A die bonder is a machine used during the back-end phase of the semiconductor fabrication process to complete semiconductor devices.
Die Bonders
The rapid development of electric vehicles and generative AI technologies has spurred ever-increasing demand for semiconductors. In order to meet such demand, Canon supports the mass production of high-quality semiconductors with its automation technologies.
Table of Contents
How a die bonder works
What is a die bonder?
The semiconductor chip manufacturing process is divided into two phases: front-end and back-end. The front-end processing phase involves projecting a circuit pattern onto the surface of a semiconductor wafer so that it is printed onto the wafer, whereas the back-end processing phase involves dicing the printed wafer into individual chips and assembling them into completed semiconductor devices.
[Front-end processing]
[Back-end processing]
A die bonder is used in the back-end processing phase to pick up the diced semiconductor chips and mount them onto a lead frame that connect the chips to external wiring.
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Picking up semiconductor chips one by one
In the conventional die bonder “pickup” process, a suction nozzle sucks a semiconductor chip up from the adhesive sheet, while at the same time, a needle pushes up the chip from the back of the sheet to allow the chip to be removed more easily. The suction and push-up processes must be perfectly in sync to avoid major damage to the center of the chip, which could break it and render it unusable. Most die bonders can pick up and mount tens of thousands of semiconductor chips in just one hour.
Stacking thin semiconductor chips onto the lead frame
A die bonder can stack multiple thin semiconductor chips during the mounting process to produce high-performance semiconductor devices. High-capacity memory cards have many layers of thin semiconductor chips stacked on top of each other. Each thin semiconductor chip is just over 20 micrometers* thick—around one-third the thickness of newsprint.
- * 1 micrometer (μｍ) = 1/1000 mm.
Types of die bonders
Canon has a diverse range of die bonders in its lineup that differ according to the size of semiconductor chips they are able to pick up, the size of the semiconductor wafers they can handle, and the method they use to bond the semiconductor chips to the lead frame (resin, solder, or film bonding).
Canon's die bonder technologies
Harnessing technologies that enable high-speed, high-precision semiconductor chip bonding
A unique technology that performs high-speed, damage-free semiconductor chip pickup
Canon developed a needleless pickup unit that can swiftly pick up semiconductor chips as thin as just over 20 micrometers without damaging or breaking them. It simultaneously suctions the adhesive sheet from below to peel it away from the semiconductor chip and slides the table so that the chip can be picked up.
The adhesive application technology that creates high-quality semiconductor products
Canon's die bonders don’t just move semiconductor chips quickly with high precision, they also use bonding technologies that cater to diverse client needs. The type of adhesive used to mount the semiconductor chips to the lead frame depends on the client’s product, and also varies in viscosity (thickness). Die bonders use the optimal application amount, position, and pattern for each type of adhesive to ensure that it is applied evenly over the entire surface joining the semiconductor chip and lead frame. This technology keeps temperature rises on the semiconductor chip under control and prevents the chip from peeling off the lead frame, contributing to the high quality of precision equipment and other products that use semiconductors.
