Marconi Electronic Devices Limited

Bae Systems Electronics Limited

Giles Humpston

David M Jacobson

William Martin Lovell

James Hugh Vincent

Surinder Pal Singh Sangha

Brian P Cameron

Brian Frederick Nicholson

A housing for a microwave circuit is formed from a base made of metal matrix composite material and walls made of sheet metal. The base and the walls are joined together by diffusion soldering. Some holes to receive feedthroughs are formed at the junction of the base and a wall.

Electrical apparatus

A method of joining components by soldering comprising forming discrete layers of silver (13, 17) and another metal (19), e.g. a tin or indium based material, the two layers having volumes in a ratio different from that in the eutectic alloy formed by silver and that metal, and raising the temperature of the layers above the melting point of the eutectic alloy for a period sufficient to cause initially formation of the eutectic alloy and then, by reaction between the eutectic alloy and one or other of silver and the other metal, formation of a material having a melting point higher than the eutectic alloy melting point. The method allows soldering, e.g. of a silicon wafer (1) to a header (3), at a relatively low temperature below that which the joint will withstand after formation.

Methods of joining components

A method of brazing a silicon component to a molybdenum and/or tungsten component wherein prior to brazing the surface of the molybdenum and/or tungsten component is first provided with a thin gold coating and then a coating of palladium, platinum or rhodium. This allows satisfactory brazing to be effected using conventional aluminum-based brazes at temperatures below 650.degree. C.

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Croxley Green, United Kingdom

Giles Humpston