Cable connection method, manufacturing method of connection member, and heat treatment device

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of stably connecting conductive cables and reducing costs.SOLUTION: A cable connection method includes a step of connecting a heater unit that is provided in a heat treatment device and includes a heater main body and a terminal portion electrically connected to the heater main body and a conductive cable that supplies electric power to the heater unit. The cable connection method includes steps of: (A) providing a connection member for connecting the terminal portion and the conductive cable; (B) joining the terminal portion to a first portion formed of the same material as the terminal portion in the connection member by welding; and (C) connecting the conductive cable to a second portion of the connection member formed of a material different from that of the first portion by caulking.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cable connection method, a method for manufacturing a connection member, and a heat treatment device. [Background technology]

[0002] A heat treatment apparatus for processing multiple substrates includes a temperature-controlled furnace that surrounds a processing vessel and is located outside the processing vessel. The temperature-controlled furnace includes multiple heaters that are supplied with power via conductive cables according to target temperatures, thereby heating each substrate in the processing vessel. In this type of heat treatment apparatus, the terminals of each heater are connected to the terminals of each conductive cable by bolts. Therefore, during operation of the heat treatment apparatus, bolt tightening and other tasks are periodically performed.

[0003] Patent Document 1 also discloses a connection device that connects a terminal portion (power terminal) of a heater unit to a conductive cable (power cable). This connection device clamps and holds the conductive cable, preventing it from coming loose from the connection device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 05-291159 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present disclosure provides a technique that enables stable connection of conductive cables while reducing costs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a cable connection method for connecting a heater section provided in a heat treatment device, the heater section having a heater body and a terminal section electrically connected to the heater body, to a conductive cable that supplies power to the heater section, the cable connection method comprising: (A) a step of providing a connecting member for connecting the terminal section and the conductive cable; (B) a step of joining the terminal section to a first section of the connecting member formed from the same material as the terminal section by welding; and (C) a step of connecting the conductive cable to a second section of the connecting member formed from a material different from the first section by crimping. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one aspect, the conductive cable can be stably connected and the cost can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an overall configuration of a heat treatment apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the outside of a temperature-controlled furnace of the heat treatment apparatus. [Figure 3] Fig. 3(A) is an enlarged perspective view showing the bus bar, the connection member, and the conductive cable according to the embodiment, and Fig. 3(B) is an enlarged perspective view showing the bus bar and the conductive cable according to a reference example. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a connecting member. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional plan view schematically illustrating the arrangement of conductive cables according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a connection member. [Figure 7] Fig. 7(A) is a diagram illustrating friction welding in the manufacturing method, Fig. 7(B) is a diagram illustrating the second precursor after sleeve processing, and Fig. 7(C) is a diagram illustrating the connection configuration of the bus bar, the connection member, and the conductive cable. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing a cable connection method. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a temperature-controlled furnace according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations may be omitted.

[0010] 1, a heat treatment apparatus 1 according to the present disclosure is a vertical film formation apparatus that holds a plurality of substrates W arranged vertically and forms a desired film on the surface of each substrate W by atomic layer deposition (ALD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), thermal oxidation, or other methods. The substrate W on which a film is formed is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a semiconductor substrate such as a silicon wafer or a compound semiconductor wafer, or a glass substrate.

[0011] The heat treatment apparatus 1 includes a processing vessel 10 that accommodates each substrate W and performs film formation, a gas supply unit 30 that supplies gas into the processing vessel 10, a gas exhaust unit 40 that exhausts gas from the processing vessel 10, and a temperature-controlled furnace 50 that is disposed around the processing vessel 10. The heat treatment apparatus 1 also includes a control unit 90 that controls each component of the system including the heat treatment apparatus 1.

[0012] The processing vessel 10 is formed in a cylindrical shape and is installed with its axis aligned vertically (up and down). The processing vessel 10 has a double-cylinder structure including an inner cylinder 11 and an outer cylinder 12 that houses the inner cylinder 11. The inner cylinder 11 and the outer cylinder 12 are made of a heat-resistant material such as quartz and are arranged coaxially. The processing vessel 10 is not limited to a double-cylinder structure, and may also have a single-cylinder structure or a multiple-cylinder structure consisting of three or more cylinders.

[0013] The inner cylinder 11 has an open lower end and a ceiling wall at its upper end. The inner cylinder 11 has an inner diameter larger than the diameter of each substrate W. The interior of the inner cylinder 11 forms a processing space P1 in which gas is supplied to each of the accommodated substrates W to form a film. Openings 15 are provided at appropriate circumferential positions of the inner cylinder 11 to allow gas to flow from the processing space P1 to a flow space P2 between the inner cylinder 11 and the outer cylinder 12. The openings 15 may be formed in the ceiling wall of the inner cylinder 11, for example.

[0014] Furthermore, the inner cylinder 11 has a housing portion 13 capable of housing a gas supply nozzle 31 of the gas supply unit 30, at a circumferential position opposite the opening 15. As an example, the housing portion 13 is provided inside a protrusion 14 that protrudes a part of the side wall of the inner cylinder 11 radially outward.

[0015] The outer cylinder 12 has an inner diameter larger than that of the inner cylinder 11 and covers the inner cylinder 11 without contacting it. A flow space P2 formed inside the outer cylinder 12 is continuous with the upper and lateral sides of the inner cylinder 11, and allows the gas that has moved from the opening 15 to flow vertically downward.

[0016] The lower end of the processing vessel 10 is supported by a cylindrical manifold 17 made of stainless steel. The manifold 17 has a manifold-side flange 17f at its upper end. The manifold-side flange 17f secures and supports an outer cylinder-side flange 12f formed at the lower end of the outer cylinder 12. A seal member 19 is provided between the outer cylinder-side flange 12f and the manifold-side flange 17f to airtightly seal the outer cylinder 12 and the manifold 17. The manifold 17 also has an annular support plate 16 on its upper inner wall. The support plate 16 protrudes radially inward from the inner wall to secure and support the lower end of the inner cylinder 11.

