Bonding device

Abstract

This bonding device comprises: a notch generation unit that moves a first blade and a second blade, which are in a spaced-apart state, toward a wire fed from a capillary from a direction intersecting the feeding direction, brings the first blade and the second blade closer to each other, and causes the first blade and the second blade to contact the wire to form a notch on the wire; and a pin wire formation unit that grips and pulls the wire with a clamper in a state where the tip-end part of the wire is bonded to a bonding object, thereby cutting the wire at the notch and forming a pin wire on the bonding object. At least one of the first blade and the second blade has a tapered part formed such that the spacing therebetween decreases in a wire insertion direction.

Description

Bonding Equipment

[0001] The present invention relates to a bonding apparatus.

[0002] Bonding devices are known that form pin wires at predetermined positions on substrates, wafers, lead frames, and the like as bonding targets. A pin wire is a wire ball that has been crushed after being bonded to a bonding target, with a length of, for example, about 100 to 500 μm remaining and protruding from the wire. Various methods have been developed for forming pin wires, and one known method involves forming a free air ball at the tip of the wire and then making a cut, such as a scratch or a dent, in the middle of the wire using a cutter or the like (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-160566

[0004] The diameter of the wire generally used in bonding equipment is very small, and it is practically difficult to form a notch on its surface. Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for simply inserting a cutter to close the wire, but does not mention a specific method for achieving this.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and provides a bonding apparatus that can properly form pin wires.

[0006] A bonding apparatus in a first aspect of the present invention includes a notch generating unit that moves a first blade and a second blade, which are spaced apart from each other in a direction intersecting the payout direction, toward the wire as it is paid out from the capillary, bringing the first blade and the second blade closer together and bringing them into contact with the wire, thereby forming an notch in the wire, and a pin wire forming unit that grips and pulls the wire with a clamper while the tip of the wire is bonded to the bonding target, thereby cutting the wire at the notch and forming a pin wire on the bonding target, and at least one of the first blade and the second blade has a tapered portion that is formed so that the distance between them narrows toward the direction of wire insertion.

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a bonding apparatus that can properly form pin wires.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a bonding apparatus according to the present embodiment as seen from the side; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a bonding apparatus according to the present embodiment as seen from above; FIG. 3 is a system configuration diagram of the bonding apparatus; FIG. 4 is a process diagram showing a procedure for forming a pin wire; FIG. 5 is a diagram explaining adjustment of the payout amount of a bonding apparatus according to a first modified example; FIG. 6 is a process diagram showing a procedure for forming a pin wire of a bonding apparatus according to a second modified example; FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of cutting scissors in which the outer cutter and inner cutter are separated; and FIG. 8 is a diagram showing how the outer cutter and inner cutter in the separated state are moved in the direction of the wire.

[0009] The present invention will be described below through embodiments of the invention, but the invention according to the claims is not limited to the following embodiments. Furthermore, not all of the configurations described in the embodiments are necessarily essential as means for solving the problems.

[0010] Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of a bonding apparatus 100 according to this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a schematic top view of the same bonding apparatus 100. The illustrated bonding apparatus 100 has a simplified structure and mechanism for ease of understanding, elements have different sizes and shapes from those of the actual apparatus, and elements not directly related to the characteristic elements of this embodiment are omitted, but this is not intended to show any differences from the actual bonding apparatus.

[0011] The bonding apparatus 100 is an apparatus for forming pin wires at predetermined positions on a substrate, wafer, lead frame, or the like as a bonding target. FIG. 1 shows a state in which a pin wire 310 is formed on an electrode pad 321 on a substrate 320, which is the bonding target. The substrate 320 is fixed to the upper surface of a stage 170. In this embodiment, as shown by the coordinate axes in the figure, the vertical axis is the Z axis and the horizontal plane is the XY plane. The upper surface of the stage is parallel to the XY plane.

