JP2023091220A - Deposition apparatus of metallic film and deposition method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a deposition apparatus that can easily separate an electrolyte membrane from a substrate while preventing the electrolyte membrane from stretching after the deposition of a metallic film.SOLUTION: A control device 60 of a deposition apparatus 1 controls a lifting operation by a lifting device 70 so that a substrate W contacts an electrolyte membrane 13, and controls an application operation by a power supply unit 19 until a metallic film F becomes a prescribed film thickness in a state that a plating solution L heated by a heating apparatus 90 is accommodated in an accommodation tank 15 after the substrate W contacts the electrolyte membrane 13. Next, the control device 60 controls a replacement operation by a replacement mechanism 50 so that the plating solution L is replaced with air after the application operation by the power supply unit 19 is completed, controls the lifting operation by the lifting device 70 so that the electrolyte membrane 13 is spaced from the substrate W, and controls a cooling operation by a cooling device 40 so that the electrolyte membrane 13 spaced from the substrate W is cooled down.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a film forming apparatus and a film forming method for forming a metal film on the surface of a substrate.

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, deposition of metal on the surface of a substrate to form a metal film has been performed (for example, Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 discloses an anode, an electrolyte membrane disposed between the anode and a base material serving as a cathode, a power supply section that applies a voltage between the anode and the base material, and a structure between the anode and the electrolyte membrane. No. 2, a metal film forming apparatus has been proposed, which includes a container for containing an electrolytic solution containing metal ions.

In this film-forming apparatus, a voltage is applied between the anode and the substrate using the power source while the electrolyte membrane is in contact with the substrate. As a result, the metal ions contained in the electrolyte membrane migrate to the surface of the base material in contact with the electrolyte membrane and are reduced on the surface of the base material. As a result, the metal is deposited on the surface of the substrate to form a metal film.

JP 2016-169399 A

By the way, in order to increase the film-forming speed using the film-forming apparatus, a heated electrolytic solution is sometimes used to form a metal film. In this case, the heated electrolytic solution is contained in the containing body, so the heat of the electrolytic solution is transferred to the containing body and the electrolyte membrane.

However, after the formation of the metal film is completed, the electrolytic solution in the container may be replaced with the atmosphere. At this time, the electrolyte adhered to the electrolyte membrane may evaporate into the air or the like in the container due to the heat of the electrolyte membrane. In particular, since the heat stored in the container continues to be transferred to the electrolyte membrane, evaporation of the electrolyte continues to be accelerated, and the electrolyte membrane may become dry. Due to such drying, a plating component (for example, copper sulfate) may be deposited inside or on the surface of the electrolyte membrane. If a film is formed again in a state where the plating components are deposited on the electrolyte film, pits and pinholes may occur in the metal film.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and its object is to provide a metal film deposition apparatus for improving film deposition quality by suppressing the evaporation of the electrolytic solution adhering to the electrolyte membrane. and to provide a film forming method thereof.

In view of the above problems, a metal film deposition apparatus according to the present invention contains an anode, an electrolyte film disposed between the anode and a substrate, the anode and a plating solution, and and a power supply section for applying a voltage between the anode and the base material serving as a cathode, wherein the electrolyte membrane is brought into contact with the base material. a film forming apparatus for forming a metal film derived from metal ions of the plating solution on the surface of the base material by applying the voltage in a state in which the base material is placed on the base material; an elevating device for lifting and lowering at least one of the container and the mounting table so that the electrolyte membrane can be brought into contact with and separated from the base material; and the plating accommodated in the container. A heating device for heating the plating solution so that the temperature of the solution reaches a predetermined temperature; On the other hand, a cooling device that cools the electrolyte membrane, a control device that controls the lifting operation by the lifting device, the application operation by the power supply unit, the switching operation by the switching mechanism, and the cooling operation by the cooling device. The control device controls the lifting operation by the lifting device so that the substrate contacts the electrolyte membrane, and after the substrate contacts the electrolyte membrane, the substrate is heated by the heating device. With the plating solution stored in the container, the voltage applying operation by the power supply unit is controlled until the metal film reaches a predetermined thickness, and after the voltage application operation by the power supply unit is completed, the plating solution is released into the atmosphere. The switching operation by the switching mechanism is controlled so that the electrolyte membrane is replaced with the base material, the lifting operation by the lifting device is controlled so that the electrolyte membrane is separated from the base material, and the electrolyte membrane separated from the base material is cooled. The cooling operation of the cooling device is controlled.

