Patent ID: 7449071

Claim:
A method of loading a wafer into a processing chamber having a temperature higher than that of the wafer, comprising: positioning a wafer onto a lift ring within a processing chamber such that a bottom outer peripheral surface of the wafer is supported by a substantially flat upper wafer support surface of the lift ring, the upper wafer support surface being a top surface of the lift ring, the lift ring forming a substantially closed ring, the lift ring having a central aperture configured so that only a peripheral portion of the wafer makes contact with the lift ring, wherein the contact between the peripheral portion of the wafer and the lift ring extends along an elongated portion of the circumference of the wafer; lowering the lift ring into surrounding engagement with an inner plug having a top surface, so that the inner plug is positioned within the central aperture of the lift ring and so that the top surface of the inner plug and the upper wafer support surface of the lift ring are generally coplanar, at least one of said top surface and said upper wafer support surface supporting a bottom surface of the wafer; and rotating the lift ring and the inner plug together about a vertical axis.