Rapid thermal processing apparatus for processing semiconductor wafers

A rapid thermal process reactor comprising:

• a rapid thermal process reaction chamber;
• a first rotatable rapid thermal process susceptor having a first surface adapted for mounting a single substrate and a second surface, and a second rotatable rapid thermal process susceptor having a first surface adapted for mounting a plurality of substrates thereon and a second surface wherein only one of said first and second rotatable rapid thermal process susceptors is mounted within the rapid thermal process reaction chamber at a time, and the susceptor is selected based upon whether a single substrate or a plurality of substrates is to be processed and further wherein said one of said first and second rotatable rapid thermal process susceptors mounted within said rapid said thermal process reaction chamber is hereinafter called said rotatable rapid thermal process susceptor;
• and
• a rapid thermal process radiant heat source mounted outside said rapid thermal process reaction chamber so that radiant heat from said rapid thermal process radiant heat source directly heats said one of (i) a single substrate and (ii) a plurality of substrates to a substantially uniform processing temperature in a time period characteristic of a rapid thermal process reactor so that said rapid thermal process reactor can be used for single substrate batches and a plurality of substrates batches.