Vacuum apparatus including a particle monitoring unit, particle monitoring method and program, and window member for use in the particle monitoring

A particle monitoring method of a vacuum apparatus having a vessel for defining a predetermined space, comprising the steps of:

• (a) exhausting a gas from the vessel via a gas exhaust line;
• (b) controlling a flow rate of the gas exhausted from the vessel;
• (c) monitoring particles within the gas exhaust line;
• and
• (d) generating an electric discharge within the vessel,
• wherein the electric discharge is started when the exhaust of the gas is permitted in the step (b), and the monitored particles include the particles detached from the vessel due to the electric discharge.

A computer-executable program, stored in a storage medium, for performing a particle monitoring method of a vacuum apparatus having a vessel for defining a predetermined space, comprising:

• a gas exhaust module for exhausting a gas from the vessel via a gas exhaust line;
• a gas exhaust control module for controlling a flow rate of the gas exhausted from the vessel;
• a particle monitoring module for monitoring particles within the gas exhaust line;
• and
• an electric discharge module for generating an electric discharge within the vessel,
• wherein the electric discharge module starts the electric discharge when the gas exhaust control module permits the exhaust of the gas, and the particles monitored by the particle monitoring module include the particles detached from the vessel due to the electric discharge.

A computer-readable storage medium which stores therein a program, the program comprising:

• a gas exhaust module for exhausting a gas from the vessel via a gas exhaust line;
• a gas exhaust control module for controlling a flow rate of the gas exhausted from the vessel;
• a particle monitoring module for monitoring particles within the gas exhaust line;
• and
• an electric discharge module for generating an electric discharge within the vessel, wherein the electric discharge module starts the electric discharge when the gas exhaust control module permits the exhaust of the gas, and the particles monitored by the particle monitoring module include the particles detached from the vessel due to the electric discharge.