Heating Or Heat Retaining Work Chamber Structure Patents (Class 432/247)
  • Publication number: 20120064472
    Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus and control method enabling the apparatus to settle down an internal temperature of a treating vessel to a target temperature accurately and quickly. The heat treatment apparatus includes a furnace body with a heater on an inner circumferential surface thereof, the treating vessel disposed inside the furnace body, a cooling medium supply blower and cooling medium release blower each connected to the furnace body, and a temperature sensor provided inside the treating vessel. A signal from the temperature sensor is sent to a heater output computing unit and blower output computing unit included in a controller. The heater output computing unit determines a heater output level based on a heater output numerical model and the signal from the temperature sensor. The blower output computing unit determines a blower output level based on a blower output numerical model and the signal from the temperature sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Koji YOSHII, Tatsuya Yamaguchi, Wenling Wang, Takanori Saito
  • Patent number: 8129663
    Abstract: Deterioration of an O ring due to radiation heating in a vacuum heating apparatus is prevented to allow heat treatment of a substrate with good annealing properties. The vacuum heating apparatus 1 includes a vacuum chamber 2 constituted by flanges 11 and 12 having an opening portion 9 and joined together, a turbo molecular pump 17 for exhausting gas from the vacuum chamber 2, and a heater base 3 for heating a substrate 5 placed in the vacuum chamber 2. Joint surfaces of the flanges 11 and 12 are sealed by an O ring 10. Further, bonding steps 13 are formed between the heater base 3 and the O ring 10 on the joint surfaces of the flanges 11 and 12, thereby preventing thermo-radiation from the heater base 3 from reaching the O ring 10 through the joint surfaces of the flanges 11 and 12.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Anelva Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Masaki, Yuichi Sasuga, Masami Shibagaki, Hiroshi Doi
  • Patent number: 8088328
    Abstract: A heat treating furnace is disclosed for nitride case hardening and gas cooling a stationary workload in the same furnace which is comprised of a single chamber and an access door. The chamber is segregated into an outer portion and an inner portion, with the inner portion being adapted to receive the workload to be nitride case hardened through the access door. The inner portion is surrounded by graphite insulation to retain the gas used to nitride case harden the workload. The inner portion further includes a plurality of graphite resistance heating elements and a plurality of graphite plates juxtaposed in near proximity to the graphite resistance heating elements forming a conduit or plenum between them. The inner portion further includes a fan assembly including a graphite radial fan wheel adapted to circulate the nitriding gas within the inner portion and through the conduit to provide uniform nitride case hardening of the workload.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Inventor: William R. Jones
  • Patent number: 8052419
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses that decouple wafer temperature from pre-heat station residence time, thereby improving wafer-to-wafer temperature uniformity, are provided. The methods involve maintaining a desired temperature by varying the distance between the wafer and a heater. In certain embodiments, the methods involve rapidly approaching a predetermined initial distance and then obtaining and maintaining a desired final temperature using closed loop temperature control. In certain embodiments, a heated pedestal supplies the heat. The wafer-pedestal gap may be modulated may be varied by moving the heated pedestal and/or moving the wafer, e.g., via a movable wafer support. Also in certain embodiments, the closed loop control system includes a real time wafer temperature sensor and a servo controlled linear motor for moving the pedestal or wafer support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Nordin, Chris Gage, Shawn Hamilton, Sheldon Templeton
  • Publication number: 20110269089
    Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus for a selenization process or a sulphurization process carried out when forming a light absorbing layer in a chalcopyrite-type solar cell, comprises a quartz tube in which a plurality of solar cell substrates is arranged in parallel at predetermined intervals in a thickness direction, a heating mechanism for heating atmospheric gas, which is arranged at an outside of the quartz tube, and first baffle plates arranged upward of the substrates, in which heated atmospheric gas, which rises along an inner surface of the quartz tube, is guided from upward to the center of the substrates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD
    Inventors: Takeshi Echizenya, Yuichi Hirano, Hitoshi Nagasaki, Yoshinori Tokunaga, Satoshi Yonezawa
  • Patent number: 8007275
