Abstract: A vertical batch furnace assembly for processing wafers having a cassette handling space, a wafer handling space, and a first wall and separating the cassette handling space from the wafer handling space. The first wall has at least one wafer transfer opening in front of which, at a side of the first wall which is directed to the cassette handling space, a wafer transfer position for a wafer cassette is provided. The cassette handling space comprises a cassette storage having a plurality of cassette storage positions and a cassette handler configured to transfer wafer cassettes between the cassette storage positions and the wafer transfer position. The cassette handler has a first cassette handler arm and a second cassette handler arm.

Abstract: Wafer boat handling device, configured to be positioned under a process chamber of a vertical batch furnace, and comprising a rotatable table comprising a first and a second wafer boat support surface. Each wafer boat support surface is configured for supporting a wafer boat. The rotatable table is rotatable by an actuator to rotate both the first and the second wafer support surfaces to a load/receive position in which the wafer boat handling device is configured to load a wafer boat vertically from the rotatable table into the process chamber and to receive the wafer boat from the process chamber onto the rotatable table, a cooldown position in which the wafer boat handling device is configured to cool down a wafer boat, and a transfer position for transferring wafers to and/or from the wafer boat.

Abstract: Vertical furnace reactor assembly, comprising: a reactor housing defining a processing chamber configured for processing substrates therein, the processing chamber having an opening for moving substrates into and out of the processing chamber along a main loading axis, the opening being surrounded by a stack of annular flange units including at least two of a housing flange, a gas divided ring unit, a liner suspension ring unit, a scavenger ring unit and a clamp ring unit, wherein at least two of the annular flange units are provided with mutually cooperating centering structures for centering the respective at least two flange units with respect to each other, wherein the mutually cooperating centering structures comprise a plurality of slots and a corresponding plurality of pins, wherein the slots each extend along a respective main slot axis, wherein the slot axes are directed to mutually intersect centrally with respect to the stack.

Abstract: A wafer boat configured to be placed on a pedestal of a vertical batch furnace, the pedestal having a substantially flat support surface. The wafer boat comprises a support ring defining a substantially flat bottom end surface of the wafer boat, and an alignment ring substantially concentric with the support ring. Either the support surface of the pedestal, or a bottom side of the alignment ring is provided with a plurality of alignment elements respectively protruding upwards from the support surface or downwards from the alignment ring, while the other one is provided with a plurality of alignment openings configured to accommodate therein the plurality of alignment elements. The support ring downwardly protrudes beyond the alignment ring so that, when the wafer boat is placed on the pedestal, the support ring is supported on the support surface while the alignment ring is spaced from the support surface of the pedestal.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a wafer processing apparatus for processing wafers with a rotatable table provided with a support constructed and arranged to support a removable holder for storing a plurality of wafers. A drive assembly may be provided to provide a rotary movement to the rotatable table around a vertical axis perpendicular to the table; and, a supply line may be constructed and arranged to supply utilities to the rotatable table. The drive assembly may be controlled and configured to create the rotary movement of the table in a clockwise and/or an anticlockwise direction to avoid breakage of the supply line.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus for processing a plurality of substrates. The apparatus comprising a reactor mounted in the apparatus and configured for processing substrates and a reactor mover for moving the reactor for maintenance. The reactor mover is constructed and arranged with a lift to move the reactor to a lower height to allow for access to the reactor by a maintenance worker.

