Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A substrate heat treatment apparatus includes a heat treatment furnace of a flat configuration, and having a cavity in which a substrate is accommodated. The heat treatment furnace includes a gas supply unit at one side end face, an opening for communication between the cavity and the outside world, and a gas discharge unit in the vicinity of the opening for discharging gas from the cavity at the other side end face. The heat treatment furnace further includes a cover for shutting the opening allowing opening/closing thereof. In the gas exhaust unit, an exhaust chamber is formed on the other side end face along the opening with a partition wall between the opening and the exhaust chamber. An exhaust portion is formed in communication with the outside world in the exhaust chamber. The partition wall is formed so that the edge of the partition wall is displaced away from the inside surface of the cover, whereby a slit-like vent passage extending in the direction of the width of the cavity is formed between the cover and the edge of the partition wall when the opening is shut. The gas flow is uniform in the vicinity of the vent passage when a substrate is loaded/unloaded into and/from the heat treatment furnace, and also during heat treatment. The outside air will not enter the furnace, and no stagnation of the process gas occurs in the furnace.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim