Abstract: A semiconductor wafer is transported by a mechanical system into or out of a quartz housing filled with a protection gas. The wafer is placed between and spaced apart from two graphite plates. A RF induction coil surrounding the quartz housing is used to heat the graphite plates. Radiation from the heated graphite plates heats the wafer from room temperature to an elevated desired temperature. During the time period when a wafer absorbs radiation primarily through electron-to-electron transition, heat convection and conduction by the protection gas conveys heat from the graphite plates to the wafer to accelerate the heating of the wafer and reduces temperature nonuniformity of the wafer.