Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for measuring pressure inside a predetermined vessel based on the principle that the transmitting efficiency of ultrasonic waves is changed by acoustic impedance variation according to an internal pressure. The apparatus includes an ultrasound exciting unit 20 disposed inside the vessel 10 and generating predetermined ultrasonic waves, an ultrasound receiving unit 30 disposed inside the vessel 10 and placed on the same axis line as that of the ultrasound exciting unit 20, a control unit 70 for controlling a frequency and a waveform of the excitation signal transmitted into the ultrasound exciting unit 20, and a pressure measuring unit 80 for measuring an internal pressure of the vessel 10 based on an ultrasonic signal received by the ultrasound receiving unit 30 and the excitation signal transmitted into the ultrasound exciting unit 20.

Abstract: The present invention such as active diagnostic algorithms is developed not only to realize the early detection of degraded vacuum pumps for the protection of pump failure but also to provide their predictive maintenance. According to the present invention, it is possible to find simple and effective ways to deal with technical problems arising from the large variability of the pump-by-pump operation characteristics and the multiple process conditions where pumps run under the idle operation and gas-loaded operation conditions alternately, especially in semiconductor manufacturing process.

Abstract: According to the present invention, the most challenging issues in this work have been to find systematic ways of enabling maintenance engineers to decide an adequate time for the replacement of vacuum pumps on the basis of their current performance assessment result. Further, the comparison of the currently evaluated diagnostics analysis results and the initial (or reference) data set is shown to enable maintenance engineers to decide the replacement of the considered vacuum pump according to the evaluated pump performance indicators. This quantitative diagnostic analysis result is expected not only to enable maintenance engineers to decide an adequate time for the replacement of vacuum pumps on the basis of their current performance assessment results but also to improve the reliability and confidence of the predictive maintenance of low vacuum pumps.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for measuring pressure inside a predetermined vessel based on the principle that the transmitting efficiency of ultrasonic waves is changed by acoustic impedance variation according to an internal pressure. The apparatus includes an ultrasound exciting unit 20 disposed inside the vessel 10 and generating predetermined ultrasonic waves, an ultrasound receiving unit 30 disposed inside the vessel 10 and placed on the same axis line as that of the ultrasound exciting unit 20, a control unit 70 for controlling a frequency and a waveform of the excitation signal transmitted into the ultrasound exciting unit 20, and a pressure measuring unit 80 for measuring an internal pressure of the vessel 10 based on an ultrasonic signal received by the ultrasound receiving unit 30 and the excitation signal transmitted into the ultrasound exciting unit 20.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for in-situ calibration of a vacuum gauge by absolute method and comparison method, which can carry out absolute calibration using a static type standard for measuring pressures of vacuum chambers by expanding and moving gas between four vacuum chambers of different volumes in order, and comparison calibration of vacuum gauges in an in-situ state without movement of the vacuum gauges according to a method for controlling gas flow through an orifice using a calibrated standard vacuum gauge. Thus, the absolute calibration and the comparative calibration of the vacuum gauges which have been separately carried out by different apparatuses till now can be carried out by just one apparatus, whereby economical efficiency and convenience in calibration of vacuum gauges are maximized.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are an apparatus for and method of measuring the composition and the pressure of the discharged gas from an ion gauge by using a residual gas analyzer. In this regard, there are provided a vacuum container 200 divided into a pressure container 210 and a discharge container 220 by means of a partition 235 having an orifice 230 formed thereon; an ion gauge 100 mounted at the pressure container 210 side of the vacuum container 200 for discharging the gas at the time of vacuum formation; a residual gas analyzer 240 mounted at the pressure container 210 side of the vacuum container 200 for measuring the composition and the pressure of the residual gas; pump means disposed at one side of the discharge container 220 of the vacuum container 200 for discharging the inside gas; and heating means disposed at the vacuum container 200 for heating the vacuum container 200 to a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: According to the present invention, the most challenging issues in this work have been to find systematic ways of enabling maintenance engineers to decide an adequate time for the replacement of vacuum pumps on the basis of their current performance assessment result. Further, the comparison of the currently evaluated diagnostics analysis results and the initial (or reference) data set is shown to enable maintenance engineers to decide the replacement of the considered vacuum pump according to the evaluated pump performance indicators. This quantitative diagnostic analysis result is expected not only to enable maintenance engineers to decide an adequate time for the replacement of vacuum pumps on the basis of their current performance assessment results but also to improve the reliability and confidence of the predictive maintenance of low vacuum pumps.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are an apparatus for and method of measuring the composition and the pressure of the discharged gas from an ion gauge by using a residual gas analyzer. In this regard, there are provided a vacuum container 200 divided into a pressure container 210 and a discharge container 220 by means of a partition 235 having an orifice 230 formed thereon; an ion gauge 100 mounted at the pressure container 210 side of the vacuum container 200 for discharging the gas at the time of vacuum formation; a residual gas analyzer 240 mounted at the pressure container 210 side of the vacuum container 200 for measuring the composition and the pressure of the residual gas; pump means disposed at one side of the discharge container 220 of the vacuum container 200 for discharging the inside gas; and heating means disposed at the vacuum container 200 for heating the vacuum container 200 to a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: The present invention such as active diagnostic algorithms is developed not only to realize the early detection of degraded vacuum pumps for the protection of pump failure but also to provide their predictive maintenance. According to the present invention, it is possible to find simple and effective ways to deal with technical problems arising from the large variability of the pump-by-pump operation characteristics and the multiple process conditions where pumps run under the idle operation and gas-loaded operation conditions alternately, especially in semiconductor manufacturing process.

Abstract: Disclosed is a pressure measuring system for a vacuum chamber, in particular, a pressure measuring system for a vacuum chamber using ultrasonic wave. In this regard, there is provided a pressure measuring system for a vacuum chamber using ultrasonic wave, comprising a vacuum chamber 10 formed with desired vacuum at the inside thereof; ultrasonic wave-emitting means mounted close to an outer peripheral surface of the vacuum chamber 10 for emitting an ultrasonic wave 62 to the inside of the vacuum chamber 10; ultrasonic wave-receiving means for receiving a reflection wave 64 reflected after the striking of the ultrasonic wave 62 emitted from the ultrasonic wave-emitting means to the vacuum chamber; reflection wave-detecting means for detecting the reflection wave 64 from the ultrasonic wave-receiving means; and amplitude-analyzing means for analyzing the amplitude of the reflection wave 64 detected by the reflection wave-detecting means.

Abstract: Disclosed therein is apparatus and method for in-situ calibration of a vacuum gauge by absolute method and comparison method, which can carry out absolute calibration using a static type standard for measuring pressures of vacuum chambers by expanding and moving gas to the vacuum chambers of different volumes in order and comparison calibration of vacuum gauges in an in-situ state without movement of the vacuum gauges according to a method for controlling gas flow through an orifice using a calibrated standard vacuum gauge. The present invention includes a technology for combining an absolute calibration of a standard vacuum gauge by a static method and a comparative calibration of a vacuum gauge by a method for controlling a gas flow through an orifice, technologies for generating and calibrating standard pressure from a low vacuum to a high vacuum, and a technology of comparative calibration of the vacuum gauge by a method for stabilizing the gas flow through the orifice.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a device for measuring and monitoring electron density of plasma. The device includes a chamber filled with plasma having varying electron density; a frequency probe having transmission/receiving antennas and a pair of waveguides, one end of which is mounted in the chamber, for radiating and receiving electromagnetic waves; an electromagnetic wave generator electrically connected to one of the waveguides of the frequency probe for generating electromagnetic waves; and a frequency analyzer for scanning the frequency of received electromagnetic waves and analyzing the scanned frequency with respect to the amplitude of the received electromagnetic waves. Coupled to the rear end of the frequency probe is preferably a transfer unit having a hydraulic cylinder structure such that the frequency probe is moved in the chamber to detect the spatial distribution of electron density.

Abstract: An ion drag vacuum pump is installed in a body, one side of which is connected to and in communication with a sealed chamber. An ion generating device and a positive ion dragging device for dragging positive ions generated by the ion generating device to exhaust gases located near the ions by speeding up the ions is disposed in the body. The positive ions are neutralized by a positive ion neutralizing device. The ion generating device includes a corona electrode as a corona discharger to which a positive voltage is applied, a metal plate as a DC glow discharger to which a positive DC voltage is applied, or a first RF electrode and a second RF electrode to which RF power is applied. The ion dragging device includes a target electrode or a first and a second grids to which a positive and a negative voltage are respectively applied. The ion neutralizing device includes a grounded baffle plate.