Electrical contactor, especially wafer level contactor, using fluid pressure
View Patent ↗An electrical interconnect assembly and methods for making an electrical interconnect assembly. In one embodiment, an interconnect assembly includes a flexible wiring layer having a plurality of first contact elements and a fluid containing structure which is coupled to the flexible wiring layer. The fluid, when contained in the fluid containing structure, presses the flexible wiring layer towards a device under test to form electrical interconnections between the first contact elements and corresponding second contact elements on the device under test. In a further embodiment, an interconnect assembly includes a flexible wiring layer having a plurality of first contact terminals and a semiconductor substrate which includes a plurality of second contact terminals. A plurality of freestanding, resilient contact elements, in one embodiment, are mechanically coupled to one of the flexible wiring layers or the semiconductor substrate and make electrical contacts between corresponding ones of the first contact terminals and the second contact terminals. In another embodiment, a method of making electrical interconnections includes joining a flexible wiring layer and a substrate together in proximity and causing a pressure differential between a first side and a second side of the flexible wiring layer. The pressure differential deforms the flexible wiring layer and causes a plurality of first contact terminals on the flexible wiring layer to electrically connect with a corresponding plurality of second contact terminals on the substrate.
1. An interconnect assembly comprising:
a wiring layer having first contact elements;
a flexible layer configured to hold a device under test such that second contact elements of said device under test are disposed adjacent to but spaced apart from said first contact elements; and
a chamber comprising an inlet port and disposed adjacent to said flexible layer, wherein a fluid introduced through said inlet port into said chamber presses said flexible layer towards said wiring layer to move said second contact elements into contact with said first contact elements and thereby form electrical interconnections between said first contact elements and said second contact elements when said device under test is disposed on said flexible layer.
2. The interconnect assembly of claim 1 further comprising a base having a cavity therein, wherein said flexible layer is coupled to said base adjacent said cavity.
3. The interconnect assembly of claim 1 , wherein said first contact elements are resilient contact elements.
4. The interconnect assembly of claim 1 , wherein said device under test is a semiconductor wafer comprising semiconductor dies.
5. The interconnect assembly of claim 1 , wherein said fluid comprises a liquid.
6. The interconnect assembly of claim 1 , wherein said fluid comprises compressed air.
7. The interconnect assembly of claim 2 , wherein said flexible layer is disposed adjacent an opening in said base into said cavity.
8. The interconnect assembly of claim 7 further comprising a sealing mechanism disposed between said flexible layer and said base adjacent said opening into said cavity.
9. The interconnect assembly of claim 8 , wherein:
said flexible layer is a first wall of said chamber,
a bottom of said cavity is a second wall of said chamber that is generally parallel to said first wall, and
side walls of said cavity are sidewalls of said chamber that are generally perpendicular to said first wall and said second wall.
10. The interconnect assembly of claim 9 , wherein said first contact elements are resilient contact elements.
11. The interconnect assembly of claim 9 , wherein said device under test is a semiconductor wafer comprising semiconductor dies.
12. The interconnect assembly of claim 9 , wherein said fluid comprises a liquid.
13. The interconnect assembly of claim 9 , wherein said fluid comprises compressed air.
14. The interconnect assembly of claim 2 , wherein said chamber comprises said flexible layer and said cavity.
15. The interconnect assembly of claim 14 further comprising a sealing mechanism disposed between said flexible layer and said base adjacent said opening into said cavity.
16. The interconnect assembly of claim 14 , wherein said first contact elements are resilient contact elements.
17. The interconnect assembly of claim 14 , wherein said device under test is a semiconductor wafer comprising semiconductor dies.
18. The interconnect assembly of claim 14 , wherein said fluid comprises a liquid.
19. The interconnect assembly of claim 14 , wherein said fluid comprises compressed air.