[0017] A lid 21 is disposed at the lower end opening of the manifold 17. The lid 21 is configured to be movable in the horizontal and vertical directions by an opening / closing mechanism (not shown) to open and close the lower end opening of the manifold 17 (see also FIG. 1). The lower end of the manifold 17 is provided with a seal member 18 that airtightly closes the lower end opening of the manifold 17 when the lid 21 is closed. After the wafer boat 20 is accommodated inside, the processing vessel 10 and the manifold 17 are sealed inside when the lid 21 is closed.

[0018] The wafer boat 20 is a substrate holder that holds multiple substrates W. The longitudinal direction of the wafer boat 20 is aligned vertically, and multiple shelf plates (not shown) hold the outer edges of each substrate W. When held by the wafer boat 20, the substrates W are lined up at regular intervals along the vertical direction and are supported horizontally relative to one another.

[0019] Furthermore, the heat treatment apparatus 1 includes a rotating unit 23 that rotatably supports the wafer boat 20, and an elevating unit 25 that supports the wafer boat 20 via the rotating unit 23 so that it can move up and down.

[0020] The rotating unit 23 includes a rotation source (not shown), a rotating shaft 24 rotated by the rotation source, and a rotating plate 26 connected to the upper end of the rotating shaft 24. The wafer boat 20 is mounted on the upper surface of the rotating plate 26 via a heat insulating structure 27. The rotating unit 23 rotates the rotating shaft 24 and the rotating plate 26, thereby rotating the heat insulating structure 27 and the wafer boat 20 around a vertical axis.

[0021] The lifting unit 25 has a column 25A extending vertically, an arm 25B that can be raised and lowered relative to the column 25A, and an elevation drive unit (not shown) that raises and lowers the arm 25B. The arm 25B extends horizontally, and its extension end supports the components (wafer boat 20, rotating plate 26, and heat insulating structure 27) above the rotating unit 23. By raising and lowering the arm 25B of the lifting unit 25, the heat processing apparatus 1 raises and lowers the lid 21, the rotating unit 23, and the components above the rotating shaft 24, thereby inserting and removing the wafer boat 20 into and from the processing vessel 10.

[0022] The gas supply unit 30 includes one or more gas supply nozzles 31 for supplying gas to each substrate W placed in the processing space P1. Examples of gases supplied by the gas supply unit 30 include a source gas for depositing a precursor on the substrate W, a reaction gas that reacts with the precursor, and a purge gas that purges the processing space P1.

[0023] In the embodiment, the gas supply unit 30 includes two gas supply nozzles 31 (a first gas supply nozzle 31A and a second gas supply nozzle 31B). The first gas supply nozzle 31A supplies a source gas and a purge gas into the processing vessel 10. The second gas supply nozzle 31B supplies a reactive gas into the processing vessel 10. The gas supply unit 30 is not limited to this configuration, and may include a gas supply nozzle 31 for each type of source gas, reactive gas, and purge gas (i.e., three or more). Conversely, the gas supply unit 30 may be configured to supply the source gas, reactive gas, and purge gas through a single gas supply nozzle 31.

[0024] Each gas supply nozzle 31 (first gas supply nozzle 31A, second gas supply nozzle 31B) is a quartz injector tube fixed to the manifold 17. Each gas supply nozzle 31 extends vertically within the inner cylinder 11 and is bent at its lower end into an L-shape, penetrating the inside and outside of the manifold 17. Each gas supply nozzle 31 has a plurality of gas holes 31h arranged at regular intervals in the vertical direction within the inner cylinder 11, and discharges gas horizontally from each gas hole 31h. The intervals between the gas holes 31h are set to be the same as the intervals between the substrates W supported by the wafer boat 20, for example. The vertical positions of each gas hole 31h are set to be midway between the substrates W adjacent to each other in the vertical direction. This allows each gas hole 31h to smoothly supply gas to the gaps between the substrates W.

[0025] The gas supply unit 30 has, outside the processing vessel 10, a plurality of gas supply paths 32 connected to a first gas supply nozzle 31A and a second gas supply nozzle 31B, respectively. The gas supply path 32 connected to the first gas supply nozzle 31A branches off midway and is connected to a source gas source and a purge gas source (not shown). The gas supply path 32 connected to the second gas supply nozzle 31B is connected to a reaction gas source (not shown). Each gas supply path 32 is further equipped with a flow regulator for adjusting the gas flow rate, a valve for opening and closing a flow path within the path, and the like (both not shown) at a midway point leading to the corresponding gas source.

[0026] The gas exhaust unit 40 exhausts gas inside the processing vessel 10 to the outside. The gas supplied by each gas supply nozzle 31 moves from the processing space P1 of the inner cylinder 11 to the flow space P2, and then is exhausted through the gas outlet 41. The gas outlet 41 is formed in the upper sidewall of the manifold 17, above the support plate 16. An exhaust path 42 of the gas exhaust unit 40 is connected to the gas outlet 41.

[0027] The gas exhaust unit 40 also includes, in order from upstream to downstream of the exhaust path 42, a pressure adjustment valve 43 and a vacuum pump 44. The vacuum pump 44 generates suction pressure by driving a suction drive unit (not shown), and sucks the gas out of the processing vessel 10. The pressure adjustment valve 43 is, for example, an APC (Automatic Pressure Control) valve that can adjust the pressure inside the processing vessel 10 by opening and closing the flow path of the exhaust path 42 or changing the opening degree.

[0028] A temperature sensor 80 is provided inside the processing vessel 10 (for example, in the processing space P1 inside the inner cylinder 11) to detect the temperature inside the processing vessel 10. The temperature sensor 80 has multiple (five in this embodiment) temperature measuring elements 81-85 at different positions in the vertical direction. The multiple temperature measuring elements 81-85 may be thermocouples, resistance temperature detectors, etc. The temperature sensor 80 transmits the temperatures detected by each of the multiple temperature measuring elements 81-85 to the control unit 90.

[0029] On the other hand, the temperature-controlled furnace 50 covers the entire processing vessel 10 and heats and cools each substrate W accommodated in the processing vessel 10 from the outside. Specifically, the temperature-controlled furnace 50 has a cylindrical housing 51 with a ceiling and a plurality of heater units 52 provided inside the housing 51.

