Knowledge Center
Introduction to Vacuum Technology
Vacuum technology creates environments below atmospheric pressure for processes that require reduced gas density, contamination control or thermal isolation. Engineers classify vacuum by pressure ranges (rough, medium, high, ultra-high) because flow regime and pump choice depend on absolute pressure. Typical industrial uses include packaging, freeze-drying, coatings and semiconductor processing; each application defines different cleanliness, leak-tightness and pumping-speed requirements.
Articles
High-Vacuum Applications in Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology manufacturing and research routinely require pressures well below atmospheric to control contamination, reduce scattering and enable controlled deposition. In processes such as physical vapor deposition (PVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD) and electron-beam lithography, a stable high or ultra-high vacuum minimizes reactive molecules and water vapor that would otherwise degrade films or cause defects.
Careful pump selection and vacuum technique are central: a common shop configuration uses a roughing (backing) pump plus a turbomolecular or cryopump to reach the required molecular-flow regime. Attention to materials (low-outgassing stainless steels, metal seals), rigorous bake-out and controlled venting dramatically improve reproducibility and yield for nanoscale devices.
Because process sensitivity increases as device dimensions shrink, instrumentation (ion gauges, residual gas analyzers) and routine leak/outgassing control become standard practice in nanofabrication environments.
Case Studies
Refinery Pump Reliability Upgrade
Problem: An oil refinery suffered recurring downtime from aging rotary vane pumps used in vacuum distillation steps; oil degradation and frequent seal failures reduced availability.
Solution: The plant replaced the oldest pumps with modern oil-sealed rotary vane units paired with VSD-backed central systems, improved filtration and an instituted oil-analysis program to detect early contamination.
Outcome: Measured results included lower unplanned maintenance events, a 20-35% reduction in energy consumption during partial-load operation due to VSD control, and clearer failure trends enabling proactive part replacement.