CTE-360 Thermal Expansion Dilatometer

The CTE-360 is a self-contained, solid-state dilatometer designed for precise measurement of the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE)  within the temperature range of –30°C to 100°C. Engineered for versatility and reliability, the system supports testing of a wide variety of materials including solids, liquids, gels, thin sheet materials, and semiconductor device packages.

This flexibility makes the CTE-360 an ideal solution for laboratories and manufacturers working with electronic packaging materials and semiconductor components, where accurate thermal expansion measurements are critical for performance and reliability.

Instruments used to measure linear and volumetric thermal expansion coefficients are commonly referred to as dilatometers. The Analysis Tech CTE-360 is designed to meet industry standards, conforming to ASTM D696 and ASTM E228 testing methods.

The tester includes WinCTE™ software, which provides an intuitive interface for test setup, instrument control, data acquisition, analysis, and reporting. The software automatically calculates and appends measurement tolerances to each dataset, ensuring transparent and traceable results.

Typical CTE measurement accuracy ranges from ±1% to ±8%, depending on the material and test conditions. Using advanced thermoelectric heating and cooling technology, the CTE-360 delivers stable temperature control and repeatable measurement performance without the need for complex external temperature systems.

Solid material test-samples are tested by directly inserting them into the cylindrical test chamber.  These can be cylindrical or polygonal with maximum cross sectional dimension of 0.5 inches (12.5 mm)  to fit into the test chamber.  Samples ranging from 3 to 50mm (0.1 to 2")  in length can be tested.

The capabilities of this tester are widely expanded with the use of specific sample holders:  solid sheet-like materials are tested using the Thin Sample Holder which measures thermal expansion in the XY (in-plane) direction. Viscous liquid materials, including phase change materials, are tested in the Liquid Sample Holder.  Leadless semiconductor packages are tested using the Chip Chuck.  In addition, other types of semiconductor packages can be tested with custom sample holders.