[0030] The housing 51 is formed to be larger than the processing vessel 10, and its central axis is installed at approximately the same position as the central axis of the processing vessel 10. For example, the housing 51 is attached to the upper surface of a base plate 54 to which the outer cylinder side flange 12f is fixed. The housing 51 is installed at a distance from the outer peripheral surface of the processing vessel 10, thereby forming a temperature-controlled space 53 between the outer peripheral surface of the processing vessel 10 and the inner peripheral surface of the housing 51. The temperature-controlled space 53 is provided so as to be continuous with the sides and above the processing vessel 10.

[0031] The housing 51 includes a heat insulating section 51a having a ceiling and covering the entire processing vessel 10, and a reinforcing section 51b that reinforces the heat insulating section 51a on the outer periphery of the heat insulating section 51a. That is, the sidewall of the housing 51 has a laminated structure of the heat insulating section 51a and the reinforcing section 51b. The heat insulating section 51a is formed mainly of, for example, silica, alumina, or the like, and suppresses heat transfer within the heat insulating section 51a. The reinforcing section 51b is formed of a metal such as stainless steel. In addition, in order to suppress thermal influence on the outside of the temperature-controlled furnace 50, the reinforcing section 51b includes a water-cooling jacket 55 (see FIG. 5) near the outer periphery.

[0032] The multiple heater sections 52 of the temperature-controlled furnace 50 are arranged vertically to heat each substrate W from the entire side of the processing chamber 10. The temperature-controlled furnace 50 also divides the heater sections 52 into multiple (e.g., three) zones along the vertical direction. Each heater section 52 is connected to a temperature control driver via a conductive cable 76 (see FIG. 2 ), which will be described later. The temperature control driver is connected to a control unit 90, and supplies power adjusted under the control of the control unit 90 to each heater section 52 to heat the heater section 52. This allows the heat treatment apparatus 1 to independently adjust the temperature of the processing chamber 10 for each of the multiple divided zones.

[0033] The heater unit 52 includes a heater body 52a that runs around the heat insulating unit 51a and a bus bar 72 that is a terminal portion connected to the heater body 52a (see also FIG. 5). For example, the heater body 52a may be a heater wire that radiates infrared rays to heat the processing vessel 10. The configuration of the bus bar 72 connected to the heater body 52a will be described in detail later.

[0034] Furthermore, the temperature-controlled furnace 50 includes a cooling unit 60 that circulates a cooling gas such as air through the temperature-controlled space 53 to cool the processing vessel 10 during or after film formation. The cooling unit 60 includes an external supply path 61 and a flow rate regulator 62 that are provided outside the temperature-controlled furnace 50, a supply flow path 63 that is provided in the reinforcing portion 51b, and a plurality of supply holes 64 that are provided in the insulating portion 51a.

[0035] The cooling unit 60 also has an exhaust hole 65 in the ceiling of the housing 51 for discharging air supplied into the temperature-controlled space 53. The exhaust hole 65 is connected to an external exhaust path 66 provided outside the housing 51.

[0036] In the above example, the heat treatment apparatus 1 has been described as an apparatus that supplies a source gas and a reactive gas as processing gases to form a desired film on the surface of each substrate W. However, the heat treatment apparatus 1 is not limited to being a film formation apparatus. For example, the heat treatment apparatus 1 may be an apparatus that etches a film on the surface of each substrate W, or an apparatus that modifies or cleans the surface of each substrate W. The heat treatment apparatus may also be configured to generate plasma within the processing chamber 10.

[0037] The control unit 90 of the heat treatment apparatus 1 may be a computer having a processor, memory, an input / output interface, a communication interface, etc. The processor may be one or a combination of a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a circuit made up of multiple discrete semiconductors, etc. The memory may include a main storage device made up of a semiconductor memory or the like, and an auxiliary storage device made up of a disk, semiconductor memory (flash memory), etc. The memory may be configured by appropriately combining volatile memory and non-volatile memory (e.g., a compact disk, a digital versatile disc (DVD), a hard disk, flash memory, etc.).

[0038] The memory stores a program for operating the heat treatment apparatus 1 and a recipe for heat treatment process conditions, etc. The processor controls each component of the heat treatment apparatus 1 by reading and executing the memory program. In other words, the control unit 90 of the present disclosure is an electronic circuit having a CPU, GPU, ASIC, FPGA, etc., and performs the various control operations described in this specification by executing instruction codes stored in the memory or by circuit design for a specific application. The control unit may also be configured as a host computer or multiple client computers that communicate information via a network. The heat treatment apparatus 1 is not limited to a configuration in which the control unit 90 directly controls each device. Instead, it may be configured such that appropriate devices (e.g., the temperature-controlled furnace 50) are equipped with dedicated control devices, and the control unit 90 sends control commands to the control devices to control each device.

[0039] <Configuration of power supply connection structure 70> 2, the heat treatment apparatus 1 described above is provided with a power supply connection structure 70 for each of the heater sections 52 in order to supply power to each of the heater sections 52 provided in the temperature-controlled furnace 50. Next, the power supply connection structure 70 will be described in detail.

[0040] The plurality of power supply connection structures 70 include a holding portion 71, a bus bar 72 of the heater portion 52, and a connection member 73 to achieve a stable connection between the heater portion 52 and the conductive cable 76.

[0041] The multiple holding parts 71 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction of the housing 51 in correspondence with the multiple heater parts 52 of the temperature-controlled furnace 50. As shown in Fig. 3(A), each holding part 71 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and fixes and holds the bus bar 72 of each heater part 52. Each holding part 71 has a contact body 71a that directly holds the bus bar 72, and a pair of clamping plates 71b that are arranged on the outer surface of the contact body 71a.

[0042] The contact body 71a is made of an insulating material such as ceramic or resin. The contact body 71a can be divided into two parts at the horizontal center, and the bus bar 72 is held by sandwiching the bus bar 72 between the two parts. The bus bar 72 held by the contact body 71a is formed in a plate shape that is long in the radial direction of the temperature-controlled furnace 50 and penetrates the temperature-controlled furnace 50 from the inside to the outside. The bus bar 72 protrudes a certain length from the protruding end face of the contact body 71a.

