Integrated circuit (IC) package with a solder receiving area and associated methods

1. An integrated circuit (IC) package comprising:

a die pad of a lead frame;

a spacer ring having an opening extending therethrough on said die pad for defining a solder receiving area, with said spacer ring having a continuous interior wall completely surrounding the solder receiving area and comprising a material different than said die pad;

a solder body comprising a solder material disposed on said die pad within the solder receiving area;

an IC die comprising a first major surface and an opposite second major surface, the first major surface directly contacting an entire upper surface of said spacer ring, the first major surface being attached to the die pad by said solder body within the solder receiving area;

a bond pad disposed on the second major surface of the IC die;

an encapsulating material surrounding said die pad, spacer ring, and IC die; and

a lead of the lead frame disposed within the encapsulating material and extending out of the encapsulating material, the lead being coupled to the bond pad on the second major surface.

2. The IC package according to claim 1 wherein said spacer ring comprises a dry film solder mask material.

3. The IC package according to claim 1 wherein said die pad comprises an electrically conductive material.

4. The IC package according to claim 1 wherein said spacer ring has a rectangular shape.

5. The IC package according to claim 1 wherein said spacer ring is adhesively secured to said die pad.

6. The IC package according to claim 1 wherein said spacer ring is set inwardly from a periphery of said die pad.

7. The IC package according to claim 1 wherein said spacer ring wherein said spacer ring is set inwardly from a periphery of said IC die.

8. The IC package according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality of leads extending outwardly from said encapsulating material and coupled to said IC die.

9. The IC package according to claim 8 wherein said IC die comprises a plurality of bond pads; and further comprising a respective bond wire coupling each of said plurality of leads to a corresponding bond pad of said plurality of bond pads.

10. An integrated circuit (IC) package comprising:

a rectangular die pad;

a rectangular spacer ring having an opening extending therethrough on said rectangular die pad for defining a rectangular solder receiving area, said rectangular spacer ring having a continuous interior wall completely surrounding the rectangular solder receiving area from all sides and comprising a dry film solder mask material;

a solder body on said rectangular die pad within the rectangular solder receiving area;

an IC die comprising a first major surface and an opposite second major surface, the first major surface directly contacting an entire upper surface of said rectangular spacer ring, the first major surface physically contacting the solder body, the IC die being directly attached to said rectangular die pad by said solder body within the rectangular solder receiving area;

a plurality of bond pads disposed at the second major surface, the plurality bond pads facing away from the rectangular die pad; and

encapsulating material surrounding said rectangular die pad, rectangular spacer ring, and IC die; and

a lead disposed within the encapsulating material and extending out of the encapsulating material, the lead being coupled to the bond pad on the second major surface.

11. The IC package according to claim 10 wherein said rectangular die pad comprises an electrically conductive material.

12. The IC package according to claim 10 wherein said rectangular spacer ring is adhesively secured to said rectangular die pad.

13. The IC package according to claim 10 wherein said rectangular spacer ring is set inwardly from a periphery of said rectangular die pad.

14. The IC package according to claim 10 wherein said rectangular spacer ring is set inwardly from a periphery of said IC die.

15. An integrated circuit (IC) package comprising:

a die pad;

a spacer ring having an opening extending therethrough on said die pad for defining a solder receiving area, the spacer ring having an interior sidewall completely surrounding the solder receiving area from all sides, the spacer ring comprising a material different than said die pad;

a solder body comprising a solder material disposed on said die pad within the solder receiving area;

an IC die comprising a first major surface and an opposite second major surface, the first major surface directly contacting an entire upper surface of said spacer ring and said solder body, said IC die comprising a plurality of bond pads at the second major surface, the first major surface being attached to the die pad by the solder body within the solder receiving area;

encapsulating material surrounding said die pad, spacer ring, and IC die;

a plurality of leads extending outwardly from said encapsulating material and coupled to said IC die; and

a respective bond wire coupling each of said plurality of leads to a corresponding bond pad of said plurality of bond pads.

16. The IC package according to claim 15 wherein said spacer ring comprises a dry film solder mask material.

17. The IC package according to claim 15 wherein said die pad comprises an electrically conductive material.

18. The IC package according to claim 15 wherein said spacer ring has a rectangular shape.

19. The IC package according to claim 15 wherein said spacer ring is adhesively secured to said die pad.

20. The IC package according to claim 15 wherein said spacer ring is set inwardly from a periphery of said die pad.

21. The IC package according to claim 15 wherein said spacer ring is set inwardly from a periphery of said IC die.

22. The IC package according to claim 10 , wherein the IC package is a lead frame package.

23. The IC package according to claim 15 , wherein the IC package is a lead frame package.

24. A semiconductor package comprising:

a die pad;

a solder block comprising a through opening in a first region and a second region surrounding the first region, the through opening comprising sidewalls in the second region, the sidewalls enclosing the through opening completely from all sides, the solder block comprises a different material than the die pad;

a solder disposed within the through opening in the first region of the solder block and physically contacting the die pad;

a semiconductor die comprising a first major surface and an opposite second major surface, the first major surface of the semiconductor die physically contacting the solder and an entire upper surface of the solder block, the first major surface being attached to the die pad by the solder within the through opening;

a plurality of bond pads disposed at the second major surface;

an encapsulating material surrounding the die pad, the solder block, and the semiconductor die; and

a lead disposed within the encapsulating material and extending out of the encapsulating material, the lead being coupled to one of the plurality of bond pads on the second major surface.

25. The semiconductor package according to claim 24 , wherein the solder block is offset from an edge of the die pad.

26. The semiconductor package according to claim 24 , further comprising overflow solder attached to an outside sidewall of the solder block.

27. The semiconductor package according to claim 24 , further comprising a bond pad disposed on the second major surface of the semiconductor die.

28. The semiconductor package according to claim 24 , wherein the solder block comprises a dry film solder mask material.

29. The semiconductor package according to claim 24 , further comprising a plurality of leads extending outwardly from the encapsulating material and coupled to the semiconductor die.

30. The semiconductor package according to claim 24 , wherein the semiconductor package is a lead frame package.