Solution containing metal component, method of and apparatus for forming thin metal film

Abstract

A solution containing a metal component comprises composite ultrafine metal particles each having a core substantially made of a metal component and a covering layer made of an organic compound chemically bonded to the core. The core has an average diameter ranging from 1 to 10 nm. The composite ultrafine metal particles are uniformly dispersed in a solvent.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A solution containing a metal component, comprising composite ultrafine metal particles each having a core substantially made of a metal component and a covering layer made of an organic compound chemically bonded to said core; 
 wherein said core has an average diameter ranging from 1 to 10 nm; and    said composite ultrafine metal particles are uniformly dispersed in a solvent.    
     
     
         2 . A solution containing a metal component, comprising composite ultrafine metal particles each having a core substantially made of a metal component and a covering layer made of an organic compound chemically bonded to said core; 
 wherein said core has an average diameter ranging from 1 to 50 nm; and    said composite ultrafine metal particles are uniformly dispersed in a solvent.    
     
     
         3 . A solution containing a metal component, comprising: 
 at least one of composite ultrafine metal particles and an organic metal compound; and    a metal powder having an average particle diameter ranging from 1 to 10 μm;    wherein each of said composite ultrafine metal particles has a core substantially made of a metal component and a covering layer made of an organic compound chemically bonded to said core;    said core has an average diameter ranging from 1 to 10 nm; and    said at least one of said composite ultrafine metal particles and said organic metal compound and said metal powder are uniformly dispersed in a solvent.    
     
     
         4 . A solution containing a metal component, comprising: 
 at least one of composite ultrafine metal particles and an organic metal compound; and    a metal powder having an average particle diameter ranging from 1 to 10 μm;    wherein each of said composite ultrafine metal particles has a core substantially made of a metal component and a covering layer made of an organic compound chemically bonded to said core;    said core has an average diameter ranging from 1 to 50 nm; and    said at least one of said composite ultrafine metal particles and said organic metal compound and said metal powder are uniformly dispersed in a solvent.    
     
     
         5 . A method of forming a thin metal film, comprising: 
 preparing a solution containing a metal component, comprising composite ultrafine metal particles each having a core substantially made of a metal component and a covering layer made of an organic compound chemically bonded to said core, said core having an average diameter ranging from 1 to 10 nm, said composite ultrafine metal particles being uniformly dispersed in a solvent;    bringing said solution into contact with a surface of a substrate;    evaporating the solvent in said solution on said surface of said substrate to form an ultrafine particle coating layer on said surface of said substrate; and    thermally decomposing said ultrafine particle coating layer into a thin metal film having a thickness ranging from 0.01 to 10 μm.    
     
     
         6 . A method according to    claim 5   , wherein the metal component in said solution has a total amount ranging from 30 to 90 weight %.  
     
     
         7 . A method of forming a thin metal film, comprising: 
 preparing a solution containing a metal component, comprising composite ultrafine metal particles each having a core substantially made of a metal component and a covering layer made of an organic compound chemically bonded to said core, said core having an average diameter ranging from 1 to 50 nm, said composite ultrafine metal particles being uniformly dispersed in a solvent;    bringing said solution into contact with a surface of a substrate;    evaporating the solvent in said solution on said surface of said substrate to form an ultrafine particle coating layer on said surface of said substrate; and    thermally decomposing said ultrafine particle coating layer into a thin metal film having a thickness ranging from 0.01 to 10 μm.    
     
     
         8 . A method according to    claim 7   , wherein the metal component in said solution has a total amount ranging from 30 to 90 weight %.  
     
     
         9 . A method of forming a thin metal film, comprising: 
 preparing a solution containing a metal component, comprising at least one of composite ultrafine metal particles and an organic metal compound, and a metal powder having an average particle diameter ranging from 1 to 10 μm;    bringing said solution into contact with a surface of a substrate;    evaporating the solvent in said solution on said surface of said substrate to form an ultrafine particle coating layer on said surface of said substrate; and    thermally decomposing said ultrafine particle coating layer into a thin metal film having a thickness ranging from 10 to 1000 μm;    wherein each of said composite ultrafine metal particles has a core substantially made of a metal component and a covering layer made of an organic compound chemically bonded to said core;    said core has an average diameter ranging from 1 to 10 nm; and    said at least one of said composite ultrafine metal particles and said organic metal compound and said metal powder are uniformly dispersed in a solvent.    
     
     
         10 . A method according to    claim 9   , wherein the metal component in said solution has a total amount ranging from 30 to 90 weight %.  
     
     
         11 . A method of forming a thin metal film, comprising: 
 preparing a solution containing a metal component, comprising at least one of composite ultrafine metal particles and an organic metal compound, and a metal powder having an average particle diameter ranging from 1 to 10 μm;    bringing said solution into contact with a surface of a substrate;    evaporating the solvent in said solution on said surface of said substrate to form an ultrafine particle coating layer on said surface of said substrate; and    thermally decomposing said ultrafine particle coating layer into a thin metal film having a thickness ranging from 10 to 1000 μm;    wherein each of said composite ultrafine metal particles has a core substantially made of a metal component and a covering layer made of an organic compound chemically bonded to said core;    said core has an average diameter ranging from 1 to 50 nm; and    said at least one of said composite ultrafine metal particles and said organic metal compound and said metal powder are uniformly dispersed in a solvent.    
     
     
         12 . A method according to    claim 11   , wherein the metal component in said solution has a total amount ranging from 30 to 90 weight %.  
     
     
         13 . An apparatus for forming a thin metal film, comprising: 
 a solution supply device for bringing a solution containing a metal component into contact with a surface of a substrate, said solution comprising composite ultrafine metal particles each having a core substantially made of a metal component and a covering layer made of an organic compound chemically bonded to said core, said composite ultrafine metal particles being uniformly dispersed in a solvent; and    a heating device for evaporating the solvent in said solution on said surface of said substrate to form an ultrafine particle coating layer on said surface of said substrate, and thermally decomposing said ultrafine particle coating layer into a thin metal film.    
     
     
         14 . An apparatus according to    claim 13   , wherein the metal component in said solution has a total amount ranging from 30 to 90 weight %.  
     
     
         15 . An apparatus according to    claim 13   , further comprising a supplementary drying device for drying the solvent in said solution on said surface of said substrate.  
     
     
         16 . A method of forming a thin metal film, comprising: 
 preparing an ultrafine particle dispersion liquid containing ultrafine particles at least partly made of metal, said ultrafine particles being dispersed into a solvent;    ejecting said ultrafine particle dispersion liquid in a vacuum atmosphere from an ejection nozzle toward a surface of a substrate to evaporate the solvent in said solution to cause the ultrafine particles to collide with the surface of the substrate; and    bonding the metal, of which at least a part of said ultrafine particles is made, on the surface of the substrate.    
     
     
         17 . A method according to    claim 16   , wherein said metal is brought into collision with the surface of the substrate in a naked state, or ionized in a naked state and accelerated at a predetermined voltage to be brought into collision with the surface of the substrate.  
     
     
         18 . A method according to    claim 16   , wherein said ultrafine particles comprise composite ultrafine metal particles each having a core substantially made of a metal component and a covering layer made of an organic compound chemically bonded to said core.  
     
     
         19 . An apparatus for forming a thin metal film, comprising: 
 a processing chamber which can be evacuated;    a substrate holder disposed in said processing chamber for holding a substrate;    a heater housed in said substrate holder for heating said substrate held by said substrate holder; and    an ultrafine particle ejector head having an ejection nozzle disposed in said processing chamber for ejecting an ultrafine particle dispersion liquid containing ultrafine particles at least partly made of metal toward a surface of the substrate held by said substrate holder, said ultrafine particles being dispersed into a solvent.    
     
     
         20 . An apparatus according to    claim 19   , further comprising: 
 at least one of a device for bringing said metal, of which at least part of said ultrafine particles is made, of the ultrafine particle dispersion liquid ejected from said ultrafine particle ejector head with the solvent being evaporated, into a naked state, and a device for ionizing the metal in the naked state.    
     
     
         21 . An apparatus according to    claim 19   , wherein said ultrafine particles comprise composite ultrafine metal particles each having a core substantially made of a metal component and a covering layer made of an organic compound chemically bonded to said core.  
     
     
         22 . A method of forming a thin metal film, comprising: 
 placing a thin-film precursor on one surface of a film thereby to form a transfer sheet;    transferring said transfer sheet onto a surface of a base; and    thermally decomposing said transfer sheet and said film to form a thin metal film from said thin-film precursor on the surface of said base.    
     
     
         23 . A method according to    claim 22   , wherein said base comprises a substrate having recesses defined in a surface thereof for embedding a conductor therein; 
 said transfer sheet is transferred onto the surface of said substrate with said recesses filled up with a portion of said thin-film precursor; and    after said thin metal film is formed, the surface of said substrate is polished to remove an excessive thin metal film therefrom.    
     
