Pulse vibrator for thermocompression bonding

Claim 2

A thermocompression bonder comprising in combination: a. a base; b. means on said base for holding a microcircuit in position, said microcircuit having a metal contact thereon; c. a bonding tip; d. means on said base for pressing a wire by means of said bonding tip against the metal contact on said microcircuit while heating said wire through said bonding tip to a temperature where a thermocompression bond will result between it and said metal contact; and e. means for inducing a burst of damped subsonic movement between said wire and said contact wherein each vibratory damped movement is smaller than the preceding such movement.

Claim 3

A thermocompression bonder in accordance with claim 1 characterized further in that said means is mounted upon said base and is operative to apply a non-recurring impulse of predetermined strength to said base and through said base to both said tip and said holding means.

Claim 4

A thermocompression bonder comprising in combination: a. a base; b. means on said base for holding a microcircuit in position, said microcircuit having a metal contact thereon; c. a bonding tip; d. means on said base for pressing a wire by means of said bonding tip against the metal contact on said microcircuit while heating said wire through said bonding tip to a temperature where a thermocompression bond will result between it and said metal contact; and e. a weight movably mounted upon said base, a solenoid connected to move said weight in response to energizing current, means for applying a current pulse to said solenoid so as to move said weight, and means for gradually stopping said weight and transferring its kinetic energy to said base.

Claim 5

A thermocompression bonder comprising in combination: a. a base; b. means on said base for holding a microcircuit in position, said microcircuit having a metal contact thereon; c. a bonding tip; d. means on said base for pressing a wire by means of said bonding tip against the metal contact on said microcircuit while heating said wire through said bonding tip to a temperature where a thermocompression bond will result between it and said metal contact; and e. a weight movably mounted upon said base, a solenoid connected to move said weight in response to energizing current, means for applying a current pulse to said solenoid so as to move said weight, and means for gradually stopping said weight and transferring its kinetic energy to said base.

Claim 6

An improved ball bonder comprising: a. a support panel; b. means attached to said panel for securing a microcircuit in place; c. a capillary and means for holding it upon said panel above said securing means; d. a wire extending through said capillary; e. means for forming a ball at the end of said wire; f. means for lowering said capillary so as to cause its tip to press said ball against said microcircuit; g. means for heating said ball while it is being pressed against said microcircuit; and h. means mounted upon said panel for introducing a damped, progressively diminishing subsonic vibratory movement of less than one second''s duration between said wire ball and said microcircuit while the ball is being heated and pressed.

Claim 7

An improved ball bonder comprising: a. a support panel; b. means attached to said panel for securing a microcircuit in place; c. a capillary and means for holding it upon said panel above said securing means; d. a wire extending through said capillary; e. means for forming a ball at the end of said wire; f. means for lowering said capillary so as to cause its tip to press said ball against said microcircuit; g. means for heating said ball while it is being pressed against said microcircuit; and h. means mounted upon said panel for introducing a damped, progressively diminishing subsonic vibratory movement of less than one second''s duration between said wire ball and said microcircuit while the ball is being heated and pressed.

Claim 8

An improved ball bonder comprising: a. a support panel; b. means attached to said panel for securing a microcircuit in place; c. a capillary and means for holding it upon said panel above said securing means; d. a wire extending through said capillary; e. means for forming a ball at the end of said wire; f. means for lowering said capillary so as to cause its tip to press said ball against said microcircuit; g. means for heating said ball while it is being pressed against said microcircuit; and h. a weight movably mounted upon said support panel, a solenoid connected to move said weight in response to energizing current, means for applying a current pulse to said solenoid so as to move said weight, and means for gradually stopping said weight and transferring its kinetic energy to said panel.

Claim 9

An improved ball bonder comprising: a. a support panel; b. means attached to said panel for securing a microcircuit in place; c. a capillary and means for holding it upon said panel above said securing means; d. a wire extending through said capillary; e. means for forming a ball at the end of said wire; f. means for lowering said capillary so as to cause its tip to press said ball against said microcircuit; g. means for heating said ball while it is being pressed against said microcircuit; and h. a weight movably mounted upon said support panel, a solenoid connected to move said weight in response to energizing current, means for applying a current pulse to said solenoid so as to move said weight, and means for gradually stopping said weight and transferring its kinetic energy to said panel.

Claim 10

The ball bonder of claim 5 characterized further in that said weight is slidably mounted upon said panel and in that said means for transferring its kinetic energy includes a stop plate rigidly anchored upon said panel in the path of said weight and a spring between said stop plate and said weight.

Claim 11

In a ball bonder having a pedestal mounted upon a base panel to hold a mircocircuit stationary relative to said panel, a capillary mounted on said base panel above said pedestal with means being provided to feed wire through the capillary, to form a ball at the tip of the wire, to heat the wire ball through the capillary and to press the heated wire ball by means of the capillary against the microcircuit the improvement comprising in combination: a weight movably mounted upon said base panel, a solenoid connected to move said weight in response to energizing current, means for applying a current pulse to said solenoid so as to move said weight, and means for gradually stopping said weight and transferring its kinetic energy to said panel.

Claim 12

In a ball bonder having a pedestal mounted upon a base panel to hold a mircocircuit stationary relative to said panel, a capillary mounted on said base panel above said pedestal with means being provided to feed wire through the capillary, to form a ball at the tip of the wire, to heat the wire ball through the capillary and to press the heated wire ball by means of the capillary against the microcircuit the improvement comprising in combination: a weight movably mounted upon said base panel, a solenoid connected to move said weight in response to energizing current, means for applying a current pulse to said solenoid so as to move said weight, and means for gradually stopping said weight and transferring its kinetic energy to said panel.

Claim 13

The combination of claim 7 characterized further in that said weight is slidably mounted upon said panel and said means for transferring its kinetic energy includes a stopping mEmber rigidly anchored upon said panel in the path of said weight and a spring positioned to cushion the impact of said weight against said stopping member.