Abstract: A conveyor apparatus for conveying, for instance, dies, comprising: an X-axis moving block movable in an X-axis direction that is a lead frame conveying direction, a Y-axis moving block installed on the X-axis moving block and moved in a Y-axis direction that is perpendicular to the X-axis direction, a nozzle holder installed on the Y-axis moving block so as to be movable upward and downward, a Z-axis guide rail installed on the X-axis moving block and has an inclined part that rises from a die pick-up position side toward a die bonding position side, a Z-axis moving plate moved upward and downward along the Z-axis guide rail and is connected to the nozzle holder, and a suction chucking nozzle that holds the dies by vacuum suction and is installed so as to be moved upward and downward on the nozzle holder and together with the nozzle holder.

Abstract: In measuring the position of a bonding tool accurately in offset correction in a bonding apparatus, the tool is moved to approach a reference member, the tool is illuminated with a reference pattern by a laser diode, and the deviation between the reference member and tool in one horizontal direction is measured based upon the image of the reference pattern projected on the tool. A position detection camera images the tool in another horizontal direction, thus measuring the deviation of the tool and reference member. The position detection camera is moved to approach the reference member, and the deviation between the position detection camera and the reference member is measured by the position detection camera. The accurate offset amounts between the position detection camera and the tool are determined based upon these measured values and amounts of movement of the position detection camera and the tool.

Abstract: A wire bonding apparatus equipped with a chip heating assembly which is installed above a heater block that contains heaters so as to heat the chip portion of a device such as a semiconductor device, and a cooling pipe which is installed in the heater block so as to cool the heater block. The temperature of the bonding surface of the device is maintained by the chip heating assembly at a temperature that allows bonding to be executed while the heater block is cooled by cooling water or a cooling air draft that flows through the cooling pipe so that the temperature of the heater block is maintained at a low temperature that cause no softening of the resin substrate of the device.

Abstract: A wire bonding method for connecting first and second points with a wire, comprising the steps of: connecting the wire to the 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 the capillary obliquely upward toward the second bonding point (and then raising the capillary further), then raising the capillary and performing 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, thus connecting the wire to the second bonding point; thus forming a stable wire loop that has a high shape retention strength.

Abstract: In a flip-chip bonding apparatus, a die inverting device is installed on an optical recognition device so that a vacuum suction chucking nozzle that is provided on the die inverting device can rotate in the direction of a pick-up position and in the direction of a die transfer position in an outside area of an open window of the optical recognition device, so that the bonding apparatus can be compact and has an improved precision of recognition of the amount of positional deviation of the die.

Abstract: So as to obtain constant heights and shapes of a plurality of loops of bonded wires regardless of the position on the semiconductor chip where bonding is performed, the height position of a bonding tool at a bonding point when the first wire is bonded between first and second boding points is taken as a reference bonding position; and during the looping for the remaining wires, the bonding tool is moved in accordance with an amount of movement stored beforehand in the memory with the reference bonding position used as a reference.

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: So as to confirm bonding precision for assuring accurate bonding, a precision confirmation substrate composed of a transparent sheet member and a precision confirmation chip composed of a transparent sheet member are used; and a precision confirmation substrate positioning component for positioning and fixing the precision confirmation substrate is provided on a bonding station, the precision confirmation chip is held by suction to a tool and disposed above the precision confirmation substrate, images of the precision confirmation substrate and precision confirmation chip are detected by an optical probe, the precision confirmation substrate and precision confirmation chip are moved and positioned relative to each other, the precision confirmation chip is then placed on the precision confirmation substrate, and the superimposed precision confirmation substrate and precision confirmation chip are again detected by the optical probe.

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. Byway 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: So as to obtain a stable high-quality shape without being affected by the back tension in a bonding wire, after forming a pin-form wire by a wire bonding apparatus, a capillary of the bonding apparatus, with the formed pin-form wire inside the capillary, is moved along a curved path that has a shape of a bent wire to be formed.

Abstract: In a tray conveying apparatus and method for, for instance, semiconductor parts, a main station and substation which have a tray conveying function are driven slidably in a direction perpendicular to a tray conveying line by a station sliding mechanism. When the preparation of a satisfactory-parts tray is required, the sub-station is positioned on the conveying line, and a satisfactory-parts tray is prepared on this sub-station by means of the exchange of parts, etc. Afterward, both main station and sub-station are caused to slide so that the main station is positioned on the conveying line. In this state, the satisfactory-parts tray is positioned in the vicinity of the conveying line, and a tray on the main station is replenished with satisfactory parts from the satisfactory-parts tray. A table sliding mechanism is further provided that has an upper-stage table, which carries a defective-parts tray, and a lower table, which caries a reclaimable-parts tray.

