Abstract: A kiln method and apparatus wherein a kiln chamber is formed of appropriate material, preferably having an oval cross-section with grooves in the narrower sides of the oval and oval shaped shelves which can be inserted into the oval chamber and turned so as to be supported within said grooves, and heat producing apparatus exterior of said chamber surrounded in turn by appropriate insulating material, resulting in a kiln having the mechanical structure of an endo skeleton supporting heating elements, shelves, lid, insulation, temperature control apparatus, and the like.

Abstract: A vertical boat for holding a plurality of semiconductor wafers comprising two end members (2) positioned at the top and the bottom of the vertical boat, and a plurality of support members (3,4,5,6,104) vertically mounted on the end members (2) for supporting the wafers, wherein each support member (3,4,5,6,104) is formed by a plate-like member having a series of slits (9,10,7,8,108) formed thereon in such a manner that a plurality of support arms are defined by the slits (9,10,7,8,108) at a predetermined interval, each support arm having a support projection (11,12,13,14,112) formed at the end thereof, and wherein the inner portions (P) of the wafer (1) is to be supported by the support projections (11,12,13,14,112) whereas the periphery of the wafer (1) does not contact the arms of the support members (3,4,5,6,104).

Abstract: The present invention features a process and apparatus for drying ceramic structures in an electromagnetic energy field. The apparatus comprises a cradle or setter for supporting the ceramic structure which is made of a light-weight, tough, temperature-resistant material which does not absorb energy in the radio frequency range, for example, fiberglass reinforced polyester. The setter is also characterized by many apertures to allow passage of air or moisture, and is designed to avoid trapped air volumes.

Abstract: Apparatus suitable for supporting a plurality of asticles of glazed vitrified flatware. The apparatus comprises a base and cover each having a generally T-shaped configuration. Uprights extend between respective holes in the base and cover adjacent the free end of each of the limbs of the T. A plurality of spaced fingers extend perpendicularly from the elongate portion inwardly of the apparatus. The fingers are of a greater length than the distance between the rim and the foot of a conventional item of flatware. A groove is provided on the upper surface of the fingers adjacent the free ends thereof for locating a conventional pin for supporting ware beneath the foot of the ware.

Abstract: A pusher which pushes up semiconductor wafers has wafer fixing grooves to which they are fixed. Wafer detecting sensors which detect whether the semiconductor wafers are present are positioned in side walls of the wafer fixing grooves. The pusher is composed of an grounded aluminum base material and a resin coat formed on the base material. The surface of the aluminum base material is alumite-treated. The resin coat has a thickness of approximately 20 .mu.m. The resin coat is made of Teflon.

Abstract: A highly preferred container for ashable material, which material is to be ashed by heat in an ashing furnace, while it is in such container, especially when such container is to be heated by microwave radiation onto microwave absorptive elements of the furnace, which thereby heat the container, is a heat resistant, walled container which is light weight, microwave transmissive, porous and air transmissive, which is of quartz microfibers that are held in desired walled container form, preferably in substantially flat cylindrical form. Such a container may be made by shaping a heat resistant, light weight, microwave transmissive and porous non-woven sheet of quartz microfibers to container form and heating and curing such sheet in such form, preferably after moistening it with water, whereby a form-retaining container results that can be successfully employed to hold ashable samples to be ashed for analysis during microwave powered ashings of such samples.

Abstract: A setter (10) for supporting an article of ceramic ware. The setter (10) comprising two identical engageable components (14). The components (14) comprise profiled pieces of recrystallised silicon carbide. The components (14) are generally `C` shaped and have engagement means in the form of a step (16) on the ends of the side members of the `C` permitting engagement between the components (14) to define a planar support surface comprising a continuous band of material surrounding an open area.

