This artifact is an engineering test sample demonstrating one of the final steps in the construction of a microelectronic hybrid, a specialized device combining electrical components and circuits arranged in layers on top of an alumina wafer.

This sample shows the final or topmost layer for a hybrid, with circuit pathways etched in gold. Sitting beneath it are a series of additional layers that will connect to electrical devices on the hybrid's top layer (not yet attached in this sample).

A completed hybrid is an ingenious puzzle in which many chips and devices were integrated through as many as several thousand connections. Such hybrids were essential components on some types of science and communications satellites in the 1980s and 1990s. Lockheed Martin donated this artifact to the Museum in 1998.

 Display Status

This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.
Object Details
Country of Origin United States of America Type EQUIPMENT-Electronics Manufacturer General Electric Space Systems Division
 Dimensions Overall (Substrate Layer): 5.87 x 5.87 x 0.22cm (2 5/16in. x 2 5/16in. x 1/16in.)
Overall (Paper Label): 7.46 x 1.27cm (2 15/16in. x 1/2in.)
 Materials Overall: Alumina Silicate Ceramic, Copper, Paper, Adhesive, Ink
 Inventory Number A19980310003 Credit Line Gift of Lockheed Martin Data Source National Air and Space Museum Restrictions & Rights Usage conditions apply
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