Residual Gas Analyzer (RGA)
The Residual Gas Analyzer (RGA) is an advanced diagnostic tool used to measure the partial pressures of different gases present in a mixture, even at very low concentrations.
The RGA is a standalone vacuum system with differential pumping that samples gas at atmospheric pressure. A small amount of this sample is ionized, and the ions are then accelerated through a mass separation filter, generating a mass spectrum in which each peak represents the partial pressure of a gaseous species as a function of its mass (m/z up to Max 100).
The RGA has applications in many industrial and scientific fields:
Leak testing and vacuum integrity monitoring in systems such as chambers, electronic components, sensors, etc.
Monitoring the outgassing of heated materials (study of volatile compounds or residual contaminants).
Monitoring vacuum cleanliness in sensitive processes (such as microelectronics, semiconductor manufacturing, or particle accelerators).
Analysis of trapped or residual gases in hermetically sealed devices or solid samples.
Quality control in industrial processes where gas composition affects performance (thermal treatments, vacuum depositions, etc.).
A concrete example of use comes from an industrial collaboration (Maisovi Project). Residual gas analysis (RGA) is essential for the development of vacuum insulating glazing (VIG). It characterizes components (spacer, getter, glass frit) by identifying emitted gases and evaluating getter absorption. RGA helps monitor the cleanliness of glass surfaces before assembly by detecting contaminants and leaks. The time-based tracking of residual gases during aging tests (thermal/UV) predicts the lifetime of VIG by measuring the partial pressures of emitted gases, getter saturation, and leaks, ensuring high-quality vacuum for long-term thermal insulation of the implemented solution.
