Hermetically Sealed Electrical & Optical Components - Advanced Ceramic-to-Metal and Metal-to-Glass Sealing Technology

The term "high-performance ceramics" refers to a variety of often highly-specialized ceramic materials. These materials demonstrate a unique spectrum of mechanical, electrical, thermal and biological/chemical characteristics. High-performance ceramics are invariably used in situations where other materials, such as plastic or metal, cannot withstand the extremely high loads.

There are truly a multitude of applications for high performance ceramics, due to the specific characteristics or qualities that each ceramic material has. Although in most cases these qualities cannot be seen by end users of CeramTec products, they play an important and often crucial role.

Figure 1. Various products manufactured using CeramTec materials

Ceramic To Metal Sealing and Glass To Ceramic Sealing

CeramTec North America pioneered the science of ceramic-to-metal sealing more than 53 years ago and today remains the world leader in ceramic-to-metal sealing technology. Hermetically sealed electrical & optical components include feedthroughs, multipin connectors, coaxial connectors, thermocouples, isolators, viewports and accessories. These components are ideally suited to support optical, gas, liquid, power, instrumentation, and sensing applications.

Hermetic Products

CeramTec’s Hermetic Products, formerly known as Ceramaseal® Products, are built to endure extreme conditions, whether it be an ultra-high vacuum (UHV) environment, temperatures ranging from cryogenic (4 K) to 450 °C, pressures in excess of 25,000 psig, corrosive or caustic environments, while maintaining an unsurpassed level of reliability and performance.

Custom Design Sealing Capabilites

CeramTec’s custom design capabilities are unparalleled and world-renowned!

CeramTec is a world leader in ceramic-to-metal and glass-ceramic sealing technology. We've satisfied the complex application needs of our customers since 1951, producing both standard and custom designs for use in vacuum, ultra-high vacuum, high-pressure, cryogenic and high-temperature applications.

Applications of Hermetically Sealed Products

CeramTec’s hermetically sealed products and assemblies are applied to the most rigorous applications, including:

• Aggressive Chemicals
• Cryogenics
• High Pressure
• High Temperature
• High Voltage
• Nuclear
• Aerospace
• Microwave
• Sensors
• Fusion
• High-Energy Physics
• Lasers
• Medical Technology
• Ultra-High Vacuum
• Accelerators
• Superconductivity
• Semiconductor Equipment

And more!

Helium Leak Testing of Hermetically Sealed Products

CeramTec’s Hermetic Products are helium leak-tested on a dry leak detector to 1x10^-9 Atm cc/sec He. (Products can be tested to 1x10^-10 upon request.)

CeramTec’s Hermetic Products are cryogenic and bakeable to 450° with a leak rating of less than 1x10^-10 Atm cc/sec helium, and are rated for currents exceeding 1000 amps and voltages above 100kV.

Figure 2. Cryogenic testing of hermetic products

Research, Design, Manufacture and Testing

Research, design, manufacture and testing of all hermetic products and components take place at their own 256,000-sq.-ft. facility.

CeramTec are constantly testing new processes and materials - and developing new technologies - to meet the demanding, ever-changing needs of the ceramic-to-metal, glass-to-ceramic, sensor and OEM markets.

This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by CeramTec.

For more information on this source, please visit CeramTec.