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Thermal Vacuum Pumping
Outgassing Treatment
Environmental chambers extract volatile organic compounds and moisture from electronic assemblies to prevent future contamination. Thermal vacuum pumping combines elevated temperatures and extremely low pressures to accelerate the vaporization of trapped gases. This process is used for aerospace instruments and high-vacuum sensor assemblies.
It stops when the outgassing rate drops below a specified threshold.
Process Execution
The component is placed in a vacuum chamber, which is then sealed and evacuated while heating elements raise the temperature. During thermal vacuum pumping, the heat provides the activation energy for trapped molecules to detach from surfaces, and the vacuum pulls them away. This prevents these molecules from re-depositing on sensitive optical or sensor surfaces later.
The process runs for several hours or days.
Testing Environment
Specialized monitoring equipment measures the residual gas composition to track the progress of the outgassing. This measurement ensures that thermal vacuum pumping has successfully removed the volatile species before the test is concluded. It confirms that the assembly is ready for deployment in extreme environments like space or high-vacuum analytical instruments.
The results are recorded for quality control.
Application Scope
This treatment is applied to sub-assemblies of high-end optical sensors to ensure their long-term performance under harsh conditions. This ensures stability.