Abstract: A bonding apparatus having an optical system, an imaging element for acquiring an image formed by the optical system as a picture, an illumination unit for illuminating an electronic component, and a control part for processing the image acquired by the imaging element, the control part illuminating the electronic component through a first inclined optical path inclined with respect to the optical axis of a first portion of the optical system facing the electronic component and acquiring a first image, illuminating the electronic component through a second inclined optical path inclined toward the opposite side from the first inclined optical path with respect to the optical axis and acquiring a second image of the electronic component as a subject, and calculating an amount of variation from a reference height of the electronic component on the basis of the positional offset amount between the first image and the second image.

Abstract: A bonding apparatus having an optical system, an imaging element for acquiring an image formed by the optical system as a picture, an illumination unit for illuminating an electronic component, and a control part for processing the image acquired by the imaging element, the control part illuminating the electronic component through a first inclined optical path inclined with respect to the optical axis of a first portion of the optical system facing the electronic component and acquiring a first image, illuminating the electronic component through a second inclined optical path inclined toward the opposite side from the first inclined optical path with respect to the optical axis and acquiring a second image of the electronic component as a subject, and calculating an amount of variation from a reference height of the electronic component on the basis of the positional offset amount between the first image and the second image.

Abstract: A bonding apparatus 10 having a diagonal optical system 30, the bonding apparatus moves a capillary 24 down to a first heightwise position to calculate a position A11 of a tip end portion of the capillary 24 and a position A12 of a tip end portion of the capillary in an image on an imaging plane of the diagonal optical system 30, and similarly moves the capillary 24 down to a further lower second heightwise position to calculate a position A21 of the tip end portion of the capillary 24 and a position A22 of the tip end portion of the capillary in the image on the imaging plane. The bonding apparatus then estimates the position of the landing point of the capillary 24 on a bonding target 8 based on positional data for the four calculated positions A11, A12, A21, and A22, the first heightwise position, and the second heightwise position. With this, it is possible to use the diagonal optical system in the bonding apparatus to further improve positional accuracy in the bonding process.

Abstract: A bonding apparatus 10 having a diagonal optical system 30, the bonding apparatus moves a capillary 24 down to a first heightwise position to calculate a position A11 of a tip end portion of the capillary 24 and a position A12 of a tip end portion of the capillary in an image on an imaging plane of the diagonal optical system 30, and similarly moves the capillary 24 down to a further lower second heightwise position to calculate a position A21 of the tip end portion of the capillary 24 and a position A22 of the tip end portion of the capillary in the image on the imaging plane. The bonding apparatus then estimates the position of the landing point of the capillary 24 on a bonding target 8 based on positional data for the four calculated positions A11, A12, A21, and A22, the first heightwise position, and the second heightwise position. With this, it is possible to use the diagonal optical system in the bonding apparatus to further improve positional accuracy in the bonding process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for inspecting bends in wires bonded between, for instance, pads of semiconductor chips and leads of lead frames using detection ranges established within imaging ranges in which images of bends are taken. Imaging range areas are established by dividing the distance between a first bonding point and a second bonding point of a target wire by the width of the detection range, and the wire bend is then detected in the respective imaging range areas.

Abstract: Workpieces in which, for example, wire bonding has been performed are inspected to determine if they are defective or not by an inspection device. Workpieces which have been found to be defective are conveyed to one workpiece magazine and workpieces which have been found to be defect-free are conveyed to another workpiece magazine, thus defective and non-defective workpieces are separated immediately after inspection.

Abstract: A method for evaluating the height of a wire bonded between a semiconductor chip and a lead frame including the steps of: investigating the correlation between wire height and wire width beforehand by shifting the focusing level of an optical system, setting a detection level which is the focusing level of the optical system based upon an upper limit level and a lower limit level which are to be the standard levels for the height of the wire to be detected. The acceptability of the height of the wire is judged by ascertaining whether or not the imaged width of the wire is within the wire width range which is between the upper and lower limit levels of the correlation between the wire height and the wire width.

Abstract: The height of a wire bonded between a semiconductor chip and a lead frame being determined using an illumination from circularly arranged LED's installed in a low-angle illuminating device. The angle of the illumination is set at seven (7) to twelve (12) degrees, preferably at ten (10) degrees, with respect to a horizontal plane, and a focal depth of an optical device is set to be shallow, thus letting a dark area appear in the central portion of the wire at the focal point of the optical system.