Resin -encapsulated packing lead member for the same and method of fabricating the lead member

A lead member for a substantially flat resin-encapsulated package including a semiconductor IC chip, said lead member comprising:

• a plurality of discrete terminal sections, and
• a frame surrounding and holding the plurality of discrete terminal sections;
• wherein each of the terminal sections has inner terminal parts to be electrically connected to terminals of the semiconductor IC chip, outer terminal parts to be connected to external circuits, and connecting parts interconnecting the inner and the outer terminal parts,
• the inner and the outer terminal parts are formed such that contact surfaces of the inner terminal parts and those of the outer contact parts facing toward opposite directions, respectively,
• the inner terminal parts and the connecting parts are thin, and the outer terminal parts are thick,
• contact surfaces of the inner terminal parts of the terminal sections are flush with each other, and
• the frame is provided with supporting parts other than the connecting parts, and the supporting parts are connected to the outer terminal parts, respectively.

A lead member fabricating method of fabricating a lead member for a substantially flat resin-encapsulated package including a semiconductor IC chip, having a plurality of discrete terminal sections, and a frame surrounding and holding the plurality of discrete terminal sections, wherein each of the terminal sections has inner terminal parts to be electrically connected to terminals of the semiconductor IC chip, outer terminal parts to be connected to external circuits, and connecting parts interconnecting the inner and the outer terminal parts, respectively, the inner and the outer terminal part are formed such that contact surfaces of the inner terminal parts and those of the outer terminal parts facing toward opposite directions, respectively, the inner terminal parts and the connecting parts are thin, the outer terminal parts are thick, the contact surfaces of the inner terminal parts of the terminal sections are flush with each other, the frame is provided with supporting parts other than the connecting parts, and the supporting parts are connected to the outer terminal parts;

• said lead member fabricating method comprising processing a metal sheet by a half-etching method so that surfaces of the inner terminal parts, the connecting parts and the supporting parts are portions of one of the surfaces of the metal sheet, the inner terminal parts, the connecting parts and the supporting parts have a thickness smaller than that of the metal sheet, and the outer terminal parts have a thickness equal to that of the metal sheet.