US006299057B1
(12) United States Patent ao) Patent No.: us 6,299,057 Bi
Ball (45) Date of Patent: *Oct. 9,2001
(54) APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CLAMPING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES USING SLIDING FINGER SUPPORTS
(75) Inventor: Michael B. Ball, Boise, ID (US)
(73) Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc., Boise, ID (US)
( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term ol this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
(21) Appl. No.: 09/244,702
(22) Filed: Feb. 4, 1999
Related U.S. Application Data
(63) Continuation of application No. 08/709,639, filed on Sep. 9, 1996, now Pat. No. 5,890,644, which is a continuation-inpart of application No. 08/631,143, filed on Apr. 15, 1996, now Pat. No. 5,673,845, which is a continuation-in-part of application No. 08/597,616, filed on Feb. 6, 1996, now Pat. No. 5,647,528, which is a continuation-in-part of application No. 08/592,058, filed on Jan. 26, 1996.
(51) Int. CI.7 B23K 31/00; B23K 31/02
(52) U.S. CI 228/180.5; 228/6.2; 228/4.5
(58) Field of Search 228/6.2, 49.5,
228/4.5, 180.5
(56) References Cited
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OTHER PUBLICATIONS
"Ultrasonic or Thermosonic Wire Bond Site Stabilization
Clamp," Research Disclosure, Jun. 1986, No. 26622.
Frank P. Incropera et al., "Fundamentals ol Heat and Mass
Transler", Second Edition, pp. 2-12, 1985.
* cited by examiner
Primary Examiner—Patrick Ryan
Assistant Examiner—L. Edmundson
(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Trask Britt
(57) ABSTRACT
An apparatus and method ol supporting lead fingers during a wire bonding process and ol preventing the bonding apparatus and clamping assembly from applying force against the die are available. The present invention includes the use ol a movable arm with a portion that is positionable under a portion ol the lead fingers ol a lead frame during the wire bonding process to provide increased stability ol the lead fingers and prevent the bonding apparatus and clamping assembly from applying force against the die. The present invention also provides for the transler ol heat from the heat block directly to the lead fingers during the wire bonding process. The present invention includes the use ol a clamp for stabilizing lead fingers during the wire bonding process.
10 Claims, 30 Drawing Sheets
