# US 2021/0340669 A1 · Method of monitoring a surface condition of a component > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0340669 A1 - Document ID: US20210340669A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/306,200 - Filed: 2021-05-03 - Published: 2021-11-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-05-02 - Assignees: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company - Applicants: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company - Inventors: Jacob LINDLEY; Philip SCHMIDT; Miranda PIZZELLA; Mark D. EVERLY - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210340669A1 ## CPC - C23C 16/4401: {Means for minimising impurities, e.g. dust, moisture or residual gas, in the reaction chamber} - G01N 25/00: Investigating or analyzing materials by the use of thermal means (G01N3/00 - G01N23/00 take precedence) - G01N 25/20: by investigating the development of heat, i.e. calorimetry, e.g. by measuring specific heat, by measuring thermal conductivity (calorimeters per se G01K) - G06Q 10/04: Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" (market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202) - G06Q 50/04: Manufacturing - G01N 25/72: Investigating presence of flaws - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A method includes providing thermal energy to a component, determining a thermal response of the component 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 a 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: providing thermal energy to a component; determining a thermal response of the component in response to providing the thermal energy; determining a thermal characteristic of the component based on a reference thermal response and the thermal response; and predicting a surface condition of the component based on the thermal characteristic and a predictive analytic model, wherein the predictive analytic model correlates the thermal characteristic of the component to an estimated surface condition of the component. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the thermal characteristic is based on a difference between the reference thermal response and the thermal response. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the thermal characteristic is an emissivity of the component, a thermal coupling among different zones of the component, a thermal gain of the component, an electric resistance-temperature correlation of the component, a gas convective coupling of the component, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein providing the thermal energy to the component further comprises increasing thermal energy provided to the component. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein providing the thermal energy to the component further comprises decreasing thermal energy provided to the component. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the surface condition indicates an amount of material buildup on a surface of the component. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the thermal response is a rate of dissipation of thermal energy by the component. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 further comprising varying at least one of an intensity and a duration of the thermal energy to create a thermal signature of the component, wherein the thermal signature is an image representation of the thermal response. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8 further comprising determining the thermal characteristic of the component based on a reference thermal signature and the thermal signature. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the component is selected from a group consisting of a wall of a semiconductor processing chamber, a liner of the semiconductor processing chamber, a showerhead of the semiconductor processing chamber, a lid of the semiconductor processing chamber, a wall of a fluid heating conduit, a heater surface, and a sheath of a heater. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 further comprising measuring a temperature of the component during a predetermined period to determine the thermal response. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11 further comprising determining a dissipation of energy by the component based on a change in the temperature of the component during the predetermined period. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12 further comprising determining a change in emissivity of the component based on the change in the temperature of the component during the predetermined period. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the thermal response of the component is determined in response to a temperature of the component being equal to a predetermined temperature. ### Claim 15 A system comprising: a component; a thermal control system configured to provide thermal energy to the component; and a controller configured to: determine a thermal response of the component in response to providing the thermal energy, wherein the thermal response is a rate of dissipation of the thermal energy by the component; determine a thermal characteristic of the component based on a difference between a reference thermal response and the thermal response, wherein the reference thermal response is a reference rate of dissipation of the thermal energy of the component in response to providing the thermal energy; and predict an amount of material buildup on a surface of the component based on the thermal characteristic and a predictive analytic model, wherein the predictive analytic model correlates the thermal characteristics of the component to an estimated surface condition of the component. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system according to claim 15, wherein the thermal characteristic is an emissivity of the component, a thermal coupling among different zones of the component, a thermal gain of the component, an electric resistance-temperature correlation of the component, a gas convective coupling of the component, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system according to claim 15, wherein the component is selected from a group consisting of a wall of a semiconductor processing chamber, a liner of the semiconductor processing chamber, a showerhead of the semiconductor processing chamber, a lid of the semiconductor processing chamber, a wall of a fluid heating conduit, a heater surface, and a sheath of a heater. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The system according to claim 15, wherein the thermal control system further comprises a heater configured to provide the thermal energy to the component. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The system according to claim 15, wherein the predictive analytic model is generated during a training routine. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The system according to claim 15, wherein the component is a semiconductor processing system component.