Microscope and tool for mechanically and/or electrically connecting a semiconductor device to a substrate

Claim 1

An apparatus for connecting a semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor body and terminal leads which project laterally from said body, to a substrate on which current conductors are present, said apparatus comprising a first support member, a chisel holder supported by said first support member, a substantially opaque chisel element connected to said chisel holder, said chisel element and said chisel holder consisting of two separate parts and defining a spherical connection surface therebetween, the center of the sphere being in the lower surface of said chisel element, said apparatus further comprising a resilient element located within said chisel holder and urging said chisel element against said connection surface of said chisel holder, said chisel element being constructed to receive and hold the semiconductor device such that its terminal leads project laterally beyond the chisel element boundaries, a second support member for supporting said substrate, means for positioning said chisel element with respect to said second support member, a microscope for observing said positioning, and means for moving said first support member, chisel holder, and chisel element substantially axially toward said second support member and for maintaining said chisel element in contact with all of said terminal leads during said connecting operation, said microscope being located above said chisel holder so that the microscope optical axis substantially coincides with the axis of said chisel holder, said microscope having a field whose depth includes both the lower surface of said chisel element and the upper surface of said substrate, said chisel holder being located entirely within said field of said microscope and said chisel holder and said first support member having respective crosssectional areas occupying less than the total area of said field, whereby all the projecting leads of the device are observable through the microscope when the device body is held by the chisel element.

Claim 2

An apparatus for connecting a semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor body and terminal leads which project laterally from said body, to a substrate on which current conductors are present, said apparatus comprising a first support member, a chisel holder supported by said first support member, a substantially opaque chisel element connected to said chisel holder, said chisel element and said chisel holder consisting of two separate parts and defining a spherical connection surface therebetween, the center of the sphere being in the lower surface of said chisel element, said apparatus further comprising a resilient element located within said chisel holder and urging said chisel element against said connection surface of said chisel holder, said chisel element being constructed to receive and hold the semiconductor device such that its terminal leads project laterally beyond the chisel element boundaries, a second support member for supporting said substrate, means for positioning said chisel element with respect to said second support member, a microscope for observing said positioning, and means for moving said first support member, chisel holder, and chisel element substantially axially toward said second support member and for maintaining said chisel element in contact with all of said terminal leads during said connecting operation, said microscope being located above said chisel holder so that the microscope optical axis substantially coincides with the axis of said chisel holder, said microscope having a field whose depth includes both the lower surface of said chisel element and the upper surface of said substrate, said chisel holder being located entirely within said field of said microscope and said chisel holder and said first support member having respective crosssectional areas occupying less than the total area of said field, whereby all the projecting leads of the device are observable through the microscope when the device body is held by the chisel element.