JP2977461B2 - Electroforming equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electroforming apparatus for supplying a plating solution to an upper surface of a substrate and plating the surface.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, in a mastering process of a CD, data created by premastering is recorded on a magnetic tape, a premastered CD, or the like, and the data is first applied to the surface of a glass master based on the data. A glass master is created by irradiating the photosensitive agent with laser light and exposing it,
In the development process, pits are formed on the resist surface, then a metal master is created from this glass master by electroless plating, a metal mother is created from this metal master by electroplating, and finally a metal mother is created from this metal mother by electroplating. I am creating a stamper.

Conventional techniques for performing the above-mentioned mastering step include a cathode base having a recess at an upper end surface for supporting a substrate, a cathode base provided in the recess of the cathode base and the cathode base together with the cathode base. A so-called CD mastering device is known, which includes a clamper for clamping a peripheral portion of the substrate via a contact ring, and an electroforming device for supplying a plating solution onto the substrate and plating the surface of the substrate. I have.

[0004]

By the way, the above CD
In the electroforming device that constitutes the mastering device, a twist lock mechanism is provided between the clamper and the cathode base, and these are mechanically tightened and the substrate to be plated is sandwiched. And a uniform clamping force could not be obtained. Further, when a substrate is clamped by a clamper, a frictional loss is generated, so that a strong clamping force cannot be obtained.

[0005] Then, due to such a change in the clamping force, etc.,
The plating solution penetrates into the gap between the cathode base or the contact ring and the substrate, and the components of the plating solution precipitate on the cathode base or the like, and in extreme cases, not only the substrate but also the cathode base or the contact ring. Had been plated. If the deposit derived from the plating solution or the growth of the plating on the cathode base or the contact ring is left as it is, the current density becomes non-uniform, and the thickness of the plating becomes uneven. Also, the total resistance increases due to partial contact failure, and the output voltage of the constant current power supply connected to the electroforming device increases, so that the safety circuit operates, the electroforming device stops, and work is stopped. Sometimes it was interrupted. Furthermore, local current concentration may cause partial burnout of the substrate, the cathode base or the contact ring.

Therefore, heretofore, the above-described unevenness of the precipitation,
It is necessary to wipe off deposits and plating derived from the plating solution that have grown on the cathode base or contact ring each time the substrate is replaced, in order to prevent interruption of work and burnout of the substrate etc., which complicates maintenance work when replacing the substrate Had become.

An object of the present invention is to provide an electroforming apparatus which can stably perform a plating process on a substrate without requiring complicated maintenance work when replacing the substrate.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cathode base for supporting a substrate, and a clamper for holding a peripheral portion of the substrate together with the cathode base, In an electroforming apparatus that supplies a plating solution onto the substrate and performs plating on the substrate surface, the electroforming apparatus includes:
The clamper and negative pressure suction has a negative pressure source for clamping the substrate, the suction conduit communicating with the negative pressure source is disposed and on the cathode base, the cathode base or the
Communicating with a gap between the clamper and the peripheral portion of the substrate,
Pressurize the gap between the cathode base and the clamper with pressurized gas.
A pressure source is provided, and one end is provided on the cathode base.
Air supply pipe whose part faces the gap and whose other end communicates with the pressurization source
The above object has been achieved by providing an electroforming apparatus characterized in that a road is provided.

Further, the invention according to claim 2 of the present invention provides:
2. The electroforming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cathode base and the clamper have side surfaces that are in contact with each other, and opposing surfaces that are continuous with the side surfaces and oppose each other, and are negatively charged by the negative pressure source. It is an object of the present invention to provide an electroforming apparatus, wherein a gap communicating with the suction pipe is provided between the opposed surfaces when pressure suction is performed.

[0010]

Further, the invention according to claim 3 of the present invention provides:
In the electroforming apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, between the side portion of the cathode base and the side portion of the clamper,
An electroforming apparatus provided with a packing is provided.

[0012]

[0013]

In the electroforming apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, as the clamper is suctioned negatively by the negative pressure source through the suction line, the peripheral portion of the substrate becomes the cathode base. The clamp is securely held by the table and the clamper. Then, in this state, a plating solution is supplied onto the substrate, and the surface of the substrate is plated with the plating solution. At this time, since the substrate is held by the holding force due to the negative pressure suction force, a stable holding state is maintained regardless of a temperature change. Also, by the above-mentioned pressurizing source,
The cathode base or the clamper and the periphery of the substrate;
The gap between the cathode base and the clamper communicating with the gap of
Since the space is pressurized with pressurized gas through the supply pipe,
Intrusion of the plating solution into the periphery of the substrate is reliably suppressed.
You.

