Advanced ceramics in wire bonding capillaries for semiconductor package technology

The ultra precision technology will take a key role in future manufacturing systems in gold wire bonding capillary for semiconductor package technologies industries, so that much more efforts are needed to meet the future demands of semiconductor industries. Due to their high modulus and hardness, low density and resistance to high temperature and corrosive environment, there is a great interest in using ceramics in demanding structural applications such as bonding capillary, optical lens body, and LC (liquid crystal) nozzle, where their use would result in long life, operation at high temperatures and weight saving. The microstructure of ZrO2 toughened Al2O3 ceramics and Al2O3–Cr2O3 ceramics (ruby) were carefully controlled so as to obtain dense and fine-grained ceramics, thereby improving the properties and reliability of the ceramics for capillary applications in semiconductor bonding technology. The composites were produced via ceramic injection molding technology, followed by sintering/hot isostatic pressing (HIP). Room temperature strength, hardness, Young's modulus, thermal expansion coefficient and toughness were determined, as well as surface strengthening induced by the fine-grained homogenous microstructure and the thermal treatment. The changes in microstructure grain size, sintering condition and HIP treatment were found to be correlated.