According to the present invention, first, the control device controls the lifting operation by the lifting device so that the base material comes into contact with the electrolyte membrane. By this control, the electrolyte membrane can be brought into contact with the substrate mounted on the mounting table.

Next, after the base material comes into contact with the electrolyte film, the plating solution heated by the heating device is stored in the container, and the voltage application operation by the power supply unit is controlled until the metal film reaches a predetermined thickness. do. With this control, when a voltage is applied between the anode and the substrate while the electrolyte membrane is in contact with the substrate, the metal ions move to the surface side of the substrate via the electrolyte membrane, and the substrate At the surface, it can be reduced to deposit metal. As a result, a metal film derived from the deposited metal can be formed on the surface of the substrate. In particular, by using a heated plating solution, the deposition rate of the metal film can be increased.

Next, the control device controls the replacement operation by the replacement mechanism so that the plating solution is replaced with the air after the power supply unit finishes the application operation. As a result, the plating solution stored in the container is replaced with the atmosphere. Next, the control device controls the lifting operation by the lifting device so that the electrolyte membrane is separated from the substrate. With this control, the electrolyte membrane is separated from the substrate after the plating solution stored in the container is replaced with the air, so that the electrolyte membrane can be prevented from being deformed by the weight of the plating solution itself.

Since the electrolyte membrane spaced from the substrate is exposed, the control device controls the cooling operation by the cooling device so as to cool the electrolyte membrane. Here, for example, during the film formation described above, the heat of the plating solution heats the container and the electrolyte film, and the heated plating solution is discharged from the container when the atmosphere is replaced. . At this time, the plating solution adhering to the electrolyte membrane evaporates into the replaced air, and the heat of the container is transferred to the electrolyte membrane. However, in the present invention, even if the heat from the containing body is transferred to the electrolyte membrane, the electrolyte membrane is cooled by the cooling device. can be done. As a result, when the metal film is formed again, it is possible to suppress film formation defects caused by precipitation of components from the plating solution due to drying.

Here, the cooling device may include, for example, a radiator plate that is in contact with the electrolyte membrane to absorb and dissipate the heat of the electrolyte membrane, or may include a spray nozzle that sprays cooling water or the like. However, as a more preferable aspect, the cooling device includes an air nozzle for cooling the electrolyte membrane with air. According to the present invention, since the electrolyte membrane is cooled by the air from the air nozzle, the electrolyte membrane can be easily cooled. In particular, since cooling can be performed in a dry environment by air from the outside of the film forming apparatus without using liquid or the like, cooling can be achieved in a simpler and cleaner environment.

This specification also discloses a method for forming a metal film as the present invention. In the method for forming a metal film according to the present invention, a voltage is applied between an anode and the substrate, which serves as a cathode, while an electrolyte film in contact with a plating solution containing metal ions is in contact with the substrate. and a film forming method for forming a metal film derived from metal ions contained in the electrolyte film on the surface of the base material, wherein the electrolyte film covering an opening formed in a container is formed by the electrolyte film. After being brought into contact with the base material arranged opposite to the film, the anode and the base material are separated from each other until the metal film has a predetermined thickness while the heated plating solution is contained in the container. applying a voltage between and forming the metal film; after forming the metal film, replacing the plating solution contained in the container with the atmosphere; and exposing the plating solution to the atmosphere After the replacement, the step of separating the electrolyte membrane from the substrate and the step of cooling the electrolyte membrane separated from the substrate are included.

According to the present invention, first, after the electrolyte membrane is brought into contact with the base material, a voltage is applied between the anode and the base material while the heated plating solution is contained in the container. As a result, the metal ions migrate to the surface side of the substrate through the electrolyte membrane, are reduced on the surface of the substrate, and deposit the metal. As a result, a metal film derived from the deposited metal is formed. By applying such a voltage until the metal film reaches a predetermined film thickness, a metal film having a desired film thickness can be formed.

Next, after the formation of the metal film, the plating solution contained in the containing body is replaced with the atmosphere before separating the solid electrolyte film from the substrate. Next, after replacing the plating solution with air, the electrolyte membrane is separated from the substrate. As a result, even if the electrolyte membrane is separated from the base material, the plating solution contained in the container is replaced by the air, so that the electrolyte film can be prevented from being deformed by the weight of the plating solution itself.

