Abstract: Fluorine gas generators are connected with semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses through a gas supplying system including a storage tank that can store a predetermined quantity of fluorine gas generated in the on-site fluorine gas generators. When one or more of the on-site fluorine gas generators are stopped, fluorine gas is supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses from the storage tank storing a predetermined quantity of fluorine gas, so as to keep the operations of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses. Thereby obtained is a semiconductor manufacturing plant in which fluorine gas generated in the fluorine gas generators can be safely and stably supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses, and with superior cost performance.

Abstract: Fluorine gas generators are connected with semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses through a gas supplying system including a storage tank that can store a predetermined quantity of fluorine gas generated in the on-site fluorine gas generators. When one or more of the on-site fluorine gas generators are stopped, fluorine gas is supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses from the storage tank storing a predetermined quantity of fluorine gas, so as to keep the operations of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses. Thereby obtained is a semiconductor manufacturing plant in which fluorine gas generated in the fluorine gas generators can be safely and stably supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses, and with superior cost performance.

Abstract: Two rotors 18a, 18b each housing a honeycomb structure 25 carrying an absorbent is driven for rotation by a common motor 19. Partitioning members 17 define an absorbing zone S and a recovery zone U in the rotor depending on the angular positional relationship between the partitioning members 17 and the rotor corresponding thereto. In the absorbing zone S, the absorbent removes moisture and organic matters from air passing therethrough. In the recovery zone U, recovery of the absorbent deteriorated by absorbing the moisture and the organic matters is preformed by using heated dry air. Air sucked from a transfer space 10 of the processing system sequentially passes through the absorbing zones of both the rotors via a circulation passage 20, thereafter returned to the transfer space. A part of clean dry air having passed through the absorbing zones of both the rotors is supplied into an exhaust passage 21, and is heated by a heater, and passes through the recovery zones of both the rotors.

Abstract: A vacuum evacuation device 2 of the invention comprises a vacuum pump 4,5 for exhausting a gas G2 in a process chamber 21 into which a process gas G1 is introduced and in which a process reaction is performed, to form a vacuum in said process chamber 21; and a control means 6 for performing a first control that regulates the rotational speed of said vacuum pump 4,5 such that a pressure condition in said process chamber 21 reaches a pressure condition suitable for said process reaction during said process reaction, wherein said control means 6 calculates a specified rotational speed for said vacuum pump 4,5 based on process information related to said process reaction, and performs a second control that brings said vacuum pump 4,5 to said specified rotational speed before said first control. The vacuum evacuation device 2 is capable of bringing the pressure in a process chamber 21 to the target pressure in a short period without a vacuum pump 4,5 being overloaded, regardless of the process reaction condition.

Abstract: Two rotors 18a, 18b each housing a honeycomb structure 25 carrying an absorbent is driven for rotation by a common motor 19. Partitioning members 17 define an absorbing zone S and a recovery zone U in the rotor depending on the angular positional relationship between the partitioning members 17 and the rotor corresponding thereto. In the absorbing zone S, the absorbent removes moisture and organic matters from air passing therethrough. In the recovery zone U, recovery of the absorbent deteriorated by absorbing the moisture and the organic matters is preformed by using heated dry air. Air sucked from a transfer space 10 of the processing system sequentially passes through the absorbing zones of both the rotors via a circulation passage 20, thereafter returned to the transfer space. A part of clean dry air having passed through the absorbing zones of both the rotors is supplied into an exhaust passage 21, and is heated by a heater, and passes through the recovery zones of both the rotors.

Abstract: Substrates having surfaces in a highly clean condition are subjected to a thermal process in a heating furnace. In a thermal processing apparatus for processing substrates by a predetermined thermal process that heats the substrates by a heating means, the substrates are held in a vertical position at horizontal intervals in a reaction vessel. Cleaning liquids are supplied into the reaction vessel to clean the substrates, and then the cleaning liquids are drained away through a drain port, and then a process gas is supplied into the reaction vessel to process the substrates by a thermal process. The substrates having the cleaned clean surfaces are subjected to the thermal process without being exposed to the ambient atmosphere and can be satisfactorily processed by the thermal process.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a heat treatment system and method for heat-treating an object to be treated. Particularly, the invention relates to a heat treatment system wherein an object to be treated is carried in a reaction vessel, which has been pressure-reduced to a predetermined degree of vacuum and the interior of which is heated to a predetermined process temperature, and a process gas is supplied into the reaction vessel via a gas feed passage to process the object.

