Resilient contact structures formed and then attached to a substrate

Method of electrically interconnecting two electronic components, comprising:

• bonding a proximal end of a flexible wire to a contact area on a surface of a first electronic component;
• configuring the wire to have a springable shape;
• severing the wire to have a distal end;
• overcoating the wire and the contact area with an electrically conductive, resilient material, thereby forming a freestanding resilient contact structure mounted by a proximal end to the first electronic component and having a distal end;
• and
• contacting a contact area on a second electronic component with the distal end of the resilient contact structure.

Method of fabricating an interposer, comprising:

• providing an interposer substrate having holes extending therethrough;
• providing a sacrificial substrate;
• fabricating resilient contact structures on the sacrificial substrate;
• causing the resilient contact structures to extend through the holes and to be suspended in the holes;
• and
• removing the sacrificial substrate.

Method of mounting a plurality of contact structures to an electronic component, comprising:

• fabricating a plurality of electrical contact structures on a sacrificial substrate, each of the electrical contact structures having a tip extending from the sacrificial substrate;
• and
• bringing the sacrificial substrate into proximity with an electronic component so that the tips of the electrical contact structures contact the electronic component;
• in a single step, mounting the electrical contact structures by their tips to the electronic component;
• and
• after mounting the electrical contact structures to the electronic component, removing the sacrificial substrate.

Method of performing testing selected from the group consisting of test and burn-in on a semiconductor device, comprising:

• mounting resilient contact structures directly to a semiconductor device;
• urging the semiconductor device against a test board, said test board having contact areas, so that tips of the resilient contact structures are electrically connected to the contact areas on the test board;
• performing testing on the semiconductor device;
• subsequently mounting the semiconductor device to a system board, said system board having contact areas, so that the tips of the resilient contact structures are electrically connected to the contact areas on the system board.

Method of temporarily connecting to a semiconductor device prior to permanently connecting to the semiconductor device, comprising:

• mounting a plurality of electrical contact structures to a bare semiconductor device;
• urging the semiconductor device against a first electronic component to effect a temporary connection between the semiconductor device and the first electronic component, with the electrical contact structures serving as an electrical interconnect between the semiconductor device and the first electronic component;
• and
• using the same electrical contact structures mounted to the semiconductor device to effect a permanent connection between the semiconductor device and a second electronic component.

A method for mounting a protuberant conductive contact to an electronic component, the method comprising the sequential steps of:

• providing a wire having a continuous feed end,
• bonding the feed end to the component,
• forming, from the bonded feed end, a stem which protrudes from the component, said stem having a first stem end which is the bonded feed end,
• severing the stem at a second stem end to define a skeleton,
• depositing a metallic conductive material to envelop the skeleton and adjacent surface of the component.

A method for mounting a protuberant conductive contact to an electronic component, the method comprising the sequential steps of:

• providing a wire having a continuous feed end,
• bonding the feed end to the component,
• forming, from the bonded feed end, a stem which protrudes from the component, said stem having a first stem end which is the bonded feed end,
• severing the stem at a second stem end to define a skeleton,
• depositing a metallic conductive material to jacket the skeleton and adjacent surface of the component.

A method for mounting a protuberant conductive contact to a conductive terminal on an electronic component, the method comprising the sequential steps of:

• providing a wire having a continuous teed end,
• bonding the feed end to the terminal,
• forming, from the bonded feed end, a stem which protrudes from the terminal, said stem having a first stem end which is the bonded feed end,
• severing the stem at a second stem end to define a skeleton,
• depositing a metallic conductive material to envelop the skeleton and adjacent surface of the terminal.

A method for mounting a protuberant conductive contact to a conductive terminal on an electronic component, the method comprising the sequential steps of:

• providing a wire having a continuous feed end,
• bonding the feed end to the terminal,
• forming, from the bonded feed end, a stem which protrudes from the terminal, said stem having a first stem end which is the bonded feed end,
• severing the stem at a second stem end to define a skeleton,
• depositing a metallic conductive material to jacket the skeleton and adjacent surface of the terminal.

A method for mounting a protuberant conductive contact to a conductive terminal on an electronic component, the method comprising the sequential steps of:

• providing a wire having a continuous feed end and a length,
• in a first bonding step, bonding the feed end to the terminal,
• forming, from the bonded feed end, a stem which protrudes from the terminal, said stem having a first stem end which is the bonded feed end,
• sequentially bonding intermediate portions along the length of the wire to the terminal, forming protruding stem segments between each pair of bonds, and
• in a final bonding step, severing the wire to define a skeleton, and
• depositing a metallic conductive material to envelop the skeleton and adjacent surface of the electronic component

A method for mounting a protuberant conductive contact to a conductive terminal on an electronic component, the method comprising the sequential steps of:

• providing a wire having a continuous feed end,
• bonding the feed end to the terminal,
• forming, from the bonded feed end, a stem which protrudes from the terminal and has a first stem end,
• severing the stem at a second stem end to define a skeleton,
• depositing a conductive material to envelop the skeleton and adjacent surface of the terminal, further comprising:
• performing the method on a plurality of the terminals and,
• wherein:
• the forming steps result in a plurality of free-standing protuberant stems,
• the severing steps are performed on the respective stems all in a common plane.

