Method and apparatus for fabricating anisotropically conductive material

Apparatus for applying a magnetic field to an uncured polymer, containing a plurality of electrically conductive, ferromagnetic particles therein, to align the particles into chains parallel to the lines of the field characterized by:

• a "W"-shaped frame including a base, a pair of outer legs each extending upwardly from the base so as to be substantially parallel to and spaced from each other, and a middle leg integral with and extending upwardly from the base at a point midway between the two outer legs, the middle leg having a substantially flat surface at its end distant from the base;
• a pair of members each having a first end pivotally connected to the end of a separate one of the outer legs;
• a block pivotally connected to a second end of each of said memebers so as to be movable to and from the middle leg, the block having a substantially flat surface thereon opposite to the substantially flat surface on the middle leg;
• a pair of ferromagnetic pole pieces each having a plurality of uniformly spaced mesas protruding therefrom, the pole pieces being mounted to the flat surfaces on the middle leg and the block, respectively, so that the mesas on the pole pieces oppose each other;
• a pair of coils of wire, each wrapped about a separate one of the outer legs and coupled in series with each other;
• and
• an adjustable dc voltage source for energizing the coils.