A process to fabricate ultra-fine grain metal wire, comprising: inserting a plurality of metal strands into a flexible elastic polyurethane sheath having an accommodating slot for each of the strands of metal to form a sheathed strand assembly; equal channel angular pressing (ECAP pressing) the sheathed strand assembly through an ECAP die having a plurality of die channels corresponding to the plurality of metal strands. The process is designed to improve electric conductance and mechanical properties of elongated metal parts and is especially applicable to optimize the conductance and tensile strength of copper cables, wires, strings, and rods.

A process to fabricate ultra-fine grain metal wire, comprising: inserting a plurality of metal strands into a flexible elastic polyurethane sheath having an accommodating slot for each of the strands of metal to form a sheathed strand assembly; equal channel angular pressing (ECAP pressing) the sheathed strand assembly through an ECAP die having a plurality of die channels corresponding to the plurality of metal strands. The process is designed to improve electric conductance and mechanical properties of elongated metal parts and is especially applicable to optimize the conductance and tensile strength of copper cables, wires, strings, and rods.

A semiconductor device includes: a first semiconductor chip having a metal layer on a top surface; a first wiring member arranged to face the metal layer; a sintered-metal layer arranged between the metal layer and the first wiring member, having a first region and a plurality of second regions provided inside the first region, the second regions having lower tensile strength than the first region; and a metallic member arranged inside the sintered-metal layer, wherein the second regions of the sintered-metal layer have lower tensile strength than the metal layer of the first semiconductor chip.

A semiconductor device includes: a first semiconductor chip having a metal layer on a top surface; a first wiring member arranged to face the metal layer; a sintered-metal layer arranged between the metal layer and the first wiring member, having a first region and a plurality of second regions provided inside the first region, the second regions having lower tensile strength than the first region; and a metallic member arranged inside the sintered-metal layer, wherein the second regions of the sintered-metal layer have lower tensile strength than the metal layer of the first semiconductor chip.

It is an object to provide a Cu alloy bonding wire for a semiconductor device that can satisfy required performance in high-density LSI applications. In the Cu alloy bonding wire for a semiconductor device according to the present invention, each of abundance ratios of crystal orientations <100>, <110> and <111> having an angular difference of 15 degrees or less from a direction perpendicular to one plane including a wire center axis out of crystal orientations on a wire surface is 3% or more and less than 27% in average area percentage.

It is an object to provide a Cu alloy bonding wire for a semiconductor device that can satisfy required performance in high-density LSI applications. In the Cu alloy bonding wire for a semiconductor device according to the present invention, each of abundance ratios of crystal orientations <100>, <110> and <111> having an angular difference of 15 degrees or less from a direction perpendicular to one plane including a wire center axis out of crystal orientations on a wire surface is 3% or more and less than 27% in average area percentage.

There is provided a bonding wire that improves bonding reliability of a ball bonded part and ball formability and is suitable for on-vehicle devices. The bonding wire for a semiconductor includes a Cu alloy core material, and a Pd coating layer formed on a surface of the Cu alloy core material, and is characterized in that the Cu alloy core material contains Ni, a concentration of Ni is 0.1 to 1.2 wt. % relative to the entire wire, and a thickness of the Pd coating layer is 0.015 to 0.150 m.

There is provided a bonding wire that improves bonding reliability of a ball bonded part and ball formability and is suitable for on-vehicle devices. The bonding wire for a semiconductor includes a Cu alloy core material, and a Pd coating layer formed on a surface of the Cu alloy core material, and is characterized in that the Cu alloy core material contains Ni, a concentration of Ni is 0.1 to 1.2 wt. % relative to the entire wire, and a thickness of the Pd coating layer is 0.015 to 0.150 m.

A wire comprising a wire core with a surface, the wire core having a coating layer superimposed on its surface, wherein the wire core includes: (a) pure silver consisting of silver and further components; or (b) doped silver consisting of silver, at least one doping element, and further components; or (c) a silver alloy consisting of silver, palladium and further components; or (d) a silver alloy consisting of silver, palladium, gold, and further components; or (e) a doped silver alloy consisting of silver, palladium, gold, at least one doping element, and further components, wherein the individual amount of any further component is less than 30 wt.-ppm and the individual amount of any doping element is at least 30 wt.-ppm, and the coating layer is a single-layer of gold or palladium or a double-layer comprised of an inner layer of nickel or palladium and an adjacent outer layer of gold.

A wire comprising a wire core with a surface, the wire core having a coating layer superimposed on its surface, wherein the wire core includes: (a) pure silver consisting of silver and further components; or (b) doped silver consisting of silver, at least one doping element, and further components; or (c) a silver alloy consisting of silver, palladium and further components; or (d) a silver alloy consisting of silver, palladium, gold, and further components; or (e) a doped silver alloy consisting of silver, palladium, gold, at least one doping element, and further components, wherein the individual amount of any further component is less than 30 wt.-ppm and the individual amount of any doping element is at least 30 wt.-ppm, and the coating layer is a single-layer of gold or palladium or a double-layer comprised of an inner layer of nickel or palladium and an adjacent outer layer of gold.