METHOD FOR FORMING METAL PATTERN, AND ELECTRIC CONDUCTOR

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for forming a metal pattern on a pattern formation section set in a part or the whole of a region on a base material, the base material including a fluorine-containing resin layer on a surface including at least the pattern formation section, the method including the step of: forming a functional group on a pattern formation section of the fluorine-containing resin layer by a treatment such as ultraviolet-ray irradiation, then applying to the surface of the base material a metal fine particle dispersion liquid in which metal fine particles protected by an amine compound as a first protective agent and a fatty acid as a second protective agent are dispersed in a solvent, and fixing the metal fine particles on the pattern formation section.

Claims

1. A method for forming a metal pattern on a pattern formation section set in a part or the whole of a region on a base material, the base material comprising a fluorine-containing resin layer on a surface including at least the pattern formation section, the method comprising the steps of: forming a functional group on a pattern formation section of the fluorine-containing resin layer; then applying to the surface of the base material a metal fine particle dispersion liquid in which metal fine particles protected by an amine compound as a first protective agent and a fatty acid as a second protective agent are dispersed in a solvent; and fixing the metal fine particles on the pattern formation section.

2. The method for forming a metal pattern according to claim 1, wherein the fluorine-containing resin layer is composed of a polymer having at least one kinds of repeating units in which the ratio (F/C) of the number of fluorine atoms to the number of carbon atoms is 1.0 or more as repeating units based on a fluorine-containing monomer that forms the polymer.

3. The method for forming a metal pattern according to claim 1, wherein in the step of forming a functional group on the surface of the fluorine-containing resin layer, energy of not less than 1 mJ/cm.sup.2 and not more than 4000 mJ/cm.sup.2 is applied to the pattern formation section of the surface of the fluorine-containing resin layer.

4. The method for forming a metal pattern according to claim 1, wherein at least one of a carboxy group, a hydroxy group and a carbonyl group is formed as the functional group.

5. The method for forming a metal pattern according to claim 1, wherein the amine compound as the first protective agent includes at least one of amine compounds with a carbon number of not less than 4 and not more than 12.

6. The method for forming a metal pattern according to claim 1, wherein the fatty acid as the second protective agent includes at least one of fatty acids with a carbon number of not less than 4 and not more than 20.

7. The method for forming a metal pattern according to claim 6, wherein the fatty acid includes at least one of oleic acid, stearic acid, linolic acid, lauric acid and butanoic acid.

8. The method for forming a metal pattern according to claim 1, wherein the solvent in the metal fine particle dispersion liquid is an alcohol solvent with a carbon number of not less than 3 and not more than 8, a hydrocarbon solvent with a carbon number of not less than 6 and not more than 10, or a mixture of these solvents.

9. The method for forming a metal pattern according to claim 1, comprising the step of: heating the base material at temperature of not lower than 40° C. and not higher than 250° C. after fixing metal fine particles on the pattern formation section.

10. The method for forming a metal pattern according to claim 1, wherein the metal fine particles are composed of at least one of silver, gold, platinum, palladium, copper and alloys of these metals.

11. An electric conductor comprising: a base material with a pattern formation section set in a part or the whole of a region of the base material; a fluorine resin layer formed on at least a surface of the base material which includes the pattern formation section; and a metal pattern formed by fixing metal fine particles on the pattern formation section of the fluorine resin layer, wherein a functional group is formed on the pattern formation section.

12. The electric conductor according to claim 11, wherein at least one of a carboxy group, a hydroxy group and a carbonyl group is formed as the functional group.

13. The electric conductor according to claim 11, wherein the base material is composed of a transparent body.

14. The method for forming a metal pattern according to claim 2, wherein in the step of forming a functional group on the surface of the fluorine-containing resin layer, energy of not less than 1 mJ/cm.sup.2 and not more than 4000 mJ/cm.sup.2 is applied to the pattern formation section of the surface of the fluorine-containing resin layer.

15. The method for forming a metal pattern according to claim 2, wherein at least one of a carboxy group, a hydroxy group and a carbonyl group is formed as the functional group.

16. The method for forming a metal pattern according to claim 2, wherein the amine compound as the first protective agent includes at least one of amine compounds with a carbon number of not less than 4 and not more than 12.

17. The method for forming a metal pattern according to claim 2, wherein the fatty acid as the second protective agent includes at least one of fatty acids with a carbon number of not less than 4 and not more than 20.