A method for mounting a protuberant conductive contact to a conductive terminal on an electronic component, the method comprising the sequential steps of:

• providing a wire having a continuous feed end,
• bonding the feed end to the terminal,
• forming, from the bonded feed end, a stem which protrudes from the terminal and has a first stem end,
• severing the stem at a second stem end to define a skeleton,
• depositing a conductive material to envelop the skeleton and adjacent surface of the terminal,
• further comprising:
• after the severing step, continuing sequentially the bonding step and the forming step and the severing step for a predetermined number of stems to comprise the skeleton,
• further comprising:
• performing the method on a plurality of the terminals and,
• wherein:
• the forming steps result in a plurality of free-standing protuberant stems,
• the severing steps are performed on the respective stems all in a common plane.

Method of forming a resilient contact structure extending from a surface of an electronic component, comprising:

• bonding an end of a wire to a terminal on a surface of an electronic component to extend initially in a first direction from the surface of the electronic component;
• configuring the wire to have a shape including at least two bends;
• severing the wire so that a severed end of the wire extends generally in the first direction;
• and
• overcoating the wire and an area surrounding the bonded end of the wire with an electrically conductive, metallic material;
• wherein:
• the shape of the wire and the mechanical properties of the metallic material cooperate to impart resiliency to a resulting resilient contact structure comprising the wire and the metallic material.

Method for manufacturing a conductive contact on an electronic component, comprising:

• bonding an end of a wire to a first area on a surface of an electronic component;
• shaping the wire to extend as a wire stem from the surface of the electronic component;
• severing the wire stem so that it has a free end and a length;
• and
• depositing a conductive coating having at least one layer on the wire stem;
• wherein:
• the conductive coating covers at least a portion of the wire stem, said portion of the wire stem commencing at the bonded end of the wire stem and continuing along its length;
• and
• the conductive coating covers a second area on the surface of the electronic component, said second area being larger than and encompassing the first area.

Method for manufacturing electrical contacts on a surface of an electronic component, comprising, for each raised electrical contact:

• bonding a one end of a wire to a first area on the surface of the electronic component, said surface of the electronic component disposed in a plane defined by an “x” axis and a “y” axis orthogonal to the “x” axis;
• with the one end of the wire bonded to the area on the surface of the electronic component, extending the wire in a “z” axis mutually orthogonal to the “x” and “y” axes, and in at least one of the “x” or “y” directions;
• after extending the wire, severing the wire so that it has a length and a free end opposite the one end;
• while extending the wire, shaping the wire to have at least one U-shaped bend along its length;
• and
• after extending and shaping the wire, depositing a first electrically conductive, metallic material to cover a second area on the surface of the substrate which is greater than and which subsumes the first area to which the one end of the wire is bonded and to cover at least a portion of the length of the wire, said portion of the wire extending from the one end of the wire along the length of the wire towards the free end of the wire.

Method of making a temporary connection between a first electronic component and a second electronic component, and subsequently making a permanent connection between the first electronic component and a third electronic component, comprising:

• mounting a plurality of resilient contact structures to a surface of the first electronic component;
• urging the first electronic component against the second electronic component to effect a temporary connection between the first electronic component and the second electronic component;
• removing the second electronic component;
• and
• mounting the first electronic component to the third electronic component.

Interposer, comprising:

• a dielectric substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, a first plurality of conductive areas on the first surface, a second plurality of conductive areas on the second surface, each of the first plurality of conductive areas electrically connected to a corresponding one of the second conductive areas;
• a first plurality of resilient contact structures extending from the first conductive areas;
• and
• a second plurality of contact structures extending from the first conductive areas.

Interposer, comprising:

• a substrate having a plurality of holes extending from a first surface of the substrate to a second surface of the substrate;
• a plurality of contact structures, each contact structure disposed within a corresponding hole;
• and
• means for supporting the contact structures within the holes.

Semiconductor package, comprising:

• a first insulating layer;
• a first conductive layer disposed on a first surface of the first insulating layer and patterned to have a first plurality of conductive traces;
• a second insulating layer;
• a second conductive layer disposed on a first surface of the second insulating layer and patterned to have a second plurality of conductive traces;
• the first conductive layer being in contact with the second insulating layer;
• the second conductive and insulating layers are arranged and disposed so that outer portions of the first plurality of conductive traces are exposed;
• a first plurality of electrical contact structures mounted to outer portions of the first plurality of conductive traces;
• and
• a second plurality of electrical contact structures mounted to the second plurality of conductive traces.

Semiconductor device, comprising:

• a semiconductor die having a front surface and a back surface;
• a plurality of free-standing interconnect structures mounted to the front surface of the semiconductor die;
• and
• a plurality of free-standing heat-dissipating structures mounted to the back surface of the semiconductor die.

Method of assembling an electronic assembly, comprising:

• preparing a first wiring substrate with a first plurality of semiconductor devices mounted to the first wiring substrate;
• preparing a second wiring substrate with a second plurality of semiconductor devices mounted to the second wiring substrate;
• the second wiring substrate has electrical contact structures mounted thereto for connecting to contact pads on the first wiring substrate;
• and
• the first and second wiring substrates are stacked, one atop the other, and are interconnected to one another with the electrical contact structures.

Method of mounting a free-standing contact structure to an electronic component, comprising:

• providing a pierceable mass of conductive material on a terminal on an electronic component;
• inserting an end of a wire into the conductive material;
• severing the wire to be free-standing;
• and
• overcoating the wire and the mass with a conductive, metallic material.

Method of performing wirebonding, comprising:

• bonding a bond wire to a terminal with a capillary;
• playing the bond wire out of the capillary;
• severing the bond wire with a discharge from an electrode;
• and
• while severing the bond wire, illuminating at least one of the electrode and the bond wire with ultraviolet light.