Abstract: There is provided a vertical heat treatment system capable of simplifying the structure of various mechanisms in the vicinity of an opening which is formed in a partition wall separating a housing-box transfer area from a treating-object transfer area (a wafer transfer area), and of contributing to space saving, when an object to be treated is carried in the vertical heat treatment system through the opening to carry out a predetermined treatment.

Abstract: A heat treatment system and method for cooling a loading chamber that includes a heat treatment furnace for heat-treating an object to be treated. The heat treatment furnace includes a throat for carrying the object in and out, and a cooling mechanism for cooling the vicinity of the throat. The cooling mechanism has a ventilating unit with a ventilating port for sending a cooling fluid toward the vicinity of the throat and a heat exchanger arranged so as to face the ventilating port in the vicinity of the throat. The cooling mechanism also has an intake fan for sucking the cooling fluid in the vicinity of the throat over the heat exchanger. When the object to be treated is carried in, the structure of various mechanisms in the vicinity of the throat is simplified, and space is saved.

Abstract: There is provided a vertical heat treatment system capable of simplifying the structure of various mechanisms in the vicinity of an opening which is formed in a partition wall separating a housing-box transfer area from a treating-object transfer area (a wafer transfer area), and of contributing to space saving, when an object to be treated is carried in the vertical heat treatment system through the opening to carry out a predetermined treatment.