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for heat treatment of semiconductor wafers are disclosed herein. A method of heating a semiconductor wafer in accordance with one embodiment includes heating the wafer in a loading enclosure of a heat treatment system above an ambient temperature external to the loading enclosure. The method also includes moving the heated wafer from the loading enclosure into a processing enclosure of the heat treatment system. In particular embodiments, the method can further include heating a flow of purge gas above the ambient temperature and introducing the flow of heated purge gas into the loading enclosure while the wafer is in the loading enclosure. In still further embodiments, the method can include heating a flow of process gas to a processing temperature and introducing the heated flow of process gas into the processing enclosure while the wafer is in the processing enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shyam Surthi, Scott E. Moore
  • Publication number: 20110183279
    Abstract: A substrate heating apparatus includes a container configured to be maintained in a depressurized state; and a substrate mounting table having a plurality of substrate support pins on its upper surface. The substrate mounting table is configured to mount a substrate while providing a gap between the upper surface of the substrate mounting table and the substrate. The substrate heating apparatus further includes a heater configured to heat the substrate through the substrate mounting table; a pressure regulator configured to regulate a pressure in the container; a temperature controller configured to control an output of the heater so as to control a temperature of the substrate mounting table; and a pressure controller configured to control the pressure regulator so as to control the pressure in the container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Tomoya OKUBO, Masaki SUGIYAMA
  • Patent number: 7963048
    Abstract: An dual path kiln is provided that includes a kiln having one or more chambers and at least two lumber charge paths adapted to convey lumber through the kiln in opposite directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Inventor: Levi A. Pollard
  • Patent number: 7955074
    Abstract: A thermal treatment apparatus and method for processing a wafer are provided. The thermal treatment apparatus includes a process chamber for thermally treating the wafer, a heating unit for heating the wafer in the process chamber, and a gas supply unit for supplying a gas and controlling a gas pressure differently by sections of the wafer. The heating unit is provided in at least one of the upper side and the lower side of the process chamber. The heating unit includes a plurality of heater blocks capable of controlling a temperature for sections of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Seung Woo Jin, Kyoung Bong Rouh
  • Patent number: 7896649
    Abstract: The present invention provides a heating system, a heating method and a program, which can readily control processing temperature. A temperature calculating computer 4 of the heating system includes a device DB 42. The device DB 42 stores therein a temperature correcting table indicative of a relationship between an accumulated film thickness of extraneous matter attached to the interior of each heating apparatus and a temperature correcting amount, with respect to each heating apparatus, for each temperature (processing temperature) in the heating apparatus. Thus, the temperature correcting amount can be specified based on the temperature correcting table, the processing temperature and the accumulated film thickness, so that an optimized value can be calculated from the specified temperature correcting amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Noriaki Koyama, Wenling Wang
  • Publication number: 20110014582
    Abstract: Silicon nitride coated crucibles for holding melted semiconductor material and for use in preparing multicrystalline silicon ingots by a directional solidification process; methods for coating crucibles; methods for preparing silicon ingots and wafers; compositions for coating crucibles and silicon ingots and wafers with a low oxygen content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: MEMC SINGAPORE PTE. LTD. (UEN200614794D)
    Inventors: Richard J. Phillips, Steven L. Kimbel, Aditya J. Deshpande, Gang Shi
  • Patent number: 7806684
    Abstract: A method of a semiconductor process is provided. The semiconductor process at least includes a first high temperature furnace process and a second high temperature furnace process. In the method, the first high temperature furnace process is performed on a first wafer boat carrying at least a wafer. Then, the second high temperature furnace process is performed on a second wafer boat carrying at least the same wafer. In addition, before the second high temperature furnace process is implemented, a moving step is performed, such that a relative position of the wafer in the first wafer boat is different from that of the wafer in the second wafer boat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventor: Guang-You Yu
  • Patent number: 7802986
