Assembling and testing ampoules

A method for assembling and testing an ampoule assembly for air leakage, the ampoule assembly having a body portion, a base portion, and a pyrophoric payload, the method comprising:

• positioning the body portion, the base portion, and the pyrophoric payload in an air-free, inert environment, wherein the body portion has a closed end, an open end, and an interior area;
• positioning the pyrophoric payload into the interior area of the body portion through the open end, wherein the body portion is oriented with the open end above the closed end;
• attaching the base portion to the open end of the body portion with the pyrophoric payload enclosed in the interior area and with a seal formed between the base portion and the body portion, wherein the ampoule assembly is oriented in an inverted orientation with the base portion vertically above the pyrophoric payload in the interior area and with an upper surface of the pyrophoric payload being spaced apart from the base portion by a gap;
• removing the ampoule assembly from the air-free, inert environment;
• positioning the ampoule assembly in a testing environment that contains air, wherein the ampoule assembly is in the inverted orientation with the gap laterally adjacent to a detection component configured to detect through the body portion energy from the upper surface pyrophoric payload;
• and
• monitoring with the laterally adjacent detection component the upper surface of the pyrophoric payload or the gap to detect light or heat energy from a reaction between air and the pyrophoric payload, wherein the reaction indicates an air leak in the seal between the base portion and the body portion.