US20150086387A1 - Method and apparatus for warming up a vacuum pump arrangement - Google Patents

Method and apparatus for warming up a vacuum pump arrangement Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US20150086387A1
US20150086387A1 US14/398,119 US201314398119A US2015086387A1 US 20150086387 A1 US20150086387 A1 US 20150086387A1 US 201314398119 A US201314398119 A US 201314398119A US 2015086387 A1 US2015086387 A1 US 2015086387A1
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
pump
booster pump
backing
booster
millibar
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US14/398,119
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Jack Raymond Tattersall
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Edwards Ltd
Original Assignee
Edwards Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Edwards Ltd filed Critical Edwards Ltd
Assigned to EDWARDS LIMITED reassignment EDWARDS LIMITED ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: TATTERSALL, JACK RAYMOND
Publication of US20150086387A1 publication Critical patent/US20150086387A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
    • F04B41/00—Pumping installations or systems specially adapted for elastic fluids
    • F04B41/06—Combinations of two or more pumps
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
    • F04B49/00—Control, e.g. of pump delivery, or pump pressure of, or safety measures for, machines, pumps, or pumping installations, not otherwise provided for, or of interest apart from, groups F04B1/00 - F04B47/00
    • F04B49/02—Stopping, starting, unloading or idling control
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
    • F04B23/00—Pumping installations or systems
    • F04B23/04—Combinations of two or more pumps
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
    • F04B49/00—Control, e.g. of pump delivery, or pump pressure of, or safety measures for, machines, pumps, or pumping installations, not otherwise provided for, or of interest apart from, groups F04B1/00 - F04B47/00
    • F04B49/20—Control, e.g. of pump delivery, or pump pressure of, or safety measures for, machines, pumps, or pumping installations, not otherwise provided for, or of interest apart from, groups F04B1/00 - F04B47/00 by changing the driving speed
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04C—ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04C23/00—Combinations of two or more pumps, each being of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type, specially adapted for elastic fluids; Pumping installations specially adapted for elastic fluids; Multi-stage pumps specially adapted for elastic fluids
    • F04C23/005—Combinations of two or more pumps, each being of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type, specially adapted for elastic fluids; Pumping installations specially adapted for elastic fluids; Multi-stage pumps specially adapted for elastic fluids of dissimilar working principle
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04C—ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04C25/00—Adaptations of pumps for special use of pumps for elastic fluids
    • F04C25/02—Adaptations of pumps for special use of pumps for elastic fluids for producing high vacuum
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04C—ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04C28/00—Control of, monitoring of, or safety arrangements for, pumps or pumping installations specially adapted for elastic fluids
    • F04C28/02—Control of, monitoring of, or safety arrangements for, pumps or pumping installations specially adapted for elastic fluids specially adapted for several pumps connected in series or in parallel
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04C—ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04C28/00—Control of, monitoring of, or safety arrangements for, pumps or pumping installations specially adapted for elastic fluids
    • F04C28/06—Control of, monitoring of, or safety arrangements for, pumps or pumping installations specially adapted for elastic fluids specially adapted for stopping, starting, idling or no-load operation
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04C—ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04C28/00—Control of, monitoring of, or safety arrangements for, pumps or pumping installations specially adapted for elastic fluids
    • F04C28/06—Control of, monitoring of, or safety arrangements for, pumps or pumping installations specially adapted for elastic fluids specially adapted for stopping, starting, idling or no-load operation
    • F04C28/065—Capacity control using a multiplicity of units or pumping capacities, e.g. multiple chambers, individually switchable or controllable
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04D—NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04D19/00—Axial-flow pumps
    • F04D19/02—Multi-stage pumps
    • F04D19/04—Multi-stage pumps specially adapted to the production of a high vacuum, e.g. molecular pumps
    • F04D19/046—Combinations of two or more different types of pumps
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04D—NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04D27/00—Control, e.g. regulation, of pumps, pumping installations or pumping systems specially adapted for elastic fluids
    • F04D27/02—Surge control
    • F04D27/0261—Surge control by varying driving speed
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04D—NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04D27/00—Control, e.g. regulation, of pumps, pumping installations or pumping systems specially adapted for elastic fluids
    • F04D27/02—Surge control
    • F04D27/0292—Stop safety or alarm devices, e.g. stop-and-go control; Disposition of check-valves
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
    • F04B2201/00—Pump parameters
    • F04B2201/08—Cylinder or housing parameters
    • F04B2201/0801—Temperature
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04C—ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04C2220/00—Application
    • F04C2220/30—Use in a chemical vapor deposition [CVD] process or in a similar process
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04C—ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04C2270/00—Control; Monitoring or safety arrangements
