Cryopump control apparatus, cryopump system, and method for monitoring cryopump

摘要

A cryopump comprises a cryopanel that cools and thus condenses or adsorbs gas, and a pump housing that contains the cryopanel. a regeneration process of the cryopump includes a basic purge process, an evacuation processes, and an optional purge process that is executed additionally if required. The optional purge process includes one or more gas purge steps. In a cryopump control apparatus that controls the cryopump, a deterioration evaluation unit determines whether a re-purge number, which is the total number of gas purge steps that are required to be executed in one regeneration process, reaches a deterioration evaluation criteria number.

主权项

1. A cryopump control apparatus controlling a cryopump that comprises a cryopanel which cools and thus condenses or adsorbs gas, and a pump housing which contains the cryopanel, wherein
a regeneration process of the cryopump includes: a basic purge process that includes one or more gas purge steps; one or more evacuation processes that first evacuate the pump housing down to a vacuum retention evaluation level and evaluate a vacuum retention state; and an optional purge process that includes one or more gas purge steps executed once or more than once if necessary, and the cryopump control apparatus comprises a deterioration evaluation unit operative to determine whether a re-purge number, which is the total number of one or more gas purge steps included in one or more optional purge processes that is required to be executed in one regeneration process, reaches a deterioration evaluation criteria number.