# US 12,224,181 B2 · Laser-cut lead-frame for integrated circuit (IC) packages > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,224,181 B2 - Document ID: US12224181B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/458,653 - Filed: 2021-08-27 - Published: 2023-03-02 - Granted: 2025-02-11 - Earliest claimed: 2021-08-27 - Assignees: Texas Instruments Incorporated - Applicants: Texas Instruments Incorporated - Inventors: Tiange Xie; Li Xiang Zheng; Alex Chin Sern Ting; Zhenzhen He - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12224181B2 ## CPC - H10W 70/04: of leadframes - H10W 70/048: {Mechanical treatments, e.g. punching, cutting, deforming or cold welding} - H10W 70/421: {Shapes or dispositions} - H10W 70/424: {Cross-sectional shapes (H10W70/481 takes precedence)} - H10W 72/0198: {batch processes} - H10W 72/075: {of bond wires} - H10W 74/014: {using batch processing} - H10W 74/127: {characterised by arrangements for sealing or adhesion} - H10W 74/00: Encapsulations, e.g. protective coatings - H10W 74/10: characterised by their shape or disposition - H10W 74/111: {the semiconductor body being completely enclosed} - H10W 80/00: Direct bonding of chips, wafers or substrates - H10W 90/756: {between a chip and a stacked lead frame, conducting package substrate or heat sink} - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract One example described herein includes a method for fabricating integrated circuit (IC) packages. The method includes fabricating a plurality of IC dies and providing a conductive metal material sheet. The method also includes laser-cutting the conductive metal material sheet to form a lead-frame sheet. The lead-frame sheet includes at least one of through-holes and three-dimensional locking features. The method further includes coupling the IC dies to the lead-frame sheet and coupling the lead-frame sheet and the IC dies to packaging material to form an IC package block comprising the IC packages. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for fabricating integrated circuit (IC) packages, the method comprising: fabricating a plurality of IC dies; providing a conductive metal material sheet; laser-cutting the conductive metal material sheet to form a lead-frame sheet, the lead-frame sheet comprising at least one of through-holes and three-dimensional locking features; coupling the IC dies to the lead-frame sheet; and coupling the lead-frame sheet and the IC dies to packaging material to form an IC package block comprising the IC packages. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising laser-cutting the IC package block to singulate the IC packages. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising laser-cutting at least one groove in the packaging material and a respective lead-frame of each of the IC packages to electrically isolate portions of the lead-frame from each other. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein laser-cutting the at least one groove comprises separating portions of the lead-frame sheet associated with leads from a portion of the lead-frame sheet associated with a ground pad via the at least one groove in each of the IC packages. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein coupling the lead-frame sheet and the IC dies to the packaging material comprises coupling the lead-frame sheet and the IC dies to the packaging material to form the IC packages as quad flat no-lead (QFN) IC packages. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein laser-cutting the conductive metal material sheet comprises laser-cutting the conductive metal material sheet to form the three-dimensional locking features of the lead-frame sheet as removing a portion of the thickness of the conductive metal material to facilitate coupling of the lead-frame sheet with the packaging material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein coupling the lead-frame sheet and the IC dies to the packaging material comprises mating the three-dimensional locking features of the lead-frame sheet to the mating holes of the packaging material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein laser-cutting the conductive metal material sheet comprises laser-cutting the conductive metal material sheet to form at least one of an index through-hole, a mold-flow vent feature, and a stress-release feature associated with the lead-frame sheet. ### Claim 9 A method for fabricating integrated circuit (IC) packages, the method comprising: fabricating a plurality of IC dies; providing a conductive metal material sheet; forming a lead-frame sheet from the conductive metal material sheet; coupling the IC dies to the lead-frame sheet; coupling the lead-frame sheet and the IC dies to packaging material to form an IC package block comprising the IC packages; and laser-cutting at least one groove in the packaging material and a respective lead-frame of each of the IC packages to electrically isolate portions of the lead-frame from each other. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein laser-cutting the at least one groove comprises separating portions of the lead-frame sheet associated with leads from a portion of the lead-frame sheet associated with a ground pad via the at least one groove in each of the IC packages. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising implementing an electrolytic plating process to deposit a corrosion-resistant material on an exposed portion of the lead-frame sheet after coupling the lead-frame sheet to the packaging material prior to laser-cutting the at least one groove in the lead-frame sheet of each of the IC packages. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein forming the lead-frame sheet comprising laser-cutting the conductive metal material sheet to form the lead-frame sheet, the lead-frame sheet comprising at least one of through-holes and three-dimensional locking features. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein laser-cutting the conductive metal material sheet comprises laser-cutting the conductive metal material sheet to form the three-dimensional locking features of the lead-frame sheet as removing a portion of the thickness of the conductive metal material to facilitate coupling of the lead-frame sheet with the packaging material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising laser-cutting the IC package block to singulate the IC packages. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein coupling the lead-frame sheet and the IC dies to the packaging material comprises coupling the lead-frame sheet and the semiconductor wafer to the packaging material to form the IC packages as quad flat no-lead (QFN) IC packages. ### Claim 16 An integrated circuit (IC) package comprising: an IC; a lead-frame having rectangular or square through-holes; and packaging material that substantially surrounds the IC and a portion of the lead-frame. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The package of claim 16, further comprising three-dimensional locking features on a side of the lead-frame facing away from the IC. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The package of claim 16, wherein the IC package is arranged as a quad flat no-lead (QFN) IC package. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The package of claim 16, wherein the lead-frame is formed in a checker-board pattern. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The package of claim 16, wherein the packaging material does not cover a side of the locking features facing away from the IC.