     
         24 . A method according to    claim 23   , wherein said thin-film precursor is composed of an ultrafine particle dispersion liquid comprising uniformly dispersed ultrafine particles having an average diameter ranging from 1 to 20 nm; and 
 said ultrafine particles have at least a portion made of metal.    
     
     
         25 . A method according to    claim 24   , wherein said ultrafine particles comprise composite ultrafine metal particles each having a core substantially made of a metal component and a covering layer made of an organic compound chemically bonded to said core.  
     
     
         26 . A method according to    claim 23   , wherein said thin-film precursor is composed of an ultrafine particle dispersion liquid comprising uniformly dispersed ultrafine particles having an average diameter ranging from 1 to 50 nm; and 
 said ultrafine particles have at least a portion made of metal.    
     
     
         27 . A method according to    claim 26   , wherein said ultrafine particles comprise composite ultrafine metal particles each having a core substantially made of a metal component and a covering layer made of an organic compound chemically bonded to said core.  
     
     
         28 . A method according to    claim 22   , wherein said film is made of an organic material of C, H, O, and N.  
     
     
         29 . A method of forming a thin metal film, comprising: 
 placing a thin-film precursor on one surface of a film thereby to form a transfer sheet;    transferring said transfer sheet onto a surface of a base; and    peeling said film and thermally decomposing said transfer sheet to form a thin metal film from said thin-film precursor on the surface of said base.    
     
     
         30 . A method according to    claim 29   , wherein said base comprises a substrate having recesses defined in a surface thereof for embedding a conductor therein; 
 said transfer sheet is transferred onto the surface of said substrate with said recesses filled up with a portion of said thin-film precursor; and    after said thin metal film is formed, the surface of said substrate is polished to remove an excessive thin metal film therefrom.    
     
     
         31 . A method according to    claim 30   , wherein said thin-film precursor is composed of an ultrafine particle dispersion liquid comprising uniformly dispersed ultrafine particles having an average diameter ranging from 1 to 20 nm; and 
 said ultrafine particles have at least a portion made of metal.    
     
     
         32 . A method according to    claim 31   , wherein said ultrafine particles comprise composite ultrafine metal particles each having a core substantially made of a metal component and a covering layer made of an organic compound chemically bonded to said core.  
     
     
         33 . A method according to    claim 30   , wherein said thin-film precursor is composed of an ultrafine particle dispersion liquid comprising uniformly dispersed ultrafine particles having an average diameter ranging from 1 to 50 nm; and 
 said ultrafine particles have at least a portion made of metal.    
     
     
         34 . A method according to    claim 33   , wherein said ultrafine particles comprise composite ultrafine metal particles each having a core substantially made of a metal component and a covering layer made of an organic compound chemically bonded to said core.  
     
     
         35 . A method according to    claim 29   , wherein said film is made of an organic material of C, H, O, and N.  
     
     
         36 . An apparatus for forming a thin metal film, comprising: 
 a transfer device for transferring a transfer sheet comprising a thin-film precursor placed on one surface of a film, onto a surface of a base; and    a heating device for thermally decomposing said transfer sheet or said transfer sheet and said film to form a thin metal film from said thin-film precursor on the surface of said base.    
     
     
         37 . An apparatus according to    claim 36   , wherein said base comprises a substrate having recesses defined in a surface thereof for embedding a conductor therein; 
 said transfer sheet is transferred onto the surface of said substrate with said recesses filled up with a portion of said thin-film precursor; and    said apparatus further comprises a polishing device for, after said thin metal film is formed, polishing the surface of said substrate to remove an excessive thin metal film therefrom.    
     
     
         38 . An apparatus according to    claim 37   , wherein said thin-film precursor is composed of an ultrafine particle dispersion liquid comprising uniformly dispersed ultrafine particles having an average diameter ranging from 1 to 20 nm; and 
 said ultrafine particles have at least a portion made of metal.    
     
     
         39 . An apparatus according to    claim 38   , wherein said ultrafine particles comprise composite ultrafine metal particles each having a core substantially made of a metal component and a covering layer made of an organic compound chemically bonded to said core.  
     
     
         40 . An apparatus according to    claim 37   , wherein said thin-film precursor is composed of an ultrafine particle dispersion liquid comprising uniformly dispersed ultrafine particles having an average diameter ranging from 1 to 50 nm; and 
 said ultrafine particles have at least a portion made of metal.    
     
     
         41 . An apparatus according to    claim 40   , wherein said ultrafine particles comprise composite ultrafine metal particles each having a core substantially made of a metal component and a covering layer made of an organic compound chemically bonded to said core.  
     
     
         42 . An apparatus according to    claim 36   , wherein said film is made of an organic material of C, H, O, and N.