The unbiased autoclave testing is carried out to assess the resistance of non-hermetically sealed solid-state devices to moisture integrity under conditions of condensing moisture or saturated steam. This is a highly accelerated testing process that utilizes a combination of pressure, humidity, and temperature within a condensing environment to hasten the infiltration of moisture through the external protective material, such as an encapsulant or seal, or along the interface with the metallic conductors that traverse it. The purpose of this test is to detect failure mechanisms that are present within the package, and it is inherently destructive.
