Multilayered Electrical Interconnect With Segmented Spring Probes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional IC sockets face mechanical and electrical limitations, such as increased terminal count, reduced terminal pitch, and signal integrity issues, which hinder their performance in next-generation IC devices operating above 5 GHz, and they require significant revisions to meet these demands.
Innovation Solution
A high-performance electrical interconnect with a multilayered substrate and spring probe contact members that eliminates the need for solder balls, reduces terminal pitch without an interposer, and integrates grounding schemes and shielding, allowing for fine line high-density circuit structures and cost-effective production using additive printing technology.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If terminal pitch is decreased to increase terminal count, then more terminals can be accommodated, but insulating wall thickness decreases and manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into multiple layers (first housing layer, second housing layer, third housing layer) with different functions. The first layer provides structural support with thicker walls, the second layer contains the contact members, and the third layer provides additional support. This segmentation allows decreased terminal pitch in the contact layer while maintaining adequate insulating wall thickness in structural layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-layer housing structure to a multi-layer housing structure with vertical stacking. Contact members extend through multiple layers, and insulating walls are distributed across different height levels. This dimensional change allows higher terminal count without proportionally decreasing insulating wall thickness in any single layer.
2Reliability
If contact member length is increased to optimize spring properties, then contact reliability improves, but signal integrity decreases and contact resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
Contact members are divided into multiple segments (first contact member portion, second contact member portion, third contact member portion) distributed across different layers. Each segment provides a portion of the required spring properties and electrical connection, reducing the length of any single continuous conductor and thereby minimizing self-heating and signal integrity issues while maintaining overall contact reliability.
3Volume of moving object
If insulating wall thickness is decreased to reduce package size, then terminal pitch can be reduced, but warpage risk during solder reflow increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing structure is segmented into multiple layers with different thickness profiles. Structural layers maintain adequate thickness for stability during solder reflow, while the contact layer allows reduced pitch. This segmentation enables small package size without compromising housing stability during thermal processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite housing structures combining different materials with different thermal and mechanical properties in various layers. This allows the package to be compact while maintaining dimensional stability during solder reflow, as different material layers compensate for thermal expansion and contraction stresses.
4Quantity of substance
If terminal pitch is decreased to increase terminal count, then more connections are possible, but cross-talk between adjacent contact members increases
Solution Approach 1:
Contact members are segmented across multiple layers with insulating material between layers. This vertical segmentation provides additional isolation paths between adjacent contacts, reducing cross-talk while allowing higher terminal count through reduced horizontal pitch.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent moves from a two-dimensional arrangement of contacts to a three-dimensional multi-layer arrangement. Insulating walls are positioned at different height levels between adjacent contact members, providing shielding in the vertical dimension and reducing electromagnetic cross-talk while enabling higher terminal density.
Data Source
AI summary
A electrical interconnect adapted to provide an interface between contact pads on an IC device and a PCB, including a multi-layered substrate with a first surface with a plurality of first openings having first cross-sections, a second surface with a plurality of second openings having second cross-sections, and center openings connecting the first and second openings. The contact members include first contact tips extending through the first opening and above the first surface, second contact tips extending through the second openings and above the second surface, and center portions located in the center openings. The center portions include a shape adapted to bias the first and second contact tips toward the IC device and PCB, respectively. A dielectric material different from the material of the substrate is located in at least one of the first opening, the second opening, or the center opening.