Integrated high vacuum pumping system
View Patent ↗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.
1. An integrated vacuum pumping system for gas delivery comprising:
a housing with integral flange for connection to a process chamber;
a cavity within said housing, said cavity comprising a turbo-molecular pump;
an inlet valve integrated into the housing and moveably connected to the housing, said inlet valve located within said cavity at a position between the turbo-molecular pump and the process chamber;
a bypass line integrally located within the housing, said bypass line in valved communication with the cavity at a plurality of locations along the bypass line, with at least one location being located on either side of the inlet valve;
a bypass valve integrally located within the bypass line for regulating bypass flow between the cavity and the process chamber; and
an exhaust valve located integrally within the housing at a distance from the bypass valve and proximate to the cavity.
2. An apparatus for delivering gas comprising:
a housing with integral flange for connection to a process chamber;
a cavity integrated within the housing, said cavity comprising a turbo-molecular pump;
an inlet valve integrated within the housing and moveably connected to the housing, said inlet valve located within said cavity at a position between the turbo-molecular pump and the process chamber;
a bypass line integrally located within the housing, said bypass line in valved communication with the cavity at a plurality of locations along the bypass line, with at least one location being located on either side of the inlet valve;
a bypass valve located within the bypass line for regulating bypass flow within said bypass line between the cavity and the process chamber; and
an exhaust valve for regulating flow from the cavity to the bypass line, said exhaust valve located proximate to said bypass valve.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the bypass valve and exhaust valve are combined into a three-way valve.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the exhaust valve is attached to the turbo-molecular pump outlet.
5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the housing is connected to the base of the turbo-molecular pump.
6. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the housing and the valves are in thermal contact with each other.
7. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the bypass line is a milling within the housing.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the inlet valve is selected from the group consisting of a gate valve, a throttle valve, and a combination gate/throttle valve.
9. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the housing, the inlet valve, bypass valve, exhaust valve and by pass line are maintained at substantially similar temperatures during operation.
10. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the housing is dimensioned and constructed to contain fractured segments of the turbo-molecular pump in the event of pump failure.
11. A method for delivering gas comprising the steps of:
directing a flow from a source to an apparatus for delivering gas, said apparatus comprising:
a housing with integral flange for connection to a process chamber;
a cavity within said housing, said cavity comprising a turbo-molecular pump;
an inlet valve integrated into the housing and moveably connected to the housing, said inlet valve located within said cavity at a position between the turbo-molecular pump and the process chamber;
a bypass line integrally located within the housing, said bypass line in valved communication with the cavity at a plurality of locations along the bypass line, with at least one location being located on either side of the inlet valve;
a bypass valve located within the bypass line for regulating bypass flow between the cavity and the process chamber;
an exhaust valve located at a distance from the bypass valve and proximate to the cavity;
conditioning the flow within the cavity; and
delivering the flow from the cavity.
12. A method for delivering gas comprising the steps of:
directing a flow from a source to an apparatus for delivering gas, said apparatus comprising:
a housing with integral flange for connection to a process chamber;
a cavity within said housing, said cavity comprising a turbo-molecular pump;
an inlet valve integrated into the housing and moveably connected to the housing, said inlet valve located within said cavity at a position between the turbo-molecular pump and the process chamber;
a bypass line integrally located within the housing, said bypass line in valved communication with the cavity at a plurality of locations along the bypass line, with at least one location being located on either side of the inlet valve;
a bypass valve located within the bypass line for regulating bypass flow within said bypass line between the cavity and the process chamber; and
an exhaust valve for regulating flow from the cavity to the bypass line, said exhaust valve located proximate to said bypass valve;
conditioning the flow within the cavity; and
delivering the flow from the cavity.