Abstract:
A semiconductor device chip packaged in the semiconductor device in accordance with this invention has one or more grooves engraved along the rear surface thereof to allow the grooves to receive one or more connection bars and a die pad or an island, if any, for the purpose to make the total thickness of the semiconductor device chip and the connection bar or bars and the die pad or the island, much thinner than the sum of the thickness of the semiconductor device chip and the thickness of the connection bar or bars and the die pad or the island, for the ultimate purpose to cause the finished or molded thickness of the semiconductor device in accordance with this invention to be as thin as 1.0 mm, resultantly allowing a semiconductor ingot having a diameter of 300 mm for producing a semiconductor device chip to be molded in the semiconductor device in accordance with this invention.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to an improvement applicable to a semiconductor device packaged in a molded package. More specifically, this invention relates to an improvement developed for decreasing the thickness of the semiconductor device packaged in a molded package. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A semiconductor device is confined in a package so as to protect the semiconductor device from external hazards including mechanical injury, chemical or fluidic contact, and/or radioactive irradiation. The semiconductor package is classified into a casket type package made of a ceramic et al., and a molded package which is defined as a package made of a plastic material or a material containing a plastic adhesive and ceramic particles formed in a mold covering a semiconductor device chip proper. This invention relates to an improvement applicable to a semiconductor device packaged in a molded package, and particularly in a molded plastic package. 
     Under the category of a molded package, a quad flat package is available. The quad flat package is defined as a molded package confining a semiconductor device chip having a shape of a quadrilateral and having a plurality of pins extending in the four or quadruple directions therefrom. 
     Referring to the drawings, the structure of a semiconductor device packaged in a quad flat package available in the prior art will be described below. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a plan view of a semiconductor device packaged in a quad flat package available in the prior art is illustrated. A semiconductor device chip  50 , in which at least one semiconductor device element is disposed and on which plural bonding pads  51  are arranged, is adhered on a die pad or an island  52  employing a silver paste  53  et al. (See FIG.  2 .). Each of the bonding pads  51  is connected with a respective inner lead  56   a  extending toward an outer lead  56   b,  employing a bonding wire  60  made of Au, Al or Cu, and the die pad or the island  52  extends to four connection bars  54 . The above components, as a whole, are molded in one bulk of a plastic mold  62  of which the external side wall is shown by a solid line. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, which is a cross section of FIG. 1 taken along line A—A shown in FIG. 1, the die pad or the island  52  stands on a different level from the connection bar  54  and the inner lead  56   a,  so that the heights or distances between the top surface of the semiconductor device chip  50  and the top surface of the plastic mold  62 , and between the rear surface of the die pad or the island  52  and the rear surface of the plastic mold  62  are about the same. This causes the flow of a molten resin to become smooth, and cause the shape of the plastic mold  62  to become precisely identical to the designed shape. The object of a bending step of the outer leads  56   b  is to make the step for mounting the semiconductor device easy. 
     It is well-known that the foregoing semiconductor device packaged in a quad flat package is fabricated, as will be described below. 
     Referring to FIG. 3, a lead frame  58  is prepared. The lead frame  58  is an endless tape made of 42 alloy (an alloy containing 42% of Ni and 58% of Fe), a Cu alloy, stainless steel or a Ni alloy and which has a plurality of die pads or the islands  52 , connection bars  54 , inner leads  56   a,  and outer leads  56   b,  all of which are arranged as shown in the drawing. After the level of the die pads or the islands  52  is slightly lowered as is illustrated in FIG. 2, a semiconductor device chip  50  shown in a broken line B is adhered on each of the die pads or islands  52 , and a wire bonding process is conducted to connect each of the bonding pads  51  shown in broken lines and each of the inner leads  56   a  employing bonding wires  60  made of Au, Al or Cu shown in broken lines. Then, a plastic molding process is conducted to form a plastic mold  62  shown in a broken line C. Thereafter, the inner leads  56   a  are discontinued from the outer leads  56   b  along lines D—D. As the final step, the level of the outer leads  56   b  is slightly lowered. 
     The demand of cellular phones is increasing at a remarkable rate, and it is noted that a large quantity of semiconductor devices packaged in quad flat packages is employed for cellular phones. 
