Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus of the present invention includes a reaction tube, an exhaust unit for reducing the pressure in the reaction tube, a unit for introducing gas for heating or cooling a subject substrate disposed in the reaction tube, a light source for heating the subject substrate disposed in the reaction tube, and a unit for switching on/off the light source in a pulse form. Furthermore, the subject substrate is heated by a light source, using a first unit for heating the subject substrate by switching on/off the light source in a pulse form with a cycle of one second or shorter, and a second unit for heating the subject substrate by switching on/off the light source in a pulse form with a cycle of one second or longer.

Abstract: An ultra-high-temperature heat treatment apparatus includes an electric furnace, a furnace tube made of porous SiC/CVD-SiC, a heat-insulating apparatus fitted into the furnace tube for interrupting heat conduction from the furnace tube, a contamination control apparatus disposed beneath the furnace tube for preventing contamination in the furnace tube, and a separator mechanism for separating a wafer, subject to heat treatment in the furnace tube, from an annular holder. The electric furnace includes a heater comprised of heater elements which are replaceable independently of each other. Each heater element includes a heat-generating portion disposed along the inner wall face of the heat insulator so as not to be in close contact therewith, and a fixture portion fixed to the heat insulator. This heater construction makes it possible to reduce heater repair costs, suppress reactions between the heat-generating portions and the heat insulator, and suppress a contraction of the heat insulator.

Abstract: Uniformity of temperature is established within a wafer, and a higher throughput is achieved while the wafer heating time is dramatically reduced by combining lamp heating with hot-wall heating. Lamps 10 are provided outside the furnace body 3 of a hot-wall CVD apparatus. The hot-wall reactor furnace body 3 is preheated to a prescribed temperature. Wafers W are loaded into the furnace body 3, and these wafers W are rapidly heated immediately thereafter to the desired temperature by light emitted by the lamps 10. The lamps 10 are switched off following heating, and the wafer temperature is allowed to reach a uniform state as a result of heat diffusion in the wafers in the hot-wall reactor furnace body 3.

Abstract: A thermal reflow processing system has a rotatable structure to which articles having a reflowable surface are attached. The structure is coupled to a drive motor which causes the structure to rotate at speeds which generate centripetal forces in excess of that of gravity. The system is equipped with at least one radiant heat source. As the articles are being subjected to a centripetal force, the surface is heated by the radiant heat source. In a preferred embodiment, the structure is a hermetically-sealable chamber which can be pressurized or evacuated. The articles, which may be semiconductor wafers, are positioned on the rotating structure such that the surface to be reflowed faces both the heat source and the structure's rotational axis. In the case of circular semiconductor wafers, the wafers are positioned such that the planar surface of each wafer is centered on and perpendicular to a radius of the cylindrical chamber.

Abstract: There is now provided a kitchen stove for preparing food, and an oven for preparing food. The stove or oven has a heating arrangement to make the cleaning of the stove or oven easier for a user particularly at the viewing window of the oven.

Abstract: A method is provided for the rapid. cooling of a processed semiconductor wafer after a wafer heating by radiation process. The method includes the introduction of a radiation absorbing material element between the processed wafer and highly reflective surfaces—after a wafer heating by radiation process. The highly reflective surfaces reflect and re-direct radiant energy from the processed wafer and its surrounding components back to the processed wafer, impeding its cooling process. The radiation-absorbing material element, once between the processed wafer and the highly reflective surfaces, absorbs radiation from the processed wafer and its surrounding components, expediting their cooling process. Accordingly, significant time is saved for the cooling process, thus improving overall wafer throughput.

Abstract: A thermal reactor has a processing tube with a multiple-walled inner chamber. The geometry of the multiple-walled inner chamber having flow passageways between the walls, directs the flow of heat to the wafers loaded in the wafer boats for maintaining a flat zone temperature profile. The thermal budget, TB, which is a function of time and temperature, at each vertical zone in the processing tube is substantially equal in all zones.

Abstract: A rod-shaped heater provided is composed of a carbon wire heating element 2 sealed in a small or large diameter quartz glass tube, a small diameter quartz glass tube portions 3a and 3b charged with compressed wire carbon members at opposite ends thereof; a sealed terminal section 10 having connection lines 11a and 11b for power supply held between the compressed wire carbon members charged in the small diameter quartz glass tube. The connection lines and the carbon wire heating element are electrically connected by way of the wire carbon members. This rod-shaped heater using the carbon wire heating element is suitable for readily raising the temperature of the agent in the storage tank of the wet etching agent or the grinding agent.

Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus and a substrate processing apparatus having the heat treatment apparatus incorporated therein are provided. Nitrogen gas flowing through a gas inlet (16) into a chamber (15) is diffused by a diffusion filter (18) to produce a uniform laminar flow in a horizontal direction, and the laminar flow exits from the chamber (15) through an opening (41) to prevent outside air from entering the chamber (15), thereby maintaining a low oxygen concentration atmosphere within the chamber (15). Performing heat treatment upon a substrate by a heater (30) within the chamber (15) prevents oxygen molecules from being introduced into a film on the substrate to provide a low dielectric constant of the film. Within the chamber (15), the substrate (W) held on a transport arm (60) in which a coolant is circulated is rapidly cooled down. Thus, processing time is shortened, and high processing efficiency is provided.

Abstract: A thermal processing apparatus includes a cooling water passage in a circumferential wall of a processing vessel such that the cooling water passage extends from a water inlet port to a turn-around point along the circumferential wall in a first direction and further from the turn-around point to a water exit port in a second, opposite direction.

Abstract: A system and process is disclosed for rapidly heating semiconductor wafers coated with a highly reflective material on either the whole wafer or in a patterned area. The wafers are heated in a thermal processing chamber by a plurality of lamps. In order for the wafer coated with the highly reflective material to more rapidly increase in temperature with lower power intensity, a shield member is placed in between the wafer and the plurality of lamps. The shield member is made from a high emissivity material, such as ceramic, that increases in temperature when exposed to light energy. Once heated, the shield member then in turn heats the semiconductor wafer with higher uniformity. In one embodiment, the shield member can also be used to determine the temperature of the wafer as it is heated.

Abstract: A vertical heat-processing apparatus includes a surrounding member, which surrounds a process chamber and a heater. The surrounding member forms a heating space around the process chamber. The heating space has zones juxtaposed in a vertical direction. Temperature sensors are arranged to detect temperatures respectively representing the zones. Supply pipes are arranged to respectively supply a cooling gas to the zones. The supply pipes are respectively provided with valves controlled by a controller. The controller adjusts opening degrees of the valves such that a flow velocity of the cooling gas in a first zone having a lower cooling rate becomes higher than a flow velocity of the cooling gas in a second zone having a higher cooling rate used as a reference.

Abstract: A multi-stage heating furnace for drying large-sized substrates arranged in a stack, including a furnace body, and shelf heaters arranged within the furnace body such that the shelf heaters are spaced from each other in a vertical direction at a predetermined spacing pitch and such that adjacent ones of the shelf heaters partially define drying chambers for accommodating the respective substrates, wherein each shelf heater consists of a far-infrared-radiation panel heater of double-side heating type including a heat radiating plate in which a heat-generating body is embedded, and the panel heater has opposite major surfaces covered with respective thin ceramic layers which emit a far infrared radiation when the heat radiating plate is heated by energization of the heat-generating body.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate processing system and method using a stable heating source with a large thermal mass relative to conventional lamp heated systems. The system dimensions and processing parameters are selected to provide a substantial heat flux to the wafer while minimizing heat loss to the surrounding environment (particularly from the edges of the heat source and wafer). The heat source provides a wafer temperature uniformity profile that has a low variance across temperature ranges at low pressures. A resistively heated block is substantially enclosed within an insulated vacuum cavity used to heat the wafer. Insulating walls comprising a reflective material, such as polished tungsten, encapsulated within an inert insulating material such as quartz, may be used to provide insulation. The isothermal nature of the processing region may be enhanced by using multiple layers of insulating walls, actively heated insulating walls or a conductive gas to enhance heat transfer to the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A cooking oven comprises a cavity having a separating and insulating plate which can be inserted horizontally in the cavity in order to split it in two sub-cavities. Each sub-cavity has heating elements on its side walls. The oven sub-cavities can be singularly or separately and this increases flexibility in use.

Abstract: An apparatus for the rapid thermal processing of a semiconductor wafer is disclosed. The apparatus includes a preheat unit for preheating a gas composition, and a RTP reactor having a processing chamber and a heat source for heating the wafer. The processing chamber has a wafer holder, and a gas inlet and a gas outlet through which the preheated gas composition flows in and out of the processing chamber.

Abstract: An oven device for final finishing of a food item includes an oven housing defining a heating cavity configured to receive at least one food item to be heated, and an upper heating unit within the oven housing above the heating cavity. The upper heating unit includes a heating element that generates radiant heat directed onto the food item in the heating cavity. The oven housing includes at least one reflective panel for distributing radiant heat within the heating cavity. The upper heating element includes a rapidly-heating, high-intensity heating element capable of being cycled on for final finishing of the food item when the food item is received in the heating cavity, and capable of being cycled off when final finishing is not being performed. The final finishing typically includes browning a top surface of the food item, or melting a topping onto the top surface of the food item.

Abstract: The heat treatment apparatus of the present invention comprises a chamber, a hot plate for supporting and heating a substrate in a chamber, a gas supply mechanism having a single or a plurality of gas blow-out ports and arranged in an upper space above the hot plate in the chamber, for supplying a gas along the substrate so as to cover the substrate placed on the hot plate, and an exhaust mechanism having a single or a plurality of gas converge/exhaust ports which face the gas blow-out ports with the hot plate interposed therebetween, for converging and exhausting the gas blown out from the gas blow-out ports, from the chamber, the gas converge/exhaust ports having an effective exhaustion opening length L2 which is shorter than an effective blow-out opening length L1.

Abstract: A semiconductor processing system includes a process chamber and an assembly of radiant energy sources. The radiant energy assembly is filled with a thermally conductive gas to cool the radiant energy sources.

Abstract: A system for uniformly and controllably heating the active surface of a semiconductor wafer or substrate during processing. The present invention may include a radiation energy source provided, which is enclosed or substantially surrounded by a reflective/absorptive surface, which both reflects and absorbs the radiation, emitted from the energy source. In accordance with the present invention, the resultant energy output as seen by the wafer is substantially free of non-uniformity.

Abstract: A system and method for efficiently implementing a thermal processing chamber may preferably include a bottom insert positioned within a bottom cover and a top insert positioned within a top cover. The bottom insert and the top insert may preferably be formed of one or more thermally-insulating materials that possess optimal heat-resistive characteristics. The foregoing bottom insert and top insert are positionable in a closed position of the thermal processing chamber to form an interior insulated region within the thermal processing chamber. A heater formed of one or more heater materials with minimal thermal capacity properties may then be positioned within the interior insulated region of the thermal processing chamber to generate heat energy during a heating cycle. The heat energy is thereby substantially confined within the interior insulated region of the thermal processing chamber during the heating cycle.

Abstract: A portable cooking oven utilizes heat lamps to provide a low temperature slow cooking system. Independently operated dimmer control switches provide temperature control by controlling the power supplied to selected heat lamps.

Abstract: An enclosed cooking system including a housing having a top wall, a bottom wall, a back wall, opposed side walls, and an open front. The bottom wall has a stove burner element positioned thereon. The stove burner element has a corresponding heating element. A ventilation fan is disposed within the top wall of the housing. The ventilation fan includes a replaceable filter slidably disposed within the top wall of the housing. A control panel is secured within the open front of the housing. The control panel is in communication with the heating element and the ventilation fan.

Abstract: A method is provide for measuring electromagnetic radiation radiated from a surface of an object that is irradiated by electromagnetic radiation given off by at least one radiation source. The radiation given off by the radiation source is determined by at least one first detector, and the radiation given off by the irradiated object is determined by at least one second detector that measures the radiation. The radiation from the at least one radiation source is actively modulated with at least one characteristic pyrometer. The radiation determined by the second detector is corrected with the radiation determined by the first detector to compensate for the radiation of the radiation source reflected from the object.

Abstract: A thermal processing apparatus includes a reaction vessel into which an object to be processed is conveyed, a furnace body disposed so as to surround the reaction vessel, and a heater disposed in a region surrounding the reaction vessel in the furnace body. The heater includes heating elements, each having a sealing member made of a ceramic material and a linear flexible resistance heat generating member sealed by the sealing member.

