Including Heat Energy Reflecting Or Directing Means Patents (Class 219/405)
  • Patent number: 5769304
    Abstract: In the attachment of surface mounted devices, melting of solder is monitored so that immediately thereafter heating may be stopped. The solder paste, which is stump-grey below the melting point, will radically change its reflectance upon melting, this being detectable by means of a video camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1998
    Assignee: Fredart Sondermaschinen GmbH
    Inventor: Friedrich-Wilhelm Kuchenhart
  • Patent number: 5767486
    Abstract: A rapid thermal heating apparatus including an evacuable chamber having a window, a plurality of radiant energy sources and reflectors associated with the radiant energy sources. The radiant energy sources are disposed outside of the chamber and positioned adjacent to the window. They have a central longitudinal axis that extends in a substantially perpendicular direction relative to the window. The reflectors direct radiant energy through the window to radiate predetermined regions of a backside surface of a substrate in the chamber. The reflectors extend along a major portion of the longitudinal axis of the radiant energy sources. The substrate sits on a support in the chamber, and a source of processing gas, including a gas inlet manifold, is provided for passing processing gas to a frontside surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Christian M. Gronet, James F. Gibbons
  • Patent number: 5763857
    Abstract: A heating home appliance, in particular a household appliance such as an oven, includes an appliance space having at least one heating body. At least one multi-ply layer of air-tight foils at least partly surrounds the appliance space, enclosing air chambers, being at least peripherally joined together and otherwise being kept mutually spaced apart from one another. The at least one foil layer has foil edges, with an air-tight-sealed edge on all sides being formed of the foil edges and forming a flexible fastening and/or connecting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: Bosch-Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Johann Klement, Klaus Rabenstein, Klemens Roch
  • Patent number: 5740314
    Abstract: Conventional infrared, spot reflector lamps are modified by removing portions of the reflector to form reflector edges and then placing the reflector edges next to each other to form an array of lamps with a wide variety of configurations. The combined lamps are particularly effective when the filaments of each lamp are oriented in the same direction as that of a desired heating line. Maximum energy flux density is achieved by positioning the lamps at a distance of about twice the focal length of the uncut, spot-focused lamps. By removing segments from the reflectors to form edges that define planes that are parallel to or intersect with each other, various shaped reflectors are formed that are used to assemble arrays that provide uniform heating lines of various shapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Edison Welding Institute
    Inventor: Robert A. Grimm
  • Patent number: 5721805
    Abstract: A module for use in a heating appliance has a frame with first, second, third, and fourth sides. A first heating lamp is mounted substantially along the first side of the frame, a second heating lamp is mounted substantially along the second side of the frame, a third heating lamp mounted substantially along the third side of the frame, and an fourth heating lamp is mounted substantially along the fourth side of the frame. Fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth heating lamps are mounted substantially diagonally to the frame. A first reflector reflects radiant energy from the first heating lamp, a second reflector reflects radiant energy from the second heating lamp, a third reflector reflects radiant energy from the third heating lamp, and a fourth reflector reflects radiant energy from the fourth heating lamp. A fifth reflector reflects radiant energy from the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth heating lamps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1998
    Assignee: Amana Refrigeration Inc.