[0043] The pair of clamping plates 71b is connected to the outer peripheral surface of the reinforcing portion 51b of the housing 51 and protrudes radially outward (in the normal direction of the reinforcing portion 51b) from the reinforcing portion 51b. The pair of clamping plates 71b sandwich the two members of the contact body 71a between them, thereby reinforcing the holding of the bus bar 72 by the contact body 71a.

[0044] On the other hand, the connecting member 73 is a terminal member for electrically connecting the bus bar 72 protruding from the holding portion 71 and the conductive cable 76. The connecting member 73 according to the embodiment can firmly connect the bus bar 72 and the conductive cable 76 without using bolt fastening as in the conventional case.

[0045] To facilitate understanding of the power supply connection structure 70 (connection member 73) according to the embodiment, a power supply connection structure 70' according to a reference example will first be described with reference to Fig. 3(B). The power supply connection structure 70' is a conventional structure in which a bus bar 72 and a conductive cable 76 are connected by bolting.

[0046] The conductive cable 76 of this power supply connection structure 70′ has a connector 79a for bolt fastening to the bus bar 72. The connector 79a is formed, for example, in a circular ring shape with a fastening hole into which a bolt 79b can be inserted. The connector 79a is fitted to the exterior of the covering member that covers the core wire of the conductive cable 76, and is electrically connected to the internal core wire.

[0047] Bus bar 72 also has fastening holes that overlap the fastening holes of connector 79a. Bolts 79b are inserted into these fastening holes, and exposed male threads are screwed into nuts 79c. Nuts 79c are tightened onto bolts 79b with a sufficiently high torque to prevent conductive cable 76 from coming loose. In this way, bus bar 72 and connector 79a are connected by the bolt tightening.

[0048] However, such a power supply connection structure 70' may have poor contact during initial installation, or the fastening force may weaken due to thermal effects or vibrations during operation. For example, if poor contact occurs during initial installation, the risk of the heat treatment apparatus 1 burning out increases. Furthermore, to prevent the fastening force from weakening during operation, the heat treatment apparatus 1 needs to be periodically retightened. In particular, the temperature-controlled furnace 50 has multiple heater units 52 arranged vertically as described above, and retightening the bolts connecting each heater unit 52 and each conductive cable 76 is a significant workload.

[0049] <Configuration of connecting member 73> To avoid the inconvenience of bolt fastening as in the power supply connection structure 70' according to the reference example, the power supply connection structure 70 according to the embodiment connects a bus bar 72 and a conductive cable 76 via a connecting member 73, as shown in FIG. 3(A). Specifically, the connecting member 73 includes a plate portion 74, which is a first portion, and a sleeve portion 75, which is a second portion. The plate portion 74 and the sleeve portion 75 are firmly joined together and can be handled as a single unit.

[0050] The plate portion 74 is a rectangular flat plate having a substantially uniform thickness. The thickness of the plate portion 74 is preferably set to have sufficient rigidity to prevent plastic deformation even when bearing the weight of the conductive cable 76, etc. The vertical width of the plate portion 74 is formed to be approximately the same as the width of the bus bar 72.

[0051] 4, the plate portion 74 has a first region 741 joined to the bus bar 72 and a second region 742 on the opposite side to which the sleeve portion 75 is connected. However, the first region 741 and the second region 742 are separated for the sake of convenience of explanation, and both regions are integrally continuous by a single plate.

[0052] Furthermore, the plate portion 74 has a bent portion 743 between the first region 741 and the second region 742 (at a midpoint in the longitudinal direction). The bent portion 743 is a processed portion for extending the conductive cable 76 connected to the sleeve portion 75 in a direction along the housing 51 of the temperature-controlled furnace 50. The connecting member 73 may not have a bent portion 743.

[0053] The first region 741 extends longer than the portion of the bus bar 72 extending from the holding portion 71. The first region 741 of the connecting member 73 is joined to the bus bar 72 by welding. Specifically, one surface 741a of the first region 741 and the other surface 72a of the bus bar 72 are welded to face each other. As a result of the welding, a welded portion 73w (see FIG. 7(C)) is formed between the one surface 741a and the other surface 72a (or in the vicinity thereof) where the connecting member 73 and the bus bar 72 are fixed. The one surface 741a and the other surface 72a are welded in a state of surface contact with each other, resulting in a strong joining strength of the welded portion 73w.

[0054] In particular, in the connecting member 73 according to the embodiment, the plate portion 74 is formed from the same material as the bus bar 72. For example, the bus bar 72 may be made of iron (Fe), chromium (Cr), aluminum (Al), tungsten (W), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), or an alloy containing any of these as a main component, or an alloy combining these. One example is Kanthal (registered trademark), which is an iron-chromium-aluminum alloy. The plate portion 74 is also formed from the same material as the bus bar 72. Note that the "same material" according to the embodiment refers to a material that is the same as the main component, and may be considered the same material even if, for example, additives other than the main component are different.

[0055] On the other hand, second region 742 extends from one side of first region 741 via bent portion 743. Second region 742 holds sleeve portion 75 on one surface 742a. ​​In other words, second region 742 is a portion that separates sleeve portion 75 from bus bar 72 by an appropriate distance.

[0056] The sleeve portion 75 protrudes in a direction perpendicular to one surface 742a of the second region 742 and holds the conductive cable 76. The sleeve portion 75 has a tubular main body 751 formed to be thicker than the conductive cable 76, and an annular base portion 752 joined to the plate portion 74 on the base end side of the tubular main body 751. The sleeve portion 75 also has a hole portion 75h extending along the axial direction of the sleeve portion 75.

[0057] The sleeve portion 75 is connected to the conductive cable 76 by crimping the tubular main body 751 with the core wire of the conductive cable 76 inserted into the hole 75h, thereby forming a crimped portion 75c (see FIG. 7(C)). The hole 75h is preferably provided only within the tubular main body 751 in the axial direction of the sleeve portion 75. This ensures a sufficient joining area between the plate portion 74 and the base portion 752. However, the hole 75h may be formed to pass through the sleeve portion 75 and the plate portion 74.

