Method and apparatus for processing substrates and method for manufacturing a semiconductor device
AssigneeHitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.
InventorsTatsuhisa Matsunaga, Masahiro Teramoto, Norio Akutsu, Kouichi Noto
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Abstract
A substrate processing apparatus includes a housing, a process tube for performing variable batch processes on substrates, and product substrate carriers. The product substrate carriers have a capacity of a predetermined number of substrates. A number of the product substrates processed during one batch process are less than or equal to the predetermined number of the substrates. All of the product substrates contained in one product substrate carrier is processed in the process tube at a same time.
Claims19
A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
- a housing;
- a process tube located in the housing for performing a batch process to product substrates, the product substrates representing substrates to be used in manufacturing actual devices;
- a boat which is put into the process tube, for holding the product substrates;
- a carrier stage on which a product substrate carrier is to be provided, said product substrate carrier accommodating a maximum M number of the product substrates,
- wherein the number of the product substrates processed in one batch process is set to be less than or equal to M, M being a positive integer, and all the product substrates contained in the product substrate carrier are processed in the process tube at a same time.
A substrate processing apparatus into which product substrates to be processed are transferred by a product substrate carrier for carrying a maximum M number of the product substrates, said product carrier being provided from another substrate processing equipment, the apparatus comprising:
- a housing;
- and
- a process tube located in the housing for performing a batch process to the product substrates, the product substrates representing substrates to be used in manufacturing actual devices,
- wherein the number of the product substrates processed in one batch process is set to be less than or equal to M, M being a positive integer, and all the product substrates contained in the product substrate carrier are processed in the process tube at a same time.
The substrate processing apparatus of clairn 16, wherein the loading port is located between two pod stages.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.