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.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 29, 2000
Date of Patent:
January 4, 2005
Assignee:
FormFactor, Inc.
Inventors:
Igor Y. Khandros, Thomas H. Dozier, Gary W. Grube, Gaetan L. Mathieu