Method and apparatus for batch processing of wafers in a furnace

A method for semiconductor processing, comprising:

• placing a wafer on a removable ring-shaped or disk-shaped wafer support;
• subsequently transporting the wafer support, while the wafer is seated upon the wafer support, into a wafer boat, the wafer boat comprising one or more accommodations for wafer supports;
• and
• subjecting the wafer to a semiconductor fabrication process while the wafer is seated upon the wafer support in the wafer boat.

A system for processing a substrate, comprising:

• a plurality of substrate supports for supporting a plurality of substrates, wherein a substrate support supports an entire perimeter of a substrate;
• a substrate support holder configured to hold the plurality of substrate supports, wherein the plurality of substrate supports are removable from the substrate support holder while a substrate is seated upon the substrate support;
• a reactor configured to accommodate the substrate support holder during substrate processing;
• and
• a substrate loading station separate from the substrate support holder, the substrate loading station configured to load a substrate onto a substrate support.