    Inventors: Edward R. Cook, Jonathan S. Petty, Joseph R. Adamski
  • Patent number: 5719991
    Abstract: A method for compensating against wafer edge heat loss during rapid thermal processing is disclosed. A semiconductor wafer is exposed to radiant energy that is uniform across the entire wafer surface. The wafer is exposed by projecting a radiant energy image onto the edge of said semiconductor wafer while providing radiant energy rays directly to the wafer's surface. The radiant energy image comprises reflecting radiant energy rays that pass through a positionally adjustable object onto the edge of the wafer. The positionally adjustable object is optional and it is mounted between an optical lens and a radiant energy source or it is mounted between a reflector and each radiant energy source (A second optical lens is optional). The energy rays absorbed at the edge of the wafer contain more heat intensity than do the rays which are absorbed by the inner portion of the wafer, thus producing uniform heat across the entire wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1998
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Gurtej S. Sandhu, Randhir P. S. Thakur
  • Patent number: 5715361
    Abstract: A multizone illuminator rapid thermal processing system for fabricating a semiconductor device having a face on which an electronic medium is deposited. The system includes a processing chamber for establishing a semiconductor device fabrication environment for rapid thermal processing, an optically reflective gas injector for injecting a process gas into the semiconductor device fabrication environment, a semiconductor device holding mechanism for holding the semiconductor device in the semiconductor device fabrication environment, and a multizone illuminator positioned in association with the process chamber for illuminating the backside of the semiconductor device to perform a rapid semiconductor thermal process. The system can also include a multipoint temperature sensor system used in conjunction with a multizone variable temperature controller to increase dynamic temperature uniformity and repeatability control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1998
    Assignee: CVC Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Mehrdad M. Moslehi
  • Patent number: 5712464
    Abstract: A lightwave oven cooking method and apparatus using power and pulsed power applied to a plurality of high-power lamps which provide radiant energy in the electromagnetic spectrum and having wavelengths including the visible and near-visible ranges wherein irradiation is applied to the food by applying power to the lamps for a specified period of time without vaporizing all of the surface water on the food, and then applying reduced irradiation to the food to complete the cooking cycle without producing an overly browned surface which inhibits deep penetration of radiation in the near-visible and visible ranges. The reduced power can be at a reduced duty cycle which can be done in a sequence of one or more reducing steps in the duty cycle or a continuous reduction of the duty cycle of the power applied to the lamps. A change in the food temperatures can be sensed to reduce power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Assignee: Quadlux, Inc.
    Inventor: Eugene Westerberg
  • Patent number: 5710407
    Abstract: A novel rapid thermal process (RTP) reactor processes a multiplicity of wafers or a single large wafer, e.g., 200 mm (8 inches), 250 mm (10 inches), 300 mm (12 inches) diameter wafers, using either a single or dual heat source. The wafers or wafer are mounted on a rotatable susceptor supported by a susceptor support. A susceptor position control rotates the wafers during processing and raises and lowers the susceptor to various positions for loading and processing of wafers. A heat controller controls either a single heat source or a dual heat source that heats the wafers to a substantially uniform temperature during processing. A gas flow controller regulates flow of gases into the reaction chamber. Instead of the second heat source, a passive heat distribution is used, in one embodiment, to achieve a substantially uniform temperature throughout the wafers. Further, a novel susceptor is used that includes a silicon carbide cloth enclosed in quartz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignee: Moore Epitaxial, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary M. Moore, Katsuhito Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 5708755
    Abstract: A rapid thermal heating apparatus in which lamps are disposed in a plurality of light pipes arranged to illuminate and supply heat to a substrate. The light pipes are positioned so that the illumination patterns overlap. The energy supplied to the lamps is controlled to provide a predetermined heating pattern to the substrate. A liquid cooled window cooperates with the light pipes to transmit energy to a wafer disposed in an evacuated chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1998
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Christian M. Gronet, James F. Gibbons
  • Patent number: 5689614
    Abstract: A rapid thermal heating apparatus in which lamps are disposed in a plurality of light pipes arranged to illuminate and supply heat to a substrate. The light pipes are positioned so that the illumination patterns overlap. The energy supplied to the lamps is controlled to provide a predetermined heating pattern to the substrate. A liquid cooled window cooperates with the light pipes to transmit energy to a wafer disposed in an evacuated chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 18, 1997
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Christian M. Gronet, James F. Gibbons
  • Patent number: 5683518
    Abstract: A novel rapid thermal process (RTP) reactor processes a multiplicity of wafers or a single large wafer, e.g., 200 mm (8 inches), 250 mm (10 inches), 300 mm (12 inches) diameter wafers, using either a single or dual heat source. The wafers or wafer are mounted on a rotatable susceptor supported by a susceptor support. A susceptor position control rotates the wafers during processing and raises and lowers the susceptor to various positions for loading and processing of wafers. A heat controller controls either a single heat source or a dual heat source that heats the wafers to a substantially uniform temperature during processing. A gas flow controller regulates flow of gases into the reaction chamber. Instead of the second heat source, a passive heat distribution element is used, in one embodiment, to achieve a substantially uniform temperature throughout the wafers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1997
    Assignee: Moore Epitaxial, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary M. Moore, Katsuhito Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 5680502
    Abstract: The thin film heat treatment apparatus for heating the wafers or foil sheets provides a conductively heated table disposed within a vacuum chamber, a heat radiation preventing device that is installed adjacent to the conductively heated table and forms a space with the top of the heater table by surrounding the foil sheet or wafer placed on the top of the heater table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1997
    Assignee: Varian Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Yong-Kil Kim
  • Patent number: 5665259
    Abstract: A lightwave oven cooking method and apparatus using power and pulsed power applied to a plurality of high-power lamps which provide radiant energy in the electromagnetic spectrum and having wavelengths including the visible and near-visible ranges wherein irradiation is applied to the food by applying power to the lamps for a specified period of time without vaporizing all of the surface water on the food, and then applying reduced irradiation to the food to complete the cooking cycle without producing an overly browned surface which inhibits deep penetration of radiation in the near-visible and visible ranges. The reduced power can be at a reduced duty cycle which can be done in a sequence of one or more reducing steps in the duty cycle or a continuous reduction of the duty cycle of the power applied to the lamps. A change in color, in water vapor concentration emitted from the surface, in the food temperatures and/or in the generation of steam to a predetermined degree can be sensed to reduce power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Assignee: Quadlux, Inc.