    • F04C2270/70—Safety, emergency conditions or requirements
    • F04C2270/701—Cold start
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
    • F05D—INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
    • F05D2260/00—Function
    • F05D2260/85—Starting
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02B—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
    • Y02B30/00—Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC]
    • Y02B30/70—Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a method and/or apparatus for warming up a vacuum pump arrangement after it was put into an idle mode.
  • a system used in manufacturing semiconductor devices typically includes, among other things, a process tool, a vacuum pump arrangement having a booster pump and a backing pump, and an abatement device.
  • the process tool typically includes a process chamber, in which a semiconductor wafer is processed into a predetermined structure.
  • the vacuum pump arrangement is connected to the process tool for evacuating the process chamber to create a vacuum environment in the process chamber in order for various semiconductor processing techniques to take place.
  • the gas evacuated from the process chamber by the vacuum pump arrangement might be directed to the abatement device, which destroys or decomposes the harmful or toxic components of the gas before it is released to the environment.
  • One conventional method for improving the efficiency is to put the vacuum pump arrangement and the abatement device in an idle mode, when the process tool does not require that the vacuum pump arrangement and the abatement device operate in their normal capacities.
  • the term “idle mode” here is used interchangeably with other terms, such as sleep mode, green mode, hibernation, reduced/low power mode, active utility control mode, that are often customarily used in various industries.
  • the vacuum pump arrangement and abatement device might be put in the idle mode, in which they consume fewer resources than they do in a normal operation mode.
  • the process tool requires the vacuum pump arrangement and abatement device to operate in their normal capacities, they can be brought back to their normal operation mode from the idle mode.
  • One drawback of the conventional method is that it usually takes a long time to bring the vacuum pump arrangement and the abatement device back to the normal operation mode from the idle mode.
  • the vacuum pump arrangement When the vacuum pump arrangement is in the idle mode, it cools down to a low temperature. Before the vacuum pump arrangement can operate in normal conditions, it needs be warmed up to a certain temperature, which can take a long time. The longer the warming-up takes, the longer the process tool is sitting idle, waiting for the vacuum pump arrangement to be ready. This translates into lost productivity, and decreased throughput.
  • a method for warming up a vacuum pump arrangement having a booster pump and a backing pump downstream of the booster pump for evacuating a process chamber includes steps of: setting the booster pump at a first speed higher than an idle speed of the booster pump when the same is in an idle mode; and controlling a backing pressure at an outlet of the booster pump within a range from 0.1 mbar to 10 mbar, wherein suitable backing pressure will need to be selected depending on the size of the booster pump, at least for a period of time from when the vacuum pump arrangement is activated from the idle mode to when the booster pump reaches a temperature equal to or exceeding a first predetermined threshold value.
  • an apparatus in some embodiments of the invention, includes: a process chamber; a booster pump having an inlet fluidly connected to an outlet of the process chamber; a backing pump having an inlet fluidly connected to an outlet of the booster pump for, together with the booster pump, evacuating the process chamber; and a controller electrically coupled with the booster pump and the backing pump, the controller being configured to control a backing pressure at the outlet of the booster pump within a range from 0.1 mbar to 10 mbar at least for a period of time from when the booster pump and the backing pump are activated from an idle mode to when the booster pump reaches a temperature equal to or exceeding a first predetermined threshold value.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic view of a system where a process chamber, a booster pump, and a backing pump, among other things, are connected in series in accordance with some embodiments of the invention.
  • FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate flow charts showing various processes for warming up a vacuum pump arrangement in accordance with some embodiments of the invention.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates a flow chart showing a process for warming up a vacuum pump arrangement in accordance with some embodiments of the invention.
  • FIG. 4 is a graph showing that the disclosed method and/or apparatus shortens the time required to warm up a vacuum pump arrangement.
  • the disclosure is directed to a method and/or apparatus for warming up a vacuum pump arrangement after it was put in an idle mode.
  • the vacuum pump arrangement in its simplified configuration has a booster pump and a backing pump downstream thereof.
  • An inlet of the booster pump is connected to an outlet of a process chamber, which can be part of a semiconductor process tool, or any other equipment that requires an internal vacuum environment in order to properly function.
  • An outlet of the booster pump is connected to an inlet of the backing pump, of which an outlet is typically in fluid connection with an abatement device, or in some cases directly with an atmospheric environment.
  • the speed of the booster pump is raised to and maintained at a level higher than an idle speed of the booster pump when it was in the idle mode.
  • the backing pressure of the booster pump that is the pressure at the outlet of the booster pump, is also raised to and maintained at a relatively high level, compared to the backing pressure, in either the normal operation mode, or in some cases the idle mode, employed by conventional methods.