    Abstract: A thermal processing apparatus for thermally processing a substrate in a processing chamber includes a heating plate for mounting and thermally processing the substrate thereon, and a lid body covering the heating plate from above to constitute a portion of the processing chamber. The lid body has a ceiling plate and a peripheral side portion vertically provided at a peripheral end portion of the ceiling plate. The ceiling plate is provided with a supply port for supplying a gas into the processing chamber, and a side portion of the ceiling plate is provided with a plurality of exhaust ports for exhausting the gas in the processing chamber. An exhaust pipe communicating with the exhaust ports and having an outlet at a point at equal distances from the exhaust ports is provided to be attachable and detachable to/from the lid body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Ooshima, Shigeki Aoki
  • Patent number: 7780440
    Abstract: To provide a substrate supporting/transferring tray, which can be placed on a substrate supporting part arranged in a treatment chamber in which the heat treatment is performed to a substrate, especially on a substrate supporting part having a built-in heating means for heating the substrate, and on an upper side of which, the substrate is placed. At the time of heat-treating the substrate, the substrate can be more uniformly heated, and when the heat treatment is completed, the tray can be easily removed from the substrate supporting part without waiting for the temperature of the substrate to be reduced, and can transfer the substrate to other parts from the treatment chamber in which the heat treatment is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Anelva Corporation
    Inventors: Masami Shibagaki, Yasumi Kurematsu
  • Patent number: 7758341
    Abstract: A utility apparatus supplies a liquid to a substrate processing apparatus having a plurality of blocks of heat treatment apparatus groups. A plurality of supply ports supplies the liquid for each vertical block, horizontal block, or heat treatment apparatus. A plurality of recovery ports collects the liquid supplied to each vertical block, horizontal block, or heat treatment apparatus. Detecting mechanisms are provided respectively in the plurality of recovery ports to detect a temperature of the recovered liquid. A control mechanism controls based on detection information of the detecting mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: SNF Solutions, Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kim Dong-Hun
  • Publication number: 20100062386
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a basic-refractory composition containing magnesium orthotitanate (Mg2TiO4) and calcium titanate (CaTiO3) suitable for use in rotating kilns for the production of Portland cement or lime.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Inventor: Luís Leonardo Horne Curimbaba Ferreira
  • Patent number: 7628612
    Abstract: In the present invention, a plurality of heat treatment units are arranged side by side in a linear form and a substrate transfer mechanism for transferring the substrate between the heat treatment units is provided in a heat treatment apparatus. The substrate is sequentially heat-treated in the arrangement order, whereby one heat treatment as a whole is dividedly and successively performed in the plurality of heat treatment units. This allows substrates to be heat-treated along the same route and uniforms the thermal history among the substrates. At the time when heat-treating a plurality of substrates, the present invention causes less variation in thermal history among the substrates as compared to the case of parallel heat treatments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Takahisa Otsuka, Tsuyoshi Shibata
  • Patent number: 7625680
    Abstract: A method of real time dynamic CD control in a system for heat-treating resist coated wafers on a hotplate. The method includes establishing a temperature profile for a hotplate surface, where the hotplate surface is divided into a plurality of temperature control zones, and sequentially heat-treating the resist coated wafers on the hotplate. The method further includes obtaining CD metrology data from test areas on the heat-treated wafers, where different groups of test areas are selected for two or more of the heat-treated wafers. A CD metrology data map is constructed using the CD metrology data and an adjusted temperature profile is established for the hotplate surface using the CD metrology data. Additional wafers are then heat-treated on the hotplate. The method also may be applied to heat-treating resist coated wafers on a plurality of hotplates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Lloyd Lee
  • Patent number: 7598150
    Abstract: Methods for compensating for a thermal profile in a substrate heating process are provided herein. In one embodiment, a method of processing a substrate includes determining an initial thermal profile of a substrate resulting from a process; imposing a compensatory thermal profile on the substrate based on the initial thermal profile; and performing the process to create a desired thermal profile on the substrate. In other embodiments of the invention, the initial substrate thermal profile is compensated for by adjusting a local mass heated per unit area, a local heat capacity per unit area, or an absorptivity or reflectivity of a component proximate the substrate prior to performing the process. In another embodiment, the heat provided by an edge ring to the substrate may be controlled either prior to or during the substrate heating process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph M. Ranish, Bruce E. Adams
  • Patent number: 7537448
