable of discharging the gas in the liquid chamber 3, a supply passage 41 capable of supplying the electrolyte to the liquid chamber 3, and a housing. 4 and a clamp portion 39 for fitting the mounting base 2 to the mounting base 2 .

Further, the housing 4 is provided with a pressurizing mechanism 30 protruding from the side surface of the housing 4 on the outer wall surface of the discharge passage 31 . Further, the housing 4 is provided with a channel opening/closing valve 40 for opening and closing the supply channel 41 . The channel opening/closing valve 40 has a supply/discharge port. The housing 4 is arranged to face the mounting base 2 as described above, and is positioned between the mounting base 2 and the mounting base 2 when moved toward the mounting base 2 by the moving mechanism 5, for example. It is configured to be able to form a liquid chamber 3 that serves as a closed space.

In this embodiment, the upper heater 55 and the insulating member 55a are provided over the entire upper surface of the housing 4, and the lower heater 56 is provided inside the mounting base 2. may not be provided depending on the type of

The pressurizing mechanism 30 is connected to the discharge channel 31 and has an on-off valve that opens and closes the discharge channel 31 . The pressurizing mechanism 30 is configured to be able to open and close the discharge channel 31 and is configured to be capable of pressurizing the electrolytic solution supplied into the liquid chamber 3 . The pressurizing mechanism 30 reduces the volume of the closed space of the liquid chamber 3 formed when the on-off valve is closed between the mounting base 2 and the housing 4, and pressurizes the closed space and the electrolytic solution. .

The clamp part 39 evacuates (preferably evacuates) the air in the lower space between the mounting base 2 and the ion conductive film 6 in a state where the clamping part 39 and the mounting base 2 are fitted to each other. An exhaust means is provided for. The exhaust means has an on-off valve 47 that is opened and closed to reduce the pressure in the lower space. The on-off valve 47 is provided so as to be arranged outside a decompression flow path 48 that opens into the above-mentioned lower space and communicates with the lower side of the clamp portion 39 . Moreover, the clamp part 39 is configured to be able to attach the first film protection member 60 .

The decompression channel 48 is connected via a decompression channel communicating with the liquid chamber 3 (the space above the ion conductive membrane 6), a channel opening/closing valve, and a bypass channel (all not shown). A decompression unit (not shown) having a decompression vacuum pump or the like is connected to the bypass channel. Such a decompression system circuit is provided as a separate circuit from the solution supply system circuit such as the pressurization mechanism 30 and the channel opening/closing valve 40 .

The electrode 20 is a metal plate and is made of any metal material (for example, copper or the like). The electrode 20 is suspended from the inner upper surface of the housing 4 and arranged in the liquid chamber 3 so that the bottom portion 23 of the electrode 20 is positioned directly above the ion conductive membrane 6 .

The electrode 20 is connected to the positive electrode (+ electrode) of the power supply section 7 through the housing 4 . By having such a configuration, the electrode 20 constitutes the anode in the surface treatment apparatus 1 . In addition, the electrode 20 is not limited to a metal plate, and may have various configurations as long as it can be arranged at a position where it is immersed in the electrolytic solution in the liquid chamber 3 (for example, a cage-like member containing metal of arbitrary shape, etc.). ), arrangement mode can be adopted.

The power supply unit 7 applies a voltage between the electrode 20 as an anode and the workpiece C as a cathode.

As shown in FIG. 1C, the moving mechanism 5 relatively moves at least one of the mounting base 2 and the housing 4 toward or away from the other. Specifically, the moving mechanism 5 has a direct-acting rod 51 and is configured to move the housing 4 up and down with the direct-acting rod 51 to move the housing 4 closer to or away from the mounting base 2 . ing.

