Stacking Or Aligning Objects Patents (Class 432/6)
  • Patent number: 11587816
    Abstract: The present invention relates to apparatuses and methods to store and transfer objects, and more particularly to workpiece stocker configurations such as stacker for semiconductor wafers, reticles or carrier boxes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Inventor: Lutz Rebstock
  • Patent number: 9070715
    Abstract: Provided is a method for fabricating an array substrate. The method for fabricating the array substrate includes forming a semiconductor layer on a substrate, forming a gate electrode which is insulated from the semiconductor layer, forming source and drain electrodes which are insulated from the gate electrode and connected to the semiconductor layer, and forming a pixel electrode connected to the drain electrode. Here, at least one of the forming of the gate electrode, the forming of the source and drain electrodes, and the forming of the pixel electrode includes forming a conductive layer on the substrate, cooling the substrate on which the conductive layer is formed to a temperature of no greater than about 0° C., heating the cooled substrate, and patterning the conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sangwon Shin, Hyunju Kang, Sangwoo Sohn, Sukyoung Yang, Changoh Jeong
  • Patent number: 8608885
    Abstract: A substrate heat treatment apparatus includes a heat-treating plate having a flat upper surface, support devices formed of a heat-resistant resin for contacting and supporting a substrate, a seal device disposed annularly for rendering gastight a space formed between the substrate and heat-treating plate, and exhaust bores for exhausting gas from the space. The support devices are formed of resin, and the upper surface of the heat-treating plate is made flat, whereby a reduced difference in the rate of heat transfer occurs between contact parts and non-contact parts on the surface of the substrate. Consequently, the substrate is heat-treated effectively while suppressing variations in heat history over the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigehiro Goto, Keiji Matsuchika, Akihiko Morita
  • Publication number: 20130255341
    Abstract: A method for heating a metal slab being transported in a longitudinal direction (L) and having a cross-direction (T) through an industrial furnace in which the metal slab is heated and transported on a rail device from the industrial furnace for subsequent processing, includes impinging a flame from at least one direct flame impingement (DFI) burner to contact a first portion of a first surface of the metal slab in at least one location corresponding to a second position on an under side surface of the metal slab which during transporting of the metal slab through the industrial furnace constitutes a contact point between the under side surface of the metal slab and the rail device, and counteracting a temperature gradient in the metal slab arising from local cooling of the metal slab upon contact with the rail device by heating the first portion with the DFI burner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Inventors: Tomas EKMAN, Rudiger EICHLER
  • Patent number: 8455293
    Abstract: A method for processing solar cells comprising: providing a vertical furnace to receive an array of mutually spaced circular semiconductor wafers for integrated circuit processing; composing a process chamber loading configuration for solar cell substrates, wherein a size of the solar cell substrates that extends along a first surface to be processed is smaller than a corresponding size of the circular semiconductor wafers, such that multiple arrays of mutually spaced solar cell substrates can be accommodated in the process chamber, loading the solar cell substrates into the process chamber; subjecting the solar cell substrates to a process in the process chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: ASM International N.V.
