Circuitized connector for land grid array

• US 6,869,290 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2004
• Issued: 03/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neoconix Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Neoconix Incorporated
• Inventors: Ali, Hassan O., Brown, Dirk D., Williams, John D., Yao, Hongjun
• Primary Examiner(s): DUVERNE, JEAN F
• Application Number:
  US10/854,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20040253875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 300 Days
• Field of Search: 439/66, 439 70- 71, 439/91, 324/762, 324/754
• US Class Current: 439/66
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/32 Holders for supporting the complete device in operation, i.e. detachable fixtures H01L23/40 takes precedence
• 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 2924/01004 Beryllium [Be]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01005 Boron [B]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01013 Aluminum [Al]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01029 Copper [Cu]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01033 Arsenic [As]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01082 Lead [Pb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01087 Francium [Fr]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10253 Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19041 being a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19042 being an inductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19043 being a resistor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30107 Inductance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/52 connecting to other rigid printed circuits or like structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/714 with contacts abutting directly the printed circuit; Button contacts therefore provided on the printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/03 : characterised by the material, e.g. plating, or coating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2407 : characterized by the resilient means
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2457 : consisting of at least two resilient arms contacting the same counterpart
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/007 : for elastomeric connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/205 : with a panel or printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/326 : the printed circuit having integral resilient or deformable parts, e.g. tabs or parts of flexible circuits H05K3/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4092 : Integral conductive tabs, i.e. conductive parts partly detached from the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1069 : with spring contact pieces

Abstract

A connector for electrically connecting to pads of a land grid array formed on an electronic component includes a dielectric layer including opposing first and second surfaces, and a multiple number of contact elements extending above the first surface of the dielectric layer. Each contact element includes a conductive portion disposed to engage a respective pad of the land grid array for providing electrical connection to the land grid array. The connector further includes an electrical circuit formed on or within the dielectric layer. The electrical circuit is electrically connected to at least one of the multiple number of contact elements. In one embodiment, the electrical circuit includes an electrical component, such as a decoupling capacitor. In another embodiment, the electrical circuit operates to connect two contact elements together. For instance, the contact elements connecting to the ground potential can be connected together through the electrical circuit.

Claims

1. A electrical connector for electrically connecting to pads of a land grid array formed on an electronic component, the connector comprising:

a dielectric layer including opposing first and second surfaces;

a plurality of contact elements pre-formed in an m×

n array in a sheet of conductive spring of material, where m and n are both greater than 1, the contact elements including integrally and continuously connected base portions and generally opposed elastic portions integrally formed with and extending outwardly from each of the base portions so that the elastic portions are displaced generally outwardly from the sheet, the sheet being bonded to the first surface such that the elastic portions extend above the first surface of the dielectric layer, at least some of the base portions of the contact elements being singulated from the base portions of adjacent contact elements on the first surface; and

an electrical circuit formed on or within the dielectric layer, the electrical circuit being electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of contact elements.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1, in which the electrical circuit comprises at least one electrical component.

3. The electrical connector of claim 2, the electrical component being selected from the group of a capacitor, an inductor, and a resistor.

4. The electrical connector of claim 3, in which the electrical component comprises a surface mounted component.

5. The electrical connector of claim 3, in which the electrical component comprises a component embedded in the dielectric layer.

6. The electrical connector of claim 1, further comprising the electrical circuit electrically connecting a first and a second one of the plurality of contact elements and electrically connects the first and second contact elements to a conductive plane formed in the dielectric layer, the conductive plane being electrically isolated from other contact elements in the plurality of contact elements.

7. The electrical connector of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of terminals formed on the second surface of the dielectric layer; and

a plurality of conductive traces formed in the dielectric layer, each conductive traces electrically connecting one of the plurality of contact elements to a respective one of the plurality of terminals.

8. The electrical connector of claim 7, further comprising the electrical circuit being electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of contact elements and at least two of the plurality of terminals.

9. The electrical connector of claim 7, further comprising the electrical circuit being electrically connected to a first one of the plurality of contact element to a first one of the plurality of terminals, the first one of the plurality of terminals being in a location on the second surface different from a location in vertical alignment to the first one of the plurality of contact elements.

10. The electrical connector of claim 7, further comprising the plurality of conductive traces including a plurality of vias formed between the first surface and the second surface of the dielectric layer.

11. The electrical connector of claim 7, further comprising the plurality of conductive traces including a plurality of metal traces formed in a plurality of holes extending between the first surface and the second surface of the dielectric layer.

12. The electrical connector of claim 7, further comprising the plurality of terminals including a plurality of solder balls attached to the second surface of the dielectric layer.

13. The electrical connector of claim 1, further comprising:

a second plurality of contact elements pre-formed in an r×

s array in a second sheet of conductive spring of material, where r and s are both greater than 1, the second plurality of contact elements including integrally and continuously connected second base portions and generally opposed elastic portions integrally formed with and extending outwardly from each of the second base portions so that the elastic portions are displaced generally outwardly from the second sheet, the second sheet being bonded to the second surface of the dielectric substrate such that the elastic portions extend above the second surface of the dielectric layer, at least some of the second base portions of the contact elements being singulated from the second base portions of adjacent ones of the second plurality of contact elements on the second surface, the elastic portions of each of the second plurality of contact elements are disposed to engage a respective pad of a second land grid array for providing electrical connection to the land grid array;

at least one of the second plurality of contact elements are electrically connected to respective ones of the contact elements in the first plurality of contact elements.