The deleterious effects of moisture on microelectronic components are well-known. Failure modes involving moisture include metallization corrosion, electrical leakage/device instability, stiction in MEMs, metal migration, fogging in electro-optics, performance issues in RF microwave modules, and vacuum deterioration in packages sealed at reduced pressure. This white paper explains the importance of three monolayers of moisture as a minimum threshold necessary to sustain surface conduction.
