Abstract: An apparatus for heat treating semiconductor wafers is disclosed. The apparatus includes a heating device which contains an assembly linear lamps for emitting light energy onto a wafer. The linear lamps can be placed in various configurations. In accordance with the present invention, tuning devices which are used to adjust the overall irradiance distribution of the light energy sources are included in the heating device. The tuning devices can be, for instance, are lamps or lasers.

Abstract: A furnace of controlled heating and treatment of material using infrared radiation. The furnace is capable of continuous infrared treating of material with consistent radiation being applied to the material, ease of access to the furnace for maintenance cleaning and repair, excellent control of radiant cooling of the material to be treated, and ease of maintenance of a volatile component condenser.

Abstract: A thermal processing chamber includes a substrate support rotating about a center axis and a lamphead of plural lamps in an array having a predetermined difference in radiance pattern between them. The radiance pattern includes a variation in diffuseness or collimation. In one embodiment, the center lines of all of the lamps are disposed away from the center axis. The array can be an hexagonal array, in which the center axis is located at a predetermined position between neighboring lamps.

Abstract: A food holding oven holds pre-cooked food at a selected temperature by heating the food in a food-holding tray using infrared energy obtained from a multi-layer planar infrared energy source above the food. The infrared emitted from the planar IR source is produced by electrically heated windings in either a boustrophedonic or crenellated pattern, the loops and crenellations of which are more closely spaced near the edge of the heater than they are away from edges of the heater. The IR from the heater is directed toward the tray such that there is more IR directed at the tray edges than is directed toward the tray interior regions.

Abstract: A firing furnace having a structure, which prolongs the durability of an insulative member, includes a plurality of heat generation bodies, arranged in the housing, for generating heat with power supplied from an external power supply, a connection member for connecting the external power supply and the heat generation bodies, a fixing member attached to the housing and including an insertion hole for receiving the connection member, an insulative member for sealing the space between the insertion hole and the connection member, and a restriction structure for restricting a flow of gas produced in the housing directed through a gap between the fixing member and the connection member and toward the insulative member.

Abstract: A food holding oven, which is used to keep previously-prepared foods hot until they are served, is provided with a food holding tray having a roughened or matte finish. The matte finish keeps the tray's service temperature lower and easier to handle than prior art trays with highly reflective, shiny surfaces. When the matte-finish tray is held under a principally pure infrared heat source for long periods of time, the tray's surface temperature prevents food from being burned and reduces the likelihood of a user being burned.

Abstract: Bake apparatus for use in baking a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer, includes a chamber, a hot plate installed within the chamber, and first and second buffer plates for uniformly dispersing hot gas. The hot plate is configured to support the semiconductor wafer. The gas is injected into the chamber through an air passageway and is exhausted through an air exhaust opening. The first buffer plate is disposed within an upper part of the chamber so as to uniformly disperse the gas within the chamber. The second buffer plate is disposed above the first buffer plate. The first and second buffer plates each have a number of discharge holes by which the gas is uniformly discharged from the chamber to the exhaust opening.

Abstract: A breakdown precautionary system of a semiconductor equipment includes a semiconductor equipment with a coil heater, at least a voltage/current detector, and an alarm system. The voltage/current detector detects the voltage and current of the coil heater at the same time. An alarm system will send an alarm signal and initiate an interlock safety measure of the semiconductor equipment when the detected current of the coil heater is 0 ampere.

Abstract: An electronically controlled warmer drawer includes an enclosure having sides and a top and a bottom defining a chamber. A movable holder is coupled to the enclosure for movement between a retracted position to support objects within the chamber and an extended position external to the chamber to permit access to the objects by a user. A heating system operates to heat the chamber and a ventilation system operates to move air through the chamber. A user interface with multiple inputs controls a temperature within the chamber. A detection system detects a condition within the chamber and provide a signal representative of the condition. A display device displays information for perception by a user, and an electronic control system interfaces with the heating system and the ventilation system and the user interface and the detection system and the display device so the objects can be maintained at a desired temperature.

