Lead frame for a multiplicity of terminals

Claim 1

An apparatus, comprising: a bonding pad for receiving a semiconductor chip having a plurality of terminals; a lead frame for connection to said terminals, said lead frame being arranged in a very confined space and comprising a plurality of metallic conductors of uniform thickness which can be connected to the terminals, the metallic conductors having a relatively large spacing between them in an outer region and a relatively narrow spacing between them in an inner region adjacent said bonding pad, said relatively large spacing being produced by a first lead forming technique and said narrow spacing being produced by laser cutting a uniform metallic material, said narrow spacing having a width which is smaller than the minimum spacing producible by said first lead forming technique, wherein the metallic conductors are produced over the majority of their length by the first lead forming technique, wherein said relatively large spacings and said relatively small spacings are uniform, and wherein said conductors have respective longitudinal axes, each of which extends in a single straight line from said inner region to said outer region.

Claim 2

An apparatus, comprising: a bonding pad for receiving a semiconductor chip having a plurality of terminals; a lead frame for connection to said terminals, said lead frame being arranged in a very confined space and comprising a plurality of metallic conductors of uniform thickness which can be connected to the terminals, the metallic conductors having a relatively large spacing between them in an outer region and a relatively narrow spacing between them in an inner region adjacent said bonding pad, said relatively large spacing being produced by a first lead forming technique and said narrow spacing being produced by laser cutting a uniform metallic material, said narrow spacing having a width which is smaller than the minimum spacing producible by said first lead forming technique, wherein the metallic conductors are produced over the majority of their length by the first lead forming technique, wherein said relatively large spacings and said relatively small spacings are uniform, and wherein said conductors have respective longitudinal axes, each of which extends in a single straight line from said inner region to said outer region.

Claim 3

An apparatus comprising: a bonding pad for receiving a semiconductor integrated circuit having a plurality of terminals; a lead bed frame having a plurality of metallic conductors of uniform thickness, said lead bed frame having an outer region in which said conductors are spaced by a first distance and having an inner region adjacent said bonding pad in which said conductors are spaced by a second distance which is smaller than said first distance and which is smaller than the minimum distance producible by stamping and etching techniques, said lead bed frame also having a transition area in which said spacing between said conductors changes abruptly from said first distance to said second distance, wherein said conductors have respective longitudinal axes, each of which extends in a single straight line from said inner region to said outer region.

Claim 4

An apparatus comprising: a bonding pad for receiving a semiconductor integrated circuit having a plurality of terminals; a lead bed frame having a plurality of metallic conductors of uniform thickness, said lead bed frame having an outer region in which said conductors are spaced by a first distance and having an inner region adjacent said bonding pad in which said conductors are spaced by a second distance which is smaller than said first distance and which is smaller than the minimum distance producible by stamping and etching techniques, said lead bed frame also having a transition area in which said spacing between said conductors changes abruptly from said first distance to said second distance, wherein said conductors have respective longitudinal axes, each of which extends in a single straight line from said inner region to said outer region.