Abstract: In a broad aspect, the invention is a conveyorized oven for heating food products comprising: a cavity having two continuous access openings; a convection heating source, the convection heating source including a heating element, a blower, and a plenum in communication with the cavity, the convection heating source providing heated air to the cavity; an upper radiant energy heating source in communication with the cavity, the upper radiant energy heating source including an infrared light source and at least one reflector providing radiant energy to the cavity; a lower radiant energy heating source in communication with the cavity, the lower radiant energy heating source providing radiant energy to the cavity; and a conveyor system for transporting food products through the first continuous access opening, the cavity, and the second continuous access opening at a rate of speed sufficient to allow the food products to be heated.

Abstract: A system and process is disclosed for rapidly heating semiconductor wafers coated with a highly reflective material on either the whole wafer or in a patterned area. The wafers are heated in a thermal processing chamber by a plurality of lamps. In order for the wafer coated with the highly reflective material to more rapidly increase in temperature with lower power intensity, a shield member is placed in between the wafer and the plurality of lamps. The shield member is made from a high emissivity material, such as ceramic, that increases in temperature when exposed to light energy. Once heated, the shield member then in turn heats the semiconductor wafer with higher uniformity. In one embodiment, the shield member can also be used to determine the temperature of the wafer as it is heated.

Abstract: A quartz window decreases an amount of absorption of heat from a heat source while maintaining a pressure difference between the pressure inside a process chamber and an atmospheric pressure. The process chamber defines a process space for processing an object to be processes. A placement stage is provided in the process chamber so as to place the object to be processed thereon. A gas supply part which supplies to the process chamber a process gas for processing the object to be processed. The quartz window is provided as a part of the process chamber so that the quartz window is opposite to the object to be processed placed on the placement stage. A heating unit has a heat radiation lamp provided on an opposite side of the process chamber with respect to the light-transmitting window. The quartz window constitutes a convex lens part which is formed on a periphery of the quartz window and protrudes into the process space.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for thermal processing of semiconductor wafers. The apparatus and method provide the temperature stability and uniformity of a conventional batch furnace as well as the processing speed and reduced time-at-temperature of a lamp-heated rapid thermal processor (RTP). Individual wafers are rapidly inserted into and withdrawn from a furnace cavity held at a nearly constant and isothermal temperature. The speeds of insertion and withdrawal are sufficiently large to limit thermal stresses and thereby reduce or prevent plastic deformation of the wafer as it enters and leaves the furnace. By processing the semiconductor wafer in a substantially isothermal cavity, the wafer temperature and spatial uniformity of the wafer temperature can be ensured by measuring and controlling only temperatures of the cavity walls.

Abstract: The oven includes a housing and a support member located in the housing for supporting food to be cooked. A lower electrical heating element is located below the support member. Two laterally spaced apart upper electrical heating elements are supported above the support member and the food to be cooked. An electrical system is provided for supplying electrical power to the lower electrical heating element and to the two upper electrical heating elements. A control unit is provided for controlling electrical power applied to the lower heating element and to the two upper electrical heating elements to allow electrical power to be applied to each of the two upper electrical heating elements simultaneous or separately. The control unit includes a controller in which is stored a plurality of menus with each menu being assigned given cooking time and power level parameters for controlling electrical power to the upper heating elements for operating these heating elements either separately or together.

Abstract: A semiconductor processing system including a printed circuit board structure for delivering power to an assembly of radiant energy sources. The printed circuit board structure, in one configuration, forms an evacuable housing for the assembly of radiant energy sources.

Abstract: A method of detecting a temperature of an object in a multiple-reflection environment by a radiation pyrometer includes the steps of detecting a radiation strength emitted from a target region of an object, applying a correction to the radiation strength so as to correct the effect of multiple reflections of a radiation emitted from the object, applying a correction to the radiation strength so as to correct a reflection loss caused at an end surface of an optical medium interposed between the object and a sensing head of the pyrometer, applying a correction to the radiation strength with regard to an optical absorption loss caused in the optical medium, and applying a correction to the radiation strength with regard to a stray radiation coming in to the sensing head from a source other than the target region of the object.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device capable of cooking food products in a short time so as to concentrate the emitted light on the food product using a lamp emitting light in an infrared region. More particularly, it is capable of cooking the food product in a short time by concentrating light in the visible light region within a wavelength range of more than 1.35 &mgr;m on the food product using a luminous unit for emitting light in the infrared light region and a reflecting plate for concentrating the emitted light in the infrared light region.

