Abstract: A “pick-and-place” apparatus has a first pivoted lever driven in alternating directions of pivoting, the drive shaft of which is mounted centrally between a first location and a second location. In the end positions, which delimit the pivoting range, the pivoted lever always faces towards one location or the other location. A second pivoted lever is mounted at the end of the first lever and driven in the opposite direction thereto and with a predetermined gear ratio thereto, for example, resulting from a fixed toothed wheel by means of a toothed belt and a further toothed wheel. The chip gripper is connected to the end of the second lever. The gear ratio and the lengths of the two levers are matched to each other such that in both end positions, the two levers are in an extended position with respect to one another and the chip gripper is over the one location or the other location.

Abstract: A method of aligning the bonding head of a bonder, in particular a die bonder, or of a pick and place machine comprising the steps of a) placing an alignment plate provided with two plane parallel surfaces on a supporting surface which is set plane parallel to the bonding surface upon which the semiconductor chip will be bonded to the carrier material; b) calibration of a measuring device, the signal of which is dependent upon the position of the alignment plate; c) grasping the alignment plate with the bonding head of the bonder and holding the alignment plate free at a slight distance above the measuring device; and d) alignment of the bonding head until the signal from the measuring device is equal to the signal following step b).

Abstract: The horn of an ultrasonic transducer is applied with ultrasonic waves from an ultrasonic converter in such a way that standing ultrasonic waves develop in the lengthwise direction of the horn. A flange is arranged on the horn at the location of a node of the ultrasonic waves. The length of the flange is so aptly dimensioned that standing ultrasonic waves develop in the flange, when it can freely oscillate, which also have nodes. Drill holes are attached in this node so that the ultrasonic transducer is attachable to an ultrasonic welding device, in particular a wire bonder, by means of screws.

Abstract: In a method of making a wire connection of predetermined shape between a first connecting point located on a semiconductor chip and a second connecting point a capillary is moved along a predetermined trajectory. After attaching the wire at the first connecting point the capillary is moved up to a first point for the performing of one or two kinks and for the pulling out of the wire as far as the required total length of the wire connection. From the first point, the capillary is moved along a circular arc up to a second point, at which the wire is locked in the capillary. The circular arc is centered in the first connecting point or in the immediate vicinity of the first connecting point. The method is suitable for the wiring of CSPs (Chip Scale Packages). The movement along the circular arc prevents the wire from being pushed back through the capillary. As soon as the wire is locked in the capillary, the second connecting point can be approached without difficulty.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying an adhesive pattern to a chip mounting surface by means of an adhesive dispensing head movable in z, y, and z dimensions, contains a first carriage, which is movable in x and y dimensions using first and second actuators. A second carriage with a dispensing head is movable in the z dimension, perpendicular to the chip mounting surface, on a guide mounted on the first carriage. A third actuator is provided with a positioning motor mounted in a stationary manner and an auxiliary carriage displaceable in the z direction. The auxiliary carriage, driven by the positioning motor, runs in a stationary guide. The auxiliary carriage has a positioning surface parallel to the chip mounting surface and a stop, the stop kept in constant contact with the positioning surface. Preferably, this contact is a gliding contact retained by a spring. The apparatus has good dynamic properties which make possible a rapid "drawing" of adhesive patterns with a high degree of precision.

Abstract: On the production of wire connections (wire bonding) which start from a semiconductor chip and end on a substrate (2b) the capillary (12) guiding the wire (3) should be moved to an end section (s3) of its trajectory in a specific, programmed way in order to eliminate as far as possible reactions on the geometry of the wire bridge on bonding of the wire to the substrate and to produce flawless bond connections. The end section (s3) in which the capillary (12) moves slowly begins at a predetermined height (H) and ends on the substrate at the second connection point (5). In the end section (s3) the downward movement (vv) of the capillary is superimposed by a horizontal movement (vh) which is directed away from the already existing connection of the wire (3) to the chip and which continually decreases in relationship to the downward movement (vv).

Abstract: The apparatus, in preparation of soft soldering semiconductor chips to a substrate (6), is for the shaping of spherically domed liquid portions of solder (8) into flat solder applications (8"), as evenly distributed as possible and correctly positioned on the substrate. On a shaft (10) which can be lifted and lowered, a punch (20) with a punch surface (22) is guided vertically, spring mounted and slewable all around the axis of motion (16) and also frictionally engaged. The punch (20) is provided with distance keeping means--e.g. in the form of a circumferential rim (24)--which extends beyond the punch surface (22) and is intended for touching down on the substrate (6). In each operation cycle the punch (20) is automatically aligned to the substrate (6). Since the punch (20) is self-adjusting with respect to the shaft (10), it is unnecessary to maintain an exactly defined height position above the substrate.

Abstract: In wire bonding a semiconductor chip to the lead frame or other substrate, increase of productivity is achieved by letting the capillary which guides the wire between the wiring points (4, 5) move faster along its trajectory in the two travel stages (s1, s2). The capillary's drives in the horizontal (x, y) and vertical (z) directions are programmed by presetting the speed (vH) of the horizontal component of the movement and then calculating the vertical speed (vV) as a dependent variable based on the given trajectory. In determining said horizontal speed (vH) to be preset, the maximum horizontal and/or vertical acceleration values (aH*, aV*) associated with the drive mechanism are taken into account. Further time can be saved by letting the horizontal travel begin during the first travel stage (s1) and, by simultaneous vertical and horizontal travel, producing a steady transition (point k') from the first stage (s1) to the second (s2).

