US 6,444,262 B1 · Thermal processing unit and thermal processing method

Abstract

A thermal processing unit of the invention includes a substrate-holder which can support a plurality of substrates in such a manner that the plurality of substrates are arranged at a predetermined pitch, and a chamber vessel for housing the substrate-holder. The inside of the chamber vessel may be made a vacuum. A gas-introducing slit having a small conductance is provided in one part of a peripheral area of the plurality of substrates held by the substrate-holder. The gas-introducing slit extends in a direction in which the plurality of substrates are arranged and supplies a processing gas for a thermal process into the chamber vessel. A gas-absorbing opening having a large conductance is provided in another part of the peripheral area of the plurality of substrates held by the substrate-holder. The gas-absorbing opening extends in the direction in which the plurality of substrates are arranged. The substrate-holder may be loaded into and unloaded out of the chamber vessel by a loading mechanism.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A thermal processing unit comprising:

a substrate-holder which can support a plurality of substrates in such a manner that the plurality of substrates are arranged in a tier-like manner at regular intervals along a vertical direction, the holder holding the plurality of substrates horizontally so as to be perpendicular to the vertical direction and in parallel with each other,
a chamber vessel for housing the substrate-holder, the chamber vessel having an inside in which a vacuum can be created,
a gas-introducing slit having an introducing conductance provided in one part of a peripheral area that is peripheral to the plurality of substrates held by the substrate holder, said gas-introducing slit extending in the vertical direction and supplying a processing gas for a thermal process into the chamber vessel,
a gas absorbing opening having an absorbing conductance that is relatively larger than the introducing conductance, the gas absorbing opening being provided in another part of the peripheral area, the gas-absorbing opening extending in the vertical direction, and
a loading mechanism for loading and unloading the substrate-holder into and out of the chamber vessel.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Thermal processing unit and thermal processing method

Life of this patent

Thermal processing unit and thermal processing method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17