Abstract: A ceramic firing method particularly suitable for the fabrication of metallic oxide varistor bodies containing a major proportion of zinc oxide and a minor proportion of antimony oxide. Should moldings of this composition be fired in direct contact with a conventional molding stand, antimony oxide would diffuse readily into the stand, with the consequent creation of varistor bodies that are unsatisfactory in their surge withstanding capability. Therefore, in order to avoid such effluence of antimony oxide or like diffusible metallic oxide, the moldings are fired on a diffusion retarder which preferably is of substantially the same composition as the moldings, only with a higher proportion of the diffusible substance. The diffusion retarder may take the form of either flat overlays or loose particles of sintered ceramic material, both placed on the conventional molding stand.

Abstract: A method of heat treating ceramic-based electronic components by providing a furnace fixture adapted to support the ceramic-based electronic components which is made from a substrate selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide (SiC), cordierite (2MgO.2Al2O.sub.3.5SiO.sub.2), mullite (3Al.sub.2 O.sub.3.2SiO.sub.2), stabilized zirconia, and alumina (Al.sub.2 O.sub.3) containing a glassy bond phase. A cladding layer of zirconia is then deposited on the furnace fixture substrate by plasma deposition. The ceramic-based electronic component to be fired is placed on the zirconia-coated substrate; and heated to a desired temperature to heat treat the component.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer boat used in a vertical CVD apparatus includes four columns fixed to upper and lower support plates. Each of the columns has a plurality of first grooves arranged at regular intervals in the vertical direction so as to place wafers in substantially parallel to each other, and a plurality of second grooves formed alternately with the first grooves. A plate ring is provided for each of the second grooves so as to improve the uniformity of thickness of a film to be formed on each wafer. Each ring has an outer diameter larger than that of a wafer, and an inner diameter smaller than that of the wafer. Each ring is placed such that there is a clearance for transferring each wafer between each ring and each wafer in the vertical direction.

Abstract: A process for producing a ceramic honeycomb structural body, comprises the steps of placing a green ceramic honeycomb structural body on a ceramic plate, and then firing the green ceramic honeycomb structural body. The green ceramic honeycomb structural body is placed on the ceramic plate in the state that a cell-opened end face contacts the ceramic plate. The ceramic plate is composed mainly of heat-resistive inorganic fibers, and has a bulk density of not less than 1.00 g/cm.sup.3.

Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus for transferring a semiconductor wafer between a cassette and a boat and heat-treating a number of wafers loaded on the boat, comprising wafer holding assembly for supporting the wafer, and a plurality of posts for supporting the wafer holding assembly at predetermined intervals. The wafer holding assembly includes a ring member having an outside diameter larger than the diameter of the wafer and supported at a part of a peripheral portion thereof by the posts, and a plurality of supporting pieces provided onto the ring member, for supporting the wafer directly in contact with the wafer.

Abstract: A high temperature heat-treating jig characterized by forming a tungsten layer or a tungsten alloy layer on the surface of a heat-resistant base to avoid discoloration and color shading during the heat treatment at a high temperature.

Abstract: Components for semiconductor diffusion furnaces are constructed of a high purity impervious silicon carbide or silicon nitride matrix deposited onto and within a pre-shaped fibrous matrix of silicon carbide or silicon nitride which contains sufficient nucleation aids to produce a structure having a density greater than about 85% of theoretical density. The impregnation of the matrix material into the fibrous reinforcement prevents undesired gaseous components from contaminating the atmosphere of the furnace, and the fibrous reinforcement provides strength combined with light weight.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for the sagger-less burning of crockery comprising setting plates (2) and individual supports (1) which are designed as separate components from the setting plates (2), each printer's bit (2) being supported by two individual supports (1) and the ratio of the number of setting plates to the number of individual supports being 1:1.

Abstract: A single wafer processing apparatus includes a portable processing head that can be a portable module or a movable unit mounted to a supporting machine frame. The processing head has movable fingers adapted to grip a wafer. The fingers protrude from a protective wafer plate. Indexing and rotation monitoring assemblies are provided for automation of the wafer processing steps. A complementary processing base includes an upwardly-open bowl that receives a wafer held by the portable processing head. It has a full-diameter movable bottom wall for rapid draining purposes. Liquid and/or gas jets and nozzles supply fluids required within the bowl for processing of wafers.

