Patent ID: 7048488
Filing Date: 2006-05-23
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A thermal treatment installation/ring combination comprising a loading chamber, loading means, transport means and a thermal treatment chamber for carrying out a thermal treatment, said thermal treatment chamber comprising a top section and a bottom section located opposite to each other and between which a wafer can be accommodated for carrying out a thermal treatment, said transport means being equipped to move wafer/ring combinations from the loading chamber into the thermal treatment chamber and vice versa, wherein said thermal treatment chamber is configured to carry out a thermal treatment on one wafer at a time, said transport means being equipped to move individual wafer/ring combinations from the loading chamber and insert said individual wafer/ring combination into the thermal treatment chamber and vice versa, wherein the thermal treatment chamber is configured to accommodate said ring surrounding the wafer and to hold the wafer contact-free in a floating state during the treatment, wherein a separation between said top and bottom sections at a location of the ring during the thermal treatment essentially corresponds to a thickness of said ring.