Method for fabricating a full press-pack type semiconductor device

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

• (a) obtaining a semiconductor body having a semiconductor substrate, a first electrode formed in a central region of a first major surface of said semiconductor substrate, and a second electrode formed on a second major surface of said semiconductor substrate;
• (b) obtaining a first external electrode having a base portion, a projecting portion formed integrally with said base portion, a ringlike recess formed in a region of said base portion which surrounds said projecting portion, and a contact surface defined by a front end surface of said projecting portion:
• (c) obtaining a second conductive external electrode;
• (d) obtaining an insulating casing defining a cylindrical internal space having first and second openings;
• (e) holding said first external electrode in said internal space of said casing in such a direction that said base portion and said projecting portion are opposed to said first and second openings, respectively, and fixing said base portion to said casing in said first opening;
• (f) introducing an elastic means into said internal space of said casing from said second opening to hold said elastic means in said ringlike recess;
• (g) inserting a ring into said internal space of said casing from said second opening to dispose said ring on said elastic means in said ringlike recess;
• (h) introducing a first conductive distortion buffering plate into said internal space of said casing from said second opening to superimpose said first distortion buffering plate on said contact surface of said first external electrode;
• (i) introducing said semiconductor body, a second conductive distortion buffering plate and said second external electrode into said internal space of said casing from said second opening, said semiconductor body, in a peripheral region of said first major surface, being superimposed on said ring, a surface of said second distortion buffering plate being superimposed on said second major surface of said semiconductor body, said second external electrode being superimposed on another surface of said second distortion buffering plate;
• and
• (j) fixing said second external electrode to said casing in said second opening while said second external electrode is pressed against said first external electrode.