Wire segment based interposer for high frequency electrical connection

• US 6,264,476 B1
• Filed: 12/09/1999
• Issued: 07/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: High Connector Density Incorporated
• Original Assignee: High Connector Density Incorporated
• Inventors: Korhonen, Matti A., Shi, Weimin, Li, Che-yu
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen, Gary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gilman, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US09/457,776
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 439/65, 439/66, 439/71, 439/91, 439/591, 361/719, 361/86
• US Class Current: 439/66
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06716 Elastic
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06772 High frequency probes
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/07378 using an intermediate adapter, e.g. space transformers G01R1/07371 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/29099 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49827 Via connections through the substrates, e.g. pins going through the substrate, coaxial cables H01L23/49822, H01L23/49833, H01L23/4985, H01L23/49861 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00013 Fully indexed content
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/57 surface mounting terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2414 conductive elastomers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1061 co-operating by abutting

Abstract

An interposer for a land grid array includes a dielectric grid having an array of holes and a resilient, conductive button disposed in one or more of the holes. The button includes an insulating core, a conducting element wound around the insulating core, and an outer shell surrounding the conducting element. The characteristics of the conducting element and the buttons may be chosen such that the contact force and resistance, and compressibility or relaxability of the conductive buttons can be selected within wide limits. Contact areas between the shell and the conducting element urge a substantially corresponding displacement in both the conducting element and the shell when the button is under compression or relaxation. The interposer alternatively can include an insulating sheet and rather than conductive buttons contain conducting elements disposed therein having contact areas with the block.

The interposer when positioned between a land grid array and an electrical circuit component can accommodate relatively large nonplanarity between respective mating surfaces of the two interconnected components while establishing and maintaining contact between each conducting element and the opposing contact pads of each component. A high local contact force is produced at each end of the conducting element against an opposing electrical contact or contact pad of a circuit device to establish a good electrical connection with the interposer which thus electrically interconnects the land grid array and the circuit component. The new interposer design is eminently amenable to high frequency and high current applications.

Claims

1. A resilient, conductive button useful as an electrical contact element between conductive pads, comprising:

a) a resilient body having a first end and a second end and a length therebetween;

b) a conducting element comprising at least one thin wire formed in a spiral extending continuously through the length of the body from the first end of the body to the second end of the body, being electrically exposed at both ends of the body;

such that when the first end of the body contacts a first conductive pad, and the second end of the body contacts a second conductive pad, the conductive element forms an electrically conductive path through the button from the first conductive pad to the second conductive pad; and

the conducting element has sufficient flexibility such that the conducting element does not add substantially to the compressibility or relaxability of the resilient body.

2. The conductive button of claim 1, in which the resilient body is formed of an elastomer.

3. The conductive button of claim 2, in which the elastomer is selected from the group comprising silicon rubber, neoprene or polybutadiene.

4. The conductive button of claim 1, in which the conducting element is made of a material selected from a group comprising gold, copper and metal alloys.

6. The conductive button of claim 1, in which there are a plurality of wires, each wire being wound in a spiral having a direction of wind, and the direction of wind of at least one of the wires is an opposite direction to the direction of wind of at least one of the other wires.

5. A resilient, conductive button useful as an electrical contact element between conductive pads, comprising:

a) a resilient body having a first end and a second end and a length therebetween;

b) a conducting element comprising a plurality of wires twisted together extending continuously through the length of the body from the first end of the body to the second end of the body, being electrically exposed at both ends of the body;

such that when the first end of the body contacts a first conductive pad, and the second end of the body contacts a second conductive pad, the conductive element forms an electrically conductive path through the button from the first conductive pad to the second conductive pad; and

the conducting element has sufficient flexibility such that the conducting element does not add substantially to the compressibility or relaxability of the resilient body.

7. A resilient, conductive button useful as an electrical contact element between conductive pads, comprising:

a) a resilient body having a first end and a second end and a length therebetween;

b) a conducting element extending continuously through the length of the body from the first end of the body to the second end of the body, being electrically exposed at both ends of the body; and

c) an electrically conductive shielding layer surrounding substantially all of the length of the resilient body, insulated from the conducting element;

such that when the first end of the body contacts a first conductive pad, and the second end of the body contacts a second conductive pad, the conductive element forms an electrically conductive path through the button from the first conductive pad to the second conductive pad; and

the conducting element has sufficient flexibility such that the conducting element does not add substantially to the compressibility or relaxability of the resilient body.

