Desiccation of moisture-sensitive electronic devices

• Main Authors: SERBICKI, JEFFREY PETER, BOROSON, MICHAEL LOUIS, BESSEY, PETER G
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 18.10.2006
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; BLASTING; CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS,e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES,DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; CONVEYING; DRYING; DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; HEATING; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; PACKAGES; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; SEPARATION; STORING; TRANSPORTING; WEAPONS

A method of desiccating an environment surrounding a moisture-sensitive electronic device sealed within an enclosure, includes selecting a desiccant comprised of solid particles having a particle size range 0.1 to 200 micrometers, the desiccant selected to provide an equilibrium minimum humidity level lower than a humidity level to which the device is sensitive within the sealed enclosure; choosing a binder that maintains or enhances the moisture absorption rate of the desiccant for blending the selected desiccant therein, the binder being in liquid phase or dissolved in a liquid; forming a castable blend including at least the desiccant particles and the binder, the blend having a preferred weight fraction of the desiccant particles in the blend in a range of 10% to 90%; casting a measured amount of the blend onto a portion of an interior surface of an enclosure to form a desiccant layer thereover, the enclosure having a sealing flange; solidifying the desiccant layer to a solid; and sealing the electronic device with the enclosure along the sealing flange.