Active thermal probe for continuous and direction-dependent measurement of the energy influx in plasma technological processes

Inhalt:
A new calorimetric probe for measuring the energy influx is presented. The probe works according to a compensation principle. The incoming energy influx is compensated on a dummy at a constant sensor temperature by reducing the heating power. The measured value does not depend on the heat capacity or the thermal conductivity of the sensor since the probe operates in thermal equilibrium. This also makes it possible to measure the energy influx during coating processes. A special combination of more than one sensor also allows to record the energy influx depending on the direction, without the need for shielding. The probe is especially suitable for system diagnostics and process monitoring.