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.

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.

Abstract: A fabric sample treatment apparatus for effecting the controlled and uniform heating of a plurality of fabric and dye liquor specimens. The treatment apparatus includes a heating chamber having a rotatable sample rack, a radiant heat source, multidirectional cooling air vents, temperature measurement devices for monitoring chamber and specimen temperature and control equipment for controlling radiant heat and cooling air based on temperature measurements.

Abstract: The invention is an apparatus for heat processing of food. The invention includes a frame which supports the subcomponents of the apparatus. The apparatus' subcomponents include a rack having a plurality of hook-like projections for holding the food. A rack displacement assembly reciprocally moves the rack between a food loading position and a heat processing position. The rack displacement assembly includes both a lever and a cable and pulley-actuated linkage. The rack is moved into a heating cavity when that rack is in its heat processing position. Heating means are provided on at least one side of the heating cavity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for automatically preheating an oven, such as a food oven, based upon its immediate usage history. This preheat function operates by regulating the base heating elements until the temperature of the base plate is within a specified temperature range from the pre-programmed base set point temperature, and then turning quartz lamps on until the air temperature within the oven cavity reaches a certain fixed preheat "exit" temperature. This preheat exit temperature need not be a fixed value, but can be a function of the base set point temperature or the air temperature before or during the preheat operation. In addition, the preheat function can be performed at various times during the oven's operation, and not necessarily only upon power up of the oven.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for measuring the radiation originating from one side of a wafer of semiconductor material using a pyrometer, wherein non-blackbody compensation radiation is projected onto that side to compensate for the reflectivity of the wafer of material and wherein the intensity of the non-blackbody compensation radiation is controlled subject to the amount of radiation measured by the pyrometer.

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.

Abstract: Cooking apparatus such as, for example, an oven includes a cooking chamber (1) having at least one electrical heating element (9) having a tubular envelope (10) of fragile material of the type of quartz or glass which is mounted in supports (16, 17) secured to the chamber (1) so as to maintain the envelope (10) at a distance from the internal wall of the chamber. The tubular envelope (10) is enclosed in a cage (18) whose wall (19) is sufficiently pierced to let pass the infrared radiation toward the interior of the chamber (1) and sufficiently rigid to resist any mechanical shock. The cage (18) is provided with members (24, 25) for securing it to the internal wall of the chamber (1).

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.

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.

Abstract: There is disclosed an oven comprising at least one halogen lamp (4a) provided with a far infrared coating and at least one halogen lamp (4b) without a far infrared coating, both halogen lamps (4a, 4b) being disposed in a grill chamber having on the front a door which can be opened and closed.

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.

Abstract: A rapid thermal processing system is accurately controlled during a deposition process, in which the emissivity of the substrate material changes as a function of the thickness of the deposited layer, by determining the expected emissivity as a function of time during deposition and applying the expected emissivity to a controller to produce a converted temperature which controls the radiant heat sources of the rapid thermal processing system. In one embodiment, the expected emissivity is used to convert a measured pyrometer temperature into a converted pyrometer temperature. The converted pyrometer temperature is applied to a feedback controller which controls the radiant heaters so that the converted pyrometer temperature equals the desired wafer processing temperature. In another embodiment, the expected emissivity is employed to convert the desired rapid thermal processing temperature into a converted desired rapid thermal processing temperature.

Abstract: A heating apparatus comprising a refractory block in which coil heater is embedded, an inner metal cover located outside the refractory block, a water cooling pipe located outside the inner cover, an outer metal cover located outside the water cooling pipe, a terminal electrically connected to end of the coil heater and passed through the inner and outer covers, and a power supply electrically connected to the terminals to supply current to the coil heaters. Each of the terminals is fixed to the outer cover by insulating members but left free from the inner cover.

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.

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.

Abstract: An oven with an oven chamber (2) provided at a front opening with a door (3) which can be opened and closed. The oven chamber (2) is provided with a halogen lamp (4), which halogen lamp (4) is arranged such that the output thereof reduced upon opening of the door (3).

Abstract: Heat is provided to substrates at a step of a process by providing identical movable heating devices, one for each substrate, placing each substrate onto one of the heating devices, sequentially moving each device into a position where the step of the process can be performed on the substrate, and causing each of the devices to provide heat to the substrate at each step of the process.

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.

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.

Abstract: In an apparatus for curing semiconductor wafers implementing same is provided. Pursuant to the method, semiconductor wafers, for example, GaAs, are cured in a reaction tube under a protective gas atmosphere of, for example, a mixture of N.sub.2 and AsH.sub.3. The reaction tube is initially heated to a base temperature at which the curing process is not initiated and at which no wall coatings occur. Given semiconductor wafers of compound semiconductors such as, for axample, GaAs, the protective atmosphere contains a compound of the more volatile element, for example, AsH.sub.3, that decomposes at the base temperature and forms an over-pressure of the more volatile element. The semiconductor wafer is heated to the curing temperature with a selective heater, for example a lamp, and is exposed to the curing temperature for 5 through 20 seconds.

