AtaneducationaltrainingworkshopheldatSEMICONChina2011,whichfocussedonbestpracticeinwirebondingtechnology,industryprofessionalsdiscussedthelatestdevelopmentsinbondingwirematerials.TheseminarwassponsoredbytheWorldGoldCouncilandispartoftheorganisation?ˉsSureConnectinitiative,whichsupportsreliableinterconnectioninsemiconductorpackaging.Eachyearmillionsofelectronicdevicestrustingoldbondingwiretodeliverreliableperformance.DrRichardHolliday,Director,Technology,attheWorldGoldCouncil,commented:?deg;Goldwirebondingremainstheindustrystandardforhighreliabilityinterconnectionintheelectronicsindustry.Throughthisseminarwewantedtohelptheindustryunderstandhowgoldcanbeutilisedasacosteffectivechoiceinmanyapplicationsaswellaseducateandinformengineersaboutdesignconsiderationsforcosteffectivewireusageandcriticalmaterialselectionissues.?deg;Whilstsomepeopleintheindustrybelieveamovetocopperwirebondingisaneasy,automaticchoice,thisisnotthecase.Thefeedbackwereceivedatthisseminarconfirmedthattherearestillseriousconcernsovertheuseofcopper,suchthatthisisacriticalissuefortheindustry.?deg;A2010SEMIsurveyshowedthatsemiconductorcompanieshaveseriousreservationsabouttheimpactofcopperonproductreliabilityandmanufacturingproductivity.?plusmn;Toviewthesurveypleasevisithttp://www.gold.org/download/pr_archive/pdf/Europe_SEMI_pr.pdfTheseminarwasorganisedbyProMatConsultantsandComSolConsulting,basedinSingapore,inconjunctionwiththeWorldGoldCouncil.Formoreinformationabouttheseminarpleasevisithttp://www.semiconchina.org/article_2188_757.htmorcontactSEMIChinaprogram@semi.org.cn.AbouttheWorldGoldCouncilTheWorldGoldCouncilisthemarketdevelopmentorganisationforthegoldindustry.Workingwithintheinvestment,jewelleryandtechnologysectors,aswellasengagingingovernmentaffairs,ourpurposeistoprovideindustryleadership,whilststimulatingandsustainingdemandforgold.Wedevelopgold-backedsolutions,servicesandmarkets,basedontruemarketinsight.Asaresult,wecreatestructuralshiftsindemandforgoldacrosskeymarketsectors.Weprovideinsightsintotheinternationalgoldmarkets,helpingpeopletobetterunderstandthewealthpreservationqualitiesofgoldanditsroleinmeetingthesocialandenvironmentalneedsofsociety.BasedintheUK,withoperationsinIndia,theFarEast,Turkey,EuropeandtheUSA,theWorldGoldCouncilisanassociationwhosemembersincludetheworld?ˉsleadingandmostforwardthinkinggoldminingcompanies.Forfurtherinformationvisitwww.gold.org.