Ribbon bonding tools and methods of using the same

Abstract

A ribbon bonding tool including a body portion is provided. The body portion includes a tip portion. The tip portion includes a working surface between a front edge of the tip portion and a back edge of the tip portion. The working surface includes a region defining at least one of a plurality of recesses and a plurality of protrusions. The working surface also defines at least one of ( 1 ) a first planar portion between the region and the front edge of the tip portion, and ( 2 ) a second planar portion between the region and the back edge of the tip portion.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A ribbon bonding tool comprising:
 a body portion including a tip portion,   the tip portion including a working surface between a front edge of the tip portion and a back edge of the tip portion, the working surface including a region defining at least one of a plurality of recesses and a plurality of protrusions, the working surface also defining (1) a first planar portion between the region and the front edge of the tip portion, and (2) a second planar portion between the region and the back edge of the tip portion.   
     
     
         2 . The ribbon bonding tool of  claim 1  wherein the region defining at least one of a plurality of recesses and a plurality of protrusions is a waffle or a grid pattern of protrusions and recesses. 
     
     
         3 . The ribbon bonding tool of  claim 1  wherein the region defines a plurality of recesses extending below a planar surface of the working surface. 
     
     
         4 . The ribbon bonding tool of  claim 1 , wherein a length of the working surface is defined between the front edge and the back edge, and wherein each of the first planar portion and the second planar portion extends along between 5-40 percent of the length. 
     
     
         5 . A ribbon bonding tool comprising:
 a body portion including a tip portion,   the tip portion including a working surface between a front edge of the tip portion and a back edge of the tip portion, the working surface defining a plurality of recesses, wherein a portion of the recesses defined by the working surface adjacent at least one of the front edge and the back edge are deeper than others of the recesses.   
     
     
         6 . The ribbon bonding tool of  claim 5  wherein a portion of the recesses defined by the working surface adjacent both the front edge and the back edge are deeper than others of the recesses. 
     
     
         7 . The ribbon bonding tool of  claim 6  wherein a depth of the plurality of recesses follows a curved profile such that a depth of the recesses is shallower at a central portion of the working surface, and increases toward the front and the back edges. 
     
     
         8 . The ribbon bonding tool of  claim 7  wherein a depth of the plurality of recesses follows another curved profile such that a depth of the recesses is shallower at the central portion of the working surface, and increases toward side edges of the working surface. 
     
     
         9 . The ribbon bonding tool of  claim 6  wherein a depth of the plurality of recesses follows a curved profile such that a depth of the recesses is shallower at a central portion of the working surface, and increases in each direction extending toward a periphery of the working surface. 
     
     
         10 . A ribbon bonding tool comprising:
 a body portion including a tip portion,   the tip portion including a working surface, at least a portion of the working surface following a curved path, the portion including an area of the working surface extending away from a first edge of the working surface, the portion also including an area of the working surface extending away from a second edge of the working surface, the portion of the working surface following the curved path includes at least 50% of a length between the first edge and the second edge.   
     
     
         11 . The ribbon bonding tool of  claim 10  wherein the portion of the working surface following the curved path includes an entire length between the first edge and the second edge. 
     
     
         12 . The ribbon bonding tool of  claim 10  for use in an ultrasonic system wherein the curved path is defined by a radius extending from (1) a location of the ribbon bonding tool that coincides with a first vibrational node of the ribbon bonding tool in the ultrasonic system to (2) the working surface. 
     
     
         13 . A ribbon bonding tool comprising:
 a body portion including a tip portion,   the tip portion including a working surface, the tip portion including two side wall portions on either side of the working surface wherein a ribbon path is defined between the side wall portions.   
     
     
         14 . The ribbon bonding tool of  claim 13  wherein the side wall portions are tapered such that the ribbon path is larger at a bottom edge of the tool than it is at the working surface. 
     
     
         15 . The ribbon bonding tool of  claim 13  wherein the side wall portions are curved such that the ribbon path is larger at a bottom edge of the tool than it is at the working surface. 
     
     
         16 . The ribbon bonding tool of  claim 13  wherein the two side wall portions extend at least partially along a back side of the ribbon bonding tool such that the ribbon path is defined along a portion of the back side of the ribbon bonding tool and along the working surface. 
     
     
         17 . A ribbon bonding tool comprising:
 a body portion including a tip portion,   the tip portion including a working surface, the tip portion including two side wall portions extending along an exterior surface of at least a portion of a back side of the ribbon bonding tool wherein a ribbon path is defined between the side wall portions.   
     
     
         18 . The ribbon bonding tool of  claim 17  wherein the side wall portions are tapered such that the ribbon path is smaller at an interior surface of the ribbon path than at an outer edge of the ribbon path defined between the two side wall portions. 
     
     
         19 . The ribbon bonding tool of  claim 17  wherein the side wall portions are curved such that the ribbon path is smaller at an interior surface of the ribbon path than at an outer edge of the ribbon path defined between the two side wall portions. 
     
     
         20 . The ribbon bonding tool of  claim 17  wherein the two side wall portions extend at least partially along a bottom edge of the ribbon bonding tool such that the ribbon path is defined along at least a portion of the back side of the ribbon bonding tool and along at least a portion of the bottom edge.