In the electroforming apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention, a gap is formed between the lower end surface of the clamper and the opposing surface of the cathode base when the clamper suctions the negative pressure by the negative pressure source. Therefore, in addition to the operation of the electroforming apparatus according to the first aspect, the negative pressure suction force by the negative pressure source uniformly acts on the entire opposing surface of the clamper through this gap. In addition, since there is the gap, when the substrate is held by being sucked by the negative pressure source, there is room for the movement of the cathode base and the clamper between the opposing surfaces.

[0015]

In the electroforming apparatus according to a third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the operation of the electroforming apparatus according to the first or second aspect, a side portion of the clamper and a side portion of the cathode base are provided. The leakage of the negative pressure suction force by the negative pressure source is suppressed by the packing disposed between the substrate and the substrate, so that the substrate is more securely held.

[0017]

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1 to 3 show an electroforming apparatus constituting a part of a CD mastering apparatus which is a first embodiment of the electroforming apparatus according to the present invention. In these figures, reference numeral 1 denotes an electroforming apparatus, 10 denotes a substrate to be plated, and C denotes a contact ring.

As shown in FIG. 1, the electroforming apparatus 1 comprises:
It has a schematic configuration including a cathode base 2 that supports the substrate 10, and a clamper 3 that is disposed on the cathode base 2 and sandwiches the peripheral portion 10 a of the substrate 10 together with the cathode base 2. .

Further, the electroforming apparatus 1 includes a negative pressure source (not shown) for suctioning the clamper 3 from below and holding the substrate 10, and the cathode base 2.
Alternatively, a pressurizing source (not shown) for pressurizing the gap D between the cathode base 2 and the clamper 3 with a pressurized gas, which communicates with the gap between the clamper 3 and the peripheral portion 10a of the substrate 10, is provided. .

The cathode base 2 and the clamper 3
Are the side portions 2a and 2b and 3a and 3b which are in contact with each other, and these side portions 2a and 2b and 3a and 3b
And the opposing surfaces 2c and 3c facing each other
Is provided. Packings P1 and P2 are arranged between the side portions 2a and 3a and 2b and 3b, so that a suction leak at the time of negative pressure suction by a negative pressure source described later is reliably suppressed.

The cathode base 2 has a circular main base 21 in plan view, and a sub-base (cathode electrode) formed to have a smaller diameter than the main base 21 and mounted on the main base 21. The suction pipe 4 and the air supply pipe 5 are disposed inside the suction pipe 4.

A peripheral wall 21a which rises upward is formed at the peripheral edge of the main base 21, and together with the sub-base 22 mounted thereon, a clamper 3 to be described later is formed.
To form a recess. On the other hand, a peripheral wall 22a that rises upward is also formed on the peripheral edge of the sub-base 22, and the substrate 10 is arranged inside the peripheral wall 22a. In the present embodiment, the inner surface 21b of the peripheral wall 21a of the main base 21, the outer surface 22b of the sub-base 22, and the upper surface 21c of the main base 21 cause the side surfaces of the cathode base 2 to be respectively. Portions 2a and 2b and an opposing surface 2c are formed. A groove 22c for fitting the packing P1 is formed in the outer side surface portion 22b of the sub base 22.

One end 4a of the suction pipe 4 is open on the upper surface of the main base 21, and faces an opposing surface 3c located at the lower end of the clamper 3 described later. Further, the other end (not shown) of the suction pipe line 4 is adapted to communicate with the negative pressure source (not shown). One end 5a of the air supply pipe 5 is opened at the upper surface of the sub-base 22 to face the gap D, and the other end (not shown) communicates with the pressure source (not shown). It is.

As shown in FIG. 3, the clamper 3 has a shape of an external ring, and a protruding wall portion 30 extending toward the center is formed at an inner upper end portion. A groove 3d for fitting the packing P2 is formed in a side surface 3b which is an outer peripheral surface of the clamper 3. Further, the thickness of the clamper 3 is set so as to have a gap d between the opposing surface 3c of the clamper 3 and the opposing surface 2c of the cathode base 2 at the time of negative pressure suction by the negative pressure source (not shown). I have.

In the electroforming apparatus 1 of this embodiment, a contact ring C is provided between the cathode base 2 and the substrate 10.
Is interposed. The contact ring C is not essential, but is interposed to improve the contact between the cathode base 2 and the substrate 10 and stabilize the conduction. Therefore, when the cathode base 2 and the clamper 3 can be obtained with high precision and the contact between the cathode base 2 and the substrate 10 is good, it can be omitted. In addition, since the contact ring C is interposed, the gap D is formed between the sub-base 22 of the cathode base 2 or the contact ring C and the peripheral portion 10a of the substrate 10 in this embodiment. The gap between the clamper 3 and the cathode base 2 communicates with the gap.

