An analysis of thermo-compression bonding as a method of joining electronic components to printed circuit boards

Lead based soldering processes used in electronic manufacturing are under threat from the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive, issued by the EU in 2000. This directive explains that solder is to be free from lead by 2006, as lead has been recognised by the EU as an environmentally harmful material [1]. One alternative in connecting components to PCBs is the use of Thermo-Compression Bonding, a wire bonding technique currently used in the electronics industry. This paper examines the fundamentals of this technique and illustrates the initial research carried out in examining the feasibility of its use in the connection of leaded components to printed circuit boards.