AgCoat Prime, Au, Ag, Cu, Al fine bonding wire

Technical specifications

Specifications are taken from the manufacturer’s technical documentation. Updated 11/13/2026.

Description

This fine bonding wire range covers a wide spectrum of application needs, from the precious metals gold and silver to lower-cost copper and aluminium alternatives. It also includes copper wires with palladium or gold coating and gold-coated silver wire, giving more options to balance reliability, performance and cost. Available compositions are Au, Ag, AgCoat Prime, Cu / coated Cu and Al.

Silver bonding wires offer significant material cost savings compared to gold while maintaining the bonding performance required. Each configuration is matched to the application. The wires provide good reflectivity for LED devices and are suitable for pad-sensitive devices thanks to a soft free air ball (FAB). MTBA and UPH are as good as with gold wire, and bondability is good under both N2 and forming gas. They can be used at the highest processing speeds and offer advanced reliability in IC and LED packaging. AgUltra-HR® bonding wires are designed to withstand extended reliability test intervals in temperature cycling, high temperature storage and HAST.

AgCoat® Prime is a gold-coated silver bonding wire intended as a substitute for gold wire in the Memory, LED and Smartcard markets, delivering high performance at lower cost where high reliability and conductivity are essential. It allows gas-free FAB formation and has a longer floor life of 60 days compared to Ag alloy wire. It also offers improved second bond workability, better reliability than Au wire in HTS and TC, and a slower IMC growth rate than Au wire. Existing ball bonders and facility infrastructure can be retained, avoiding CAPEX investment.

Gold bonding wires address the demands of packing more power into less space, providing high electrical conductivity and good corrosion resistance. Diameters go down to 0.6 mil / 15 µm for very fine applications. 2N gold wires are designed to withstand harsh temperature cycles and high temperature storage, while 4N gold wires offer good electrical resistivity for applications requiring high processing speeds.

Copper bonding wires offer significant cost savings compared to gold, together with excellent thermal and electrical properties and good reliability at high temperatures. In many applications, copper wire bonding can deliver better performance and reliability than gold, making it a good alternative to expensive gold wire. Diameters range from as thin as 0.6 mil to over 4.0 mils, covering a wide range of applications. Palladium- or gold-coated copper variants are also available.

Aluminium bonding wires are offered in many configurations for a wide range of wedge bonding applications. They provide excellent electrical and thermal conductivity and a relatively high fusing current, developed for chip-on-board (COB) applications. Their homogeneous chemical composition, stable mechanical properties and smooth, clean surfaces give excellent bondability. The wire is highly reliable for fine-pitch applications and compatible with aluminium package metallization. Room-temperature bonding at low energy levels prevents damage to sensitive devices while producing high-integrity bonds. Three hardness grades are available.