A device, mechanism, and methodology for regular and consistent cleaning of the vacuum aperture, nozzle, and contacting surfaces of a pick-and-place apparatus and the pick-up tools of automated or manual semiconductor device and die handling machines are disclosed. The cleaning material may include a cleaning pad layer with one or more intermediate layers that have predetermined characteristics, regular geometrical features, and/or an irregular surface morphology.

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.

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 wire bonding tool for bonding a micro-coaxial wire to a bonding surface includes an electrical-energy application mechanism configured to apply electrical-energy to remove a portion of an electrically conductive shield layer of the micro-coaxial wire to expose a portion of an insulating layer of the micro-coaxial wire, a thermal-energy application mechanism configured to apply thermal-energy to the micro-coaxial wire to remove the exposed portion of the insulating layer of the micro-coaxial wire to expose a portion of a core wire of the micro-coaxial wire, and a bonding head configured to bond the exposed portion of the core wire of the micro-coaxial wire to the bonding surface.

A die attachment apparatus for attaching a semiconductor die onto a substrate having a metallic surface comprises a material dispensing station for dispensing a bonding material onto the substrate and a die attachment station for placing the semiconductor die onto the bonding material which has been dispensed onto the substrate. An activating gas generator positioned before the die attachment station introduces activated forming gas onto the substrate in order to reduce oxides on the substrate.

A wire bonding machine is provided. The wire bonding machine includes: (a) a wire bonding tool; (b) a wire guide for guiding a wire to a position beneath a bonding surface of the wire bonding tool, the wire guide being configured for movement between (i) an engagement position with respect to the wire bonding tool and (ii) a non-engagement position with respect to the wire bonding tool; and a cleaning station for cleaning at least a portion of a tip of the wire bonding tool when the wire guide is in the non-engagement position.

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 cleaning apparatus, including a body; a tip connected to a first end of the body, the tip including a support extending in a direction away from the body; a polishing member including a first surface including a polishing surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; and a fixer to adhere and fix the polishing member to the support so that the polishing surface is brought in contact with a cleaning target surface.

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.

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.