JP7197489B2 - Structure forming method and structure forming apparatus having hardened layer and metal wiring - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to a structure forming method and structure forming apparatus having a hardened layer and metal wiring .

Techniques have been developed for forming structures with curable viscous fluids such as ultraviolet curable resins. Specifically, a curable viscous fluid is discharged by a discharge device, and the curable viscous fluid is cured by being irradiated with ultraviolet rays or the like. This forms a hardened layer of the curable viscous fluid. Unevenness may be formed on the surface of the cured layer obtained by curing the curable viscous fluid. For example, unevenness is formed on the surface of the hardening layer due to the size of droplets of the hardening viscous fluid. Alternatively, unevenness is formed on the surface of the hardened layer due to differences in the amounts of the curable viscous fluids simultaneously ejected from the respective nozzles of the ejection device. On the other hand, the following patent document describes a technique for flattening the surface of a semi-hardened layer in a semi-hardened state by a flattening device such as a roller after discharging a hardening viscous fluid.

JP 2013-67118 A

However, the difference in the height of the unevenness due to the size of the droplets of the curable viscous fluid may be, for example, several μm (micrometers) or less than 1 μm. very small in comparison. For this reason, a flattening device such as a roller cannot achieve sufficient flattening, and there is a risk that fine irregularities may remain on the surface of the semi-hardened layer after flattening. The present disclosure has been made in view of such circumstances, and provides a method and a structure forming apparatus for forming a structure having a hardened layer and metal wiring that can further flatten the target surface of the semi-hardened layer. The challenge is to

In order to solve the above problems, a method for forming a structure having a cured layer and metal wiring of the present disclosure includes: a first discharging step of discharging a curable viscous fluid; a first semi-hardening step of semi-hardening the viscous fluid; a first semi-hardening layer forming step of repeating the first discharging step and the first semi-hardening step to form a first semi-hardened layer; a flattening step of flattening at least part of the semi-hardened layer by a flattening device to form a target surface on the first semi-hardened layer; and a second ejection step of ejecting the curable viscous fluid onto the target surface. a second semi-curing step of semi-curing the curable viscous fluid discharged in the second discharging step; and repeating the second discharging step and the second semi-curing step to form the first semi-cured layer. a second semi-hardened layer forming step of forming a second semi-hardened layer that is thinner than the thickness; and a first curing step of further curing the first semi-hardened layer and the second semi-hardened layer to form a hardened layer. a third discharging step of discharging a metallic fluid onto the target surface of the hardening layer; and a second curing step of curing the metallic fluid discharged in the third discharging step to form metal wiring on the target surface. and

In order to solve the above problems, the structure forming apparatus of the present disclosure includes a discharge device that discharges a curable viscous fluid, a metal discharge device that discharges a metal fluid, and the curable viscous liquid discharged by the discharge device. A semi-curing device for semi-curing a fluid to form a semi-cured layer, a planarizing device for planarizing the semi-cured layer, and a control device, wherein the control device controls the curable viscous fluid to the discharging device. a first semi-curing process of semi-curing the curable viscous fluid ejected in the first ejection process by the semi-curing device; the first ejection process and the first semi-curing and flattening at least part of the first semi-hardened layer by the flattening device to form the first semi-hardened layer. a flattening process for forming a target surface; a second ejection process for ejecting the curable viscous fluid onto the target surface using the ejection device; A second semi-curing process of semi-curing by a curing device, the second discharging process, and the second semi-curing process are repeated to form a second semi-cured layer that is thinner than the first semi-cured layer. a second semi-hardened layer forming treatment; a first hardening treatment for further hardening the first semi-hardened layer and the second semi-hardened layer to form a hardened layer; and a second hardening process of hardening the metal fluid ejected in the third ejection process and forming metal wiring on the target surface.

On the target surface of the first semi-hardened layer flattened by the flattening device, the difference in the height of the irregularities occurring on the target surface before flattening due to the size of the droplets of the curable viscous fluid, Fine unevenness is formed according to the size of the planarizing device. Therefore, a second semi-hardened layer that is thinner than the first semi-hardened layer is formed on the target surface by discharging the curable viscous fluid onto the target surface and semi-hardening it. As a result, the curable viscous fluid that constitutes the second semi-hardened layer penetrates fine unevenness of the target surface and reduces the unevenness of the target surface. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate fine irregularities that could not be flattened by the flattening apparatus, and further flatten the target surface.