Abstract: A support unit, e.g. a setter, is designed for convenience of stacking both in use and in the stored condition. Each unit (10, 20, 20A) is of circular plan outline and has a rim (13) having alternate upwardly-and downwardly-disposed castellations (14 and 15 respectively) whereby a pair of units (20, 20A) can be stacked closely together with their upper castellations (24, 24A) contiguous and their lower castellations (25, 25A) contiguous or can be stacked in the `use` position with the lower castellations (25A) of an upper unit (20A) resting on the upper castellations (24) of a lower unit (20).

Abstract: A hermetic package for an electronic device is manufactured by providing a green glass ceramic body with a green via to produce a workpiece. The workpiece is sintered at a temperature at or above 500.degree. C., while compressing the workpiece at a pressure at or above 100 pounds per square inch, so as to obtain a hermetic package. The green via comprises a mixture of copper and a glass ceramic material with a sufficient volume of glass to produce a hermetic package, yet with sufficient copper to have a suitable electrical conductivity.The hermetic package thus produced comprises a sintered glass ceramic body having an electrically conductive sintered via which is hermetically bonded to the glass ceramic body and which comprises a mixture of an electrically conductive material and a glass ceramic material. The electrically conductive material forms at most 50 volume percent of the via.The workpeice may be sintered in a sintering fixture having a frame and a compensating insert.

Abstract: An excellent method of firing ceramic materials is provided wherein bending or deformation of a supporting plate which supports a green shaped body of the ceramic materials, deformation of the green shaped body caused by its own weight, and cracks and breakage of fired shaped body, during the firing of the shaped body of the ceramic materials, are eliminated. The method comprises mounting a green supporting plate on a fired supporting plate, mounting a green structural body of ceramic raw materials on the green supporting plate, and firing the green structural body on the green supporting plate.

Abstract: A method for co-sintering ceramic/metal multi-layered ceramic substrates wherein X-Y shrinkage is controlled and X-Y distortion and Z-direction chamber are substantially eliminated. Binder-burnoff is substantially not aggravated during this process as well. The process is accomplished by applying selective forces to the surfaces of the ceramic substrates to control lateral movement while allowing Z direction shrinkage movement. Frictional force means, pneumatic forced means and weights are among the means used to supply forces. Cerium oxide is used in certain embodiments to enhance binder-burnoff.

Abstract: A device for holding at least one long shaped product made of ceramics during its drying, including an assembly having at least one straight elongated cavity in which the product to be dried can be held along its entire length. The cavity is open at both ends and surrounds the whole periphery of the product, and has a clearance between the assembly wall and the whole periphery of the product except the portion where both are contacting each other.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing elongate ceramic articles including a plurality of firing stages.In a pre-firing stage, an elongate ceramic shaped-body is held in a first attitude and subjected to a pre-firing at a predetermined pre-firing temperature to form a pre-fired-body.In the final firing stage, the pre-fired-body is held in a second attitude, which is different from the first attitude and in which the longitudinal direction of the pre-fired-body is oriented substantially in a vertical direction, and the pre-fired-body is subjected to a firing at a temperature not less than the pre-firing temperature.The method of the invention allows elongate ceramic articles to be manufactured, without accompanying formation of cracks or fractures induced by tensile stresses due to dead weight of the shaped-body itself. The article so manufactured has substantial homogeneity dimensions and performances throughout the entire length thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed is a silicon carbide type diffusion tube comprising a diffusion tube base made of reaction-sintered silicon carbide having an iron concentration of 20 ppm or below and a density of 3.0 g/cm.sup.3 or over, and a silicon carbide layer consisting of a high-purity silicon carbide film having an iron concentration of 5 ppm or below deposited on the inner surface of the tube base and a silicon carbide type diffusion tube comprising a diffusion tube base made of reaction-sintered silicon carbide, and a silicon carbide layer consisting of a Si-depleted layer formed in the inner wall of the reaction-sintered silicon carbide tube base and a high-purity silicon carbide film deposited on the Si-depleted layer, said silicon carbide film having a thickness of more than 0.5 mm.

