Everything You Need To Know About Residual Gas Analysis For Leak Detection In Sealed Devices

By Author: Ors Labs
Total Articles: 4
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Quality or failure analysis is a very critical step that needs to be performed on products before they are finally launched in the market. Here products are checked under various parameters and test conditions such that it turns out perfect for use. One of the steps in this regard is to test hermetically sealed devices for any trace gases that might have crept inside it while manufacturing. It is a very critical step as such gases, especially the moisture content in them can cause serious problems in the functioning of the device. It can cause corrosion, fogging, leakage, current bit errors and other lubrication issues. To keep control on these trace elements a specialized analytical technique known as residual gas analysis or RGA could be utilized. This technique is useful for process development, quality control, studying out gassing in enclosed materials and also for product qualification.
The instruments being utilized for trace gas detection are known as residual gas analyzers. These instruments operate by creating a beam of ions from the sample of gas ...
... being analyzed. Here the resulting mixture of ions thus produced is separated into individual species through their specific charge to mass ratios. To determine these ratios, a typical RGA consists of three major parts, namely an ionizer, mass analyzer and an ion detector. The molecules of gas under check are turned into ions with the help of an ionizer. The difference in the ions is determined in the terms of their masses by utilizing the mass analyzer part of the RGA. The output of these gas analyzers shows the relative intensities of different species present in the gas. This output is also known as a mass scan or mass spectrum.
It is a very innovative method and produces accurate results. It is a very useful technique for industries that produces sealed devices or utilizes them in their products. Application of residual gas analysis apply to a range of industries including Microelectronics, Hermetic modules manufacturers, Metals, Ceramics, Telecommunication, Food, Medical devices, Pharmaceutical, Packaging and in the Illumination segment. In the semiconductor industry, RGA is used to identify vapors or residues that may have settled down in the device and could lead to failures.
If you want to utilize residual gas analysis to test components, you can search the internet about specific labs that offer such testing services. Moreover, if you have some specific requirements, these labs would assist you in finding the best possible solution.
The author is an expert quality analyst. In this article he explains residual gas analysis technique that can be utilized for testing trace gases in hermetically sealed devices using residual gas analyzers.