It is a figure which shows a structure formation apparatus. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a printing section of the modeling unit; FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a curing section of a modeling unit; FIG. It is a block diagram which shows a control apparatus. It is a schematic diagram which shows a structure. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the formation process of a structure. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the formation process of a structure. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the formation process of a structure. It is the enlarged view which showed typically the relationship between an ultraviolet curing resin and an uneven|corrugated|grooved part. It is the enlarged view which showed typically the relationship between an ultraviolet curing resin and an uneven|corrugated|grooved part.

FIG. 1 shows a structure forming apparatus 10, which is an embodiment of the structure forming apparatus of the present application. A structure forming apparatus (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as "forming apparatus") 10 of the present embodiment includes a conveying device 20, a modeling unit 22, and a control device (see FIG. 4) 26. The conveying device 20 and the modeling unit 22 are arranged on a base 28 of the forming device 10 . The base 28 has a generally rectangular shape, and in the following description, the longitudinal direction of the base 28 is the X-axis direction, the short side direction of the base 28 is the Y-axis direction, and both the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction are perpendicular to each other. The direction will be referred to as the Z-axis direction.

The transport device 20 includes an X-axis slide mechanism 30 and a Y-axis slide mechanism 32 . The X-axis slide mechanism 30 has an X-axis slide rail 34 and an X-axis slider 36 . The X-axis slide rail 34 is arranged on the base 28 so as to extend in the X-axis direction. The X-axis slider 36 is held by an X-axis slide rail 34 so as to be slidable in the X-axis direction. Furthermore, the X-axis slide mechanism 30 has an electromagnetic motor (see FIG. 4) 38, and by driving the electromagnetic motor 38, the X-axis slider 36 is moved to an arbitrary position in the X-axis direction.

The Y-axis slide mechanism 32 also has a Y-axis slide rail 50 and a stage 52 . The Y-axis slide rail 50 is arranged on the base 28 so as to extend in the Y-axis direction. One end of the Y-axis slide rail 50 is connected to the X-axis slider 36 . As a result, the Y-axis slide rail 50 can move in the X-axis direction as the X-axis slider 36 slides. The stage 52 is held by a Y-axis slide rail 50 so as to be slidable in the Y-axis direction. Furthermore, the Y-axis slide mechanism 32 has an electromagnetic motor (see FIG. 4) 56, and the electromagnetic motor 56 drives the stage 52 to an arbitrary position in the Y-axis direction. As a result, the stage 52 can be moved to any position on the base 28 by driving the X-axis slide mechanism 30 and the Y-axis slide mechanism 32 .

The stage 52 has a base 60 , a holding device 62 and an elevating device 64 . The base 60 is formed in a flat plate shape, and a substrate (see FIG. 2) 70 is placed on the upper surface. The holding devices 62 are provided on both sides of the base 60 in the X-axis direction. Both edges of the substrate 70 placed on the base 60 in the X-axis direction are sandwiched by the holding device 62 , so that the substrate 70 is fixedly held on the base 60 . The lifting device 64 is arranged below the base 60 and lifts the base 60 in the Z-axis direction.

The modeling unit 22 is a unit that models a structure on the base material 70 placed on the base 60 of the stage 52 , and has a printing section 72 and a curing section 74 . As shown in FIG. 2 , the printing unit 72 has an inkjet head 76 and ejects a thin film of a curable viscous fluid 77 onto the substrate 70 placed on the base 60 . The hardening viscous fluid 77 is a viscous fluid that hardens with heat, light, or the like. Examples of the curable viscous fluid 77 include metallic ink and ultraviolet curable resin. The metal ink is made by dispersing metal fine particles in a solvent, and is cured by heating with heat. Further, the ultraviolet curable resin is cured by irradiation with ultraviolet rays. When the curable viscous fluid 77 is metal ink, the inkjet head 76 ejects the metal ink from a plurality of nozzles by, for example, a piezo method using piezoelectric elements. Further, when the curable viscous fluid 77 is an ultraviolet curable resin, the inkjet head 76 ejects the ultraviolet curable resin from a plurality of nozzles or heats the ultraviolet curable resin by, for example, a piezo method using piezoelectric elements. The ultraviolet curable resin is discharged from a plurality of nozzles by a thermal method in which air bubbles are generated and discharged from the nozzles. Note that the ejection device in the present application is not limited to the inkjet head 76 having a plurality of nozzles, and may be, for example, a dispenser having one nozzle. The inkjet head 76 may have separate nozzles for ejecting the metal ink and nozzles for ejecting the ultraviolet curable resin, or may share a nozzle for ejecting the two curable viscous fluids 77 .

