Wafer boat handling device, vertical batch furnace, and method

Abstract

To provide a wafer boat handling device that cools down a wafer boat before processed wafers are taken out of the wafer boat.SOLUTION: A wafer boat handling device 10 is configured to be positioned under a process chamber of a vertical batch furnace. The wafer boat handling device comprises a main housing 14 having a wall defining a wafer boat handling space 68, and a boat transporter comprising a wafer boat support to support a wafer boat and configured to transport the wafer boat to a cooldown position within the wafer boat handling space. A part of the wall adjacent to the cooldown position is a wall part with a heat radiation surface absorptance of at least 0.60 so as to withdraw heat from the wafer boat which is in the cooldown position by heat radiation absorption.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to a wafer boat handling apparatus that may be configured to be disposed below a processing chamber of a vertical batch furnace for processing a plurality of wafers contained in a wafer boat. The present disclosure further relates to a vertical batch furnace assembly including the wafer boat handling apparatus. The present disclosure also relates to a method for cooling a wafer boat in the wafer boat handling apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] The wafer boat handling device may be configured to be positioned below a processing chamber of a vertical batch furnace and may be used to process a plurality of wafers contained in a wafer boat. The wafer boat handling device may be configured to vertically transport the wafer boat to the processing chamber of the batch furnace and to receive the wafer boat from the processing chamber. The wafer boat received from the batch furnace may be at a high temperature and may need to be cooled in a cooling position before the processed wafers are removed from the wafer boat.

[0003] In wafer boat handling equipment, this cooling process may be enhanced by circulating cooled air or gas using a heat exchanger. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] This Summary section is provided to briefly introduce a selection of concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description of Example Embodiments of the Disclosure below. This Summary section is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0005] It may be an objective to improve a wafer boat handling apparatus with a wafer boat cooling function. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The portions of the wall adjacent to the cooling location are typically constructed from stainless steel, which may have a thermal radiation surface absorptivity of 0.3 to 0.4. Thermal radiation surface absorptivity is the ratio of absorbed thermal radiation to incident thermal radiation. By having a portion of the wall with a thermal radiation surface absorptivity of 0.3 to 0.4, a large portion of the incident heat is reflected back from the wall to the wafer boat, which may adversely affect the cooling of the wafer boat.

[0007] To this end, a wafer boat handling apparatus may be provided. More specifically, the wafer boat handling apparatus may be configured to be disposed below a processing chamber of a vertical batch furnace. The wafer boat handling apparatus may include a main housing and a boat transporter. The main housing may have a wall defining a wafer boat handling space. The boat transporter may have at least one wafer boat support for supporting the wafer boat and may be configured to transport the wafer boat to a cooling position within the wafer boat handling space. A portion of the wall adjacent to the cooling position may be a wall having a thermal radiation surface absorptivity of at least 0.60 to absorb heat from the wafer boat in the cooling position by thermal radiation absorption. The thermal radiation surface absorptivity is the ratio of absorbed thermal radiation to incident thermal radiation.

[0008] By providing a thermal radiation surface absorptivity of at least 0.6 for the walls, radiative heat reflection may be significantly reduced, which may result in faster cooling of the wafer boat, which may allow for earlier removal of processed wafers from the wafer boat and more efficient operation of the wafer boat handling equipment.

[0009] According to another embodiment, there is provided a vertical batch furnace assembly comprising a process chamber for processing wafers contained in a wafer boat, the wafer boat handling apparatus being disposed below the process chamber, and a vertical wafer boat lift assembly configured to transport the wafer boat from the wafer boat handling apparatus to the process chamber and back.

[0010] The advantages of the vertical batch furnace may be similar to those discussed above with respect to the wafer boat handling apparatus.

[0011] Finally, the present invention provides a method for cooling a wafer boat in a wafer boat handling apparatus, comprising the steps of providing a wafer boat handling apparatus according to the present invention, providing a wafer boat on at least one wafer boat support of the wafer boat handling apparatus, transporting the wafer boat to a cooling position, and absorbing thermal radiation from the wafer boat by means of a wall.

