Fiducial alignment masks on microelectronic spring contacts

A method for forming a tip structure for a microelectronic contact, the tip structure comprising an alignment mark and a contact tip, said method comprising the steps of:

• forming the contact tip and the alignment mark on a sacrificial substrate;
• transferring the contact tip and the alignment mark to a component of a microelectronic contact;
• and
• removing the sacrificial substrate after said transferring step.

A method for forming a contactor having a plurality of microelectronic contacts and a plurality of alignment marks, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a contactor substrate having a plurality of microelectronic contacts thereon;
• forming the plurality of contact tips and the plurality of alignment marks on a sacrificial substrate;
• transferring the plurality of contact tips and the plurality of alignment marks to the plurality of microelectronic contacts;
• and
• removing the sacrificial substrate after said transferring step.

A method for aligning and contacting corresponding arrays of microelectronic contact elements comprising a first array and a second array to achieve contact between corresponding contact elements of the first array and of the second array, wherein the contact elements of the first array comprise a plurality of contact tips and a plurality of alignment features, and selected ones of the contact elements of the first array each further comprises an alignment feature spaced apart from a contact tip, the method comprising:

• determining coordinates of the plurality of alignment features relative to selected ones of the plurality of contact tips of the first array;
• maintaining the second array in a known position;
• determining a determined position of the first array relative to the second array by transforming measured positions of the plurality of alignment features relative to the second array using the coordinates;
• positioning the first array relative to the second array using the determined position to achieve contact between corresponding contact elements of the first array and of the second array.

A method for aligning an array of contact elements on a contactor with corresponding contact elements on a device, the method comprising:

• forming an alignment feature on at least one of the contact elements on the contactor, wherein the alignment feature is spaced apart from a contact tip of the at least one of the contact elements;
• determining a position of the alignment feature relative to the contact tip;
• and
• aligning the contactor with the device using the position of the alignment feature.