Patent ID: 7659141

Claim:
A method of applying encapsulant to a die mounted to a support structure, the method comprising the steps of: providing a die mounted to the support structure, the die having a back surface in contact with the support structure and an active surface opposing the back surface, the active surface having electrical contact pads; positioning a baffler along the active surface proximate the electrical contact pads; depositing a bead of encapsulant onto the electrical contact pads while the barrier remains stationary such that the barrier prevents the encapsulant from contacting pre- determined areas of the active surface; removing the baffler when the bead of encapsulant has been deposited; and, prior to depositing the bead of encapsulant, electrically connecting the contact pads on the die to respective conductors on the support structure with wire bonds, the wire bonds each extending in an arc from the contact pad to the conductor; pushing on the wire bonds to collapse the arc and plastically deform the wire bond; and, releasing the wire bonds such that plastic deformation maintain the wire bonds in a flatter profile shape.