    Inventor: Eugene Westerberg
  • Patent number: 5665258
    Abstract: A vertical electric heating oven is provided which includes an oven body incorporating a shell, a reflecting container, a door, a base, and an electric heater, a driver, a rotary rack, and a vertical rack assembly. The electric heater is located vertically in the oven. The driver is placed in the base and has an elongated axle extending out from the reflecting bottom. The reflecting bottom has a dish with the axle extending through its center. The dish provides a space containing the rotary rack, and the rack assembly is placed on the rotary rack and connected to the axle of the driver. Therefore, the horizontal thermal radiation of the electric heater is coordinated with the rack assembly on the rotary rack, which is connected to the driver to roll through 360 degrees to provide full even baking conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Assignee: Lundar Electric Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tony Hsu
  • Patent number: 5660751
    Abstract: An apparatus to extract liquid absorbed in a bowling ball having a surface. The apparatus includes a closed chamber to receive the bowling ball therein. A heating element in the chamber increases the temperature of the ball in order to draw the liquid to the surface of the bowling ball. Liquid on the surface of the bowling ball may thereafter be removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1997
    Inventors: Blondale O'Rorke, William A. Hall
  • Patent number: 5648005
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a new apparatus and method for providing a non-uniform light source. More particularly, the invention encompasses an apparatus that uses a modified quartz plate to provide a non-uniform light source. A method for such a non-uniform light source using a modified quartz plate is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1997
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Joshua Monroe Cobb, Peter Kevin Parker
  • Patent number: 5595241
    Abstract: A wafer heating chuck includes a backplane for mounting the wafer thereon. A rear surface of the backplane includes an outer annular recess with an outer angled wall. An outer annular heater is located within the recess and has an outer surface complementarily angled with respect to the wall. An inner annular heater resides inside the outer heater, adjacent the rear surface. A clamping member secured to the backplane includes inner and outer retainers which separately clamp the inner and outer heaters, respectively, to the backplane to assure solid to solid contact for optimum heat transfer therebetween. Each inner retainer is held by a radially cantilevered segment so that tightening of one inner retainer does not affect clamping force applied by adjacent inner retainers. Similarly, the outer retainers operate on cantilevered segments to yield independent clamping forces. Sensors sense backplane temperature at the inner and outer regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1997
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Materials Research Corp.
    Inventor: Vaclav Jelinek
  • Patent number: 5592581
    Abstract: The workpiece, which is horizontally held in the treatment chamber, is heated by the planar heat generating members disposed on the upper and lower surfaces of the treatment chamber and controlled to predetermined temperature through respective heat equalizing members. Thus, the workpiece can be quickly heated with an equal temperature distribution and high repeatability on the entire surface regardless of the diameter thereof. Further, a stream that is vertically symmetrical is obtained due to the shapes of the shoulder portions. Thus, since an eddy current and a turbulence that tend to take place upon supply of a process gas is prevented, the process gas can be equally contacted to the entire surface of the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1997
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo Electron Tohoku Kabushiki
    Inventor: Wataru Okase
  • Patent number: 5561735
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for rapidly and uniformly heating a workpiece includes a plurality of walls defining a first chamber, a first source of radiation for producing incident radiation on a first energy transfer surface of the workpiece, a holder for holding the workpiece in a workpiece plane in the chamber and a radiation absorbing surface on at least one wall of the chamber. The holder has an energy transfer surface, the energy transfer surfaces of the holder and of the workpiece reflecting and emitting radiation in the chamber and the radiation absorbing surface particularly for absorbing radiation reflected and radiation emitted from the energy transfer surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1996
    Assignee: Vortek Industries Ltd.