As shown in FIG. 3, the curing section 74 has a flattening device 78 and an irradiation device 82 . The flattening device 78 flattens the upper surface of the curable viscous fluid 77 ejected onto the substrate 70 by the inkjet head 76 . The flattening device 78 has a roller 79 and a collection section 80 . The roller 79 has a cylindrical shape and moves while rotating on the surface of the fluid curable viscous fluid 77 (for example, ultraviolet curable resin) under the control of the flattening device 78 to flatten the surface. . The recovery unit 80 has, for example, a blade protruding toward the surface of the roller 79, and stores and discharges the curable viscous fluid 77 scraped by the blade. The recovery unit 80, for example, discharges the recovered curable viscous fluid 77 to a waste liquid tank. Note that the recovery unit 80 may return the recovered curable viscous fluid 77 to the supply tank again. The flattening device 78 flattens the surface of the curable viscous fluid 77 by scraping off excess curable viscous fluid 77 while leveling the surface of the curable viscous fluid 77 .

Also, the irradiation device 82 irradiates the curable viscous fluid 77 discharged onto the substrate 70 with light. The curable viscous fluid 77 is cured by irradiation with light to form a thin-film cured layer 86 . Specifically, the irradiation device 82 includes a laser beam irradiation device 143 (see FIG. 8) that irradiates a laser beam when the curable viscous fluid 77 is metal ink, for example. The irradiation device 82 irradiates the metal ink with laser light from the laser light irradiation device 143 to bake and harden the metal ink. Baking of metal ink is a phenomenon in which the solvent is vaporized and the metal fine particle protective film is decomposed by applying energy, and the metal fine particles contact or fuse to increase the electrical conductivity. Therefore, the irradiation device 82 can form the hardened layer 86 made of metal by baking the metal ink. The irradiation device 82 also includes an ultraviolet irradiation device 133 (see FIG. 6) that irradiates ultraviolet rays, for example, when the curable viscous fluid 77 is an ultraviolet curing resin. The irradiation device 82 irradiates the ultraviolet curable resin with ultraviolet rays using the ultraviolet irradiation device 133 to cure the ultraviolet curable resin and form a resin-made cured layer 86 .

Further, the irradiation device 82 of the present embodiment can form a semi-cured layer in a semi-cured state under the control of the control device 26 . The term "semi-cured" as used herein refers to a gel-like state that has not reached a completely cured state, but has increased viscosity and becomes fluid from the state of droplets when ejected, for example. be. For example, the control device 26 reduces the intensity of irradiating the curable viscous fluid 77 with laser light or ultraviolet rays, the number of times of irradiation, the time of irradiation, the number of times of scanning, etc., compared to the settings for complete curing. The curable viscous fluid 77 is brought into a semi-cured state. The flattening device 78 can flatten the curable viscous fluid 77 by rotating the roller 79 on the surface of the semi-hardened curable viscous fluid 77 .

As shown in FIG. 4, the control device 26 includes a controller 102, a plurality of drive circuits 104, and a storage device 106. A plurality of drive circuits 104 are connected to the electromagnetic motors 38 , 56 , holding device 62 , lifting device 64 , inkjet head 76 , flattening device 78 and irradiation device 82 . The controller 102 includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., is mainly a computer, and is connected to a plurality of drive circuits 104 . The storage device 106 includes RAM, ROM, hard disk, etc., and stores a control program 107 for controlling the forming apparatus 10 . The controller 102 can control the operation of the transport device 20 and the modeling unit 22 by executing the control program 107 with the CPU.

