Thermal process station with heated lid

A thermal process station for thermally processing a workpiece, the station comprising:

• a housing comprising a heated lid assembly and a bottom housing assembly that closably engages the heated lid assembly;
• a process chamber inside the housing defined at least in part by the heated lid assembly and the bottom housing assembly;
• a lid chamber inside the heated lid assembly;
• a heat source positioned inside the lid chamber in a manner such that the heat source is in thermal contact with the process chamber;
• and
• a heated platen inside the process chamber on which the workpiece is supported during a thermal treatment.

A thermal process station for thermally processing a workpiece, the station comprising:

• a heated lid assembly closeably engaging a bottom housing assembly;
• a processing chamber defined at least in part by the bottom housing assembly;
• at least a portion of an inlet plenum system in the heated lid assembly comprising a gas flow path in fluid communication with the processing chamber;
• and
• at least a portion of an exhaust plenum system in the heated lid assembly comprising a gas flow path in fluid communication with the process chamber, wherein at least one of the inlet and exhaust plenum systems comprises a plurality of radial flow channels.

A method of improving the thermal uniformity of a workpiece during a thermal treatment, comprising the steps of:

• providing a first heat source having a first heating face;
• providing a second heat source having a second heating face, wherein the first and second heating faces are opposed to each other such that at least part of the space between the first and second heat source define a process chamber;
• providing an inlet plenum system comprising a gas flow path in fluid communication with the process chamber and an exhaust plenum system comprising a gas flow path in fluid communication with the process chamber, wherein at least one of the inlet and exhaust plenum systems comprises a plurality of radial flow channels;
• and
• positioning the workpiece between the first and second, opposed heating faces during at least a portion of the thermal treatment.

A thermal process station for thermally processing a workpiece, the station comprising:

• an enclosed process chamber in which a heated platen is positioned, the heated platen having a face over which the workpiece is positioned during a thermal treatment;
• and
• a lid assembly comprising:
• a first stage comprising a lid chamber in which an additional heat source is positioned, the additional heat source being in thermally conductive contact with the process chamber;
• and
• a second stage comprising at least a portion of an inlet plenum system through which a gas is supplied to the process chamber and at least a portion of an exhaust plenum system through which a gas is exhausted from the process chamber, wherein the second stage is positioned between the first stage and the enclosed process chamber, wherein at least one of the inlet and exhaust plenum systems comprises a plurality of radial flow channels, and wherein the radial flow channels differ dimensionally from each other.