Gas-assisted rapid thermal processing

A system for processing a semiconductor device, the system comprising:

• a processing chamber heated by heating elements;
• a first plate positioned within said processing chamber and defining a first internal cavity configured to receive a first gas through a first passage into said first internal cavity at a first temperature and to emit said first gas from said first internal cavity at a second temperature through a second passage;
• and
• a second plate disposed adjacent to said first plate, said first plate and said second plate provided between said heating elements and defining a processing area therebetween, said second plate defining a second internal cavity configured to receive a second gas through a first passage into said second internal cavity at a first temperature and to emit said second gas from said second internal cavity at a second temperature through a second passage, said first emitted gas and said second emitted gas varying the temperature of said processing area.