  • the power required to compress the gas through the booster pump during the warm-up period would be increased, and therefore causing the temperature of the booster pump to increase more quickly.
  • the method and/or apparatus of the disclosure is able to shorten the time required for warming up the entire vacuum pump arrangement from the idle mode. This in turn increases the throughput of the process tool.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic view of a system 10 where a process chamber 12 and a vacuum pump arrangement 20 , among other things, are connected in series in accordance with some embodiments of the invention.
  • the vacuum pump arrangement 20 draws gases out of the process chamber 12 and creates a vacuum environment in it to carry out certain processes, such as depositions, etching, ion implantation, epitaxy, etc.
  • the gases can be introduced into the process chamber 12 from one or more gas sources, such as the ones designated by 14 a and 14 b in this figure.
  • the gas sources 14 a and 14 b can be connected to the process chamber 12 via control valves 16 a and 16 b, respectively.
  • the timing of introducing various gases into the process chamber 12 can be controlled by selectively turning on or off the control valves 16 a and 16 b.
  • the flow rates of the gases introduced from the gas sources 14 a and 14 b into the process chamber 12 can be controlled by adjusting the fluid conductance of the control valves 16 a and 16 b.
  • the vacuum pump arrangement 20 includes a booster pump 22 and a backing pump 24 connected in series.
  • the inlet of the booster pump 22 is connected to the outlet of the process chamber 12 .
  • the outlet of the booster pump 22 is connected to the inlet of the backing pump 24 .
  • the outlet of the backing pump 24 might be connected to an abatement device (not shown in the figure) where the exhaust gases emitted from the backing pump 24 are treated in order to reduce the harmful impact the exhaust gases might have on the environment.
  • Sensors can be implemented in the vacuum pump arrangement to collect data of various measurements, such as the temperatures, power consumptions, pump speeds, etc., of the booster pump 22 and the backing pump 24 .
  • a controller 30 is configured to control various parameters of the booster pump 22 and the backing pump 24 in response to the data collected by the sensors. For example, the controller 30 might put the booster pump 22 and the backing pump 24 in a low utility consumption state, e.g., the idle mode, upon receiving a signal indicating that no immediate process is expected to be performed in the process chamber 12 . Such signal might be provided by the process chamber 12 , or the process tool incorporating the process chamber 12 , directly to the controller 30 . Alternatively, such signal might be provided by a central control unit of a semiconductor manufacturing facility to the controller 30 .
  • the controller 30 Upon receiving a wake-up signal, the controller 30 effects an increase of electric power supply to the vacuum pump arrangement 20 , and raises the speeds of the booster and backing pumps 22 and 24 to higher levels from their respective idle speeds.
  • the controller 30 controls, raises, and maintains the backing pressure at the outlet of the booster pump 22 within a range from 0.1 mbar to 10 mbar at least for a period of time when the vacuum pump arrangement 20 is activated from the idle mode to when the booster pump 22 reaches a temperature equal to or exceeding a predetermined threshold value, which is required in order for the booster pump to operate in normal conditions.
  • the pressure range disclosed herein is higher than the backing pressure of the booster pump 22 in typical, conventional warm-up processes.
  • the compression power (W) of the booster pump 22 equals to its swept volume (V) times the pressure differential (dP) there across.
  • V swept volume
  • dP pressure differential
  • raising the pressure differential by raising backing pressure would require higher power to compress the gas through the booster pump 22 , and therefore generating more heat as a result. This would cause the temperature of the booster pump 22 to reach the predetermined threshold value suitable for normal pump operation much quickly from the temperature when the booster pump 22 is in the idle mode.
  • the backing pressure of the booster pump 22 can be controlled by adjusting the speed of the backing pump 24 .
  • the slower the speed of the backing pump 24 the higher the backing pressure of the booster pump 22 .
  • An exemplary process for controlling the backing pressure of the booster pump 22 is illustrated in FIG. 2A .
  • the process starts at step 200 .
  • the speed of the backing pump 24 is set at a second speed high than its idle speed. It is noted that although steps 204 and 206 are illustrated as two separate actions in FIG. 2A , the speeds of the booster and backing pumps 22 and 24 might be set simultaneously in some embodiments of the invention.
  • step 208 it is determined whether the backing pressure of the booster pump 22 is within the predetermined range from 0.1 bar to 10 mbar. If the backing pressure is not within the predetermined range, the process proceeds to step 210 where the speed of the backing pump 24 is decreased in order for the backing pressure of the booster pump 22 to fall within the predetermined range quickly. In some embodiments of the invention, the speed of the backing pump 24 is decreased once, and the process waits for the backing pressure of the booster pump 22 to move within the predetermined range. In some other embodiments of the invention, the speed of the backing pump 24 is decreased incrementally over a number of time intervals until the backing pressure of the booster pump 22 moves within the predetermined range.
  • the second speed of the backing pump 24 can be set low enough at step 206 for the backing pressure of the booster pump 22 to rise up quickly, such that step 210 can be eliminated all together. All theses embodiments are within the scope of the invention.
