Patent ID: 8404520

Claim:
A method of making a microelectronic package comprising: a) feeding a metal wire segment having a predetermined length out of a capillary of a bonding tool; b) moving the face of the capillary over first and second surfaces of a forming unit to shape the metal wire segment to have a first portion projecting upwardly in a direction along an exterior wall of the capillary; and c) using the bonding tool to bond a second portion of the metal wire to a conductive element exposed at a first surface of a substrate, the second portion of the metal wire being positioned to extend along the conductive element with the first portion positioned at an angle between 25° and 90° to the second portion; d) repeating steps (a) through (c) to bond a plurality of the metal wires to a plurality of the conductive elements of the substrate; and e) then forming a dielectric encapsulation layer overlying the surface of the substrate, wherein the encapsulation layer is formed so as to at least partially cover the surface of the substrate and portions of the wire bonds, such that unencapsulated portions of the wire bonds are defined by a portion of at least one of an end surface or of an edge surface thereof that is uncovered by the encapsulation layer.