A method of determining a height value of a wire loop on a wire bonding machine is provided. The method includes the steps of: (a) imaging at least a portion of a wire loop using an imaging system on a wire bonding machine to detect a path of the portion of the wire loop; (b) moving a wire bonding tool towards a first contact portion of the wire loop in the path; (c) detecting when a portion of a conductive wire engaged with the wire bonding tool contacts the first contact portion of the wire loop; and (d) determining a height value of the wire loop at the first contact portion based on a position of the wire bonding tool when the portion of the conductive wire contacts the first contact portion of the wire loop.

A method of testing a bonded wire on a wire bonding machine is provided. The method includes the steps of: (a) bonding a portion of a wire to a bonding location using a wire bonding tool on a wire bonding machine to form a bonded portion of the wire; (b) moving the wire bonding tool away from the bonded portion of the wire after step (a) with the wire engaged with the wire bonding tool; and (c) moving the wire bonding tool along a motion profile after step (b), with the wire engaged with the wire bonding tool to test the wire.

Semiconductor module including a semiconductor and including a shaped metal body that is electrically contacted by the semiconductor, for forming a contact surface for an electrical conductor, wherein the shaped metal body is bent or folded. A method is also described for establishing electrical contacting of an electrical conductor on a semiconductor, said method including the steps of: fastening a bent or folded shaped metal body of a constant thickness to the semiconductor by means of a first fastening method and then fastening the electrical conductor to the shaped metal body by means of a second fastening method.

A semiconductor package includes a metallic substrate, the metallic substrate including a roughened surface, a semiconductor die including bond pads, and an adhesive between the roughened surface of a topside of the metallic substrate and the semiconductor die, therein bonding the semiconductor die to the metallic substrate. The adhesive includes a resin. The metallic substrate further includes a groove about a perimeter of the semiconductor die on the roughened surface, the groove having a surface roughness less than a surface roughness of the roughened surface of the metallic substrate. The groove straddles the topside and a sidewall of the metallic substrate.