Abstract: A linear motor is provided, including a moving magnet assembly including (i) a magnet track, (ii) a first plurality of permanent magnets coupled to the magnet track, and (iii) a second plurality of permanent magnets coupled to the magnet track and arranged below the first plurality of permanent magnets. The linear motor also includes a first coil assembly arranged above the moving magnet assembly. The first coil assembly includes a first plurality of teeth having first slots therebetween and a first plurality of coils at least partially disposed in at least a portion of the first slots. The linear motor also includes a second coil assembly arranged below the moving magnet assembly. The second coil assembly includes a second plurality of teeth having second slots therebetween and a second plurality of coils at least partially disposed in at least a portion of the second slots.

Abstract: An ultrasonic welding system is provided. The ultrasonic welding system includes a support structure for supporting a workpiece. The ultrasonic welding system also includes a weld head assembly including an ultrasonic converter carrying a sonotrode. The weld head assembly is moveable along a plurality of substantially horizontal axes. The sonotrode is configured to operate during a welding operation at a bond force of between 5-500 kg, and with a sonotrode tip motion amplitude of between 5-150 microns.

Abstract: A bonding tool for bonding a semiconductor element to a substrate on a bonding machine is provided. The bonding tool includes a body portion including a contact region for contacting the semiconductor element during a bonding process on the bonding machine. The bonding tool also includes a standoff extending from the body portion, and configured to contact the substrate during at least a portion of the bonding process.

Abstract: A system for forming apertures in a flexible film is provided. The system includes a punching tool for forming apertures in a flexible film. The punching tool defines a through hole therethrough. The system also includes a support plate. The punching tool is configured to press the flexible film against the support plate to form the apertures.

Abstract: A bonding machine for bonding semiconductor elements, the bonding machine including: a support structure for supporting a substrate; a bond head assembly, the bond head assembly including a bonding tool configured to bond a plurality of semiconductor elements to the substrate; an alignment structure including first alignment markings; an alignment element configured to be placed on the alignment structure using the bonding tool, the alignment element including second alignment markings; an imaging system configured to image relative positions of the first alignment markings and corresponding ones of the second alignment markings; and a computer system configured to provide an adjustment to a position of at least one of the bonding tool and the support structure during bonding of ones of the plurality of semiconductor elements to the substrate, the computer being configured to provide the adjustment at least partially based on the relative positions of the first alignment markings and the corresponding ones of

Abstract: An ultrasonic welding system is provided. The ultrasonic welding system includes a support structure for supporting a workpiece. The ultrasonic welding system also includes a weld head assembly including an ultrasonic converter carrying a sonotrode. The ultrasonic welding system also includes a z-axis motion system carrying the weld head assembly. The z-axis motion system includes (i) a z-axis forcer for moving the weld head assembly along a z-axis of the ultrasonic welding system, and (ii) a z-axis overtravel mechanism disposed between the z-axis forcer and the weld head assembly.

Abstract: A method of generating a wire loop profile in connection with a semiconductor package is provided. The method includes the steps of: (a) providing package data related to the semiconductor package; and (b) creating a loop profile of a wire loop of the semiconductor package, the loop profile including a tolerance band along at least a portion of a length of the wire loop.

Abstract: A method of forming a wire loop in connection with a semiconductor package is provided. The method includes the steps of: (1) providing package data related to the semiconductor package to a wire bonding machine; (2) providing at least one looping control value related to a desired wire loop to the wire bonding machine, the at least one looping control value including at least a loop height value related to the desired wire loop; (3) deriving looping parameters, using an algorithm, for forming the desired wire loop; (4) forming a first wire loop on the wire bonding machine using the looping parameters derived in step (3); (5) measuring actual looping control values of the first wire loop formed in step (4) corresponding to the at least one looping control value; and (6) comparing the actual looping control values measured in step (5) to the at least one looping control value provided in step (2).

Abstract: A bonding system for bonding a semiconductor element to a substrate is provided. The bonding system includes a substrate oxide reduction chamber configured to receive a substrate. The substrate includes a plurality of first electrically conductive structures. The substrate oxide reduction chamber is configured to receive a reducing gas to contact each of the plurality of first electrically conductive structures. The bonding system also includes a substrate oxide prevention chamber for receiving the substrate after the reducing gas contacts the plurality of first electrically conductive structures. The substrate oxide prevention chamber has an inert environment when receiving the substrate. The bonding system also includes a reducing gas delivery system for providing a reducing gas environment during bonding of a semiconductor element to the substrate.

