Apparatus and methods for enhanced microelectronic device handling

A method, comprising:

• moving a pick arm of a pick and place apparatus toward a singulated microelectronic device;
• initiating contact of the microelectronic device with a pick surface of the pick arm;
• and
• sensing, with a sensor device carried by the pick arm, at least one of one or more forces or one or more locations of force applied between the pick surface and the contacted microelectronic device;
• generating, with the sensor device, one or more signals representative of the at least one of one or more forces or one or more locations of force applied between the pick surface and the contacted microelectronic device;
• transmitting the one or more signals to a controller configured to control movement of the pick arm;
• the controller determining, from the one or more signals, if at least one of the conditions is present:
• a contact force between the pick surface and the microelectronic device exceeds a threshold magnitude;
• a single point of contact between the pick surface and the microelectronic device;
• multiple points of contact between the pick surface and the microelectronic device at or below a certain number;
• multiple points of contact between the pick surface and the microelectronic device along contact of less than about 90% of a surface area of the pick surface with the microelectronic device;
• non-parallel orientation of the pick surface relative to a facing surface of the microelectronic device above a threshold acute angle;
• or
• rotational misalignment of the pick surface and the microelectronic device;
• receiving the microelectronic device on the pick surface;
• reorienting the pick surface to cause the microelectronic device to face a bond tip surface of a thermocompression bonding apparatus bond head;
• moving the pick arm into a position with a surface of the microelectronic device in proximity and facing to the bond tip surface;
• transferring the microelectronic device from the pick surface to the bond tip surface;
• and
• sensing, with the sensor device, at least one of one or more forces or one or more locations of force applied between the surface of the microelectronic device and the bond tip surface.

Apparatus for handling microelectronic devices, comprising:

• a bond head comprising a bond tip having a bond tip surface for receiving a microelectronic device thereon;
• a sensor device comprising multiple sensors carried by the bond head and configured to detect at least one of at least one magnitude of force or at least one location of force applied between the bond head and a microelectronic device contacting the bond tip surface, a microelectronic device carried by the bond tip surface and another microelectronic device, or the bond tip and a stack of microelectronic devices;
• and
• a controller configured to direct movement of the bond head, the controller programmed to cause intended movement of the bond head toward a structure to cease responsive to a signal generated by the sensor device and to cause the bond head to divert the microelectronic device from a first, intended destination to a second destination.