Abstract: Tracer gas sensing device comprising a gas discharge cell having cell walls defining a discharge volume and a tracer gas inlet into the discharge volume, an optical spectrometer arrangement having a radiation source on a first side of the discharge cell for emitting radiation into the discharge cell and a radiation detector on a second side of the discharge cell opposite to the first side for detecting radiation which was emitted by the radiation source through the discharge volume, and electrodes on opposing sides of the discharge cell for generating a plasma within the discharge cell, said electrodes being unexposed plasma electrodes. The discharge cell may be a dielectric barrier discharge cell and the electrodes may be powered by an AC power source.

Abstract: Methods and systems for chemical analysis. For instance, a device for chemical analysis of a sample includes a housing, an inlet, a pump, multiple membranes and at least one detector. The housing contains an interior chamber of the device. The inlet on the housing introduces the sample into the interior chamber. The pump is connected to the housing to form a partial vacuum in the interior chamber. The multiple membranes have different response times to different constituents of the sample. The multiple membranes include at least a first membrane and a second membrane. At least one of the first membrane and the second membrane comprises a tubular portion. The multiple membranes have different response times to different constituents of the sample. The detector is for detecting the different constituents of the sample after interaction with the multiple membranes. In addition, a method for chemical analysis of a sample.

Abstract: A method for detecting fluctuations in the amount of test gas detected by a sniffer probe of a leak detector in the gas flow from around a test piece pressurized with an oxygen-free test gas containing at least an amount of CO2, wherein an amount of oxygen in the ambient air is measured.

Abstract: A system for monitoring thin film deposition is described. The system includes a quartz crystal and a synthesizer to generate a modulated signal. The modulated signal is to be grounded through the quartz crystal. The system also includes a phase detector to determine a phase of the modulated signal from the quartz crystal in order to monitor thin film deposition. A modulation index can be selected so that, at resonance, high frequency of the signal matches the crystal frequency.

Abstract: A monitoring device for monitoring a fabrication process in a fabrication system. The monitored fabrication system includes a process chamber and a plurality of flow components. A quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor monitors one flow component of the plurality of flow components of the fabrication system and is configured for exposure to a process chemistry in the one flow component during the fabrication process. A controller measures resonance frequency shifts of the QCM sensor due to interactions between the QCM sensor and the process chemistry in the one flow component during the fabrication process. The controller determines a parameter of the fabrication process in the process chamber as a function of the measured resonance frequency shifts of the QCM sensor within the one flow component.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a test chamber, which encloses an interior volume (20), is designed as a film chamber (12) comprising at least one flexible wall region (14, 16), and is connected in a gas-conducting way to a pressure sensor (30), to a vacuum pump (26), and via a calibration valve (34) to a calibration chamber (36) enclosing a calibration volume (37), comprising the following steps: evacuating the film chamber (12); measuring the pressure difference inside of the film chamber (12); after the evacuation has been completed, connecting the calibration volume (37) in a gas-conducting manner to the interior volume (20) of the film chamber (12) while measuring the pressure change, wherein the pressure in the calibration chamber (36) is greater than the pressure in the film chamber (12) before the connection to the film chamber (12). A corresponding device is likewise disclosed.

Abstract: A method for a tightness test of a test piece (16) in a test chamber (10) whose wall is at least partly made of a flexible material, wherein said test piece is introduced into said test chamber and said test chamber is then evacuated, is characterized in that the tightness test is performed by measuring the gas density inside said test chamber (10) in the area outside said test piece (16).

Abstract: Systems and methods for in-situ leak detection and endpoint detection of wafer dry etch or chamber clean in chambers, e.g., vacuum chambers used in semiconductor processing. A mini environment is created and a sensor, such as an SPOES sensor, can be used in the mini-environment to perform leak detection.

Abstract: A sensor unit including a measuring cell with a section-wise heat-conducting surface, a housing in which the measuring cell for the most part is contained, and an access channel to the measuring cell. The sensor unit includes a cavity that is confined for the most part by an outer surface of the measuring cell and by a wall of the housing facing towards the surface of the measuring cell. The cavity is closed in itself.

