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A fabrication technology for small hermetic implant packages with large numbers of electrical feedthroughs is presented. First prototypes were fabricated on a ceramic substrate of 25·25 mm area, having a metal cup of 5 mm height soldered to it. These prototypes provide 360 feedthroughs. The electrical properties of the feedthroughs are characterized and the leakage rate of the packages is determined using helium fine leak tests. The amount of water sealed inside the packages is investigated. Based on maximum allowable water vapour concentrations inside hermetic packages reported in literature and applying a commonly accepted mathematical model, we predicted a minimum lifetime to water-induced failure of a few hundred years.

In this work the impact of accelerated aging on the spectral transmission and the mechanical robustness of silicone elastomers for concentrator photovoltaic applications was investigated. Therefore, specific test samples were manufactured. The samples were annealed at 150 degrees C to assure a complete cross-linking These samples were exposed to humidity freeze, to a pressure cooker test, and to UV light. To investigate optical materials under UVA intensity up to 10 W/cm(2) a test setup was developed. Thus, a UV dosage of 10000 kWh/m(2) was applied to the silicone samples after thermal treatment. The mean transmission was used as a measure to identify changes in the spectral behavior and was, therefore, compared after the stress tests with the initial value. No total failures but rather degradation was observed, mainly in the range of ultraviolet and visible light. In addition, the shear strengths for the silicone elastomers were compared before and after stress

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Modern implanted devices utilize microelectronics that have to be protected from the body fluids in order to maintain their functionality over decades. Moisture protection of implants is addressed by enclosing the electronic circuits into gas-tight packages. In this paper we describe a device that allows custom-built hermetic implant packages to be vacuum-dried (removing residual moisture from inside the package), backfilled with an inert gas at adjustable pressure and hermetically sealed employing a solder seal. A typical operation procedure of the device is presented.