Semiconductor device having RF shielding and method therefor

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a substrate having a plurality of metal layers, wherein at least one metal layer is exposed on at least one side surface of the substrate;

a ledge formed within the substrate;

a die coupled to the substrate;

a mold compound encapsulating the die and a first surface of the substrate; and

a conductive coating applied to the mold compound and to at least one metal layer exposed on at least one side surface of the substrate.

2. A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the at least one metal layer is exposed on a vertical member of the ledge.

3. A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 2 wherein the conductive coating is a conformal coating.

4. A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 2 wherein the conductive coating is an over mold coating, the over mold coating approximately planar to a side surface of the ledge.

5. A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 1 further comprising at least one via formed in the substrate, the via coupled to at least one metal layer exposed on at least one side surface of the substrate, the conductive coating coupled directly to at least one metal layer exposed and to at least one metal layer exposed through the at least one via.

6. A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 5 wherein the conductive coating is a conformal coating.

7. A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 5 wherein the conductive coating is an over mold coating.

8. A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 1 further comprising contacts coupled to a second surface of the substrate.

9. A semiconductor device comprising:

a substrate having a plurality of metal layers, wherein at least one metal layer is exposed on at least one side surface of the semiconductor device;

a ledge formed within the substrate and exposing the at least one metal layer;

a die coupled to the substrate;

a mold compound encapsulating the die and a top surface of the substrate; and

means coupled to the mold compound and to at least one metal layer exposed on at least one side surface of the semiconductor device for minimizing Electro-Magnetic Interference (EMI) radiation and Radio Frequency (RF) radiation.

10. A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 9 further comprising at least one via formed in the substrate and coupled to at least one metal layer exposed, the means coupled to at least one metal layer exposed through the at least one via.

11. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising:

providing a substrate having a plurality of metal layers;

coupling a die to a first surface of the substrate;

encapsulating the first surface of the substrate;

cutting a surface of the semiconductor device to form a ledge within the substrate and to expose at least one metal layer on the surface of the semiconductor device; and

applying a conductive coating to the mold compound and to at least one metal layer exposed on the surface of the semiconductor device.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

providing a strip substrate having a plurality of modules, each module forming a semiconductor device; and

coupling a die in each of the plurality of modules.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising cutting the strip substrate between adjacent modules to form a channel so that that the at least one metal layer is exposed on at least one side surface of each of the semiconductor devices.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising singulating each module from the strip substrate.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein applying a conductive coating comprises applying a conformal coating wherein a layer of conductive coating is applied to the top surface of the mold compound and in the channel formed between adjacent modules.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein applying a conductive coating comprises applying an over mold coating wherein the conductive coating is applied to the top surface of the mold compound and fills in the channel formed between adjacent modules.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising forming at least one via in the substrate, the at least one via coupled to at least one metal layer which is exposed, the conductive coating coupled directly to at least one metal layer exposed and to at least one metal layer exposed through the at least one via.

18. A semiconductor device comprising:

a substrate having a plurality of metal layers, wherein at least one metal layer is exposed on at least one side surface of the substrate;

a die coupled to a first surface of the substrate;

a mold compound encapsulating a first surface of the substrate and side surface of the die, a top surface of the die remaining exposed; and

an electroplate layer applied to the mold compound and to at least one metal layer exposed on at least one side surface of the substrate;

wherein the first surface of the substrate is approximately perpendicular to the at least one side surface of the substrate.

19. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising:

providing a substrate having a plurality of metal layers;

coupling a die to a first surface of the substrate;

encapsulating the first surface of the substrate and side surface of the die, a top surface of the die remaining exposed;

cutting a surface of the semiconductor device to form a ledge within the substrate and to expose at least one metal layer on surface of the semiconductor device; and

applying a seed layer to the first surface of the substrate and the surface of the substrate where the at least one metal layer is exposed, the top surface of the die remaining exposed;

applying a resist layer on the top surface of the die and the bottom surface of the substrate;

applying a metal layer to the seed layer; and

stripping the resist layer.

20. A semiconductor device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the ledge is formed by removing a portion of the substrate.