Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same

Abstract

A semiconductor device having a structure miniaturizable through simple fabrication steps and a method of fabricating a semiconductor device capable of remarkably improving production efficiency are obtained. The semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor chip including a semiconductor circuit having a prescribed function and an electrode on one main surface, a wire having a first end connected with the electrode and a second end having a connecting terminal connected to an external device and an insulator sealing at least the main surface of the semiconductor chip. The connecting terminal provided on the second end of the wire is a part formed while keeping a state integrated with the remaining part of the wire, and exposed on a bottom surface opposite to the upper surface of the insulator closer to the main surface.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A semiconductor device comprising: 
 a semiconductor chip including a semiconductor circuit having a prescribed function and an electrode on a main surface;    a metal wire having a first end connected with said electrode and a second end having a connecting terminal connected with an external device; and    an insulator covering at least said main surface of said semiconductor chip, wherein    said connecting terminal provided on said second end of said metal wire is a part formed while keeping a state integrated with the remaining part of said metal wire, and exposed on a bottom surface opposite to the upper surface of said insulator.    
     
     
         2 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 1 , wherein said metal wire is a wire formed by wire bonding, and said connecting terminal is a bulk connecting terminal formed by working and bulking a part of said wire in continuation with said wire.  
     
     
         3 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 1 , wherein said metal wire and said connecting terminal are formed by either gas deposition or plating.  
     
     
         4 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 1 , wherein an exposed surface of said connecting terminal is located on a position projecting outward beyond the back main surface of said semiconductor chip opposite to said main surface.  
     
     
         5 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 1 , wherein a plate member is arranged in contact with the back main surface of said semiconductor chip opposite to said main surface, and exposed from said bottom surface.  
     
     
         6 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 1 , wherein an exposed part of said connecting terminal is clad with solder.  
     
     
         7 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 1 , further comprising an upper connecting terminal in contact with the upper portion of said connecting terminal.  
     
     
         8 . A semiconductor device formed by stacking at least two semiconductor devices according to  claim 7  employed as unit semiconductor devices, so that said connecting terminal of first said unit semiconductor device is connected to said upper connecting terminal of second said unit semiconductor device.  
     
     
         9 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 1 , further comprising an on-electrode terminal on said electrode.  
     
     
         10 . A semiconductor device, employing a unit semiconductor device formed by the semiconductor device according to  claim 9 , comprising a face-symmetrical semiconductor device having face-symmetrical arrangement with respect to said unit semiconductor device in relation to a plane parallel to said main surface and said unit semiconductor device, having either an upper surface butt joint structure formed by connecting and stacking an on-electrode terminal of said face-symmetrical semiconductor device to and on said on-electrode terminal of said unit semiconductor device or a bottom surface butt joint structure formed by connecting and stacking a connecting terminal of said face-symmetrical semiconductor device to and on said connecting terminal of said unit semiconductor device.  
     
     
         11 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 1 , wherein an outer end of said connecting terminal is further exposed from the side surface of said insulator.  
     
     
         12 . A semiconductor device comprising at least two semiconductor devices according to  claim 11  and a wall circuit board including a circuit wire therein and standing to intersect with the surfaces of said semiconductor chips so that exposed side surfaces of said connecting terminals of said semiconductor devices are connected to said wall circuit board and said semiconductor devices are mounted in a layered manner.  
     
     
         13 . A method of fabricating semiconductor devices for fabricating at least two semiconductor devices from a semiconductor substrate including at least two semiconductor circuit areas provided with electrodes having prescribed functions for attaining electrical connection with an external device arranged on a first main surface, comprising steps of. 
 bonding a support plate to a second main surface of said semiconductor substrate opposite to said first main surface;    forming a trench for separating said at least two semiconductor circuit areas into individual said semiconductor circuit areas to expose said support plate around said semiconductor circuit areas;    connecting said electrodes and said support plate exposed in said trench with each other by a metal wire; and    removing said support plate.    
     
     
         14 . The method of fabricating semiconductor devices according to  claim 13 , connecting a bulk wire formed by partially melting and bulking a wire around a part to be connected to said support plate by wire bonding in said step of connecting said electrodes and said support plate with each other by said metal wire.  
     
     
         15 . The method of fabricating semiconductor devices according to  claim 13 , further comprising a step of covering said first main surface of said semiconductor substrate with an insulator film before said step of connecting said electrodes and said support plate with each other by said metal wire, and forming a metal film coming into contact with upper portions of said insulator film, said electrodes and said support plate by either gas deposition or plating in said step of connecting said electrodes and said support plate with each other by said metal wire.  
     
     
         16 . The method of fabricating semiconductor devices according to  claim 13 , bonding said support plate by anode coupling in said step of bonding said support plate to said second main surface of said semiconductor substrate opposite to said first main surface.  
     
     
         17 . The method of fabricating semiconductor devices according to  claim 13 , forming said trench with a dicing saw in said step of forming said trench.  
     
     
         18 . The method of fabricating semiconductor devices according to  claim 13 , further comprising a step of sealing said metal wire and said semiconductor circuit areas with an insulator, for applying flowable polymer resin to prescribed areas by screen printing and covering said prescribed areas with said polymer resin in said sealing step.  
     
     
         19 . The method of fabricating semiconductor devices according to  claim 13 , further comprising a step of sealing said metal wire and said semiconductor circuit areas with an insulator, for covering the overall surface of said semiconductor substrate with said insulator in said step of sealing said metal wire and said semiconductor circuit areas with said insulator and removing a prescribed part of said insulator with a dicing saw in any subsequent step for separating said at least two semiconductor circuit areas into individual said semiconductor circuit areas.  
     
     
         20 . A method of fabricating semiconductor devices for fabricating at least two semiconductor devices from a semiconductor substrate including at least two semiconductor circuit areas provided with electrodes having prescribed functions for attaining electrical connection with an external device arranged on a first main surface, comprising steps of: 
 separating said semiconductor substrate into individual said semiconductor circuit areas by cutting;    bonding a support plate to a second main surface of said semiconductor substrate opposite to said first main surface;    connecting said electrodes and said support plate exposed in a-trench with each other by a metal wire; and    removing said support plate.