    Abstract: The present invention is a thermal processing method including: a step of conducting a predetermined thermal process in a low temperature zone to a plurality of objects to be processed held in a tier-like manner by a heating unit, in a processing container that is made of metal and has the heating unit therein, and a step of introducing a cooling gas into respective areas in the processing container divided in a height direction of the objects to be processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Takanori Saito, Kazuhide Serizawa, Takashi Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 7509819
    Abstract: A front end for a glass forming operation comprises an open channel and at least one burner. The channel has at least one surface. The surface has at least one hole therein. The burner is oriented in the hole at an acute angle relative to the surface. In another embodiment of the invention, the channel has a top and a pair of sidewalls each having a surface. At least one hole is in at least one of the surfaces. The hole is at an acute angle relative to at least one surface. The burner is an oxygen-fired burner. In yet another embodiment of the invention, the top and sidewalls each have a super structure surface constructed of refractory material. The channel has an upstream end and a downstream end. At least one of the surfaces has a plurality of holes therein. The burners extend at an acute angle relative to at least one surface and in a plane extending between the upstream end and the downstream end and perpendicular to at least one surface. Oxygen-fired burners extend axially through corresponding holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: OCV Intellectual Capital, LLC
    Inventors: David J. Baker, Harry P. Adams, Christopher Q. Jian, William W. Toth
  • Patent number: 7503762
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus having heat treatment apparatuses for treating a processing target substrate at a predetermined temperature includes: a temperature adjustment mechanism provided in each of the heat treatment apparatuses forming a plurality of heat treatment apparatus blocks for adjusting a temperature of the processing target substrate; a moving mechanism for moving the temperature adjustment mechanism; an exhaust mechanism for exhausting a gas from the heat treatment apparatus; supply ports for supplying a temperature adjustment liquid to temperature adjustment apparatuses; recovery ports for collecting the liquid supplied to the temperature adjustment apparatuses; and a control mechanism for recognizing temperature information of the liquid recovered from recovery ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: SNF Solution Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kim Dong-Hun
  • Patent number: 7491057
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for producing a ceramic member by firing a formed body with a firing furnace. The firing furnace is equipped with 1) a muffle formed in a manner so as to ensure a space for housing the formed body to be fired; 2) a heater or a heat generator serving as the heater, which is placed outside the muffle; and 3) a plurality of heat insulating layers made of carbon, fixed by stoppers made of carbon, and formed in a manner so as to enclose the heater or the heat generator. The method fires the formed body with the firing furnace to form the ceramic member, and heats the muffle and the space for housing the formed body with the heater or the heat generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Ibiden Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takamitsu Saijo, Yuichi Hiroshima, Koji Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20090042156
    Abstract: The supporting structure of a technical installation made from a material that is not resistant to corrosion and whose inner wall at least temporarily contains a corrosive and abrasive gas-vapor mixture and is protected from acid corrosion by a gas-vapor mixture barrier. This barrier is either placed between a refractory coating (6) and a thermal insulating layer (7) or is integrated into the refractory layer (6) or in the thermal insulating layer (7). The mechanical protection from the permeation of the gas-vapor mixture though the thermal insulation (7) up to the inner wall of the supporting structure allows a thermal insulating material to be selected that has a distinctly reduced thermal conductivity and thus allows the temperature on the exterior of the supporting structure to be lowered reducing energy consumption and improving occupational safety.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2005
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Inventors: Michael Meckelnburg, Rene Gross, Kurt Weber
  • Publication number: 20090029307
    Abstract: A heat treating furnace capable of continuously performing binder removal and subsequent firing without requiring a complicated configuration and increasing the equipment size and cost, for example, for degreasing a ceramic molding which is to be fired in a process for manufacturing a ceramic electronic component. A heat insulator is disposed to surround a heat treatment region in a case, and a reflector is disposed between the inner wall of the case and the insulator in order to reflect heat transferred from the heat treatment region through the heat insulator. A module heater including a heater embedded in the insulator is used. As the reflector, there is used a reflector having a structure in which a plurality of thin plates is arranged so that the main surfaces are arranged in parallel to each other with a predetermined space between the adjacent main surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Inventor: Takashi OHARA
  • Patent number: 7445446
    Abstract: A method of heat-treating resist coated manufacturing wafers in a processing system by establishing a temperature profile for each of a plurality of hotplates in the processing system, heat-treating the resist coated manufacturing wafers on the hotplates, obtaining CD metrology data from test areas on the heat-treated resist coated manufacturing wafers, determining CD variations for each hotplate from the CD metrology data, adjusting the temperature profile of one or more hotplates after determining the CD variations, and heat-treating additional resist coated manufacturing wafers on the hotplates after the adjusting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Heiko Weichert, Kirsten Ruck
  • Publication number: 20080254599
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods that minimize surface defect development in silicon wafers during thermal processing at relatively high temperatures at which silicon wafers are annealed and at less extreme temperature, or for other purposes. The apparatus and methods have utility to horizontally-disposed furnaces for silicon wafers and to vertically-oriented furnaces in which larger wafers can be thermally processed. A selectively-sealable process tube encloses silicon wafers during heating of the silicon wafers to a predetermined temperature, and a heating atmosphere supply system induces through the process tube a positive flow of a process gas, such as hydrogen or argon, that is non-reactive with solid silicon at the predetermined temperature. A process tube outlet vents gas from the process tube, and an impurity sensor in the process tube outlet detects oxygen and moisture in the vented gas to verify the purity of the atmosphere surrounding the wafers during thermal processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2007
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Inventors: Amit S. Kelkar, Larry Puechner, David E. Billings
  • Patent number: 7431585
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing substrates is disclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a housing and a plurality of stacked cell structures in the housing. An actuator is adapted to move the plurality of stacked cell structures inside of the housing while substrates in the stacked cell structures are being heated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Zhao, David Quach, Timothy Weidman, Rick J. Roberts, Farhad Moghadam, Dan Maydan
  • Patent number: 7416406
    Abstract: Aspects of this invention include a furnace framework system which includes a framework with a first end piece, a second end piece and inter-connecting structural members operatively connecting the first end piece with the second end piece, with a combustion chamber housing and an exhaust manifold operatively attached to the framework by at least one expansion joint to allow limited relative movement between the combustion chamber housing and/or the exhaust manifold. The expansion joint may include a flange on at least one of the combustion chamber housing and the exhaust manifold retained between the first end piece and a structural retainer component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Inventor: Frank Schubach
  • Publication number: 20080197544
    Abstract: A heating furnace for calcining an object to be heated. The heating furnace includes a wall defining a furnace space and configured to receive the object in the furnace space, and a heating device configured to raise a temperature within the furnace space. The heating furnace also includes an oxygen supply channel configured to introduce gases containing oxygen into the furnace space. The oxygen supply channel is formed as an opening in a part of the wall surrounding the furnace space. The heating furnace further includes a gas discharge channel fluidly connected to the furnace space and configured to discharge gases in the furnace space to an outside of the furnace space, and a measurement device installed in the gas discharge channel and configured to measure properties of the gases passing through the gas discharge channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Applicant: IBIDEN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takamitsu Saijo, Koji Higuchi
  • Patent number: 7410355
    Abstract: A substrate undergoes a semiconductor fabrication process at different temperatures in a reactor without changing the temperature of the reactor. The substrate is held suspended by flowing gas between two heated surfaces of the reactor. Moving the two heated surfaces in close proximity with the substrate for a particular time duration heats the substrate to a desired temperature. The desired temperature is then maintained by distancing the heated surfaces from the substrate and holding the heated surface at the increased distance to minimize further substrate heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: ASM International N.V.
