Vacuum equipment and methods for rapid high vacuum extraction

Abstract

A vacuum device and method for rapidly achieving high vacuum includes a feeding chamber and a pre-vacuum chamber. The feeding chamber includes a feeding body that defines a lower chamber. The feeding body has at least one valve port that spatially communicates with the lower chamber. The pre-vacuum chamber includes a pre-vacuum chamber disposed on the top side of the feeding chamber and at least one airtight valve unit. The pre-vacuum chamber defines an upper chamber that spatially communicates with the valve port. The volume of the upper chamber is larger than the volume of the lower chamber. When the airtight valve unit closes the valve port, the upper chamber and the lower chamber are not in communication. When the airtight valve unit opens the valve port, the upper chamber and the lower chamber are in communication. This invention can shorten the time required to establish a high vacuum in the feeding chamber and increase production capacity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vacuum device, and in particular to a vacuum device, method and user interface for quickly pumping a high vacuum. Prior Art

[0002] Existing vacuum process equipment uses a vacuum pump to exhaust gas from the interior space of a vacuum chamber, making the interior space present a vacuum state, so as to facilitate relevant processes on at least one workpiece.

[0003] However, in addition to the general gas in the internal space, the surface of the workpiece also carries gas molecules including water vapor. When the pressure is evacuated to below 10-3 Torr, the mean free motion path of the gas molecules begins to exceed the size of the vacuum chamber. This means that the gas molecules collide with the walls of the vacuum chamber before colliding with other gas molecules, causing them to move back and forth and collide with each other on the walls of the vacuum chamber. Each time, they are physically adsorbed on the walls of the vacuum chamber and then desorbed and released, making it difficult for the vacuum pump to capture them. Therefore, the pressure cannot be quickly reduced, which prolongs the time it takes to evacuate to a high vacuum. Therefore, it takes many times longer to establish a high vacuum level, such as 10-6 Torr, than to establish a low vacuum level, such as 10-3 Torr, which will increase working time and reduce production capacity.

[0004] According to experimental results: When a metal carrier with the workpiece placed on it is placed in a vacuum chamber overnight, then removed from the vacuum chamber and placed back into the vacuum chamber one hour later, and the vacuum chamber is evacuated, it takes 40 seconds to establish a vacuum level of 10-3 Torr, but nearly 1000 seconds to reach 5×10-6 Torr, which shows that establishing a high vacuum environment is not easy. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, the first object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum device that can quickly pump high vacuum and shorten the time to establish a high vacuum degree.

[0006] The present invention provides a vacuum apparatus for rapidly evacuating a high vacuum, suitable for conveying a workpiece. The apparatus comprises a feed chamber and a pre-evacuation chamber. The feed chamber includes a feed chamber body and a chamber door. The feed chamber body defines a lower chamber for accommodating the workpiece. The feed chamber body includes at least one valve port located on the top side and spatially connected to the lower chamber, and a feed port connected to the atmosphere and suitable for allowing the workpiece to pass through. The chamber door is used to seal the feed port. The pre-evacuation chamber is connected to the feed chamber and includes a pre-evacuation chamber body disposed along a top-to-bottom direction on the top side of the feed chamber body, and at least one airtight valve unit. The pre-evacuation chamber defines an upper chamber spatially connected to the valve port. The volume of the upper chamber is greater than that of the lower chamber. The number of airtight valve units matches the valve port and is used to seal the valve port. When the airtight valve unit seals the valve port, the upper chamber is disconnected from the lower chamber. When the airtight valve unit opens the valve port, the upper chamber and the lower chamber are communicated through the valve port.

[0007] The second object of the present invention is to provide a method for quickly pumping high vacuum which can shorten the time of establishing high vacuum.

[0008] Therefore, the method for rapidly pumping a high vacuum of the present invention comprises the following steps:

[0009] In the first step, a pre-evacuation chamber directly connected to the top side of a feeding chamber and having a chamber volume larger than the chamber volume of the feeding chamber is evacuated to maintain a vacuum degree of at least 4×10 -5 Torr.

