Semiconductor wafer treating apparatus

Claim 1

A semiconductor wafer treating apparatus comprising: exchange means for allowing an exchange of the semiconductor wafers between a wafer container and a wafer vessel for heat treatment, in a predetermined exchange position, said wafers being held in a vertical orientation during the exchange, in the wafer container, and on the vessel located in the exchange position; a plurality of vertical-type heat treatment furnaces; transfer means for allowing the wafer vessel which holds the semiconductor wafers thereon to be conveyed between the exchange position and each of the vertical type heat treatment furnaces, and for allowing transfer of the wafer vessel between the transfer means and the heat treatment furnaces, the wafer vessel being transferred while held in a vertical orientation; and elevator means provided within the each heat treatment furnace to take the wafer vessel from the transfer means and load the vessel into a vertically oriented process tube and unload the vessel out of the process tube; wherein said transfer means comprises a track extending from said exchange position to an installation position of said heat treatment furnace, a carriage placed on the track to be movable along the track, and a handler mounted on said carriage to allow holding and handling of said wafer vessel; wherein said handler includes orientation means for orienting the direction of said wafer vessel, the transfer of said vessel between the handler and said elevator means being performed with said wafer vessel held in a vertical orientation and the conveyance of the wafer vessel on said track being effected with the wafer vessel held in a horizontal orientation; and wherein said orientation means orients said wafer vessel in vertical and horizontal directions by rotating said wafer vessel around its center.