K&S, Micrbonds Embark on X Wire R&D
Online Staff -- EDN, July 22, 2005
Kulicke & Soffa Industries, Inc. and Canada's Microbonds Inc. have engaged in a joint process development project to take advantage of Microbonds' proprietary gold wire bonding technology.
The two companies said they will align their respective technological roadmaps to mate the insulated gold wire bonding products and processes, dubbed X-Wire, with K&S' Maxum wire bonders.
Microbonds' X-Wire technology addresses interconnect challenges arising from complex single and stacked die packaging designs associated with the decreasing geometries and increased performance of current ICs, the companies said.
X-Wire technology consists of a proprietary insulated coating applied to bare gold bonding wires, as well as the related assembly technology and special packaging designs, according to the privately-held Microbonds. The technology enables bonding wires to touch without causing an electrical short, which enables high performance/lower cost packages, the company claims.
This engineering effort between the two companies will provide a more integrated and seamless assembly process for customers, according to K&S and Microbonds. Preliminary testing at K&S' R&D facilities in extremely challenging wire bonding applications using the insulated bond wire along with the K&S' Maxum wire bonders have produced successful results with some yield improvements, K&S said.
This project isn't the first joint effort between Microbonds and a backend equipment supplier. The Canadian company has also embarked on a similar effort with Europe's ASM International, and also teamed with Japan's Tanaka Denshi Kogyo, a supplier of gold bonding wires.
