A substrate in which a high-dielectric-constant gate insulator is formed on a silicon substrate with an interface layer film sandwiched in between is housed in a chamber. The method of the invention including: (a) housing the substrate in a chamber; (b) supplying ammonia to the chamber to foam an ammonia atmosphere; and (c) applying flash light to a surface of the substrate housed in the chamber to heat the high dielectric constant film, wherein the flash light applied in said step (c) has a spectral distribution that has a peak in a wavelength range of 200 to 300 nm.

Method for cooling a heating element of an electric heater in a thermal process cycle comprising the steps of cooling the heating element at a first cooling rate from a first temperature to a second temperature and cooling the heating element at a second cooling rate from the second temperature to a third temperature, wherein the second cooling rate is faster than the first cooling rate.

Method for cooling a heating element of an electric heater in a thermal process cycle comprising the steps of cooling the heating element at a first cooling rate from a first temperature to a second temperature and cooling the heating element at a second cooling rate from the second temperature to a third temperature, wherein the second cooling rate is faster than the first cooling rate.

An electric pressure cooker is provided, including a cooker body (1); a cooker cover (2) having a closing state and an opening state, wherein the cooker cover (2) is rotatable with respect to the cooker body (1) between a sealing position and an unsealing position in the closing state; a micro-switch assembly (3) disposed on the cooker body (1) and adapted to switch between an OFF state in which the micro-switch assembly (3) electrically disconnects the electric pressure cooker from an external power source and an ON state in which the micro-switch assembly (3) electrically connects the electric pressure cooker with the external power source, wherein the micro-switch assembly (3) is in the ON state when the cooker cover (2) is in the opening state or at the sealing position.

A substrate in which a high-dielectric-constant gate insulator is formed on a silicon substrate with an interface layer film sandwiched in between is housed in a chamber. The method of the invention including: (a) housing the substrate in a chamber; (b) supplying ammonia to the chamber to foam an ammonia atmosphere; and (c) applying flash light to a surface of the substrate housed in the chamber to heat the high dielectric constant film, wherein the flash light applied in said step (c) has a spectral distribution that has a peak in a wavelength range of 200 to 300 nm.

An example oven for heating fibers includes a chamber having upper and lower portions and a supply structure between first and second ends of the chamber, wherein the supply structure is in communication with a first heating system and is configured to direct first heated gas from the first heating system into the upper portion of the chamber to heat fibers in the upper portion at a first temperature, and wherein the supply structure is in communication with a second heating system and is configured to direct second heated gas from the second heating system into the lower portion of the chamber to heat fibers in the lower portion at a second temperature different than the first temperature such that the upper and lower portions of the chamber maintain the different temperatures without a physical barrier between the upper and lower portion.

An example oven for heating fibers includes a chamber having upper and lower portions and a supply structure between first and second ends of the chamber, wherein the supply structure is in communication with a first heating system and is configured to direct first heated gas from the first heating system into the upper portion of the chamber to heat fibers in the upper portion at a first temperature, and wherein the supply structure is in communication with a second heating system and is configured to direct second heated gas from the second heating system into the lower portion of the chamber to heat fibers in the lower portion at a second temperature different than the first temperature such that the upper and lower portions of the chamber maintain the different temperatures without a physical barrier between the upper and lower portion.

A heater assembly with enhanced cooling pursuant to various embodiments described herein makes use of fluidic flow in the insulation or in the space used for insulation. By creating a natural convection or forced convection flow, the heater cools down faster, it can operate at lower temperatures and/or higher temperature precision, and it can improve temperature controllability by generating higher heat loss rates.

Embodiments of the present invention include a heating method and apparatus in which a plurality of heated regions is superimposed in order to improve energy density control.

Embodiments of the present invention include a heating method and apparatus in which a plurality of heated regions is superimposed in order to improve energy density control.