Abstract: A vacuum pump comprising a turbomolecular stage and a drag stage, the vacuum pump comprising a stator and a rotor. The rotor comprises a turbomolecular rotor and a drag rotor attached together. The turbomolecular rotor comprises a hub from which a plurality of blades extend, the hub comprising a mounting portion for mounting to a spindle of a motor and a hollow cylindrical portion, the hollow cylindrical portion extending from the mounting portion towards an outlet end of the turbomolecular stage. The drag rotor comprises a cylindrical skirt and an attachment part extending away from the cylindrical skirt, the attachment part extending within the hollow cylindrical portion of the hub of the turbomolecular rotor and being attached thereto at a point that is closer to the mounting portion than to the outlet end of the turbomolecular rotor.

Abstract: A system comprising a pumping system configured to pump respective exhaust gases from each of a plurality of chemical etching process chambers and to combine the exhaust gases to provide a combined exhaust gas, and a noble gas recovery system configured to process the combined exhaust gas to remove one or more noble gases therefrom.

Abstract: A kit of parts for forming a foreline for coupling a process chamber to a vacuum pumping and/or abatement system, the kit comprising: a plurality of foreline segments; wherein each foreline segment is a pipe that comprises: a first substantially straight end portion; a second substantially straight end portion opposite to the first end portion; and an intermediate portion disposed between the first and second end portions and connected to the first and second end portions by respective bends; the first and second end portions are substantially parallel to each other; the intermediate portion is oblique to the first and second end portions; and the foreline segments are configured to be attached together so as to form a continuous foreline.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a component of an abatement apparatus is disclosed. The method comprises: meshing a 3D model representation of a component defining a reaction chamber of an abatement apparatus based on specified component characteristics to define an optimised finite element representation of the component; and fabricating the optimised finite element representation. In this way, a 3D model of a component of an abatement apparatus can be generated from which its performance can be modelled. Particular characteristics of the component may be defined which affect the operation of the abatement apparatus. Those characteristics may then be used to generate the optimized finite element representation of the component which has those characteristics using meshing (it will be appreciated that meshing is the operation of representing a geometric object as a set of finite elements).

Abstract: The Invention provides a scroll pump comprising an orbiting scroll and a fixed scroll, wherein the orbital axis of the orbiting scroll is movable in a radial direction relative to the fixed scroll while the orbiting scroll is orbiting about its orbital axis, or wherein the fixed scroll is movable relative to the orbiting scroll in a radial direction while the orbiting scroll is orbiting about its orbital axis.

Abstract: An abatement method is disclosed. The method comprises: supplying a combustion chamber of an abatement apparatus with an effluent stream containing a perfluoro compound, together with combustion reagents and a diluent; heating a combustion zone of said combustion chamber by reacting said combustion reagents to perform abatement of said perfluoro compound to stable by-products, said diluent being selected to remain inert during said abatement. In this way, the perfluoro or other compound is abated in the combustion chamber during the combustion of the combustion reagents, but without creating undesirable compounds such as, for example, NOx or other compounds.

Abstract: A packed tower includes a packed tower housing having an inlet for receiving an effluent stream; an outlet for venting the effluent stream; a packed substrate housed within the packed tower housing between the inlet and the outlet, the packed substrate being configured to entrain at least some of particles from a fluid as the effluent stream flows therethrough; and a fan housed within the packed tower housing, the fan being configured to propel the effluent stream from the inlet towards the outlet and to remove at least some of the particles from the fluid. The fan helps to generate a negative pressure to draw the effluent stream into the packed tower and through the packed substrate, which reduces the back pressure improves the flow of effluent stream through the packed tower and upstream abatement apparatus and helps to improve the removal of particles from within the effluent stream.

Abstract: A vacuum pumping apparatus may include: a common pumping line having a plurality of pumping line inlets and a pumping line outlet, each pumping line inlet being configured to couple with an outlet of an associated plurality of vacuum processing chambers; at least one primary vacuum pump in fluid communication with the pumping line outlet to pump gas from each vacuum processing chamber; and control logic operable to control operation of the primary vacuum pump in response to an indication of an operating state of the plurality of vacuum processing chambers. In this way, the performance of the primary vacuum pump can be adjusted to match the load provided by the processing chambers and when there is an excess capacity, the performance of the primary vacuum pumps can be reduced, which can lead to significant energy savings and reduce wear on the pump.

Abstract: An axial flow vacuum pump for evacuating a chamber in a semiconductor manufacturing process comprises a rotor having a plurality of rotor blades and a stator having a plurality of stator blades, wherein the rotor blades and stator blades have a curved shape.

Abstract: An oil feed assembly for a vacuum pump comprises: an oil feeder located for feeding oil to one side of a bearing of the vacuum pump; an oil sump located on the one side of the bearing and configured to receive excess oil from the oil feeder; and a venting bypass conduit fluidly coupled with the oil sump and with another side of the bearing, the venting bypass conduit having an inlet located at an elevated position above a floor of the oil sump and configured to convey gas from the oil sump to the another side of the bearing. In this way, the venting bypass conduit provides an alternative path which allows gas within the oil sump to escape during pump-down while preventing oil within the oil sump from escaping with the gas travelling through the venting bypass conduit.