[0058] The cylindrical body 751 is formed to have an appropriate length that allows the cylindrical body 751 to be crimped, and to have a substantially constant thickness along the axial direction. The thickness of the cylindrical body 751 is preferably designed so that it can be deformed by a moderate force and maintain its shape. In other words, the cylindrical body 751 is more flexible than the plate portion 74. Furthermore, the cylindrical body 751 may be formed to be thicker than the conductive cable 76, so that the covering member can be accommodated in the hole 75h together with the core wire of the conductive cable 76. By accommodating the covering member, the connecting member 73 can prevent the core wire of the conductive cable 76 from being exposed at the connection point of the conductive cable 76.

[0059] Base portion 752 is formed to be thicker than tube main body 751. Base portion 752 is formed, for example, when processing sleeve portion 75 after plate portion 74 and sleeve portion 75 are joined together, thereby realizing a strong joint between plate portion 74 and sleeve portion 75.

[0060] The sleeve portion 75 according to the embodiment is formed of a different material from the plate portion 74 and is joined to the plate portion 74 by friction welding. Note that the "different material" according to the embodiment refers to a material that is different in its main component. For example, even if the additives other than the main component are the same, the materials can be considered to be different materials. The material of the sleeve portion 75 is preferably a metallic material that is electrically conductive and highly workable. For example, the material of the sleeve portion 75 can be copper (Cu) or a copper alloy.

[0061] The sleeve portion 75 configured as described above can be formed so that its shape complies with JIS standard c2806 (bare crimp sleeve for copper wire) when joined to the plate portion 74. This makes it possible to connect the sleeve portion 75 and the conductive cable 76 with an appropriate crimping force.

[0062] 2, a conductive cable 76, one end of which is connected to the connecting member 73, is connected to a relay terminal 77 that is installed on the outer circumferential surface of the temperature-controlled furnace 50. The relay terminal 77 is fixed at an appropriate height on the outer circumferential surface of the temperature-controlled furnace 50 via a fixing frame. The temperature-controlled furnace 50 has a plurality of relay terminals 77 installed along the vertical direction.

[0063] For example, each conductive cable 76 for each zone of the temperature-controlled furnace 50 is connected to each relay terminal 77. A spring-type terminal block can be used as the relay terminal 77. In addition, another cable 77a that is electrically connected to each of the multiple conductive cables 76 is connected to the relay terminal 77. The other cables 77a are each connected to a temperature control driver provided outside the temperature-controlled furnace 50. This allows the temperature-controlled furnace 50 to supply power from the temperature control driver to the connecting member 73 via the other cable 77a, the relay terminal 77, and the conductive cable 76, and further to supply power to the heater body 52a via the connecting member 73 and the bus bar 72.

[0064] Furthermore, each conductive cable 76 between the connection member 73 and the relay terminal 77 is wired so as to follow the outer circumferential surface of the temperature-controlled furnace 50. For this reason, a holder 78 capable of holding each conductive cable 76 is provided between the connection member 73 and the relay terminal 77. The holder 78 is fixed to the housing 51 of the temperature-controlled furnace 50, for example, and holds each conductive cable 76 for each zone of the temperature-controlled furnace 50.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 5, the conductive cable 76 wired as described above is located close to the outer circumferential surface of the temperature-controlled furnace 50 (reinforcement portion 51b). As described above, the flow path 55a of the water-cooled jacket 55 is formed near the outer circumferential surface of the reinforcement portion 51b, and a refrigerant flows through the flow path 55a. Therefore, even if the temperature of the conductive cable 76 rises due to heat transfer through the bus bar 72 and the connecting member 73, the temperature of the conductive cable 76 can be reduced on the outer circumferential surface of the temperature-controlled furnace 50. As a result, the temperature-controlled furnace 50 can suppress a rise in the temperature of the relay terminal portion 77 via the conductive cable 76.

[0066] <Method of manufacturing the connection member 73> The heat treatment apparatus 1 according to the embodiment is basically configured as described above, and next, a method for manufacturing the connection member 73 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0067] In the manufacturing method of the connecting member 73, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7(A), first, a first metal material 74A, which is the base of the plate portion 74, and a second metal material 75A, which is the base of the sleeve portion 75, are provided (step S101 in FIG. 6). The first metal material 74A is a flat plate-shaped member made of an appropriate material from among the materials for the plate portion 74 described above. The first metal material 74A may be processed in advance to match the shape and size of the plate portion 74, or a member larger than the plate portion 74 may be prepared and the plate portion 74 may be formed in a later processing step. The second metal material 75A is a cylindrical member made of an appropriate material from among the materials for the sleeve portion 75 described above. For example, the second metal material 75A may be prepared as a member having the same diameter as the base portion 752 of the sleeve portion 75.

[0068] Next, in the manufacturing method, the first metal material 74A and the second metal material 75A are joined to produce a first precursor 73A of the connection member 73 (step S102 in FIG. 6). The first metal material 74A and the second metal material 75A are joined by friction welding as described above.

[0069] In friction welding, a friction welding apparatus 100 as shown in the left diagram of FIG. 7(A) is used to join a first metal material 74A and a second metal material 75A. For example, the friction welding apparatus 100 includes a holder 101 that holds the first metal material 74A and another holder (not shown) that holds the second metal material 75A. The holder 101 has a fixing hole 101a that resembles the first metal material 74A, and the first metal material 74A is set in this fixing hole 101a. Upon setting, one end of the first metal material 74A is positioned at the center of the disk-shaped holder 101. Then, the friction welding apparatus 100 rotates the holder 101, and brings the second metal material 75A held by another holder into contact with the first metal material 74A located at the center of the holder 101, thereby pressing (applying pressure). As a result, the first metal material 74A, which rotates along with the holder 101, and the second metal material 75A are joined together by the frictional force between them. That is, as shown in the right diagram of Fig. 7(A), a first precursor 73A is formed in which the first metal material 74A and the second metal material 75A are firmly joined together.

