Thermo Compression Bonding method is a modern and one of the most efficient metal connectivity methods that has a significant application in the production of electromagnetic micro-coils. Again, micro-coils are crucial components of several modern invasive electronics and medical devices. Micro-coils get very little space to fit into these devices. Therefore, the micro-coils need to be very small. These coils are produced through the winding of electrically conductive wires around a core or pin. To maintain the tiny coil size, manufacturers use wires that are ultra-fine and have a diameter of approximately 8 to 9 microns. The most challenging part of using ultra-fine metal wires is building an effective connection between two ultra-fine wires during the micro-coil production process. Here comes the importance of the Thermo Compression Bonding method which has emerged as an efficient connectivity method for joining two thin wires. Let’s learn more about this modern connectivity method-
The Issues with the Traditional Connectivity Method
For joining two metal wires, we usually use two traditional connectivity methods such as soldering and welding methods. The soldering method involves the use of a filler metal with a comparatively lower melting point than the wires. Manufacturers melt this filler metal between the ends of two wires and when the filler metal gets cold and hardened, it joins two wires. Whereas the welding method involves directly melting the ends of wires and joining them together. However, when the diameter of the wire is too small (for instance, an ultra-fine wire is ten to twelve times thinner than a human hair), these traditional connectivity methods become ineffective and create some issues, like extreme heat spreading and destruction of the wires, physical strain and oxidization at the connections.
Thermo Compression Bonding Method
Thermo Compression Bonding method is the only well-proven efficient connectivity method that can join two ultra-fine wires of 8 to 9 microns in diameter. Considering this fact, this connectivity method is popularly known as the micro-soldering method. This method is not only effective for joining two ultra-fine wires of the same metal but also for joining an ultra-fine wire with another twelve times thicker wire, and even for two different metal wires.
Thermo Compression Bonding method overcomes all the issues of traditional methods and provides the most efficient connectivity solution for ultra-fine wires. This method offers the most durable and reliable connectivity solution for ultra-fine wires and also eliminates corrosion and physical strain at the joints. When the production process of micro-coils has to face challenges like ultra-strict tolerance limits, physical constraints, and environmental factors, this connectivity method helps to overcome all these challenges.
Applications
Thermo Compression Bonding method can effectively join an ultra-fine wire to a miniature copper thermocouple, a micro-coil to a printed circuit board, and a micro-coil to other components of the device by using a metal-plated terminal. This connectivity method is necessary for building several medically invasive devices, such as active implants, pain management devices, devices to measure blood flow, blood pressure, heartbeat, temperature, etc., orientation and navigation sensors, and devices for orthopaedic, dental, and electrophysiology treatments.
