Electrical connector having contact elements with superelastic material and associated methods

A method of operating an electrical connector to form electrical connections to a mating component, wherein the electrical connector comprises a plurality of contact elements, each of the plurality of contact elements comprising a first portion formed from a superelastic material, and the method comprises:

• pressing the electrical connector and mating component together such that the first portions of the plurality of contact elements make electrical connections with the mating component,
• wherein the superelastic material is characterized by a stress-strain curve having a superelastic regime, and deformation of the superelastic material within the superelastic regime results in at least a partial phase transformation of the first portion of the contact element.

An electrical connector, comprising:

• one or more superelastic portions having a wave shape,
• wherein the one or more superelastic portions are constructed and arranged such that the wave shape is flattened during mating to generate a contact force, and
• wherein the one or more superelastic portions are formed using a superelastic material characterized by a stress-strain curve having a superelastic regime, and deformation of the superelastic material within the superelastic regime results in at least a partial phase transformation of the one or more superelastic portions.