Abstract: A heat treatment boat houses a plurality of semiconductor wafers in a manner separated at intervals for heat-treating the wafers in a heat treatment furnace. The heat treatment boat includes a bottom plate, a first support rod erected on the outer peripheral edge of the bottom plate, a second support rod and a third support rod both erected on the bottom plate so as to make an central angle of 105.degree. to 120.degree. with the first support rod with respect to the center of the respective wafer supported by the rods, and a top plate provided opposed to the bottom plate for holding the rods. The stresses applied to the wafers housed in the heat treatment boat are distributed equivalently to three contacting points with the rods and become the minimum.

Abstract: A thermal processor for treating a plurality of semiconductor articles introduced into the processor and pods includes a work-in-process stocker and furnace combination. The stocker includes a loading port, shelves for storing pods and a loadport. The loadport includes a pod opener and is positioned at a port through to the furnace housing. The pod opener may be an indexer for an SMIF pod or a FOUP loadport for handling a 300 mm. wafer pod. A manipulator within the stocker operates to receive and output pods from the processor, present pods to the loadport for loading and unloading and warehousing pods between such operations. In one embodiment, the manipulator operates in an X-axis, Y-axis horizontal plane as well as in a Z-axis direction and rotation about the Z-axis. In the other, the Y-axis degree of freedom is eliminated.

Abstract: A substrate holding apparatus holds a rotating substrate without idly rotating the substrate and keeps the substrate in proper balance while the substrate is rotated. In a revolvable holding member, a column-shaped holding part is disposed on a top surface of a column-shaped supporting part, at an eccentric position with respect to a rotation axis of the supporting part. The revolvable holding member is supported by a rotation base for free rotation, and linked to a magnet holding part which incorporates a permanent magnet. On the other hand, a ring-shaped magnet which is disposed in a processing liquid collecting cup is freely driven by an air cylinder in a vertical direction. As the ring-shaped magnet is moved upward or downward and crosses a predetermined line as viewed in a positional relationship relative to the permanent magnet, which is at a height where the permanent magnet is disposed, the direction of a magnetic line of flux of the ring-shaped magnet is reversed.

Abstract: A vertical semiconductor wafer processing furnace that includes a single housing having first and second vertical furnaces each having a heating chamber for heat treating a semiconductor wafer. The first and second vertical furnaces are asymmetrically disposed relative to each other to reduce the overall footprint of the processing furnace. Each vertical furnace includes a wafer support assembly that includes support structure, such as a wafer boat, boat elevator, motor and guide rod, for axially mounting a selected number of semiconductor wafers. A translation element selectively moves one of the support elements along the vertical axis into and out of the process tube, and a wafer transfer element selectively transfers semiconductor wafers to or from one of the support elements. The furnace further includes a heating sleeve or envelope that is adapted to control the ambient fluid environment surrounding the support structure and which is independently movable relative to support structure.

Abstract: A substrate transporting device used in the process of manufacturing, for instance, semiconductor chips including a substrate guide comprised of a substrate guide rail which guides one side of each substrate and a substrate supporting plate which supports another side of the substrate, feeding claws for feeding a substrate to, for instance, a bonding position, the feeding claws being provided on a feeding claw holder and extending in the direction perpendicular to the substrate supporting plate, a claw X-direction feeder which moves the feeding claw holder in a direction in which the substrate is conveyed along the substrate guide, and a claw Y-direction feeder which moves the feeding claw holder in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the substrate is conveyed along the substrate guide; thus, the substrates are conveyed one pitch at a time by means of a rectangular motion of the feeding claws on a horizontal plane effected by the claw X-direction feeder and the claw Y-direction feeder.

Abstract: A support for firing articles for a dental laboratory as described, in which a tensioning plate (14) is provided between two carrier plates (10, 12), the carrier plates (10, 12) and the tensioning plate (14) exhibiting a corresponding pattern of boreholes (16). In these boreholes (16) carrier pins (32) are introduced, which by displacement of the tensioning plate (14) with respect to the carrier plates (10, 12) are clamped in place and fixed in their position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a vertical rack for semiconductor wafer processing having strictly horizontally disposed arms wherein each arms has a rounded tip.

