Patent ID: 6042372
Filing Date: 2000-03-28
Classification: C23C,C30B,H01L,Y10S

Abstract:
A heat treatment apparatus for applying a heat treatment to a target substrate, comprising:an airtight treating chamber for accommodating therein said target substrate;a holding member for holding said target substrate in said treating chamber;a supplying system for supplying a treating gas into said treating chamber;heating means for heating an internal atmosphere of said treating chamber to 400.degree. C. or higher;a preparatory vacuum chamber airtightly connected to said treating chamber;closing means for selectively shutting off the communication between said treating chamber and said preparatory vacuum chamber;an exhausting system for exhausting said treating chamber and said preparatory vacuum chamber and, further, setting said treating chamber and said preparatory vacuum chamber to vacuum independently of each other;a transfer mechanism for transferring said target substrate within said preparatory vacuum chamber;a support member which supports said transfer mechanism substantially independent from said preparatory vacuum chamber, whereby said transfer mechanism is unaffected by thermal deformations of said preparatory vacuum chamber; anda flexible joint seal which airtightly connects said preparatory vacuum chamber and said support member.