[0070] Thereafter, in the manufacturing method, non-destructive testing is performed on the first precursor 73A formed by friction welding (step S103). For example, in the non-destructive testing, an ultrasonic flaw detector (not shown) is used to screen the joint portion of the joined second metal material 75A. This non-destructive testing makes it possible to recognize poor bonding between the first metal material 74A and the second metal material 75A, and to eliminate poorly bonded first precursors 73A at this stage.

[0071] Furthermore, in the manufacturing method, sleeve processing is performed on the second metal material 75A of the first precursor 73A to form a second precursor 73B (step S104). For example, in the sleeve processing, a cutting machine (not shown) is used to cut the outer circumferential surface of the second metal material 75A to form a tubular main body 751 (see FIG. 4) having a predetermined diameter. At this time, the portion corresponding to the base 752 is not cut, thereby ensuring a joining area with the first metal material 74A. Furthermore, in the sleeve processing, a hole 75h is drilled in the axial center of the second metal material 75A by the cutting machine. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7(B), the second precursor 73B has a metal tubular body 75B having substantially the same shape as the sleeve portion 75 of the connecting member 73 to be used.

[0072] Finally, in the manufacturing method, the metal cylindrical body 75B of the obtained second precursor 73B is subjected to surface processing such as plating to form the sleeve portion 75, and the first metal material 74A is subjected to bending processing to form the bent portion 743, thereby obtaining the final connecting member 73 (step S105). Examples of surface processing include electrolytic nickel plating or tin plating. Such plating of the sleeve portion 75 can suppress corrosion. In addition, in the manufacturing method, when performing steps S104 and S105, the first metal material 74A may be cut or the like to obtain the target shape of the plate portion 74.

[0073] The above manufacturing method allows for accurate and low-cost manufacturing of the connecting member 73. In particular, this manufacturing method makes it possible to firmly join the first metal material 74A and the second metal material 75A, which are different materials (dissimilar metal materials), by friction welding. Furthermore, in this manufacturing method, by performing sleeve processing after joining the first metal material 74A and the second metal material 75A, it is possible to eliminate problems such as poor joining or breakage that occur when joining a cylindrical member to a plate member.

[0074] The manufacturing method of the connecting member 73 is not limited to the above. For example, after forming the first precursor 73A, non-destructive testing may not be performed, or non-destructive testing may be performed after sleeve processing. Furthermore, the manufacturing method may not require performing either or both of surface processing and bending processing on the second precursor 73B. Therefore, the second precursor 73B may be used as the connecting member 73.

[0075] <Cable connection method> Next, a cable connection method using the connection member 73 will be described with reference to Fig. 8. In the cable connection method, first, the connection member 73 is provided to an operator who will connect each conductive cable 76 to each heater section 52 of the temperature-controlled furnace 50 of the heat treatment apparatus 1 (step S111). The bus bar 72 of each heater section 52 of the temperature-controlled furnace 50 is in a state in which it protrudes from the holding section 71 in advance. The connection members 73 are formed by the above-mentioned manufacturing method (steps S101 to S105), and the number of connection members 73 prepared corresponds to the number of bus bars 72 of each heater section 52.

[0076] In the cable connection method, the worker welds each connection member 73 to each bus bar 72 protruding from the outer circumferential surface of the temperature-controlled furnace 50 (step S112). When welding the bus bars 72 and the connection members 73 together, for example, TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding is performed to join the bus bars 72 and the plate portions 74 together. Because the bus bars 72 and the plate portions 74 are made of the same material (similar metal materials), welding by TIG welding allows the bus bars 72 and the plate portions 74 to smoothly blend together, creating welded joints 73w between them that can be firmly secured. However, the welding method is not limited to TIG welding, and any known welding method may be used. The worker completes this work by joining the connection members 73 to all of the bus bars 72 arranged vertically in the temperature-controlled furnace 50.

[0077] Then, the worker connects each conductive cable 76 to each connection member 73 fixed to the bus bar 72 by crimping (step S113). At this time, the worker inserts the conductive cable 76 into the hole 75h of the sleeve portion 75 of the connection member 73 and crimps the sleeve portion 75 from the outside using a dedicated tool, thereby forming a crimped portion 75c on the sleeve portion 75.

[0078] For example, as shown in FIG. 7(C), the crimping portion 75c is formed in a concave shape recessed radially inward from the surface of the sleeve portion 75. The sleeve portion 75, which is made of a material different from that of the plate portion 74, has greater plasticity than the plate portion 74. The crimping portion 75c can firmly connect the conductive cable 76 while maintaining its shape and electrically connecting to the core wire of the conductive cable 76. The worker completes this work by connecting the conductive cable 76 to all of the connection members 73 provided along the vertical direction of the temperature-controlled furnace 50.

[0079] As described above, the cable connecting method according to the embodiment can easily and firmly connect the bus bar 72 and the conductive cable 76 by using the connecting member 73. The connecting member 73 has a simple configuration including the plate portion 74 and the sleeve portion 75, which reduces costs. Furthermore, the cable connecting method can stably connect the bus bar 72 and the conductive cable 76 without using bolt fastening.

[0080] The cable connection method, the manufacturing method of the connection member 73, and the heat treatment device 1 according to the embodiment are not limited to the above-described embodiment and may take various modified forms. For example, in the above-described cable connection method, the bus bar 72 and the connection member 73 are first welded together, and then the conductive cable 76 is connected to the connection member 73. However, this order may be reversed. In other words, the connection member 73 and the conductive cable 76 may be connected together first, and then the bus bar 72 and the connection member 73 may be welded together.

[0081] Furthermore, the shape of the first portion and / or the second portion of connecting member 73 is not limited to a flat plate (plate portion 74) or a cylindrical shape (sleeve portion 75), and may take various shapes that can be connected to bus bar 72 or conductive cable 76. For example, the first portion may have an engaging portion such as a hook that engages with bus bar 72, and bus bar 72 may also have an engaged portion such as a hole that matches this engaging portion. Also, for example, the second portion may have multiple pieces that hold conductive cable 76, and crimping may be performed using each piece.