8. The conductive button of claim 7, in which the shielding layer is a conductive wire mesh.

9. The conductive button of claim 7, in which the shielding layer is a continuous metallic layer.

10. The conductive button of claim 7, further comprising an insulating layer surrounding the shielding layer.

11. A resilient, conductive button useful as an electrical contact element between conductive pads, comprising:

a) a resilient body having a first end and a second end and a length therebetween;

comprising;

i) a resilient insulating core having a first end and a second end and a length therebetween, and

ii) a resilient insulating outer shell surrounding the length of the insulating core; and

b) a conducting element extending continuously through the length of the body from the first end of the body to the second end of the body, being electrically exposed at both ends of the body;

comprising a conductor between the insulating core and the insulating outer shell, extending from a first end of the insulating core to the second end of the insulating core;

such that when the first end of the body contacts a first conductive pad, and the second end of the body contacts a second conductive pad, the conductive element forms an electrically conductive path through the button from the first conductive pad to the second conductive pad; and

the conducting element has sufficient flexibility such that the conducting element does not add substantially to the compressibility or relaxability of the resilient body.

12. The conductive button of claim 11, in which the conducting element comprises at least one conductor wound around the core in a spiral.

13. The conductive button of claim 11, in which the conducting element comprises a plurality of conductors wound around the core in a spiral.

14. The conductive button of claim 13 in which at least one of the plurality of conductors is wound around the core in a spiral in the opposite direction from at least one of the other of the plurality of conductors.

15. The conductive button of claim 11, further comprising a shielding layer surrounding substantially all of the length of the resilient outer shell.

16. The conductive button of claim 15, in which the shielding layer is a conductive wire mesh.

17. The conductive button of claim 15, in which the shielding layer is a continuous metallic layer.

18. The conductive button of claim 15, further comprising an insulating layer surrounding the shielding layer.

19. An interposer for a land grid array, for providing conduction between a first and a second array of conductive pads at a predetermined contact force, the interposer comprising:

a dielectric grid having an array of holes therethrough; and

a plurality of resilient, conductive buttons disposed in the array of holes, each comprising;

a) a resilient body having a first end and a second end and a length therebetween;

b) a conducting element comprising at least one thin wire formed in a spiral extending continuously through the length of the body from the first end of the body to the second end of the body, being electrically exposed at both ends of the body;

such that when the interposer is placed between the first and second array of contact pads, the first end of the body contacts a conductive pad in the first array of contact pads, and the second end of the body contacts a second conductive pad in the second array of contact pads, the conductive element forms an electrically conductive path through the button from the first conductive pad to the second conductive pad; and

the resilient body and conducting element being chosen such that the contact force is a preselected value.

20. The interposer of claim 19, in which the resilient body of the conductive buttons is formed of an elastomer.

21. The conductive button of claim 20, in which the elastomer is selected from the group comprising silicon rubber, neoprene or polybutadiene.

22. The conductive button of claim 19, in which the conducting element is made of a material selected from a group comprising gold, copper and metal alloys.

23. The interposer of claim 19, in which the array of holes in the dielectric grid are plated through the dielectric.

24. The interposer of claim 23, in which the plating on at least some of the holes are electrically connected.

40. The interposer of claim 19, in which one of the first or second array of conductive pads is an auxiliary interposer comprising an array of metallic conductors matching the array of conductive buttons, each metallic conductor having an upper surface for contact with the conductive buttons of the interposer, and a lower surface for conductive attachment to a circuit, the upper surface of the auxiliary interposer being plated with a noble metal.

25. An interposer for a land grid array, for providing conduction between a first and a second array of conductive pads at a predetermined contact force, the interposer comprising:

a dielectric grid having an array of holes therethrough; and

a plurality of resilient, conductive buttons disposed in the array of holes, each comprising;

a) a resilient body having a first end and a second end and a length therebetween;

b) a conducting element comprising a plurality of wires, twisted together extending continuously through the length of the body from the first end of the body to the second end of the body, being electrically exposed at both ends of the body;

such that when the interposer is placed between the first and second array of contact pads, the first end of the body contacts a conductive pad in the first array of contact pads, and the second end of the body contacts a second conductive pad in the second array of contact pads, the conductive element forms an electrically conductive path through the button from the first conductive pad to the second conductive pad; and

the resilient body and conducting element being chosen such that the contact force is a preselected value.

26. The interposer of claim 25, in which one of the first or second array of conductive pads is an auxiliary interposer comprising an array of metallic conductors matching the array of conductive buttons, each metallic conductor having an upper surface for contact with the conductive buttons of the interposer, and a lower surface for conductive attachment to a circuit, the upper surface of the auxiliary interposer being plated with a noble metal.

27. An interposer for a land grid array for providing conduction between a first and a second array of conductive pads at a predetermined contact force, the interposer comprising:

a dielectric grid having an array of holes therethrough; and

a plurality of resilient, conductive buttons disposed in the array of holes, each comprising;

a) a resilient body having a first end and a second end and a length therebetween;

b) a conducting element extending continuously through the length of the body from the first end of the body to the second end of the body, being electrically exposed at both ends of the body; and

c) an electrically conductive shielding layer surrounding substantially all of the length of the resilient body, insulated from the conducting element;

such that when the interposer is placed between the first and second array of contact pads, the first end of the body contacts a conductive pad in the first array of contact pads, and the second end of the body contacts a second conductive pad in the second array of contact pads, the conductive element forms an electrically conductive path through the button from the first conductive pad to the second conductive pad; and

the resilient body and conducting element being chosen such that the contact force is a preselected value.

