Electric resistance heating devices – Heating devices – Continuous flow type fluid heater
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-29
2003-02-04
Walberg, Teresa (Department: 3742)
Electric resistance heating devices
Heating devices
Continuous flow type fluid heater
C392S465000, C392S487000, C219S544000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06516143
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fluid heating apparatus for gas or liquid, for example, to a fluid heating apparatus, connected with various semiconductor heating treatment furnaces used in semiconductor manufacturing process, controlling temperature of gas supplied to the semiconductor heating treatment furnaces.
2. Description of the Related Art
In semiconductor manufacturing process, for example, in an impurity diffusion furnace, an oxidation furnace, an annealer, a thin film deposition system, an etching system and the like, various semiconductor heating treatment furnaces are used. In these semiconductor heating treatment furnaces, various types such as single wafer processing type, vertical type, horizontal batch processing type are present corresponding to object and use.
Conventional vertical batch processing oxidation reaction furnace will be described based on FIG.
12
. This reaction furnace
60
is comprised of a reaction tube heating furnace
61
, a liner tube
62
and a reaction tube
63
and constituted so that wafer boat (not shown) supporting wafer by multistage can be arranged in the reaction tube
63
.
In such a reaction furnace
60
, reacting gas is introduced from a reacting gas inlet
64
through a reacting gas nozzle
65
and a gas introducing section
66
provided in the reaction tube heating furnace
61
into the reaction tube
63
.
In conventional vertical batch processing oxidation reaction furnace
60
, reacting gas is pre-heated by heat of a heater (not shown) embedded in the reaction tube heating furnace via the liner tube
62
when passing through the gas introducing section
66
, and temperature thereof rise.
However, temperature of reacting gas introduced from the external is low compared with that inside the reaction tube
63
, and reacting gas is not heated enough, therefore temperature difference occurs, thereby partial pressure distribution of decomposition product gas of reacting gas in the reaction tube
63
become uneven.
As a result, there are abuse that reaction difference between wafers contained inside the reaction tube
63
is produced, thereby film thickness and quality of film become uneven which are generated in the wafers, therefore excellent oxide film can not be obtained.
As the method to solve above-mentioned abuse, it is suggested that reacting gas is heated to a predetermined temperature corresponding to a process temperature of the semiconductor heating furnace by a heating device before introduction into the furnace to uniform temperature distribution in the furnace (JP-A 63-316425, JP-A 7-176498).
A gas heating apparatus which heat-controls reacting gas to be introduced in a vertical reaction furnace to a predetermined temperature is disclosed in JP-A7-176498. Here, this gas heating apparatus will be described based on FIG.
13
. This gas heating apparatus
70
is comprised of a heating path portion
73
formed in snake-like and a temperature uniformity matter (heating matter)
72
provided in the heating path portion
73
, and constituted so that reacting gas introduced from a gas inlet
71
is heated by the temperature uniformity matter (heating matter)
72
of the gas heating apparatus to flow in the long narrow heating path portion
73
formed in snake-like to introduce into the furnace.
Here, the arrow in
FIG. 13
shows the flow of reacting gas.
A gas heating apparatus which heat-controls reacting gas to be introduced into an epitaxial thin film vapor phase growth system using a single wafer processing furnace to predetermined temperature is disclosed in JP-A 63-316425.
Here, this gas heating apparatus will be described based on
FIG. 14
, FIG.
15
. This gas heating apparatus
80
is comprised of a spiral tube
81
and a heater section
82
provided outside of the spiral tube
81
, and constituted so that reacting gas is heated to predetermined temperature by heat from the heater section
82
while reacting gas is passed through the spiral tube
81
, and then reacting gas is supplied from a nozzle
83
to a belljar
84
. Here, the arrow in
FIG. 14
,
FIG. 15
shows the flow of reacting gas.
In the case where the gas heating apparatus disclosed in JP-A 7-176498 is applied to a oxidation furnace, if the heating path portion is made of high purity quartz tube, the temperature uniformity matter (heating matter) is made of heating element made of high purity silica carbide (SiC), since vapor (H2O) is used as reacting gas, and oxygen is entered into inside of SiC heating element to produce internal oxidation, thereby structural degradation and particle are generated, which has been problems.
And when hydrogen is flow in annealer, impurity gas is generated by reaction between SiC heating element and hydrogen, which has been a problem.
Furthermore, SiC heating element has large heat capacity and bad heat response, therefore rapid rise and fall of temperature is impossible.
In the gas heating apparatus disclosed in JP-A 63-316425, the apparatus is constituted so that reacting gas is passed through the spiral tube, however, gas is difficult to stay, if the length of the spiral tube is extended, reacting gas may be heated to predetermined temperature. On the other hand, when the length of the spiral tube is extended in order to heat gas to predetermined temperature, the gas heating apparatus can not be miniaturized.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is developed to solve the technological problems described above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a fluid heating apparatus which can improve durability, suppress generation of particle and the like or metallic contamination and the like and be miniaturized.
The fluid heating apparatus, in accordance with the present invention, developed to solve the technological problems described above is characterized by comprising at least a heating tube heating fluid to be supplied from fluid supply source, a heater section spirally formed on an outer periphery of the heating tube and a housing accommodating the heating tube and the heater section, wherein the heater section comprises a carbon wire heating element and a quartz glass tube in which the carbon wire heating element is enclosed.
The constitution of the fluid heating apparatus in accordance with the present invention is characterized in that the heater section comprises a carbon wire heating element and a quartz glass tube in which the carbon wire heating element is enclosed, and the heater section is spirally formed on an outer periphery of the heating tube.
This way, heat capacity of the heater section comprising the carbon wire heating element enclosed in the quartz glass tube is small compared to a conventional heater made of high purity SiC, and there is a small amount of generation of metallic contamination, particle and impurity gas harmful to semiconductor wafer.
Furthermore, heating efficiency and heat responsiveness in temperature rising operation of fluid are excellent because the heater section is spirally formed on the outer periphery of the heating tube, heating the fluid.
In addition, it is preferable that the fluid heating apparatus in accordance with the present invention is used as gas heating apparatus for heat controlling gas to be introduced in the semiconductor treatment furnace in the case where fluid is gas. Thus, it is more preferable that the fluid heating apparatus in accordance with the present invention is constituted as the heating apparatus, connected with a gas supply source and the semiconductor treatment furnace, comprising at least a heating tube heating gas to be supplied from gas supply source, a heater section spirally formed on an outer periphery of the heating tube and a housing accommodating the heating tube and the heater section, wherein the heater section comprises a carbon wire heating element and a quartz glass tube in which the carbon wire heating element is enclosed. This reduces variation in treatment temperature in the semiconductor treatment furnace and impurity contamination of the semico
Hasegawa Harunari
Hoshi Joji
Ishii Katsutoshi
Konn Tomio
Miura Kazutoshi
Campbell Thor
Foley & Lardner
Toshiba Ceramics Co. Ltd.
Walberg Teresa
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