Abstract: A wafer support system comprising a segmented susceptor having top and bottom sections and gas flow passages therethrough. A plurality of spacers projecting from a recess formed in the top section of the susceptor support a wafer in spaced relationship with respect to the recess. A sweep gas is introduced to the bottom section of the segmented susceptor and travels through the gas flow passages to exit in at least one circular array of outlets in the recess and underneath the spaced wafer. The sweep gas travels radially outward between the susceptor and wafer to prevent back-side contamination of the wafer. The gas is delivered through a hollow drive shaft and into a multi-armed susceptor support underneath the susceptor. The support arms conduct the sweep gas from the drive shaft to the gas passages in the segmented susceptor. The gas passages are arranged to heat the sweep gas prior to delivery underneath the wafer.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate processing system and method of using a stable heating source with a large thermal mass relative to conventional lamp heating systems. The system dimensions and processing parameters are selected to provide a substantial heat flux to the substrate while reducing the potential of heat loss to the surrounding environment, particularly from the edges of the heat source and substrate. Aspects of the present invention include a dual resistive heater system comprising a base or primary heater, surrounded by a peripheral or edge heater. The impedance of the edge heater may be substantially matched to that of the primary heater such that a single power supply may be used to supply power to both heaters. Both resistive heaters deliver heat to a heated block, and the heaters and heated block are substantially enclosed within an insulated cavity. The walls of the insulated cavity may include multiple layers of insulation, and these layers may be substantially concentrically arranged.

Abstract: A process for the heat treatment of semiconductor wafers, preferably monocrystalline ultrapure silicon wafers, using an upper and a lower heat source, which can be a plurality of upper and a plurality of lower lamps or banks of lamps. In the process chamber of an RTP system, the heat treatment is carried out on at least two wafers which are arranged parallel above one another, spaced apart, and are identical in terms of geometrical dimensions and thermal material properties.

Abstract: An electric toaster oven having a housing, a heating element connected to the housing, a reflector connected to the housing, and an object supporting rack connected to the housing and forming an article receiving area between the rack and the housing for receiving an article to be heated. The rack has a stepped profile with raised side sections connected to the housing and a lower main section. A lower area of the article receiving area is defined by a top of the lower main section. The reflector has a generally inverted V shaped side profile with a generally concave area facing the heating element.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for uniformly and controllably heating the active surface of a semiconductor wafer during processing. The present invention includes a scanner assembly, which is operable to scan over a single semiconductor wafer. A radiation energy source is provided enclosed within the main body of the scanner assembly. The radiation energy source may be surrounded by a reflective/absorptive surface, which reflects and absorbs the emitted radiation, such that the resultant energy output is substantially free of non-uniformities. The reflected energy is directed through a slit in the scanner assembly to the wafer. The narrow wavelength band of energy allowed to escape the scanner assembly is uniformly scanned over the wafer to heat only the active layer of the wafer surface.

Abstract: A thermal compensation system for an oven including at least one visible light cooking element includes a thermistor in thermal communication with an oven cavity, and a microcomputer coupled to the thermistor and operatively connected to the cooking element from control thereof. When the oven cavity temperature exceeds a minimum threshold prior to cooking operation, the microcomputer reduces a power level of the cooking unit to compensate for latent heat in the oven cavity and avoid overcooking the food.

Abstract: A thermal reflow processing system has a rotatable structure to which articles having a reflowable surface are attached. The structure is coupled to a drive motor which causes the structure to rotate at speeds which generate centripetal forces in excess of that of gravity. The system is equipped with at least one radiant heat source. As the articles are being subjected to a centripetal force, the surface is heated by the radiant heat source. In a preferred embodiment, the structure is a hermetically-sealable chamber which can be pressurized or evacuated. The articles, which may be semiconductor wafers, are positioned on the rotating structure such that the surface to be reflowed faces both the heat source and the structure's rotational axis. In the case of circular semiconductor wafers, the wafers are positioned such that the planar surface of each wafer is centered on and perpendicular to a radius of the cylindrical chamber.

Abstract: An electric baking oven includes an open mesh vertically oriented baking basket to hold food while the food is baked in air by a programmed combination of radiant and convective and conductive energy transfer. An electrical programming control controls the energy from vertically oriented toaster heating elements located juxtaposed to the large vertical faces of the basket and from at least one elongated heating member located below the vertical baking basket with the axis of the elongated heating member oriented nominally horizontal and parallel to the longer horizontal axis of the vertically oriented baking basket.

