Method and Apparatus for Adjusting Operating Parameters of a Vacuum Pump Arrangement

Abstract

A method for adjusting operating parameters of a vacuum pump arrangement includes determining characteristics of a gas flowing through the vacuum pump arrangement; and setting operating parameters of the vacuum pump arrangement based on the determined characteristics of the first gas. A controller can be configured to perform the method for adjusting the operating parameters of the vacuum pump arrangement in accordance with the characteristics of the gas.

1 . A method of adjusting operating parameters of a vacuum pump arrangement, comprising:
 determining characteristics of a first gas flowing through the vacuum pump arrangement; and   setting operating parameters of the vacuum pump arrangement based on the determined characteristics of the first gas.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining characteristics of the first gas comprises a step for the vacuum pump arrangement to receive a signal indicative of the characteristics. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the signal is provided from a process tool upstream of the vacuum pump arrangement. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the signal is generated by a sensor in a foreline connecting a process tool to the vacuum pump arrangement downstream thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the senor is configured to make direct or indirect measurements of thermal conductivity of the first gas. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining characteristics of the first gas comprises:
 monitoring a property of the vacuum pump arrangement, as the vacuum pump arrangement pumps the first gas therethrough; and   determining the characteristics of the first gas based on the monitored property.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the property is a power consumption pattern. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum pump arrangement comprises a booster pump and a backing pump serially connected to a process chamber in a manner that the booster pump is downstream of the process chamber and upstream of the backing pump. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the determining characteristics of the first gas comprises determining whether a power consumption of the booster pump at a given moment is above a first predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claims 8 , wherein the determining characteristics of the first gas comprises determining whether a power consumption of the backing pump at the given moment is below a predetermined second threshold, if the power consumption of the booster pump at the given moment is above the first predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the determining characteristics of the first gas comprises designating the first gas as a heavy gas if the power consumption of the backing pump is below the second predetermined threshold and the power consumption of the booster pump is above the first predetermined threshold at the given moment. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claims 10 , wherein the operating parameters are set to be heavy gas operating parameters in accordance with characteristics of the heavy gas if the power consumption of the backing pump is below the second predetermined threshold and the power consumption of the booster pump is above the first predetermined threshold at the given moment. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the determining characteristics of the first gas comprises designating the first gas as a hydrogen rich gas if the power consumption of the backing pump is above the second predetermined threshold and the power consumption of the booster pump is above the first predetermined threshold at the given moment. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the operating parameters are set to be hydrogen operating parameters in accordance with characteristics of the hydrogen rich gas if the power consumption of the backing pump is above the second predetermined threshold and the power consumption of the booster pump is above the first predetermined threshold at the given moment. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claims 13 , wherein the hydrogen operating parameters have a power limit for the vacuum pump arrangement higher than that of the heavy gas operating parameters. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claims 13 , wherein the hydrogen operating parameters have a temperature limit for the vacuum pump arrangement higher than that of the heavy gas operating parameters. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the determining characteristics of the first gas comprises determining whether the power consumption of the booster pump is below a third predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the determining characteristics of the first gas comprises determining whether the booster pump exceeds a predetermined speed threshold, if the power consumption of the booster pump is below the third predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to any of  claims 17 , wherein the operating parameters are set to be hydrogen operating parameters in accordance with characteristics of the hydrogen rich gas, if the booster pump exceeds the predetermined speed threshold and the power consumption of the booster pump is below the third predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the power consumption pattern comprises a relationship between a power consumption of the vacuum pump arrangement and an inlet pressure of the vacuum pump arrangement. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the power consumption pattern comprises a relationship between a power consumption of the vacuum pump arrangement and a pump speed of the vacuum pump arrangement. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the power consumption pattern comprises a relationship between a power consumption of the vacuum pump arrangement and a temperature of the vacuum pump arrangement. 
     
     
         23 . An apparatus comprising:
 a process tool having a process chamber;   a vacuum pump arrangement for evacuating the process chamber; and   a controller configured to set operating parameter of the vacuum pump arrangement in response to information representing characteristics of a first gas flowing through the vacuum pump arrangement.   
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the information is in a form of a signal generated by the process tool. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the signal is generated by a sensor in a foreline connecting the process tool to the vacuum pump arrangement downstream thereof. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the senor is configured to make direct or indirect measurements of thermal conductivity of the first gas. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the information is in a form of a monitored property of the vacuum pump arrangement. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the monitored property comprises a power consumption pattern. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the vacuum pump arrangement comprises a booster pump and a backing pump serially connected to a process chamber in a manner that the booster pump is downstream of the process chamber and upstream of the backing pump.