Patent ID: 8382370

Claim:
A temperature control system for use in a semiconductor processing reactor comprising: at least one heating element located within said reactor; a controller operatively connected to said at least one heating element, said controller configured to control said at least one heating element; and at least one temperature sensor located within said reactor, said at least one temperature sensor operatively connected to said controller for providing temperature data to said controller, wherein said at least one temperature sensor comprises a thermocouple assembly, said thermocouple assembly comprising: a sheath having a measuring tip located at a distal end of said sheath; a support member, wherein at least a portion of said support member is received within said sheath; a first wire and a second wire formed of dissimilar metals, a portion of said first and second wires received within said support member, and an end of each of said first and second wires being fused together to form a thermocouple, unction therebetween; and a recessed region formed in a distal end of said support member, the recessed region comprising a bottom surface distal to the measuring tip and an open end proximate to the measuring tip, wherein said thermocouple junction is located between the bottom surface of the recessed region of the support member and the measuring tip of the sheath at a substantially fixed position relative to said measuring tip of said sheath.