Molded LED package and method of making same

1. A method of packaging a light emitting diode (LED), comprising:

providing a lead frame comprising a first lead having a first recess in a bottom surface and a second lead having a second recess in a bottom surface;

placing a LED die over a top surface of at least one of the first and the second leads;

electrically connecting the LED die to the first lead and to the second lead;

forming a package around the LED die, the first lead and the second lead, the package having an upper surface, a bottom surface, at least one first side surface extending between the upper surface and the bottom surface and an opening in the upper surface exposing at least the LED die; and

separating the package containing the LED die, the first lead and the second lead from the lead frame such that the package contains a first castellation and a second castellation in the first side surface of the package;

wherein:

(i) the first castellation exposes at least one of the first lead and a first platable metal which is electrically connected to the first lead;

(ii) the second castellation exposes at least one of the second lead and a second platable metal which is electrically connected to the second lead;

(iii) the LED die comprises at least one green emitting LED die;

(iv) the package further comprises:

a third lead, a fourth lead, a fifth lead and a sixth lead;

a third castellation in the first side surface of the package, wherein the third castellation exposes at least one of the third lead and a third platable metal which is electrically connected to the third lead;

a fourth castellation in the first side surface of the package, wherein the fourth castellation exposes at least one of the fourth lead and a fourth platable metal which is electrically connected to the fourth lead;

a fifth castellation in the first side surface of the package, wherein the fifth castellation exposes at least one of the fifth lead and a fifth platable metal which is electrically connected to the fifth lead;

a sixth castellation in the first side surface of the package, wherein the sixth castellation exposes at least one of the sixth lead and a sixth platable metal which is electrically connected to the sixth lead;

at least one blue emitting LED die which is electrically connected to the third lead and to the fourth lead; and

at least one red emitting LED die which is electrically connected to the fifth lead and to the sixth lead;

(v) the package comprises an interior wall separating a first compartment containing the at least one green emitting LED die from a second compartment containing the at least one red emitting LED die and the at least one blue LED die;

(vi) the first compartment contains a first encapsulant containing a green emitting phosphor located over the at least one green emitting LED die; and

(vii) the second compartment contains a second encapsulant which lacks the green emitting phosphor located over the at least one red emitting LED die and the at least one blue emitting LED die.

2. A method of packaging a light emitting diode (LED), comprising:

providing a lead frame comprising a first lead having a first recess in a bottom surface and a second lead having a second recess in a bottom surface;

placing a LED die over a top surface of at least one of the first and the second leads;

electrically connecting the LED die to the first lead and to the second lead;

forming a package around the LED die, the first lead and the second lead, the package having an upper surface, a bottom surface, at least one first side surface extending between the upper surface and the bottom surface and an opening in the upper surface exposing at least the LED die; and

separating the package containing the LED die, the first lead and the second lead from the lead frame such that the package contains a first castellation and a second castellation in the first side surface of the package;

wherein:

(i) the first castellation exposes at least one of the first lead and a first platable metal which is electrically connected to the first lead;

(ii) the second castellation exposes at least one of the second lead and a second platable metal which is electrically connected to the second lead;

(iii) the LED die comprises at least one green emitting LED die;

(iv) the package further comprises:

a third lead, a fourth lead, a fifth lead and a sixth lead;

a third castellation in the first side surface of the package, wherein the third castellation exposes at least one of the third lead and a third platable metal which is electrically connected to the third lead;

a fourth castellation in the first side surface of the package, wherein the fourth castellation exposes at least one of the fourth lead and a fourth platable metal which is electrically connected to the fourth lead;

a fifth castellation in the first side surface of the package, wherein the fifth castellation exposes at least one of the fifth lead and a fifth platable metal which is electrically connected to the fifth lead;

a sixth castellation in the first side surface of the package, wherein the sixth castellation exposes at least one of the sixth lead and a sixth platable metal which is electrically connected to the sixth lead;

at least one blue emitting LED die which is electrically connected to the third lead and to the fourth lead; and

at least one red emitting LED die which is electrically connected to the fifth lead and to the sixth lead; and

(v) the package comprises at least two interior walls defining at least three separate compartments, wherein the at least one green emitting LED die is located in a first compartment, the at least one red emitting LED die is located in a second compartment and the at least one blue emitting LED die is located in a third compartment.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the first compartment contains a first encapsulant containing a green emitting phosphor located over the at least one green emitting LED die;

the second compartment contains a second encapsulant which lacks the green emitting phosphor located over the at least one red emitting LED die; and

the third compartment contains a third encapsulant which lacks the green emitting phosphor located over the at least one blue emitting LED die.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the second encapsulant and the third encapsulant comprise the same material.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the second encapsulant contains a red emitting phosphor, and the third encapsulant lacks the green emitting phosphor and the red emitting phosphor.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the second compartment contains a second encapsulant containing a red emitting phosphor located over the at least one red emitting LED die; and

the first compartment and the third compartment contain a first and third encapsulant, respectively, where the first and the third encapsulant lack the red emitting phosphor.

