Abstract: Spacer for a vertical support structure of a heating element coil includes a mating feature including complimentary components on first opposing sides of the spacer, a cavity, open to second opposing sides of the spacer, and an extension offset from an axis intersecting the mating features, the extension including a pocket sized to fit an individual loop of the heating element coil. The spacer can be incorporated into a support structure for a heating element coil interlocking adjacent loops of the coil so that they are retained in a collinear and concentric arrangement while allowing the loops of the coil to move freely inward and outward from the central axis in unison.

Abstract: A forced fluid switch including a first plenum in communication with a first port; a second plenum in communication with a second port; a third plenum in switched communication with the first plenum and the second plenum and in communication with a third port; a fourth plenum in switched communication with the first plenum and the second plenum and in communication with a fourth port; and wherein the forced fluid switch has at least a first forced fluid path and a second forced fluid path, wherein in the first forced fluid path, the third plenum is in communication with the first plenum and the fourth plenum is in communication with the second plenum, and wherein in the second forced fluid path, the third plenum is in communication with the second plenum and the fourth plenum is in communication with the first plenum. A method is provided for switching forced fluid.

Abstract: A heating element includes a continuous planar strip and a plurality of mounting members. A path of the continuous strip from a first end to a second end is circuitous and includes a plurality of repeating cycles, each of which includes a plurality of first straight segments, a plurality of second straight segments and a plurality of radiused segments. A length of the first straight segment is greater than a length of the second straight segment and an angular sum of a single cycle of the circuitous path is greater than 360 degrees. The heating element can be incorporated into a heating assembly for, as an example, semiconductor processing equipment.

Abstract: A method for determining a maintenance interval for a consumable part and/or for equipment containing a consumable part obtains a plurality of measurements of temperature of the consumable part, receives each of the measurements at a totalizing unit, correlates each of the measurements to one of a plurality of temperature subranges, accumulates for each of the subranges an amount of time the measurements of temperature were correlated to each of the subranges, determines a total time by aggregating the accumulated time for each subrange with a weighting function, and generates a signal to prompt a maintenance event when the total time equals or passes a runtime setpoint. In supplement to or in alternative to the above, the method also correlates a subrange of two sequential measurements, indexes a breakpoint register if the correlated subranges are different, and generates a signal to prompt a maintenance event when a value of the breakpoint register equals or passes a breakpoint setpoint.

Abstract: The present invention relates to in-line equipment used to process substrates. In some applications, the equipment is used in the in-line manufacture PV cells or modules. In some embodiments, a heating system is provided that comprises a plurality of heating technologies for the heat treatment of substrates wherein a first heating system is used to rapidly raise the substrate temperature to the desired set point and a second heating system is used to maintain the substrate at the temperature set point throughout the thermal treatment process.

Abstract: A forced fluid switch including a first plenum in communication with a first port; a second plenum in communication with a second port; a third plenum in switched communication with the first plenum and the second plenum and in communication with a third port; a fourth plenum in switched communication with the first plenum and the second plenum and in communication with a fourth port; and wherein the forced fluid switch has at least a first forced fluid path and a second forced fluid path, wherein in the first forced fluid path, the third plenum is in communication with the first plenum and the fourth plenum is in communication with the second plenum, and wherein in the second forced fluid path, the third plenum is in communication with the second plenum and the fourth plenum is in communication with the first plenum. A method is provided for switching forced fluid.

Abstract: Spacer for a vertical support structure of a heating element coil includes a mating feature including complimentary components on first opposing sides of the spacer, a cavity, open to second opposing sides of the spacer, and an extension offset from an axis intersecting the mating features, the extension including a pocket sized to fit an individual loop of the heating element coil. The spacer can be incorporated into a support structure for a heating element coil interlocking adjacent loops of the coil so that they are retained in a collinear and concentric arrangement while allowing the loops of the coil to move freely inward and outward from the central axis in unison.

Abstract: Methods to determine an instantaneous resistance value of an electric circuit and a measurement system to determine an instantaneous resistance value of an electric circuit are disclosed. Exemplary embodiments of the method measure an in-situ instantaneous voltage of the circuit and an in-situ instantaneous current of the circuit and calculate the instantaneous resistance. Optional temperature measurement can be included in the method and the calculated instantaneous resistance related to the measured temperature. The method can be applied to phase angle fired loads and to zero-cross (time proportioned) loads.

Abstract: A heating element includes a continuous planar strip and a plurality of mounting members. A path of the continuous strip from a first end to a second end is circuitous and includes a plurality of repeating cycles, each of which includes a plurality of first straight segments, a plurality of second straight segments and a plurality of radiused segments. A length of the first straight segment is greater than a length of the second straight segment and an angular sum of a single cycle of the circuitous path is greater than 360 degrees. The heating element can be incorporated into a heating assembly for, as an example, semiconductor processing equipment.

Abstract: A method for determining a maintenance interval for a consumable part and/or for equipment containing a consumable part obtains a plurality of measurements of temperature of the consumable part, receives each of the measurements at a totalizing unit, correlates each of the measurements to one of a plurality of temperature subranges, accumulates for each of the subranges an amount of time the measurements of temperature were correlated to each of the subranges, determines a total time by aggregating the accumulated time for each subrange with a weighting function, and generates a signal to prompt a maintenance event when the total time equals or passes a runtime setpoint. In supplement to or in alternative to the above, the method also correlates a subrange of two sequential measurements, indexes a breakpoint register if the correlated subranges are different, and generates a signal to prompt a maintenance event when a value of the breakpoint register equals or passes a breakpoint setpoint.