18. The method for forming a metal pattern according to claim 2, wherein the solvent in the metal fine particle dispersion liquid is an alcohol solvent with a carbon number of not less than 3 and not more than 8, a hydrocarbon solvent with a carbon number of not less than 6 and not more than 10, or a mixture of these solvents.

19. The method for forming a metal pattern according to claim 2, comprising the step of: heating the base material at temperature of not lower than 40° C. and not higher than 250° C. after fixing metal fine particles on the pattern formation section.

20. The method for forming a metal pattern according to claim 2, wherein the metal fine particles are composed of at least one of silver, gold, platinum, palladium, copper and alloys of these metals.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048] FIG. 1 shows photographs of an external appearance of a metal pattern formed in a first embodiment.

[0049] FIG. 2 shows a Raman spectrum at an interface, which is measured from the back surface of a substrate for the metal pattern in the first embodiment.

[0050] FIG. 3 shows photographs of external appearances of metal patterns formed of metal particles (silver particles) with various kinds of fatty acids as protective agents in a second embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

First Embodiment

[0051] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described. In this embodiment, formation of a fluorine-containing resin layer and formation of a functional group were performed as a pretreatment of a base material, a dispersion liquid with silver fine particles dispersed as metal particles was formed, and the dispersion liquid was applied to form a metal pattern.

[0052] [Provision of Base Material and Formation of Fluorine-Containing Resin Layer]

[0053] A resin substrate (size: 20 mm×20 mm) composed of polyethylene naphthalate was provided as a base material. A noncrystalline perfluorobutenyl ether polymer (CYTOP (registered trademark): manufactured by ASAHI GLASS CO., LTD.) as a fluorine-containing resin was applied to the resin substrate by a spin coating method (rotation number: 2000 rpm, 20 sec), then heated at 50° C. for 10 minutes, and subsequently at 80° C. for 10 minutes, and further heated in an oven at 100° C. for 60 minutes to be fired. Accordingly, a 1 μm-thick fluorine-containing resin layer was formed.

[0054] [Pretreatment of Base Material]

[0055] Next, a photomask having a lattice pattern (line width: 3 μm, line interval: 50 μm) was brought into close contact with the substrate provided with the fluorine-containing resin layer, and this was irradiated with an ultraviolet ray (VUV light) (contact exposure with a mask-substrate distance of 0). The VUV light was applied at 11 mW/cm.sup.−2 with a wavelength of 172 nm for 20 seconds.

[0056] [Production and Application of Silver Fine Particle Dispersion Liquid]

[0057] In production of a silver fine particle dispersion liquid, silver particles were produced by a thermal decomposition method with a silver complex as a precursor. The thermal decomposition method uses as a starting material a thermally decomposable silver compound such as silver oxalate (Ag.sub.2C.sub.2O.sub.4), and includes reacting the silver compound with a protective agent to form a silver complex, and heating and decomposing the silver complex as a precursor to prepare silver particles.

[0058] In this embodiment, silver particles were produced with silver oxalate as a raw material. N,N-dimethyl-1,3-diaminopropane as an amine serving as a protective agent was mixed with silver oxalate wetted with decane beforehand, so that a silver oxalate-amine complex as a precursor was produced. The added amount of N,N-dimethyl-1,3-diaminopropane was 0.76 (mol/mol) with respect to silver. To this were added two amine compounds: hexylamine and dodecylamine, and oleic acid was added as the second protective agent, and then oleic acid as the second protective agent, and the mixture was mixed. The added amount of hexylamine was 1.14 (mol/mol) with respect to silver, the added amount of dodecylamine was 0.095 (mol/mol) with respect to silver, and the added amount of oleic acid was 0.012 (mol/mol) with respect to silver. Addition of hexylamine and dodecylamine subsequent to addition of N,N-dimethyl-1,3-diaminopropane is intended to suppress aggregation by complementing the effect of protecting silver particles by N,N-dimethyl-1,3-diaminopropane.

[0059] Thereafter, the mixture was heated and stirred at 110° C. to decompose the complex. The heating and stirring caused the mixture to gradually turn from cream to brown, and finally turn to black. Bubbles (carbon dioxide) were generated during heating and stirring, and the reaction was ended at the time when bubbles disappeared.