[0012] The advantages of the method are similar to those discussed above with respect to the wafer boat handling apparatus and vertical batch furnace.

[0013] For purposes of summarizing the advantages and the present invention over the prior art, the objects and advantages of the present invention have been described above. Of course, it is to be understood that not all such objects or advantages may necessarily be achieved in any particular embodiment of the present invention. Thus, for example, one skilled in the art will recognize that in making or practicing the present invention, one or more of the advantages taught or suggested herein will be realized or optimized, but not necessarily other objects or advantages taught or suggested herein will be realized.

[0014] Various embodiments are claimed in the dependent claims and will be further explained with reference to the examples shown in the drawings, which may be combined or may be applied separately from one another.

[0015] All of these embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the invention disclosed herein. These and other embodiments will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description of the embodiments set forth below, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The invention is not limited to any particular embodiment disclosed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] While the claims concluding this specification particularly point out and distinctly claim what are regarded as embodiments of the invention, the advantages of the disclosed embodiments will be more readily understood from the following description of exemplary embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a wafer boat handling device according to an embodiment.

[0018] [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic top view illustrating an example of a wafer boat handling device according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] In the present application, like or corresponding features are designated with like or corresponding reference numerals. The description of the various embodiments is not limited to the examples shown in the drawings, and the reference numerals used in the detailed description and claims are not intended to limit the description of the embodiments, but are provided for clarity of the embodiments with reference to the examples shown in the drawings.

[0020] Although specific embodiments and examples are disclosed below, those skilled in the art will understand that the scope of the present invention is broader than the specifically disclosed embodiments and / or uses of the present invention, and the variations and equivalents that are obvious therefrom. Thus, it is intended that the scope of the disclosed invention should not be limited by the specifically disclosed embodiments described below. The drawings presented in this application are not meant to be the actual appearance of any specific material, structure or device, but are merely idealized representations used to describe the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0021] As used herein, the term "wafer" may refer to one or more raw materials that may be utilized or have devices, circuits, or films formed thereon.

[0022] In the most general terms, the present disclosure provides a wafer boat handling apparatus 10 configured to be positioned below a processing chamber of a vertical batch furnace. The vertical batch furnace may be configured to process a plurality of wafers contained in a wafer boat 12. The wafer boat handling apparatus 10 may include a main housing and a boat transport 20. The main housing 14 may have a wall 16 defining a wafer boat handling space 18. The boat transport 20 may have at least one wafer boat support 22 for supporting the wafer boat 12 and may be configured to transport the wafer boat 12 to a cooling position 24 within the wafer boat handling space 18. A portion of the wall adjacent the cooling position 24 includes a wall portion 26 having a thermal radiation surface absorptivity of at least 0.6 for removing heat from the wafer boat 12 by thermal radiation absorption. The thermal radiation surface absorptivity is the ratio of absorbed thermal radiation to incident thermal radiation. The wall portion 26 may be made of metal.

[0023] The wall 26 adjacent the cooling location may have a thermal radiation surface absorptivity between 0.6 and 0.99. The thermal radiation surface absorptivity may vary as a function of the temperature of the wafer boat since the temperature of the wafer boat affects the infrared spectrum. The thermal radiation surface absorptivity of the wall 26 (at room temperature) may be between 0.6 and 0.99 when the temperature of the wafer boat with the wafers loaded is in the range of 70 degrees Celsius to 200 degrees Celsius. The thermal radiation surface absorptivity of the wall 26 (at room temperature) may be between 0.65 and 0.95 when the temperature of the wafer boat with the wafers loaded is in the range of 70 degrees Celsius to 100 degrees Celsius.

[0024] Of course, at least the walls may have a thermal radiation surface absorptivity of at least 0.6 to absorb heat radiation from the wafer boat 12, particularly the side facing the wafer boat in the cooling position. The wafer boat may have a temperature of 25° C. to 800° C. while cooling in the cooling position.

