WCA September 2009

news

SOMA’s focus on systems for fine wire drawing, annealing, measuring, and rewinding, is expanding to copper bonding wire. Copper is viewed as a viable replacement for gold bonding wire. Intense price pressure in ever-cheaper consumer electronics has driven solutions for copper bond wire in a growing number of chip applications. Copper bonding wire is forecast at 50% compound growth, replacing up to US$1 billion of gold wire over the next five years in the expanding semiconductor market. Bare copper bonding wire (of around 20μm diameter) requires a fully annealed final condition, and has stringent criteria for surface quality and negligible oxidation. SOMA has standard and customised fine wire solutions for such copper applications. Machine design technology, software, and set-up are all critical to the high speed drawing of copper bonding wire, using wet or dry capstan designs depending on the diameter range. Process and production are moni- tored on-line, and machine software can be serviced remotely. Copper bonding wire annealing and spooling are particularly challeng- ing for negligible oxidation, maxi- mum softness, and surface quality preservation. High run speed is critical for the best return on floor space and machine investment in any fine wire process step. SOMA’s proven high speed PC control systems and annealing oven designs provide precise tension control, lowest oxidation, and best wind quality. SOMA AG – Switzerland Fax : +41 44 938 9838 Email : info@somafinewire.ch Website : www.somafinewire.ch Serving the copper bonding wire market

❍ Ultra fine copper wire drawing operation

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Wire & Cable ASIA – September/October 2009