The forming apparatus 10 of the present embodiment forms a hardened layer 86 or a semi-hardened layer by hardening the thin-film curable viscous fluid 77, and laminates a plurality of hardened layers 86 or the like to Form structures of any shape. For example, the control program 107 is set with three-dimensional data of each layer obtained by slicing the structure. The controller 102 discharges and hardens the curable viscous fluid 77 based on the data of the control program 107 to form a structure. In the following description, as an example, a case of forming a three-dimensional structure 91 shown in FIG. 5 will be described. As shown in FIG. 5, the structure 91 includes a resin layer 93 and metal wiring 95 formed on an upper surface 93A (an example of a plane of symmetry) of the resin layer 93 in the Z-axis direction.

6 to 8 show the steps of forming the structure 91. FIG. In the following description, the controller 102 executing the control program 107 to control each device may be simply referred to as "the device". For example, "the transport device 20 moves the base 60" means that "the controller 102 executes the control program 107 to control the operation of the transport device 20, and moves the base 60 by the operation of the transport device 20". ” means.

First, the substrate 70 is set on the base 60 of the stage 52 shown in FIG. The transport device 20 moves the stage 52 on which the base material 70 is set below the modeling unit 22 . As shown in step (hereinafter simply referred to as “S”) 11 in FIG. The discharged ultraviolet curable resin 131 adheres to the substrate 70 and spreads in a thin film (S13).

Next, as shown in S15, the ultraviolet irradiation device 133 of the irradiation device 82 irradiates the ultraviolet curing resin 131 on the base material 70 with ultraviolet rays to semi-harden the ultraviolet curing resin 131. FIG. The controller 102 controls the intensity of the ultraviolet rays emitted from the ultraviolet irradiation device 133 to the ultraviolet curable resin 131, and makes the ultraviolet curable resin 131 in a semi-cured state.

Next, as shown in S<b>17 , the inkjet head 76 further ejects the ultraviolet curable resin 131 from above the semi-cured ultraviolet curable resin 131 . The discharged UV curable resin 131 is layered on the semi-cured UV curable resin 131 . After the ultraviolet curable resin 131 is discharged, the ultraviolet irradiation device 133 irradiates the discharged ultraviolet curable resin 131 with ultraviolet rays again to make the ultraviolet curable resin 131 in a semi-cured state, as shown in S15.

The controller 102 repeatedly executes the step S15 (an example of the first discharge step) and the step S17 (an example of the first semi-curing step) described above. As a result, as shown in S19 of FIG. 7, a semi-cured first semi-cured layer 135 in which the ultraviolet curing resin 131 is laminated is formed on the base material . For example, in the control program 107, the number of repetitions of S15 and S17 is preset according to the thickness W1 of the first semi-hardened layer 135 shown in S19, that is, the thickness of the semi-hardened layer to be formed. The controller 102 repeats S15 and S17 the number of times set in the control program 107 . In addition, in the method for forming the first semi-hardened layer 135 described above, S15 and S17 are repeatedly executed, but the method for forming the first semi-hardened layer 135 is not limited to this. For example, the ejection of S17 and the step of completely curing the ejected ultraviolet curable resin 131 are repeated to form a cured layer thinner than the thickness W1. Then, a semi-hardened layer may be formed on the formed hardened layer. That is, only the upper portion of the layer to be formed may be semi-cured.

Here, by slicing the first semi-hardened layer 135 by a predetermined thickness in the Z-axis direction and keeping the thickness of each sliced layer uniform, the modeling accuracy of the thickness W1 can be maintained. However, it may be difficult to control the amounts of the ultraviolet curable resin 131 simultaneously ejected from the plurality of nozzles of the inkjet head 76 to a constant amount. As a result, as shown in S19 of FIG. 7, undulating unevenness is formed on the upper surface 135A of the first semi-hardened layer 135 due to the error in the ejection amount of each nozzle. Alternatively, the upper surface 135</b>A of the first semi-cured layer 135 is uneven due to the size of the droplets of the ultraviolet curable resin 131 .