    Inventors: Chris G. M. de Ridder, Klaas P. Boonstra, Adriaan Garssen, Frank Huussen
  • Patent number: 8382004
    Abstract: A floor heating system includes a flooring substrate having a heating or cooling element in heat transfer relationship therewith. A heat spreader is in heat transfer relationship with the flooring substrate. The heat spreader includes a layer of flexible graphite material. A floor covering overlies the layer of flexible graphite material. Temperature variations across an exposed surface of the floor covering are reduced by the presence of the flexible graphite heat spreader, thus providing an improved and more uniform heating to the floor and to the room with which the floor is associated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: GrafTech International Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Erick Rollo Asmussen, Robert A. Mercuri, Julian Norley, Martin David Smalc, Matthew G. Getz
  • Patent number: 8287649
    Abstract: The present invention is a vertical boat for heat treatment having an auxiliary supporting member removably attached to each of supporting parts of a boat body, the auxiliary supporting member on which a substrate to be treated is to be placed, in which the auxiliary supporting member has a guiding member attached to the supporting part and a substrate supporting plate on which the substrate to be treated is to be placed, a hole is formed on an upper surface of the guiding member, the substrate supporting plate is inserted and fitted into the hole of the guiding member so as to be fixed, a height position of a placing surface for the substrate to be treated is higher than a height position of the upper surface of the guiding member, the substrate supporting plate is composed of silicon carbide and the guiding member is composed of quartz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takeshi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8231381
    Abstract: To provide a processing system for a process object capable of preventing a transport arm mechanism from being thermally damaged, so as to effectively perform a transport operation of the process object. A processing system 2, which takes out a process object W from a storage box 6 for process object, and thermally process the process object, includes: a vertical processing unit 24; a process-object transport area 10 disposed below the processing unit; a plurality of process-object boats 20 configured to hold the process objects; a boat elevating means 68 configured to vertically move the process-object boat 20; a boat table for transport 52, on which the process-object boat can be placed; and a transport arm mechanism configured to transport the process objects between the storage box 6 and the process-object boat 20 placed on the boat table for transport 52. The transport arm mechanism 56 is vertically moved by an arm elevating means 58.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Hishiya, Kiichi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7922485
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vertical type heat processing apparatus and a vertical type heat processing method, which can prevent fall down of the boat on a boat carrier mechanism to be caused by an external force, such as an earthquake or the like, by employing a simple structure, while taking a form of the two-boat system. The vertical type heat processing apparatus 1 includes a heating furnace 5 having a furnace port 5a, a cover 17 adapted to close the furnace port 5a, a pair of substrate holding tools 4 each adapted to hold multiple substrates W in a multistage fashion and configured to be placed on the cover 17 via a heat insulating mount 19, and a lifting mechanism 18 adapted to raise and lower the cover 17 so as to carry in and carry out each substrate holding tool 4 relative to the heating furnace 5. When one substrate holding tool 4 is in the heating furnace 5, the other substrate holding tool 4 is placed on a substrate-holding-tool table 22 for loading the substrates W thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Hiromi Nitadori, Katsuyuki Hishiya
  • Patent number: 7842227
    Abstract: A drying jig of the present invention is a drying jig for a pillar-shaped honeycomb molded body having a large number of cells longitudinally placed in parallel with one another with a cell wall therebetween, comprising: a fixing member for preventing separation or opening of the drying jig; and a piling member which enables the drying jig to be piled up in multi stage at the time of drying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Ibiden Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Kasai, Kazuya Naruse
  • Publication number: 20100209863
    Abstract: The invention relates to a ring furnace (1) having a longitudinal axis and comprising elongated bays (10), a plurality of hollow partitions (3, 3?) arranged within the casing of each bay so as to be parallel to the longitudinal axis, a first end transverse wall (41) located at a first end of each bay (10), a second end transverse wall (42) located at a second end of each bay (10) and possibly one or more intermediate transverse walls (43) located between the first and second ends. The hollow partitions and transverse walls define baking pits (2) within the bays (10) for stacking carbonaceous articles therein. The baking pits have a length Lp and a width Wp, said length Lp being at least 15 times greater than said width Wp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicant: ALCAN INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
    Inventors: Christian Jonville, Pierre-Jean Roy, Yannick Drouet
  • Patent number: 7717705
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for supporting, stacking and transporting kiln run, in particular, when firing ceramic products, comprising an assembly from supports and support beams, in particular carrier beams, cross beams, large plates or similar, on which, in particular, one or several supports for placing kiln run are provided. The device comprises at least one substantially rectangular sleeve, in particular disposed on a kiln cart. In this sleeve a substantially rectangular support of the support assembly is disposed, wherein the sleeve has at least one adjustment means, which is supported in the sleeve, and which can be pressed against the support, wherein the sleeve additionally comprises at least one pressure means, formed from at least one elastic element, which is preloaded through the impact of the adjustment devices, so that it builds up reversal forces against the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Industriekeramik Rodental GmbH
