Seal Technology
Vacuum-tight enclosures prevent the exchange of gases between the internal cavity and the external environment. Hermetic packaging protects sensitive semiconductor dies from moisture and corrosive contaminants. Glass-to-metal seals or ceramic-to-metal brazing provide the necessary barrier to maintain an inert atmosphere.
Reliability Requirement
Aerospace and medical applications demand long-term stability that plastic housings cannot provide. Using hermetic packaging ensures that the internal moisture content remains below 5000 parts per million over the service life of the device.
Integrity Testing
Helium leak detection identifies microscopic paths through the seal or the material itself. Verifying hermetic packaging involves pressurizing the part with a tracer gas and measuring the escape rate with a mass spectrometer.
Standard Compliance
Military specifications like MIL-STD-883 define the pass-fail criteria for various package volumes. Any breach in the hermetic packaging results in the immediate rejection of the component. Routine audits of the sealing process ensure that the temperature and pressure during brazing stay within the qualified window.
Fine leak testing and gross leak testing are performed sequentially to ensure no path exists for gas exchange. The presence of internal desiccants is often forbidden in these packages to ensure that the moisture measurement reflects the actual seal performance.