Patent ID: 7579219

Claim:
A method of protecting a semiconductor die during encapsulation comprising: providing a plurality of contact pad sites on a side of the semiconductor die; forming a plurality of contact pads within the plurality of contact pad sites, each of the plurality of contact pads having a substantially same predetermined height and having a first end and a second end, the first end of each of the plurality of contact pads being in electrical contact with a predetermined corresponding different one of the plurality of contact pad sites; providing an encapsulant barrier at a periphery of the plurality of contact pads, the encapsulant barrier having a first surface and a second surface, the encapsulant barrier being substantially the same predetermined height of the plurality of contact pads, the encapsulant barrier being in physical contact with a first surface of the semiconductor die; providing a first layer having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface of the first layer being in direct physical contact with the second surface of the encapsulant barrier; providing a second layer in direct physical contact with the first layer; encapsulating the second surface of the semiconductor die and blocking an encapsulant from making physical contact with any of the plurality of contact pads by the encapsulant barrier; and removing the first layer and the second layer from the semiconductor die after the encapsulant has cured.