Abstract: Heating element assemblies, heating furnaces incorporating heating element assemblies, methods to form heating element assemblies, methods to form heating furnaces and methods to reduce a magnetic field in a bifilar coil are disclosed. The heating element assembly includes two components, each component formed from heating element wire. The two components are spatially positioned and electrically arranged, relative to each other, so that an electrical current applied to the heating element assembly simultaneously travels through the two components in opposite directions.

Abstract: Methods to determine an instantaneous resistance value of an electric circuit and a measurement system to determine an instantaneous resistance value of an electric circuit are disclosed. Exemplary embodiments of the method measure an in-situ instantaneous voltage of the circuit and an in-situ instantaneous current of the circuit and calculate the instantaneous resistance. Optional temperature measurement can be included in the method and the calculated instantaneous resistance related to the measured temperature. The method can be applied to phase angle fired loads and to zero-cross (time proportioned) loads.

Abstract: The present invention provides a heat treating process chamber having a housing with a flow passage in communication with a vestibule assembly. The vestibule assembly includes an outer ring with a first groove and an inner ring with a second groove. The first groove is formed in an axially inwardly facing surface of the outer ring. The first groove has a portion open in a radially outer direction and an axially inner direction. The second groove opens in an axially inner direction and is formed in an axially outwardly facing surface of the inner ring. The first and second grooves form a passageway when they are in an axially superimposed relationship. The first groove forms a radially outwardly open end and the second groove forms an axially inwardly facing end of the passageway. The passageway communicates with the flow passage thereby allowing passage of a temperature adjusting medium.

Abstract: A method for monitoring the condition of a heating element involving installing the heating element in a location and setting the initial composition Ci of the material as a reference baseline at an initial time Ti corresponding to said installation of the heating element. Data is then collected reflecting the subsequent composition Cs of the heating element material after a subsequent time Ts at the installed location and any change in the material composition of the heating element between Ti and Ts is monitored. An alarm is sent when the change reaches a threshold value indicating a possible failure condition. According to one embodiment, an impedance monitor is provided that calculates and compares impedance at the required levels of accuracy to determine changes in material composition. The impedance monitor, or portions thereof can be embedded within a microcontroller for increased portability and functionality.

Abstract: A method for monitoring the condition of an electric current-carrying heating element involving installing the heating element in a location and setting the initial composition Ci of the material as a reference baseline at an initial time Ti corresponding to said installation of the heating element. Data is then collected reflecting the subsequent composition Cs of the heating element material after a subsequent time Ts at the installed location and any change in the material composition of the heating element between Ti and Ts is monitored. An alarm is sent when the change reaches a threshold value indicating a possible failure condition. According to one embodiment, an impedance monitor is provided that calculates and compares impedance at the required levels of accuracy to determine changes in material composition. The impedance monitor, or portions thereof may be embedded within a microcontroller for increased portability and functionality.

Abstract: The present invention provides a heat treating process chamber having a housing with a flow passage in communication with a vestibule assembly. The vestibule assembly includes an outer ring with a first groove and an inner ring with a second groove. The first groove is formed in an axially inwardly facing surface of the outer ring. The first groove has a portion open in a radially outer direction and an axially inner direction. The second groove opens in an axially inner direction and is formed in an axially outwardly facing surface of the inner ring. The first and second grooves form a passageway when they are in an axially superimposed relationship. The first groove forms a radially outwardly open end and the second groove forms an axially inwardly facing end of the passageway. The passageway communicates with the flow passage thereby allowing passage of a temperature adjusting medium.

Abstract: A heating assembly for use in an electric furnace includes a helical heating element encircled by thermal insulation, and rows of spacers for keeping turns of the heating element spaced apart by predetermined distances. Each spacer includes circumferential side portions facing generally in a circumferential direction of the heating element and converging toward a center region of the spacer to form a radial undercut against which the insulation abuts. The spacers of each row have through holes extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of the heating element. A guide rod extends through the through holes of each row of spacers.

Abstract: A method for monitoring the condition of a heating element involving installing the heating element in a location and setting the initial composition Ci of the material as a reference baseline at an initial time Ti corresponding to said installation of the heating element. Data is then collected reflecting the subsequent composition Cs of the heating element material after a subsequent time Ts at the installed location and any change in the material composition of the heating element between Ti and Ts is monitored. An alarm is sent when the change reaches a threshold value indicating a possible failure condition. According to one embodiment, an impedance monitor is provided that calculates and compares impedance at the required levels of accuracy to determine changes in material composition. The impedance monitor, or portions thereof can be embedded within a microcontroller for increased portability and functionality.

Abstract: A method for monitoring the condition of an electric current-carrying heating element involving installing the heating element in a location and setting the initial composition Ci of the material as a reference baseline at an initial time Ti corresponding to said installation of the heating element. Data is then collected reflecting the subsequent composition Cs of the heating element material after a subsequent time Ts at the installed location and any change in the material composition of the heating element between Ti and Ts is monitored. An alarm is sent when the change reaches a threshold value indicating a possible failure condition. According to one embodiment, an impedance monitor is provided that calculates and compares impedance at the required levels of accuracy to determine changes in material composition. The impedance monitor, or portions thereof may be embedded within a microcontroller for increased portability and functionality.

Abstract: An improved collar, interlocking arrangement, an electric furnace are provided. The improved arrangement includes an electrically insulating collar having a mounting flange and a passageway, an electrically conductive lead disposed at least partially within the passageway, and means for securing the lead relative to the passageway such that the lead is maintained in its proper position.