Abstract: Floating wafer provided with heating elements which, by means of a controller, keep the walls of the floating wafer reactor at the desired temperature. By means of the sensors arranged in the walls, this temperate is kept substantially constant. To compensate for the temperature drop occurring during the entering of a wafer, which is caused by the absorption of warmth by the comparatively cold wafer, and to limit temperature variation in the processing area as much as possible, it is proposed to immediately supply an amount of energy to the heating elements, independently of the reaction of the sensors, during entering of the wafer.

Abstract: A system for uniformly and controllably heating the active surface of a semiconductor wafer or substrate during processing. The present invention may include a radiation energy source provided, which is enclosed or substantially surrounded by a reflective/absorptive surface, which both reflects and absorbs the radiation, emitted from the energy source. In accordance with the present invention, the resultant energy output as seen by the wafer is substantially free of non-uniformity.

Abstract: A thermal processing apparatus includes a cooling water passage in a circumferential wall of a processing vessel such that the cooling water passage extends from a water inlet port to a turn-around point along the circumferential wall in a first direction and further from the turn-around point to a water exit port in a second, opposite direction.

Abstract: A system and process is disclosed for rapidly heating semiconductor wafers coated with a highly reflective material on either the whole wafer or in a patterned area. The wafers are heated in a thermal processing chamber by a plurality of lamps. In order for the wafer coated with the highly reflective material to more rapidly increase in temperature with lower power intensity, a shield member is placed in between the wafer and the plurality of lamps. The shield member is made from a high emissivity material, such as ceramic, that increases in temperature when exposed to light energy. Once heated, the shield member then in turn heats the semiconductor wafer with higher uniformity. In one embodiment, the shield member can also be used to determine the temperature of the wafer as it is heated.

Abstract: An apparatus for the thermal treatment of substrates is provided. The apparatus includes a reaction chamber, at least one elongated heat source, and at least one reflection wall that is disposed adjacent to the heat source and serves to reflect at least a portion of the radiation given off thereby. The reflection wall has at least one rib, and the heat source is disposed at an oblique angle to the longitudinal direction of the rib.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing semiconductor devices includes a main chamber with a main heater for heating the main chamber and a single preliminary chamber, which is cylindrically shaped and is provided under the main chamber. The preliminary chamber is separated by a shutter from the main chamber and has a preliminary heater for heating the preliminary chamber. The preliminary chamber has at least a pair of doors.

Abstract: A multi-stage heating furnace for drying large-sized substrates arranged in a stack, including a furnace body, and shelf heaters arranged within the furnace body such that the shelf heaters are spaced from each other in a vertical direction at a predetermined spacing pitch and such that adjacent ones of the shelf heaters partially define drying chambers for accommodating the respective substrates, wherein each shelf heater consists of a far-infrared-radiation panel heater of double-side heating type including a heat radiating plate in which a heat-generating body is embedded, and the panel heater has opposite major surfaces covered with respective thin ceramic layers which emit a far infrared radiation when the heat radiating plate is heated by energization of the heat-generating body.

Abstract: A radiant oven for treating a web of material has oven chambers, electric radiant heaters and buffer plates. The material treated in the oven chamber is isolated from the heaters by the buffer plates. The buffer plates also prevent solvent vapors from reaching the heaters. This invention allows the use of nonclassified electric radiant heaters to treat material in a classified oven chamber.

Abstract: A control system and method for variable ramp rate operation of a heater or integrated heating and cooling plate is provided. The control system obtains a calibration signal for a specific thermal cycling profile and for a specific heater, by exposing a calibration wafer having temperature sensors coupled thereto to a predetermined thermal cycling profile. During the calibration process, the temperature sensed by one or more sensors positioned on the heater, or on a thermally conductive plate coupled to the heater is recorded, as is the signal output to the heater. Preferably the position of the wafer relative to the heating mechanism, and the flow of cooling fluid to the heating mechanism are also recorded as part of the calibration signal. When the calibration signal is executed during production processing, the heating mechanism, fluid flow and/or lift pin position can be adjusted based on feedback from the temperature sensors positioned on the heater or on the conductive plate.