Ultra-high density connector

1. An ultra-high density connector comprising

a bundle of substantially parallel elongate cylindrical elements, wherein each cylindrical element is substantially in contact with at least one adjacent cylindrical element;

a plurality of ends of the elongate cylindrical elements disposed differentially with respect to each other to define a three-dimensional surface configured to interdigitate with a mating connector wherein a first subset of the elongate cylindrical elements has ends positioned substantially in a first plane and a second subset of the elongate cylindrical elements has ends positioned substantially in a second plane; and

wherein at least one of the elongate cylindrical elements has an electrically conductive contact positioned to tangentially engage a corresponding electrical contact of a mating connector.

2. The ultra-high density connector of claim 1 , wherein the elongate cylindrical elements have a cross section chosen from the group of shapes consisting of round, oval, triangular, square, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, and polygonal.

3. The ultra-high density connector of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the elongate cylindrical elements is chosen from the group of filamentary structures consisting of a microwire, an insulated microwire, and a glass fiber.

4. The ultra-high density connector of claim 1 , wherein the elongate cylindrical elements have a cross-sectional diameter of less than about 200 micrometers.

5. The ultra-high density connector of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the elongate cylindrical elements comprises a bonding material disposed on an outer surface of the elongate cylindrical element.

6. The ultra-high density connector of claim 1 , wherein the elongate cylindrical elements are all substantially equal in cross section dimension.

7. The ultra-high density connector of claim 1 , wherein the elongate cylindrical elements are arranged in a hexagonal close pack.

8. The ultra-high density connector of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive contact comprises a patch of metal disposed on an outer surface of the corresponding elongate cylindrical element.

9. The ultra-high density connector of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive contact comprises a conductive strip disposed on an outer surface of the corresponding elongate cylindrical element and extending along the length of the corresponding elongate cylindrical element.

10. The ultra-high density connector of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive contact comprises a ring disposed substantially around an outer surface of the corresponding elongate cylindrical substrate.

11. The ultra-high density connector of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the elongate cylindrical elements has a bore to communicate a fluid.

12. The ultra-high density connector of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the elongate cylindrical elements is an optical fiber to communicate an optical signal.

13. A method of making an ultra-high density connector comprising:

a.) providing a plurality of elongate cylindrical elements;

b.) forming a bundle of the plurality of elongate cylindrical elements, so that

i.) a plurality of ends of the elongate cylindrical elements are disposed differentially with respect to each other to define a three-dimensional surface configured to interdigitate with a mating connector, and

ii.) each cylindrical element is substantially in contact with at least one adjacent cylindrical element; and

c.) fixing the plurality of elongate cylindrical elements together to form a connector by coating a bonding compound onto an outer surface of the plurality of elongate cylindrical elements before forming the bundle.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising forming at least one electrically conductive region on an outer surface of at least one elongate cylindrical element.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the at least one electrically conductive region is formed by cylindrical lithography.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein fixing the plurality of elongate cylindrical elements together comprises inserting the bundle into a sleeve.

17. An ultra-high density connector comprising

A bundle of substantially parallel elongate cylindrical elements, wherein each cylindrical element is substantially in contact with at least one adjacent cylindrical element;

A plurality of ends of the elongate cylindrical elements disposed differentially with respect to each other to define a three-dimensional surface configured to interdigitate with a mating connector; and

wherein at least one of the elongate cylindrical elements has an electrically conductive contact positioned to tangentially engage a corresponding electrical contact of a mating connector, wherein the electrically conductive contact comprises a ring disposed substantially around an outer surface of the corresponding elongate cylindrical element.

18. The ultra-high density connector of claim 17 , wherein at least one of the elongate cylindrical elements is chosen from the group of filamentary structures consisting of a microwire, an insulated microwire, and a glass fiber.

19. The ultra-high density connector of claim 17 , wherein the elongate cylindrical elements have a cross-sectional diameter of less than about 200 micrometers.

20. The ultra-high density connector of claim 17 , wherein at least one of the elongate cylindrical elements has a bore to communicate a fluid.

21. The ultra-high density connector of claim 17 , wherein at least one of the elongate cylindrical elements is an optical fiber to communicate an optical signal.

22. A method of making an ultra-high density connector comprising:

a.) providing a plurality of elongate cylindrical elements;

b.) forming a bundle of the plurality of elongate cylindrical elements, so that

i.) a plurality of ends of the elongate cylindrical elements are disposed differentially with respect to each other to define a three-dimensional surface configured to interdigitate with a mating connector, and

ii.) each cylindrical element is substantially in contact with at least one adjacent cylindrical element;

wherein forming the bundle comprises placing the plurality of ends of the elongate cylindrical elements in a common plane, and etching a subset of the elongate cylindrical elements to form the three-dimensional mating surface; and

c.) fixing the plurality of elongate cylindrical elements together to form a connector.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising forming at least one electrically conductive region on an outer surface of at least one elongate cylindrical element.

24. The method of claim 22 , wherein fixing the plurality of elongate cylindrical elements together comprises coating a bonding compound onto an outer surface of the plurality of elongate cylindrical elements before forming the bundle.

25. A method of making an ultra-high density connector comprising:

a.) providing a plurality of elongate cylindrical elements;

b.) forming a bundle of the plurality of elongate cylindrical elements, so that

i.) a plurality of ends of the elongate cylindrical elements are disposed differentially with respect to each other to define a three-dimensional surface configured to interdigitate with a mating connector, and

ii.) each cylindrical element is substantially in contact with at least one adjacent cylindrical element;

wherein forming the bundle comprises sliding each elongate cylindrical element in a longitudinal direction until a stop in a manufacturing jig is reached; and

c.) fixing the plurality of elongate cylindrical elements together to form a connector.

26. The method of claim 25 , further comprising forming at least one electrically conductive region on an outer surface of at least one elongate cylindrical element.

27. The method of claim 25 , wherein fixing the plurality of elongate cylindrical elements together comprises coating a bonding compound onto an outer surface of the plurality of elongate cylindrical elements before forming the bundle.