Patent ID: 8643156

Claim:
A method of assembling a semiconductor device, comprising: providing a lead frame that has a flag, a peripheral frame, main tie bars coupling the flag to the peripheral frame, at least one cross tie bar extending between two of the main tie bars and an inner row of external connector pads extending from an inner side of the cross tie bar and an outer row of external connector pads extending from an outer side of the cross tie bar; attaching both an inner non-electrically conductive support bar and an outer non-electrically conductive support bar across the two of the main tie bars, the inner non-electrically conductive support bar being attached to and abutting upper surfaces of the two of the main tie bars and also attached to and abutting upper surfaces of the inner row of external connector pads, and the outer non-electrically conductive support bar being attached to and abutting the upper surfaces of the two of the main tie bars and also attached to and abutting upper surfaces of the outer row of external connector pads; removing the cross tie bar so that the inner row of external connector pads are supported by the inner non-electrically conductive support bar and the outer row of external connector pads are supported by the outer non-electrically conductive support bar; mounting a semiconductor die to the flag; electrically connecting pads on the semiconductor die to respective pads on the inner row of external connector pads and respective pads on the outer row of external connector pads; encapsulating the semiconductor die to provide the semiconductor device; and removing the peripheral frame.