Ultrasonic wire bonding apparatus and method

An ultrasonic wire bonding apparatus comprising:

• a bonding head;
• a horn support unit;
• at least one slide shaft mounted on said bonding head;
• at least one linear slider coupled to said horn support unit and slidably engaged with said at least one slide shaft;
• at least one spring having a first end connected to said bonding unit and a second end connected to said horn support unit;
• a horn for applying ultrasonic vibrations, said horn being connected to said horn support unit and having a front end, wherein said horn has a length corresponding to 1/2 to 1 wavelength of a vibration wave propagating through horn material at a primary natural frequency along an axial direction of said horn;
• a capillary for holding a wire and transmitting ultrasonic vibrations from said horn to a wire held by said capillary;
• an extension member adjustably mounted at said front end of said horn, wherein said capillary is attached to said extension member;
• and
• an electrically driven linear actuator, mounted between said bonding head and said horn support unit, for moving said horn support unit.

A method of bonding a wire on a bonding surface with an ultrasonic wire bonding apparatus including:

• a bonding head;
• a horn support unit;
• at least one slide shaft mounted on said bonding head;
• at least one linear slider coupled to said horn support unit and slidably engaged with said at least one slide shaft;
• at least one spring having a first end connected to said bonding unit and a second end connected to said horn support unit;
• a horn for applying ultrasonic vibrations, said horn being connected to said horn support unit and having a front end, wherein said horn has a length corresponding to 1/2 to 1 wavelength of a vibration wave propagating through horn material at a primary natural frequency along an axial direction of said horn;
• a capillary for holding a wire, said capillary being supported at said front end of said horn for transmitting ultrasonic vibrations from said horn to a wire held by said capillary;
• and
• an electrically driven linear actuator, mounted between said bonding head and said horn support unit, for moving said horn support unit,
• the method comprising:
• positioning said capillary relative to a bonding surface;
• moving said capillary parallel to said bonding surface by vibrations transmitted from said horn;
• and
• bonding a wire to said bonding surface.

A method of bonding a wire on a bonding surface with an ultrasonic wire bonding apparatus, said apparatus including:

• a bonding head;
• a horn support unit;
• at least one slide shaft mounted on said bonding head;
• at least one linear slider coupled to said horn support unit and slidably engaged with said at least one slide shaft;
• at least one spring having a first end connected to said bonding unit and a second end connected to said horn support unit;
• a horn for applying ultrasonic vibrations, said horn being connected to said horn support unit and having a front end, wherein said horn has a length corresponding to 1/2 to 1 wavelength of a vibration wave propagating through horn material at a primary natural frequency along an axial direction of said horn;
• a capillary for holding a wire and transmitting ultrasonic vibrations from said horn to a wire held by said capillary;
• an extension member adjustably mounted at said front end of said horn, wherein said capillary is attached to said extension member;
• and
• an electrically driven linear actuator, mounted between said bonding head and said horn support unit, for moving said horn support unit,
• the method comprising:
• positioning said capillary relative to a bonding surface;
• moving said capillary parallel to said bonding surface by vibrations transmitted from said horn;
• and
• bonding a wire to said bonding surface.