Further, the moving mechanism 5 moves the liquid chamber 3 between the upper end position (original position: see FIG. 1A) where the housing 4 is farthest from the mounting base 2 and the housing 4 and the mounting base 2 . a decompression position for decompressing the lower space formed by fitting the mounting base 2 and the clamp portion 39 under the liquid chamber 3 and the ion conductive film 6; Further, the housing 4 can be stopped at at least three positions including the processing position (see FIG. 1B) where the housing 4 is brought closer to the mounting base 2 to perform surface processing.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the moving mechanism 5 moves the housing 4 closer to or away from the mounting base 2, but is not limited to this. Further, the moving mechanism 5 is not limited to the configuration including the direct-acting rod 51 described above, and any configuration can be adopted as long as the configuration allows the housing 4 to approach or separate from the mounting base 2. It is possible to

The first membrane protection member 60 includes a first membrane support portion 63 that supports the ion conductive membrane 6 and a first frame portion 61 that supports the first membrane support portion 63, as shown in FIG. Moreover, the first film protection member 60 further includes a covering portion 64 for covering the untreated portion of the object C to be treated. The first film protection member 60 is attached to the lower portion (clamp portion 39) of the housing 4, as shown in FIG. 1A.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first frame portion 61 is a rectangular flat plate, and has an opening 62 in the center which is larger than the surface E of the object C to be processed. In the present embodiment, the first frame portion 61 is made of stainless steel, but it is not limited to this, and various arbitrary configurations can be adopted as long as they have chemical resistance and are difficult to deform. be.

The first membrane supporting portion 63 is a porous member, and metal ions that have passed through the ion conductive membrane 6 can pass through the opening. Specifically, the first film supporting portion 63 is a rectangular mesh material, and is formed to have the same shape and size as the first frame portion 61 . The size of the opening of the first membrane supporting portion 63 is preferably such that the ion conductive membrane 6 arranged on the opening is not excessively deformed by the pressure of the electrolytic solution, but is not limited thereto. As the first film supporting portion 63, for example, a metal mesh such as a stainless steel mesh or a synthetic fiber mesh such as a polyester mesh can be used.

When using a metal mesh, the mesh can be made finer than the synthetic fiber mesh, so the force applied to the ion conductive membrane 6 can be more dispersed, and the pattern of the coating portion 64, which will be described later, can be made finer. Furthermore, since the metal mesh has a higher rigidity than the synthetic fiber mesh, deformation during pressurization is small, and the mesh portion not covered with the coating portion 64 described later contacts the surface E of the object C to be processed. Hateful. When using a metal mesh, it is preferable that the surface of the first film supporting portion 63 is insulated in order to prevent the surface from being plated.

On the other hand, when the synthetic fiber mesh is adopted, there is an advantage that the surface of the first membrane supporting portion 63 is not plated because it is an insulator. In addition, as long as the synthetic fiber has chemical resistance, even an electrolytic solution that causes a chemical reaction with a metal mesh can be used.

In addition, the first film supporting portion 63 is not limited to a mesh (net-like), and may be another porous member. For example, the first film supporting portion 63 may be a member having lattice-like or dot-like openings, or may have a shape having disordered pores such as a porous film or a porous plate. .

As shown in FIG. 4 , the first membrane support portion 63 is attached to the upper surface (housing 4 side) of the first frame portion 61 and overlaps the peripheral edge portion of the first frame portion 61 of the first membrane support portion 63 . A portion (peripheral portion of the first membrane support portion 63 ) is adhered to the peripheral portion of the first frame portion 61 . The surface of the first film supporting portion 63 is insulated by the covering portion 64 .

Furthermore, the peripheral edge of the first membrane supporting portion 63 and the peripheral edge of the first frame portion 61 are subjected to insulation treatment to prevent corrosion due to the electrolyte in the liquid chamber 3 and to prevent energization during voltage application. there is Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the peripheral edge portion of the first membrane support portion 63 and the peripheral edge portion of the first frame portion 61 are covered with a protective film 66 having chemical resistance and insulating properties. there is

As shown in FIG. 4, the covering portion 64 is provided on the surface of the first film supporting portion 63 facing the object C to be processed. Specifically, the covering portion 64 is a photosensitive resin material (emulsion), and is applied on a thin film on the surface of the first film supporting portion 63 on the object C side. In addition, the covering portion 64 is subjected to a water-repellent treatment, and thus has water repellency. The thickness of the covering portion 64 is preferably such that the first film supporting portion 63 does not directly touch the surface E of the object C to be processed. In this embodiment, the coating portion 64 is thicker than the metal coating formed on the surface E of the workpiece C by the surface treatment, but is not limited to this. When the covering portion 64 is thicker than the metal film, the first film support portion 63 interferes with the formed metal film, and the mesh pattern of the first film support portion can be prevented from entering the metal film.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, the covering portion 64 is formed with a pattern for selectively surface-treating the treated portion of the surface E of the object C by exposure and development. Therefore, the portion of the first film supporting portion 63 that overlaps the pattern of the covering portion 64 is not covered with the covering portion 64 . With such a configuration, the surface treatment apparatus 1 can selectively surface-treat only the part of the surface E of the object C to be treated that is not covered by the covering portion 64 .

