Patent · US Expired

Ultrasonic bonding process beyond 125 kHz

US5244140A · kind A · utility

18Cited by
7References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 30, 1991
Grant dateSep 14, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 30, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L2924/20309
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An (10) and method is provided for bonding wire (12) to the bond sites (28) of integrated circuits (14). In preferred embodiments gold wire (12) is bonded to aluminum bond pad (28). Apparatus (10) includes a high frequency ultrasonic energy source (20) designed to provide ultrasonic energy at frequencies above about 125 kHz. The ultrasonic energy is imparted to the bonding interface (32) via transducer (18) and capillary (16). The transducer is modified in length and tool clamp point (40) is sited on transducer (18) so that the wavelength of the high frequency ultrasonic energy is at the antinodal point in its application to interface (32) and thus is optimized. In the preferred embodiments of the process the ultrasonic energy is applied at about 350 kHz at ambient temperature. In this fashion, the bond formed between bond end (30) and bond pad (28) is optimized in terms of shear strength, bonding time and processing temperatures. Particularly beneficial results are noticed with respect to aluminum alloy bond pads such as Al, 2% copper, which were particularly troublesome in terms of intermetallic formation and bond strength in the prior art. Thus according to the invention, the us…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.