Abstract: The invention relates to an injector configured for arrangement within a reaction chamber of a substrate processing apparatus to inject gas in the reaction chamber. The injector may be elongated along a first axis and configured with an internal gas conduction channel extending along the first axis and provided with at least one gas entrance opening and at least one gas exit opening. The injector may have a width extending along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis substantially larger than a depth of the injector extending along a third axis perpendicular to the first and second axis. The wall of the injector may have a varying thickness.

Abstract: Vertical batch furnace assembly for processing wafers comprising a cassette handling space, a wafer handling space, and a first wall separating the cassette handling space from the wafer handling space. The first wall has at least one wafer transfer opening in front of which a wafer transfer position for a wafer cassette is provided. The cassette handling space comprises a cassette storage, and a cassette handling mechanism. The cassette storage has a plurality of cassette storage positions and is configured to store a plurality of wafer cassettes. The cassette handling mechanism comprises a first cassette handler which is configured to transfer wafer cassettes between a first set of the cassette storage positions and the wafer transfer position. The cassette handling mechanism is provided with a second cassette handler which is configured to transfer wafer cassettes between a second set of the cassette storage positions and the wafer transfer position.

Abstract: A vertical batch furnace assembly for processing wafers comprising a cassette handling space, a wafer handling space, and an internal wall separating the cassette handling space and the wafer handling space. The cassette handling space is provided with a cassette storage configured to store a plurality of wafer cassettes provided with a plurality of wafers. The cassette handling space is also provided with a cassette handler configured to transfer wafer cassettes between the cassette storage and a wafer transfer position. The wafer handling space is provided with a wafer handler configured to transfer wafers between a wafer cassette in the wafer transfer position and a wafer boat in a wafer boat transfer position. The internal wall is provided with a wafer transfer opening adjacent the wafer transfer position for a wafer cassette from or to which wafers are to be transferred. The cassette storage comprises two cassette storage carousels.

Abstract: A vertical batch furnace assembly for processing wafers comprising a cassette handling space, a wafer handling space, and a first wall separating the cassette handling space from the wafer handling space. The wall having a wafer transfer opening. The wafer transfer opening is associated with a cassette carrousel comprising a carrousel stage having a plurality of cassette support surfaces each configured for supporting a wafer cassette. The carrousel stage is rotatable by an actuator around a substantially vertical axis to transfer each cassette support surface to a wafer transfer position in front of the wafer transfer opening and to at least one cassette load/retrieve position, wherein the vertical batch furnace assembly is configured to load or retrieve a wafer cassette on or from a cassette support surface of the carrousel stage which is in the at least one load/retrieve position.

Abstract: The invention relates to an injector configured for arrangement within a reaction chamber of a substrate processing apparatus to inject gas in the reaction chamber. The injector may be elongated along a first axis and configured with an internal gas conduction channel extending along the first axis and provided with at least one gas entrance opening and at least one gas exit opening. The injector may have a width extending along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis substantially larger than a depth of the injector extending along a third axis perpendicular to the first and second axis. The wall of the injector may have a varying thickness.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus having a tube, a closed liner lining the interior surface of the tube, a plurality of gas injectors to provide a gas to an inner space of the liner, and, a gas exhaust duct to remove gas from the inner space is disclosed. The liner may have a substantially cylindrical wall delimited by a liner opening at a lower end and being substantially closed for gases above the liner opening. The apparatus may have a boat constructed and arranged moveable into the inner space via the liner opening and provided with a plurality of substrate holders for holding a plurality of substrates over a substrate support length in the inner space. Each of the gas injectors may have a single exit opening at the top and the exit openings of the plurality of injectors are substantially equally divided over the substrate support length.

Abstract: Vertical batch furnace assembly for processing wafers comprising a cassette handling space, a wafer handling space, and a first wall separating the cassette handling space from the wafer handling space. The first wall has at least one wafer transfer opening in front of which a wafer transfer position for a wafer cassette is provided. The cassette handling space comprises a cassette storage, and a cassette handling mechanism. The cassette storage has a plurality of cassette storage positions and is configured to store a plurality of wafer cassettes. The cassette handling mechanism comprises a first cassette handler which is configured to transfer wafer cassettes between a first set of the cassette storage positions and the wafer transfer position. The cassette handling mechanism is provided with a second cassette handler which is configured to transfer wafer cassettes between a second set of the cassette storage positions and the wafer transfer position.