Therefore, as shown in S21, the controller 102 rotates the roller 79 of the flattening device 78 on the upper surface 135A of the first semi-hardened layer 135 to flatten it. As shown in S21, the roller 79 is rotated, for example, in a direction opposite to the direction of travel, and scrapes up the UV curable resin 131 in a flowable state. The scraped-up ultraviolet curable resin 131 adheres to the roller 79 , is scraped off by a blade (not shown) of the collecting section 80 , and is collected by the collecting section 80 .

However, the difference in the height of the irregularities formed on the upper surface 135A due to the above-described difference in the discharge amount of the nozzles, the size of the droplets of the ultraviolet curable resin 131, etc. is, for example, less than several μm. possible and very small compared to the size of roller 79 . For this reason, even if the first semi-cured layer 135 laminated with the ultraviolet curable resin 131 is flattened by the roller 79, it is difficult to flatten fine irregularities. As shown in S21 in FIG. 7, the upper surface 135A flattened by the roller 79 is formed with uneven portions 135B, which are fine uneven portions.

Therefore, as shown in S22 of FIG. 7, the inkjet head 76 of the present embodiment ejects the UV curable resin 131 again onto the upper surface 135A of the first semi-cured layer 135 flattened by the roller 79. FIG. Next, as shown in S23, the ultraviolet irradiation device 133 irradiates ultraviolet rays toward the upper surface 135A onto which the ultraviolet curing resin 131 has been discharged, thereby semi-curing the discharged ultraviolet irradiation device 133. FIG.

9 and 10 show the state of the discharged ultraviolet curable resin 131 and the uneven portion 135B. 9 and 10 are schematic diagrams and do not strictly show the state of the ultraviolet curable resin 131. FIG. 9 and 10 are examples, and the state changes differ according to the droplet size of the ultraviolet curable resin 131, the curing speed, the viscosity, the size of the uneven portion 135B, and the like. As shown in FIG. 9, the ultraviolet curable resin 131 discharged onto the upper surface 135A (see FIG. 7) of the first semi-cured layer 135 forms a thin film layer 137 that spreads like a thin film on the upper surface 135A. The thickness W2 of the thin film layer 137 is thinner than the thickness W1 of the first semi-hardened layer 135 . For example, the thin film layer 137 is formed by setting the minimum discharge amount of the ultraviolet curable resin 131 by the inkjet head 76 and scanning the upper surface 135A only once in the process of S22 shown in FIG. That is, the thickness W2 is preferably the thinnest thickness that can be formed by the inkjet head 76. FIG. Note that the thickness W2 can be appropriately changed according to, for example, the size and depth of the uneven portion 135B. For example, when the depth of the concave-convex portion 135B to be formed is deep, the discharge amount of the inkjet head 76 and the number of scans may be increased.

The ultraviolet curable resin 131 of the thin film layer 137 spread like a thin film adheres to the upper surface 135A and then enters the uneven portion 135B. Further, the ultraviolet curable resin 131 contained in the thin film layer 137 is semi-cured by being irradiated with ultraviolet rays in S23 of FIG. The ultraviolet curable resin 131 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays and enters into the concave-convex portion 135B while its viscosity changes. The controller 102 repeatedly executes the step of S22 (an example of the second discharge step) and the step of S23 (an example of the second semi-curing step). As a result, as shown in FIG. 10, the laminated thin film layer 137 becomes a second semi-hardened layer 139 that spreads to cover the uneven portion 135B and is semi-hardened. The thickness W3 of the second semi-hardened layer 139 is, for example, thinner than the thickness W1 of the first semi-hardened layer 135 and thicker than the thickness W2 of the thin film layer 137 . Then, the upper surface 135A is further flattened compared to the state immediately after being flattened by the rollers 79 in S21.