[0012] The XY table 160 is displaced in the XY plane direction relative to the upper surface of the stage 170 by driving a part of the actuator 150. The support base 161 is fixed to the XY table 160, and directly or indirectly supports mainly the torch 111, the capillary 112, the transducer 113, the Z rotation mechanism 114, the cutting scissors 121, the support arm 122, the slide mechanism 123, the first clamper 131, the second clamper 132, and the imaging unit 140.

[0013] The torch 111 has a discharge electrode at its tip. As will be described in detail later, when a voltage is applied to the discharge electrode, the torch 111 forms a molten free air ball (FAB) at the tip of the wire 300 that is unwound from the tip of the capillary 112. A specific procedure for generating the FAB will be described later. The capillary 112 guides the wire 300 and supplies it to the electrode pad 321, and during bonding, its tip presses the wire 300 against the electrode pad 321. During bonding, the transducer 113 applies ultrasonic vibrations to the vicinity of the tip of the wire 300 via the capillary 112, thereby bonding the FAB to the electrode pad 321. The transducer 113 may also apply heat to the FAB.

[0014] The first clamper 131 has a hand that clamps the wire 300 above the capillary 112, and clamps and releases the wire 300 under the control of the bonding apparatus 100. The capillary 112, the transducer 113, and the first clamper 131 are supported by a Z rotation mechanism 114. The Z rotation mechanism 114 is supported at its base end by a support base 161, and is displaced in the Z-axis direction relative to the support base 161 when a part of the actuator 150 is driven. That is, the capillary 112, the transducer 113, and the first clamper 131 can move closer to or farther away from the surface of the stage 170 in accordance with the operation of the Z rotation mechanism 114.

[0015] The second clamper 132 is disposed above the first clamper 131, has a hand that clamps the wire 300 like the first clamper 131, and clamps and releases the wire 300 under the control of the bonding apparatus 100. The second clamper 132 is supported and fixed to the support base 161, and the position at which it clamps and releases the wire 300 is a fixed height from the surface of the stage 170. The wire 300 is supplied from a wire supply unit (not shown) that includes a tensioner and a rotating spool. The material of the wire 300 may be, for example, gold wire, silver wire, copper wire, or the like.

[0016] The cutting scissors 121 are scissors for forming cuts in the wire 300, and include an outer blade 121a as a first blade and an inner blade 121b as a second blade. The outer blade 121a and the inner blade 121b are arranged opposite each other, and move toward or away from each other when a part of the actuator 150 is driven. When they are close together, the distance between the outer blade 121a and the inner blade 121b is smaller than the diameter of the wire 300, and when they are apart, the distance between the outer blade 121a and the inner blade 121b is larger than the diameter of the wire 300. The cuts formed in the wire 300 are scratches or dents, and when pulled from both sides, tensile stress concentrates, causing the wire 300 to break.

[0017] The cutting scissors 121 are supported at their base end by a support arm 122, and the support arm 122 is supported at its base end by a slide mechanism 123. The slide mechanism 123 is displaced horizontally relative to the support base 161 when a portion of the actuator 150 is driven. This horizontal displacement realizes the operation of inserting the separated outer cutter 121a and inner cutter 121b into the wire 300 being paid out from the capillary 112 so as to sandwich the wire 300 in a direction perpendicular to the payout direction (horizontal in this embodiment), and withdrawing the wire 300 in the opposite direction. Note that in this embodiment, the outer cutter 121a and inner cutter 121b are inserted and withdrawn in a direction perpendicular to the payout direction, but the insertion and withdrawal direction may be any direction intersecting the payout direction of the wire 300.

[0018] The imaging unit 140 includes an imaging element that outputs an image signal, and an optical system that forms an image of the substrate 320 on the imaging element. The bonding apparatus 100 recognizes the position of the substrate 320 and the like using the image signal output by the imaging unit 140, and displaces the XY table 160 and the like.

[0019] 3 is a system configuration diagram of the bonding apparatus 100. The control system of the bonding apparatus 100 is mainly composed of an arithmetic processing unit 190, a memory unit 220, an input / output device 230, a torch 111, a transducer 113, an imaging unit 140, and an actuator 150. Elements that require displacement, such as the cutting scissors 121, the first clamper 131, and the second clamper 132, are driven by corresponding actuators among the actuators 150 provided in the bonding apparatus 100.

