Abstract: Minute quantities of water in a terpene cleaning solvent cause a reaction with certain metals, particularly lead, tin and copper, which reactions are responsible for corrosion of the metal. Such reactions can be reduced or substantially eliminated by exposing the cleaning solvent to a molecular sieve prior to the cleaning operation. The molecular sieve typically includes a plurality of beads of zeolite to which the cleaning solvent is exposed. The molecular sieve traps the water molecules from the solvent so that, after treatment, the solvent contains substantially no water molecules.

Abstract: The specification describes a cleaning process for electronic devices and assemblies such as printed wiring boards. In the cleaning process deterioration of a terpene based cleaning solution, as evidenced by yellowing, is prevented using a copper chelating additive.

Abstract: In a method for cleaning using terpene compositions, the generation of harmful precipitates is substantially eliminated or significantly reduced by adding a polar solvent, such as isopropyl alcohol, to the terpene composition. One to twenty percent of the cleaning composition should be alcohol, although it is preferred that it be in the five to fifteen percent range. The upper limit reflects primarily the desire to reduce the flammability of the solvent. Alternatively, the electronic devices can be rinsed with a terpene, alcohol mixture, but this alternative is much less preferred because of the flammability problem.

Abstract: An electronic device (12, 13) is substantially enclosed by a fluid encapsulant (17). The fluid encapsulant consists essentially of a silicone resin and a catalyst selected from the group consisting of platinum and tin. The silicone resin is selected from the group consisting of polydimethlysiloxane, polymethylphenylsiloxane, polydimethyldiphenylsiloxane, and mixtures thereof. Such silicone resins comprise molecules terminating in vinyl components and hydride components. The molar ratio of vinyl components to hydride components is maintained within the range of five to twenty. As will be explained more fully later, this ratio of vinyl components to hydride components assures that the resin will remain substantially a liquid even after cure, due to limited cross-linking or polymerization during the cure. The electronic device is contained within a container (16) having a sealed cover (18) for containing the liquid encapsulant during the operation of the electronic device.

Abstract: Glass particles (14) are mixed within an uncured silicone resin (13). The fluid uncured resin is placed in a portion of a terminal block (11) and cured to form a gel (13') by subjecting it to microwaves in a microwave oven (22). Conductors (25, 26) to be interconnected are next inserted into the cured silicone gel and interconnected. The cured gel containing the glass particles thereafter constitutes a dependable insulator for the conductors, particularly the portions of the conductors that are interconnected.

Abstract: Problems resulting from contamination of electronic apparatus used with silicone keypads can be eliminated or substantially reduced by soaking such keypads prior to assembly in a low molecular weight liquid hydrocarbon, particularly n-hexane. Such soaking removes low molecular weight unreactive cyclics from the keypad which might otherwise contaminate the electronic apparatus.

Abstract: A module, such as a terminal block (10), configured of a body (12) having an open end (20) and at least one window (24) spaced from the open end, is fixtured and sealed by way of a channel (28) comprised of a pair of parallel, spaced-apart, generally elastic walls (30,32) jointed by a bottom member (34). The walls (30,32) and the bottom member (34) run longitudinally a distance at least as long as the width of the terminal block (10) to allow the block to be received between, and to be held by, the walls. At least one protrusion extends out from a separate one of the walls (30,32) and the base member (34) for receipt in the window (24) in the terminal block to seal the same.

Abstract: An encapsulant comprised of alternate layers of polymer and glass gives enhanced protection to semiconductor integrated circuit devices, which is much more effective than either glass or polymer encapsulations by themselves. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device (11) is covered by a polymer layer (13), the polymer layer being covered by a glass layer (14), and the glass layer being covered by a second polymer layer (15). The glass is preferably deposited by a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition apparatus (17 of FIG. 2 ).

Abstract: Silicone resin is used by adding, to the uncured silicone resin, platinum suspended in a liquid carrier which is miscible in the silicone resin, the liquid carrier being selected from the group consisting of silicone oil and liquid hydrocarbon materials. The platinum preferably consists of particles of essentially pure platinum, each particle having a diameter of less than ten microns. The ratio of the platinum to the silicone resin is preferably in the range of three to ten parts per million.

Abstract: A module, such as a terminal block (10), configured of a body (12) having an open end (20) and at least one window (24) spaced from the open end, is fixtured and sealed by way of a channel (28) comprised of a pair of parallel, spaced-apart, generally elastic walls (30,32) jointed by a bottom member (34). The walls (30,32) and the bottom member (34) run longitudinally a distance at least as long as the width of the terminal block (10) to allow the block to be received between, and to be held by, the walls. At least one protrusion extends out from a separate one of the walls (30,32) and the base member (34) for receipt in the window (24) in the terminal block to seal the same.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a substrate (11) is cleaned by immersing it in an organic solvent (17) and subjecting it to acoustic energy, immersing it in alcohol, immersing it in a surfactant, subjecting it to a cascading rinse in deionized water, baking it (FIG. 3 ), and thereafter subjecting it to ultraviolet light in an ozone ambient (FIG. 4). When the foregoing steps are followed, the contact angle is significantly reduced, and an encapsulant (14) that is thereafter applied provides more reliable protection to an encapsulated device (12) from outside contaminants.

