
Wedge bonding is a process used to attach connection leads between electronic components and a printed circuit. It is one of the two most common processes for making these connections, the other being ball bonding. Wedge bonding uses a wedge tool to form stitches on both ends without the use of a ball for the first bond. The bonds are thin and wedge-shaped. This process can utilize both gold and aluminum wire but is more commonly done with aluminum wire at ambient temperature.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | An automated process that's used to attach connection leads between electronic components and a printed circuit |
| Process | Utilizes a wedge tool to form the stitches on both ends, without the use of a ball for the first bond |
| Bond Shape | Thin and wedge-shaped |
| Wire Used | Aluminum or gold alloy wires |
| Bonding Techniques | Normal wedge bonding, orthogonal bonding, basic wedge bond, wedge bond with loop consistency |
| Advantages | Ability to make finer pitch applications, stronger connections, smaller bond "footprint", suitable for bonding closely spaced terminals, ability to use ribbon for electrical requirements |
| Disadvantages | Lower production speeds, restrictions in the range of angular flexibility between component and PCB bonds |
| Tools Used | Wedge bonding machine, wedge bonding tool, wedge bonding anvil blocks, clamps & bridges |
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What You'll Learn

Wedge bonding vs ball bonding
Bonding wedges are used in the wire bonding process, which is a method of making electrical connections between a microchip and its packaging, or between other electrical components. Wire bonding is a common method of making electrical connections, and it involves using a thin wire, typically made of gold, copper, or aluminium, to connect two points.
There are two main types of wire bonding: wedge bonding and ball bonding. This is how they compare:
Wedge Bonding
Wedge bonding utilizes a wedge-shaped tool to form the stitches on both ends of the wire, without the use of a ball for the first bond. The bonds are thin and wedge-shaped. Wedge bonding can use either ribbon or round wire for bonding and is commonly used with aluminium wire at ambient temperature. The wedge bonding tool needs to be oriented in the direction of the bond, which allows it to rotate and bond from all angles. This makes it suitable for bonding assemblies with limited space. Wedge bonding is typically used for fine-pitch applications of 40 microns or less and is slower than ball bonding, producing 3-6 wires per second. It is also useful for low-temperature or no-heat applications and running stitch interconnects.
Ball Bonding
Ball bonding, on the other hand, is a faster process, producing 5-12+ wires per second. It uses gold, palladium-coated, or copper wires and is commonly used for BGA, QFP, SOP, and MCM hybrid packages. Ball bonding is associated with thermocompression (T/C) and thermosonic (T/S) joining methods, which utilize pressure and temperatures of about 150 degrees Celsius to create an intermetallic bond. In ball bonding, the wire clamp is positioned above the tool, and the wire feeds through the centre of the ceramic capillary tool. This process disturbs the top-surface metallization, which can be addressed by creating a safety bond or a stand-off-stitch.
In summary, wedge bonding and ball bonding are two common wire bonding techniques, each with its own advantages and applications. Wedge bonding offers the ability to bond from all angles and is suitable for fine-pitch and low-temperature applications, while ball bonding is faster and more suitable for certain package types. The choice between the two depends on the specific requirements of the application, such as the pitch size, temperature constraints, and package type.
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Wedge bonding tools
Wedge bonding is a process used to attach connection leads between electronic components and a printed circuit. It is one of the two most common processes for making these connections, the other being ball bonding. Wedge bonding uses a wedge tool to form the stitches on both ends, without the use of a ball for the first bond. The bonds are thin and wedge-shaped.
The wedge bonding process uses a combination of ribbon or round wire for bonding. It can utilise both gold and aluminium wire but is more commonly done with aluminium wire at ambient temperature. Aluminium wire is unique to wedge bonding due to the oxidation issues at high temperatures. When bonding aluminium wire, a 90-degree clamp is used and the process is carried out at room temperature. A concave wedge tool designed for 2mil Al is used to run Al wire.
Wedge bonding has several advantages over wire ball bonding. It can make finer pitch applications due to the size of wedge bonds compared to ball bonds. The ability to use ribbon is critical for some assembly designs where wire would not meet the electrical requirements. Ribbon bonding has a larger surface area to cross-sectional area ratio, meaning the ribbon will suffer less resistance at higher frequencies. Ribbon bonding is also stiffer than round wire and is more resilient to wire sway. It also provides a larger bond area, allowing for stronger connections.
There are some disadvantages to wedge bonding. It has lower production speeds and restrictions in the range of angular flexibility between component and PCB bonds. It can generally only bond connectors that travel in a straight line between component and PCB terminals. However, it produces a smaller bond "footprint" and is suitable for bonding closely spaced terminals.
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Wedge bonding applications
Wedge bonding is a process that uses a wedge tool to form stitches on both ends without the use of a ball for the first bond. The bonds are thin and wedge-shaped and can be created using ribbon or round wire. The process is automated and is used to attach connection leads between electronic components and a printed circuit.
