Wafer boat handling apparatus, 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 device. The wafer boat handling device may be configured to be disposed below a processing chamber of a vertical batch furnace that processes a plurality of wafers housed in a wafer boat. The present disclosure further relates to a vertical batch furnace assembly including the above-described wafer boat handling device. The present disclosure also relates to a method of cooling a wafer boat in a wafer boat handling device.

Background Art

[0002] The wafer boat handling device may be configured to be disposed below the processing chamber of the vertical batch furnace, and may be used to process a plurality of wafers housed in the wafer boat. The wafer boat handling may be configured to vertically transport the wafer boat to the processing chamber of the batch furnace and receive the wafer boat from the processing chamber. The wafer boat received from the batch furnace is at a high temperature and needs to be cooled at a cooling position before removing the processed wafers from the wafer boat.

[0003] In the wafer boat handling device, the effect of this cooling process may be enhanced by circulating air or gas cooled using a heat exchanger.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] This "Summary" section is described to briefly introduce some concepts. These concepts will be further described in more detail in the detailed description of the embodiments of the present disclosure described below. This "Summary" section is not intended to identify important 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] The purpose may be to improve wafer boat handling equipment that has a wafer boat cooling function. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The portion of the wall adjacent to the cooling area is usually made of stainless steel, and the thermal radiation surface absorptivity of stainless steel can be assumed to be between 0.3 and 0.4. Thermal radiation surface absorptivity is the ratio of absorbed thermal radiation to incident thermal radiation. If the thermal radiation surface absorptivity of a portion of the wall is between 0.3 and 0.4, most of the incident heat will be reflected back from the wall to the wafer boat, which may negatively affect the cooling of the wafer boat.

[0007] For this reason, a wafer boat handling device may be provided. More specifically, a wafer boat handling device configured to be positioned below the processing chamber of a vertical batch furnace may be provided. The wafer boat handling device may comprise a main housing and a boat transport unit. The main housing may have walls that define the wafer boat handling space. The boat transport unit may have at least one wafer boat support unit that supports the wafer boat, and may be configured to transport the wafer boat to a cooling position within the wafer boat handling space. The portion of the wall adjacent to the cooling position may be a wall portion with a thermal radiation surface absorptivity of at least 0.60 in order to absorb heat from the wafer boat at 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 setting the thermal radiation surface absorptivity of the wall to at least 0.6, the reflection of radiant heat can be significantly reduced. As a result, the wafer boat can be cooled more quickly. This means that the timing for removing processed wafers from the wafer boat can be accelerated, and the operating efficiency of the wafer boat handling device can be increased.

[0009] According to another embodiment, a vertical batch furnace assembly is provided, comprising a processing chamber for processing wafers housed in wafer boats, and a wafer boat handling device according to the present invention. The wafer boat handling device is positioned below the processing chamber. The vertical batch furnace further comprises a vertical wafer boat lift assembly configured to transport wafer boats from the wafer boat handling device to the processing chamber and in the reverse direction.

[0010] The advantages of this vertical batch furnace may be the same as those described above for wafer boat handling equipment.

[0011] Finally, the present invention provides a method for cooling a wafer boat in a wafer boat handling apparatus. More specifically, the method comprises the steps of preparing a wafer boat handling apparatus according to the present invention, preparing a wafer boat in at least one wafer boat support portion of the wafer boat handling apparatus, transporting the wafer boat to a cooling position, and absorbing heat radiation from the wafer boat using the walls.

[0012] The advantages of this method are the same as those described above for wafer boat handling equipment and vertical batch furnaces.

[0013] The objectives and advantages of the present invention have been described above for the purpose of summarizing the advantages over the prior art and the present invention itself. Needless to say, it should be understood that not all of these objectives or advantages can necessarily be realized in any particular embodiment of the present invention. For example, a person skilled in the art will recognize that in the realization or execution of the present invention, one or more advantages taught or suggested herein may be realized or optimized, but other objectives or advantages taught or suggested herein may not necessarily be realized.

[0014] Various embodiments are claimed in the dependent clauses, which will be further described with reference to the examples illustrated in the drawings. These embodiments may be combined or applied separately from one another.

