Conductive bump with a plurality of contact elements
View Patent ↗A method of forming a contact structure and a contact structure. The contact structure includes a contact location, and contact elements disposed substantially on the contact location, at least one such contact element including a deformable center and a conducting layer covering at least a part of the deformable center.
1. A contact structure comprising:
a contact location including a conductive structure disposed on a substrate; and
a plurality of contact elements disposed substantially on the conductive structure, each such contact element including a deformable center and a conducting layer covering at least a part of the deformable center;
wherein a melting point of the conducting layer is higher than a melting point of the deformable center.
2. The contact structure of claim 1 , at least one such contact element including the conducting layer further comprising a coating substantially covering the conducting layer.
3. The contact structure of claim 2 , for at least one such contact element including the coating, the coating being more deformable than the deformable center.
4. The contact structure of claim 2 , for at least one such contact element including the coating, the coating further comprising an adhesive.
5. The contact structure of claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive disposed substantially between the contact elements.
6. The contact structure of claim 1 , further comprising a non-conductive structure substantially surrounding the contact location.
7. The contact structure of claim 6 , the non-conductive structure forming a well substantially at the contact location and the contact elements disposed substantially in the well.
8. The contact structure of claim 1 , the deformable center further comprising a thermosetting material.
9. The contact structure of claim 1 , wherein a position of the contact elements on the contact location is defined by at least one drop of a carrier fluid suspending the contact elements during deposition of the contact elements.
10. The contact structure of claim 9 , the at least one drop of carrier fluid containing the contact elements deposited by an ink-jet.
11. The contact structure of claim 9 , wherein an initial spread of the at least one drop of carrier fluid is larger than an area of the contact location.
12. The contact structure of claim 9 , wherein substantially all the contact elements are disposed within an area of the contact location in a shape due to an evaporation of the carrier fluid.
13. The contact structure of claim 1 , further comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of:
a carrier fluid repelling material disposed substantially outside of the contact location; and
a carrier fluid attractive material disposed substantially on the contact location.
14. A contact structure comprising:
a contact location including a conductive structure disposed on a substrate; and
a plurality of contact elements disposed substantially on the conductive structure, each such contact element including a deformable center and a conducting layer covering at least a part of the deformable center, at least one such contact element including the conducting layer further comprising a coating substantially covering the conducting layer;
wherein the coating includes an adhesive and a melting point of the conducting layer is higher than a melting point of the deformable center.
15. A contact structure comprising:
a first contact location including a first conductive structure disposed on a first substrate;
a second contact location including a second conductive structure disposed on a second substrate; and
a plurality of contact elements disposed substantially between the first contact location and the second contact location, each contact element including a deformable center and a conducting layer covering at least a part of the deformable center;
a non-conductive structure disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, the non-conductive structure substantially surrounding the first contact location and the second contact location wherein the non-conductive structure includes a plurality of insulating elements, each insulating element including a deformable center.
16. The contact structure of claim 15 , wherein:
the deformable center for each contact element and each insulating element has a similar resistance to pressure.
17. The contact structure of claim 15 , wherein:
the second contact location includes a conductive ball; and
the contact elements are disposed between the conductive ball and the first contact location.