7. A packaged light emitting diode (LED) device, comprising:

a first lead having a first recess in a bottom surface;

a second lead having a second recess in a bottom surface;

a LED die located over a top surface of at least one of the first and the second leads and electrically connected to the first lead and to the second lead; and

a package located around the LED die, the first lead and the second lead;

wherein:

(i) the package contains an upper surface, a bottom surface, at least one first side surface extending between the upper surface and the bottom surface and an opening in the upper surface exposing at least the LED die;

(ii) the package contains a first castellation and a second castellation in the first side surface of the package;

(iii) the first castellation exposes at least one of the first lead and a first platable metal which is electrically connected to the first lead;

(iv) the second castellation exposes at least one of the second lead and a second platable metal which is electrically connected to the second lead;

(v) the package further comprises:

a third lead, a fourth lead, a fifth lead and a sixth lead;

a third castellation in the first side surface of the package, wherein the third castellation exposes at least one of the third lead and a third platable metal which is electrically connected to the third lead;

a fourth castellation in the first side surface of the package, wherein the fourth castellation exposes at least one of the fourth lead and a fourth platable metal which is electrically connected to the fourth lead;

a fifth castellation in the first side surface of the package, wherein the fifth castellation exposes at least one of the fifth lead and a fifth platable metal which is electrically connected to the fifth lead;

a sixth castellation in the first side surface of the package, wherein the sixth castellation exposes at least one of the sixth lead and a sixth platable metal which is electrically connected to the sixth lead;

at least one blue emitting LED die which is electrically connected to the third lead and to the fourth lead; and

at least one red emitting LED die which is electrically connected to the fifth lead and to the sixth lead;

(vi) the package comprises an interior wall separating a first compartment containing the at least one green emitting LED die from a second compartment containing the at least one red emitting LED die and the at least one blue LED die;

(vii) the first compartment contains a first encapsulant containing a green emitting phosphor located over the at least one green emitting LED die; and

(viii) the second compartment contains a second encapsulant which lacks the green emitting phosphor located over the at least one red emitting LED die and the at least one blue emitting LED die.

8. A packaged light emitting diode (LED) device, comprising:

a first lead having a first recess in a bottom surface;

a second lead having a second recess in a bottom surface;

a LED die located over a top surface of at least one of the first and the second leads and electrically connected to the first lead and to the second lead; and

a package located around the LED die, the first lead and the second lead;

wherein:

(i) the package contains an upper surface, a bottom surface, at least one first side surface extending between the upper surface and the bottom surface and an opening in the upper surface exposing at least the LED die;

(ii) the package contains a first castellation and a second castellation in the first side surface of the package;

(iii) the first castellation exposes at least one of the first lead and a first platable metal which is electrically connected to the first lead;

(iv) the second castellation exposes at least one of the second lead and a second platable metal which is electrically connected to the second lead;

(v) the package further comprises:

a third lead, a fourth lead, a fifth lead and a sixth lead;

a third castellation in the first side surface of the package, wherein the third castellation exposes at least one of the third lead and a third platable metal which is electrically connected to the third lead;

a fourth castellation in the first side surface of the package, wherein the fourth castellation exposes at least one of the fourth lead and a fourth platable metal which is electrically connected to the fourth lead;

a fifth castellation in the first side surface of the package, wherein the fifth castellation exposes at least one of the fifth lead and a fifth platable metal which is electrically connected to the fifth lead;

a sixth castellation in the first side surface of the package, wherein the sixth castellation exposes at least one of the sixth lead and a sixth platable metal which is electrically connected to the sixth lead;

at least one blue emitting LED die which is electrically connected to the third lead and to the fourth lead; and

at least one red emitting LED die which is electrically connected to the fifth lead and to the sixth lead; and

(vi) the package comprises at least two interior walls defining at least three separate compartments, wherein the at least one green emitting LED die is located in a first compartment, the at least one red emitting LED die is located in a second compartment and the at least one blue emitting LED die is located in a third compartment.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein:

the first compartment contains a first encapsulant containing a green emitting phosphor located over the at least one green emitting LED die;

the second compartment contains a second encapsulant which lacks the green emitting phosphor located over the at least one red emitting LED die; and

the third compartment contains a third encapsulant which lacks the green emitting phosphor located over the at least one blue emitting LED die.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the second encapsulant and the third encapsulant comprise the same material.

11. The device of claim 9 , wherein the second encapsulant contains a red emitting phosphor, and the third encapsulant lacks the green emitting phosphor and the red emitting phosphor.

12. The device of claim 8 , wherein:

the second compartment contains a second encapsulant containing a red emitting phosphor located over the at least one red emitting LED die; and

the first compartment and the third compartment contain a first and third encapsulant, respectively, where the first and the third encapsulant lack the red emitting phosphor.

13. The device of claim 8 , wherein:

the package further has second, third and fourth side surfaces extending between the upper surface and the bottom surface; and

no castellations are located in the second, third and fourth side surfaces of the package.

14. The device of claim 7 , wherein:

the package further has second, third and fourth side surfaces extending between the upper surface and the bottom surface; and

no castellations are located in the second, third and fourth side surfaces of the package.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the package further has second, third and fourth side surfaces extending between the upper surface and the bottom surface; and

no castellations are located in the second, third and fourth side surfaces of the package.

16. The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the package further has second, third and fourth side surfaces extending between the upper surface and the bottom surface; and

no castellations are located in the second, third and fourth side surfaces of the package.