Quartz boat method and apparatus for thin film thermal treatment
First Claim
1. A method of holding a plurality of planar substrates for thermal treatment comprising:
- providing a tube shaped furnace having a first end and a second end, the tube shaped furnace being surrounded by a plurality of heaters for conducting a thermal treatment process, the first end having a door;
providing a boat fixture having a base frame coupled to a top frame, the base frame including two length portions and a first width portion, a second width portion, and at least one middle member connected between the two length portions;
mounting a grooved member on the first width portion, the second width portion, and the at least one middle member, each grooved member having a plurality of grooves;
inserting a plurality of planar substrates into the boat fixture so that the grooved member on the first width portion, the second width portion, and the at least one middle member, supports each of the planar substrates in a manner such that each substrate is separated from adjoining substrates by a desired distance;
loading the boat fixture into the tube shaped furnace from the first end; and
subjecting the plurality of planar substrates to the thermal treatment process.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of supporting a plurality of planar substrates in a tube shaped furnace for conducting a thermal treatment process is disclosed. The method uses a boat fixture having a base frame including two length portions and a first width portion, a second width portion, and one or more middle members connected between the two length portions. Additionally, the method includes mounting a removable first grooved rod respectively on the first width portion, the second width portion, and each of the one or more middle members, each first grooved rod having a first plurality of grooves characterized by a first spatial configuration. The method further includes inserting one or two substrates of a plurality of planar substrates into each groove in the boat fixture separated by a distance.
305 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of holding a plurality of planar substrates for thermal treatment comprising:
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providing a tube shaped furnace having a first end and a second end, the tube shaped furnace being surrounded by a plurality of heaters for conducting a thermal treatment process, the first end having a door; providing a boat fixture having a base frame coupled to a top frame, the base frame including two length portions and a first width portion, a second width portion, and at least one middle member connected between the two length portions; mounting a grooved member on the first width portion, the second width portion, and the at least one middle member, each grooved member having a plurality of grooves; inserting a plurality of planar substrates into the boat fixture so that the grooved member on the first width portion, the second width portion, and the at least one middle member, supports each of the planar substrates in a manner such that each substrate is separated from adjoining substrates by a desired distance; loading the boat fixture into the tube shaped furnace from the first end; and subjecting the plurality of planar substrates to the thermal treatment process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification