December 2024
Copper Bond Wire

Take a look at some of our most frequently asked questions:
Q: Why do manufacturers use copper bond wire?
A: Copper bond wires provide:
- Lower price
- Better electrical and thermal properties
- Higher bond break force
- Copper has a higher elongation than gold which means copper can withstand plastic deformation longer
Q: What are some concerns associated with copper bond wires?
A: Concerns include:
- Easily oxides in air - typically requires N2 or special flow of forming gas during manufacturing
- Cu is harder - requires an optimal bonding process
- Quality/Reliability concerns:
- Bond pad aluminum deformation (splash)/cratering/cracks under the bond Cu ball bond interface corrosion
- IMC (intermetallic dielectric) cracking
- Peeling of the bond pad interface - bond lifting is a major reliability concern
- Typically halogen free special molding compound required for Cu wire products to prevent corrosion of wires
Q: What are the issues with decapsulation of a copper bond wire part?
A: Acid will dissolve the copper bond wire very quickly unlike gold or aluminum wires. A special decapsulation technique is need for decapsulation of copper bond wire parts.
Q: What are the best practices for decaping a copper bond wire plastic part?
A: Take the following into consideration:
- It is best to use laser ablation followed by minimal acid to decapa copper bond part
- It is recommended that before the laser ablation process, smaller dimension devices may need to be mounted on an appropriate substrate of media
- It is recommended to pre-bake the device right before laser ablation at some elevated temperature
- Knowing the material composition and construction of the device before laser ablation is immensely helpful
- It is considered to be a best practice to understand the recipe of decapsulation as it will vary package type by package type.
Have more questions? Let us know: sales_inquiry@integra-tech.com