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.

Abstract: In an oven having a plurality of heat sources for cooking by heating an object of cooking inside an oven chamber, the capacities of said heat sources are arranged to be capable of independent control. The operating time of the heat sources is arranged to be set by a timer, wherein heat sources not operated or operated at a reduced capacity are operated substantially at their full capacities for a predetermined period of time after a cooking time set by the timer has elapsed.

Abstract: A reflector surface furnace includes an open ended ellipsoidal or near ellipsoidal reflector segment having two focal areas, there being a source of radiation in the one focal area, the material to be processed being placed into the other focal area, the furnace is completed as inventive improvement by two end segments of parabolic or near parabolic configurations each having an axis of symmetry that coincides with an axis of symmetry of the central ellipsoid and interfaces with the ellipsoid in these focal areas, the two parabolical end segments have focal points which namely coincide with the focal points of the ellipsoidal segment, but for control purposes there may be separation.

Abstract: An oven using one or more quartz tungsten light bulbs or quartz arc 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.

Abstract: The improved zone-melt recrystallization apparatus is comprised of a port system for providing a thermal barrier between the recrystallization chamber and the loader assembly. A bellows system is used to lift a plurality of pins that support a silicon wafer being recrystallized. Flexure supports are designed to constrain the motion of the pins within the desired direction of motion of the wafer.

Abstract: A thin sample on a surface such as a tissue specimen on a microscope slide is exposed to treatment liquid such as a stain, antibody of nucleic acid probe. The treatment is accelerated by exposing the treatment liquid on the surface to infrared radiation. A device is disclosed for placing such slides into a treatment chamber, for example as a plurality of slide pairs held vertically, with treatment liquid held in capillary gaps between each slide pair. An infrared radiation source provides radiation into the treatment chamber to accelerate the treatment of samples on such slide (on one or both surfaces facing each capillary gap) by the treatment liquid.

Abstract: A process for fusion-splicing hermetically coated optical fibers each of which comprises an inorganic coating, an optical fiber glass and optionally an organic coating, which process comprises removing the inorganic coating, fusion-splicing the fibers and then coating a portion where the inorganic coating is removed with an inorganic material.

Abstract: An apparatus for containing semiconductor wafers and performing heat treatment thereon. Heaters disposed in a high temperature furnace form at least one heating space therein. An insertion and retrieval aperture is disposed at the lower portion of each heating space for allowing passage of wafers therethrough. Each of the heating spaces is adapted to receive one or two wafers and to provide simultaneous and uniform heat treatment on the wafers.

Abstract: A heating and temperature-control device for biological sample containers includes an assembly of lamps emitting infrared radiation within a wavelength of 1-5.5 micrometers and heating said containers by irradiation, and a sensor for infrared radiation of wavelength 7-14 micrometers which picks up the emission from the containers which derives from their heating. The signal obtained from said sensor is used to control the lamp emission in such a manner as to obtain the required container temperature and then keep it constant.

Abstract: A bread toaster comprising a comparator circuit with a sensor responsive to infrared radiation to determine the toasting time of an object to be toasted is extended by a control circuit. The latter detects automatically, whether the bread toaster is used for toasting an object to be toasted that is introduced through a loading and unloading opening into its toasting chamber (toasting operation) or for warming up a respective item which is placed on top of the loading and unloading opening (warming-up operation). The control circuit controls during the toasting operation the operating time of the bread toaster in dependence upon the toasting degree adjusted by the user, while it puts the bread toaster into operation for a fixed period of time during the warming-up operation.

Abstract: A furnace for the thermal treatment of charges of iron and steel components. A cylindrical, vertical heating chamber is disposed within a housing. A plurality of vertical heating elements are disposed in the heating chamber. To accelerate the heating-up of a charge that is disposed within the heating chamber, especially in the lower temperature range, the heating elements have a tubular construction and are provided at their bottom end with an outlet opening. Gas conveyed by a fan flows through the heating elements, at which time it is convectively heated, and thereafter passes into the interior of the heating chamber. In the higher temperature range, the heating elements transfer their heat to the charge as radiant heat, with the furnace then operating in a vacuum.

Abstract: An infra-red oven for cooking food at low wattage and with infra-red radiation having a wavelength of 3-6 micron is disclosed. The oven includes a rotatable turntable with a lower infra-red emitter disposed below the turntable and an upper infra-red emitter disposed above the turntable in a vertically moveable shroud. Opposed side emitters are deposed on either side of the turntable to cook the sides of the food. To utilize the oven the shroud is raised and food is placed on the turntable. The shroud is then lowered until the upper emitter is about 1.5 inches above the food and the turntable is rotated. Rotation continues as radiation is directed on to the lower and upper surfaces and the sides until the food is cooked.

