Pneumatic leadwire bond tester

Claim 2

Structure as in claim 1 in which said means for releasing comprises; a solenoid actuated by switching means; and valve means connected to said solenoid, for opening and closing the exit port from said reservoir in response to a signal through said solenoid from said switching means.

Claim 3

Structure as in claim 1 in which said nozzle has a circular inside cross section and comprises both a straight portion containing a selected inside diameter and a converging portion, the inside diameter of which reduces from the inside diameter of said straight portion to a much smaller diameter at the exit area from said nozzle.

Claim 4

Structure as in claim 4 in which the inside diameter of said converging portion of said nozzle decreases in steps from the inside diameter of said straight portion to the inside diameter of said exit area.

Claim 5

Structure as in claim 4 in which the inside diameter of said nozzle decreases continuously from the inside diameter of said straight portion to the inside diameter of said exit area.

Claim 6

Structure as in claim 4 in which the inside diameter of said straight portion of said nozzle is approximately 90 mils and in which the inside diameter of said exit area of said converging portion of said nozzle is approximately 20 mils.

Claim 7

Structure as in claim 4 in which said reservoir has a capacity of about 0.33 cubic inches.

Claim 8

Structure as in claim 8 in which said gas is stored in said reservoir at a pressure of about 65 p.s.i.g.

Claim 9

Structure as in claim 9 in which said gas is released from said reservoir for a period such that the force on said wire is greater than about 1.5 grams for a duration of about 50 milliseconds.

Claim 10

Structure as in claim 1 in which said tester is mounted on a semiconductor wire bonding machine and said means for releasing is operated by the bonding machine''s programming mechanism to release for said selected duration said pulse of gas from said reservoir upon completion of both bonds between said leadwire, said semiconductor die, and the corresponding semiconductor package lead thereby to test said bonds immediately after said bonds are made and before the next leadwire, if any, is bonded between said semicondUctor die and the next corresponding semiconductor package lead.

Claim 11

The process of bonding a leadwire to a semiconductor die and to a corresponding semiconductor package lead which comprises: placing on a bonding machine a part of semiconductor package containing an exposed semiconductor die together with package leads to which contact pads on said die are to be connected by leadwires; placing the bonding tool in a dwell position while the first contact pad to which the leadwire is to be bonded is located beneath said tool; bonding the first end of said leadwire to said contact pad; moving said tool to a reset position while said semiconductor package part containing said semiconductor die is moved to a new position beneath said tool; moving said tool to a dwell position while said package lead to which the other end of said leadwire is to be bonded is located accurately beneath said tool; bonding the second end of said leadwire to said corresponding semiconductor package lead; and passing a pulse of air past said bonded leadwire to test the strength of said bonds between said leadwire, said contact pad on said semiconductor die, and said semiconductor package lead.

Claim 12

The process of claim 12 including after bonding the first end of said leadwire to said contact pad, the additional step of testing the strength of the resulting bond by passing a selected duration pulse of gas past said wire thereby to create pull forces on said wire and said bond.

Claim 13

In combination means for bonding a leadwire to a semiconductor die and to a semiconductor package lead; and means for selectively directing a gas pulse across said leadwire, thereby to create drag forces on said leadwire to test the strength of the bonds between said leadwire, said semiconductor die and said semiconductor package lead.