    Inventor: David M. Camm
  • Patent number: 5532457
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a new apparatus and method for providing a non-uniform light source. More particularly, the invention encompasses an apparatus that uses a modified quartz plate to provide a non-uniform light source. A method for such a non-uniform light source using a modified quartz plate is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1996
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Joshua M. Cobb, Peter K. Parker
  • Patent number: 5517005
    Abstract: An oven using one or more quartz tungsten light bulbs capable of producing 1.5 kW of radiant energy of which a significant portion is light energy in the 0.4 to 0.7 .mu.m wavelength range impinges high intensity visible light wave radiation directly onto a food item. Light sources can be positioned above and below the food item and the inner walls of the oven are preferably highly reflective to reflect light energy onto the food. The intensity of the visible light source is automatically controllable and can be varied throughout the cooking cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1996
    Assignee: Quadlux, Inc.
    Inventors: Eugene R. Westerberg, Robert I. Beaver, II
  • Patent number: 5517001
    Abstract: Performance of a high temperature diffusion furnace is enhanced by an improved multi-furnace module design. The furnace is constructed of materials suitable for clean room environments with an adjustable leveling frame assembly. A slide out assembly and heating element alignment mechanism of individual furnace tube modules with a heating element hoist mechanism allows for enhanced maintainability. Heat treatment performance is improved by a sealed heating element with individual furnace module cooling system. Improved thermocouple positioning and composition has also enhanced heat treatment process control and heating element maintainability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1996
    Assignee: Thermtec, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin B. Peck, Ronald E. Erickson, Stephen H. Matthews
  • Patent number: 5487127
    Abstract: A rapid thermal heating apparatus in which lamps are disposed in a plurality of light pipes arranged to illuminate and supply heat to a substrate. The light pipes are positioned so that the illumination patterns overlap. The energy supplied to the lamps is controlled to provide a predetermined heating pattern to the substrate. A liquid cooled window cooperates with the light pipes to transmit energy to a wafer disposed in an evacuated chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1996
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Christian M. Gronet, James F. Gibbons
  • Patent number: 5478986
    Abstract: An oven using one or more quartz halogen tungsten lamps or quartz arc bulbs capable of producing radiant energy of which a significant portion is in the visible light range of the electromagnetic spectrum to pop popcorn whereby visible and near visible radiation directly impinges onto corn kernels. Radiation sources can be positioned around the corn kernels and the inner walls of the oven are preferably highly reflective to reflect light energy onto the kernels. The kernels travel down a tube shaped cooking chamber by a forced air stream. When the corn pops, the highly reflective and very light popped corn is removed via the air stream which stops the cooking process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1995
    Assignee: Quadlux, Inc.
    Inventor: Eugene R. Westerberg
  • Patent number: 5471914
    Abstract: An electric toaster includes a housing defining a toaster cavity. A comestible support rack is mounted within the toasting cavity for supporting the bread to be toasted in a horizontal plane within the cavity. The toaster includes first and second heaters mounted respectively above and below the support rack. The cavity includes radiant energy reflecting surfaces above and below the support tray to direct energy generated by the heaters of the toaster to uniformly toast each side of the comestible. Heat shields are positioned between each of the heaters and the food support rack. The heat shields aid the reflective surfaces in uniformly toasting the surfaces of the comestible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Z. Krasznai, Richard B. Kosten
  • Patent number: 5467220
    Abstract: In a processing chamber that includes a wafer pedestal adapted to heat and cool a wafer during wafer processing, where the wafer is secured to the pedestal with a wafer clamp ring, a yoke having a surface in spaced facing relation with a wafer surface is positioned atop the clamp ring proximate to the wafer. The yoke surface includes a concave circumferential portion that is curved to provide a reflector, for example a parabolic or elliptical reflector, that is positioned having a focal point coincident with the wafer edge. Reflector positioning and spacing relative to the wafer surface encourage reflection of heat radiated from the edge portion of the wafer surface back to the wafer edge to mitigate thermal losses at the wafer edge and improve temperature uniformity across the surface of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1995
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Zheng Xu
  • Patent number: 5444217
    Abstract: A novel rapid thermal process (RTP) reactor processes a multiplicity of wafers or a single large wafer, e.g., 200 mm (8 inches), 250 mm (10 inches), 300 mm (12 inches) diameter wafers, using either a single or dual heat source. The wafers or wafer are mounted on a rotatable susceptor supported by a susceptor support. A susceptor position control rotates the wafers during processing and raises and lowers the susceptor to various positions for loading and processing of wafers. A heat controller controls either a single heat source or a dual heat source that heats the wafers to a substantially uniform temperature during processing. A gas flow controller regulates flow of gases into the reaction chamber. Instead of the second heat source, a passive heat distribution is used, in one embodiment, to achieve a substantially uniform temperature throughout the wafers. Further, a novel susceptor is used that includes a silicon carbide cloth enclosed in quartz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1995
    Assignee: Moore Epitaxial Inc.
