Active electrostatic seal and electrostatic vacuum pump
AssigneeVarian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
InventorGrant Kenji Larsen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrostatic device includes a conductive element and a dielectric element having surfaces that are closely-spaced or contacting, a plurality of electrodes positioned adjacent to and electrically isolated from the surface of the dielectric element and a voltage source for applying voltages to the electrodes. Either the conductive element or the dielectric element is flexible. The voltages applied to the electrodes produce a moving wave in the flexible element, wherein a gas between the surfaces is transported in the direction of the moving wave. The device may function as an active electrostatic seal between the surfaces or as an electrostatic vacuum pump.
Claims39
An electrostatic device comprising:
- a conductive element and a dielectric element each having a surface, the surfaces of said dielectric element and said conductive element being closely-spaced or contacting, one of said conductive element and said dielectric element being flexible;
- a plurality of electrodes positioned adjacent to and electrically isolated from the surface of said dielectric element;
- and
- a voltage source for applying voltages to said electrodes for transporting a gas located between the surfaces of said conductive element and said dielectric element, wherein said voltage source generates voltages that each include attractive voltage segments and non-attractive voltage segments in a repeating sequence and wherein said voltages are phased such that said attractive voltage segments and said non-attractive voltage segments move from electrode to electrode and define a direction of gas transport.
An electrostatic device comprising:
- a conductive element and a dielectric element each having a surface, the surfaces of said dielectric element and said conductive element being closely-spaced or contacting, one of said conductive element and said dielectric element being flexible;
- and
- a plurality of electrodes positioned adjacent to and electrically isolated from the surface of said dielectric element for transporting a gas located between the surfaces of said dielectric element and said conductive element in response to voltages applied to said electrodes, wherein the voltages applied to said electrodes each include attractive voltage segments and non-attractive voltage segments in a repeating sequence and wherein said voltages are phased such that said attractive voltage segments and said non-attractive voltage segments move from electrode to electrode and define a direction of gas transport.
An electrostatic device for sealing to a surface of a conductive workpiece, comprising:
- a dielectric element having a surface, the surfaces of the workpiece and said dielectric element being closely-spaced or contacting when said device is in use, one of the workpiece and said dielectric element being flexible;
- a plurality of electrodes positioned adjacent to and electrically isolated from the surface of said dielectric element;
- and
- a voltage source for applying voltages to said electrodes for transporting a gas located between the surfaces of the workpiece and said dielectric element, wherein said voltage source generates voltages that each include attractive voltage segments and non-attractive voltage segments in a repeating sequence and wherein said voltages are phased such that said attractive voltage segments and said non-attractive voltage segments move from electrode to electrode and define a direction of gas transport.
A method for transporting a gas, comprising the steps of:
- providing a conductive element and a dielectric element having surfaces that are closely-spaced or contacting, one of said conductive element and said dielectric element being flexible;
- positioning a plurality of electrodes adjacent to and electrically isolated from the surface of said dielectric element;
- and
- applying voltages to said electrodes for transporting a gas located between the surfaces of said conductive element and said dielectric element.
An electrostatic device comprising:
- a conductive element and a dielectric element each having a surface, the surfaces of said dielectric element and said conductive element being closely-spaced or contacting, one of said conductive element and said dielectric element being flexible;
- a plurality of electrodes positioned adjacent to and electrically isolated from the surface of said dielectric element;
- and
- means for applying voltages to said electrodes for transporting a gas located between the
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.