Cryopump and method for regenerating the cryopump using two-stage discharge process
AssigneeSumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.
InventorToshiyuki Kimura
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of regenerating a cryopump includes a first discharging process that includes alternately evacuating a cryopump housing and supplying a purge gas in a first pressure range, and a second discharging process that includes evacuating the cryopump housing to a low pressure region below the first pressure range. The second discharging process includes making a determination at least once in the low pressure range as to whether the second discharging process should be terminated, and supplying the purge gas to the cryopump housing prior to a first-time determination as to whether the second discharging process should be terminated.
Claims11
A cryopump comprising:
- a cryopanel;
- a cryopump housing arranged to enclose the cryopanel;
- a control unit configured to control evacuation of the cryopump housing and supply of a purge gas to the cryopump housing for full regeneration of the cryopanel,
- wherein the control unit is configured to perform:
- a first rough-and-purge process that includes alternately performing a first rough-and-purge evacuating of the cryopump housing and a first rough-and-purge supplying of the purge gas in a first pressure range, and
- a second rough-and-purge process that includes, subsequent to the first rough-and-purge process, alternately and cyclically repeating a second rough-and-purge evacuating of the cryopump housing to a low pressure region below the first pressure range and a second rough-and-purge supplying of the purge gas to the cryopump housing, and
- wherein the second rough-and-purge process includes making a determination at least once in the low pressure region as to whether the second rough-and-purge process should be terminated, and a plurality of cycles of the alternately and cyclically repeating of the second rough-and-purge evacuating of the cryopump housing and the second rough-and-purge supplying of the purge gas to the cryopump housing are performed prior to a first-time determination as to whether the second rough-and-purge process should be terminated.
A cryopump full regeneration method comprising:
- a first rough-and-purge process that includes alternately performing a first rough-and-purge evacuating of a cryopump housing and a first rough-and-purge supplying of a purge gas in a first pressure range, and
- a second rough-and-purge process that includes, subsequent to the first rough-and-purge process, alternately and cyclically repeating a second evacuating of the cryopump housing to a low pressure region below the first pressure range and a second rough-and-purge supplying of the purge gas to the cryopump housing, wherein
- the second rough-and-purge process includes making a determination at least once in the low pressure region as to whether the second rough-and-purge process should be terminated, and a plurality of cycles of the alternately and cyclically repeating of the second rough-and-purge evacuating of the cryopump housing and the second rough-and-purge supplying of the purge gas to the cryopump housing are performed prior to a first-time determination as to whether the second rough-and-purge process should be terminated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.