28. The conductive button of claim 27, in which the shielding layer is a conductive wire mesh.

29. The conductive button of claim 27, in which the shielding layer is a continuous metallic layer.

30. The conductive button of claim 27, further comprising an insulating layer surrounding the shielding layer.

31. The interposer of claim 27, in which one of the first or second array of conductive pads is an auxiliary interposer comprising an array of metallic conductors matching the array of conductive buttons, each metallic conductor having an upper surface for contact with the conductive buttons of the interposer, and a lower surface for conductive attachment to a circuit, the upper surface of the auxiliary interposer being plated with a noble metal.

32. An interposer for a land grid array, for providing conduction between a first and a second array of conductive pads at a predetermined contact force, the interposer comprising:

a dielectric grid having an array of holes therethrough; and

a plurality of resilient, conductive buttons disposed in the array of holes, each comprising;

a) a resilient body having a first end and a second end and a length therebetween;

comprising;

i) a resilient insulating core having a first end and a second end and a length therebetween, and

ii) a resilient insulating outer shell surrounding the length of the insulating core; and

b) a conducting element extending continuously through the length of the body from the first end of the body to the second end of the body, being electrically exposed at both ends of the body;

comprising a conductor between the insulating core and the insulating outer shell, extending from a first end of the insulating core to the second end of the insulating core

such that when the interposer is placed between the first and second array of contact pads, the first end of the body contacts a conductive pad in the first array of contact pads and the second end of the body contacts a second conductive pad in the second array of contact pads, the conductive element forms an electrically conductive path through the button from the first conductive pad to the second conductive pad, and

the resilient body and conducting element being chosen such that the contact force is a preselected value.

33. The interposer of claim 32, in which the conducting element comprises at least one conductor wound around the core in a spiral.

34. The interposer of claim 33, in which the conducting element comprises a plurality of conductors wound around the core in a spiral having a direction of wind.

35. The interposer of claim 34, in which the direction of wind of at least one of the wires is an opposite direction to the direction of wind of at least one of the other wires.

36. The conductive button of claim 32, further comprising a shielding layer surrounding substantially all of the length of the resilient outer shell.

37. The conductive button of claim 36, in which the shielding layer is a conductive wire mesh.

38. The conductive button of claim 36, in which the shielding layer is a continuous metallic layer.

39. The conductive button of claim 36, further comprising an insulating layer surrounding the shielding layer.

41. An interposer for a land grid array, for providing conduction between a first and a second array of conductive pads, the interposer comprising:

a) a resilient, dielectric sheet having a first surface and a second surface; and

b) a plurality of conducting elements each comprising at least one thin wire formed in a spiral positioned within the sheet, extending from the first surface to the second surface, and the conducting elements are positioned within the sheet only in locations corresponding to the conductive pads in the first and second arrays of conductive pads,

such that when the interposer is placed between the first and second array of contact pads, the conductive elements form an electrically conductive path from the a conductive pad in the first array to a conductive pad in the second array.

42. The interposer of claim 41, in which the sheet comprises an elastomer.

43. The interposer of claim 42, in which the elastomer is selected from the group comprising silicon rubber, neoprene or polybutadiene.

44. The interposer of claim 41, in which the plurality of conducting elements are embedded in the elastomer.

47. The conductive button of claim 41, in which each of the thin wires is wound in a spiral having a direction of wind, and the direction of wind of at least one of the wires is an opposite direction to the direction of wind of at least one of the other wires.

48. The interposer of claim 41, in which one of the first or second array of conductive pads is an auxiliary interposer comprising an array of metallic conductors matching the array of conductive elements, each metallic conductor having an upper surface for contact with the conductive elements of the interposer, and a lower surface for conductive attachment to a circuit, the upper surface of the auxiliary interposer being plated with a noble metal.

45. An interposer for a land grid array, for providing conduction between a first and a second array of conductive pads, the interposer comprising:

a) a resilient, dielectric sheet having a first surface and a second surface; and

b) a plurality of conducting elements each comprising a plurality of wires twisted together positioned within the sheet, extending from the first surface to the second surface, and the conducting elements are positioned within the sheet only in locations corresponding to the conductive pads in the first and second arrays of conductive pads,

such that when the interposer is placed between the first and second array of contact pads, the conductive elements form an electrically conductive path from the a conductive pad in the first array to a conductive pad in the second array.

46. The interposer of claim 45, in which one of the first or second array of conductive pads is an auxiliary interposer comprising an array of metallic conductors matching the array of conductive elements, each metallic conductor having an upper surface for contact with the conductive elements of the interposer, and a lower surface for conductive attachment to a circuit, the upper surface of the auxiliary interposer being plated with a noble metal.