[0025] In some embodiments, the wall 26 may be made of a metal, which may include anodized aluminum, and the heat radiation surface absorptivity of a wall made of anodized aluminum may be between 0.6 and 0.99.

[0026] Alternatively or additionally, the wall 26 may comprise a painted metal wall, which may have a thermal radiation surface absorptivity of between 0.6 and 0.99.

[0027] As a result, both anodized aluminum and painted metal surfaces may improve thermal radiation absorption, so that the wafer boat may cool from, for example, a temperature of between 300° C. and 800° C. when the wafer boat leaves the furnace to a temperature of between 25° C. and 100° C. when the cooling is complete in less time, which may allow for earlier removal of processed wafers from the wafer boat and more efficient operation of the wafer boat handling equipment.

[0028] In one embodiment, the wall 26 may include cooling channels 30 shaped and arranged for a liquid coolant to flow therethrough, in use, to cool the wall 26. The wall 26 may increase in temperature by absorbing thermal radiation from the wafer boat 12. By cooling the wall 26 with liquid flowing through the cooling channels, the liquid coolant may dissipate the heat absorbed by the wall 26, thereby preventing the wall 26 from becoming too hot.

[0029] In addition to or in lieu of the cooling channels 30, the walls 26 may be configured as a heat sink to transfer heat away from the wafer boat 12. To this end, the walls 26 may be thickened such that the walls 26 act as a heat sink.

[0030] Alternatively or additionally, the outer surface 62 of the wall 26 facing away from the wafer boat handling space 18 may have an extended heat exchange surface, so that the wall 26 functions as a heat sink. The extended heat exchange surface may include at least one of fins, pins, holes, and rough surfaces. A heat sink is a passive heat exchanger that transfers heat. The inner surface 28 of the wall 26 facing the wafer boat handling space 18 absorbs thermal radiation from the wafer boat 12. The outer surface 62 of the wall 26 embodied as a heat sink may release the absorbed heat, for example, by radiation and / or convection. The radiation and / or convection of the absorbed heat may be enhanced by extended surface features such as fins, pins, holes, and / or rough surfaces. The heat sink may include an active heat exchanger, such as the cooling channels 30 described above, but this is not required. The heat sink may include a passive heat exchanger, such as a heat pipe.

[0031] In one embodiment, the boat transport 20 may include a rotatable table 34 that includes at least two wafer boat supports. The rotatable table 34 may be rotatable within the main housing 14 about a central vertical axis 36 and may be positionable at a number of rotational positions. The rotatable table 34 may include a vertically extending wall structure 38 that may at least partially define a corresponding vertically extending wafer boat chamber 40 at each wafer boat support 22. The rotatable table 34 may have a rotational position for each wafer boat chamber 40 at which the wafer boat chamber and the wafer boat contained therein are positioned at the cooling position 24.

[0032] Various embodiments of the boat transport 20 are known. In this embodiment, the boat transport 20 includes a rotatable table 34 and a vertically extending wall structure 38. The combination of the rotatable table 34 and the wall structure 38 is also known as a carousel. The rotatable table 34 may rotate its wafer supports 22 with the wafer boat 12 disposed thereon to a cooling position 24 for cooling the wafer boat 12. The rotatable table 34 may be rotated to move the wafer boat chamber 40 and the wafer boat contained therein to other rotational positions, including a loading / receiving position for vertically loading and receiving the wafer boat 12 into and from the processing chamber 66, and a transfer position for transferring wafers to and from the wafer boat 12, possibly through an opening in the wall 16 of the main housing 14.

[0033] An advantage of utilizing a rotatable table 34 having vertically extending wall structures 38 is that a mini-environment may be created in each wafer boat chamber 40 defined by the vertically extending wall structures 38. That is, the wafer boat 12 in the first wafer boat chamber 40 is not susceptible to debris coming from the wafer boat 12 in the second wafer boat chamber 38. In effect, a regulated mini-environment is created in each wafer boat chamber 40. This significantly reduces the chance of wafer contamination.