[0020] The arithmetic processing unit 190 is a processor (CPU: Central Processing Unit) that controls the bonding apparatus 100 and executes programs. The processor may be configured to work in conjunction with an arithmetic processing chip such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The arithmetic processing unit 190 reads out the control programs stored in the storage unit 220 and executes various processes related to bonding.

[0021] The storage unit 220 is a non-volatile storage medium, and is configured, for example, by a hard disk drive (HDD). The storage unit 220 can store various parameter values, functions, lookup tables, and the like used for control and calculation, in addition to programs that execute control and processing of the bonding apparatus 100. The input / output device 230 includes, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, and a display monitor, and is a device that accepts menu operations by an operator and presents information to the operator. For example, the calculation processing unit 190 may display an image acquired from the imaging unit 140 on a display monitor, which is one of the input / output devices 230.

[0022] The torch 111 applies a voltage to the electrode when it receives a discharge instruction signal from the arithmetic processing unit 190. When the voltage is applied to the electrode, an arc discharge occurs between the electrode and the tip of the wire, and an FAB is formed at the tip of the wire 300. When the transducer 113 receives a vibration signal from the arithmetic processing unit 190, it vibrates the vibrator. The ultrasonic vibrations generated by the transducer 113 contribute to joining the wire 300.

[0023] The imaging unit 140 receives an imaging request signal from the arithmetic processing unit 190, performs imaging, and transmits the image output by the imaging element as an image signal to the arithmetic processing unit 190. The actuator 150 receives a drive signal from the arithmetic processing unit 190, and opens and closes the cutting scissors 121, the first clamper 131, and the second clamper 132, or displaces other elements.

[0024] The arithmetic processing unit 190 also serves as a functional calculation unit that executes various calculations in response to processing instructed by a control program. The arithmetic processing unit 190 can function as a FAB generation unit 191, a slit generation unit 192, a feed amount adjustment unit 193, and a pin wire formation unit 194. The FAB generation unit 191 controls the torch 111 to generate a FAB at the tip of the wire 300. The slit generation unit 192 controls the actuator 150 to move the outer blade 121a and inner blade 121b, which are spaced apart from the horizontal direction, toward the wire 300 fed out of the capillary 112, inserting the wire so that the wire passes between them, and then bringing them closer together and bringing them into contact with the wire 300 to form a slit in the wire 300. The feed amount adjustment unit 193 controls the actuator 150 to adjust the length of the wire 300 fed out of the capillary 112. The pin wire forming unit 194 controls the actuator 150 to grasp and pull the wire 300 with the first clamper 131 or the second clamper 132 while the tip of the wire 300 is bonded to the substrate 320 (more precisely, the electrode pad 321), thereby cutting the wire 300 at the formed notch and forming a pin wire 310 on the substrate 320.

[0025] 4A to 4K are process diagrams showing the procedure for forming the pin wire 310. The steps are arranged in order, and will be described below in that order. Each of the drawings in FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the essential parts as viewed from the direction A shown in FIG. 2.

[0026] 4A shows the initial state of the process, in which the wire 300 has been paid out by a set payout amount from the tip of the capillary 112. After the wire 300 has been paid out from the tip of the capillary 112, the payout amount adjustment unit 193 keeps the first clamper 131 in a clamped state (gripped state) so that the wire 300 is not pulled back by a tensioner (not shown). At this time, the tip of the wire 300, which has been paid out by the set payout amount, is located near the tip of the torch 111 where the electrode is provided.

[0027] 4(b), the FAB generating unit 191 applies a voltage to the torch 111, generating an arc discharge between the electrode and the wire tip, thereby generating a FAB 300a. Once the FAB is formed at the tip of the wire 300, the notch generating unit 192 takes over the process. As shown in FIG. 4(c), the notch generating unit 192 transitions the first clamper 131 from the clamping state to a release state (a non-gripping state), and uses the tensioner's retraction force to pull up the generated FAB 300a and bring it into contact with the tip of the capillary 112.

