Abstract: A shim is provided which can be used in a connector system, whereby a flexible connector having contact surfaces is compressed against an electronic circuit board by a resilient material. The shim is incorporated between the resilient material and the flexible connector contact surfaces so as to uniformly transfer the load from the resilient material to the contact surfaces. Moreover, the shim prevents the resilient material from taking a set and the flexible connector from draping when operating under hot and/or high load conditions.

Abstract: A shim is provided which can be used in a connector system, whereby a flexible connector having contact surfaces is compressed against an electronic circuit board by a resilient material. The shim is incorporated between the resilient material and the flexible connector contact surfaces so as to uniformly transfer the load from the resilient material to the contact surfaces. Moreover, the shim prevents the resilient material from taking a set and the flexible connector from draping when operating under hot and/or high load conditions.

Abstract: A plurality of integrated circuit chips (12) are packaged in a stack of chips in which a number of individual chip layers (10,120,130,132,134) are physically and electrically interconnected to one another and are peripherally sealed to one another to form an hermetically sealed package having a number of input/output pads (137a,139a,141a,156,158,160) on the surface of the upper (132) and lower (134) layers. Each chip layer comprises a chip carrier substrate having a chip cavity (22) on a bottom side and having a plurality of electrically conductive vias (40,42,44) extending completely around the chip cavity. Each substrate is formed with a peripheral sealing strip (46,48) on its top and bottom sides and mounts on its top side a chip that has its connecting pads (14) wire bonded to exposed traces (32,34) of a pattern of traces that are formed on the top side of the substrate and on intermediate layers (16,18,20) of this multi-layer substrate.

Abstract: A Multi-Chip-Module or MCM (66) is mounted on a supporting motherboard (64). A plurality of first contact pads (99) are formed on the module (66) adjacent to its peripheral edge for interconnection with microelectronic components (70,72,74,76,78) mounted on the module (66). Second contact pads (94) are formed on the motherboard (64) adjacent to respective first contact pads (99). A flexible cable (96) includes controlled impedance microstrip or stripline conductor (98) with first and second gold dots (100,102) at their ends. A frame (104) resiliently presses the first and second gold dots (100, 102) into connection with respective first and second contacts (99,94) for interconnection thereof.

Abstract: A pressure-type contact for flexible or conventional wire cable terminations is fabricated from electroformed thin metallic wafers (100) in which one wafer is plated with a raised conductive interconnection feature (122). The electrical circuitry (118, 120) is made on a stainless steel mandrel (10, 10a) having a Teflon pattern (16, 16a) on its surface that allows the desired electrical circuit (30, 32, 34, 30a, 32a, 34a, 78) to be electrolytically plated upon the conductive mandrel surface. The mandrel surface is formed with projecting features in the form of depressions (24, 24a) that will form a series of dots or raised interconnection features on the termination wafers. The mandrel also has projecting posts (76) for providing electrical connection through the substrate.

Abstract: Shaped contacts (40,42) for interconnecting circuits or for use in an integrated circuit test probe are electroplated as integral parts of circuit traces (34) upon a stainless steel mandrel (10). A shaped, hardened steel indentation tool (16,18,26,28) makes indentations (24a,24b) of predetermined shape in the surface of the mandrel (10), which is provided with a pattern of dielectric, such as Teflon (12), or photoresist. Areas of the steel mandrel, including the indentations (24a,24b), are electroplated with a pattern of conductive material (34,36,38), and a dielectric substrate (32) is laminated to the conductive material. The circuit features formed by the indentations define raised contacts of a conical (18) or pyramidal (28) shape, having free ends with a small area that allows higher pressures to be applied to a surface against which the contacts are pressed.

Abstract: An elastomeric member is incorporated between a conductor and a conductive interconnection bridge. This elastomeric member serves as a spring providing compliance to an interconnection so that the flatness requirements of an opposing mating structure may be relaxed. A flat metal mandrel is provided with an elongated curved depression extending across a predetermined region where a resilient interconnection bridge is to be located. A nonconductive layer of Teflon is bonded to the surface of the mandrel. Grooves are ablated in a predetermined configuration down to the conductive surface of the mandrel using an excimer laser and a computer-controlled x-y table. Fineline electrical circuits are electrodeposited into the ablated grooves. The elongated curved depression is filled with a silicone material. The silicone material is permitted to cure to form a compliant elastomeric member having the shape of the elongated curved depression.