Abstract: The present invention is designed to provide an annealing method for silicon single crystal wafers, which makes it possible to increase the number of silicon single crystal wafers processed during a single annealing process under a variety of annealing performed on silicon single crystal wafers, such as oxygen outer diffusion annealing for forming a DZ layer, annealing that generates and controls BMD for providing IG functions, and annealing that endeavors to improve and enhance GOI characteristics by eliminating wafer surface layer COP, and internal grown-in defects, and also enables the suppression of dislocation and slip in elevated temperature annealing environments. It calls for annealing to be performed by stacking up around 10 wafers, treating this group as a unit, placing this group, either horizontally or slightly inclined at an angle of roughly 0.5.about.5.degree.

Abstract: An improved wafer boat for a vertical furnace has inner upper and lower corners formed as sloped surfaces, and has outer upper and lower corners formed as sloped surfaces. This prevents the formation and collection of particles off of the wafer boat that can generate a protrusion on the wafer boat. By preventing the formation of a protrusion, this improved wafer boat prevents damage to the wafers processed in the wafer boat and improves the reliability of semiconductor devices formed from those wafers. Also, holes are provided for locking pins on both the upper and lower plates of the wafer boat. This means that the wafer boat can be loaded into the furnace in both a rightside-up and upside-down orientation, thus increasing the lifespan of the boat and reducing boat maintenance costs.

Abstract: A vertical furnace for use in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, which comprises a heater, an outer tube, an inner tube, all being disposed concentrically in a multi-layered fashion, a boat adapted to be introduced into the inner tube with a wafer loaded thereon, and a boat cover disposed internally of the inner tube concentrically therewith. The boat cover is comprised of a boat cover body and an auxiliary cover plate connected to said boat cover body with a given gap therebetween, the boat cover body having a predetermined number of slit apertures extending in a generator direction thereof, the auxiliary cover plate being disposed to cover the slit apertures. The introduced reactive gas flows in branched streams, one flowing through the inside of the boat cover and the other flowing in past the boat cover, whereby the film deposited on the wafer is improved in uniformity and homogeneity.

Abstract: A dual-function scavenger system, especially useful in conjunction with ovens for processing semiconductor materials, wherein the spent process gases from the ovens are separated from their residual thermal energy for disposition through discrete channels. Back diffusion of atmospheric air into the ovens is minimized.

Abstract: A vertical heat treatment system has a transfer apparatus for transferring semiconductor wafers and a cassette serving as a transport container for the semiconductor wafers. The transfer apparatus has a base disposed to be vertically movable and rotatable within a horizontal plane. Wafer arms for transferring the wafers placed on them are disposed on the base. The wafer arms can reciprocally move on the base between a standby position and an advanced position in the horizontal direction. A cassette arm for transferring a cassette placed on it is also disposed on the base. The cassette arm can reciprocally move on the base between a retreat position and a protruded position in the horizontal direction. The wafer arms and the cassette arm are reciprocally movable in opposite directions to oppose each other. While the wafer arms and the cassette arm are at the standby position and the retreat position, respectively, a holding portion of the cassette arm is present immediately above the wafer arms.

Abstract: An annular-shaped edge ring support for a semiconductor wafer has an innermost radial portion for supporting the semiconductor wafer and an outermost radial portion contiguous with the inner portion. The inner portion has a graded thermal mass that generally increases with increasing radius.

Abstract: A rectangular spalling-resistant refractory setter for use in heating furnace, which is made of a material having a bending strength of 1,000 kgf/cm.sup.2 or higher at 1,000-1,300.degree. C. and which has slits extending from each of at least one pair of the parallel sides of the setter toward the opposite side in a length of 15-35% based on the length of each side which is parallel to the slit.A creep-resistant setter which is made of a Si--SiC sintered material containing controlled amounts of impurities and having a controlled porosity.An oxidation-resistant setter which is made of a Si--SiC sintered material containing controlled amounts of impurities and having a controlled porosity.These setters are superior in spalling resistance, creep resistance and oxidation resistance, can mount thereon an increased amount of materials to be fired, and give a higher firing efficiency.

Abstract: A closable enclosure for rapid thermal processing of semiconductor wafers is presented, wherein the closable enclosure has an enclosed volume less than 10 times the volume of the wafer, and wherein the closable enclosure may closed about the wafer while the closable enclosure is surrounded by the process gas.

Abstract: There is provided an improved kiln furniture assembly:wherein the improvement comprises vertical posts comprising:i) a vertically disposed channel, andii) a spacer block (13a) vertically separating the upper and lower horizontal beams which extend from the same post,wherein at least a portion of the spacer block or the horizontal beam is positioned within the vertically disposed channel.

