HERMETIC CONNECTORS

SOURIAU PA&E designs and manufactures a wide variety of hermetic DC connectors, RF connectors, machined housings and integrated hermetic electronic packaging for use in extreme environments that demand superior mechanical and electrical performance.

Connectors manufactured by SOURIAU PA&E are essentially designed to perform two functions: to carry signal or current in and out of an electronic package and to ensure no outside elements can enter the electronic package.

In general, the degree of protection varies by connector design, construction and materials. Environmentally sealed connectors are designed to stay sealed in relatively benign surroundings such as underwater or in changing weather. The degree of protection these types of connectors offer can be defined by an Ingress Protection Rating standard. For example, an IP 68 rated connector will not allow the ingress of dust or water at 1+ meter immersion.

Defining Hermetic

Merriam-Webster defines hermetic as ‘being airtight or impervious to air’ and hermetic connectors are SOURIAU PA&E’s area of specialization. But even that seemingly straight forward definition is subject to interpretation, because essentially, no seal is absolutely air tight.

The common method for measuring a connector’s leak rate involves forcing helium through a connector in a vacuum environment. SOURIAU PA&E typically defines ‘hermetic’ as a leak rate of less than 1x10^-9 (0.000000001) cc per second of helium at 1 atmospheric differential pressure. Other manufacturers consider higher leak rates as high as 1x10^-5 hermetic where SOURIAU PA&E considers anything below 1x10^-9 ‘semi-hermetic.’

Hermetic Connector Drivers

A hermetic requirement connector is typically driven by three key factors:

1. Environmental factors
   - Extremely high or low temperature exposures
   - High pressure environments
   - Corrosives
2. Susceptibility of sensitive electronics to:
   - Pressure
   - Temperatures
   - Gassing
3. Tolerance for risk
   - Repair or replacement in the field risky, difficult or impossible
   - Costly production delays or service disruptions are unacceptable
   - Mission-critical applications that can’t fail

SOURIAU PA&E’s interconnect products are designed for use in defense, space, medical and commercial applications where environmental conditions make an extremely rugged and reliable hermetic seal an absolute requirement. They are hard at work in life-supporting medical devices, oil-drilling tools deep below the earth's surface, stealth fighter aircraft, and in many other demanding applications.

SOURIAU PA&E's approach to hermetic interconnect designs provides maximum versatility which can lower over-all product cost. SOURIAU PA&E utilizes unique materials in its manufacturing processes and offers a range of manufacturing capabilities – machining, plating, vacuum brazing, laser welding, and more -- at a single location. This integrated manufacturing approach can reduce complexity and risk on your next project. We have a talented staff of application engineers with deep experience in developing and manufacturing custom solutions for extreme environments who are ready to assist you with your next project. Let us know how we can help.

Extreme applications require components that perform flawlessly and retain their original properties even in the harshest of environments. SOURIAU PA&E's hermetic DC connectors and RF connectors can withstand mechanical and thermal stresses that far exceed the limits of most conventional interconnection solutions.

Hermetic DC Connector Configurations

Hermetic RF Connector Configurations

Hermetic Connector Products

• Rectangular DC Connectors
• Circular DC Connectors
• RF Connectors
• High Pressure Connectors
• Fiber Optic Connectors
• Medical Components
• Hermetic Windows