[0010] In the second step, a workpiece is introduced into the feeding chamber from the atmospheric environment through a side of the feeding chamber, and the feeding chamber is evacuated to a vacuum of at least 4×10 -3 Torr.

[0011] The third step is to open a first valve to connect the feeding chamber with the pre-pumping chamber space.

[0012] In the fourth step, the feeding chamber and the pre-vacuum chamber continue to be evacuated to at least 4×10 -5 Torr.

[0013] The third object of the present invention is to provide a user interface for operating the aforementioned method for rapid high vacuum extraction.

[0014] Therefore, the user interface of the present invention includes a first vacuum degree sub-interface for displaying the vacuum degree of the feeding chamber, a second vacuum degree sub-interface for displaying the vacuum degree of the pre-vacuum chamber, a first valve status sub-interface for displaying whether the first valve is open or closed, and a process sub-interface for displaying multiple steps of the vacuuming process.

[0015] The effectiveness of the present invention lies in that: by making the volume of the upper chamber larger than the volume of the lower chamber, as long as the vacuum degree of the upper chamber is higher than the vacuum degree of the lower chamber during pre-vacuuming, when the airtight valve unit opens the valve port to connect the upper chamber with the lower chamber, the vacuum degrees of the upper chamber and the lower chamber will mix with each other, causing the gas pressure of the lower chamber to drop rapidly, thereby shortening the time for establishing a high vacuum degree in the feeding chamber and improving production capacity. Simple diagram description

[0016] Other features and effects of the present invention will be clearly presented in the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention, a vacuum apparatus for rapidly evacuating a high vacuum, suitable for conveying and processing a workpiece; Figure 2 is another partial sectional schematic view of the embodiment; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a feeding cavity and a pre-extraction cavity of the embodiment; Figure 4 is a top view of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line VV in Figure 4; Figure 6 is an incomplete sectional schematic diagram illustrating a first valve of the embodiment of the valve port out of the feeding cavity; Figure 7 is a flow chart of a method of rapidly pumping a high vacuum of the present invention; Figure 8 is a diagram of the continuous action of the rapid high vacuum method; and FIG. 9 is a front view illustrating a user interface for operating the rapid high vacuum method. Implementation Method

[0017] Referring to Figures 1 through 3, an embodiment of a vacuum apparatus for rapid high vacuum evacuation according to the present invention is suitable for transporting a workpiece 9 or performing processes such as, but not limited to, vacuum baking, plasma cleaning, etching, or coating on the workpiece 9. The vacuum apparatus comprises a feed chamber 1, a pre-vacuum chamber 2, and a processing chamber 3.

[0018] The feeding chamber 1 includes a feeding chamber body 11, a chamber door 12 that can be opened and closed relative to the feeding chamber body 11, a first vacuum pump 13 disposed in the feeding chamber body 11, and a conveying unit 14 for moving the workpiece 9.

[0019] The feed chamber 11 defines a lower chamber 100 that is fluidically connected to the first vacuum pump 13 and is used to accommodate the workpiece 9. The feed chamber 11 has a bottom wall 111 formed of multiple plates, a top wall 112 that is higher than the bottom wall 111 in a top-to-bottom direction Z, and a side wall 113 connecting the bottom wall 111 and the top wall 112. The bottom wall 111 has a boss region 114 and two recessed groove regions 115 located on opposite sides of the boss region 114 in a horizontal direction X and lower than the boss region 114 in the top-to-bottom direction Z. The boss region 114 has a lower opening 116. The top wall 112 has at least one valve port 117 that communicates with the lower chamber 100. In this embodiment, the top wall 112 has two valve ports 117. The side wall 113 is formed with a feed port 118 that is connected to the atmospheric environment and is suitable for passing the workpiece 9.

[0020] The chamber door 12 is used to seal the feed port 118, isolating the lower chamber 100 from the atmosphere. When the chamber door 12 is open, the lower chamber 100 is connected to the atmosphere through the feed port 118. The first vacuum pump 13 is disposed on the bottom side of the feed chamber 11 and connected to the lower opening 116 of the bottom wall 111. It is used to evacuate the lower chamber 100. In this embodiment, the first vacuum pump 13 is a dry vacuum pump.

