Abstract: So as to prevent erroneous recognition in position detection by pattern matching in, for instance, wire bonding, identical template images are set to be superimposed while the relative positions of such images are varied, and correlation values are calculated at respective positions so as to be taken as amounts of coincidence. The amount of coincidence between the template images shows a maximum value at a position of coincidence but drops abruptly in the vicinity of this position of coincidence. Utilizing this fact, the amount of coincidence is calculated from the correlation value between the template images and an inputted image; when the drop in the amount of coincidence, that appears near the position of maximum coincidence value, is larger than a predetermined coincidence discriminating value, a position of coincidence at the maximum coincidence value is judged as a position of coincidence of the template and the inputted image.

Abstract: A workpiece retainer used in, for instance, a bonding apparatus for holding a workpiece during bonding being provide with plate springs that are driven towards the workpiece. Before the workpiece is pressed by the retainer, the end portions of plate springs protrude further toward the workpiece than the retaining surface of the workpiece retainer. When the workpiece is pressed by the retainer, the plate springs undergo elastic deformation and are pulled in the direction opposite from the workpiece so that the workpiece is pressed against a heat block by the retaining surface of the workpiece retainer; and when the workpiece is conveyed, the workpiece retainer is separated from the workpiece by a predetermined distance so that the plate springs undergo elastic recovery, thus preventing the workpiece from contacting the workpiece retainer.

Abstract: Image processing for detecting the position of a workpiece such as a semiconductor device employed in, for instance, wire boding including the step of obtaining first position (coordinates) of leads by way of imaging the leads individually after positioning the leads of a sample workpiece one at a time in the center of visual field of a camera, the step of obtaining second position (coordinates) of such respective leads by imaging all the leads that are in the visual field at one time, and the step of storing the differences between the first position and the second position in memory as a correction amount. Upon actual product manufacturing, the correction amount is added to the position (coordinates) of the respective leads of the workpiece obtained by collective imaging of the leads, thus obtaining the actual bonding point (coordinates) for the workpiece.

Abstract: An inner lead bonding apparatus including a bonding stage that holds a semiconductor chip by vacuum suction and moves the semiconductor chip to beneath a workpiece, a bonding head that is disposed on one side of work guides for guiding the workpiece and is driven horizontally, a bonding tool that is disposed on the bonding head so as to be above the workpiece and vertically movable, a recognition camera provided on the bonding head so as to be offset at a position that is separated from the bonding tool, and a tool cleaning section disposed on another side of the work guides; and an effective cleaning surface of the tool cleaning section is provided so as to be located beneath the bonding tool when the recognition camera has moved to the bonding position.

Abstract: An ultrasonic horn used in, for instance, a bonding apparatus, being provided with a capillary attachment hole formed so as to be smaller than the capillary and a jig insertion hole that communicates with the capillary attachment hole. By way of inserting a jig into the jig insertion hole, the jig insertion hole is pushed open that causes the capillary attachment hole to be widened, so that the capillary is inserted and received in this enlarged capillary attachment hole. The capillary is fastened in place by the elastic force that is generated when the capillary attachment hole returns to its original shape, and the capillary is held in the horn main body without using any fastening tools.

Abstract: A device for conveying a carrier tape by holding both sides with pressing rollers and drive rollers that rotate in opposite directions. The drive rollers have large-diameter portions and small-diameter portions so that the large-diameter portions are formed on inner sides of the circumferential surfaces of the drive rollers and the small-diameter portions are formed on outer sides thereof; and the pressing rollers have small-diameter portions and large-diameter portions so that the small-diameter portions are formed on inner sides of the circumferential surfaces of the pressing rollers and the large-diameter portions are formed on outer sides thereof. Both side edges of the carrier tape are pressure-held and conveyed by the pressing rollers and drive rollers with the large-diameter portions of the pressing rollers pressing the side edges onto the small-diameter portions of the drive rollers, thus curving the carrier tape in its width direction and preventing sagging of the carrier tape across the width.

Abstract: For facilitating and making more efficient the setting of the operating parameters of a bonding tool that is used to form a wire loop into a desired shape, when an editing handle is dragged, the loop shape of a wire loop line drawing displayed on a display screen is redrawn as a secondary loop line drawing. The values of the operating parameters corresponding to the loop shape of the drawn or redrawn secondary loop line drawing are calculated, and the results are displayed in a parameter list.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device, each of the leads is provided with guided-surfaces that are inclined surfaces and each of the bumps is provided with a recess that has guide-surfaces formed by inclined surfaces. The leads are smoothly guided toward the centers of the upper surfaces of the bumps with the aides of the inclined surfaces formed on the leads and bumps, so that the attitude of the leads is corrected and the leads are snugly brought into the recess and prevented form falling off of the bump.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing semiconductor pellets that are bonded on a wafer substrate that is comprised of a base plate, a heat-shrinkable adhesive agent and a radiation-curable adhesive agent. Prior to supplying the wafer substrate to a pellet pickup section, the adhesive strength of the radiation-curable adhesive agent is weakened by irradiating the wafer substrate with, for instance, ultraviolet light, then a heat treatment is performed by a heater so as to cause heat shrinkage of the heat-shrinkable adhesive agent and to reduce the bonded area between the radiation-curable adhesive agent and the semiconductor pellets. Afterward, the wafer substrate is supplied to the pellet pickup section, and the semiconductor pellets on the wafer substrate are picked up by a suction-chucking nozzle.