Abstract: System and method for determining thermal characteristics, such as temperature, temperature uniformity and emissivity, during thermal processing using shielded pyrometry. The surface of a semiconductor substrate is shielded to prevent interference from extrinsic light from radiant heating sources and to form an effective black-body cavity. An optical sensor is positioned to sense emitted light in the cavity for pyrometry. The effective emissivity of the cavity approaches unity independent of the semiconductor substrate material which simplifies temperature calculation. The shield may be used to prevent undesired backside deposition. Multiple sensors may be used to detect temperature differences across the substrate and in response heaters may be adjusted to enhance temperature uniformity.

Abstract: A vertical heat treating apparatus includes a first boat elevator for carrying a first wafer boat between a wafer transfer region and a predetermined position in a heat treating furnace, and a second boat elevator for carrying a second wafer boat between the wafer transfer region and the predetermined position in the heat treating furnace. With this construction, it is possible to eliminate the problems of causing the position shift of the wafer boat, so that and it is possible to prevent the wafer boat from overturning. The apparatus also has cutouts formed in the lower end portion of the wafer boat, and guide members formed on the upper surface of a wafer transfer stage so as to be engageable with the cutouts. With this construction, if the positioning is forcibly carried out when the wafer boat is loaded on the wafer transfer stage, it is possible to correct the position shift to prevent the shift from accumulating, so that it is possible to prevent the wafer boat from overturning.

Abstract: A vacuum furnace method and apparatus including unique heat dissipation means and methods, including reduced area of the vacuum chamber extension, heat reflecting discs, and unique cooling methods, wherein the vacuum furnace is constructed and operated at a small fraction of the previously known vacuum furnace costs.

Abstract: Support members are provided in a vertically spaced relation on a plurality of upright columns. A wafer support member comprises a projection formed to be annular along an inner peripheral edge of a ring and an outer wall formed along an outer peripheral edge thereof. The wafer is positively supported at a position inwardly of the outer peripheral edge thereof by the projection of the wafer support member despite the presence or absence of a warp thereof. Therefore, a load caused by the weight of the wafer is dispersed over the entire projection of the wafer support member. This suppresses the concentration of stress on a specific portion of the wafer support portion, and a surface defect called a slip generated when the wafer is heat treated can be eliminated.

Abstract: A vertical semiconductor wafer processing furnace that includes a single housing having first and second vertical furnaces each having a heating chamber for heat treating a semiconductor wafer. The first and second vertical furnaces are asymmetrically disposed relative to each other to reduce the overall footprint of the processing furnace. Each vertical furnace includes a wafer support assembly that includes support structure, such as a wafer boat, boat elevator, motor and guide rod, for axially mounting a selected number of semiconductor wafers. A translation element selectively moves one of the support elements along the vertical axis into and out of the process tube, and a wafer transfer element selectively transfers semiconductor wafers to or from one of the support elements. The furnace further includes a heating sleeve or envelope that is adapted to control the ambient fluid environment surrounding the support structure and which is independently movable relative to support structure.

Abstract: An apparatus for thermal treatment of a thin plate wafer having a peripheral edge, having a vacuum chamber, a heater block for heating the thin film wafer rigidly mounted and operatively positioned inside said vacuum chamber, a holding clamp positioned in said vacuum chamber and defining an open-ended cylinder having a bottom and a top, said bottom for receiving said heater block, said holding clamp for pressing against said wafer supported by said heater block; a device for holding the wafer in said open-ended cylinder to enable said holding clamp to hold the wafer prior to and subsequent to thermal treatment of the wafer, an elevator device for positioning said holding clamp relative to said heater block such that in use only said weight of said holding clamp presses against the wafer, and a mechanical device co-operating with the elevator device for supplying and removing wafers into and out of the apparatus.

Abstract: A fixture for holding a plurality of masking elements while the masking elements are being baked to remove impurities is disclosed. The masking elements are used to mask dies used for forming sputtering targets used to deposit thin films on a substrate. The fixture includes a housing having first and second end walls connected between first and second side walls wherein the first and second end and side walls form an interior aperture. In addition, the fixture includes a several slots which are formed in the first and second side walls wherein each of the slots are suitable for holding a single masking element. In particular, the interior aperture is of a sufficient size and the slots are positioned such that suitable air circulation is provided between each of the masking elements to expose the masking elements to a predetermined temperature suitable for removing the impurities from the masking elements.

Abstract: A high temperature and highly corrosive resistant structure and method of fabricating the structure. In one embodiment of the present invention, vacuum plasma spray or other materials deposition techniques are used to fabricate the structure on a removable support member in the form of a gradient or composite structure that sequentially consists of a 100% ceramic interior layer, a first transition layer of ceramic/refractory metal, a layer of 100% refractory metal, a second transition layer of ceramic/refractory metal, and an outer layer of 100% ceramic material. In a second embodiment, the ceramic/refractory metal/ceramic cartridge is formed without transition layers between the ceramic and metal layers. In another embodiment of the invention the structure is fabricated on a removable support member by depositing an outer layer of ceramic material on a refractory metal. No transition layers of ceramic material/refractory metals are used.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a plurality of easily removable processing units including at least a heating unit for heating a substrate and a cooling unit for cooling the substrate, and an outer frame having a plurality of compartments. Each compartment has an opening through which a processing unit may be inserted or removed. The plurality of compartments are arranged vertically. Each compartment has a plurality of first joint members connected to utility lines including those of an electrical system, a control system, and a fluid system. The electrical, control, and fluid systems are necessary for operating the processing units. Each processing unit has a plurality of second joint members connected to the first joint members.

Abstract: A single furnace loading cycle technique and a ventable sintering box therefor are disclosed for the sintering of products, such as, ceramic substrates. The sintering box includes a closeable cover which is held open by collapsible or deformable or sensitive spacers in a first furnace temperature range. The sensitive spacers collapse or deform in a higher temperature range to seal closed the box and the substrates therein. Thus, volatile agents within the substrates are permitted to escape in the first temperature range but are prevented from escaping in the higher temperature range.Provision also is made using additional sensitive spacers for applying a weight upon the substrates when in the higher temperature range due to the collapse or deformation of the sensitive spacers.

Abstract: An exhaust system for use with a high temperature furnace used to perform oxidation and/or annealing operations of the type used in semiconductor fabrication. The exhaust system is designed to permit the furnace to be used with a controlled environment chamber surrounding the entry to the process chamber of the furnace. The exhaust system allows a relatively high velocity flow of exhaust gas from the process chamber through the exhaust system to occur when a positive pressure (e.g., annealing) operations are performed. Such high velocity flow prevents (a) backstreaming and (b) the accumulation of non-uniform concentrations of exhaust gases in the exhaust system, thereby permitting the accurate monitoring of the concentration of a selected gas in the exhaust system. Based on such monitoring, the opening of the door to the process chamber of the furnace may be prevented when the concentration of the selected gas exceeds a predetermined level.

Abstract: An apparatus to retain integrated circuit modules during the preparation for a cycling of temperature, during the cycling of temperature, and during the post-handling after the cycling of temperature, is described. The apparatus has a specimen basket to contain the integrated circuit modules, a plurality of specimen retaining rods coupled to the specimen basket to prevent the integrated circuit modules from movement within the basket, a plurality of integrated circuit module retaining means coupled to the specimen retaining rods to secure each of the integrated circuit modules within the specimen basket, and a specimen securing rod retaining means to fasten each of the specimen retaining rods to the specimen basket.

Abstract: A support assembly for supporting a glass panel during thermal processing. In one embodiment, a support assembly includes a base member, and a mechanism secured to the base member. The mechanism includes a support plate adapted for contact with a panel, wherein the mechanism is operative to distribute the weight of the panel and support plate about a bottom surface of the support plate. In a further embodiment a support assembly includes a base assembly and a leveling assembly having a plurality of plates defining a support surface. An alternative embodiment of a support assembly is adapted for supporting panels in a vertical position and includes a base assembly and a levelling assembly.

Abstract: The present invention is an improved semiconductor furnace system that reduces particles in the quartz tube and wafer boat. The cooling rate of conventional furnaces is too rapid in currently used processes. The thermal process includes high stress from polymorphic transformation, which causes the peeling of a polysilicon film and microcracking of the quartz tube and wafer boat. The present invention includes a bottom plate, a furnace tube, a wafer boat, a cooling water means, a thermocouple, a first heating element, and a second heating element. The second heating element limits the heating or cooling rates of the furnace to the range of 0.1.degree.-2.degree. C./min to reduce the temperature gradient inside the furnace tube. Therefore, the thermal stress that is caused by the phase transition of the quartz is reduced by the invention and the particles and microcrack issues are also reduced by the invention.

