Semiconductor wafer heat treatment furnace - has horizontal rods in furnace tube with helical grooves conveying wafers on edge

摘要

Semiconductor wafers requiring heat treatment are conveyed through a horizontal furnace tube continuously, standing on edge and parallel to each other. Two rods, made of the same material as the wafers, run along the bottom of the tube. They have spiral grooves to accept the wafers and transport them through the furnace when revolved in the same direction. A very uniform temp. distribution is obtd. Mechanical stresses, induced by temp. gradients, are eliminated. The revolving wafers ensure an even contact with the reactant gas. The rate of feed can be freely selected by combining the pitch of the thread with the speed.