Abstract: A heater is disclosed. The comprises a housing; a reflector; and a pair of opposite connectors supported by the reflector and configured to support opposite ends of a heating element. The reflector is movable between a plurality of positions relative to the housing.

Abstract: A rotisserie oven is provided having a radiating heating system in combination with a convection heating system to prepare raw meat and poultry food product inside of a cooking chamber. A spit assembly carries the food product, and includes components that are detachable to assist in cleaning. The oven further includes a steam cleaning assembly that is integrated with the convection heating system that assists in grease removal from the components inside the cooking chamber. A humidity removal system regulates the moisture level inside of the cooking chamber during food preparation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling a treatment process in safety glass production by means of information representing a load of glass panels. Flat glass panels are conveyed through a heating lehr (2) and a quenching section (22). The treatment process is preceded by using a line camera (6) for reading the information representing a load of glass. This information is used in controlling the treatment process. The load-representing information is supplemented by automated detection of a glass panel's coating or the absence of coating. A glass panel's thickness is also measured. This information about coating and thickness is used in quenching for automated regulation of a quenching time and a blast pressure. Such information is also particularly useful for the automated control of convection heating (3c) included in the heating device.

Abstract: A substrate transportation device includes a housing for transporting substrates. The housing is formed of an upper surface, a lower surface, and opposing sidewalls. The housing has a rear opening through which the substrates enter the housing and a front opening through which the substrates exit the housing. A plurality of hollow supporting members are disposed within the housing and affixed to the opposing sidewalls which are formed by a plurality of columns. The hollow supporting members have a plurality of apertures in an upper surface for supplying a medium to a lower surface of the plurality of substrates. A medium supply member transfers the medium toward the hollow supporting member. The medium transferred by the medium supply member is delivered through the apertures in the upper surface of the plurality of hollow supporting members to float the substrates on a cushion of air.

Abstract: Device (1) for the heat treatment of scalp hair (2) of a person (3), consisting of one first and one second heat radiator (11, 12), which are formed and arranged facing each other as a left side radiator (4) and as a right side radiator (5) to provide heat (6) to the side scalp hair (7), wherein the left side radiator (4) has one first ring-shaped infrared radiator (21) with one first shell ring reflector (22) and the right side radiator (5) has one second ring-shaped infrared radiator (21.1) with one second shell ring reflector (22.

Abstract: A radiant shield and a furnace employing a radiant shield for controlled heating and treatment of material using infrared radiation. The furnace is capable of improved temperature control where material treated by the furnace may interfere with the quality of a measured temperature signal and temperature control based on that signal.

Abstract: A device for use in a thermal annealing process for a wafer (T) of material chosen among the semiconductor materials for the purpose of detaching a layer from the wafer at an weakened zone. During annealing, the device applies (1) a basic thermal budget to the wafer, with the basic thermal budget being slightly inferior to the budget necessary to detach the layer, this budget being distributed in an even manner over the weakened zone; and (2) an additional thermal budget is also applied to the wafer locally in a set region of the weakened zone so as to initiate the detachment of the layer in this region.

Abstract: An apparatus for heat treating semiconductor wafers is disclosed. The apparatus includes a heating device which contains an assembly linear lamps for emitting light energy onto a wafer. The linear lamps can be placed in various configurations. In accordance with the present invention, tuning devices which are used to adjust the overall irradiance distribution of the light energy sources are included in the heating device. The tuning devices can be, for instance, are lamps or lasers.

Abstract: In general, this invention involves various improvements relating to food service apparatus, including an energy-compensation feature to compensate for the transfer of heat from one food-holding compartment to another food-holding compartment, and an energy-limit feature for preventing overheating of the apparatus in the event it is incorrectly programmed by an operator, for example.

Abstract: A wafer processing apparatus is fabricated by depositing a film electrode onto the surface of a base substrate, the structure is then overcoated with a protective coating film layer comprising at least one of a nitride, carbide, carbonitride or oxynitride of elements selected from a group consisting of B, Al, Si, Ga, refractory hard metals, transition metals, and combinations thereof. The film electrode has a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) that closely matches the CTE of the underlying base substrate layer as well as the CTE of the protective coating layer.

Abstract: A vertical heat processing apparatus includes a process chamber (5) defining a process field (A1) configured to accommodate a plurality of target substrates (W) supported at intervals in a vertical direction. The apparatus further includes a heating furnace (8) surrounding the process chamber (5) and including an electric heater (15), and an electric blower (16) configured to send a cooling gas into the heating furnace (8). A control section (22) executes, in order to converge the process field (A1) to a target temperature, performing power feeding to the heater (15) to heat up the process field (A1) to a predetermined temperature immediately below the target temperature, and at a time point when the process field (A1) reaches the predetermined temperature, decreasing the power feeding to the heater (15), and supplying the cooling gas from the blower (16) to forcibly cool the process field (A1).

Abstract: A substrate support assembly and method for controlling the temperature of a substrate within a process chamber are provided. A substrate support assembly includes an thermally conductive body comprising a stainless steel material, a substrate support surface on the surface of the thermally conductive body and adapted to support a large area substrate thereon, one or more heating elements embedded within the thermally conductive body, a cooling plate positioned below the thermally conductive body, a base support structure comprising a stainless steel material, positioned below the cooling plate and adapted to structurally support the thermally conductive body, and one or more cooling channels adapted to be supported by the base support structure and positioned between the cooling plate and the base support structure. A process chamber comprising the substrate support assembly of the invention is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for heating a semiconductor processing chamber. One embodiment of the present invention provides a furnace for heating a semiconductor processing chamber. The furnace comprises a heater surrounding side walls of the semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the heater comprises a plurality of heating elements connected in at least two independently controlled zones, and a shell surrounding the heater.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a color filter substrate and an infrared heating apparatus for the same are provided. A post-baking process is replaced with an infrared irradiation method with a rapid thermal transfer characteristic. Therefore, the yield and production efficiency can be improved. The method of fabricating a color filter substrate includes coating a color resist layer on an entire surface of a substrate, placing a mask on the substrate and exposing the substrate, developing the exposed color resist layer to form a color filter pattern, and curing the color filter pattern by irradiating the substrate with infrared rays.

Abstract: A thermal processor is adapted for annealing substrates. The processor has a sealed process chamber. Air is excluded from the process chamber during processing to avoid oxidation of substrate surfaces, such as copper surfaces. The substrate temperature is controlled by selectively positioning the substrate between a hot plate and a cold plate operating at steady state conditions. During loading and/or unloading, the air flow is induced over the substrate. This keeps the substrate at a temperature low enough to avoid oxidation, even though the heater may remain on.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for monitoring safety glass production or controlling a treatment process, such as a tempering process. Information representing a load of glass panels is used in controlling a treatment process, such as heating of glass panels, or in monitoring production. The information, which includes at least one of the following: shape, size, and position, is read with one or more cameras (6). This is possible as glass is made visible by means of reflected light as high intensity light is applied to the glass surface. The line camera (6) is used for receiving low intensity background light radiation incident through the glass conveying plane, a substantial increase in its intensity, as light is reflected by glass, being deciphered as glass.

Abstract: An oven is provided for curing or reflowing compounds on objects, such as lead frames or other substrates. The oven comprises a heating chamber, a heating assembly mounted in thermal communication with the heating chamber to provide heat thereto, and a support assembly for supporting the object in the heating chamber for heating. The heating assembly and support assembly are configured to be movable relative to one another for controllably positioning the object at variable distances with respect to the heating assembly. Heating of the object according to a heating profile can thus be achieved by controlled heating of the object at different temperatures by positioning the object at different distances with respect to the heating assembly during the heating process although there is a single heating zone.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for thermally processing a substrate is described. The apparatus includes a substrate support configured to move linearly and/or rotationally by a magnetic drive. The substrate support is also configured to receive a radiant heat source to provide heating region in a portion of the chamber. An active cooling region comprising a cooling plate is disposed opposite the heating region. The substrate may move between the two regions to facilitate rapidly controlled heating and cooling of the substrate.

