Handbook of Silicon Based MEMS Materials and Technologies

42.4. Neon Ultra-Fine Leak Test

The Neon Ultra-Fine Leak Test is an elaborated hermeticity test environment with a dedicated vacuum prediction model (Vacuum Lifetime Model) based on quality factor monitoring of microresonating devices. There are some benefits in using Neon as test gas instead of helium or any other noble gas. The test gas Neon is highly mobile to penetrate the finest leak channels but has a negligible permeation rate at room temperature in SiO² interfaces often used in the construction of hermetically sealed MEMS devices. Neon is also compatible with integrated getter, as it will not be absorbed and pressure increases due to leaks can easily be monitored. The pressure increase for devices with getter is accelerated for a factor ...