Electronic components with terminals and spring contact elements extending from areas which are remote from the terminals

• US 6,043,563 A
• Filed: 10/20/1997
• Issued: 03/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FormFactor Incorporated
• Original Assignee: FormFactor Incorporated
• Inventors: Mathieu, Gaetan L., Eldridge, Benjamin N., Khandros, Igor Y., Pedersen, David V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Clark, Sheila V.
• Application Number:
  US08/955,001
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 257/780, 257/781, 257/783, 257/784, 257/773, 257/765, 257/762, 257/771, 257/766
• US Class Current: 257/784
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06711 Probe needles; Cantilever beams; "Bump" contacts; Replaceable probe pins
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2856 Internal circuit aspects, e.g. built-in test features; Test chips; Measuring material aspects, e.g. electro migration [EM]
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2863 Contacting devices, e.g. sockets, burn-in boards or mounting fixtures in general G01R1/04
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2884 using dedicated test connectors, test elements or test circuits on the IC under test G01R31/2855 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/4846 Leads on or in insulating or insulated substrates, e.g. metallisation H01L21/4821 takes precedence; metallisation of ceramics in general C04B41/51; printed circuits H05K3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/4853 Connection or disconnection of other leads to or from a metallisation, e.g. pins, wires, bumps
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/04042 Bonding areas specifically adapted for wire connectors, e.g. wirebond pads
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05624 Aluminium [Al] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/06136 Covering only the central area of the surface to be connected, i.e. central arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/13099 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45014 Ribbon connectors, e.g. rectangular cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45015 being circular
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45124 Aluminium (Al) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45144 Gold (Au) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45147 Copper (Cu) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48624 Aluminium (Al) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48724 Aluminium (Al) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48824 Aluminium (Al) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49811 Additional leads joined to the metallisation on the insulating substrate, e.g. pins, bumps, wires, flat leads H01L23/49827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/522 including external interconnections consisting of a multilayer structure of conductive and insulating layers inseparably formed on the semiconductor body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/06 : of a plurality of bonding areas
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/10 : Bump connectors bumps on insulating substrates, e.g. chip carriers, H01L23/49816; Manufacturing methods related thereto
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/45 : of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/72 : Detachable connecting means consisting of mechanical auxiliary parts connecting the device, e.g. pressure contacts using springs or clips
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 : Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00011 : Not relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00013 : Fully indexed content
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01004 : Beryllium [Be]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01005 : Boron [B]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01006 : Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01012 : Magnesium [Mg]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01013 : Aluminum [Al]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01014 : Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01022 : Titanium [Ti]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01027 : Cobalt [Co]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01028 : Nickel [Ni]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01029 : Copper [Cu]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01033 : Arsenic [As]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01039 : Yttrium [Y]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01042 : Molybdenum [Mo]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01046 : Palladium [Pd]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01047 : Silver [Ag]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01049 : Indium [In]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0105 : Tin [Sn]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01051 : Antimony [Sb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01057 : Lanthanum [La]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01074 : Tungsten [W]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01078 : Platinum [Pt]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 : Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01082 : Lead [Pb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/014 : Solder alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10253 : Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19041 : being a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/206 : Length ranges
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/20 : by affixing prefabricated conductor pattern H05K1/187, H05K3/046, H05K3/4658, H05K3/4682 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/3421 : Leaded components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4092 : Integral conductive tabs, i.e. conductive parts partly detached from the substrate

Abstract

Spring contact elements are fabricated at areas on an electronic component remote from terminals to which they are electrically connected. For example, the spring contact elements may be mounted to remote regions such as distal ends of extended tails (conductive lines) which extend from a terminal of an electronic component to positions which are remote from the terminals. In this manner, a plurality of substantially identical spring contact elements can be mounted to the component so that their free (distal) ends are disposed in a pattern and at positions which are spatially-translated from the pattern of the terminals on the component. The spring contact elements include, but are not limited to, composite interconnection elements and plated-up structures. The electronic component includes, but is not limited to, a semiconductor device, a memory chip, a portion of a semiconductor wafer, a space transformer, a probe card, a chip carrier, and a socket.

Claims

1. An electronic component, comprising:

a terminal on the electronic component;

a first remote area on the component which is remote from the terminal;

an electrical connection between the terminal and the first remote area; and

a first spring contact element disposed at the first remote area, the spring contact element further comprising;

a precursor element, of a first material, attached to and extending from the first remote area; and

a second material deposited in a form determined significantly by the precursor element, wherein the precursor element without the second material is flexible, and the second material is resilient.

2. The electronic component, according to claim 1, wherein:

the electrical connection comprises a conductive trace having a proximal end joined to the terminal; and

the first remote area comprises a position on the conductive trace which is remote from the proximal end of the conductive line.