The applicant of the present application conducted verification and confirmed, for example, that the unevenness of several tens of μm formed on the upper surface 135A was reduced to several μm. Therefore, for example, the intensity, irradiation time, number of times of irradiation, etc. of the ultraviolet rays irradiated in S23 can be set according to the degree of improvement of the uneven portion 135B. For example, by adjusting the intensity of the ultraviolet rays in the irradiation device 82 according to the improvement in the reduction rate of unevenness of the upper surface 135A before and after S23, in other words, the improvement in the planarization rate of the upper surface 135A, Flattening can be achieved. Similarly, for example, the number of times S22 and S23 are repeated, the time interval for repeating S22 and S23, and the like can be set according to the degree of improvement of the uneven portion 135B. At least one of the intensity, the irradiation time, and the number of times of irradiation may be adjusted as a method for adjusting the ultraviolet rays to be irradiated. Also, in order to form the second semi-hardened layer 139 as thin as possible, it is preferable that the number of repetitions of S22 and S23 is small. However, the number of repetitions of S22 and S23 may be changed according to the size and depth of the uneven portion 135B.

By executing S22 and S23, the ultraviolet curable resin 131 contained in the thin film layer 137 is semi-cured, and the second semi-cured layer 139 is formed on the upper surface 135A. Next, as shown in S25, the first semi-hardened layer 135 and the second semi-hardened layer 139 are further hardened to form hardened layers. In S25, the ultraviolet irradiation device 133, for example, irradiates the first semi-cured layer 135 and the second semi-cured layer 139 with normal ultraviolet rays in order to completely cure the first semi-cured layer 135 and the second semi-cured layer 139. do. The ordinary ultraviolet rays referred to here are, for example, different from the ultraviolet rays with adjusted intensity used for semi-curing such as S23, and more reliably cure the first semi-cured layer 135 and the second semi-cured layer 139. The strength and the like for the purpose are set. By irradiating ordinary ultraviolet rays in S25, a cured layer is formed by curing the first semi-cured layer 135 and the second semi-cured layer 139 as shown in S27. This cured layer corresponds to the resin layer 93 in FIG. Thus, the resin layer 93 is formed. It should be noted that the idle time from the end of the step S23 to the start of the step S25 may be set according to the degree of improvement in flattening the uneven portion 135B.

Therefore, as described above, in the method of forming a structure having a cured layer and metal wiring according to the present embodiment, the second semi-cured layer 139 is further cured to form the resin layer 93 (cured layer). According to this, by curing the second semi-hardened layer 139, the resin layer 93 having the uneven portion 135B with reduced fine unevenness can be formed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 8, the metal wiring 95 shown in FIG. 5 is formed on the upper surface 93A of the resin layer 93 formed in S27. The controller 102 forms metal wirings 95 at predetermined locations on the top surface 93A based on the three-dimensional data of the control program 107 . More specifically, in S29, the inkjet head 76 ejects the metal ink 141 onto the upper surface 93A under the control of the controller 102. As shown in FIG. Then, in S31, the laser light irradiation device 143 of the irradiation device 82 irradiates the metal ink 141 ejected onto the upper surface 93A with laser light to bake it. The controller 102 forms the metal wiring 95 on the resin layer 93 by repeatedly executing the steps of S29 and S31. Thereby, the structure 91 shown in FIG. 5 is formed.

Therefore, as described above, in the method of forming a structure having a hardened layer and metal wiring according to the present embodiment, the metal ink 141 (metallic fluid) is applied to the upper surface 93A (upper surface 135A) of the resin layer 93 (an example of the hardened layer). example) (S29, an example of a third ejection step), and a step of curing the ejected metal ink 141 to form the metal wiring 95 on the upper surface 93A (S31, an example of a second curing step). .

Here, when the metal wiring 95 is formed by ejecting and curing the metal ink 141 on the uneven surface, for example, the upper surface 135A of S19 or S21 in FIG. 7, the thickness of the metal wiring 95 becomes uniform due to the unevenness. There is a risk that it will not. In addition, problems such as an increase in the electrical resistance of the metal wiring 95 and disconnection may occur. On the other hand, by reducing even finer unevenness of the upper surface 135A and ejecting the metal ink 141 onto the reduced upper surface 135A, the metal wiring 95 having a more uniform thickness can be formed. As a result, the electrical resistance of metal wiring 95 can be reduced to a desired value, and the occurrence of disconnection can be suppressed.

