Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.

Toshiyuki Kobayashi

Mitsukazu Takahashi

Yoshihiro Koyama

Yoshiro Koyama

In a thermal processing apparatus, using a lamp for heating a substrate, an opening is formed for a camera unit, which is used to image portions of an auxiliary ring supporting the substrate, to obtain the position of the center of the auxiliary ring. The camera further images the substrate to determine the center of the substrate before the thermal processing apparatus receives and places the substrate on the auxiliary ring. The thermal processing apparatus moves the substrate so that the center thereof coincides with the center of the auxiliary ring, and thereafter places the former on the latter. Thus, the auxiliary ring can be designed to reduce overlaps of the auxiliary ring and the outer edge of the substrate while overlaps can be uniform over the entire circumference of the substrate to improve temperature uniformity of the substrate.

Thermal processing apparatus and thermal processing method

In a thermal processing apparatus irradiating a substrate with light from a lamp for heating the substrate, an opening is formed in a reflector for mounting a camera unit. The camera unit images three portions of an auxiliary ring supporting the substrate, for obtaining the position of the center of the auxiliary ring before the thermal processing apparatus receives the substrate therein. The camera unit further images the substrate for obtaining the position of the center of the substrate before the thermal processing apparatus receives the substrate therein and places the same on the auxiliary ring. The thermal processing apparatus moves the substrate so that the center thereof coincides with the center of the auxiliary ring, and thereafter places the former on the latter. Thus, the auxiliary ring can be so designed as to reduce overlaps of the auxiliary ring and the outer edge of the substrate while the overlaps can be rendered uniform over the entire circumference of the substrate for improving temperature uniformity of the substrate.

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Horikawa-dori, Japan

Toshiyuki Kobayashi