Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of soldering a semiconductor chip to a substrate, such as to a capsule in an RF-power transistor, for instance. The semiconductor chip is provided with an adhesion layer consisting of a first material composition. A solderable layer consisting of a second material composition is disposed on this adhesion layer. An antioxidation layer consisting of a third material composition is disposed on said solderable layer. The antioxidation layer is coated with a layer of gold-tin solder. The chip is placed on a solderable capsule surface, via said gold-tin solder. The capsule and chip are exposed to an inert environment to which a reducing gas is delivered and the capsule and chip are subjected to a pressure substantially beneath atmospheric pressure whilst the gold-tin solder is heated to a temperature above its melting point.

Abstract: This invention involves a method and apparatus for welding and/or cutting flexible packaging material (1) using lasers. The invention is specifically directed towards the use of lasers for cutting and/or welding plastics material (1) in motion, such as in association with high speed packaging machinery. The method and apparatus of the invention enables the cutting and/or welding of adjacent webs of plastics material (1) by scanning one or more processing laser beams (4), or sub-beams (5, 6) of the or each processing laser beam (4), across said moving layers (1) at a rate controlled in relation to the rate of motion of the layers (1) of substrate. The method and apparatus may produce straight or shaped cuts and/or welds.

Abstract: For the manufacture of a metallic honeycomb body which is wound, layered or looped from at least partially structured sheet metal layers, it is proposed to provide at least the structured sheet metal layers with a layer of rolling oil, to the extent that this is not already present in the process for manufacturing the sheet metal layers. A step for partially thermally removing highly volatile components of the rolling oil can follow. The honeycomb body manufactured from the sheet metal layers is brought into contact with a brazing powder which remains adhered to the rolling oil in particular in the area of the contact lines between the sheets. The honeycomb body is subsequently subjected to a brazing procedure in a high temperature brazing furnace under vacuum or a protective gas.

Abstract: A technique of forming a metallurgical bond between pads on two surfaces is provided. A metal coating placed on each surface includes a first metal base layer and a second metal surface layer. The first and second metals include a low melting point constituent. A first ratio of the two metals forms a liquid phase with a second ratio of the two metals forming a solid phase. The volume of the base layer metal exceeds the volume necessary to form the solid phase between the base metal and the surface metal. Conductive metal particles are provided having a core metal and a coating metal dispersed in an uncured polymer material, at a volume fraction above the percolation threshold. The core metal and the coating metal together include a low melting point constituent. At a first ratio the components form a liquid phase and at a second ratio the two components form a solid phase.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of drilling holes sequentially through a workpiece using a laser gun with a camera positioned axially in-line with the drilling beam of the laser gun. Each image from the camera is analysed by digital image processing techniques to control the positioning of the laser nozzle relative to the workpiece and/or to compensate for errors produced in previously drilled holes. By feedback from the digitally processed images it is possible to repeat the auto-focusing of the laser automatically throughout the drilling of a large number of holes in the same workpiece, to adjust the drilling of subsequent holes in order to bring the hole characteristics closed to a predefined optimum, or to abort work on a particular workpiece if hole diameters exceed a given tolerance range.

Abstract: An assembling apparatus assembling a body side of an automotive vehicle, comprises: a moving body provided in a transfer line; a clamp member provided on the moving body for fixing and positioning a body side outer in an upright position in such a manner that a roof rail end of the body side outer is an upper portion and the side sill end of the body side outer is a lower portion; and a welding robot disposed in a side of the transfer line, the welding robot assembling the body side by welding the body side outer positioned by the clamp member.

Abstract: A method of bonding together at least two long, metal alloy segments, of turbine components, such as turbine blade segments (18, 19, 20 and 21) by: putting a melting point depressant between the segments at bond planes (34) between contracting segments; forming a heated zone across the segments and a heated front (32); where melt pools (36) form in a molten zone (38) at the heated front which front (32), pools (36) and zone (38) continuously move and pass along the bond planes (34); where crystal re-growth (35) occurs along the bonding planes to form bonds (34) between the individual segments (18, 19, 20 and 21) behind the moving molten zone (38).

Abstract: A ultrasonic horn attached to a bonding arm of a bonding apparatus via two horn supporting members. These horn supporting members, preferably made from a resin material, are separate components from the ultrasonic horn, and the ultrasonic horn and the two horn supporting members are provided so that their positional relationship in the axial direction of the ultrasonic horn can be adjusted.

Abstract: A device for mutually connecting by laser welding of sheet-metal objects laid flat against each other at least in determined zones, for instance two or more flat or previously profiled plates, for instance stainless steel or other objects for mutual connection by laser welding, comprising: a welding station comprising a laser and an optical device for performing a laser welding operation using a laser beam via a preselected path consisting for instance of a plurality of sub-paths; clamping means, for instance a lower clamping plate and an upper clamping beam for clamping against each other at least said regions, of the objects at the location of the welding station; transporting means for supplying and carrying successive assemblies of objects laid on top of each other according to a chosen displacement pattern along the welding station, which transporting means comprise two separate conveyors, wherein the welding station is a collective one for both conveyors and respective individual clamping means are adde

Abstract: An apparatus and a process for mounting solder balls or other conductor balls on terminal pads of semiconductor devices or other electronic devices collectively formed on a semiconductor wafer or other substrate by using a single adsorbing plate. The apparatus includes an adsorbing unit which comprises an adsorbing head; an adsorbing plate attached to the head and having adsorbing holes for adsorbing the conductor balls, the adsorbing holes being arranged corresponding in number and position to the terminal pads present in one of the divisions that includes a largest number of the devices; and a mask plate attached to one side of the adsorbing plate and having an opening conformed in shape and size to an area of the substrate occupied by a group of the devices included in a selected one of the divisions so that the conductor balls are only adsorbed by the adsorbing holes corresponding in position to the terminal pads of the devices of the group in the selected one division.

Abstract: A method of bonding wire between at least one pair of bond locations in a semiconductor device and the bonder. A conveyor is provided having a conveying surface for conveying in a predetermined direction a partially fabricated semiconductor device having first and second bonding locations. A first capillary is provided for forming a stitch bond to the first bonding location, the first capillary being disposed at an angle of about 45 degrees with respect to the predetermined direction and a line normal thereto and substantially parallel to the plane of the conveying surface. A stitch bond is formed on the first bonding location with the first capillary. The first capillary is at an angle of substantially 45 degrees with respect to a line normal to the plane of the conveying surface.

Abstract: A friction stir weld system for welding and weld repair has a base foundation unit connected to a hydraulically controlled elevation platform and a hydraulically adjustable pin tool. The base foundation unit may be fixably connected to a horizontal surface or may be connected to a mobile support in order to provide mobility to the friction stir welding system. The elevation platform may be utilized to raise and lower the adjustable pin tool about a particular axis. Additional components which may be necessary for the friction stir welding process include back plate tooling, fixturing and/or a roller mechanism.

Abstract: A method of making an electrically conductive contact on a substrate by applying a layer of solder paste to a circuitized feature on a substrate and selectively heating and melting the solder paste over the feature to form a solder bump. The excess solder paste is removed. A focused energy heat source such as a laser beam or focused Infrared heats the solder paste. In another embodiment, a reflective mask with apertures may be used to allow focused heating source to selectively melt areas of the solder paste layer applied to a circuitized feature. In yet another embodiment, a reflective mask with apertures filled with solder paste is applied onto a substrate and then heated to cause localized solder melting. The mask and excess solder paste are removed.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of joining silicon nitride having on its surface a thin layer of active silicon metal to carbon steel, wherein the active silicon layer is formed through the thermal dissociation of silicon nitride(Si3N4) into silicon(Si) and nitrogen gas(N2). The active silicon layer is directly joined to carbon steel via an induced eutectic melting reaction between the silicon (Si) an iron (Fe) of carbon steel, or via brazing of two materials Ag—Cu alloys. This joining process does not require the use of expensive Ag—Cu—Ti active brazing alloys containing an active metal (Ti) or a sputtering method designed to coat the active metals on surface of silicon nitride.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of diffusion bonding a first article containing a thermally activated expansion agent to a second article. The first article and the second article are placed adjacent to each other at a bonding area. The first article and the second article are constrained such that contact is maintained between the first article and the second article at the bonding area. The constrained articles are then heated at a temperature that causes the first article to expand, creating pressure between the articles at the bonding area.

Abstract: An ultrasonic vibration bonding machine which can simplify a suction passage structure. A resonator has a suction passage at the maximum vibration amplitude point where a bonding working portion is provided, the positions of the pads of a circuit board mounted on a mounting unit and the positions of the pads of a semiconductor chip absorbed and adsorbed to the bonding working portion are measured to align the pads accurately, and then the pads are bonded together.

Abstract: A hydrogen storage material comprising hydride-forming metallic particles and an interface activation composition, wherein the surface of at least some of the hydride-forming metallic particles have a discontinuous or partial deposit of said interface activation composition, such as one or more platinum group metals, is disclosed. The hydrogen storage material demonstrates improved kinetic and oxidation parameters over untreated particles.

Abstract: An automatic soldering apparatus includes a conveyor for conveying a printed circuit board along a predetermined path, a heater located below the conveyor and adapted to heat the lower surface of the printed circuit board on which leads of chips and other electronic parts are to be electrically connected to circuits as printed, a flux applicator located downstream of the heater and arranged to apply a molten flux to the surface of the printed circuit board, and a supply of solder located downstream of the flux applicator and arranged to solder the leads to the circuits. The flux applicator includes a supply of flux for feeding flux in solid form at room temperature, a heater for heating the flux to a temperature above its melting point to provide a molten flux, and a spray nozzle for spraying the molten flux to the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A robust thick film conductor construction making an electric circuit connection of an electric component (20) to a Ag:Pd conductor (12) on a substrate. A substantially pure Ag conductor (10) is printed, dried, and fired on the substrate, then the Ag:Pd conductor is printed, dried, and fired such that a portion of the latter overlaps a portion of the Ag conductor. A first solder layer (16) is printed over the Ag conductor, including the overlap region (14), and reflowed. A second solder layer (18) is printed over the first printed solder layer at a region where the component (20) is to be placed and is reflowed after placement of the component to thereby join with the component.

Abstract: An improved method of manufacturing thick film circuit wherein an IC is attached to a central conductor pad with adhesive, and wherein spreading of the adhesive is constrained by a ring of porous dielectric material formed between the central conductor pad and the peripheral conductor pads to which the IC terminals are bonded. When the adhesive material is printed and begins to spread, it contacts the porous dielectric ring, which absorbs the adhesive material and stops the spreading. In this way, the porous dielectric ring controls the dimensions of the cured adhesive, thereby preventing the adhesive from contaminating the peripheral conductor pads. Even with the addition of the intervening dielectric ring, the length of the wire-bond connections and the overall dimension of the IC and its conductor pads are both significantly decreased, contributing to improved circuit area utilization and wire-bond durability.