The Mead Testing Residual Gas Analysis ( RGA ) facility is the only one approved by DLA to test to MIL STD 883 Method 1018 in the UK. Ambient moisture can lead to corrosion and dendritic growth on the surface of an electronic device, due to ionic migration in the film of aqueous electrolyte. This problem can be avoided by sealing the substrate in a dry atmosphere. Using our skills in Residual Gas Analysis we can provide you with an accurate measurement of the water content in the atmosphere inside your device. Through a full mass spectrometer analysis of its gas content we can also help you to assess the integrity of the encapsulation process and the hermeticity of your device and to monitor the levels of undesirable volatile organic residues.  ;

Our mass spectrometer measures the volatile  species and molecular fractions up to mass 140 and can therefore identify all of the gaseous species normally present in air along with residues from solvents, leak test freon fluids and volatiles from substrate die attach mats or internal components. Sensitivities measured from standard gas mixtures allow us to provide a quantitative measurement of many of the volatile species down to a level of typically 100 parts per million .

Our RGA equipment tests small samples internally and can therefore test samples with large glass windows, as there is no need to seal on to the top face of the sample. The same equipment can also be used to directly measure outgassing organic volatiles from piece parts. This has proved particularly useful when optimizing the cure and bake of UV and thermally curing resins and a substrates attach material.

Typical samples examined using Residual Gas Analysis