The present invention is provided with: a base moving linearly relative to a substrate and having a first and second positions that are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined interval a in the movement direction; a linear scale where a plurality of graduations having a predetermined pitch are provided along the movement direction; encoder heads which respectively are disposed at the first and second positions of the base and detect first and second graduation numbers of the linear scale with respect to the first and second positions, wherein, as the base is moved along the linear scale, the first and second graduation numbers are detected in this order in the respective encoder heads, and the movement amount of the base is controlled on the basis of the ratio between the predetermined interval and the distance between the first graduation number and the second graduation number on the scale.

To provide a wire bonding apparatus, which is insusceptible to a bonding state at a second bonding point due to a wire cut error or the like, or to members such as a capillary and a wire, and is capable of automatically protruding the wire from a leading end of the capillary, provided is a wire bonding apparatus including: a capillary (6) having a through hole through which a wire (40) is to be inserted; a holding unit, which is provided above the capillary (6), and is configured to hold the wire (40) inserted through the capillary (6); and a vibrating unit configured to vertically vibrate the capillary (6). Under a state in which the holding unit holds the wire (40), the vibrating unit vertically vibrates the capillary (6) so that the wire (40) is protruded from the leading end of the capillary.

A method of determining a bonding status between a wire and at least one bonding location of a workpiece is provided. The method includes the steps of: (a) bonding a portion of a wire to a bonding location of a workpiece using a bonding tool of a wire bonding machine; (b) determining a motion profile of the bonding tool for determining if the portion of the wire is bonded to the bonding location, the motion profile being configured to result in the wire being broken during the motion profile if the portion of the wire is not bonded to the bonding location; and (c) moving the bonding tool along the motion profile to determine if the portion of the wire is bonded to the bonding location. Other methods of determining a bonding status between a wire and at least one bonding location of a workpiece are also provided.

The present invention comprises: a spool (10); a damper (22); a torch electrode (31); a high-voltage power source circuit (30); a non-bonding detection circuit (40); a first changeover switch (50) switching a connection between the spool (10) and the high-voltage power source circuit (30) or the non-bonding detection circuit (40); and a relay (53) turning on/off a connection between the damper (22) and a spool side of the first changeover switch (50), and comprises a control part (60) that sets the first changeover switch (50) to the high-voltage power source circuit side and turns off the relay (53) to generate electric discharge, and that sets the first changeover switch (50) to the non-bonding detection circuit side and turns on the relay (53) to perform non-bonding detection. Due to this configuration, electric corrosion of a wire damper can be suppressed and non-bonding detection can be carried out with a simple configuration.

A method of operating an ultrasonic bonding machine is provided. The method includes the steps of: (a) imaging at least one of (i) a semiconductor element supported by a substrate, and (ii) a clamping structure adapted for securing the substrate during a bonding operation; and (b) determining if a relative position of the semiconductor element and the clamping structure is acceptable using predetermined criteria and information from step (a).

This mounting device (100) comprises: a base (10) that moves linearly in relation to a substrate (16); a bonding head (20) that is attached to the base (10); a camera (25) that is attached to the base (10) and identifies the position of the substrate (16); a linear scale (33) having a plurality of graduations along the movement direction; a bonding head-side encoder head (31); and a camera-side encoder head (32). A control unit (50) causes the base (10) to move to a position where the bonding head-side encoder head (31) detects the position of a graduation. Due to this configuration, positioning accuracy of a semiconductor die (15) in relation to the substrate (16) is improved.

A wire bonding apparatus includes: a first tensioner which forms, nearer a wire supply side than a bonding tool, a first gas flow for applying a tension toward the wire supply side on a wire; a second tensioner which forms, between the first tensioner and a pressing part of the bonding tool, a second gas flow for applying a tension toward the wire supply side on the wire; and a control part which controls the first tensioner and the second tensioner. The control part implements control, in a predetermined period after a first bonding step for bonding the wire to a first bonding point, to turn off at least the second gas flow of the second tensioner among the first tensioner and the second tensioner or to make at least the second gas flow smaller than in the first bonding step.

A method of providing a z-axis force profile applied to a plurality of bonding locations during a wire bonding operation is provided. The method includes: (a) determining a z-axis force profile for each of a plurality of bonding locations on an unsupported portion of at least one reference semiconductor device; and (b) applying the z-axis force profile during subsequent bonding of a subject semiconductor device. Methods of: determining a maximum bond force applied to a bonding location during formation of a wire bond; and determining a z-axis constant velocity profile for formation of a wire bond, are also provided.

A method of bonding wires onto surfaces, an apparatus and a computer program product are disclosed. The method of bonding wires onto surfaces, comprises the steps of: collecting operating characteristics of a bonding tool while forming a wire bond which bonds a wire to a surface; determining whether a possible bonding failure of the wire bond has occurred as indicated by the operating characteristics; and capturing an image of the wire bond to identify whether a foreign body is present on the surface if it is determined that a possible bonding failure has occurred. In this way, imaging of the wire bond is only necessary when the operating characteristics indicate a suspect bonding failure has occurred. This avoids the need to image every bond, while still imaging suspect bonds. This approach helps to significantly increase the throughput of the wire bonding apparatus whilst still identifying and classifying bonding defects due to the presence of a foreign body.

Quality control testing for a batch of electronic modules. A series of tests are performed on manufactured electronic modules, including tests sensitive to the failure rate of previously tested modules. Specifically, a first test comprised of two phases is performed on the module batch. Further screening is then performed responsive to detection of a wire sweep failure in a subset of failed modules from the first test phase. The further screening is on modules that passed the first test phase and excludes modules that failed the first test phase.