Abstract: A substrate holder for vertical furnaces is configured to support substrates in slots at inner portions of the substrates, rather than solely at the edges. The holder allows sufficient clearance above substantially the entire front face of the substrate that a substrate deflection or bow, induced by thermal stresses during loading and unloading of the substrate holder into and out of the furnace, can be accommodated without the substrate touching the support members of the substrate holder. A relationship is established such that, for given loading/unloading temperatures, a minimum amount of free space in the wafer slots is provided to avoid substrate scratching. Conversely, for a given amount of free space in the wafer slots, the relationship provides maximum loading and/or unloading temperatures to avoid scratching.

Abstract: Bowing of semiconductor wafers during heating is reduced by heating the wafers in a gas with a thermal conductivity and mean free path greater than that of oxygen, or by heating the wafers in a processing chamber under a pressure less than 0.1 Torr. In one embodiment, the high thermal conductivity gas is helium and heating in the helium takes place at a pressure less than 2.4 Torr.

Abstract: A positive pressure gradient is maintained across an open access port of an interface chamber such as a load lock chamber which provides an interface between a low pressure chamber such as a transfer or buffer chamber, and a high pressure area such as a staging area or factory interface area. When the access port of the interface chamber is open to the high-pressure area, the positive pressure gradient may be used in some applications to inhibit the flow of gasses from the high-pressure area into the interior of the interface chamber.

Abstract: Method and device for the heat treatment of substrates, wherein the substrates are positioned in the vicinity of a heated, essentially flat furnace body extending over the surface of the substrate. In order to provide a reproducible treatment when treating a number of substrates successively, the temperature of the furnace body is measured so close to the surface adjacent to the substrate that the withdrawal of heat from the furnace body by the substrate can be detected. The introduction of each substrate takes place at a point in time when the temperature measured in this way is, within certain limits, equal to a desired initial treatment temperature Ttrig.

Abstract: In a substrate processing apparatus, processing units are stacked in a multistage manner around a transport robot arranged at the center of a processing area for forming a processing part. In a second hierarchy, rotary coating units are arranged through an indexer and a transport robot. In a fourth hierarchy located above the second hierarchy, rotary developing units are stacked above the rotary coating units respectively. Multistage thermal processing units and an edge exposure unit are horizontally arranged above an interface mechanism part. Thus, a substrate processing apparatus capable of reducing the area for setting the same is provided.

Abstract: A heating apparatus comprises a central hot plate for heating the center portion of a substrate, a plurality of segment hot plates for heating the peripheral portion of the substrate, a hot plate support member supporting the central hot plate and the segment hot plates, support pins for supporting the substrate so as to face the central hot plate and the segment hot plates in a close proximity without being in contact with the central hot plate and the segment hot plates, and a power supply for supplying electricity to the central hot plate and the segment hot plates.

Abstract: In a heat processing apparatus for heating a wafer on a hot plate, a black plate having at least a rear face practically having a color with a JIS lightness of 0V to 4V is positioned above the hot plate. Moreover, cooling air is blown out from nozzles onto the rear face of the hot plate so that the temperature of the hot plate can be cooled rapidly.

Abstract: Dummy wafers of SiC having low light transmission properties to light from the light source of a photo-sensor are used, and when wafers undergoes a heat treatment, the dummy wafers are transferred from a wafer cassette to a wafer boat in which the number of dummy wafers and a state of arrangement of the wafers are detected or monitored.

Abstract: A load lock chamber includes a chamber body having an aperture to allow a substrate to be transferred into or out of the chamber. The load lock chamber is configurable in several configurations, including a base configuration for providing a transition between two different pressures, a heating configuration for heating the substrate and providing a transition between two different pressures, and a cooling configuration for cooling the substrate and providing a transition between two different pressures. Various features of the chamber configurations help increase the throughput of the system by enabling rapid heating and cooling of substrates and simultaneous evacuation and venting of the chamber, and help compensate for thermal losses near the substrate edges, thereby providing a more uniform temperature across the substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus for baking a wafer includes a heating plate for supporting the wafer to be baked, a lifting device for loading and unloading the wafer onto and from the upper surface of the heating plate, and a detector for detecting whether the wafer loaded by the lifting device onto the upper surface of the heating plate extends parallel to the upper surface, i.e., is situated correctly on the heating plate. The detector includes proximity sensors and a controller. The proximity sensors are disposed in or on the heating plate for sensing respective distances from the positions thereof to the wafer and generating signals indicative of whether the wafer is disposed more than a predetermined distance away from the sensors. The controller determines, on the basis of the signals generated by the proximity sensors, whether the baking process should be carried out and controls the baking process once it is initiated.

Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device manufacturing method which comprising the steps of forming solder bumps on an underlying metal film of a semiconductor device, and placing the semiconductor device and the solder layer in a reduced pressure atmosphere containing a formic acid to heat the solder bumps. Accordingly, the solder bumps can be formed without the use of flux not to generate voids in the solder layer, and also the cleaning required after the solder bumps are formed can be omitted.

Abstract: Target processing temperatures for a wafer and offset values are tabulated and stored in a temperature controller in advance. When a target processing temperature is changed, a hot plate temperature corresponding to the target processing temperature for the wafer is calculated based on the offset value in the table. Based on the calculated value, a heater controller controls a heater to change the hot plate temperature. Thereby, in a substrate heat processing apparatus for performing heat processing at different temperatures, an offset value corresponding to each temperature is automatically changed, whereby the substrate can be heated at an appropriate temperature.

Abstract: In a heat processing apparatus of a low-oxygen curing and cooling processing station, a plurality of blast ports are provided in a ring shutter along a thickness direction of a wafer and a heated inert gas is supplied into a heat processing chamber via the blast ports, so that both faces of the wafer can be heated while the inside of the heat processing chamber is exchanged for the inert gas. Accordingly, heat processing for the substrate can be efficiently performed in a short period of time.

Abstract: In a heat processing apparatus structured to heat a wafer on a hot plate, a black plate at least the rear face of which practically has a color with a JIS lightness of 0V to 4V is positioned above the hot plate. Moreover, cooling air is blown out from nozzles onto the rear face of the hot plate. Thus, the temperature of the hot plate can be cooled rapidly.

Abstract: Heating (200) a semiconductor wafer (150) in a process chamber (100) is performed in the order of: placing (210) the wafer (100) with the backside (152) on a plurality of support elements (112) that extend from a chuck (100); ejecting (220) a heating gas (122, He) from a shower head (120) located within the process chamber (100) to the frontside (151) of the wafer (150); and moving (230) the support elements (112) into recesses (111) within the chuck (100) to that the wafer backside (152) touches the chuck (110).

Abstract: The present invention provides a wafer heating device which can improve uniformity of a temperature distribution within a surface area of a wafer, with a relatively simple structure. A wafer is supported on a susceptor of annular shape. A first heater of disc shape is disposed below the wafer, and a second heater of annular shape is disposed to surround the first heater. Radiation thermometers are arranged at a ceiling portion of a reaction chamber. The first radiation thermometer measures a temperature of a central area of the wafer, the second radiation thermometer measures a temperature of a peripheral area of the wafer, and the third radiation thermometer measures a temperature of the susceptor. The first heater and the second heater are controlled by independent closed loops. When a wafer is set on the susceptor, a power of the second heater is controlled by using a value measured by the second radiation thermometer as a feedback signal.

Abstract: An SOI substrate having on the surface thereof a single crystal silicon film formed on an insulator is heat-treated in a hydrogen-containing reducing atmosphere in order to smooth the surface and reduce the boron concentration without damaging the film thickness uniformity in a single wafer and among different wafers. The method is characterized in that the single crystal silicon film is arranged opposite to a member of non-oxidized silicon for heat treatment.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for heating plastics profile sections, in particular for heating PVC profile sections (35), the device comprising a box for holding the profile section. Said box has a support plate (3), side panels and a lid, as well as means for feeding hot air to one end face of the profile section (35) so that it can flow internally and externally past the profile section. Efficient operation is attained in that a return duct (21, 22, 23) is provided for returning and reheating the air when it has flowed through or around the profile section (35) in order to form a closed air circuit.