[0028] Next, the notch generating unit 192 displaces the Z rotation mechanism 114 to pull down the capillary 112 by a preset pull-down amount, as shown in Fig. 4(d) . At this time, the FAB 300a is pulled down together with the capillary 112 because the second clamper 132 remains in the dissociated state.

[0029] 4(e), the notch generating unit 192 first transitions the second clamper 132 to a clamping state while leaving the first clamper 131 in a released state, and pulls up the capillary 112 by a preset pull-up amount. As a result, the capillary 112 moves away from the FAB 300a while the wire 300 remains stationary, and the wire 300 is unwound from the tip of the capillary 112 by the pull-up amount.

[0030] Thereafter, the incision generating unit 192 displaces the slide mechanism 123 to insert the outer blade 121a and the inner blade 121b horizontally into the unwound wire 300. At this time, the outer blade 121a and the inner blade 121b are spaced apart by a distance greater than the diameter of the wire 300. As shown in FIG. 4(e), the amount by which the capillary 112 is pulled down in FIG. 4(d) is determined so that the distance from the upper end of the lowered FAB 300a to the center line of the outer blade 121a and the inner blade 121b is a set value Ph. The amount by which the capillary 112 is pulled up in FIG. 4(e) is determined so that the distance from the upper end to the center line of the outer blade 121a and the inner blade 121b to the tip of the capillary 112 is a set value Sh.

[0031] Next, as shown in FIG. 4( f), the incision generating unit 192 operates the actuator 150 to bring the outer blade 121a and the inner blade 121b closer to each other and bring them into contact with the wire 300. When the outer blade 121a and the inner blade 121b are brought into contact with each other, the distance between them is smaller than the diameter of the wire 300 but is large enough to prevent the wire 300 from being cut. As shown in FIG. 4( f), the inner blade 121b has a blade portion for forming the incision (e.g., a cutting blade where two surfaces intersect at an acute angle), whereas the outer blade 121a does not have a blade portion but has a contact surface that contacts the wire 300 (e.g., a flat surface that contacts the wire 300 perpendicularly). In this embodiment, by configuring the outer blade 121a and the inner blade 121b in this manner, the possibility of cutting the thin wire 300 before bonding to the electrode pad 321 is reduced. Alternatively, the inner blade 121b may have a contact surface and the outer blade 121a may have a blade portion.

[0032] 4(g), the notch generating unit 192 separates the outer blade 121a and the inner blade 121b by operating the actuator 150. A notch 300b is formed in the wire 300. After forming the notch 300b, the notch generating unit 192 moves the outer blade 121a and the inner blade 121b to a standby position so as not to interfere with the subsequent downward movement of the capillary 112.

[0033] Next, the pin wire forming unit 194 takes over the process, and as shown in FIG. 4( h), the pin wire forming unit 194 transitions the second clamper 132 to a dissociated state and pulls back the wire 300 until the FAB 300a contacts the tip of the capillary 112. Then, as shown in FIG. 4( i), the capillary 112 is lowered with the FAB 300a in contact with the tip of the capillary 112, and the FAB 300a is pressed against the electrode pad 321. In this state, the transducer 113 is vibrated, and the crushed FAB 300a is fixed to the electrode pad 321.

[0034] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 4( j), the notch generating unit 192 displaces the Z-rotation mechanism 114 while keeping the first clamper 131 in the disengaged state, thereby lifting the capillary 112 to a preset height. Then, as shown in FIG. 4( k), the first clamper 131 transitions to a clamped state, and the capillary 112 is further lifted. The wire 300 breaks at the notch 300 b, and a pin wire 310 is formed on the electrode pad 321. At this time, the length of the remaining protruding wire 300 becomes Ph, which was adjusted in the steps shown in FIGS. 4( d) and 4( e). That is, the wire 300 with the FAB 300 a formed thereon is first pulled back to the tip of the capillary 112, and then the displacement of the Z-rotation mechanism 114 is controlled to pay out the wire 300 so that the tip of the capillary 112 presses down the FAB 300 a. This allows for accurate adjustment of the payout amount. Therefore, by forming the pin wire 310 through these steps, the protrusion amount of the wire 300 can be adjusted to a set length. In other words, the pin wire 310 can be formed appropriately.

