Interconnects including liquid metal
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to interconnects that include liquid metal, and associated techniques and configurations. The individual interconnects may electrically couple a contact of a printed circuit board (PCB) to a contact of a device under test (DUT). The interconnect may be disposed in or on the PCB. In various embodiments, the interconnect may include a carrier that defines a well (e.g., an opening in the carrier), and the liquid metal may be disposed in the well. In some embodiments, the contact of the DUT, or a contact of an intermediary device, may extend into the well and directly contact the liquid metal. In other embodiments, a flex circuit may be disposed over the well to seal the well. The flex circuit may include a conductive pad to electrically couple the liquid metal to the contact of the DUT. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a printed circuit board (PCB) having a contact; and
an interconnect disposed on the PCB and having:
a carrier with a well that includes a liquid metal disposed in the well that is in direct physical contact with the contact of the PCB; and
a flex circuit that seals the well on an opposite side of the well from the contact of the PCB;
wherein the interconnect is to electrically connect the contact of the PCB to a contact of a device under test (DUT) via the liquid metal when the contact of the DUT is coupled with the flex circuit.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the carrier includes a carrier layer disposed on the PCB.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flex circuit includes a conductive pad to electrically couple the liquid metal to the contact of the DUT.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the carrier is formed of elastomer.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the carrier includes a plurality of wells, with liquid metal disposed in the wells corresponding to individual interconnects of a plurality of interconnects, the individual interconnects corresponding with individual contacts of a plurality of contacts of the PCB.
6. A method comprising:
providing a printed circuit board (PCB) having a contact disposed on a surface of the PCB;
providing an interconnect with a carrier having a well, a flex circuit covering a first side of the well, and a liquid metal in the well; and
coupling the interconnect to the surface of the PCB, wherein the contact of the PCB is disposed in a second side of the well opposite the first side of the well; and wherein the liquid metal is in direct physical contact with the contact of the PCB and is to electrically couple the contact of the PCB to a contact of a device under test (DUT).
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the carrier includes a carrier layer disposed on the PCB.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the flex circuit includes a conductive pad to electrically couple the liquid metal to the contact of the DUT.
9. A system comprising:
an integrated circuit assembly having a plurality of contacts;
a printed circuit board (PCB) having a plurality of contacts; and
an interconnect assembly disposed on the PCB and including:
a carrier having a plurality of wells that include a liquid metal disposed in the wells, the liquid metal in direct physical contact with the plurality of contacts of the PCB; and
a flex circuit that seals the plurality of wells on an opposite side of the wells from the plurality of contacts of the PCB.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the carrier includes a carrier layer disposed on the PCB.
11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the contacts of the integrated circuit assembly extend into the wells and are in direct contact with the liquid metal.
12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the flex circuit includes conductive pads to electrically couple the liquid metal in respective wells to the respective contacts of the integrated circuit assembly.
13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the integrated circuit assembly is directly coupled to the interconnect assembly.
14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the system further includes:
a space transformer coupled to the interconnect assembly to facilitate electrical connections between the interconnect assembly and the integrated circuit assembly; and
a probe head coupled to the space transformer and configured to electrically couple the interconnect assembly to the integrated circuit assembly via the space transformer.
15. An apparatus comprising:
a printed circuit board (PCB) having a well that is disposed in the PCB on a side of the PCB;
an electrical contact coupled to the PCB and disposed in the well of the PCB;
a liquid metal disposed in the well of the PCB and in direct physical contact with the electrical contact of the PCB; and
a flex circuit that seals the well on an opposite side of the well from the contact of the PCB;
wherein the liquid metal is to electrically connect the electrical contact of the PCB to a contact of a device under test (DUT) when the contact of the DUT is coupled with the flex circuit.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the side of the PCB is a first side and the well is formed by a via disposed through the PCB from the first side of the PCB to a second side of the PCB, and wherein a plug is disposed in a portion of the via adjacent the second side of the PCB to define the well on the first side of the PCB.