    Inventor: Winkler Erhard
  • Patent number: 7670138
    Abstract: The present invention is a quartz-product baking method for baking a first quartz product and a second quartz product to remove a metal contained therein, the first and second quartz products being to be loaded into a heat-processing apparatus for heat-processing a semiconductor substrate so that at least a part of each quartz product is brought into contact with a heat-processing atmosphere of the heat-processing apparatus, the quartz-product baking method comprising the steps of: with the use of a jig including a first jig element and a second jig element that are disengageably stacked in a tier-like manner, placing the first quartz product on the first jig element, stacking the second jig element on the first jig element, and placing the second quartz product on the second jig member; placing on a lid member the jig in which the quartz products are placed in a tier-like manner, elevating the lid member to load the jig into a baking vertical vessel through a lower opening thereof, and hermetically sealing t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Anbai, Masayuki Oikawa, Masato Kadobe
  • Patent number: 7509217
    Abstract: A vehicle detector includes a detecting apparatus and a determining apparatus. If a plurality of detection points detected by the detecting apparatus forms a group of detection points, the determining apparatus sets a determining virtual window encompassing the group of detection points and determines whether the group of detection points is likely to represent the one vehicle based on a state of movement of the group of detection points with respect to the determining virtual window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Alpine Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenjiro Endoh
  • Publication number: 20080251400
    Abstract: A golf ball warming apparatus structured to retain up to six golf balls in a warming pouch with a flip-top closure having a configuration of dual vertical, parallel channels connected, at their respective distal ends, by a U-shaped channel and having a plurality of warming pockets for containing heating elements for warming and re-warming the golf balls, the warming pockets being located immediately adjacent to and in thermal conduction with the warming pouch. Additionally, the walls between the warming pouch and the warming pockets may contain a series of slots to augment the warming and re-warming of the golf balls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2007
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Inventor: David J. Ulrich
  • Publication number: 20080199818
    Abstract: The present invention is a vertical heat processing apparatus comprising: a heat processing furnace having a furnace opening; a lid member for closing the furnace opening of the heat processing furnace; a first substrate holder and a second substrate holder, each of which is capable of holding a plurality of substrates in a tier-like manner and of being alternately placed on the lid member through a heat retention tube; an elevating mechanism that vertically moves the lid member to load one of the substrate holders into the heat processing furnace, and to unload the one of the substrate holders from the heat processing furnace; a holder table configured to be placed thereon the other of the substrate holders for transfer of the substrates, when the one of the substrate holders is in the heat processing furnace; and a holder conveying mechanism configured to convey the respective substrate holders between the holder table and the heat retention tube; wherein the holder table is provided with a holder gripping
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2008
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Inventors: Hiromi Nitadori, Katsuyuki Hishiya
  • Publication number: 20080193889
    Abstract: Device for filling the pits of a carbon material anode baking furnace with packing material, substantially carbon powder, includes a tank having a body extended by a lower portion forming at least one funnel, wherein at least two outlet orifices permit the packing material to be poured out of the tank and wherein the outlet orifices are substantially aligned, and a device for handling the tank which permits the tank to be moved in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the outlet orifices are aligned. It is therefore possible to pour the packing material simultaneously into two adjacent pits of a furnace, from the same tank. The device is used for the baking of anodes used for the electrolysis of aluminum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Applicant: E.C.L.
    Inventor: Arnault Berquet
  • Patent number: 6729875
    Abstract: An apparatus and method to position a wafer onto a wafer holder and to maintain a uniform wafer temperature is disclosed. The wafer holder or susceptor comprises a recess or pocket whose surface is concave and includes a grid containing a plurality of grid grooves separating protrusions. The concavity and grid grooves define an enclosed flow volume between a supported wafer and the susceptor surface, as well as an escape area, or total cross-sectional area of the grid grooves opening out from under the periphery of the wafer. These are chosen to reduce the wafer slide and curl during wafer drop-off and wafer stick during wafer pick-up, while improving thermal uniformity and reducing particle problems. In another embodiment, centering locators in the form of thin, radially placed protrusions are provided around the edge of the susceptor pocket to reduce further the possibility of contact between the wafer and the outer edge of the susceptor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: ASM America, Inc.