Abstract: A heat-treating method and apparatus are disclosed which are employed for the manufacture of, for example, a semiconductor device. A substrate to be treated is set in a floating state with an air space defined relative to an underlying opposite surface. A ring-like temperature security member is located with a small gap left relative to an outer periphery of the substrate. The heating of the substrate is achieved in this state. Infrared lamps are selected as a heating source and the surface underlying the substrate provides a reflection surface. The rear surface of the substrate is heated by reflection light travelling across the aforementioned air space. A heat dissipation from the marginal edge portion of the substrate is prevented by the temperature security member to obtain uniformity of heat over the whole area of the substrate. The presence of the air space ensures the ready loading and unloading of the substrate and hence the ready operability.

Abstract: A first and second pyrometer (26-28) are optically coupled by a light pipe (24) to a wafer (30) in an apparatus (10). The light pipe (24) passes through a shroud (16) of a heating lamp module (14). A computer (74) is interconnected to the pyrometers (26-28) and a lamp module power supply (80). A laser (48) emits a laser beam (50) through a power meter (86) onto an infrared mirror (56) over the light pipe (24). The mirror (56) directs the beam onto wafer (30) which reflects a portion of the beam back to the infrared mirror (56). The beam is then guided to an infrared photo-detector (58) which provides, in combination with the incident laser beam power meter (86), reflectance of the wafer surface for the laser beam which is related to wafer emissivity.

Abstract: A vertical type heat-treating apparatus has a process tube, disposed upright along the lengthwise direction, for receiving a target object to heat-treat it under a predetermined condition, and a heater, provided around the process tube, for heating the target object in the process tube. After heat treatment is executed with the heater disposed around the process tube, the heater is moved upward by an elevator away from the process tube for cooling down the inside of the process tube.

Abstract: A heat-treating apparatus includes a process tube accommodating an object to be heat-treated therein, and a plurality of independent heaters including at least three heaters arranged at both end portions and the central portion of a side wall of the process tube, so as to surround the process tube and, the heating temperatures of the individual heaters being freely adjustable. In this heat-treating apparatus, no direct heat transfer is caused between the heaters, so that the heating temperature of the heater at each end portion of the process tube can be adjusted to a high value, without entailing such an uneven temperature distribution as is caused in the case of a conventional heat-treating apparatus. Thus, uniform temperature distribution can be attained in an area covering the same range for the conventional apparatus, even though the heaters at both end portions are reduced in length.

Abstract: An improved lamp control process and assembly are provided to automatically and efficiently heat objects, such as plates of hot cooked food upon a counter in a restaurant. The lamp control assembly preferably includes heating lamps or heating elements, a photoelectric sensor or other sensor, a power control circuit, and a time delay circuit to slowly turn off the lamps when the plates of food are removed from the counter. Other loads can be controlled similarly.

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.

Abstract: An apparatus for heating the marginal zone of glass sheets to which prefabricated spacer strips are to be applied includes a lateral support (1) for the glass sheets and a linear conveyor (2) provided at the lower rim of the support (1), constituted, for example, by a series of conveying rollers (3). Furthermore, two horizontally aligned, elongated heating elements (5, 6) associated with the horizontal marginal zones of the glass sheet are provided. One (5) of the horizontally aligned heating elements (5, 6) is arranged immediately above the linear conveyor (2), and the other one (6) is movable upwards and downwards (arrow 18) along the lateral support (1). Both horizontal heating elements (5, 6) are attached to supports (7, 8) pivotable about horizontal axes (9, 10) that the heating elements (5, 6) can be swung away from their operative position associated with the glass sheet.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer (1) is thermally treated in a prescribed heating cycle while it is introduced into a furnace casing (4) of a furnace (4) and discharged therefrom. A temperature of a monitor chip (11) is measured by a radiation thermometer (16) immediately before introduction of the semiconductor wafer and memorized as an idling temperature. Then, while the furnace is heated up in order to make a measured temperature of the monitor chip agree with the idling temperature without the semiconductor wafer introduced, a temperature of the furnace casing is measured by a radiation thermometer (8) and memorized as a warm-up temperature. The furnace is controlled on the basis of the warm-up temperature or the idling temperature prior to sequential heat treatment of a number of semiconductor wafers.

Abstract: A tubular radiant furnace having multiple radiation shields is capable of producing very high working temperatures in an extremely clean environment. A cool-walled quartz muffle tube surrounded by high temperature electrical heaters in a high temperature cavity defines the work chamber. Concentric radiation shields around the tube and the heaters are supplemented by end shields at both ends to form the high temperature cavity. The shields reduce the radiative loss from the tube and create a uniform high temperature cavity without adding significant thermal inertia to the system. The low thermal inertia leads to a fast response time for the furnace to heat up or cool down. A workpiece located within the working chamber sees the radiant field with a view factor that approaches 100 percent (100%), and this helps make possible the attainment of very high and uniform temperatures. The effect is enhanced by the proximity of the workpiece to the center of the working chamber.

