This application discloses a cryopump, including a pump housing, a radiation shield in the pump housing, a first-stage cold storage component in the pump housing, a second-stage cold storage component in the holding space of the radiation shield, a connector connecting the first-stage cold storage component and the radiation shield, and a cryopanel assembly in the holding space and connected to the second-stage cold storage component.

To overcome the problem associated with liquid or solid process debris from a vacuum process system falling into, and contaminating or damaging, a vacuum pumping arrangement used to evacuate the system, the inlet of the vacuum pumping arrangement is located lower than the outlet of the arrangement. This provides a net flow of gas pumped by the arrangement in a generally upwards direction thereby resisting the passage of contaminants into the arrangement.

To overcome the problem associated with liquid or solid process debris from a vacuum process system falling into, and contaminating or damaging, a vacuum pumping arrangement used to evacuate the system, the inlet of the vacuum pumping arrangement is located lower than the outlet of the arrangement. This provides a net flow of gas pumped by the arrangement in a generally upwards direction thereby resisting the passage of contaminants into the arrangement.

A method of operating a cryopump includes: cooling a cryopanel from an initial temperature higher than a cryogenic temperature for a vacuum pumping operation to the cryogenic temperature by using a refrigerator; and after the cooling, initiating the vacuum pumping operation, in which the cooling includes providing a cooling relief effect selectively to a high-temperature stage of the refrigerator.

A method of operating a cryopump includes: cooling a cryopanel from an initial temperature higher than a cryogenic temperature for a vacuum pumping operation to the cryogenic temperature by using a refrigerator; and after the cooling, initiating the vacuum pumping operation, in which the cooling includes providing a cooling relief effect selectively to a high-temperature stage of the refrigerator.

A compression machine (110) includes an oscillating body (111) oscillating between two reversal points (U.sub.1, U.sub.2), wherein the oscillating body has a first mass (m.sub.1), and a maximum value of resulting compression force (F*) when the oscillating body is used is less by a predetermined factor (F) than a maximum value of the resulting compression force when an oscillating reference body (121) having a reference mass (m.sub.ref) is used in a reference compression machine (120) of same construction and using the same fluid (112), wherein the first mass exceeds the reference mass by a percentage that is a function of the predetermined factor, and wherein maximum value of the resulting compression force is reduced by the predetermined factor F by reducing cross-sectional area (A) of the oscillating reference body if the oscillating reference body were used. A related method is also provided.

A compression machine (110) includes an oscillating body (111) oscillating between two reversal points (U.sub.1, U.sub.2), wherein the oscillating body has a first mass (m.sub.1), and a maximum value of resulting compression force (F*) when the oscillating body is used is less by a predetermined factor (F) than a maximum value of the resulting compression force when an oscillating reference body (121) having a reference mass (m.sub.ref) is used in a reference compression machine (120) of same construction and using the same fluid (112), wherein the first mass exceeds the reference mass by a percentage that is a function of the predetermined factor, and wherein maximum value of the resulting compression force is reduced by the predetermined factor F by reducing cross-sectional area (A) of the oscillating reference body if the oscillating reference body were used. A related method is also provided.

A cryopump includes: a radiation shield that includes a shield front end that defines a shield opening, a shield bottom portion, and a shield side portion that extends between the shield front end and the shield bottom portion; and a cryopanel assembly that is cooled to a lower temperature than that of the radiation shield. The cryopanel assembly includes a first panel arrangement including a plurality of first adsorption panels and a plurality of second panel arrangements each including a plurality of second adsorption panels. The first panel arrangement forms a multitude of adsorption sections arranged in a lattice-shaped pattern in cooperation with the plurality of second panel arrangements, each of the adsorption sections being exposed to the shield side portion.

A cryopump includes: a radiation shield that includes a shield front end that defines a shield opening, a shield bottom portion, and a shield side portion that extends between the shield front end and the shield bottom portion; and a cryopanel assembly that is cooled to a lower temperature than that of the radiation shield. The cryopanel assembly includes a first panel arrangement including a plurality of first adsorption panels and a plurality of second panel arrangements each including a plurality of second adsorption panels. The first panel arrangement forms a multitude of adsorption sections arranged in a lattice-shaped pattern in cooperation with the plurality of second panel arrangements, each of the adsorption sections being exposed to the shield side portion.

A cryopump system includes: a plurality of cryopumps connected to a common roughing pump in a rough line and provided with a plurality of rough valves in the rough line, respectively; and a controller configured to control each of the rough valves for regenerating a corresponding one of the plurality of cryopumps. A delay time is set between closing of an open one of the plurality of rough valves and opening of a closed one of the plurality of rough valves. The controller applies the delay time uniformly upon closing of each of the rough valves.