Abstract: A method and apparatus for conditioning a surface of a ceramic body in a process chamber when the process chamber has a vacuum pump, an anode and a cathode. The conditioning method consists of pumping the process chamber down to a vacuum with the vacuum pump, introducing a gas into the chamber, energizing the anode and cathode with RF power to ignite the gas into a plasma, sputter etching the surface with ions from the plasma to remove contaminants therefrom. The method is accomplished either within a process chamber to condition, in situ, a ceramic chuck or within a cleaning chamber to condition any form of ceramic body or component.

Abstract: A conductive feedthrough connector for conducting electrical current through a ceramic body. A ceramic body is generally fabricated by stacking a plurality of layers of ceramic material and then sintering the stack of layers to cure the layers into a unitary, solid ceramic body. In accordance with the present invention, as each layer is positioned, a portion of the layer is silk screened with conductive material prior to the next layer being positioned atop the silk screened layer. Each silk screen region is coaxially aligned along an axis through the ceramic body. The stack of silk screened layers are then sintered to form a solid ceramic body containing the plurality of stacked metal electrodes. A first conductor is then formed vertically into the ceramic body to interconnect the embedded electrodes. From the opposite side of the ceramic body, a second conductor is formed into the surface passing through and interconnecting one or more the layers of electrodes.

Abstract: The present invention generally provides a safety connector apparatus for making an electrical/power connection in an electrical/power system comprising an interlock cover disposed on a connecting end of a power cable, a housing disposed over a power connector, the housing having a cover receiving cavity and a switch adaptable to enable power transfer when the cover is safely and securely locked by the cover lock.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for conditioning a surface of a ceramic body in a process chamber when the process chamber has a vacuum pump, an anode and a cathode. The conditioning method consists of pumping the process chamber down to a vacuum with the vacuum pump, introducing a gas into the chamber, energizing the anode and cathode with RF power to ignite the gas into a plasma, sputter etching the surface with ions from the plasma to remove contaminants therefrom. The method is accomplished either within a process chamber to condition, in situ, a ceramic chuck or within a cleaning chamber to condition any form of ceramic body or component.