Compact substrate heater for use in an oxidizing atmosphere

A substrate heater for growing at least one thin film on a substrate in an oxidizing atmosphere comprising:

• a heating element fabricated from a material having resistive properties to provide sufficient heat to reach a desired operating temperature to assure said growing said at least one thin film on said substrate;
• a main body portion provided with a surface to mount said heating element thereon, said main body portion being fabricated from a material having the properties of being electrically insulating and of having a high thermal conductivity to assure a thermal conduction of said sufficient heat;
• and
• a substrate holder portion fabricated from a material having a high thermal conductivity property to assure a uniform said thermal conduction of said sufficient heat from said main body portion to said substrate holder, said substrate holder being shaped and disposed to accommodate at least a part of said main body portion in a contiguously abutting relationship and further being shaped to provide a flat substrate holder surface on which said substrate is affixed in a contiguously abutting relationship to assure the direct said uniform said thermal conduction of said sufficient heat therebetween thereby permitting said growing said at least one thin film on said substrate.