# US 2014/0151341 A1 · Wire bonding apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0151341 A1 - Document ID: US20140151341A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/170,745 - Filed: 2014-02-03 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-08-16 - Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Shinkawa - Applicants: Shinkawa Ltd. - Inventors: Katsutoshi KUNIYOSHI; Hayato KIUCHI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151341A1 ## CPC - B23K 9/164: {making use of a moving fluid} - B23K 20/007: {Ball bonding} - H10W 72/01551: {Changing the shapes of bond wires} - H10W 72/07125: {Means for controlling the bonding environment, e.g. valves or vacuum pumps} - H10W 72/07141: {Means for applying energy, e.g. ovens or lasers} - H10W 72/07341: {Controlling the bonding environment, e.g. atmosphere composition or temperature} - H10W 72/07511: {Treating the bonding area before connecting, e.g. by applying flux or cleaning} - H10W 72/5522: {comprising gold [Au]} - H10W 72/5524: {comprising aluminium [Al]} - H10W 72/5525: {comprising copper [Cu]} - B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract Provided with a wire bonding apparatus capable of preventing oxidation of a surface of a free air ball. The apparatus is provided with: a capillary for bonding a wire to each electrode; a horizontal plate provided with a through hole allowing a tip of the capillary to be inserted and removed; and a first and a second antioxidant gas flow channel for allowing an antioxidant gas to be blown to a center of the through hole along an upper surface of the horizontal plate, the gas from the second channel being blown in a direction substantially intersecting with a direction in which the first channel extends. The horizontal plate is configured such that the antioxidant gas on the upper surface of the horizontal plate is allowed to flow outside the horizontal plate from its edges, where no antioxidant gas flow channel is disposed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wire bonding apparatus for bonding an electrode of a semiconductor chip and an electrode of a substrate with a wire, the apparatus comprising: a bonding tool for bonding a wire to each electrode; a horizontal plate provided with a through hole allowing a tip of the bonding tool to be inserted and removed; a first antioxidant gas flow channel for allowing an antioxidant gas to be blown to a center of the through hole along an upper surface of the horizontal plate; and a second antioxidant gas flow channel for allowing an antioxidant gas to be blown to the center of the through hole along the upper surface of the horizontal plate in a direction substantially intersecting with a direction in which the first antioxidant gas flow channel extends, wherein the horizontal plate is configured such that the antioxidant gas on the upper surface of the horizontal plate is allowed to flow outside the horizontal plate from edges of the horizontal plate, the edges being provided with no antioxidant gas flow channel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The wire bonding apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a wall surface provided on the upper surface of the horizontal plate, wherein the wall surface is disposed around a periphery of an outlet of the first antioxidant gas flow channel, around a periphery of an outlet of the second antioxidant gas flow channel, and between the peripheries, the wall surface having the antioxidant gas be stagnated thereabout. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The wire bonding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the wall surface is provided spaced apart from a periphery of the through hole in the horizontal plate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The wire bonding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a portion of each antioxidant gas flow channel connecting to the corresponding outlet is a straight pipe conduit extending along the upper surface of the horizontal plate, and wherein a guide vane for preventing the antioxidant gas from drifting is provided within an interior portion of each straight pipe conduit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The wire bonding apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each guide vane comprises flat plates disposed in a crosswise manner, partitioning a cross section of the straight pipe conduit into four sections, and wherein the flat plates are arranged in a manner inclined with respect to the upper surface of the horizontal plate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The wire bonding apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a third antioxidant gas flow channel for allowing an antioxidant gas to be blown to the center of the through hole obliquely downward from a lower surface of the horizontal plate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The wire bonding apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the first antioxidant gas flow channel, the second antioxidant gas flow channel, the third antioxidant gas flow channel, and the horizontal plate are provided for a common base unit, and wherein the common base unit comprises a wall surface arranged around a periphery of an outlet of the first antioxidant gas flow channel, around a periphery of an outlet of the second antioxidant gas flow channel, and between the peripheries, the wall surface having the antioxidant gas be stagnated thereabout. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The wire bonding apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the third antioxidant gas flow channel allows the antioxidant gas to be blown to the tip of the bonding tool. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The wire bonding apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the third antioxidant gas flow channel allows the antioxidant gas to be blown to the tip of the bonding tool. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The wire bonding apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: an electrode of electronic flame off (EFO) for forming a free air ball by generating a spark between the wire extending at the tip of the bonding tool and thereof, the electrode of EFO extending from either one of the outlets of the first and second antioxidant gas flow channels toward the through hole of the horizontal plate.