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- 01 Sep, 2025
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As semiconductor devices continue to shrink in size and grow in complexity, driven by applications in artificial intelligence, edge computing, and wearable technology, packaging technologies must keep pace. Three dimensional integration and advanced architectures now require finer wires and smaller bond pads, increasing mechanical stress on bonding tools.
While flip chip methods are used in some high-density applications, they often fall short in areas such as reworkability and thermal tolerance. Wire bonding remains the dominant interconnect method due to its flexibility, lower cost, and suitability for mass production.
However, the shift toward miniaturization introduces new mechanical challenges. One of the most critical is tool wear. As bonding tools come into frequent contact with abrasive wire materials, their surfaces degrade rapidly. This leads to increased downtime, frequent tool replacements, and inconsistent bond quality. Addressing this issue is essential to maintaining high efficiency and stable yield in production.
What is Wire Bonding?
Wire bonding is a method used to create electrical connections between a semiconductor die and its package using extremely fine wires made from gold, copper, or aluminum. It is widely applied in CPUs, memory devices, and sensors. The main steps include:
- Ball bonding using heat and pressure to form the initial contact
- Wedge bonding with ultrasonic energy to secure the wire to the substrate
- Loop formation to prevent short circuits and maintain spacing
More than 75 % of semiconductor devices still rely on wire bonding because of its adaptability, cost-effectiveness, and ability to support a wide variety of applications.
Current Key Challenges in Wire Bonding
As packaging scales down, several challenges arise that impact yield and reliability:
| Challenge | Impact |
| Tool Wear | Abrasive wires degrade capillaries, increasing tool changes and downtime |
| Contamination | Particle adhesion reduces yield by up to 30 %. |
| Thermal Stress | Elevated temperatures soften tools, causing misalignment |
| ESD Damage | Electrostatic discharge can introduce latent defects |
Among these, tool wear has the most direct effect on operational efficiency and long-term cost.
Why Conventional Coatings Fail
Traditional tool coatings often cannot withstand the rigors of modern bonding demands. Many lack the hardness or durability needed to prevent early wear. A comparison of common coatings is shown below:
| Coating Types | Pros | Cons | Failure Issues |
| Conventional DLC | Moderate wear resistance | Low hardness (15 GPa) | Prone to cracking and delamination |
| Palladium-Coated Cu | Oxidation resistance | Inconsistent bonding quality | Gaps in interface reliability |
| Gold (Au) | High electrical conductivity | Accelerated intermetallic growth | Leads to mechanical failure |
| Bare Copper (Cu) | Low cost | Easily oxidized | Surface damage and weak bonds |
The industry needs a tougher, longer-lasting coating to reduce tool wear and increase production efficiency.
TAC-ON®: Enhanced Wire Bonding’s Precision
NTI Nanofilm’s TAC-ON® coating is a next-generation diamond-like carbon solution developed to extend tool life in wire bonding operations. It offers exceptional hardness and smoothness while maintaining high thermal and electrical stability.
| Problem | TAC-ON® Solution | Impact |
| Tool Wear | Hardness of 40 GPa (2.5 X stronger than conventional DLC) | Tool lifespan extended by 3 to 5 X |
| Contamination | Ultra-smooth surface (Ra less than 0.1 nm) | Yield improved by 30% |
| Thermal Stress | High thermal stability up to 600 degrees Celsius | Maintains consistent alignment |
| ESD Damage | Anti-static properties (10⁵ to 10⁹ ohms per square) | Over 80 % reduction in ESD failures |
TAC-ON® vs. Conventional Solutions
| Metric | TAC-ON® | Conventional | Improvement |
| Tool Lifespan | 3 to 5 X longer | Standard lifespan | 75 % fewer replacements |
| Yield | 98% | 68% | 30% increase |
| ESD Failures | <5% | 25% | 80% reduction |
Conclusion
Tool wear is one of the most persistent bottlenecks in modern wire bonding. It reduces productivity, increases tool costs, and disrupts yield stability. NTI Nanofilm’s TAC-ON® coating directly addresses this challenge with a diamond-like carbon layer that significantly improves hardness, durability, and operational lifespan.
By reducing tool changes, extending capillary life, and maintaining process consistency, TAC-ON® enables manufacturers to optimize throughput and reduce operating costs. In the age of semiconductor miniaturization, precision coatings like TAC-ON® are essential for achieving sustainable production performance in wire bonding.