    Inventors: Gary M. Moore, Katsuhito Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 5420394
    Abstract: A material processing apparatus includes a casing including an outer wall having a substantially figure eight configuration, a plurality of upper inner walls disposed inside of the outer wall and being spaced apart and having substantially concentric cylindrical configurations, and a lower inner wall disposed inside of the outer wall and disposed below the upper inner walls. The upper inner walls define an upper airtight vessel, while the lower inner wall defines a lower airtight vessel containing a material processing chamber. The outer wall and upper and lower inner walls also define a channel therebetween surrounding the upper and lower vessels for containing a flow of coolant fluid. Also, a heat exchanger is defined by the upper airtight vessel and the portion of the channel defined by the outer wall and upper inner concentrical walls. The heat exchanger is disposed above and connected in flow communication with the material processing chamber in the lower vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1995
    Inventor: Roger D. Eshleman
  • Patent number: 5414244
    Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus according to the present invention includes a process tube which heat rays are able to penetrate, a holding member for holding an object to be treated in the process tube, two temperature regulation plates arranged opposite and close to the object held by the holding member, for regulating an amount of heat rays reaching to the object, a heating unit for heating the object in the process tube, a cooling unit for cooling the object heated by the heating unit, a temperature sensor for sensing temperatures of the two temperature regulation plates, and a controller for controlling the heating unit based on the temperature profile acquired in advance and the temperatures detected by the temperature sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Issei Imahashi
  • Patent number: 5390588
    Abstract: An electric toaster includes a housing defining a toaster cavity. A comestible support rack is mounted within the toasting cavity for supporting the bread to be toasted in a horizontal plane within the cavity. The toaster includes first and second heaters mounted respectively above and below the support rack. The cavity includes radiant energy reflecting surfaces above and below the support tray to direct energy generated by the heaters of the toaster to uniformly toast each side of the comestible. Heat shields are positioned between each of the heaters and the food support rack. The heat shields aid the reflective surfaces in uniformly toasting the surfaces of the comestible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Z. Krasznai, Richard B. Kosten
  • Patent number: 5378872
    Abstract: An apparatus employing directed infrared radiation emitted by two spaced sources delimiting a baking space for a plate receiving food to be baked. The two sources are separated by a space of 5 to 10 centimeters. The lower source is preferably located less than one millimeter from the bottom of the support, which is constituted by a circular removable plate. The plate is supported and guided rotationally with respect to the floor of the apparatus and is made of an infrared-permeable material and cooperates by its periphery with a constant-speed positive rotational drive arrangement. The drive confers a sequential character on the strong radiation energy of the infrared sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1995
    Inventor: Dragomir Jovanovic
  • Patent number: 5346555
    Abstract: A device for a thermal treatment process and a film forming process includes a chamber for forming a thin-film on a semiconductor substrate under high temperatures, a heater positioned to enclose the outer periphery of the chamber, for heating the inside of the chamber to a high temperature; and insulator positioned to enclose the outer periphery of the heater. The device further has a first space formed between the chamber and the heater, a second space formed between the heater and the insulator, first and second exhaust sections provided for exhausting air from the first and second spaces. In the device, prior to inserting the semiconductor substrate into and removing the semiconductor substrate from the chamber, high temperature air is exhausted from the first and second spaces by the first and second exhaust sections, respectively, to cool inside of the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shinji Nunotani, Koichi Takahashi, Naoto Miyashita
  • Patent number: 5338918
    Abstract: A heat generator assembly in a material processing apparatus includes a heater unit and an elongated deflector structure mounted adjacent thereto. The heater unit includes a plurality of elongated electric heating elements extending in generally parallel relation to one another and being operable for emitting heat radiation. The deflector structure is disposed along the electric heating elements and in circumferential relation partially about the electric heating elements for deflecting the heat radiation in a desired direction away from the heating elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Inventor: Roger D. Eshleman
  • Patent number: 5253324