Abstract: When the processed body holding member is moved upward or downward, the pressure in the reaction pipe and the shift and mount chamber is reduced down to several to several tens Torr, to reduce wind pressure applied to the processed body and thereby to suppress pressure fluctuations in the reaction pipe. Further, when the processed body holding member is moved upward or downward, the processing gas is passed in the same direction as the movement direction of the processed body holding member at a speed higher than the movement speed of the processed body holding member, to prevent the processing gas from being opposed to the processed body, so that the resistance received by the processed body is reduced and thereby the pressure fluctuations can be suppressed in the reaction pipe.

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 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: Semiconductor wafers are transferred from a closed type cassette into a wafer boat. First, the lowermost five wafers of 13 wafers held in the cassette are simultaneously transferred by five arms from the cassette into the uppermost part of the wafer boat. Then, the lowermost three wafers among the wafers left in the cassette are simultaneously transferred by the upper three arms from the cassette into the boat immediately under the five wafers previously transferred. Further, the uppermost five wafers left in the cassette are simultaneously transferred by the five arms from the cassette into the boat immediately under the eight wafers previously transferred.

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: 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 conveying apparatus for a continuous furnace comprises at least one conveying-beam pair and at least one retaining-beam pair, which are located opposite one another in each case with the conveyable object between them, and which makes it possible to choose virtually any conveying direction, in particular a vertical one. By guiding the conveying beams in opposite directions along suitable curved paths, it may be ensured that abrasive contact does not occur between the objects which are to be conveyed and the retaining beams, on the one hand, and the conveying beams, on the other hand. The avoidance of abrasive contact means that there is virtually no wear during the transportation of the objects which are to be conveyed, with the result that it is possible to maintain clean conditions, as are frequently required in the electronics and semiconductor industry.

Abstract: When a wafer boat having wafers, objects to be treated, placed thereon is loaded into a reaction tube, which is then raised in temperature by a heating section at a speed of 50.degree. C./min or more, a pressure reduction degree of the reaction tube is lowered or a hydrogen gas is supplied. A surface roughness of a portion in contact with the wafers on the wafer boat is 50 .mu.m or less. Thereby, a heat transfer coefficient relative to the wafers is improved to suppress an in-plane temperature difference smaller. Accordingly, when the objects to be treated are raised in temperature in the reaction tube for heat treatment, it is possible to suppress the in-plane temperature difference of the substances to be smaller to prevent an occurrence of a slip or warp which leads to the lowering of a yield.

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: 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: 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: The present invention relates to a heat treatment machine for laboratory use which has a cooling chamber incorporated with a heating chamber of a furnace, both chambers are formed with a vacuum tube of simple construction, in which heating and cooling of a test piece are performed in vacuum atmosphere. The cooling process can be effected following the heating process with maintaining the same vacuum atmosphere, whereby a rapid cooling of the test piece is allowed and physical characteristics of the treated metal can be improved.

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 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: 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: The present invention relates to a thermal processing method wherein a cylindrical process tube that has at one end an entrance/exit is provided at the other end thereof with a heat source, and thermal processing is performed on a workpiece which has been brought in from the entrance/exit of the process tube to a prescribed position therein. This thermal processing method and an apparatus therefor is characterized in that, when the workpiece is moved to the prescribed position, it is first moved to a proximity position that is closer to the heat source than the prescribed position, then it is returned therefrom to the prescribed position.

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 ceramic heater composed of a ceramic substrate and a resistant heating element embedded within the ceramic substrate along a predetermined planar pattern is obtained by holding a convolution of a spiral-coiled high melting metallic filament in the above predetermined planar pattern and heat-treating the convolution at a temperature not higher than a primary recrystallization commencement temperature of the high melting metal under a non-oxidative atmosphere to provide the resistant heating element, embedding the resulting resistant heating element within a ceramic shaped body, and then, sintering the ceramic shaped body.

Abstract: In a baking oven for baking a relatively planar work such as semiconductor substrates, LCD panels and integrated circuit boards, a laterally elongated slot is formed in a shutter door which is moveable in the vertical direction. The oven main body is internally provided with a rack having a plurality of shelves which are each associated with the slot of the shutter door in such a manner that the work supported by each of the shelves of the rack may be aligned with the slot of the shutter door by appropriately determining the vertical position of the shutter door. Thus, by minimizing the area of the access opening of the oven main body, not only the loss of energy is minimized but also undesirable fluctuations in the internal temperature of the oven main body is minimized.