Abstract: A multi-chip bonding method and apparatus, in which a first wafer ring which has electronic components of a first type is held by a holding device; substrates are fed out to a conveying device from the first storing section; the electronic components of the first type on the holding device are successively bonded to the substrates; the substrates with the electronic components of the first type bonded is accommodated in the second storing section; the first wafer ring held by the holding device is exchanged for a second wafer ring which has electronic components of a second type; the substrates accommodated in the second storing section is fed out to the conveying device; the electronic components of the second type are successively bonded to the substrates; and the substrates with the electronic components of the second type bonded is accommodated in the first storing section.

Abstract: A bonding apparatus with an optical detecting device that detects any positional discrepancy between first and second parts which are to be bonded together, the optical detecting device including an optical probe that comprises: first and second image acquisition prisms which respectively reflect, in different directions, first and second images of the first and second parts respectively; a first optical system introduction prism (or mirrors) which causes the first image of the first part that passes through the first image acquisition prism to be reflected an even number of times and then sends this first image to a first image pick-up device through a first focusing device; and a second optical system introduction prism which causes the second image of the second part that passes through the second image acquisition prism to be reflected an odd number of times and then sends this second image to a second image pick-up device through a second focusing device.

Abstract: In an apparatus and method for obtaining offset amount between a reference pattern on, for instance, a semiconductor device and a bonding tool in order to specify bonding points on the semiconductor device, a reduction process is performed on the high-magnification image acquired by a first camera, and this processed image is compared with a low-magnification image acquired by a second camera, thus obtaining an amount of deviation between an image center mark that constitutes the reference point of the high-magnification image and an image center mark that constitutes the reference point of the low-magnification image. Then, the offset amount between the second camera and the bonding tool is calculated by adding the calculated amount of deviation to the offset amount between the first camera and the bonding tool.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing semiconductor devices comprising a step in which an adhesive layer used to bond dies cut out of a wafer to another member is formed on the front surface of the wafer that has desired integrated circuits, and a step in which a thin film conversion treatment is performed from the back surface side on the wafer in which recessed grooves used for separation of dies have been formed from the front surface side and on which the adhesive layer has been formed, until the recessed grooves are exposed.

Abstract: Instead of using the ordinary pulse train command inputted from a computer to the control circuit, an offset signal outputted from an offset compensation circuit is employed for performing scrubbing of a bonding surface of, for instance, a semiconductor device. The offset compensation circuit controls a DC motor in drive amounts smaller than the resolution of the DC motor which moves an XY table having a bonding tool which performs the scrubbing, and the drive amounts smaller than the resolution outputted from the offset compensation circuit are controlled by a computer.

Abstract: A tension mechanism that applies a back tension to a wire in a bonding apparatus including: a first nozzle which has a through-hole through which the wire passes, second and third nozzles which have diameters that are larger than the diameter of the through-hole of the first nozzle and which are disposed above and below the first nozzle, a first air passage formed in the joining surfaces of the first nozzle and second nozzle, and a second air passage formed in the joining surfaces of the second nozzle and third nozzle. A compressed air supply device is connected to the tension mechanism and supplies compressed air to the first air passage from an air supply source, and a vacuum suction device is also connected to the tension mechanism and applies vacuum suction to the second air passage from a vacuum supply source.

Abstract: In a wire bonding apparatus in which a wire is passed through a capillary that is provided at one end of a bonding arm and a damper that holds the wire is disposed directly above the capillary, the distance between the upper surface of the capillary and the undersurface of the damper is set as a very short distance as 1.5 mm or less.

Abstract: A wire bonding method in which first and second bonding points are connected by a wire comprising the steps of: connecting the wire that passes through a capillary to a first bonding point, raising the capillary and performing a reverse operation so as to move the capillary in the opposite direction from the second bonding point, raising and moving the capillary toward the second bonding point and then lowering the capillary slightly, raising the capillary and performing at least once another reverse operation so as to move the capillary in the opposite direction from the second bonding point, and raising and then moving the capillary toward the second bonding point and connecting the wire to the second bonding point; thus forming a stable wire loop that has a high shape retention strength.

Abstract: In a single-point bonding apparatus that connects the end portions of leads or the cut end portions of leads to pads respectively by pressing such end portions of leads or cut end portions of leads with a tool, a cleaning stage that is used to clean the tool is additionally provided, and a cleaning chip is disposed on the surface of the cleaning stage.

Abstract: By way of utilizing the light transmissivity of a carrier film, the conditions of bonding of leads formed on the carrier film and bonding pads of silicon chips are inspected by an inspection camera based upon the light images of the bonding pads that are transmitted through the carrier film, thus eliminating the need for a complicated inspection process that involves the removal of bonded silicon chips.

Abstract: A semiconductor device in which a plurality of semiconductor chips are stacked and fastened to a lead frame. First bonding points on the semiconductor chips and second bonding points on the leads of the lead frame are connected by trapezoidal loop shape wires which differ from each other in height, each of the wires comprising a neck portion which rises from the first bonding point, a trapezoidal portion which is continuous from the neck portion, and an inclined portion which is continuous from the trapezoidal portion, inclined toward the second bonding point and bonded to the second bonding point; and a bent portion is formed in at least a lowermost wire.