Ultrafine particles and method and apparatus for producing the same

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of producing ultrafine particles by vaporization comprising: vaporizing a target by sputtering; causing particles that fly from the target by vaporization to be deposited on an oil surface; and recovering the oil on which the flown particles have deposited to obtain individually dispersed ultrafine particles.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of producing ultrafine particles by vaporization comprising: 
 vaporizing a target by sputtering;    causing particles that fly from the target by vaporization to be deposited on an oil surface; and    recovering the oil on which the flown particles have deposited to obtain individually dispersed ultrafine particles.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the oil surface is a fluidized oil surface prepared by fluidizing an oil.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the fluidized oil surface is formed on the surface of a rotating substrate.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the fluidized oil surface is formed on the surface of an inclined substrate.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the target is a multi-element compound.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the multi-element compound contains at least one of the metals in the 4th to the 6th periods in the periodic table.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the multi-element compound contains at least one element selected from the elements of the groups III, IV, V and VI in the 4th to the 6th periods in the periodic table.  
     
     
         8 . Ultrafine particles obtained by the method according to  claim 1 .  
     
     
         9 . A method of producing ultrafine particles by vaporization comprising: 
 vaporizing a target by sputtering;    cooling and solidifying particles that fly from the target by vaporization; and    recovering the flown particles that have been solidified by cooling to obtain individually dispersed ultrafine particles.    
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the flown particles are cooled and solidified by a cooled substrate.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the flown particles are cooled and solidified after a vaporized medium has been modified or adsorbed to the surfaces of the flown particles.  
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the flown particles are cooled and solidified after a vaporized medium has been modified or adsorbed to the surfaces of the flown particles.  
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the target is a multi-element compound.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the multi-element compound contains at least one of the metals in the 4th to the 6th periods in the periodic table.  
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the multi-element compound contains at least one element selected from the elements of the groups III, IV, V and VI in the 4th to the 6th periods in the periodic table.  
     
     
         16 . Ultrafine particles obtained by the method according to  claim 9 .  
     
     
         17 . An apparatus for producing ultrafine particles by vaporization comprising: 
 means for vaporizing a target by sputtering;    an oil on which particles that fly from the target by vaporization are deposited; and    means for recovering the oil on which the flown particles have deposited.    
     
     
         18 . An apparatus for producing ultrafine particles by vaporization comprising: 
 means for vaporizing a target by sputtering;    means for cooling and solidifying particles that fly from the target by vaporization; and    means for recovering the flown particles that have been solidified by cooling.