[0034] In one embodiment, the wafer boat handling apparatus may further include a gas circulation system 42. The gas circulation system 42 provides gas to and exhausts gas from the wafer boat handling space 18 to create a mini-environment within the main housing 14 of the wafer boat handling apparatus 10. The gas circulation system 42 may include a gas circulation system heat exchanger 44. The gas circulation system heat exchanger 44 cools the gas provided to the wafer boat handling space 18 to remove heat from the wafer boat 12 in the cooling position 24 by convection.

[0035] The gas circulation system 42 provides a second method for cooling the wafer boat and the wafers therein. The first method for cooling the wafer boat 12 loaded with wafers is by absorbing thermal radiation, with the thermal radiation surface absorptivity of the walls 26 being at least 0.60. The second method for cooling the wafer boat 12 loaded with wafers is by using thermal convection. Thermal convection is enhanced by supplying cooled gas to the wafer boat handling apparatus, particularly to at least the wafer boat chamber 40 in the cooling position. Convection is used to transfer heat from the wafer boat 12 and the wafers to the cooled gas provided by the gas circulation system 42. By applying two methods to remove heat from the wafer boat loaded with hot wafers, the cooling function of the wafer boat handling apparatus 10 is enhanced, thereby shortening the cooling time.

[0036] In one embodiment, the gas circulation system 42 may be configured to supply gas to at least the wafer boat chamber 40 in the cooling position 24. It is not necessary to cool all of the wafer boat chambers 40; it may be sufficient to only cool the wafer boat 12 with wafers loaded in the cooling position 24.

[0037] In an embodiment, the gas circulation system 42 may have a gas supply area, a gas discharge area 50, an inlet duct 54, an outlet duct 56 and a recirculation channel. The outlet duct 56 shown in FIG. 2 is defined by the vertical wall structure 38. In another embodiment, the circumferential wall 38a of the vertical wall structure 38 may be omitted, and the outlet duct 56 may be directly defined by the wall 16 of the main housing 14. In this embodiment, the wall 16 of the main housing 14 defining the outlet duct 56 associated with the wafer boat in the cooling position may also have a thermal radiation surface absorptivity of at least 0.6 and, in another embodiment, may include a cooling channel. This embodiment may further improve the cooling effect. The outlet duct 56 may be embodied as a passage between the vertical wall structure 38 and the wall 16 of the main housing 14. The gas supply area 46 in each wafer boat chamber 40 may include a number of gas supply openings distributed in the vertically extending wall structure 38. The gas exhaust area 50 in each wafer boat chamber 40 may include a number of gas exhaust openings, at least when the wafer boat chamber 40 is in the cooling position 24. The inlet duct 54 may be in fluid communication with the gas supply openings. The outlet duct 56 may be in fluid communication with the gas exhaust openings. The recirculation channel may extend from the outlet duct 56 to the inlet duct 54 and may include at least one gas distributor. Thus, the gas circulation system 42 forms a closed-loop circulation system. The gas distributor may distribute gas through the recirculation channel and through the gas circulation system 42 to at least cool the wafer boat 12 with wafers in the cooling position. The inlet duct 54 and / or the outlet duct 56 may be formed by the vertically extending wall structure 38. And, both ducts 54 , 56 rotate with the wafer boat chamber 40 on the rotatable table 34 .

[0038] At least the portion of the gas discharge area 50 where the gas discharge openings are provided may be provided in a wall 26 having a thermal radiation surface absorptivity of at least 0.60. In this way, the outflow duct 56 may be formed such that it does not have to rotate with the rotatable table 34 but can be connected to the main housing 14. This reduces the technical difficulty of forming the outflow duct 56 and therefore the costs.