[0035] Next, several modified examples of this embodiment will be described. Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating the adjustment of the payout amount of a bonding device according to a first modified example. The bonding device according to the first modified example includes a prism 141 and an advancing / retracting mechanism for advancing and retracting the prism 141.

[0036] As described above, the imaging unit 140 images the substrate 320, but in the bonding apparatus according to the first modification, by inserting the prism 141 into the imaging optical path, it is also possible to image the wire 300 paid out from the tip of the capillary 112. Specifically, it is possible to image at least the wire 300 (length Th) paid out from the tip of the capillary 112, the FAB 300a, and the formed notch 300b in the steps shown in Figures 4(d) to 4(g).

[0037] In this way, the FAB generation unit 191 can analyze the captured images to evaluate whether the FAB 300a was properly generated. Similarly, the notch generation unit 192 can analyze the captured images to evaluate whether the notch 300b was properly generated. Depending on the evaluation results, measures such as suspending subsequent processes can be taken. Furthermore, the payout amount adjustment unit 193 can precisely adjust the lengths of Sh and Ph by sequentially acquiring images captured during the wire 300 payout process. In the bonding apparatus according to the first modified example, the prism 141 is provided with a retractable mechanism, and a switching unit is configured to switch the imaging direction between imaging the notch 300b and the substrate 320 to be bonded. However, a configuration without a switching unit and including separate imaging units for imaging each of the images may also be used.

[0038] 6 is a process diagram showing the procedure for forming a pin wire in a bonding apparatus according to a second modified example. In the above-described embodiment, the FAB generation unit 191 generates an FAB 300a at the tip of the wire 300, and then the feed amount adjustment unit 193 adjusts the length of the wire 300 fed out of the capillary 112 in that state, and then the notch generation unit 192 generates the notch 300b. In the bonding apparatus according to the second modified example, the feed amount adjustment unit 193 adjusts the length of the wire 300 fed out of the capillary 112 before the FAB 300a is generated, the notch generation unit 192 generates the notch 300b, and then the FAB generation unit 191 generates the FAB 300a.

[0039] Specific steps will be described one by one. Figures 6(a') to 6(d') are process diagrams showing steps that are executed in place of the steps in Figures 4(a) to 4(g) in Figure 4. As shown in Figure 6(a'), the payout amount adjustment unit 193 adjusts the length of the wire 300 paid out from the tip of the capillary 112 to a preset length Nh, and adjusts the position of the capillary 112 so that the distance from the center line of the outer blade 121a and the inner blade 121b to the tip of the capillary 112 is a preset value Sh. The incision generating unit 192 then displaces the slide mechanism 123 to insert the outer blade 121a and the inner blade 121b horizontally into the paid-out wire 300. At this time, the outer blade 121a and the inner blade 121b are spaced apart by a distance greater than the diameter of the wire 300.

[0040] Next, as shown in FIG. 6(b'), the incision generating unit 192 operates the actuator 150 to bring the outer blade 121a and the inner blade 121b closer together and bring them into contact with the wire 300, thereby forming an incision 300b. After the incision generating unit 192 separates the outer blade 121a and the inner blade 121b, as shown in FIG. 6(c'), the FAB generating unit 191 transitions the first clamper 131 to a clamping state and displaces the Z rotation mechanism 114, thereby lifting the capillary 112 to a preset height. At this time, the tip of the wire 300 that has been unwound by Nh from the capillary 112 is positioned near the tip of the torch 111 where the electrode is provided.

[0041] Next, the FAB generation unit 191 applies a voltage to the torch 111, generating an arc discharge between the electrode and the wire tip, thereby generating the FAB 300a as shown in FIG. 6(d'). When the FAB 300a is generated as planned, the distance from the top end of the FAB 300a to the slit 300b becomes the set value Ph. In other words, the above-mentioned Nh is adjusted to a value obtained by adding the length required to generate the planned FAB 300a to Sh + Ph.

