Autoclave Test (Pressure Cooker Test, PCT) is a highly accelerated moisture resistance test — exposing unbiased (unpowered) packaged ICs to saturated steam (100% RH) at high temperature and pressure to test the hermeticity and moisture resistance of the package.

What Is the Autoclave Test?

• Conditions: 121°C, 100% RH, 2 atm (15 psig), unbiased.
• Duration: 96-168 hours (JEDEC JESD22-A102).
• Mechanism: Saturated steam forces moisture into every possible ingress point.
• Failure Modes: Package delamination, bond pad corrosion, die attach degradation.

Why It Matters

• Package Integrity: The most aggressive test for package sealing quality.
• Material Selection: Qualifies mold compounds, die attach adhesives, and lead frame plating.
• Legacy: Being gradually replaced by HAST for biased testing, but still used for unbiased qualification.

Autoclave Test is the ultimate moisture assault — subjecting packages to conditions far worse than any real-world environment to validate long-term integrity.