Abstract:
Surface-mount, solder-down sockets are described which permit electronic components such as semiconductor packages to be releasably mounted to a circuit board. Generally, the socket includes resilient contact structures extending from a top surface of a support substrate, and solder-ball (or other suitable) contact structures disposed on a bottom surface of the support substrate. Composite interconnection elements are described for use as the resilient contact structures disposed atop the support substrate. In use, the support substrate is soldered down onto the circuit board, the contact structures on the bottom surface of the support substrate contacting corresponding contact areas on the circuit board. In any suitable manner, selected ones of the resilient contact structures atop the support substrate are connected, via the support substrate, to corresponding ones of the contact structures on the bottom surface of the support substrate. For example, the support substrate is suitably a printed circuit board having plated through holes. In an embodiment intended to receive a 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. Variations of these two basic embodiments are described, including limiting wiping motion of the resilient contact structures across a terminal of an electronic component, and moving the resilient contact structures rather than the electronic component to effect pressure connections therebetween.
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:
Temporary connections to spring contact elements extending from an electronic component such as a semiconductor device are made by urging the electronic component, consequently the ends of the spring contact elements, vertically against terminals of an interconnection substrate, or by horizontally urging terminals of an interconnection substrate against end portions of the spring contact elements. A variety of terminal configurations are disclosed.
Abstract:
Contact tip structures are fabricated on sacrificial substrates for subsequent joining to interconnection elements including composite interconnection elements, monolithic interconnection elements, tungsten needles of probe cards, contact bumps of membrane probes, and the like. The spatial relationship between the tip structures can lithographically be defined to very close tolerances. The metallurgy of the tip structures is independent of that of the interconnection element to which they are attached, by brazing, plating or the like. The contact tip structures are readily provided with topological (small, precise, projecting, non-planar) contact features, such as in the form of truncated pyramids, to optimize electrical pressure connections subsequently being made to terminals of electronic components. Elongate contact tip structures, adapted in use to function as spring contact elements without the necessity of being joined to resilient contact elements are described. Generally, the invention is directed to making (pre-fabricating) relatively nullperfectnull contact tip structures (nulltipsnull) and joining them to relatively nullimperfectnull interconnection elements to improve the overall capabilities of resulting nulltippednull interconnection elements.
Abstract:
Temporary connections to spring contact elements extending from an electronic component such as a semiconductor device are made by urging the electronic component, consequently the ends of the spring contact elements, vertically against terminals of an interconnection substrate, or by horizontally urging terminals of an interconnection substrate against end portions of the spring contact elements. A variety of terminal configurations are disclosed.