     At the present technical level, the least (smallest) thickness of the semiconductor devices packaged in quad flat packages is approximately 1.0 mm. This thickness is satisfactory in view of the requirement originated from the cellular phone makers, provided the thickness of the semiconductor device chip is within a range of 150 μm through 300 μm. This thickness range of semiconductor device chips can be realized, provided a semiconductor wafer having a diameter of 200 mm is employed. 
     In the wake of increasingly more serious requirements for a higher grade of integration and for an increasingly larger quantity of pins for a semiconductor device, the external dimension of a semiconductor device packaged in a quad flat package is increasingly larger as well. 
     Since the production cost of a semiconductor device largely depends on the quantity of semiconductor device chips produced from one semiconductor wafer, which quantity determines the cumulative number of production steps, it is required to employ a semiconductor wafer having a larger diameter such as 300 mm. Such being the case, it is difficult to slice a semiconductor wafer having a variety of thickness of 150 μm through 300 μm, due to the problem of warp and cracks. In other words, if a semiconductor wafer having a variety of thickness of 150 μm through 300 μm is sliced from a semiconductor ingot having a diameter of 300 mm, the sliced semiconductor wafer readily warps and/or is cracked or broken. As a result, it is difficult to produce a semiconductor wafer having a diameter of 300 mm from a semiconductor ingot having a diameter of 300 mm. In conclusion, if a semiconductor ingot having a diameter of 300 mm is employed, a larger thickness will have to be accepted for a semiconductor wafer to be sliced therefrom. 
     OBJECT AND SUMMERY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a semiconductor device packaged in a molded package wherein the finished or molded thickness is in the approximate range of 1.0 mm, despite the thickness range of the semiconductor device chip to be packaged therein is larger than the conventional range of 150 μm through 300 μm. 
     To achieve the foregoing object, a semiconductor device chip packaged in the semiconductor device in accordance with this invention has one or more grooves engraved along the rear surface thereof to allow the grooves to receive one or more connection bars and a die pad or an island, if any, for the purpose to make the total thickness of the semiconductor device chip and the connection bar or bars and the die pad or the island, if any much thinner than the sum of the thickness of the semiconductor device chip and the thickness of the connection bar or bars and the die pad or the island, if any. 
     More specifically, a semiconductor device in accordance with this invention is provided with: 
     either a combination of a die pad and connection bars or a plurality of connection bars for supporting a semiconductor device chip further provided with: 
     at least one semiconductor device element disposed in the semiconductor device chip, 
     a plurality of bonding pads arranged along sides of a top surface of the semiconductor device chip, and 
     a groove engraved along a rear surface of the semiconductor device chip to receive the foregoing combination of a die pad and connection bars or the foregoing plurality of connection bars, a plurality of combination of an inner lead and an outer lead, each of the plurality being connected with each of the bonding pads, and 
     a plastic mold confining the semiconductor device chip supported by the foregoing combination of a die pad and connection bars or the foregoing plurality of connection bars. 
     In the foregoing semiconductor device, the plurality of connection bars can be plural bars crossing each other, plural short bars long enough to support only the corners of or the sides of the semiconductor device chip. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     This invention, together with its various features and advantages, can be readily understood from the following more detailed description presented in conjunction with the following drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a plan view of a semiconductor device packaged in a quad flat package available in the prior art, 
     FIG. 2 is a cross section of FIG. 1 taken along line A—A, 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view of a lead frame available in the prior art, under a process for mounting a semiconductor device chip thereon, 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the rear surface of a semiconductor device chip employable for producing a semiconductor device in accordance with the first embodiment of this invention, 
     FIG. 5 is a plan view of a lead frame employable for production of a semiconductor device in accordance with the first embodiment of this invention, 
     FIG. 6 is a plan view of a combination of a lead frame and a semiconductor device chip, under a process for producing a semiconductor device in accordance with the first embodiment of this invention, 
     FIG. 7 is a plan view of a combination of a lead frame and a molded semiconductor device chip, under a process for producing a semiconductor device in accordance with the first embodiment of this invention, 
     FIG  8  is a plan view of a semiconductor device in accordance with the first embodiment of this invention, 