  • step 212 it is determined whether the temperatures of the booster and backing pumps 22 and 24 are equal to or exceed their respective threshold temperatures. If they do, the vacuum pump arrangement 20 will be set to be ready for evacuating the process chamber 12 in a normal operation mode. Until then, the vacuum pump arrangement 20 will remain in the warm-up process, waiting for the temperatures to rise to proper levels. It is noted that the values of the predetermined threshold temperatures of the booster and backing pumps 22 and 24 may or may not be the same. Thereafter, the process ends at step 214 .
  • the backing pressure of the booster pump 22 can be controlled by adjusting the pump speed and comparing the temperature of the booster pump 22 to a threshold temperature, without directly measuring the backing pressure.
  • FIG. 2B illustrates a flow chart showing an exemplary process for controlling the backing pressure of the booster pump 22 , without directly measuring it. The process in FIG. 2B is similar to that in FIG. 2A , with differences in that the backing pressure of the booster pump 22 is not measured.
  • the temperature of the booster pump 22 is measured and compared to the threshold temperature of the booster pump. If the measured temperature is lower than the threshold temperature, the speed of the backing pump 24 is increased at step 250 .
  • step 248 and 250 are repeated periodically until the measured temperature of the booster pump 22 is equal to or exceeds the threshold temperature. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step 252 where it is determined whether the temperature of the backing pump 24 is equal to or exceeds the threshold temperature of the backing pump 24 . If it does, the vacuum pump arrangement 20 will be set as ready for evacuating the process chamber 12 in a normal operation mode. Until then, the vacuum pump arrangement 20 will remain in the warm-up process, waiting for the temperatures to rise to proper levels. Thereafter, the process ends at step 254 .
  • the backing pressure of the booster pump 22 can be raised by injecting a purge gas at the outlet of the booster pump 22 or a location in the conduit between the booster pump 22 and the backing pump 24 .
  • a source of purge gas 32 and a control valve 34 might be optionally provided.
  • the control valve 34 might be placed between the source 32 and the conduit between the booster pump 22 and the backing pump 24 .
  • the controller 30 is configured to adjust the conductance of the control valve 34 , thereby controlling the flow rate of the purge gas from the source 32 to the outlet or its downstream proximity of the booster pump 22 . This in turns alters the backing pressure at the outlet of the booster pump 22 .
  • gases that are stable and do not react with the process gas flowing through the vacuum pump arrangement 20 as the purge gas.
  • the purge gas include nitrogen, helium, and other inert gases.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates a process for warming up the vacuum pump arrangement 20 from the idle mode in accordance with some embodiments of the invention.
  • the process illustrated in FIG. 3 is similar to that in FIG. 2 , expect that in the latter the backing pressure of the booster pump 22 is controlled and maintained by adjusting the speed of the backing pump 24 , whereas in the former the backing pressure of the booster pump 22 is controlled and maintained by injecting the purge gas at the outlet of the booster pump 22 , as described by step 300 .
  • step 302 it is determined whether the backing pressure of the booster pump 22 is within the predetermined range. If it is not, the controller 30 might increase the conductance of the control valve 34 to increase the flow rate of the purge gas, until the backing pressure of the booster pump 22 moves within the predetermined range.
  • the flow rate of the purge gas can be adjusted incrementally over a number of time intervals or abruptly to a predetermined level at once. If it is determined that the backing pressure of the booster pump 22 is within the predetermined range, the process will proceed to step 304 .
  • step 304 it is determined whether the temperature of the booster pump 22 is equal to or exceeds a predetermined threshold temperature. If it does not, the process will wait until it does and then proceed to step 306 where the flow of the purge gas is cut off.
  • step 308 it is determined whether the temperature of the backing pump 24 is equal to or exceeds a predetermined threshold temperature. If it does not, the process will wait unit it does and then end the process at step 310 .
  • the threshold temperatures of the booster and backing pumps may or may not be the same.
  • FIG. 4 is a graph showing that the disclosed method and/or apparatus shortens the time required to warm up a vacuum pump arrangement after it was put into an idle mode.
  • the left side of the figure illustrates a time line for warming up a vacuum pump arrangement according to conventional methods or apparatus.
  • the right side of the figure illustrates a time line for warming up the vacuum pump arrangement according to the method or apparatus of the disclosure.
  • the comparison between the time lines shows that the disclosed method or apparatus is able to warm up the booster and backing pumps to their desired temperatures much more quickly than the conventional methods or apparatus, due to the increased backing pressure of the booster pump in the warm-up process.
  • the shortened warm-up period means that the process tool can be put into operation much more quickly after the vacuum pump arrangement was instructed to wake up from the idle mode. This in turn translates into higher throughput for the process tool.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Compressors, Vaccum Pumps And Other Relevant Systems (AREA)
  • Applications Or Details Of Rotary Compressors (AREA)
  • Control Of Positive-Displacement Pumps (AREA)
US14/398,119 2012-05-02 2013-04-24 Method and apparatus for warming up a vacuum pump arrangement Abandoned US20150086387A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1207721.0A GB2501735B (en) 2012-05-02 2012-05-02 Method and apparatus for warming up a vacuum pump arrangement
GB1207721.0 2012-05-02
PCT/GB2013/051033 WO2013164571A2 (en) 2012-05-02 2013-04-24 Method and apparatus for warming up a vacuum pump arrangement