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: A heat processing apparatus for subjecting heat processing to a wafer by heating includes a reaction tube for containing the wafers, a heating element provided around the reaction tube, for heating an inside of the reaction tube, a plurality of heat radiating members provided concentrically around the heating element with an airtight space between the heating element and an innermost one of the heat radiating members and airtight spaces between the heat radiating members, and a pressure-reducing device for reducing the pressure of these airtight spaces. In this heat processing apparatus, the pressures of the airtight spaces are reduced by the pressure-reducing means at least when the temperature of the inside of the reaction tube is increased.

Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus comprising a holder, a hollow cylindrical cover, a flat plate, and a processing chamber. The holder holds disk-shaped objects, each having an orientation flat portion at circumference. The objects are arranged coaxially and spaced at predetermined intervals, with the orientation flat portions aligned with one another. The cover has gas ports and surrounds the objects held by the holder and is spaced from a circumference of each object by a predetermined distance. The flat plate is mounted on an inner surface of the cover and opposes the orientation flat portions of the objects. In the processing chamber, the objects held by the holder are processed by using a process gas.

Abstract: The loader device comprises a cartridge-carrying carousel provided with a set of cartridge-holders in which sealed closed cartridges are mounted in removable manner, each cartridge being designed to contain a sample for processing in a space furnace, the device further comprising a control mechanism for imparting indexed rotary drive to the cartridge-holders. The carousel is mounted to one side of the furnace in such a manner that its axis of rotation is parallel to longitudinal axis of the furnace. Each cartridge-holder of the carousel co-operates with a transfer mechanism that includes a translation arm extending perpendicularly to the axis of rotation of the carousel to enable each cartridge to be brought successively into a working position in which the axis of the cartridge is in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the furnace. The control mechanism for imparting rotary drive to the cartridge-holders and the transfer mechanism are activated alternately by a single electric motor.

Abstract: A forced cooling apparatus for a heat treatment apparatus comprising a heat treatment furnace having a process tube with one end open at an furnace opening and another end closed at an furnace top portion; and a heater portion which covers the process tube, and wherein cooling of the heat treatment furnace is performed by forced cooling by flowing air into a gap formed between the heater portion and the process tube and which extends to the furnace top portion.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a plurality of circular wafers including a tubular heater, a boat and a plurality of heat transfer bodies. The tubular heater has a heating space inside and radiates heat within the heating space. The boat is loaded inside the heating space of the tubular heater and holds the wafers in parallel. Heat transfer bodies are located between the wafers.

Abstract: A method for depositing sequential thin films on glass substrates by single substrate deposition comprising loading a batch of substrates into a load lock chamber and evacuating the chamber, transferring the substrates to a batch heating chamber for heating the substrates to elevated temperatures; transferring the glass substrates singly to one or more single substrate processing chambers, and sequentially transferring the substrates back to the load lock chamber where they are batch cooled.A vacuum system for carrying out the method includes a load lock/cooling chamber for evacuating a plurality of glass substrates; a heating chamber for heating a plurality of substrates to elevated temperatures; one or more single substrate processing chambers; and a transfer chamber having access to all of said chambers and having automated means therein for transferring the glass substrates into and out of said chambers in a preselected order.

Abstract: Fabric-handling equipment which removes a fabric web from a stack of such webs or from a supporting surface, dries ink printed on a fabric, and removes a porous fabric held onto a surface by a vacuum. To remove a fabric web from a surface, like a stack of such webs, a device places needles partially into the web. Since the needles extend into the fabric less than about nine tenths of the fabric's thickness, they can only attach to the upper surface of a single web. The needles, after insertion into the web, separate from each other to effectuate a firm connection. When the device raises, it can only lift a single web. When a fabric web receives printing, touching it with a heated block having a Teflon surface cures the ink. This permits its subsequent printing or collecting and stacking. A fabric web may adhere to a supporting surface through suction.

Abstract: A manufacturing method and apparatus is provided for making building and other types of brick. The apparatus requires a minimum of excess (or surge) production, utilizes automated equipment which is highly dependable and which is easily operated and controlled. The apparatus comprises an automated low profile dryer and kiln in conjunction with an automated brick handling system including specially designed lighweight kiln cars.