In addition, since the electrolyte membrane separated from the substrate is exposed, the electrolyte membrane can be easily cooled. At the time of film formation, the container and the electrolyte film are heated by the heat of the plating solution, and the heated plating solution is discharged from the container at the time of air exchange. At this time, the plating solution adhering to the electrolyte membrane evaporates into the replaced air, and the heat of the container, which has a larger heat capacity than the electrolyte membrane, is transferred to the electrolyte membrane. However, in the present invention, even if the heat from the containing body is transferred to the electrolyte membrane, the electrolyte membrane is cooled. Precipitation of components can be suppressed. As a result, when a metal film is formed again, it is possible to suppress film formation defects caused by precipitation of components from the plating solution due to the drying.

As a more preferable film forming method, cooling of the electrolyte film is performed by blowing air. According to this aspect, since the electrolyte membrane is cooled by blowing air, the electrolyte membrane can be easily cooled. In particular, the electrolyte membrane can be cooled in a dry environment more easily and inexpensively than cooling using ice, dry ice, or the like. This makes it possible to cool the electrolyte membrane in a simpler and cleaner environment.

According to the present invention, film formation quality can be improved by suppressing evaporation of the electrolytic solution adhering to the electrolyte membrane.

1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a metal film deposition apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. (a) is a schematic plan view of the cooling device shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from below, and (b) is a BB cross-sectional view of (a). 2(a) is a schematic plan view of a modification of the cooling device shown in FIG. 2(a), and FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining control of the film forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the contacting step shown in FIG. 4 using the film forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1; 5 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the film forming process shown in FIG. 4 using the film forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the replacement step shown in FIG. 4 using the film forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1; FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the separation step shown in FIG. 4 using the film forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A metal film forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the film forming apparatus 1 accommodates an anode 11, an electrolyte membrane 13 arranged between the anode 11 and the substrate W, the anode 11 and the plating solution L, and and a housing body 15 in which the opened opening 15 g is covered with the electrolyte membrane 13 . In addition, in FIG. 1, the plating solution L is not stored in the container 15 . The film forming apparatus 1 includes a power supply unit 19 that applies a voltage between the anode 11 and the base material W serving as a cathode, a mounting table 20 on which the base material W is placed, and an elevating device 70 that elevates the container 15 . , is further provided.

In the film forming apparatus 1 , the substrate W placed on the mounting table 20 is brought into contact with the electrolyte film 13 by the lifting device 70 , and the power supply unit 19 operates between the anode 11 and the substrate W. A voltage is applied to form a metal film on the surface wa of the substrate W. As shown in FIG. At the time of film formation, the metal ions contained in the electrolyte film 13 from the plating solution L are reduced on the surface wa of the base material W, the metal derived from the metal ions is deposited, and the deposited metal forms the metal film F. (See, for example, FIG. 6).

The substrate W functions as a cathode. The material of the substrate W is not particularly limited as long as it functions as a cathode (that is, a surface having conductivity), and is made of metal materials such as copper, silver, gold, nickel, aluminum, and iron. Alternatively, the surface of the resin, ceramics, or the like may be coated with a metal layer made of the metal described above.

The mounting table 20 is made of a conductive material and is arranged below the container 15 so that the base material W faces the electrolyte membrane 13 . A recess 21 for accommodating the substrate W is formed in the mounting table 20 . A base material (specifically, a cathode) W is electrically connected to the negative electrode of the power source section 19 via the mounting table 20 . When the mounting table 20 is made of an insulating material, the negative electrode of the power source section 19 may be directly connected to the base material W via wiring.

The anode 11 is attached to a later-described container 15 so as to face the mounting table 20 (specifically, the base material W), and is electrically connected to the positive electrode of the power supply unit 19 via a lead wire or the like. ing. The anode 11 has a shape corresponding to the film-forming region of the substrate W. As shown in FIG. The film-forming region of the base material W is the surface of the surface wa of the base material W that faces the anode 11 and that functions as a cathode. Anode 11 is a non-porous (for example, non-porous) anode made of the same metal as the metal of the metal film, and is a block-shaped or plate-shaped anode. The anode 11 is made of the same metal as the metal film, and may be soluble or insoluble in the plating solution L. However, the anode may also be a porous, mesh, or metal ball lined container, provided that the required surface area is met.

When the anode 11 is soluble in the plating solution L, examples of its material include copper, nickel, silver, and tin. In the present embodiment, there is no particular limitation as long as the anode 11 is dissolved by applying a voltage using the power supply section 19 . When the anode 11 is insoluble in the plating solution L, platinum, titanium, titanium alloys, or the like can be used.

