A bond tester is a

scientific instrument A scientific instrument is a device or tool used for scientific purposes, including the study of both natural phenomena and theoretical research. History Historically, the definition of a scientific instrument has varied, based on usage, laws, an ...

used to measure the

mechanical strength The field of strength of materials, also called mechanics of materials, typically refers to various methods of calculating the stresses and strains in structural members, such as beams, columns, and shafts. The methods employed to predict the re ...

of bonds, evaluate bond strength distributions or determine compliance with specified bond strength requirements of the applicable acquisition document. Typically a load is applied to a bond by a hook or shear tool, whereafter a force measurement is taken and the failure mode of the tested sample is recorded. More often than not bond tests are destructive and samples are scrapped after testing. In aerospace and medical applications, non destructive testing is common, whereby the bond is loaded up to a point to reveal nonacceptable bonds while avoiding damage to acceptable bonds. Electrical and thermal bonds are such an integral part of electronic and

semiconductor A semiconductor is a material which has an electrical resistivity and conductivity, electrical conductivity value falling between that of a electrical conductor, conductor, such as copper, and an insulator (electricity), insulator, such as glas ...

construction that they may often be taken for granted. Modern electronic assembly methods employ a myriad of bonding processes, each one a vital step in the manufacture of the final product. A typical consumer product such as a laptop computer may contain hundreds of thousands of bonds yet if one fails it will probably result in a system breakdown. For an automatic test PC controlled moving table allows any number of bonds to be tested automatically from a stored program. Results can be analysed and output immediately or exported in a number of data base formats for subsequent analysis as desired. Powerful extended capabilities enable measurements such as force/time or force/distance curves to be made and deliver more data about the quality of the bond tested. The most common test types performed on a bond tester are the wire pull test, which generally puts an upward force on a

gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...

aluminum Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. It has ...

silver Silver is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European wikt:Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂erǵ-, ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, whi ...

copper Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkis ...

wire, and the die shear test, which generally comprises loading a die from the side. When equipped with

tweezers Tweezers are small hand tools used for grasping objects too small to be easily handled with the human fingers. Tweezers are thumb-driven forceps most likely derived from tongs used to grab or hold hot objects since the dawn of recorded history. ...

, bond testers may also perform cold bump pull tests. During such a test, a solder ball down to 50 µm in diameter is reform it to the shape something like a mushroom and then pulled off the surface. Modern bond testers can perform a wide variety of tests with high precision, because automation eliminates human influence on the measurement. Two industry leaders are Nordson DAGE and XYZTec.

Standards

MIL-STD-883 The MIL-STD-883 standard establishes uniform methods, controls, and procedures for testing microelectronic devices suitable for use within military and aerospace electronic systems including basic environmental tests to determine resistance to dele ...

JEDEC The JEDEC Solid State Technology Association is an independent semiconductor engineering trade organization and standardization body headquartered in Arlington County, Virginia, United States. JEDEC has over 300 members, including some of the w ...

and other standards are commonly followed in the industry.

References

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