Abstract: Lubricant supply system comprising a lubricant container body defining a lubricant reservoir wherein the lubricant container body comprising an indentation of through-hole to receive a lubricant transfer device of a vacuum pump. Therein, the indentation of through-hole is surrounded by a collar extending from the lubricant container body.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention relate to a stator component for a pump housing. The stator component has a plurality of fluid inlet channels for conveying fluid to respective pumping chambers. The fluid inlet channels each have an inlet port for conveying fluid into the pumping chamber. A plurality of fluid transfer channels are provided for conveying fluid to a respective one of the fluid inlet channels. The fluid transfer channels each have an inlet for receiving pumped fluid. The stator component is adapted to receive at least one sealing member for inhibiting the conveyance of fluid into an associated one of the pumping chambers. Aspects of the present invention relate to a pump housing, a cover plate and a pump. Aspects of the present invention also relate to a method of converting a stator component.

Abstract: A scroll pump (100, 200) comprising a first scroll comprising a first spiral wall (124, 224); a second scroll comprising a second spiral wall (134, 234), the second spiral wall being intermeshed with the first spiral wall; and a pad (180, 280) formed from a different material to the first and second scrolls, the pad being located between the first and second scrolls radially inwards or outwards of the first and second spiral walls.

Abstract: A method of cleaning a gas inlet nozzle of an abatement burner combustion chamber. The abatement burner intermittently receives gas for combustion from a feed process. The nozzle comprises a cleaning mechanism including a movable cleaning member for physically removing unwanted deposits from the nozzle. The cleaning member is movable from a retracted first position wherein the cleaning member is outside a path of a flame associated with the nozzle, to a second cleaning position wherein the cleaning member is in a path of the flame associated with the nozzle. The method comprises the steps of: a. identifying when the nozzle is out of use; b. moving the cleaning member from the first position to the second position while the nozzle is out of use; and c. returning the cleaning member to the first position before nozzle is in use.

Abstract: A multiple stage rotary vacuum pump comprising: a stator comprising multiple pumping stages; at least one inter-stage divider separating two adjacent pumping stages; the at least one inter-stage divider comprising two walls defining a cavity therebetween, an upstream wall bounding an upstream pumping stage and a downstream wall bounding a downstream pumping stage of the two adjacent pumping stages.

Abstract: A scroll vacuum pump has an axially extending drive shaft with an eccentric shaft portion, such that rotation of the drive shaft imparts an orbiting motion to an orbiting scroll relative to a fixed scroll. An axial adjustment mechanism has a plurality of adjustment members angularly spaced around the drive shaft and extending through the pump housing towards the orbiting scroll, the plurality of adjustment members each being configured to provide an independently adjustable axial position of the orbiting scroll. A plurality of sealing means isolate the plurality of adjustment members from a pump chamber, the plurality of sealing means extending around each of the plurality of adjustment members and comprising at least one flexible portion such that one end of the sealing means may orbit relative to a fixed other end of the sealing means.

Abstract: A vacuum pump comprising: a rotor rotatably mounted within a stator; the rotor comprising a plurality of angled blades arranged along a helical path from an inlet to an outlet; the stator comprising a plurality of perforated elements forming a plurality of perforated discs arranged to intersect the helical path at different axial positions, the perforations allowing gas molecules travelling along the helical path to pass through the perforated elements. Each of the perforated discs comprises an outer curved wall forming an outer circumference of the disc and an inner curved wall forming a portion of an inner circumference of the disc, the inner circumference comprising at least one gap where there is no inner wall.

Abstract: Oil feed nut for providing a lubricant to a bearing of a vacuum pump comprising a first end and an opposite second end and being configured to be connected to a shaft of the vacuum pump. Further, the oil feed nut comprising an oil feeding element extending between the first end and the second end, wherein the oil feeding element has an increasing diameter towards the second end to create an increasing rotational force acting on the lubricant in order to convey the lubricant towards the second end, and a bearing journal element having a cylindrical surface configured to be received in a back-up bearing of the vacuum pump. Therein, the back-up bearing is arranged in a cartridge of an oil reservoir.

Abstract: A plurality of system control devices respectively include network interfaces for communicating with each other via a network. One of the plurality of system control devices functions as a master system control device, and the remaining system control devices function as slave system control devices. The master system control device transmits a control command to the slave system control devices by means of the network interface. The slave system control devices receive the control command by means of the network interfaces and supply an operation command to abatement devices in accordance with the control command. When unable to communicate with the master system control device, the slave system control devices either function as master system control devices or enter stand-alone operation mode.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a burner element for an abatement apparatus is disclosed. The method comprises: injection moulding a charge comprising metal particles and a flow compound into a mould defining the burner element to produce a moulded burner element; and sintering the moulded burner element. In this way, injection moulding is used to produce the burner element, which provides far more flexibility regarding the design and properties of the burner element and avoids the necessity of incorporating a perforated support into the burner element. This allows burner elements of more intricate design to be produced, as well as burner elements which are thinner than those produced using existing techniques, which increases the volume of a combustion chamber defined by that burner element for any external burner element size, which in turn increases the amount of effluent gas that can be treated for any burner size.