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 common 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, comprising;
activating, in a first pumping stage, the at least one common fore pump for jointly pumping down selected vacuum chambers to a pressure with a first pressure value, andactivating, in a second pumping stage, a turbo molecular pump of the at least one selected vacuum chamber for separately pumping down the selected vacuum chambers to a pressure with a second pressure value, the second pressure value being lower than the first pressure value;
wherein the method further comprises;
de-activating the at least one common fore pump at a predetermined time after activating the turbo molecular pump.
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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.
15 Citations
20 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 common 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, comprising; activating, in a first pumping stage, the at least one common fore pump for jointly pumping down selected vacuum chambers to a pressure with a first pressure value, and activating, in a second pumping stage, a turbo molecular pump of the at least one selected vacuum chamber for separately pumping down the selected vacuum chambers to a pressure with a second pressure value, the second pressure value being lower than the first pressure value; wherein the method further comprises; de-activating the at least one common fore pump at a predetermined time after activating the turbo molecular pump. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. 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 common 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; wherein the control system is configured for; activating, in a first pumping stage, the common fore pump for jointly pumping down selected vacuum chambers to a pressure with a first pressure value; activating, in a second pumping stage, turbo molecular pumps of the selected vacuum chambers for separately pumping down the selected vacuum chambers to a pressure with a second pressure value, the second pressure value being lower than the first pressure value, and de-activating the at least one common fore pump at a predetermined time after activating the turbo molecular pumps. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for realizing a vacuum in a vacuum chamber, wherein the method comprises:
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providing the vacuum chamber and a vacuum system, the vacuum system comprising; a plurality of turbo molecular pumps that are each connected to the vacuum chamber; at least one common fore pump, and a piping system comprising; one or more common pipes for connecting the at least one common fore pump to each of the plurality of turbo molecular pumps, and flow regulators for controlling flows within the piping system; wherein the method further comprises; activating, in a first pumping stage, the at least one common fore pump for pumping down the vacuum chamber to a pressure with a first pressure value; activating, in a second pumping stage, selected ones of the plurality of turbo molecular pumps, and controlling selected ones of the flow regulators to pump down the vacuum chamber with at least one selected turbo molecular pump and the at least one common fore pump, to a pressure with a second pressure value, the second pressure value being lower than the first pressure value, and de-activating the at least one fore pump at a predetermined time after activating the selected ones of the plurality of turbo molecular pumps. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
wherein the method comprises; controlling selected ones of the further flow regulators to pump down the vacuum chamber.
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20. Method according to claim 18, wherein the vacuum system comprises a second common fore pump, connectable to said plurality of turbo molecular pumps by said one or more common pipes using a flow regulator.
Specification