Liquid Metal Socket Interface With Oxide-Breaking Wells
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Solution Overview
Problem
Liquid metal (LM) solutions face challenges in forming stable electrical connections due to the instantaneous formation of an oxide shell, which affects long-term reliability and resistance variations. Additionally, LMs are difficult to contain, leading to electrical shorts and contamination risks.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a socket design that mechanically breaks the outer oxide shell of the LM, allowing it to coalesce and form stable electrical connections without the need for strong acids or bases. This design also includes a self-sealing capping layer to prevent LM escape and ensure electrical integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If liquid metal is contained using films or reservoirs, then electrical short prevention is improved, but device complexity increases and assembly steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The socket structure serves multiple functions: it provides mechanical support, guides the liquid metal insertion, breaks the oxide shell, and contains the liquid metal to prevent electrical shorts. By integrating these functions into a single component, the design eliminates the need for separate containment films or reservoirs, reducing device complexity while maintaining electrical short prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The containment function is extracted from separate films or reservoirs and integrated into the socket structure itself. The socket walls act as the containment barrier, eliminating the need for additional containment components and simplifying the overall device architecture.
2Ease of manufacture
If liquid metal is deposited without oxide shell breaking, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but electrical connection stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The socket structure automatically breaks the oxide shell through its mechanical design during the insertion process itself. No additional manufacturing steps or chemical treatments are required - the act of inserting the liquid metal into the socket and applying assembly force automatically breaks the oxide shell and creates the electrical connection. This self-service mechanism maintains manufacturing simplicity while ensuring electrical connection stability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The mechanical coalescence of LM results in low resistance variations (e.g., 2 mOhm or less) and improved long-term reliability, while the self-sealing capping layer prevents electrical shorts and contamination, allowing for efficient and reliable LM-based interconnects.
Implementation Method 1
The mechanical breaking of the oxide shell allows for the LM to coalesce
Implementation Method 2
the films used to contain the LM can become conductive
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments disclosed herein include an electronic package. In an embodiment, the electronic package comprises a package substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite from the first surface, and a die on the first surface of the package substrate. In an embodiment, the electronic package further comprises a socket interface on the second surface of the package substrate. In an embodiment, the socket interface comprises a first layer, wherein the first layer comprises a plurality of wells, a liquid metal within the plurality of wells, and a second layer over the plurality of wells.