| 摘要 |
PURPOSE:To inhibit an adverse effect caused by oxygen on a semiconductor substrate by controlling the masking shield so that a semiconductor-substrate housing chamber and an annealing chamber are brought to the state of isolation when oxygen concentration in the housing chamber, detected through an oxygen sensor annexed into the housing chamber, is high. CONSTITUTION:When a carrying arm 9 is set under the state in which the arm 9 can be driven, a masking shield 8 is brought automatically to an open state 8' and the carrying arm 9 is driven when an output from an oxygen sensor 7 reaches a value less than 20ppm, and one semiconductor substrate 4 housed in a cassette 3 is carried and placed onto a susceptor 11 in an annealing chamber 10. The carrying arm 9, after carrying is completed, is returned to an original position, and the masking shield 8 is closed. Even when the carrying arm 9 is set under the state in which the arm 9 can be driven, the masking shield 8 is not opened when the output from the oxygen sensor 7 is brought to 20ppm or higher, and the carrying arm 9 is not driven. Nitrogen gas in the annealing chamber 10 is purged under such a state, and heating by infrared ray lamps 15 is started and semiconductor substrates 4 are annealed and treated. |
