An assembly of a liner and a flange for a vertical furnace for processing substrates is provided. The liner being configured to extend in the interior of a process tube of the vertical furnace, and the flange is configured to at least partially close a liner opening. The liner comprising a substantially cylindrical wall delimited by the liner opening at a lower end and closed at a higher end and being substantially closed for gases above the liner opening and defining an inner space. The flange comprising: an inlet opening configured to insert and remove a boat configured to carry substrates in the inner space of the liner; a gas inlet to provide a gas to the inner space. The assembly is constructed and arranged with a gas exhaust opening to remove gas from the inner space and a space between the liner and the low pressure tube.

The invention relates to a tube furnace device for an atomizing furnace and to an analyzing apparatus comprising an atomizing furnace and a tube furnace device, in particular for atomic absorption spectrometry, the tube furnace device comprising a sample carrier means (11) and a bearing means (12) for supporting and forming electrical contact with the sample carrier means, the sample carrier means having a receiving tube (16) forming a tubular receiving space (17) for receiving an analyte, the sample carrier means having two bearing protrusions on the receiving tube for forming a connection with the bearing means, the bearing protrusions extending perpendicularly, preferably orthogonally, in relation to a longitudinal axis of the receiving tube, wherein the tube furnace device has a contact pressure means (13) via which a contact pressure force (14) can be exerted on the bearing protrusions in the direction of a passant line (20) in relation to a circular cross section (21) of the receiving tube.

A heater assembly with enhanced cooling pursuant to various embodiments described herein makes use of fluidic flow in the insulation or in the space used for insulation. By creating a natural convection or forced convection flow, the heater cools down faster, it can operate at lower temperatures and/or higher temperature precision, and it can improve temperature controllability by generating higher heat loss rates.

A heater assembly with enhanced cooling pursuant to various embodiments described herein makes use of fluidic flow in the insulation or in the space used for insulation. By creating a natural convection or forced convection flow, the heater cools down faster, it can operate at lower temperatures and/or higher temperature precision, and it can improve temperature controllability by generating higher heat loss rates.

A plurality of substrate support parts provided on a susceptor each have an outer circumferential surface such that a plane parallel to a holding surface of a holding plate is formed on a top portion of a spherical surface. Even if a semiconductor wafer irradiated with flash light abruptly warps such that its front surface becomes raised, a back surface of the semiconductor wafer can smoothly rub against the plurality of substrate support parts. This can prevent chipping and breakage of the substrate support parts, and can also prevent scratches on the back surface of the semiconductor wafer. The substrate support parts having the outer circumferential surface of the above-mentioned shape can be located in any directions on the holding plate, thereby facilitating manufacturing, inspection, and management of the susceptor relating to the substrate support parts.

A plurality of substrate support parts provided on a susceptor each have an outer circumferential surface such that a plane parallel to a holding surface of a holding plate is formed on a top portion of a spherical surface. Even if a semiconductor wafer irradiated with flash light abruptly warps such that its front surface becomes raised, a back surface of the semiconductor wafer can smoothly rub against the plurality of substrate support parts. This can prevent chipping and breakage of the substrate support parts, and can also prevent scratches on the back surface of the semiconductor wafer. The substrate support parts having the outer circumferential surface of the above-mentioned shape can be located in any directions on the holding plate, thereby facilitating manufacturing, inspection, and management of the susceptor relating to the substrate support parts.

A heat treatment apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a vertically long process chamber, a heater configured to heat the process chamber, and a cooler configured to cool the process chamber. The cooler includes a plurality of discharge holes provided at intervals along a longitudinal direction of the process chamber to discharge cooling fluid toward the process chamber and a plurality of shutters provided corresponding to the plurality of discharge holes. At least one of the plurality of shutters is configured to move to an open position independently of other shutters.

A heat treatment apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a vertically long process chamber, a heater configured to heat the process chamber, and a cooler configured to cool the process chamber. The cooler includes a plurality of discharge holes provided at intervals along a longitudinal direction of the process chamber to discharge cooling fluid toward the process chamber and a plurality of shutters provided corresponding to the plurality of discharge holes. At least one of the plurality of shutters is configured to move to an open position independently of other shutters.

A method of driving conductive molten metal and a melting furnace, the method including making direct current flow vertically between a first electrode, and applying a magnetic field radially toward the center of a melting chamber from the outside of the melting furnace or toward the outside of the melting furnace from the center of the melting chamber to apply torque. The method further includes rotating the molten metal by the torque to discharge the molten metal to a holding furnace, which is provided on the melting chamber, from an outlet opening of a partition plate provided between the melting chamber and the holding furnace and to suck the molten metal, which is present in the holding furnace, from an inlet opening of the partition plate.

A method of driving conductive molten metal and a melting furnace, the method including making direct current flow vertically between a first electrode, and applying a magnetic field radially toward the center of a melting chamber from the outside of the melting furnace or toward the outside of the melting furnace from the center of the melting chamber to apply torque. The method further includes rotating the molten metal by the torque to discharge the molten metal to a holding furnace, which is provided on the melting chamber, from an outlet opening of a partition plate provided between the melting chamber and the holding furnace and to suck the molten metal, which is present in the holding furnace, from an inlet opening of the partition plate.