AUGMENTED HYDROSTATIC EXTRUSION FOR ULTRAFINE BONDING WIRE

WITH THE ADVENT OF MODERN MICRO-ELECTRONICS, THE NEED FOR GOLD AND ALUMINUM WIRE OF FINE DIAMETER IS CONSTANTLY INCREASING. IN THE FABRICATION OF VERY FINE WIRE, SEVERE LIMITS EXIST ON THE SPEED, REDUCTION PER PASS, AND THINNESS OF THE EMERGING WIRE. A MODIFIED AUGMENTED HYDROSTATIC EXTRUSION (HYDRAW) PROCESS WAS DESIGNED AND WIRE OF 0.5 MIL (0.0125 MM) PRODUCE. EXPERIMENTAL QUANTITIES OF WIRE WERE MADE ON LABORATORY EQUIPMENT, AND THE POTENTIAL OF THE CONCEPT STUDIED. RESEARCHERS ARE BUILDING A PRODUCTION PROTOTYPE OF HYDRAW UNIT FOR THE COMMERCIAL SUPPLY OF 0.5 MIL GOLD, ALUMINUM, AND COPPER WIRE. THE FACILITY IS CAPABLE OF DEMONSTRATING THE ECONOMIC ADVANTAGES OF THE MODIFIED CONCEPT OF HYDRAW, AND THE REALIABILITY AND QUALITY OF THE WIRE PRODUCT.