WIRE BONDING APPARATUS

PURPOSE:To wire bond at a high speed with stable bonding strength by providing an electric torch for forming a ball by a discharge at the end of a fine metal wire at a retainer. CONSTITUTION:A capillary 9 rises when a pair of certain electrodes and leads are wire bonded completely. When a metal wire 8 is disconnected, the capillary 9 immediately moves to a suitable position of a framelike electric torch 21 such as the nearest position to hold the end of the wire 8 in a predetermined height with respect to the torch 21. Then, a voltage is applied, and discharged to form a ball 13 at the end of the wire 8. Since the torch 21 does not move at all at this time, it does not vibrate, thereby forming the stable ball. Thus, the bonding having predetermined bonding strength is obtained.