Method and system for detecting leak in electronic devices
First Claim
1. A method of detecting a leak in an electronic device, comprising:
- providing an electronic device having an interior space, wherein the electronic device is substantially free of a test gas;
placing the electronic device in a substantially atmospheric pressure test gas environment comprising the test gas, whereby the test gas may diffuse into the interior space;
placing the electronic device in a substantially atmospheric pressure non-test gas environment substantially free of the test gas; and
detecting test gas that leaked from the electronic device or the interior space of the electronic device while the electronic device is placed in the non-test gas environment,wherein the test gas environment and the non-test gas environment are created in a single chamber.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The methods and systems for testing electronic devices for leak detection are provided. In one method of detecting a leak in a sealed package, a sealed package is placed in a test gas environment, allowing the test gas to diffuse into an internal space of the sealed package through a leak formed in the sealed package. Thereafter, the sealed package is placed in an environment substantially free of the test gas and allowing the test gas to diffuse out of the internal space. The amount of the test gas in the test gas-free environment is detected. Based on the information obtained from the detection, it is determined whether the sealed package has one or more unintended leaks based on information obtained from the detecting.
335 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of detecting a leak in an electronic device, comprising:
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providing an electronic device having an interior space, wherein the electronic device is substantially free of a test gas; placing the electronic device in a substantially atmospheric pressure test gas environment comprising the test gas, whereby the test gas may diffuse into the interior space; placing the electronic device in a substantially atmospheric pressure non-test gas environment substantially free of the test gas; and detecting test gas that leaked from the electronic device or the interior space of the electronic device while the electronic device is placed in the non-test gas environment, wherein the test gas environment and the non-test gas environment are created in a single chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of detecting a leak in an electronic device, comprising:
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providing an electronic device in a chamber, wherein the electronic device is substantially free of a test gas; supplying the test gas to the chamber to create a substantially atmospheric pressure test gas environment within the chamber, wherein the test gas diffuses into the electronic device; flushing the test gas out of the chamber; supplying a non-test gas to the chamber to create a substantially atmospheric pressure non-test gas environment within the chamber; and detecting test gas that leaked from the electronic device or the electronic device existing in the non-test gas environment, wherein the test gas environment and the non-test gas environment are created in a single chamber. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system for testing an electronic device for leakage, comprising:
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a test chamber; a supply of a test gas connected to the test chamber; a supply of a non-test gas connected to the chamber; a test gas sensor connected to the test chamber; and a controller coupled to the supply of a test gas, the supply of a non-test gas, and the sensor, where the controller is adapted to sequentially supply the test gas into the test chamber to create a substantially atmospheric pressure test gas environment within the test chamber;
then to supply the non-test gas into the test chamber to purge the test gas and to create a substantially atmospheric pressure non-test gas environment within the test chamber; and
then to detect the test gas existing in the test chamber or flowing out of the test chamber while the electronic device is in the non-test gas environment. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. A system for testing an electronic device for leakage, comprising:
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a test chamber; means for creating a test gas environment in the test chamber; means for creating a non-test gas environment in the test chamber; means for detecting the test gas; and a controller coupled to means for creating a test gas environment, means for creating a non-test gas environment, and the means for detecting the test gas, where the controller is adapted to sequentially create a substantially atmospheric pressure test gas environment within the test chamber, then to purge the test gas by creating a substantially atmospheric pressure non-test gas environment within the test chamber, and then to operate the means for detecting the test gas in order to detect test gas that has leaked from the interior of the electronic device when the device is in the non-test gas environment.
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27. A method of detecting a leak in an electronic device, comprising:
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providing an electronic device having an interior space; placing the electronic device in a test gas environment comprising a test gas, wherein the electronic device is substantially free of the test gas; placing the electronic device in a non-test gas environment substantially free of the test gas; and detecting the test gas while the electronic device is placed in the non-test gas environment, wherein detecting leakage comprises sensing existence of the test gas within the electronic device, and wherein sensing existence of the test gas within the electronic device comprises; applying energy particles to the electronic device, wherein the test gas involves in a nuclear reaction with the energy particle; and detecting radiation resulting from the nuclear reaction.
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Specification