Temporary, conformable contacts for microelectronic components

A temporary interface for a microelectronic component, comprising:

• a body having a confronting surface;
• a plurality of electrically independent conduits, each conduit having a contact end terminating adjacent the confronting surface, the contact ends being arranged in a contact array configured to match a terminal array of component terminals on a microelectronic component;
• a first volume of electrically conductive liquid in a first one of the conduits;
• a second volume of electrically conductive liquid in a second one of the conduits;
• and
• actuator means adapted to move the first and second volumes in their respective conduits.

A microelectronic component test system, comprising:

• a microelectronic component having a terminal surface and a plurality of terminals arranged in a terminal array on the terminal surface;
• a body having a confronting surface, the confronting surface of the body being juxtaposed with the terminal surface of the microelectronic component such that the terminals are spaced from the confronting surface by a gap;
• electrically independent first and second conduits carried by the body, each of the first and second conduits having a contact end terminating adjacent the confronting surface at a location proximate an associated one of the microelectronic component terminals;
• a first conformable conductor associated with the first conduit and a second conformable conductor associated with the second conduit, each of the first and second conformable conductors comprising a volume of electrically conductive liquid in the associated conduit;
• and
• an actuator associated with the first conduit and adapted to actuate the first conductor from a first position to a second position.

A microelectronic component test system, comprising:

• a body having a confronting surface;
• a conduit carried by the body;
• an electrically conductive liquid in the conduit;
• and
• an electrically conductive flexible member carried by the body adjacent the confronting surface and adapted to resiliently return from a distended position toward a relaxed position, the flexible member assuming the distended position in response to pressure of the liquid against the flexible member, the flexible member being adapted to conform to a surface of a terminal of a microelectronic component when in the distended position.

A method of testing a microelectronic component having a plurality of component terminals on a component surface, comprising:

• juxtaposing the microelectronic component with an interface having an interface surface and a plurality of liquid switches, the component surface being spaced from the interface surface;
• actuating first and second ones of the liquid switches to electrically contact each of the first and second switches to an associated one of the component terminals by deforming a contact surface of each of the first and second switches to conform to a surface of the associated component terminal without substantially deforming the component terminals;
• and
• conducting electricity across an electrically conductive liquid of each of the first and second switches, the liquid of each switch electrically connecting the component terminal juxtaposed with the switch to a test terminal carried by the test interface.

A method of testing a microelectronic component having a component terminal on a component surface, comprising:

• juxtaposing the microelectronic component with an interface having an interface surface, a conduit, an electrically conductive liquid in the conduit, and an electrically conductive flexible member, a surface of the component terminal being spaced from the flexible member by a gap;
• distending the flexible member across the gap into conforming contact with the component terminal surface;
• and
• conducting electricity across the flexible member with the flexible member in contact with the component terminal surface, the liquid and the flexible member electrically connecting the component terminal to a test terminal carried by the interface.