Pump apparatus for semiconductor processing

Abstract

The invention relates to a pump apparatus for use in semiconductor processing. The apparatus may include a single pump configured to transition a substance flow from about molecular pressure to about atmospheric pressure.

1 . An apparatus for use in semiconductor processing, comprising: 
 a single pump configured to transition a substance flow having an input pressure less than or equal to about 10 −1  millibar to an output pressure greater than or equal to about 100 millibar.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the single pump is configured to transition a substance flow having an input pressure less than or equal to about 10 −3  millibar to an output pressure greater than or equal to about 100 millibar.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the single pump is configured to transition the substance flow to an output pressure greater than or equal to about 1 bar.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the single pump includes no more than a single rotatable shaft.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the single shaft consists essentially of a single vertical axis.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the single shaft is continuous.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a semiconductor processing tool associated with the single pump.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a flow rate of the substance flow ranges from about 1,000 liters per second to about 10,000 liters per second.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the flow rate of the substance flow ranges from about 1,600 liters per second to about 3,000 liters per second.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the single pump includes at least one ball bearing.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein at least one ball bearing is associated with a portion of the single pump that exhausts substance flow having an output pressure greater than or equal to about 100 millibar.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the single pump includes at least one magnetic bearing.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one magnetic bearing is associated with a portion of the single pump that receives substance flow having an input pressure less than or equal to about 10 −2  millibar.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the single pump includes no more than one motor.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the single pump includes no more than one bearing suspension unit.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the single pump includes at least one magnetic bearing.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one ball bearing is associated with a portion of the single pump that exhausts the substance flow having an output pressure greater than or equal to about 100 millibar.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one magnetic bearing is associated with a portion of the single pump that receives substance flow having an input pressure less than or equal to about 10 −2  millibar.  
     
     
         19 . An apparatus for use in semiconductor processing, comprising: 
 a single pump configured to transition a substance flow from about molecular pressure to about atmospheric pressure.    
     
     
         20 . An apparatus for use in semiconductor processing, comprising: 
 a single pump configured to transition a substance from turbomolecular flow to atmospheric flow.