Non-intrusive, on-the-fly (OTF) temperature measurement and monitoring system

An apparatus for measuring the temperature of an object before and/or after processing, comprising:

• (a) a first vacuum chamber comprising a radiation transparent window disposed in a port formed in the first vacuum chamber;
• (b) a second vacuum chamber mounted to the first vacuum chamber, wherein the first and second vacuum chambers comprise an aperture for transfer of the object therethrough and wherein the aperture defines a transfer plane;
• (c) a first probe disposed in the port and defining a first optical path into the first vacuum chamber and incident on the transfer plane;
• and
• (d) a signal processing unit coupled to the first probe.

An apparatus for measuring the temperature of an object, comprising:

• (a) a first vacuum chamber comprising at least one radiation transparent window disposed in at least one opening formed in a first vacuum chamber wall;
• (b) a robot disposed in the first vacuum chamber comprising a robot blade defining a transfer plane;
• (c) a second vacuum chamber mounted to the first vacuum chamber, wherein the first vacuum chamber and the second vacuum chamber communicate through an aperture for transfer of the object therethrough;
• (d) at least one pyrometer disposed in the at least one opening and defining at least one optical path into the first vacuum chamber and incident on the transfer plane;
• and
• (e) a signal processing unit coupled to the at least one pyrometer.