3. The electronic component, according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of terminals on the electronic component;

a plurality of first remote areas on the electronic component;

a plurality of electrical connections, each of the plurality of electrical connections extending between selected ones of the terminals and selected ones of the first remote areas; and

a plurality of spring contact elements, each of the plurality of spring contact elements disposed at a one of the remote areas.

4. The electronic component, according to claim 3, further comprising:

a first layer on the electronic component having a first pattern of first conductive traces;

a second layer on the electronic component having a second pattern of second conductive traces;

selected portions of the first conductive traces joined to selected ones of the terminals; and

selected portions of the second conductive traces electrically connected to selected ones of the first conductive traces;

wherein the first remote areas are on the second conductive traces.

5. The electronic component, according to claim 4, further comprising:

a third layer on the electronic component having a third pattern of third conductive traces;

wherein the selected portions of the second conductive traces electrically are connected to the selected ones of the first conductive traces via selected portions of the third conductive layer.

6. The electronic component, according to claim 3, wherein:

the electrical connections comprise a plurality of conductive lines; and

at least one of the plurality of conductive lines crosses over another one of the plurality of conductive lines without electrically contacting the other one of the conductive lines.

7. The electronic component, according to claim 3, wherein:

the spring contact elements are substantially identical to one another.

8. The electronic component, according to claim 3, wherein:

the plurality of terminals are disposed in a first pattern on the component;

each of the plurality of spring contact elements has a contact region, the contact region displaced away from the electronic component and moveable toward the electronic component;

the contact regions of the spring contact elements are arranged in a second pattern; and

the second pattern is different from the first pattern.

9. The electronic component, according to claim 8, wherein:

the first pattern comprises a peripheral pattern having a first pitch;

the second pattern comprises a peripheral pattern having a second pitch; and

the second pitch is different than the first pitch.

10. The electronic component, according to claim 8, wherein:

the second pattern comprises a row.

11. The electronic component, according to claim 8, wherein:

the first pattern comprises a row.

12. The electronic component, according to claim 3, wherein:

each of the plurality of spring contact elements has a contact region, the contact region displaced away from the electronic component and moveable toward the electronic component;

the plurality of terminals are disposed in a peripheral pattern on the component; and

the plurality of contact regions of the spring contact elements are arranged in an area array.

13. The electronic component, according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second remote area on the electronic component, the second remote area electrically connected to the terminal; and

a second spring contact element disposed at the second remote area.

14. The electronic component, according to claim 1, wherein:

the first spring contact element is a composite interconnection element.

15. The electronic component, according to claim 1, wherein:

the first spring contact element is a plated-up structure.

16. The electronic component, according to claim 1, wherein:

the electronic component is selected from the group consisting of a semiconductor device, a memory chip, a portion of a semiconductor wafer, a space transformer, a probe card, a chip carrier, and a socket.

21. The electronic component, according to claim 1, wherein the first material includes a material selected from the group consisting of gold, aluminum and copper.

22. The electronic component, according to claim 1, wherein the spring contact element is resilient and the second material dominates the resiliency of the spring contact element.

23. The electronic component, according to claim 1, wherein the second material is stronger than the precursor element.

24. The electronic component, according to claim 1, wherein the second material is a coating which envelops the precursor element.

25. The electronic component, according to claim 1, wherein the second material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt and iron.

26. The electronic component, according to claim 1, wherein the second material is deposited directly on the precursor element.

17. A semiconductor device with an integral contact element, comprising:

a semiconductor device;

a bond pad on the semiconductor device;

a conductive trace on the semiconductor device extending from the bond pad to a position which is remote from the terminal;

a spring contact element having a base end at a region of the conductive trace which is remote from the bond pad, the spring contact element having a contact region disposed above the surface of the substrate and offset from the base end,

the spring contact element further comprising;

a precursor element, of a first material, attached to and extending from the first remote area; and

a second material deposited in a form determined significantly by the precursor element, wherein the precursor element without the second material is flexible, and the second material forms a spring.

18. The semiconductor device, according to claim 17, wherein:

the spring contact element comprises a composite interconnection element.

19. The semiconductor device, according to claim 17, wherein:

the spring contact element comprises a plated-up structure.

20. The semiconductor device, according to claim 17, wherein:

the semiconductor device is a memory chip.

27. The semiconductor device, according to claim 17, wherein the first material includes a material selected from the group consisting of gold, aluminum and copper.

28. The semiconductor device, according to claim 17, wherein the spring contact element is resilient and the second material dominates the resiliency of the spring contact element.

29. The semiconductor device, according to claim 17, wherein the second material is stronger than the precursor element.

30. The semiconductor device, according to claim 17, wherein the second material is a coating which envelops the precursor element.

31. The semiconductor device, according to claim 17, wherein the second material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt and iron.

32. The semiconductor device, according to claim 17, wherein the second material is deposited directly on the precursor element.