Abstract: A flammable gas diluter includes: a dilution vessel comprising an outer envelope defining a longitudinal flow passage from an inlet to an outlet; at least one air inlet for directing a flow of air into the inlet of the diluter; and a flammable gas inlet arrangement. The dilution vessel has a plurality of gas flow directing formations arranged between the flammable gas inlet arrangement and the outlet, each being at a different position along a length of the dilution vessel. At least one of the plurality of gas flow formations is an inwardly directing gas flow formation for directing gas flow away from the outer envelope and at least one of the gas flow formations is an outwardly directing gas flow formation for directing gas flow towards the outer envelope.

Abstract: A multiple stage turbomolecular pump is disclosed. The pump comprises: a higher vacuum stage comprising a plurality of rotor blade rows; a lower vacuum stage comprising a plurality of rotor blade rows of a larger diameter than the rotor blade rows of the higher vacuum stage; an inter-stage inlet for inputting gas into the turbomolecular pump between the higher vacuum and lower vacuum stages the inlet extending from an outer circumference of the pump to a radial position inside of the larger diameter and comprising a gas directing formation for directing the gas for entry into the pump in an axial direction.

Abstract: A system for evacuating an enclosure is provided. The system comprises first pumping means having an inlet selectively connectable to an outlet from the enclosure. Second pumping means are also provided together with conduit means for connecting an exhaust of the first pumping means to an inlet of the second pumping means. An auxiliary chamber is provided, this chamber being selectively connectable to the conduit means such that, in a first state, gas can be drawn from the auxiliary chamber by the second pumping means in isolation from the enclosure, and, in a second state, gas can be drawn from the enclosure to the auxiliary chamber through the first pumping means.

Abstract: A method is described of treating a gas stream exhausted from an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process chamber to which two or more gaseous precursors are alternately supplied. Between the process chamber and a vacuum pump used to draw the gas stream from the chamber, the gas stream is conveyed to a gas mixing chamber, to which a reactant is supplied for reacting with one of the gaseous precursors to form solid material. The gas stream is then conveyed to a cyclone separator to separate solid material from the gas stream. By deliberately reacting a non-reacted precursor to form solid material upstream from the pump, reaction within the pump of the non-reacted precursor and a second non-reacted precursor subsequently drawn from the chamber by the pump can be inhibited.