Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus and method for controlling pressure, pumping a vacuum and providing abatement for a plurality of vacuum processing chambers. The system may be used in semiconductor manufacture. Multiple vacuum processing chambers are exhausted by turbo pumps into a common abatement chamber, which is maintained at sub-atmospheric pressure by a backing pump. Pressure in the processing chambers is independently controlled. The internal volume of the abatement device provides a buffer that reduces the effect of pressure changes in one processing chamber affecting pressure in the other chambers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to vacuum pumps and a method for creating and maintaining a high vacuum. A vacuum pump includes a regenerative section and a turbo-molecular section. A common first rotor carries forward-rotating elements of both the regenerative section and the turbo-molecular section. Additionally, a second rotor carries counter-rotating elements of the turbo-molecular section. A first drive rotates the first rotor in a forward rotational direction while a second drive rotates the second rotor in a counter-rotational direction. The drives may be controlled to drive the common first rotor on start-up, and to later drive the second rotor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the integration of a TMP with the associated bypass line and valves so that a single sub-assembly is created. The housing of the TMP is significantly modified to accommodate the associated equipment necessary for constructing a high-vacuum system.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus and method for evacuating a number of vacuum processing chambers containing incompatible gases. The gases are directed to a subatmospheric abatement chamber containing preconditioning devices. The gases are treated in the abatement chamber to render them compatible. The compatible gases are then drawn from the abatement chamber as a single stream through a backing pump.

Abstract: A method of forming a fibre optic terminal assembly (17) comprising the steps of inserting fibres (8) into a duct (3) defined by a housing (1) comprising a sleeve portion (21) having an open end (10) and defining a tubular portion of the duct, the fibres being inserted such that the fibres are supported in a closely packed bundle throughout the tubular portion and project through the end of the sleeve portion, trimming the bundle to form an end face (11) thereof, and bonding the fibres to one another and to the housing thereby forming a terminal assembly. The fibres are bonded by applying heat locally to the end face to form a molten glass surface layer, allowing glass from the layer to flow between the fibres of the bundle and allowing the glass to cool such that the glass forms a matrix fusing the fibres to one another and to the housing.