[0082] Furthermore, the terminal portion of the heater portion 52 is not limited to the flat bus bar 72 and may have various shapes. For example, the terminal portion may be rod-shaped, cylindrical, or the like, and the first portion of the connection member 73 may also be formed into a rod-shaped, cylindrical, or other shape to match the shape of the terminal portion, and then welded.

[0083] 9 differs from the temperature-controlled furnace 50A described above in that the relay terminal unit 77A is not installed on the outer circumferential surface of the housing 51, but is installed at a location (for example, on the floor) away from the housing 51. Even in this case, by extending and connecting the conductive cable 76 connected to the connection member 73 to the relay terminal unit 77A, it is possible to effectively supply power to the heater unit 52 via the relay terminal unit 77A. In particular, by installing the relay terminal unit 77A away from the housing 51, it is possible to reduce as much as possible the thermal influence of the temperature-controlled furnace 50A on the relay terminal unit 77A.

[0084] <Technical concept and effects> The technical ideas and effects of the present disclosure explained in the above embodiments will be described below.

[0085] A first aspect of the present disclosure is a cable connection method for connecting a heater section 52 provided in a heat treatment device 1 and having a heater body 52a and a terminal section (bus bar 72) electrically connected to the heater body 52a, to a conductive cable 76 that supplies power to the heater section 52, the method comprising the steps of: (A) providing a connecting member 73 for connecting the terminal section and the conductive cable 76; (B) joining a first section (plate section 74) of the connecting member 73 formed from the same material as the terminal section to the terminal section by welding; and (C) connecting a second section (sleeve section 75) of the connecting member 73 formed from a material different from the first section to the conductive cable 76 by crimping.

[0086] As described above, the cable connection method uses the connection member 73 to connect the terminal portion (bus bar 72) and the conductive cable 76, eliminating the need for bolt tightening, which requires torque management, reducing the risk of burnout during installation and eliminating the need for retightening bolts during operation. In other words, the connection member 73 can stably connect the conductive cable 76. Furthermore, because the connection member 73 has a simple structure consisting of a first portion (plate portion 74) and a second portion (sleeve portion 75), it is possible to reduce manufacturing costs and simplify the connection work. Furthermore, the connection member 73 also allows for greater flexibility in the connection position of the conductive cable 76 by adjusting the length of the first portion, etc.

[0087] In step (C), the conductive cable 76 is inserted into the second section (sleeve section 75), which is cylindrical and has greater plasticity than the first section (plate section 74), and the second section is then crimped. This results in the formation of a crimped section 75c in the second section, enabling the conductive cable 76 to be firmly connected to the connecting member 73.

[0088] In step (B), the surface of the first portion (plate portion 74) formed in a flat plate shape is welded to the surface of the terminal portion (bus bar 72) also formed in a flat plate shape. This allows the cable connecting method to firmly connect the first portion of the connecting member 73 and the terminal portion of the heater portion 52.

[0089] The cable connection method is performed in the order of step (A), step (B), and step (C). As a result, the cable connection method first welds the terminal portion and the connection member 73 together, and then connects the conductive cable 76, thereby preventing the connection member 73 from shifting relative to the terminal portion.

[0090] The terminal portion (bus bar 72) and the first portion (plate portion 74) are made of one of iron, chromium, aluminum, tungsten, cobalt, and nickel, or an alloy containing any of these as its main components, which gives the terminal portion and the first portion sufficient rigidity and conductivity and allows them to be fastened together with a strong welding force.

[0091] The second portion (sleeve portion 75) is made of copper or an alloy mainly composed of copper, which allows the second portion to have plasticity that allows the second portion to maintain electrical continuity with the conductive cable 76 while maintaining the connection of the conductive cable 76.

[0092] A second aspect of the present disclosure is a manufacturing method of a connecting member 73 that is provided in a heat treatment apparatus 1 and connects a heater unit 52 having a heater body 52a and a terminal portion (bus bar 72) electrically connected to the heater body 52a to a conductive cable 76 that supplies power to the heater unit 52, the manufacturing method including the steps of: (A) providing a first metal material 74A that constitutes a first portion (plate portion 74) of the connecting member 73 and is formed from the same material as the terminal portion; and (B) providing a second metal material 75A that constitutes a second portion (sleeve portion 75) of the connecting member 73 and is formed from a different material from the first portion; (B) joining the first metal material 74A and the second metal material 75A by friction welding to form a precursor (first precursor 73A); and (C) cutting the precursor to form a second portion that can be connected to the conductive cable 76. The connecting member 73 manufactured by this manufacturing method can also stably connect the conductive cable 76 and reduce costs.

[0093] In step (A), a flat plate-shaped first metal material 74A and a rod-shaped second metal material 75A are provided, which makes it possible to easily obtain the shapes of the first portion (plate portion 74) and the second portion (sleeve portion 75) in the manufacturing method.

[0094] In step (C), a cylindrical second portion (sleeve portion 75) is formed by sleeve processing the rod-shaped second metal material 75A joined to the first metal material 74A. This manufacturing method can form a cylindrical second portion that can be connected to the conductive cable 76 while suppressing poor joining between the first portion and the second portion.

[0095] The material of the terminal portion (bus bar 72) and the material of the first metal material 74A are either iron, chromium, aluminum, tungsten, cobalt, or nickel, or an alloy containing any of these as its main components, which gives the terminal portion and the first portion sufficient rigidity and conductivity and allows them to be fixed to each other with a strong welding force.

[0096] The second metal material 75A is made of copper or an alloy mainly composed of copper, which allows the second portion to have plasticity that allows the second portion to maintain electrical continuity with the conductive cable 76 while maintaining the connection of the conductive cable 76.

