Heraeus Quarzschmelze Gmbh

Graham E Collyer

Christopher J Bayne

Joseph L Lambert

Apparatus for introducing silicon wafers in magazines into a process tube of a furnace or diffusion oven. At least two spaced silica tubes closed at the end next adjacent the process tube constitute supporting members for the loaded magazines and a clamping device holds and supports said members cantilever-fashion by that end thereof remote from the process tube. Motor means are associated with the clamping device for moving the supporting members with the loaded magazines thereon into and out of the process tube in a substantially horizontal direction in such a manner that the magazines and their supporting members remain entirely suspended throughout the loading, processing and unloading operations: thus no part thereof comes into contact with the interior wall of the process tube. The silica tubes preferably constitute a sheathing surrounding inserts in two or more sections fitting one within the other: the insert nearest the furnace is preferably silicon carbide and the insert remote from the furnace is preferably sintered alumina.

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Ottershaw, United Kingdom

Graham E Collyer