Weakening wire supplied through a wire bonder
AssigneeRaychem Corporation
InventorAlexandru S. Gliga
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A technique for weakening an interconnection wire provided on a contact on an electronic component, in which the wire is weakened by means of an arc which is created between the wire and an electrode provided in an aperture in the wall of the bonding head of the wire bonder through which the wire is supplied, the arc being generated by an electric field between the wire and the electrode. The electric field has a second portion in which its polarity is reversed, for controlling the dispersion of charged particles emitted from the wire. The electric field may be created by an arc generator which includes a capacitor which discharges through a transformer.
Claims25
A bonding head for a wire bonder, having a tubular passage extending through it through which wire can be supplied for bonding to a contact on an electronic component, which includes:
- (a) an electrode from which an electric field can be generated to wire supplied through the bonding head;
- and
- (b) an arc generator which is electrically connected to the electrode, and which generates an electric field between the electrode and the wire having a wave shape which comprises (i) a first portion of a first polarity, wherein the potential difference between the electrode and the wire is such that an arc is created between the electrode and the wire which causes the wire to be weakened, and (ii) a second portion of reverse polarity for controlling dispersion of charged particles emitted from the wire, wherein the potential difference between the electrode and the wire is less than the potential difference in the first portion and insufficient to generate an arc between the electrode and the wire;
- the electrode being so arranged so that the wire is weakened at a point within the bonding head by having the electric field extending from the electrode at a point within the bonding head.
A method of weakening an interconnection wire which is suitable for forming a connection to a contact on an electronic component, which comprises:
- (a) supplying wire through a bonding head on a wire bonder, the bonding head having a tubular passage extending through it, and being provided with an electrode from which an electric arc can be generated extending from the electrode at a point within the bonding head to the wire to weaken the wire at a point within the bonding head;
- and
- (b) generating an electric field between the electrode and the wire having a wave shape which comprises (i) a first portion of a first polarity, wherein the potential difference between the electrode and the wire is such that an arc is created between the electrode and the wire which causes the wire to be weakened, and (ii) a second portion of reverse polarity for controlling dispersion of charged particles emitted from the wire, wherein the potential difference between the electrode and the wire is less than the potential difference in the first portion and insufficient to generate an arc between the electrode and the wire.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.