Semiconductor body heater

A heater for processing one or more bodies of semiconductor material by temperature gradient zone melting, said heater comprising:

• a planar array of radiant heating elements, having two opposed sides and said array being oriented in a plane parallel to the one or more bodies of semiconductor material;
• means for mounting said radiant heating elements wherein each of said radiant heating elements is individually removable and replaceable without disengaging any other radiant heating element from said mounting means;
• said means for mounting said radiant heating elements comprises first and second terminal plates, each of said terminal plates being slotted in a plurality of locations along one edge thereof, said slots accommodating the ends of said radiant heating elements and having cooling gas passages therethrough located between said ends of said radiant heating elements to provide a longitudinal means for cooling each of the elements, said terminal plates including a plurality of electrical terminals, each of said terminals being electrically connected to one of said radiant heating elements;
• a reflector, disposed parallel to and spaced from one side of said planar array of radiant heating elements, said reflector being provided with internal cooling passages and a polished reflective surface and including first and second sides and first and second ends, and
• said internal coolant passages within said reflector comprise a first coolant passage adapted to accommodate a flow of cooling gas and a second coolant passage adapted to accommodate a flow of liquid coolant.