Abstract: An electronic device (12, 13) is substantially enclosed by a fluid encapsulant (17). The fluid encapsulant consists essentially of a silicone resin and a catalyst selected from the group consisting of platinum and tin. The silicone resin is selected from the group consisting of polydimethylsiloxane, polymethylphenylsiloxane, polydimethyldiphenylsiloxane, and mixtures thereof. Such silicone resins comprise molecules terminating in vinyl components and hydride components. The ratio of vinyl components to hydride components is maintained within the range of five to twenty. As will be explained more fully later, this ratio of vinyl components to hydride components assures that the resin will remain substantially a liquid even after cure, due to limited cross-linking or polymerization during the cure. The electronic device is contained within a container (16) having a sealed cover (18) for containing the liquid encapsulant during the operation of the electronic device.

Abstract: A silicone gel encapsulated integrated circuit (12) is placed in a container, the container being partially filled with a silicone elastomer (16) which is much more rugged than the gel. After the elastomer (16) hardens, it completely covers the gel encapsulation (14) and protects it and the integrated circuit device from the effects of rough handling. The gel, however, gives all of the protection from the external environment that it would in the absence of the elastomer encapsulation.

Abstract: Devices are described in which certain crosslinked silicone polymers are incorporated. These polymers have various functions such as encapsulating agents, surface protective agents or agents to index match optical components (e.g. optical fiber, optical waveguide, etc.) to other optical devices or articles. The polymer is a vinyl-terminated dimethyldiphenylsiloxane copolymer crosslinked with tri- or tetrafunctional silanes in the presence of a platinum catalyst. The phenyl group content of the crosslinked silicone copolymer is adjusted to change the index of refraction of the polymer to the optimum for the particular application contemplated. Polymer preparation procedures are described which yield good optical quality for the polymer as well as optimum physical and chemical properties.

Abstract: Devices are described in which certain crosslinked silicone polymers are incorporated. These polymers have various functions such as encapsulating agents, surface protective agents or agents to index match optical components (e.g. optical fiber, optical waveguide, etc.) to other optical devices or articles. The polymer is a vinyl-terminated dimethyldiphenylsiloxane copolymer crosslinked with tri- or tetrafunctional silanes in the presence of a platinum catalyst. The phenyl group content of the crosslinked silicone copolymer is adjusted to change the index of refraction of the polymer to the optimum for the particular application contemplated. Polymer preparation procedures are described which yield good optical quality for the polymer as well as optimum physical and chemical properties.

Abstract: An electronic device (12) is encapsulated by a curable material (15) which, prior to cure, comprises sixteen to twenty-three weight percent of a silicone resin, forty-six to seventy-three weight percent of silicon dioxide, four to fifteen weight percent of silicon hydride, and six to twenty-five weight percent of xylene. The silicone resin is selected from the group consisting of polydimethylsiloxane, polymethylphenylsiloxane, and a mixture of polydimethylsiloxane and polymethylphenylsiloxane. The silicone resin contains a platinum catalyst and has vinyl and/or hydride functional components.

Abstract: An electronic device encapsulant comprises polydimethyldiphenylmethylphenylsiloxane in which the mole ratio of the sum of the methyl-phenyl and diphenyl groups to the dimethyl groups is in the range of ten to forty percent. The normal bi-functional hydride terminations are replaced with tri-functional or tetra-functional hydride terminations.

Abstract: A silicone rubber potting compound contains an alkoxysilane (.gamma.-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane) as an adhesion promoter. Harmful effects caused by the adhesion promoter are alleviated by using as an additive a titanate having the form Ti(OR).sub.4, where R is an isopropyl, butyl, octyl, or acetylacetonate.

Abstract: An electronic device employs as a dielectric (17) a silicone resin consisting essentially of (a) about twenty-one to twenty-five percent by weight of a silicone resin consisting essentially of dimethylsiloxane, and/or dimethylmethylphenylsiloxane, and/or dimethyl-diphenylsiloxane, (b) about seventy to eighty percent by weight of a silica filler, (c) about 0.5 to 0.7 percent by weight of a tin catalyst, and (d) about 0.057 to 0.26 percent by weight of copper (II) benzoylacetonate.

Abstract: The addition of a low viscosity (2 to 100 centipoise) polysiloxane such as olydimethylsiloxane to a two-part heat curable polysiloxane system substantially eliminates the formation of bubbles when such system is employed as a potting compound for encapsulating devices such as electronic devices.