Interconnect assemblies and methods

Abstract

Interconnect assemblies having resilient contact elements and methods for making these assemblies. In one aspect, the interconnect assembly includes a substrate and a resilient electrical contact element disposed on the substrate. A first portion of the resilient contact structure is disposed on the substrate and a second portion extends away from the substrate and is capable of moving from a first position to a second position under the application of a force. A stop structure is disposed on the surface of the substrate and on a surface of the first portion of the resilient contact structure. According to another aspect of the present invention, a beam portion of the resilient contact structure has a substantially triangular shape.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to interconnect assemblies and methods for making and using interconnections and methods for making these interconnect assemblies.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]There are numerous interconnect assemblies and methods for making and using these assemblies in the prior art. Interconnect assemblies for making electrical interconnections with semiconductor integrated circuits must support the close spacing between interconnect elements, sometimes referred to as the pitch of the interconnect elements. Certain interconnect assemblies perform their functions through testing and the useful life of the integrated circuit. One type of interconnect assembly in the prior art uses a resilient contact element, such as a spring, to form either a temporary or a permanent connection to a contact pad on a semiconductor integrated circuit. Examples of such resilient contact elements are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,211 and also in co-pendi...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, this pressure sometimes leads to the deformation or degradation of resilient contact elements as they are compressed too much in the vertical direction.

This in turn may limit the ability to design resilient contact elements to be smaller.

This is particularly undesirable as the sizes of structures on semiconductor integrated circuits are being reduced over time.

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