    Abstract: A conical rapid thermal processing system includes a conical thermal radiation reflector and a plurality of elongated radiant heating sources within the conical thermal radiation reflector. The elongated radiant heating sources pass through an imaginary conical surface within the conical thermal radiation reflector. A wafer holder within the imaginary conical surface holds the wafer face transverse to the common axis of the conical reflector and the conically arranged radiant heating lamps. The conical thermal radiation reflector and conically arranged lamps provide uniform radiant heating across the face of a wafer without significantly degrading coupling efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1993
    Assignee: North Carolina State University
    Inventors: Jimmie J. Wortman, Furman Y. Sorrell, John R. Hauser, Mark J. Fordham
  • Patent number: 5234484
    Abstract: A method for annealing a deposited material on a substrate structure, where the annealing temperature of the deposited material is greater than the melting temperature of the substrate structure, including the step of inserting the substrate structure into an oven preheated to a temperature above the annealing temperature. The substrate structure is kept in the oven for a time interval wherein the mean temperature of the deposited material is above the annealing temperature and the mean temperature of the substrate structure is below its melting temperature. The substrate structure may be actively cooled while in the oven, thus increasing the time interval the mean temperature of the deposited material can be maintained above the annealing temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1993
    Assignee: ITT Corporation
    Inventors: Peter L. Toch, Nils I. Thomas, Thomas E. Sisneros, James Kane
  • Patent number: 5196676
    Abstract: An oven unit for heat treating sealant strip material applied to the perimeter edges of a window unit includes an oven box having a pair of spaced-apart sidewalls and an upstream end for receiving the window unit and a downstream end for egress of the window unit after heat treating. The window unit is conveyed through the oven box by a plurality of rollers extending between each sidewall and arranged from the entrance end to the exit end. Interspersed among the rollers and located immediately adjacent and below the window unit are a plurality of lower emitters for generating and directing radiant heat energy upon the sealant strip material. An upper row of spaced-apart emitters also directs radiant heat energy upon the sealant material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1993
    Assignee: Billco Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael A. Hallahan
  • Patent number: 5181455
    Abstract: An electric grilling appliance includes a pair of infrared radiation emitting heaters disposed within a housing on opposite sides of a food holder. The food holder includes a pair of metal food holder plates of a size and configuration to directly contact, on their inner surfaces, substantially the complete outer surface of the food article to be grilled. The outer surfaces of the metal food holder plates are blackened to absorb the infrared radiation emitted by the heaters. Springs urging the metal food holder plates towards each other into firm contact with the food article to be grilled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1993
    Assignee: Talbert Ltd.
    Inventors: Ruben Masel, George Valdshtein
  • Patent number: 5179677
    Abstract: A reflector array employs a number of linear, tubular heater lamps arranged in a circle concentric with the substrate to be heated. Some of the lamps have focusing reflectors and the remainder have dispersive reflectors. A peripheral cylindrical reflector surrounds the lamps and their associated reflectors. The combined reflectors permit balancing the thermal radiation intensity across the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1993
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger N. Anderson, Thomas E. Deacon, David K. Carlson
  • Patent number: 5176067
    Abstract: An apparatus for grilling food includes a base, a reflector positioned within the base, a heating element mounted upon the base and spaced above the reflector, and a food-supporting grill. The reflector includes a downwardly sloped bottom surface having a central region shaped to define a flavor well and a plurality of perforations disposed outside of the flavor well to direct drippings away from the flavor well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1993
    Assignee: Rival Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: David T. Higgins
  • Patent number: 5167003
    Abstract: A food preparation oven includes a cooking chamber (1) in which a device (12) is provided for generating heat waves and for directing them in a suitably concentrated manner onto the surfaces (6, 7, 8, 9, 10,11) of the walls of the chamber (1); the device (12) is removably arranged in the cooking chamber (1) and is mobile therein so as to direct the heat waves onto the entire surface of the walls, the concentrated waves scanning the surfaces (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11) but covering only portions of them at any given time, creating only in and around these portions a high temperature which results in the pyrolysis of the impurities which have been deposited on the surfaces (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11) during the use of the oven. The heat waves can also be used for food preparation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1992
    Assignee: Whirlpool International B.V.
