Abstract: An inter-stage coupling for a multi-stage vacuum booster pump may include a first coupling face configured to be received by a first adjacent stage of the multi-stage vacuum pump; a second coupling face configured to be received by a second adjacent stage of the multi-stage vacuum pump; and a recirculator comprising a recirculation inlet aperture formed in the first coupling face, a recirculation outlet aperture formed in the first coupling face, and a recirculation conduit having a recirculation valve configured to selectively fluidly couple the recirculation inlet aperture with the recirculation outlet aperture. In this way, the pressure in a stage can be relieved by fluidly coupling the outlet aperture with the inlet aperture in order to recirculate built-up gas from one part of the first stage pump to another part of the first stage pump in order to reduce the strain on the rotor.

Abstract: A twin-shaft pump comprising: a pumping chamber; two rotatable shafts each mounted on bearings is disclosed. Each of the two rotatable shafts comprises at least one rotor element, the rotor elements being within the pumping chamber and the two rotatable shafts extending beyond the pumping chamber to a support member. The support member comprises mounting means for mounting the bearings at a predetermined distance from each other, the predetermined distance defining a distance between the two shafts. A thermal break between the pumping chamber and the support member is provided for impeding thermal conductivity between the pumping chamber and the support member, such that the pumping chamber and support member can be maintained at different temperatures. The support member and the rotor elements are formed of different materials, a coefficient of thermal expansion of a material forming the support member being higher than a coefficient of thermal expansion of a material forming the rotor elements.

Abstract: A vacuum system pipe coupling includes a first coupling member defining a through passage, a second coupling member defining a through passage and a securing unit. The first coupling member has a first end portion having a first lengthways extending axis, a second end portion having a second lengthways extending axis that is laterally offset with respect to the first lengthways extending axis and a first connecting portion connecting the first and second end portions. The second coupling member has a third end portion having a third lengthways extending axis, a fourth end portion having a fourth lengthways extending axis that is laterally offset with respect to the third lengthways extending axis and a second connecting portion connecting the third and fourth end portions. The securing unit is configured to secure the first end portion to the third end portion with the first and third lengthways extending axes in alignment.

Abstract: A module for a vacuum pumping and/or abatement system includes a top side, a bottom side, a front side, a rear side, and two opposing lateral sides, which together define a space. The module comprises an apparatus located wholly within the space and one or more connection points coupled to the apparatus. Each of the connection points is for receiving an input for the apparatus or receiving an output from the apparatus. The one or more connection points are located at the top side. The module has a maximum size in a first system dimension that is equal to a first integer multiple of a fixed system value, the first system dimension being a dimension between the lateral sides. For each connection point, a distance between that connection point and each lateral side in the first system dimension is a respective second integer multiple of the fixed system value.

Abstract: A vacuum pumping and/or abatement system for evacuating and/or abating fluid from an entity, the system comprising: a first module comprising a vacuum pumping apparatus for pumping the fluid from the entity and/or an abatement apparatus for abating the fluid evacuated from the entity; and a second module arranged adjacent to the first module in a first system dimension; wherein the first and second modules each have a maximum size in the first system dimension that is a respective integer multiple of a common fixed system value.

Abstract: A module for a vacuum pumping and/or abatement system. The module comprises a frame defining a space, a plurality of facilities inputs configured to receive facilities from a facilities supply, a plurality of facilities outputs configured to output the received facilities out of the module, and a plurality of facilities connection lines located at least partially within the space defined by the frame. The plurality of facilities connection lines connect the facilities inputs to the facilities outputs. The module further comprises a controller configured to control supply of facilities received at the facilities inputs out of the facilities outputs; and control operation of one or more vacuum pumping and/or abatement apparatuses remote from the module.

Abstract: The present invention provides bearing cage retainer for a rolling element rotor bearing in a vacuum pump. The bearing cage retainer being configured to have an operational arrangement in which, at the maximum longitudinal axial displacement limit of the outer race in the direction of the retainer, the bearing cage retainer is disengaged from the bearing cage, and a failure configuration characterised by the dislocation of the bearing cage by a longitudinal axial displacement of the bearing cage relative to the outer race in the direction of the retainer and in which the bearing cage retainer engages said bearing cage and the bearing cage maintains the separation of the rolling elements within the bearing.

Abstract: A bearing cage for a rotor bearing of a turbomolecular pump. The bearing cage includes a plurality of bearing pockets each of which, in use, houses a bearing ball such that the bearing ball operably engages an inner race and an outer race of the rotor bearing. Each bearing pocket of the bearing cage has a primary chamber for housing the bearing ball and each bearing pocket further includes a sump.

Abstract: A pumping line arrangement includes a chamber connecting line which is fluidly connectable to a process chamber that forms part of a semiconductor fabrication tool. The pumping line arrangement also includes a valve module which is fluidly connected to the chamber connecting line. The valve module splits the chamber connecting line into respective first and second pumping lines. The first pumping line is intended to carry a first process flow and the second pumping line is intended to carry a second process flow which is incompatible with the first process flow. At least one of the first pumping line or the second pumping line includes fluidly connected therewithin a pre-abatement module that is configured to remove one or more incompatible constituents from the process flow intended to be carried by the other pumping line.

Abstract: A plasma generating apparatus may include a cathode assembly including a cathode, an anode assembly including an anode having therein a plasma generation space, and one or more magnetic force generators configured to generate a magnetic force. The anode assembly has one end portion in which a gas supply path is provided and the other end portion having an opening, the gas supply path configured to supply a plasma generating gas to the plasma generation space. The gas supply path is configured to generate a vortex of the plasma generating gas in the plasma generation space and said one or more magnetic force generators are arranged such that the magnetic force is generated in a direction opposite to a rotational direction of the vortex of the plasma generating gas.

Abstract: A pump assembly may include a rotor having a rotor shaft portion; a stator having a bore portion defining a bore for receiving the rotor shaft portion; and a circumferential protrusion extending radially into the bore between the bore portion and the rotor shaft portion, wherein at least one of the protrusion and a corresponding surface of the rotor shaft portion or the bore portion is configured to be abraded by the other upon experiencing contact therewith. In this way, the gap between the bore portion and the rotor shaft portion may be at least partially filled by the circumferential protrusion in order to provide a seal. The protrusion and one of the bore portion and the rotor shaft portion may be formed from different hardness materials.

Abstract: A twin shaft pump may include two cooperating rotors configured to rotate in opposite directions about parallel axes of rotation; a stator comprising a stator bore in which the rotors are mounted to rotate. The stator bore includes a central part between the two axes of rotation, and an outer part outside of the two axes, the rotors being configured to have cooperating dimensions with the stator bore such that an outer edge of each rotor that is remote from the other rotor seals with the stator bore when rotating in at least a portion of the outer part. A fluid inlet is provided in the stator bore, at least a portion of the fluid inlet being in the central part of the stator bore between the axes of rotation. A fluid outlet is provide in an opposing surface of the stator bore, the fluid outlet being in the central part of the stator bore.

Abstract: An exhaust coupling for a pump is disclosed. The exhaust coupling for a pump, comprises: an inlet chamber defining a coupling inlet for receiving a fluid from said pump; an outlet chamber defining a coupling outlet for outputting said fluid from said exhaust coupling; and a non-linear inter-chamber conduit fluidly coupling said inlet chamber with said outlet chamber for conveying said fluid from said inlet chamber to said outlet chamber. In this way, noise from the pump is abated since it is initially dampened when received in the inlet chamber, then dampened further by the non-linear inter-chamber conduit, before being dampened yet further within the outlet chamber prior to being emitted through the coupling outlet. The presence of the non-linear inter-chamber conduit ensures that there is no direct, linear path along which the noise can travel from the coupling inlet to the coupling outlet.

Abstract: A multi-stage positive displacement vacuum pump and a method of differentially pumping multiple vacuum chambers using such a pump is disclosed. The pump comprises a housing for housing at least one rotor mounted for rotation on a corresponding at least one shaft and for pumping gas through the multiple stages for output through an exhaust. The housing comprises a first inlet configured to admit gas to an inlet stage of said vacuum pump, and a further inlet configured to admit gas to an intermediate stage of said vacuum pump. The pump is configured such that gas admitted through each of the first and further inlets is pumped together as a combined gas flow by at least one stage of said vacuum pump downstream of said intermediate stage.

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: A vacuum pump, vacuum pump arrangement and method are disclosed. The vacuum pump includes at least one rotor; and a stator, an inlet for receiving gas during operation; and an exhaust for exhausting the gas. The vacuum pump includes a shaft extending through a centre of said pump and comprising a plate mounted on an end of the shaft towards the inlet. The vacuum pump includes control circuitry configured to control an axial position of the plate, a change in axial position of the plate providing a change in inlet conductance of gas to the vacuum pump. The plate is mounted such that it extends beyond the inlet in at least some axial positions of the rotor such that the plate is not on the same side of the inlet as the stator.

Abstract: A pump includes a first housing part defining a first portion of a bore extending within the first housing part and shaped to receive a rotor; and a second housing part defining a second portion of the bore extending within the second housing part and shaped to receive the rotor. The first housing part has a first face abutable against an opposing second face of the second housing part to position the first portion of the bore with the second portion of the bore to receive the rotor. The first portion of the bore has a first circular cross-section portion centered along the first face and the second portion of the bore having a second circular cross-section portion centered, within the second housing part, at a distance from the second face.

Abstract: A rotor for a multi-stage vacuum pump, a multi-stage vacuum pump and a method. The rotor comprises: a plurality of rotary vanes, the plurality of rotary vanes being axially displaced and coaxially aligned; a pair of end shafts, each end shaft extending from opposing axial ends of the plurality of rotary vanes; and an inter-vane shaft extending between adjacent rotary vanes of the plurality of rotary vanes, the inter-vane shaft having a diameter which is greater than that of the end shafts. In this way, the inter-vane shaft provided between each rotary vane may have an increased diameter, which improves the stiffness of the shaft and changes the modal frequency of the rotor. Such a change in the modal frequency is typically sufficient to improve its operation.

Abstract: A vacuum pumping arrangement comprises a first pump which has a first inlet and a first outlet. The first inlet is fluidly connected to a first common pumping line. The first common pumping line includes a plurality of first pumping line inlets each of which is fluidly connectable to a least one process chamber within a group of process chambers that form a semiconductor fabrication tool. The vacuum pumping arrangement also includes a reserve pump which has a reserve inlet and a reserve outlet. The reserve inlet is selectively fluidly connectable to each process chamber within the group of process chambers that form the semiconductor fabrication tool. The vacuum pumping arrangement additionally includes a controller which is configured to selectively fluidly isolate the pump from one or more given process chambers and selectively fluidly connect the reserve pump with the said one or more given process chambers.

Abstract: A head assembly for a radiant burner, an inlet assembly and a method are disclosed. The head assembly is for a radiant burner. The head assembly may include a housing defining a plurality of identical housing apertures extending therethrough, an insulator received by the housing and defining a corresponding plurality of identical, complimentarily-located insulator apertures extending therethrough, and at least one inlet assembly configured to be received by one of the identical housing apertures. Each inlet assembly may include a housing portion configured to be received by the one of the identical housing apertures, and an insulator portion configured to fill the complimentarily-located insulator aperture. In this way, a head assembly is provided which has a number of apertures, any of which may receive an inlet assembly.