Flexible connectors for microelectronic elements

A connector for mounting a microelectric element to a substrate comprising:

• (a) a resilient, sheetlike body having first and second major surfaces;
• (b) a plurality of generally laminar contacts secured to said first major surface of said body, disposed in an array corresponding to an array of bump leads on the microelectronic element to be mounted, each said contact being adapted to engage a corresponding bump lead;
• and
• (c) an array of posts on said second major surface of said sheetlike element, offset from and electrically connected to said contacts, whereby said posts can be bonded to a substrate to electrically connect said contacts to said substrate and to support said body with a standoff space between said body and said substrate, and whereby a microelectronic element cam be connected to said substrate by urging said microelectronic element against said body so that bump leads on the element are engaged by said contacts on the body, and portions of said body surrounding said contacts are at least partially uninterrupted and are resiliently deflected into said standoff space.

A socket for engaging a bump lead on a microelectronic element, comprising:

• a resilient, dielectric sheet having first and second major surfaces;
• an electrically conductive contact secured to said first major surface of said sheet, said contact having an active contact portion, at least a portion of said sheet surrounding said active portion of said contact being at least partially uninterrupted;
• a supporting substrate having a first surface, said substrate first surface juxtaposed with said sheet second major surface, said substrate having a conductive terminal thereon;
• and
• a plurality of posts spaced around said active contact portion, said posts mechanically supporting a portion of said sheet surrounding said contact with respect to said substrate such that there is a gap between said sheet and said substrate, one of said posts electrically connecting said terminal and said contact, whereby said sheet deflects as the bump lead is engaged with the active contact portion of the contact.

A connector for engaging bump leads on a microelectronic element, comprising:

• a resilient, dielectric sheet having first and second major surfaces, electrically conductive contacts secured to said first major surface of said sheet, said contacts each having an active contact portion, at least a portion of said sheet surrounding said active portion of said contact being at least partially uninterrupted;
• a generally rigid substrate having terminals thereon;
• and
• a plurality of posts supporting said sheet with respect to said substrate such that a gap is formed therebetween;
• each said contact being located on an associated portion of said sheet supported by an associated group of posts;
• wherein groups of posts associated with adjacent contacts share at least one post.

A method of making connections to a microelectronic element having an array of bump leads thereon, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a connector having a sheetlike body, a substrate, an array of contacts on a first major surface of the sheetlike body, and an array of posts connecting a second major surface of the sheetlike body to a top surface of the substrate, and spacing the sheetlike body away from the substrate, each of the contacts being disposed on a portion of the sheetlike body having at its perimeter two or more of said posts, at least a portion of said sheetlike body surrounding each said contact remote from said posts being at least partially uninterrupted;
• (b) aligning the microelectronic element with the connector so that the array of contacts is substantially in registration with the array of bump leads;
• and
• (c) urging the microelectronic element toward the sheetlike body so that the array of bump leads contacts the array of contacts and each said portion of the sheetlike body is resiliently deflected between two or more of said posts and a bump lead.