Localized vacuum apparatus and method
US5103102A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 24, 1989 |
| Grant date | Apr 7, 1992 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 24, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J2237/188
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus for generating a localized, non-contact vacuum seal at a selected process region of a workpiece surface includes a vacuum body with a workpiece-facing surface having a plurality of concentric grooves and a central bore thorugh which a process energy beam can be transmitted. A method of generating a localized vacuum seal includes placing the vacuum body into selected proximity with the process region of the workpiece surface, and differentially evacuating the grooves, thereby defining differentially pumped vacuum chambers which reduce the influx of atmospheric particles to the process region. A selected control gas can be introduced into a vacuum body groove to further reduce the influx of atmospheric particles to the process region, and selected process gases can be introduced into the vacuum body to react with the process beam.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.