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  "title": "Thermocompression with non-conductive film",
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  "description": "Trace a bump-based TC-NCF route and separate polymer behavior from electrical contact formation.",
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  "revisionDate": "2026-10-07",
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  "topic": "Packaging",
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      "id": "section-1",
      "title": "Thermocompression with non-conductive film",
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      "title": "In TC-NCF, what carries current between memory dies?",
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      "title": "Explore in Atlas",
      "url": "https://semiaifoundry.com/ai-atlas/#hbm-tc-ncf-route"
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      "title": "Samsung — 36 GB HBM3E 12H development",
      "url": "https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-develops-industry-first-36gb-hbm3e-12h-dram"
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      "title": "Microbumps, reflow and thermocompression",
      "url": "https://semiaifoundry.com/learn/atlas/bump-thermocompression-assembly/"
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    {
      "title": "HBM layer count and physical height",
      "url": "https://semiaifoundry.com/learn/atlas/hbm-stack-height-budget/"
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      "url": "https://semiaifoundry.com/learn/atlas/hbm-mr-muf-route/"
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  "content": "Packaging · Atlas v1.3.0\n\n# Thermocompression with non-conductive film\n\nTrace a bump-based TC-NCF route and separate polymer behavior from electrical contact formation.\n\n[Explore in Atlas](https://semiaifoundry.com/ai-atlas/#hbm-tc-ncf-route)Inter-die contact and serial assembly sequence; enlarged bond lines\n\nLearning objectiveTrace a bump-based TC-NCF route and separate polymer behavior from electrical contact formation.\n\n## The mechanism\n\nThermocompression bonding applies controlled temperature, force and alignment to form interconnections. In a TC-NCF route, a non-conductive film occupies the space between the mating dies while metallic bumps and pads carry the electrical connection. The polymer must deform and cure without blocking intended contacts or trapping unacceptable voids. Thin-die handling, film behavior and bump geometry are therefore coupled. TC-NCF is one thermocompression implementation, not a synonym for every bump process or every adhesive. Samsung’s February 2024 HBM3E 12H announcement gives a concrete historical application; it does not make one vendor’s process window universal.\n\n1.  Prepare bumped dies, compatible film and verified surface/handling conditions.\n2.  Place the film at its defined wafer or die stage; maintain the intended contact openings and contamination controls.\n3.  Align a die to the receiving die and apply the qualified thermal/force cycle for metallic contact and polymer flow/cure.\n4.  Repeat the specified stacking sequence while tracking placement error and cumulative warpage.\n5.  Inspect continuity, bond-line condition and voids; complete the product-specific reliability qualification.\n\n## Science and assumptions\n\n### Serial tool occupancy\n\n$$\nt_{\\mathrm{stack}}\\approx N(t_{\\mathrm{align}}+t_{\\mathrm{bond}})+t_{\\mathrm{handling}}\n$$\n\ntstack ≈ N (talign + tbond) + thandling\n\nSymbols and units\n\ntstack\n\nSerial tool occupancy per stack\n\ns\n\nN\n\nPlacements in the modeled route\n\ncount\n\ntalign\n\nAlignment/placement time per die\n\ns\n\ntbond\n\nBond occupancy time per die\n\ns\n\nthandling\n\nOther occupied handling time per stack\n\ns\n\nThis estimates occupied tool time for a strictly serial die-placement/bonding sequence.\n\nAssumptions No overlapping stations or batch operations. It is not factory cycle time, and route-specific curing may occupy different equipment.\n\n## Engineering example\n\nSynthetic serial flow: 12 placements × (0.3 s alignment + 0.7 s bonding) plus 3 s handling occupy 15 s. A different station layout could overlap work; this calculation predicts neither commercial throughput nor yield.\n\n## Distinctions and tradeoffs\n\nNCF supplies insulation and mechanical support; metal joints provide the conductive path.\n\nSequential local bonding provides process control but tool occupancy, film flow and thin-die stress must close together.\n\nA packaging decision changes manufacturable stack height, test yield and the number of usable HBM stacks delivered.\n\n## Specifications and interfaces\n\nElectrical path\n\nMetallic bumps/pads\n\nNCF itself is electrically insulating.\n\nControl variables\n\nAlignment, force, thermal cycle and film state\n\nValues are recipe- and material-specific, not supplied here.\n\n### Interfaces\n\nPrepared die and film Input\n\nSurface, metallurgy, rheology and alignment\n\nBonded die pair Output\n\nElectrical joints and cured/processed polymer interface\n\n## Check your understanding\n\n### In TC-NCF, what carries current between memory dies?\n\n1.  The metallic interconnections\n2.  The non-conductive film\n3.  The surrounding air gap\n\nAnswer and reasoning\n\nThe metallic interconnections\n\nNCF supplies insulation and mechanical support; metal joints provide the conductive path.\n\n## Evidence and scope\n\nHistorical vendor example: Samsung reported an advanced TC-NCF route for its 2024 HBM3E 12H development. Sampling, qualification and volume production are distinct statuses.\n\nAdjust stack layers, thickness, joint route, interface bandwidth and conditional yield; presets are synthetic, not supplier process windows.\n\n## Sources\n\n-   [Samsung — 36 GB HBM3E 12H development](https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-develops-industry-first-36gb-hbm3e-12h-dram)\n\n[Published lesson data](https://semiaifoundry.com/ai-atlas/lesson-data/hbm-tc-ncf-route-3e048cd358264626.json) · [Atlas releases and licensing](https://semiaifoundry.com/ai-atlas/licenses.html)\n\n## Continue exploring\n\n### Foundations\n\n-   [Microbumps, reflow and thermocompression](https://semiaifoundry.com/learn/atlas/bump-thermocompression-assembly/)\n-   [HBM layer count and physical height](https://semiaifoundry.com/learn/atlas/hbm-stack-height-budget/)\n\n### Related lessons\n\n-   [Mass reflow and molded underfill](https://semiaifoundry.com/learn/atlas/hbm-mr-muf-route/)\n-   [Hybrid bonding: surface-to-interface closure](https://semiaifoundry.com/learn/atlas/hbm-hybrid-bond-route/)\n-   [Selecting a bonding route under constraints](https://semiaifoundry.com/learn/atlas/hbm-bonding-process-selection/)"
}