Abstract: A corrosion resistant barrier is provided for isolated circuity. An isolated circuit (10, 12) with raised interconnection features (16, 18) having a corrosion resistant gold coating (34) is formed on a reusable stainless steel mandrel (22) which is provided with indentations to define raised features. A seed layer (32) of copper is electroplated on the mandrel in a pattern of the isolated circuit to be formed. The copper seed layer (32) is then followed by electroplated layers of gold (34), nickel (36) and copper (38) until a total desired conductor thickness is achieved. A dielectric substrate (44, 46) is laminated on the multilayer conductive traces of the circuit. After removal of the multilayer circuit from the mandrel, a predrilled dielectric coverlay (50) is laminated to the circuit with holes in the coverlay receiving the raised circuit features (52). The finished part is then etched to remove the copper seed layer from the raised features.

Abstract: Shaped contacts (40, 42) for interconnecting circuits or for use in an integrated circuit test probe are electroplated as integral parts of circuit traces (34) upon a stainless steel mandrel (10). A shaped, hardened steel indentation tool (16, 18, 26, 28) makes indentations (24a, 24b) of predetermined shape in the surface of the mandrel (10), which is provided with a pattern of dielectric, such as Teflon (12), or photoresist. Areas of the steel mandrel, including the indentations (24a,24b), are electroplated with a pattern of conductive material (34, 36, 38), and a dielectric substrate (32) is laminated to the conductive material. The circuit features formed by the indentations define raised contacts of a conical (18) or pyramidal (28) shape, having free ends with a small area that allows higher pressures to be applied to a surface against which the contacts are pressed.

Abstract: A multi-level substrate (24) for mounting and interconnecting a number of integrated circuit chips (10) is formed of a stack of laminated sheets each comprising a conductive circuit layer (30,34,38,42,46) is laminated to a dielectric film (32,36,40,44,48). The sheets are formed by fully additive or semi-additive processes on a reusable mandrel and are interconnected to one another by raised features (78) on the circuit layer of one sheet that project through a hole (86) in the dielectric film of an adjacent sheet to contact a receiving area (88) of the circuit layer of the adjacent sheet. Integrated circuit chips (10) and other electrical components are mounted to the uppermost sheet and electrically connected thereto by means of wiring bonding (16) or a f lip-chip arrangement (150) in which chip pads (148) rest upon and contact raised features (146) of the circuit layer (140) of the uppermost sheet.

Abstract: An elastomeric member is incorporated between a conductor and a conductive interconnection bridge. This elastomeric member serves as a spring providing compliance to an interconnection so that the flatness requirements of an opposing mating structure may be relaxed. A flat metal mandrel is provided with an elongated curved depression extending across a predetermined region where a resilient interconnection bridge is to be located. A nonconductive layer of "TEFLON" is bonded to the surface of the mandrel. Grooves are ablated in a predetermined configuration down to the conductive surface of the mandrel using an excimer laser and a computer-controlled x-y table. Fineline electrical circuits are electrodeposited into the ablated grooves. The elongated curved depression is filled with a silicone material. The silicone material is permitted to cure to form a compliant elastomeric member having the shape of the elongated curved depression.

Abstract: A high density of interconnection sites on a dielectric substrate is provided by producing a laminated assembly with multiple layers of conductors (11, 21) positioned one above the other within the substrate (8). Each conductor (11, 21) terminates at a raised feature (12, 22) projecting beyond the surface of the substrate (8) for connection in an electrical circuit. This permits the conductors (11, 21) to be positioned in the same plane perpendicular to the substrate (8) so that two rows of termination pads (12, 22) may be provided without leaving space between the pads of one for the conductors of the other. Efficient, high speed impedance matching may be accomplished by the addition of a grounding conductor (26) between two signal layers of circuitry within the substrate, also provided with raised features (27) extending to the exterior of the substrate (8).

Abstract: A fine line electrical circuit having precise rectangular conductor cross-sections (70) is electroformed on a patterned laser ablated mandrel (32,34). The mandrel comprises a stainless steel substrate (32) coated with a layer of Teflon (34). An eximer laser (44,56) is caused to project a fine spot (54) upon the Teflon (34) with a power sufficient to ablate the Teflon (34) entirely through to the stainless steel substrate (32). A software program drives the coated mandrel beneath the laser beam in an X-Y pattern that defines the pattern of a circuit to be produced, thereby exposing the conductive surface of the mandrel in the selected pattern. A pattern of conductors (70) is then plated upon the mandrel, a dielectric substrate (76) is laminated upon the mandrel and upon the pattern of conductors and then the dielectric substrate (76), together with the conductors (70) adhering thereto, is separated from the mandrel.

