9622246 Gupta A proper encapsulation is essential for high-assembly yields and a long-term reliability of the chip in the semiconductor manufacturing. However, if the mold-geometry, encapsulating material and the processing conditions are not selected properly, the flow during the transfer molding of plastic may produce a gapwise movement of the microchip/leadframe assembly as well as deform the connecting wires. Currently, the mold design is based upon trial-and-error approach. This collaborative GOALI award will develop a software tool for flow simulation of the encapsulation process so that the mold designer will be able to predict the defects in the molded device and modify the molding process accordingly to reduce the assembly defects during production. This work is likely to provide significant advancement in the development of a combined fluid-flow/curing model which is expandable to other applications outside of the encapsulation processes.
