Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermal processing method wherein a cylindrical process tube that has at one end an entrance/exit is provided at the other end thereof with a heat source, and thermal processing is performed on a workpiece which has been brought in from the entrance/exit of the process tube to a prescribed position therein. This thermal processing method and an apparatus therefor is characterized in that, when the workpiece is moved to the prescribed position, it is first moved to a proximity position that is closer to the heat source than the prescribed position, then it is returned therefrom to the prescribed position.

Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus including a flat heat source having a plural number of ring-shaped heating units of different diameters arranged concentrically and so as to face a processing surface of a semiconductor wafer for example, a heat control portion which performs either independent or batch control of a plural number of ring-shaped heating units, a process tube which houses the object for processing, and a movement mechanism which brings a processing surface of the object for processing and the flat heat source into relative proximity. By this configuration, it is possible to have fast heat treatment such as oxidation and diffusion processing, or CVD processing, to a uniform temperature for the entire processing surface of a flat object for processing.

Abstract: A forced cooling apparatus for a heat treatment apparatus comprising a heat treatment furnace having a process tube with one end open at an furnace opening and another end closed at an furnace top portion; and a heater portion which covers the process tube, and wherein cooling of the heat treatment furnace is performed by forced cooling by flowing air into a gap formed between the heater portion and the process tube and which extends to the furnace top portion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermal processing method wherein a cylindrical process tube that has at one end an entrance/exit is provided at the other end thereof with a heat source, and thermal processing is performed on a workpiece which has been brought in from the entrance/exit of the process tube to a prescribed position therein. This thermal processing method and an apparatus therefor is characterized in that, when the workpiece is moved to the prescribed position, it is first moved to a proximity position that is closer to the heat source than the prescribed position, then it is returned therefrom to the prescribed position.

Abstract: The present invention relates to semiconductor wafers which have a through hole formed at their center portion. A processing apparatus provided with a conveyor means including a wafer holder having a holding protrusion which engages with this through hole implements oxidation and dispersion processing or CVD processing to a processing surface of a semiconductor wafer so that a semiconductor wafer can have heat treatment performed without accompanying film growth faults or heat distortion.

Abstract: This invention relates to a sealing apparatus for use in heat treating apparatuses, ion injection apparatuses, etching apparatuses and other devices which require air sealing. Such devices may be used in semiconductor manufacturing. Mounting portions are formed in the sealing apparatus so as to separate an inner-side portion and an outer-side portion of a flange contact portion of a manifold and a process tube of a process container. Air is exhausted from the area between the inner-side portion and the outer-side portion of the flange contact portion of the manifold and the process tube. Two metal seal members are mounted to the mounting portions. These metal seal members have different surface processing thereon. The middle portion between the metal seal members is connected to an air exhaust source and air is exhausted to create a vacuum therein. This provides the sealing function to seal the process tube and the manifold.

Abstract: A forced cooling apparatus for a heat treatment apparatus comprising a heat treatment furnace having a process tube with one end open at an furnace opening and another end closed at an furnace top portion; and a heater portion which covers the process tube, and wherein cooling of the heat treatment furnace is performed by forced cooling by flowing air into a gap formed between the heater portion and the process tube and which extends to the furnace top portion.

Abstract: A heating apparatus including a process tube in which the target objects are arranged in an internal heating area and a multilayer insulating structure arranged so to enclose the process tube. At the inner face of an inorganic molded structure of bulk density 0.3-0.8 g/cm.sup.3, an inorganic insulating layer of bulk density 1.0-2.0 g/cm.sup.3 covered on the inner face or all faces thereof by inorganic cloth is provided to form the multilayer insulating structure. The inner face of the inorganic insulating layer is used to support a heat generating means. A cooling means is also provided for cooling the flat heating area of the process tube. As a result, a heating apparatus of the present invention is provided that features excellent endurance against spalling, deterioration and chemical reaction, and which is capable of long term stability with respect to temperature increase and decrease.

Abstract: In a vertical type of heat treatment apparatus, a cover for covering an opening portion at a lower end of a reaction chamber is configured from a heat retention cylinder cover and a heat retention cylinder support plate. This cover is made so that the lower end is open and so that the upper end is a cylindrical shape with a closed end. The heat retention cylinder is disposed inside a region which is surrounded by the cover, and the heat retention cylinder is supported by the support plate, and the closed end portion of the heat retention cylinder and the support plate both have vent holes formed therein so that the inside of the heat retention cylinder is maintained at atmospheric pressure. The cover airtightly separates the heat retention cylinder from the heat treating region and so there is no contamination from the heat retention cylinder, and the heat retention cylinder is maintained at atmospheric pressure and so there is no danger of destruction of the heat retention portion.

Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus includes a process tube for heat treatment of an object to be heat treated, and a load lock chamber linked to the process tube and for housing the object to be heat treated and maintaining either a vacuum or maintaining an arbitrary inert gas atmosphere, and with the load lock chamber being provided with an elevator for raising the object to be heat treated on a loading mechanism and into the process tube, and a nozzle unit provided with a plural number of gas emission openings in an inner wall of the load lock chamber on a side opposing the elevator, and to uniformly emit gas to the object to be heat treated and which is on the loading mechanism. By such a configuration, it is possible to emit gas uniformly to the object for heat treatment and which is on the loading mechanism for the object for heat treatment.

Abstract: A heat-treating apparatus comprises a heat portion which performs a required heat treating to a plural number of objects to be treated mounted on a heat-treating boat, a vacuum exhaust system which creates a vacuum inside the heat-treating portion, a load lock chamber which is connected so as to be freely openable and closable with respect to the heat-treating portion, which is filled therein with an inert gas and which is for transporting an object to be treated into and out of the heat-treating portion, and a residual treating gas exhaust system which is connected to the load lock chamber.

Abstract: A forced cooling apparatus for a heat treatment apparatus comprising a heat treatment furnace having a process tube with one end open at an furnace opening and another end closed at an furnace top portion; and a heater, portion which covers the process tube, and wherein cooling of the heat treatment furnace is performed by forced cooling by flowing air into a gap formed between the heater portion and the process tube and which extends to the furnace top portion.

Abstract: A vertical type of heat-treating apparatus is provided with a housing that has an opening portion for the carrying in of an object to be processed to the front surface, a heat-treating furnace for performing the required heat-treatment to the object to be processed and which is provided inside the housing, a standby space for the standby of the objects to be processed and carried into the heat-treating apparatus which is provided underneath the heat-treating furnace, a cleaning air introduction opening provided to a lower portion of the housing, a feed path separated from the standby space and connected to the cleaning air introduction opening, a recirculation path which makes one portion of cleaning gas passed the standby space to flow once again to the standby space, and an air exhaust opening for the exhaust to outside the housing of cleaning air which passes through the standby space.