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20150086387A1 true US20150086387A1 (en) 2015-03-26

Family

ID=46330713

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US14/398,119 Abandoned US20150086387A1 (en) 2012-05-02 2013-04-24 Method and apparatus for warming up a vacuum pump arrangement

Country Status (8)

Country Link
US (1) US20150086387A1 (enExample)
EP (1) EP2844879A2 (enExample)
JP (1) JP6208219B2 (enExample)
KR (1) KR20150005945A (enExample)
CN (1) CN104246230B (enExample)
GB (1) GB2501735B (enExample)
TW (1) TWI640687B (enExample)
WO (1) WO2013164571A2 (enExample)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US10094381B2 (en) 2015-06-05 2018-10-09 Agilent Technologies, Inc. Vacuum pump system with light gas pumping and leak detection apparatus comprising the same
US20190128246A1 (en) * 2016-04-28 2019-05-02 Linde Aktiengesellschaft Fluid energy machine
US10808702B2 (en) 2015-01-15 2020-10-20 Atlas Copco Airpower, Naamloze Vennootschap Method for controlling a gas supply to a vacuum pump
US20200347851A1 (en) * 2017-12-12 2020-11-05 Edwards Limited Turbomolecular pump and method and apparatus for controlling the pressure in a process chamber
CN114962211A (zh) * 2021-02-26 2022-08-30 株式会社荏原制作所 真空排气方法及真空排气系统
TWI906453B (zh) 2021-02-26 2025-12-01 日商荏原製作所股份有限公司 真空排氣方法及真空排氣系統

