Patent ID: 7049177

Claim:
A process for fabricating a leadless plastic chip carrier, comprising: selectively etching at least a first surface of a leadframe strip to partially define at least a plurality of contact pads and a die attach pad; selectively plating at least one layer of metal on a second surface of said leadframe strip, on an undersurface of at least said plurality of contact pads and said die attach pad; selectively plating at least one layer of metal on said first surface of said leadframe strip including selectively plating said at least one layer of metal on only a peripheral portion of said die attach pad and plating said at least one layer of metal on a surface of said plurality of contact pads for facilitating wire bonding; mounting a semiconductor die on said first surface, on the partially defined die attach pad; wire bonding said semiconductor die to ones of said plurality of contact pads; encapsulating said wire bonds and the semiconductor die in a molding material such that said molding material covers a first portion of said die attach pad and first portions of said plurality of contact pads; selectively etching a second surface of said leadframe strip to define a second portion of said plurality of contact pads and a second portion of said die attach pad by etching said second surface with said at least one layer of metal resisting etching; and singulating said leadless plastic chip carrier from said leadframe strip.