Portable outgas detection apparatus

Radiant energy – Ionic separation or analysis – With sample supply means

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C250S281000, C250S282000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06734422

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a portable detector for measuring outgas that is emitted from large structures or assemblies and particularly to a portable detector that employs a mass spectrometer for obtaining qualitative and quantitative information regarding the outgas.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The ability to produce high quality microelectronic devices and reduce yield losses is strongly dependent upon maintaining the surfaces of various photolithographic components substantially contaminant and defect-free. This is particularly true as design rules drive integrated circuits to finer feature size. Contaminants can manifest as outgases from assembled parts. For small assembled structures one method of detecting outgas is to place the structure in a vacuum chamber and analyze the gases that may be present. However, with large assembled structures this procedure is not practical. Moreover, while the individual components of a large assembled structure can be tested separately prior to assembly, there is a need to test the assembled structure itself as well as to perform the analysis at the site where the assembled structure is to be employed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is directed to a portable apparatus and process for detecting surface contamination.
In one embodiment, the invention is directed to an apparatus for detecting outgas contaminants generated from an article that includes:
a portable housing that has a chamber which is in communication with a port that is adapted to be sealably attached to a surface of the article;
a mass spectrometer that is coupled to the chamber for analyzing gaseous materials in the chamber; and
means for generating a vacuum within the chamber thereby drawing outgas contaminants from the surface of the article into the chamber for analysis by the mass spectrometer.
In another embodiment, the invention is directed to a method of analyzing gas contaminants that are generated from an article that is located within an environment, said method including the steps of:
(1) performing a mass spectrometric analysis of the environment;
(2) performing a mass spectrometric analysis of gas emanating from the article; and
(3) comparing the analyses from steps 1 and 2 to determine what gas contaminants, if any, are generated from the article.


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