Abstract: Vertical batch furnace assembly for processing wafers comprising a cassette handling space, a wafer handling space, and a first wall separating the cassette handling space from the wafer handling space. The first wall has at least one wafer transfer opening in front of which a wafer transfer position for a wafer cassette is provided. The cassette handling space comprises a cassette storage, and a cassette handling mechanism. The cassette storage has a plurality of cassette storage positions and is configured to store a plurality of wafer cassettes. The cassette handling mechanism comprises a first cassette handler which is configured to transfer wafer cassettes between a first set of the cassette storage positions and the wafer transfer position. The cassette handling mechanism is provided with a second cassette handler which is configured to transfer wafer cassettes between a second set of the cassette storage positions and the wafer transfer position.

Abstract: A dummy wafer storage cassette for storing dummy wafers. The dummy wafer storage cassette may have more than 30 wafer slots for accommodating dummy wafers. The dummy wafer cassette may have substantially the same outer dimensions as a standardized wafer cassette with 25 wafer slots and a pitch of the wafer slots of the dummy wafer storage cassette may be smaller than a pitch between the wafer slots in the standardized wafer cassette.

Abstract: An injector configured to be placed in a process chamber of a batch furnace assembly for injecting a gas into said process chamber. The injector has an elongated, tubular housing enclosing an injection chamber. The housing has a gas inlet opening for supplying a gas from a gas source to the injection chamber, at least one gas supply opening for supplying the gas from the injection chamber into the process chamber, and a circumferential wall extending in a longitudinal direction of the housing. The circumferential wall comprises a first lateral wall half and a second lateral wall half. Both lateral wall halves substantially span a length of the housing in the longitudinal direction. The first and second lateral wall halves are fastened to each other by means of mechanical fastening.

Abstract: An atomic layer deposition apparatus including a deposition head that is rotatably mounted around a central deposition head axis and including a susceptor having an upper surface for carrying substrates. The lower surface comprises a plurality of process sections. Each process section includes a purge gas injection zone, a first precursor gas injection zone, a gas exhaust zone, a purge gas injection zone, a second precursor gas injection zone and a gas exhaust zone. Each zone radially extends from a radially inward part of the lower surface to a radially outward part of the lower surface of the deposition head. The combination of distance between the lower surface and the upper surface, the rotational speed of the deposition head and the flow rate and the pressure of the purge gas flows are selected such that the first and second precursor gases are substantially prevented from mixing.

Abstract: A cassette lid opening device for use in a clean room apparatus configured for cooperation with a wafer cassette. The cassette lid opening device comprises a wall structure having a separation wall having a wall opening for transferring wafers therethrough, a cassette docking port, and a lid handler provided to the wall structure. The cassette docking port is arranged at a first side of the wall structure for docking a wafer cassette. The lid handler is movable relative to the wall opening and configured to engage a cassette lid of the wafer cassette docked in the cassette docking port. The cassette lid opening device further comprises a blower having an elongated, slit-like nozzle substantially spanning a height or a width of the wall opening and configured to blow a curtain-shaped jet stream of a purge gas into a cassette interior of the wafer cassette.

Abstract: A vertical batch furnace assembly for processing wafers comprising a cassette handling space, a wafer handling space, and an internal wall separating the cassette handling space and the wafer handling space. The cassette handling space is provided with a cassette storage configured to store a plurality of wafer cassettes provided with a plurality of wafers. The cassette handling space is also provided with a cassette handler configured to transfer wafer cassettes between the cassette storage and a wafer transfer position. The wafer handling space is provided with a wafer handler configured to transfer wafers between a wafer cassette in the wafer transfer position and a wafer boat in a wafer boat transfer position. The internal wall is provided with a wafer transfer opening adjacent the wafer transfer position for a wafer cassette from or to which wafers are to be transferred. The cassette storage comprises two cassette storage carousels.