Abstract: An intelligent user interface for the selection of predefined cooking profiles for a number of different foods to be cooked in a multi-purpose oven using infrared heating. When a food has not been predefined for cooking in the infrared multi-purpose oven, procedures used for conventional cooking technologies may converted to for use by the multi-purpose oven so as to obtain substantially the same cooking results for the desired food. The intelligent user interface may have menus of different foods for programming cooking profiles for the infrared multi-purpose oven. Predefined “hot buttons” may be used for quick selection of a cooking profile for a desired food (e.g., common foods such as popcorn, pizza rolls, chicken wings, oven fries, and other prepared and frozen foods), and/or a menu screen may be scrolled through to select a cooking profile for the desired food.

Abstract: A light source including a plurality of flash lamps emits flashes thereby flash-heating a semiconductor wafer held by a thermal diffuser and a hot plate. The current distance of irradiation between the thermal diffuser and the hot plate holding the semiconductor wafer and the light source is so adjusted as to attain predetermined intensity of irradiation. The distance of irradiation between the thermal diffuser and the hot plate and the light source can be changed or corrected by vertically moving the thermal diffuser and the hot plate. The thermal processing apparatus which uses the flash lamps, is thus capable of readily controlling the intensity of irradiation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for thermally processing a substrate is described. The apparatus includes a substrate support configured to move linearly and/or rotationally by a magnetic drive. The substrate support is also configured to receive a radiant heat source to provide heating region in a portion of the chamber. An active cooling region comprising a cooling plate is disposed opposite the heating region. The substrate may move between the two regions to facilitate rapidly controlled heating and cooling of the substrate.

Abstract: A thermal processor may include a cooling jacket positionable around a process chamber within a process vessel or jar. A heater can move into a position substantially between the process chamber vessel and the cooling jacket. A holder having multiple workpiece holding positions is provided for holding a batch or workpieces or wafers. The process chamber vessel is moveable to a position where it substantially encloses the holder, so that wafers in the holder may be processed in a controlled environment. A cooling shroud may be provided to absorb heat from the heater before or after thermal processing. The thermal processor is compact and thermally shielded, and may be used in an automated processing system having other types of processors.

Abstract: In a thermal processing apparatus, using a lamp for heating a substrate, an opening is formed for a camera unit, which is used to image portions of an auxiliary ring supporting the substrate, to obtain the position of the center of the auxiliary ring. The camera further images the substrate to determine the center of the substrate before the thermal processing apparatus receives and places the substrate on the auxiliary ring. The thermal processing apparatus moves the substrate so that the center thereof coincides with the center of the auxiliary ring, and thereafter places the former on the latter. Thus, the auxiliary ring can be designed to reduce overlaps of the auxiliary ring and the outer edge of the substrate while overlaps can be uniform over the entire circumference of the substrate to improve temperature uniformity of the substrate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for heating semiconductor wafers in thermal processing chambers is disclosed. The apparatus includes a non-contact temperature measurement system that utilizes radiation sensing devices, such as pyrometers, to determine the temperature of the wafer during processing. The radiation sensing devices determine the temperature of the wafer by monitoring the amount of radiation being emitted by the wafer at a particular wavelength. In accordance with the present invention, a spectral filter is included in the apparatus for filtering light being emitted by lamps used to heat the wafer at the wavelength at which the radiation sensing devices operate. The spectral filter includes a light absorbing agent such as a rare earth element, an oxide of a rare earth element, a light absorbing dye, a metal, or a semiconductor material.

Abstract: A method and apparatus involve providing a supply of nitrogen gas, heating the supply of nitrogen gas to a temperature, and ejecting the heated nitrogen gas through the exhaust line of the baking chamber on a periodic basis. The temperature is between a temperature of the hot plate and a temperature that is less than a glass transition temperature of a film being treated.

