Probe for semiconductor devices
View Patent ↗An interconnection contact structure assembly including an electronic component having a surface and a conductive contact carried by the electronic component and accessible at the surface. The contact structure includes an internal flexible elongate member having first and second ends and with the first end forming a first intimate bond to the surface of said conductive contact terminal without the use of a separate bonding material. An electrically conductive shell is provided and is formed of at least one layer of a conductive material enveloping the elongate member and forming a second intimate bond with at least a portion of the conductive contact terminal immediately adjacent the first intimate bond.
1. An electronic assembly comprising:
a substrate having at least one contact pad; and
a spring contact structure comprising:
a conductive, flexible, elongate element secured at a first end to said contact pad, said elongate element comprising a first material,
a shell coating said elongate element, said shell comprising a material that is harder than said first material,
a dielectric layer formed on at least a portion of said shell, and
a metal layer formed on at least a portion of said dielectric layer.
2. The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein said elongate element includes at least a first bend along a length thereof.
3. The electronic assembly of claim 2 , wherein said elongate element further includes at least a second bend along a length thereof.
4. The electronic assembly of claim 3 , wherein said first bend and said second bend oppose each other.
5. The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein said elongate element includes a cantilever portion.
6. The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein said metal layer is coupled to a reference voltage.
7. The electronic assembly of claim 6 , wherein said reference voltage is ground.
8. The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein said metal layer electrically shields said elongate element.
9. The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein said elongate element is between 10 mils and 500 mils in length.
10. The electronic assembly of claim 9 , wherein said elongate element is between 0.25 and 10 mils in diameter.
11. The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein said shell has a thickness from 0.2 mils to 20 mils.
12. The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein a second end of said elongate element is disposed away from said substrate.
13. The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein said shell further coats at least a portion of said contact pad.
14. The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein said shell coating envelopes said elongate element.
15. The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein said shell is an electroplated material plated on said elongate element.
16. The electronic assembly of claim 1 , wherein said material composing said shell has a greater yield strength than said first material.
17. An electronic assembly comprising:
a substrate having at least one contact pad; and
a spring contact structure comprising:
a conductive, flexible, elongate element secured at a first end to said contact pad, said elongate element comprising a first material,
a shell coating said elongate element, said shell comprising a material that is harder than said first material,
a dielectric layer formed on at least a portion of said shell, and
a conductive layer formed on at least a portion of said dielectric layer.
18. The electronic assembly of claim 17 , wherein said conductive layer comprises a metal.
19. The electronic assembly of claim 17 , wherein said conductive layer is coupled to a reference voltage.
20. The electronic assembly of claim 19 , wherein said reference voltage is ground.
21. The electronic assembly of claim 17 , wherein said conductive layer electrically shields said elongate element.
22. The electronic assembly of claim 17 , wherein said shell coating envelopes said elongate element.
23. The electronic assembly of claim 17 , wherein said shell is an electroplated material plated on said elongate element.
24. The electronic assembly of claim 17 , wherein said material composing said shell has a greater yield strength than said first material.