Thermal reactor for processing semiconductor wafers and a method of operating such a reactor.

摘要

A quartz window for a wafer reactor vessel (10V) has a flat bow for withstanding the pressure differential between the ambient outside pressure and the reduced pressure in the wafer chamber (10C). The bow is enhanced at elevated operating temperatures to compensate for the flattening effect of higher pressure differentials. The enhanced bowing is provided by a rigid peripheral flange (12F) which radially confines the window (12W). The thermal expansion within the window (12W) is not expressed radially, but is directed outward to increase the bow. <IMAGE>