Method for producing metal thin film

Abstract

A method for producing a metal thin film on a substrate includes: a step of applying an ink to a flat blanket; a first transfer step of bringing the first blanket and a letterpress having a predetermined pattern of projections into contact by a pressure compression while the flat blanked and the letterpress being disposed opposite each other, to selectively transfer a portion of the ink on the flat blanket corresponding to the projections to the letterpress; a second transfer step of bringing the flat blanket obtained after the first transfer step and the substrate into contact by pressure compression while the flat blanket and the substrate being disposed opposite each other, to transfer the ink remaining on the flat blanket to the substrate; and a step of subjecting the substrate obtained after the second transfer step to electroless plating to deposit a metal thin film on the substrate.

1 . A method for producing a metal thin film on a substrate, the method comprising:
 an application act of applying an ink to a flat blanket;   a first transfer act of bringing the flat blanket and a letterpress having a predetermined pattern of projections into contact by a pressure compression while the flat blanket and the letterpress being disposed opposite each other, to selectively transfer a portion of the ink on the flat blanket corresponding to the projections to the letterpress;   a second transfer act of bringing the flat blanket obtained after the first transfer act and the substrate into contact by pressure compression while the flat blanket and the substrate being disposed opposite each other, to transfer the ink remaining on the flat blanket to the substrate; and   a plating act of subjecting the substrate obtained after the second transfer act to an electroless plating process to deposit a metal thin film on the substrate,   wherein the ink includes a catalyst material for the electroless plating.   
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the ink includes a solute including a metal compound or metal fine particles which is the catalyst material. 
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the metal fine particles has a surface covered with a protective agent composed of an organic compound. 
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the ink includes a solvent having a boiling point of 100° C. or lower. 
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the electroless plating process is performed two or more times in the plating act to form the metal thin film composed of a multilayer film. 
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the metal thin film deposited on the substrate is annealed in an oxygen free atmosphere after the plating act. 
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising an activating act between the second transfer act and the plating act the activating act being for activating the catalyst material. 
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the activation of the catalyst material is performed by an ultraviolet (UV) ozone treatment or ozone water cleaning. 
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the substrate and the flat blanket individually have predetermined alignment marks formed thereon,
 wherein the substrate and the flat blanket are aligned using the alignment marks in the second transfer act.   
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the substrate has an adhesion layer formed thereon,
 wherein the ink is transferred to the adhesion layer in the second transfer act.   
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the flat blanket is composed of a rigid base and a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layer on the rigid base, and
 the ink is applied to the PDMS layer in the application act.