Patents by Inventor Stephen G. Starr

Stephen G. Starr has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5576246
    Abstract: A lead on chip (LOC) semiconductor leadframe package provides notched lead-fingers to eliminate mechanical shear-stress at the peripheral edge of a semiconductor chip. Opposite rows of substantially flat cantilevered lead-fingers are attached by double-sided adhesive tape in thermal contact with the active face of a chip. The lead-fingers are routed in personalized paths over the face of the chip to cover a large surface area to aid heat dissipation. All wirebond connections between the lead-fingers and the chip are made at a centerline connection strip running down the center of the chip. Each of the cantilevered lead-fingers has a notched portion positioned directly over the vulnerable peripheral chip edge to reduce thermal, mechanical shear-stress. Additionally, since corrosion typically follows a lead path, the notch provides increasing path length to prevent corrosive ingress over the chip face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1996
    Assignees: International Business Machines, Corporation, Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Harold W. Conru, Francis E. Froebel, Albert J. Gregoritsch, Jr., Sheldon C. Rieley, Stephen G. Starr, Ronald R. Uttecht, Eric J. White, Jens G. Pohl
  • Patent number: 5545921
    Abstract: A lead on chip (LOC) semiconductor leadframe package provides notched lead-fingers to eliminate mechanical shear-stress at the peripheral edge of a semiconductor chip. Opposite rows of substantially flat cantilevered lead-fingers are attached by double-sided adhesive tape in thermal contact with the active face of a chip. The lead-fingers are routed in personalized paths over the face of the chip to cover a large surface area to aid heat dissipation. All wirebond connections between the lead-fingers and the chip are made at a centerline connection strip running down the center of the chip. Each of the cantilevered lead-fingers has a notched portion positioned directly over the vulnerable peripheral chip edge to reduce thermal, mechanical shear-stress. Additionally, since corrosion typically follows a lead path, the notch provides an increasing path length to prevent corrosive ingress over the chip face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignees: International Business Machines, Corporation, Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Harold W. Conru, Francis E. Froebel, Albert J. Gregoritsch, Jr., Sheldon C. Rieley, Stephen G. Starr, Ronald R. Uttecht, Eric J. White, Jens G. Pohl
  • Patent number: 5151559
    Abstract: This is a semiconductor chip in which the conductive path between the chip and the lead frame via wires can be easily and reproduceably improved. This is accomplished by improving the bond between the wires and the lead frame members to which the wires are joined and by creating additional contacts between each wire and its respective lead even if the bonded contact breaks or fails at or immediately adjacent to the bonding point. This is accomplished by placing an insulating layer on the active surface of each chip, carrying input and output bonding pads thereon, to which lead frame conductors have been connected by bonding wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1992
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: H. Ward Conru, Gary H. Irish, Francis J. Pakulski, William J. Slattery, Stephen G. Starr, William C. Ward
  • Patent number: 5086018
    Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor chip in which the conductive path between the chip and the lead frame via wires can be easily and reproduceably improved. This is accomplished by improving the bond between the wires and the lead frame members to which the wires are joined and by creating additional contacts between each wire and its respective lead even if the bonded contact breaks or fails at or immediately adjacent to the bonding point. This is accomplished by placing an insulating layer on the active surface of each chip, carrying input and output bonding pads thereon, to which lead frame conductors have been connected by bonding wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1992
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: H. Ward Conru, Gary H. Irish, Francis J. Pakulski, William J. Slattery, Stephen G. Starr, William C. Ward
  • Patent number: 4965654
    Abstract: A plastic encapsulated semiconductor package in which the connecting lead frame members are deposited over the surface of the device together with a covering ground plane so as to provide enhanced electrical and thermal coupling of the members and the device and so reduce the signal to noise ratio by a factor or greater than three over that available in other similar plastic encapsulated packages while simultaneously improving the transfer of heat out of the package.In particular, a lead frame having a plurality of conductors is attached to a major active surface of a semiconductor chip via a ground plane which, in the preferred embodiment, is a multilayered structure containing an insulated integral, uniform ground plane positioned between the lead frame and the chip and adhesively and insulatively joined to both of them. Wires connect terminals on the major active surface of the semiconductor chip to the ground plane and to selective lead frame conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1990
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Friedrich A. Karner, Douglas W. Phelps, Jr., Stephen G. Starr, William C. Ward
  • Patent number: 4907734
    Abstract: A compression bond is formed between a gold or gold alloy wire and lead/tin solder by forming a head on the wire and forcing the head into a pad of the solder by thermosonic, or thermocompression, or ultrasonic compression bonding techniques. This forms a gold/tin intermetallic compound which in turn forms the bond. The head of the wire is maintained out of contact with any underlying surface, and surrounded by the solder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 13, 1990
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: H. Ward Conru, Stephen E. Gons, Gordon C. Osborne, Jr., Douglas W. Phelps, Jr., Stephen G. Starr, William C. Ward
  • Patent number: 4821945
    Abstract: A system of single lead clamping and bonding in the assembly of integrated circuit devices. A capillary bonder has a clamp member rotatably mounted around the capillary for movement with the bond head. The clamp is moveable vertically to contact and clamp a terminal to be bonded. The clamp is rotatable to orient itself with respect to the terminal and the fine wire. The capillary and clamp move under computer control to make a series of bonds, typically between lead frame fingers and terminals on a semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1989
    Assignee: International Business Machines
    Inventors: Judith A. Chase, Douglas W. Phelps, Jr., Robert J. Redmond, Stephen G. Starr