Semiconductor device manufacturing: process – Packaging or treatment of packaged semiconductor – Making plural separate devices
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-10
2004-03-23
Chambliss, Alonzo (Department: 2827)
Semiconductor device manufacturing: process
Packaging or treatment of packaged semiconductor
Making plural separate devices
C438S112000, C438S113000, C438S123000, C438S127000, C438S462000, C029S827000, C029S855000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06709892
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of making packaged electronic devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
To provide a semiconductor device of a surface-mount type, conductors as a terminal may be partially exposed in the bottom surface of a resin package. As is known, such a semiconductor device can be produced collectively using a leadframe. A leadframe may be provided with a number of semiconductor device-forming regions, in each of which a semiconductor chip is placed. The respective semiconductor chips are subjected to wire-bonding, and then the chips are resin-packaged. Finally, cuts are made between the semiconductor device-forming regions by using cutting means such as a punch press or a rotary blade, to provide separate resin-packaged semiconductor devices.
As shown in
FIG. 16
, for example, the resin-packaging may be performed so as to enclose a plurality of semiconductor chips
90
by a common resin coating layer
91
. To obtain semiconductor devices as the final products, both the coating layer
91
and the frame
93
need to be cut by a cutting tool
92
. In this manner, however, many burrs will be produced when the coating layer
91
is cut. In addition, the production cost tends to become unduly high since resin material needs to be supplied not only to the portions for forming the final resin packages but also to the other wasted portions.
Alternatively, as shown in
FIG. 17
, the resin-packaging may be performed in a manner such that the semiconductor chips
90
are enclosed individually by separate resin packages
91
A. In this case, the cutting tool
92
does not need to cut the resin packages
91
A, and the resin material for forming the package is supplied only to the non-wasted portions. Thus, the above-mentioned problems regarding the burrs and the increased production cost do not arise. By this method, however, the following problems will arise.
In order to make compact the semiconductor device, the cutting for the frame
93
should be performed at a position as adjacent to the resin package
91
A as possible. For proper processing, as shown in
FIG. 17
, the frame
93
needs to be pressed against the die
94
by a guide presser (stripper)
95
, so that no external force is exerted on the semiconductor chips
90
and that the frame
93
is not detached from the resin packages
91
A. As seen from the figure, the guide presser
95
is provided with a recess to accommodate the resin package
91
A and a tapering wall to be brought into contact with the frame
93
. The presser
95
needs to be made strong enough to permit the frame
93
to be pressed against the die
94
with an appropriate force. To this end, the presser
95
cannot be too thin, particularly in the tapering wall. In the presence of such dimensional requirements, the gap between the cutting tool
92
and the resin package
91
A becomes greater than desired due to the intervention of the tapering wall, which is disadvantageous to the downsizing of the semiconductor device.
Further, the method illustrated in
FIG. 17
will produce burrs B on the bottom surface of the frame
93
since the frame
93
is cut by a non-stop downward movement of the cutting tool
92
. Disadvantageously, the burrs B may be mixed in the solder material applied between the semiconductor device and a circuit board, thereby making the connection less stable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been proposed under the circumstances described above. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a method of making a non-defective electronic device with a resin package from which terminal conductors project slightly.
According to the present invention, an electronic device is made in the following manner. First, a leadframe including a first conductive member and a second conductive member is prepared. A first electronic element is connected to the first conductive member, and a second electronic element is connected to the second conductive member. A first resin package is formed for enclosing the first electronic element in a manner allowing exposure of a part of the first conductive member, while a second resin package is formed for enclosing the second electronic element which is spaced apart from the first resin package. Then, the exposed part of the first conductive member is cut. In this cutting procedure, a first tool is used for forming an indentation in the above-mentioned exposed part on a first side of the exposed part, while a second tool is used for making a full cut in the exposed part on a second side opposite to the first side. The full-cut is continued until the resultant cut is linked with the indentation.
By the above method, a preliminary indentation is formed when the conductive member is to be cut. When a full cut is made in the conductive member in a manner such that the full cut extends to be linked with the indentation, the desired cutting for the conductive member can be performed without exerting an unduly great force on the cutting tool (and hence on the conductive member).
Preferably, the indentation may be formed adjacent to the first resin package.
Preferably, the full cut may be formed at a position which is farther from the first resin package than the indentation is, so that the above-mentioned exposed part has a stepped edge.
Preferably, the indentation and the first resin package may be spaced apart from each other by a distance ranging from 10 &mgr;m to 100 &mgr;m.
Preferably, the first resin package may include a bottom surface brought into contact with a circuit board and also include a side surface extending upward from the bottom surface, the above-mentioned exposed part projecting from the side surface.
Preferably, the indentation formed in the first conductive member may be disposed on the side of the bottom surface of the first resin package.
Preferably, the first conductive member may also be exposed in the bottom surface of the first resin package.
Preferably, the indentation may comprise an upright surface and another surface, the upright surface being closer to the side surface of the first resin package than said another surface is.
Preferably, the indentation may comprise a notch having a V-shaped cross section.
Preferably, each of the first tool and the second tool may comprise a punch.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
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patent: 6025640 (2000-02-01), Yagi et al.
patent: 6307253 (2001-10-01), Yamamoto
patent: 6400004 (2002-06-01), Fan et al.
patent: 6580161 (2003-06-01), Kobayakawa
patent: 6608366 (2003-08-01), Fogelson et al.
patent: 6611047 (2003-08-01), Hu et al.
patent: 6624007 (2003-09-01), Kobayakawa et al.
patent: 61008960 (1986-01-01), None
patent: 61051862 (1986-03-01), None
Kobayakawa Masahiko
Kusunoki Hiromu
Maeda Masahide
Chambliss Alonzo
Merchant & Gould P.C.
Rohm & Co., Ltd.
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