Systems and methods for achieving isothermal batch processing of substrates used for the production of micro-electro-mechanical-systems

A system for processing substrates comprising:

• a first housing forming a process chamber;
• a second housing forming a loading chamber;
• a gate opening in said second housing that forms a passageway for one silicon substrate into said loading chamber;
• a robot arm adapted to insert said one substrate into said loading chamber into a movable plate via said gate opening;
• said movable plate having means to support a plurality of substrates in a vertically stacked orientation;
• means to move said movable plate between a loading position where said means to support is located at least partially outside of said process chamber and a processing position where said means to support is located entirely within said process chamber, wherein when in said process position said movable plate closes said opening;
• a gas inlet port in said first housing;
• a substantially rectangular gas inlet manifold having a two-dimensional array of distribution holes, said gas inlet manifold positioned so as to cover the gas inlet port;
• a gas diffuser plate within said gas inlet manifold;
• a source of gas fluidly coupled with said gas inlet port comprising a source of alcohol vapor and a source of hydrofluoric acid gas;
• an exhaust port in said first housing;
• a substantially rectangular exhaust manifold having a two-dimensional array of exhaust holes, said exhaust manifold positioned so as to cover the exhaust port;
• a gas diffuser plate within said exhaust manifold;
• said inlet manifold and said exhaust manifold located at opposite sides of said first housing forming said process chamber;
• said first housing forming said process chamber having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional profile extending from said inlet manifold to said exhaust manifold when said movable plate is in the processing position;
• and
• an exhaust system operably coupled to said exhaust port.