Apparatus for thermal treatment of semiconductors

Claim 1

In an apparatus for thermal treatment of semiconductors in a treating gas, of a type comprising (a) a treating tube, which is adapted to hold semiconductors, which has a heating portion having a gas-admitting end and a gas-discharging end and being adapted to hold semiconductors for thermal treatment in the treating gas, an extending portion extending from the gas-discharging end of the heating portion and being integral to the heating portion, and a sealing portion being attachable to and detachable from the extending portion, and which has an inlet for admission of the treating gas into the gas-admitting end of the heating portion and an outlet for discharge of the treating gas from the extending portion, wherein the sealing portion seals the treating tube except for the inlet and the outlet when the sealing portion is attached to the extending portion, and wherein the sealing portion must be detached from the extending portion for insertion of semiconductors into the heating portion through the extending portion and for withdrawal of semiconductors from the heating portion through the extending portion, (b) a heating element, which is mounted around the heating portion of the treating tube between the gas-admitting end and the gas-discharging end, and which is arranged to generate controlled quantities of heat per unit length along the heating portion of the treating tube, and (c) a plurality of convection-preventing plates, which are disposed within the treating tube in respective positions near the outlet, between semiconductors when held in the heating portion and the sealing portion when attached to the extending portion, so as to interrupt currents of the treating gas within the treating tube near the outlet when the sealing portion is attached, wherein clearance is provided between the plates and the treating tube so as to allow discharge of the treating gas through the outlet, and wherein the plates are removable from the tube for insertion of semiconductors into the treating tube through the extending portion and for withdrawal of semiconductors from the heating portion through the extending portion, an improvement wherein the plates are mounted integrally to the sealing portion of the treating tube by a supporting rod fixed to the plates and to the sealing portion, so as to be inserted into the treating tube when the sealing portion is attached and so as to be withdrawn from the treating tube when the sealing portion is detached, wherein clearance provided between the plates and the treating tube so as to allow discharge of the treating gas through the outlet also facilitates insertion and withdrawal of the plates upon attachment and detachment of the sealing portion, whereby disposition of the plates within the treating tube in respective positions near the outlet, between semiconductors when held in the heating portion and the sealing portion when attached to the extending portion, so as to interrupt currents of the treating gas within the treating tube near the outlet is accomplished by attachment of the sealing portion to the extending portion.