Fluxing systems, bonding machines including fluxing systems, and methods of operating the same

US10245668B2 · US · B2

Patent metadata
FieldValue
Publication numberUS-10245668-B2
Application numberUS-201715795387-A
CountryUS
Kind codeB2
Filing dateOct 27, 2017
Priority dateOct 31, 2016
Publication dateApr 2, 2019
Grant dateApr 2, 2019

How to read this patent

A practical reading order for non-experts. Skip the full description unless you need deep technical detail.

  1. Title

    What the patent document calls the invention.

  2. Abstract

    A short plain-language summary of the technical disclosure.

  3. Assignees and inventors

    Who owns or filed the patent and who is credited as inventor.

  4. Key dates

    Filing, priority, publication, and grant dates set the timeline.

  5. First independent claim

    The legal scope of protection — read this for what is actually claimed.

  6. CPC / IPC classifications

    Technology tags used to group this patent with similar filings.

  7. Citations and related patents

    Prior art links and similar publications in this corpus.

Abstract

Official abstract text for this publication.

A fluxing system for a bonding machine is provided. The fluxing system includes a flux holder defining a cavity for holding flux, and a fluid source for providing a cooling fluid to cool the flux holder.

First claim

Opening claim text (preview).

What is claimed: 1. A bonding machine comprising: (a) a bond head assembly including a bonding tool for bonding a semiconductor element to a substrate, the semiconductor element including a plurality of conductive structures; and (b) a fluxing system including (i) a flux holder defining a cavity for holding flux, and (ii) a fluid source for providing a cooling fluid to cool the flux holder, the cooling fluid being provided by the fluid source to a surface of the flux holder beneath the cavity, wherein, prior to bonding of the semiconductor element to the substrate, the bonding tool is configured to dip the conductive structures at least partially into the cavity such that the conductive structures contact the flux, the bonding machine being at least one of a thermocompression bonding machine or a flip chip bonding machine. 2. The bonding machine of claim 1 wherein the fluid source is a gas supply configured to bring a cooling gas into contact with a portion of the flux holder. 3. The bonding machine of claim 1 wherein the fluid source is a liquid supply configured to bring a cooling liquid into contact with a portion of the flux holder. 4. The bonding machine of claim 1 wherein the fluid source directs the cooling fluid to the surface of the flux holder through at least one opening in a support structure supporting the flux holder. 5. The bonding machine of claim 1 wherein at least one channel is defined by the flux holder, the at least one channel being configured to receive the cooling fluid from the fluid source. 6. The bonding machine of claim 1 wherein the surface of the flux holder includes a depression following a curved path along at least a portion of a length of the surface, the cooling fluid configured to be directed toward the depression. 7. The bonding machine of claim 1 further comprising a flux tool configured to pass over an upper surface of the flux holder adjacent the cavity. 8. The bonding machine of claim 1 further comprising a fluid control system for controlling flow of the cooling fluid from the fluid source. 9. The bonding machine of claim 8 further comprising at least one sensor for sensing a temperature related characteristic of the flux holder in connection with operation of the fluid control system. 10. A method of operating a fluxing system for a bonding machine, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a flux holder on the bonding machine defining a flux cavity, the flux cavity including flux; (b) providing a bond head assembly on the bonding machine, the bond head assembly including a bonding tool for bonding a semiconductor element to a substrate, the semiconductor element including a plurality of conductive structures; (c) dipping the conductive structures at least partially into the cavity such that the conductive structures contact the flux prior to bonding the semiconductor element to the substrate; and (d) directing a cooling fluid from a fluid source to a surface of the flux holder beneath the cavity to cool the flux holder, the bonding machine being at least one of a thermocompression bonding machine or a flip chip bonding machine. 11. The method of claim 10 wherein step (d) includes directing a cooling gas from a gas supply into contact with a portion of the flux holder. 12. The method of claim 10 wherein step (d) includes directing a cooling liquid from a liquid supply into contact with a portion of the flux holder. 13. The method of claim 10 wherein step (d) includes directing the cooling fluid to the surface of the flux holder through at least one opening in a support structure supporting the flux holder. 14. The method of claim 10 wherein step (d) includes directing the cooling fluid to at least one channel defined by the flux holder. 15. The method of claim 10 wherein step (d) includes directing the cooling fluid to the surface of the flux holder, the surface defining a depression following a curved path along at least a portion of a length of the surface. 16. The method of claim 10 wherein step (d) includes operating a fluid control system for controlling flow of the cooling fluid from the fluid source. 17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of receiving data from at least one sensor for sensing a temperature related characteristic of the flux holder, and (d) using the data in connection with operation of the fluid control system. 18. The method of claim 16 wherein step (d) includes operating the fluid control system according to closed loop process for controlling flow of the cooling fluid from the fluid source. 19. The method of claim 16 wherein step (d) includes operating the fluid control system according to model control process derived using experimental data.

Assignees

Inventors

Classifications

  • between a chip and a stacked lead frame, conducting package substrate or heat sink · CPC title

  • between a chip and a stacked insulating package substrate, interposer or RDL · CPC title

  • between stacked chips · CPC title

  • Ultrasonic bonding, e.g. thermosonic bonding · CPC title

  • Compression bonding, e.g. thermocompression bonding · CPC title

Patent family

Related publications grouped by family.

External sources

Frequently asked questions

Answers are generated from the same data shown on this page.

What does patent US10245668B2 cover?
A fluxing system for a bonding machine is provided. The fluxing system includes a flux holder defining a cavity for holding flux, and a fluid source for providing a cooling fluid to cool the flux holder.
Who is the assignee on this patent?
Kulicke & Soffa Ind Inc
What technology area does this patent fall under?
Primary CPC classification B23K3/082. Mapped technology areas include Operations & Transport.
When was this patent published?
Publication date Tue Apr 02 2019 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
What related patents are in patentsdb?
We list 1 related publication on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).