Importance

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Abstract

An environmental seal incorporated into a diffusion furnace having a heated chamber including a rotatable susceptor and integrally formed shaft support. A plurality of silicon wafers are supported on an associated carrier centered upon the turntable and rotated at a selected velocity. The processing chamber is heated to a selected temperature range and, corresponding to a desired (typically subatmospheric pressure) environment established within the interior and the introduction to a desired recipe of gaseous components/dopants, facilitates a wafer material treatment within the furnace. The use of a nonmetallic environmental seal, typically in the form of a spring-loaded rotary seal or multiple O-ring arrangement, prevents the escape of heat or introduction of pressure/particle contaminants into the chamber. One or more mirror surfaces further assist in retarding heat loss.

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First Claim