Abstract: A substrate holding assembly for horizontally holding a substrate to be treated is provided in a heat treatment chamber of a heat treatment apparatus. The substrate holding assembly has an annular base, and a plurality of fixed support projections provided on the annular base, for holding the underside of the substrate to be treated. A flexible beam portion is fixed to the annular base, or to a vertical support rod, and a flexible support projection is provided on the beam portion, for flexibly supporting a portion of the substrate to be treated which tends to flex downward under its own weight. Flexure caused by the own weight of the substrate to be treated held in the substrate holding assembly is thus corrected by the flexible holding portions. Accordingly, stresses caused in the substrates to be treated can be decreased or removed, and occurrence of slips in the substrate to be treated can be precluded in a high-temperature heat treatment. Accordingly, high yields can be obtained.

Abstract: A heating furnace and a method for uniformly thermo-setting a paste applied onto the surface of a substrate, and for manufacturing a high quality substrate. The heating furnace can be installed in a small area. A plurality of up-and-down moving pins are provided in a furnace body. The plurality of up-and-down moving pins are penetrating a hot plate having a heater and are vertically movable. A substrate loaded through an opening port in an isolation wall is mounted onto the up-and-down moving pins moved in their upper position. The substrate moved down near the hot plate using the up-and-down moving pins is preheated by the heated hot plate. Then, the substrate is further moved down and vacuum attracted to the hot plate to be heated by the hot plate. After that, the substrate is moved up to the original position and nitrogen gas from nozzles of a gas supply pipe is blown on the surface of the substrate to accelerate cooling of the substrate.

Abstract: The vertical heat treatment apparatus according to the present invention in which a substrate holder holding a plurality of substrates-to-be-processed at a vertical interval is mounted on the top of a cap for opening and closing the bottom opening (furnace throat) of a vertical heat treatment furnace through a heat insulation structure for a heat treatment in the uniform heat region in the furnace, the heat insulation structure comprising support rods for supporting the substrate holder, and a plurality of thin heat insulation plates having insertion holes in which the support rods are loosely inserted in, and supported by the support rods, separated from each other by spacers at a prescribed interval in the direction of height of the support rods, whereby the heat insulation structure can have a simple structure and have decreased heat capacities, and throughput can be improved.

Abstract: A boat carrier for accommodating multiple width integrated circuit (IC) boats is provided. The boat carrier comprises a base member and opposed guide faces which abut side surfaces of IC boats of multiple widths. In a first embodiment, the boat carrier includes a first guide having a first guide face affixed to the base member, and a movable guide having a movable guide face releasably affixed to the base member. The movable guide face has a first position and a second position, whereby a narrower IC boat is receivable in the first position and a wider IC boat is receivable in the second position. In a further embodiment, the boat carrier comprises a base member, a fixed guide assembly having a fixed guide face, and an opposed guide assembly having an inner and outer guide face, whereby a boat having a first or second width is receivable.

Abstract: A number of semiconductor wafers are held in a ladder boat at, e.g., a 3/16 inch arrangement pitch of wafers W, and the ladder boat is loaded into a vertical heat treatment furnace. Then an interior of the heat treatment furnace is heated up to 900.degree. C. at a high temperature raising rate of, e.g., 30.degree. C./minute. Subsequently the interior is heated in steps at low temperature raising rates, e.g., at below 14.degree. C./minute up to a temperature region of, e.g., 980.degree. C. and at below 5.degree. C./minute up to a heating temperature of 1100.degree. C. These temperature raising rates are determined, based on results given by observation of presence and absence of slips in the wafers W heat-treated in various temperature raising patterns for different wafer arrangement pitches, so that the wafers can be heat-treated effectively without occurrence of slips. Widening said arrangement pitch to 3/8 inches allows higher temperature raising rates to be set.

