LGA socket with improved high-speed differential signal performance

1. An electrical contact for use in an LGA connector, the electrical contact comprising:

a base adapted for retention in the LGA connector, the base comprising a first surface, wherein the base adapted for retention in the LGA connector further comprises one or more barbs, and wherein a first end of each of the barbs is coupled to the first surface of the base and a second end of each of the barbs is not coupled to the base;

a first cantilever beam extending from the first surface of the base, the first cantilever beam connected to the first surface of the base at a first end of the first cantilever beam, the first cantilever beam adapted to extend from a first end of the LGA connector;

a second cantilever beam extending from the first surface of the base, the second cantilever beam connected to the first surface of the base at a first end of the second cantilever beam, the second cantilever beam adapted to extend from the first end of the LGA connector;

a tail portion comprising a paddle, the tail portion and the paddle adapted to extend from a second end of the LGA connector for coupling to a printed circuit board, the second end opposite the first end of the LGA connector from which the first cantilever beam extends, the tail portion extending from a second surface of the base opposite the first surface, the tail portion comprising a first width and the paddle comprising a second width larger than the first width;

a neck defining a region where second ends of the first and second cantilever beams are connected; and

a contact tip extending from the neck;

wherein the first cantilever beam and the second cantilever beam form a void that extends from the first surface of the base to the neck, wherein a bottom edge of the void is coplanar with the first end of each of the barbs and wherein each of the barbs are coplanar with the base.

2. The electrical contact of claim 1 , wherein the first ends of the first and second cantilever beams are coplanar.

3. The electrical contact of claim 1 , wherein the contact tip comprises a plurality of prongs and a void separating portions of the plurality of prongs.

4. The electrical contact of claim 1 , wherein the first ends of the first and second cantilever beams are coplanar to a first end of each of the barbs.

5. The electrical contact of claim 1 further comprising one or more prongs extending from the contact tip.

6. The electrical contact of claim 5 , wherein each prong comprises a width less than a width of the contact tip.

7. An electrical contact, the electrical contact comprising:

a base comprising one or more barbs adapted for retention in a LGA connector, the base comprising a first surface, and wherein a first end of each of the barbs is coupled to the first surface of the base and a second end of each of the barbs is not coupled to the base;

a split beam cantilever extending from the first surface of the base, the split beam cantilever comprising a first beam and a second beam, the split beam cantilever adapted to extend from a first end of the LGA connector;

a tail portion comprising a paddle, the tail portion and the paddle adapted to extend from a second end of the LGA connector for coupling to a printed circuit board, the second end opposite the first end of the LGA connector from which the split beam cantilever extends, the tail portion extending from a second surface of the base opposite the first surface, the tail portion comprising a first width and the paddle comprising a second width larger than the first width;

a neck defining a region where first ends of the first and second beams are connected; and

a contact tip extending from the neck;

wherein the split beam cantilever comprises a void that extends from the first surface of the base to the neck, wherein a bottom edge of the void is coplanar with the first end of each of the barbs and wherein each of the barbs are coplanar with the base.

8. The electrical contact of claim 7 , wherein the first cantilever beam is connected to the base at a second end of the first cantilever beam and the second cantilever beam is connected to the base at a second end of the second cantilever beam.

9. The electrical contact of claim 7 , wherein the second ends of the first and second cantilever beams are coplanar.

10. The electrical contact of claim 7 , wherein the contact tip comprises a plurality of prongs and a void for separating portions of the plurality of prongs.

11. The electrical contact of claim 7 , wherein the second ends of the first and second cantilever beams are coplanar to a first end of each of the barbs.

12. The electrical contact of claim 7 further comprising one or more prongs extending from the contact tip.

13. The electrical contact of claim 12 , wherein each prong comprises a width less than a width of the contact tip.

14. A land grid array (LGA) socket assembly comprising:

a contact carrier comprising an array of cavities; and

a LGA contact disposed in each cavity, each LGA contact comprising:

a base comprising one or more barbs adapted for retention in the contact carrier, the base comprising a first surface, and wherein a first end of each of the barbs is coupled to the first surface of the base and a second end of each of the barbs is not coupled to the base;

a split beam cantilever extending from the first surface of the base, the split beam cantilever comprising a first beam and a second beam, the split beam cantilever extending from a first end of the contact carrier;

a tail portion comprising a paddle, the tail portion and the paddle extending from a second end of the contact carrier for coupling to a printed circuit board, the second end opposite the first end of the contact carrier from which the split beam cantilever extends, the tail portion extending from a second surface of the base opposite the first surface, the tail portion comprising a first width and the paddle comprising a second width larger than the first width;

a neck defining a region where first ends of the first and second beams are connected; and

a contact tip extending from the neck;

wherein the split beam cantilever comprises a void that extends from the first surface of the base to the neck, wherein a bottom edge of the void is coplanar with the first end of each of the barbs and wherein each of the barbs are coplanar with the base.