2026 Undergraduate Research Showcase

RGA Leak Detection in an ALD Vacuum System

Document Type

Student Presentation

Presentation Date

4-24-2026

Faculty Sponsor

Dr. Steven Hues, Abbegail Bowers, and Dr. Elton Graugnard

Abstract

Residual Gas Analyzers (RGA) are compact quadrupole mass analyzers used to analyze gas composition and evaluate vacuum system performance in atomic layer deposition (ALD) furnaces. This study was aimed to determine whether the provided RGA analyzer contained a real leak and, if present, the source of the leak within the vacuum system. A leak testing procedure was performed with the RGA mounted onto a mini test chamber, where helium was introduced around the RGA and its connections, while monitoring the helium-related mass-filtered response signal intensity, through the RGA and LabVIEW software interface. With the vacuum system attaining a base pressure of approximately the mid E-2 Torr range, it was concluded that a leak existed in the assembled vacuum system, affecting its ability to reach the required vacuum conditions for operation. The use of the RGA with helium gas detection was able to identify the specific source of the leaks within the vacuum system. These findings highlight the importance of proper component assembly and leak detection methods to ensure reliable vacuum system performance in ALD applications.

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