Bonding wire with integral connection

A wire for use in making connection to bond pads of semiconductor devices and the like, the interconnection and method of making the interconnection between a semiconductor device or the like and an external connection point with a plated (3) wire (1) which can have one or more different layers of plating thereon. When the core material (1) will be the electrical conductor (skin effect is not present), the core material will be highly electrically conductive, such as aluminum, copper, silver or gold with the particular material used be chosen to be compatible with the bond pad to which connection is to be made. The outer plating material is chosen to be both electrically conductive and compatible with the material of the external connection point and also capable of forming an alloy with the core material which is compatible with the bond pad. Nickel and palladium, for example, are appropriate plating materials. When two plating layers are used, the intermediate layer (3) will generally provide an alloy with the wire material and the outer layer (5) which is better compatible with the bond pad material than the core material and outer layer alone. In the case of high frequency operation (skin effect is present), the core need not be a good electrical conductor whereas the plating thereon must be a good electrical conductor. Otherwise, the requirements for bonding are the same. In general, the properties of the core material and the plating material can be tailored to each other to enhance the total overall properties of the conductor for the required end use.