Abstract: When an oxidation process for semiconductor wafers is carried out by a batch type furnace, the uniformity of the thickness of a film is intended to be improved so as to be capable of carrying out a low temperature process. In a system for feeding a mixed gas of hydrogen gas and water vapor into a reaction vessel to carry out a so-called wet oxidation, a ventilation resistance material is provided in an outside passage of a double-pipe passage for heating gas in an external combustion system, and a mixed gas of hydrogen gas and hydrogen chloride gas is passed through the ventilation resistance material to be heated to a process temperature or higher by means of the heater of the combustion system to previously produce a very small amount of water vapor to carry out a dry oxidation. When dinitrogen oxide gas is used for producing a nitrogen containing silicon oxide film, dinitrogen oxide gas is passed through the outside passage to be previously activated.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a heat treatment system and method for heat-treating an object to be treated. Particularly, the invention relates to a heat treatment system wherein an object to be treated is carried in a reaction vessel, which has been pressure-reduced to a predetermined degree of vacuum and the interior of which is heated to a predetermined process temperature, and a process gas is supplied into the reaction vessel via a gas feed passage to process the object.

Abstract: When an oxidation process for semiconductor wafers is carried out by a batch type furnace, the uniformity of the thickness of a film is intended to be improved so as to be capable of carrying out a low temperature process. In a system for feeding a mixed gas of hydrogen gas and water vapor into a reaction vessel to carry out a so-called wet oxidation, a ventilation resistance material is provided in an outside passage of a double-pipe passage for heating gas in an external combustion system, and a mixed gas of hydrogen gas and hydrogen chloride gas is passed through the ventilation resistance material to be heated to a process temperature or higher by means of the heater of the combustion system to previously produce a very small amount of water vapor to carry out a dry oxidation. When dinitrogen oxide gas is used for producing a nitrogen containing silicon oxide film, dinitrogen oxide gas is passed through the outside passage to be previously activated.

Abstract: A treatment apparatus comprises a treatment chamber for performing a treatment for a workpiece W, a loading chamber connected to the treatment chamber, for loading and unloading a holding member which contains the workpiece into and from the treatment chamber, and an input/output chamber for inputting and outputting the workpiece to and from the loading chamber. The input/output chamber includes a cassette accommodating vessel port which holds a cassette accommodating vessel. The vessel is filled with clean air or an inert gas, and is airtightly closed. A cassette receiving mechanism is disposed below the port and lowers only the cassette of the vessel so as to receive the cassette. Thus, when the cassette is input and output to and from the outside of the treatment apparatus, the workpiece contained within the cassette is not exposed to the atmosphere in a working region. Consequently, it is not necessary to improve the cleanliness level of the atmosphere in the working region.

Abstract: A treatment apparatus comprises a treatment chamber for performing a treatment for a workpiece W, a loading chamber connected to the treatment chamber, for loading and unloading a holding member which contains the workpiece into and from the treatment chamber, and an input/output chamber for inputting and outputting the workpiece to and from the loading chamber. The input/output chamber includes a cassette accommodating vessel port which holds a cassette accommodating vessel. The vessel is filled with clean air or an inert gas, and is airtightly closed. A cassette receiving mechanism is disposed below the port and lowers only the cassette of the vessel so as to receive the cassette. Thus, when the cassette is input and output to and from the outside of the treatment apparatus, the workpiece contained within the cassette is not exposed to the atmosphere in a working region. Consequently, it is not necessary to improve the cleanliness level of the atmosphere in the working region.

