Abstract: A method and an apparatus for transferring a substantially flat and substantially circular objects, such as wafers, from a pick-up position to a delivery position, the apparatus comprising, a manipulator, at least one source for emitting a source signal, at least one sensor for sensing said source signal and for providing a sensor signal, a computing device arranged for processing at least one sensor signal to obtain data on the position of said object, the manipulator being arranged for simultaneously transferring a first and a second object along a path in a substantially parallel orientation, spaced apart from each other, and substantially co-axially whereby the central axis of each object may be displaced radially, a said source and a said sensor are connected by a virtual line, whereby the virtual line includes an angle with the central axes of the first and second objects.

Abstract: Wafer boat for holding semiconductor wafers in a spaced vertical arrangement during processing, said wafer boat comprising a plurality of vertically spaced holding positions for receiving and supporting said wafers in a substantially horizontal orientation, wherein the holding positions can be accessed from a front side of the wafer boat to allow for insertion and removal of a wafer, wherein at least one holding position comprises a back support for engaging a back side portion of a wafer and two lateral supports for engaging opposite lateral side portions of the wafer, and wherein the back support is disposed at a lower position than said two lateral supports such that sagging of a front side portion of an inserted wafer near the front side of the wafer boat due to gravity is at least partially compensated for.

Abstract: A joint for connecting two tubes. The joint includes a first tube that provides a ball interface at its end. The joint also includes a second tube that provides a cup interface inside its wall. The cup interface of the second tube and the ball interface of the first tube form a cup-ball interface. This cup-ball interface is located in the interior of the second tube.

Abstract: A system for processing semiconductor substrates includes a front-end with at least two vertical levels of input/output ports for transferring substrate cassettes into or out of the housing of the processing system. The front-end also includes at least one level of storage positions, e.g., two levels of storage positions, which can be disposed between the two vertical levels of the input/output ports. The two vertical levels of storage positions can each be provided with two storage positions and each of two levels of input/output ports can be provided with accommodations for two cassettes, allowing for a total of eight cassettes to be accommodated at the front-end of the processing system. Inside the housing of the processing system, interior storage positions can be provided adjacent a wafer handling chamber and spaced apart from a cassette store having rotary platforms for housing cassettes.

Abstract: A semiconductor processing apparatus is disclosed, comprising a process chamber configured to contain a heated, gaseous atmosphere, the apparatus further comprising a number of mechanical parts, at least one of which parts is provided at least partly with a heat reflective, amorphous SiO2 powder coating. Also disclosed is a method for treating a component of a semiconductor processing apparatus, comprising at least partly providing a surface of the component with an amorphous SiO2 powder coating, and optionally sealing a surface of the applied coating.

Abstract: Wafer supports are provided that have a diameter smaller than the diameter of the wafer that they are to support in a wafer boat. The perimeter of the wafer support is preferably continuous, extending completely around in a 360° span, and is sized to fit between the protrusions supporting a particular wafer in a wafer cassette. To load the wafer boat, an end effector removes the wafer support from a wafer boat and moves the wafer support into a wafer cassette, where the end effector moves upward to seat a wafer upon the wafer support. The wafer and wafer support are then transported to the wafer boat and the wafer support and the wafer are lowered onto a wafer slot surface in a wafer slot in the wafer boat, to transfer the wafer support and wafer from the end effector to the wafer boat.

Abstract: Wafer boat for holding semiconductor wafers in a spaced vertical arrangement during processing, said wafer boat comprising a plurality of vertically spaced holding positions for receiving and supporting said wafers in a substantially horizontal orientation, wherein the holding positions can be accessed from a front side of the wafer boat to allow for insertion and removal of a wafer, wherein at least one holding position comprises a back support for engaging a back side portion of a wafer and two lateral supports for engaging opposite lateral side portions of the wafer, and wherein the back support is disposed at a lower position than said two lateral supports such that sagging of a front side portion of an inserted wafer near the front side of the wafer boat due to gravity is at least partially compensated for.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for transferring a substantially flat and substantially circular objects, such as wafers, from a pick-up position to a delivery position, the apparatus comprising, a manipulator, at least one source for emitting a source signal, at least one sensor for sensing said source signal and for providing a sensor signal, a computing device arranged for processing at least one sensor signal to obtain data on the position of said object, the manipulator being arranged for simultaneously transferring a first and a second object along a path in a substantially parallel orientation, spaced apart from each other, and substantially co-axially whereby the central axis of each object may be displaced radially, a said source and a said sensor are connected by a virtual line, whereby the virtual line includes an angle with the central axes of the first and second objects.

Abstract: A joint for connecting two tubes. The joint includes a first tube that provides a ball interface at its end. The joint also includes a second tube that provides a cup interface inside its wall. The cup interface of the second tube and the ball interface of the first tube form a cup-ball interface. This cup-ball interface is located in the interior of the second tube.

Abstract: A system for processing semiconductor substrates includes a front-end with at least two vertical levels of input/output ports for transferring substrate cassettes into or out of the housing of the processing system. The front-end also includes at least one level of storage positions, e.g., two levels of storage positions, which can be disposed between the two vertical levels of the input/output ports. The two vertical levels of storage positions can each be provided with two storage positions and each of two levels of input/output ports can be provided with accommodations for two cassettes, allowing for a total of eight cassettes to be accommodated at the front-end of the processing system. Inside the housing of the processing system, interior storage positions can be provided adjacent a wafer handling chamber and spaced apart from a cassette store having rotary platforms for housing cassettes.