The first film protection member 60 may be further provided with a current-carrying portion 65 on the side of the workpiece C of the covering portion 64 . The current-carrying part 65 is made of a conductive metal material such as copper, gold, silver, stainless steel, or titanium. It is arranged so as to be able to contact a part of the surface E of C. In this embodiment, the current-carrying part 65 is arranged so as to be connected to the electrode part of the mounting base 2 and the tray 9 and the non-processed portion of the object C to be processed.

8, the conducting portion 65 may be arranged on the surface of the covering portion 64 on the side of the object C to be treated, or as shown in FIG. may be embedded in the face of Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the conducting portion 65 is a foil member and is attached to the covering portion 64 via an adhesive, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the conducting portion 65 may be formed by applying metal particles to the covering portion 64 .

The ion-conducting membrane 6 is a leaf-shaped thin film member formed with a thickness of several μm to several hundred μm (for example, 5 to 450 μm). Examples of the ion conductive membrane 6 include porous membranes and solid electrolyte membranes, and resins such as polyethylene, polypropylene, hydrocarbon-based resins, and fluorine-based resins can be used. The ion conductive film 6 is impregnated with the metal ions in the electrolyte by coming into contact with the electrolyte supplied into the liquid chamber 3 , and when a voltage is applied by the power supply unit 7 , the metal derived from the metal ions is transferred to the ion conductive film 6 . The material is not limited to these as long as it can be deposited on the surface E of the object C to be processed.

The ion conductive membrane 6 is sandwiched between the inner frame membrane jig 36 and the outer frame membrane jig 37 of the holding jig 35 . The ion conductive membrane 6 is held in a uniformly stretched state by being sandwiched between the inner frame membrane jig 36 and the outer frame membrane jig 37 . The inner frame membrane jig 36 and the outer frame membrane jig 37 are attached to the lower part of the housing 4 , and the ion conductive membrane 6 is arranged directly below the electrode 20 arranged in the liquid chamber 3 .

It should be noted that the attachment of the ion conductive film 6 is not limited to the configuration described above as long as the ion conductive film 6 can be stretched without slack. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the first membrane support portion 63 of the first membrane protection member 60 may be adhered to the surface of the ion conductive membrane 6 facing the object C to be processed. With such a configuration, the ion conductive membrane 6 can be held without using the holding jig 35, so that the size of the device can be reduced. In addition, it is possible to prevent the ion conductive membrane 6 from loosening due to the weight of the electrolyte or swelling of the ion conductive membrane 6 .

The surface treatment apparatus 1 may further include a second membrane protection member 70 arranged on the liquid chamber 3 side of the ion conductive membrane 6, as shown in FIG. Specifically, the second membrane protection member 70 is provided facing the ion conductive membrane 6, and includes a second membrane support portion 73 through which the electrolytic solution in the liquid chamber 3 can pass, and the second membrane support portion 73. and a supporting second frame portion 71 . The second membrane protection member 70 is attached above the ion conductive membrane 6 via the inner frame membrane jig 36 of the holding jig 35 . In this case, the first membrane protection member 60 may be attached to the lower portion of the housing 4 via the outer frame membrane jig 37 of the holding jig 35 or may be attached to the clamp portion 39 .

The second frame portion 71 is provided with an opening like the first frame portion 61 of the first film protection member 60 . The second membrane support part 73 is a porous member like the first membrane support part 63, but is not limited to this. Various arbitrary configurations can be adopted as long as they can pass through.

