Electroplating Mask Grooves to Prevent Pattern Deformation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional film forming apparatuses experience plastic deformation of the mask portion due to repeated use, leading to failure in forming a metal film with a desired pattern.
Innovation Solution
A film forming apparatus with a masking member featuring a mesh portion and a mask portion, including penetrating portions and recessed grooves, uses a suction device to remove air and a pressure increase mechanism to uniformly press the substrate with an electrolyte membrane, preventing plastic deformation during repeated film forming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a suction device is used to remove air between the substrate and electrolyte membrane, then air defects in metal film formation are avoided, but the mask portion undergoes plastic deformation due to repeated suction cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The mask portion is segmented into multiple recessed grooves that divide the suction path into multiple channels. This segmentation distributes the suction force across multiple grooves rather than concentrating it at a single point, reducing the stress on any one groove and preventing plastic deformation during repeated cycles while maintaining effective air removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The mask portion features localized recessed grooves at specific positions where air accumulation occurs. These grooves provide localized air evacuation pathways without requiring widespread structural changes to the mask, allowing precise control over where suction occurs and minimizing overall deformation of the mask structure.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the mask portion is made rigid to prevent deformation, then structural stability is improved, but air cannot be effectively removed from the penetrating portions
Solution Approach 1:
The mask portion incorporates recessed grooves that create a porous-like structure for air evacuation. These grooves provide pathways for air to escape from the penetrating portions while the overall mask portion maintains its structural integrity. The groove structure allows selective permeability for air removal without compromising the mask's rigidity.
3Productivity
If repeated film forming is performed using the same masking member, then productivity is improved, but the mask portion deforms plastically leading to pattern formation failure
Solution Approach 1:
The recessed grooves are pre-formed in the mask portion during manufacturing, creating built-in air evacuation pathways before the film forming process begins. This preliminary structure ensures that air is continuously removed during each film forming cycle without requiring post-processing or mask replacement, enabling repeated use while maintaining pattern quality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus ensures consistent formation of a metal film with a desired pattern by suppressing mask portion deformation, maintaining film quality over multiple cycles.
Implementation Method 1
a suction device that sucks air in the penetrating portions via the plurality of recessed grooves
Implementation Method 2
a pressure increase mechanism that increases a pressure of the plating solution contained in the container
Implementation Method 3
forming a metal film having a predetermined pattern on a surface of a substrate by electroplating
Data Source
AI summary
A film forming apparatus includes a masking member. The masking member has a mask portion. The mask portion has formed therein a plurality of penetrating portions that penetrates through the mask portion in accordance with a predetermined pattern to expose the mesh portion and a plurality of recessed grooves provided on a surface opposing an electrolyte membrane of the mask portion so as to be continuous with each of the penetrating portions. The film forming apparatus further includes a suction device that sucks air in the penetrating portions via the plurality of recessed grooves, with the masking member being in contact with a substrate.