PURPOSE: To enable semiconductor wafers when arranged even in a large number to be rapidly inserted into or extracted from a furnace by sorting out holders which control a semiconductor wafer support by every wafer and by arraying each holder movably.

CONSTITUTION: A wafer supporter comprises an upper board 2, support posts 3 fixed ot it and extending in a vertical direction, and a lower board 4 arranged in parallel and movable along the support post 3. Between the upper board 2 and the lower board lay holders through support posts. That is, holders 5 which control support of semiconductor wafers are sorted out by every semiconductor wafer to be supported and arrayed movably along a direction vertical to the main face of a semiconductor wafer. The holder 5 which control support of semiconductor wafers are suspended from one fixed at the end of one of these arrays. This design can shorten a wafer gap when the semiconductor wafer supporter is inserted or extracted and make increases in the number of loaded wafers compatible with their rapid insertion or extraction.