Abstract: According to this invention, there is provided a notch position aligning mechanism and a process for using the mechanism including a base which can be vertically movably inserted into a cassette through a lower opening of the cassette for storing a plurality of targets to be aligned having notches formed in edge portions of the targets wherein can be fitted, a rotating/supporting mechanism, including a first rotary member which is arranged on the base, and has a plurality of fitting grooves in which the notches of the targets can be fitted, a second rotary member which can be rotated and is arranged on the base, and a drive unit for rotating at least one of the first and second rotary members, the rotating/supporting mechanism supporting and rotating the targets using the first and second rotary members while the targets are spaced apart from the cassette, and a support member, arranged on the base, for supporting the targets having the notches fitted in the fitting grooves of the first rotary member to stop

Abstract: A plate-like member conveying apparatus includes five holding arms arranged parallel to each other in one direction and capable of supporting wafers, a link mechanism for connecting said holding arms to each other and for, when at least one holding arm is moved in the one direction, moving the remaining holding arms such that the pitch thereamong is equal, and a nut-screw driving mechanism for moving the at least one holding arm in the one direction.

Abstract: A clean air apparatus includes a housing having an opening through which a carrier housing semiconductor wafers is supplied into the housing and an I/O port for supporting the carrier and a furnace for treating the wafer, provided in the upper portion of the housing. The carriers are at the same time supported by a first carrier stage provided in the upper portion of the housing and supported by a second carrier stage provided in the lower portion of the housing. The carrier or carriers are selectively moved between the I/O port and the first stage, between the I/O port and the second stage, and between the first stage and the second stage. A clean air is applied to the wafers in the carriers supported by the I/O port, the first stage and the second stage.

Abstract: A vertical heating apparatus comprises a casing having an opening through which a plurality of transport members receiving articles to be processed are loaded in and unloaded from the casing, a heat treating furnace provided in an upper portion of the casing, a transport member storing portion provided in the casing at a side space of the heat treating furnace, for receiving the transport members, a processing member for transporting the articles to be processed in the heat treating furnace, a transferring mechanism for transferring the articles to be processed and received by the transport members to the processing member, and a vertically moving mechanism provided below the heat treating furnace in the casing, for loading and unloading the articles to be processed and received by the processing member in and from the heat treating furnace.

Abstract: A wafer counter device comprising a system for aligning the orientation flats of plural wafers in a cassette with one another and a system provided with optical sensors for detecting whether or not the wafers are present in the cassette and serving to count the number of the wafers in the cassette on the basis of the result detected by the optical sensors. The wafers aligning system includes aligning rollers contacted with the rims of the wafers to rotate the wafers, a system for lifting the aligning rollers in such a way that the rollers can be contacted with the rims of the wafers, and a motor for rotating the aligning rollers.

Abstract: A wafer transferring method for transferring wafers between a cassette and a boat having grooves to hold the wafers, comprises the steps of providing an identification mechanism for positional alignment on the boat in advance, detecting the identification mechanism, and aligning the boat to a predetermined position based on a detection result and transferring the wafers from the cassette to the boat. A wafer transferring apparatus comprises a loading device for extracting wafers from a cassette and transferring the wafers onto a boat, a detection device for detecting an identification section provided on the boat in order to identify a wafer transferring position on the boat, a control device for acquiring the wafer transferring position on the boat based on a detection result attained from the detection device and controlling a mutual position between the boat and the cassette to come to a predetermined position.

Abstract: A wafer transfer device which includes a lifter system for lifting wafers seated in a cassette, a chuck system having at least two pairs of chuck members on each of which a plurality of grooves for holding the wafers therein are formed and serving to hold the wafers, which are lifted by the lifter system, between these chuck members, and a carrier system for carrying the wafers together with the chuck system. The wafer holding grooves on one of the paired chuck members are in series with those on one of the other paired chuck members, and the wafer holding grooves on one of the paired chuck members are parallel to those on one of the other paired chuck members.

Abstract: A vertical heat-treatment apparatus is provided with a mechanism for automatically transferring semiconductor wafers from carriers to a boat for a vertical type furnace. The automatic transferring mechanism comprises a port for receiving a plurality of carriers arranged in series in an upright state, a posture change mechanism for changing the posture of wafers in the carriers from the upright state to the horizontal state, a parallel transfer mechanism for transferring the carriers on the boat to the posture change mechanism, a carrier loading/unloading mechanism for loading the carriers on a station, a wafer loading/unloading mechanism for taking out the wafers from the carriers on the station in turn and transferring the taken-out wafers to the boat in turn, and a mounting mechanism for mounting the boat in the furnace. The carrier loading/unloading mechanism and the wafer loading/unloading mechanism are mounted on a common frame and are rotated and lifted at the same time.