Wedge bonding is one of the two most common processes for making these connections, the other being ball bonding. Wedge bonding is slower than ball bonding and can generally only bond connectors that travel in a straight line between component and PCB terminals. However, it produces a smaller bond "footprint", making it suitable for bonding closely spaced terminals. The ability to use ribbon is also critical for some assembly designs where the use of wire would not meet electrical requirements.
Wedge bonding is typically used with aluminium or gold alloy wires. It can bond aluminium wire at room temperature with U/S energy or gold alloy wire with T/S energy. U/S energy is a localized concentration of high-frequency acoustic vibrations that cause a permanent bond and is used primarily for aluminium connecting wires. T/S energy is a combination of ultrasonic and conventional heat energy that bonds gold alloy wires.
There are three primary looping techniques used in wedge bonding: the basic set path with a kickback, the introduction of clamp actuation during the path, and wedge bonding with a constant wire. The first technique is a common choice for its simplicity and robustness, allowing for a larger variance in span at the cost of loop height consistency. The second technique is widely used for established processes with limited variation for better loop consistency. The third technique is often used in RF applications and can satisfy most loop requirements and specifications for a wide array of applications.
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$9.88

Wedge bonding process
The wedge bonding process is a type of wire bonding technology that has been used since the 1950s, with the first wire bonder being a thermocompression wedge bonder. It is a popular choice for applications that require low-profile interconnects or fine-pitch packaging. This process uses a wedge tool to form stitches on both ends without using a ball for the first bond. The bonds are thin and wedge-shaped, and the process can utilise gold or aluminium wire, with aluminium being more common at ambient temperatures.
Wedge bonding offers several advantages over other bonding methods, such as ball bonding. One key advantage is the ability to make finer pitch applications due to the smaller size of wedge bonds. This makes it ideal for advanced LED designs and running stitch interconnects or die-to-die bonding. Additionally, wedge bonding provides the flexibility to bond from any angle, as the wedge tool can be oriented in the direction of the bond and rotated accordingly. This feature is particularly useful for assemblies with specific electrical requirements that cannot be met using wire.
The wedge bonding process can be performed using two types of equipment. The first type feeds the wire through the wedge at a 60-degree angle, while the second type feeds the wire at a 90-degree angle. The choice of equipment depends on the specific requirements of the application. In both cases, the wire clamp for a wedge bonder is positioned behind the tool, which increases the keep-out zones needed for the second bond and tail tear-off.
There are also different looping techniques used in wedge bonding to create loops of various shapes and specifications. The first technique is a basic set path with a kickback, valued for its simplicity and ability to handle a large range in bond-to-bond span. The second technique introduces clamp actuation to control the wire more finely and maintain loop consistency over a narrower range of spans. This technique is commonly used for established processes with limited variation.
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Wedge bonding techniques
Wedge bonding is a method of making interconnections between an integrated circuit (IC) or other semiconductor devices and their packaging during semiconductor device fabrication. It is a type of wire bonding technique that uses a wedge tool to form stitches on both ends without the use of a ball for the first bond. The bonds are thin and wedge-shaped, and the process can utilise both ribbon or round wire for bonding.
Wedge bonding can be performed with or without the use of ultrasonic energy. When heat and ultrasonic energy are used together, the process is called thermosonic bonding. In wedge bonding, the wire must be drawn in a straight line according to the first bond, which slows down the process due to the time needed for tool alignment.
There are various looping techniques used in wedge bonding to create loops of various shapes and specifications. The first loop mode is a basic set path with a kickback, chosen for its simplicity and robustness, allowing for a larger variance in span at the cost of loop height consistency. The second loop technique is similar but introduces clamp actuation to control the amount of wire in the loop more finely and maintain loop consistency and height over a narrower range of spans.
Wedge bonding can utilise both gold and aluminium wire but is more commonly performed with aluminium wire at ambient temperature. Gold wire requires heat, whereas aluminium does not due to oxidation issues at high temperatures. Copper wire can also be used for wedge bonding and has become a preferred material for wire bonding interconnects due to its higher electrical conductivity and lower cost compared to gold.
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Frequently asked questions
Wedge bonding is an automated process used to attach connection leads between electronic components and a printed circuit.
Wedge bonding uses a wedge tool to form stitches on both ends without the use of a ball for the first bond. The wedge bonding tool needs to be oriented in the direction of the bond, which allows it to rotate and bond from all angles.
Wedge bonding can make finer pitch applications due to the size of wedge bonds compared to ball bonds. It is also useful for very tight pitches with fan-out wires as it helps to maintain the distance from bond to bond.
Wedge bonding can use both gold and aluminium wire but is more commonly done with aluminium wire at ambient temperature.











