Abstract: A thermal treatment boat having a plurality of annular, coaxial, spaced apart bands having substantially the same inner diameters. The bands are separated by a band spacing distance of from about 3.8 to 12.7 mm, each of the bands having a height, Height.sub.Band, in mm according to the equation: ##EQU1## wherein Height.sub.Band is always.gtoreq.wafer thickness; ColumnHeight is the total height of the treatment boat, mm; BandSpacing is the band spacing distance between adjacent bands, mm; and NumberBands is the total number of bands in the treatment boat. Preferably the NumberBands is from about 12 to about 100. Each band includes wafer support means for supporting a wafer therein at a position which is substantially centered between the upper edge surface and said lower edge surface thereof, the wafer support means in one embodiment including at least three inwardly extending projections.

Abstract: An object holder is raised, a mount portion is stopped at a middle stop position higher than a lower stop position, and an object of treatment is preheated. Thereafter, the object holder is further raised, the mount portion is stopped at an upper stop position in a processing tube higher than the middle position, and the object is heat-treated. A first temperature sensor for measuring a temperature on the obverse side of the object on the mount portion is located opposite the obverse side. A second temperature sensor for measuring a temperature on the reverse side of the object on the mount portion is located opposite the reverse side. The temperature of the object is detected in accordance with the respective outputs of the first and second temperature sensors.

Abstract: A vertical furnace for processing wavers positioned on a support structure. The furnace comprises an inner sleeve, heating means and an outer sleeve. To support the inner sleeve on the support structure a support sleeve is provided engaging with its top and lower part of the inner sleeve and resting with its lower end on the support structure.

Abstract: A heat treatment device including a handling chamber that has a carriers feed in/out opening for carriers holding plural sheets of objects to be treated parallelly vertical, a vertical heat treatment furnace for heat treating the objects and a posture changer for swinging the carriers near the carriers feed in/out opening of the handling chamber on a rotational center into a territory of lower sides of the carriers to change the posture of the objects to be treated from the vertical position to the horizontal position. The heat treatment device also has a carriers storage unit disposed above the posture changing means for storing a plural number of posture changed carriers, conveying device for conveying the carriers between the storage unit and the posture changing device and the heat treatment furnace side. Also, provided is a transferrer for transferring the objects-to-be-treated to/from an objects-to-be-treated holder for loading and unloading into/out of the heat treatment furnace side.

Abstract: A treatment system is disclosed, which has a treatment apparatus for performing a predetermined treatment for a planar workpiece contained in a carrier, and an first air-tight carrier storage chamber for storing the carrier. The treatment apparatus may also have an air-tight second carrier storage chamber. An inert gas supply and exhaust are connected to each of the treatment apparatus, the first carrier storage chamber, and the second carrier storage chamber. A valve device is provided for the inert gas supply and exhaust.

Abstract: Thermal treatment boat comprising a cylinder having a central axis and a plurality of band slots having opposed upper and lower surfaces in planes perpendicular to said central axis and spaced at predetermined locations along said central axis. At least one slot in each set extends around at least 180.degree. and less than of the full circumference of said cylinder. Pairs of adjacent band slots define an annular band therebetween. The height of each slot being from about 3.8 to 12.7 mm. Each of the bands having a height, Height.sub.Band, in mm, according to the equation: ##EQU1## wherein Height.sub.Band is always .ltoreq. wafer thickness; ColumnHeight is the total height of the cylinder, mm; BandSlotHeight is the height of the slot, mm; and NumberBands is the total number of bands in the treatment boat. The cylinder can include a wafer loading effector slot therethrough in a plane of the central axis extending along the length of the cylinder.

Abstract: A supporting shaft 11 that can be inserted through a center hole 5a in each of cured resin disks 5 and which has a bottom plate in a disk form at an end, as well as a plurality of spacer disks 12 each having a center hole through which the supporting shaft 11 can be inserted are used in the process of manufacturing GC (glass-like carbon) by baking to carbonize the cured resin disks 5. The cured resin disks 5 are stacked alternately with the spacer disks 12 on the supporting shaft 11 in an erect position that is inserted through the center holes in each of the cured resin and spacer disks. The stack is then baked in a baking furnace. By so doing, the cured resin disks can be set up easily and the baking furnace can be operated to its full capacity.