[0039] In an embodiment, the cooling channel 30 may include a number of cooling channels 30 that are part of a heat exchanger 44 for the gas circulation system. The cooling channels 30 may thus cool the gas in the gas circulation system 42 at the same time as the wall 26. The cooling function of the cooling channels 30 may be set in such a way that the heat absorbed by the gas through thermal radiation and convection absorbed by the metal wall 26 is removed by the liquid coolant in the cooling channels 30, thus providing an effective cooling effect.

[0040] In one embodiment, the vertically extending wall structure 38 may include a reflective surface configured to reflect heat radiated by the wafer boat 12 toward the wall 26. Heat radiated from the wafer boat 12 typically radiates not only toward the wall 26, but also from the entire circumference of the wafer boat 12, meaning that other parts of the wafer boat handling apparatus 10 also receive this thermal radiation. Instead of absorbing this thermal radiation, the reflective surface of the vertically extending wall structure 38 reflects the thermal radiation toward the wall 26. This increases the absorption of the thermal radiation by the wall 26, thereby increasing the cooling efficiency of the wafer boat handling apparatus.

[0041] The present disclosure further provides a vertical batch furnace assembly including a processing chamber 66 for processing wafers contained in a wafer boat 12, a wafer boat handling apparatus 10 according to the present invention disposed below the processing chamber 66, and a vertical wafer boat lift assembly 68 configured to transport the wafer boat 12 from the wafer boat handling apparatus 10 to the processing chamber 66 and vice versa.

[0042] The benefits and advantages of the vertical batch furnace assembly are discussed in the Summary of the Invention section, and these benefits and advantages are incorporated herein by reference.

[0043] Finally, the present disclosure provides a method for cooling a wafer boat 12 in a wafer boat handling apparatus 10. The method includes providing a wafer boat handling apparatus 10 according to the present invention, providing a wafer boat 12 on at least one wafer boat support 22 of the wafer boat handling apparatus 10, transporting the wafer boat 12 to a cooling position 24, and absorbing thermal radiation from the wafer boat 12 using a wall 26 having a thermal radiation surface absorptivity of at least 0.60.

[0044] The benefits and advantages of the method are discussed in the Summary of the Invention section, and these benefits and advantages are incorporated herein by reference.

[0045] In one embodiment, the method further comprises cooling the gas supplied to the wafer boat handling space 18 to remove heat from the wafer boat 12 in the cooling position 24 by convection.

[0046] In addition to cooling the wafer boat 12 by absorbing thermal radiation, the cooled gas provides a second method of cooling the wafer boat 12: by thermal convection with the cooled gas provided to the wafer boat handling space 18. This further enhances the cooling capability of the wafer boat handling apparatus 10.

[0047] Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described above, in part with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Those skilled in the art may conceive and realize variations to the disclosed embodiments by studying the drawings, the specification, and the appended claims when implementing the claimed invention.

[0048] When reference is made herein to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment," it is meant that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Thus, the appearance of the phrase "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.

[0049] It should be further noted that the particular features, structures or characteristics of one or more of the various embodiments described above may be used and implemented separately and may be combined in any suitable manner to create new embodiments not expressly described. The reference numbers in the detailed description and claims do not limit the description to the embodiments, and do not limit the claims. The reference numbers are used for clarity purposes only.