Abstract: Wire bonding method and apparatus in which axial center of a bonding tool is brought to a reference member, and light-emitting diodes are sequentially lit so that images of the reference member and bonding tool in the X and Y directions are acquired by an offset correction camera. In this way, the amount of deviation between the bonding tool and the reference member is measured. Then, a position detection camera is caused to approach the reference member, and the amount of deviation between the optical axis of the position detection camera and the reference member is measured by the position detection camera. The accurate offset amount are determined on the basis of these measured values and the amounts of movement.

Abstract: So as to achieve accurate detection of the bonding tool position in, for instance, a wire bonding apparatus, the positional relationship between a position detection camera and a reference hole formed in, for instance, a clamper is measured by imaging the reference hole by the position detection camera. The position detection camera and a bonding tool are moved by an XY table, and the tip end of the bonding tool is inserted into the reference hole. Then, the bonding tool is moved in the X and Y directions, and the contact of the bonding tool to an edge of the reference hole is detected based upon changes in the waveform of the ultrasonic vibrations applied to the bonding tool, thus measuring the positional relationship between the tool and the reference hole. The offset amount between the position detection camera and the bonding tool is then determined based upon the measured values and the amounts of movement of the bonding tool between the locations for such measured values.

Abstract: A wire bonding apparatus and method in which an axial center of a bonding tool is moved to the vicinity of a near reference member, laser diodes are sequentially lit, images of the reference member and bonding tool in the horizontal directions are acquired by a position detection camera, and amounts of deviation between the tool and the reference member are measured. Then, the position detection camera is caused to approach the reference member, and amounts of deviation between the optical axis of the position detection camera and the reference member are measured by the position detection camera. The accurate offset amounts are determined from the measured values and amounts of movement. Image light of the tool and reference member is conducted to the position detection camera by prisms and half-mirror, without a camera for detecting the amount of deviation between the tool and reference member.

Abstract: In a wire bonding method for connecting first and second bonding points, after bonding a primary ball to a first bonding point and then the wire to the second bonding point, a secondary ball is formed by electrical charge on a tail end of a wire that extends out of the tip end of a capillary, this secondary ball is ball-bonded to an arbitrary point near the second bonding point, and then the wire is cut so as to leave a tail of wire out of the tip end of the capillary. A primary ball is formed at the end of the tail by electrical discharge and is bonded to a next first bonding point.

Abstract: A wire bonding method and apparatus, in which after the tail of a wire extends out of a capillary, the capillary moves to a measurement position above a tail length measuring member; the capillary descends so that the end of the tail contacts the tail length measuring member; a position of the capillary or a distance by which the capillary is lowered at the time that electrical continuity is established with the tail length measuring member is detected; and the tail length is calculated based upon a height level of the tail length measuring member, the position of the capillary before being lowered for measuring the tail, and the position of the capillary when the wire contacts the tail length measuring member, or upon the height of the capillary above the tail length measuring member before lowering the capillary for measuring the tail, and a distance the capillary is lowered.

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: Method and apparatus for suction-holding a semiconductor pellet on a positioning stage of a bonding apparatus without causing the pellet to be misaligned after positioning thereof including a suction force control device. The suction force control device comprises a suction-switching electromagnetic valve, a suction force-adjusting electromagnetic valve, a vacuum source, a compressed air source and a throttle valve so that a semiconductor pellet is held on a positioning stage by a suction force that is weak enough that a positioning claw can move the semiconductor pellet for positioning; and upon completion of the positioning, the semiconductor pellet is held to the positioning stage by a suction force that is stronger than the weak suction force used for positioning.

Abstract: A method, which is for forming accurate low wire loop shapes or short wire loop shapes which are stable and which have a high shape retention force in devices in which height differences between first and second bonding points are small and the wiring distance is short, including the steps of bonding a ball formed at the end of the wire extending out of the capillary to the first bonding point, raising the capillary while delivering the wire, moving the capillary toward the second bonding point, and then raising the capillary diagonally upward.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for wire bonding that allows easy checking and correction of bonding point coordinates in which upon the registration of the coordinates of fixed points used for alignment in a fixed point standard pattern storage memory and the subsequent registration of the coordinates of bonding points in a bonding point coordinate memory, the coordinates of bonding points and the images of pads or leads obtained by a camera at the time of the registration of the coordinates are both registered in an image data storage memory, so that the registered images are displayed on a monitor in cases where bonding point coordinates are checked or corrected at a later time.