     FIG. 9 is a cross section of FIG. 8 taken along line A—A shown in FIG. 8 or a cross section of a semiconductor device in accordance with the first embodiment of this invention, 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the rear surface of a semiconductor device chip employable for producing a semiconductor device in accordance with the second embodiment of this invention, 
     FIG. 11 is a plan view of a combination of a lead frame and a semiconductor device chip, under a process for producing a semiconductor device in accordance with the second embodiment of this invention, 
     FIG. 12 a plan view of a semiconductor device in accordance with the second embodiment of this invention, 
     FIG. 13 is a cross section of FIG. 12 taken along line A—A shown in FIG. 11 or a cross section of a semiconductor device in accordance with the second embodiment of this invention, 
     FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the rear surface of a semiconductor device chip employable for producing a semiconductor device in accordance with the third embodiment of this invention, 
     FIG. 15 is a plan view of a combination of a lead frame and a semiconductor device chip, under a process for producing a semiconductor device in accordance with the third embodiment of this invention, 
     FIG. 16 is a plan view of a semiconductor device in accordance with the third embodiment of this invention, 
     FIG. 17 is a cross section of FIG. 16 taken along line A—A shown in FIG. 16 or a cross section of a semiconductor device in accordance with the third embodiment of this invention, 
     FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the rear surface of a semiconductor device chip employable for producing a semiconductor device in accordance with the fourth embodiment of this invention, 
     FIG. 19 is a plan view of a combination of a lead frame and a semiconductor device chip, under a process for producing a semiconductor device in accordance with the fourth embodiment of this invention, 
     FIG. 20 a plan view of a semiconductor device in accordance with the fourth embodiment of this invention, and 
     FIG. 21 is a cross section of FIG. 20 taken along line A—A shown in FIG. 20 or a cross section of a semiconductor device in accordance with the fourth embodiment of this invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to drawings, semiconductor devices each of which is packaged in a molded package, in accordance with four independent embodiments of this invention will be described below. 
     First Embodiment 
     A semiconductor device provided with a semiconductor device chip having a set of grooves engraved along the rear surface thereof to receive a die pad or an island and a set of connection bars at the corners thereof and with a plurality of pins extending in quadruple directions and being covered by a plastic molded package. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, a photolithography process employing a chemical etching process or a mechanical engraving process employing a scribing machine is employed to produce a combined groove having a horizontal shape of a quadrilateral  10   e  (i.e., a first groove or recess of the combined groove) attached by four sides (i e., further grooves of the combined groove)  10   a,    10   b,    10   c  and  10   d  extending in radial directions from the corners thereof, along the rear surface of a semiconductor device chip  10  in which at least one semiconductor device element has been produced and on which plural bonding pads  11  have been produced along the periphery thereof (See FIGS. 5,  6 ,  7  and  8 .). By extending the grooves from the corners, the chip  10  can be more stably supported by the connection bars, as compared to grooves that extend perpendicular to a side edge of the chip. The depth of the grooves  10   e  and  10   a,    10   b,    10   c  and  10   d  is selected to be identical to or less than the thickness of a die pad or an island  12  and connection bars  14   a,    14   b,    14   c  and  14   d  which are scheduled to be arranged in the grooves  10   e  and  10   a,    10   b,    10   c  and  10   d  (See FIG.  9 .). 
     Referring to FIG. 5, a lead frame  18  is prepared, which is an endless tape made of 42 alloy (an alloy containing 42% of Ni and 58% of Fe), a Cu alloy, stainless steel or a Ni alloy and having a die pad  14   e  having a horizontal shape of a square or a rectangle and being suspended by connection bars  14   a,    14   b,    14   c  and  14   d  extending in radial directions from the corners of the die pad  14   e  and plural straight bars  16   a  and  16   b  each of which is a continuous bar consisting of an inner lead  16   a  and an outer lead  16   b.    
     Referring to FIG. 6, an Ag paste or the like is applied to the surface of the grooves engraved along the rear surface of the semiconductor device chip  10 , and the semiconductor device chip  10  is placed on the lead frame  18  in a manner that the die pad or the island  14   e  and the connection bars  14   a,    14   b,    14   c  and  14   d  face respectively the groove  10   e  and the grooves  10   a,    10   b,    10   c  and  10   d.    
     A wire bonding process is conducted to connect each of the bonding pads  11  with each of the inner leads  16   a  employing a bonding wire  20  made of AU et al. 
