A heating apparatus including a stage comprising a surface having an area to support a wafer and a body, a shaft coupled to the stage, and a first and a second heating element. The first heating element is disposed within a first plane of the body of the stage. The second heating element is disposed within a second plane of the body of the stage at a greater distance from the surface of the stage than the first heating element. A reactor comprising a chamber, a resistive heater, a first temperature sensor, and a second temperature sensor. A resistive heating system for a chemical vapor deposition apparatus comprising a resistive heater. A method of controlling the temperature in a reactor comprising providing a resistive heater in a chamber of a reactor, measuring the temperature with at least two temperature sensors, and controlling the temperature in the reactor by regulating a power supply to the first heating element and the second heating element according to the temperature measured by the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor.