Wirebond pin-plastic header combination and methods of making and using the same

Claim 1

An electrical device comprising: a plastic header and a wirebond pin; said plastic header having top, bottom, front and back faces; said wirebond pin comprising a shaft having an electrical connection portion at one end and a paddle at the other end, a collar adjacent the paddle, an anchor adjacent said electrical connection portion and a middle portion extending between said anchor and said collar, said anchor having a diameter greater than said middle portion; said pin being received in a hole formed in said header and having a diameter greater than said pin middle portion so that at least a portion of said electrical connection extends outward from said back face, said anchor being fixed in and surrounded in said plastic, said middle portion and said plastic defining a circular void extending the longitudinal axis of said middle portion from said anchor to said front face, and so that said circular void is sealed by said collar, a wire having one end ultrasonically bonded to the paddle and the other end ultrasonically bonded to a semiconductor device on a substrate in fixed relationship to the plastic header, a passivation material encapsulating the semiconductor device, wire paddle and a portion of the front face of header.

Claim 9

A method of using a wirebond pin comprising a shaft having an electrical connection portion at one end and a paddle at the other end, a collar adjacent the paddle, an anchor adjacent said electrical connection portion and a middle portion extending between said anchor and collar, and said anchor having a diameter greater than said middle portion, comprising the steps of: providing a plastic header having top, bottom, front and back faces, and a hole through said header extending from said front face to said back face and having a diameter greater than the diameter of said pin middle portion; inserting said electrical connection pin into said plastic header so that said electrical connection portion first enters said front face and continuing through towards said back face so that at least a portion of said electrical connection extends outward from said back face and is exposed, said anchor is fixed and surrounded by plastic, said middle portion is received in said hole, said middle portion and said plastic defining a circular void extending from said anchor to said front face, and so that said collar seals off said circular void, ultrasonically bonding one end of a wire to the paddle and ultrasonically bonding the other end of a wire to a semiconductor device on a substrate in a fixed relationship to the header, encapsulating the semiconductor device, wire, paddle and a portion of the front face of the header with a liquid passivation material and so that the collar prevents the flow of the liquid passivation through the void defined by the header and the middle portion of the pin.

Claim 10

A method of using a wirebond pin comprising a shaft having an electrical connection portion at one end and a paddle at the other end, a collar adjacent the paddle, an anchor adjacent said electrical connection portion and a middle portion extending between said anchor and collar, and said anchor having a diameter greater than said middle portion, comprising the steps of: providing a plastic header having top, bottom, front and back faces, and a hole through said header extending from said front face to said back face and having a diameter greater than the diameter of said pin middle portion; inserting said electrical connection pin into said plastic header so that said electrical connection portion first enters said front face and continuing through towards said back face so that at least a portion of said electrical connection extends outward from said back face and is exposed, said anchor is fixed and surrounded by plastic, said middle portion is received in said hole, said middle portion and said plastic defining a circular void extending from said anchor to said front face, and so that said collar seals off said circular void, ultrasonically bonding one end of a wire to the paddle and ultrasonically bonding the other end of a wire to a semiconductor device on a substrate in a fixed relationship to the header, encapsulating the semiconductor device, wire, paddle and a portion of the front face of the header with a liquid passivation material and so that the collar prevents the flow of the liquid passivation through the void defined by the header and the middle portion of the pin.

Claim 14

A method of making a semiconductor device comprising: preparing a circuit on a ceramic substrate; placing the ceramic substrate in a housing comprising a bottom floor and four upright walls; providing a single piece wirebond pin comprising a shaft having an electrical connection portion at one end and a paddle at the other end, a collar position adjacent said paddle, a star-shaped anchor positioned a distance from said collar on said shaft and a middle portion extending between said anchor and said collar; providing a plastic header having top, bottom, front and back faces, and a hole through said header extending from said front face to said back face and having a diameter greater than said middle portion of said pin; said middle portion and a surface in said header defining a circular void extending the longitudinal axis of said middle portion; inserting said pin into the header, with the electrical connector portion first, and so that said collar abuts said plastic header and seals off said circular void; attaching said plastic header to said housing so that said paddle extends into the cavity of the housing defined by the bottom face and four upright walls; ultrasonic bonding one end of a wire to said paddle and the other end to said circuit; pouring a liquid passivation material into the cavity of the housing to completely cover said ceramic substrate, paddle and bonded wire and so that the pin collar prevents the liquid passivation material from flowing through said circular void; curing said passivation layer; and securing a cap to said housing.

Claim 15

A method of making a semiconductor device comprising: preparing a circuit on a ceramic substrate; placing the ceramic substrate in a housing comprising a bottom floor and four upright walls; providing a single piece wirebond pin comprising a shaft having an electrical connection portion at one end and a paddle at the other end, a collar position adjacent said paddle, a star-shaped anchor positioned a distance from said collar on said shaft and a middle portion extending between said anchor and said collar; providing a plastic header having top, bottom, front and back faces, and a hole through said header extending from said front face to said back face and having a diameter greater than said middle portion of said pin; said middle portion and a surface in said header defining a circular void extending the longitudinal axis of said middle portion; inserting said pin into the header, with the electrical connector portion first, and so that said collar abuts said plastic header and seals off said circular void; attaching said plastic header to said housing so that said paddle extends into the cavity of the housing defined by the bottom face and four upright walls; ultrasonic bonding one end of a wire to said paddle and the other end to said circuit; pouring a liquid passivation material into the cavity of the housing to completely cover said ceramic substrate, paddle and bonded wire and so that the pin collar prevents the liquid passivation material from flowing through said circular void; curing said passivation layer; and securing a cap to said housing.