The plating solution (electrolytic solution) L is a solution containing the metal of the metal film to be formed as described above in the form of ions. Examples of the metal include copper, nickel, silver, and tin. be able to. The plating solution L is an aqueous solution obtained by dissolving (ionizing) these metals with an acid such as nitric acid, phosphoric acid, succinic acid, sulfuric acid, or pyrophosphoric acid. For example, when the metal is nickel, examples of the plating solution L include aqueous solutions of nickel nitrate, nickel phosphate, nickel succinate, nickel sulfate, nickel pyrophosphate, nickel sulfamate, and the like. For example, when the metal is copper, the plating solution L may be an aqueous solution containing copper sulfate, copper pyrophosphate, or the like.

The electrolyte membrane (solid electrolyte membrane) 13 is a flexible membrane that can be impregnated (contained) with metal ions when brought into contact with the plating solution L described above. The electrolyte membrane 13 is not particularly limited as long as the metal ions are reduced in the substrate W when a voltage is applied by the power supply unit 19 and the metal derived from the metal ions can be deposited. The material of the electrolyte membrane 13 is, for example, fluorine-based resin such as Nafion (registered trademark) manufactured by DuPont, hydrocarbon-based resin, polyamic acid resin, or ion such as Selemion (CMV, CMD, CMF series) manufactured by Asahi Glass Co., Ltd. A resin having an exchange function can be mentioned.

As shown in FIG. 1, the housing body 15 is made of a material insoluble in the plating solution L, and the anode 11 and the electrolyte membrane 13 are attached to the housing body 15 . In this embodiment, a storage space S for storing the plating solution L is formed inside the container 15 by the side wall of the container 15 , the anode 11 and the electrolyte membrane 13 . An anode 11 is attached to the inner surface of the container 15 , and an opening 15 g that opens toward the base material W is formed at a position facing the anode 11 . The opening 15g opens downward, and the electrolyte membrane 13 is attached so as to seal the opening 15g. In this embodiment, the periphery of the electrolyte membrane 13 is attached to the container 15 by being sandwiched between the main body 15a and the frame 15b of the container 15 . The anode 11 and the electrolyte membrane 13 are arranged apart from each other and are in a non-contact state, and a storage space S formed between them is filled with the plating solution L during film formation. Thus, the container 15 has a structure in which the plating solution L contained in the container space S directly contacts the anode 11 and the electrolyte membrane 13 .

A supply channel 15c for supplying the plating solution L to the accommodation space S and a discharge channel 15d for discharging the plating solution L from the accommodation space S are formed in the container 15 . The supply channel 15c and the discharge channel 15d communicate with the accommodation space S. Both the supply channel 15 c and the discharge channel 15 d communicate with the housing space S in the vicinity of the electrolyte membrane 13 .

The elevating device 70 is a device for elevating at least one of the container 15 and the mounting table 20 so that the electrolyte membrane 13 and the substrate W can be brought into contact with each other. In this embodiment, the mounting table 20 is fixed without moving, and the lifting device 70 lifts and lowers only the container 15 . Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the lifting device 70 includes a device main body 71 and a rod 72 that moves linearly with respect to the device main body 71. The rod 72 moves along the container body. It is attached to the top of 15. The lifting device 70 may be a known electric actuator that converts rotation of a motor such as a servomotor into linear motion. As long as the electrolyte membrane 13 can be brought into contact with and separated from the substrate W by linear motion, the lifting device 70 may be provided on the mounting table 20, or may be a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder. good.

The circulation mechanism for circulating the plating solution L in the film forming apparatus 1, the cooling device 40 for cooling the electrolyte film 13, and the control device 60 will be described below. The film forming apparatus 1 is connected to a container 15 as a circulation mechanism, and a tank 17 that stores the plating solution L discharged from the container 15 is connected to the tank 17 to circulate the plating solution L in the tank 17. and a pump 18 for pumping to the container.

An electric heating device 90 for heating the plating solution L is provided in the tank 17 . The heating method of the heating device 90 is not particularly limited as long as it can heat the plating solution L to a predetermined temperature. For example, a steam heater may be used. In this embodiment, the plating solution L stored in the tank 17 is heated by the heating device 90, and the heated plating solution L is supplied from the tank 17 to the storage space S of the container 15 by the pump 18. Therefore, the deposition rate of the metal film F can be increased. Although the heating device is provided in the tank 17 in this embodiment, the heating device is not limited to the tank 17 as long as the heated plating solution L can form a metal film. For example, if a film can be formed using the plating solution L heated to a predetermined temperature, the heating device may be provided in the container 15, and the supply between the tank 17 and the container 15 may be performed. It may be provided on the path 87 . The term "path" used in the present embodiment refers to a flow path formed by piping and through which the plating solution L or atmospheric air (that is, atmospheric air) flows.