    Inventor: Matthew G. Goodman
  • Patent number: 6524650
    Abstract: Substrate processing apparatus and method, by which an outside air and a gas-phase backward flow are restrained from entering the inside of a reaction chamber during the inside of a reaction chamber is opened to the outside through a substrate carrying-in/carrying-out opening. This substrate processing apparatus, for example, a vertical CVD apparatus (200) has a gas supply system (240) and a bypass line (264). The gas supply system (240) supplies an inert gas to a space (3a) between an outer tube (1A) and an inner tube (2A) of a reaction furnace (211) in a boat loading term and a boat unloading term. The bypass line (264) exhausts an atmosphere from a reaction chamber (1a) by performing a slow exhaust operation in the boat loading term and the boat unloading term.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Kokusai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Shimahara, Naoto Nakamura, Ichiro Sakamoto, Kiyohiko Maeda
  • Publication number: 20030027094
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2002
    Publication date: February 6, 2003
    Inventors: Arjen Storm, Ronald Bast, Vladimir Ivanovich Kuznetsov, Jan Zinger
  • Patent number: 6511315
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koji Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20020072025
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2002
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Inventors: Jun Ookura, Koji Harada
  • Publication number: 20020001787
    Abstract: A facility for the thermal treatment of workpieces has a processing or heating chamber and at least one transport device, extending essentially completely through the processing or heating chamber, with which the workpieces to be treated can be transported through the processing or heating chamber. At least two processing or heating levels are hereby located on top of one another in the processing or heating chamber, with each processing or heating level having at least one separate transport device. This type of facility can preferably be used as a soldering facility, particularly a reflow soldering facility, or as a facility for the hardening or drying of plastics or adhesives.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2001
    Publication date: January 3, 2002
    Inventors: Rainer Kurtz, Bernd Schenker, Richard Kressmann
  • Publication number: 20010049080
    Abstract: When an oxidation process for semiconductor wafers is carried out by a batch type furnace, the uniformity of the thickness of a film is intended to be improved so as to be capable of carrying out a low temperature process. In a system for feeding a mixed gas of hydrogen gas and water vapor into a reaction vessel to carry out a so-called wet oxidation, a ventilation resistance material is provided in an outside passage of a double-pipe passage for heating gas in an external combustion system, and a mixed gas of hydrogen gas and hydrogen chloride gas is passed through the ventilation resistance material to be heated to a process temperature or higher by means of the heater of the combustion system to previously produce a very small amount of water vapor to carry out a dry oxidation. When dinitrogen oxide gas is used for producing a nitrogen containing silicon oxide film, dinitrogen oxide gas is passed through the outside passage to be previously activated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2001
    Publication date: December 6, 2001
    Inventors: Takanobu Asano, Katsutoshi Ishii, Hiroyuki Yamamoto, George Hoshi, Kazutoshi Miura
  • Publication number: 20010038988
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2001
    Publication date: November 8, 2001
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Tetsuya Oda, Mitsuhiro Tanoue, Toshichika Takei, Eiichi Shirakawa
  • Patent number: 6171982
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuhiko Sato
  • Patent number: 6033215
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo Electron Tohoku Limited
    Inventor: Tetsu Ohsawa
  • Patent number: 5931662
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1999
    Assignee: Sumitomo Sitix Corporation
    Inventors: Naoshi Adachi, Takehiro Hisatomi, Masakazu Sano
  • Patent number: 5904478
    Abstract: A vertically oriented thermal processor for processing batches of semiconductor wafers held within a processing chamber. The processing chamber is contained within a processing vessel. A furnace liner surrounds the processing vessel in spaced relationship. A flow path for cooling fluid is supplied between the furnace liner and an inner wall of the furnace heater. The flow occurs through end and base segments forming part of the furnace heating enclosure. The end and base segments have interior ports which communicate with a manifold chamber. The manifold chamber is advantageously divided into inner and outer chambers by shields which reflect radiant heat. The inner and outer manifold chambers are connected by manifold connecting passages formed between the shields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: Semitool, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. Weaver, William McEntire, Kevin Peck
  • Patent number: 5816798
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: Lukon Paul Luscher Werke AG
