In order to investigate the root causes of the high bonding strength of Au wire on electroless Ni/Pd/Au (ENEPIGEG) and electrolytic Ni/Au plating and the low bonding strength of Au wire on electroless Ni/Au (ENIGEG), the wire bonding behaviors on the various Au plating under-layer structures were evaluated. After analyzing the surface morphologies, cross sections, crystal grains, and diffusion behavior of the Au plating under-layers using SEM, FIB/SIM, EBSP and XPS, we found that the grain size of the Au deposit depended on the grain size of the underplated metals, and that large grain size Au deposits decreased the grain boundary of the Au deposits, reducing the grain boundary diffusion of the underplated metals. Thus, we concluded that the bonding strength of Au wire depends on the diffusion behavior of the underplated metals and the grain size of the Au deposits.
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