Families Citing this family (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2017031892A (ja) * 2015-08-03 2017-02-09 アルバック機工株式会社 真空排気装置及びその運転方法
CN106762540A (zh) * 2015-11-24 2017-05-31 中国科学院沈阳科学仪器股份有限公司 一种节能型真空泵氮气吹扫装置
CN105422454B (zh) * 2015-12-09 2017-12-19 攀枝花钢城集团瑞钢工业有限公司 真空抽气系统和真空抽气方法
DE202016007609U1 (de) * 2016-12-15 2018-03-26 Leybold Gmbh Vakuumpumpsystem
DE102017107601B4 (de) * 2017-04-10 2019-11-07 Gardner Denver Deutschland Gmbh Verfahren zur Steuerung eines Schraubenverdichters
GB2583942A (en) * 2019-05-14 2020-11-18 Edwards Ltd Heater control unit
CN111734615B (zh) * 2020-06-28 2022-03-18 安图实验仪器(郑州)有限公司 用于真空系统的后级泵控制系统及控制方法
WO2025009947A1 (ko) * 2023-07-06 2025-01-09 (주)엘오티베큠 진공펌프 시스템 및 이의 제어 방법
GB2641036A (en) * 2024-05-13 2025-11-19 Edwards Ltd Vacuum pumping system and method

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4699570A (en) * 1986-03-07 1987-10-13 Itt Industries, Inc Vacuum pump system
US4850806A (en) * 1988-05-24 1989-07-25 The Boc Group, Inc. Controlled by-pass for a booster pump
US6673323B1 (en) * 2000-03-24 2004-01-06 Applied Materials, Inc. Treatment of hazardous gases in effluent
US6782907B2 (en) * 2001-03-22 2004-08-31 Ebara Corporation Gas recirculation flow control method and apparatus for use in vacuum system
US20070048145A1 (en) * 2005-08-12 2007-03-01 Katsutoshi Ishii Vacuum evacuation device and method, and substrate processing apparatus and method
US20080294382A1 (en) * 2007-05-21 2008-11-27 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Method and apparatus for pump fault prediction
US20100047080A1 (en) * 2005-02-02 2010-02-25 The Boc Group Plc Method of operating a pumping system

Family Cites Families (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB0214273D0 (en) * 2002-06-20 2002-07-31 Boc Group Plc Apparatus for controlling the pressure in a process chamber and method of operating same
JP2004324644A (ja) * 2003-04-10 2004-11-18 Ebara Corp ドライ真空ポンプ及びその起動方法
JP4218756B2 (ja) * 2003-10-17 2009-02-04 株式会社荏原製作所 真空排気装置
JP4364670B2 (ja) * 2004-02-24 2009-11-18 株式会社日立国際電気 Ａｌｄ装置
US7695231B2 (en) * 2004-03-08 2010-04-13 Jusung Engineering Co., Ltd. Vacuum pumping system, driving method thereof, apparatus having the same, and method of transferring substrate using the same
JP2006342688A (ja) * 2005-06-07 2006-12-21 Ebara Corp 真空排気システム
GB0513867D0 (en) * 2005-07-06 2005-08-10 Boc Group Plc Method of treating an exhaust gas
GB0520468D0 (en) * 2005-10-07 2005-11-16 Boc Group Plc Fluorine abatement
GB0521944D0 (en) * 2005-10-27 2005-12-07 Boc Group Plc Method of treating gas
EP1979619B1 (en) * 2006-01-31 2016-12-14 Ebara Corporation Vacuum pump unit
JP4702236B2 (ja) * 2006-09-12 2011-06-15 株式会社豊田自動織機 真空ポンプの運転停止制御方法及び運転停止制御装置
JP2008088880A (ja) * 2006-09-29 2008-04-17 Anest Iwata Corp 真空排気装置

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4699570A (en) * 1986-03-07 1987-10-13 Itt Industries, Inc Vacuum pump system
US4850806A (en) * 1988-05-24 1989-07-25 The Boc Group, Inc. Controlled by-pass for a booster pump
US6673323B1 (en) * 2000-03-24 2004-01-06 Applied Materials, Inc. Treatment of hazardous gases in effluent
US6782907B2 (en) * 2001-03-22 2004-08-31 Ebara Corporation Gas recirculation flow control method and apparatus for use in vacuum system
US20100047080A1 (en) * 2005-02-02 2010-02-25 The Boc Group Plc Method of operating a pumping system
US20070048145A1 (en) * 2005-08-12 2007-03-01 Katsutoshi Ishii Vacuum evacuation device and method, and substrate processing apparatus and method
US20080294382A1 (en) * 2007-05-21 2008-11-27 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Method and apparatus for pump fault prediction

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US10808702B2 (en) 2015-01-15 2020-10-20 Atlas Copco Airpower, Naamloze Vennootschap Method for controlling a gas supply to a vacuum pump
US10094381B2 (en) 2015-06-05 2018-10-09 Agilent Technologies, Inc. Vacuum pump system with light gas pumping and leak detection apparatus comprising the same
US20190128246A1 (en) * 2016-04-28 2019-05-02 Linde Aktiengesellschaft Fluid energy machine
US20200347851A1 (en) * 2017-12-12 2020-11-05 Edwards Limited Turbomolecular pump and method and apparatus for controlling the pressure in a process chamber
CN114962211A (zh) * 2021-02-26 2022-08-30 株式会社荏原制作所 真空排气方法及真空排气系统
EP4050216A1 (en) * 2021-02-26 2022-08-31 Ebara Corporation Vacuum exhaust method and vacuum exhaust system
TWI906453B (zh) 2021-02-26 2025-12-01 日商荏原製作所股份有限公司 真空排氣方法及真空排氣系統

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP2844879A2 (en) 2015-03-11
TWI640687B (zh) 2018-11-11
WO2013164571A2 (en) 2013-11-07
CN104246230A (zh) 2014-12-24
KR20150005945A (ko) 2015-01-15
GB2501735A (en) 2013-11-06
GB201207721D0 (en) 2012-06-13
CN104246230B (zh) 2016-10-26
JP2015516044A (ja) 2015-06-04
TW201407037A (zh) 2014-02-16
JP6208219B2 (ja) 2017-10-04
GB2501735B (en) 2015-07-22
WO2013164571A3 (en) 2013-12-27

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US20150086387A1 (en) Method and apparatus for warming up a vacuum pump arrangement
US11110392B2 (en) Apparatus for treating exhaust gas in a processing system
JP2015516044A5 (enExample)
JP2013519840A (ja) ポンプ速度の調整装置及び方法
JP6270067B2 (ja) 真空ポンプ装置の作動パラメータの調節方法および調節装置
CN102013504A (zh) 质子交换膜燃料电池测试平台温度控制系统及控制方法
CN103492963B (zh) 用于自调节处理系统的设备和方法
CN101612622A (zh) 用于减少腔室颗粒沉积的方法、系统及半导体处理设备
KR20230029649A (ko) 고체 산화물 연료 전지 시스템의 누출 속도를 검출하기 위한 방법 및 장치
CN104916525A (zh) 利用真空环境的半导体退火方法
KR102496644B1 (ko) 연료전지 시스템 및 그 제어방법
CN101221999A (zh) 太阳能电池扩散工艺及其设备
US10428807B2 (en) Pump power consumption enhancement
US9453614B2 (en) Systems and methods for cooling and removing reactants from a substrate processing chamber
CN100554514C (zh) 一种反应腔室压力控制的装置和方法
TW200719395A (en) Vacuum processing system and method of operating same
JP2011038427A (ja) 真空排気装置
JP2019091600A (ja) 燃料電池システム
JPH01268029A (ja) 半導体製造装置の圧力制御方法
KR20060084875A (ko) 반도체 확산 설비의 벤트 시스템에 적용되는 체크 밸브 장치

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: EDWARDS LIMITED, UNITED KINGDOM

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:TATTERSALL, JACK RAYMOND;REEL/FRAME:034076/0398

Effective date: 20140922

STPP Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general

Free format text: NOTICE OF ALLOWANCE MAILED -- APPLICATION RECEIVED IN OFFICE OF PUBLICATIONS

STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO PAY ISSUE FEE