According to the above-described embodiment, the following effects are obtained.
The controller 102 of the forming apparatus 10 performs a first discharging step (S15) of discharging the ultraviolet curable resin 131, a first semi-curing step (S17) of semi-curing the ultraviolet curable resin 131 discharged in the first discharging step, are repeated to form the first semi-hardened layer 135 . Further, the controller 102 planarizes the first semi-hardened layer 135 by the planarizing device 78 to form an upper surface 135A on the first semi-hardened layer 135 (S21). Furthermore, the controller 102 performs a second discharging step (S22) of discharging the ultraviolet curable resin 131 onto the upper surface 135A, and a second semi-curing step (S23) of semi-curing the ultraviolet curable resin 131 discharged in the second discharging step. , are repeated to form the second semi-hardened layer 139 .

On the upper surface 135A of the first semi-hardened layer 135 flattened by the flattening device 78, the height of the unevenness generated on the upper surface 135A due to the size of the droplets of the ultraviolet curable resin 131 before flattening. A fine concave-convex portion 135B is formed according to the difference and the size of the roller 79 . Therefore, the second semi-cured layer 139 thinner than the first semi-cured layer 135 is formed on the upper surface 135A by discharging the ultraviolet curing resin 131 again onto the upper surface 135A and semi-curing it. As a result, the ultraviolet curable resin 131 forming the second semi-cured layer 139 penetrates into the fine irregularities 135B of the upper surface 135A and reduces the irregularities of the upper surface 135A. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate fine irregularities that could not be flattened by the flattening device 78 and to further flatten the upper surface 135A.

4, the controller 102 of the control device 26 has a discharge section 110, a semi-cured section 112, a semi-cured layer forming section 114, a flattening section 116, and a curing section 118. there is The ejection unit 110 and the like are, for example, processing modules realized by executing the control program 107 in the CPU of the controller 102 . It should be noted that the ejection unit 110 and the like may be configured with hardware instead of software.

The ejection section 110 is a functional section for ejecting the curable viscous fluid 77 from the inkjet head 76 . The semi-curing part 112 is a functional part that semi-cures the curable viscous fluid 77 by the irradiation device 82 . The semi-hardened layer forming part 114 is a functional part that repeats the discharging process and the semi-hardening process to form a semi-hardened layer. The planarization unit 116 is a functional unit that planarizes the semi-hardened layer by the planarization device 78 to form a target surface. The curing section 118 is a functional section that cures the semi-cured layer by the irradiation device 82 to form a cured layer.

Incidentally, in the above embodiments, the forming apparatus 10 is an example of a structure forming apparatus. The inkjet head 76 is an example of an ejection device or a metal ejection device. The ultraviolet curable resin 131 is an example of curable viscous fluid. The irradiation device 82 is an example of a semi-curing device and a curing device. The process executed by the discharge section 110 is an example of the first to third discharge processes. The process performed by the semi-curing part 112 is an example of a first semi-curing process and a second semi-curing process. The process executed by the semi-hardened layer forming section 114 is an example of a first semi-hardened layer forming process and a second semi-hardened layer forming process. The process performed by the curing section 118 is an example of a first curing process and a second curing process. The upper surface 135A is an example of a target surface.

The present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be implemented in various modes with various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art.
In the above embodiment, an example in which the ultraviolet curable resin 131 is used as the curable viscous fluid 77 to be flattened has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. Other curable viscous fluids 77, such as metal ink 141 and support materials, may be used for planarization. More specifically, for example, a semi-cured layer is formed by laminating the metal ink 141, and after the semi-cured layer is flattened by the roller 79, the metal ink 141 may be ejected again, semi-cured, and flattened. good. Further, the support material is, for example, when forming the structure 91 of a desired shape by lamination manufacturing, after it is temporarily formed for molding or forming through holes, It is melted and removed from the structure 91 . For example, a semi-hardened layer may be formed by laminating a support material, and after the semi-hardened layer is flattened by the roller 79, the support material may be ejected again and semi-hardened for flattening. As a result, for example, finer unevenness formed on the surface (the surface of the structure 91 or the inner surface of the through-hole) in contact with the support material can be reduced and flattened.
Moreover, the curable viscous fluid 77 of the present application is not limited to the ultraviolet curable resin 131 and the metal ink 141, and various curable viscous fluids that are cured by light, heat, or the like can be employed.
Further, the flattening device 78 of the present application is not limited to a rotating body such as the roller 79, and may be, for example, a blade that scrapes off the curable viscous fluid 77 on the upper surface 135A.