When the second membrane protection member 70 is further provided, the ion conductive membrane 6 is sandwiched between the first membrane support portion 63 of the first membrane protection member 60 and the second membrane support portion 73 of the second membrane protection member 70. ing. With such a configuration, the ion-conducting membrane 6 is supported from both sides, and breakage of the ion-conducting membrane 6 can be further prevented. Further, the second membrane supporting portion 73 may be adhered to the liquid chamber side surface of the ion conductive membrane 6 .

By applying a voltage between the electrode 20 and the object C to be treated, the surface treatment apparatus 1 having the configuration described above electrolyzes the object C to be treated through the ion conductive film 6 and the first film supporting portion 63 . to treat the surface E of

[Description of surface treatment method]
A surface treatment method using the surface treatment apparatus 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing an example of a surface treatment procedure using the surface treatment apparatus 1 according to this embodiment. Schematically, the surface treatment method according to the present embodiment comprises disposing the ion conductive film 6 between the electrode 20 and the object C to be treated, and applying a voltage between the electrode 20 and the object C to be treated. is a surface treatment method for treating the surface E of the object C to be treated by electrolysis of the electrolytic solution in the liquid chamber 3 through the ion conductive film 6, wherein the object C to be treated of the ion conductive film 6 is protected by the film protection member. The surface treatment is performed while supporting the surface facing the .

Further, in the surface treatment method according to the present embodiment, the electrolytic solution is accommodated in the liquid chamber 3 in a state in which the surface of the ion conductive film 6 facing the object C to be treated is supported by the film protection member, The ion-conducting membrane 6 is moved toward and away from the object C to be processed while containing the electrolytic solution.

The surface treatment method according to the present embodiment includes an approaching step of bringing the housing 4 closer to the mounting base 2, a depressurizing step of depressurizing the space between the ion conductive film 6 and the workpiece C, and a first film protecting member. A contact step of bringing the coating portion 64 of the 60 into contact with the surface E of the object C to be processed, a pressurizing step of pressurizing the inside of the liquid chamber 3, and a voltage between the electrode 20 and the object C to be processed after the pressurizing step. and a separating step of separating the housing 4 from the mounting base 2 .

Moreover, the surface treatment method further includes a liquid supply step of injecting the electrolytic solution into the liquid chamber 3 and a liquid draining step of discharging the electrolytic solution from the liquid chamber 3 . This method will be described in detail below.

First, as a preliminary stage of surface treatment, in a state in which the housing 4 is separated from the mounting base 2 (original position: see FIG. 1A), the ion conductive film 6 is attached to the housing 4 by the user according to the surface treatment pattern. A first film protection member 60 having a covering portion 64 is set. After that, the housing 4 is lowered by the moving mechanism 5 and the clamp portion 39 of the housing 4 and the mounting base 2 are fitted.

Next, while the ion conductive membrane 6 is supported by the first membrane supporting portion 63 of the first membrane protecting member 60, an electrolytic solution is injected into the liquid chamber 3 from an external solution supplying portion through the supply channel 41. (S1 in FIG. 5: liquid supply step). When the inside of the liquid chamber 3 is filled with the electrolytic solution, the air remaining inside the liquid chamber 3 is discharged from the discharge channel 31, which is the connection channel of the pressurizing mechanism 30, to the solution supply part. . As the injection of the electrolytic solution is continued, the inside of the liquid chamber 3 is completely filled with the electrolytic solution at normal pressure.

After the inside of the liquid chamber 3 is filled with the electrolytic solution, the housing 4 is moved up to the original position by the moving mechanism 5 , thereby separating the housing 4 from the mounting base 2 . After the housing 4 returns to its original position, the tray on which the workpiece C is placed is set on the placement base 2 . This completes the preparation for surface treatment.

After completion of the preparation, the housing 4 is lowered to the decompressed position again by the moving mechanism 5, and the clamp portion 39 of the housing 4 and the mounting base 2 on which the workpiece C is mounted are fitted (FIG. 5). S2: approaching step). At this time, the fitting position between the clamp part 39 and the mounting base 2 is set to a position where the first film supporting part 63 is as close to the surface E of the workpiece C as possible. The object to be processed C is hermetically sealed in a lower space formed between the mounting base 2 and the ion conductive film 6 and separated from the liquid chamber 3 .