     Referring with FIG. 7, a plastic molding process is conducted to mold the semiconductor device chip  10  adhered on the die pad or the island  14   e  suspended by the connection bars  14   a,    14   b,    14   c  and  14   d  connected with the frame of the lead frame  18 . The bonding pads  11  of the semiconductor device chip  10  are connected with the inner leads  16   a  by bonding wires  20 . A label  22  has been given to the molded plastic package. 
     Referring to FIG. 8, each end of the outer leads  16   b  is discontinued from the frame of the lead frame  18 , before each end of the outer leads  16   b  is deformed into a zigzag shape. 
     As a result, the cross section of the semiconductor device packaged in a molded package in accordance with the first embodiment of this invention taken along line A—A shown in FIG. 8 becomes as is illustrated in FIG.  9 . 
     In the foregoing example, the semiconductor device chip  10  is made from a semiconductor ingot having a diameter of 300 mm, and the thickness thereof is 450 μm, i.e., much larger than that of the prior art which varies between 150 μm and 300 μm. The depth of the grooves  10   a,    10   b,    10   c,    10   d  and  10   e  is selected to be identical to the thickness of the lead frame  18  or 150 μm. As a result, the rear surface of the die pad  14   e  and of the connection bars  14   a,    14   b,    14   c  and  14   d  is flush with the rear surface of the semiconductor device chip  10 . Allowing a thickness of 27.5 μm for each of the upper and lower layers of the plastic mold  22  on the top surface of the semiconductor device chip  10  and below the rear surface of the semiconductor device chip  10 , the total thickness of the finished or molded semiconductor device in accordance with the first embodiment of this invention is successfully made 1.0 mm, fully satisfying the requirement derived from semiconductor devices employable for cellular phones. 
     The selection of the depth of the grooves  10   a,    10   b,    10   c  and  10   d  and  10   e  which is identical to the thickness of the die pad  14   e  and of the connection bars  10   a,    10   b,    10   c  and  10   d  is not imperative, although the foregoing condition is the optimum. 
     The horizontal shape of the die pad or the island  14   e  is entirely free. A disc, an oval and a triangle are included in the selection. 
     Second Embodiment 
     A semiconductor device provided with a semiconductor device chip having a set of grooves engraved along the rear surface thereof to receive one or more connection bars therein, the set of grooves having a shape of a cross passing through the corners of a semiconductor device chip to be arranged thereon, and with a plurality of pins extending in quadruple directions and being covered by a molded plastic package. 
     Referring to FIG. 10, a scribing machine is employed to engrave one or two grooves  10   a  and  10   b  having a horizontal shape of connection bars, and having a cross section of a rectangle, along the rear surface of a semiconductor device chip  10  in which at least one semiconductor device element has been produced and on which plural bonding pads  11  have been produced along the periphery thereof (See FIG.  13 .). It is important to adjust the height of a blade, if a scribing machine available in the prior art is employed. 
     It is needless to emphasize that a photolithography process can be employed for the process to produce the grooves  10   a  and  10   b  along the rear surface of the semiconductor device chip  10 . 
     In the case where the number of the grooves is one, the direction of the single groove would be parallel to the side of the semiconductor device chip  10 . 
     The depth of the grooves  10   a  and  10   b  is selected to be identical to or less than the thickness of the connection bars  14   a,    14   b,    14   c  and  14   d  (See FIGS. 11,  12  and  13 .), although the former selection causes an optimum result. 
     A lead frame identical to that which is illustrated in FIG. 5 excepting that the die pad  14   e  is not available, is prepared. 
     Referring to FIG. 11, an Ag paste or the like is applied to the surface of the grooves  10   a  and  10   b  of the semiconductor device chip  10 , and the semiconductor device chip  10  is placed on the lead frame  18  in a manner similar to that which was employed for the first embodiment. 
     A wire bonding process is conducted in a manner similar to that which was employed for the first embodiment. 
     Referring to FIG. 7 again, a plastic molding process is conducted to mold the semiconductor device chip  10  in a manner similar to that which was employed for the first embodiment. The molded plastic package is shown by a label  22 . 
     Referring to FIG. 12, each end of the outer leads  16   b  is discontinued from the frame of the lead frame  18 , before each end of the outer leads  16   b  is deformed into a zigzag shape. 
