In one form, a method of manufacturing a circuit device comprises providing a lead frame comprising a plurality of leads, each comprising an island portion, a bonding portion elevated from the island portion, a slope portion extending obliquely so as to connect the island portion and the bonding portion, and a lead portion extending from the bonding portion. First and second transistors and first and second diodes are mounted upper surfaces of island portions of respective first and second leads, and are connected to the respective leads through wirings that connect the transistors and diodes to the bonding portions of the respective leads. Lower surfaces of the island portions are attached to an upper surface of a circuit board, and the circuit board, the transistors, the diodes, and the lead frame are encapsulated by a resin, so that the lead portions are not covered by the resin.

In one form, a method of manufacturing a circuit device comprises providing a lead frame comprising a plurality of leads, each comprising an island portion, a bonding portion elevated from the island portion, a slope portion extending obliquely so as to connect the island portion and the bonding portion, and a lead portion extending from the bonding portion. First and second transistors and first and second diodes are mounted upper surfaces of island portions of respective first and second leads, and are connected to the respective leads through wirings that connect the transistors and diodes to the bonding portions of the respective leads. Lower surfaces of the island portions are attached to an upper surface of a circuit board, and the circuit board, the transistors, the diodes, and the lead frame are encapsulated by a resin, so that the lead portions are not covered by the resin.

A method is provided. The method includes one or more of extracting a die from an original packaged integrated circuit, modifying the extracted die, reconditioning the modified extracted die, placing the reconditioned die into a cavity of a hermetic package base, bonding a plurality of bond wires between reconditioned die pads of the reconditioned die to leads of the hermetic package base or downbonds to create an assembled hermetic package base, and sealing a hermetic package lid to the assembled hermetic package base to create a new packaged integrated circuit. Modifying the extracted die includes removing the one or more ball bonds on the one or more die pads. Reconditioning the modified extracted die includes adding a sequence of metallic layers to bare die pads of the modified extracted die. The extracted die is a fully functional semiconductor die with one or more ball bonds on one or more die pads of the extracted die.

A method is provided. The method includes one or more of extracting a die from an original packaged integrated circuit, modifying the extracted die, reconditioning the modified extracted die, placing the reconditioned die into a cavity of a hermetic package base, bonding a plurality of bond wires between reconditioned die pads of the reconditioned die to leads of the hermetic package base or downbonds to create an assembled hermetic package base, and sealing a hermetic package lid to the assembled hermetic package base to create a new packaged integrated circuit. Modifying the extracted die includes removing the one or more ball bonds on the one or more die pads. Reconditioning the modified extracted die includes adding a sequence of metallic layers to bare die pads of the modified extracted die. The extracted die is a fully functional semiconductor die with one or more ball bonds on one or more die pads of the extracted die.

There is provided a copper bonding wire having an improved storage life in the atmosphere. There is specifically provided a copper bonding wire for semiconductor devices characterized in that a density of crystal grain boundary on a surface of the wire is 0.6 (μm/μm.sup.2) or more and 1.6 (μm/μm.sup.2) or less.

There is provided a copper bonding wire having an improved storage life in the atmosphere. There is specifically provided a copper bonding wire for semiconductor devices characterized in that a density of crystal grain boundary on a surface of the wire is 0.6 (μm/μm.sup.2) or more and 1.6 (μm/μm.sup.2) or less.

A semiconductor device includes first semiconductor chips that each include a first control electrode and a first output electrode, second semiconductor chips each include a second control electrode and a second output electrode, first and second input circuit patterns on which the first and second input electrodes are disposed, respectively, first and second control circuit patterns electrically connected to the first and second control electrodes, respectively, first and second resistive elements, and a first inter-board wiring member. The first control electrodes and first resistive element are electrically connected via the first control circuit pattern, the second control electrodes and second resistive element are electrically connected via the second control circuit pattern, and at least one of the first output electrodes and at least one of the second output electrodes are electrically connected to each other via the first inter-board wiring member.

A semiconductor device includes first semiconductor chips that each include a first control electrode and a first output electrode, second semiconductor chips each include a second control electrode and a second output electrode, first and second input circuit patterns on which the first and second input electrodes are disposed, respectively, first and second control circuit patterns electrically connected to the first and second control electrodes, respectively, first and second resistive elements, and a first inter-board wiring member. The first control electrodes and first resistive element are electrically connected via the first control circuit pattern, the second control electrodes and second resistive element are electrically connected via the second control circuit pattern, and at least one of the first output electrodes and at least one of the second output electrodes are electrically connected to each other via the first inter-board wiring member.

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip having a device forming surface on which a device structure is formed, a first conductive layer formed on the device forming surface of the semiconductor chip, a second conductive layer formed on the first conductive layer, a first wire that is connected to the second conductive layer and that is made of a material composed mainly of copper, and a third conductive layer that is formed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer and that includes a material harder than copper.

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip having a device forming surface on which a device structure is formed, a first conductive layer formed on the device forming surface of the semiconductor chip, a second conductive layer formed on the first conductive layer, a first wire that is connected to the second conductive layer and that is made of a material composed mainly of copper, and a third conductive layer that is formed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer and that includes a material harder than copper.