Abstract:
An electrical connector includes a hollow conductive post member having a circular periphery, a foot portion and a distal end. The distal end has a generally cup shaped indentation. A base member is included having top and bottom surfaces. The foot portion of the post member is mounted to the top surface. At least one standoff extends from the bottom surface of the base member. The at least one standoff is for resting against a contact surface when soldering the electrical connector to the contact surface, thereby separating the bottom surface from the contact surface to define a minimum volume therebetween for occupation by solder.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to surface mount assembly of electronic equipment. More especially it relates to mounting of high frequency electronic components for efficient cooling also with low cost circuit boards. Particularly it relates to efficiently transporting heat and eliminating air gaps in microwave equipment.
Abstract:
A PCB assembly includes a motherboard, a daughter board, and an elastic strip. The motherboard is electrically connected to the daughter board via connectors. Each of the motherboard and the daughter board includes an area connected to a power layer or a ground layer. One end of the elastic strip electrically connects to the area of the motherboard. The other end of the elastic strip electrically connects to the area of the daughter board whereby increases electrically connection between the motherboard and the daughter board.
Abstract:
In a probe card assembly, a series of probe elements can be arrayed on a silicon space transformer. The silicon space transformer can be fabricated with an array of primary contacts in a very tight pitch, comparable to the pitch of a semiconductor device. One preferred primary contact is a resilient spring contact. Conductive elements in the space transformer are routed to second contacts at a more relaxed pitch. In one preferred embodiment, the second contacts are suitable for directly attaching a ribbon cable, which in turn can be connected to provide selective connection to each primary contact. The silicon space transformer is mounted in a fixture that provides for resilient connection to a wafer or device to be tested. This fixture can be adjusted to planarize the primary contacts with the plane of a support probe card board.
Abstract:
Products and assemblies are provided for socketably receiving elongate interconnection elements, such as spring contact elements, extending from electronic components, such as semiconductor devices. Socket substrates are provided with capture pads for receiving ends of elongate interconnection elements extending from electronic components. Various capture pad configurations are disclosed. Connections to external devices are provided via conductive traces adjacent the surface of the socket substrate. The socket substrate may be supported by a support substrate. In a particularly preferred embodiment the capture pads are formed directly on a primary substrate such as a printed circuit board.
Abstract:
In a probe card assembly, a series of probe elements can be arrayed on a silicon space transformer. The silicon space transformer can be fabricated with an array of primary contacts in a very tight pitch, comparable to the pitch of a semiconductor device. One preferred primary contact is a resilient spring contact. Conductive elements in the space transformer are routed to second contacts at a more relaxed pitch. In one preferred embodiment, the second contacts are suitable for directly attaching a ribbon cable, which in turn can be connected to provide selective connection to each primary contact. The silicon space transformer is mounted in a fixture that provides for resilient connection to a wafer or device to be tested. This fixture can be adjusted to planarize the primary contacts with the plane of a support probe card board.
Abstract:
A probe card assembly includes a probe card, a space transformer having resilient contact structures (probe elements) mounted directly to (i.e., without the need for additional connecting wires or the like) and extending from terminals on a surface thereof, and an interposer disposed between the space transformer and the probe card. The space transformer and interposer are “stacked up” so that the orientation of the space transformer, hence the orientation of the tips of the probe elements, can be adjusted without changing the orientation of the probe card. Suitable mechanisms for adjusting the orientation of the space transformer, and for determining what adjustments to make, are disclosed. The interposer has resilient contact structures extending from both the top and bottom surfaces thereof, and ensures that electrical connections are maintained between the space transformer and the probe card throughout the space transformer's range of adjustment, by virtue of the interposer's inherent compliance. Multiple die sites on a semiconductor wafer are readily probed using the disclosed techniques, and the probe elements can be arranged to optimize probing of an entire wafer. Composite interconnection elements having a relatively soft core overcoated by a relatively hard shell, as the resilient contact structures are described.
Abstract:
A board-to-board connector assembly is used to electrically connect a first circuit board and a second circuit board and has a receptacle connector and an engaging element assembled together. The receptacle connector includes an insulative housing and a plurality of conductive terminals received in the insulative housing. An engaging groove is defined in the receptacle connector and has the same shape as the engaging element for receiving the engaging element therein. The engaging element forms positioning portions thereon for guiding the receptacle connector to mate with a circuit board accurately and facilitating the terminals to contact electrodes on the circuit board firmly. The engaging element is firmly and accurately retained in the receptacle connector to assure reliable signal transmission between the first circuit board and the second circuit board. Simultaneously the overall height of the board-to-board connector assembly is effectively decreased.
Abstract:
In accordance with the invention a surface mount connector is provided for vertically mounting one circuit device on another. By “vertically mounting” is meant that a circuit device with a major surface is mounted perpendicular to the major surface of another circuit device. The connector is a conductive body comprising a base section and a transverse section, the base section having a width greater than the transverse section and a length which extends beyond the transverse section. Advantageously, the base section extends beyond the transverse section in front, behind and on both sides. In typical use, a major surface of a subassembly can be connected to the transverse section and an edge of the subassembly can be connected to the base extensions. The base can then be connected to the mother board. With this mounting, problems of co-plurality are substantially eliminated, higher densities in the use of subassemblies can be achieved and low resistance, low inductance connection can be provided along with effective heat dissipation.
Abstract:
Resilient contact structures provide electrical interconnection between a semiconductor die and another electronic component. Multilayered packaging may be formed on the semiconductor die, and the resilient contact structures may be formed on portions of one or more of the layers. Heat dissipating structures may be provided on the die.