Substrate heat treatment apparatus

1. A substrate heat treatment apparatus for heat-treating a substrate, comprising:

a heat-treating plate formed of metal and having a flat upper surface;

support devices arranged on the upper surface of said heat-treating plate and formed entirely of a heat-resistant resin for contacting and supporting the substrate;

wherein said support devices are projections formed on a sheet member for contacting the substrate;

said sheet member being formed of heat-resistant resin and covering said flat upper surface of said heat-treating plate;

a seal device disposed annularly on the upper surface of said heat-treating plate for contacting edges of the substrate to render gastight a space formed between the substrate and said heat-treating plate; and

exhaust bores for exhausting gas from said space;

said exhaust bores extending through said heat-treating plate from said upper surface to an opposite lower surface thereof;

said heat-treating plate having a heating element mounted therein;

said heat-treating plate having a metallic heat transfer portion disposed between said heating element and said upper surface of said heat-treating plate.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein said support devices is porous.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein said projections are arranged to make point contact with the substrate.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 , wherein said projections are arranged regularly.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein said projections are arranged in concentric circles.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 5 , wherein each of said projections has groove portions for allowing communication between regions inside and outside thereof.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein each of said projections has a sectional shape becoming smaller from a lower portion to an upper portion that contacts the substrate.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein said sheet member includes a ring-shaped ridge for contacting the edges of the substrate to render gastight the space formed between the substrate and said heat-treating plate, thereby acting as said seal device.

9. A substrate heat treatment apparatus for heat-treating a substrate, comprising:

a heat-treating plate formed of metal and having a flat upper surface;

support devices arranged on the upper surface of said heat-treating plate and formed entirely of a heat-resistant resin for contacting and supporting the substrate;

a seal device disposed annularly on the upper surface of said heat-treating plate for contacting edges of the substrate to render gastight a space formed between the substrate and said heat-treating plate; and

exhaust bores for exhausting gas from said space;

said exhaust bores extending through said heat-treating plate from said upper surface to an opposite lower surface thereof;

wherein said support devices include granular objects, and a coating layer covering said granular objects, said granular objects and said coating layer being formed of heat-resistant resin, and said coating layer bulging higher in positions where the granular objects are arranged than portions with no granular objects, to contact and support the substrate;

said heat-treating plate having a heating element mounted therein;

said heat-treating plate having a metallic heat transfer portion disposed between said heating element and said upper surface of said heat-treating plate.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 , further comprising a resin layer disposed between said support devices and said heat-treating plate.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 , wherein said support devices are chemical-resistant.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 , wherein said support devices are formed of one of polyimide, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyphenylene sulphide (PPS),polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyethersulfone (PES), polysulfone (PSF), polyetherimide (PEI), and heat-resistant rubber materials.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 , wherein said seal device is heat-resistant and elastic.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 , wherein said seal device has a height exceeding a height of the support devices.

15. A substrate heat treatment apparatus for heat-treating a substrate, comprising:

a heat-treating plate formed of metal and having a flat upper surface;

support devices disposed above the upper surface of said heat-treating plate for contacting and supporting the substrate;

wherein said support devices are projections formed on a sheet member for contacting the substrate;

said sheet member being formed of a heat-resistant resin and covering said flat upper surface of said heat-treating plate, comprising a structure formed entirely of a heat-resistant resin, for providing thermal conduction from said heat-treating plate to said substrate that is limited by a thermal conductivity of said heat-resistant resin;

a seal device disposed annularly on the upper surface of said heat-treating plate for contacting edges of the substrate to render gastight a space formed between the substrate and said heat-treating plate; and

exhaust bores for exhausting gas from said space;

said exhaust bores extending through said heat-treating plate from said upper surface to an opposite lower surface thereof;

said heat-treating plate having a heating element mounted therein;

said heat-treating plate having a metallic heat transfer portion disposed between said heating element and said upper surface of said heat-treating plate.

16. A substrate heat treatment apparatus for heat-treating a substrate, comprising:

a heat-treating plate formed of metal and having a flat upper surface;

support devices disposed above the upper surface of said heat-treating plate for contacting and supporting the substrate, comprising a structure formed entirely of a heat-resistant resin, for providing thermal conduction from said heat-treating plate to said substrate that is limited by a thermal conductivity of said heat-resistant resin;

wherein said support devices include granular objects, and a coating layer covering said granular objects, said granular objects and said coating layer being formed of a heat-resistant resin, and said coating layer bulging higher in positions where the granular objects are arranged than portions with no granular objects, to contact and support the substrate;

a seal device disposed annularly on the upper surface of said heat-treating plate for contacting edges of the substrate to render gastight a space formed between the substrate and said heat-treating plate; and

exhaust bores for exhausting gas from said space;

said exhaust bores extending through said heat-treating plate from said upper surface to an opposite lower surface thereof;

said heat-treating plate having a heating element mounted therein;

said heat-treating plate having a metallic heat transfer portion disposed between said heating element and said upper surface of said heat-treating plate.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein said support devices are chemical-resistant.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein said support devices are formed of one of polyimide, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyphenylene sulphide (PPS), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyethersulfone (PES), polysulfone (PSF), polyetherimide (PEI), and heat- resistant rubber materials.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein said seal device is heat-resistant and elastic.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein said seal device has a height exceeding a height of the support devices.

21. A substrate heat treatment apparatus for heat-treating a substrate, comprising:

a heat-treating plate formed of metal and having a flat upper surface;

a support and seal member including a base covering said flat upper surface of said heat-treating plate, a plurality of projections on said base, and a ring-shaped ridge on said base;

wherein said support and seal member is formed of resin;

said plurality of projections contact the substrate;

said ring-shaped ridge contacts edges of the substrate to render gastight a space formed between the substrate and said heat-treating plate; and

said ring-shaped ridge is formed integral with said base and said plurality of projections; and

exhaust bores for exhausting gas from said space;

said exhaust bores extending through said heat-treating plate from said upper surface to an opposite lower surface thereof;

said heat-treating plate having a heating element mounted therein;

said heat-treating plate having a metallic heat transfer portion disposed between said heating element and said upper surface of said heat-treating plate.

22. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein:

said heat transfer portion has a plurality of heat pipes embedded therein; and

cooling grooves are formed between the plurality of heat pipes for circulating a cooling fluid.

23. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 , wherein:

said heat transfer portion has a plurality of heat pipes embedded therein; and

cooling grooves are formed between the plurality of heat pipes for circulating a cooling fluid.

24. An apparatus as defined in claim 15 , wherein:

said heat transfer portion has a plurality of heat pipes embedded therein; and

cooling grooves are formed between the plurality of heat pipes for circulating a cooling fluid.

25. An apparatus as defined in claim 16 , wherein:

said heat transfer portion has a plurality of heat pipes embedded therein; and

cooling grooves are formed between the plurality of heat pipes for circulating a cooling fluid.

26. An apparatus as defined in claim 21 , wherein:

said heat transfer portion has a plurality of heat pipes embedded therein; and

cooling grooves are formed between the plurality of heat pipes for circulating a cooling fluid.