In this embodiment, the tank 17 is connected to the containing body 15 via the supply path 87 . A pump 18 is provided in the supply path 87, and the pump 18 is capable of rotating forward and backward. When the pump 18 rotates forward, it is possible to send the plating solution L from the tank 17 to the container 15, and when it rotates in the reverse direction, it is possible to send the plating solution L from the container 15 to the tank 17. becomes.

Discharge paths 83 and 84 for returning the plating solution L discharged from the container 15 to the tank 17 are connected to the container 15 . In this embodiment, a three-way valve 56 is provided between the discharge path 83 and the discharge path 84 . The three-way valve 56 is connected to an open path 85 open to the atmosphere in addition to the discharge paths 83 and 84 . The three-way valve 56 has a first switching position in which the discharge paths 83 and 84 are communicated, and a second switching position in which the discharge path 83 and the open path 85 are communicated. Each switching position by the three-way valve 56 is controlled by the controller 60 .

Here, as shown in FIG. 6, if the pump 18 is operated to rotate forward and the three-way valve 56 is controlled to the first switching position, the plating solution L is supplied to the container 15 in the film forming apparatus 1. The plating solution L can be circulated while being filled. Specifically, the plating solution L stored in the tank 17 is supplied by the pump 18 to the container 15 via the supply path 87, and the plating solution L discharged from the container 15 is transferred to the discharge path 83 and the discharge It is returned to tank 17 via path 84 .

In this embodiment, for example, the discharge path 84 may be provided with a pressure regulating valve (not shown) for adjusting the liquid pressure of the plating solution L discharged from the container 15 . As a result, the liquid pressure of the plating solution L accommodated in the accommodation space of the container 15 can be adjusted to the pressure set by the pressure regulating valve.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7, by rotating the pump 18 in the reverse direction and controlling the three-way valve 56 to the second switching position, the plating solution L contained in the container 15 can be replaced with the atmosphere. can. Specifically, when the three-way valve 56 is in the second switching position and the pump 18 is rotated in reverse, atmospheric air is sucked through the open path 85 and flows into the container 15 through the discharge path 83, The plating solution L contained in is returned to the tank 17 . As a result, the accommodation space S of the accommodation body 15 is filled with atmospheric pressure air (atmosphere).

In this embodiment, the three-way valve 56, the open path 85, and the pump 18 constitute the replacement mechanism 50. As shown in FIG. However, the replacement mechanism is not limited to such an apparatus mechanism, and the replacement mechanism is a mechanism in which a liquid drain hole is provided near the bottom of the container 15 and the plating solution L is discharged by the weight of the plating solution L. may In addition, the replacement mechanism may be a mechanism that pumps air into the storage space S of the storage body 15 using an air pump 51 (to be described later) or another air pump. The configuration of the exchange mechanism is not particularly limited as long as the plating solution L can be exchanged with the air in the container 15 .

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a cooling device 40 is provided for cooling the electrolyte membrane 13 separated from the substrate W. As shown in FIG. The cooling device 40 includes an air nozzle 41 that cools the electrolyte membrane 13 with air A. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2( a ), the air nozzle 41 has a loading/unloading mechanism 42 for loading/unloading the air nozzle 41 from/to the device main body 43 . The apparatus body 43 is connected to a compressor (not shown) or an air pipe (not shown) for supplying air A compressed from the atmospheric air. The loading/unloading mechanism 42 is a cylindrical member, and is telescopic so that the air nozzle 41 can be accommodated therein. The loading/unloading mechanism 42 is connected to a direct-acting actuator (not shown) provided on the apparatus main body 43 . In this embodiment, the actuator is driven to move the air nozzle 41 between the base material W and the electrolyte membrane 13 during cooling, and to move the air nozzle 41 inside the loading/unloading mechanism 42 at other times.

As shown in FIG. 2(b), the air nozzle 41 is formed by forming a plurality of through holes 41b along the longitudinal direction in a cylindrical header tube 41a through which compressed air from the apparatus main body 43 flows. . Through hole 41 b is formed toward electrolyte membrane 13 . The air nozzle 41 is connected to an air supply path (not shown) that supplies compressed atmosphere (air), and an on-off valve (not shown) provided in the air supply path allows the air to flow into the air nozzle 41. supply takes place.

In this way, when the above-described on-off valve is opened and the compressed air A is allowed to flow through the air nozzle 41, the air A can be blown toward the electrolyte membrane 13 from the through hole 41b. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the blown air A flows along the surface of the electrolyte membrane 13 toward the edge of the electrolyte membrane 13 . As a result, the heat transferred from the container 15 to the periphery of the electrolyte membrane 13 can be efficiently cooled by the air A. Since it is possible to cool the electrolyte membrane 13 in a dry environment with the air A from the outside of the film forming apparatus 1 without using a liquid or the like, cooling of the electrolyte membrane 13 can be realized in a simpler and cleaner environment. . In this specification, the term “air” means compressed air, and the term “atmosphere” means air at atmospheric pressure.

Furthermore, the cooling device 40 may be provided with an air nozzle 41 that surrounds the electrolyte membrane 13 in plan view, as in the modification shown in FIG. 3(a). The air nozzle 41 has a plurality of through-holes 41b formed in a frame-shaped header tube 41a. Specifically, the heta tube 41a is a pipe formed by bending a straight steel pipe and joining both ends thereof by welding or the like. ) is connected.

As shown in FIG. 3B, through hole 41b is formed diagonally inward toward electrolyte membrane 13 (specifically, so as to be inclined toward the center of electrolyte membrane 13). As a result, the periphery of the electrolyte membrane 13 that is likely to be heated by the container 15 can be cooled by the air discharged from the through holes 41 b of the air nozzle 41 . A pair of guide rails 46 , 46 are attached to the air nozzle 41 . A flexible tube (not shown) is attached to the air nozzle 41 along a guide rail 46, and compressed air is supplied to the air nozzle 41 via the tube.

The air nozzle 41 is slid along the guide rail 46 and inserted between the substrate W and the electrolyte membrane 13 during cooling by an actuator (not shown) attached to the air nozzle 41 . After cooling, the air nozzle 41 slides along the guide rail 46 to a retracted position removed from between the substrate W and the electrolyte membrane 13 .

2 and 3, the air nozzle 41 is movable so as to be inserted between the substrate W and the electrolyte membrane 13 during cooling. However, if, for example, the air A can be blown onto the electrolyte membrane 13 to cool the electrolyte membrane 13, even if the air nozzle 41 is fixed at a position removed from between the container 15 and the mounting table 20, good. Also, instead of the air nozzle, a blower having a blower fan or the like may be provided.

The control device 60 controls the lifting operation by the lifting device 70 , the application operation by the power supply unit 19 , the switching operation by the switching mechanism 50 (specifically, the driving of the pump 18 and its rotation direction), the circulation operation by the pump 18 , and the cooling device 40 . to control the cooling action. Note that the application operation of the power supply unit 19 is the operation of a switch that applies a voltage from the power supply unit 19 .

Although not shown, the control device 60 includes a storage device (not shown) that stores a control program for executing the following series of steps, and an arithmetic device (not shown) that executes the control program. The storage device further stores set values such as the starting timing and drive time of the pump 18, the application start time and application time of the power supply unit 19, and the amount of displacement by the lifting device 70. FIG. A signal from a pressure sensor (not shown) for measuring the pressure in the housing space S of the housing body 15 is input to the control device 60 by an input device or the like.

The control flow of the control device 60 will be described with reference to FIG. 4 below. The control device 60 performs the following series of operations. First, the installation step S1 is performed. Specifically, in this step, the substrate W is placed on the mounting table 20 by controlling a conveying device (not shown) and the like. At this time, the alignment of the substrate W with respect to the anode 11 attached to the container 15 may be adjusted, and the temperature of the substrate W may be adjusted.

Next, a contact step S2 is performed. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5 , the control device 60 controls the lifting operation by the lifting device 70 so that the substrate W contacts the electrolyte membrane 13 . By this control, the rod 72 of the lifting device 70 is extended, and the electrolyte membrane 13 covering the opening 15g of the container 15 can be brought into contact with the substrate W. As shown in FIG.

Next, liquid transfer step S3 is performed. In this step, the control device 60 controls driving of the pump 18 and controls the three-way valve 56 to the first switching position. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5, by driving the pump 18 in forward rotation, the plating solution L heated to a predetermined temperature by the heating device 90 is supplied from the supply path 87 to the container 15 in the tank 17. It can be supplied to the accommodation space S and returned to the tank 17 via the discharge paths 83 , 84 .

