JPS6027143A - Device for continuous heat treatment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To carry out heat treatment continuously while objects to be treated are carried in and out without disturbance of the atmosphere in the main chamber by a method wherein the inlet and outlet of the main chamber for heat treatment are provided with reserve chambers, and an operable partition plate is provided between each chamber. CONSTITUTION:The first partition plate 10 is opened, and then an object 7 to be treated is introduced to the first reserve chamber 8 by means of a carry-in part 5. Next, the partition 10 is closed, the atmospheric gas in the chamber 1 being introduced to the chamber 8 through a vent 14 provided in the second partition 11, and the gas present in the chamber 8 being then exhausted through an exhaust port 16. The partition 11 is opened, and then the object 7 in the chamber 8 is introduced to the chamber 1 by means of a carrier system 4. Successively, the partition 11 plate is closed, and the next object 7 is introduced by opening the partition plate 10. Continuous heat treatment is carried out by repetition of this operation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to an improvement of an in-line continuous heat treatment apparatus used for Lf) heat treatment of semiconductor substrates.

[Prior art]

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of a conventional continuous heat treatment apparatus, in which ( ) is a chamber such as a quartz tube, (2) is a heater, and (3) is a gas for creating an atmosphere in chamber ft3. (4) is a transport system for objects to be processed such as semiconductor substrates, (5) is a loading section for carrying objects to be processed into the transport system (4), and (6) is a port for transporting objects to be processed after heat treatment. unloading section, (7
) is the object to be processed.

In this device, the object to be processed (
7) are sequentially sent into the chamber (11) by the transport system (4) and heat-treated.The transport system (4) is usually made by a walking beam method.The objects to be processed are sent into the chamber ft3. (7) is heat-treated in an atmosphere of reactive or inert gas introduced from the gas inlet (3), and then exits the chamber (11) and is sent to the discharge section (6).

The conventional device is constructed as described above, and since both ends of the chamber (11) are directly open to the outside air, the gas inlet (3
) to the atmospheric gas introduced from the chamber I11.
Outside air circulates from both ends and the atmosphere is easily disturbed, and
When an active gas such as hydrogen chloride is introduced into the chamber (1), this active exhaust gas flows out into the outside air, degrading the environment and requiring a great deal of effort to recover. There was a problem.

[Summary of the invention]

This invention was made in view of the above-mentioned points, and includes preliminary chambers provided at both ends of the chamber to prevent the atmosphere inside the chamber from directly contacting the outside air, and to prevent the atmosphere gas in the preliminary chamber from coming into direct contact with the outside air. An excellent continuous heat treatment apparatus is provided in which the atmosphere within the main body chamber is not disturbed by the outside air and the processing active gas does not have an adverse effect on the outside air environment by making it possible to exhaust the air.

[Embodiments of the invention]

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. The same reference numerals as those in the conventional example in FIG. 1 indicate equivalent parts, and their explanation will be omitted. Preparatory chamber, (
9) is the second preliminary chamber on the unloading part side, (lO) is the first
(II) is a second partition plate that partitions the chamber fi+ and the first preliminary chamber (8), (12) is a second partition plate that blocks contact between the preliminary chamber (8) of a third partition plate (1) that partitions the preliminary chamber (9) of the
3) is the fourth partition plate that partitions the chamber (1) and the second preliminary chamber (9), and (14) is the second partition plate (++i
(15) is the through hole provided in the fourth partition plate (131), (16) and (1'7) are the first preliminary chamber (8) and the second preliminary chamber, respectively. (
9) This is an exhaust port for exhausting the gas inside.

Figures 3A to 3D are partial cross-sectional views showing an example of the operating process of this embodiment device, in which the first partition plate (1o) is opened and the loading section (5) (not shown in Figure 3) is shown. The object to be processed (
7) into the first preliminary chamber (8) (Fig. 5A).
). Next, the first partition plate (lO) is closed, and the chamber (1) is opened from the through hole (14) provided in the second partition plate (11).
introducing the atmospheric gas within the chamber into the first preliminary chamber (8);
The gas present in the first preliminary chamber (8) is exhausted from the exhaust port (Fig. 3B).
11) is opened, and the object to be processed (7) in the first preliminary chamber (8) is introduced into the chamber +11 by the transport system (4) (FIG. 3C). Next, close the second partition plate (close the river, open the first partition plate (10), and move the next object to be processed (7).
(Figure 3D). This is the same as the state shown in FIG. 3A, and continuous heat treatment is performed by repeating such operations.

