Patent ID: 9383138
Filing Date: 2016-07-05
CPC Classification: F27B

Claim Text:
1. A method for heating a substrate inside a processing chamber, the substrate having a backside, the method comprising: supporting the substrate in a spaced relationship with a support surface inside the processing chamber with the backside of the substrate separated from the support surface by a heat exchange gap filled by a first gas at approximately atmospheric pressure and peripherally encircled by a side purge ring arranged relative to the support surface; forming a loose seal between the backside of the substrate and the side purge ring; introducing a second gas into the heat exchange gap from the side purge ring thereby displacing the first gas from the heat exchange gap, the side purge ring having a plurality of ports oriented radially inward toward the heat exchange gap, the second gas having a higher thermal conductivity than the first gas for increasing thermal conductance between the substrate and the support surface; and transferring heat energy from the support surface through the second gas in the heat exchange gap and to the backside of the substrate for use in heating the substrate.