Method and System for Realizing a Vacuum in a Vacuum Chamber
First Claim
1. A method for realizing a vacuum in at least one vacuum chamber, wherein the method comprises:
- providing an arrangement comprising a plurality of vacuum chambers, wherein each vacuum chamber is connected to a shared vacuum system comprising;
a plurality of turbo molecular pumps, each turbo molecular pump being separately connected to a corresponding vacuum chamber;
at least one common fore pump, anda piping system comprising one or more pipes for connecting the at least one common fore pump to each of the plurality of turbo molecular pumps, the piping system further comprising flow regulators for controlling a flow within the piping system;
selecting at least one vacuum chamber for pump-down; and
separately pumping down the at least one selected vacuum chamber by means of the shared vacuum system.
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Abstract
The invention relates to a method for realizing a vacuum in at least one vacuum chamber. The method comprises providing an arrangement comprising a plurality of vacuum chambers, wherein each vacuum chamber is connected to a shared vacuum system. The shared vacuum system comprises a plurality of turbo molecular pumps, at least one common fore pump, and a piping system comprising one or more pipes for connecting the at least one common fore pump to each of the plurality of turbo molecular pumps. Each turbo molecular pump is separately connected to a corresponding vacuum chamber. The piping system further comprises flow regulators for controlling a flow within the piping system. The method further comprises selecting at least one vacuum chamber for pump-down, and separately pumping down the at least one selected vacuum chamber by means of the shared vacuum system.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for realizing a vacuum in at least one vacuum chamber, wherein the method comprises:
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providing an arrangement comprising a plurality of vacuum chambers, wherein each vacuum chamber is connected to a shared vacuum system comprising; a plurality of turbo molecular pumps, each turbo molecular pump being separately connected to a corresponding vacuum chamber; at least one common fore pump, and a piping system comprising one or more pipes for connecting the at least one common fore pump to each of the plurality of turbo molecular pumps, the piping system further comprising flow regulators for controlling a flow within the piping system; selecting at least one vacuum chamber for pump-down; and separately pumping down the at least one selected vacuum chamber by means of the shared vacuum system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 21)
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10. A lithography system comprising:
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a plurality of vacuum chambers; a shared vacuum system connected to each vacuum chamber, and arranged for evacuating the vacuum chambers, wherein the vacuum system comprises; a plurality of turbo molecular pumps, each turbo molecular pump being separately connected to a corresponding vacuum chamber; at least one common fore pump; a piping system comprising one or more pipes for connecting the at least one common fore pump to each of the plurality of turbo molecular pumps, the piping system further comprising flow regulators for controlling a flow within the piping system, and a control system in signal communication with the flow regulators, the fore pump, and the plurality of turbo molecular pumps, wherein the control system is configured for controlling a selection of at least one vacuum chamber for pump-down and a separate pumping down of the at least one selected vacuum chamber. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification