Abstract: A method of manufacturing a packaged semiconductor device includes patterning and plating silver nanoparticles in bonding areas of a lead frame, forming a hydrophilic group while oxidizing the silver nanoparticles, forming wire bonds on the silver nanoparticles, and encapsulating the wire bonds and the silver nanoparticles.

Abstract: An integrated circuit is packaged, in one embodiment, by wire bonding to pads supported by tape. The tape also supports traces that run from the wire bonded location to a pad for solder balls. A heat spreader is thermally connected to the integrated circuit and is located not just in the area under the die but also extends to the edge of the package in the area outside the wire bonding location. This outer area is thermally connected to the area under the die by thermal bars that run between some of the wire bond locations. During the manufacturing of the package the heat spreader is connected to slotted rails by tie bars. During singulation, the tie bars are easily broken or sawed because they are significantly reduced in thickness from the thickness of the heat spreader as a whole.

Abstract: A packaged integrated circuit includes a die surrounded by an encapsulant in which leads are used to electrically connect the die, which is internal to the encapsulant, externally. The leads have a primary metal that is used for electrical conduction and physical support. The external portion of the lead is coated with another metal, typically tin, that is useful for soldering. This tin layer is formed in a manner that ensures that it is porous. Although porous is generally thought to be a bad characteristic, it turns out to be very effective in absorbing stress and thus retarding whisker growth. Whisker growth, which can short adjacent leads together as well as cause other deleterious effects, has been a major source of failures in packaged integrated circuits. An additional layer of very thin tin that is non-porous can be added before or after the porous tin layer has been deposited.

Abstract: During the curing process of the package strips, especially during post encapsulant cure (PEC), undesirable warpage of package strips occurs. A carrier having angled lands and side-insertion clamp structures with angled clamp fins may be used to control this cure-induced warpage of package strips during PEC. In one embodiment, the angled lands and angled side-insertions clamps are used to clamp the edges of the package strip in order to introduce an intentional deformation which counters warpage which occurs during PEC. The angled lands and side-insertion clamps may be at any angle (fixed or adjustable). The side-insertion clamps may be inserted before or after insertion of the package strips into the carrier. Once the package strips are in the carrier and resting on the angled lands, a force may be applied to the side-insertion clamps to clamp the edges of the package strips between a clamp fin and an angled land.

Abstract: An inductive device (105) is formed above a substrate (225) having a conductive coil formed around a core (109). The coil comprises segments formed from a first plurality of bond wires (113) and a second plurality of bond wires (111). The first plurality of bond wires (113) extends between the core (109) and the substrate (225). Each of the first plurality of bond wires is coupled to two of a plurality of wire bond pads (117, 116). The second plurality of bond wires (111) extends over the core (109) and is coupled between two of the plurality of wire bond pads (117, 119). A shield (141) includes a portion that is positioned between the core (109) and the substrate (225).