Abstract: Shrinking apparatus for heating and shrinking articles such as disused molded articles of thermoplastic expanded resin by a plurality of far-infrared heaters, thereby to reduce the articles in bulk. In the shrinking apparatus, the distances between article conveying device and the far-infrared heaters opposite thereto are gradually reduced in a direction from the furnace inlet to the furnace outlet such that the far infrared rays are efficiently irradiated onto the articles of which entire height is gradually lowered.

Abstract: A diffusion furnace and method for processing semiconductor wafers standing on edge wherein the furnace has vertically adjacent electrical resistance heating elements wired in parallel and disposed above the wafers. This arrangement enables the heat input to the furnace by the heating elements to be varied. In a preferred embodiment, the heating elements in the upper section of the tube are connected in one circuit and the heating elements in the lower section of the tube are connected in a second circuit and each circuit is controlled in response to the temperature in that section.

Abstract: An apparatus for annealing a substrate includes a plurality of annular light sources concentric about a predetermined axis, a holder for placing the substrate such that the substrate receives radiation from the plurality of annular light sources and is substantially perpendicular to the predetermined axis, and a measuring device having a measuring optical system with an optical axis substantially aligned with the predetermined axis. The measuring device is adapted to receive radiation through the measuring optical system from the substrate placed on the holder and to detect a temperature distribution of the substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus for the thermal treatment of a thin part (1) includes a thermal light source including linear lamps (17) of very high unitary power such as "tungsten-halogen" lamps, and a housing (2) containing the part to be treated. The apparatus includes inside the housing (2) a chamber (4) delimited by the sidewall and the bottom (3a) of the housing as well as by a silica window, making it possible to create about the part to be treated particular conditions for thermal treatment. Within the treatment chamber there is arranged a compensation means (22a) for the thermal losses of the part to be treated. The thermal light source is configured like a light box (16a) by superimposing several modules (43) having a polygonal cross-section.

Abstract: An oven that cooks foodstuffs containing water at temperatures up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit with longwave radiation generated by masking a cooking volume from radiant heating elements by blackened rigid inserts, which absorb shortwave and longwave radiation from the heating elements and uniformly reradiate the energy into the cooking volume as longwave radiation; non-condensing steam is injected into the oven until the vapor pressure of the water in the foodstuff attains a pressure at which water will migrate to the surface of the foodstuff to be evaporated; air is then passed through the oven to remove water from the foodstuff, while cooking with longwave radiation continues.

Abstract: Method for reflow soldering respectively desoldering of circuit boards by using infrared radiation from radiator groups in a furnace. The circuit boards are introduced into the furnace on a timed belt or work piece carrier and maintained motionless during the prewarming, soldering respectively desoldering and cooling down phase. For prewarming for a first given time the radiator groups are operated with reduced operating current. For reflow soldering respectively desoldering the operating current of the radiator groups is switched for a second given time to a maaximum given stage and subsequently turned off completely. The soldered respectively desoldered circuit boards are cooled in a laminar air stream from ventilators for drawing off the solder vapors; the ventilators are initially operated with reduced number of rpms until the solder solidifies and then at the maximum number of rpms. Subsequently, the circuit boards are moved out of the furnace.

Abstract: In a chemical vapor deposition apparatus for coating semiconductor wafers, the wafer is held face down in the reaction chamber. A radiant heat source above the wafer and outside the reaction chamber. The wafer is held on a ring chuck by means of a retractable clamp heats the wafer from its backside to a temperature in excess of 1000.degree. C. rapidly. The radiant heat source includes cylindrical lamps placed in a radial pattern to improve heating uniformity. In the selective tungsten process the temperature of the wafer is raised from ambient to about 600.degree. C. while flowing process gases. At the upper temperature range the heating source can be rapidly cycled on and off to improve the uniformity of coating.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for heating a substrate and associated rotatable susceptor in an epitaxial deposition reactor with an axially symmetric gas flow carrying deposition material include at least one chamber having a plurality of heat lamps. The chamber is generally symmetric with respect to an axis of the substrate. The chamber walls are coated to reflect light from the heat lamps. The outermost heat lamps can be energized to produce a higher temperature than the centrally located lamps to compensate for regions of the reactor which provide access to the substrate and, therefore, promote thermal losses. The spacing of the heat lamps may be varied to compensate for thermal non-uniformity of the heating cavity. The substrate may be rotated, on the rotatable susceptor, to average the thermal environment to which the substrate is exposed.