Method and apparatus for thermal treatment of substrates

A method for thermal treatment of substrates, in which the substrates in contact with or closely spaced to be kept to a hotplate, which is heated through a plurality of separately controllable heating elements on the side remote from the substrate side of the heating plate, characterized in that the heating plate in its level is surrounded by this, spaced frame and gas is passed through a gap between the frame and at least one edge of the heating plate, wherein the gas is directed such that it does not come into contact with the substrate, and wherein the flow rate and / or the temperature of the gas is controlled in order to influence the temperature of the edge of the hot plate.