Abstract: Provided is an electric oven. The electric oven includes a cavity having an electric component room, a light wave generating unit mounted on a top surface of the cavity, the light wave generating unit including a halogen heater emitting heat and light and a connector coupled to opposite ends of the halogen heater, and a heat discharge unit enclosing and cooling the connector.

Abstract: An electrical connector is soldered or affixed to a conductive element of a glass sheet of a vehicular window via radiation heating of a layer of solder with an infrared radiative heating device. The heating device may include an infrared lamp and a reflector, which functions to direct the radiant energy from the lamp to a target region generally corresponding with the location of the solder layer between the electrical connector and the conductive element. The heating device is operable to rapidly and substantially heat the solder layer to a desired temperature to melt the solder layer, while substantially limiting directing of heat to the glass sheet. The electrical connector may be affixed at a vehicular or modular window assembly plant, such that the glass sheet may be transported from a glass manufacturing plant to the vehicular or modular window assembly plant without the electrical connector.

Abstract: A food heating appliance is disclosed that comprises a chamber portion and a lid portion that defines a heating chamber. The chamber portion has a perimeter wall extending about the heating chamber and an upper opening into the heating chamber. The perimeter wall is insulated to permit walls are A heating apparatus in the heating chamber comprises a heating element positioned in the heating chamber adjacent to the perimeter wall, and a shield positioned above the heating element to block debris from falling on the heating element. The shield may be sloped downwardly from the perimeter wall toward a center of the heating chamber. A holding tray for smoking material may be positioned adjacent to the heating element. A drip collection tray may be positioned at the bottom of the heating chamber that influences air flow into the heating chamber. Temperature control circuitry provides precise, predictive heating of the food.

Abstract: A combination toaster/caramelizer oven for treating food products comprising: a housing; at least one heating element; a removable platen; and at least one conveyor disposed opposite the platen for conveying the food products through the housing, wherein the platen is disposed between the heating element and the conveyor. Optionally, the caramelizer oven can further include at least one moisture injector that introduces moisture to the surface of the food product which is in contact with the platen.

Abstract: A toaster uses radiant heat at infrared wavelengths optimized for producing rapid and uniform toasting of a food product. The infrared wavelengths of the radiated heat are selected for optimum speed and quality (browning and moisture content) of the food product. The selected infrared wavelengths of the radiated heat may also effectively defrost a food product. Defrosting of the food product by the infrared radiated heat adds very little time in obtaining a desired toast color to the food product. A plurality of infrared wavelengths of radiated heat may also be used, wherein the plurality of infrared wavelengths are selected for optimal heat penetration and surface browning of the food product. Shorter wavelengths for browning and slightly longer wavelengths to penetrate the food product for evaporating the moisture therein to allow surface browning by the shorter wavelengths.

Abstract: A bake unit includes a cooling plate for cooling a substrate and a lift pin assembly for loading a substrate on the cooling plate. When a wafer is cooled on the cooling plate, a guide groove is formed at the cooling plate to allow a space between the wafer and the cooling plate to communicate with the exterior. Thus, an inner pressure of the space is maintained to be equal to an outer pressure thereof.

Abstract: An oven using radiant heat at infrared wavelengths optimized for producing rapid and uniform cooking of a wide variety of foods. The infrared oven toasts, bakes, broils, and re-heats food at a much faster speed while maintaining high quality in taste and appearance of the cooked food. Optimal infrared wavelengths of the radiant heat sources are used for the best balance of cooking performance, while also reducing the time required to cook the food. Typically short to medium wavelength infrared radiant energy will result in good performance for toasting and browning of food. Medium to long wavelength infrared radiant energy is well suited for delivering more deeply penetrating radiant energy into the food. This deep penetration of radiant infrared heat energy results in a more thorough internal cooking of the food than with conventional methods of conduction and convection cooking.

