Abstract: An exemplary die carrier is disclosed. In some embodiments, the die carrier can hold a plurality of singulated dies while the dies are tested. The dies can be arranged on the carrier in a pattern that facilities testing the dies. The carrier can be configured to allow interchangeable interfaces to different testers to be attached to and detached from the carrier. The carrier can also be configured as a shipping container for the dies.

Abstract: An exemplary die carrier is disclosed. In some embodiments, the die carrier can hold a plurality of singulated dies while the dies are tested. The dies can be arranged on the carrier in a pattern that facilities testing the dies. The carrier can be configured to allow interchangeable interfaces to different testers to be attached to and detached from the carrier. The carrier can also be configured as a shipping container for the dies.

Abstract: An exemplary die carrier is disclosed. In some embodiments, the die carrier can hold a plurality of singulated dies while the dies are tested. The dies can be arranged on the carrier in a pattern that facilities testing the dies. The carrier can be configured to allow interchangeable interfaces to different testers to be attached to and detached from the carrier. The carrier can also be configured as a shipping container for the dies.

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: 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: 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: 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: 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.

Abstract: Interconnection elements for electronic components, exhibiting desirable mechanical characteristic (such as resiliency, for making pressure contacts) are formed by using a shaping tool (512) to shape an elongate core element (502) of a soft material (such as gold or soft copper wire) to have a springable shape (including cantilever beam, S-shape, U-shape), and overcoating the shaped core element with a hard material (such as nickel and its alloys), to impart to desired spring (resilient) characteristic to the resulting composite interconnection element. A final overcoat of a material having superior electrical qualities (e.g., electrical conductivity and/or solderability) may be applied to the composite interconnection element.

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: A plurality of contact elements, such as contact bumps or free-standing spring contacts including both monolithic and composite interconnection elements, are mounted to relatively small tile substrates which, in turn, are mounted and connected to a relatively large electronic component substrate, thereby populating the electronic component with a plurality of contact elements while avoiding the necessity of yielding the contact elements directly upon the electronic component. The relatively large electronic component is suitably a space transformer component of a probe card assembly. In this manner, pressure connections can be made to an entire semiconductor wafer, at once, to provide for wafer-level burn-in, and the like. Solder balls, z-axis conductive adhesive, or compliant connections are suitably employed for making electrical connections between the tile substrates and the electronic component.

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.

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: Interconnection elements for electronic components, exhibiting desirable mechanical characteristic (such as resiliency, for making pressure contacts) are formed by using a shaping tool (512) to shape an elongate core element (502) of a soft material (such as gold or soft copper wire) to have a springable shape (including cantilever beam, S-shape, U-shape), and overcoating the shaped core element with a hard material (such as nickel and its alloys), to impart to desired spring (resilient) characteristic to the resulting composite interconnection element. A final overcoat of a material having superior electrical qualities (e.g., electrical conductivity and/or solderability) may be applied to the composite interconnection element.

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.

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.

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: 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.