Here, if the liquid pressure of the plating solution L accommodated in the accommodation space S can be maintained at a predetermined pressure by the above-described pressure regulating valve, the control device 60 will operate the pump 18 even during film formation. It may be driven continuously. Further, an on-off valve (not shown) may be provided in the discharge path 83 and the control device 60 may close the on-off valve to stop the pump 18 when a predetermined pressure is maintained. In this embodiment, the electrolyte membrane 13 is brought into contact with the substrate W before the plating solution L is accommodated in the container 15. It is sufficient that the plating solution L is accommodated in the accommodation body 15 and the electrolyte membrane 13 is in contact with the substrate W before performing the following film forming step S4.

Next, film-forming process S4 is performed. In this step, the control device 60 controls the voltage application operation by the power source section 19 until the metal film F reaches a predetermined thickness after the substrate W contacts the electrolyte membrane 13 . Specifically, a voltage is applied between the anode 11 and the substrate W while the plating solution L is accommodated (filled) in the container 15 and the electrolyte membrane 13 is in contact with the substrate W. is applied, the metal ions migrate to the surface side of the base material W through the electrolyte membrane 13, are reduced on the surface wa of the base material W, the metal is deposited, and the metal film F is formed. By applying such a voltage until the metal film F reaches a predetermined film thickness, the metal film F having a desired film thickness can be formed.

Next, the replacement step S5 is performed. In this step, the control device 60 controls the replacement operation of the replacement mechanism 50 (specifically, the pump 18 and the three-way valve 56) so that the plating solution L is replaced with the atmosphere after the power supply unit 19 completes the application operation. . Specifically, the control device 60 switches the three-way valve 56 to the second switching position and reversely rotates the pump 18, so that the plating solution L in the storage space S of the storage body 15, as shown in FIG. It is returned to tank 17 via supply path 87 . At the same time, air is introduced into the open path 85 , and the introduced air is supplied to the accommodation space S of the container 15 via the discharge path 83 . When almost all of the plating solution L is discharged from the accommodation space S, the control device 60 stops the pump 18 . Note that FIG. 7 shows a stage in the middle of replacing the plating solution L accommodated in the accommodation space with the air.

Next, the separating step S6 is performed. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, the control device 60 controls the lifting operation by the lifting device 70 so that the electrolyte membrane 13 is separated from the substrate W. As shown in FIG. This control separates the electrolyte membrane 13 from the substrate W. As shown in FIG.

Here, for example, during the film formation described above, the container and the electrolyte film are heated by the heat of the plating solution, and the heated plating solution L is discharged from the container 15 in the replacement step S5. At this time, the plating solution L adhering to the electrolyte membrane 13 evaporates into the replaced atmosphere, and the heat of the container 15 is transferred to the electrolyte membrane 13 . As a result, the electrolyte membrane 13 may be dried and plating components may be deposited on the electrolyte membrane 13 . Using the electrolyte membrane 13 in this state, pits and pinholes may occur in the metal film F formed through the series of steps described above. From such a point, in this embodiment, the following cooling process S7 is performed.

In the cooling step S<b>7 , the control device 60 controls the cooling operation by the cooling device 40 so as to cool the electrolyte membrane 13 . Specifically, in the separating step S6, since the electrolyte membrane 13 separated from the substrate W is exposed, the air nozzle 41 is inserted between the mounting table 20 and the container 15, and the electrolyte membrane 13 is removed from the air nozzle 41. Blow air A onto As the control of the cooling operation, the control device 60 controls the movement of the air nozzle 41 by the actuator (not shown) described above, and controls the blowing of the air A by the on-off valve provided on the path for supplying the air A. (not shown).

Finally, an extraction step S8 is performed. In this step, the air nozzle 41 after the cooling step S7 is retracted from between the mounting table 20 and the container 15, and the substrate W is taken out from the mounting table 20 by controlling a conveying device or the like (not shown). When forming a metal film F on a new substrate W, a series of these steps are repeated.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, even if the heat from the container 15 is transferred to the electrolyte membrane 13, the electrolyte membrane 13 is cooled by the cooling device 40 in the cooling step S7. It is possible to prevent the electrolyte membrane 13 from drying due to the transferred heat. As a result, when forming the metal film F again, it is possible to suppress film formation defects caused by precipitation of components from the plating solution due to drying.

