Hermetic Test Procedures and Standards for Semiconductor Electronics

The hermetic testing of semiconductor devices is a challenging subject area because of the need for leak testing large numbers of sealed packages to very fine leak rates, where the packages are of a wide range of materials and internal volumes. The types of measurement methods to be discussed are those presently in use and are represented in both military and voluntary standards. Four of these methods will be assessed briefly along with the relevant standards as to advantages, disadvantages, range, precision, and agreement. The four methods are bubble, weight gain, helium leak detector, and radioisotope test procedures. Present interlaboratory test efforts that have been undertaken to provide suitable test data for guidance in the drafting of new American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards will be summarized. Future directions will be indicated.