Lead frame and method for manufacturing same

A lead frame comprising:

• a stage;
• a set of leads, each of the leads having a trapezoidal cross-section in a plane perpendicular to a major surface of the stage and to the direction along which the lead extends and comprising:
• an inner lead comprising a first portion of a metallic layer having first and second opposed sides, the inner lead having a first, tip end and a second end, the first, tip end being disposed adjacent the stage and constituting a bonding area,
• a corresponding outer lead comprising a second portion of the metallic layer having first and second opposed sides and having a first end integral with the second end of the inner lead, the outer lead extending outwardly from the inner lead to a second end of the outer lead, and
• first and second metal layers comprising respective, different metals and respectively formed on the first and second opposed sides of the second portion of the metallic layer, constituting the outer lead, and on a part of the first portion of the metallic layer, constituting the inner lead, the first and second metal layers extending from the second end of the outer lead and onto the part of the inner lead to a location adjacent the bonding area thereof;
• and
• a resin layer encompassing, in sealed relationship therewith, the stage, each inner lead and a corresponding part of the outer leads such that only portions of the outer leads having the first and second metal layers thereon extend outwardly from the resin layer.

A lead frame comprising:

• a stage;
• a set of leads, each of the leads comprising a metallic layer having a trapezoidal cross-section in a plane perpendicular to a major surface of the stage and to the direction along which the lead extends and wherein, for each lead:
• a first portion of the metallic layer defines an inner lead having a first, tip end disposed adjacent to the stage and constituting a wire bonding area and a second end remote from the stage,
• a second portion of the metallic layer comprises an outer lead having a first end integral with the second end of the inner lead and extending outwardly therefrom to a second end of the outer lead, and
• each lead further comprises:
• a multi-layer structure comprising first and second metal layers respectively formed on the first and second opposed sides of the second portion of the metallic layer and of a part of the first portion of the metallic layer, the first and second metal layers comprising respective, different metals and the multilayer structure extending from the second end of the outer lead and inwardly toward the first end thereof and onto, and to a location adjacent the bonding area of the first end of, the inner lead;
• and
• a resin layer encompassing, in sealed relationship therewith, the stage, each inner lead and a part of each outer lead and the corresponding portions of the first and second metal layers such that only portions of the outer leads having the first and second metal layers thereon extend outwardly from the resin layer.