Vertical type heat processing apparatus and vertical type heat processing method

A vertical type heat processing method, comprising the steps of:

• placing one substrate holding tool holding multiple substrates in a multistage fashion, on a cover adapted to close a furnace port of a heating furnace, via a heat insulating mount, and elevating the cover so as to carry the one substrate holding tool into the heating furnace;
• performing a heating process to the substrates in the heating furnace;
• loading other substrates onto the other substrate holding tool placed on a substrate-holding-tool table, during the heating process for the substrates;
• and
• replacing the one substrate holding tool placed on the heating mould to be carried out from the heating furnace after the heating process with the other substrate holding tool placed on the substrate-holding-tool table, by using a substrate-holding-tool carrier mechanism,
• wherein the substrate-holding-tool carrier mechanism includes a fall-down prevention member, whereby each substrate holding member can be carried while fall down of the one substrate holding tool as well as the fall down of the other substrate holding tool can be prevented by the fall-down prevention member,
• wherein each substrate holding tool has a bottom plate, a top plate, and struts each provided between the bottom plate and the top plate and adapted to hold the substrates in a multistage fashion, wherein the substrate-holding-tool carrier mechanism includes a flat and U-shaped supporting part adapted to support a bottom face of the bottom plate of the substrate holding tool,
• wherein the fall-down prevention member includes a flat and U-shaped restriction piece with a shape corresponding to that of the supporting part, configured to be opposed to a top face of the bottom plate supported by the supporting part, with a gap, and
• wherein the restriction piece has a base portion in which a notch is formed to avoid interference with one of the struts, and left and right arm portions both extending forward so that the left and right arm portions do not interfere with the struts.