FILM-FORMING APPARATUS, FILM-FORMING METHOD AND PARTICLE-SUPPLYING APPARATUS

Abstract

A film-forming apparatus includes a mixing section which mixes material particles and core particles having a large particle size than that of the material particles; a separating section which separates the material particles and the core particles; an aerosol-generator which generates aerosol by dispersing the separated material particles in a carrier gas; and a nozzle which ejects the aerosol containing the material particles. The core particles having the large particle size can be easily controlled in terms of transport amount of the core particles, as compared to the material particles which are fine particles used for the film formation. Further, since the core particles hardly cause clog-up in the system, the concentration of aerosol can be maintained stably by appropriately controlling the transport amount of the core particles.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a film-forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a fluidizer according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a cyclone according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an aerosol generator according to the embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a film-forming method of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a film-forming apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a particle-supplying apparatus of the present invention.

Claims

1. A film-forming apparatus which forms a film, comprising: a mixing section which mixes material particles for forming the film and core particles having a particle size greater than that of the material particles to adhere the material particles onto each of the core particles;a separating section having a collision wall against which the core particles, each with the material particles adhered thereonto, collide to separate the material particles and the core particles;a transporting mechanism which transports each of the core particles, onto each of which the material particles adhered, from the mixing section to the separating section;an aerosol generator which is connected to the separating section and which generates an aerosol by dispersing the material particles, separated from each of the core particles at the collision wall, in a carrier gas; anda nozzle which is connected to the aerosol generator and which ejects the aerosol.

2. The film-forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a controller which is provided on the transporting mechanism and which controls a supply amount of the core particles to the separating section.

3. The film-forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a fluidizer which generates a fluidized bed of the core particles is provided between the mixing section and separating section.

4. The film-forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a sorter is provided between the mixing section and the separating section, the sorter sorting, from a mixture containing the core and material particles mixed in the mixing section, the core particles onto each of which the material particles are adhered and free material particles, among the material particles, which are free from the core particles.

5. The film-forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the sorter is provided with a material recovering section which recovers the free material particles sorted by the sorter and which is connected to the mixing section to supply the recovered free material particles to the mixing section.

6. The film-forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transporting mechanism is connected to the separating section at a downstream-side portion of the transporting mechanism located at a position lower than that of an upstream-side portion thereof.

7. The film-forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the separating section is provided with a core recovering section connected to the mixing section, recovering the core particles from each of which the material particles have been separated, and supplying the recovered core particles to the mixing section.

8. The film-forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mixing section is formed to have a down-slope which is declined, in a predetermined direction, from a supply position at which one of the core and material particles are supplied; and the core and the material particles flow in the predetermined direction.

9. The film-forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an aerosol-concentration detector which detects a concentration of the aerosol is provided between the aerosol generator and the nozzle.

10. The film-forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the mixing section is provided with a flow-rate detector which detects a flow rate of the core particles.

11. The film-forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the collision wall is a mesh having a mesh size through which the core particles are passable; and the core recovering section includes another mesh having a mesh size through which the core particles are unable to pass.

12. The film-forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller includes a first adjusting valve which adjusts a supply amount of the core particles to the separating section, and a second adjusting valve which adjusts a supply amount of the material particles to the mixing section.

13. The film-forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein each of the first and second adjusting valves has a horizontal plate which adjusts a valve opening.

14. A film-forming method for forming a film on a substrate, comprising: a mixing step for mixing material particles and core particles having a particle size greater than that of the material particles, and for adhering the material particles onto each of the core particles;a transporting step for transporting the core particles onto each of which the material particles are adhered in the mixing step, while controlling a transport amount of the core particles;a separating step for separating the material particles from each of the core particles by imparting an impact force to the core particles transported by the transporting step;an aerosol-generating step for generating an aerosol by dispersing, in a carrier gas, the material particles separated in the separating step from each of the core particles; anda film-forming step for forming a film of the material particles by ejecting the aerosol containing the material particles toward the substrate so that the material particles are adhered to the substrate to form the film.

15. The film-forming method according to claim 14, wherein the material particles have a primary mean particle size of not more than 1 μm; and the core particles have a mean particle size in a range of 100 μm to 200 μm.

16. The film-forming method according to claim 14, wherein a porous material is used as the core particles.

17. The film-forming method according to claim 14, wherein the core particles is formed one of zirconia and alumina.

18. The film-forming method according to claim 14, wherein the material particles are particles of lead zirconate titanate.

19. A particle-supplying apparatus which supplies a plurality of first particles, including: a mixing section which mixes the plurality of first particles and a plurality of second particles having a particle size greater than that of the first particles, and which adheres the first particles onto each of the second particles;a separating section having a collision wall against which the second particles each with the first particles adhered thereonto collide to separate the first particles and the second particles;a transporting mechanism which transports each of the second particles, with the first particles adhered thereonto, from the mixing section to the separating section; anda controller which is provided on the transporting mechanism and which controls a supply amount of the second particles, each having the first particles adhered thereonto, to the separating section.