[0021] The conveying unit 14 includes two roller assemblies 141 rotatably disposed within the grooved areas 115. When driven, the roller assemblies 141 rotate to move the workpiece 9. In other variations, the conveying unit 14 may be omitted, and a robotic arm may be used to support the workpiece 9 and move it into or out of the feeding chamber 1.

[0022] The pre-vacuum chamber 2 is connected to the top side of the feeding chamber 1. It includes a pre-vacuum chamber 21 directly connected to the top side of the feeding chamber 11 along the top-to-bottom direction Z, a second vacuum pump 22 connected to the pre-vacuum chamber 21, and at least one airtight valve unit 23. The pre-vacuum chamber 21 defines an upper chamber 200 connected to the valve ports 117. The volume V1 of the upper chamber 200 is greater than the volume V2 of the lower chamber 100. In this embodiment, the volume of the workpiece 9 is V3, and V1 ≥ 5 × (V2 - V3).

[0023] The pre-vacuum chamber 21 comprises a hollow frame 211 fixed to the top wall 112 of the feed chamber 11, and an upper wall 212 covering the top of the hollow frame 211. The upper wall 212 has an upper opening 213 spatially connected to the upper chamber 200, and two spaced-apart mounting holes 214. The second vacuum pump 22 is fluidically connected to the upper opening 213 and the upper chamber 200 and is used to evacuate the upper chamber 200. In this embodiment, the second vacuum pump 22 is a turbomolecular pump.

[0024] In other variations, the first vacuum pump 13 and the second vacuum pump 22 may also share a vacuum pump, which may be a dry vacuum pump or a turbomolecular pump. In this case, the vacuum pump is connected to the upper chamber 200 and connected to the lower chamber 100 via a pipe. A valve (not shown) is then used to control the vacuum pump to connect to the upper chamber 200 or the lower chamber 100, respectively, and generate a corresponding vacuuming effect.

[0025] 3 to 5 , the diameter of the upper opening 213 is larger than that of the lower opening 116. The mounting holes 214 are aligned with the valve ports 117, and the diameter of each mounting hole 214 is smaller than the diameter of the corresponding valve port 117.

[0026] Referring to Figures 2, 4, and 6, this embodiment includes two airtight valve units 23, each of which is configured to correspond to the number of valve ports 117 and is used to close each valve port 117. In some variations, the number of valve ports 117 may be one. Each airtight valve unit 23 includes a first valve 231 for closing the corresponding valve port 117, and a driving device 232 for moving the first valve 231 downward along the top-bottom direction Z to close the valve port 117. The first valve 231 is a disc-shaped piston. The driving device 232 includes a driving body 233 fixed to the upper wall 212, and a connecting rod 234 connected to the first valve 231 and capable of moving up and down relative to the driving body 233. When the driving devices 232 drive the first valves 231 upward, the valve ports 117 are opened, allowing the upper chamber 200 and the lower chamber 100 to communicate through the valve ports 117. When the driving devices 232 drive the first valves 231 to move downward, the valve ports 117 are closed, so that the upper chamber 200 and the lower chamber 100 are not connected.

[0027] It should be noted that since the feeding cavity 11 and the pre-pumping cavity 21 of this embodiment are directly connected and separated by the first valves 231, the gas flow between the lower chamber 100 and the upper chamber 200 does not need to pass through an additional pipeline, thus avoiding problems such as pipe breakage and unnecessary viscous flow caused by pipeline pressure differences.

[0028] When the airtight valve units 23 close the valve ports 117, and under the normal state where the first vacuum pump 13 continuously evacuates the lower chamber 100 and the second vacuum pump 22 continuously evacuates the upper chamber 200, the vacuum degree of the upper chamber 200 is higher than that of the lower chamber 100. In this embodiment, the vacuum degree of the upper chamber 200 is at least 4×10 -5 Torr, and the vacuum degree of the lower chamber 100 is at least 4×10 -3 Torr.

[0029] Since this embodiment is mainly applicable to the plate-shaped workpiece 9 and the height of the lower chamber 100 is relatively small, therefore, a distance h1 is provided between the bottom side of each valve port 117 and the upper surface of the workpiece 9, and h1 is between 5 mm and 15 mm.

