Semiconductor Packaging / Assembly Equipment - Page 1 of 2: Die Attach; Wirebond; Mold

Semiconductor Packaging / Assembly Equipment

Die Attach Equipment

Die attach machines or die bonders (Fig. 1) are used to mount or attach the die to the die pad or die cavity of the support structure of the package. A typical die attach machine consists of a system for holding and indexing the leadframes or packages on which the dice will be mounted, a system for dispensing the die attach material on the die pad or die cavity, and a pick and place system for ejecting a die from the wafer, picking it, and positioning it on the dispensed die attach material. Alphasem, ESEC, and K&S are examples of manufacturers of die bonders. See also Die Attach process.

Figure 1. Examples of Die Bonders

Wirebonders

Wirebond machines or wirebonders are used to connect electrically the die of the device to the leads of the package using very fine wires. A typical wirebonder consists of a system for holding and indexing the leadframes or packages for wirebonding, a system for ensuring that the units are at the right temperature during wirebonding, and a system for connecting the wires from the die to the bonding fingers of the leadframe or bonding posts of the package. ESEC, ASM, Kaijo, and K&S are examples of manufacturers of wirebonders. See also Wirebond process.

Figure 2. Examples of Wirebonders

Molding Equipment

A typical molding equipment for encapsulating integrated circuits consists of a preheating chamber, a plunger system, a melting pot, runners, and molding cavities.

The preheating chamber is where the molding compound is preheated prior to being melted. The plunger system forces the preheated molding compound into the melting pot. The melting pot is where the mold compound reaches melting temperature and becomes fluid. The plunger system also forces the fluid molding compound from the melting pot into the runners. These runners serve as canals where the fluid molding compound travels until it reaches the cavities, which contain the leadframes for encapsulation. Sumitomo, Lauffer, and Towa are examples of manufacturers of molding equipment. See also Molding process.

Figure 3. Example of an Automold system

Deflash/Trim/Form/Singulation (DTFS) Machines

The Deflash (mechanical), Trim, Form, and Singulation of IC packages may be achieved by employing one dedicated machine for each step, or by using one equipment capable of doing all of these steps. Basically, DTFS is a purely mechanical process, so a DTFS machine consists simply of an automated system of punches, blades, strippers, anvils, etc. See also DTFS process.

Figure 4. Example of a Trim/Form/Singulation (TFS) Machine

Solder Plating Machines

A typical automated solder plating machine used for applying lead finish on semiconductor products has the following components: a large non-corroding frame structure for housing the other parts of the equipment, a system or belt for transporting the IC's through the various steps of the lead finish process, a channel through which the products pass while being processed, storage tanks for the chemicals used in the plating process, pumps for effecting the flow requirements of the fluid chemicals, an extractor system for extracting all the gases released from the various sections of the equipment, loading and unloading systems, and an elaborate control system that orchestrates the interaction and operation of these various components.

The lead finish process starts with the equipment's loading system, which places the products on the belt. The belt then transports the units through the channel of the machine, which consists of several sections. It is in these sections that products are subjected to specific electrochemical treatments that deposit the necessary metal layers on the leads of the products.

Pumps are used to bring the chemicals from the storage tanks to the channel sections and to return the used chemicals to the storage tanks through discharge pipes. Gases are continuously released during the plating process, so an extractor is used to continuously remove these gases. After the products have gone through the entire solder plating flow, the unloading system of the equipment places the products back in their appropriate cassettes or carriers. MECO and Technic are examples of manufacturers of solder plating equipment. See also Lead Finish process.

Figure 5. Example of an Electroplating Machine for Lead Finish

IC Manufacturing

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