Patent ID: 9099505
Filing Date: 2015-08-04
Classification: C30B,H01L

Abstract:
1. A thermal processing apparatus configured to thermally process a plurality of objects to be processed, the thermal processing apparatus comprising: a processing vessel; a support unit capable of being moved to be loaded into and unloaded from the processing vessel, while supporting the plurality of objects to be processed; a heating furnace disposed outside the processing vessel to surround the processing vessel, with a cooling space through which a gas can pass, being defined between the heating furnace and the processing vessel; a cooling-gas introduction unit disposed on the heating furnace, the cooling-gas introduction unit including a blowing fan and a gas introduction passage, for introducing a cooling gas for cooling the processing vessel into the cooling space; a cooling-gas discharge unit disposed on the heating furnace, the cooling-gas discharge unit including a gas discharge passage, a heat exchanger, and a suction fan, for discharging the cooling gas of a raised temperature from the cooling space; and a temperature-lowering gas introduction unit disposed between the cooling space and the heat exchanger, wherein the gas discharge passage extends outside from the heating furnace to the heat exchanger, and a mixer is disposed on a connection position of the gas discharge passage between the heating furnace and the heat exchanger, at which the gas discharge passage and the temperature-lowering-gas introduction passage are connected to each other, and the temperature-lowering gas and the cooling gas are mixed with each other.