Method of heating and cooling large area glass substrates

A method for heating or cooling glass substrates in a vacuum chamber, comprising:

• a) providing a plurality of heat conductive shelves in contact with interior sidewalls of a cassette in the vacuum chamber to conduct heat to and from the shelves to heat or cool the glass substrates by radiant heating or cooling;
• b) supporting the glass substrates on dielectric supports to provide a gap between the glass substrates and the shelves to minimize direct thermal contact between the shelves and the glass substrates;
• and
• c) at least one of heating or cooling the interior sidewalls to heat the glass substrates to a temperature of about 350.degree.-400.degree. C. or to cool the glass substrates to ambient temperature from a temperature of about 350.degree.-400.degree. C. at a rate to avoid thermal stress in the glass substrates.

A method of heating or cooling substrates in a vacuum system, comprising:

• a) providing a plurality of thermally-conductive shelves in contact with interior sidewalls of a cassette in a vacuum chamber so that heat is conducted to said conductive shelves;
• b) supporting the substrates on dielectric supports mounted on said conductive shelves to provide a gap between the substrates and said shelves, thereby avoiding direct contact of the substrates with said shelves;
• c) changing the temperature of the interior sidewalls to effect heating of the substrates to a temperature of about 350.degree.-400.degree. C.;
• d) transferring the substrates one-at-a-time to a film processing chamber;
• e) depositing one or more thin films on a substrate in said film processing chamber;
• f) transferring the substrate from said film processing chamber to a cooling chamber under vacuum and positioning the substrate in a cassette in said cooling chamber by supporting said substrate on dielectric supports mounted on thermally-conductive shelves of said cassette in said cooling chamber so the substrate is interleaved with said shelves, and a gap is formed between the substrate and said shelves;
• and
• g) radiantly cooling the substrate.