Next, in a state in which the clamp portion 39 of the housing 4 and the mounting base 2 on which the object to be processed C is placed are fitted, the on-off valve 47 provided in the clamp portion 39 is opened, and By opening the above-described flow passage opening/closing valve of the decompression system, the decompression flow passage 48 and the decompression flow passage (not shown) are communicated with each other through the bypass flow passage, and the lower space is decompressed (S3 in FIG. 5: decompression step).

Then, while maintaining the depressurized state, the moving mechanism 5 lowers the housing 4 to the above-described processing position so that the clamp portion 39 of the housing 4 is completely fitted to the mounting base 2, and the first membrane protection member 60 is moved. The covering portion 64 is brought into contact with the surface E of the object to be processed C (S4 in FIG. 5: contact step).

Next, the electrolytic solution in the liquid chamber 3 is pressurized by the pressurizing mechanism 30 provided on the outer side surface of the housing 4 (S5 in FIG. 5: pressurizing step). By this pressurizing step, the covering portion 64 and the surface E of the object to be processed C are brought into close contact with each other, and the portion 64 to be treated exhibits a covering function. Then, while the electrolytic solution in the liquid chamber 3 is pressurized, the power supply unit 7 applies a voltage between the electrode 20 and the workpiece C (S6 in FIG. 5: voltage application step). As a result, a surface treatment is performed in which metal ions are deposited on the treated portion of the surface E of the object C to form a metal coating.

In the present embodiment, the ion conductive membrane 6 and the surface E of the object C to be processed do not come into direct contact with each other, but due to the differential pressure between the space above and below the ion conductive membrane 6, the electrolytic solution seeps out from the ion conductive membrane 6, While filling the surface E of the object C to be processed, a metal film is formed on the part of the object C to be processed.

If a pressure sensor capable of measuring the pressure inside the liquid chamber 3 is installed in the housing 4 and the working air pressure of the pressurizing mechanism 30 is controlled based on the measured value, the electrolytic solution can be pressurized to a desired pressure. It is possible to control the pressure. This state is maintained for a predetermined time, and the surface treatment is completed when the predetermined voltage application time elapses.

After the surface treatment is completed, the housing 4 is lifted to the original position by the moving mechanism 5, thereby separating the housing 4 from the mounting base 2 (S7 in FIG. 5: separation step). After the housing 4 is moved to the original position, the tray 9 on which the object C to be processed is placed is taken out from the mounting base 2 .

When the same pattern of surface treatment is to be continuously performed on a plurality of workpieces C (YES in S8 of FIG. 5), a new workpiece C is set, and the steps from the approaching step to the separating step are repeated again. When the surface treatment is repeated and the electrolytic solution needs to be replaced, after the contact step (S4 in FIG. 5), the clamp portion 39 of the housing 4 and the mounting base 2 are fitted together. , the electrolyte in the liquid chamber 3 is circulated.

If the surface treatment is not to be performed continuously (NO in S8 of FIG. 5), the surface treatment is terminated after the liquid discharge step. Specifically, first, the housing 4 is lowered again by the moving mechanism 5, and the clamp portion 39 of the housing 4 and the mounting base 2 are fitted together. After that, the electrolytic solution in the liquid chamber 3 is discharged from the supply channel 41 having an opening in the housing 4 (draining step). In the liquid draining process, the flow path opening/closing valve 40 and the pressure mechanism 30 are opened, low-pressure air is supplied from the pressure mechanism 30, and the electrolytic solution is drained from the supply/drainage port of the flow path opening/closing valve 40. do. After the liquid is drained, the moving mechanism 5 moves the housing 4 up to the original position, thereby separating the housing 4 from the mounting base 2 .

When changing the surface treatment pattern, the first membrane protection member 60 attached to the housing 4 is removed after the liquid is drained, and a new first membrane protection member 60 having a different surface treatment pattern is attached. After that, the electrolytic solution is injected into the liquid chamber 3, and the steps from the approaching step to the separating step are repeated again.

Through the above steps, a series of surface treatment methods are executed by the surface treatment apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment.

