Wafer boat elevator system and method

摘要

An apparatus for assisting the loading of a plurality of wafer boats into a multi-level wafer boat loading system (1) includes a vertical elevator mechanism (10) attached to the wafer boat loading system (1). A vertically movable horizontal wafer boat platform (18B) is attached to a vertically movable carriage (31) included in the elevator mechanism and vertically movable along a linear track (30) therein. A control system (25) associated with the vertical elevator mechanism includes a processor for executing a stored program which stores information representing a plurality of elevation levels the plurality of cantilever paddles (5), respectively, and which responds to a selection signal corresponding to manual selection of one of the elevator levels to control a drive mechanism (22,27) which moves the wafer boat support platform (18B) from an initial position to the selected elevator level. Each of a plurality of heat shield devices (50) includes a heat reflector plate (51) that is movable in response to a controller (75) to advance the heat reflector plate (51) in front of a scavenger opening to prevent excessive heating in the boat loading region during wafer boat loading/unloading operations.