[0030] The radius of the upper opening 213 of the pre-pumping cavity 21 is R, the radius of each valve port 117 is r, and r < R. By the total cross-sectional area 2πr 2 of the valve ports 117 being greater than the cross-sectional area πR 2 of the upper opening 213, the probability that the residual molecular flow is pumped away by the second vacuum pump 22 in a high-vacuum environment can be increased.

[0031] When the first valve 231 of each airtight valve unit 23 disengages from the corresponding valve port 117, the valve port 117 can be opened, and a distance h2 is provided between the bottom surface of each first valve 231 and the corresponding valve port 117. At this time, an annular region is formed between the circular periphery of each first valve 231 and the corresponding valve port 117, and the area of this annular region is 2πr×h2. And the cross-sectional area of the valve port 117 is πr 2. Therefore, when h2 > r / 2 is satisfied, it can be avoided that the residual molecular flow cannot smoothly flow from the lower chamber 100 into the upper chamber 200 due to the insufficient area of the annular region.

[0032] 1 and 2 , it should be noted that, since the vacuum degree of the upper chamber 200 is higher than that of the lower chamber 100, the second vacuum pump 22 is located above the upper chamber 200, and the workpiece 9 is plate-shaped and adjacent to the first valve 231 of the airtight valve unit 23, when the airtight valve unit 23 opens the valve port 117, the pressure difference between the upper chamber 200 and the lower chamber 100 will cause the residual molecular flow in the lower chamber 100 to be quickly carried away from the lower chamber 100 and continuously collide and move toward the direction of the second vacuum pump 22, thereby facilitating its capture by the second vacuum pump 22. In addition, the kinetic energy generated by the pressure difference can also help the residual molecular flow overcome the physical adsorption of the inner wall surfaces of the feeding chamber 11 and the pre-evacuation chamber 21, and quickly desorb and release from the inner wall surfaces of the feeding chamber 11 and the pre-evacuation chamber 21, thereby helping the lower chamber 100 and the upper chamber 200 to quickly return to a high vacuum state.

[0033] The processing chamber 3 is spaced apart from the feed chamber 1 and is used to receive the workpiece 9 from the feed chamber 1. A second valve 31 is disposed between the processing chamber 3 and the feed chamber 1 on a side away from the feed port 118. This second valve 31 is a vacuum valve. The processing chamber 3 is used to vacuum bake the workpiece 9. In some variations, the processing chamber 3 can also be used to transport, hold, turn, flip, bake, plasma clean, etch, or coat the workpiece 9. The volume V4 of the processing chamber 3 is greater than the volume V1 of the upper chamber 200 and greater than the volume V2 of the lower chamber 100. In this embodiment, V4 ≥ 50 × V2. The processing chamber 3 is connected to the lower chamber 100 of the feed chamber 1 by opening the second valve 31, allowing the workpiece 9 to be transferred between the feed chamber 1 and the processing chamber 3. The processing chamber 3 is disconnected from the feed chamber 1 by closing the second valve 31. The processing chamber 3 is evacuated to a high vacuum by a third vacuum pump 32. When the second valve 31 is closed and the third vacuum pump 32 continues to evacuate the processing chamber 3, the vacuum level inside the processing chamber 3 is at least 1×10-5 Torr.

[0034] 1, 7 and 8, the method of rapidly evacuating a high vacuum according to the present invention is described below:

[0035] In step 901, the pre-vacuum chamber 2 and the processing chamber 3 are evacuated to a vacuum level of 4×10 −5 Torr and a vacuum level of 1×10 −5 Torr, respectively.

[0036] In step 902, the chamber door 12 is opened, and the workpiece 9 is fed from the atmosphere into the feeding chamber 1 through the feeding port 118 by a robotic arm (not shown), and then the chamber door 12 is closed and the feeding chamber 1 begins to be evacuated.

