Patent ID: 8881966

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a lead frame having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a plurality of device regions arranged in rows and columns, each device region including a chip mounting portion, a semiconductor chip mounted on the first surface of the chip mounting portion, and a plurality of leads arranged around the chip mounting portion, the plurality of device regions including: a first device region located in a first row and a first column, a second device region, disposed next to the first device region, located in a second row and the first column, a third device region, disposed next to the first device region, located in the first row and a second column, and a fourth device region, disposed next to the second and third device regions, located in the second row and the second column; and (b) electrically connecting a plurality of metal wires to a plurality of electrode pads of the semiconductor chip and the plurality of leads, respectively, including: (b1) disposing the first and second device regions of the lead frame over a heating block, (b2) pressing first protruding portions of a frame holding member onto the first surface of the lead frame around the periphery of the first device region, pressing second protruding portions of the frame holding member onto the first surface of the lead frame around the periphery of the second device region, and pressing a first guide portion onto the first surface of the lead frame, (b3) during step (b2), electrically connecting the plurality of metal wires to the plurality of electrode pads of the semiconductor chip and the plurality of leads, respectively, of the first and second device regions, and (b4) after the step (b3), while the first guide portion is pressing the first surface of the lead frame, releasing the frame holding member from pressing the first surface of the lead frame; (c) after the step (b4), feeding the lead frame by one column while the first guide portion is pressing the first surface of the lead frame; and (d) after the step (c), electrically connecting a plurality of metal wires to a plurality of electrode pads of the semiconductor chip and the plurality of leads of the third and fourth device regions, respectively, while contacting the heating block to the second surface of the third and fourth device regions of the lead frame, and while pressing the first guide portion onto the first surface of the lead frame in the area between the first and second device regions.