Integrated circuit spring contact fabrication methods
AssigneeHughes Electronics Corporation
InventorMichael J. Little
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An integrated-circuit interconnect which can be formed at the wafer level is achieved by depositing an intentionally stressed contact layer over a release layer which is subsequently removed. The removal of the release layer permits a portion of the contact layer to curve away from the surface of an integrated circuit chip. The result is a spring contact having a base portion joined to a metal member of the chip and a spring portion which is available for joining to other metal members, e.g., on a substrate or another chip. The resilience of the spring portion can also be used to position and align integrated circuit elements.
Claims17
A method of fabricating a spring contact on a surface of a semiconductor die, comprising the steps of:
- depositing a release layer on said die;
- depositing a contact layer over a region of said surface and over said release layer in the presence of deposition conditions which induce a stress in said contact layer;
- positioning said contact layer with a base portion of said contact layer overlying said region and a spring portion of said contact layer overlying said release layer;
- and
- removing said release layer to permit said stress to raise said spring portion from said die.
A method of fabricating a spring contact which is connected to a surface of a substrate, comprising the steps of:
- depositing a release layer on said substrate;
- depositing a contact layer over a region of said surface and over said release layer in the presence of deposition conditions which induce a stress in said contact layer;
- positioning said contact layer with a base portion of said contact layer overlying said region and a spring portion of said contact layer overlying said release layer;
- and
- removing said release layer to permit said stress to raise said spring portion from said surface.
A method of electrically interconnecting first and second members, comprising the steps of:
- depositing a release layer on said first member;
- depositing a contact layer over a region of said first member and over said release layer in the presence of deposition conditions which induce a stress in said contact layer;
- positioning said contact layer with a base portion of said contact layer overlying said region and a spring portion of said contact layer overlying said release layer;
- removing said release layer to permit said stress to raise said spring portion from said surface;
- and
- positioning said first and second members with said spring portion abutting said second member.
A method of mechanically positioning a first member on a second member, comprising the steps of:
- depositing a release layer on said second member;
- depositing a contact layer over a region of said second member and over said release layer in the presence of deposition conditions which induce a stress in said contact layer;
- positioning said contact layer with a base portion of said contact layer overlying said region and a spring portion of said contact layer overlying said release layer;
- removing said release layer to permit said stress to raise said spring portion from said second member;
- and
- positioning said second member to abut said spring portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.