Abstract: A circuit board comprising a dielectric composite (20,22,24) clad with electrical circuitry (16,38) is provided with an improved electrical interconnection between alternate conductive circuitry planes of the substrate. Connecting features (18,40) integral with the conductive circuitry on each conductive plane of the substrate extend into a through hole (30) of the substrate toward each other and are fused (46) to one another by irradiation from a laser beam. In another embodiment a connecting feature (52) from only one of the circuit layers (50) extends into the through hole (66) of the dielectric (60,62,64) and is electrically connected and physically bonded to the circuitry layer on the other side of the substrate by means of fusion or a drop (68) of electrically conductive resin interposed between the raised connector feature and the opposed circuit layer (74).

Abstract: A circuit is produced by using a formed mandrel (10,12) and semi-additive techniques for creating circuit traces. A stainless steel mandrel (10) flash plated with copper (14) includes a depression (12) which will form a raised interconnection feature (24). Using a photolithographically formed pattern of photoresistive material (16) on the mandrel the selected pattern of circuit traces (18,20) and raised features (24) are electroplated onto the flash plated mandrel. After stripping the photoresist (16), a dielectric substrate (26) is laminated to the circuit traces, effectively encapsulating the traces on three sides. After removing the laminated circuit traces and dielectric from the mandrel the flash plated copper (14) is removed and the circuit covered with an insulation coverlay.

Abstract: A pressure-type contact for flexible or conventional wire cable terminations is fabricated from electroformed thin metallic wafers (100) in which one wafer is plated with a raised conductive interconnection feature (122). The electrical circuitry (118, 120) is made on a stainless steel mandrel (10, 10a) having a TEFLON pattern (16, 16a) on its surface that allows the desired electrical circuit (30, 32, 34, 30a, 32a, 34a, 78) to be electrolytically plated upon the conductive mandrel surface. The mandrel surface is formed with projecting features in the form of depressions (24, 24a) that will form a series of dots or raised interconnection features on the termination wafers. The mandrel also has projecting posts (76) for providing electrical connection through the substrate.

Abstract: A stainless steel mandrel (10) is etched with a negative pattern (16) of an electrical circuit that is to be made with the mandrel and then covered with Teflon (20) which is subsequently lapped to provide a coplanar surface of stainless steel and Teflon. A pattern of electrical conductors (30) is then electroformed, as by electrolytic or electroplating, on the exposed surfaces of the mandrel between the embedded Teflon. Surfaces of the electrical conductors of the circuit are then processed, as required for enhanced adhesion to a substrate, and a dielectric substrate of polyamide and acrylic is then laminated upon the surface of the mandrel over the electroformed conductors so that the dielectric substrate adheres to the conductors. The assembly of dielectric substrate and conductors is then separated from the planar surface of the mandrel and its embedded Teflon.

Abstract: An elastomeric member is incorporated between a conductor and a conductive interconnection bridge. This elastomeric member serves as a spring providing compliance to an interconnection so that the flatness requirements of an opposing mating structure may be relaxed. A flat metal mandrel is provided with an enlongated curved depression extending across a predetermined region where a resilient interconnection bridge is to be located. A nonconductive layer of Teflon is bonded to the surface of the mandrel. Grooves are ablated in a predetermined configuration down to the conductive surface of the mandrel using an excimer laser and a computer-controlled x-y table. Fineline electrical circuits are electrodeposited into the ablated grooves. The elongated curved depression is filled with a silicone material. The silicone material is permitted to cure to form a compliant elastomeric member having the shape of the elongated curved depression.

Abstract: A pressure type contact (10) for flexible or conventional wire cable terminations is fabricated from electroformed thin metallic wafers in which one wafer is plated with a raised conductive interconnection feature. The raised feature is formed by placing a small lump (44) of electrically conductive resin on a substrate (12) and then electrolytically forming on the substrate a trace (18) having an enlarged connector pad (20) that completely covers the cured projecting resin lump.

Abstract: A raised metal connection feature (29) is created by forming a conductive pad (17) on a flexible substrate (11) and applying a flexible dielectric insulator (19) and photoresist layer (21) over the conductive pad (17). An excimer laser (25) is used to ablate a via (27) through the dielectric insulator (19) and photoresist (21) to the conductive pad (17). Gold or other metal is then plated up in the via (17), and the photoresist (21) is removed, leaving a metal feature (29) extending above the dielectric insulator (19).