US5618351A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Thermal processing apparatus and process
Assignee: ASML US Inc
•
Filing: 1995-11-28
•
Granted: 1997-04-08
•
Expires: 2015-11-28
Abstract
Abstract Thermal treatment boat comprising a cylinder having a central axis and a plurality of band slots having opposed upper and lower surfaces in planes perpendicular to said central axis and spaced at predetermined locations along said central axis. At least one slot in each set extends around at least 180 DEG and less than of the full circumference of said cylinder. Pairs of adjacent band slots define an annular band therebetween. The height of each slot being from about 3.8 to 12.7 mm. Each of the bands having a height, HeightBand, in mm, according to the equation: <IMAGE> wherein HeightBand is always </= wafer thickness; ColumnHeight is the total height of the cylinder, mm; BandSlotHeight is the height of the slot, mm; and NumberBands is the total number of bands in the treatment boat. The cylinder can include a wafer loading effector slot therethrough in a plane of the central axis extending along the length of the cylinder. Each band preferably includes wafer support means for supporting a wafer therein. The wafer support means preferably includes at least three inwardly extending projections. The spacing between the wafer edge and the cylinder wall is within the range of from about 1.5 to 6.3 mm. In the optimum process, the heat provided by the heater is sufficient to raise the temperature of the wafers from 21 DEG C. up to 1100 DEG C. at a rate of from 50 DEG C./min to 100 DEG C./min without causing mechanical damage from thermal stresses to the wafers.
Inventors
- 👤 Terry A. Koble, Jr.
- 👤 Anthony Dip
- 👤 Erik H. Engdahl
- 👤 Ian R. Oliver
- 👤 Christopher T. Ratliff
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 01:25
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/10; H10P72/12; H10P72/04; H10P72/0431; H10P72/0434; H10P72/127
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
A thermal treatment boat comprising a cylinder having a central axis and a plurality of sets of one or more band slots having opposed upper and lower surfaces in planes perpendicular to said central axis and spaced at predetermined locations along said central axis, at least one slot in each plane extending around at least 180° and less than of the full circumference of said cylinder, pairs of adjacent band slots defining an annular band therebetween, the height of each slot being from about 3.8 to 12.7 mm, each of the bands having a height, Height Band , in mm, according to the equation: ##EQU5## wherein Height Band always≧wafer thickness; ColumnHeight is the total height of the cylinder, mm; BandSlotHeight is the height of the slot, mm; and NumberBands is the total number of bands in the treatment boat.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
139 words
A thermal treatment boat comprising a cylinder having a central axis and a plurality of sets of one or more band slots having opposed upper and lower surfaces in planes perpendicular to said central axis and spaced at predetermined locations along said central axis, at least one slot in each plane extending around at least 180° and less than of the full circumference of said cylinder, pairs of adjacent band slots defining an annular band therebetween, the height of each slot being from about 3.8 to 12.7 mm, each of the bands having a height, Height Band , in mm, according to the equation: ##EQU5## wherein Height Band always≧wafer thickness; ColumnHeight is the total height of the cylinder, mm; BandSlotHeight is the height of the slot, mm; and NumberBands is the total number of bands in the treatment boat.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
A thermal treatment boat of claim 1 comprising a plurality of slots in each plane.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
A thermal treatment boat of claim 2 wherein the cylinder includes a wafer loading effector slot therethrough in a plane of the central axis extending along the length of the cylinder, the wafer loading effector slot having a width of from 5 to 20 mm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
A thermal treatment boat according to claim 1 wherein NumberBands is from about 12 to about 100, provided that Height Band is at least greater than or equal to the wafer thickness.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
A thermal treatment boat according to claim 1 wherein each band includes wafer support means for supporting a wafer therein at a position which is substantially centered between the upper edge surface and said lower edge surface thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A thermal treatment boat of claim 5 wherein each wafer support means includes at least three inwardly extending projections having coplanar upper surfaces.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
A thermal treatment boat of claim 6 wherein the inwardly extending projections are inwardly extending strips, the upper edge of each projection having been formed by a cut through the respective band in a plane substantially perpendicular to said cylinder axis.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
A thermal treatment boat of claim 7 wherein an inwardly extending strip is an inwardly depressed strip formed by a single cut through the band with both ends of the strip integral with the band.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
A thermal treatment boat of claim 7 wherein an inwardly extending strip is a tab formed by a plurality of tab-defining cuts extending through the cylinder wall.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
