Radially Staged Microscale Turbomolecular Pump

Abstract

A radial turbomolecular vacuum pump that includes a rotor made from a silicon rotor surface comprising monolithically fabricated micro blades, and a stator made from a silicon stator surface comprising corresponding monolithically fabricated grooves. The micro blades and grooves are arranged in multiple rings, and the rotor and stator disks are placed in proximity, creating interdigitated stator and rotor blade rings. The interdigitated stator and rotor blade rings form a multi-stage compression in the radial direction.

1 . A radial turbomolecular vacuum pump, comprising:
 a gas inlet;   a rotor comprising:
 a first rotor surface; and 
 a plurality of rotor blades, wherein the plurality of rotor blades are monolithically fabricated from the first rotor surface and extend axially from the first rotor surface, wherein the material of the first rotor surface and the plurality of rotor blades is silicon; 
   a stator comprising:
 a first stator surface that is positioned proximate to the first rotor surface in the substantially radial direction; 
 a plurality of stator blades, wherein the plurality of stator blades are monolithically fabricated from the first stator surface and extend axially from the first stator surface; and 
 a plurality of stator grooves formed between from the plurality of stator blades, wherein the stator surface and the plurality of stator blades and the plurality of stator grooves are manufactured from silicon; and 
   a gas outlet.   
   
   
       2 . The turbomolecular vacuum pump of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of rotor blades are arranged in concentric rings of blades. 
   
   
       3 . The turbomolecular vacuum pump of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of stator grooves are arranged in concentric rings and are disposed between the concentric rings of the plurality of rotor blades. 
   
   
       4 . The turbomolecular vacuum pump of  claim 1 , wherein the rotor and the stator are manufactured using a deep reactive ion etching process. 
   
   
       5 . The turbomolecular vacuum pump of  claim 1 , wherein the rotor and stator are manufactured using a photo assisted wet chemical etching process. 
   
   
       6 . The turbomolecular vacuum pump of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of stator blades are within a range of 10 to 50 micron. 
   
   
       7 . The turbomolecular vacuum pump of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of rotor blades are within a range of 10 to 50 micron. 
   
   
       8 . A radial turbomolecular vacuum pump, comprising:
 an inlet;   a first silicon circular disc, wherein the first silicon circular disc spins around its axis, comprising:
 a first surface; 
 a plurality of blades extending from the first surface, and monolithically fabricated on the first surface; 
   a second silicon circular disc, comprising:
 a second surface; 
 a plurality of grooves extending from the second surface, and monolithically fabricated on the second surface; 
   an outlet in fluid communication with the plurality of blades and the plurality of grooves.   
   
   
       9 . The turbomolecular vacuum pump of  claim 8 , wherein the first silicon circular disc is a rotor. 
   
   
       10 . The turbomolecular vacuum pump of  claim 8 , wherein the second silicon circular disc is a stator. 
   
   
       11 . The turbomolecular vacuum pump of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of blades are arranged in concentric rings of blades. 
   
   
       12 . The turbomolecular vacuum pump of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of grooves are arranged in concentric rings and are disposed between the concentric rings of the plurality of blades. 
   
   
       13 . A radial turbomolecular vacuum pump, comprising:
 a rotor comprising:
 a silicon first rotor surface, comprising a plurality of blades monolithically fabricated on the silicon first rotor surface; and 
   a stator comprising:
 a silicon first stator surface, comprising a plurality of grooves monolithically fabricated on the silicon first stator surface.