# US 9,039,411 B2 · Thermal treatment apparatus

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- Number: US 9,039,411 B2
- Document ID: US9039411B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/409,426
- Filed: 2012-03-01
- Published: 2012-09-13
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2011-03-07
- Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited
- Applicants: Masato Kadobe; Naomi Onodera; Kazuhiko Kato
- Inventors: Masato Kadobe; Naomi Onodera; Kazuhiko Kato
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9039411B2

## CPC

- C23C 16/345: {Silicon nitride}
- C23C 16/303: {Nitrides}
- C23C 16/46: characterised by the method used for heating the substrate (C23C16/48, C23C16/50 take precedence)
- F27B 17/0025: {specially adapted for treating semiconductor wafers}
- H10P 72/0434: {mainly by convection}
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)
- F27B: FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS IN GENERAL; OPEN SINTERING OR LIKE APPARATUS
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

A disclosed thermal treatment apparatus includes a supporting member where plural substrates are supported in the form of shelves; a reaction tube that accommodates the supporting member within the reaction tube, and is provided with plural gas supplying pipes arranged in a side part of the reaction tube, thereby allowing a gas to flow into the reaction tube through the plural gas supplying pipes; and a first heating part that heats the plural substrates supported by the supporting member accommodated within the reaction tube, wherein the first heating part includes a slit that extends from a bottom end to a top end of the first heating part and allows the plural gas supplying pipes to go therethrough, and wherein an entire inner surface, except for the slit, of the heating part faces the side part of the reaction tube.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A thermal treatment apparatus comprising:
a supporting member where plural substrates are supported in the form of shelves;
a reaction tube that accommodates the supporting member within the reaction tube, and is provided with plural gas supplying pipes arranged in a side part of the reaction tube, thereby allowing a gas to flow into the reaction tube through the plural gas supplying pipes; and
a first heating part that heats the plural substrates supported by the supporting member accommodated within the reaction tube, the first heating part accommodating therein the reaction tube, wherein the first heating part includes a slit that extends from a bottom end to a top end of the first heating part and allows the plural gas supplying pipes to go therethrough, and wherein an entire inner surface of the heating part, except for the slit, faces the side part of the reaction tube,
wherein the reaction tube has a shape of a cylinder extending in a first direction with a closed top and a bottom opening,
wherein the first heating part has a shape of a cylinder extending in the first direction, and
wherein the reaction tube is arranged eccentrically with regard to the first heating part, when viewed from the first direction, such that a sidewall surface of the reaction tube facing the slit comes closer to the first heating part than other part of the sidewall surface, the reaction tube being arranged eccentrically with regard to the first heating part such that a center of the reaction tube is offset, when viewed from the first direction, with regard to a center of the first heating part in a direction toward the slit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The thermal treatment apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second heating part provided along edges of the slit of the first heating part.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The thermal treatment apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a thermal insulating member arranged to fill a space between edges of the slit and the plural gas supplying pipes that go through the slit of the heating part.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The thermal treatment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plural gas supplying pipes are arranged in a longitudinal direction of the reaction tube.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The thermal treatment apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a third heating part arranged at a top end of the first heating part.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The thermal treatment apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a chamber provided outside of the first heating part to extend in an elongating direction of the first heating part, the first heating part being provided with air passages, the thermal treatment apparatus further comprising a blower supplying an air into the chamber such that the air is supplied from the chamber to a space between the reaction tube and first heating part via the air passages in the first heating part.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The thermal treatment apparatus of claim 6, wherein the air passages supply the air to the space such that the air hits the reaction tube in a direction oblique to a surface of the reaction tube.