SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY STATISTICS SHOW THAT INSUFFICIENT MICROELECTRONIC INTERCONNECTION WIRE BOND STRENGHT IS THE SECONF LARGEST CAUSE OF DEVICE FAILURE.

SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY STATISTICS SHOW THAT INSUFFICIENT MICROELECTRONIC INTERCONNECTION WIRE BOND STRENGHT IS THE SECONF LARGEST CAUSE OF DEVICE FAILURE. ARGUMENTS HAVE BEEN RAISED THAT THE CONVENTIONAL NONDESTRUCTIVE WIRE PULL TEST USED IN THE INDUSTRY CAN INDUCE SUB-CRITICAL DAMAGE WHICH WILL CAUSE PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE DEVICE. A RESEARCH PROGRAM IS PROPOSED TO DEVELOP TECHNOLOGY TO EXPLICITLY DETECT IF DAMAGE IS CAUSED DURING A WIRE PULL TEST AND TO IDENTIFY THE EXACT TYPE OF DAMAGE THUS DETACHED. THE RESEARCH WILL INVESTIGATE HOW THE PHENOMENON OF ACOUSTIC EMISSION (HIGH FREQUENCY STRESS WAVES GENERATED BY THE INITIATION AND PROPAGATION OF FLAWS) CAN BE EXPLOITED TO PROVIDE SUCH A CAPABILITY. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS TECHNOLOGY WOULD PERMIT THE SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY TO PERFORM A TRULY NONDESTRUCTIVE WIRE PULL TEST, RESULTING IN CONSIDERABLE COST SAVINGS BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED RELIABILITY OF THE MICROELECTRONIC DEVICES AND BECAUSE OF ELIMINATION OF DESTRUCTIVE TESTING CURRENTLY USED TO VERIFY BOND QUALITY.