Abstract: A purge tube for protecting a boat(s) of wafers. This purge tube does not enter the furnace. A floating end cap within the tube moves to substantially seal the furance opening during processing. The floating end cap is withdrawn back to the closed end of the tube when the wafer boat(s) is withdrawn into the tube.

Abstract: A wafer hanger has a rod member and a supporting member. The rod member is inserted into respective notches formed in semiconductor wafers, and then placed on the supporting member. The wafer hanger holding the wafers is put into a furnace for heat treatment of the wafers. Since the wafers are hung from the rod member, plastic deformation due to the gravity of the wafers is not caused in the wafers.

Abstract: An apparatus for heat treating and quickly cooling substrates. The apparatus includes a cylindrical furnace core tube for containing substrates, a heater enclosing the furnace core tube, and outer cylinder enclosing and containing the furnace core tube and the heater, a blower for drafting cooling air to the space between the furnace core tube and the outer cylinder along the longitudinal direction of the furnace core tube, and a switching valve connected between the blower and both ends of the outer cylinder for switching the direction in which the cooling air travels. Since the direction of the cooling air is changed, the entire furnace core tube is uniformly cooled.

Abstract: An apparatus for the heat treatment of a substrate comprises a heat treating plate for heating or cooling a substrate, three holes for one substrate provided on the surface of the heat treating plate whose position is selected to suitably place the substrate, and three balls respectively in the three holes with the diameter of the balls being slightly larger than the depth of the holes. The substrate is retained on the three balls for heat treatment.

Abstract: A rectangular sagger structure particularly suited for firing cylindrical articles loaded in parallel touching rows. A scalloped fixture extends inwardly from one of the side walls with the scalloped notches so spaced that the articles placed in the notches constituting a first row of articles form pockets for the second row of articles to nest between adjacent first row articles.

Abstract: In a heating furnace for forming films on semiconductor substrates (1), holding means (2, 4) for holding semiconductor substrates (1) are provided with projections (3, 5) for holding at least part of bottom faces of the semiconductor substrates (1) horizontally with predetermined spacing between the projections.

Abstract: An apparatus for firing ceramic shaped products, particularly porcelian tableware, comprising a kiln provided with a through tunnel and a heating device, grid-like pallets for holding the shaped products during their passage through the through tunnel, feed means for feeding the unfired shaped products onto the pallets, and discharge means for discharging the fired shaped products from the pallets. The pallets are covered with product holder plates, preferably plane parallel product holder plates, adapted approximately to the format of the respective shaped products. More uniform action of the firing atmosphere on the shaped products is thereby acheived. The product holder plates are more easily produced than the kiln furniture hitherto used.

Abstract: An oven for the heat treatment of semiconductor substrates, especially a diffusion oven, having an upright, heatable quartz tube and a support system made of up rods or tubes into which one or more diffusion racks can be inserted which accommodate the wafer-like substrates separated from one another and substantially parallel to one another. To create a vertically operated oven having a rheologically efficient construction in which the support system for holding the diffusion racks will be highly variable, the support system has at least two vertical supports arranged parallel to one another, on which at least one rack rest 9 is disposed, on which rack rest the diffusion rack is placed such that the substrate wafers 8 stand substantially on edge during the treatment.

Abstract: An apparatus for supporting a ceramic tube during firing thereof includes a base on which is mounted a lower end of the ceramic tube and supports extending upwardly from the base. A brick member is supported on the supports for grasping an upper end of the ceramic tube and for, during axial contraction of the tube during firing thereof, suspending the tube and allowing withdrawal of the lower end of the tube from the base while ensuring vertical alignment of the thus suspended tube. The brick has therethrough an opening for surrounding the upper end of the tube and defining a balancing space between the brick and the tube. Mortar fills the balancing space.

