Patent ID: 8789743

Claim:
A method for the joining of ceramic materials, said method comprising the steps of: placing an aluminum brazing element between an interface area of a first ceramic piece and an interface area of a second ceramic piece to create a joining pre-assembly, wherein said aluminum brazing element comprises 99% by weight or greater aluminum, said first and said second ceramic pieces comprising aluminum nitride; placing the components of said joining pre-assembly into a process chamber; removing oxygen from said process chamber; and heating at least said aluminum brazing element of said joining pre-assembly to a first joining temperature of between 800 C and 1200 C, thereby joining said first ceramic piece to said second ceramic piece with a hermetically sealed aluminum joint wherein said aluminum has not diffused into said first ceramic piece or said second ceramic piece, and wherein the thickness of said joint is 0.004 inches, and wherein said joint joins between an aluminum nitride surface of said first ceramic piece and an aluminum nitride surface of said second ceramic piece.