[0097] A third aspect of the present disclosure is a heat treatment apparatus 1 for treating a plurality of substrates W, comprising a treatment vessel 10 for accommodating the plurality of substrates W, a temperature-controlled furnace 50 provided to cover the treatment vessel 10, a heater body 52a provided inside the temperature-controlled furnace 50, a heater section 52 having a terminal section (bus bar 72) electrically connected to the heater body 52a and protruding to the outside of the temperature-controlled furnace 50, a conductive cable 76 for supplying power to the heater body 52a, and a heat transfer section 76 for transferring power between the terminal section of the heater section 52 and the conductive cable. The heat treatment device 1 includes a connecting member 73 that connects the conductive cable 76 to the heat treatment device 1, the connecting member 73 having a first portion (plate portion 74) made of the same material as the terminal portion and a second portion (sleeve portion 75) made of a material different from the first portion, the first portion and the second portion being joined by friction welding, a welded portion 73w that welds the terminal portion to the first portion being formed between the terminal portion and the first portion, and the second portion having a crimped portion 75c that engages with the conductive cable 76. Even in this case, the heat treatment device 1 can stably connect the conductive cable 76 and reduce costs.

[0098] Furthermore, the temperature-controlled furnace 50 includes a housing 51 through which a refrigerant flows near the outer peripheral surface, and a relay terminal portion 77 to which a conductive cable 76 is connected on the outer peripheral surface of the housing 51, and the conductive cable 76 is wired along the outer peripheral surface of the housing 51 and connected to the relay terminal portion 77. As a result, even if the conductive cable 76 is subjected to the thermal influence of the temperature-controlled furnace 50, the temperature of the conductive cable 76 is reduced on the outer peripheral surface of the housing 51, making it possible to suppress heat transfer to the relay terminal portion 77.

[0099] The terminal portion (bus bar 72) and the first portion (plate portion 74) are made of one of iron, chromium, aluminum, tungsten, cobalt, and nickel, or an alloy containing any of these as its main components, which gives the terminal portion and the first portion sufficient rigidity and conductivity and allows them to be fastened together with a strong welding force.

[0100] The second portion (sleeve portion 75) is made of copper or an alloy mainly composed of copper, which allows the second portion to have plasticity that allows the second portion to maintain electrical continuity with the conductive cable 76 while maintaining the connection of the conductive cable 76.

[0101] The cable connection method, the manufacturing method of the connection member 73, and the heat treatment device 1 according to the presently disclosed embodiments are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The embodiments can be modified and improved in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. The features described in the above-described embodiments can be configured in other ways and can be combined together without any inconsistency. [Explanation of symbols]

[0102] 1. Heat treatment equipment 52 Heater section 52a Heater body 72 Busbar 73 Connecting member 74 Plate section 75 sleeve part 76 Conductive Cable

Claims

1. A cable connection method for connecting a heater unit provided in a heat treatment apparatus, the heater unit having a heater body and a terminal portion electrically connected to the heater body, to a conductive cable for supplying power to the heater unit, the method comprising: (A) providing a connecting member for connecting the terminal portion and the conductive cable; (B) joining a first portion of the connection member made of the same material as the terminal portion to the terminal portion by welding; (C) connecting a second portion of the connection member made of a material different from that of the first portion to the conductive cable by crimping. Cable connection method.

2. In the step (C), the conductive cable is inserted into the second portion, which is more plastic than the first portion and formed in a cylindrical shape, and the second portion is then crimped. The cable connection method according to claim 1 .

3. In the step (B), a surface of the first portion formed in a flat plate shape and a surface of the terminal portion formed in a flat plate shape are welded together. The cable connection method according to claim 1 .

4. The cable connection method is performed in the order of step (A), step (B), and step (C). The cable connection method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The material of the terminal portion and the material of the first portion are any one of iron, chromium, aluminum, tungsten, cobalt, and nickel, or an alloy containing any one of them as a main component. The cable connection method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

6. The material of the second portion is copper or an alloy mainly composed of copper. The cable connection method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

7. A method for manufacturing a connecting member that is provided in a heat treatment apparatus and connects a heater unit having a heater body and a terminal portion that is electrically connected to the heater body to a conductive cable that supplies power to the heater unit, the method comprising: (A) providing a first metal material constituting a first portion of the connection member and formed of the same material as the terminal portion, and a second metal material constituting a second portion of the connection member and formed of a different material from the first portion; (B) joining the first metal material and the second metal material by friction welding to form a precursor; (C) cutting the precursor to form the second portion connectable to the conductive cable. A method for manufacturing a connection member.

8. In the step (A), the first metal material in a plate shape and the second metal material in a rod shape are provided. The method for manufacturing the connection member according to claim 7 .

9. In the step (C), the rod-shaped second metal material joined to the first metal material is sleeve-processed to form the cylindrical second portion. The method for manufacturing the connection member according to claim 8 .

10. The material of the terminal portion and the material of the first metal material are any one of iron, chromium, aluminum, tungsten, cobalt, and nickel, or an alloy containing any one of them as a main component. The method for manufacturing the connection member according to any one of claims 7 to 9.

11. The second metal material is copper or an alloy mainly composed of copper. The method for manufacturing the connection member according to any one of claims 7 to 9.

12. A thermal processing apparatus for processing a plurality of substrates, a processing vessel that accommodates the plurality of substrates; a temperature-controlled furnace provided to cover the processing vessel; a heater unit including a heater body provided inside the temperature-controlled furnace and a terminal portion electrically connected to the heater body and protruding to the outside of the temperature-controlled furnace; a conductive cable for supplying power to the heater body; a connecting member that connects the terminal portion of the heater portion and the conductive cable, the connecting member has a first portion formed of the same material as the terminal portion and a second portion formed of a material different from the first portion, and the first portion and the second portion are joined by friction welding; a welded portion is formed between the terminal portion and the first portion by welding the terminal portion and the first portion, the second portion has a crimping portion engaged with the conductive cable; Heat treatment equipment.

13. The temperature-controlled furnace is a housing through which a refrigerant flows in the vicinity of an outer peripheral surface; a relay terminal portion to which the conductive cable is connected on an outer peripheral surface of the housing, The conductive cable is wired along the outer peripheral surface of the housing and connected to the relay terminal portion. The heat treatment apparatus according to claim 12 .

14. The material of the terminal portion and the material of the first portion are any one of iron, chromium, aluminum, tungsten, cobalt, and nickel, or an alloy containing any one of them as a main component. The heat treatment device according to claim 12 or 13.

15. The material of the second portion is copper or an alloy mainly composed of copper. The heat treatment device according to claim 12 or 13.

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