Abstract: A substrate heat treatment apparatus includes a heat treatment furnace of a flat configuration, and having a cavity in which a substrate is accommodated. The heat treatment furnace includes a gas supply unit at one side end face, an opening for communication between the cavity and the outside world, and a gas discharge unit in the vicinity of the opening for discharging gas from the cavity at the other side end face. The heat treatment furnace further includes a cover for shutting the opening allowing opening/closing thereof. In the gas exhaust unit, an exhaust chamber is formed on the other side end face along the opening with a partition wall between the opening and the exhaust chamber. An exhaust portion is formed in communication with the outside world in the exhaust chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus to retain integrated circuit modules during the preparation for a cycling of temperature, during the cycling of temperature, and during the post-handling after the cycling of temperature, is described. The apparatus has a specimen basket to contain the integrated circuit modules, a plurality of specimen retaining rods coupled to the specimen basket to prevent the integrated circuit modules from movement within the basket, a plurality of integrated circuit module retaining means coupled to the specimen retaining rods to secure each of the integrated circuit modules within in the specimen basket, and a specimen securing rod retaining means to fasten each of the specimen retaining rods to the specimen basket.

Abstract: A substrate thermal conditioning apparatus with a chamber, a plate located in the chamber and a gas supply. The plate has a top heat transfer surface with grooves therealong. A substrate is placed on standoffs of the heat transfer surface and gas is pumped into the chamber. The plate is either heated or cooled to change the temperature of the substrate. Heat is transferred between the substrate and the plate primarily by gas conduction heating. Because of the grooves in the plate, the gas can be very quickly and uniformly distributed and evacuated between the substrate and the heat transfer surface.

Abstract: A heat treatment boat houses a plurality of semiconductor wafers in a manner separated at intervals for heat-treating the wafers in a heat treatment furnace. The heat treatment boat includes a bottom plate, a first support rod erected on the outer peripheral edge of the bottom plate, a second support rod and a third support rod both erected on the bottom plate so as to make an central angle of 105.degree. to 120.degree. with the first support rod with respect to the center of the respective wafer supported by the rods, and a top plate provided opposed to the bottom plate for holding the rods. The stresses applied to the wafers housed in the heat treatment boat are distributed equivalently to three contacting points with the rods and become the minimum.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved equipment in semiconductor processing. The invention includes a horizontal quartz tube surrounded with heating element for processing wafers, an inlet pipe of a gas injector mounted at the center of the closed end of a horizontal quartz tube, four sheath supports each being 90 degrees apart located at the closed end of a horizontal quartz tube for supporting a thermocouple sheath. The horizontal quartz tube is rotated 90 degrees every 14 to 15 days in a predetermined direction. As the horizontal quartz tube is rotated, the thermocouple sheath is always inserted into the sheath support located at the bottom of the horizontal quartz tube.

Abstract: A boat, carrying wafers to be processed, is pushed into a furnace by a substantially elongated and cantilevered actuator arm having a lug that pushes by first rotating the arm, to cause the lug to traverse a vertical rod attached to against a plate affixed to the boat. The boat is later pulled out of the furnace the boat, and thereafter pulling on the arm to enable the lug to pull against the vertical rod to withdraw the boat. Reliable operation is attained regardless of sagging of the actuator arm relative to the boat.

Abstract: An exhaust system for use with a high temperature furnace used to perform oxidation and/or annealing operations of the type used in semiconductor fabrication. The exhaust system is designed to permit the furnace to be used with a controlled environment chamber surrounding the entry to the process chamber of the furnace. The exhaust system allows a relatively high velocity flow of exhaust gas from the process chamber through the exhaust system to occur when a positive pressure (e.g., annealing) operations are performed. Such high velocity flow prevents (a) backstreaming and (b) the accumulation of non-uniform concentrations of exhaust gases in the exhaust system, thereby permitting the accurate monitoring of the concentration of a selected gas in the exhaust system. Based on such monitoring, the opening of the door to the process chamber of the furnace may be prevented when the concentration of the selected gas exceeds a predetermined level.

Abstract: A vertical boat for holding a plurality of semiconductor wafers comprising two end members (5) positioned at the top and the bottom of the vertical boat, and a plurality of support members (3,4) vertically mounted on the end members (5), the support members (3,4) including two front support members (3) located on the wafer inserting side and at least one rear support members (4) located on the rear side of the boat, each support member (3,4) having a series of slits (3a,4a) formed thereon at a predetermined interval and a series of support portions defined by the slits (3a,4a) for supporting semiconductor wafers (1), wherein the front support member (3) is generally formed by a circular arc plate, and wherein each angle (A,B) formed between the wafer inserting direction (X) and a line linking the front end (3b) of the support portion of the front support member (3) to the center (1a) of the wafer (1) is 100 degrees or more.