[0050] [1] A wafer boat handling apparatus configured to be disposed below a processing chamber of a vertical batch furnace, the wafer boat handling apparatus comprising: a main housing having a wall defining a wafer boat handling space; a boat transport section having at least one wafer boat support section for supporting a wafer boat, the boat transport section being configured to transport the wafer boat to a cooling position within the wafer boat handling space; Equipped with The portion of the wall adjacent the cooling position has a thermal radiation surface absorptivity of at least 0.6 to remove heat from the wafer boat in the cooling position by thermal radiation absorption. Wafer boat handling equipment. [2] The wafer boat handling device according to [1], wherein the wall portion is a metal wall portion. [3] The wafer boat handling apparatus according to [2], wherein the metal wall portion is an anodized aluminum wall portion. [4] The wafer boat handling device according to [1], wherein the wall portion includes a painted metal wall portion. [5] The wafer boat handling apparatus of any one of [1] to [4], wherein the wall includes cooling channels shaped and arranged to allow a liquid coolant to flow therethrough during use to cool the wall. [6] The boat transport unit includes: a rotatable table including at least two wafer boat supports, the rotatable table being rotatable about a central vertical axis within the main housing and positionable to a plurality of rotational positions; a vertically extending wall structure mounted to the rotatable table, the vertically extending wall structure at each wafer boat support at least partially defining a corresponding vertically extending wafer boat chamber; having The rotatable table has a rotational position for each wafer boat chamber such that the wafer boat chamber and the wafer boat contained therein are positioned at the cooling position. A wafer boat handling device according to any one of [1] to [5]. [7] The wafer boat handling device is A gas circulation system for forming a mini-environment within the main housing of the wafer boat handling apparatus by supplying gas to the wafer boat handling space and removing the gas from the wafer boat handling space. Further equipped with the gas circulation system includes a gas circulation system heat exchanger that cools the gas supplied to the wafer boat handling space so as to remove heat by convection from the wafer boat in the cooling position; A wafer boat handling device according to any one of [1] to [6]. [8] The wafer boat handling apparatus according to the combination of [6] and [7], wherein the gas circulation system is configured to supply the gas at least to the wafer boat chamber in the cooling position. [9] The gas circulation system comprises: a gas supply area within each wafer boat chamber, the gas supply area including a plurality of gas supply openings distributed in the vertically extending wall structure; a gas exhaust area in each wafer boat chamber, the gas exhaust area including at least a plurality of gas exhaust openings when the wafer boat chamber is in the cooling position; an inlet duct in fluid communication with the plurality of gas supply openings; an outlet duct in fluid communication with the plurality of gas exhaust openings; a recirculation channel extending from the outlet duct to the inlet duct and including at least one gas distributor; The wafer boat handling device according to [8],

[10] The wafer boat handling device described in [9], wherein at least a portion of the gas discharge area including the plurality of gas discharge openings is provided on the wall portion having a thermal radiation surface absorptivity of at least 0.6.

[11] A wafer boat handling apparatus as described in the combination of [5] and

[10] , wherein the cooling channel includes a plurality of cooling channels that are part of a heat exchanger for the gas circulation system, and the cooling function of the plurality of cooling channels is configured such that heat absorbed by the gas through thermal radiation and convection absorbed by the walls is removed by the liquid coolant in the plurality of cooling channels.

[12] The vertically extending wall structure includes a reflective surface configured to reflect heat radiated by the wafer boat toward the wall. A wafer boat handling apparatus according to any one of [1] to

[11] , which is dependent on at least [6].

[13] The wafer boat handling device according to any one of [1] to

[12] , wherein the wall portion has a thickness such that the wall portion functions as a heat sink.

[14] A wafer boat handling device as described in any one of [1] to

[13] , wherein an outer surface of the wall portion opposite the wafer boat handling space has an enlarged heat exchange surface shape, so that the wall portion functions as a heat sink, and the enlarged heat exchange surface shape includes at least one of fins, pins, holes and rough surfaces.

[15] A vertical batch furnace assembly comprising: a processing chamber for processing the wafers contained in the wafer boat; [1] to

[14] , the wafer boat handling device according to any one of the above [1] to

[14] , comprising: a wafer boat handling device disposed below the processing chamber; a vertical wafer boat lift assembly configured to transport a wafer boat from the wafer boat handling apparatus to the processing chamber and back; 1. A vertical batch furnace assembly comprising:

[16] A method for cooling a wafer boat in a wafer boat handling apparatus, the method comprising: A step of preparing a wafer boat handling apparatus according to any one of [1] to

[14] ; providing a wafer boat on the at least one wafer boat support of the wafer boat handling apparatus; transporting the wafer boat to the cooling position; absorbing thermal radiation from the wafer boat using the walls having a thermal radiation surface absorptivity of at least 0.6; A method comprising:

[17] A method for cooling a wafer boat in a wafer boat handling apparatus, the method further comprising: cooling the gas supplied to the wafer boat handling space; removing heat from the wafer boat in the cooling position using convection; A method comprising: [Explanation of symbols]

[0051] 10-Wafer boat handling device 12-Wafer Boat 14-Main housing 16-Wall 18-Wafer boat handling space 20-Boat Transport Section 22-Wafer boat support 24-Cooling position 26-Wall section 28-Inner wall surface 30-Cooling Channels 34-Rotary table 36-Center vertical axis 38- Vertically extending wall structure 40-Wafer Boat Chamber 42-Gas Circulation System 44-Gas circulation heat exchanger 46-Gas supply area 50-Gas Discharge Area 54-Inlet Duct 56-Outlet Duct 62-Wall external surface 66-Processing chamber 68-Vertical Wafer Boat Lift Assembly

Claims

1. 1. A wafer boat handling apparatus configured to be positioned below a processing chamber of a vertical batch furnace, the wafer boat handling apparatus comprising: a rotatable table including at least two wafer boat supports, the rotatable table being rotatable about a central vertical axis; a vertically extending wall structure mounted to the rotatable table; Including, The vertically extending wall structure is configured to inhibit thermal conduction between the at least two wafer boat supports.

2. 2. The wafer boat handling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vertically extending wall structure includes a reflective surface configured to reflect heat radiated by a wafer boat supported by one of the at least two wafer boat supports.

3. 3. The wafer boat handling apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein the vertically extending wall structure at least partially defines a corresponding vertically extending wafer boat chamber at each wafer boat support.

4. 4. The wafer boat handling apparatus of claim 3, wherein the rotatable table includes a rotational position for each wafer boat chamber at which the wafer boat chamber and the wafer boat contained therein are positioned in a cool-down position.

5. a gas circulation system for supplying gas to and removing gas from the wafer boat handling apparatus; Further comprising:

5. The wafer boat handling apparatus of claim 4, wherein the gas circulation system includes a gas circulation system heat exchanger that cools the gas supplied to the wafer boat handling apparatus to remove heat by convection from the wafer boat in the cooling position.

6. 6. The wafer boat handling apparatus of claim 5, wherein the gas circulation system is configured to supply the gas to at least the wafer boat chamber in the cooling position.

7. The gas circulation system comprises: a gas supply area within each wafer boat chamber, the gas supply area including a plurality of gas supply openings distributed in the vertically extending wall structure; a gas exhaust area in each wafer boat chamber, the gas exhaust area including at least a plurality of gas exhaust openings when the wafer boat chamber is in the cooling position; an inlet duct in fluid communication with the plurality of gas supply openings; an outlet duct in fluid communication with the plurality of gas exhaust openings; a recirculation channel extending from the outlet duct to the inlet duct; The wafer boat handling apparatus of claim 6 .

8. The wafer boat handling apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the recirculation channel includes at least one gas distributor.

9. 9. The wafer boat handling apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a vertical wafer boat lift assembly configured to transport a wafer boat from the rotatable table to a processing chamber and back.

10. a processing chamber for processing the wafers contained in the wafer boat; a wafer boat handling apparatus according to claim 1 disposed below the processing chamber; a vertical wafer boat lift assembly configured to transport a wafer boat from the rotatable table to a processing chamber and back; 13. A semiconductor processing apparatus comprising:

11. 1. A method for cooling a wafer boat in a wafer boat handling apparatus, comprising: Providing a wafer boat handling apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9; providing a wafer boat on one of the at least two wafer boat supports of the wafer boat handling apparatus; transporting the wafer boat to a cooling position; reflecting thermal radiation from the wafer boat by a reflective surface of the vertically extending wall structure; A method comprising:

12. cooling the gas supplied to the wafer boat handling device; removing heat by convection from the wafer boat in the cooling position; The method of claim 11 further comprising:

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