Abstract: A heater assembly includes a flow guide and a plurality of electrical resistance heating elements. The flow guide defines a continuous geometric helicoid disposed about a longitudinal axis of the heater assembly. The flow guide defines a predetermined pattern of perforations that extend in a longitudinal direction through a first longitudinal length of the geometric helicoid. The longitudinal direction is parallel to the longitudinal axis. The geometric helicoid has a first pitch at a first zone along the longitudinal axis and a second pitch at a second zone along the longitudinal axis. The second pitch is shorter than the first pitch. The electrical resistance heating elements extend through the perforations.

Abstract: A temperature sensing unit is provided, which includes a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of an object and a mounting member. The temperature sensor includes a portion bendable to conform to an outer surface of the object. The mounting member has ends attached to opposing ends of the portion of the temperature sensor and securing the temperature sensor on the object.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck includes a ceramic top plate layer made of a beryllium oxide material, a ceramic bottom plate layer made of a beryllium oxide material, a ceramic middle plate layer disposed between the ceramic top plate layer and the ceramic bottom plate layer, an electrode layer disposed between the ceramic top plate layer and the ceramic middle plate layer, and a heater layer disposed between the ceramic middle plate layer and the ceramic bottom plate layer. The electrode layer joins and hermetically seals the ceramic top plate layer to the ceramic middle plate layer, and the heater layer joins and hermetically seals the ceramic middle plate layer to the ceramic bottom plate layer.

Abstract: A heating system includes at least one electric heater disposed within a fluid flow system and a control device that is configured to determine a temperature of the at least one electric heater based on a model, at least one fluid flow system input, and at least one heater input. The at least one heater input includes at least one physical characteristic of the heating system, the at least one physical characteristic includes at least one of a resistance wire diameter, a heater insulation thickness, a heater sheath thickness, a conductivity, a specific heat and density of the material of the heater, an emissivity of the heater and the fluid flow pathway, and combinations thereof. The control device is configured to provide power to the at least one electric heater based on the temperature of the at least one electric heater.

Abstract: A terminal assembly for a heater system includes a plurality of resistive heating elements arranged in multiple power phases includes a plurality of power busbars, a neutral busbar, a phase barrier disposed between each of the plurality of power busbars, and a plurality of interchangeable couplers. Each power busbar corresponds to a power phase of the multiple power phases and is configured to connect a power lead from one of the multiple power phases and a first end of a plurality of resistive heating elements. The resistive heating elements are in electrical communication with the power lead. The neutral busbar is offset longitudinally from the power busbars and configured to receive a second end of the resistive heating elements. The interchangeable couplers are configured to connect at least a subset of the resistive heating elements to at least one power busbar or at least one neutral busbar.

Abstract: A joining method includes the steps of placing a brazing element between an interface area of a first ceramic piece and an interface area of a second ceramic piece to create a joining pre-assembly, placing the components of said joining pre-assembly into a process chamber, removing oxygen from said process chamber, and heating at least said brazing element of said joining pre-assembly, thereby hermetically joining said first ceramic piece to said second ceramic piece. The brazing element consists of Nickel and Carbon.

Abstract: A heater system includes a heater bundle having a plurality of heater assemblies and a plurality of power conductors. More than one of the heater assemblies includes a plurality of heater units, and more than one of the heater units defines at least one independently controlled heating zone. The plurality of power conductors are electrically connected to the independently controlled heating zones. The heater system further includes means for determining temperature, and a power supply device including a controller configured to modulate power to the independently controlled heating zones through the power conductors based on the determined temperature to provide a desired power output along a length of more than one of the heater assemblies.

Abstract: A method for the joining of ceramic pieces includes applying a layer of titanium on a first ceramic piece and applying a layer of titanium on a second ceramic piece; applying a layer of nickel on each of the layers of titanium on the first ceramic piece and the second ceramic piece; applying a layer of nickel phosphorous to each of the layers of nickel on the first ceramic piece and the second ceramic piece; assembling the first ceramic piece and the second ceramic piece with the layers of titanium, nickel, and nickel phosphorous therebetween; pressing the layer of nickel phosphorous of the first ceramic piece against the layer of nickel phosphorous of the second ceramic piece; heating the first ceramic piece and the second ceramic piece to a joining temperature in a vacuum; and cooling the first ceramic piece and the second ceramic piece. A hermetic seal is formed between the first ceramic piece and the second ceramic piece.

Abstract: A heater includes a sintered assembly and a functional element disposed on one of opposing surfaces of the sintered assembly. The heater is manufactured by a method that includes hot pressing a ceramic powder and a plurality of first slugs and forming the sintered assembly including a ceramic substrate and the plurality of first slugs embedded therein, forming the functional element on the one opposing surface of the sintered assembly such that the functional element is connected to the plurality of first slugs, and forming a monolithic substrate in which the functional element and the plurality of first slugs are embedded.

