Thermo Compression Bonding

What is Thermo Compression Bonding

Benatav has developed a thermo compression process allowing us to connect ultra-fine wires to others of similar or vastly different diameters and/or metal types. Traditionally, two similar or dissimilar wires were joined by welding or soldering. Our micro soldering, thermo compression process enables us to join ultra-fine wires as small as 9 microns, which is 5–10 times thinner than a human hair.

With increasing demand for miniaturized and microscopic components like sensors and transducers, the need to join ultra-fine wires is escalating. Yet, this task is challenging due to constraints imposed by the size, shape, and environmental factors of the final component, along with ultra-strict tolerance requirements. Traditional methods are no longer adequate for joining ultra-fine wires.

Examples of Connections

Thermo-pressure bonding can connect:

• Miniature copper thermocouples to ultra-fine wires
• Metal to metal connections of micro-coils to a printed circuit board using thicker intermediate wires
• Micro coils to a support system using metal-plated terminals

The molecular connections formed by this thermo-pressure bonding technology provide highly reliable, corrosion-free, and strain-free joins. The process is also more economical than traditional soldering or welding, which lowers manufacturing costs. We have tested thermo-pressure bonding extensively in a wide variety of customer environments and implemented in several production processes. This has proven its readiness for integration into mass-production processes, while meeting exceptionally high standards, such as those required by medical applications. The process has also proven suitable for both disposable and long-life products, for example, permanent implants.

Advantages of Micro Compression Bonding

Advantages of micro compression bonding include:

• Reduced noise levels 
• Strain relief at connections
• Safer production process. No risk of damaging sensitive components
• Highly reliable connection—no oxidization

Traditional Methods

The following are some of the traditional methods for joining wires:

• Soldering by applying an external heat source to the joint along with a filler metal. 
• Welding by applying an electric current to melt the metals to be joined.

All of these methods either cannot be used at all due to physics constraints, or they introduce other issues, such as:

• Imprecise heat spread that destroys the wires  
• Oxidation of the wires and surrounding area
• Physical strain and degradation of the reliability of the connection

The ultimate answer to all these connectivity challenges was found in the form of an innovative  thermo-pressure bonding technology recently developed by Benatav.  

Applications

The following is a list of some applications that benefit from micro coil and ultra-fine wire connectivity technology:

• Active implants—monitoring or control of implanted pace-makers, or deep brain stimulation components, for example, pain management devices
• herapeutic applications—devices in electro-physiology treatments, (cardiac or neural), or electricity-based ablations, (microwave and RF)
• Navigation and orientation sensors—targeted drug delivery, targeted radiation catheters, stent positioning, highly accurate ablations, implanted markers, and endoscopic manipulation 
• Orthopedic an dental treatment using pulsed electromagnets
• Diagnostic—wireless communication with miniature sensor implants, whether physiological (blood pressure or heartbeat), or flow (blood or respiration)

The Future of Ultra-Fine Wire Technologies

Innovative ultra-fine wire technologies open a limitless range of possibilities for designers of miniaturized medical equipment and other industries. With the increasing need to access high-density body regions while minimizing interference with the body’s regular functioning, miniaturization in medical devices is vital.

For instance, a miniature coil manufactured by Benatav can serve as a navigation component in a cardiovascular catheter used for cardiac ablation. This component is a typical example of the benefits gained using Benatav’s thermo-pressure technology to mass produce high-quality, miniature components at a reasonable cost. As awareness of micro soldering grows, we anticipate that the use of these advanced technologies will become increasingly widespread.