Abstract: The invention provides a hot plate oven suitable to bake materials on substrates such as flat panel displays and large semiconductor wafers such as 300 mm in diameter and above. The hot plate oven in one embodiment includes an insulated chamber, a heater in the chamber, a door for entry of a substrate, a frame, preferably water cooled, for suspending the substrate above the heater, a substrate lowering mechanism to hold the frame and lower the substrate to a certain height above the heater at least one fluid cooled pin to counteract sag when the substrate is heated, and a set of manifolds and valves to feed and exhaust gases, vapors, and apply a vacuum to the chamber. In another feature, the oven assembly includes a stack of low profile ovens, each having a door on the side for entry of a substrate.

Abstract: The invention provides a hot plate oven and a method suitable to bake materials on substrates such as flat panel displays and large semiconductor wafers such as 300 mm in diameter and above. The hot plate oven in one embodiment includes an insulated chamber, a heater in the chamber, a door for entry of a substrate, a frame, preferably water cooled, for suspending the substrate above the heater, a substrate lowering mechanism to hold the frame and lower the substrate to a certain height above the heater, and a set of manifolds and valves to feed and exhaust gases, vapors, and apply a vacuum to the chamber. In another feature, the oven assembly includes a stack of low profile ovens, each having a door on the side for entry of a substrate.