Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a heater having an insulating substrate and a heating resistance so that the temperature on the heating face can be easily controlled without the necessity of providing a temperature controlling member separate from the insulating substrate. The heater 1 comprises a substrate 2 comprising an insulating material and a heating resistance 3 provided in the substrate 2. The heating resistance 3 comprises parallel-connected portions 6A to 6J each comprising a plurality of heat generating parts 6a, 6b and 6c connected in parallel. For example, at least one of the heat generating portions 6a, 6b and 6c has a resistance adjusting means 8A, 8B or 8C.

Abstract: A heating system 25 has a main electric heat-generating element 3 and a heating surface 4a for heating an object, auxiliary electric heat-generating elements 5A to 5D, and a main power source 1 for supplying power to the main heating element. The system 25 further has an auxiliary power source 2 for supplying power to the auxiliary heating elements, and a power source controller for controlling the power supplied to the main heating element and to the auxiliary heating elements respectively and independently. Power supplied to the main heating element 3 is controlled by the controller within a first power range and power supplied to the auxiliary heating elements is controlled by the controller within a second power range. The second power range has a width smaller than that of the first power range so as to control temperature distribution on the heating surface 4a.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a practical and low-cost method of reducing cold spots generated on the heating face of a ceramic susceptor and the temperature distribution on the heating face when the supporting portion is joined with the susceptor at the back face and is fitted to a chamber through a cooling system. A supporting portion 6 is joined with the back face of a ceramic susceptor. An inner space 6f separated from atmosphere in a chamber is formed. A cooling system is provided between the supporting portion 6 and chamber. Thermal control portions 12A and 12B are provided between the cooling system and supporting body 6 for reducing thermal conduction from the susceptor to the cooling system.

Abstract: A heating system 1 has a ceramic substrate 2 having a mounting face 2a for mounting an object W, a back face 2b and a side face 2c; a heating means 3 for generating heat from the mounting face 2a of the ceramic substrate 2; and a plate-shaped supporting metal member 4 for supporting the back face 2b of the ceramic substrate 2. According to the system, the thermal deformation of the mounting face upon heating over time may be reduced and the flatness of the object may be maintained at a low value. It is further possible to impart a mechanical strength to the heater sufficient for its handling and to reduce the production cost.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method of heating a semiconductor on a susceptor in a chamber, in which the temperature distribution on the susceptor can be reduced even when the target temperature of the susceptor is high. The invention provides members 3, 4, 10 provided around a susceptor 5 for mounting a semiconductor W in a chamber 2 for a semiconductor production system. Each of the members 3, 4 and 10 has a function of generating heat by itself. More preferably, a heat generating element is embedded in each member.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method of heating a semiconductor on a susceptor in a chamber, in which the temperature distribution on the susceptor can be reduced even when a target temperature of the susceptor is high. The present invention provides a member 3, 4 or 10 provided around a susceptor for mounting a semiconductor in a chamber for a semiconductor production system. The member has an opposing face 3c, 4c or 10c opposing the susceptor and having a center line average surface roughness of 0.5 &mgr;m or lower. Alternatively, the opposing face has a thermal emissivity &egr; of 0.5 or lower. Alternatively, the member is a liner 4 with a supported face 4g having an area of 20 percent or lower of that of the opposing face 4c.

Abstract: A supporting structure is provided to reduce thermal stress in the joining portion of a ceramic susceptor and supporting member and to prevent joining defects in the joining face so that fine cracks or gas leakage in the joining portion may be prevented. The supporting structure has a ceramic susceptor 1A to be heated and having mounting face 2a and back face 2b. A supporting member 3 is joined with the back face 2b of the susceptor 1A. The supporting member 3 has an outer wall surface 3h, a joining face joined with the susceptor and an end face opposite to the joining face. A curved part 20 is formed between the outer wall surface 3h and back face 2b, and has a radius of curvature R of not smaller than 4 mm and not larger than 25 mm in the longitudinal direction of the supporting member 3. Furthermore, the width D1 of the joining face 3b at the outer profile thereof is smaller than the width D2 of the end face 3f at the outer profile thereof.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a ceramic heater so that the uniformity of temperature on its heating face may be improved and cold spots on the heating face may be effectively prevented. The ceramic heater 1 has a ceramic substrate 2 having a heating face 2a, a heating resistance embedded in the substrate 2 and a terminal 6 electrically connected with the resistor. The resistor includes first windings 3A, 3B and second winding 4. The first winding 3A or 3B has a winding diameter larger than that of the second winding 4. A non-wound wire may be used instead of the second winding 4.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is, in a supporting structure of a ceramic susceptor, to reduce thermal conduction from a ceramic susceptor to a supporting member, to reduce thermal stress in the joining portion of the susceptor and supporting member, and to prevent fine cracks or gas leakage. The present invention provides a supporting structure 14A having a ceramic susceptor 1A to be heated and having a mounting face 2a and a back face 2b, and a ceramic supporting member 3 joined with the back face of the susceptor 1A. The supporting member 3 has an outer wall surface 3h. A continuous and integral curved part 20 is formed between the outer wall surface 3h and the back face 2b. The curved part 20 has a radius of curvature “R” of not smaller than 4 mm and not larger than 25 mm in the longitudinal direction of the supporting member 3. The supporting member 3 has a minimum wall thickness “t” of not smaller than 1 mm and not larger than 15 mm.

Abstract: A heating system 25 has a main heating element 3 generating heat be supplying an electric power supplied and having a heating surface 4a for heating an object, auxiliary heating elements 5A to 5D generating heat by supplying an electric power, and a main power source 1 for supplying the to the main heating element 3. The system 25 further has an auxiliary power source 2 supplying the power to the auxiliary heating elements 5A to 5D, and a power source controller 2 for controlling the power supplied to the main heating element and the power supplied to the auxiliary heating elements respectively and independently. The power supplied from the main power source 1 to the main heating element 3 is controlled by the controller 2 within a first power range. The power supplied from the auxiliary power source to the auxiliary heating elements is controlled by the controller 2 within a second power range.

Abstract: A susceptor supporting construction has a susceptor for heating a member to be processed and a supporting member, in which an inner space is arranged, connected to the susceptor. A chamber having an opening is connected to the supporting member, the opening of the chamber is communicated with the inner space of the supporting member, and the inner space of the supporting member is sealed in an airtight manner with respect to an inner space of the chamber. The supporting member further has a tubular main portion, a diameter extending portion arranged at an end portion thereof to which the susceptor is faced, and one or more continuous round portions arranged between the main portion and the diameter extending portion, when viewed by an outer profile of a longitudinal section of the supporting member.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a ceramic shell-and tube type heat exchanger provided with fins includes the steps of: inserting heat transfer tubes of sintered tubular ceramic into throughholes of tubular plates of unsintered plate-like ceramic each having a plurality of the throughholes for fixing the heat transfer tubes inserted thereinto; standing the heat transfer tubes vertically to a floor surface; positioning the tubular plates at both the upper and lower end portions of the heat transfer tubes; disposing between the tubular plates many fin plates of unsintered ceramic so as to pile up the fin plates in the direction of a length of the heat transfer tubes, each of the fin plates including a thin plate having a plurality of throughholes for fixing the heat transfer tubes inserted thereinto, and protrusions formed on both edge portions of the thin plate; firing the components so as to unitarily join them by the utilization of differences of firing shrinkage ratios among the heat transfer tubes, the tubular p