A semiconductor processing apparatus may include a processing part including a cavity, an insertion part configured to be inserted in the cavity, and a gas inlet coupled to the processing part and configured to supply a gas into the cavity. The insertion part may include a container and a gas ejection pipe facing the container.

There is provided a configuration that includes: an intake damper and an intake fan configured to communicate with an intake port that sucks air to a transfer chamber connected to a process chamber; a valve of an inert gas introduction pipe configured to supply an inert gas to the transfer chamber; an exhaust fan and a first exhaust valve installed in the transfer chamber; a switch configured to select one of an atmospheric mode in which an atmosphere of the transfer chamber is an air atmosphere and a purge mode in which the atmosphere of the transfer chamber is an inert gas atmosphere; and a controller configured to control each of the intake damper, the intake fan, the valve of the inert gas introduction pipe, the exhaust fan, and the first exhaust valve to execute one of the atmospheric mode and the purge mode.

Wafer boat handling device, configured to be positioned under a process chamber of a vertical batch furnace, and comprising a rotatable table comprising a first and a second wafer boat support surface. Each wafer boat support surface is configured for supporting a wafer boat. The rotatable table is rotatable by an actuator to rotate both the first and the second wafer support surfaces to a load/receive position in which the wafer boat handling device is configured to load a wafer boat vertically from the rotatable table into the process chamber and to receive the wafer boat from the process chamber onto the rotatable table, a cooldown position in which the wafer boat handling device is configured to cool down a wafer boat, and a transfer position for transferring wafers to and/or from the wafer boat.

A vertical batch furnace assembly for processing wafers having a cassette handling space, a wafer handling space, and a first wall and separating the cassette handling space from the wafer handling space. The first wall has at least one wafer transfer opening in front of which, at a side of the first wall which is directed to the cassette handling space, a wafer transfer position for a wafer cassette is provided. The cassette handling space comprises a cassette storage having a plurality of cassette storage positions and a cassette handler configured to transfer wafer cassettes between the cassette storage positions and the wafer transfer position. The cassette handler has a first cassette handler arm and a second cassette handler arm.

Apparatus and methods for automatically handling die carriers are disclosed. In one example, a disclosed apparatus includes: at least one load port each configured for loading a die carrier operable to hold a plurality of dies; and an interface tool coupled to the at least one load port and a semiconductor processing unit. The interface tool comprises: a first robotic arm configured for transporting the die carrier from the at least one load port to the interface tool, and a second robotic arm configured for transporting the die carrier from the interface tool to the semiconductor processing unit for processing at least one die in the die carrier.

A substrate processing apparatus and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device are provided. The substrate processing apparatus includes a processing chamber; a boat configured to stack substrates; a gas nozzle including a nozzle region and a fastening region; a gas inlet including an insert portion; and an adapter coupling the gas inlet and the gas nozzle. The fastening region includes a first lower region; and a second lower region having a protruding portion protruding outwardly from an outer side surface of the first lower region. The adapter includes a lower pedestal; a lower fastening portion on the lower pedestal and contacting at least a lower surface of the protruding portion; a gasket between a portion of the lower pedestal and a portion of the lower fastening portion; an upper fastening portion contacting at least an upper surface of the protruding portion; a hole passing through the lower pedestal, the lower fastening portion, the protruding portion, and the upper fastening portion; and a fastening unit coupling the lower pedestal, the lower fastening portion, the protruding portion, and the upper fastening portion through the hole.

A substrate processing method is a method of performing an etching process on a substrate with an etching solution in a processing tank. The substrate includes silicon oxide films and silicon nitride films stacked alternately. The etching solution contains phosphoric acid. The substrate processing method includes immersing the substrate in the etching solution, and replenishing the etching solution in the processing tank with phosphoric acid during the etching process on the substrate to cause a silicon concentration in the etching solution to vary.

A vertical batch furnace assembly for processing wafers comprising a cassette handling space, a wafer handling space, and an internal wall separating the cassette handling space and the wafer handling space. The cassette handling space is provided with a cassette storage configured to store a plurality of wafer cassettes provided with a plurality of wafers. The cassette handling space is also provided with a cassette handler configured to transfer wafer cassettes between the cassette storage and a wafer transfer position. The wafer handling space is provided with a wafer handler configured to transfer wafers between a wafer cassette in the wafer transfer position and a wafer boat in a wafer boat transfer position. The internal wall is provided with a wafer transfer opening adjacent the wafer transfer position for a wafer cassette from or to which wafers are to be transferred. The cassette storage comprises two cassette storage carousels.

A vertical batch furnace assembly for processing wafers comprising a cassette handling space, a wafer handling space, and a first wall separating the cassette handling space from the wafer handling space. The wall having a wafer transfer opening. The wafer transfer opening is associated with a cassette carrousel comprising a carrousel stage having a plurality of cassette support surfaces each configured for supporting a wafer cassette. The carrousel stage is rotatable by an actuator around a substantially vertical axis to transfer each cassette support surface to a wafer transfer position in front of the wafer transfer opening and to at least one cassette load/retrieve position, wherein the vertical batch furnace assembly is configured to load or retrieve a wafer cassette on or from a cassette support surface of the carrousel stage which is in the at least one load/retrieve position.

A vertical batch furnace assembly for processing wafers having a cassette handling space, a wafer handling space, and a first wall and separating the cassette handling space from the wafer handling space. The first wall has at least one wafer transfer opening in front of which, at a side of the first wall which is directed to the cassette handling space, a wafer transfer position for a wafer cassette is provided. The cassette handling space comprises a cassette storage having a plurality of cassette storage positions and a cassette handler configured to transfer wafer cassettes between the cassette storage positions and the wafer transfer position. The cassette handler has a first cassette handler arm and a second cassette handler arm.