Substrate Carrier System for Moving Substrates in a Vertical Oven and Method for Processing Substrates

Abstract

A substrate carrier system for carrying substrates to a vertical oven and a vertical oven are disclosed. In an embodiment, the system includes a substrate carrier configured to carry a plurality of substrates and a substrate carrier support structure configured to be inserted along an insertion direction into the vertical oven, and to receive the substrate carrier in a direction substantially orthogonal to the insertion direction into a holding position in the substrate carrier support structure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A substrate carrier system for carrying substrates to a vertical oven, the substrate carrier system comprising:
 a substrate carrier configured to carry a plurality of substrates; and   a substrate carrier support structure configured to be inserted along an insertion direction into the vertical oven, and to receive the substrate carrier in a direction substantially orthogonal to the insertion direction into a holding position in the substrate carrier support structure.   
     
     
         2 . The substrate carrier system of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate carrier and the substrate carrier support structure comprise quartz or silicon carbide. 
     
     
         3 . The substrate carrier system of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate carrier comprises a plurality of slots, each configured to support a substrate edge region, and to align the plurality of substrates at predefined positions, and wherein main surfaces of the plurality of substrates are substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         4 . The substrate carrier system of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate carrier support structure is configured to be fixed in a vertical direction in the vertical oven, wherein the plurality of substrates are held by the substrate carrier in predefined positions, wherein an angle measured between a main surface of a substrate of the plurality of substrates at one of the predefined positions and the vertical direction is less than 20 degrees. 
     
     
         5 . The substrate carrier system of  claim 4 , wherein the substrate carrier comprises a first lateral guide and a second lateral guide located respectively on a first lateral side of the substrate carrier and an opposite second lateral side of the substrate carrier, wherein a first longitudinal support structure of the substrate carrier support structure comprises a first lateral guide, wherein a second longitudinal support structure of the substrate carrier support structure comprises a second lateral guide, and wherein the first lateral guide and the second lateral guide are configured to guide the substrate carrier in a direction substantially orthogonal to the insertion direction to the holding position when the first lateral guide and the second lateral guide of the substrate carrier engage with the first lateral guide and the second lateral guide of the substrate carrier support structure. 
     
     
         6 . The substrate carrier system of  claim 5 , wherein a third longitudinal support structure of the substrate carrier support structure is configured to stop the insertion of the substrate carrier at the holding position, and wherein the substrate carrier comprises a fastening structure located on a third lateral side of the substrate carrier configured to prevent a movement of the substrate carrier at the holding position at least in one direction by engaging with the third longitudinal support structure. 
     
     
         7 . The substrate carrier system of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate carrier support structure is further configured to receive one or more further substrate carriers in a direction substantially orthogonal to the insertion direction into one or more further holding positions in the substrate carrier support structure, and wherein the one or more further holding positions are arranged stack-wise in the substrate carrier support structure and separated by a vertical displacement in a direction parallel to the insertion direction. 
     
     
         8 . The substrate carrier system of  claim 1 , wherein the vertical oven is a low pressure chemical vapor deposition oven or an oxidation oven. 
     
     
         9 . A vertical low pressure chemical vapor deposition oven comprising:
 a substrate carrier configured to carry a plurality of substrates in predefined positions, wherein an angle measured between a main surface of a substrate of the plurality of substrates at one of the predefined positions and a vertical direction is less than 20 degrees.