Thermally zoned substrate holder assembly

A method for rapid control of a substrate temperature in a processing system during one or more processing steps, said processing system including a thermally zoned substrate holder controlled by a temperature control system configured to manipulate the temperature gradient across said substrate, the method comprising:

• placing a substrate on a top surface of a substrate holder in said processing system;
• clamping said substrate to said top surface of said substrate holder;
• circulating a fluid at a specified temperature through each channel in an array of concentrically arranged channels formed in said substrate holder;
• applying an electrical signal to each electrical temperature control element in an array of concentrically arranged electrical temperature control elements formed in said substrate holder between said top surface of said substrate holder and said array of concentrically arranged channels;
• supplying a gas to each annular plenum space in an array of annular plenum spaces formed between adjacent channels in said array of concentrically arranged channels, each annular plenum space also extending between adjacent electrical temperature control elements in said array of concentrically arranged electrical temperature control elements;
• and
• introducing said gas in each annular plenum space of said array of annular spaces through said top surface to the backside of said substrate.