Method of making a quartz crystal oscillator

A method for manufacturing a quartz crystal oscillator package having a high internal vacuum, said package comprising a quartz crystal vibrator with a frame, a pair of housing elements having peripheral surfaces, said peripheral surfaces being shaped to register one to the other, a hermetic seal at the periphery of said oscillator package, comprising the steps of:

• (a) coating said peripheral surfaces with a metal film;
• (b) coating at least one of said metal films with a gas free material capable of forming an alloy with said metal film, said alloy forming coating being produced on said at least one said metal film at an ambient pressure less than 10.sup.-2 torr, whereby gas is eliminated from said alloy forming coating during step (b);
• (c) positioning said coated housing elements in an opposed position, said coatings being opposed one to the other, said crystal vibrator with a frame being enclosed within said opposed housing elements;
• (d) drawing a high vacuum over the elements of said quartz crystal oscillator package and within said housing elements;
• (e) applying heat under said high vacuum to fuse said alloy forming coating with said metal film to form an alloy whereby said housing elements are rigidly and hermetically joined together and said package has said high internal vacuum within said joined housing elements.