A vacuum pump is a device that removes air and other gases from a sealed volume, creating a vacuum. Vacuum pumps are used in a wide variety of applications, including semiconductor manufacturing, vacuum coating, freeze drying, and vacuum packaging.
Vacuum pumps can be classified into two main types: positive displacement pumps and kinetic pumps. Positive displacement pumps trap and compress gas molecules, while kinetic pumps accelerate gas molecules and eject them from the vacuum chamber. The type of vacuum pump used for a particular application depends on the desired vacuum level, the required pumping speed, and the gas composition.