[0060] After the end of the reaction, methanol was added, the mixture was stirred, and centrifugally separated, and the supernatant liquid was removed. The residue was washed with methanol to prepare silver fine particles. By the washing and centrifugal separation, an excess amine compound can be removed from silver fine particles to prepare silver particles including a protective agent in a preferred range.

[0061] To the silver fine particles was added a mixed solvent of octane and butanol (octane:butanol=4:1) to prepare a silver fine particle dispersion liquid. The silver concentration of the silver fine particle dispersion liquid was 40% by weight.

[0062] The silver fine particle dispersion liquid thus produced was applied to a substrate. The application was performed by spreading the dispersion liquid over a contact part between the substrate and a blade (made of glass), and then sweeping the blade in one direction. Here, the sweep rate was 2 mm/sec. It was confirmed that the dispersion liquid was deposited only on an ultraviolet-ray-irradiated portion (functional group-formed portion) of the substrate by the application using the blade. The dispersion liquid was naturally dried at room temperature (25° C.) to form a metal pattern.

[0063] The external appearance of the formed metal pattern was observed. The result is shown in FIG. 1, and it is apparent that in this embodiment, a pattern composed of a silver film with a clear line width of 3 μm is formed.

[0064] Next, the elementary coupling state of a metal pattern formation section of a surface of the substrate was examined by Raman microspectroscopic analysis. In this analysis, a metal pattern on a surface of a substrate is irradiated with laser light (wavelength: 532 nm) from the back surface of the substrate, and a Raman spectrum for the interface between a silver particle layer and a fluorine-containing resin layer is measured and analyzed to examine chemical species. FIG. 2 shows a Raman spectrum at the interface in laser irradiation from the back surface of the substrate. FIG. 2 shows that in the Raman spectrum measured in irradiation from the back surface, oscillatory structures near 1370 cm.sup.−1 and near 1570 cm.sup.−1 were observed as unique oscillatory structures that would not be observed when laser irradiation was performed from a surface of the substrate which was measured beforehand. It is considered that the oscillatory structures originated from a COO bond. Thus, it was confirmed that in this embodiment, a carboxy group was formed as a functional group on a surface of the fluorine-containing resin layer.

[0065] The resistance value was measured for the metal pattern, and the result showed that the surface resistance was 280Ω/□, and the volume resistance was 68 μΩ.Math.cm. Comparison of the resistance value with a reference range (not less than 200Ω/□ and not more than 400Ω/□) of the resistance value which is generally required for a transparent electrically conductive film to be used in a touch panel film shows that the resistance value in this embodiment is well acceptable for electric wiring.

[0066] The substrate was heated at 80° C. to fire the metal pattern. The resistance value was similarly measured, and the result showed that the surface resistance was 66Ω/□, and the volume resistance was 16 μΩ.Math.cm. Thus, it was confirmed that the resistance value decreased after heating the substrate.

Second Embodiment

[0067] Here, silver particles were produced by a thermal decomposition method with other silver compound as a starting material, and a metal pattern was formed by use of a dispersion liquid of the silver particles. The silver particles were produced in the same manner as in the first embodiment except that silver carbonate was used in place of silver oxalate. Similarly to the first embodiment, N,N-dimethyl-1,3-diaminopropane was mixed with silver carbonate in a dry state to produce a silver carbonate-amine complex as a precursor. Thereafter, similarly to the first embodiment, hexyl amine, dodecyl amine and oleic acid were added and mixed. The mixing amounts (mixing ratios) of the amine compounds and oleic acid were the same as in the first embodiment. Thereafter, the mixture was heated and stirred at 110° C. to decompose the complex, and centrifugally separated and washed to prepare silver fine particles. To the silver fine particles was added a mixed solvent of octane and butanol (octane:butanol=4:1) to prepare a silver fine particle dispersion liquid. The silver concentration of the silver fine particle dispersion liquid was 40% by weight.

[0068] Under the same conditions as in the first embodiment, the silver fine particle dispersion liquid was applied to a substrate subjected to the same pretreatment as in the first embodiment, so that a metal pattern was formed. The resistance value of the metal pattern formed in this embodiment was 300Ω/□ for the surface resistance, and 80 μΩ.Math.cm for the volume resistance. The resistance value of the metal pattern fired by heating the substrate at 80° C. was 80Ω/□ for the surface resistance, and 20 μΩ.Math.cm for the volume resistance. Thus, it was confirmed that the metal pattern formed in the second embodiment was useful as electric wiring.

