High temperature heating system

A heating system for use in testing at a scale of microns or less, the heating system comprising:

• a stage heater including:
• a stage plane having a central planar portion and a perimeter planar portion,
• a stage heating element distributed across the central and perimeter planar portions, wherein the stage heating element underlies the stage plane and continuously extends across the stage plane throughout the central and perimeter planar portions,
• two or more support mounts on opposed sides of the stage plane, and
• a first bridge extending from the stage plane to a first mount of the two or more support mounts, and a second bridge extending from the stage plane to a second mount of the two or more support mounts.

A method of testing a sample with a testing assembly at a scale of microns or less comprising:

• heating a sample on a stage heater, heating the sample including heating a stage plane with a stage heating element distributed across the stage plane, the stage plane and the stage heating element extending from a central planar portion of the stage plane to a perimeter planar portion of the stage plane, the stage plane coupled with the sample;
• heating a probe with a probe heater, the probe heater coupled with the probe;
• and
• testing the sample by engaging the heated probe with the heated sample.