JP2507771B2 - Method of inserting and removing reaction tube from heat treatment furnace - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a method for inserting and removing a reaction tube into and from a heat treatment furnace.

[Prior Art] A heat treatment furnace used for diffusion, CVD, oxidation, etc. of a semiconductor wafer generally comprises a furnace body 1 and a soaking tube 2 made of silicon carbide provided in the furnace body 1 as shown in FIG. The reaction tube 4 is provided with a heater 3 arranged around the soaking tube 2 and a quartz-made reaction tube 4 arranged concentrically inside the soaking tube 2. Quartz boat 5 by introducing reaction gas
A film is formed on the surface of the wafer 6 arranged on the wafer 6 at regular intervals. In the figure, 7 is an exhaust nozzle 8.
Is a furnace port cap, 9 is a heat insulating block, and 10 is an end cap.

In the heat treatment furnace as described above, since dust and reaction products adhere to the inner surface of the reaction tube 4, it is necessary to take out the reaction tube 4 from the inside of the furnace body 1 and wash it regularly. When taking out from inside 1, the furnace port cap 7, the heat insulating block 9 and the end cap 10 are first removed from the furnace body 1. Then, after removing the support fitting of the reaction tube 4 (not shown), the reaction tube 4 was pulled out from the furnace opening side and taken out from the furnace body 1.
When the reaction tube 4 after cleaning is set in the furnace body 1, the reaction tube 4 is pushed into the furnace body 1 from the side of the opening of the furnace, and then the reaction tube 4 is fixed with a support metal fitting. It was set in 1.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the method as described above, the reaction tube 4 is moved in and out while rubbing the inner surface of the heat equalizing tube 2, so that the reaction tube 4 and the heat equalizing tube 2 may be damaged. .

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to make it possible to easily insert and remove the reaction tube into and from the furnace body without damaging the reaction tube and the soaking tube. To do.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is characterized in that the reaction tubes are moved in and out by using a carrier truck that travels on the inner surface of the soaking tube.

[Operation] In the present invention, since the reaction tube does not come into contact with the inner surface of the soaking tube, damage to the reaction tube and the soaking tube can be prevented.

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1A to 1C are views showing a method of inserting and removing a reaction tube into and from a heat treatment furnace according to the present invention, and 11 in the drawings is a carrier truck used in this method. As shown in FIG. 2, this carrier 11 is a pedestal made of stainless steel whose upper surface is curved in a concave shape.
12 and a plurality of ceramic rollers 13 attached to the front, rear, left and right of the pedestal 12, and a handle 14 provided at the rear end of the pedestal 12, and the reaction tube 4 is mounted on the pedestal 12. Is used. A locking hole 15 for hooking the operating rod 16 is formed in the handle 14, and the operating rod 16 is pushed and pulled by a robot hand to run on the inner surface of the soaking tube 2. . The pedestal
The upper surface of 12 is covered with a Teflon sheet.

The reaction tube 4 is formed by using the carrier truck 11 configured as described above.
When removing from the furnace body 1, first, the furnace port cap 7, the heat insulating block 8 and the end cap 10 are removed from the furnace body 1 in FIG. 1A. Next, as shown in FIG. 1B, the carrier truck 11 is set at the rear end of the furnace body 1, the supporting metal fitting of the reaction tube 4 not shown is removed, and the tip of the reaction tube 4 is placed on the carrier truck 11. . Then, while the rear end of the reaction tube 4 is supported by hand, the carrier 11 is moved to the furnace opening side, and the reaction tube 4 is taken out of the furnace body 1 as shown in FIG. 1C. When the reaction tube 4 after cleaning is set in the furnace body 1, the procedure is the reverse of the procedure described above.

In this way, by using the carrier truck 11 that travels on the inner surface of the soaking tube 2 to move the reaction tube 4 in and out of the furnace body 1,
Since the reaction tube 4 does not come into contact with the inner surface of the soaking tube 2 at the time of taking in and out, the reaction tube 4 can be easily taken in and out without damaging the reaction tube 4 and the soaking tube 2.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention as described above, since the reaction tube is moved in and out by using the carrier truck that runs on the inner surface of the heat equalizing tube, the reaction tube and the heat equalizing tube are not damaged. The reaction tube can be easily taken in and out.

[Brief description of drawings]

1A to 1C are views showing a method for inserting and removing a reaction tube into and from a heat treatment furnace according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a carrier used in the method, and FIG. 3 is a general view of the heat treatment furnace. It is sectional drawing which shows a typical structure. 1 ... furnace body, 2 ... soaking tube, 3 ... heater, 4 ... reaction tube, 11 ... carrier truck.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A furnace body, a soaking tube provided in the furnace body, a heater provided around the soaking tube, and a reaction tube provided concentrically inside the soaking tube. A method of inserting and removing the reaction tube into and from the heat treatment furnace, characterized in that the reaction tube is moved in and out of the furnace body by using a carrier truck that travels on the inner surface of the soaking tube.