A residual gas analyzer (RGA) is a small and usually rugged mass spectrometer, typically designed for process control and contamination monitoring in vacuum systems. Utilizing quadrupole technology, there exists two implementations, utilizing either an open ion source (OIS) or a closed ion source (CIS). RGAs may be found in high vacuum applications such as research chambers, surface science setups, accelerators, scanning microscopes, etc. RGAs are used in most cases to monitor the quality of the vacuum and easily detect minute traces of impurities in the low-pressure gas environment. These impurities can be measured down to 10 − 14 {\displaystyle 10^{-14}} Torr levels, possessing sub-ppm detectability in the absence of background interferences.
RGAs would also be used as sensitive in-situ leak detectors commonly using helium, isopropyl alcohol or other tracer molecules. With vacuum systems pumped down to lower than 10 − 5 {\displaystyle 10^{-5}} Torr—checking of the integrity of the vacuum seals and the quality of the vacuum—air leaks, virtual leaks and other contaminants at low levels may be detected before a process is initiated.
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