Abstract: A method of detecting a leak-induced abnormal condition in a fluid line system having a plurality of heaters includes determining a plurality of temperature characteristics at a plurality of locations of the fluid line system, where each temperature from among the plurality of temperature characteristics is associated with at least one heater from among the plurality of heaters and monitoring, for each of the plurality of heaters, an electrical characteristic of the heater. The method includes determining the leak-induced abnormal condition is present within the fluid line system in response to the electrical characteristic of a given heater from among the plurality of heaters and the temperature characteristic associated with the given heater satisfying a temperature-and-electrical characteristics (TEC) deviation condition and performing a corrective action in response to determining the leak-induced abnormal condition is present.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an electrostatic chuck with multiple chucking electrodes made of ceramic pieces using metallic aluminum as the joining. The aluminum may be placed between two pieces and the assembly may be heated in the range of 770 C to 1200 C. The joining atmosphere may be non-oxygenated. After joining the exclusions in the electrode pattern may be machined by also machining through one of the plate layers. The machined exclusion slots may then be filled with epoxy or other material. An electrostatic chuck or other structure manufactured according to such methods.

Abstract: A method of monitoring a condition of a dynamic system includes installing a vibration signal acquisition device at a predetermined location of the dynamic system, acquiring vibration signals by the vibration signal acquisition device, analyzing the vibration signals in a frequency domain, and predicting a change in the condition of the dynamic system based on the vibration signals in the frequency domain. A system is also provided, and a condition of the dynamic system includes clogging.

Abstract: A method for monitoring a surface condition of a component includes providing thermal energy to a component, determining a thermal response of the heater in response to providing the thermal energy, and determining a thermal characteristic of the component based on a reference thermal response and the thermal response. The method includes predicting the surface condition of the component based on the thermal characteristic and a predictive analytic model, where the predictive analytic model correlates the thermal characteristic of the component to an estimated surface condition of the component.

Abstract: An exhaust gas heating unit for an engine includes a housing and a heating element. The housing includes a tubular peripheral wall and has an interior hollow space. The heating element has first and second ends and extends longitudinally therebetween to form a spiral shape within the interior hollow space. The heating element includes a thermally conductive sheath, an electrically conductive resistance element that extends longitudinally within the external sheath, and an electrically insulating material disposed about the resistance element between the resistance element and the sheath. A heat transfer member is positioned within the interior hollow space and is formed from one or more strips of thermally conductive material. The strips contact the external sheath at a plurality of locations between the first end and the second end. The heat transfer member has a corrugated shape that follows the spiral shape of the heating element.

Abstract: A method of providing power, via a plurality of power control systems, includes forming, by at least two power control systems from among the plurality of power control systems, a power network and defining, by each power control system of the power network, a power allocation schedule for a power cycle using a dynamic load scheduling model. The power allocation schedule identifies one or more designated power control systems from among the at least two of the power control systems to provide power to a load during the power cycle. For at least portion of the power cycle, the method includes providing power to the load by the one or more designated power control systems of the power network based on the power allocation schedule.

Abstract: A brazing process using Nickel(Ni)-Carbon as graphite(Cg) alloys, Ni-Cg-Molybdenum(Mo) alloys, and Ni-Cobalt(Co)-Cg-Mo alloys for brazing together ceramics, ceramics to metals, metals to metals. Semiconductor processing equipment made with the use of Ni-Cg alloys, such as heaters and chucks. Semiconductor processing equipment components and industrial equipment components using a highly wear resistant surface layer, such as sapphire, joined to a substrate such as a ceramic, with a Ni-Cg alloy braze.

Abstract: A heater assembly includes a substrate, a plurality of resistive heating elements disposed along a perimeter of the substrate, and a common ground electrical lead connected to at least some of the plurality of resistive heating elements and having a portion extending along the perimeter of the substrate. The plurality of resistive heating elements are independently controllable to provide azimuthal temperature control of the heater assembly.

Abstract: A method for the joining of ceramic pieces with a hermetically sealed joint comprising brazing a layer of joining material between the two pieces. The ceramic pieces may be aluminum nitride or other ceramics, and the pieces may be brazed with Nickel and an alloying element, under controlled atmosphere. The completed joint will be fully or substantially Nickel with another element in solution. The joint material is adapted to later withstand both the environments within a process chamber during substrate processing, and the oxygenated atmosphere which may be seen within the interior of a heater or electrostatic chuck. Semiconductor processing equipment comprising ceramic and joined with a nickel alloy and adapted to withstand processing chemistries, such as fluorine chemistries, as well as high temperatures.

Abstract: A heater system is provided, which includes a plurality of heaters, a controller for supplying power to the plurality of heaters, a plurality sets of auxiliary wires extending from the plurality of heaters, and a wire harness for connecting the plurality sets of auxiliary wires to the controller. Each set of auxiliary wires includes three wires, two of the three wires being made of different materials and being joined to form a thermocouple junction, such that each of the plurality of heaters is operable to function as both a heater and a temperature sensor.

Abstract: A heating assembly includes a support member for supporting a target thereon, a diffuser layer attached to the support member, and a heater attached to the diffuser layer. The diffuser layer includes discrete diffuser segments separated by gaps. The discrete diffuser segments are made of the same material and are configured to allow a desired thermal gradient to be maintained between the discrete diffuser segments during heating of the target.