What Are Tin Whiskers? Tin whiskers are hair-like crystalline structures that spontaneously grow from the surface of tin. To understand tin whiskers, we must first explain “metal whiskers.” A whisker is a filament-shaped crystal that naturally grows from the surface of solid metals. They can appear on many metals, most commonly tin, cadmium, zinc, antimony,…

What is Formic Acid Reflow? Formic Acid Reflow is a specialized semiconductor packaging process that utilizes formic acid (HCOOH) vapor or gas under controlled conditions to achieve chemical reduction and metal interconnection. It is widely applied in advanced packaging, wafer bumping, RDL (Redistribution Layer), TSV (Through-Silicon Via) metallization, and wafer-level packaging (WLP). Although the term…

Semiconductor Ceramic Chips: Properties, Manufacturing, Applications, and Future Trends IntroductionSemiconductor ceramic chips represent a unique class of electronic components that combine the electrical properties of semiconductors with the mechanical, chemical, and thermal advantages of ceramics. Featuring high-temperature resistance, excellent mechanical strength, and low dielectric loss, these chips are widely used in sensors, communications, power electronics,…

Chip Decapsulation: A Key Step in IC Failure Analysis and Reverse Engineering Chip decapsulation is a critical step in integrated circuit (IC) failure analysis (FA) and reverse engineering. Its purpose is to completely remove the encapsulating epoxy resin plastic (or other packaging materials) without damaging the internal chip structure, thereby exposing the die, bond wires,…

Comparative Analysis of Two Plasma Cleaning Technologies in Semiconductor Wire Bonding: Batch Type vs. In-line In the semiconductor packaging process, particularly in wire bonding, pre-bond cleaning is a critical step that directly determines bonding reliability. Any residual organic contaminants, micro-particles, or metal oxides on the chip or wafer surface may lead to weak bonds, insufficient…

Translated Content Common Wirebonding Problems and Corrective Actions in IC Packaging Wirebonding is a critical step in semiconductor packaging, including QFN packages and other leadframe-based designs. However, common process issues may occur, affecting bond quality and long-term device reliability. Below we summarize typical wirebonding problems, their influencing factors, and recommended corrective measures. 1. Ball Over-Squeeze…

1. Introduction Molded plastic packaging has long dominated the semiconductor packaging industry due to its cost-effectiveness, mature process, and scalability. However, as chip integration continues to advance, package dimensions shrink (with QFN packages demanding higher dimensional accuracy), and lead-free soldering processes impose stricter requirements on thermal resistance, plastic-encapsulated devices face three major challenges: Ultimately, these…

Flip-Chip Technology: A Comprehensive Analysis This report provides a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of Flip-Chip technology, highlighting its critical role as a modern high-performance interconnect solution. It begins by examining the fundamental principles and process flow of Flip-Chip, along with its fundamental advantages over traditional wire bonding. It then explores strategic applications in high-performance computing…

3.5D Packaging Technology Helps Optimize AI Training Costs In AI training scenarios, 3.5D packaging technology provides effective solutions for cost reduction across hardware design, manufacturing processes, energy consumption, and long-term operations. Its core advantages lie in transforming traditional packaging approaches and enhancing system-level efficiency. I. Efficient Control of Hardware Design and Manufacturing Costs 1. Modular…

Fish Tail Tear in Wire Bonding Process: Causes and Solutions Definition:In the wire bonding (Wirebond) process, fish tail tear refers to a defect where the bonding wire (commonly gold wire or copper wire) develops a tail-like tear or deformation at the ball bond or wedge bond end. This defect can significantly impact bond strength and…