Dual mode leak detector

• US 6,286,362 B1
• Filed: 03/31/1999
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Lorge, Jeffrey Gordon, Coffman, John Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): LARKIN, DANIEL SEAN
• Application Number:
  US09/282,606
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 73/407
• US Class Current: 73/40.7
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/202 using mass spectrometer detection systems

Abstract

The present invention generally provides a leak detector having at least two partial pressure analyzers. The leak detector comprises a pumping system, a trace gas detector, and a residual gas analyzer. The leak detector is attachable to a test object, such as a vacuum system, and the pumping system operates to draw a vacuum therein. The residual gas analyzer determines the presence of oxygen, nitrogen, and other components of air in the test object. A trace gas, such as helium, provided to the exterior of the test system is monitored by the trace gas detector which may be a magnetic sector mass spectrometer. The residual gas analyzer and the trace gas detector may be operated simultaneously or independently.

Claims

1. A leak detecting apparatus, comprising:

a manifold;

a first pump in communication with the manifold, the first pump being configured to pump the manifold to a first pressure;

a first gas detector for detecting a partial pressure of a first gas coupled to the manifold;

a second pump in communication with the manifold, wherein the second pump is configured to pump the manifold to a second pressure, the second pressure being lower than the first pressure; and

a second gas detector in communication with the second pump for detecting the partial pressures of a second gas coupled to the manifold.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second gas is selected from the group comprising helium, neon, and argon.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first gas includes air.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second gas is selected from the group comprising oxygen, nitrogen, argon, and water vapor, and any combination thereof.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first gas detector is a residual gas analyzer and the second gas detector is a magnetic sector mass spectrometer.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the residual gas analyzer comprises a quadrupole gas detector.

7. An apparatus for detecting a leak in a vacuum system, comprising:

(a) a manifold;

(b) a pumping system coupled to the manifold, the pumping system including a first pump configured to pump the vacuum system to a first pressure and a second pump configured to pump the vacuum system to a second pressure;

(c) a first gas detector fluidly coupled to the manifold; and

(d) a second gas detector fluidly coupled to the second pump.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a controller coupled to the pumping system, the first gas detector, and the second gas detector.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a first valve disposed between the manifold and the first gas detector;

a second valve disposed along the manifold between the first valve and the first pump; and

a third valve disposed in the manifold between the second valve and the second pump.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first gas detector is a residual gas analyzer and the second gas detector is a magnetic sector mass spectrometer.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the residual gas analyzer comprises a quadrupole gas detector.

12. A method of detecting a leak in a vacuum system:

coupling a leak detecting apparatus to the vacuum system, the leak detecting apparatus comprising a manifold, a first gas detector coupled to the manifold, and a second gas detector coupled to the manifold;

pumping the manifold with a first pump to a first pressure;

communicating the first gas detector with the vacuum system via the manifold;

pumping the manifold with a second pump to a second pressure, the second pressure being lower than the first pressure; and

communicating the second gas detector with the vacuum system via the manifold.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first gas detector monitors the presence of air.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the second gas detector monitors the presence of a trace gas.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising supplying a trace gas to the exterior of the vacuum system.

16. A method of detecting a leak in a vacuum system:

pumping a manifold in communication with the vacuum system to a first vacuum condition with a first pumping system;

monitoring the presence of one or more components of air using a residual gas analyzer in communication with the manifold;

pumping the manifold to a second vacuum condition with a second pumping system; and

monitoring the presence of a trace gas in the manifold with a trace gas detector, the trace gas detector being in communication with the second pumping system.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising supplying a trace gas to an outer surface of the vacuum system.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein monitoring using the residual gas analyzer comprises monitoring the presence of one or more of oxygen, argon, nitrogen, and neon.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein monitoring using the residual gas analyzer comprises monitoring the pressure rate of rise of the one or more components of air.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein monitoring using the residual gas analyzer comprises monitoring a base pressure of the one or more components of air.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising positioning an integrated detecting apparatus in communication with the vacuum system.

22. A leak detecting apparatus, comprising:

a manifold;

first pumping means in communication with the manifold for pumping the manifold to a first pressure;

first gas detector means for detecting a partial pressure of a first gas coupled to the manifold;

second pumping means in communication with the manifold for pumping the manifold to a second pressure, the second pressure being lower than the first pressure; and

second gas detector means in communication with the second pump for detecting partial pressures of a second gas coupled to the manifold.

23. A method of detecting a leak in a vacuum system:

coupling a leak detecting apparatus to the vacuum system, the leak detecting apparatus including a manifold, means for detecting a first gas coupled to the manifold, and means for detecting a second gas coupled to the manifold;

pumping the manifold with a first pump to a first pressure;

communicating the means for detecting a first gas with the vacuum system via the manifold;

pumping the manifold with a second pump to a second pressure, the second pressure being lower than the first pressure; and

communicating the means for detecting a second gas with the vacuum system via the manifold.

24. A method of detecting a leak in a vacuum system:

pumping a manifold in communication with the vacuum system to a first vacuum condition with a first means for pumping;

monitoring the presence of one or more components of air using means for analyzing a residual gas in communication with the manifold;

pumping the manifold to a second vacuum condition with a second means for pumping; and

monitoring the presence of a trace gas in the manifold with a means for detecting a trace gas in communication with the second means for pumping.