    Inventors: Carlo Montanari, Giovanni Franzetti
  • Patent number: 5155336
    Abstract: A rapid thermal heating apparatus in which lamps are disposed in a plurality of light pipes arranged to illuminate and supply heat to a substrate. The light pipes are positioned so that the illumination patterns overlap. The energy supplied to the lamps is controlled to provide a predetermined heating pattern to the substrate. A liquid cooled window cooperates with the light pipes to transmit energy to a wafer disposed in an evacuated chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1992
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Christian M. Gronet, James F. Gibbons
  • Patent number: 5127365
    Abstract: A heat-treatment apparatus includes a quartz heat-treatment tube having a vertically set axis in which a heat-treatment gas is supplied from its lower portion, and a quartz cap to be mounted on an upper opening portion of the heat-treatment tube. An opening is formed in a central portion of the cap, a quartz rod is inserted through the opening along the axis of the heat-treatment tube, and semiconductor parts to be heat-treated are held by the rod. A first exhaust duct is formed in a side surface of the heat-treatment tube at a position higher than at least the semiconductor parts held by the rod and exhausts the heat-treatment gas in the heat-treatment tube. A ring-like chamber open toward the inner surface of the cap is formed in the outer circumferential surface of the heat-treatment tube in a position close to the upper opening surface, and a second exhaust duct communicates with this chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1992
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Mitsutoshi Koyama, Koichi Takahashi, Hironori Sonobe
  • Patent number: 5115118
    Abstract: A heat-treatment furnace comprising a process tube for containing an object of treatment, a heater surrounding the process tube, and an infrared impermeable member located on the process tube side of the heater and at least one the side of an open end of the process tube through which the object of treatment is carried in and out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1992
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Hiromi Harada, Toshihisa Nozawa
  • Patent number: 5078121
    Abstract: The device adjusts reflecting angles of grill reflectors for a grill burner in a gas oven range. Rotation of a driving means 21 is transmitted through a transmission means 17 to an adjusting means 16 and converted into a linear movement of bearing means 13 in reflecting plate 10A and 10B hingedly mounted on a hinge pin 11, thereby the angle between the plates 10A and 10B is adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1992
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dae J. Ha
  • Patent number: 5073698
    Abstract: A method for selectively heating a film on a substrate. The film is provided with a different absorption characteristic for light than the absorption characteristic of the substrate. The specimen (combined film and substrate) is illuminated by light having a maximum intensity at a wavelength which will be substantially absorbed by the film and substantially not absorbed by the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1991
    Assignee: Peak Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy J. Stultz
  • Patent number: 5071485
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for stripping a photoresist layer from a semiconductor wafer, wherein oxidizing gas is fed from the edge of the wafer to the center. The oxidizing gas may be directed so that it is incident on the heated wafer support platform before it is incident on the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1991
    Assignee: Fusion Systems Corporation
    Inventors: John C. Matthews, Robert D. Wooten, David S. Ferris, Stuart N. Rounds
  • Patent number: 5060289
    Abstract: A radiant heating device including a pair of concave surfaces for directing radiant energy toward an object positioned through an access opening in a receiving space therebetween with these concave surfaces extending to either side of this opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1991
    Assignee: Research, Incorporated
    Inventor: Andrew E. Abramson
  • Patent number: 5053247
    Abstract: The batch capacity of a barrel epitaxial reactor is improved by increasing the reaction chamber size and increasing the length of the radiant heat source so that a uniform temperature is maintained over a larger flat zone in the reaction chamber. Also, forced air flow from the blower of the reactor is distributed so that a positive air flow is maintained along the exterior wall of the reaction chamber and consequently the wall is maintained at a uniform cold temperature relative to the temperature of the reaction chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1991
    Assignee: Moore Epitaxial, Inc.
    Inventor: Gary M. Moore
  • Patent number: 5047611
    Abstract: A method for rapidly curing a film on a substrate by selective heating, causing it to cure from the inside out. This is accomplished by illuminating the sample with a light source having a peak wavelength which will be primarily absorbed by the underlying substrate and is transparent to the overlying film. Thus the substrate will be selectively heated first by direct absorption of the radiation, and the film to be cured will in turn be heated by conduction from the substrate. In this way, the film will be cured from the interior interface to the surface, or from the inside-out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1991
    Assignee: Peak Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy J. Stultz