Method for fabricating semiconductor device and lead frame

A method for fabricating a semiconductor device comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a lead frame having a plurality of device formation regions, and a frame section arranged around the device formation regions in plan view;
• (b) after the step (a), placing a plurality of semiconductor chips over the device formation regions, respectively;
• (c) after the step (b), placing the lead frame in a mold having a plurality of cavities, a dummy cavity, and a runner coupled to the cavities and the dummy cavity, the lead frame being placed such that the cavities match with the device formation regions, respectively;
• (d) after the step (c), forming encapsulation bodies that individually encapsulate part of the lead frames and the entire semiconductor chips by flowing encapsulating resin into the cavities through the runner;
• and
• (e) after the step (d), taking out the lead frame from the mold,
• wherein, after the step (c), the mold with an upper mold half and a lower mold half clamped together has a plurality of first gates that allow the cavities to communicate with the runner, and a second gate that allows the dummy cavity to communicate with the runner, and
• wherein, in the step (d), from the time when the encapsulating resin starts flowing into the mold to the time when the encapsulation bodies are formed in the mold, an orifice of each of the first gates is larger in size than an orifice of the second gate.