Appeal No. 2002-0697
Application No. 09/625,857
description of the kiln in the appellant’s specification,
accurately portrays Okase’s thermal treatment apparatus S1.
Since this apparatus functions to process batches of
semiconductor wafers W (see Okase at column 1, lines 29 through
32), it constitutes a “batch-type kiln” as broadly recited in
claim 21. The appellant’s position to the contrary rests on an
improper reading of limitations from the specification into the
claim.
Shimada discloses a semiconductor wafer/substrate processing
apparatus which differs from Okase’s apparatus in that it is
employed to carry out dry etching and ashing operations. The
Shimada apparatus comprises
a process tube for enclosing a plurality of substrates;
means for introducing a process gas into the process
tube; means for exhausting the process gas from the
process tube; electrode means arranged along the outer
circumference of the process tube and serving to
generate a high frequency electric field, when power is
supplied, in a process-gas-introduced region to make
the process gas into plasma; first power supply means
for supplying power to the electrode means; heater
means arranged in the process tube to directly heat the
plural substrates, second power supply means for
supplying power to the heater means; and means for
controlling the amount of power supplied from the
second power supply means to the heater means [column
2, lines 32 through 47].
In the illustrated version of the Shimada apparatus, the
means for introducing the process gas into the process tube takes
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