[0042] 4(h) and subsequent steps can be performed after the step of Fig. 6(d'), thereby forming a similar pin wire 310 on the electrode pad 321. By adopting the steps according to the second modification, it is possible to omit the step of pulling up the FAB 300a to the tip of the capillary 112 before forming the notch 300b, and therefore an improvement in throughput can be expected.

[0043] In the embodiment including the modified example described above, the bonding apparatus is provided with two clampers, the first clamper 131 and the second clamper 132. However, it may be provided with only one clamper. If only one clamper is provided, it is preferable to provide a mechanism that can precisely pay out the wire 300 by a predetermined amount from the tip of the capillary 112. For example, if the imaging unit of the first modified example is also provided, it is convenient because the length of the paid-out wire 300 can be precisely determined.

[0044] In the embodiment including the modified example described above, the cutting scissors 121 are inserted into or pulled out of the wire 300 by displacing the slide mechanism 123 supported by the support base 161. However, these elements may be disposed on the stage 170, for example. In this case, it is preferable to provide an XY slide mechanism for inserting or pulling the cut 300b into or out of the wire 300 in the horizontal direction.

[0045] Next, we will explain the configuration of the cutting scissors 121. Figure 7 is an enlarged view of the cutting scissors 121 in which the outer blade 121a and the inner blade 121b are separated from each other. Specifically, it is a schematic view of the cutting scissors 121 as seen from above.

[0046] As described above, the outer cutter 121a does not have a blade portion. The outer cutter 121a has a tapered portion 121d provided at its tip and a contact surface 121f that is a flat surface facing the inner cutter 121b. The inner cutter 121b has a tapered portion 121c provided at its tip and a blade portion 121e for forming an incision in the wire 300. The tapered portions 121d and 121c are formed so that the gap between the outer cutter 121a and the inner cutter 121b, which is perpendicular to the wire insertion direction indicated by the arrow, narrows. In other words, the tapered portions are provided on the inner sides of the outer cutter 121a and the inner cutter 121b where they face each other so that the gap between the tips of the outer cutter 121a and the inner cutter 121b widens.

[0047] By providing such tapered portions 121c and 121d, the wire 300 can be more reliably guided between the outer blade 121a and the inner blade 121b. In the illustrated example, the tapered surfaces of the tapered portions 121c and 121d are flat, but the tapered surfaces are not limited to flat surfaces and may be curved. Note that, in order to smoothly guide the wire 300 between the blade portion 121e and the contact surface 121f, it is preferable that the tapered surfaces are smooth.

[0048] Furthermore, from the viewpoint of more reliably guiding the wire 300 between the outer cutter 121a and the inner cutter 121b, the tapered portion 121d may be provided on the outer cutter 121a and the tapered portion 121c may not be provided on the inner cutter 121b, or the tapered portion 121c may be provided on the inner cutter 121b and the tapered portion 121d may not be provided on the outer cutter 121a. However, in order to prevent the wire 300 from coming into contact with the blade portion 121e before the outer cutter 121a and the inner cutter 121b are brought close to each other to create a cut in the wire 300, it is preferable to provide the tapered portion 121d on the outer cutter 121a and the tapered portion 121c may not be provided on the inner cutter 121b.

[0049] When the outer cutter 121a and the inner cutter 121b are spaced apart, the distance De between the tips of the outer cutter 121a and the inner cutter 121b is preferably in the range of 2 to 10 times the diameter R of the wire 300. Within this range, the wire 300 can be more reliably guided between the outer cutter 121a and the inner cutter 121b without increasing the size of the outer cutter 121a and the inner cutter 121b. As described above, when the outer cutter 121a and the inner cutter 121b are spaced apart, the distance Dr is larger than the diameter R of the wire 300. Therefore, the relationship Dr<R<De holds.

