Heating – Work feeding – agitating – discharging or conveying... – Removable furnace bottom section or kiln cart
Reexamination Certificate
1995-05-24
2001-02-27
Ferensic, Denise L. (Department: 3749)
Heating
Work feeding, agitating, discharging or conveying...
Removable furnace bottom section or kiln cart
C432S036000, C432S239000, C432S247000, C432S253000, C432S258000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06193506
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a thermal conditioning apparatus for planar substrates and, more particularly, to a batch treating apparatus and method.
2. Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,736; 5,252,807 and 5,060,354 disclose thermal processors for wafers. U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,921 and 4,951,601 disclose multi-chamber wafer processing systems. U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,965 discloses an elevator-type multiple-electrode mechanism. U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,812; 4,770,630; 3,935,646; 4,490,111 and 4,721,462 disclose various heating assemblies.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention an apparatus for heating a plurality of planar substrates is provided. The apparatus comprises a chamber, a heater, and an elevator. The heater is located in the chamber. The elevator is located, at least partially, in the chamber. The elevator has a substrate holding stack and means for moving the substrate holding stack.
In accordance with one method of the present invention a method of heating a planar substrate is provided comprising steps of providing a substrate heating apparatus adapted to simultaneously heat a plurality of substrates, the apparatus having a substrate holder for holding the substrates in a spaced stacked configuration; inserting a substrate into the apparatus and into the holder in very close proximity to adjacent substrates; and transferring heat to the inserted substrate from both a heater of the apparatus and the adjacent substrates wherein the heat transfer from the adjacent substrates accelerates the rate of temperature rise in the inserted substrate.
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Brooks Automation Inc.
Ferensic Denise L.
Lu Jiping
Perman & Green LLP
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