Method of making an electronic contact
AssigneeTessera, Inc.
InventorsJoseph Fjelstad, John W. Smith, Thomas H. Distefano, James Zaccardi, A. Christian Walton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Microelectronic contacts, such as flexible, tab-like, cantilever contacts, are provided with asperities disposed in a regular pattern. Each asperity has a sharp feature at its tip remote from the surface of the contact. As mating microelectronic elements are engaged with the contacts, a wiping action causes the sharp features of the asperities to scrape the mating element, so as to provide effective electrical interconnection and, optionally, effective metallurgical bonding between the contact and the mating element upon activation of a bonding material.
Claims15
A method of making an electronic contact comprising the steps of:
- (a) depositing an etch-resistant material in a plurality of spots on a top surface of a sheet including a first metal at said top surface;
- (b) etching said first metal in a first etching process so that at least a portion of the first metal is removed in areas other than said spots, whereby the etched areas will define a base surface and the areas covered by said spots will form asperities projecting upwardly from said base surface, said etching step forming tips on said asperities remote from said base surface and substantially sharp edges bounding said tips.
A method of making an electronic contact comprising the steps of:
- (a) in a surface-forming step, etching a top surface of a sheet including a first metal at said top surface so that at least a portion of the first metal is removed except at locations in a predetermined asperity pattern and so that the etched areas define a base surface and asperities will projecting upwardly from said base surface at said locations, said surface-forming etching step forming tips on said asperities remote from said base surface and sharp features at each said tip;
- and
- (b) severing said sheet to form a plurality of contact portions according to a predetermined severing pattern, said severing pattern and said asperity pattern being in registration with one another so that at least one asperity is disposed on each said contact portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.