Abstract: A method for automatically calibrating the position of a wafer handling robot relative to a wafer carrier. The method comprises providing a semiconductor processing assembly comprising the wafer carrier and the wafer handling robot having an end effector, placing a wafer on a wafer support surface of the end effector, moving the end effector to an end position adjacent the wafer carrier, determining a displacement of the wafer on the wafer support surface, repeating these steps until the magnitude of the displacement meets a set end criterion, and storing the latest used end position as a calibrated end position.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a flange for a process tube in an apparatus for processing substrates, e.g., a vertical furnace. The flange may be provided with an opening for in use giving access to the process chamber of the process tube and a cooling channel for allowing a cooling fluid to flow there through and cool the flange. A material with a heat conductivity between 0.1 and 40 W/m K may be at least partially provided in between the cooling fluid and the rest of the flange.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for cleaning or etching a molybdenum film or a molybdenum nitride film from an interior of a reaction chamber in a reaction system are disclosed. A remote plasma unit is utilized to activate a halide precursor mixed with an inert gas source to form a radical gas. The radical gas reacts with the molybdenum film or the molybdenum nitride film to form a by-product that is removed from the interior of the reaction chamber by a purge gas.

Abstract: A vertical batch furnace assembly for processing wafers having a cassette handling space, a wafer handling space, and a first wall and separating the cassette handling space from the wafer handling space. The first wall has at least one wafer transfer opening in front of which, at a side of the first wall which is directed to the cassette handling space, a wafer transfer position for a wafer cassette is provided. The cassette handling space comprises a cassette storage having a plurality of cassette storage positions and a cassette handler configured to transfer wafer cassettes between the cassette storage positions and the wafer transfer position. The cassette handler has a first cassette handler arm and a second cassette handler arm.

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: The disclosure relates to an apparatus for processing wafers with a process chamber to process wafers held in a wafer boat; a cassette handler chamber to handle wafer cassettes; and, a wafer handler chamber provided with a wafer handler to transfer wafers from wafer cassettes to the wafer boat. The wafer handler is constructed and arranged to transfer wafers between a wafer storage, the wafer boat and wafer cassettes.

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: Wafer boat handling device, configured to be positioned under a process chamber of a vertical batch furnace, and comprising a rotatable table comprising a first and a second wafer boat support surface. Each wafer boat support surface is configured for supporting a wafer boat. The rotatable table is rotatable by an actuator to rotate both the first and the second wafer support surfaces to a load/receive position in which the wafer boat handling device is configured to load a wafer boat vertically from the rotatable table into the process chamber and to receive the wafer boat from the process chamber onto the rotatable table, a cooldown position in which the wafer boat handling device is configured to cool down a wafer boat, and a transfer position for transferring wafers to and/or from the wafer boat.

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: In some embodiments, a system is disclosed for delivering hydrogen peroxide to a semiconductor processing chamber. The system includes a process canister for holding a H2O2/H2O mixture in a liquid state, an evaporator provided with an evaporator heater, a first feed line for feeding the liquid H2O2/H2O mixture to the evaporator, and a second feed line for feeding the evaporated H2O2/H2O mixture to the processing chamber, the second feed line provided with a second feed line heater. The evaporator heater is configured to heat the evaporator to a temperature lower than 120° C. and the second feed line heater is configured to heat the feed line to a temperature equal to or higher than the temperature of the evaporator.

Abstract: A semiconductor processing assembly, comprising at least one semiconductor processing system and a substrate cassette stocker with stocker positions that are at least partially disposed within a footprint of the at least one semiconductor processing system. The semiconductor processing system also includes a local substrate cassette transport system for exchanging substrate cassettes with a global cassette transport system of a processing facility. The local substrate cassette transport system transports cassettes between its substrate cassette exchange station and the stocker positions. Also disclosed is a semiconductor processing facility, having a clean room bay area and a clean room chase area, disposed adjacent to the clean room bay area and separated therefrom by a clean room bounding wall.

Abstract: An assembly of a liner and a support flange for a vertical furnace for processing wafers, wherein the support flange is configured for supporting the liner, at least two support members that are connected to the cylindrical wall, each having a downwardly directed supporting surface, wherein each downwardly directed supporting surface is positioned radially outwardly from the inner cylindrical surface, wherein the support flange and/or the liner are configured such that, when the liner is placed on the support flange, the downwardly directed supporting surfaces are in contact with an upper surface of the support flange and support the liner, and wherein at least the part of the lower end surface of the liner that bounds the inner cylindrical surface is spaced apart from the upper surface of the support flange.