Abstract: Wafers in a cassette are mapped without having to open the cassette. The cassette is at least partially transparent to a particular type of radiation. A source of the radiation is directed into the cassette, through a transparent or translucent part of the cassette, and an imaging sensor sensitive to the radiation detects radiation that is reflected off the wafers inside the cassette. A second source of radiation and a second camera preferably provide additional images of the wafers from a different angle. By processing these images, the spatial orientation of the wafers and loading status of the cassette can be determined.

Abstract: Wafer supports are provided that have a diameter smaller than the diameter of the wafer that they are to support in a wafer boat. The perimeter of the wafer support is preferably continuous, extending completely around in a 360° span, and is sized to fit between the protrusions supporting a particular wafer in a wafer cassette. To load the wafer boat, an end effector removes the wafer support from a wafer boat and moves the wafer support into a wafer cassette, where the end effector moves upward to seat a wafer upon the wafer support. The wafer and wafer support are then transported to the wafer boat and the wafer support and the wafer are lowered onto a wafer slot surface in a wafer slot in the wafer boat, to transfer the wafer support and wafer from the end effector to the wafer boat.

Abstract: Wafers in a cassette are mapped without having to open the cassette. The cassette is at least partially transparent to a particular type of radiation. A source of the radiation is directed into the cassette, through a transparent or translucent part of the cassette, and an imaging sensor sensitive to the radiation detects radiation that is reflected off the wafers inside the cassette. A second source of radiation and a second camera preferably provide additional images of the wafers from a different angle. By processing these images, the spatial orientation of the wafers and loading status of the cassette can be determined.

Abstract: A support sleeve for supporting a high temperature process tube comprises one or more circumferential channels, each channel connected to either a feed for gas or a vacuum exhaust. One circumferential channel opens to the top surface of the sleeve, on which the process tube is supported to provide a gas/vacuum seal between the process tube and support sleeve. Another circumferential channel is connected to a gas feed and provided with gas injection holes, evenly distributed along the support sleeve perimeter to provide a cylindrically symmetrical injection of process gas into the process tube. Another circumferential channel is connected to an exhaust for gas and provided with gas exhaust holes, evenly distributed along the circumference of the support sleeve, to provide a cylindrically symmetric exhaust of process gases from the process tube.

Abstract: Installation for treatment of wafers in a reactor. To that end a series of wafers is placed in a wafer rack and fed into the reactor. Transport into and out of the reactor, which is sited in an enclosed chamber, takes place with the aid of conveyor means. The wafers are transferred from the wafer rack to one or more cassettes. During this operation the wafer rack is always in the vertical position, that is to say the wafers are horizontal. The same preferably also applies to the cassettes, so that the wafers remain horizontal throughout the entire process.

Abstract: An expandable bolt device secures a fragile part, like a quartz part, onto a second part. The expandable bolt device comprises a bolt and a locking device near a distal end of the bolt, the locking device being movable radially between an outward locked position and an inward unlocked position by moving the bolt axially with respect to the locking element. The distal end of the bolt is accommodated within a hole in a surface of the fragile part, which hole includes a first cylindrical section adjacent the surface and a wider second cylindrical section that is further away from the surface. In the unlocked position, the diameter of the expandable bolt device is smaller than the first diameter. After insertion of the expandable bolt device into the hole, the locking element is located in the second section of the hole. In the locked position, the locking element expands to a diameter wider than the first hole section and narrower than the second hole section.

Abstract: A support sleeve for supporting a high temperature process tube comprises one or more circumferential channels, each channel connected to either a feed for gas or a vacuum exhaust. One circumferential channel opens to the top surface of the sleeve, on which the process tube is supported to provide a gas/vacuum seal between the process tube and support sleeve. Another circumferential channel is connected to a gas feed and provided with gas injection holes, evenly distributed along the support sleeve perimeter to provide a cylindrically symmetrical injection of process gas into the process tube. Another circumferential channel is connected to an exhaust for gas and provided with gas exhaust holes, evenly distributed along the circumference of the support sleeve, to provide a cylindrically symmetric exhaust of process gases from the process tube.

Abstract: A wafer processing apparatus is provided with a wafer carrier comprising a doorplate, a pedestal including one or more legs to support the pedestal on the doorplate, and a wafer rack positionable on the pedestal. A pedestal lock is connected to the doorplate and is selectively engageable with at least one of the legs to lock the pedestal to the doorplate. A lock is further provided to selectively engage at least one of the wafer rack and the pedestal to lock the wafer rack to the pedestal. The pedestal is thereby prevented from falling off of the doorplate, and the wafer rack is prevented from falling off of the pedestal, during earthquake-induced vibrations and accelerations.

Abstract: A wafer processing apparatus is provided with a wafer carrier comprising a doorplate, a pedestal including one or more legs to support the pedestal on the doorplate, and a wafer rack positionable on the pedestal. A pedestal lock is connected to the doorplate and is selectively engageable with at least one of the legs to lock the pedestal to the doorplate. A lock is further provided to selectively engage at least one of the wafer rack and the pedestal to lock the wafer rack to the pedestal. The pedestal is thereby prevented from falling off of the doorplate, and the wafer rack is prevented from falling off of the pedestal, during earthquake-induced vibrations and accelerations.

Abstract: A joint assembly for connecting two ceramic material tubes has a cup-ball interface. One of the tubes has at a first end a cup shaped member, and the other tube has at a first end a ball shaped member adapted to be received in the cup shaped member. The ball shaped member and the cup shaped member define the cup-ball interface. The cup shaped member is provided with a gas feed channel discharging at a first end into an annular groove at the cup-ball interface. At the other end, the cup shaped member is connected to a conduit outside the cup shaped member. The conduit is connected to an inert gas source having a pressure above atmospheric pressure.