[0037] In step 903, when the vacuum level of the feed chamber 1 reaches 4×10⁻³ Torr, the first valves 231 are opened, connecting the feed chamber 1 with the pre-evacuation chamber 2. The vacuum levels of the two chambers are then mixed and balanced. Because the volume V1 of the upper chamber 200 of the pre-evacuation chamber 2 is larger than the volume V2 of the lower chamber 100 of the feed chamber 1, the vacuum levels of the pre-evacuation chamber 2 and the feed chamber 1 rapidly fall between 1×10⁻³ and 1×10⁻4 Torr after mixing.

[0038] In step 904, the feeding chamber 1 and the pre-evacuation chamber 2 continue to be evacuated to a predetermined vacuum level of 4×10 -5 Torr.

[0039] In step 905, after the vacuum level of the feed chamber 1 and the pre-evacuation chamber 2 reaches 4×10-5 Torr, the second valve 31 is opened to connect the feed chamber 1 with the processing chamber 3, and the workpiece 9 is transferred from the feed chamber 1 to the processing chamber 3. In this step, the first valves 231 are open. The connection between the feed chamber 1, the pre-evacuation chamber 2, and the processing chamber 3 facilitates maintaining a higher vacuum level in the pre-evacuation chamber 2 and the feed chamber 1, thereby shortening the vacuum pumping time for the next operation. However, the first valves 231 can also be closed as needed.

[0040] In step 906, the first valves 231 and the second valve 31 are closed, and the third vacuum pump 32 continues to evacuate the processing chamber 3 until the processing chamber 3 reaches a working vacuum level.

[0041] In step 907, the processing chamber 3 performs a vacuum baking process on the workpiece 9. In other usage scenarios, the workpiece 9 can also undergo plasma cleaning, etching, or coating processes that require a high vacuum level, or perform auxiliary operations such as transporting, placing, turning, and flipping the workpiece 9 in conjunction with the aforementioned processes.

[0042] Step 908, after the processing is completed, open the second valve 31 to return the workpiece 9 to the feeding chamber 1, and then close the second valve 31.

[0043] Step 909: Open the feed chamber 1 and remove the workpiece 9. Before opening the chamber door 12 of the feed chamber 1, the first valves 231 are closed, thus permanently preventing the upper chamber 200 from being exposed to the atmosphere. It is understood that the first valves 231 can also be closed after the process is complete. As long as the first valves 231 and the second valve 31 are closed when the chamber door 12 is opened, the pre-evacuation chamber 2 and the processing chamber 3 can be ensured to be permanently isolated from the atmosphere.

[0044] The above method is described for a single workpiece 9. In actual production, multiple workpieces 9 will be processed simultaneously. In order to improve production efficiency, a new workpiece to be processed can be sent in at the same time as the processed workpiece 9 is sent out, thereby reducing waiting time and improving production capacity.

[0045] The vacuum equipment and method for rapidly pumping high vacuum of the present invention, by making the volume V1 of the upper chamber 200 larger than the volume V2 of the lower chamber 100, as long as the vacuum degree of the upper chamber 200 is made higher than the vacuum degree of the lower chamber 100 by pre-vacuuming, when the first valves 231 are opened to connect the feeding chamber 1 to the pre-vacuuming chamber 2, the vacuum degrees of the pre-vacuuming chamber 2 and the feeding chamber 1 will be mixed with each other. More preferably, their position configuration is consistent with the direction and path of the residual molecular flow being extracted by the vacuum pump, so that the gas pressure of the feeding chamber 1 is rapidly reduced, thereby shortening the time for the feeding chamber 1 to establish a high vacuum degree, and thus effectively achieving the purpose of the present invention.

[0046] 9, and in conjunction with FIG. 1, the above-mentioned rapid high vacuum method can be operated and the process status can be viewed through a user interface 8.

[0047] The user interface 8 includes a first vacuum level sub-interface 81 , a second vacuum level sub-interface 82 , a third vacuum level sub-interface 83 , a first valve status sub-interface 84 , a second valve status sub-interface 85 , and a process sub-interface 86 .

