In addition to the actual cleaning of products, we also offer various other services to qualify and validate the cleaning process. Measuring and documenting cleaning results is increasingly requested. Under the microscope, we can detect damage and residue down to 5 µm. The qualification methods used vary depending on the specific cleaning requirements.
Surface Cleanliness is validated for particles by means of UV and Bright Light inspection or using the PMC process. UV and Bright Light make particles and organic stains visible. With PMC (Particle Measurement Card), a sample is taken from a cleaned surface and subsequently analyzed for particle count. PMC is mainly used for very small particles that are no longer visible with Bright Light inspection.
For the validation of Molecular Cleanliness, UV Light is usually combined with an RGA measurement. This method determines the outgassing of a product or assembly. Such outgassing has a negative effect on the vacuum environment in which the product is assembled.
Validation in the area of Gas Purity is performed by means of a TOC (Total Organic Carbon) measurement, carried out using a gas chromatograph with an FID detector. This measurement indicates the total carbon content, divided into volatile TOC (TOC v) and non-volatile TOC (TOC nv). These results can then be assessed against the specification. If the limits are exceeded, the channels can be flushed with XCDA.