David J. Hilton, Busch Semiconductor Vacuum Group, Morgan Hill, CA, USA

ABSTRACT

In times past, semiconductor vacuum processing was typically done with "oilsealed" wet rotary vane, or rotary piston-type vacuum pumps. Variations of the actual operation of these types of pumps were not so great that substitution from one manufacturer to the next was not difficult. With today's modern dry vacuum pumps, this is no longer the case. Over the past decade or so, there have been several different types of these dry vacuum pumps, designed and manufactured, which have very striking differences in mechanical design.