Abstract: A diffusion furnace component system is disclosed which includes a liner, process tube, paddle and boat. These various elements are made up of a matrix of sintered silicon carbide which has been infiltrated with 5 to 30% by weight of silicon metal and finally coated with an impervious film or layer of a high purity refractory material such as e.g. silicon carbide.

Abstract: A method of drying a formed ceramic mass having an end face in which holes are open, including preparing a jig having at least one projection which protrudes from a surface of the jig, holding the jig in abutting contact with the end face of the formed ceramic mass such that the at least one projection pierces or penetrates a portion of the formed ceramic mass adjacent to the end face, and then drying the formed ceramic mass. The jig is effective to protect the formed ceramic mass against distortion in the drying process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sheet which may be used in firing ceramic faced base plates, glass faced base plates and metal faced base plates. The sheet comprises a combustible sheet such as a pulp paper and a coating layer coated on at least one surface of the combustible sheet. The coating layer comprises a powder of a material with a high melting point and a powder of carbon which may be formed separately from the layer comprising the powder of a material having a high melting point. The coating layer comprising the powder of carbon effectively prevents shrinkage of the sheet during firing, and thus prevents adhesion between adjacent stacked base plates and between the base plates and the supporting base. The sheet of the present invention further provides a layer of a uniform breadth which prevents the formation of undulations and pin-holes in the base plates during firing.

Abstract: A wafer boat transfer tool has an upper fork and a lower fork which may be differently configured for supporting wafer boats in different ways. The same tool may be used to transfer boats in one or more steps from locations where they are supported in one way to other locations where they are supported in the same or a different way. Also, the tool may be used to transfer more than one boat at a time without excessive travel in a direction parallel to the boat loader axis.A versatile wafer designed for use with two different forks of the tool may be utilized with different boat loaders and a common wafer transfer machine and in-process storage nests.

Abstract: An apparatus for supporting and conveying ceramic wall and floor tiles through a kiln is provided. The tile support structure is mounted on a kiln car having a structural base supported on rotatable wheels adapted to travel along a set of rails running through the kiln. The support structure includes refractory support posts with recrystallized silicon carbide cross-beams mounted thereon. Pairs of refractory rods are hung from the cross-beams. Each of the rods has a plurality of tile supports along its length for supporting a plurality of tiles between the pair of adjacent rods.

Abstract: There is disclosed a refractory, insulating assembly for preventing kiln car heat loss, said assembly consisting of dome-shaped, hollow modular members disposed in a row along each running edge of said kiln car, with the space therebetween covered with a layer of insulating refractory.

Abstract: Kiln furniture for supporting ceramic products to be baked in a high-speed baking kiln includes an inorganic fibrous material needled blanket having a plurality of depressions therein, and a plurality of separate basic bodies of a ceramic material mounted in the depressions and forming an upper emplacement surface for supporting the ceramic products.

Abstract: A kiln furniture setter used to support and transport greenware into a kiln to be fired comprising a multiple column support structure with sequential rotation of supports to eject greenware from said supports by the rotation of the support columns in respect to horizontal movement of the carrier on a conveyor belt.

Abstract: Process for joining ceramic components in precise spatial relationship which comprises firing the ceramic components joined by a ceramic frit on a sagger tray having a coefficient of thermal expansion that matches that of the ceramic components.

Abstract: A supporting and guiding means comprises a centrally disposed support column (6) at the upper end of which at least one slide tube (1) is secured paraxially. A holding and guiding device (2) is arranged on said slide tube and retaining plates (4) act at the ends of said device, the retaining plates (4) engaging in the upper open end of at least two insulators or similar elongated ceramic articles (7) arranged outside of the support column and, upon shrinking of the insulators (7), following the shrinking movement in axial direction while, at the same time, holding and guiding the insulators (7).