Using the thermal network method, the temperature of the peripheral part of the electrolyte membrane (the part directly heated from the container) and the temperature of the central part of the electrolyte membrane (the part in contact with the atmosphere replaced with the plating solution) were calculated. . Here, it is assumed that a plating solution heated to 70° C. is used to form a metal film. Specifically, as calculation conditions, the temperature of the container was set to 70°C, and the temperature of the atmosphere (air) in the accommodation space of the container was set to 40°C. In this state, in the reference example, the temperature of the peripheral portion and the temperature of the central portion of the electrolyte membrane were calculated under the condition of blowing air at a temperature of 25° C. for 60 seconds. On the other hand, in the reference comparative example, the temperature of the peripheral portion and the temperature of the central portion of the electrolyte membrane were calculated under the condition that air was not blown for 60 seconds. These results are shown in Table 1.

(Results and Discussion)
In the reference example, it was found that the electrolyte membrane was cooled by allowing the air to absorb the heat transferred from the container to the electrolyte membrane by blowing air. On the other hand, in the reference comparative example, it can be seen that the heat from the container was transferred from the peripheral portion to the central portion of the electrolyte membrane.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various designs can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention described in the claims. Changes can be made.

In the present embodiment, the film formation method is performed under the control of the control device, but for example, the series of operations shown in FIG. 4 may be performed manually without being controlled by the control device. can be done by

1: Film forming apparatus, 11: Anode, 13: Electrolyte membrane, 15: Container, 15g: Opening, 17: Tank, 19: Power supply unit, 20: Mounting table, 40: Cooling device, 41: Air nozzle, 50: Replacement mechanism, 60: control device, 70: lifting device, W: base material, L: plating solution

Claims (4)

an anode;
an electrolyte membrane disposed between the anode and a substrate;
a container containing the anode and the plating solution and having an opening facing the base material covered with the electrolyte membrane;
A power supply unit that applies a voltage between the anode and the base material that serves as a cathode,
A film forming apparatus for forming a metal film derived from metal ions of the plating solution on the surface of the base material by applying the voltage while the electrolyte film is in contact with the base material,
The film forming apparatus is
a mounting table for mounting the base material;
an elevating device for elevating at least one of the container and the mounting table so that the electrolyte membrane can be brought into contact with and separated from the base;
a heating device for heating the plating solution so that the temperature of the plating solution contained in the container reaches a predetermined temperature;
a replacement mechanism for replacing the plating solution contained in the container with the atmosphere;
a cooling device for cooling the electrolyte membrane with respect to the electrolyte membrane spaced apart from the base;
A control device that controls the lifting operation by the lifting device, the application operation by the power supply unit, the switching operation by the switching mechanism, and the cooling operation by the cooling device,
The control device is
controlling the lifting operation by the lifting device so that the base material contacts the electrolyte membrane;
After the base material comes into contact with the electrolyte membrane, the power supply unit performs an application operation until the metal film reaches a predetermined thickness in a state in which the plating solution heated by the heating device is contained in the container. to control the
controlling the replacement operation by the replacement mechanism so that the plating solution is replaced with the atmosphere after the application operation by the power supply unit is completed;
controlling the lifting operation by the lifting device so that the electrolyte membrane is separated from the base material;
An apparatus for forming a metal film, wherein the cooling operation of the cooling device is controlled so as to cool the electrolyte film separated from the substrate. 2. The apparatus for forming a metal film according to claim 1, wherein the cooling device includes an air nozzle for cooling the electrolyte film with air. A voltage is applied between the anode and the substrate, which is the cathode, in a state where the electrolyte membrane in contact with the plating solution containing metal ions is in contact with the substrate, and the metal ions contained in the electrolyte membrane are applied. A film formation method for forming a metal film on the surface of the base material,
After the electrolyte membrane covering the opening formed in the container is brought into contact with the base material arranged facing the electrolyte membrane, the heated plating solution is accommodated in the container, a step of applying a voltage between the anode and the base material to form the metal film until the metal film reaches a predetermined thickness;
After forming the metal film, replacing the plating solution contained in the container with the atmosphere;
a step of separating the electrolyte membrane from the substrate after replacing the plating solution with the atmosphere;
cooling the electrolyte membrane separated from the substrate;
A method for forming a metal film, comprising: 4. The method of forming a metal film according to claim 3, wherein cooling of the electrolyte film is performed by blowing air.

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