[Advantages of Surface Treatment Apparatus, Film Protection Member, and Surface Treatment Method According to the Present Embodiment]
As described above, the surface treatment apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes a housing 4 arranged to face the object C to be treated and capable of forming the liquid chamber 3 therein, and the electrodes 20 arranged in the housing 4 . , the ion conductive film 6 arranged between the liquid chamber 3 and the object to be processed C, the first film protection member 60 arranged between the object to be processed C and the ion conductive film 6, and the electrode 20 The first membrane protection member 60 includes a first membrane supporter 63 that supports the ion conductive membrane 6, and the electrode 20 and the workpiece C are connected to each other. By applying a voltage between , the surface E of the object C to be processed is processed by electrolysis via the ion conductive membrane 6 and the first membrane supporting portion 63 .

With such a configuration, the surface treatment apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is configured so that the ion conductive film 6 is supported by the first film supporting portion 63 while the ion conductive film 6 is not in contact with the object C to be processed. is supported, the ion conductive membrane 6 does not deform due to the weight of the electrolyte in the liquid chamber 3 or the pressure difference between the upper and lower spaces of the ion conductive membrane 6 that occurs when the pressure is reduced, and during surface treatment Since the ion-conducting film 6 does not come into direct contact with the object C to be processed, there is an advantage that the ion-conducting film 6 can be prevented from being damaged. Furthermore, since the first membrane supporting portion is arranged between the ion conductive film 6 and the object C to be processed, the ion conductive film 6 is brought into close contact with the surface E of the object C to be processed in the decompression process. Residual bubbles can be suppressed.

Moreover, in the surface treatment apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the first membrane supporting portion 63 is a porous member. With such a configuration, there is an advantage that the ion conductive membrane 6 can be supported while the load applied to the ion conductive membrane 6 by the weight of the electrolyte is evenly distributed. Moreover, since it has openings through which the electrolytic solution can pass, it also has the advantage of not hindering the seepage of the electrolytic solution.

Furthermore, in the surface treatment apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, the ion conductive membrane 6 and the first membrane protection member 60 are attached to the housing 4 . With such a configuration, there is an advantage that it is not necessary to remove the first film protection member 60 when repeatedly performing surface treatment on a plurality of objects C to be processed.

Furthermore, in the surface treatment apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, the first film protection member 60 further includes a covering portion 64 for covering the untreated portion of the object C to be treated. With such a configuration, the electrolytic solution seeping out from the ion conductive membrane 6 is prevented from spreading on the object to be processed by the thickness of the covering portion 64, so only the portion of the object to be processed C to be processed is selected. It has the advantage that it can be surface-treated on a regular basis. In addition, since the covering portion 64 is provided on the first film protecting member 60 , a free covering pattern can be realized as compared with the case where the covering portion is provided separately from the first film protecting member 60 .

In addition, in the surface treatment apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the first film protection member 60 is further provided with a conducting section 65 on the side of the object C to be treated of the covering section 64 . It is arranged so as to be able to contact a part of the surface E of the object C to be treated so as to conduct the surface E of the object C to be treated. By providing such a configuration, even if the object to be processed C is a material in which a conductor layer is formed on a resin base material, a glass substrate, a silicon wafer, a ceramics substrate, or the like, the power supply unit 7 can be used. It has the advantage that the surface can be treated by making the conductor layer conductive. In addition, there is an advantage that the workpiece C can be easily connected to the mounting base 2 and the electrodes of the tray 9, and further to the negative electrode of the power source 7. FIG. Furthermore, the power supply unit 7 and the surface E of the object C to be treated are electrically connected in the vicinity of the part to be treated of the object C to be treated, which has the advantage that the accuracy of the surface treatment can be further improved.

Furthermore, in the surface treatment apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, the covering portion 64 has water repellency. With such a configuration, there is an advantage that it is possible to prevent the electrolytic solution exuded from the ion conductive membrane 6 from infiltrating into the covering portion 64 and entering the unprocessed portion of the object C to be processed.

Furthermore, in the surface treatment apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the surface of the first film supporting portion 63 is insulated. By providing such a configuration, there is an advantage that it is possible to prevent the surface of the first film supporting portion 63 from being plated by energizing the first film supporting portion 63 when a voltage is applied.