Abstract: An improved furnace construction is provided permitting ceramic materials of various types to be processed at significantly elevated temperatures or being transported to the furnace enclosure. More particularly, novel transport means are provided for said ceramic materials to avoid problems with thermal shock and chemical attack here and for encountered during such processing of the ceramic materials. The novel transport means includes a furnace tray construction for the ceramic materials exhibiting greater abrasion resistance at the elevated furnace operating temperatures and which preferably cooperates with a hearth member in said furnace construction having comparable abrasion resistance.

Abstract: In the manufacture of a flared ferromagnetic annular core for a television deflection unit in which a moulding (13) consisting of compressed starting material is supported in a hollow holder (11) having an inclined inner wall (12) on which a considerable part of the flared outer surface of the moulding (13) bears during sintering. Allows compression and expansion of the moulding to take place.

Abstract: A cantilever tube for carrying loaded wafer boats into a diffusion furnace and confining flow of gas through the wafers includes an elongated slot extending from an open end of the tube to a predetermined region in which the wafer boats are positioned, the wafer boats abutting each other and forming a sealing cover for the elongated slot. A narrow boat carrier supported on a carriage system extends through the elongated slot and carries a wafer boat loaded with wafers into the open end and to the predetermined region in the cantilever tube without allowing either the carrier, or the wafer boat, or the wafers to touch the cantilever tube. The carrier lowers the boat onto the bottom inner surface of the tube, causing the boat to cover a portion of the elongated slot. The procedure is repeated for subsequent wafer boats, each of which abuts the previous one, to effectively close and seal the elongated slot when all of the wafer boats are positioned inside the cantilever tube.

Abstract: This invention is directed to the use of a false tooth having an attaching means rearwardly directed on the rear of the false tooth. The attaching means makes it possible to more definitely and more easily position the false tooth while working an individual tooth and while forming the dental bridge.After the dental bridge has been formed the attaching means can be removed so as to have the finished dental bridge.The result is that a desirable dental bridge can be prepared from factory made false teeth and also can be prepared in less time and with less expense than the conventional method prior to this invention.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved hobbyist kiln containing one or more shelves each of which is constructed so as to have a hole located at about its geometric center. Additionally, the outside dimensions of the shelf are such that, on placing the shelf in the kiln, an annular space is provided between the perimeter of the shelf and the refractory wall of the kiln. The shelf hole in conjunction with the annular space provides a patch for thermal convection currents to cycle within the kiln, thereby evening out temperature extremes which would otherwise occur therein. The shelves may be provided in the greenware state with a refractory alumina kilnwash, the resulting composite being fired to yield an improved refractory shelf with a durable tightly-bonded protective surface coating.

Abstract: Diverse ceramic briquettes, for example clay tiles, are fired in holders which are stacked on top of one another on a firing conveyor. Firing takes place in a tunnel kiln which is primarily heated with gas or oil. Firing with solid fuel has the disadvantage that the firing conveyor is heavily dirtied. With the new holder according to the invention, the holder floor is filled with solid fuel and thereafter the briquettes are put in. This holder and the method used for firing permit a clean firing without dirtying the kiln and without high dust emission.

Abstract: In a cradle adapted to receive a carrier, which carries semiconductor elements stored therein, for mounting the carrier on a predetermined position of a spin drier, a pair of stepped portions which are parallel to each other and perpendicular to a rear wall of the cradle is provided on the rear wall of the cradle so that leg portions of the carrier are received between the stepped portions. The stepped portions serve to prevent the leg portions of the carrier from opening during the spinning of the carrier. The cradle can thus avoid damages of the semiconductor elements stored in the carrier, which damages would otherwise be caused to occur due to opening of the leg portions.

Abstract: An improved semiconductor wafer handling system completely eliminates the need for boats, sleds, paddles, wheeled carriers, etc., customarily employed in transporting wafers during heat processing through the use of a plurality of rigid, polished cantilevered rods having a multiplicity of spaced slots for cooperatively holding wafers in an upright position. The system provides a means for achieving higher production yields of such semiconductor elements by generating fewer contaminating particles and through less exposure to ambient environment.