Abstract: A vertical batch furnace assembly for processing wafers comprising a cassette handling space, a wafer handling space, and a first wall separating the cassette handling space from the wafer handling space. The wall having a wafer transfer opening. The wafer transfer opening is associated with a cassette carrousel comprising a carrousel stage having a plurality of cassette support surfaces each configured for supporting a wafer cassette. The carrousel stage is rotatable by an actuator around a substantially vertical axis to transfer each cassette support surface to a wafer transfer position in front of the wafer transfer opening and to at least one cassette load/retrieve position, wherein the vertical batch furnace assembly is configured to load or retrieve a wafer cassette on or from a cassette support surface of the carousel stage which is in the at least one load/retrieve position.

Abstract: Vertical batch furnace assembly for processing wafers comprising a cassette handling space, a wafer handling space, and a first wall separating the cassette handling space from the wafer handling space. The first wall has at least one wafer transfer opening in front of which a wafer transfer position for a wafer cassette is provided. The cassette handling space comprises a cassette storage, and a cassette handling mechanism. The cassette storage has a plurality of cassette storage positions and is configured to store a plurality of wafer cassettes. The cassette handling mechanism comprises a first cassette handler which is configured to transfer wafer cassettes between a first set of the cassette storage positions and the wafer transfer position. The cassette handling mechanism is provided with a second cassette handler which is configured to transfer wafer cassettes between a second set of the cassette storage positions and the wafer transfer position.

Abstract: A spatial atomic layer deposition apparatus (10), including a showerhead (16) with a showerhead side (18) having a center, a central area and a circumferential area. The apparatus also includes a susceptor (12) having a substrate support side that extends parallel to and of opposite the showerhead side forming a gap. The susceptor and the showerhead are rotatable relative to each other around an axis of rotation. The apparatus has a plurality of switchable showerhead sections. The apparatus also includes a plurality of multi-way valve assemblies. Each switchable showerhead section is fluidly connected with one of the plurality of multi-way valve assemblies, so as to fluidly connect a selected one of a plurality of different gas sources with that switchable showerhead section.

Abstract: A wafer boat cooldown device comprising a bottom plate and a rotatable table that is rotatable between a number of index positions. The rotatable table comprises at least two wafer boat positions for supporting a wafer boat. A vertically extending wall structure is mounted on the rotatable table and creates, at each wafer boat position, a wafer boat chamber having a gas supply area and a gas discharge area. The wafer boat cooldown device further comprises a plenum chamber which extends under the bottom plate. The plenum chamber accommodates at least one gas/liquid heat exchanger.

Abstract: An assembly of a liner and a flange for a vertical furnace for processing substrates is provided. The liner being configured to extend in the interior of a process tube of the vertical furnace, and the flange is configured to at least partially close a liner opening. The liner comprising a substantially cylindrical wall delimited by the liner opening at a lower end and closed at a higher end and being substantially closed for gases above the liner opening and defining an inner space. The flange comprising: an inlet opening configured to insert and remove a boat configured to carry substrates in the inner space of the liner; a gas inlet to provide a gas to the inner space. The assembly is constructed and arranged with a gas exhaust opening to remove gas from the inner space and a space between the liner and the low pressure tube.

Abstract: A dummy wafer storage cassette for storing dummy wafers. The dummy wafer storage cassette may have more than 30 wafer slots for accommodating dummy wafers. The dummy wafer cassette may have substantially the same outer dimensions as a standardized wafer cassette with 25 wafer slots and a pitch of the wafer slots of the dummy wafer storage cassette may be smaller than a pitch between the wafer slots in the standardized wafer cassette.

Abstract: A spatial atomic layer deposition apparatus (10), including a showerhead (16) with a showerhead side (18) having a center, a central area and a circumferential area. The apparatus also includes a susceptor (12) having a substrate support side that extends parallel to and of opposite the showerhead side forming a gap. The susceptor and the showerhead are rotatable relative to each other around an axis of rotation. The apparatus has a plurality of switchable showerhead sections. The apparatus also includes a plurality of multi-way valve assemblies. Each switchable showerhead section is fluidly connected with one of the plurality of multi-way valve assemblies, so as to fluidly connect a selected one of a plurality of different gas sources with that switchable showerhead section.