Such continuous processing is carried out in the second preliminary chamber (
9) at the same time, the chamber t
Continuous heat treatment becomes possible without disturbing the atmosphere inside the ll.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the introduction of gas into the preliminary chambers (81, (91) depended only on the gas from the chamber (11), but other inlets were provided and other gases were introduced from the outside. In addition, if the inside of the chamber [1] is in an atmosphere such as hydrogen that reacts violently with the outside air, the through holes ( I4) and θ are eliminated and the preliminary chamber +
Inert gas may be introduced into 8+ and (9) from another inlet.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, in the continuous heat treatment apparatus according to the present invention, preliminary chambers are provided at the inlet and outlet of the main chamber for heat treatment, and the inlet of the inlet side preliminary chamber, the outlet of the outlet side preliminary chamber, and the connection between both preliminary chambers and the king chamber are provided. Since partition plates are provided between each chamber, by operating these partition plates appropriately, it is possible to carry out heat treatment while sequentially carrying in and out the objects to be treated without disturbing the atmosphere inside the main chamber. I can do it.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of a conventional continuous heat treatment apparatus.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
The figure is a partial sectional view showing an example of the operation process of this embodiment device. In the figure, (1) is the main chamber, (2) is the heater, (3) is the gas inlet, (4) is the conveyance system for the object to be processed,
(7) is the object to be processed, (8) is the first preliminary chamber, (9
) is the second preliminary chamber, i+o) , (Ill,
(+21 and (13) are the first, second, third and fourth partition plates respectively, Q4) is the through hole of the second partition plate (11), (16) is the fourth partition plate (I3) through hole, (16)
07) is the exhaust port of the first auxiliary chamber (8), and 07) is the exhaust port of the second auxiliary chamber (9). Note that the same reference numerals in the figures indicate the same or similar parts. Agent Masuo Oiwa Figure 1 Figure 2 1 31st hearing

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A tr surrounding a part of the transport system that sequentially transports objects to be processed
In the case where the processing body is subjected to heat treatment in a P9Ts atmosphere in the main chamber, another part of the transport system is recessed on the inlet side and the outlet side of the main chamber, respectively, in connection with the main chamber. first and second preparatory chambers provided, a first partition plate provided at an entrance along the conveyance system to the first preparatory chamber and partitioning the inside of the first preparatory chamber from outside air, and the king chamber. and the above-mentioned [second] preliminary chamber, and partitions the two.
a third partition plate provided at the outlet along the conveyance system from the second preliminary chamber and partitioning the second preliminary chamber from outside air; and a third partition plate between the main chamber and the single double preliminary chamber. 8# is installed in between and separates the two! 4 partition plates, the first and second partition plates are also opened and closed to transport the object to be processed into the main chamber via the first preliminary chamber, and the third and fourth partition plates are A continuous heat treatment apparatus characterized in that the object to be processed is carried out from the main chamber through the second preliminary chamber by alternately opening and closing partition plates. (2) The first and second auxiliary chambers each have an exhaust port, and the second and fourth partition plates each have a through hole that leads to the main chamber, and the second or fourth partition plate is opened. Sometimes, prior to this, atmospheric gas in the main chamber is introduced through the through hole, and the gas present in the first or second preliminary chamber is discharged from the respective exhaust ports. A continuous heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1. (3) Both the first and second preliminary chambers are equipped with an exhaust port and a gas inlet from the outside, and the second or fourth
Before opening the partition plate, a gas that does not have an adverse effect on the atmosphere in the main chamber is introduced from the gas inlet to remove the gas present in the first and second preliminary chambers. The continuous heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the exhaust is discharged from the exhaust port.