Abstract: A bonding tool for bonding a semiconductor element to a substrate on a bonding machine is provided. The bonding tool includes a body portion including a contact region for contacting the semiconductor element during a bonding process on the bonding machine. The bonding tool also includes a standoff extending from the body portion, and configured to contact the substrate during at least a portion of the bonding process.

Abstract: A correction mask for an optical beam homogenizer includes a lens array. The correction mask is configured to provide a shaped initial beam profile. A subset of a plurality of optical paths between the incoming light beam and the illumination plane is at least partially blocked by the correction mask to provide a further homogenized beam profile having a further reduced light intensity variance with respect to an initial homogenized beam profile. The mask includes a plurality of submasks arranged according to a mask grid layout matching the lens grid layout of the lens array. Each one of the submasks is designed with a specific submask pattern to shape the respective subarea of the initial beam profile passing a specific one of the lenslets.

Abstract: A bonding tool for bonding a semiconductor element to a substrate on a bonding machine is provided. The bonding tool includes a body portion including a contact region for contacting the semiconductor element during a bonding process on the bonding machine. The body portion defines a non-contact region adjacent the contact region. The bonding tool also includes a heat resistant coating applied to the non-contact region.

Abstract: A system for forming apertures in a flexible film is provided. The system includes a punching tool for forming apertures in a flexible film. The punching tool defines a through hole therethrough. The system also includes a support plate. The punching tool is configured to press the flexible film against the support plate to form the apertures.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer system is provided. The ultrasonic transducer system includes: a transducer mounting structure; a transducer, including at least one mounting flange for coupling the transducer to the transducer mounting structure; and a tuned resonator having a desired resonant frequency, the tuned resonator being integrated with at least one of the transducer mounting structure and the at least one mounting flange.

Abstract: A wedge bonding tool including a body portion including a tip portion is provided. The tip portion includes a working surface configured to contact a wire material during formation of a wedge bond. A plurality of notches are defined by one or more surfaces of the body portion.

Abstract: An ultrasonic welding system is provided. The ultrasonic welding system includes a support structure for supporting a workpiece. The ultrasonic welding system also includes a weld head assembly including an ultrasonic converter carrying a sonotrode. The weld head assembly is moveable along a plurality of substantially horizontal axes. The sonotrode is configured to operate during a welding operation at a bond force of between 5-500 kg, and with a sonotrode tip motion amplitude of between 5-150 microns.

Abstract: A method of bonding a semiconductor element to a substrate includes: carrying a semiconductor element including a plurality of first electrically conductive structures with a bonding tool; supporting a substrate including a plurality of second electrically conductive structures with a support structure; providing a reducing gas in contact with each of the plurality of first conductive structures and the plurality of second conductive structures; establishing contact between corresponding ones of the plurality of first conductive structures and the plurality of second conductive structures; moving at least one of the semiconductor element and the substrate such that the corresponding ones of the plurality of first conductive structures and the plurality of second conductive structures are separated; re-establishing contact between the plurality of first conductive structures and the plurality of second conductive structures; and bonding the plurality of first conductive structures to the respective ones of the

Abstract: A ribbon bonding tool including a body portion is provided. The body portion includes a tip portion. The tip portion includes a working surface between a front edge of the tip portion and a back edge of the tip portion. The working surface includes a region defining at least one of a plurality of recesses and a plurality of protrusions. The working surface also defines at least one of (a) a first planar portion between the region and the front edge of the tip portion, and (b) a second planar portion between the region and the back edge of the tip portion.

Abstract: A method of operating an ultrasonic bonding machine is provided. The method includes the steps of: (a) imaging at least one of (i) a semiconductor element supported by a substrate, and (ii) a clamping structure adapted for securing the substrate during a bonding operation; and (b) determining if a relative position of the semiconductor element and the clamping structure is acceptable using predetermined criteria and information from step (a).

Abstract: A method of determining a bonding status between wire and at least one bonding location of a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes the steps of: (a) bonding a portion of wire to at least one bonding location of a semiconductor device using a bonding tool of a wire bonding machine; and (b) detecting whether another portion of wire engaged with the bonding tool, and separate from the portion of wire, contacts the portion of wire in a predetermined height range, thereby determining if the portion of wire is bonded to the at least one bonding location.