Flexible connecting device for interfacing with a wafer

10) In combination:

• a) a body of semiconductor material including an integrated circuit, the body of semiconductor material including:
• i) a planar surface with a plurality of clusters, each cluster having a plurality of signal transmissive connector elements arranged on said planar surface in a predetermined disposition;
• b) a connecting device, comprising:
• i) a plurality of groups of signal transmissive connector members
• I) each group of signal transmissive connector members being associated with a respective cluster of signal transmissive connector elements,
• II) the signal transmissive connector members in each group being arranged according to the disposition of the signal transmissive connector elements in the cluster associated with the group such that each signal transmissive connector member mates with a corresponding one of the signal transmissive connector element,
• ii) flexible portions between respective groups of signal transmissive connector members;
• iii) each flexible portion including a plurality of signal transmission pathways connecting to respective signal transmissive connector members of a group of signal transmissive connector members;
• iv) the flexible portions having a flexibility allowing the respective groups of signal transmissive connector members to move in a direction parallel to said planar surface with relation to one another under the effect of thermal expansion of the body of semiconductor material.

30) A connecting device for a body of semiconductor material including an integrated circuit, the body of semiconductor material including a planar surface having a plurality of optical signal transmissive connector elements arranged on the planar surface in a predetermined disposition, said connecting device comprising:

• a) a plurality of optical signal transmissive connector members
• i) each optical signal transmissive connector member being associated with a respective optical signal transmissive connector element,
• ii) the optical signal transmissive connector members being arranged according to the disposition of the optical signal transmissive connector elements such that each optical signal transmissive connector member can communicate optically with a corresponding one of the optical signal transmissive connector elements,
• b) flexible portions between respective optical signal transmissive connector members;
• c) each flexible portion including a signal transmission pathway connecting to an optical signal transmissive connector member;
• d) the flexible portions having a flexibility allowing respective optical signal transmissive connector members to move in a direction parallel to said planar surface with relation to one another under the effect of thermal expansion of the body of semiconductor material.

31). In combination:

• a) a body of semiconductor material including an integrated circuit, the body of semiconductor material including:
• i) a planar surface with a plurality of optical signal transmissive connector elements arranged on said planar surface in a predetermined disposition;
• b) a connecting device, comprising:
• i) a plurality of optical signal transmissive connector members
• I) each optical signal transmissive connector member being associated with a respective optical signal transmissive connector element,
• II) the optical signal transmissive connector members being arranged according to the disposition of the optical signal transmissive connector elements such that each optical signal transmissive connector member communicates optically with a corresponding one of the optical signal transmissive connector elements,
• ii) flexible portions between respective optical signal transmissive connector members;
• iii) each flexible portion including a signal transmission pathway connecting to the optical signal transmissive connector member;
• iv) the flexible portions having a flexibility allowing the optical signal transmissive connector members to move in a direction parallel to said planar surface with relation to one another under the effect of thermal expansion of the body of semiconductor material.