Procedures for sealing glass around metal conductors involve a great deal of empiricism, and an accepted rate of rejection. A manufacturing method is proposed which potentially speeds up the process by an order of magnitude. An experimental program will be developed to investigate the details of the glass melting and cooling cycle. A CO2 laser will supply the heat uniformly distributed about a glass cylinder through which one or two metal conductors pass. A finite difference model will be developed following the experimental observations, with the proposed capability of predicting the seal shape, internal stresses, and general integrity of the system as a function of process variables. A successful program will lead to a significant improvement in the method of manufacturing glass/electrode seals, which in turn can positively affect the productivity of this aspect of the electronics industry.