10 forming device (structure forming device), 76 inkjet head (discharging device, metal discharging device), 78 flattening device, 82 irradiation device (semi-curing device, curing device), 102 controller (control device), 110 discharging section ( first to third ejection steps), 112 semi-cured part (first and second semi-cured steps), 114 semi-cured layer forming part (first and second semi-cured layer forming steps), 118 curing part (first and second second curing step), 131 UV curable resin (curing viscous fluid).

Claims (5)

a first discharging step of discharging a curable viscous fluid;
a first semi-curing step of semi-curing the curable viscous fluid discharged in the first discharging step;
a first semi-hardened layer forming step of repeating the first discharging step and the first semi-hardening step to form a first semi-hardened layer;
a flattening step of flattening at least part of the first semi-hardened layer by a flattening device to form a target surface on the first semi-hardened layer;
a second ejection step of ejecting the curable viscous fluid onto the target surface;
a second semi-curing step of semi-curing the curable viscous fluid discharged in the second discharging step;
a second semi-hardened layer forming step of repeating the second discharging step and the second semi-hardening step to form a second semi-hardened layer thinner than the thickness of the first semi-hardened layer;
a first curing step of further curing the first semi-cured layer and the second semi-cured layer to form a cured layer;
a third ejection step of ejecting a metallic fluid onto the target surface of the hardened layer;
a second curing step of curing the metallic fluid ejected in the third ejecting step to form a metal wiring on the target surface;
A method of forming a structure having a stiffening layer and metal traces , comprising: The curable viscous fluid is an ultraviolet curable resin,
2. The second semi-curing step according to claim 1, wherein the curable viscous fluid is semi-cured by reducing at least one of an intensity of ultraviolet rays applied to the ultraviolet curable resin, an irradiation time, and a number of times of irradiation. A method of forming a structure having a hardened layer of and metal wiring . In the second discharge step,
The curable viscous fluid is ejected onto the target surface using an inkjet head, the minimum ejection volume is set among the ejection volumes that can be ejected from the inkjet head, and each portion of the target surface is scanned only once. ejecting the curable viscous fluid to form a thin film layer spread like a thin film on the target surface;
In the second semi-curing step,
3. The method of forming a structure having a hardened layer and metal wiring according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the thin film layer is semi-hardened. a discharge device for discharging a curable viscous fluid;
a metal ejection device for ejecting a metal fluid;
a semi-curing device for semi-curing the curable viscous fluid discharged by the discharging device to form a semi-cured layer;
a planarization device for planarizing the semi-hardened layer;
a controller;
The control device is
a first ejection process of ejecting the curable viscous fluid by the ejection device;
a first semi-curing process for semi-curing the curable viscous fluid ejected in the first ejection process by the semi-curing device;
a first semi-hardened layer forming process for forming a first semi-hardened layer by repeating the first ejection process and the first semi-hardened process;
a planarization process of planarizing at least a portion of the first semi-hardened layer by the planarization device to form a target surface on the first semi-hardened layer;
a second ejection process of ejecting the curable viscous fluid onto the target surface by the ejection device;
a second semi-curing process of semi-curing the curable viscous fluid ejected in the second ejection process by the semi-curing device;
a second semi-hardened layer forming process of repeating the second ejection process and the second semi-hardened process to form a second semi-hardened layer thinner than the thickness of the first semi-hardened layer;
a first curing treatment for further curing the first semi-cured layer and the second semi-cured layer to form a cured layer;
a third ejection process of ejecting the metal fluid onto the target surface of the hardened layer by the metal ejection device;
a second curing process for curing the metallic fluid discharged in the third discharging process to form metal wiring on the target surface;
, a structure forming device. The curable viscous fluid is an ultraviolet curable resin,
The control device is
In the second semi-curing treatment, the semi-curing device is controlled to reduce at least one of the intensity, irradiation time, and number of times of irradiation of the ultraviolet curable resin with the semi-curing device, thereby curing the resin. 5. The structure forming apparatus according to claim 4, which semi-hardens the viscous fluid.

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