Patent ID: 8025204

Claim:
A method for profiling a bead of encapsulant extending along an edge of a die mounted to a supporting structure, the die having an active surface that has functional elements, the method comprising the steps of: providing wire bonds extending in an arc from respective contact pads on the die to corresponding conductors on the support structure, the contact pads being formed along an edge of the active surface; pushing on each wire bond at a point on the wire bond beyond an edge of the die, using a wire pusher, to plastically deform the wire bonds; depositing a bead of encapsulant onto the wire bonds along the edge of the die; providing a profiling surface for engaging the bead of encapsulant; positioning the profiling surface at least partially between the contact pads and the functional elements, and above the active surface at a predetermined spacing from the die; moving the profiling surface away from the functional elements and across the bead before the bead of encapsulant has cured to push some of the encapsulant material away from the functional elements such that the functional elements remain exposed; and, curing the bead of encapsulant.