Atmel product change announcement

Received via mouser.com

http://www.mouser.com/PCN/Atmel_WC124902.pdf

Previously discussed here, looks like changed parts are now shipping.

Interesting. What were they manufacturing with before? Gold?

I read it as gold wires (from die to chip leads) are being replaced with copper wire.

Yeah it's a trend that's been going on for several years, I remember hearing about it in 2006 or 7...
Copper has a different coefficient of expansion than gold and thus when driven real hard tended to part at the ultrasonic weld to the breakout pad on the die...
Was a lot of talk about ti... Seems to me that it was National Semi. that started the research...
God Bless Bob Pease... Wherever he is... Bob and Bob (Robert Widlar... inventor of the Band Gap device) WERE National Semiconductor and National folded right about the time that Bob Pease died...

Bob

@ codlink.. Yes because of it's softness and work-ability... Not much perhaps a mm or so per lead but real easy to ultrasonic weld.

Docedison:
Yeah it's a trend that's been going on for several years, I remember hearing about it in 2006 or 7...
Copper has a different coefficient of expansion than gold and thus when driven real hard tended to part at the ultrasonic weld to the breakout pad on the die...
Was a lot of talk about ti... Seems to me that it was National Semi. that started the research...
God Bless Bob Pease... Wherever he is... Bob and Bob (Robert Widlar... inventor of the Band Gap device) WERE National Semiconductor and National folded right about the time that Bob Pease died...

Bob

Ironically, Bob Pease died in a car accident after attending a memorial service for another famous analog designer, Jim Williams.

Docedison:
@ codlink.. Yes because of it's softness and work-ability... Not much perhaps a mm or so per lead but real easy to ultrasonic weld.

Ah yes, I understand. Thanks for the info.