Patent ID: 8795486

Claim:
A slab of consumable material for use in a plasma sputter physical vapor deposition process, the slab comprising: at least one detector for signaling that the slab of consumable material is approaching or has been reduced to a predetermined quantity of the consumable material, wherein the at least one detector comprises: a discrete tube at least partially embedded within the slab of consumable material, wherein the tube has a distal most end embedded in the slab of consumable material, wherein the slab of consumable material includes a first material forming a first material layer and a second material forming a second material layer, wherein the first material layer includes a first groove and the second material layer includes a second groove, wherein the discrete tube is disposed within the first and second grooves, wherein the first and second grooves are lined with the first material such that the discrete tube is prevented from physically contacting the second material of the second layer by the first material layer lining the first and second grooves, wherein the first material is different than the second material; an isolation feature embedded within the slab of consumable material and hermetically sealing the distal most end of the tube; and one of a filament element and a pair of electrode elements disposed within the tube, the filament element including first and second ends terminating externally of the tube, the first and second ends forming one of leads and terminals, and each of the electrode elements from the pair includes first and second ends, the second ends of the electrode elements terminating externally of the tube, wherein one of the first and second ends of the filament element extends completely through the isolation feature and wherein one of the second ends of the electrode elements extends completely through the isolation feature.