     As a result, the cross section of the semiconductor device in accordance with the second embodiment of this invention taken along line A—A shown is FIG. 12 becomes as is illustrated in FIG.  13 . 
     In the foregoing example as well, the semiconductor device chip  10  is produced from a semiconductor ingot having a diameter of 300 mm, and the thickness thereof is 450 μm. The depth of the grooves  10   a  and  10   b  is selected to be identical to the thickness of the lead frame  18  or 150 μm. As a result, the rear surface of the connection bars  14   a  and  14   b  is flush with the rear surface of the semiconductor device chip  10 . Allowing a thickness of 27.5 μm for each of the upper and lower layers of the plastic mold  22  on the top surface of the semiconductor device chip  10  and below the rear surface of the semiconductor device chip  10 , the total thickness of the finished or molded semiconductor device in accordance with the second embodiment of this invention is successfully made 1.0 mm, fully satisfying the requirement derived from semiconductor devices employable for cellular phones. 
     Third Embodiment 
     A semiconductor device provided with a semiconductor device chip having a set of grooves engraved along the rear surface thereof to receive two or more connection bars each of which is long enough to support each of the corners of the semiconductor device chip therein and with a plurality of pins extending in quadruple directions and being covered by a plastic package. 
     Referring to FIG. 14, a scribing machine is employed to engrave two or more grooves  10   a,    10   b,    10   c  and  10   d  having a horizontal shape of connection bars  14   a,    14   b,    14   c  and  14   d  but having a length shorter than the corresponding ones of the second embodiment or a length long enough to support each of the corners of the semiconductor device chip(See FIGS. 15,  16  and  17 .) and having a cross section of a rectangle, along the rear surface of a semiconductor device chip  10  in which at least one semiconductor device element has been produced and on which plural bonding pads  11  have been produced along the periphery thereof (See FIGS. 15,  16  and  17 .). It is important to adjust the height of a blade, if a scribing machine available in the prior art is employed. 
     It is needless to emphasize that a photolithography process can be employed for the process to produce the grooves  10   a,    10   b,    10   c  and  10   d  along the rear surface of the semiconductor device chip  10 . 
     In the case where the number of the grooves is two, the direction of the grooves would be parallel to the side of the semiconductor device chip  10 . 
     The depth of the grooves  10   a,    10   b,    10   c  and  10   d  is selected to be identical to or less than the thickness of the connection bars  15   a,    15   b,    15   c  and  15   d  (See FIGS. 15,  16  and  17 .), although the former selection causes an optimum result. 
     A lead frame identical to that which is illustrated in FIG. 5 excepting that the die pad  14   e  is not available and the length of the connection bars  14   a,    14   b,    14   c  and  14   d  is short enough to reach the corners of a semiconductor device chip to be arranged thereon, is prepared. 
     Referring to FIG. 15, an Ag paste or the like is applied to the surface of the grooves  10   a,    10   b,    10   c  and  10   d  of the semiconductor device chip  10 , and the semiconductor device chip  10  is placed on the lead frame  18  in a manner similar to that which was employed for the first and second embodiments. 
     A wire bonding process is conducted in a manner similar to that which was employed for the first and second embodiments to connect each of the bonding pads  11  with each of the inner leads  16   a  employing bonding wires  20  made of AU et al. 
     Referring to FIG. 7 a third time, a plastic molding process is conducted to mold the semiconductor device chip  10  in a manner similar to that which was employed for the first or second embodiments. The molded plastic package is shown by a label  22 . 
     Referring to FIG. 16, each end of the outer leads  16   b  is discontinued from the frame of the lead frame  18 , before each end of the outer leads  16   b  is deformed into a zigzag shape. 
     As a result, the cross section of the semiconductor device in accordance with the third embodiment of this invention taken along line A-A shown is FIG. 16 becomes as is illustrated in FIG.  17 . 
     In the foregoing example as well, the semiconductor device chip  10  is produced from a semiconductor ingot having a diameter of 300 mm, and the thickness thereof is 450 μm. The depth of the grooves  10   a,    10   b,    10   c  and  10   d  is selected to be identical to the thickness of the lead frame  18  or 150 μm. As a result, the rear surface of the connection bars  15   a,    15   b,    15   c  and  15   b  is flush with the rear surface of the semiconductor device chip  10 . Allowing a thickness of 27.5 μm for each of the upper and lower layers of the plastic mold on the top surface of the semiconductor device chip  10  and below the rear surface of the semiconductor device chip  10 , the total thickness of the finished or molded semiconductor device in accordance with the third embodiment of this invention is successfully made 1.0 mm, fully satisfying the requirement derived from semiconductor devices employable for cellular phones. 