    Inventors: Ernst H. A. Granneman, Vladimir I. Kuznetsov, Xavier Pages, Pascal G. Vermont, Herbert Terhorst, Gert-Jan Snijders
  • Patent number: 7393205
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for heating up extrusion dies prior to their installation in an extruder, whereby the dies are heated up to a prescribed temperature and kept at this temperature. The device is characterized in that it comprises a gas-tight and thermally insulated oven housing (50) that has at least one charging and discharging opening (70) with an oven cover (40) and, inside the oven housing, there is an impact nozzle field (20) into which a die (90) can be placed, and in that the device (10) is provided with a heating means (100) that heats up a fluid that flows through the openings (110) of the impact nozzle field (20). The invention also relates to a method for heating up extrusion dies prior to their installation in an extruder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Inventor: Rolf-Josef Schwartz
  • Patent number: 7392668
    Abstract: A front end for a glass forming operation including an open channel and at least one burner. The channel surface has at least one burner port and a burner oriented in the burner port at an acute angle relative to the channel surface. The surface may be a top, side or end wall and the burner port is at an acute angle relative to the surface of the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: OCV Intellectual Capital LLC
    Inventors: Harry P. Adams, David J. Baker, Christopher Q. Jian, William W. Toth
  • Patent number: 7335019
    Abstract: A firing container for silicon nitride ceramics, which is a hermetically sealed container having a gas inlet and a gas outlet, characterized in that the interior of the hermetically sealed container is partitioned by a gas supply chamber partition plate into a gas supply chamber communicating with the gas inlet, and a firing chamber to accommodate an object to be heat-treated and communicating with the gas outlet, and the gas supply chamber partition plate has vent holes selectively formed in the vicinity of its periphery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Keiichiro Suzuki, Masakatsu Fujisaki, Yuji Shimao, Satoshi Ogaki
  • Patent number: 7311520
    Abstract: The present invention is a thermal processing unit including: a heating-furnace body whose upper end has an opening; a reaction tube consisting of a single tube contained in the heating-furnace body; a gas-discharging-unit connecting portion formed at an upper portion of the reaction tube, the gas-discharging-unit connecting portion having a narrow diameter; a substrate-to-be-processed supporting member for supporting a substrate to be processed, contained in the heating-furnace body; and a heating unit for heating the substrate to be processed supported by the substrate-to-be-processed supporting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Takanori Saito, Kenichi Yamaga, Ken Nakao
  • Publication number: 20070275339
    Abstract: A gas preheater (10) includes an entrance plate (12) having a first side (14), a second side (16), at least one opening (18) connecting the first side (14) and the second side (16), and a plurality of walls (19) on the second side (16) having tops (21) spaced from the second side (16), the walls (19) defining at least one circuitous pathway (22e, 22f, 22g, 22h) on the second side (16) beginning at the at least one opening (18), and a diffuser plate (40) having a first side and a second side and a plurality of holes (42) between the first side and the second side, the diffuser plate first side defining with the entrance plate second side (16) and the plurality of walls (19) at least one circuitous passage along the at least one circuitous pathway (22e, 22f, 22g, 22h), the at least one circuitous pathway having a first portion (22e1) leading from the at least one opening (18) and a second portion (22e2) spaced from the at least one opening (18), wherein the holes (42) in the diffuser plate (40) overlie the circ
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2006
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Inventors: James Jay Cress, Brian J. Miller
  • Patent number: 7284980