    Inventor: Erich Strohmaier
  • Patent number: 5813851
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ken Nakao
  • Patent number: 5775889
    Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus comprising a reaction vessel located in a vertical furnace, and a ladder boat for mounting a plurality of semiconductor wafers one above another in parallel with each other. A vertical mounting pitch of mounting the wafers on the ladder boat is set at, e.g., 40 mm. When a treatment temperature is 1000.degree. C., intra-surface temperature differences of the wafers, objects to be treated, can be suppressed to 10.degree. C. at the time of passing 900.degree. C. even when 600.degree. C. is raised to 100.degree. C. at a 100.degree. C./min rate, whereby no slip occurs in large-diameter semiconductor wafers of an above 250 mm diameter even with high temperature increases at high rates in heat treatments, as of oxidation, diffusion, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Junichi Kobayashi, Eiichiro Takanabe, Harunori Ushikawa, Tomohisa Shimazu
  • Patent number: 5752819
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1998
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Rene Hansotte, Jr., Dieter Klaus Neff, Dennis Arthur Rock, Jeffrey Alan Walker, Roland Michael Wanser
  • Patent number: 5718574
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1998
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Tomohisa Shimazu
  • Patent number: 5716207
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: Hitachi Techno Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Haruo Mishina, Kiyoshi Imaisumi, Shinya Yamama
  • Patent number: 5709543
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Tomohisa Shimazu
  • Patent number: 5679168
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1997
    Assignee: Silicon Valley Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Cole D. Porter, Jessie R. Sanchez, Jeffrey M. Kowalski
  • Patent number: 5678989
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1997
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo Electron Tohoku Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Wataru Okase
  • Patent number: 5662469
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1997
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Tohoku Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo Electron Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Wataru Okase, Yasushi Yagi, Satoshi Kawachi
  • Patent number: 5662470
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1997
    Assignee: ASM International N.V.
    Inventors: Frank Huussen, Gerard Berenpas, Albert Hasper, Chris G.M. De Ridder
  • Patent number: 5651670
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 29, 1997
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Sagami Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Wataru Okase, Yasushi Yagi, Satoshi Kawachi
  • Patent number: 5639234
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1997
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo Electron Tohoku Kabushiki Kaisha, both of
    Inventors: Yuji Ono, Katsuhiko Mihara
  • Patent number: 5618351
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1997
    Assignee: Silicon Valley Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Terry A. Koble, Jr., Anthony Dip, Erik H. Engdahl, Ian R. Oliver, Christopher T. Ratliff
  • Patent number: 5586880
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1996
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo Electron Tohoku Limited
    Inventor: Tetsu Ohsawa
  • Patent number: 5567149
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: International Business Corporation
    Inventors: Richard R. Hansotte, Jr., Dieter K. Neff, Dennis A. Rock, Jeffrey A. Walker, Roland M. Wanser
  • Patent number: 5556275
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo Electron Tohoku Limited
    Inventors: Kazunari Sakata, Kenji Tago, Mitsuo Mizukami
  • Patent number: 5525057
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Sagami Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Osamu Monoe
  • Patent number: 5516283
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1996
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Martin Schrems
  • Patent number: 5505994
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Assignee: QST Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Warren N. Crawford
  • Patent number: 5477847
    Abstract: A heating device including a first exothermic member disposed below a subject to be heated for preventing heat radiation from the subject while heating the subject from below, a second exothermic member disposed above the subject for preventing heat radiation from the subject while heating the subject from above, and a base or sandwiching and supporting body for bearing the subject sandwiched between the first exothermic member and the second exothermic member while securing a space under the first exothermic member. The heating device is convenient to carry about and capable of easily heating a food or the like without rapidly generating a great amount of heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1995
    Assignee: Kiribai Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akio Ueki