     Fourth Embodiment 
     A semiconductor device provided with a semiconductor device chip having a set of grooves engraved along the rear surface thereof to receive two or more connection bars each of which is long enough to support each of the sides of the semiconductor device chip therein and with a plurality of pins extending in quadruple directions and being covered by a plastic package. 
     Referring to FIG. 18, a scribing machine is employed to engrave two or more grooves  10   a,    10   b,    10   c  and  10   d  having a horizontal shape of connection bars, but having a length which does not reach the center thereof but reaches only the sides thereof in a direction perpendicular to the sides of the semiconductor device chip and having a cross section of a rectangle, along the rear surface of a semiconductor device chip  10  in which at least one semiconductor device element has been produced and on which plural bonding pads  11  have been produced along the periphery thereof. It is important to adjust the height of a blade, if a scribing machine available in the prior art is employed. It is needless, however, to change a direction of the dicing saw from the ordinary direction for dicing scribe lines. 
     It is needless to emphasize that a photolithography process can be employed for the process to produce the grooves  10   a,    10   b,    10   c  and  10   d  along the rear surface of the semiconductor device chip  10 . 
     The depth of the grooves  10   a,    10   b,    10   c  and  10   d  is selected to be identical to or less than the thickness of the connection bars  14   a,    14   b,    14   c  and  14   d,  although the former selection causes an optimum result. 
     A lead frame identical to that which is illustrated in FIG. 5 excepting that the die pad  14   e  is not available and the length of the connection bars  14   a,    14   b,    14   c  and  14   d  is short enough to reach only the sides of a semiconductor device chip  10  to be arranged thereon, is prepared. 
     Referring to FIG. 19, an Ag paste or the like is applied to the surface of the grooves  10   a,    10   b,    10   c  and  10   d  of the semiconductor device chip  10 , and the semiconductor device chip  10  is placed on the lead frame  18  in a manner similar  8  that which was employed for the foregoing embodiments. 
     A wire bonding process is conducted in a manner similar to that which was employed for the foregoing embodiments to connect each of the bonding pads  11  with each of the inner leads  16   a  employing bonding wires  20  made of AU et al. 
     In a manner similar to that which was described, referring to FIG. 7 above, a plastic molding process is conducted to mold the semiconductor device chip  10 . The molded plastic package is shown by label  22 . 
     Referring to FIG. 20, each end of the outer leads  16   b  is discontinued from the frame of the lead frame  18 , before each end of the outer leads  16   b  is deformed into a zigzag shape. 
     As a result, the cross section of the semiconductor device in accordance with the fourth embodiment of this invention taken along line A—A shown is FIG. 20 becomes as is illustrated in FIG.  21 . 
     In the foregoing example as well, the semiconductor device chip  10  is produced from a semiconductor ingot having a diameter of 300 mm, and the thickness thereof is 450 μm. The depth of the grooves  10   a,    10   b,    10   c  and  10   d  is selected to be identical to the thickness of the lead frame  18  or 150 μm. As a result, the rear surface of the connection bars  14   a,    14   b,    14   c  and  14   d  is flush with the rear surface of the semiconductor device chip  10 . Allowing a thickness of 27.5 μm for each of the upper and lower layers of the plastic mold  22  on the top surface of the semiconductor device chip  10  and below the rear surface of the semiconductor device chip  10 , the total thickness of the finished or molded semiconductor device in accordance with the fourth embodiment of this invention is successfully made 1.0 mm, fully satisfying the requirement derived from semiconductor devices employable for cellular phones. 
     The foregoing description has clarified that this invention has successfully provided a semiconductor device packaged in a molded package wherein the finished or molded thickness is in the approximate range of 1.0 mm, despite the thickness range of the semiconductor device chip to be packaged therein is larger than the conventional range of 150 μm through 300 μm. 
     Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as other embodiments of this invention, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of this invention. It is therefore, contemplated that the appended claims will cover any such modifications or embodiments as fall within the true scope of this invention.