    Abstract: A continuous firing furnace of the present invention comprises: a muffle formed into a cylindrical shape so as to ensure a predetermined space; a plurality of heat generators placed at the peripheral direction from the muffle; and a heat insulating layer formed in a manner so as to enclose said muffle and said heat generators therein, said continuous firing furnace being configured such that a formed body to be fired, which is transported from an inlet side, passes through the inside of said muffle at a predetermined speed in an inert gas atmosphere and, then, is discharged from an outlet so that said formed body is fired, wherein said inert gas flows through: a space between said muffle and said heat insulating layer; and a space inside the muffle, in sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Ibiden Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takamitsu Saijo, Kenichiro Kasai
  • Publication number: 20070166656
    Abstract: A heating system of a batch type reaction chamber for semiconductor device and a method thereof are disclosed. Each heat unit of heating groups has different height and caloric value at right angles according to the divided areas, thereby it can control an uniform temperature incline of the entire process space of the reaction chamber. Also, the reflecting plates are formed by each heating unit, so that the change of the heating unit can be simple. Furthermore, the divided reflecting blocks are adjacently connected to another reflecting block through the radiant wave shielding slit between them, so that the leakage of the radiant wave can be prevented and the reflecting blocks can be separately attached and deattached to each other. Also, the turning member is formed at the lower portion of the reflecting blocks, so that it can be easily attached and deattached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Publication date: July 19, 2007
    Applicant: Terasemicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Taek Yong Jang, Byoung Il Lee, Young Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 7241140
    Abstract: A burning oven is provided, and has a housing that surrounds a combustion chamber in which material that is to be burned can be introduced after the housing is opened and can be placed upon a combustion chamber base. A deposit element is disposed externally of the combustion chamber, and has a deposit surface that is formed at least partially of glass ceramic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: lvoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Gottfried Rohner, Robert Grunenfelder
  • Patent number: 7216464
    Abstract: A modular oven, such as a batch process oven, includes a standardized set of self supporting, interconnectable panels which, when assembled, from a self-supporting heat containment shell, free of added structural support members. The present invention is also directed at self-supporting modular oven panels and a method of assembling the panels such as in the expansion or conversion of a first modular oven assembly to a second assembly more conducive to current production requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Raypaul Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Greg Neal, David Neal
  • Patent number: 7150628
    Abstract: A single-substrate heat-processing apparatus (2) for a semiconductor processing system includes a process container (4) configured to accommodate a target substrate (W). A support member (6) is disposed in the process container (4) and configured to support the target substrate (W) substantially in a horizontal state, while a bottom surface of the target substrate is exposed. A heating gas supply section (20) is disposed to generate a heating gas and supply the heating gas toward the bottom surface of the target substrate (W). A distribution member (16) is disposed within a flow passage of the heating gas supplied from the heating gas supply section (20), and configured to improve distribution uniformity of the heating gas onto the bottom surface of the target substrate (W).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kenichi Yamaga, Ken Nakao
  • Patent number: 7128570
    Abstract: A semiconductor processing reactor comprises a reaction chamber with a gas exhaust and a mechanical seal at one end of the chamber. The seal seals off the chamber from the ambient environment and is purged with gas to prevent diffusion of ambient gases into the reaction chamber. Because the purge gas can diffuse through the seal into the reaction chamber, the purge gas is chosen based upon the process gas and the location of the seal and exhaust so that the molecular weight of the purge gas causes the purge gas, by the force of gravity or buoyancy, to remain in the portion of the reaction chamber containing the seal and the gas exhaust. Advantageously, keeping the purge gas at the same end of the chamber as the gas exhaust minimizes dilution of the process gas with the purge gas, thereby preventing the purge gas from detrimentally effecting process results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: ASM International N.V.
