Leak Site Identification
ORS can Locate Your Leak with Precision
Helium Sniff Testing
If you’ve determined that your hermetic device has a leak, then it’s time to precisely locate that leak in order to resolve the root cause. Helium is useful for doing exactly that because the small atoms easily penetrate leak sites on hermetic packages. Helium Sniff Tests can be used on IVA® tested packages and open cavity packages and makes it possible to discriminate between defective feedthroughs from good ones.
The Helium Sniff Test Process
- Your IVA® tested device is placed on a mass spectrometer inlet chamber with the punctured side facing down toward the inlet chamber.
- The device interior is pressurized under a vacuum.
- Helium is sprayed around the exterior the device using a small needle probe. This creates a small envelope of helium around the leak site.
- The helium penetrates the package at the leak site, giving a precise location.
We can Help
ORS will inspect your device and help you determine a test plan to further address the issue.
Fluorescent Dye Penetrant
ORS can Locate Your Leak with Precision
Also known as Fluorescent Dye Impregnation, Fluorescent Dye Penetrant can help improve your package sealing process by precisely identifying and mapping leak sites. It’s often used after the Helium Sniff Test to further investigate the area and visualize the leak pathway.
Fluorescent Dye Penetrant Process
- The hermetic package is submerged in fluorescent dye fluid. This fluid has viscous properties, allowing it to penetrate very fine cracks and allows for the measurement of leak rates as low as 5.10-8 atm.cc/sec.
- The impregnated package is then encapsulated in transparent resin for cross-sectioning. The cross-sections are examined under a microscope using an ultraviolet light, which reveals the leak pathways.
This test is intended as a means to understand failures due to packaging faults or assembly problems and is intended as an investigative tool.