Abstract: Methods and systems for chemical analysis. For instance, a device for chemical analysis of a sample includes a housing, an inlet, a pump, multiple membranes and at least one detector. The housing contains an interior chamber of the device. The inlet on the housing introduces the sample into the interior chamber. The pump is connected to the housing to form a partial vacuum in the interior chamber. The multiple membranes have different response times to different constituents of the sample. The multiple membranes include at least a first membrane and a second membrane. At least one of the first membrane and the second membrane comprises a tubular portion. The multiple membranes have different response times to different constituents of the sample. The detector is for detecting the different constituents of the sample after interaction with the multiple membranes. In addition, a method for chemical analysis of a sample.

Abstract: Described is a method for quantifying the amount of optically interfering gas impurities in a gas detection system comprising a sample gas inlet, a reference gas inlet, a gas modulation valve, and an infrared absorption gas detector used for analysis of methane or natural gas, wherein the gas modulation valve alternatingly connects the sample gas inlet to the gas detector during a sample gas time period and the reference gas inlet to the gas detector during a reference gas time period. The method includes measuring an infrared absorption for at least two different sample gas concentrations in the gas detector achieved via respective different ratios from the sample gas time period and the reference gas time period, and comparing amplitudes of different measurement signals of the at least two different sample gas concentrations with calibration functions to assess an actual gas impurity concentration in the sampled gas.

Abstract: The invention relates to a film chamber for receiving a test object to be tested for the presence of a leak, including at least two film layers and at least two frame elements, each of which has a sealing surface so that the two frame elements lie against each other in a gas-tight manner in order to hermetically seal the film chamber. Each of the two film layers has at least one retaining profile in a wall region, and each of the two frame elements has at least one retaining groove in the frame element sealing surface in order to receive a retaining profile such that the two film layers are held between the two frame elements substantially by a formfitting connection.

Abstract: The invention relates to a removal device (10) for removing a fluid from a refrigeration system, comprising a cooling device (11), through which the fluid is to flow and which has a pipeline assembly (12), which has a plurality of pipeline elements (24, 26) connected to each other, a fluid inlet (28) arranged above the pipeline elements, and a fluid outlet (30) arranged below the pipeline elements, the removal device having a compressor (14), which is arranged before the cooling device (11) in the flow direction and through which the fluid can flow and which is connected to the fluid inlet (28), is easier to clean because the pipeline elements are each arranged at an inclination of an angle (alpha) from the horizontal in such a way that all fluid entering through the fluid inlet (28) is moved to the fluid outlet (30) by gravity.

Abstract: A gas detection system, comprising a sample gas inlet, a reference gas inlet and a gas modulation valve alternatingly connecting one of the sample gas inlet and the reference gas inlet to a gas sensor, is characterized in that a selective transfer filter is located in the gas flow path connecting the gas modulation valve and the gas sensor.

Abstract: An improved leakage testing device for attachment to a flexible wall of an item to be tested is provided with a film (4) that limits a hollow chamber (1) on the outer side of the item to be tested and with a leakage (2), said film (4) being designed to adhere to the item to be tested.

Abstract: Method for determining whether a gas sample originates from biological processes or from a gas installation being tested and containing a utility gas is characterized in that an increased concentration of hydrogen in the sample as compared to that present in the utility gas is used as evidence that the sample originates from biological decay processes and not from the gas installation under test.

Abstract: A film chamber for receiving a test object which is to be tested with respect to the presence of a leak, wherein the film chamber has walls enclosing a film chamber volume, said walls having at least one flexible wall region, wherein a measuring volume adjoining the flexible wall region is arranged on the side of the flexible wall region which is situated opposite the film chamber volume and is hermetically separated from the film chamber volume.

Abstract: Infrared gas detection system comprising a gas inlet, an infrared gas analyzer connected to the gas inlet and a secondary gas sensor connected to the gas inlet, and an evaluation device evaluating the measurement signals from both the infrared gas analyzer and from the secondary gas sensor, such that a gas is identified only if both the infrared measurement signal and the secondary measurement signal coincide in time.

Abstract: A carpet probe for detecting leaks in underground gas pipes, including a handle (12), a wheel (16) connected to the handle (12), and a flat carpet element (14) connected to the wheel (16) and including a sniffing inlet (28) connected to a gas sensor (18), is characterized in that the wheel (16) is the only wheel (16) of the carpet probe adapted for rolling on a ground surface.

Abstract: The invention relates to a test device for carrying out load tests on flexible, elongated test objects, including a first suspension which is movably guided along a closed circulating path for a first end of the test object, a drive for moving the first suspension along the path, a second suspension for fastening another end of the test object, and a mass body that can be attached to the test object between the two suspensions in such a manner that the mass body is movable along the test object.