[0015] All of these embodiments fall within the scope of the invention disclosed herein. Other embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description of the embodiments below, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The invention is not limited to any particular embodiment disclosed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] The concluding claims of this specification specifically identify and clearly state what is considered to be an embodiment of the present invention. However, the advantages of the embodiments of this disclosure can be more easily understood from the description of the embodiments of this disclosure by referring to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are as follows.

[0017] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing an example of a wafer boat handling apparatus according to an embodiment.

[0018] [Figure 2] This is a schematic top view showing an example of a wafer boat handling apparatus according to an embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0019] In this application, similar or corresponding features are denoted by similar or corresponding reference numerals. The description of 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 embodiments, but are provided to clarify embodiments by referring to the examples shown in the drawings.

[0020] While specific embodiments and examples are disclosed below, those skilled in the art will understand that the scope of the invention is broader than the specifically disclosed embodiments and / or uses of the invention, as well as the modifications and equivalents that are obvious therefrom. Thus, it is not intended that the scope of the invention disclosed herein should be limited by the specifically disclosed embodiments described below. The drawings presented herein are not meant to represent the actual appearance of any specific material, structure or apparatus, but are merely ideal representations used to illustrate the embodiments of the disclosure.

[0021] As used herein, the term "wafer" may mean one or more raw materials that can be used, or one or more raw materials for forming a device, circuit, or film on its surface.

[0022] In most common terms, the disclosure provides a wafer boat handling apparatus 10 configured to be positioned below the processing chamber of a vertical batch furnace. The vertical batch furnace may be configured to process a plurality of wafers housed in a wafer boat 12. The wafer boat handling apparatus 10 may comprise a main housing and a boat transport unit 20. The main housing 14 may have walls 16 defining a wafer boat handling space 18. The boat transport unit 20 may have at least one wafer boat support 22 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. The portion of the wall adjacent to the cooling position 24 includes a wall portion 26 having a thermal radiation surface absorptivity of at least 0.6 to remove heat from the wafer boat 12 by thermal radiation absorption. 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 portion 26 adjacent to the cooling position may have a thermal radiation surface absorptance between 0.6 and 0.99. The thermal radiation surface absorptance 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 absorptance of the wall portion 26 (at room temperature) may be between 0.6 and 0.99 when the temperature of the wafer boat with wafers mounted thereon is within the range of 70 degrees Celsius to 200 degrees Celsius. The thermal radiation surface absorptance of the wall portion 26 (at room temperature) may be between 0.65 and 0.95 when the temperature of the wafer boat with wafers mounted thereon is within the range of 70 degrees Celsius to 100 degrees Celsius.

[0024] Needless to say, at least the side of the wall portion facing the wafer boat handling space, particularly the side facing the wafer boat at the cooling position, may have a thermal radiation surface absorptance of at least 0.6 in order to remove heat from the wafer boat 12 by thermal radiation absorption. The temperature of the wafer boat may be between 25 degrees Celsius and 800 degrees Celsius while being cooled at the cooling position.

[0025] In one embodiment, the wall portion 26 may be made of metal. The metal may include anodized aluminum. The thermal radiation surface absorptance of the wall portion made of anodized aluminum as a raw material may be between 0.6 and 0.99.

[0026] Alternatively, or in addition to this, the wall portion 26 may include a metal wall portion coated with paint. The thermal radiation surface absorptance of the metal wall portion coated with paint may be between 0.6 and 0.99.

[0027] As a result, both anodized aluminum and painted metal surfaces can be said to improve heat radiation absorption. Therefore, the wafer boat can be cooled in a shorter time, for example, from the temperature between 300 and 800 degrees Celsius when the wafer boat is removed from the furnace to the temperature between 25 and 100 degrees Celsius when cooling is completed. In other words, the timing of removing processed wafers from the wafer boat can be accelerated, and the operating efficiency of the wafer boat handling equipment can be increased.