In this embodiment, a so-called O-ring is used as the packing. However, other shapes such as an X-shaped packing having a X-shaped cross section and a U-shaped packing having a U-shaped cross section can be used. Also, grooves 22c and 3d for fitting the packings P1 and P2 are formed on the side surfaces 2a and 3b of the cathode base 2 and the outer side surface of the clamper 3, so that the packings P1 and P2 are formed in the grooves. In addition to being able to be securely inserted by the elastic force when being fitted to 22c and 3d, the packing is prevented from falling off when assembling the device, and the assembling work can be performed without any trouble.

The anode (not shown), the plating solution (not shown), the substrate 10 and the like in the above-mentioned electroforming apparatus 1 may be any of those conventionally known as those applied to the electroforming apparatus. it can.

Next, the operation of the electroforming apparatus 1 of the above embodiment will be described.
It will be described together with the method of use.

First, the substrate 10 is placed on the cathode base 2 with the surface on which the plating process is to be performed facing up, and the peripheral portion 10a positioned on the sub-base 22.

Next, the contact ring C is
Are mounted on the upper surface side of the peripheral portion 10a and the peripheral wall 22a of the sub-base 22 so as to straddle them.

Then, the clamper 3 is disposed, and the contact ring C is pressed by the lower end surface 30 a of the protruding wall portion 30.
a is sandwiched between the sub-base 22 and the protruding wall 30.

Next, the negative pressure source (not shown) is actuated to suck the clamper 3 under the negative pressure through the suction line 4, thereby securely holding the peripheral portion 10a of the substrate 10. At the time of negative pressure suction by the negative pressure source, a gap d is provided between the facing surface 3c of the clamper 3 and the facing surface c of the cathode base 2.
Therefore, the suction force of the negative pressure by the negative pressure source can be uniformly applied to the entire opposing surface 3c of the clamper 3 through the gap d. By providing the gap d in this way, even if the clamper 3 and the cathode base 2 are deformed due to a temperature change or other reasons, there is room for absorbing the deformation.

Further, the pressurizing source (not shown) is operated, and the cathode base 2 and the clamper communicate with the gap between the sub-base 22 or the contact ring C of the cathode base 2 and the peripheral portion 10a of the substrate 10. Is pressurized with a pressurized gas through the air supply line 5.

Then, in this state, a plating solution is supplied onto the substrate 10, and an anode (not shown) is further disposed, and the surface of the substrate 10 is subjected to a plating process using the plating solution. During the plating process, the gap D is pressurized by the pressurized gas from the pressurized source through the air supply line 5, so that the infiltration of the plating solution into the gap D is reliably suppressed. Can be

In the electroforming apparatus of the present invention, a conventionally known electroforming apparatus can be applied to the method of supplying the plating solution, the arrangement of the anode, and the energizing method.

As described above, according to the electroforming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the clamper 3 is suctioned with a negative pressure by the negative pressure source through the suction pipe 4, and the substrate 10 is clamped by the cathode base 2 and the clamper 3. Connect the peripheral edge 10a to the contact ring C
As a result, it is possible to obtain a uniform and strong clamping force irrespective of a temperature change as compared with the related art.

The gap D is pressurized by a pressurized gas from the pressurized source through the air supply line 5, and the gap D
Since the intrusion of the plating solution into the substrate is surely suppressed, complicated maintenance such as the conventional one at the time of substrate replacement can be omitted, and a stable plating process can be performed.

Further, a gap d is provided between the opposing surface 3c of the clamper 3 and the opposing surface 2c of the cathode base 2 when the negative pressure of the clamper 3 is suctioned by the negative pressure source.
Through this gap d, the negative pressure suction force by the negative pressure source is applied uniformly to the entire opposing surface 3c of the clamper 3, and the side portions 3a and 3b of the clamper 3 are formed.
And the packings P1 and P2 disposed between the side surfaces 2a and 2b of the cathode base 2 suppress leakage of the negative pressure by the negative pressure source. Can be obtained.

In the electroforming apparatus 1 of the above embodiment, a uniform and strong clamping force is obtained by the suction of the negative pressure by the negative pressure source, the substrate 10 is securely held, and the peripheral edge of the substrate 10 is compressed by the pressurized air by the pressurized source. The portion 10a is pressurized to suppress the infiltration of the plating solution into the gap D. However, the gap D can be formed only by pressurizing the gap D with pressurized air from a pressurized source through an air supply line. Since it is possible to suppress the infiltration of the plating solution into D, by providing a cathode base, a clamper, and a pressurizing source in which only the air supply line similar to that of the above-described embodiment is provided, it is possible to replace An electroforming apparatus that does not require complicated maintenance work can be provided.

