Patent ID: 6380518
Filing Date: 2002-04-30
Classification: G03F,H01L

Abstract:
An heat treatment apparatus comprising:a chamber; a hot plate for supporting and heating a substrate in the chamber; a first pipe having a single or a plurality of gas blow-out ports for supplying a gas along the substrate so as to cover the substrate placed on the hot plate in an upper space above the hot plate in the chamber; first and second exhaust ports facing both ends of the first pipe with the hot plate interposed therebetween; a second pipe interposed between the first and second exhaust ports; a third and fourth exhaust ports facing both ends of the second pipe with the hot plate interposed therebetween, the first pipe being arranged between the third and fourth exhaust ports; a gas supply system communicating with the first and second pipes for supplying a gas to each of the first and second pipes; an exhaust system communicating with the first, second, third, and fourth exhaust ports, for exhausting the gas through each of the exhaust ports; a first switching unit for selectively switching the communication between one of the first and second pipes and the gas supply system; a second switching unit for selectively switching the communication between either a pair of the first and second exhaust ports or a pair of the third and fourth exhaust ports, and the exhaust system; and a control section connected to the first and second switching units, for alternately switching a first connection state for flowing the gas from the first pipe to the first exhaust port with a second connection state for flowing the gas from the first pipe to the second exhaust port, and for alternately switching a third connection state for flowing the gas from the second pipe to the third exhaust port with a fourth connection state for flowing the gas from the second pipe to the fourth exhaust port as well as for alternately switching a first and second connection state with the second switching means.