The invention is directed to firm bonding between semiconductor dies etc bonded to a lead frame and wire-bonding portions of the lead frame by ultrasonic Al wire bonding, and the prevention of shortcircuit between the semiconductor dies etc due to a remaining portion of the outer frame of the lead frame after the outer frame is cut. By extending the wire-bonding portion etc on the lead frame in a wire-bonding direction and connecting the wire-bonding portion etc to the outer frame of the lead frame through a connection lead etc, the ultrasonic vibration force in the ultrasonic Al wire bonding is prevented from dispersing and the Al wire and the wire-bonding portion etc are firmly bonded. The outer frame is cut after a resin sealing process is completed. Even when a portion of the outer frame remains on the side surface of the resin package, connection between the connection lead etc and other hanging lead etc are prevented by providing a notch etc in the outer frame between the connection lead etc and the hanging lead etc.

An electrically conductive lead is formed using a bonding tool. After bonding the wire to a metal surface and extending a length of the wire beyond the bonding tool, the wire is clamped. Movement of the bonding tool imparts a kink to the wire at a location where the wire is fully separated from any metal element other than the bonding tool. A forming element, e.g., an edge or a blade skirt provided at an exterior surface of the bonding tool can help kink the wire. Optionally, twisting the wire while tensioning the wire using the bonding tool can cause the wire to break and define an end. The lead then extends from the metal surface to the end, and may exhibit a sign of the torsional force applied thereto.

To provide a bonding device capable of adequately controlling a leading end of a capillary when a ball formed at a leading end of a wire is pressed and bonded to an electrode of a semiconductor chip with scrub vibration. The bonding device is provided with a vibration driving portion (7), the vibration driving portion (7) including a plurality of piezoelectric elements (10) that are expanded and contracted along an axial direction of a bonding arm (3) respectively with one end thereof fixed to a leading end of the bonding arm (3), a plurality of capillary holding portions (15) that are in contact respectively with a circumferential face of a capillary (20) at a base end side thereof as being fixed correspondingly to the other end of the piezoelectric elements (10), and a pressing-holding portion (21) that sandwiches the capillary (20) as pressing the capillary (20) to the capillary holding portions (15) with at least one end side fixed to the bonding arm (3) and the other end side being in contact with the circumferential face of the capillary (20) at the base end side thereof on a side opposite to the capillary holding portions (15). Here, functional operation of amplitude, phase, frequency, or waveform is performed on drive voltage waveform to the respective piezoelectric elements.

Provided is a wire tension adjuster (60) that adjusts tension (T) applied to a wire (18) of a wire bonding apparatus (100). In the wire tension adjuster (60), in a state in which the wire (18) is gripped by a wire clamper (17), air is supplied to a wire tensioner (40) and a height position (H) of a tip (14f) of a bonding arm (14) is detected, and a flow rate (G) of the air supplied to the wire tensioner (40) is adjusted based on the height position (H) detected, thereby adjusting the tension (T) applied to the wire (18).

A capillary alignment tool for installing a new capillary in the transducer on a wire bonding machine. A capillary alignment tool for installing a new capillary in a transducer on wire bonding machine. A method for installing a new capillary in the transducer of a wire bonding machine using the capillary alignment tool.

A wedge bonding tool including a body portion including a tip portion is provided. The tip portion includes a working surface configured to contact a wire material during formation of a wedge bond. A plurality of notches are defined by one or more surfaces of the body portion.

To provide a wire bonding method and a wire bonding device capable of stably forming a free air ball having a large ball diameter while suppressing oxidation of the free air ball, in addition to supply of an oxidation prevention gas from gas supply means (10) into an insertion portion (32), an oxidation prevention gas is supplied from a gas supply nozzle (40), which is arranged outside the insertion portion (32), so as to cover an inlet of the insertion portion (32). Under a state in which a leading end of a wire (74) is positioned inside the insertion portion (32), and in which a leading end of a capillary (3) is positioned outside the insertion portion (32), spark discharge is generated. With this, a free air ball (75) having a large ball diameter can be formed while suppressing oxidation of the free air ball (75) and stabilizing the free air ball (75).

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 wire bonding apparatus comprises an ultrasonic transducer including a capillary, a flexible connecting frame having a first side to which the ultrasonic transducer is connected and at least one electrically-driven actuator which is connected to a second side of the flexible connecting frame that is opposite to the first side thereof, the actuator having a longitudinal actuation direction. An elongated slit located in the flexible connecting frame extends substantially transversely to the actuation direction of the at least one actuator to form at least one pivot point adjacent to an end of the slit about which the flexible connecting frame is rotatable when it is driven by the at least one actuator.

Apparatus and method for tool mark free stich bonding. In some embodiments, a method for wire bonding can include feeding a wire through a capillary tip and attaching a first end of the wire to a first location, thereby forming a ball bond. The method can further include moving the capillary tip towards a second location while the wire feeds out of the capillary tip. The method can further include attaching a second end of the wire to the second location while preventing contact between the capillary tip and the second location, thereby forming a stitch bond without a tool mark at the second location.