Tanaka Precious Metals commences sales of high heat-resistant aluminum alloy bonding wire

Tanaka Holdings Co., Ltd. (a company of Tanaka Precious Metals) today announced that Tanaka Denshi Kogyo K.K. of Tanaka Precious Metals, which boasts the world's leading share in bonding wire (wiring material) manufacturing, has developed "TALF" aluminum alloy bonding wire with high heat resistance, and will commence sales on January 9.

In addition to mechanical strength being approximately 80% higher than the existing product, TALF can contribute to an increase in the heat resistance temperature of packages because of its recrystallization temperature 50 degrees Celsius higher than the existing product. Furthermore, although the existing product hardened and recrystallized in 30 minutes in the high-temperature shelf test (300 degrees Celsius) after bonding, resulting in shear strength decreasing by approximately 10%, TALF is not subject to a decrease in shear strength because recrystallization does not commence. Because of this, shear strength can maintain even at high temperatures.

Normally, bonding wire can prevent damage from thermal fatigue when mechanical strength is raised by hardening the material, but this simultaneously damages IC chip easily during bonding. TALF is an alloy containing 99% aluminum, and by optimizing the processing method using finer particles of aluminum crystals, the company succeeded in providing high strength and high heat resistance without damaging the chip.

Aluminum bonding wire is currently used as material for large-current semiconductors such as power devices. In recent years, there have been demands for development of high heat resistant materials as power devices have higher density, become more compact and have higher output, TALF can contribute to improve heat resistance temperature of packages.