[0048] The first vacuum level sub-interface 81 displays the vacuum level of the feed chamber 1. The second vacuum level sub-interface 82 displays the vacuum level of the pre-vacuum chamber 2. The third vacuum level sub-interface 83 displays the vacuum level of the processing chamber 3. The first valve status sub-interface 84 and the second valve status sub-interface 85 are displayed on a vacuum system diagram. The first valve status sub-interface 84 and the second valve status sub-interface 85 respectively indicate whether the first valve 231 and the second valve 31 are open or closed, typically using different colors to indicate open or closed. The process sub-interface 86 displays multiple vacuum pumping steps. The operator can use a programmable control program to edit the rapid high vacuum pumping and process processing steps based on product type, vacuum level requirements, and other process parameters, thereby achieving the goal of automated production.

[0049] However, the above is merely an embodiment of the present invention and should not be used to limit the scope of implementation of the present invention. All simple equivalent changes and modifications made according to the scope of the patent application and the content of the patent specification of the present invention are still within the scope of the patent of the present invention.

[0050] 1: Feeding cavity 100: Lower chamber 11: Feeding cavity 111: Bottom wall 112: Top wall 113: Sidewall 114: Boss area 115: Groove area 116: bottom opening 117: Valve port 118:Feeding port 12: Cavity door 13: First vacuum pump 14:Transmission unit 141: Roller group 2: Pre-extraction chamber 200: Upper chamber 21: Pre-extraction chamber 211:Hollow frame 212:Up the wall 213: Upper opening 214: Mounting hole 22: Second vacuum pump 23: Airtight valve unit 231: First valve 232: Drive device 233: Drive body 234: Connecting rod 3: Processing chamber 31: Second valve 32: The third vacuum pump 8: User Interface 81: First vacuum interface 82: Second vacuum interface 83: Third vacuum sub-interface 84: First valve status sub-interface 85: Second valve status sub-interface 86: Process sub-interface 9: Workpiece 901~909: Steps Z: top and bottom direction X: horizontal direction r,R: radius h1,h2: spacing V1, V2, V4: volume V3: Volume

Claims

1. A vacuum device for rapidly drawing high vacuum, suitable for conveying a workpiece, the vacuum device for rapidly drawing high vacuum comprising: a feeding chamber including a feeding chamber body and a chamber door, the feeding chamber body defining a lower chamber for accommodating the workpiece, the feeding chamber body having at least one valve port located on the top side and spatially communicating with the lower chamber, and a feeding port communicating with the atmospheric environment and suitable for allowing the workpiece to pass through, the chamber door being used to close the feeding port; A pre-extraction chamber is connected to the feeding chamber. The pre-extraction chamber includes a pre-extraction body disposed on the top side of the feeding chamber along a top-bottom direction, and at least one airtight valve unit. The pre-extraction body defines an upper chamber that communicates with the valve port. The volume of the upper chamber is larger than the volume of the lower chamber. The number of airtight valve units matches the valve port and is used to close the valve port. When the airtight valve unit closes the valve port, the upper chamber and the lower chamber are not in communication. When the airtight valve unit opens the valve port, the upper chamber and the lower chamber are connected through the valve port. The bottom side of the valve port is separated from the upper surface of the workpiece by a distance h1. The vacuum device for rapidly drawing high vacuum also includes a second valve disposed on the side of the feeding chamber that is different from the feeding port, and a processing chamber connected to the second valve for receiving and processing the workpiece. The volume of the processing chamber is larger than the volume of the upper chamber. The processing chamber is connected to the feeding chamber space by opening the second valve, and the processing chamber is not connected to the feeding chamber space by closing the second valve.

2. The vacuum apparatus for rapidly evacuating to a high vacuum as described in claim 1, wherein, The feeding chamber is directly connected to the pre-extraction chamber.

3. The vacuum apparatus for rapidly drawing high vacuum as described in claim 1, wherein, The volume of the upper chamber is V1, the volume of the lower chamber is V2, the volume of the workpiece is V3, and V1 ≥ 5 × (V2 - V3).

4. The vacuum apparatus for rapidly drawing high vacuum as described in claim 1, wherein, When the airtight valve unit closes the valve port and is in normal operation, the vacuum level of the upper chamber is higher than that of the lower chamber.

