Performance enhancements in Edquad plastic packages

The widespread use of plastic packages has extended into applications that require thermal and electrical performance not possible with the conventional packages. Edquad is a family of packages that provides up to 50% increase in power dissipation and significant reduction in electrical parasitics yet it is available in JEDEC standard body sizes in MQFP, TQFP, PLCC and SOIC formats with the heatspreader up or down. The packages have an integral heatspreader that carries most of the heat from the die attached directly on the bottom side, to the top which is exposed to the ambient. The heatspreader is also used as an electrical ground plane and the conventional die paddle is etched out to provide an internal power or ground ring. This arrangement provides for significant design flexibility to the device designer and has been demonstrated to result in lower package parasitics and higher clock frequency operation. The materials, the heatspreader design and surface preparation have been chosen to maximize adhesion and minimize stress at the interfaces. As a result these packages meet and exceed the accepted reliability standards of plastic packages