Third Embodiment

[0069] In this embodiment, technical significance of a fatty acid forming a protective agent with an amine was examined with regard to a protective agent for a silver fine particle dispersion liquid. In the same manner as in the process for production of a silver fine particle dispersion liquid in the first embodiment except that other fatty acid (stearic acid, butanoic acid or propanoic acid) was added instead of adding oleic acid, or a fatty acid was not added, silver particles were produced, and a dispersion liquid was produced. Thereafter, in the same manner as in the first embodiment, the silver fine particle dispersion liquid was applied to a substrate subjected to the same pretreatment as in the first embodiment, and was dried and fired to form a metal pattern. Thereafter, a surface of the substrate was observed to examine whether or not a pattern was formed.

[0070] The results are shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows that when a fatty acid is not added as a protective agent for silver fine particles, formation of a metal pattern is observed at a glance from a long distance, but aggregation of silver particles is observed in enlarged view. This state is substantially equivalent to occurrence of breakage, and the resistance value is extremely high. A similar phenomenon occurs when propanoic acid (carbon number: 3) being a fatty acid with a small carbon number is used as a protective agent. On the other hand, when the carbon number of the fatty acid is adjusted, and oleic acid, stearic acid or butanoic acid is used, the metal pattern becomes more vivid, so that a stable silver film is formed. Thus, it has been confirmed that application of a fatty acid as a protective agent for silver particles is required in use of a metal fine particle dispersion liquid for formation of a metal pattern.

Fourth Embodiment

[0071] In this embodiment, metal fine particle dispersion liquids with various kinds of metals applied as constituent materials for a metal pattern were produced, and each of the metal fine particle dispersion liquids was applied to a substrate to form a metal pattern.

[0072] In production of the metal fine particle dispersion liquid, a metal salt raw material of each of platinum, palladium, gold and copper was provided, the raw material was dissolved in a solvent (toluene or ethanol), an amine (hexylamine or decylamine) was added as a first protective agent, and a reducing agent (sodium borohydride) was added to reduce metal ions, thereby producing a mixed solution in which amine-protected metal fine particles were dispersed. Next, metal fine particles were separated and collected from the mixed solution, and washed, and toluene, to which oleic acid as a second protective agent was added beforehand, was added to produce a metal fine particle dispersion liquid.

[0073] The metal fine particle dispersion liquid was applied to a substrate. The configuration of the substrate, the pretreatment process and the application method are the same as in the first embodiment. In this embodiment, it was confirmed that the dispersion liquid was deposited only on a functional group-formed portion of the substrate by the application using the blade. The dispersion liquid was naturally dried at room temperature (25° C.) to form a metal pattern. The external appearance of the formed metal pattern was observed to measure the line width of the pattern. The resistance value was measured for the formed metal pattern. The resistance value was measured before and after heat treatment (80° C.), and metal patterns having a resistance value of 400Ω/□ or less were rated acceptable “◯”. Results for metal patterns formed from the metal fine particle dispersion liquids are shown in Table 2.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 First protective agent Second protective agent Resistance value* Metal fine mol.sub.amine/ mol.sub.fatty acid/ Wiring Just after After heat particles Raw materials Amine mol.sub.metal Fatty acid mol.sub.metal width formation treatment Pt Dinitrodiamine Decylamine 0.306 Oleic acid 0.01 3 μm ◯ ◯ Pt salt Pd Dinitrodiamine Decylamine 0.310 Oleic acid 0.01 3 μm ◯ ◯ Pd salt Au Au chloride Hexylamine 0.350 Oleic acid 0.01 3 μm ◯ ◯ acid salt Cu Cu acetate Hexylamine 0.400 Oleic acid 0.01 5 μm ◯ ◯ *Resistance value: 400 Ω/□ or less is rated “◯”

[0074] From Table 1, it can be confirmed that from metal fine particle solutions of platinum, palladium, gold and copper, preferred metal patterns can be formed as in the case of silver. These metal patterns each had a sufficiently small line width, and an acceptable resistance value.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0075] As described above, according to the present invention, an extremely fine metal pattern can be efficiently formed. The present invention is useful for formation of electrodes and wiring for various kinds of semiconductor devices, and also can be effectively applied for formation of wiring on a panel surface of a touch panel that is required to have light transmissivity.