Patent ID: 9214371
Filing Date: 2015-12-15
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A thermal treatment apparatus for thermally treating a plurality of wafers in a furnace in a state in which the plurality of wafers are stacked in a substrate holding member in the form of shelves, the thermal treatment apparatus comprising: a loading area located below the furnace; a substrate holding member elevating mechanism that carries the substrate holding member between a load position within the furnace and an unload position within the loading area, the substrate holding member elevating mechanism is arranged in the loading area; a gas stream creating mechanism that creates, in the loading area, a substantially horizontal gas stream that flows in a first direction from a front side of the loading area toward a rear side of the loading area opposite to the front side such that the substantially horizontal gas stream flows into a first evacuation opening provided in the loading area, the substrate holding member being located in a path of the substantially horizontal gas stream flowing in the first direction when the substrate holding member is in the unload position such that the substrate holding member in the unload position is contacted by the substantially horizontal gas stream; a substrate holding member transfer mechanism that transfers the substrate holding member when the substrate holding member is in the unload position; a thermal evacuation part that is provided in the loading area between the first evacuation opening and an upstream end of the substrate holding member with regard to the flow of the substantially horizontal gas stream flowing in the first direction when the substrate holding member is in the unload position, the thermal evacuation part including a second evacuation opening that is arranged to oppose at least an upper part of the substrate holding member when the substrate holding member is in the unload position and evacuates an environment around the substrate holding member located at the unload position while reducing an upward thermal diffusion and turbulence of the substantially horizontal gas stream, said thermal treatment apparatus further comprising a chamber provided underneath said substrate holding member in communication with said thermal evacuation part such that contents of said environment evacuated by said thermal evacuation part flows into said chamber as a first exhaust gas, said chamber having a chamber wall provided with said first evacuation opening therein such that said substantially horizontal gas stream that has flown into said first evacuation opening flows into said chamber as a second exhaust gas, said chamber directly discharges a part of said first and second exhaust gases to an exterior of the thermal treatment apparatus, said thermal evacuation part and said first evacuation opening being provided on said chamber wall at respective, mutually separated locations, Wherein the substrate holding member transfer mechanism is provided closer to the front end of the loading area than the substrate holding member in the state the substrate holding member is located at the unload position, and wherein the thermal treatment apparatus further comprises a cooling gas supplying part provided between the thermal evacuation part and substrate holding member transfer mechanism, the cooling gas supplying part supplying a cooling gas to the substrate holding member located at the unload position.