High speed, direct path, stair-step, electronic connectors with improved signal integrity characteristics and methods for their manufacture

1. An electrical connector comprising:

one or more dielectric and conductive elements having a plurality of electrical contacts arranged in first and second stair-step configurations on different sides of the electrical connector; and

wherein in the stair-step configurations, the plurality of electrical contacts are disposed to mate with corresponding electrical contacts of one or more electrical components, wherein respective ones of the plurality of electrical contacts on the different sides of the electrical connector are electrically connected to one another via a cantilevered-beam signal conductor passing through a body of the electrical connector.

2. An electrical connector assembly comprising:

a first insulating member having first and second surfaces;

a first plurality of cantilever beam conductors secured adjacent the first surface of the first insulating member; and

a second plurality of cantilever beam conductors secured adjacent the second surface of the first insulating member, wherein a cantilever beam conductor has a first end, a second end, and a mid-section between the first and second ends, wherein the first surface of the first insulating member has a first plurality of slots; and, each of the first plurality of cantilever beam conductors are disposed, at least in part, within a corresponding slot from among the first plurality of slots.

3. The electrical connector assembly of claim 2 wherein: the second surface of the first insulating member has a second plurality of slots; and, each of the second plurality of cantilever beam conductors are disposed, at least in part, within a corresponding slot from among the second plurality of slots.

4. The electrical connector assembly of claim 3 wherein the second plurality of cantilever beam conductors are in electrical continuity with each other.

5. The electrical connector assembly of claim 4 wherein the mid section of the second plurality of cantilever beam conductors are coupled with a conductive ground plate.

6. The electrical connector assembly of claim 5 wherein the second plurality of cantilever beam conductors and the ground plate are integrally formed from a single conductive member.

7. The electrical connector assembly of claim 6 wherein the second plurality of cantilever beam conductors are tapered such that a cross section of a cantilever beam conductor is wider proximate the ground plate and narrower proximate its respective first and second ends, thereby maintaining a cross sectional beam area more closely proportional to a sheer force exerted at any point along a cantilever beam.

8. The electrical connector assembly of claim 4 wherein a border of the first insulating member extends proximate the first and second ends of the second plurality of cantilever beam conductors.

9. The electrical connector assembly of claim 4 wherein the first insulating member comprises a conductive layer electrically isolated from the first plurality of cantilever beam conductors and in electrical continuity with the second plurality of cantilever beam conductors.

10. The electrical connector assembly of claim 9 wherein the first plurality of cantilever beam conductors are arranged in a linear arrangement, and wherein the first ends of the respective first and second plurality of cantilever beam conductors comprise conductive components of corresponding first and second steps of a first stair step electrical interconnect structure on a side of the electrical connector assembly.

11. The electrical connector assembly of claim 10 wherein the first plurality of cantilever beam conductors are segregated into a first plurality of differential pairs, each differential pair having first and second cantilever beam conductors.

12. The electrical connector assembly of claim 11 wherein a space between adjacent cantilever beams of a differential pair of cantilever beams is less than a space between adjacent cantilever beams of separate differential pairs.

13. The electrical connector assembly of claim 11 further comprising a third plurality of cantilever beam conductors, the first ends of the third plurality of cantilever beam conductors arranged in a linear arrangement comprising conductive components of a third stair step of the first stair step electrical interconnect structure.

14. The electrical connector assembly of claim 13 further comprising:

a second insulating member having first and second surfaces;

a third plurality of slots formed in the first surface of the second insulating member, wherein the third plurality of cantilever beam conductors are disposed, at least in part, in corresponding slots from among the third plurality of slots.

15. The electrical connector assembly of claim 14 wherein the second insulating member further comprises a conductive ground layer in electrical continuity with the second plurality of cantilever beam conductors.

16. The electrical connector assembly of claim 14 wherein the third plurality of cantilever beam conductors are in electrical continuity with each other, and with the conductive ground layer of the second insulating member.

17. The electrical connector assembly of claim 16 , wherein:

the second surface of the second insulating member comprises a fourth plurality of slots;

the second surface of the second insulating member faces the first surface of the first insulating member; and

first plurality of cantilever beam conductors are disposed, at least in part, in corresponding slots of the fourth plurality of slots.

18. The electrical connector assembly of claim 14 wherein the second surface of the second insulating member faces the second surface of the first insulating member,