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Abstract: Copper (Cu) wire bonds have become the dominant wire material used in microelectronic packages, having replaced gold (Au) in the majority of applications. Cost saving has been the key factor to drive this transition in wire bond material, although there are other advantages to Cu such as better electrical and thermal conductivity, reduced wire sweep during transfer molding and most importantly slower intermetallic compound (IMC) formation with Al (bond pad). Although IMC layers are much thinner than for Au-Al bonded joints, growth of second phase, Cu9Al4, due to exposure to high temperature leads to interfacial separation, which is exacerbated under thermal cycling condition ultimately leading to failure of the joint.

About the Presenter: Subramani Manoharan is a graduate student at CALCE at the University of Maryland, College Park and has a wide experience working with first and second level interconnects. He will defend his doctoral dissertation on understanding the failures in Cu wire bonds and developing methods to predict their failure. His advisor is Professor Patrick McCluskey.