[0028] In one embodiment, the wall portion 26 may include cooling channels 30 formed and arranged to allow a liquid coolant to flow through them when in use to cool the wall portion 26. The wall portion 26 may rise in temperature by absorbing heat radiation from the wafer boat 12. By cooling the wall portion 26 with the liquid flowing through the cooling channels, the liquid coolant may release the heat absorbed by the wall portion 26. This prevents the temperature of the wall portion 26 from becoming too high.

[0029] In addition to, or instead of, the cooling channel 30, the wall portion 26 may be configured as a heat sink to remove heat from the wafer boat 12. For this reason, the wall portion 26 may have a thickness such that it functions as a heat sink.

[0030] Alternatively, or in addition to the above, the outer surface 62 of the wall 26 opposite the wafer boat handling space 18 may be considered to function as a heat sink, since it has a heat exchange surface enlargement shape. The heat exchange surface enlargement shape includes at least one of fins, pins, holes, and rough surfaces. A heat sink is a passive heat exchanger that transfers heat. On the inner surface 28 of the wall 26 facing the wafer boat handling space 18, it absorbs heat radiation from the wafer boat 12. On the outer surface 62 of the wall 26, which is embodied as a heat sink, it may be considered to release the absorbed heat, for example, by radiation and / or convection. The radiation and / or convection of the absorbed heat may be made more effective by surface enlargement shapes such as fins, pins, holes, and / or rough surfaces. The heat sink may include an active heat exchanger, such as the cooling channel 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 unit 20 may have a rotatable table 34 including at least two wafer boat support units. The rotatable table 34 is rotatable about a central vertical axis 36 inside the main housing 14 and can be positioned at multiple rotational positions. The rotatable table 34 may be fitted with a vertically extending wall structure 38, which may at least partially define a corresponding vertically extending wafer boat chamber 40 at each wafer boat support unit 22. The rotatable table 34 may have a rotational position for each wafer boat chamber 40 in which the wafer boat chamber and the wafer boat housed inside it are positioned at a cooling position 24.

[0032] Various embodiments of the boat transport unit 20 are known. In this embodiment, the boat transport unit 20 has 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 support 22 together with the wafer boat 12 placed on the wafer support 22 to a cooling position 24 in order to cool the wafer boat 12. Rotating the rotatable table 34 moves the wafer boat chamber 40 and the wafer boat housed inside it to other rotational positions, which include an input / receiving position for vertically inputting the wafer boat 12 into and receiving the wafer boat 12 from the processing chamber 66, and a transport position for transporting wafers to and from the wafer boat 12 through openings provided in the wall 16 of the main housing 14, if possible.

[0033] An advantage of using a rotatable table 34 having vertically extending wall structures 38 is that a mini-environment can be formed in each wafer boat chamber 40 formed by the vertically extending wall structures 38. In other words, the wafer boat 12 in the first wafer boat chamber 40 is not affected by debris coming from the wafer boat 12 in the second wafer boat chamber 38. In fact, a controlled mini-environment is formed in each wafer boat chamber 40. This significantly reduces the possibility 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 forms a mini-environment within the main housing 14 of the wafer boat handling apparatus 10 by supplying gas to the wafer boat handling space 18 and discharging gas from the wafer boat handling space 18. The gas circulation system 42 may have a heat exchanger 44 for the gas circulation system. The heat exchanger 44 for the gas circulation system cools the gas supplied to the wafer boat handling space 18 in order to remove heat from the wafer boat 12 at the cooling position 24 by convection.

[0035] The gas circulation system 42 provides a second method for cooling the wafer boat and the wafers located on it. The first method for cooling the wafer boat 12, on which the wafers are mounted, is to absorb thermal radiation by setting the thermal radiation surface absorptivity of the wall portion 26 to at least 0.60. The second method for cooling the wafer boat 12, on which the wafers are mounted, is to utilize thermal convection. Thermal convection is enhanced by supplying cooled gas to the wafer boat handling apparatus, in particular to the wafer boat chamber 40 at the cooling position. Convection is used to transfer heat from the wafer boat 12 and the wafers to the cooled gas supplied by the gas circulation system 42. By applying these two methods to remove heat from the wafer boat on which the high-temperature wafers are mounted, 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 located at the cooling position 24. It is not necessary to cool all of the wafer boat chambers 40. It may be sufficient to cool only the wafer boat 12 carrying the wafers located at the cooling position 24.

[0037] In one 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 Figure 2 is defined by a vertically extending wall structure 38. In another embodiment, the circumferential wall portion 38a of the vertically extending wall structure 38 may be omitted so that the outlet duct 56 is directly defined by the wall 16 of the main housing 14. In this embodiment, the portion of the wall 16 of the main housing 14 that defines the outlet duct 56 corresponding to the wafer boat in the cooling position may also have a thermal radiation surface absorptivity of at least 0.6, and in another embodiment, it may include a cooling channel. According to this embodiment, the cooling effect may be further improved. The outlet duct 56 may be embodied as a passage between the vertically extending wall structure 38 and the wall 16 of the main housing 14. The gas supply area 46 within each wafer boat chamber 40 may include a plurality of gas supply openings distributed in a vertically extending wall structure 38. The gas discharge area 50 within each wafer boat chamber 40 may include at least a plurality of gas discharge openings 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 discharge openings. The recirculation channel may extend from the outlet duct 56 to the inlet duct 54 and may include at least one gas flow distributer. Thus, the gas circulation system 42 forms a closed-loop circulation system. The gas flow distributer may distribute gas through the recirculation channel and through the gas circulation system 42 to at least cool the wafer boat 12 carrying wafers in the cooling position. The inlet duct 54 and / or outlet duct 56 may be formed by a vertically extending wall structure 38. The ducts 54 and 56 then both rotate together with the wafer boat chamber 40 on the rotatable table 34.

[0038] The portion of the gas discharge area 50 where at least several gas discharge openings are provided may be located on a wall portion 26 with a thermal radiation surface absorptivity of at least 0.60. In this way, the outlet duct 56 may be formed so that it does not need to rotate with the rotatable table 34 but can be connected to the main housing 14. This reduces the technical difficulty of forming the outlet duct 56 and thus reduces costs.

[0039] In one embodiment, the cooling channel 30 may include a plurality of cooling channels 30 that are part of a heat exchanger 44 for a gas circulation system. The plurality of cooling channels 30 may therefore cool the gas in the gas circulation system 42 simultaneously with the wall portion 26. The cooling function of the cooling channel 30 may be set so that the heat absorbed by the gas through thermal radiation and convection absorbed by the metal wall portion 26 is removed by the liquid coolant in the cooling channel 30. This provides an effective cooling effect.

[0040] In one embodiment, the vertically extending wall structure 38 may include a reflective surface configured to reflect the heat radiated by the wafer boat 12 toward the wall 26. The heat radiated from the wafer boat 12 is not only radiated toward the wall 26, but also radiated from the entire circumferential direction of the wafer boat 12. In other words, other parts of the wafer boat handling apparatus 10 also receive this heat radiation. The reflective surface of the vertically extending wall structure 38 reflects this heat radiation toward the wall 26 instead of absorbing it. This increases the absorption of heat radiation by the wall 26, thereby improving the cooling efficiency of the wafer boat handling apparatus.

[0041] The disclosure further provides a vertical batch furnace assembly comprising a processing chamber 66 for processing wafers housed in a wafer boat 12, a wafer boat handling device 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 device 10 to the processing chamber 66 and in the reverse direction.

[0042] The effects and advantages of the vertical batch furnace assembly are described in the "Summary of the Invention" section, and these effects and advantages are inserted here 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 comprises the steps of preparing the wafer boat handling apparatus 10 according to the present invention, preparing the wafer boat 12 in at least one wafer boat support portion 22 of the wafer boat handling apparatus 10, transporting the wafer boat 12 to a cooling position 24, and absorbing the heat radiation from the wafer boat 12 using a wall portion 26 having a thermal radiation surface absorptivity of at least 0.60.

[0044] The effects and advantages of this method are described in the "Summary of the Invention" section, and these effects and advantages are inserted here by reference.

[0045] In one embodiment, the method further comprises the step of cooling a gas supplied to the wafer boat handling space 18 to remove heat from the wafer boat 12 at 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. Specifically, cooling is performed by convection of heat using the cooled gas supplied to the wafer boat handling space 18. This further enhances the cooling function of the wafer boat handling apparatus 10.

