Laser sintering atmosphere control method for metal nanoparticle paste and laser sintering apparatus for metal nanoparticle paste equipped with apparatus for performing the same

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to optimally control low oxygen concentration atmosphere around a laser sintering portion (laser irradiation portion) of metal nanoparticle paste to improve laser sintering quality.SOLUTION: In performing laser sintering, a laser beam 7 from a laser 6 is allowed to pass through the central part of a guide 22 via a laser beam transmission substrate 5 and led to metal nanoparticle paste on a substrate 1 while inert gas 8 is introduced into an inert gas introduction chamber 4 having a larger diameter than the guide body 3 via an inert gas introduction pipe 9 to maintain the inert gas introduction chamber at positive pressure. Because the inert gas introduction chamber 4 has a large diameter than the guide body 3, gas blows out evenly toward the metal nanoparticle paste from directly above via the guide body 3 and a skirt part 2, the blowout inert gas evenly discharges generated gas (steam, decomposition gas etc.), which is generated from the metal nanoparticle paste in laser sintering, in all directions through an annular gap 19 while laser sintering atmosphere is kept at low oxygen concentration.