Abstract: A heat-treating method comprising preparing a plurality of wafers parallel to one another in a process tube while keeping their surfaces to be treated substantially horizontal, arranging plural MoSi.sub.2 wire heaters along the longitudinal axis of the process tube so as to be placed around the process tube, adjusting the amount of current supplied to the heaters to form on the treated surface of each of the wafers temperature gradient extending from one side of the outer circumferential rim of each of the wafers to the other side thereof, and rotating the wafers in their surfaces.

Abstract: The invention provides an oxidation method which utilizes a processing tube, a combustion chamber connected to the processing tube, inner and outer coaxial guide tubes connected to the combustion chamber, and an auxiliary combustion chamber connected to the combustion chamber, which includes the steps of placing a plurality of objects at predetermined intervals in the processing tube; generating steam in the combustion chamber by combustion of a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen gases and supplying the steam to the processing tube wherein the steam is generated by individually introducing oxygen gas and hydrogen gas into the combustion chamber through the outer and inner coaxial guide tubes and by heating the hydrogen gas in the inner guide tube or both the inner guide tube and the auxiliary combustion chamber such that ignition of the oxygen and hydrogen gases occurs when the gases come into contact with each other; and preventing a flame generated by the ignition of the gases from reaching an interior surface

Abstract: A heating apparatus provided with a double layered heat-insulating material. This heat-insulating material includes an inner layer portion constituted by an alumina fiber/inorganic filler/inorganic binder and having a bulk density of 0.3 to 0.8 g/cm.sup.3, and an outer layer portion integrally laminated on the inner layer portion, and constituted by an alumina silica fiber/ inorganic binder and having a bulk density of 0.2 to 0.4 g/cm.sup.3 which is smaller than that of the inner layer portion.

Abstract: A cooling system is disclosed which is incorporated in a heat treating apparatus for use in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device etc. The heat treating apparatus includes a reaction tube for receiving products to be heat treated in its uniformly heated zone, and a heater which surrounds the reaction tube. Inlet means for blowing a cooling fluid and exhaust means for collecting that cooling fluid which is heated after the cooling function thereof has been achieved are provided. The fluid is blown from the inlet means around the reaction tube, substantially perpendicular to the axis of the reduction tube, and as a result, a flow of cooling fluid from the inlet means toward the exhaust means is established beyond the length of the uniformly heated zone, thus the entire reaction zone within the reaction tube is uniformly cooled.

Abstract: A heat-treating apparatus comprises a heat-treating furnace which include a process tube arranged so as to set its longitudinal direction vertically and having inlet and exhaust ports for a reaction gas, a heater arranged around the process tube, a capping member for capping an opening for allowing an heat-treating object to be loaded therethrough, which is formed in the lower end of the process tube, a case for covering a portion between the process tube and the capping member, and an exhaust nozzle, coupled to the the exhaust port formed in the process tube, for introducing the exhaust waste gas to the outside of the heat-treating apparatus. An exhaust nozzle is arranged in the case so as to introduce the waste gas leaking from between the process tube and the capping member to the outside of the heat-treating apparatus, thereby preventing the leaked gas from being diffused around the heat-treating apparatus.

Abstract: A heat-treating apparatus includes a furnace for heat-treating wafers, installed so as to set its longitudinal direction vertically and having an opening which is formed in its lower end so as to allow a boat having semiconductor wafers mounted thereon to be loaded, a heat-insulating cylinder on which the boat is placed and which is adapted to keep the boat hot, a lifting unit for lifting and loading the boat and the heat-insulating cylinder into the furnace, and for lowering and unloading them from the furnace, a moving unit for pivoting the heat-insulating cylinder and retracting the cylinder from below the boat, and a handler unit for supporting and vertically moving the boat. After the wafers are heat-treated, the boat is moved downward by the lifting unit. The heat-insulating cylinder is retracted from below the boat by the moving unit while the boat is supported by the handler unit. Subsequently, the boat is further lowered by the handler unit so as to completely remove the boat from the furnace.

Abstract: In a heat treatment apparatus, a temperature measuring element is arranged to be movable along an arrangement direction of a large number of objects placed in a process tube. A temperature distribution of a heat treatment area inside the process tube can be continuously measured by this temperature measuring element with high accuracy. As a result, internal temperature control of the process tube can be facilitated with high precision.