[0050] Furthermore, since the standby positions of the outer blade 121a and the inner blade 121b when no cut is made in the wire 300 may be set close to the wire 300, it is preferable that the outer blade 121a and the inner blade 121b are made of an insulator so as not to be affected by arc discharge from the torch 111. The outer blade 121a and the inner blade 121b themselves do not have to be made of an insulator, and for example, they may be entirely coated with an insulator. In other words, it is preferable that at least the surface layer of each of the outer blade 121a and the inner blade 121b is made of an insulator.

[0051] 8 is a diagram showing how the outer cutter 121a and inner cutter 121b, which are in a separated state, are moved toward the wire 300. Specifically, as described above, this diagram shows how the wire 300 is inserted between the outer cutter 121a and inner cutter 121b.

[0052] When the outer cutter 121a and inner cutter 121b, which are separated from each other, are moved toward the wire 300, the incision generating unit 192 controls the wire 300 so that it first contacts the tapered portion 121d. As the outer cutter 121a and inner cutter 121b are further inserted, the wire 300 that has contacted the tapered portion 121d is guided by the tapered surface of the tapered portion 121d and eventually reaches the contact surface 121f. When the wire 300 reaches the target position on the contact surface 121f, the incision generating unit 192 stops the insertion operation of the outer cutter 121a and inner cutter 121b. Thereafter, the outer cutter 121a and inner cutter 121b are brought closer to each other, and an incision is generated in the wire 300 by the blade portion 121e.

[0053] In this way, by guiding the wire 300 with the tapered portion 121d, the wire 300 can be more accurately guided to the target position. Note that the incision generating unit 192 may operate the transducer 113 to vibrate the wire 300 when moving the separated outer cutter 121a and inner cutter 121b toward the wire 300. By vibrating the wire 300, the wire 300 can be more reliably drawn between the tip of the outer cutter 121a and the tip of the inner cutter 121b.

[0054] The incision generating unit 192 changes the target position of the wire 300 that contacts the contact surface 121f over time during a series of processes for sequentially forming the pin wires 310 on each target electrode pad 321. That is, the position at which the wire 300 is sandwiched and an incision is formed relative to the insertion direction within the range in which the contact surface 121f and the blade portion 121e face each other is changed as needed according to preset conditions. The conditions may be changed by a fixed amount each time, by a fixed amount every predetermined number of times, or randomly each time. In this way, changing the target position over time can prevent chipping and wear of the blade portion 121e and reduce contamination of the contact surface 121f.

Claims

1. A bonding device comprising: a notch generating unit that moves a first blade and a second blade, which are spaced apart from each other in a direction intersecting the payout direction, toward the wire as it is paid out from a capillary, bringing the first blade and the second blade closer together and bringing them into contact with the wire, thereby forming a notch in the wire; and a pin wire forming unit that, with the tip of the wire bonded to a bonding target, grasps and pulls the wire with a clamper, thereby cutting the wire at the notch to form a pin wire on the bonding target, wherein at least one of the first blade and the second blade has a tapered portion formed so that the distance between them narrows toward the direction of insertion of the wire.

2. A bonding apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of said first blade and said second blade does not have a blade portion which forms said cut, but has a contact surface which contacts said wire.

3. A bonding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said one of said electrodes has said tapered portion.

4. A bonding apparatus as described in claim 3, wherein the notch generating section guides the wire to a position where it contacts one of the tapered portions and forms the notch when moving the first blade and the second blade in the separated state toward the wire.

5. A bonding apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the tips of the first blade and the second blade facing the wire in the separated state are spaced apart from each other within a range of more than 2 times and less than 10 times the diameter of the wire.

6. A bonding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least a surface layer of each of said first blade and said second blade is formed of an insulating material.

7. A bonding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the notch generating section vibrates the wire when moving the first blade and the second blade, which are spaced apart, in the direction of the wire.

8. A bonding apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the notch generating unit changes over time the position at which the notch is formed in the wire within the range of the insertion direction in which the first blade and the second blade face each other and in which the tapered portion is not formed.

Images