[0047] While embodiments of the present invention have been described above with partial reference to the attached drawings, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Those skilled in the art will be able to conceive and implement modifications of the disclosed embodiments by examining the drawings, specification, and attached claims when carrying out the claimed invention.

[0048] Where the terms "one embodiment" or "embodiment" are used herein, it means that certain features, structures, or characteristics described in relation to that embodiment are included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Therefore, although the expressions "in one embodiment" or "in one embodiment" appear multiple times herein, they do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment.

[0049] Furthermore, it should be noted that certain 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 constitute new embodiments not expressly described. The detailed description and the reference numbers mentioned in the claims are not intended to limit the description of embodiments or the claims. The reference numbers are used solely for the purpose of clarifying the description.

[0050] [1] A wafer boat handling device configured to be positioned below the processing chamber of a vertical batch furnace, wherein the wafer boat handling device is A main enclosure having walls that define the wafer boat handling space, A boat transport unit having at least one wafer boat support portion for supporting the wafer boat, and configured to transport the wafer boat to a cooling position within the wafer boat handling space. Equipped with, The portion of the wall adjacent to the cooling position is a wall portion having a thermal radiation surface absorptivity of at least 0.6 in order to remove heat from the wafer boat at the cooling position by thermal radiation absorption. Wafer boat handling equipment. [2] The wafer boat handling apparatus 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 apparatus according to [1], wherein the wall portion includes a metal wall portion coated with paint. [5] The wafer boat handling apparatus according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the wall portion includes a cooling channel formed and arranged so that a liquid coolant flows through it when in use to cool the wall portion. [6] The boat transport section is A rotatable table comprising at least two wafer boat support sections, the rotatable table being rotatable about a central vertical axis within the main housing and capable of being positioned at multiple rotational positions, A vertically extending wall structure mounted on the rotatable table, wherein each wafer boat support portion comprises a vertically extending wall structure that at least partially defines a corresponding vertically extending wafer boat chamber. It has, The rotatable table has a rotational position for each wafer boat chamber in which the wafer boat chamber and the wafer boat housed inside are positioned in the cooling position. A wafer boat handling apparatus as described in any one of items [1] to [5]. [7] The wafer boat handling apparatus is A gas circulation system that supplies gas to the wafer boat handling space and removes the gas from the wafer boat handling space to form a mini-environment within the main housing of the wafer boat handling apparatus. Furthermore, The gas circulation system includes a heat exchanger for the gas circulation system that cools the gas supplied to the wafer boat handling space in order to remove heat from the wafer boat at the cooling position by convection. A wafer boat handling apparatus as described in any one of items [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 at least the gas to the wafer boat chamber located at the cooling position. [9] The gas circulation system is, A gas supply area within each wafer boat chamber, which includes a plurality of gas supply openings distributed in the vertically extending wall structure, A gas discharge area within each wafer boat chamber, which, when the wafer boat chamber is in the cooling position, includes at least a plurality of gas discharge openings, An inlet duct that is in fluid communication with the aforementioned plurality of gas supply openings, The aforementioned plurality of gas discharge openings and an outflow duct that is in fluid communication with them, A recirculation channel extending from the outflow duct to the inflow duct and including at least one gas flow distributor A wafer boat handling apparatus according to [8], having the following:

[10] The wafer boat handling apparatus according to [9], wherein at least the portion of the gas discharge area that includes the plurality of gas discharge openings is provided on the wall portion having a thermal radiation surface absorptivity of at least 0.6.

[11] The wafer boat handling apparatus according to the combination of [5] and

[10] , wherein the cooling channels include a plurality of cooling channels which are part of the heat exchanger for the gas circulation system, and the cooling function of the plurality of cooling channels is configured such that the heat absorbed by the gas by 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 the heat radiated by the wafer boat in the direction of the wall. A wafer boat handling apparatus according to any one of paragraphs [1] to

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

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

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

[15] A vertical batch furnace assembly, A processing chamber for processing wafers housed in a wafer boat, A wafer boat handling apparatus according to any one of items [1] to

[14] , wherein the wafer boat handling apparatus is located below the processing chamber, A vertical wafer boat lift assembly configured to transport wafer boats from the wafer boat handling device to the processing chamber and in the reverse direction, A vertical batch furnace assembly equipped with the following features.

