Patent ID: 8343811

Claim:
A method for forming a semiconductor device, comprising: providing a carrier and at least a first and a second external contact element, each external contact element having a first portion and a second portion extending perpendicular from an upper surface of the first portion, wherein the carrier is positioned between the first portion of the first and second external contact elements, and wherein and upper surface of the carrier and the upper surfaces of first portion of the first and second external contact elements are coplanar; forming electrically conductive layers on the upper surfaces of the carrier and the first portion of the first and second contact elements, including across gaps between the carrier and the first portion of the first and second external contact elements; mounting a semiconductor chip on the electrically conductive layers such that contact pads on a surface of the semiconductor chip facing the electrically conductive layers are in electrical communication with the carrier and with the first and second external contacts via the electrically conductive layers; and depositing mold material over the semiconductor chip and portions of the electrically, conductive layers not covered by semiconductor chip.