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.

A semiconductor device according to the present invention includes a semiconductor chip, an electrode pad made of a metal material containing aluminum and formed on a top surface of the semiconductor chip, an electrode lead disposed at a periphery of the semiconductor chip, a bonding wire having a linearly-extending main body portion and having a pad bond portion and a lead bond portion formed at respective ends of the main body portion and respectively bonded to the electrode pad and the electrode lead, and a resin package sealing the semiconductor chip, the electrode lead, and the bonding wire, the bonding wire is made of copper, and the entire electrode pad and the entire pad bond portion are integrally covered by a water-impermeable film.

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip, a bonding member, and a planar laminated substrate having the semiconductor chip bonded to a front surface thereof via the bonding member. The laminated substrate includes a planar ceramic board, a high-potential metal layer, a low-potential metal layer, an intermediate layer. The planar ceramic board contains a plurality of ceramic particles. The high-potential metal layer contains copper and is bonded to a first main surface of the ceramic board. The low-potential metal layer contains copper, is bonded to a second main surface of the ceramic board, and has a potential lower than a potential of the first main surface of the high-potential metal layer. The intermediate layer is provided between the second main surface and the low-potential metal layer and includes a first oxide that contains at least either magnesium or manganese.

Disclosed are wire clamps and wire bonding apparatuses including the same. The wire clamp comprises a clamping lever, a driving lever parallel to the clamping lever and having an upper support, a shaft that penetrates a center of the driving lever to connect to the clamping lever, a spring in the driving lever and on an outer circumferential surface of the shaft, and an upper pivot that protrudes from an inner wall of the upper support to separate the upper support from the clamping lever. The driving lever has a load point and an effort point on opposite sides of the shaft. The effort point is connected in a direction of a straight line to the shaft and the effort point.

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor element circuit, a conductive support and a sealing resin. The conductive support includes a die pad, first terminals spaced in a first direction, second terminals spaced in the first direction and opposite to the first terminals in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a support terminal connected to the die pad. The sealing resin encapsulates portions of the first and second terminals, a portion of the support terminal, the semiconductor element circuit and the die pad. The sealing resin has two first side surfaces spaced apart in the second direction and two second side surfaces spaced apart in the first direction. The first terminals and second terminals are exposed from the first side surfaces, while none of the elements of the conductive support is exposed from the second side surfaces.

In a general aspect, a wire bonding apparatus can include a supply of bond wire, a wire bonding head, and an electrical continuity tester. The wire bonding head can including a wire cutter. The wire cutter can be electrically conductive. The electrical continuity tester can be coupled between the supply of bond wire and the wire cutter.

An ultrasound horn is provided which vibrates a bonding tool, attached at a tip, in a plurality of directions with a simple structure. There is provided an ultrasound horn having: a longitudinal vibration generator; a horn portion; and a torsional vibration generator. The torsional vibration generator includes a body including a polygonal pillar portion, second layered elements in which a plurality of second piezoelectric elements are layered, and which are attached to side surfaces of the polygonal pillar portion, weights, and a pressure application ring which applies a pressure by pressing the second piezoelectric elements against the polygonal pillar portion via the weights.

In a described example, an apparatus includes: a package substrate having a die mount portion and lead portions spaced from the die mount portion; a semiconductor die over the die mount portion having bond pads on an active surface facing away from the package substrate; non-gold bond wires forming electrical connections between at least one of the bond pads and one of the lead portions of the package substrate; a bond stitch on bump connection formed between one of the non-gold bond wires and a bond pad of the semiconductor die, comprising a stitch bond formed on a flex stud bump; and dielectric material covering a portion of the package substrate, the semiconductor die, the non-gold bond wires, the stitch bond and the flex stud bump, forming a packaged semiconductor device.

A height of a vertical wire interconnection bonded onto a substrate is measured by first capturing a top view of the vertical wire interconnection and identifying a position of a tip end of the vertical wire interconnection from the top view. A conductive probe is located over the tip end of the vertical wire interconnection, and is lowered towards the vertical wire interconnection until an electrical connection is made between the conductive probe and the tip end of the vertical wire interconnection. A contact height at which the electrical connection is made may thus be determined, wherein the contact height corresponds to the height of the vertical wire interconnection.

A semiconductor package includes a first lead with first and second ends extending in the same direction as one another. At least one second lead has first and second ends and is partially surrounded by the first lead. A die pad is provided and a die is connected to the die pad. Wires electrically connect the die to the first lead and the at least one second lead. An insulating layer extends over the leads, the die pad, and the die such that the first end of the at least one second lead is exposed from the semiconductor package and the second end of the first lead is encapsulated entirely within the insulating layer.