Alexander Coucoulas

Alexander Coucoulas (born 1933) is an American inventor, research engineer, and author. He was named "Father Of Thermosonic Bonding" by George Harman, the world's foremost authority on wire bonding, where he referenced Coucoulas's leading edge publications in his book, Wire Bonding In Microelectronics. A Thermosonic bond is formed using a set of parameters which include ultrasonic, thermal and mechanical (force) energies. Figure 1 (below) shows a diagram of a Thermosonic Bonding machine which includes a magnetostrictive or piezoelectric-type transducer which is used to convert electrical energy into vibratory motion which is known as Piezoelectricity. The vibratory motion travels along the coupler system, a portion which is tapered to serve as the velocity transformer. The velocity transformer amplifies the oscilliatory motion and delivers it to a heated bonding tip.

Thermosonic bonding is widely used to electrically connect silicon integrated circuit microprocessor chips into computers as well as a myriad of other electronic devices that require wire bonding.

As a result of Coucoulas introducing thermosonic bonding lead wires in the early 1960s, its applications and scientific investigations by researchers throughout the world have grown as confirmed by the thousands of Google search-sites. The all-important proven reliability of thermosonic bonding, as confirmed by these investigations, has made it the process of choice for connecting these crucially important electronic components. And since relatively low bonding parameters were shown to form reliable thermosonic bonds, the integrity of the fragile silicon integrated circuit chip central processor unit or CPU, is assured throughout its intended lifetime use as the "brains" of the computer.

Coucoulas retired from AT&T Bell Labs as a member of the technical staff in 1996 where he pioneered research in the areas of electronic/photonics packaging, laser technology and optical fibers which resulted in numerous patents, and publications. He was twice awarded best paper which he presented at the 20th and 43rd IEEE Electronic Components Conference for “Compliant Bonding” in 1970 ” and AlO Bonding in 1993 both of which were his patented inventions.

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