Abstract: An oven is disclosed having a first food preparation apparatus in the form of a convection heat source and/or a steam production assembly and/or a radiating heat source, and a second food preparation apparatus in the form of a smoking assembly. The oven can operate at least one of the food preparation apparatus simultaneously with the smoking assembly or separately from the smoking assembly.

Abstract: A food heating or cooking appliance has at least one electrical heating element within its interior that is adjustable in position so as to be able to be moved close to thin or small food items under the control of a manually actuated control. A separator plate that extends across the interior chamber of the appliance from side to side and from front to back is movable with the heating element to enable adjustment of the volumetric size of the cooking chamber containing the heating element and the food to be heated or cooked. A manual actuator, a knob or lever, for example, moves the heating element and the separator plate through a motion transfer bar that extends across the width of the appliance and is attached to a linkage on each side of the appliance to communicate movement to a pair of movable supports supporting the rod-like heating element at each of its ends and the separator plate at opposite edges.

Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus for use in batch heating/wafer processing is provided, which comprises a process chamber for receiving a wafer boat, at least a heating element comprising a substrate body configured to form an electrical heating circuit for at least one heating zone and encapsulated in a continuous overcoat layer, a heat reflector comprising a heat reflective surface disposed on the heating element, and the heating element has a ramp rate of at least 1° C. per second for heating the wafers in the wafer boat.

Abstract: A heating cooker (100) for heating to process an object placed on a mounting base of a heating chamber (51) including at least a single piece of a rod-like heater arranged along a face member forming the heating chamber (51) and a heat shielding member provided along a longitudinal direction of the rod-like heater between the rod-like heater and the face member (53a) on an outer side of the heating chamber (51).

Abstract: A continuous oven for heating a food product having an outer surface and an interior includes an enclosure with a first heating zone and a second heating zone. A conveyor is configured to convey the product from the first heating zone to the second heating zone. At least one surface-browning infrared emitter is adjacent the first heating zone of the conveyor and is configured to provide a first electromagnetic radiation profile to the product in the first heating zone that is adapted to evaporate surface moisture to produce a crust matrix on the outer surface of the product. At least one interior-heating infrared emitter is adjacent the second heating zone of the conveyor and is configured to provide a second electromagnetic radiation profile to the product in the second heating zone that is different from the first electromagnetic radiation profile. The second electromagnetic radiation profile is adapted to heat the interior of the product.

Abstract: The cooking device of the present invention operates in the 100 to 250 volt AC range acting as either, a grill, a smoker, an oven or a rotisserie. The cooking device is compact, being portable or fixed so as to allow the user to maximize limited space such as on a balcony or patio. A digital microprocessor-based temperature controller with LED readout is used for the set temperature and the process temperature. The shell is made of stainless steel which retains maximum heat and has a removable grease tray. The device is approximately 23? wide by 14? high by 21? deep and has stainless steel round rods for the cooking grates and warming rack.

Abstract: A new toaster technology is provided for toasting food items. The toaster includes an inlet for receiving food items, an outlet for discharging the foot items after they are toasted and a toasting chamber located between the inlet and the outlet. In the preferred embodiment, the toasting chamber provides a toasting path for the food item during which the food item will be passed along two conveys—one vertical and one horizontal. Also, along the toasting path, the food item will be toasted by a platen heating surface, an impingement heating element and an infra-red heating element or a combination thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods are provided for heating and sensing the temperature of a chemical reaction chamber without direct physical contact between a heating device and the reaction chamber, or between a temperature sensor and the reaction chamber. A plurality of chemical reaction chambers can simultaneously or sequentially be heated independently and monitored separately.

Abstract: An oven for heating moving thermoplastic blanks (preforms, intermediate containers), which includes conveying devices for supporting and moving the blanks sequentially while rotating each of them about its own axis. A heating device is arranged laterally to the conveying device for heating the moving blank bodies, and the conveying device includes at least two parallel conveying branches, proximate each other and having opposite conveying directions, the two branches being traveled along one after the other by the blanks. The heating device is arranged between the two conveying branches so as to heat simultaneously on both sides of the blanks moving in opposite directions respectively on the two branches.