Metalized elastomeric electrical contacts

• US 7,771,208 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2008
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Goma, Sherif A., Rosner, Joanna, Hougham, Gareth Geoffrey, Coteus, Paul W., Farinelli, Matthew J., Cordes, Steven Allen, Morris, Daniel Peter, Lanzetta, Alphonso P., Afzali, Ali, Yohannan, Nisha
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen; Gary F.
• Application Number:
  US12/127,418
• Publication Number:
  US 20090053908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 439/66, 439/91, 439/591, 439/931
• US Class Current: 439/66
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/07378 using an intermediate adapter, e.g. space transformers G01R1/07371 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/00 Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, specially adapted for printed circuits, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB], flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, e.g. terminal strips, terminal blocks; Coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures; Terminals specially adapted for contact with, or insertion into, printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures printed connections to, or between, printed circuits H05K1/11
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2414 conductive elastomers
• 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 3/4007 Surface contacts, e.g. bumps H05K3/4092 takes precedence; deposition of finish layers on pads H05K3/24; forming solder bumps H05K3/3457
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4038 Through-connections; Vertical interconnect access [VIA] connections H05K3/403, H05K3/42 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1061 co-operating by abutting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/931 Conductive coating

Abstract

Techniques for forming enhanced electrical connections are provided. In one aspect, an electrical connecting device comprises an electrically insulating carrier having one or more contact structures traversing a plane thereof. Each contact structure comprises an elastomeric material having an electrically conductive layer running along at least one surface thereof continuously through the plane of the carrier.

Claims

1. An electrical connecting device, comprising:

an electrically insulating carrier; and

one or more contact structures traversing a plane of the carrier, each of the one or more contact structures comprising an elastomeric material and an electrically conductive layer running along at least one exterior surface of said contact structure continuously and traversely through the plane of the carrier;

wherein the one or more contact structures are separate and discrete from the electrically insulating carrier.

2. The device of claim 1, constituting a land grid array interposer connector device.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the elastomeric material forms elastomeric bumps on opposing surfaces of the carrier.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the carrier comprises a plurality of openings, one or more of the openings being adapted to permit the elastomeric material to traverse the plane of the carrier.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the carrier comprises a plurality of openings, one or more of the openings being adapted to permit the electrically conductive layer to traverse the plane of the carrier.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the carrier comprises one or more elongated openings which permit at least one of the elastomeric material and the electrically conductive layer to traverse the plane of the carrier.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the elastomeric material comprises polydimethyl siloxane rubber.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the elastomeric material comprises at least one of polyurethane, epoxy and butadiene containing polymers.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive layer comprises at least one of copper, gold, titanium, aluminum, nickel, molybdenum, nickel-titanium alloys and berillium-copper alloys.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive layer runs along one surface of the elastomeric material forming a single electrical contact traversing the plane of the carrier.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive layer runs along multiple surfaces of the elastomeric material forming multiple electrical contacts traversing the plane of the carrier.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive layer does not completely encase the elastomeric material.

13. The device of claim 3, wherein the electrically conductive layer runs along the at least one exterior surface of said contact structure continuously from a first elastomeric bump on a first opposing surface of the carrier to a second elastomeric bump on a second opposing surface of the carrier.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the electrically conductive layer runs along the at least one exterior surface of said contact structure continuously from a peak of the first elastomeric bump on the first opposing surface of the carrier to a peak of the second elastomeric bump on the second opposing surface of the carrier.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the elastomeric material traverses the plane of the carrier.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more contact structures further comprises:

an insulating layer formed on at least a portion of the electrically conductive layer; and

a second electrically conductive layer formed on at least a portion of the insulating layer.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the second electrically conductive layer is formed in at least one of a substantially helical pattern and a radial spoke pattern.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the second electrically conductive layer is adapted for connection to a common signal ground.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the insulating layer runs continuously through the plane of the carrier.

21. The device of claim 17, wherein the second electrically conductive layer runs continuously through the plane of the carrier.

16. An electrical connecting device, comprising:

an electrically insulating carrier; and

one or more contact structures traversing a plane of the carrier, each of the one or more contact structures comprising an elastomeric material having an electrically conductive layer running along at least one surface thereof continuously through the plane of the carrier;

wherein the electrically conductive layer is formed in at least one of a radial spoke pattern and a helical pattern.

22. A land grid array interposer connector device, comprising:

an electrically insulating carrier having one or more contact structures traversing a plane thereof, each contact structure comprising an elastomeric material and an electrically conductive layer running along at least one exterior surface of said contact structure continuously and traversely through the plane of the carrier;

wherein the one or more contact structures are separate and discrete from the electrically insulating carrier.

23. The connector device of claim 22, wherein the one or more contacts have a pitch from center to center of about one millimeter.

24. The connector device of claim 22, wherein the device forms at least a portion of a packaged integrated circuit device.

25. The device of claim 22, wherein the elastomeric material forms elastomeric bumps on opposing surfaces of the carrier.

26. The device of claim 22, wherein the carrier comprises a plurality of openings, one or more of the openings being adapted to permit the elastomeric material to traverse the plane of the carrier.

27. The device of claim 22, wherein the carrier comprises a plurality of openings, one or more of the openings being adapted to permit the electrically conductive layer to traverse the plane of the carrier.

28. The device of claim 22, wherein the elastomeric material comprises polydimethyl siloxane rubber.

29. The device of claim 22, wherein the elastomeric material comprises at least one of polyurethane, epoxy and butadiene containing polymers.

30. The device of claim 22, wherein the electrically conductive layer comprises at least one of copper, gold, titanium, aluminum, nickel, molybdenum, nickel-titanium alloys and berillium-copper alloys.

31. The device of claim 22, wherein the electrically conductive layer runs along multiple surfaces of the elastomeric material forming multiple electrical contacts traversing the plane of the carrier.

32. The device of claim 22, wherein the electrically conductive layer is formed in at least one of a radial spoke pattern and a helical pattern.

33. The connector device of claim 22, wherein the electrically conductive layer does not completely encase the elastomeric material.

34. The connector device of claim 22, wherein the elastomeric material traverses the plane of the carrier.