A methodology and medium for regular and predictable cleaning the support hardware such as capillary tube in semiconductor assembly equipment components, while it is still in manual, semi-automated, and automated assembly are disclosed. The cleaning material may include a cleaning pad layer and one or more intermediate layers that have predetermined characteristics.

A wire cleaning apparatus and method is provided, in which a wire cleaning apparatus includes a passive brush mechanism comprising a helical brush, the helical structure having a helical axis substantially coincident with path of a wire passing through the wire cleaning apparatus. The helical brush includes a plurality of first bristles generally oriented inwardly from the helical structure toward the wire, and the helical brush may be compressed or extended to adjust the inner diameter of the helical brush. The wire cleaning apparatus further comprises an active brush mechanism disposed around the wire and configured to rotate around the wire. The active brush mechanism comprises at least one cylindrical brush having a plurality of second bristles disposed on a cylindrical surface such that one or more of the plurality of second bristles impinge upon the wire. The at least one cylindrical brush having a cylindrical axis about which the at least one cylindrical brush is configured to rotate relative to the active brush mechanism.

A cleaning material, device, and method for predictably cleaning the capillary tube for a wire bonding machine in which the cleaning pad has a predetermined configuration appropriate for the particular wire bonding machine and a substrate having a defined functionalized surface topology and geometry which can be introduced into the wire bonding machine during the normal wire bonding operations. The cleaning material has a predetermined topography with a plurality of functional 3-dimensional (3D) microstructures that provide performance characteristics which are not possible with a non-functionalized and flat surface.

Methods, systems and devices are disclosed for performing a semiconductor processing operation. In some embodiments this includes configuring a wire bonding machine to perform customized movements with a capillary tool of the wire bonding machine, etching bulk contaminants over one or more locations of a semiconductor device with the capillary tool, and applying plasma to the semiconductor device to remove residual contaminants.

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.

Methods, systems and devices are disclosed for performing a semiconductor processing operation. In some embodiments this includes configuring a wire bonding machine to perform customized movements with a capillary tool of the wire bonding machine, etching bulk contaminants over one or more locations of a semiconductor device with the capillary tool, and applying plasma to the semiconductor device to remove residual contaminants.

The reliability of semiconductor device is improved. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device has a step of performing plasma treatment prior to the wire bonding step, and the surface roughness of the pads after the plasma treatment step is equal to or less than 3.3 nm.

A self-cleaning wire bonding machine includes a spool, a cleaning tank, a drying element, a tensioner, and a nozzle. The spool includes a rotating body and a metal wire wound around the rotating body. The cleaning tank is configured to clean the metal wire after the rotating body passes the metal wire through the cleaning tank. The drying element is configured to dry the metal wire after passing through the cleaning tank. The tensioner is configured to adjust a tension of the metal wire. The nozzle is configured to heat the metal wire, and the metal wire exits out of the nozzle after being heated.

A cleaning material, device, and method for predictably cleaning the capillary tube for a wire bonding machine in which the cleaning pad has a predetermined configuration appropriate for the particular wire bonding machine and a substrate having a defined functionalized surface topology and geometry which can be introduced into the wire bonding machine during the normal wire bonding operations. The cleaning material has a predetermined topography with a plurality of functional 3-dimensional (3D) microstructures that provide performance characteristics which are not possible with a non-functionalized and flat surface.

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.