Further, in the surface treatment method according to the present embodiment, a solution (electrolyte) is accommodated in the liquid chamber 3 while the surface of the ion conductive film 6 facing the object C to be treated is supported by the film protection member. With the solution (electrolyte) contained in 3, the ion conductive film 6 is moved toward and away from the object C to be processed. With such a configuration, there is no need to inject and discharge the electrolytic solution for each cycle, and there is an advantage that the time required for one cycle of surface treatment can be shortened.

Furthermore, the surface treatment method according to the present embodiment includes a pressurizing step of pressurizing the inside of the liquid chamber 3 and a voltage applying step of applying a voltage between the electrode 20 and the object C to be processed after the pressurizing step. . By providing such a configuration, there is an advantage that the adhesion between the covering portion 64 and the surface E of the object to be processed C is improved, and the object can be covered more effectively.

[Modification]
Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above-described embodiments. Various modifications or improvements can be added to the embodiments described above.

For example, in the present embodiment, the first film supporting portion 63 is described as being a porous member, but it is not limited to this. The first membrane supporting portion 63 can adopt various arbitrary configurations as long as the ions passing through the ion conductive membrane 6 can pass therethrough and the ion conductive membrane 6 can be supported.

Although the ion conductive membrane 6 and the first membrane protection member 60 are attached to the housing 4 in the present embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the first film protection member 60 is mounted on the mounting base 2 or the tray 9 so as to cover the processing target C while the processing target C is placed on the mounting base 2 or the tray 9 . may be

In the present embodiment, the first film protection member 60 has been described as further including the covering portion 64 for covering the non-processed portion of the object C to be processed. may not include the covering portion 64 .

In the present embodiment, the first film protection member 60 is further provided with a current-carrying portion 65 on the side of the object C to be processed of the covering portion 64. Although it has been described as being arranged so as to be able to come into contact with a part of the surface E of the object to be treated C so as to conduct the The current-carrying portion 65 may not be further provided on the object C side.

In the present embodiment, the covering portion 64 has been described as having water repellency, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the covering portion 64 may not have water repellency.

In the present embodiment, the surface of the first film supporting portion 63 is treated with insulation, but the present invention is not limited to this. .

In the surface treatment method according to the present embodiment, a solution (electrolyte) is accommodated in the liquid chamber 3 while the surface of the ion conductive film 6 facing the object C to be treated is supported by a film protection member. Although the ion conductive film 6 is moved toward and away from the object C while containing the solution (electrolyte), the present invention is not limited to this. In the surface treatment method according to the present embodiment, the ion conductive film 6 may be brought closer to and away from the object C to be treated while the solution (electrolyte) is not contained in the liquid chamber 3 .

The surface treatment method according to this embodiment includes a pressurization step of pressurizing the inside of the liquid chamber 3 and a voltage application step of applying a voltage between the electrode 20 and the object C to be processed after the pressurization step. Illustrated, but not limited to. The surface treatment method according to this embodiment may not include the pressurizing step and the voltage applying step.

In the present embodiment, the coating portion 64 has been described as an emulsion, but it is not limited to this. For example, the covering portion 64 may be a resin film, a photosensitive resin (dry film, etc.), an insulated metal material (metal mask, etc.), or the like.

In the present embodiment, the ion conductive film 6 has been described as having a rectangular shape, but it is not limited to this, and various arbitrary configurations can be adopted as long as the configuration covers the opening of the housing 4 . For example, it may be circular. Also, the openings of the first frame portion 61 and the second frame portion 71 may have a shape other than a rectangle in accordance with the shape of the ion conductive film 6 .

In the present embodiment, the peripheral edge of the first membrane supporting portion 63 and the peripheral edge of the first frame portion 61 of the first membrane protection member 60 are covered with a protective film 66 having chemical resistance and insulating properties. Although it has been described, it is not limited to this. Various arbitrary configurations can be adopted as long as they do not short-circuit to .

In the present embodiment, the first film supporting portion 63 is formed to have the same shape and size as the first frame portion 61. However, the present invention is not limited to this. It does not have to be the same shape and size as the frame portion 61 .

