Patent ID: 7663212

Claim:
An electronic component comprising: at least one vertical semiconductor power switch comprising a first surface and second surface and side faces extending between the first surface and the second surface, wherein the first surface comprises at least one anode and at least one control electrode and the second surface comprises at least one cathode, and wherein a moisture barrier layer is positioned on at least the exposed regions of the first surface; a leadframe comprising a structured sheet providing a plurality of separate portions, each portion comprising an upper side and an underside, wherein the underside provides a surface mountable outer contact surface of the electronic component; a contact clip having a flat web portion and at least one peripheral rim portion extending from an edge of the flat web portion; and a plurality of electrically conductive spacer elements having a height, wherein the spacer elements are attached to the anode and the control electrode of the semiconductor power switch, wherein the outer surface of the spacer elements is mounted on the upper surface of portions of the leadframe, wherein the moisture barrier layer is positioned on exposed surfaces of the spacer elements and on the side faces of the semiconductor power switch, wherein the anode of the vertical semiconductor power switch is mounted on the upper surface of an anode portion of the leadframe and the control electrode of the vertical semiconductor power switch is mounted on a control portion of the leadframe, the outer contact surfaces of the anode portion and of the control portion being positioned at least in part underneath the first surface of the vertical semiconductor power switch, wherein a bottom surface of the flat web portion of the contact clip is mounted on, and electrically connected to, the cathode, the peripheral rim portion of the contact clip extending over and being spaced from a side face of the vertical semiconductor power switch and being electrically connected to a cathode portion of the leadframe, and wherein exposed surfaces of the contact clip, of the moisture barrier layer and of the leadframe provide outer surfaces of the electronic component, and wherein the contact clip is entirely free of a plastic encapsulation mass.