Abstract:
Spring contact elements are fabricated by depositing at least one layer of metallic material into openings defined in masking layers deposited on a surface of a substrate which may be an electronic component such as an active semiconductor device. Each spring contact element has a base end, a contact end, and a central body portion. The contact end is offset in the z-axis (at a different height) and in at least one of the x and y directions from the base end. In this manner a plurality of spring contact elements are fabricated in a prescribed spatial relationship with one another on the substrate. The spring contact elements make temporary (i.e., pressure) or permanent (e.g., joined by soldering or brazing or with a conductive adhesive) connections with terminals of another electronic component to effect electrical connections therebetween. In an exemplary application, the spring contact elements are disposed on a semiconductor devices resident on a semiconductor wafer so that temporary connections can-be made with the semiconductor devices to burn-in and/or test the semiconductor devices.
Abstract:
An interconnection apparatus and a method of forming an interconnection apparatus. Contact structures are attached to or formed on a first substrate. The first substrate is attached to a second substrate, which is larger than the first substrate. Multiple such first substrates may be attached to the second substrate in order to create an array of contact structures. Each contact structure may be elongate and resilient and may comprise a core that is over coated with a material that imparts desired structural properties to the contact structure.
Abstract:
Surface-mount, solder-down sockets permit electronic components such as semiconductor packages to be releasably mounted to a circuit board or other electronic component. In an embodiment, resilient contact structures extend through a support substrate, and solder-ball (or other suitable) contact structures are disposed along the bottom of the support substrate in electrical contact with the ends of the resilient contact structures. Composite interconnection elements are used as the resilient contact structures disposed atop the support substrate. In an embodiment intended to receive an LGA-type semiconductor package, pressure contact is made between the resilient contact structures and external connection points of the semiconductor package with a contact force which is generally normal to the top surface of the support substrate. In an embodiment intended to receive a BGA-type semiconductor package, pressure contact is made between the resilient contact structures and external connection points of the semiconductor package with a contact force which is generally parallel to the top surface of the support substrate.
Abstract:
A metallic or an electrical trace having a terminus and a stress relief bend formed in the trace adjacent the terminus. The electrical trace may have a portion carried by a flexible substrate to form a flexible circuit. The stress relief bend may be free floating and extend from the flexible substrate or may be encapsulated by the flexible substrate. The electrical circuit and the flexible circuit each have a generally planar portion extending in the X and Y axis, with the stress relief bend projecting into the Z axis. This allows electrical traces to be spaced with a very narrow pitch because the stress relief bend does not consume any valuable real estate on the flexible circuit or the substrate to which the electrical trace is applied.
Abstract:
Spring contact elements are attached to terminals of an electronic component, which may be a semiconductor die. The spring contact elements may comprise a flexible precursor element. The precursor element may be over coated with a resilient material. The spring contact elements may be elongate and attached to the terminals at one end. The other end of the spring contacts may be spaced away from the electronic component.
Abstract:
An connection box includes a circuit board. The box includes a control board connected to the circuit board. The control board includes an insulation board. The box includes a radiative device mounted on the control board. The radiative device is spaced away from the insulation board. The radiative device includes a wire extending therefrom above the insulation board.
Abstract:
A circuit component comprising a circuit board and a terminal for mounting the circuit board on a second circuit board. A length of the circuit board is 10 mm-80 mm, a difference in a coefficient of thermal expansion between the circuit board and the second circuit board is or 0.2null10null5/null C. greater. The terminal is made of an elastic material, and comprised of a first connection section, a second connection section and an elastic section disposed between the first and second connection sections. and the terminal separates the circuit board from the second circuit board by 0.3 mm-5 mm. In the circuit components of the present invention, deterioration in the conduction between the circuit board and the second circuit board due to heat cycles can be prevented. Thus, a circuit component having stable operating characteristics for a long period of time is obtained.
Abstract:
A probe card assembly includes a probe card, a space transformer having resilient contact structures (probe elements) mounted directly to (i.e., without the need for additional connecting wires or the like) and extending from terminals on a surface thereof, and an interposer disposed between the space transformer and the probe card. The space transformer and interposer are nullstacked upnull so that the orientation of the space transformer, hence the orientation of the tips of the probe elements, can be adjusted without changing the orientation of the probe card. Suitable mechanisms for adjusting the orientation of the space transformer, and for determining what adjustments to make, are disclosed. The interposer has resilient contact structures extending from both the top and bottom surfaces thereof, and ensures that electrical connections are maintained between the space transformer and the probe card throughout the space transformer's range of adjustment, by virtue of the interposer's inherent compliance. Multiple die sites on a semiconductor wafer are readily probed using the disclosed techniques, and the probe elements can be arranged to optimize probing of an entire wafer. Composite interconnection elements having a relatively soft core overcoated by a relatively hard shell, as the resilient contact structures are described.
Abstract:
The module has a metal substrate having one major face that is insulated and that carries electrical connection tracks, and at least one power component fixed to the substrate and having connection tabs (20) that are soldered to the tracks. The power component is fixed on the non-insulated face and it is placed in a housing constituting an inside wall of a cooling fluid circuit, or it is stuck thereto. The tabs of the component pass through the substrate via holes therein.
Abstract:
Contact structures exhibiting resilience or compliance for a variety of electronic components are formed by bonding a free end of a wire to a substrate, configuring the wire into a wire stem having a springable shape, severing the wire stem, and overcoating the wire stem with at least one layer of a material chosen primarily for its structural (resiliency, compliance) characteristics.