[16] A method for cooling a wafer boat in a wafer boat handling apparatus, wherein the method is: The steps include: preparing a wafer boat handling apparatus as described in any one of items [1] to

[14] , The steps include: preparing a wafer boat on the at least one wafer boat support portion of the wafer boat handling device; The steps include transporting the wafer boat to the cooling position, The steps include: absorbing the thermal radiation from the wafer boat using the wall portion having a thermal radiation surface absorptivity of at least 0.6; A method that includes [a certain feature].

[17] A method for cooling a wafer boat in a wafer boat handling apparatus, wherein the method further comprises: The steps include cooling the gas supplied to the wafer boat handling space, The step of removing heat from the wafer boat at the cooling position using convection. A method that includes [a certain feature]. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0051] 10-Wafer boat handling equipment 12-Wafer Boat 14-Main enclosure 16-Wall 18-Wafer Boat Handling Space 20 - Boat Transport Section 22-Wafer boat support section 24-Cooling position 26-Wall section 28 - Inner surface of the wall 30-Cooling Channels 34-Rotating Table 36 - Central vertical axis 38. Wall structure extending vertically 40-Wafer Boat Chamber 42. Gas circulation system 44-Gas Circulation Heat Exchanger 46 - Gas supply area 50 - Gas Emission Area 54-Inlet duct 56-Outlet duct 62-Wall external surface 66- Processing Chamber 68-Vertical Wafer Boat Lift Assembly

Claims

1. A wafer boat handling device configured to be positioned below the processing chamber of a vertical batch furnace, wherein the wafer boat handling device is A rotatable table including at least two wafer boat support sections, the rotatable table being rotatable about a central vertical axis, A vertically extending wall structure is mounted on the aforementioned rotatable table. Includes, A wafer boat handling device wherein the vertically extending wall structure is configured to suppress heat conduction between the at least two wafer boat support portions.

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

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

4. The wafer boat handling apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the rotatable table includes a rotational position for each wafer boat chamber in which the wafer boat housed in the wafer boat chamber and the wafer boat housed inside it are positioned in a cooling position.

5. A gas circulation system for supplying gas to the wafer boat handling apparatus and for removing the gas from the wafer boat handling apparatus. It further includes, The wafer boat handling apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the gas circulation system includes a heat exchanger for the gas circulation system that cools the gas supplied to the wafer boat handling apparatus in order to remove heat from the wafer boat at the cooling position by convection.

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

7. The aforementioned gas circulation system is A gas supply area within each wafer boat chamber, which includes a plurality of gas supply openings distributed in the vertically extending wall structure, A gas discharge area within each wafer boat chamber, which includes at least a plurality of gas discharge openings when the wafer boat chamber is in the cooling position, An inlet duct that is in fluid communication with the aforementioned plurality of gas supply openings, The aforementioned plurality of gas discharge openings and an outflow duct that is in fluid communication with them, A recirculation channel extending from the aforementioned outflow duct to the aforementioned inflow duct and A wafer boat handling apparatus according to claim 6, including the following:

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

9. A wafer boat handling apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising a vertical wafer boat lift assembly configured to transport a wafer boat from the rotatable table to a processing chamber and in the reverse direction.

10. A processing chamber for processing wafers housed in a 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 wafer boats from the rotatable table to the processing chamber and in the reverse direction, A semiconductor processing device, including a semiconductor processing unit.

11. A method for cooling a wafer boat in a wafer boat handling apparatus, The steps of preparing a wafer boat handling apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, The steps include: preparing a wafer boat on one of the at least two wafer boat support sections of the wafer boat handling device; The steps include transporting the wafer boat to a cooling position, The reflective surface of the vertically extending wall structure reflects the thermal radiation from the wafer boat. Methods that include...

12. The steps include: cooling the gas supplied to the wafer boat handling apparatus; The step of removing heat from the wafer boat at the cooling position by convection. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

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