The present invention relates to semiconductor packaging, and more particularly, to a lead frame for assembling quad flat no-lead (QFN) type semiconductor devices.
QFN and PQFN (Power QFN) semiconductor packages are widely used owing to their small size, moderate thermal dissipation and good electrical performance. Such packages are usually assembled using a lead frame with a die pad and a plurality of leads surrounding the die pad. A semiconductor die is attached to the die pad, electrically connected to the leads, and then the lead frame, die and electrical connections are covered with an encapsulation material.
The quality of the solder joints is checked during inspection. Many techniques including visual inspection, optical inspection, x-ray microscopy and endoscopy are used to check the quality of solder joints. Visual inspection of solder fillets (solder filled in the solder joints) is among the most widely used techniques for checking the quality of solder joints because of its ease and cost-effectiveness. However, visual inspection is not always effective. With the ever shrinking size of semiconductor devices, many QFN devices may be closely placed on a substrate such that when a QFN device is mounted on a substrate, the solder fillets are not visible and the visual inspection can only be performed from the top and side surfaces. Hence, visual inspection of the solder fillets becomes difficult and ineffective.
Therefore, there is a need to enhance the effectiveness of visual inspection of solder joints for QFN type semiconductor device packages.
The following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not limited by the accompanying figures, in which like references indicate similar elements. It is to be understood that the drawings are not to scale and have been simplified for ease of understanding the invention.
The detailed description of the appended drawings is intended as a description of the currently preferred embodiments of the present invention, and is not intended to represent the only form in which the present invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that the same or equivalent functions may be accomplished by different embodiments that are intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the present invention.
In an embodiment of the present invention, a lead frame for a semiconductor device package is provided. The lead frame includes a die pad and a plurality of leads that surround the die pad. A channel is formed at an outer edge of each lead and extends from a lower surface to an upper surface of the lead. The channel facilitates visual inspection of the solder joints of the semiconductor device package after it has been attached to a substrate such as a printed circuit board (PCB).
In another embodiment of the present invention, a semiconductor device package is provided. The semiconductor device package includes a die pad and a semiconductor die attached to the die pad. A plurality of leads surrounds the die pad. The inner edge of each lead is electrically connected to a corresponding bonding pad on the semiconductor die. A channel is formed at an outer edge of each lead and extends from a lower surface to an upper surface of the lead. An encapsulation material covers the die pad, the semiconductor die and the plurality of leads, except that the outer edge of each lead and the corresponding channel are exposed. The channels allow solder to flow up the outer edges of the leads when the semiconductor device package is soldered to a substrate, thereby enhancing visual inspection of the solder-lead connection.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a method for assembling a semiconductor device is provided. A lead frame having a die pad and a plurality of leads surrounding the die pad is provided. A channel is formed at an outer edge of each lead such that the channel extends from a lower surface to an upper surface of each lead. A semiconductor die is attached to the die pad. The inner edge of each lead is electrically connected to a corresponding bonding pad on the semiconductor die. The semiconductor die, the die pad and the leads are covered with an encapsulation material except that the outer edge of each lead and the corresponding channel are exposed. The channels allow solder to flow up the outer edge of the lead when the semiconductor device is soldered to a substrate, thereby enhancing visual inspection of the solder-lead connection.
Various embodiments of the present invention provide a packaged semiconductor device. Although the invention is described below with particular reference to a quad flat no-lead (QFN) type semiconductor device package and a process for assembling a QFN semiconductor device, it will be understood by those of skill in the art that the inventive concept described herein may apply to other types of semiconductor device packages. The channels formed at the outer edges of the leads allow solder to flow up the outer edges of the leads when the packaged semiconductor device is soldered to a substrate. The solder fillets can be easily viewed from the top and side surfaces, which makes visual inspection of solder joints (solder-lead connection) more effective, even on substrates that have closely arranged devices.
Referring now to
The lead frame 200, as shown in
The lead frame 200, the semiconductor die 302, the leads 204, and the bond wires 304 as shown in
Referring now to
The connections on the QFN semiconductor device package 400 are externally made using fillet solder joints. The exposed part of the leads 204 is used to solder the QFN semiconductor device package 400 to a substrate or a printed circuit board (PCB). The channels 206 allow the solder to flow up through the outer edge of the leads 204 to the upper surface during the solder reflow process. As a result, the solder fillets can be easily viewed from the top and side surfaces of thee QFN semiconductor device package 400 and visual inspection of the solder joints becomes easy.
Referring now to
The description above is provided in reference to QFN semiconductor devices. It should be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the present invention is applicable for Power-QFN (PQFN) semiconductor devices as well.
Finally, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the,” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Also, terms “device” and “package” have been used interchangeably. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. It should be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. and horizontal and vertical are used to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first element could be termed a second element, and, similarly, a second element could be termed a first element, without departing from the scope of example embodiments of the present invention. As used herein, the term “and/or,” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
While various embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be clear that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments only. Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions, and equivalents will be apparent to those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, as described in the claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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201110326978.3 | Aug 2011 | CN | national |