Abstract: In an apparatus known as a wire bonder, a new type of one-piece joint element (20) is used as the articulated link (G) between a support unit (pivoting rocker 30) and a bonding unit (10) that carries a capillary (12). One or more such joint elements (20) define a virtual pivot axis (A2) for the unit (10), which lies outside the unit and thus provides a passage in the apparatus wide enough for relatively wide workpieces (chips 1 on substrate 2). A joint element (20a) is made in one piece and has at least two elastically flexible blades (22a) converging toward each other relative to a symmetry plane (S), and the blades are connected to each other by two rigid sections (23a, 24a). One of the rigid sections (23a) is attached to (and removable from) the support unit (30), the other (24a) is attached to (and removable from) the bonding unit (10), so that the joint element (20) is easy to fit or exchange.

Abstract: A contact-making system for wire connections on electronic components in semiconductor connection technology, which includes a contact-making device having a capillary tube arranged thereon for guiding a bonding wire, and at least one electrode, which is allocated to the head piece of the capillary tube, for producing a spark transfer, by which spark transfer a bonding-wire endpiece which projects from the head piece is melted to form a bonding-wire sphere, the bonding-wire sphere being uniformly shaped and arranged concentrically with respect to the bonding wire or with respect to the bonding-wire endpiece by providing at least two or more electrodes which are distributed uniformly on the circumference with respect to the head piece or to the bonding-wire endpiece and are in each case effectively connected to an independent power unit, which is constructed as a current source, it being possible to activate the power units from a single control unit.

Abstract: A method, and apparatus for performing the method, for the ultrasonic contacting wired connection of electrical circuits to metallic leadframe strips, which apparatus essentially includes a bonding head with the energy transducer located thereon for feeding to the process point of the leadframe strip and for producing a longitudinal vibration amplitude is supplied with a first voltage, the bonding head is associated a measuring head fixed to a machine base, and the measuring head has an optical/electrical sensor which measures the instantaneous amplitude of the longitudinal vibration of the infeed of the bonding head and determining a correction factor mathematically from the measured quantities obtained, and the first ultrasonic value for the vibration amplitude of the energy transducer is calibrated with the correction factor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transferring relatively thin, strip-like workpieces, such as metal leadframe strips to at least one processing or bonding station are proposed. The apparatus essentially comprises a transfer mechanism, a processing or bonding station, an electromotive drive, a first and a second group of electromagnetically, pneumatically or hydraulically operable clamping elements. The first group of the clamping elements is movable relative to the second group of clamping elements fixed to a main carrier of the transfer mechanism. In a first phase of the transfer and feed movement, the electromotive drive is controlled by means of reference geometry data given in dependence upon a particular leadframe and in a second phase of the feed movement by means of dynamic, opto-electronically measured reference data and pulses formed therefrom. The supply movement of the leadframe to the processing or bonding station takes place in a transfer direction (X') at an angle (.alpha.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing an exact in-feed in the X and/or Y direction in the plane of a bond head, e.g. a gripper, to a working station containing a sliding plate, a support element, a first and second drives for performing the in-feeds, a guide mechanism provided with a slide part and a guide part and an integrated measuring device for determining movements of the support element oriented in the X and/or Y direction. The support element is mounted in the horizontal plane with translational and rotational degrees of freedom by a vacuum-pressurizable air bearing on the sliding plate and vertically by a vacuum-pressurizable air bearing on the slide part, the latter additionally being mounted with a vacuum-pressurizable air bearing on the sliding plate and with a counterpressure air bearing between two webs of the guide part.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for forming electric circuits on a lead frame, which has a plurality of process points in a row, each of which is provided with a semiconductor chip. During bonding, for achieving an optimum ultrasonic power transfer necessary for the electric connection of the semiconductor chip (8) to the connection fingers (5) of the lead frame, the individual lead frame (1) is located between a heated bearing element (19) and a correspondingly constructed holding plate (40). In the case of the device (50) according to the invention, the holding plate (40) provided for a contacting member (transducer) with a correspondingly constructed window-like recess (45) is movably mounted relative to the bearing element (19) about at least one axis (S) oriented in the longitudinal direction of the holding plate (40) on two spaced studs (35, 35'), each of which is arranged on a spring element (34, 34').

Abstract: Apparatus for ultrasonic bonding wire connection of circuits to electronic components comprises a casing-like carrier member carrying a bonding assembly mounted therein so as to pivot about an axis (Z), and including a first support frame operatively connected to an electromotive drive and a second support frame constructed for receiving an energy transducer carrying a capillary element. In a first movement phase of the bonding assembly, both support frames are jointly movable about the axis (Z) and in a second movement phase, the second support frame with the energy transducer is movable about an articulation (Z') spaced from the axis (Z) relative to the first support frame. For obtaining the necessary positional stability of the second support frame, a common mass center of the individual elements is located within a circle, the center of which is located between the axis (Z) and the articulation (Z').