72 words
A thermal treatment boat of claim 5 wherein each band has an inner surface, and each band and wafer support means defines a wafer occupancy zone corresponding to the volume to be occupied by a wafer for which it is sized, the radial clearance between the outer edge of the wafer occupancy zone and the inner surface of the respective band being within the range of from about 1.5 to 6.3 mm.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
56 words
A thermal treatment boat of claim 5 wherein each band and wafer support means defines a wafer occupancy zone corresponding to the volume to be occupied by a wafer for which it is sized and the outer diameter of the wafer occupancy zone is about 150 mm, and the NumberBands is from about 25 to 100.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
56 words
A thermal treatment boat of claim 5 wherein each band and wafer support means defines a wafer occupancy zone corresponding to the volume to be occupied by a wafer for which it is sized, the outer diameter of the wafer occupancy zone is about 200 mm, and the Number Bands is from about 25 to 75.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
55 words
A thermal treatment boat of claim 5 wherein each band and wafer support means defines a wafer occupancy zone corresponding to the volume to be occupied by a wafer for which it is sized, the outer diameter of the wafer occupancy zone is about 300 mm, and the NumberBands is from about 12 to 48.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
A thermal treatment boat of claim 1 wherein each band is an incomplete circle, the opposed ends thereof defining a slot having a height of from 5 to 20 mm.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
A thermal treatment boat of claim 1 having components made of metal, crystal, ceramic, graphite or a composite thereof.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
A thermal treatment boat of claim 15 wherein the components are made of quartz, polysilicon, silicon carbide or silica.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
A thermal treatment boat of claim 1 wherein in each boat, the height of each band and the band spacing between adjacent bands are substantially the same.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
213 words
A process for heat treating multiple wafers positioned in a common vertical axis and positioned in a mutually parallel orientation in a heating zone surrounded by a heater emitting radiant heat, the improvement comprising shielding the outer portions of each wafer from radiant heat emitted by the heater with a annular heat band positioned between the outer edge of each wafer and the heater, each annular heat band being one of a plurality of heat bands formed in a cylinder having a central axis and a plurality of sets of one or more band slots having opposed upper and lower surfaces in planes perpendicular to said central axis and spaced at predetermined locations along the central axis, at least one band slot in each set extending around at least 180° and less than the full circumference of said cylinder, adjacent band slots defining an annular band therebetween, the height of each slot being from about 3.8 to 12.7 mm, each of the bands having a height, Height band , in mm, according to the equation: ##EQU6## wherein Height Band is always ≧ wafer thickness; ColumnHeight is the total height of the cylinder, mm; BandSlotHeight is the height of the slot, mm; and NumberBands is the total number of bands in the treatment boat.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
213 words
A process for heat treating multiple wafers positioned in a common vertical axis and positioned in a mutually parallel orientation in a heating zone surrounded by a heater emitting radiant heat, the improvement comprising shielding the outer portions of each wafer from radiant heat emitted by the heater with a annular heat band positioned between the outer edge of each wafer and the heater, each annular heat band being one of a plurality of heat bands formed in a cylinder having a central axis and a plurality of sets of one or more band slots having opposed upper and lower surfaces in planes perpendicular to said central axis and spaced at predetermined locations along the central axis, at least one band slot in each set extending around at least 180° and less than the full circumference of said cylinder, adjacent band slots defining an annular band therebetween, the height of each slot being from about 3.8 to 12.7 mm, each of the bands having a height, Height band , in mm, according to the equation: ##EQU6## wherein Height Band is always ≧ wafer thickness; ColumnHeight is the total height of the cylinder, mm; BandSlotHeight is the height of the slot, mm; and NumberBands is the total number of bands in the treatment boat.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process of claim 18 wherein the distance between the edge of each wafer and the band by which it is shielded is from 1.5 to 6.3 mm.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
49 words
A process of claim 18 wherein the heat provided by the heater is sufficient to raise the temperature of the wafers from 21° C. up to 1100° C. at a rate of from 50° C./min to 100° C./min without causing mechanical damage due to thermal stresses to the wafers.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-04-07 | 2000-10-07 | 2001-04-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-04-07 | 2004-10-07 | 2005-04-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-04-07 | 2008-10-07 | 2009-04-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |