Effects of Triboelectrostatic Charging Between Polymer Surfaces in Manufacturing and Test of Integrated Circuit Packages

Integrated circuit (IC) package assembly and test processes include several industrial steps involving physical contact and/or friction between polymer surfaces of handlers and packages. The trend toward smaller and sleeker gadgets has resulted in a dramatic reduction in the package weight due to thickness and size miniaturization. In this paper, we show that the forces created through triboelectrostatic charging between surfaces of handlers and packages are comparable with the weight of thin and small IC packages. Furthermore, the voltages generated in such triboelectric interactions are rather small - typically below the concern levels set in the IC industry. The results show that for IC packages with a subgram weight, the impact of the triboelectrostatic force on the assembly processes is significant and occurs at low static voltages <;200 V. The data presented in this paper provides valuable insights into the selection of materials for handler designs in contact with IC packages during assembly and test processes.