HEAT TREATMENT METHOD AND HEAT TREATMENT APPARATUS

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a heat treatment method for stably returning CP to a target value even if the CP has greatly decreased, and to provide a heat treatment apparatus therefor. SOLUTION: The heat treatment method for supplying an enriched gas into a furnace 3 and heat-treating an article 2 to be treated in the furnace 3 by feedback-controlling carbon potential by controlling a flow rate of the supplied enriched gas on the basis of the carbon potential in the furnace 3 comprises steps for: stopping the feedback control and keeping the flow rate of the supplied enriched gas immediately before stopping the feedback control while openings 31 and 33 of the furnace 3 are opened, and in the period after the openings 31 and 33 of the furnace have been closed and before the carbon potential in the furnace 3 reaches a target value; and feedback-controlling the carbon potential after the carbon potential in the furnace 3 has reached the target value after the openings 31 and 33 of the furnace 3 have been closed. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI