Abstract: A turbomolecular pump, vacuum pumping system and method of evacuating a vacuum chamber is disclosed. The turbomolecular pump comprises: a rotor comprising a plurality of rotor blade rows, a stator comprising a plurality of stator blade rows and an outer casing, the rotor being rotatably mounted within the stator; wherein at least a portion of a surface of at least one of the rotor and the stator comprise a non-evaporable getter material.

Abstract: A scroll pump tip seal to be fitted to a tip face of a scroll wall of a first scroll of a scroll pump to seal between the tip face and a base plate of a second scroll of the scroll pump has a first end, a second end and a plurality of flexure formations. The flexure formations are at least partial discontinuities in the tip seal disposed at spaced apart intervals between the first and second ends of the tip to facilitate lateral flexure of the tip seal.

Abstract: A scroll pump tip seal to be fitted to a tip face of a scroll wall of a first scroll of a scroll pump to seal between said tip face and a base plate of a second scroll of the scroll pump. The tip seal is made of metal and has at least one internally disposed void. The metal tip seal may be made of a foamed metal defining a plurality of internally disposed voids.

Abstract: A scroll pump tip seal to seal a single stage of a scroll pump that includes a first scroll and a second scroll. The tip seal is formed of a plurality of seal segments fitted contiguously end to end to a tip face the scroll wall of the scroll to form a continuous seal between the tip face and a base plate of the second scroll.