Disclosed herein is a method of processing a device, comprising providing a substrate having a buffer layer disposed on a back side and forming an outer protection layer over the back side of the buffer layer, forming a thermal layer on the back side of the outer protection layer and heating the substrate through the thermal layer and the back side of the outer protective layer. A back side protection layer may be formed on the back side of the buffer layer. The thermal layer has a thermal emissivity coefficient of about 0.7 or greater and a thickness greater than a roughness of the back side of the outer protection layer. The back side protection layer is an oxide with a thickness between about 20 angstroms and about 50 angstroms. The outer protection layer is a nitride with a thickness between about 50 angstroms and about 300 angstroms.