The size, shape, and the like of the electroforming apparatus according to the present invention can be appropriately changed without departing from the object of the present invention.

For example, the shapes of the cathode base and the clamper, the arrangement of the packing, and the arrangement of the suction pipe and the air supply pipe are shown in FIGS. 4 (a) to 4 (c). It can be configured like the electroforming apparatus 1 'of the fourth embodiment (note that in FIGS. 4A to 4C, the first
Portions corresponding to the electroforming apparatus 1 of the embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals with “′” added thereto. ).

The electroforming apparatus according to the present invention uses the C
Needless to say, the application to the electroforming apparatus constituting the D mastering apparatus is not limited to the anode,
By appropriately selecting a plating solution and a substrate, for example, it can be suitably used as an electroforming apparatus constituting an apparatus for plating a substrate such as a magneto-optical disk.

[0045]

According to the electroforming apparatus of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. According to the electroforming apparatus of the first aspect, the clamper is sucked under the negative pressure by the negative pressure source through the suction pipe so that the clamper and the cathode base sandwich the peripheral portion of the substrate. Therefore, compared to the related art, the substrate can be securely clamped regardless of the temperature change, and by securely clamping the peripheral portion of the substrate in this manner, the cathode base or the clamper and the substrate can be securely clamped. Intrusion of the plating solution into the gap with the peripheral portion can be reliably suppressed. Therefore, it is not necessary to perform complicated maintenance work such as wiping of the plating grown on the cathode base or the like as in the related art when replacing the substrate. Then, the plating process can be stably performed on the substrate. Also,
The gap between the cathode base or clamper and the periphery of the substrate
The gap between the cathode base and the clamper communicating with the gap
With pressurized gas from the pressurized source through the air supply line
Pressurized, in addition to the above effects,
To the gap between the board base or clamper and the periphery of the board
Of the plating solution can be more reliably suppressed.

According to the electroforming apparatus of the present invention, a gap is provided between the lower end surface of the clamper and the bottom surface of the cathode base when the clamper sucks the negative pressure by the negative pressure source. The negative pressure suction force by the negative pressure source is caused to uniformly act on the entire lower end surface of the clamper through this gap, so that in addition to the effect of the electroforming apparatus according to the first aspect, more uniform and strong. A clamping force can be obtained.

[0047]

According to the electroforming apparatus of the third aspect, leakage of the negative pressure suction force by the negative pressure source is suppressed by the packing disposed between the side surface of the clamper and the side surface of the cathode. Therefore, in addition to the effects of the electroforming device according to claim 1 or 2, a stronger clamping force can be obtained.

[0049]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view showing a main part of a first embodiment of an electroforming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of the electroforming apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a cathode base and a clamper of the electroforming apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing another embodiment of the electroforming apparatus according to the present invention, in which (a) is a cross-sectional view of the main part showing a second embodiment of the electroforming apparatus of the present invention, and (b). FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing a third embodiment of the electroforming apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 7C is a cross-sectional view of main parts showing a fourth embodiment of the electroforming apparatus of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electroforming apparatus 2 Cathode base 2a, 2b Side surface 2c Opposing surface 3 Clamper 3a, 3b Side surface 3c Opposing surface 4 Suction line 5 Air supply line 10 Substrate 10a Peripheral edge d, D gap P1, P2 Packing

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] A cathode base for supporting a substrate;
A peripheral portion 10a of the substrate 10 together with the cathode base 2
And a clamper 3 for holding the
In an electroforming apparatus for supplying a plating solution thereon to perform plating on the surface of the substrate 10, the electroforming apparatus includes a negative pressure source for suctioning the clamper 3 under a negative pressure and holding the substrate 10; Further, a suction line 4 communicating with the negative pressure source is provided in the cathode base 2 , and the cathode base 2 or the clamper 3 and the substrate 1
The cathode base communicates with a gap between the first base and the first base.
Pressurizing the gap D between the clamp 2 and the clamper 3 with pressurized gas
Source, and one end 5
a is the air supply that faces the gap D and the other end communicates with the pressure source.
An electroforming apparatus, wherein a pipe line 5 is provided . 2. The cathode base 2 and the clamper 3 are connected to side portions 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b
And opposing surfaces 2c, 3c which are continuous with the side portions 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b and oppose each other. When the negative pressure is applied by the negative pressure source, the suction between the opposing surfaces 2c, 3c is performed. The electroforming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a gap d communicating with the pipe 4. 3. The side surfaces 2a, 2b of the cathode base 2.
When, the side surface portion 3a of the clamper 3, between 3b, wherein the packing P1, P2 are disposed 請
The electroforming apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 .