7064434 B2 abstract a method and apparatus electrically coupling input output bond pads that are disposed proximate to one another on a microelectronic device the apparatus includes a microelectronic device having at least two conductive input output bond pads electrically coupled to an integrated circuit of the microelectronic device and first and second conductive stud balls bonded to first and second input output pads respectively and a third conductive stud ball bonded to the first and second conductive stud balls a wire bonding tool in u201c stud ball u201d mode is utilized to bond the conductive stud balls application_number US 72310303 A description with reference to fig1 stud ball bond arrangement 12 of the present invention is seen an integrated circuit device such as integrated circuit chip 10 including a plurality of input output bond pads 14 has for example three stud ball bond arrangements 12 of the present invention in the example shown in fig1 three pairs 16 a 16 b and 16 c of conductive input output bond pads 14 disposed on a surface 30 of the integrated circuit chip 10 are electrically connected by the stud ball bond arrangements 12 a 12 b and 12 c of the present invention any desired number of pairs 16 of input output bond pads may be electrically connected with a corresponding number of stud ball bond arrangements 12 of the present invention if desired the stud ball bond arrangement 12 of the present invention may be formed post wafer fabrication and at stages before or after package level assembly when conductive stud balls are bonded in accord with the present.