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: 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 providing a z-axis force profile applied to a plurality of bonding locations during a wire bonding operation is provided. The method includes: (a) determining a z-axis force profile for each of a plurality of bonding locations on an unsupported portion of at least one reference semiconductor device; and (b) applying the z-axis force profile during subsequent bonding of a subject semiconductor device. Methods of: determining a maximum bond force applied to a bonding location during formation of a wire bond; and determining a z-axis constant velocity profile for formation of a wire bond, are also provided.

Abstract: A ribbon bonding tool is provided. The ribbon bonding tool includes a body portion including a tip portion, the tip portion defining a working surface. The ribbon bonding tool includes a group of four protrusions extending from the working surface, wherein the working surface defines four quadrants in a horizontal plane by extending an imaginary line at a midpoint along each of a length and a width of the working surface. Each of the four protrusions is arranged in one of four quadrants.

Abstract: A method of operating a wire bonding machine is provided. The method includes the steps of: (a) supporting a substrate on a material handling system of the wire bonding machine; (b) changing a bend profile of the substrate; and (c) securing, after step (b), the substrate against a support structure of the wire bonding machine using a clamping element of the wire bonding machine, the support structure for supporting the substrate during a wire bonding operation, and the clamping element for securing the substrate to the support structure during the wire bonding operation.

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 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 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 method of determining a physical characteristic of an adhesive material on a semiconductor device element using structured light is provided. The method includes the steps of: (1) applying a structured light pattern to an adhesive material on a semiconductor device element; (2) creating an image of the structured light pattern using a camera; and (3) analyzing the image of the structured light pattern to determine a physical characteristic of the adhesive material. Additional methods and systems for determining physical characteristics of semiconductor devices and elements using structured light are also provided.

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 ultrasonically bonding semiconductor elements includes the steps of: (a) aligning surfaces of a plurality of first conductive structures of a first semiconductor element to respective surfaces of a plurality of second conductive structures of a second semiconductor element, wherein the surfaces of each of the plurality of first conductive structures and the plurality of second conductive structures include aluminum; and (b) ultrasonically bonding ones of the first conductive structures to respective ones of the second conductive structures.

Abstract: A method of ultrasonically bonding semiconductor elements includes the steps of: (a) aligning surfaces of a plurality of first conductive structures of a first semiconductor element to respective surfaces of a plurality of second conductive structures of a second semiconductor element; (b) ultrasonically forming tack bonds between ones of the first conductive structures and respective ones of the second conductive structures; and (c) forming completed bonds between the first conductive structures and the second conductive structures.

Abstract: A fluxing system for a bonding machine is provided. The fluxing system includes a flux holder defining a cavity for holding flux, and a fluid source for providing a cooling fluid to cool the flux holder.

Abstract: A method of forming a wire interconnect structure includes the steps of: (a) forming a wire bond at a bonding location on a substrate using a wire bonding tool; (b) extending a length of wire, continuous with the wire bond, to another location; (c) pressing a portion of the length of wire against the other location using the wire bonding tool; (d) moving the wire bonding tool, and the pressed portion of the length of wire, to a position above the wire bond; and (e) separating the length of wire from a wire supply at the pressed portion, thereby providing a wire interconnect structure bonded to the bonding location.

Abstract: A method of providing a z-axis force profile applied to a plurality of bonding locations during a wire bonding operation is provided. The method includes: (a) determining a z-axis force profile for each of a plurality of bonding locations on an unsupported portion of at least one reference semiconductor device; and (b) applying the z-axis force profile during subsequent bonding of a subject semiconductor device. Methods of: determining a maximum bond force applied to a bonding location during formation of a wire bond; and determining a z-axis constant velocity profile for formation of a wire bond, are also provided.

Abstract: A method of aligning a subject tooling element of a material handling system of an ultrasonic bonding system is provided. The method includes the steps of: a) providing an overlay defining a relative position of at least a portion of a reference tooling element; b) viewing an image of at least a portion of the subject tooling element combined with a corresponding portion of the overlay; and c) adjusting a position of at least a portion of the subject tooling element by referring to the overlay in the image.

Abstract: A bond head assembly for bonding a semiconductor element to a substrate is provided. The bond head assembly includes a base structure, a heater, and a clamping system securing the heater to the base structure. The clamping system includes a plurality of elastic elements constraining the heater along a plurality of axes.

Abstract: A ribbon bonding tool is provided. The ribbon bonding tool includes a body portion including a tip portion, the tip portion defining a working surface. The ribbon bonding tool includes a group of four protrusions extending from the working surface, wherein the working surface defines four quadrants in a horizontal plane by extending an imaginary line at a midpoint along each of a length and a width of the working surface. Each of the four protrusions is arranged in one of four quadrants.

Abstract: A method of operating a bonding machine is provided. The method includes the steps of: (a) carrying a semiconductor element with a transfer tool; and (b) transferring the semiconductor element from the transfer tool to a bonding tool of the bonding machine without the transfer tool and the bonding tool contacting the semiconductor element at the same time.

Abstract: A method of ultrasonically bonding semiconductor elements includes the steps of: (a) aligning surfaces of a plurality of first conductive structures of a first semiconductor element to respective surfaces of a plurality of second conductive structures of a second semiconductor element, wherein the surfaces of each of the plurality of first conductive structures and the plurality of second conductive structures include aluminum; and (b) ultrasonically bonding ones of the first conductive structures to respective ones of the second conductive structures.