Organic Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS)
Outgassing • Contamination • Electronic Circuit Reliability
In high-stress electronic environments, reliability also depends on invisible phenomena related to materials and usage conditions. In hermetic, vacuum, or high-temperature settings, these effects can become critical if not anticipated. Analysis of organic compounds by GC/MS provides technical teams with essential data to secure material choices, control contamination risks, and ensure the reliability of electronic systems.
Why Organic Mass Analysis Is Essential in Electronics
Epoxy adhesives, silicone compounds, plastics, or packaging materials can release volatile or semi-volatile compounds over their lifetime. When present inside operating hermetic enclosures, particularly in critical environments (vacuum, hermetic, high temperature, optical, high-frequency), this outgassing can:
Condensing on sensitive surfaces (lenses, sensors, contacts), causing performance loss or short circuits.
Altering dielectric properties or creating discharge paths in high-voltage systems.
Accelerating corrosion or degradation of neighboring materials.
Be particularly problematic in vacuum or hermetic environments, as the emitted gases have no escape and can redeposit elsewhere.
Thus, GC/MS analysis is a key tool for identifying and quantifying volatile or semi-volatile organic compounds released by outgassing, in order to ensure the reliability and longevity of your electronic components.
Our Approach
We offer analyses by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to:
- Identify unknown organic compounds in your materials and hermetic enclosures.
- Quantify volatile/semi-volatile emissions during outgassing or as part of lifetime studies.
- Analyze a wide range of samples: assembly materials, silicones, adhesives, plastics,
powders, substrates, hermetic enclosures, components, etc. - Option to pre-incubate your samples to simulate specific environments and test material stability before analysis.
Applications and Use Cases in Critical Electronics
This type of analysis applies to a wide range of situations encountered in critical electronics :
- Identification, purity, complex mixtures.
- Outgassing analysis of assembly materials or hermetic packaging.
- Analysis of hermetic cavities (electronic packages, sensors) via ampoule absorption, air/mixture testing, etc.
- Study of “low outgassing” materials for sensitive applications (aerospace, space, optics).
- Surface contamination, polymer degradation at high temperatures, corrosion related to internal emissions.
Examples of Materials and Samples Analyzed
Analysis of organic compounds can be performed on a wide variety of materials and components:
- Adhesives, assembly materials (epoxy, silicone).
- Plastics, seals, packaging materials.
- Hermetic devices (sensors, optical modules).
- Electronic substrates, high-temperature modules, vacuum environments.
Our Methodology
The methodology we implement is tailored to the constraints of sensitive electronic systems and aims to closely replicate real operating conditions to provide actionable and reliable results.
With over 25 years of experience in analyzing failures of sensitive materials, we can adapt toyour needs, whether for sampling or for performing specific preconditioning. Once collected, the samples are analyzed on our system, and a detailed report is provided. Our experts remain at your disposal throughout the process to ensure reliable results.
Why Choose ORS
ORS supports its clients by combining analytical expertise, state-of-the-art equipment, and a customized approach:
- Specialized outgassing/contamination analysis for critical electronics and hermetic systems.
- Equipment and expertise enabling the analysis of very small volumes (e.g., cavities of a few nL) with extremely high sensitivity.
- Proven experience: identification of failures related to emissions, condensation on cold surfaces, and corrosion caused by volatile products.
- Personalized collaboration: we discuss your application and materials with you and develop a tailored analysis plan.
Your Analysis Project: Next Steps
If you would like to:
Please contact us by email at info@orslabs.fr