    Inventors: Theodorus Gerardus Maria Oosterlaken, Frank Huussen, Herbert Terhorst, Jack H. Van Putten
  • Patent number: 7089683
    Abstract: The aim of the present invention is to create an efficient energy rational and consequently economical drying device, particularly the drying compartment unit, which could be used for drying processes for all wood products regardless to dimensions, with the ability of a controlled process of humid transfer from wood in specific atmospheric conditions by travel air, to achieve improvement of quality of drying wood, which include known drying effects, by the construction of the kiln volume proportional to fulfil dimensional and transport standards of transport containers, thus making possible the drying device being exploited by end user as a stationary or mobile type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Inventor: Jo{hacek over (z)}e Plestenjak
  • Patent number: 6994544
    Abstract: A fixture for supporting a plurality of semiconductor chips during the thermal cycling of the chips, including a fluid-permeable bottom screen, a chip-cavity-defining plate supported against a top surface of the bottom screen, a lower attaching mechanism for attaching the chip-cavity-defining plate to the top surface of the bottom screen, and a removable fluid-permeable top screen attached to a top surface of the chip-cavity-defining plate to cover the plurality of holes and chips therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: David M. Aldridge, Lonnie D. Mitchell, Joseph L. Roedig
  • Patent number: 6988886
    Abstract: A thermal treatment system for semiconductors comprises an outer tube made of silicon carbide, a base hermetically supporting a lower portion of the outer tube, a lid selectively opening and closing an opening formed in a central portion of the base, and a reactor wall surrounding an outer peripheral wall and the like of the outer tube and having a heater provided on an inner side, wherein an annular sealing member and an annular supporting member are interposed between the outer tube and the base, and wherein the supporting member has an effective heat transfer coefficient of 50 to 2,000 W/(m2·K).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Masaaki Takata, Nobuo Kageyama, Susumu Otaguro, Jiro Nishihama
  • Patent number: 6905332
    Abstract: A modular oven, such as a batch process oven, having a standardized set of self supporting, interconnectable panels which, when assembled, from a self-supporting heat containment shell, free of added structural support members. Also described are the self-supporting modular oven panels themselves having common roof, sidewall and end wall shell configuration and a method of assembling the panels such as in the expansion or conversion of a first modular oven assembly to a second assembly more conducive to current production requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Raypaul Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Greg Neal, David Neal
  • Publication number: 20040250762
    Abstract: Immediately after a cold substrate G is placed on a substrate table 3, a large electric power P1 is supplied to a heating element 32 embedded in the substrate table for a time period T1 so that temperature of the substrate table overshoots a target temperature, and thereafter zero or very small electric power P2 is supplied to the heating element for a time period T2 so that the temperature of the substrate table 3 is lowered to the target temperature while temperature of the substrate continues to rise up to the target temperature. When both the temperature of the substrate table and of the substrate reaches approximately to the target temperature after the time period T2 has elapsed, control of the electric power is entrusted to a PID controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kenichi Shigetomi, Nobuyuki Sata, Toshichika Takei, Masatoshi Kaneda
  • Patent number: 6808391
    Abstract: A baking apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device remarkably enhances the uniformity of the CD (Critical Dimension) of a wafer by creating a uniform temperature distribution. The apparatus includes a processing having an open upper part, a hot plate disposed in the chamber and on which a wafer is to be mounted, a cover covering the upper part of the chamber; and a thin film made of material having a low emissivity extending over the inner surface of the cover. The inventive structure prevents the emission of heat to the outside so that the temperature within the processing chamber can be rapidly stabilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chang-Ju Yun
  • Patent number: 6802712
    Abstract: A heating system, a method for heating a deposition reactor or an oxidation reactor, and a reactor utilizing the heating system are particularly suited for low-pressure chemical vapor deposition or oxidation. A heating system is particularly useful for heating a reactor in which a plurality of wafers is held perpendicularly to the reactant gas flowing direction that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the reactor, to enable a deposition or oxidation reaction. The heating system is adapted to change the reactor temperature during the process. In addition, a method heats a reactor to enable a reaction. Preferably, each of a plurality of reactor zones, into which the reactor is divided in a direction parallel to the reactant gas flowing direction, is heated at a different temperature profile indicating the temperature of this specific zone versus time. Thereby, the in-plane uniformity of deposited or oxidized layers can be largely improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignees: Infineon Technologies SC300 GmbH & Co. KG, Aviza Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Henry Bernhardt, Thomas Seidemann, Michael Stadtmueller
  • Patent number: 6752624
    Abstract: Soaking apparatus to treat materials which require higher accuracy in soaking and improved cleanliness. The soaking apparatus includes a heat treatment apparatus having walls, a ceiling and a floor, each divided into a plurality of sections, a heater block mounted on each section, a thermal sensor mounted to each heater block, and a thermal controller to control heating of the heater blocks based on a temperature measured by the thermal sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Showa Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuo Iwatani, Akira Nishio, Masao Takahashi, Masaharu Kusuhara