5. The vacuum apparatus for rapidly evacuating to a high vacuum as described in claim 1, wherein, The feeding chamber also includes a first vacuum pump disposed in the feeding chamber and used to evacuate the lower chamber, and the pre-evacuation chamber also includes a second vacuum pump disposed in the pre-evacuation chamber and used to evacuate the upper chamber.

6. The vacuum apparatus for rapidly drawing high vacuum as described in claim 5, wherein, When the airtight valve unit closes the valve port, the second vacuum pump evacuates the upper chamber to a vacuum level of at least 4 × 10⁻⁵ Torr, and the first vacuum pump evacuates the lower chamber to a vacuum level of at least 4 × 10⁻³ Torr.

7. The vacuum apparatus for rapidly evacuating to a high vacuum as described in claim 1, wherein, The spacing h1 is between 5mm and 15mm.

8. The vacuum apparatus for rapidly evacuating to a high vacuum as described in claim 1, wherein, The airtight valve unit has a first valve for closing the valve port, and a drive device for moving the first valve downward along the top-bottom direction to close the valve port. When the drive device drives the first valve to move upward, it will open the valve port.

9. The vacuum apparatus for rapidly evacuating to a high vacuum as described in claim 8, wherein, When the airtight valve unit opens the valve port, the bottom surface of the first valve is separated from the valve port by a distance h2, the radius of the valve port is r, and h2 > r / 2.

10. The vacuum apparatus for rapidly evacuating to a high vacuum as described in claim 1, wherein, When the airtight valve unit closes the valve port and is in normal condition, the upper chamber has a vacuum of at least 4 × 10⁻⁵ Torr and the lower chamber has a vacuum of at least 4 × 10⁻³ Torr. When the second valve is closed, the processing chamber has a vacuum of at least 1 × 10⁻⁵ Torr in normal condition.

11. The vacuum apparatus for rapidly evacuating to a high vacuum as described in claim 5, wherein, The pre-evacuation chamber also has an upper opening that is fluidly connected to the second vacuum pump. The radius of the upper opening is R. The feeding chamber has two valve ports. The pre-evacuation chamber includes two airtight valve units that are used to close the valve ports respectively. The radius of each valve port is r, r < R, and the total cross-sectional area of ​​the valve ports, 2πr2, is greater than the cross-sectional area of ​​the upper opening, πR2.

12. The vacuum apparatus for rapidly evacuating to a high vacuum as described in claim 1, wherein, The feeding chamber also includes a conveying unit for moving the workpiece. The feeding chamber has a bottom wall with a boss area and two groove areas located on opposite sides of the boss area and lower than the boss area in the top-bottom direction. The conveying unit has two sets of rollers rotatably disposed in the groove areas.

13. The vacuum apparatus for rapidly evacuating to a high vacuum as described in claim 5, wherein, The first vacuum pump is a dry vacuum pump, and the second vacuum pump is a turbomolecular pump.

14. A method for rapidly evacuating a high vacuum, comprising: a first step of evacuating a pre-evacuation chamber directly connected to the top side of a feeding chamber and having a chamber volume larger than that of the feeding chamber, thereby maintaining the pre-evacuation chamber at a vacuum level of at least 4 × 10⁻⁵ Torr; and evacuating a processing chamber connected to a side of the feeding chamber and having a chamber volume larger than that of the pre-evacuation chamber, thereby maintaining the processing chamber at a vacuum level of at least 1 × 10⁻⁵ Torr. The second step involves introducing a workpiece from the atmospheric environment into the feeding chamber via the other side of the feeding chamber, and evacuating the feeding chamber to a vacuum level of at least 4 × 10⁻³ Torr. The third step involves opening a first valve to connect the feeding chamber and the pre-evacuation chamber through a valve port located at the top of the feeding chamber, with the bottom of the valve port separated from the upper surface of the workpiece by a distance. The fourth step involves continuing to evacuate the feeding chamber and the pre-evacuation chamber to a vacuum level of at least 4 × 10⁻⁵ Torr. In the fifth step, a second valve is opened to connect the feeding chamber with the processing chamber, and the workpiece can be transferred between the feeding chamber and the processing chamber.

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