In the present embodiment, the second membrane protection member 70 is attached to the inner frame membrane jig 36 of the holding jig 35. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Various arbitrary configurations can be adopted as long as they are arranged above the conductive film 6 .

In this embodiment, as a pre-stage of the surface treatment, the housing 4 is lowered, the clamp portion 39 of the housing 4 and the mounting base 2 are fitted together, and the electrolytic solution is injected into the liquid chamber 3 (supplying). liquid process), but it is not limited to this. For example, in the first surface treatment, the electrolytic solution may be injected into the liquid chamber 3 after the contact step.

Although the surface treatment method according to the present embodiment has been described as including the depressurization step, the present invention is not limited to this, and the surface treatment method according to the present embodiment may not include the depressurization step.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 surface treatment apparatus 2 placement base 3 liquid chamber 4 housing 5 movement mechanism 6 ion conductive membrane 7 power supply unit 8 support base 9 tray 20 electrode 23 bottom 30 pressure mechanism 31 discharge channel 35 holding jig 36 inner frame membrane Jig 37 Outer frame film jig 39 Clamp part 40 Channel opening/closing valve 41 Supply channel 47 Opening/closing valve 48 Pressure reduction channel 51 Direct acting rod 55 Upper heater 55a Insulating member 56 Lower heater 60 First membrane protection member 61 First frame Part 62 Opening 63 First membrane supporting part 64 Covering part 65 Conducting part 66 Protective film 70 Second membrane protecting member 71 Second frame part 73 Second membrane supporting part C Object to be treated E Surface

Claims (13)

a housing arranged to face the object to be processed and capable of forming a liquid chamber therein;
an electrode disposed within the housing;
an ion conductive membrane disposed between the liquid chamber and the object to be processed;
a first film protection member disposed between the object to be processed and the ion conductive film;
a power supply unit that applies a voltage between the electrode and the object to be processed,
The first membrane protection member includes a first membrane support that supports the ion conductive membrane,
By applying a voltage between the electrode and the object to be treated, the surface of the object to be treated is treated by electrolysis via the ion conductive membrane and the first membrane supporting portion. processing equipment. The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first film supporting portion is a porous member. 3. The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ion conductive membrane and the first membrane protection member are attached to the housing. 3. The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first film protection member further includes a covering portion for covering a non-treatment portion of said object to be treated. The first film protection member is further provided with a current-carrying portion on the side of the object to be treated of the covering portion,
5. The power supply unit is arranged so as to be able to contact a part of the surface of the object to be processed so as to electrically connect the power supply unit and the surface of the object to be processed. surface treatment equipment. 5. The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the covering portion has water repellency. 3. The surface processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the first film supporting portion is insulated. 3. The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first membrane supporting portion is adhered to a surface of the ion conductive membrane facing the object to be treated. further comprising a second membrane protection member disposed on the liquid chamber side of the ion conductive membrane,
the second membrane protection member includes a second membrane support part provided opposite to the ion conductive membrane and through which the solution in the liquid chamber can pass;
3. The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ion conductive membrane is sandwiched between the first membrane supporting portion and the second membrane supporting portion. 10. The surface treatment apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the second membrane supporting portion is adhered to the liquid chamber side surface of the ion conductive membrane. A housing arranged to face an object to be processed and capable of forming a liquid chamber therein, an electrode arranged in the housing, and an ion-conducting membrane arranged between the liquid chamber and the object to be processed. and a power supply unit for applying a voltage between the electrode and the object to be processed, and by applying a voltage between the electrode and the object to be processed, electrolysis via the ion conductive film A film protection member used in a surface treatment apparatus for treating the surface of the object to be treated,
A membrane protection member comprising a membrane supporting portion that supports the ion-conducting membrane and configured to be arranged between the object to be processed and the ion-conducting membrane. 12. The membrane protection member according to claim 11, further comprising a covering portion for covering the untreated portion of the object to be treated. A conducting portion is further provided on the side of the object to be processed of the covering portion,
13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the current-carrying section is configured to contact a part of the surface of the object to be processed so as to electrically connect the power supply unit and the surface of the object to be processed. A membrane protection member as described.

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