Wire bonding operations can be facilitated through the use of metal nanoparticle compositions. Both ball bonding and wedge bonding processes can be enhanced in this respect. Wire bonding methods can include providing a wire payout at a first location from a rolled wire source via a dispensation head, contacting a first metal nanoparticle composition and a first portion of the wire payout with a bonding pad, and at least partially fusing metal nanoparticles in the first metal nanoparticle composition together to form an adhering interface between the bonding pad and the first portion of the wire payout. The adhering interface can have a nanoparticulate morphology. Wire bonding systems can include a rolled wire source, a dispensation head configured to provide a wire payout, and an applicator configured to place a metal nanoparticle composition upon at least a portion of the wire payout or upon a bonding pad.

One-dimensional nanostructures having uniform diameters of less than approximately 200 nm. These inventive nanostructures, which we refer to as nanowires, include single-crystalline homostructures as well as heterostructures of at least two single-crystalline materials having different chemical compositions. Because single-crystalline materials are used to form the heterostructure, the resultant heterostructure will be single-crystalline as well. The nanowire heterostructures are generally based on a semiconducting wire wherein the doping and composition are controlled in either the longitudinal or radial directions, or in both directions, to yield a wire that comprises different materials. Examples of resulting nanowire heterostructures include a longitudinal heterostructure nanowire (LOHN) and a coaxial heterostructure nanowire (COHN).

Wire bonding operations can be facilitated through the use of metal nanoparticle compositions. Both ball bonding and wedge bonding processes can be enhanced in this respect. Wire bonding methods can include providing a wire payout at a first location from a rolled wire source via a dispensation head, contacting a first metal nanoparticle composition and a first portion of the wire payout with a bonding pad, and at least partially fusing metal nanoparticles in the first metal nanoparticle composition together to form an adhering interface between the bonding pad and the first portion of the wire payout. The adhering interface can have a nanoparticulate morphology. Wire bonding systems can include a rolled wire source, a dispensation head configured to provide a wire payout, and an applicator configured to place a metal nanoparticle composition upon at least a portion of the wire payout or upon a bonding pad.

Wire bonding operations can be facilitated through the use of metal nanoparticle compositions. Both ball bonding and wedge bonding processes can be enhanced in this respect. Wire bonding methods can include providing a wire payout at a first location from a rolled wire source via a dispensation head, contacting a first metal nanoparticle composition and a first portion of the wire payout with a bonding pad, and at least partially fusing metal nanoparticles in the first metal nanoparticle composition together to form an adhering interface between the bonding pad and the first portion of the wire payout. The adhering interface can have a nanoparticulate morphology. Wire bonding systems can include a rolled wire source, a dispensation head configured to provide a wire payout, and an applicator configured to place a metal nanoparticle composition upon at least a portion of the wire payout or upon a bonding pad.

A process for the production of a permanent, electrically conductive connection between a first metal surface of a first substrate and a second metal surface of a second substrate, wherein a permanent, electrically conductive connection is produced, at least primarily, by substitution diffusion between metal ions and/or metal atoms of the two metal surfaces.

The present invention provides stretchable, and optionally printable, semiconductors and electronic circuits capable of providing good performance when stretched, compressed, flexed or otherwise deformed. Stretchable semiconductors and electronic circuits of the present invention preferred for some applications are flexible, in addition to being stretchable, and thus are capable of significant elongation, flexing, bending or other deformation along one or more axes. Further, stretchable semiconductors and electronic circuits of the present invention may be adapted to a wide range of device configurations to provide fully flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices.

Described herein are devices and techniques for thermocompression bonding. A device can include a housing, a platform, and a plasma jet. The housing can define a chamber. The platform can be located within the chamber and can be proximate a thermocompression chip bonder. The plasma jet can be located proximate the platform. The plasma jet can be movable about the platform. The plasma jet can include a nozzle arranged to direct a plasma gas onto the platform. Also described are other embodiments for thermocompression bonding.

Wire bonding operations can be facilitated through the use of metal nanoparticle compositions. Both ball bonding and wedge bonding processes can be enhanced in this respect. Wire bonding methods can include providing a wire payout at a first location from a rolled wire source via a dispensation head, contacting a first metal nanoparticle composition and a first portion of the wire payout with a bonding pad, and at least partially fusing metal nanoparticles in the first metal nanoparticle composition together to form an adhering interface between the bonding pad and the first portion of the wire payout. The adhering interface can have a nanoparticulate morphology. Wire bonding systems can include a rolled wire source, a dispensation head configured to provide a wire payout, and an applicator configured to place a metal nanoparticle composition upon at least a portion of the wire payout or upon a bonding pad.

Wire bonding operations can be facilitated through the use of metal nanoparticle compositions. Both ball bonding and wedge bonding processes can be enhanced in this respect. Wire bonding methods can include providing a wire payout at a first location from a rolled wire source via a dispensation head, contacting a first metal nanoparticle composition and a first portion of the wire payout with a bonding pad, and at least partially fusing metal nanoparticles in the first metal nanoparticle composition together to form an adhering interface between the bonding pad and the first portion of the wire payout. The adhering interface can have a nanoparticulate morphology. Wire bonding systems can include a rolled wire source, a dispensation head configured to provide a wire payout, and an applicator configured to place a metal nanoparticle composition upon at least a portion of the wire payout or upon a bonding pad.